The Heart is a Bloom

20 years ago today, on December 31, 2008, the number one song was "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison. "Rain Man" was the big movie of the year. "The Cosby Show" was the number one TV show.

20 years ago today I was 17, in the middle of my senior year of high school and it was an unforgettable New Year's Eve. Before you imagine the party scene at Wyatt's house in "Weird Science," you should know that my school was a small, highly conservative, private school, so New Year's Eve was pretty low key. Because my school was so small, we teenagers didn't pay much attention to grade level (senior, sophomore, etc.) for sports or social activities.

That New Year's Eve 20 years ago several of us got together at Jason's house to watch a movie (VHS no doubt, as 1988 was the also the year Sony conceded defeat of its Betamax video). The movie was "Full Metal Jacket" kind of an odd pick in hindsight, not sure who picked it, but I didn't pay that much attention to the movie. I ended up sitting on the couch next to Casey Twidwell. Casey was younger than I was but we had known each other for a few years by then, and had been at many group activities together. We were friends and always had fun. Something was different that night though and we stayed right next to each other the whole night. Halfway through the movie most of the kids left to go somewhere, and I can't recall now where they went, but Casey and I stayed put even though I don't think either one of us was watching the movie by then, we were talking and laughing and having a good time being together.

An interesting parallel from that night to something that happened recently was that a severe fog rolled in that night. I can't recall how this part worked out, but I got to drive Casey home. In that thick fog, a driver needed to be cautious and drive pretty slowly. I drove even slower. I got up the courage on that drive home to tell Casey how I felt that evening and that I was interested in being more than just friends. We left it at that when I dropped her off, early in the morning on January 1, 1989. Within days we were talking for hours on the phone and then "going together" and have been together ever since.

Our life together began 20 years ago tonight.

Someday At Christmas

When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth

I Must Be An Acrobat To Talk Like This And Act Like That

Last week ABC News aired an interview with George W. Bush, an interview that focused entirely on Bush's faith in God and its impact on his governance. I found it interesting and informative. During Bush's first presidential campaign and into his first term, I thought he talked well about his faith, tending to speak of grace not a dogma of exclusion. It has also seemed to me that his positions on immigration, foreign aid, and AIDS have been consistent with his expressed views of grace and faith. Of course, I find some decisions of war and torture to be wholly inconsistent with these same views.

Freed from the constraints of another election, I think we're hearing some candid answers from Bush. And to be honest, as frustrated as I am with Bush about some pretty big things, I am in tune with his views of faith. The juicy excerpts below (edited for easier reading), and the entire interview HERE.

(Voiceover) To the sympathetic, he's a man of deep and abiding faith. To his detractors, he's a man whose leadership has been blinded by that faith, leading the nation dangerously off course. What there is no question about is that his faith has played a central role in his presidency and his life since the mid 1980's.

CYNTHIA MCFADDEN
So do you believe that God actually intervenes in human affairs?

PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH
I'm not so presumptuous as to kind of be God. In other words, it's one I get asked all the time, well if you're religious, therefore you must think that you were picked out of all the people on the face of the earth to become president. I just can't go there. I'm not that confident in knowing the Almighty to be able to say, yeah, God wanted me of all the other people. My relationship is on a personal basis, trying to become as closer to the Almighty as I possibly can get. And I've got a lot of problems I mean, I've got, you know, ego. I've got anxieties and all the things that prevent me from being closer to the Almighty. So I don't analyze my relationship with the good lord in terms of, well, you know, God has plucked you out or God wants you to do this.

I know this. I know that the call is to better understand and live out your life according to the will of God.

MCFADDEN
Does God talk to you at all? People of faith throughout the ages have wondered about this. How do they know when it's their own ego, when it's their own desires and when it's actually God's will?

BUSH
I guess that's one of the universal questions. I think one way you make sure it's not your ego is you stay in the bible, at least that's what I have found. And I'm still learning. The bible is an amazing book.

MCFADDEN
Is it literally true, the bible?

BUSH
You know, probably not... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it.

MCFADDEN
So you can read the bible and not take it literally? I mean you can - it's not inconsistent to love the bible and to also believe in evolution say?

BUSH
Well, I think you can have both... I think that the world - the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an Almighty. And I don't think it's incompatible with the scientific proof that there's evolution.

MCFADDEN
Do you believe that when you pray to God that that's the same God that a Muslim prays to?

BUSH
I do. I do.

MCFADDEN
So the leader of the Taliban is praying to the same God...

BUSH
No, I'm not sure he's praying to a God. I think anybody who murders innocent people to achieve their objective is not a religious person. They may think they're religious and they may play like they're religious. But I don't think they are religious...

MCFADDEN
I want to focus for a moment on your decision to go into Iraq, because an awful lot of people believe that you did this based upon your faith. Was that part of the decision?

BUSH
No, I did it based upon the need to protect the American people from harm. You can't look at the decision to go into Iraq apart from, you know, what happened on September the 11th. It was not a religious decision.

MCFADDEN
There are so many people who are comforted to have a strongly believing Christian in the White House. Some people feel excluded by it though.

BUSH
Probably do. Yeah, I'm sure they do. I'm sure people say, well, Bush must feel that I'm inferior because he believes in Christ and I don't... I'm sure people say George Bush is a Christian therefore he can't possibly relate to me or he doesn't like me or he thinks I'm condemned and I'm sorry that's the case because that's not the way I feel.

Human Rights Day

Today, December 10, 2008, is Human Rights Day. It also happens to be the 60th Anniversary of the first Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Justice. Fairness. Equality.

No doubt you agree that every person deserves each of these fundamental rights. But how deeply do we believe? Are we simply, "Those people deserve justice, fairness and equality, and doggone it I hope they get it!"

No doubt we think we personally and the United States are strict observers of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What about this one: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" or "Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal" or "As soon as a person is legally entitled, he or she has the right to marry and have a family"?

Is violence acceptable justice?

Is willingly sustaining an economic system that relies on paying below subsistence wages or exploits workers morally any different than "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude"?

Today is a good day to contemplate China, Darfur, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others. It's also a good day to consider whether we consider the person next door our equal and the person across town and the person across the world. How do I behave if I truly believe they are my equal, if I love them as much as I love myself?

Will we revolt against our own culture? Will we join a true Human Rights revolution?

My Favorite Artists of 2008

My favorite artist of 2008, for the 21st year in a row, is U2. But that’s a blog, or a book, in itself. My attempt here is to discuss a few musicians from 2008.

Music Artist of 2008

My pick for Music Artist of 2008 is Katy Perry. Katy released her first album in June 2008, and has already scored 3 huge hits from that album. Prior to 2008 she published some songs on MySpace and got one of those songs on the soundtrack for “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” So to go from that to a Billboard Top Ten album in the first week of release is a serious “blast” into music.

To sell a lot of albums off of one hit is obviously quite an accomplishment. “Ur So Gay” was a nice hit for her(Madonna apparently called it one of her favorites this year). A song best described as “either horribly homophobic, a sly piece of social commentary or, possibly, both.” I just hear a savvy, sarcastic girl fed up with her emo boyfriend.

