Why Legalizing Marijuana Is the Only Rational Option-Financially and Socially

In the midst of puritanical anger and liberal enthusiasm in the light of Proposition 19 in California, let’s not forget what actually makes common sense on the issue of the legalization of marijuana. Right now, the U.S. spends 7.7 Billion a year on marijuana enforcement- this according to a study from Harvard University.

Can you even imagine how many positive ways this money could be used in society? Building schools, hiring teachers, creating infrastructure, and helping out the needy; the amount spent is mind-blowing. This does not even take into account the additional violence and crime which keeping marijuana illegal causes. It creates a whole underground crime network that not only cripples our nation, but adds to the violence in the “drug war” which is devastating countries such as Mexico.

On the other hand, if we legalized marijuana and taxed it- the revenues of the government could be extraordinary. Again, in our financial crisis with our looming debts, do we even have the financial capacity to keep fighting this unwinnable war? And it is unwinnable. Marijuana is rampant in society and often very easy to obtain. When I was in high school, it seemed it was easier for the students to obtain marijuana than even alcohol. This was in Illinois, a far distance from the source of much of the marijuana produced.

Perhaps, we just need to look at our past and see our last failed prohibition on alcohol. Not only did crime grow up, but much money was wasted fighting another unwinnable cause. The U.S. government finally wised up and realized that they could be making money on alcohol instead of spending enormous sums of money trying to stop it and creating a whole other set of problems in the process. I think the same realization will eventually occur with marijuana, it is only a matter of time. However, the longer we wait, the more money we will waste and the more crime we will cause.

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Why Voter Turnout Is So Low and Why Many Want to Keep It That Way

Did you know that we have a lower voter turn out rate than the war torn country of Afghanistan (and most Western Societies as well)? In the U.S., there is only a 47% voter turnout. Perhaps, this is the reason that we still have a nation without universal healthcare, a system that allows legalized corruption from corporation campaign cash, and a nation that increasingly supports the rich and powerful at the expense of the middle class and poor.

It is well known that wealthier and older voters are much more likely to vote, and of course, they are more likely to vote for conservatives and Republicans. The lowest voter turnout occurs among minority groups, the working class, and the young which is obviously more of the Democratic block. This is why though a much larger percentage of people identify them as Democrats than Republicans, the Republicans still are competitive in elections. Because of this, the Right knows if they can suppress the vote, they have a better chance of winning. One really blatant example of this recently was a conservative Latino group that encouraged the Latino voters in Nevada to not vote at all, since they knew that the majority would vote for the Democratic candidate.

What are some of the ways to increase the voter turnout? One idea would be mandatory voting like they have in nations such as Australia and Brazil. If you do not vote, you get a fine. Though obviously this would have other issues and problems surrounding it, it might be better than the current system we have. Another improvement could be making Election Day a national holiday, so those with jobs which make it more difficult to go to the poll would be more likely to go. Another way would be allowing people to vote through the internet/email (though obvious strong safety requirements would need to be put in place).

 Another area that definitely hurts voter turn-out is the Electoral College which makes people feel that their vote is really worthless. Obviously, in the end, the populous needs to become more responsible. People need to wake up and realize that what happens in the country will affect their lives, and they have no right to complain about the nation, if they do not go out and vote. However, subtly many on the right are against getting out the vote more, because it will mean their loss of power, or at the minimum, causing them to have to change their policies to at least consider the poor and middle class. However, in the end, if there is going to be any real substantial change in the nation, people have to go out and vote. Hopefully, the economy and inequality of wealth won’t have to go to too far of an extreme for people to actually take the time to go out and let their voices to be heard.

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Kindness: The Vulnerability of Encouragement

Why is it so difficult for us to encourage other people? It seems to have wonderful results- it usually brightens up another person’s day, creates a better relationship between us and the other individual, and actually fills us our own lives with joy. However, it often seems far from easy.

