lukecmiller

RIP

2009-11-18T13:38:00.003-06:00

After a long run, I am finally putting this blog to rest. I'll still be blogging (probably about as frequently), but not at this address. My new blog can be found at lukecmiller.wordpress.com. Please update your links and bookmarks and feed (the feed address is: http://lukecmiller.wordpress.com/feed/) .

Blood on the Tree of Liberty

2009-10-06T12:40:00.004-05:00

I've been really bad about blogging lately, but something is on my mind that I'd like to process here. I've been reading a lot of stuff recently about conservative reactions to the Obama Presidency. There seems to be a rising tide of resentment, culminating in public questions of the current government's legitimacy, and in some places, calls for (or speculation of) revolution.

In our 200+ years as a nation, we have held over 50 presidential elections. In the last one, Barack Obama beat John McCain by just under 10 Million votes, and by 192 electoral votes. His victory was decisive. The American people chose their leader in the same way that we have done every four years since our constitution was ratified. In addition, the American people voted decisively for large majorities in both houses of Congress.

You may be disappointed with the results. You may be discouraged by your fellow citizens' electoral choices. But, I'm sorry, that's how our system works. We are a nation that chooses its leaders and its laws according to the will of the majority. That means that sometimes, when we find ourselves in the minority, we don't get our way. And during the preceding 28 years, the Democrats did not get their way for twenty.

I realize that this kind of change can be unsettling. But there's something you can do about it. You can exercise your First Amendment rights to free speech and you can get out there and make your case known. You can tell as many people as you can how your philosophy and policies are better. And in two years, when we hold another set of elections, you can advocate for candidates who represent you and your ideas. And again they'll face the entirety of the American electorate and we'll decide if they have better ideas for our nation.

I fail to see how one can advocate that the government has become tyrannical against the will of the people, when the government was elected as a result of the will of the people. Maybe not of YOUR will, but the will of your neighbors and fellow citizens. If we decide in two or four or six years that those we elected are failing us, we can send them home. Until the government somehow usurps our basic rights to remove them from office, I don't see how we can allege that they are being tyrannical. And until they become tyrannical, I don't see how we can advocate some kind of non-electoral over-throw.

That would be a minority imposing their will on the majority, and THAT would be tyranny.

/rant

This is what I read that got me riled up if you're interested.

Presidents in the Schools

2009-09-04T14:29:00.002-05:00

At age 7 and 10 I heard Presidents Reagan and Bush (41) give similar addresses to American school children. I voted for Barack Obama. It seems to me that conservatives would want their kids to hear President Obama so they'll grow up and vote conservative.

From the economist:

"...if conservatives are worried that Obama will beam his mind-rays through the television screens and turn their children into...pro-business moderate liberals, or something, they should chill out: the mind-rays don't work. In 1988, Ronald Reagan addressed the nation's schoolchildren via television, and in 1991, George H.W. Bush did the same. And in 2008, those kids, now aged roughly 24 to 38, voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama. If, on the other hand, conservatives make the president's speech seem like something forbidden and cool, that they're not allowed to watch...that just might ensure those kids vote Democratic when they get the chance."

Ted Kennedy (1932-2009)

2009-08-26T12:40:00.003-05:00

This is my attempt to write a little something to mark the passing of Senator Kennedy.

Last night, shortly after I went to sleep, news agencies began reporting that Senator Kennedy had lost his battle with brain cancer. I didn't get the news until this morning. I was saddened.

Before I go any further, it should be noted that I do not think that Kennedy was a perfect man. His behavior at many points in his life were much less than honorable to say the least. On this day of his passing, however, I think it right to think of the family, friends and constituents who loved him and mourn his passing, and to save our judgments for another day.

History and politics are two of my deepest loves. And as a student of both, I cannot help but recognize the importance of the entire Kennedy clan, and specifically Ted. His passing is an important mark on American history and politics. "Teddy" was the youngest of four brothers, and the only one to die of natural causes. His oldest brother, Joe Jr., was killed in World War II while flying a mission over the English Channel. Jack Kennedy was gunned down while parading in Downtown Dallas. Bobby also fell victim to gun violence five years later while campaigning for the presidency.

This left Ted as the only surviving Kennedy son, and he was forced to pick up the family standard. He did this with failure and success. From 1962 to the present, Kennedy made an indelible mark on American politics. An unashamed advocate for progressive causes, he had his hand in every major legislative battle from civil rights to the current debate over healthcare.

Some downplay it, but I think one of his biggest contributions, at least in the last five years, was his endorsement of Barack Obama in last year's Democratic Primary. Toward the end of January, it became clear that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were going to be the two candidates standing, and that it was going to be really close. For many democratic voters, I think Kennedy's endorsement provided just the right amount of push they needed to commit to Obama. I know it went a long way for me, not because I respected Kennedy's opinion as much as what it represented: establishment democrats could work with Obama.

Kennedy certainly has his detractors. Many have been unwilling to forgive his behavior at Chappaquiddick in 1969, when he drove his car into a pond and abandoned Mary Jo Kopechne who died an hour or so later. Kennedy's memoirs will be released next month, and it will be interesting to see how he treats this incident. Leaving her and failing to report the accident for hours was clearly a failure on his part, but people make mistakes, sometimes grave. And it is not those failures that should define us, but how we deal with them. Detractors will argue that he got away with murder. I don't think the situation was quite that simple, and it must be noted that the Chappaquiddick incident did remain as a dark cloud over the rest of his career and prevented him from ever moving beyond the Senate.

Perhaps his inability to attain the presidency is not punishment enough for you. That's fair. But remember that he was democratically elected by the people of Massachusetts every six years, and ultimately who they choose to represent them is their call.

From his election to the United States Senate in 1962 to his role in the aftermath of his brothers' assassinations to the Chappaquiddick incident to his failed bid to wrestle the Democratic nomination from Jimmy Carter in 1980 to his nay vote on the Iraq War to his tireless commitment to universal health care, Senator Ted Kennedy was a dominant presence in American politics in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first. Whether you love or hate the man, may we all mark his passing with reverence as an era ends, and we all look to a new generation of leaders to pick up where he left off.

May peace be with his family, his friends, and with all those who mourn the passing of this "Lion." May hope fill all of our hearts as we recall his words that "our best days are still ahead."

Ted Kennedy and Senate Vacancies (PoliBlog)

2009-08-24T13:21:00.003-05:00

Last week Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts sent a letter to his state's governor and legislature asking that rules be changed regarding Senate vacancies... most notably: his impending Senate vacancy. Diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, Kennedy has been absent from the Senate during most of the votes made during this legislative session. His condition does not appear to be improving, and it looks likely that he will have to vacate his Senate seat in the near future.

Kennedy has served in the United States Senate since 1962, and every six years he is more or less rubber-stamped on through to re-election. The people of Massachusetts clearly have a deep love and respect for the youngest (and only surviving) of the Kennedy brothers. I make no comment here on whether or not I agree with the people of Massachusetts.

Current state law requires a waiting period of four-ish months after a Senate seat has been vacated, after which a special election is held to elect a new Senator to fill the vacated seat. In Massachusetts the Governor has no power to appoint someone to fill the seat. This means that, during the months-long waiting period, Massachusetts will only have one Senator, and one vote. This law was created when John Kerry was running for President and Mitt Romney, a Republican, was Governor. Democrats in MA did not want their Republican Governor making an appointment to fill Kerry's seat should he be elected POTUS.

Now Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor and Democrats again feel comfortable letting their Governor make an appointment, and Kennedy, among others, has asked that the rules be changed. Senator Kennedy has long supported universal healthcare, and with important votes on this looming, it's fairly clear that he wants to make sure his sentiments are represented, both for the people of MA and the Democratic Party.

To address the immediate issue... that seems fair. I think it was dumb that the rules were changed in 2004, but I agree that the people of MA, and of all states, should have full representation in Congress.

Which brings me to the real reason for this blog. It's 2009. Should Senators really have to be present in Washington to cast votes on important legislation? It seems to me that extenuating circumstances like Sen. Kennedy's (and Mr. Byrd's) shouldn't prevent American citizens from being represented. Can he not call in a vote? Or can the Senate not create some kind of secure internet connection? If the President is in Wyoming and needs to issue an order to launch nuclear missiles, he can do it from Air Force One (or Marine One). Why do Senators have to be present to do their job?

I do realize the slippery slope. Forcing congressmen and -women to be in DC requires them to be involved in conversation with people who represent other parts of the country and different schools of thought, thus, ideally, aiding them in making better choices for their people. But again, in extreme circumstances, should there not be some kind of backup in place?

AND Should there not be some kind of immediate replacement procedure should someone vacate their seat either in death or resignation? I don't mean something permanent, but something that ensures that the people are continuously represented. Maybe it immediately goes to the Senator's spouse, or to the chief of staff, or to the most senior member of that state's congressional delegation, or maybe some other predetermined appointee. My point is simply that it seems very un-democratic to deny the people representation in congress simply because the person they voted for gets sick or injured or has to resign for some other reason.

Let the states work it out how they like, by special election or gubernatorial appointment or any other way they see fit, but let's create something in the meantime to fill vacancies. What do you say?

Barney Frank at his Town Hall (PoliBlog)

2009-08-19T14:40:00.003-05:00

I've said over and over again that I want to see real debate happening between competing political parties and ideologies, but sometimes, you just have to enjoy the show. (Also - I'm beginning to wonder if Rep. Barney Frank is one f the Car Talk brothers.)

Crap! (MotoBlog)

2009-08-17T09:37:00.003-05:00

First let me apologize. It's been almost two weeks since my last post. Seems like keeping up with this thing as I'd like is still a challenge for me, but I'm not giving up.

Last week, my brother-in-law was nice enough to loan me his 850cc Suzuki cruiser (that's a motorcycle, btw, a proper motorbike). I'm going to be renting a Triumph Bonneville next week in Reno/Lake Tahoe, so I wanted to get used to getting around town on a bike with 17x the power of my scooter. I really enjoyed riding his bike all week. Many thanks are in order.

Getting back on my scooter last night, though, was REALLY strange. I've been riding that thing for two years, basically everyday. But getting on it last night, it felt foreign. It felt tiny and underpowered. On the other hand, though, it felt really agile and easy compared to Carter's 600lb. cruiser.

I've been planning an upgrade to a bike in a couple of months, and this experience really did two things: it locked in that I really want to get one AND made me think that I'm really going to miss my scooter. I think I'll know more about what I want after this Thursday (Bonneville in Northern Nevada). Will I want a Bonneville like the one I ride... will I want something smaller... will I want an old bike that can supplement the scooter? Only time will tell.

I'll try to do a ride report of some sort when I get back.

DanielleShroyer.com (Theoblog)

2009-08-04T14:38:00.002-05:00

My friend and pastor, Danielle Shroyer, has finally stepped foot into this millennium and is now blogging over at danielleshroyer.com. She'll be blogging about a whole host of things, including her forthcoming book, The Boundary-Breaking God: An Unfolding Story of Hope and Promise (available for pre-order at amazon.com). The book will be out in October, and she'll be keeping the world posted via her blog and twitter (@DGShroyer).

Welcome to the internet, Danielle.

Obama Dispels Rumors (Poliblog)

2009-08-04T10:38:00.003-05:00

He was born in the US, and he's not a vampire...

Obama Debunks Birther Conspiracy - watch more funny videos

E Pluribus Unum (Poliblog)

2009-07-31T16:53:00.002-05:00

I've dropped off a bit from blogging in the last couple of weeks. I suppose it's a combination of being busy and feeling uninspired. From a political perspective, I should have been blogging about the two hottest topics in politics today: Healthcare Reform and White House Beers. But the former is such a big issue with so many layers, and the second one is just, well, ridiculous. The front pages of both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal feature above-the-fold photos from yesterday's happy hour (I'm sure other papers followed suit - those are just the two we get at work). I love beer very much, but I find it very hard to believe that the reconciliatory beer fest is the most-deserving item to be featured on today's front pages.