You don’t eat meat
And drive electrical cars
You’re so indie rock it’s almost an art

It was much more impressive, however, when Katy followed that with her smash hit from the same album “I Kissed a Girl.” Provocative, indeed, maybe even homophobic in the sense of frat boy lipstick lesbian fantasies, but an irresistible beat, strong hook and alluring lyrics that couldn’t be ignored.



A very strong debut and perhaps enough to qualify as one of the most influential artists of 2008. But Katy’s status in 2008 was cemented, in my opinion, by her third hit within months: “Hot N Cold.”



Comeback Artist of 2008

Britney Spears. Admit it, after the head shaving incident, the loss of the custody of her kids, attacking the paparazzi with her umbrella, and an involuntary psych commitment, you never expected to see her anywhere but “Celebrity Rehab” or TMZ. So it’s quite a comeback for Britney to score a number 1 hit in October with “Womanizer” (her first number 1 since “Baby One More Time”).



All this talk of pop music, you’d think it was what I listened to most. I listen most to music that might be called “acoustic rock” from artists like John Mayer, Matt Nathanson or Jason Mraz. Or rock from artists like Kings of Leon, Coldplay or The Killers.

Artist I listened to the Most in 2008

Thanks to Pandora.com, Amos Lee is the artist I listened to most (outside of U2, of course). I find Amos a steady performer that produces consistently authentic music. Just thumb through the playlist on his MySpace page and you’ll hear the sound I’ve heard most this year.

Country Artist of 2008

Darius Rucker. You may know him as Hootie, but this is no joke. Darius Rucker has a 2008 Top Ten country hit, the first black artist since Charlie Pride in 1983 - “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.” It’s as bad as you think.



Next up: Albums of 2008

My Favorite Song of 2008

My favorite song this year wasn't released until September and never made it higher than 56 on Billboard's Top 100. For me, the steady then climbing guitars and vocals gave the song great energy and the melody hook is strong enough to match the eye-catching title. My favorite song of 2008 is "Sex On Fire" by Kings of Leon.



The Song I Heard Too Many Times

I don't think I can guess how many times this year I've heard "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis. My guess for Memorial Day alone is 6 times, but I lost count. Apparently it's not just here in the U.S. that the song has achieved overload. It was also number one in the airplay charts of the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Latvia, Slovakia, Latin America, Estonia and Japan. For the 1 millionth time this year, you can listen here but I bet you a nickle you won't make it all the way through.



The Song I Can't Get Out of My Head

I'm as much a Kanye West fan as the next person. But one of his latest songs is burned into my brain. Kanye's synthesized voice is repeating over and over "So keep ya love locked down, ya love locked down. Keepin ya love locked down..."



While I'm here keeping my love locked down, what are some of your favorite songs from the year?

Wednesday: Artists of 2008.

Open Up Your Eyes

I'm not going to try to talk you out of eating turkey on Thanksgiving. I'm moving slowly toward less and less meat (for various reasons) but, heck, even I'll have turkey on Thursday. But I do think we need to make our choices with full knowledge.

This video is not acts of unusual or staged behavior. This is just the routine life of new mass grown turkeys.



Mass slaughter is no picnic either. The majority of turkeys are killed in large, semi-automated slaughterhouses. Turkeys are removed from their crates and hung upside down by their legs from shackles on a moving line. The shackles carry them to an electrically charged stunning water bath through which the bird’s head is dragged in order to render the bird unconscious, their necks are cut and the birds are then placed into a scalding tank, which is designed to loosen their feathers before plucking (hopefully they're dead by then).

In comparison, it's "compassionate" to stuff a live turkey upside down into a steel cone, slit its throat and then hold it down against its last desperate attempt to live.



So go ahead, enjoy our turkey, but we'll do it with our eyes open.

The Wisdom of Condoleezza Rice

From the New York Times.

Welcome to My World, Barack
November 16, 2008

Interviews by HELENE COOPER and SCOTT L. MALCOMSON

On Jan. 20, Barack Obama will inherit a world very different from the one his predecessor found in January 2001. Over the past eight years, the Bush administration has faced great challenges and nurtured grand ambitions; it has tried hard to remake the world. Condoleezza Rice has been a central player in that effort since becoming the candidate Bush’s chief foreign-policy adviser in 2000, so we arranged to interview her at the State Department late last month. The interview turned into a wide-ranging discussion of where this government has taken the United States and what sort of world it will leave for the next president. The editors have culled the highlights of her remarks in the text that follows. We also spoke with other administration foreign-policy makers — Christopher Hill and Daniel Fried of the State Department and Gen. James L. Jones, former supreme allied commander, Europe — whose remarks supplement and illuminate those of Rice.

....

THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND
HOW WE CHANGED THE CONVERSATION.
There have been some real gains, but there also has been a complete change in the conversation, particularly in the Middle East, where some form of popular legitimacy is being sought in almost every country. The American voice has got to stay strong in that conversation.

HOW TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION FORWARD.
I really think we have the best atmosphere between Palestinians and Israelis since the mid-’90s, so I’m very gratified that that has come into place. The Palestinian leadership is avowedly in favor of negotiations, renounces violence, recognizes the right of Israel to exist. There is a robust negotiating process, and they have made a lot of progress on how to get to a two-state solution. There is now broad Israeli acceptance of the need for a Palestinian state. After all, Kadima came out of Likud (6) with that in mind. And we have a process on the ground that is beginning to make some progress in terms of making life better for people who live on the West Bank. Palestinian security forces are becoming competent enough that they’re now about to move into Nablus, one of the toughest areas, with Israeli consent.

WHY SPEED IS ESSENTIAL TO DEALING WITH HAMAS.
The Hamas takeover of Gaza is a problem, but thanks to good Egyptian work, at least there is calm for now. One reason to try and get an agreement done pretty quickly is that I think Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas needs to be able to take an agreement to the Palestinian people through either referendum or elections in order to sideline Hamas politically or to have Hamas buy in, which I think is unlikely, or to sideline Hamas by demonstrating that they don’t have a solution for the Palestinian problem. So that’s another reason to do it quickly. But I think the structure is there, I think the Annapolis structure is a very powerful structure . . . On the Palestinian-Israeli issue, we will leave this in a much, much better place, agreement or no.

HOW TO CHANGE A REGIME — SLOWLY.
We have said to Iran that this is about changing your regime’s behavior, not changing your regime. That has been the message all along. Would we hope that the Iranian people . . . do they deserve to have a different regime than they’ve got? Absolutely. But the way that we have tried to help with democracy in Iran is to help indigenous forces there — to bring everyone from people who do disaster relief to artists to sending our wrestlers there. You know, it’s why the question of an interests section continues to be important to us.(7)

FINDING PRO-AMERICANISM IN IRAN.
There’s a very pro-American feeling among most Iranians not because of our policies but because of who we are and because we have stood for democracy. Iranians are sophisticated people — that’s a sophisticated and great culture — and we need to be able to reach out to them. But in terms of dealing with the regime, I think we’ve made it very, very clear that we’re prepared to deal with the regime; we just don’t want them to use negotiations as a cover while they improve their nuclear-weapons capability.

