Senate Vote

Well, the US Senate decided to not discuss the bill proposed to provide jobs to folks who need them badly.  It's too bad that they won't even talk about it.  I don't know for sure, but it sure seems to me that folks out there have a real problem with anything proposed by our current administration.  I'm enough of a realist to know that no one has all of the right ideas about anything, but also, no one has all bad ideas either.  It would seem to me that at least folks could talk about it. 

I get the distinct impression that someone just wants the current administration to fail and really don't care how they go about it, no matter how bad things are for everyone else.  I have had experience with relatives in the Deep South and so much of the tone of the comments we hear from the "loyal opposition" has a familiar ring to it to me.  Too bad! 

Our biggest problem in this country today is that everyone thinks that they are the source of all wisdom and that no one else has any.  I think that is really wrong headed.  Having had the opportunity to visit other places, other peoples, and other cultures, I realize that we all are really one brotherhood and that talking is a really good way to get to the root of issues and develop an appropriate solution.  Sure hope that folks in DC wake up pretty soon and get to the business of fixing the problems.  I'm afraid what will happen to the the entire world economy if they don't.

How is it with you?

I muse about all of the happenings over the last several months.  It seems that the Arab Spring has turned into an Autumn Action here in the US as well.   What troubles me is how much the language of our political contestants is inflamatory and condemnatory about the other side.  Why can't we talk in civil language to each other and have a civil exchange of views.  What happened to discussion?  All I hear on the news channels is yelling and condemnation.  Is it not possible for us to talk any more?  Why must the other side be so demonized?  And, it's not just here in the US, but all over.  Eveyone seems to have to have their Satan to make their own position seem more reasonable, even though it actually is just a radical, except at the opposite end of the spectrum.  Perhaps, we really do need a calming influence in the center of US politics and world-wide, if that is even possible any more.  Maybe the Mayan calendar ending in a few months could be a good thing.  Perhaps someone could learn a lesson from what has happened and we could begin all over again.  God knows that we have tried this more than once to no avail.  Oh, well, keep praying and work for peace in your individual sphere.  Remember - humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.  Let's focus on the other's needs today.  Why not try that?

The National Budget

Today's current "discussions" in Washington, D.C. about the remainder of this year's budget and the new budget submitted by the chair of the House committee, appear to fail to take into consideration the impact of these ideas for reducing the public expenditures will have the poor and elderly of our country.  Many of these legislators profess to be Christian but seem to completely and totally (I know the same thing) the requisites of Matthew 25.  We have an obligation to care for the poor and less fortunate.  From what I read and hear, all of the current cuts take away from the poor, neglected, and elderly and give to the rich and famous.  There was a editorial in our local paper yesterday about how Congress is in the top 1% of the wealth and is taking care of the top 1%.  It's just wrong and just plain mean to be so calloused about the fate of the poor and marginalized in our country.  I certainly pray that both parties will come to their senses and realize that by taking care of the less fortunate, we raise ourselves up as a nation and have a much better chance of reviving our overall economy because we will be thinking of all rather than just the chosen few.  It really appears to me that the Middle Ages system of serfdom and lords hasn't really left us at all.  Let's all pray for some sense in our Congress and just a little mercy.

A time for peace

After the horrific attack on innocent persons this last weekend, I think that it is really time to carefully examine how we talk about each other.  I am not subscribing any one person for fault or blame except the gunman in this tragedy; however, I, as do many others, believe that the tone of our language toward each other, especially in political campaigns, leads some to believe that this sort of violence is justified.  We must speak more civilly of each other, even if we don't agree with their views.  For heaven's sake, none of us is the boogie man! 

Yes we do have credible differences about how to resolve the most critical issues of our time, but violence is never the correct way to resolve issues.  Whether you believe that such strong, vilifying language leads to this sort of physical violence or not, I think that we should agree that clear, reasoned debate and trusting in the intelligence of those who are listening to make the right decisions is a more prudent way to conduct our civil discourse. 

Naming and blaming is something that people do when they have no understanding of the issue nor a reasonable solution to it.  When we vilify someone, we try to make them out as the most evil person ever and the cause of all of our problems.  We have seen how this works in history over the centuries.  I seriously doubt that anyone in our country today has this much power.  Just look how Congress and legislatures can't agree on how to resolve some of our most pressing issues!