Perhaps, it is because in a way, encouragement leaves us vulnerable. It causes us to show our true admiration or appreciation for another human being, which makes us feel exposed in some way, like we are letting others walking into the susceptible parts of our own soul. The fake façade we have put up for others to see is brought down. Maybe another reason is because in some way it makes us feel weaker or less than the other person. Though obviously this feeling is incorrect, it often remains with us nonetheless.

However, have you ever had your day or even your week brightened by someone saying an encouraging word? Sometimes, it extends far beyond that, it can help redirect the whole course of your life. I know in my own life that there have been a few select and short words of encouragement which have helped me beyond measure, just like how a few words of discouragement can leave us damaged. If we know how powerful and healing our words can be, why don’t we take more time to encourage others?

As I have been studying and meditating on these fruits of the Spirit, I have realized that I need to become a person that is more of an encourager to others, and not just the superficial encouragement like telling my students “Good Job”, but the deep heart-felt encouragement that is sometimes uncomfortable and leaves me feeling vulnerable. My goal is to give at least one positive word of encouragement per day and to see how my life and the lives of others can change for the better as a result. I love how Blaise Pascal put it so well,

“Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men’s souls, and a beautiful image it is.”

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One Issue Where the Tea Party is Absolutely Correct

Though much of the Tea Party’s philosophy would be disastrous to the society if enacted (privatization of Social Security, more tax cuts for the rich, cutting educational and alternative energy spending, and an unethical immigration policy), there is one platform of the Tea Party which I think could help save democracy-term limits. However, the real necessity of the term limits is different than the Tea Party’s motivation for the limit.

Why would term limits help save the Republic? First of all, it would cut back heavily on special interests and corporations controlling the government. If a politician cannot run again for office, they do not have to worry about pleasing their corporate donors in order to get money for future political advertising. It seems recently that no politicians, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans, are a willing to take on big business and corporate greed because of all the cash that is on the line.

Secondly, term limits would actually give some courage to legislators. Nothing can get done in the Congress up to a year before the election, because all the legislators are concerned about how their actions are going to affect the next election. It is why almost nothing has been done the last few months, because politicians are too afraid to do anything difficult or controversial before an election. Is this how a Democratic-Republic is supposed to run? Of course not. It is shameful, and needs to be reformed.

Term limits should not be enacted just because of some illogical anger at incumbent members or because some philosophy of “get them all out”. Rather, it would help cut down on the “legalized” corruption ring which is U.S. politics and actually give a little backbone to our legislators. This should be one area where progressives and Tea Party can agree. Term Limits can help save the very corrupt and inefficient system that has become the U.S. Congress and government.

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If Your Life Were a Movie, How Would Your Rewrite the Script?

This was the opportunity that was given to the author, Donald Miller, after film producers wanted to make a movie about his life. He soon came to the painful recognition that while his books and articles were popular and interesting, his life was quite dull, passionless, and lacking of adventure and purpose. Through the course of re-writing the movie, Miller was a given chance to re-write his life, and this book is the result.

I found this book at my school library, and I hesitantly decided to check it out. I had read and really enjoyed Miller’s first book Blue Like Jazz, but had not been able to get into his other books. He seemed to be speaking about a life that really amounted to very little of substance. I was blown away when I started reading this book that this was the actual premise of his writing. He needed to make a real and substantial change in the way he saw and participated in the world.

One of his quotes book really sums up the journey and change of perspective he was embarking on, he states, “I’ve wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don’t want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgement. We don’t want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage. And if life isn’t remarkable, then we don’t have to do any of that; we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants.”

As I finished reading this book, I felt I needed to pick it up and read it again. I rarely have this sensation; the only time I can remember having this feeling was after reading “East of Eden” by Steinbeck. However, I found through reading the re-writing of Miller’s life, that I was starting to have more reflection on the changes needed in my own life. I highly encourage you to read this book. It will not only help change your outlook, but could change your whole way of being. As Miller concludes at the end of the book,

“We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn’t mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them.”

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19th Century Catholics and 21st Century Muslims

Lincoln once stated, “As a nation we began by declaring “all men are created equal.” We now practically read it, “all men are created equal, except Negroes.” When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read “all men are created equal, except Negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.”