...

If you have time, I recommend the (lengthy) interview.

Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad

A 15 year old kid walks into a bar with his dad... Sounds like the start to a good joke (or a sad joke). But in Wisconsin, it's legal. Anyone under 21 can possess or consume alcohol, as long as the minor is accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse who is 21 or older (see Wisconsin Statutes Section 125.07). Anyone under 21 can even go to a bar and be served alcohol as long as they are with a parent or guardian.

Advocates of the law say it allows parents to educate their kids and supervise underage drinking. That's a fair argument at ages 18-21. Personally, I have never understood why we say young people age 18 are old enough to fight and die in war, but not mature enough to drink alcohol. This Wisconsin law, however, establishes no floor. You can serve alchol to a 10 year old, though the discriminating bartender will surely say "that's a no-go."

According to the news article, in addition to the legally drunk minors, drunk drivers in Wisconsin are not charged with a felony until they have been arrested a fifth time and Wisconsin law prohibits sobriety checks by the police.

Sadly, an organization formed to change Wisconsin's liquor laws informs us the state's loose approach to drinking has consequences:

1. Wisconsin has led the nation in binge drinking (5 drinks in a sitting for men, 4 in a sitting for women) every year since the CDC began its surveys more than a decade ago.

2. People in Wisconsin are more likely than anywhere else to drive drunk.

3. Wisconsin has among the highest incidence of drunken driving deaths in the United States.

Hard for me to say how scientific the connection is between lower drinking ages and drunk driving, binge drinking, etc. Makes a certain logical sense, but maybe it's the cold or the cheese or those underachieving Packers!

Regardless, I found this Wisconsin approach to "underage" drinking very interesting and with some merit. For now, I'll just dabble at supporting lowering the drinking age to 18 (maybe only when in the company of a parent?) and be glad I have several years before I address this with my boys.

Love...Dying Every Hour...Love

Reverend Lovejoy: "I know one of you is responsible for this. So repeat after me. If I withhold the truth, may I go straight to Hell where I will eat naught but burning hot coals and drink naught but burning hot cola [all the kids recite in unison] where fiery demons will punch me in the back, where my soul will be chopped into confetti and be strewn upon a parade of murderers and single mothers..."

Something truly shocking happened in Arkansas last week. 57% of the voters passed a law that will forbid unmarried couples from adopting or providing foster care for anyone under 18.

So starting January 1, if grandma or aunt has a live-in boyfriend, they cannot provide foster care or adopt their own grandchild or nephew. But grandma and auntie are "collateral damage" because the openly-stated targets of this law were gay and lesbian couples.

If you think that the welfare of the child is the purpose behind the law - these groups had their day in court to prove any link between child welfare and gay parents and they failed.

An Arkansas trial court decided, and the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed, that there is no rational relationship between gay or lesbian parents and the health, safety, and welfare of the foster children. According to the Arkansas courts, the facts demonstrated that there was no correlation between the health, welfare, and safety of foster children and a foster parent who was gay or lesbian or who resided in a household with a gay or lesbian, and the Arkansas Department of Human Services admitted that no known complaints were ever made in those situations.

They can't prove it's harmful to kids, it just contradicts their moral code. Truly mind boggling. It's yet another disappointment to learn that Focus on the Family are the malevolent moral police behind this bigoted law that actually reduces the available foster homes and adoptive parents in Arkansas. Given the simultaneous push from these organizations of adoption instead of abortion, this strikes me as perverse.

I hold out hope that this new law will be found unconstitutional. If you don't have to prove a connection to the welfare of the child, then it's simply the majority opinion that determines who are fit parents. Right now, your opinion may happen to be the majority, but that could change.

"That the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of the history of the whole world" - John Adams

Remembrance Day

What have we learned?

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, May 13, 1915

"So on we go with our journey of equality. On we go in the pursuit of justice."

- Bono, February 22, 2006.

My week has been a blurry buzz of joy and grief. I've celebrated history with the world, I've celebrated a little boy's birthday, I've said good bye, I've experienced the frustrations and work of life, I've gotten a few precious hours alone with my best friend.

As Bono says with typical directness, the journey of equality goes on. But can we take a moment to rest? Can we sit here for just a short time and feel the hope of a new day? Just the possibility...? Barack Obama is not the savior. Try to just enjoy the beat, because if this election has taught us anything, it's this: Will.i.am makes a kick-ass political video!

Yes, We Can.

It's been a long Monday. Obama wasn't the only one who lost a grandma today. Rest in Peace, Toot and Nellie.

As all across this country we head to the polls, pack into a box the sacred memories of a life, pick up kids from school, hug the ones we still can, watch the vote tally, regardless of the outcome of the vote, I feel these words:

We are not as divided as our politics suggests.
We are one people;
We are one nation;
And together, we will begin the next great chapter in America's story with three words that will ring from coast to coast;
From sea to shining sea -
Yes. We. Can.

This song is for all of us. I never get tired of it. As I am reminded today, again, of the frail shells that protect our priceless spirit; that even when it was long, life is short; I want to believe that we can...

See the Bird With a Leaf in Her Mouth

I saw Barack Obama downtown Columbia on Friday morning. I know, he was here Thursday night, I saw him then too. But on Friday morning I went to Lee Elementary School's "America My Home" themed parade. The kids were encouraged to dress up in a way that displayed America their home, the suggestion was very open ended. More than one little African-American boy dressed up as Barack Obama and several kids wore Obama-themed outfits. The pride in their faces was evident.



I was wearing an Obama sticker with Obama's face on it, and I attracted a crowd of kids all trying to high five and show their enthusiasm. One little guy stood back and looked at my sticker, then looked at my face; then looked at my sticker, then looked at my face. We don't want these kids to see color, to feel different. But I'm sure at times they do, especially when it comes to power. And their pride was obvious in seeing a person of color in a position of real power.



I've read and heard that Obama rallies are diverse. Well, I live in a brightly diverse community and I've attended large political, cultural and sporting events here so I had no expectations Thursday night to even notice the diversity of the crowd. But as I looked at the 40,000 people around me, I was actually surprised at the range of age, culture, race, color, and income level around me. Not black and white, but every race and culture I could have imagined. Not in a carefully arranged mosaic, but in large groups and mixing together in a common purpose - to try to see from way back where we were!



It was an incredible experience, buoying my spirits and giving me encouragement for at least the moment that there are more of us that believe this diversity is America than there are those that fear our differences and see only an ever decreasing piece of "their" pie. And I got my wish. I got to yell "Yes We Can!"

Before Love Came to Town

Once already this year, claiming to speak for God, James Dobson reared his ugly rhetoric against Barack Obama.