Regarding Healthcare, I've had the opportunity to have a number of really good conversations around the issue in the last few weeks (as well as before that), and it brings me to a theme that is fairly recurrent in this blog: Good people on both sides of the aisle need to learn to talk to one another. If you can get past the yelling and name-calling, you'll find that there are Republicans and Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives who all have souls and good hearts and even good intentions who simply disagree. And if you can get beyond the noise, you can usually understand the opposition a bit better, which is always good starting ground for compromise and, ya know, progress. Remember when you were a kid and you and your sibling were fighting, and your mom made you look each other in the eye and talk out what you were feeling? You were usually able to get past the yelling and crying and get back to building things out of legos together. At least this was true in my experience.

I'm of the opinion that something can be done that both protects our current private system and the freedom of the marketplace, but can also provide care for those who just can't access that system. We're a great and prosperous nation, and we should be able to take care of our people. I'll even go as far as to say that I don't think the solution HAS to be governmental. But I'm of the opinion that it can be, and that it might be the best way, right now, to ensure that all people have access to whatever program is created.

My conservative friends are of the opinion that government should do as little as possible, and that a largely unfettered and unrestricted market will best take care of society's ills as the economy expands and jobs are created, etc. And they see the government's move into the healthcare field as just another hindrance to the free market, one that the government will "screw up like they always do." The people I've been fortunate enough to talk to or listen in on really believe, I think, that people will be better off if the government stays out of healthcare.

So, really, we both want the same thing. And the best solution would be a compromise between the competing factions. (I realize my more ideological readers will disagree with this). This is what democracy is about. When you have a multitude of voices, there will rarely be unanimity, but there can be "e pluribus unum." So why is it that we can't get past the shouting and learn to work together? Really. Why?

I would argue that our reliance on the two-party system does it. Simple logic tells us that if you have two parties, one or the other will always have a majority. And, since people usually grow tired of the people in power, the minority knows they just have to wait it out until its their turn again. Well, wait it out and spend all their time decrying the majority. The Democrats did this earlier this decade, and the Republicans are doing it now. My question is: why do we not demand more? Why do we not refuse to re-elect people who have failed to represent us well?

I'd really like to see some civil discourse in politics. I'd like to see some compromises. I'd like to see some solutions that we can all live with, not just tolerate until the other side gets power and reverses as much as they can. I'd like to see "e pluribus unum."

And yes, I do realize this was a very idealistic post.

Stupid Products

2009-07-27T18:00:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wonder if some products that are "seen on tv" are actually experiments in social behavior? Like perhaps some grad student at Harvard is trying to see just how stupid the American consumer is?

You may be convinced after watching these ads.

Happy ScooterVersary! (Motoblog)

2009-07-24T10:34:00.004-05:00

Two years ago today I rode away from the Honda dealership for the first time on my brand new Ruckus. I was really anxious that day, selling a car and making a two-wheeler my primary mode of transportation, but it really has been great.

It's still a ton of fun to ride, and I've saved a ton of money. To give you an idea, I've used roughly 56 gallons of gas. If you figure gas cost an average of $2.50/gal. over the last two years, that's $140. Total. In two years, I've spent $140 in gas, riding the thing to and from work and around the neighborhood almost every day.

On those 56 gallons, I've gone 5676 miles. To give you a rough idea, it's approximately the same amount of miles I would undertake were I to drive from Dallas to Creede to Salinas, CA to Seattle to Grand Forks, ND to Des Moines and back to Dallas. Map here.

At an average of 35 mph, I've spent just over 160 hours sitting on the Ruckus.

Happy ScooterVersary!

Driving and Dialing (MotoBlog)

2009-07-20T11:45:00.003-05:00

The New York Times has a really good article about cell phone usage whilst driving. More and more research suggests that it is extremely dangerous, yet no one really seems to care. I can say that, on the scooter, I've had two or three close calls where a driver almost did something stupid that could've been really bad for me... and each time the driver was on a cell phone. We should really quit talking and driving. We really should.

Article here.

Cool Conservative Party Video (DeveloBlog)

2009-07-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

Looks like Britain's Conservative Party, led by David Cameron, is coming out in full force with interesting media. This is a great video about their approach to foreign aid. By the way - can you imagine foreign aid being a big enough issue in the US to have a party video made for it?

(HT: Dambisa Moyo)

Hitler is Upset About Palin (PoliBlog)

2009-07-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

I've seen this video done half a dozen ways, and it never ceases to be funny. In this one, Hitler has just been informed about Governor Palin's resignation.

Hitler Finds Out Sarah Palin Resigns - watch more funny videos

Conservative? (PoliBlog)

2009-07-08T09:25:00.004-05:00

Are you a Republican? I've said here and elsewhere lately that I think the GOP's chief problem right now is an inability to sell the american electorate on how their economic policies will actually make America a better place. I'm curious. If you call yourself a Republican, can you articulate for me (in 500 words or less) why you believe that conservative economics will make our nation a better place. Should you take this challenge, email me at luke at thedetour net. I'll re-post your thoughts here, possibly with a response.

I'm on vacation this week in the mountains, so the blog will likely be a little lean. See you when I get back.

Triumph (MotoBlog)

2009-07-06T10:41:00.002-05:00

A little break from politics, this is a beautiful Triumph promotional video. The bike I would get comes in at about :57, taking a curve.

Obligatory Palin Blog (PoliBlog)

2009-07-04T21:29:00.004-05:00

Sarah Palin announced her intention to resign the office of Governor later this month. This certainly sends a shockwave through the chattering class and the GOP. When Obama handily defeated John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, people began to wonder who the new leader of the Republican Party was/would be. Palin has been in the thick of that conversation, and her 2012 aspirations were suspected and scrutinized.

And now she has resigned the office she was elected to by the people of Alaska. As far as I can tell there are really two options for her. She is either bailing out of politics for good, or she just announced her candidacy for POTUS in 2012. Honestly, I really don't see how it could be the latter. Granted, I am really far from having consumed even a drop of the Palin kool-aid, but I don't see how someone who abandons the office she swore an oath to can win a primary, let alone a general election. She was already questioned based upon her lack of experience, and now she is running from her responsibility. Huckabee and Romney both faced adversity as governors of their states, but didn't quit. This will surely come up in any campaign.

So let's assume it's the former: she's out of politics for good. Perhaps she was thrust into the national limelight far before she wad ready. It wouldn't be the first time. Think Howard Dean in 2004.

The question is why? What caused Sarah Palin to abandon her post and get out of elective politics altogether? The two primary theories are that the AK legislature was too tough on her and that the media scrutiny and harrassment were too much for her. This may be, but I'm skeptical. I think something else is going to drop. There is either a sex scandal, or some kind of criminal misbehavior (it has been rumored that she's being investigated in AK). In all honesty, I hope this isn't the case. I think that political dialogue is always better when unmired by sex and corruption. I'm just saying.

Whatever the case, it would appear that the decision was relatively hasty. And a political junkie like me is loving thd circus.

2012 as 1964 (PoliBlog)

2009-07-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

I've decided that it's very possible that I care more about politics than governance. Ok... That's not really true, but I do find that campaigns and elections spark my curiosity more than the minutiae of day-to-day policy making. Each day, I get several hundred blog posts fed to me (via Bloglines) and I will actually read a few dozen. I've noticed a trend: if the numbers 2010 or 2012 are in the post, I'm much more likely to read it. I literally can't wait until the contests of '10 and '12. (I just used "literally" improperly, by the way.)

I have some thoughts on 2012, and I want to be sure and document them here so I can say "I told you so" when the time comes.

I think we're going to re-live the 1960-64 cycle (don't read too much into this, I'm not suggesting a repeat of 1963). In 1960, JFK, a young, articulate Democrat ran against the surprisingly moderate Republican, Richard Nixon. Nixon felt he had much more experience, and in a way, deserved the presidency. He thought the experience alone would assure his victory. Kennedy was seen as an undeserving upstart who was nothing more than a good speech-giver. Kennedy was the first candidate in US history to run a campaign that operated, by and large, independently of the Democratic party apparatus. Kennedy chose an older, more experienced running-mate to balance out the ticket - someone with more legislative experience. Sounding familiar?

One difference, is that Kennedy only won the 1960 election by a hair, whereas Obama won in 2008 by a landslide.

In any case. Fast forward to 1964. Lyndon Johnson, who assumed the presidency after Kennedy's assassination, was running as a Democratic incumbent. The conservative wing of the Republican party flexed their muscle, blamed Nixon's loss on his moderate positions and demanded a more conservative candidate for 1964. The party, eager to try anything to show their differences and wrangle voters, nominated Barry Goldwater, the near-Libertarian Senator from Arizona.

Regardless of who gets nominated by the Republicans in 2012, they will have to prove to the party that they are not another government-expanding GWB, or moderate, bipartisan McCain. Their contender will have to prove his/her conservative bona fides. They will certainly rally the conservative base of the Republican party, but they will fail miserably in the general election, just as Goldwater did in '64 (Goldwater received less than 10% of the electoral college votes).

This is the dilemma of the Republican party, in my humble opinion. To gain favor amongst Republicans, you have to go so far to the right of the mainstream that you've blown off your foot for the general election. The truth is, like it or not, the conservative base of the GOP is too far from the views of the general electorate.

I think it's very possible that the 2012 nominee will be either Palin or Huckabee, or maybe Romney (the new and improved, more-conservative Romney). I think they'll muster the support they need from the far-right in their party to win the nomination, but they will fall far from the mark with the general election.

It's not the sex scandals of Ensign and Sanford that are hurting the GOP... it's their faithfulness to a doctrinal purity that is no longer generally accepted by the electorate... or by most republican politicians in practice (but that's a post for another day).

Web Site Story

2009-07-02T16:30:00.000-05:00

If I'm behind on this, I apologize. This is greatness:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Carrot (PoliBlog)

2009-06-30T12:02:00.002-05:00

This is brilliant. An online community called Carrotmob is staging "reverse boycotts" where they convince businesses to do the right thing with the promise of a surge of patronage, rather than the threat of boycott. This seems like a much more positive way to engage our culture.

Article here.

Cell Apps for Africa (DeveloBlog)

2009-06-29T18:00:00.000-05:00

This is so cool. So much of what stands in the way of development in the two-thirds world is a lack of information. Knowledge is power, and Google, MTN and the Grameen Bank are doing some really good work in getting access to knowledge to the people that need it most:

Wine Forensics (AfriBlog)

2009-06-29T14:01:00.003-05:00

This is a really interesting article about an odd taste that is being linked to South African wines. If you hear this ugly rumor, don't believe it. I prefer South African wines.

All Theologians? (TheoBlog)

2009-06-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

Are we all theologians? I think it's fair to say that we are, in the sense that we ought not be scared of the study of God. We all analyze data and experience to come to conclusions about the divine... even those of us that conclude there is no divine. Pete Rollins, at his blog, seems to think that we're not all theologians.

The News (PoliBlog)

2009-06-25T23:59:00.002-05:00

Disclaimer: I don't want to come across as cold to the passing of Michael Jackson today. He was a son, a brother, a father, and a friend to many people who are grieving. Death is always a difficult thing to accept, and in many ways I think we, as a culture, find it difficult to properly mourn the loss of someone so iconic.