Lincoln’s comments came at a time when Nativism and anti-Catholic rhetoric had reached a new extreme in U.S. politics. In fact, a whole political party named the Know Nothing Party had been formed on a platform of anti-immigration and anti-Catholicism. While some people were genuinely terrified of the Catholic immigrants coming into the country, many were simply spreading fear and anger among the masses to help their own political ambitions. Politicians warned of the Pope taking over the nation and Catholic teachers turning schools into a place of “catholic indoctrination” which was seeking to destroy the Republic. Later on, groups such as the KKK used this fear of immigrants and Catholics to gain more traction and support.

We look back on this today, and most of us see this as quite silly-an irrational fear that led people to deny the ideals of freedom and tolerance which the nation was founded on. The racism and intolerance is looked upon with disdain in our history. However, is the exact same thing happening today? It seems that Muslims have become the acceptable target of intolerance in the 21st Century. Right-wing media outlets such as Fox News are constantly spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, spreading fear and anger among the populous. Obviously, there are political reasons for doing this. If you can paint Muslims as dangerous the other party as “pro-Islamic” than you can get people to go out and vote for your party, even if that party is going to actually hurt the interests of the voter.

Men such as Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, both whom are Catholic, would have been on the other side of the issue if this was the 19th Century. They would be the ones accused of being a threat to the United States and the Republic. Perhaps, by looking at history, we can see that this anti-Muslim rhetoric is nothing new. The targets have changed, but the tactics stay the same. Hopefully, we can have a more evolved and mature view on the way we view new religious and cultural minorities in our nation and not repeat the exact same fear, bigotry, and intolerance.

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Voting for My First Green Party Candidate

I usually find myself rolling my eyes when someone says they are voting for the Green Party. Perhaps, this is pretentious of me, but I usually see it as a throw away vote. Though I think the ideas of someone like Ralph Nader are great, he seems to me to be a person who is simply helping steal votes for Democrats and helping the Republicans win.

Anyways, I received my overseas absentee ballot from South Carolina yesterday. It is always somewhat frustrating to vote in South Carolina-as it tends to be one of the reddest states in the country. This year, for the U.S. Senate, the choices were not great. On the one hand there is the Tea-Party extreme conservative candidate, Jim Demint, and on the other hand there is the Democrat, Alvin Greene, who won on some fluke, and is about the most unqualified person to be Senator, not to mention having a possible felony conviction for lewd conduct, by showing pornography to a college student.

Now, if I had to choose between the two, I would certainly have chosen Alvin Greene. In the end, the ideas and votes of a Congressman or a Senator are much more important than their personal flaws and inexperience. At the end of the day, the pro/con vote in the Congress is more important than the individual. However, as I was looking down at the ballot, I could not bring myself to vote for the man. It seems to me that this man is a type of mockery of a civilized system of government. I also felt that I was pawn who had to vote for this very unqualified man, just because he got some fluke nomination from the Democratic Party.

Instead, I decided to vote Green Party. Perhaps, it was a vote of protest; in a way, it was a vote for principle. Somehow, I doubt this is the last time I will be voting third party though. It seems lately that the Democrats have lost their progressive ideals and have lost any backbone as well. The two party system is destroying the Republic, and other parties needs to be introduced to save our Democracy. Perhaps, if more people voted Green Party this year, the Democrats would wake up and realize that pandering to corporations and trying to move farther and farther to the right is not a way to win elections or to govern the country. Perhaps, if there was a little more discontent in our voting and a little less resigning to the same two party madness-the nation could change, and the politicians could actually work for Democracy not campaign donations and special interests. Don’t throw away your vote, but at the same time, don’t let you vote be a tool for corporate interests and the status quo. The individual voter always loses when that happens.

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Kindness: Learning to Listen

How often do you find yourself in a conversation and while the other person is speaking, you are simply mentally rehearsing what you are going to say next? Most of us love the sound of our own voice; we want others to hear our opinions, thoughts, frustrations, and stories; however, we are often less excited to listen to others. However, listening is the basis for truly growing in kindness and love.