He's at it again. Since his prior invectives didn't have the masses grabbing for stones to slay the anti-christ Obama, Dobson must have thought he needed to up the vile.

In Dobson's latest execration, he predicts in the first term of Obama's presidency, and I'm just picking some "highlights" of this guy's fear mongering:

1. The Supreme Court orders the Boy Scouts "to hire homosexual scoutmasters and allow them to sleep in tents with young boys."
3. "Elementary schools now include compulsory training in varieties of gender identity in Grade 1" and no parent is allowed to opt out.
4. "There are no more Roman Catholic or evangelical Protestant adoption agencies in the United States."
5. "High schools are no longer free to allow 'See You at the Pole' meetings where students pray together, or any student Bible studies even before or after school."
6. Public school teachers are no longer free to lead students in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States.
7. "Television programs at all hours of the day contain explicit portrayals of sexual acts."
8. "It is illegal for private citizens to own guns for self defense in eight states, and the number is growing."
9. "Millions" will be killed in Iraq because the troops were brought home.
10. "Since 2009, terrorist bombs have exploded in two large and two small U.S. cities, killing hundreds, and the entire country is fearful, for no place seems safe."
11. Russia re-takes Eastern Europe.
12. "In mid-2010, Iran launched a nuclear bomb that exploded in the middle of Tel Aviv, destroying much of that city."
13. "Euthanasia is becoming more and more common."

Homosexuals sleeping with young boys, nuclear attacks, euthanasia. You have to be thinking that I made this shit up. I swear, this is what Dobson really said! It would be laughable if this blaspheming hypocrite wasn't on 3,000 radio stations every day, or didn't have many people who believe he speaks for God.

I debated whether to even post Dobson's comments, but because of some emails and conversations I've had lately, I think the reality is that Dobson speaks what a certain segment of our population actually believes. The amount of anger, contempt and pure venom that is being unloaded at Barack Obama is staggering. And for some reason the majority of people I see or hear trafficking in anti-Obama lies and making these kinds of insane predictions are evangelical "christians." I don't recognize anything of Jesus in Dobson's words.

It is my sincere hope that in 2 or 3 years Dobson has the experience and opportunity to apologize for this slander of a Christian man who has devoted his life to public service.

I Heart Chase

I love Tiger football. There are not many places in this world I'd rather be than the bleachers of Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on a crisp fall Saturday. The cares of the world are gone, and for 3 hours my mind and soul are free and focused. I like watching the Tigers on TV, but there is no comparison to the packed, cheering crowds, the cannon, the rock M, or the diamonds in the end zone. No matter the opponent or the record, I get chills when the players rush out of the tunnel and onto the field. And at every kick-off, I believe the Tigers will win this game.

The last several years, we've been fortunate enough to win more and more of those games. Along the way, the Tigers have managed to gather some rather stunning talent. But there is sometimes that player that grabs not only the record book, but also my heart. That player who fills my chest with gratitude and admiration every time they step out onto my home field.

It started with Corby Jones. A player of grit and leadership who played through some terrible personal circumstances and helped revive a struggling program. But then came Brad Smith. He shattered school and NCAA records and played with a physical ability that was sheer grace. Certainly the greatest football runner I've ever witnessed. His form gliding down Faurot Field is forever etched in my mind.

On Saturday, I was at Faurot Field for Homecoming. And it was the last time I will watch Chase Daniel and Chase Coffman play on my home field. I get one more game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, but this was a monumental occasion for us (me and the Chases). Our last time together at Faurot Field. Chase Coffman, who my friends and I have called Tight End Jesus since his freshman year, delivered the miracles we've come to expect. Yes, he caught that and, yes, he's going over that guy's head.





Of all the Tigers I've loved, though, Chase Daniel is my biggest crush. Not the pure talent of Brad Smith, not the pounding frame or blue-collar player of Corby Jones, but systematically knocking down school records with the same assured calm he has spreading the ball across 5 or more receivers on the field. A commander, a cheerleader, a fighter, a football dispensing machine.

I was there on Homecoming of 2005 when a true freshman Chase Daniel came into the game when Brad Smith went down. The Tigers were down 24-14 and facing third-and-10 at their 25 with just under nine minutes left. Chase captained 2 scoring drives in those final minutes and then won the game in over time. It was the sign of what was to come. In Chase's 3 years as starting quarterback, Missouri has reached heights not seen for many many years. These have been halcyon days in Tiger Nation. With Chase, the chubby, happy face coexists with the laser throw on 3rd and 11 in the biggest Tiger football game in 40 years. The bouncy step coexists with the cool reflection of reading the defense as if he were in their huddle.





You have honored Faurot Field with your play, Chase. Thank you for being a Tiger. I love you, man. The next time I walk into the stadium, you will not be on the field, and there will be a piece of my football heart missing. I need a moment, dear reader, I am verklepmt...

"A Thousand Splendid Suns"

"A Thousand Splendid Suns," a novel by Khaled Hosseini, is the story of two women of different ages in Afghanistan, spanning from the early 1960s through 2003. Mariam and Laila suffer, endure, love. They suffer from personal, relational and cultural hardships as well as the severe hardship of war. Many of the unendurable, to me, circumstances are simply life in Central Asia. But there is another layer of severity of life that is brought by being a buffer state, located in what some call the crossroads of East and West. Yet Mariam and Laila also find beauty and love in nature, religion, their culture and each other.

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Two powerful themes rise from this book. Sometimes the difficulties of the present can become the pleasant remembrances of the future; live in the moment. And there is intense power in a relationship (loving and being loved) to transform a life.

She thought of her entry into this world, the harami child of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last.

Through Hosseini's combination of dense and eloquent prose, I am transformed to another country, another culture, a world I sometimes scarce believe is the same one I live in. Though it's not a political book, the engrossing and transforming story serves a sobering reminder that the other end of the "shock and awe" on my TV screen is the rubble of a ripped apart family and the screams of an orphan.

But far more powerful than that, as I find comfort in the Koran alongside Mariam, weep with Laila on the floor, cradle Aziza with the fiery (but powerless) protection of a parent, and feel the blessing of Allah in the gentle touch of someone who knows the truth and loves me anyway, I realize our sameness. Mariam and Laila are my sisters.

Ultimately, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is not hemmed in by geopolitical or cross-cultural themes. It is a stirring and skillful story about life.

Though there had been moments of beauty in it, she knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it.

Can't You See What Love Has Done?

One more quick point on this "christian" religious bigotry against Islam. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to find myself on the same side as more thoughtful, experienced and wise people than I am. On Sunday Colin Powell had this to say on the same topic I raised last week:

I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way.

Oh yeah, and he endorsed Barack Obama for President.

Final Presidential Debate of 2008

John McCain's rally attenders will be thrilled with McCain tonight, but Obama closed the deal. McCain was a live replay of every "popular" anti-Obama YouTube clip, with only one exception. McCain spontaneouosly mentioned Ayers, Acorn, "spread the wealth," abortion votes, repudiating public spending and town hall debates, and generally snarled and attacked at every possible opportunity. Surely McCain was kicking himself for having previously taken Reverend Wright off the table.