Having said that... I want to comment on the news today. At 4:27 PM, I received an e-mail from a friend that simply read: "Michael Jackson in critical condition after going into Cardiac Arrest." I immediately pulled up the New York Times website and there was nothing. I then pulled up msnbc.com - again nothing. I then pulled up cnn.com and found they were reporting that he had been taken to the hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest and his condition was unknown. I also checked foxnews.com.

Somehow, before the New York Times, MSNBC and Fox reported it, my friend had this information. Then, just as I was spreading the news, another friend tells me that Jackson had died. Her source was the New York Post. I immediately checked NYT, Fox, MSNBC and CNN. No one was reporting it. The post is not particularly known as "reputable" so I dismissed it. Then I was informed that TMZ, a celebrity gossip site was reporting that Jackson had died. Again, not that reputable.

Several minutes later, the LA Times confirmed that Jackson had indeed been pronounced dead. Seconds later MSNBC carried that report. It was another several minutes before Fox, NYT, or CNN confirmed Jackson's death on their websites.

I couldn't help but be fascinated with the way in which this was covered and reported. All eyes were on that Los Angeles Hospital, and the first to break the story were TMZ and the NY Post. How were their sources better than CNN, NYT, FOX, NBC... not to mention ABC and CBS? Is this further evidence of how media is changing?

Considering the fact that this story dealt with life and death, I suppose I shouldn't have been so concerned with the way in which the media covered it... but I was. The world is changing all around us, and media with it. Was today's scramble to scoop the Jackson story an anomaly, or could it be that the way news is reported is changing?

Zambian Monkeys Need to Mind Their Manners - and Bladders (AfriBlog)

2009-06-25T16:30:00.000-05:00

This was too good to pass up.

A Post

2009-06-25T12:00:00.001-05:00

I don't particularly have anything to blog about today. The obvious topic of the day, for the poliblog at least, is Gov. Mark Sanford and his recent admission. I just don't want to be a part of the pile. I find the whole thing extremely sad, and that's all I will say about it.

It's hot in Dallas. I'm not sure why, but it feels so much hotter this year. The a/c has to run all day just to keep the house at 80 degrees, and I feel like I can't escape the heat. Even the wind I experience on the scooter feels hot. Am I just getting older and losing my tolerance?

I am so ready to be in Colorado where it's cool. And pretty.

Liberty U. Resolves Conflict with Campus Dems (PoliBlog)

2009-06-24T18:00:00.000-05:00

Looks like Liberty University has done a good thing by making ALL campus organizations "unofficial," thus showing no favoritism to Liberty Republicans. Whew.

Story Here.

Bizarre Indeed (PoliBlog)

2009-06-24T14:08:00.003-05:00

We now know why the Sanford story was so bizarre.

Between Graham and Sanford (PoliBlog)

2009-06-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

Someone needs to step in and defend South Carolina, because between Sen. Lindsey Graham and Gov. Mark Sanford I have very little confidence in that place.

Have you heard about the Governor's disappearance over the weekend? A truly bizarre story. The Governor of South Carolina, after their legislative session, takes off on his own. He tell his family and friends and staff that he'll be back in a few days, but is going to be completely off the radar. Then he disappears. People in the state get worried and start asking questions. Neither his wife nor his chief of staff nor his security detail know where he is. His cell phone is turned off somewhere around Atlanta. After some pressure, his staff tells the media that he's hiking the Appalachian Trail. But he was not, indeed, hiking the Appalachian Trail. He was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He thought about hiking, but decided last minute to skip the country instead. He's now back in the country.

This story is bizarre. I'm not faulting the fairly high-profile figure for wanting to jump out of the bubble for a few days, but still, such an odd story.

Full story here.

Obama: Saving the Day (PoliBlog)

2009-06-23T15:00:00.001-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Despair Tourism (DeveloBlog)

2009-06-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

Bill Easterly, one of my favorite development economists, thinks that making starving people tourist attractions is a bad idea.

Anyone want to argue with that?

I do. Certainly the picture he paints of fat, rich Westerners wandering through impoverished areas is less than ideal. One imagines these tourists wearing bleached safari outfits complete with pith helmets, wiping their brows with handkerchiefs and lamenting the "sad state of these natives." No one would - hopefully - think this is any way good.

Any kind of cross-cultural experience that elevates the cultural-ego of one group and dehumanizes the other is extremely detrimental. And this does happen.

BUT, I would argue from my experience that this is generally not the case. I think that we, when confronted with real, flesh-and-blood human beings, will usually have our eyes opened to new realities and possibilities. And we'll be changed, for the better, by our experiences.

I think that one of the best ways to shed our paternalistic attitudes is to develop relationships with the other, to realize that we're not all that different, that while we may have bleached white clothing and air conditioners, the entrepreneurial ideas being birthed in Africa are at least as good, if not better than the white man's big ideas.

Easterly points to a specific program that does make me cringe a bit, but let's not discount the transformative effect cultural travel can have on people.

Back to Africa (AfriBlog)

2009-06-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

I returned to Dallas after a year in Southern Africa just over six years ago. It's been just over two years since I spent a couple of weeks in Rwanda and Uganda.

It's been too long, and I want to go back.

I'm not sure what it is about Africa, but she pulled me in 9 years ago and refuses to loosen her grip on my imagination. I've tried to explain to people what "it" is that causes me to feel such passion for the continent, and I really can't explain it rationally. In July of 2000, though, I stepped out of a plane and onto the tarmac at the Lusaka Airport, and I felt at home.

I had a really good conversation with a friend last night regarding my feelings toward Africa and his similar feelings toward India... and we pondered what going back might look like.

I haven't figured that part out yet, but I know that I really need to stand on African soil again soon.

Rush Karaoke (PoliBlog)

2009-06-22T11:25:00.003-05:00

From the Jimmy Fallon Show, this is ridiculous and wonderful. (Ht: Politics (un)Seriously)

GOP Loses Again (PoliBlog)

2009-06-18T20:00:00.001-05:00

I'm guessing you missed this story.

Congressional leaders from the two major parties competed in a friendly(?) baseball game at Nationals Park Wednesday night. This is evidently the 48th year that the two parties have competed, and the Democrats broke their 8-year losing streak (coincidence?) by defeating the GOP 15-10.

I happened upon the photo below. I'm pretty sure that blurry guy in the Rangers Jersey is DFW's own Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX). (Someone correct me if I'm wrong). I worked a little for his opponent in the 2008 cycle, though we clearly didn't break HIS winning streak (or perhaps I'd be at the game). I have a question for Rep. Sessions and, really, the guy who posted the photo. Is Sessions grabbing Thaddeus McCotter's butt? And if so, does the GOP really need ANOTHER scandal?

As if you need yet another fun fact, Thaddeus McCotter, recipient of the butt-grab referenced above, would be my buddy Dale's congressman if he still lived in Livonia, MI.

Thought you might want to know.

Amahoro 2009 (AfriBlog)

2009-06-18T15:00:00.001-05:00

Back in 2007, I was fortunate enough to travel to Uganda and Rwanda, where I participated in an unprecedented gathering of emerging church leaders from Africa and elsewhere. It was truly a beautiful experience. Amahoro just had its third annual conference in South Africa, and I was obviously unable to attend. BUT, Roger Saner recorded the sessions and has them hosted online. I hope to get some time to listen in on this year's conversations about how the church is continuing to emerge in Africa.

You can listen here.

Eight Words I Thought I'd Never Hear (Poliblog)

2009-06-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

"Karl Rove is now following you on twitter."

Wow.

Not Surprising (PoliBlog)

2009-06-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

A recent poll asked Americans which of the current Supreme Court justices they most admired or agreed with. Roughly half of the respondents either could not name a single justice or did not know a justice that would agree with their political... err constitutional... views. Of the ones named, Clarence Thomas tied for first place with... wait for it... Sandra Day O'Connor (they each got 11%). So - in addition to the 50% or so who could not name a justice with whom they agreed - 11% of American surveyed thought that Sandra Day O'Connor, who retired well over three years ago, was still on the bench.

Full story here.

Ride to Work Day (MotoBlog)

2009-06-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

Monday was National Ride to Work Day for two-wheelers. I didn't notice a huge increase in motorcycle traffic, but I think it's a cool idea. One of the best ways to make motorcycle travel safer is to increase awareness of their presence on the road. Car drivers should always be looking for bikes, not just other cars. The more bikes, the more drivers will be aware. I ride to work everyday so I didn't do anything to celebrate beyond what I do all the time.

An aside: I found this on a blog... Did anyone know there was a Congressional Motorcycle Caucus?! If so, why was I not informed?!

You Realize Sunday is Father's Day? (PoliBlog)

2009-06-17T09:53:00.002-05:00

(An Open Letter to President Obama)

President Obama,

Do you realize that this Sunday is Father's Day? This is the one day a year when thousands of children visit their fathers to honor them for all the things they have done. This intergenerational celebration can be a time of great joy... or great strife. Ask Mr. Axelrod or any of your political advisers. You, and your party, are making tremendous gains amongst younger voters. Not so much with their parents. In other words, at a time when you need an energized young electorate, you are sending them in, on Father's Day Weekend, to be slaughtered by their conservative fathers and grandfathers who will undoubtedly ask them to defend their vote for you last November. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for said fight, but why would you want to bloody such a beautiful occasion?

Why would you choose to announce major gay rights benefits to federal workers today? Why not wait until after the holiday dust has cleared? While most of us are in favor of your proposed move, you have just invited strife into all of our households. We will remember the awkward silences and politically-divisive outbursts of Father's Day 2009 come November of 2012... and maybe we'll vote for the other guy... or maybe not. I'm just saying.

SuburbanJesus

Texas: Blue Again? (PoliBlog)

2009-06-16T14:10:00.004-05:00

When people tell you that Texas is a lost cause for Democrats, that we are too red to ever vote for them librulls, remind them who our governor was before George W. Bush's victory in 1994, a mere thirteen years ago. Also remind them that in the 1980s it was virtually unheard of for a Republican to win any kind of statewide office. Our political preference has changed in the last couple of decades, and it could very well change again.

You could also point them to this article.

Scooter Camping (MotoBlog)

2009-06-16T13:36:00.003-05:00

My friend, John, recently took his scooter to Waxahachie for a scooter rally. It was a weekend-long event, so he had to pack all of his camping gear onto the scooter for the 35 mile ride. This picture is genius:

Dambisa Moyo (DeveloBlog)

2009-06-15T13:41:00.002-05:00

I really like what Dambisa Moyo has to say. She may be a bit too fierce an opponent of aid in my opinion, but I think she's right for the most part. The people of Africa, and the rest of the developing world, need to be empowered to find ways to advance their societies and economies in ways that work for them, birthed by them. They do not need paternalistic and domineering aid which can be a major hindrance to that process.

My Dilemma (Motoblog)

2009-06-11T13:55:00.008-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I've really gotten the itch to upgrade from my little Honda Ruckus scooter to a full-on motorcycle. This presents a problem: deciding which bike I want to invest in. In a perfect world, I'd like to buy about six. I'd like a bigger (more powerful) scooter, like the Yamaha Zuma 125:

The Zuma would be great around town, and would be a little something to remind me of the good ole (scootering) days. The next logical step, in terms of power at least, would be to step up to a 250cc, entry-level motorcycle, like the Suzuki TU250X:

I like this bike a lot. It would be just the right amount of power for around town, gets close to the gas mileage I currently get, and would be easy to customize. I'd be tempted to put a little money into it and make it look like a vintage bike, which is the third thing I'd consider if they weren't so unreliable:

My initial love was a dual sport bmw (which I'll get to later), and I would like to have the versatility to get on dirt every now and again, which makes me think I might like a small dual-sport like the Yamaha XT250:

I would honestly probably prefer something like that, but I just think it would be far too impractical for a bike that will be primarily used for round-town commuting. Also, I really like a more classic standard look for a bike... which really draws me to the Triumph Bonneville Scrambler:

In many ways, that's my perfect bike. It's old-looking, but is a brand new bike. It has a bit of off-road capability, but is really designed for the street. The problem is that it's about twice as much as the other three new bikes above, and, at 900cc, it's probably more power than I'd need 99% of the time.