So, let's start today together in banning harsh, crude, and uncivil language from our everyday discourse.  Let's treat others as we would like to be treated.  Let's work together to transform our society in one who cares for each other no matter who they are.

And, let's pray for the victims of the tragedy and for all of us.  I suggest this prayer for  greatness of heart from PAX Christi:

Keep us, O God, from all pettiness;
let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
Let us be done with fault-finding
and leave off all self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense
and meet each other face-to-face,
without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgment,
and always generous.
Let us always take time for all things,
and make us grow calm, serene, and gentle.
Teach us to put into action our better impulses,
to be straightforward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize
that it is the little things of life that create differences,
that in the big things of life, we are as one.
And, O God, let us not forget to be kind!
AMEN.

May God Give You Peace!

Where there is hatred, let me sow love . . .

Have you ever noticed how much hate there is around us today?  It seems that everywhere we look or listen are examples of this tendency.  Most of us find the kinds of hate demonstrated in other places and other times are clearly recognizable, e.g., Europe in the 1930's, Rwanda, Kosevo, and in the American South during the 60's.  Many of these were just blatant forms of extreme hate.  

But, I challenge you to listen to the American political language of this current election season.  Listen to the words - listen to the tone.  What do you hear?  Strong words - name calling - half truths - outright falsehoods.  Yes, all of these are a part of today's political speech. We vilify the opponent and demonize their intentions.  We monger our worst fears that will be realized if the opponent gains power.  To listen to some of today's political speech, you would think that the opponent is Satan himself.  Formerly innocent words like conservative, liberal, socialist, and Tea Party have been surrounded with such emotion that they have been transformed into a condemnation of the other.

We are so fond of labeling people, usually in a less flattering light, to make our own puffery seem all the more legitimate.  Sadly, no one seems to recognize the truths contained in these simple words, "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye?  You hypocrite,  remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye." (Matt. 7: 3-5).  

Each of us has our own dirty laundry that we prefer does not see the light of day.  We should attend to our own problems, before resorting to deleterious comments about another; because, when that is the mode of operation, eventually we all will get covered in mud - and, that is not a good basis for selecting leadership.  

Why not consider returning to honest discussion of the policy differences and outlining the course that we believe should be taken to correct the issues that face us?  Why not resort to sound, intellectual, honest discourse?  Why not inform people about our honest stands on tissues and explain how we would propose to change the world toward a resolution?  

And after election, why don't we really discuss the issues and look for ways to work together to solve the problems that beset our entire society?  Why don't we put the others first is resolving issues?  Why don't we think about the poor, the homeless, the orphan, and the unemployed instead of worrying about who gets which tax break?

If we continue upon this course of strong speech, labeling, and fear of the other, we can only further degrade the discourse of what we should be as a nation.  We risk falling into the trap to which many other "enlightened" societies have succumbed and transform ourselves into a form of government that no one wants or invites.

If we followed the age-old advice and became . . . "patient, kind, not jealous, not pompous, not inflated, not rude, not seek our own interests, not be quick-tempered, not brood over injury, and not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth," (Cor. 13), all of our discourse would become much more informative.  Then, we would be able to make much more intelligent decisions about whom should serve in our government.  

Surely many are as disturbed as I about the current direction of our political discourse.  Shouldn't we all who feel this way just say, "ENOUGH!!!" It's time to set aside our petty differences and work together for all of the people.  Set aside the distrust and hate, and work together for the good of all peoples.

 

Opening day - A beginning

Well, this is my first effort at sponsoring an exchange of ideas about our lives.  I hope with the beginning of this blog to begin a discussion of all things we encounter each day, but from a Franciscan view.  St. Francis essentially changed his part of the world through his witness and through his travels.  I know that I'm not even close to reaching his level of spirituality or commitment, but thought that we could jointly enter into a discussion of things, events, and society from a Franciscan perspective with the idea of making a positive impact on the discussion of our contemporary life. 

This only rules are that participants must remain civil, courteous and open minded.  Keep in mind, if you wish to join the conversation, that we will be discussing events, issues, and society from a Franciscan view, so religious discussion will be a part of this dialogue.