This was, politically, what John McCain had to do. However, it ended up, in my opinion, setting the stage for Obama to politically seal the deal. Obama absorbed every attack with calm and gave the viewing public, often directly to the camera, a reasonable response for every accusation. Now that these topical attacks have finally been lobbed directly from the top toward Obama, there is no more damage that can be done by them and they failed to bring Obama down. They have have now lost their steam, lost their edge.

On substantive issues I think McCain started out very strong on taxes, and I think McCain answered the Supreme Court judicial appointment question very well. On every other question, I think Obama talked substantively (though it was all a repeat) while McCain attacked. At one point, McCain was so eager to get back to attacking Obama that he dismissed the moderator's question with a "yeah" and then spun to resume his own negative attack. For his performance, McCain will be greeted warmly at tomorrow's rally. For Obama's performance, he will be rewarded by remaining ahead in the polls.

With the debates over, McCain must now rely on some outside event or circumstance to swing this election.

Angel or Devil, I Was Thirsty and You Wet My Lips

I had a disturbing conversation with a regular guy this week. This was not a radical person, or an ignorant person, just a normal guy. He insisted that Barack Obama was a Muslim. Later that day he forwarded me an email he had received as proof. I was shocked to discover this regular guy was relying on a blatantly false email, not just "out of context" stuff, but also outright lies. It is almost pointless to discuss the motivation behind the million or so people who forward, read and believe these lies, or people at Palin rallies who shout "terrorist" or "treason" or "kill him" or make racial slurs. But I am interested in this fixation by many people on whether or not Obama is a Muslim. We have zero evidence he is, but who cares if he was?

I would agree that I am concerned about the "moral compass" of a candidate. I would agree that I am concerned about a candidate's passion and plan for social justice. I would also agree that a candidate's spiritual beliefs are a factor in those issues.

But NO religion, or religion at all for that matter, has a monopoly on social justice or morality. I can appreciate a candidate's spiritual beliefs, but I put more value on a candidate's consistent message and action in areas of social justice.

I would consider the way the candidate holds their beliefs in terms of ability to govern all people fairly, certainly, just as I would a Methodist or a Catholic or a non-practicing person. I just do not understand why I should reject a Muslim for President, simply because that person is a member of the Muslim faith.

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Second Presidential Debate of 2008

Tonight's debate was a dispiriting display. Both candidates spoke rather negatively and gave the same answers I've heard already. When the word "Iran" was mentioned, out came the same answers. Same for "taxes" or "healthcare," etc.

The negativity was no surprise, given the rhetoric of the past week. Sarah Palin has apparently adopted the mission of questioning Barack Obama's character by association and fitness as Commander in Chief, and declared that Obama "is not a man who sees America like you and I see America." Unfortunately, Obama felt the need to respond with a discussion of McCain's Keating 5 scandal. A similar tone dominated the discussion tonight, though no mention was made of any of these specific things that are being discussed in campaign stops. I'm not sure if it is worthwhile to try to evaluate the negativity of each candidate tonight, and I don't have the benefit of a transcript yet so I have scant examples, but McCain's negativity feels more "belittling" to me than Obama's negativity. McCain's worst example that I can remember was during some discussion of an energy bill when McCain jabbed a thumb toward Obama and called him "that one." Just unsettling to me. If I had to scale the negativity, I would score Obama at 4 out of 10 and McCain at 6.

On substance, as I mentioned, I heard nothing new. It seemed to me that on two questions Obama passed McCain by a clear margin. One question that Obama handled with a substantive answer over McCain was the young man who asked about specifics from the bailout bill that would help middle income earners. Obama gave an explanation about the availability of credit that might have actually answered the guy's question. The other question that Obama succeeded on very well was "what will you ask Americans to sacrifice?" McCain proposed a spending freeze and fewer "earmarks." If the earmarks are wasteful, how is that a sacrifice? If spending is out of control, how is a freeze a sacrifice? Obama did not give the full call for sacrifice I think is probably needed, but he at least did answer that we have to conserve resources in our households and our businesses. One other Q&A that stood out to me was once again the "Pakistan" question. Except this time the questioner was very smart, and included "let them go back across the Pakistani border like we did in Cambodia during the Vietnam War?" I have expressed before that I cannot understand why McCain digs in his heels on this issue, and especially tonight in the face of the Cambodia comparison. Very damming of McCain's thought process, in my opinion.

On the non-verbal part of the evening, Bill Clinton can rest easy. He remains the King Of The Town Hall. If you have time, read this amazing account of Clinton and town hall events: "The Visual Byte: Bill Clinton and His Town Hall Meeting Style." Obama's visual performace was not notable, but will also give no one anything to talk about. McCain did pretty well, but sometimes seemed to wander the set. Once he answered a question without raising his microphone. And when Brokaw was ending, McCain walked in front of Brokaw's teleprompter, apparently not aware Tom was reading from it and it threw McCain in a blur in front of the camera. Three small things there, but gave people something to mention.

My "who won" polls have apparently bothered some readers. I guess candidates aren't the only people reluctant to answer a yes or no question. I'm all for nuance, so feel free to give your refined answers.

Judgment

I'm sure you have heard that Barack Obama opposed the Iraq invasion of 2003. Very few people these days, however, take the time to find out just what it was Barack had to say about it. To save you the trouble, and frankly because it is almost eerie in its foresight, I have excerpted the majority of a speech Barack gave on Wednesday, October 2, 2002. It might be hard for us to remember the politics of October 2002, but I'm sure we can all agree that opposing the invasion of Iraq was rare and not considered a politically smart move. After reading it, contemplate the judgment behind this, said six years ago.

Now let me be clear — I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity.

He's a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.

I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda.

I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars.

So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our children, let us send a clear message to the president today. You want a fight, President Bush? Let's finish the fight with Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, through effective, coordinated intelligence, and a shutting down of the financial networks that support terrorism, and a homeland security program that involves more than color-coded warnings.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to make sure that the UN inspectors can do their work, and that we vigorously enforce a non-proliferation treaty, and that former enemies and current allies like Russia safeguard and ultimately eliminate their stores of nuclear material, and that nations like Pakistan and India never use the terrible weapons already in their possession, and that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding the countless wars that rage across the globe.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to wean ourselves off Middle East oil, through an energy policy that doesn't simply serve the interests of Exxon and Mobil.
Those are the battles that we need to fight. Those are the battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance, corruption and greed, poverty and despair.

The consequences of war are dire, the sacrifices immeasurable. We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war. But we ought not — we will not — travel down that hellish path blindly. Nor should we allow those who would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice, who would prove the full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful sacrifice in vain.