Really, though, my problem is that I can't get the BMW G 650 GS out of my mind. It's the entry-level version of the bike that Ewan MacGregor and Charley Boorman took around the world (twice). This smaller version is geared primarily for city driving but can handle the dirt roads and trails that would destroy most cruisers. It's a jump in price from the 250 class bikes above, but I really love it. And could do just about everything I want to do on a bike on it. And I wouldn't grow out of it as quickly as I might a 250 class bike. Just look at it:

Beautiful, right? Right.

I'm still far from making a decision, but I wanted to let you in on what torments me day and night. Until I can have an extensive collection, I'm going to have to land on one. Any suggestions?

a little bio

2009-06-11T11:11:00.004-05:00

I've been contemplating getting back into blogging for a couple of months now, BUT... if you look through my archives you'll see that I have made several (failed) attempts at reviving this thing. I don't want this to be another false start, but be forewarned that it may be.

Some of you may not have followed my blog before, so let me tell you what to expect by giving you a little bio. I live in Dallas where I work for a newspaper. I've just returned to college after about five years off. I'm at a community college, and it's absolutely ridiculous (I hope to blog about my experiences here). Before going on hiatus, a was 1/2 to 3/4 through a theology degree. My last college experience before the break was a year studying in Johannesburg, South Africa. I'm a political junkie, and I ride a scooter around town (see above - Thanks, FG). I've had the scooter for about two years now, and I have a major itch to upgrade to a proper motorbike.

So, if I actually go through with this, you'll be seeing blog posts here about the things I care about: Politics, Dallas, my second-attempt at college, Theology, International Aid and Development, Africa, and two-wheeled transportation... and maybe the occasional post about something random.

See you soon? We shall see.

arguing

2009-03-18T11:47:00.002-05:00

scene: 10 year old boy's messy room.

mom: clean your room
10 year old boy: no
(repeat for about half an hour)
mom: in the time you have argued you could've cleaned your room fifteen times.

am i the only one who got this line? somehow i don't believe i am. as a kid, this stung. "damn, mom is right."

but then we grow up and we forget this wisdom that we all know to be true. there is a place for reasonable debate... but bickering back and forth, refusing to cede any ground, usually results in years wasted arguing when the room could've been cleaned if we had just done it.

i ran across this gem again recently, and it's worth a post.

Rick's Wild Mountain Coffee Club

2009-01-11T15:11:00.002-06:00

Greetings from South Fork, CO. Chance, Carter, Winston and JV went skiing today, so Dallas and I set out to visit Kentucky Belle, Creede's lone grocery store. It's Sunday, and like the 95% of the little mountain town, K Belle is closed. It really blows my mind that the several hundred year-round residents of Creede have to structure their entire lives around such odd schedules at essential businesses. I'm sure once you get into the rhythm, though, it may be quite nice.

We stopped into the Old Miners' Inn for a beer and a burger (one of the best chili burgers I've ever had - don't judge: I'm on vacation.) We also played a game of pool.

Since we were in need of a few essential grocery items (i.e. beer and coke to mix the cheap whiskey with), we decided to make the 21 mile drive to South Fork. The "chain" grocery store in SF is open on the Lord's day, and we got all that we need (chips, salsa, cookies, coke, and some toilet paper).

We then popped into the liquor store that has somehow avoided blue laws and bought some Corona. Gingles insists it will go great with the chili he's cooking for dinner. The lady who operates the liquor store obviously enjoys her product... has a raspy voice, leathery skin, and about a dozen fewer teeth than is normal.

After acquiring beer, and deciding against buying Kahlua Brand White Russian Wine Coolers for Carter, we popped next door to the coffee shop/bookstore. They have free wifi (the reason I'm able to share this story with you). It may be my new favorite place. The book selection is extremely small, but the book buyer and I are obviously the same person. On a little "featured book" table as you walk in, one can find Team of Rivals, Dreams from my Father, American Lion, Traitor to His Class, and John Adams. It's like they mined my reading list. They have the obligatory Nichols Sparks tearjerker, the twilight series (I guess they are spying on Kerri as well), and the requisite self-improvement drivel. But, the vast majority of the books are the same that you'd find on my shelf. They even have Chuck Hagel's latest book.

We're having a great time so far. We've played poker, drunk beer, watched Tombstone and The Big Lebowski (and an episode of West Wing). So far Dallas and Carter have kept themselves from physical violence. I'll keep you posted should we find wifi again.

(Also - they're playing "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band. All is right in the world)

G.W. (not that one)

2009-01-08T20:04:00.000-06:00

George Washington may have been on to something here.

resolve

2009-01-02T10:57:00.002-06:00

I walked in to work this morning and my boss asked "Did you make any New Year's Resolutions?"

"No," I replied.

"Really?!?! How could you not make any resolutions? You really didn't?!"

"No. I really didn't."

This did actually dawn on me while I was scooting in to work today. I totally forgot about making any kind of formal resolution. And, in actual fact, I don't recall hearing anyone in my circle talking about making resolutions. Has this gone out of style, and my boss just hasn't read that article in People yet?

2009 is going to be a year with a lot of changes, and a year where I intend to show some serious resolve (going back to college, saving more - spending less, making a point to go to DC, etc.). I also hope to kick a bad habit. BUT, for some reason I can't bring myself to formalize any of these things into a "resolution." These are all just good things that I should be doing regardless of some tradition that requires obedience every 365 days.

So no resolutions this year... just continuing my often failed attempt at becoming a better human being.

carols

2008-12-29T10:47:00.002-06:00

two verses of traditional christmas carols have sunk in a bit deeper than usual as i've sung them this year. the first is perhaps my favorite section of any hymn (from O Come, O Come Emmanuel), and the second stuck out for the first time this year (from O Holy Night):

O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.

and

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Go to Your Brother

2008-12-19T11:03:00.002-06:00

Why do we refuse to talk to (and more importantly, listen to) one another?

With the election of Barack Obama, and the passage of Proposition 8 in California, it would appear that the culture wars have heated up once more. Conservatives are riled up by the election of someone they fear will destroy conservative values, and liberals are incensed by what they see as a direct attack on their liberties.

I've spoken to folks on both sides, and they seem to agree: "The other side hates us, and are trying to destroy what we consider essential."

But, when shown that their political opponents see them this way, everyone I've listened to seems to think that they are not the crazy, vitriolic spewers of hate that they have been caricatured as. They are reasonable.

So we see the disconnect. Somewhere between the reasonable opposition one feels and the unreasonable hatred that is communicated to the other side, we have a breakdown.

I don't want to oversimplify the issue, but it seems to me that this culture war has escalated because people have ceased to speak to their enemies. We don't actually have any kind of civil discourse between opposing factions.

I don't think it's always been this way. In history you hear tales of politicians who had opposing viewpoints spending hours together as friends. This is rare these days. We have ceased to wander outside of our respective echo chambers.

What does it say about our culture that we're unwilling to engage in dialogue with those with whom we disagree, sometimes strongly? What do we perceive as the harm in conversation?

What seems really ridiculous about our inability to speak to our enemies is that we all know it's wrong. One of the first things we're taught as kids is that when someone hurts our feelings, or when we have a conflict, we should talk to the other about it. And we all know what hinders us from doing that. Pride. Something else that we're taught to avoid from a very early age.

My conservative friends and family are convinced that homosexuals have some agenda to completely dismantle everything they hold dear. Homosexuals are convinced that conservatives are trying to dismantle everything that they hold dear. And very few from either side would consider themselves that extreme.

So why can they not sit down with one another to talk? On something as heated as the issues at stake, there may not be any agreement... But would it hurt to talk to one another, to listen to one another?

Imagine the progress that could be made if the hateful rhetoric could be dialed down, and we could begin to see through the eyes of the other...

"Warrengate" Continues

2008-12-19T11:00:00.002-06:00

The Economist is making sense.

Dumb-Driven Discourse

2008-12-18T11:16:00.002-06:00

To all you lefties who are upset with the Pres-Elect for asking Rick Warren to do the Invocation at the Inauguration because he opposes gay rights, and to all you on the right who are upset with Warren for accepting it... GET OVER IT.

Seriously... is this what discourse has really become in our country? Do we really despise the other side so much that we're unwilling to sit together, to pray together?

We're talking about the Inauguration of the President of the United States, one of the most beautiful rituals of our democracy, the peaceful transfer of power from one leader to another. It's a time when all Americans can come together and thank God that this transition of power was not borne by war or hostile takeover, but by the choice of the majority.

Do we really suggest by our outrage that Rick Warren and Barack Obama should refuse to participate in this event together because they have differing views on certain issues? Do we really suggest by our vitriol that those who disagree with one another should refuse to participate in democracy together unless in combat?

Should soldiers who oppose Obama's policies on abortion and gay rights refuse to follow his orders as commander in chief? Should government employees strike because they ascribe to differing politics? Should Barack Obama force potential government employees and soldiers to sign an oath to the Democratic Party platform before they can be hired?

Rick Warren is arguably the most-influential Christian leader of our time and place, and, despite having policy disagreements with the Pres-Elect, he's been asked to pray at the Inauguration. If nothing else, why is this not a beautiful symbol of democracy?

This is ridiculous... and as adult human beings we should move on.

NYT

2008-12-12T13:51:00.002-06:00

The cover story of the New York Times makes me particularly sad today.

Read it here.

I'd really like to get back to Africa soon. Anyone want to fund my trip?

Prayer Parties

2008-12-09T15:09:00.002-06:00

Patrick Appel doesn't know what conclusions to draw. I'd say that the faithful are faithful, be it to their religion or their party.

I Am What I Read. But Can I Be?

2008-12-08T11:47:00.005-06:00

The other day Carter linked to a famous photographer on gchat with the caption: "who i want to be when i grow up:".

I decided to copy him, and proceeded to post links to websites for a number of people before settling on Bill Easterly, a Development Economics Prof at NYU. Before settling on Easterly, I considered:

The Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
A Senate Committee Chief of Staff
Supreme Court Justice (this was a joke, but indicative of the problem)
Campaign Manager/Consultant
Political Journalist
(It could've gone on, but it didn't)

SO... I have a problem. My problem? I am what I read. In other words, I get highly involved in the things that I read/study, and my imagination runs wild with what I can be. Part of the problem is my obsessive personality... part of the problem is ambition. I read about people and things that fascinate me and I become so consumed with the subject matter that I want to become a part of the action... and in a big way.

Alexis de Tocqueville noted in Democracy in America that "every American is eaten up with longing to rise." I, for better or worse, had parents that always told me that I could be whatever I wanted to be when I grew up. They were being supportive, and were trying to recognize the talent they saw in their only son, but I wonder if they did more harm than good. I rarely aim low with the "what should I do with my life" question.

So, I wonder aloud: "Is there really virtue in planting the idea that, with enough work and determination, one can do anything they want?" This is obvious false. I am fairly intelligent and adaptable, but there are a great number of things that I simply cannot do.

I could never be a doctor - bodily fluids make me debilitatingly squeamish. I could never be a professional basketball player - I simply don't have any natural athletic ability. I could never be a physicist - while I'm no dummy, my brain just doesn't function in a high-level mathematical or scientific way.