Vice Presidential Debate of 2008

Despite my poking fun yesterday, the only Vice Presidential debate of 2008 produced no major disasters. For that, both Biden and Palin succeeded. Beyond meeting the pitiful threshold of “don’t screw up,” both candidates also scored some political points and gave us a more energetic discussion than Obama and McCain gave us. Because of his dominance in knowledge and experience, I believe Biden “won” the debate, though I strongly suspect that anyone who already liked Palin will believe that she “held her own” (alas, the soft bigotry of low expectations…).

Palin did her job in speaking to her base and re-energizing them after the absolute embarrassment of her recent interviews. The format suited her very well by not allowing a follow-up question to any of her talking points. For example, she said “There have been huge blunders in the war. There have been huge blunders throughout this administration, as there are with every administration.” Obvious follow-up: “Like what?” Or how about following up her statement “Two years ago, remember, it was John McCain who pushed so hard with the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform measures” with “What reform measures?” I also assume that several of Palin’s one-liners played very well to her fans, regardless of whether what she said mattered or even made sense. For example, she said at one point “I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people.” I’m sure that thrilled anyone who thinks Gwen Ifill is the liberal media and Joe Biden is a blowhard. But it’s disingenuous, because how is refusing to answer the question talking straight to the American people?! Her only low blow of the evening was “Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq.” How Biden didn’t explode at that is beyond me. Aside from the affront to Biden as a father of a soldier in Iraq, the biggest problem with that statement is, again, the facts. Obama’s plan is endorsed by the President of Iraq and is being nearly completely adopted.

What Palin did well, though, was stick to her talking points and talk passionately about and in favor of John McCain. In political terms, she was very effective in her last half hour of making a long point at least twice about contrasting her “ticket” with the opposing party’s.

Biden had the clear advantage on substance, but I’m not sure it was politically effective. When Palin claimed that Obama voted 94 times to increase taxes, Biden (since he was there) is able to rebut that misleading statement by pointing out that by Palin’s standards, McCain voted 477 times to raise taxes. Or when Palin talked about Obama’s vote on funding for the war, Biden was able to point out how her comment was deceitful, but in my opinion the political advantage goes to the one talking first in that situation. Biden let himself get cornered too often in explaining any difference between himself and Obama. It seems to me that it would have sufficient (and more honest) to simply say “we disagree on that issue but that doesn’t matter because he will be the President, not me.”

The most amazing exchange of the night is one that will largely go unnoticed, in my opinion. Palin said that she agreed with Dick Cheney that the Vice President is a member of Congress and, in her words, there is “more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it.” Biden immediately shot that down with “Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that's the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch…The only authority the vice president has from the legislative standpoint is the vote, only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea he's part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous.” If you care at all about the expansion of Executive Power in the last 8 years, this exchange is VERY enlightening.

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Veep Veep

With these two VP candidates, who knows what we can expect tonight. A highlight from each:

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the--it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

I'm afraid that gaffes and inane answers are about all we can expect tonight because the format is for 90 second answers with 2 minute discussion. Imagine, "You both agree on ending our dependence on foreign oil; what is your plan to achieve that? You have 90 seconds..." Should be very informative!

For Love or Money Money Money

What fun, an intersection of religion and politics! Only it’s not fun, it’s outlandishly ugly. Oh yeah, and illegal. On Sunday, a reported 33 pastors across the country defied Federal law and endorsed a political candidate for President.

As you no doubt know, churches are tax exempt. Churches do not pay income taxes on donations or earnings, don't pay sales taxes on purchases, don't pay property taxes on buildings and land, etc. We the people (not the IRS) gave churches this gift in exchange for a few trade-offs. Through our elected officials, we said you don’t have to pay taxes if you agree that you will not directly or indirectly participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.

What these pastors did was a morally irresponsible example to their churches and community. I highly doubt the IRS will take the action it should and enforce the tax code against these churches, but I wish it would. And this is not just an issue of the IRS going after right-wing churches. In 2004 the same thing occurred when some churches spoke out against the war in a way that intervened politically against George Bush.

The pastor interviewed by the Washington Post shared his insight into why he needed to defy Federal law:

Asked why he felt the need to discuss the candidates by name and to be explicit in rejecting Obama and his pro-choice views, Johnson said he must connect the dots because he is not sure that all members of his congregation can do so on their own.

I hope you are equally aghast at this outrageous abuse of religious authority. But even if you are not, I hope my fellow taxpayers at least want these moral hypocrites taxed.

First Presidential Debate of 2008

After a tumultuous week, the debate was almost anti-climactic. The events of the week will be remembered long after what was said or done at the debate. From the previous debates by Obama and McCain in their primaries, I expected McCain to "win" in the eyes of the viewing public. McCain's usual performance of short, directive answers plays better than Obama's usual nuanced and longer answers. However, every poll on Saturday morning shows people believe Obama "won" the debate (not counting online polls like mine - unscientific but vote anyway!).

I'll pause here to give kudos to Jim Lehrer, the moderator. The questions were fair and relevant, and this was the closest thing to a "debate" I have seen in presidential politics in a long time. Jim worked hard in the beginning to try to have the candidates engage each other, but stayed out of the way.

On substance, I thought Obama gave the clearest and most accurate answers in the economic discussion that was the first half hour. I agree with Obama on the economy, so I'm sure that affects my view of the answers, but I was glad to hear him make the point that McCain is proposing tax cuts without equal spending cuts. McCain uses earmark spending as his only example of spending cuts but McCain could not respond to the fact that earmark spending doesn't even come CLOSE to covering his tax cuts. Neither candidate would identify specific programs for spending cuts, but I thought Obama explained what his decision process would be.

The majority of the time was spent on the foreign policy issues of Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. On these topics, my analysis of the debate was that McCain displayed more experience but Obama showed better judgment and a far better analytic approach. The two best examples for me of this analysis involved Pakistan. I thought it was fairly damning of McCain for him to say his only problem with Obama's approach to military strikes in Pakistan was whether or not we talked about it! I was also impressed with Obama's willingness to say to the American people that we "coddled" the dictator Musharraf and thus lost the Pakistani people. McCain's attempted justification of "but the alternatives were worse" is no excuse. But more importantly than who is right is Obama's willingness to be OPEN about it. Let the American people know what we're doing abroad instead of this secret supporting of dictators when it's convenient.

In the Iraq war discussion, nothing new. But a great line from Obama, "John, you like to pretend like the war started in 2007." It's true that McCain will not defend his 2003 position on the Iraq war. The Iran discussion was similar. I believe McCain knows more people and has been more places, but I also believe that Obama is right that the approach of McCain has not worked. McCain had no evidence that it has worked. It's pretty remarkable when, on this issue, even the Bush Administration is now moving toward what Obama has been saying for quite awhile.

On the non-substantive debate dynamics, eventually I could no longer ignore that McCain would not look at Obama during the debate. I don't think he even turned his head. Given the exchanges and the direct urging of the moderator, that seemed like a decision. I have no idea why. Watching a clip later I noticed that McCain didn't even look at Obama when shaking hands in the opening. Also, McCain gave a few sarcastic answers and repeatedly said "he doesn't understand" (though wouldn't look at Obama and say "YOU don't understand"). Overall I think this icy demeanor hurts McCain. Obama wasn't Reagan or Clinton "warm" either, but seemed equally engaged with the moderator, McCain and TV audience.