So, I think it's fair to say that my parents' encouragement was false. I cannot be anything. Also, the logistics of the idea are poor. There are a number of people who have wanted to become President of the United States who have been unable to do so. John McCain comes to mind... twice.

So is there virtue in telling our kids, even our gifted kids, this? Is it better to tell them this so they do aim high? John McCain did fail at his bid for the presidency, but in his quest accomplished much. Or would it be better to give our kids more realistic expectations of their future?

I'm going back to college in January, and I do set my aim high. But I have to realize that only a couple of dozen people will become Supreme Court Justices in my lifetime (and I may not even go to law school), only a few will become high-ranking officers of the government or big-name campaign consultants. Fewer still will become leading academics in their field.

Maybe it is better to aim high... maybe it's best to find something you love doing and aspire to greatness, all the while content if greatness, which is largely accidental, never comes.

And maybe I should stop reading. The Supreme Court Justice shows just how out of control my thinking can get when reading a book on a particular subject (it's totally redic - I'm not sure I'd enjoy that at all).

PS - I'm not sure my desire for greatness is vanity (though perhaps a little). I just want to make the greatest impact on this world possible before I die.

Oops...

2008-12-07T21:21:00.002-06:00

It would appear I've done it again. I've appeared on the scene with some grand plan to revive this blog, and again it has failed.

I'm not sure why I do it.

I'll try to do better.

I've also decided to start a third sentence in a row with a self-referential contraction.

Just began reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (self-referential pronoun omitted this time - because it got old).

For the record, I decided to read it long before it became the phrase-du-jour around the Obama-Biden Transition. But, in the interest of full-disclosure, I did decide to read it several months ago when then Senator Obama said that the book greatly shaped the way he plans to govern. 35 pages in and I can already see tremendous parallels between Wm. Henry Seward (the once-presumed party nominee turned Sec. of State in the Lincoln Admin.) and Hillary Clinton.

I'm hoping the book will give some insight into what PBO (President-Elect Barack Obama) has up his sleeve.

Maybe I'll blog about it some here.

Or maybe I'll go silent for weeks or months again.

Yessssss!

2008-11-19T13:20:00.000-06:00

Obamagelicals

2008-11-13T19:48:00.002-06:00

David Brody of CBN summarizes a beliefnet.com study here. I found this finding regarding expectation of abortion reduction particularly interesting:

McCain voters, of course, disagree [that Abortions would decline more under an Obama administration than a McCain administration]. 57.6% believe abortion would be lower under McCain. (That actually struck me as quite low. Stated another way, 42.4% of evangelical or Born Again Christians who voted for McCain have no confidence that abortion would have actually declined under a McCain presidency).

Watch this Space!

2008-11-10T10:08:00.002-06:00

Now that the election is over, I plan to do a series of posts based upon what Congressional Quarterly deems to be the eleven top issues President Obama will be forced to deal with in the first days of his Presidency. Coming soon!

(the list here)

On Political Promises

2008-11-06T20:47:00.003-06:00

(Two posts in one day?!)

President Obama will not deliver everything he promised on the campaign trail. No politician ever has, and no politician ever will. If anyone thinks otherwise, they have been fully had.

Take for instance the promises of the last 35 years by those on the right who promise to overturn Roe v. Wade. Pro-Life Republicans have nominated eight justices since Roe, (Democrats have nominated two). Seven of nine current justices were nominated by Pro-Life Republicans since Roe. You only need five. My point: promise after promise (in this case, the basis for many single-issue voters) has been broken by people on both sides of the aisle. (I'm not letting Democrats off the hook, either. Clinton won in 1992 largely on the promise of healthcare for all. 16 years later and no healthcare for roughly 1 in 6 Americans).

Mostly, these promises are not malicious lies. They're aims. A politician says, "When I get elected to such and such office, I will fight to provide [insert promise here]." I believe that most politicians mean this the majority of the time. And, realists should realize that they won't deliver on everything.

For me, it's the fact that they want what they're promising. I have no illusion that the entire country is going to magically become 100% fair for every American, but I do believe that Barack Obama wants to run toward that.

So, I'm not looking for someone who can deliver everything they promise. I'm looking for someone who shares my values, who promises that the things I long for will be his or her trajectory.

On Support

2008-11-06T20:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, frustrated by the vitriolic words of those who oppose our new President-Elect, I changed my status on Facebook to "Luke thinks its time we support the President-Elect, regardless of who we voted for" (or something like that). This proved to be somewhat controversial, drawing out a couple of friends who were clearly reluctant to support someone against whom they had voted.

I was stung by one comment in particular, from a friend who is much more partisan than I'm used to. He asked if I supported President Bush in spite of my disagreements with him. At first I winced, feeling that I had been caught. But after further reflection, I believe there is a difference, that difference being opportunity.

President-Elect Obama has held that title for fewer than 48 hours now. He will not take the oath of office for 75 more days. He has not had the opportunity to show the American people what he can and will do as President.

I originally supported President Bush. In fact, early in his presidency I even attributed his place in the White House as God's direct intent (the sovereignty of God in democratic elections is a subject for another post). Over the course of his presidency, my support eroded to the point of protest.

Simply put, I say we give a President-Elect Obama a chance. I am not naive enough to think that he is above failure. He may be a terrible President. Incompetence, or external forces, may cause us to continue toward global and economic instability. The truth is that no one has experience equal to that of President before they enter the oval office as POTUS for the first time. So we always take a gamble when we promote someone to that position.

So, yes, he may fail. Miserably. But he won. Decisively.

So I say we give him a shot. I'm not asking anyone to shelve their ideology or abandon their particular policy positions. I'm merely saying that we should demonstrate some grace and openness to see if the man (and the path) that the majority of Americans chose can be who he says he can be.

I don't expect President Obama to deliver on all of his promises. Anyone who expects any politician to do so is naive and foolish. But Barack Obama criss-crossed this country for almost two solid years offering a message of hope, one that says we can move above and beyond the divide and work together to help every American achieve the American dream. The majority of Americans accepted that message, and created a mandate for the next four years. Not everything can be achieved in a short period of time, but I'm thankful for the optimism that Sens. Obama and Biden brought to the campaign, an optimism that says, "we may fail, but we're sure going to try."

I say we let our new Chief Executives try. I say we stand in support of what can be achieved. In six months or a year or three years we may experience (and express) disappointment, but let's at least give our new President-Elect a chance.

That's all I'm saying.

Amahoro

2008-10-23T20:04:00.002-05:00

Time Keel has posted a great video that was shot at this year's Amahoro Gathering. I was unable to attend, but it's a beautiful video that I wanted to share. I am so honored to have been a part of Amahoro.

Watch it here.

citizenship

2008-10-23T12:34:00.004-05:00

I have a 24 year-old co-worker named May. May's parents brought her to the U.S. from South Korea when she was 3 months old. She has lived in the U.S. for 24 years, and her experience has mirrored that of most natural born U.S. citizens. May, however, is not a citizen.

She is a permanent resident of the U.S., which means that she gets all the rights and privileges associated with citizenship but cannot vote. In order to vote, May will have to take citizenship classes and a test. (May plans to do this next year).

Listening to May tell her story peaked my interest. What she has to go through is like what some Christians have to go through when they go through Confirmation. You're baptized into the church when you're born, but you have to confirm your faith later when you're of the age to make the decision for yourself. For all intents and purposes, May has been an American for all but three months of her entire life, but she now has to go and prove that through the citizenship process.

So here's my thought: What if we make EVERYONE born in the U.S. a "permanent resident" and not a "citizen"? In order to become a citizen, and obtain the right to vote, you would have to take the classes and a test on U.S. history and government. This test could be offered in public high schools and GED programs, as well as made available for people who don't make it to high school and who opt not to pursue a GED.

I realize this is problematic from a civil rights perspective... requiring someone to jump through a hoop to obtain voting rights. BUT, do we not require people to know how to operate a motor vehicle on public roads before we grant them a driver's license? Should we not also require a person to know the history and structure of our government before making decisions about how it should be run?

I'm just saying.

Abortion...

2008-10-09T21:04:00.005-05:00

It seems to me that, amongst the conservatives that raised Kerri and me, abortion is still a major issue when deciding which candidates to support.

Let me state very plainly from the outset: I am pro-life. In fact, I am VERY pro-life.

But here's the issue for me and for many like me. I fail to see the logic in equating desiring the end of abortions with the criminalization of abortion (overturning Roe v. Wade). I don't want to see abortion criminalized - I want to see abortion stopped. So while I see the importance of the issue, and agree with said importance, I have trouble staking my vote on the life issue when pro-life politicians typically only speak in the language of overturning Roe.

I stumbled across this little fact sheet the other day, and I found it very helpful in clarifying all the bits of data that float around my head:

Facts on Preventing Abortions
Abortion Facts

Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended.
Almost half of unintended pregnancies end in abortion.
The most frequent reasons given by women seeking an abortion are that a child would limit ability to meet current responsibilities and that they cannot afford a child at this point in their lives.
Unintended pregnancy has increased by 29% among poor women while decreasing 20% among higher-income women.
Women below the federal poverty level have abortion rates almost four times those of higher-income women.
Between 1996 and 2000, while abortion rates for all other groups fell, abortion rates among poor and low-income women increased.
The majority of women having abortions are in their 20s or younger.

Source: Guttmacher Institute, "An Overview of Abortion in The United States"

Overturning Roe Vs. Wade Will Not End Abortion in America

Overturning Roe Vs. Wade, a long time goal of the pro-life movement, would not end abortion in the United States, it would simply send the decision to the states.
If states with more than 45% "pro-life" sentiment chose to outlaw abortion, this would only impact 16 states accounting for 10% of abortions nationwide, or less than 100,000 abortions a year.
Women in these 16 states would still be able to travel to seek an abortion in another state, or seek an illegal abortion, making the impact likely less than a 10% reduction in abortions nation-wide.
States with the highest abortion rates in the country, like California and New York, would be unlikely to outlaw abortion in their states.

Source: Catholics United Study "Reducing Abortion in America: Beyond Roe v. Wade"

Studies Show that Economic Support for Women and Families Reduces Abortion

In a recent study released by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good finds that social and economic supports such as benefits for pregnant women and mothers and economic assistance to low-income families have contributed significantly to reducing the number of abortions in the United States over the past twenty years.
Economic assistance to low income families is correlated with a 20% lower abortion rate. Across the entire United States, this translates into 200,000 fewer abortions.
In the 1990s, states with more generous grants to women, infants and children under the age of five as provided by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program had a 37% lower abortion rate.
Higher male employment in the 1990s was associated with a 29% lower abortion rate.
The abortion rate has declined most rapidly from 1990-1996 when there was an economic boom under President Clinton. While rates have continued to decrease, they have declined less rapidly in recent years when poverty rates have been climbing.

Source: Joseph Wright and Michael Bailey, "Reducing Abortion in America : The Effect of Economic and Social Supports" (Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good) and The Guttmacher Institute "An Overview of Abortion in The United States"

Legal Status of Abortion Does Not Necessarily Impact Abortion Rates

Nearly half of all abortions in the world are performed in countries that have made abortion illegal.
The lowest abortion rates in the world - less than 10 per 1,000 women of reproductive age - are in Europe, where abortion is legal and available.
By contrast, in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, where abortion law is most restrictive, the regional rates are 29 and 31 per 1,000 women, respectively.
These countries are also much poorer than the U.S. and provide fewer social services; and a larger proportion of their population lives in poverty.
In Western European countries, in contrast, where more social services are provided and fewer women live in poverty, the abortion rates are consistently the lowest rates in the world.

Source: Guttmacher Institute, "An Overview of Abortion in The United States"

No Excuses

2008-10-07T16:58:00.005-05:00

I'm hoping to get back in the habit of blogging some. I'd like to start writing more, and this seems like the most logical outlet.