Overall, I have to give Obama the win on substance in the economy (better description of his own plan and distinctions with McCain's); a draw on foreign policy substance (just comes down to who you agree with); a slight edge to Obama on demeanor (though if you're turned off by sarcasm you would give Obama a big edge here).

Has this debate impacted my vote? Only to the extent that I feel more confident in Obama as a leader. I already agreed with his economic plan but liked his open analysis on foreign policy. If you have a different opinion or something stood out to you, I'd like hear about it.

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Presidential Debate Poll

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And The Trees Are Stripped Bare Of All They Wear

Yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox, a special joy of mine. Every season gives us its own treasure, but I might pick Autumn as my favorite. Yesterday evening was dry and cool with that telltale angle of the evening sun tipped slightly to the south now. This poem came to mind, a favorite of mine since childhood. Reading it, I'm nostalgic for Fall's treasures and eager for a new round.

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
by James Whitcomb Riley (1853–1916)

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Bodies Strewn Across the Dead End Street but I Won't Heed the Battle Call

A few weeks ago Obama and McCain were asked the same question and they each gave their immediate answer without knowledge of the other's response. One question really grabbed my attention because I think it gives us unexpected insight of the mindset and belief system of the two.

"Does evil exist? And if it does, do we ignore it? Do we negotiate with it? Do we contain it? Do we defeat it?"

OBAMA: Evil does exist. I mean, I think we see evil all the time. We see evil in Darfur. We see evil, sadly, on the streets of our cities. We see evil in parents who viciously abuse their children. I think it has to be confronted. It has to be confronted squarely, and one of the things that I strongly believe is that, now, we are not going to, as individuals, be able to erase evil from the world. That is God's task, but we can be soldiers in that process, and we can confront it when we see it.

Now, the one thing that I think is very important is for to us have some humility in how we approach the issue of confronting evil, because a lot of evil's been perpetrated based on the claim that we were trying to confront evil. In the name of good, and I think, you know, one thing that's very important is having some humility in recognizing that just because we think that our intentions are good, doesn't always mean that we're going to be doing good.


MCCAIN: Defeat it. A couple of points. One, if I'm president of the United States, my friends, if I have to follow him to the gates of hell, I will get bin Laden and bring him to justice. I will do that. And I know how to do that. I will get that done. No one, no one should be allowed to take thousands of American -- innocent American lives.

Of course, evil must be defeated. My friends, we are facing the transcended challenge of the 21st century -- radical Islamic extremism.

Not long ago in Baghdad, Al Qaida took two young women who were mentally disabled, and put suicide vests on them, sent them into a marketplace and, by remote control, detonated those suicide vests. If that isn't evil, you have to tell me what is. And we're going to defeat this evil. And the central battleground according to David Petraeus and Osama bin Laden is the battle, is Baghdad, Mosul, Basra and Iraq and we are winning and succeeding and our troops will come home with honor and with victory and not in defeat. And that's what's happening.

And we have -- and we face this threat throughout the world. It's not just in Iraq. It's not just in Afghanistan. Our intelligence people tell us Al Qaida continues to try to establish cells here in the United States of America. My friends, we must face this challenge. We can face this challenge. And we must totally defeat it, and we're in a long struggle. But when I'm around, the young men and women who are serving this nation in uniform, I have no doubt, none.

For some reason, I see so much in these answers I could dive in and spend 30 minutes (okay, I did spend 30 minutes discussing this with a patient friend). But I'll try to make the main 2 points quickly.

First, Obama cares as much about domestic evil as genocidal evil. When asked about evil, this country's children and the streets of our cities are as close to his mind (and heart) as the "usual" and politically safe paradigm of genocide or terrorism.

Second, and I think this is far more important, Obama recognizes his own (our own) depravity and when all political "sense" is saying "never equivocate on a question like this!" Obama is willing to say the hard thing yet again. I cannot overstate the importance of this quality to me.

In contrast, McCain exhibits callous disregard of the fact that evil will accompany HIM in his battle against evil. On a certain gut level there's a part of me that says, "Yeah, get 'em!" when McCain immediately launches a war in response to evil. But that quickly fades into the gut-wrenching reality that an American captain is going to be put into the situation of knowingly killing a woman and child to try to protect his men.

Kearney could see a woman and child in the house. "We saw people moving weapons around," Kearney told me. "I tried everything. I fired mortars to the back side to get the kids to run out the front. I shot to the left, to the right. The Apache got shot at and left... Finally, we shot a javelin and a tow. I ended up killing that woman and that kid."

Our cheer "follow him to the gates of hell, John!" should get stuck in our throats as we realize OUR desire for revenge and belief in the rightness of our cause has just sentenced 3 young American soldiers to a situation where they will eventually execute in cold blood four Iraqi prisoners with pistol shots to the head as the prisoners stood handcuffed and blindfolded beside a Baghdad canal.

Yes: us, we, the good guys. These were good people fighting for a good cause whose lives are ruined, yet John McCain is getting people pumped up for revenge without a thought of humility. Beware the righteous warrior. I find Obama's answer so much more seasoned, wise and (dare I say) more in line with how Jesus would answer.

I Can't See for the Smoke

I'm told the media elite are in full throat panic over Sarah Palin and are out to get her, have an agenda against her, etc. I imagine it's a tough call in the "tone" of interviewing an elected official. I like to see politicians asked tough questions, made to clarify generic statements, and contradictions pointed out. But is there a point of taking the tone too far? I offer for input this clip of Charlie Gibson interviewing Sarah Palin. She's getting killed by facts and her inability to articulate any differences between McCain-Palin and Bush-Cheney on the economy. Yet aren't you distracted by Charles Gibson's condescension? Take a look and answer 3 quick questions below.



1. Do you think Gibson was fair or overly condescending?

2. Do you think Palin was speaking fairly, spinning or lying?

3. Did Gibson's demeanor have any impact on your impression of Palin's answers?

Neighborliness

There is a serious waste of resources happening today in the media and fanned by McCain's campaign. I wish the same amount of time and energy was being spent discussing things like, oh I don't know, let's say taxes! The tax "plans" of Obama and McCain take 2 very different approaches. Here is an interesting discussion Obama had with Bill O'Reilly about Obama's view of taxes and their use, you can read the transcript or there is a video link:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,419703,00.html

I think a few facts are important:

Obama would restore the top two income tax rates to their pre-2001 levels of 36% and 39.6%. Currently they're 33% and 35%.

Obama would start applying payroll taxes to income over $250,000. Currently they pay Zero payroll taxes on income over $250,000.

Obama would tax long-term capital gains and dividends at 20%. Currently the most one would pay is 15%.

The Congressional Budget Office said today the U.S. budget deficit for fiscal 2008 is $407 billion and predicted it is likely to rise further in fiscal 2009.