I'm reading a really great memoir right now by Bob Shrum, a well-respected political consultant. He has played a central role in every Democratic presidential campaign in the last 35 years (except for Carter '76 and Clinton '92 & '96). In other words, he has been a crucial player in every LOSING Democratic presidential election in the last 35 years (depending on how you score Gore '00).

The guy is absolutely brilliant, and has won dozens of senate, house, and gubernatorial races. For whatever reason, though, he cannot shake the "Shrum Curse" when it comes to the national general election.

The book is a fascinating telling of the inside events in Democratic politics since McGovern's failed bid for the White House in '72. His story-telling is extremely compelling, even for, I assume, the non-political-junkie.

As I continue to read, I'll try to interact with some of his ideas here.

Moderate Turns

2008-10-07T16:37:00.002-05:00

I've been debating whether or not to write this blog for a while. After careful reflection, I think I need to.

I like to call myself a staunch independent, a moderate, when it comes to partisan politics. I hold, and sincerely believe, that we need more than two viable parties in America, because the best governance will come when folks have to form coalitions. Until Barack Obama picked Joe Biden to be his running mate, I had every intention of voting for Nader or some other third party candidate.

But, for all intents and purposes, I am basically a Democrat in 2008. This may change in other years, but I can see very little reason to vote republican right now.

At this juncture in history, the Democratic Party is the part of moderation, the party that represents a shift from the way things have been done... and I think this is why I'm so attracted to it. The ideologies of the neocons and the hard right are failing... miserably... from a failed foreign policy that isolates rather than builds bridges to an economic policy that benefits the rich and powerful and alienates the middle class. It is time that we elect leaders who are willing to toss ideology aside and say that what is needed now are pragmatic solutions.

There may come a time in the not-too-distant future when the ideology of the far-left overtakes the Democratic Party, and that ideology may create a quagmire in foreign and domestic policy. At that time, I may well vote Republican. Bot for now, in the major races, you can count on this moderate independent placing my vote in the only place it will fit: the Democratic column of the Texas ballot.

Myopia Ctd.

2008-09-17T12:47:00.003-05:00

I read an interesting article in the NYTimes today about the Catholic vote. In Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Michigan (four key swing states in '08), Catholics make up roughly a third of the vote. Many conservative catholic organizations and bishops are telling their people not to vote for pro-choice candidates, even going as far as to deny communion to those who do.

I get it. This has been a key (if not THE key) issue in my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in conservative evangelical churches, and people who supported abortion rights were murdering babies, bottom-line. Really, any other issue was peripheral.

I remember a few years ago my wife remarked that she was fond of Senator Obama, and hoped he would run for POTUS. A member of my family huffed, looked at her, and said: "You mean you'd vote for someone who is pro-choice?" She answered that she would, because she agreed with so many of his other ideas and policies.

So... back to the NYTimes story. Catholic bishops are beginning to deny communion to supporters of candidates who support abortion rights. I'm appalled by this. I realize that the Catholic Church teaches that abortion is a sin. But what about the others sins that are not made criminal in our laws?

What about premarital sex? The Catholic Church teaches that pre-marital sex is a sin... and... while we're on it, the VAST majority of abortions are the result of pre-marital sex. So why does the Catholic Church not deny communion to politicians and their supporters who are opposed to legislation criminalizing pre-marital sex (which would in turn eliminate the VAST majority of abortions)?

And, the Vatican has strongly opposed the war in Iraq. Why are catholics who support the Iraq war not being denied communion?

I'll be blunt... the myopia of the single-issue voter seems downright insane to me. I am pro-life, and would like to see abortions eliminated, but I cannot be a single issue voter.

4K

2008-03-24T13:07:00.002-05:00

Just days after the fifth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, American military deaths have surpassed the four thousand mark. Everyone is weighing in.

Four thousand American soldiers have given their life in service to our country, and to many, this seems offensive. To opponents of the war, we often hear that this is too high a price to pay. (Of course, supporters of the war will remind you that this is a relatively small number compared to other wars like Vietnam and WWII, etc.)

But you know what pisses me off? Counting the number of American lives lost and using this statistic to justify our positions simply illuminates the problem. We are so freaking myopic. Granted, it is beyond tragic that so many American men and women have given their lives in this war... but why are we only counting Americans? Why do we only care that we're being killed.

There is no "official" toll of "collateral damage," the Iraqi men, women and children who have gotten in the way of our weapons, but estimates are anywhere from (approx.) 200K to 700K.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed as a result of this conflict... and there is no sign that the carnage is slowing. Millions have been displaced from their homes. Yet we're fixated on this four thousand number.

Sad. Myopic and sad.

I Love Keith Olbermann

2008-03-13T21:04:00.004-05:00

This video is a bit long, but this is what the fourth estate should be about. I'm not picking any sides, just pointing to good journalism that is unafraid to speak truth to power (thanks to rick bennett for this).

our front yard - march fourth

2008-03-04T18:24:00.003-06:00

the obama people and the clinton people are both harrassing people from my front yard. i considered going out front and standing in the middle with a biden sign.

from green to black and blue

2008-03-03T11:12:00.002-06:00

i just wanted to save the planet. is that so wrong?

evidently so. friday, i was punished for my sin.

i hit a car. and now i'm limping, and part of my scooter broke.

very sad.

last night's debate

2008-02-27T11:29:00.002-06:00

for those of you who missed last night's democratic presidential debate between senator obama and senator clinton, let me give you a recap:

obama: "we essentially agree on everything, but i really want to win."
clinton: "no! i really want to win!"
(this repeated throughout the night, growing whinier by the minute)

seriously, it's getting a bit ridiculous. the differences between the two are negligible... it really boils down to who you like better. and its tiring. makes me glad i'm voting for biden.

speaking of... there was a great press conference on c-span 2 last night where biden and john kerry talked about their recent trip to central asia. it's nice to know that biden is still on the job, fighting for my values.

called in sick to journey

2008-02-24T20:04:00.002-06:00

i have a really hard time missing journey. it throws my whole rhythm off. but my doctor ordered me to stay home, and i'm pretty nervous about passing this bug on, so i sat at home on the couch tonight. it sucked.

today, i read some more, laid around some more and watched two more movies: michael clayton and american gangster. i thought they were both okay, but just okay. american gangster wanted to be "the godfather" or "blow" a little too badly.

i'm now watching the oscars... and honestly, i'm not sure i get why people watch this show. i like movies. a lot. but the show is a little boring. sure you get to see how pretty (or slutty) everyone looks, and you get to see who wins. but don't you get all that in the paper the next morning morning? and without all the "thanks to my wife and friends and colleagues"?

and honestly, year after year i hear people moan about how they haven't even heard of the movies nominated. this is a way for film professionals to honor film professionals. we tell studios what crap we want to see by buying tickets week after week. if you don't like the oscars, don't watch the show.

sick

2008-02-23T22:46:00.002-06:00

i'm currently suffering from what my doctor (err... nurse practitioner) has deemed a bacterial infection. i noticed some discomfort in my throat wednesday night, tossed and turned with fever and aches later that night and got progressively worse as i battled through thursday at work. i came home about 4 on thursday, and for the last 55 hours or so i have been in bed, on the couch, or otherwise laid up. and i don't like it.

as i blog here, i'm feeling a bit better, and i'm hoping that i'm about to turn the corner. with all this forced downtime i have been pursuing sleep, some reading and movie-watching. here's what i have watched thus far:

gone baby gone - this was a good film. i love ed harris and morgan freeman and neither disappointed. i can't decide whether or not i like casey affleck (i lean toward not). i was told the movie had an "interesting moral dilemma," but i felt the issue was pretty cut and dried. since some of you haven't seen it, i won't give it away. feel free to comment if you disagree with me. (amy madigan also has a part in this - and i still contend that she is the ugliest woman alive - though a great actress).

in the valley of elah - the valley of elah was the piece of land that separated the philistine and israelite armies when goliath would taunt them. this movie is set in present day america. i love tommy lee jones, who plays a father trying to figure out why his son has gone AWOL after returning from a tour in iraq. i recommend the movie. it's a bit slow at times, and probably too politically-driven, but i enjoyed it.

the amateurs - i really enjoyed this movie, and it wins best picture of the weekend. if you're offended by pornographic references, then this movie might not be for you. the basic premise is this small town of losers comes together to make an amateur porno movie. but it's actually the kind of movie that would make kerri say, "aww, that's really sweet." jeff bridges leads an ensemble cast filled with people you'll recognize, but whose names you won't.

i'm still heavily medicated. hope this made sense.

occasionally something great happens

2008-02-19T22:00:00.002-06:00

(disclaimer - this is NOT an anti-obama post)

every once in a while, something happens that truly takes takes the machine off the track, takes the show off the script.

one such moment occurred tonight.

i'm watching the primary returns on msnbc, and chris matthews is interviewing a congresswoman from ohio who supports hillary clinton and a texas state senator who supports obama. the congresswoman is giving the typical talking points in favor of clinton, and then the senator gives some talking points. in response to the "no experience" argument, the senator mentions that obama has "a history of legislative accomplishments."

the intrepid matthews follows up with: "what are some of senator obama's legislative accomplishments?"

silence... followed by a change of the subject.

chris matthews interrupts and re-states the question.

silence... followed by a change of the subject.

chris matthews again interrupts with: "tell you what: name ONE legislative accomplishment."

silence.

it was a beautiful moment in television. after the interview, keith olbermann and chris matthews laughed it off, and matthews commented that these "people are going to have to do better than that." i sure hope the obama campaign fires the senator from texas immediately.

the new christians

2008-02-18T22:57:00.005-06:00

jossey bass has recently released tony jones' new book: the new christians: dispatches from the emergent frontier. i think you should go buy it right now.

one of my biggest complaints is that most of the "emerging church" books thus far have simply been descriptive of the movement. with ever-so-slight variance, the key players in the EC have simply explained that the world has changed, the church needs to change and "here's how we're doing it." these books haven't been particularly bad, but i've grown quite tired of them. this is why i'm particularly glad that several of the new books coming out of the circle are actually adding something to the conversation.

while tony's book is largely descriptive of the movement, he has done a fantastic job of contributing something quite substantive. this book, a part of his doctoral research, goes above and beyond anything i've read on the emerging church. going beyond pure memoir (though there is personal reflection), the new christians represents a serious study of the phenomenon.

tony, the national coordinator of emergent village, describes the current emergent landscape in america, as evangelicals and mainliners alike are looking for a way to rise out of the rubble of the modern divide. throughout the book, he looks at actual congregations that self-identify as "emergent," and simply tells their stories, free from editorial revision.

one of these churches is journey. in the winter of 2006, tony visited journey and interviewed several members of the community. i am very pleased with the way he captures the spirit of our little band of "ecclesial dissidents." One of the most honoring quotes is:

"These people are more committed to one another than people in any other church I've ever visited."

In a genre I had written off as grossly over-crowded, Tony's book is throughly refreshing. I can honestly say that it is the seminal work on the emerging church to date. With the integrity of a scholar and the grace of a friend, Tony does an excellent job of capturing the phenomenon of the church that is emerging all around us.

Seriously, go buy the book.

major policy announcement #1

2008-02-16T18:33:00.003-06:00

There comes a point in every man's life when he has to decide what his platform will be when he runs for city council. So, as I develop said platform, I will be unveiling the nuts and bolts of it here in the form of "major policy announcements."

Major Policy Announcement #1
Limited Private Towing

Average Americans work hard to earn enough money to take care of their families and, hopefully, have a little left over to enjoy life. Luke Miller understands this. This is why, when elected City Councilman, Luke will fight to eradicate any unfair drain on individual earnings.

For too long, private towing companies have been in cahoots with business owners to sand down individual liberties, costing average Americans thousands of dollars. Businesses allow private towing companies to forcibly remove vehicles from their parking lots, causing distress to the vehicle owner.

It's time for real leadership on this issue. Certainly, a property owner has a right to keep their spots available for their customers, but when Subway closes at 10pm and a vehicle is towed at 2am, that's just wrong. Why do property owners do this? Put simply: they do it to make money.

In this city, such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated. Under my administration, business owners will be prohibited from allowing private towing companies to tow vehicles outside of reasonable business hours. This will encourage growth in our city's entertainment districts as people feel freer to enjoy themselves without the worry of having their car forcibly removed.

If you believe that consideration for human beings and their vehicles should come before the pursuit of the almighty dollar, vote for me.

less than

2008-02-15T15:12:00.002-06:00

I have now been a scooter owner/operator for a little over six months. I love it. I never would have seen myself as such, but now I can't imagine a life without it. Who needs a "windshield to shield you from the rain" or "climate-control"?

In those six months, I have logged approx. 1800 miles, filled my 1.3 gallon tank about 17 times and spent $55.25 on fuel. For comparison, I would've spent that in 1.3 tanks of gas if I was still driving the Explorer. So I've gone for six-and-a-half months on the same money that would've lasted two weeks before.

Granted, I would have put a lot more miles on a "typical" vehicle. How have I kept the miles down? Ride-sharing, walking and public transportation people. Life is good.

Less money. Less miles.

I love the earth/saving money > my desire for a car.

too little

2008-02-14T21:14:00.002-06:00

I just added a few movies to my Blockbuster Online queue, and realized I have hit the 500 mark. That's right, folks. 500 movies now sit in my queue, just waiting to be mailed, watched and returned. 500. Since I seem to be going with a math/numbers theme as of late, let's assume the average movie on my queue is two hours. That is 1000 hours of viewing commitment that I would need to make to see all of these movies. That is 41 days, 16 hours of sitting in front of the TV. And that doesn't factor in that I add about 4 movies a month.

(For the sake of this post, we won't even get into my reading list.)

Which brings me to my dilemma. I really want to be a well-rounded human being. I want to be familiar with the content and characters of all those films. I want to be changed by a good screenplay, I want to be mesmerized by the acting, photography and direction. I want to be a smarter, richer and deeper person by having seen them.

But let's face it. I'm Huckabeed. The math doesn't work.

What is one to do with so much to do and so little time? I suppose I should accept this harsh reality and try to separate the wheat from the chaff of my to-watch (and to-read) list, but can I bring myself to do this?

This is upsetting.

lent: addition and subtraction

2008-02-13T14:10:00.004-06:00

anything worth doing is worth doing well, right? right.

so, when going through lent with journey, i try to do something that will matter. this year i am attempting to remove something from my life while adding a new practice.

luke 1.0 is legendary. this is the guy that enjoys a good hamburger, loves taco bueno, and LOVES bacon... on everything. so... i gave up pork and beef. it's only been a week, and i'm already struggling to find things to eat. i've been surviving primarily on a diet of nuts and fig leaves. oh, and chic-fil-a. don't judge. i did not give up fast food.

my new practice? going to church. this may seem like a gimme... but if it does, you don't know me very well. about six years ago i moved to south africa. while there i co-pastored a home church, and attended a ton of really great indigenous churches. then i moved back to dallas. after several months of struggling to choose between the lesser evil amongst the megachurches... i stumbled upon journey. and i've been there since.

a confession: i carry a lot of resentment, bitterness and judgment in regards to "the church," particularly run-of-the-mill evangelical churches in dallas. i realize this is wrong and probably quite unhealthy.

so... my practice: i'm going to church every sunday morning during lent, and i'm making a commitment to only say positive things about the churches i visit.

sunday, kerri and i went to watermark. this sunday, fellowship uptown.

so far it has actually been a good experience.

the kingdom

2008-01-21T21:35:00.000-06:00

it should come as no surprise to the few people who might find this post that i am a pacifist. i believe that the way of jesus is profoundly non-violent. on the cross God hung crucified in a way of saying: "it is better to die than to kill." by all human rationale, the perpetrators of jesus' unwarranted death deserved the wrath of God. in no way did they deserve to succeed in killing jesus. but the radical self-sacrifice of God is where our redemption lies.

tonight i watched a film called "the kingdom." you may have seen the trailers for this, and a few of you may have even picked it up at blockbuster or requested it from netflix. i tend to be drawn to this kind of film. is it violent? yes. unequivocally so.

so why would a pacifist support violence through this kind of film. put simply: because it reminds me why i am opposed to violence. some would say that these movies "glorify" violence. i would say that they simply "present" violence. the movie is intense, and designed to keep you on the edge of your seat... but in the movie one is confronted with the shear ugliness of fundamentalism that leads to hate that leads to violence. for me, i need to be reminded just how ugly violence is. it reminds me that this is very real, and we should be working tirelessly to end this proliferation of death.

at the end of the film, there is a juxtaposition of an american fbi agent and a saudi islamic fundamentalist saying the same thing to make themselves feel better: "we're going to kill them all." this was profound. we seem to be caught in an endless cycle of wanting to eradicate those who oppose us, rather than longing for restoration and reconciliation with those who oppose us.

tonight i find myself longing for a kingdom of a different sort. our problems and differences are very real, and there is certainly no easy solution. but i long for the kingdom where the lion and the lamb will lay down beside one another in peace, the kingdom where we will all live as God's creatures in harmony with one another, the kingdom where our utmost desire will be not death of the other, but life, and life to the fullest.

God, may this Kingdom come.

don't give up the primaries!

2007-11-08T19:39:00.000-06:00

I'm really saddened by political discourse this primary season. Really saddened.

Last time I checked, there were eight Democrats running for President. Yet, all we hear about is three. There are seven or eight Republicans running for President, yet all we hear about is three. The media reports on the three who are polling the highest and who have raised the most money. We can't blame them... they are trying to get readers/viewers. But don't let them take the primaries from us.

I am so tired of hearing "Hillary will win the Dem. nomination" or "Giuliani is going to win the Republican nom." What's worse is when people say that they support "fill-in-the-blank" because they're the only one who has a chance at winning the nomination.

The primaries are a gift, people. The primaries give us a chance to support someone because we really believe in them, not because they have the name recognition or the most money. At some point, we will be forced to choose the lesser of two viable evils, but WE should get to decide who those two people are. Now, more than any other time in the election cycle, is the time we should be engaged. We should choose the woman or man who best fits our ideals and throw all of our support behind them... not wait for someone else to choose for us.

I hear people lamenting the primary process often. "Candidates should have to prove themselves to more than just Iowans," they say. This is certainly true, but without these small state contests, the underdogs would have literally no shot. (Many lesser-known candidates have ascended to national fame by doing well in the early states - Jimmy Carter for one). We would end up only hearing the voice of the few who have celebrity-appeal and lots of money. Last time I checked, these were not the qualifications to be president.

A reminder... four years ago, in November of 2003, no one had heard of John Kerry. It was widely accepted that Howard Dean would sweep the nomination. Dean had out-raised his competitors and was getting all the national media attention. If it were not for the grassroots campaign in Iowa, John Kerry would never have had a shot.

Take your role in the primaries seriously. Don't let the machine decide for you.

Oh, and support Joe Biden.

Beyond the Gates

2007-09-28T22:14:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching Beyond the Gates, the latest vignette about the Rwandan genocide of 1994. I have to say the film was excellent.

I also have to say that I think these films about events the past have an inherent flaw. They place the viewer in a sympathetic "had-I-been-there-I-would've-done-things-differently" posture. I think it lets us off the hook too easily.

For all readers of this blog older than 13, we were there. And WE did nothing. We should cease any talk about what we would've done and focus on what we DIDN'T do. I was only 12 that summer, but I was complicit. My lack or outrage indicts me. Granted I was young, focused on my own out-of-control hormones and selfish desires, but I have to take responsibility. We all do. If we do not, we run the risk of this moral arrogance that fails to realize the fullness of our human problem.

...in the same way that I must take responsibility when I, out of ignorance or complacency, ignore the gross violations of human rights in today's world. There are horrible abuses happening in our world right NOW. Form the obvious genocide in Sudan to the horrible subjugation of women in the former soviet republics to the minority rule in much of the middle east (to name a few). The freedom given by God to all people is often stolen or mis-given.

And we, like in 1994, watch it on television. Or re about it on our uppety online news sites.

Having been to Rwanda, and having sat in a church where literally thousands were slaughtered, it's easy for me to feel outrage at the machine that ignored what was happening. But I ignore what is happening.

When I watch a film like the one I just watched, or like Hotel Rwanda, I of course relate to the story's hero... the man or woman who stood up in the face of terrible injustice with the risk of great personal danger. But... it's quite safe to watch a movie 13 years after the fact and feel good about myself for being "educated."

Don't get me wrong. I understand the complexities of international engagement and intervention. It's not always as easy as showing up with guns, hoping we don't have to use them. And sometimes, just saying "we're America and you should do what we say" is not enough.

But let's not pat ourselves on the back about what WE WOULD'VE done when in reality we do nothing everyday.

pacifism and violent film

2007-08-29T13:06:00.000-05:00

i'm back for a space to rant about violence in television and film. i just read a blog about violence in film. the blogger, an acquaintance of mine and friend of emergent, had recently been called out for calling The Departed a "positive storytelling experience" while calling himself a pacifist.

for long-time readers of this blog, it should come as no surprise that i am a pacifist of sorts (theology in progress). it should also come as no surprise that i frequently enjoy films and television that happen to be violent. the films and shows that i enjoy are not violent for the sake of violence. i believe they tell a story where, to be realistic, violence must not be omitted. AND, the stuff i choose to view does not glorify violence, but shows it for the ugly, dehumanizing beast that it is.

but that's not what i want to blog about.

my wife and i recently had a big blowout about my viewing habits. she came home one day to find me watching deadwood... a show that i love for it's realistic portrayal of a mid-19th century mining camp. the show is dark, profane, and at times violent... but so was the old west. it's fascinating to watch the story of the lawless camp as it matures into a city.

anyway, she came home one day to find me watching an extremely gruesome fight scene. i'll admit, it was terrible. terrible. i recommended that she go into the other room for a few minutes until the scene was over, but she did not. she was busy working on something. an incredibly violent act happened, and i told her not to look up... which of course led her to look up. we had a long and thorough "conversation" about this for the next hour or so.

she could not figure out why a pacifist would enjoy violence so much.

fast forward a few weeks. we're out with some friends and somehow the subject came up. we had a fairly lengthy conversation about the role of violence in storytelling, and i began to wonder aloud:

what gives us the right to avoid this kind of harsh story that is a reality for folks throughout history and all across our world? if you think about it, we are one of the only cultures in history that has successfully sheltered ourselves from these realities.

if i lived in deadwood in the 1860s, i could not avoid the realities of the violence and profanity there. if i lived in a nairobi slum today, i could not avoid the reality of violence there. BUT, here in america, we have successfully built suburbs and rear-entry garages and private schools that keep us from those realities (disclaimer: this is not an attack on suburbanites - just a cultural observation - i am almost as sheltered as anyone in frisco). they are there, we have just run away from them. we have the internet and cable television that allow us to filter the things we are exposed to.

at almost any other time in history, or any other geographic location, these acts of violence or profanity or abuse or whatever would not be inappropriate scenes in a movie, they would be the life we encounter as we walk to the grocery store.

so what gives us the right to be offended by something that other innocents can not avoid? why do we feel entitled to a luxury to avoid the things that real people face every day?

i wonder if, by hiding from the realities that real people face in our shrinking world, we don't miss a part of the human experience. i wonder if our lives have become too sterile for us to really know how to feel the pain and grief of the other. i wonder if we've somehow missed what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world where violence and disease and suffering are very real. maybe it's too much to bear because we've been pretending it doesn't exist for so long.

biden book offer

2007-08-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

i'm about 20 pages to the finish of promises to keep, senator biden's recently published book detailing his life and history in politics.

it's fascinating. the book deal was signed long before he knew he was going to be running for president this time around. actually, it was published with random houses's bet that he'd become secretary of state in a (john) kerry administration.

so, it's not full of ridiculous "elect me because" tripe. it simply details the history of a senior senator from delaware: his life, struggles, and experiences in the senate. the history and related commentary alone are worth the read.

senator biden should no longer be "senator" biden in 18 months, but "president" biden. he has the courage, the wisdom, and the experience to lead our country into the next decade.