The U.S. national debt is $9.6 trillion.

Now some opinions:

I don't think it is realistic not to raise taxes in some way. Even if we magically cut $407 billion from next year's budget, we'd still be looking at growing the $9.6 trillion in debt because of interest. And don't think it's Iraq. Obama says we're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. We can assume he's using the highest possible figure. So saving every single cent of that saves only $120 billion. 300 billion to go in the budget...

I am for cutting spending, of course. Let's cut billions and billions in spending. I have no idea where, but let's slash it! But the reality is that the demands of infrastructure, commerce, energy and security are rising. I see no one else being honest, or at least specific, about how to pay for these things!

If we assume taxes must increase, what's wrong with Obama's plan?

Okay, I'll throw it out there and hope you can help me. Give me your opinions and stats on what's right or wrong on Obama's proposed tax initiatives.

The Daily Show

Why do I even bother? Brilliantly done, especially the ending.

You Remind Me of a Man

Most of last night’s speech really reminded me of a senator I used to read about named John McCain. About 18 months ago, I appreciated McCain’s attempt at immigration reform, opposition to torture, openness to the press (and thus the public), fervor for balancing the budget, opposition to tax cuts not aimed at middle income earners, and (more importantly) seeming to value an accomplishment higher than “party unity.” I have not seen that lately. But last night McCain spoke of unity over partisanship and chided the Republican Party rather strongly for a convention acceptance speech. McCain even alluded to Republicans’ sanction of torture and implied he would end it (“I know how the military works…and what it shouldn't do”) and one small allusion to immigration (“In this country, we believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential, from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers”). In general terms, it was a workmanlike speech delivered as well as expected. It was more stirring in his personal story than any political strategy. I was surprised he went as far as he did talking about his own POW experience. It seemed to me they kept ramping up the POW story and details as the week went along and I thought it reached a macabre (and over the top) crescendo with the “When you’ve lived in a box….” narration by Fred Thompson immediately before McCain took the stage. I assumed they did this to keep McCain from having to do this himself, much like others communicated the historic aspect of Obama’s race so that he didn’t have to mention it. At least McCain gave the best tie-in I’ve heard for why his POW experience is relevant to being President by describing how it personally changed him and created his love of “country.”

The calls for unity in government and personal respect for Senator Obama rang hollow to me given the full-throated display of mean spirit the night before. But the best thing McCain has going for him, in my opinion, is that there continues to be a small disconnect between him and the group gathered in the convention hall. McCain’s biggest reaction came from the crowd the moment he mentioned Sarah Palin’s name. Yet there were stifled boos when McCain mentioned his respect for Obama. The crowd sat quietly when McCain promised, “I'll ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me” and when McCain mentioned, “I've fought lobbyists who stole from Indian tribes.” He was met with stone silence when he said, “We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us.” All good stuff, but I continue to be puzzled, as I have been all week, how the speakers speak passionately how “change is coming…We’re going to change Washington” etc. with no apparent memory that from January 2001 through January 2007 they held all three branches of the Federal Government and today still hold two out of three!

McCain’s platform elements sounded like the last few State of the Union speeches. To the best of my understanding, McCain is running on a platform of “All the same policy elements we have right now, but with less corruption.” Fair enough. America will decide, and we can discuss specific elements of health care, taxes, etc. here before November.

How Long Must We Sing This Song? How Long? How Long...

I want to be angry but instead I’m sad. I start out furious but end up feeling remorse. I believe a golden opportunity slipped through America’s hands last night. Today I could be talking about how a highly competent but “ordinary” (I mean that in the best sense possible) woman exploded onto the political scene and seems poised to bring common sense and community values to Washington. From what I have seen of Sarah Palin so far I believe she has that in her. Instead, I am dismayed at how someone with her fresh voice and an eager audience chose to use sarcasm and lies to tear a good man down, repeat a major distortion of her own record and offer nothing specific in return other than more oil drilling.

Sarah has a compelling personal and professional story and she did a good job talking about that at the beginning of her speech. I think at that point she was leaning heavily into the desires of all of us who have ever said “I wish someone from my town would have some input in Washington.” The Harry Truman reference was right in line with that too. Then Sarah jumped headlong into the mud pit and never looked back.

You have to hear the audio to get the true feel for the disdain dripping from her voice as she belittles Barack’s community organizer experience. If she has any compassion for people at all, then Sarah cannot possibly know what Barack did as a community organizer. So at that point in her speech, I am already faced with a decision of: 1) she believes spending 3 years giving your life in direct assistance with every aspect of life with low-income Americans is worthy of scorn, or 2) she didn’t bother to find out what it was he did. Neither option is a good one.

Sarah follows that with a mild distortion of Barack’s discussion of why he thinks Midwestern white voters are “bitter.” Lucky for Sarah, very few will actually look up what Barack said because they might say, “hey, wait a second, he might be right!” Her discussion of her own Alaskan record is fine, with one glaring exception discussed below. The whole thing is a tad misleading because most people aren’t up on the unique features of the Alaskan budget. If we dove into it, I actually think Alaska is a good argument for state control of the oil and gas in this country, but that’s another issue.

The big distortion that really irks me, I might even call it an outright lie, is this whole “bridge to nowhere” thing. It’s a fact that Sarah Palin was for the bridge and was “upset” that a community in her state was being called “nowhere.” Even more importantly, it is a fact that Alaska took AND SPENT every cent originally marked for that bridge. So what is the reform in that? What is the truth in “I told them thanks but no thanks”?

From there on to more attacks on Barack. If you were hoping for substance in them, I have bad news, more sarcasm: “What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?” Followed by more lies: “America needs more energy; our opponent is against producing it.” (against producing more energy? Are we even supposed to take this statement seriously?) “Victory in Iraq is finally in sight, and he wants to forfeit.” (is she aware that the Iraqi government agreed with Barack’s plan for troop withdrawals and now the Bush administration is agreeing too?).

I wish I had more time to pour some passion through my pen, but in the interest of getting this out there so I can hear your feedback, that’s all I can say at this point. (what about that line of hers deriding Barack's concern for the human rights of prisoners?!Agggggghhhhhh!)

Okay, one other thing, I heard from commentators after the speech that the crowd was chanting “Drill, baby, drill!” and this was apparently a refrain for the evening. A reasoned debate of the pros and cons of starting to drill in places that are not currently being drilled - that we can have! And I suspect at the end of that we'd end with a small increase as a stop-gap measure and for future use in case the mid-east shuts off our supply.

But wildly stomping and cheering "drill baby drill" is short-sighted and devoid of reason, and when you add in that many of these same people also cheer wildly that oil companies are evil, it makes them look stupid.

Look at me, I’m right in there calling people sheep. That’s why I end up feeling remorse over this. Barack is calling us to hope and a better tone in politics, imperfectly of course, slipping sometimes himself of course, but calling us all nonetheless. But the politics that divide us is an easier path to take…