SO, my offer is this: you can borrow my copy of the book if you will consider, once finished, donating the cost of the book on amazon ($17.13) or more to the biden campaign. (link to amazon here)

let me know if you're interested in borrowing the book.

ps- i now have the "biden is my homeboy" t-shirts for sale on cafepress. all proceeds from the sale of the shirt will be donated to the biden campaign. more products coming soon.

t-shirts for sale

2007-08-09T18:21:00.000-05:00

because of the talents of carter and candie, i can now offer some of the finest campaign wear on the market. i'm gonna buy a bunch of t-shirts (printed on organic cotton). if you want one, let me know (and give me some money). $20.

this is my 301st post

2007-08-06T21:14:00.000-05:00

can't believe that i've gotten to the point where i've written stuff important and non-important 301 times. it' quite astounding.

actual office conversation

2007-07-17T16:06:00.000-05:00

i just overheard this:

random visitor: hi "anne doe"

anne doe: hi. how was your vacation?

rv: great. too short.

ad: oh. they always are.

rv: ready for another one.

ad: [polite chuckle] where did you go?

rv: Florida

ad: sounds fabulous.

can we please cease this meaningless small talk?

making it from scratch

2007-07-13T17:04:00.000-05:00

My friend Johnny V (aka JSmack) made an astute observation last night. Could it be that making homebrewed beer is what originally sparked Luke 2.0?

I think this could be. There's something really beautiful about taking fresh ingredients and making something new, taking the raw materials of the earth and turning them into something not only usable, but something delicious/beautiful/etc. With beer, we take cereal grains (wheat & barley), hops, water, and sugar, and create a tasty beverage. (We actually bottled last night... so the IPA is coming in two short weeks).

I give credit to No Impact Man. This self-described "liberal" got tired of the guilt and decided to put his money where his mouth is. He now lives in NYC with no electricity, eats local, and rides a bike around town. I was so inspired by his courage to at least begin to do the things he constantly railed about, I decided I should consider putting my rhetoric into action.

BUT, homebrewing surely changed me... so maybe both.

i made a concession today

2007-07-11T22:08:00.000-05:00

since i started cooking at home, this was the first meal that did not incorporate fresh ingredients. i did make my daily grocery store trip, but bought salad and a frozen (all natural) uncured-pepperoni pizza. it was nice to have dinner ready in twenty minutes.

but, don't worry, i'll be back to fresh ingredients next time. just needed a break.

on a side note, i spent the evening, between chatting with friends at the house, reading the 50-page Motorcycle Operator's Guide provided by the Texas State Department of Motor Vehicles. a bit nerdy? yes. but i plan to take my scooter test soon, and i want to make sure i pass.

read my scooter post (below)

2007-07-09T22:39:00.000-05:00

but...

i wanted to tell you, the faithful readers of suburbanjesus, about a new blog that my buddy z and i are doing.

it's a blog about politics, but hopefully not of the crazy mold.

www.awarebutnotbothered.com

Check it out!

i have two loves

2007-07-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

the first, clearly, is my lovely wife kerri. she has been tirelessly (re)painting our living room/office to counter-balance the new chair she recently acquired, and it actually looks really good. BUT, this post is not about my beautiful and talented wife.

it's about my newfound second love.

the honda ruckus.

a very good friend has been gracious enough to loan me his scooter for a grand experiment: to see if i could really make the scooter lifestyle work. after a day practicing getting around the neighborhood, i decided to give it the grand test: the daily commute.

i rode this 100/mpg vehicle to and from the office today. i set out this morning with a backpack. i used nature's blow-dryer, the texas wind, to dry my hair, and, upon arrival at work, removed my product from my bag and did my hair. the wind-blown look was a success.

i found myself, all day, wishing it was 5:30 so I could once again get on the scooter and race (at 35/mph) through town.

i really enjoyed it, and i'm convinced more than ever that i can make this work. i'm tired of talking about all the things that i can do to make the world a better place and tread lightly, and i'm ready to do something about it.

my new mission: sell the jacked up jalopy and get a scooter.

Eight African Countries Top the Failed States Index

2007-07-04T22:41:00.000-05:00

Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace have compiled their list of failed states for 2006. The study examines 12 economic, social, and military factors that contribute to poor living conditions and resultant instability in 177 countries.

Eight of the top ten worst states, according to the study, are in Africa. Sudan topped the list as the most instable country in the world, and Somalia came in third. Because the research is so diverse, one of its strengths is that it can not point to a single factor that makes nations instable, nor does it suggest a single solution.

The study, and the accompanying article in Foreign Policy, point to the fact that our efforts to help these "failed states" will take creativity, vast knowledge, and an understanding of what is happening on the ground. For this very reason, the Amahoro Africa conversation exists. If we truly care about growth and stability in Africa, we must seek to gain intimate knowledge from the innovative leaders working on the ground there. We must learn to abandon our arrogant "big ideas" and develop friendships with those better equipped to change their neighborhood.

The African nations that make the top 10, in order from most instable to least instable, are Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Chad, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Guinea, and Central African Republic.

Right now, the articles are available for free on Foreign Policy's website. They're well worth a read.

(Cross-posted at the Amahoro Africa blog).

You Shall Not Covet Anything Belonging to Your Neighbor

2007-06-29T21:06:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about this commandment lately. I stumbled on a blog the other day that commented on our inability to follow this commandment. It seems like we're always trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Churches do this when they try to out-build the church down the road. Christians do this when we try to one-up the guy who sits in the pew next to us. Yet our bible, and the ten commandment core that we seem to all agree upon, commands against this kind of behavior. Very curious, indeed.

My buddy Z just called me... from his iPhone. Lord may I not fall into the trap of covetousness.

- Luke

luke 2.0

2007-06-28T10:11:00.001-05:00

it's highly likely that no one reads this blog anymore. i haven't posted a word in well over two months. life is busy, and the blog gets the business end of the ax.

i thought i'd break back onto the blog with a few words of what has been called "luke 2.0." i feel like i'm having a bit of a revolution of mind, body, and spirit. it may be fleeting (i hope not), it may be a quarter-life crisis, but i really feel compelled to put the proverbial money where my mouth is.

here are some of the new "features" of luke 2.0:

Taking Care of My Whole Body
Before I embarked on this journey, I ate really poorly. Fast food lunches... almost everyday. When I ate at home, I would eat a Totinos pizza. Bad. Exercise? Forget about it. The new Luke, however, attempts to eat organic fruits and vegetables, hormone and antibiotic-free meat, and all-grain bread products (to name a few). I've also begun riding a bike I bought on Craig's List. Gotta get this body healthy. (I've been doing all this for about three weeks, and I already feel better).

Treading Lightly Upon the Earth
It's really easy to create garbage. Eating on a paper plate is easier than on an actual dish. Juggling a few groceries in your hand is more difficult than throwing them all in a plastic bag. But I'm trying. I want to do my part to make as little an impact as possible on this Earth that I love. I'm also pretty close to buying a scooter (90mpg!), and I'm considering switching to only secondhand clothing (though this one area where I actually make little impact as it is). When we stomp around we leave a mess... our bodies break things, we step on things, and too often we don't care. I want to care what I destroy and who I hurt with my decisions... and I want to make better ones.

Please keep me in check if I begin to fall off the wagon...

africa, listening, and writing

2007-04-18T11:43:00.000-05:00

tomorrow will be two weeks until my departure for Africa. when you've been planning something for 14 months, it has a tendency to always feel far away and surreal. but, i now have my visa, my shots, my tickets, and i'm gathering equipment. finally, it feels very real. and because it now feels so real, i'm basically unable to think about anything else.

it has been four years since i was last in africa, and i'm definitely ready to return. i'm most excited about listening to the stories of my global neighbors, hearing how they are experiencing God, struggling with some of the harsh realities they face, and creating distinctly african solutions. i'm taking my laptop (and getting a tutorial on garage band tonight) to do some recording. i can't wait to sit back and listen.

i'm also planning on journaling during the trip. i miss writing. i'm not sure what i'll do with said journal entries when i get back, but i'm looking forward to the process.

i no longer go to blogs - some reflections

2007-03-22T09:19:00.000-05:00

(this post is another avoidance of continuing my 'listening to my beliefs' series)

WARNING: I had no idea where I was going when I started this, so it's kinda stream-of-consciousness. Enjoy the journey!

i read blogs through a blog reader, bloglines. this is genius for several reasons:

1. i can read all my blogs in one place, thus saving me time.

2. bloglines auto-updates as long as you are on the site, so i get stuff as soon as it is published.

3. i can quickly decided which blogs are worth reading, and which ones are not... but can still keep up with the happenings in almost a hundred people's lives.

4. since bloglines is a website, i can do all of this from any connected computer in the world.

occasionally a blog will have a video or pic that doesn't show up in the reader, at which point i can click over to the actual blog.

having such a large sampling of blogs to read daily, from people all over the world, i have come to a realization. there are two kinds of bloggers.

1. someone who blogs as a personal journal and publishes it in case anyone cares. they keep a record of their life and make it public in case someone wants to peek inside.

2. someone who blogs because they think other people care what they have to say. they feel the need to put every witty (and sometimes not) thought out into cyberspace for the masses to read.

i'm not sure which one i am. i like to think i'm somewhere in between. i tend to be a teacher in nature, so it's hard for me to not see the blog as an educational tool... but i hope it's also reflective, something i can look back on to remember where i was. occasionally, for fun, i'll go back and read sermons i wrote 5, 6, 7 years ago... or theology papers i wrote in college. maybe my blog will serve this purpose in the future. and kerri won't yell at me about all the paper.

my last observation about blogging is this: your blog is not near as cool to anyone else as it is to you. accept that and move on. you like your blog much more than anyone else does. people probably haven't heard of it outside your small circle, many in that circle won't read it regularly, and they probably don't think you're THAT interesting when they do. i have swallowed this, and so should you.

BUT don't let that stop you from writing. occasionally i need to hear about drinking soft drinks from thin-lipped glasses, inside jokes around YOUR water cooler at work, and why you think that actor is hot. sometimes i need to disconnect from all that is actually important in the world. so keep it up. entertain me.

still coming...

2007-03-21T11:53:00.000-05:00

i really am a liar. i say i will blog, yet i do not.

i will post soon, i promise.

and hopefully it'll be worth your while.

black gold: this friday

2007-03-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

This Friday, journey will host a semi-exclusive screening of black gold, a film about the coffee trade between the two-thirds world and the west. Fair trade coffee will be available to drink (for free - thanks to 963 coffee) and to buy by the pound ($12, but $5/bag will go to Invisible Children.)

Come enjoy a good film, good coffee, get educated, and enjoy the company of friends. See you there!