I think Paul Tillich summed it up greatly when he stated, “The first duty of love is to listen.” Refusing to listen shows a general disregard and disinterest in the other individual, while listening opens up our minds and hearts towards the other individual. It also shows how deeply we care about them and their needs. As a person who likes to write, it is probably obvious that I also like to talk. Being a teacher also adds to this; I am always talking throughout the day. Sometimes, this propensity towards talking can work to my advantage, whether it is making small talk, meeting new people, etc. However, at other times, it can be detrimental. I can easily fall into the pattern of being the person who is being quick to speak and slow to listen, the exact opposite of the scriptural wisdom.

I like to listen to the podcast from a church called Mosaic in LA; they had a speaker one Sunday who had a sermon on becoming a “story-collector”- a person that is always listening and collecting stories from other people. This not only helps the listener become wiser, it helps them to becoming a more kind and caring individual. As we seek to embrace kindness in our lives, let’s seek the Spirit of God, so that we can really become listeners, and in the process become more loving and gracious people. I love how Hugh Elliot puts it, “Listen. Do not have an opinion while you listen because frankly, your opinion doesn’t hold much water outside of Your Universe. Just listen. Listen until their brain has been twisted like a dripping towel and what they have to say is all over the floor.”

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When Playing It Safe is Losing (What the Democrats of 2010 Can Teach Us)

The Democrats are bracing for great losses in the 2010 elections. While there are a number of different reasons for this, one of the biggest reasons is that many in their base see the legislators as cowardly, people who are more worried about keeping their job than making positive changes. In the attempts of trying to be overly “safe” in their policies, they have lost the support of those who believed in them.

Somehow this is an issue that goes far beyond the Democrats of 2010; it is something that applies deeply to our lives. How often do we try to play it safe, and in the process find our lives going nowhere? At times we are so cautious and afraid that we are going to lose something that we already have, that we forget to really strive to make our lives better and take some risks. Those who refuse to take risks in life, will soon find their lives as boring, dull, and meaningless.

Jesus talked a lot about this concept. He talked about the servants who were given money to invest. Two of them took some risks, and this resulted in making more money and really pleasing their master. However, the other servant was too cautious and just went and hid the money in the ground, and in the end he had done nothing with the money he had been given. The master was furious with the servant, because he had been so afraid of losing the money, that he wasted all the time and investment of the master-by doing absolutely nothing.

In the end, God wants us to take some risks in life- to fight for our dreams, passions, and beliefs. The last thing God wants is for us to simply take the cautious road, and in the end find that nothing really bad happened in our lives-but at the same time, nothing much happened at all. Are there times when being cautious is the best decision? Of course. However, we can’t live from that place. We have to be willing to take chances, risks, and live in freedom.

In the end, the Democrats losing in the 2010 elections will not be disastrous in the overall history of the world, however, choosing to play it safe and refusing to take risks and follow our passions, will certainly be disastrous in our personal lives and will leave us with a life full of regret. Maybe the 2010 Democrats can make a good parable for our own lives and can remind us that if we are not willing to take risks and follow our hearts- we lose, and losing in life is much more devastating than losing an election.

I love how Soren Kierkegaard puts it, “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily.  To not dare is to lose oneself.”

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Why the U.S. Is No Longer a Democracy

The United States was established as a Democratic-Republic, where the legislators and representatives were supposed to be the voice of the people. However, it has been transformed into an oligarchical system of “legalized-corruption” where the organization or corporation that gives the most money gets to decide the legislation.

Though corporations and special interest always had way too much influence on the legislators, now with the recent Supreme Court decision, corporations can give as much money as they want to support advertising for candidates. Legislators in turn vote for the projects and interests of the groups giving them money. Though they are elected by the people, their decisions are more influenced by their campaign donors. It makes the illegal corruption of the past look like child’s play. It is the most blatant and dangerous form of corruption- but it is legal.

The recent moves by the Supreme Court and the corporations seeking to change elections for their own monetary gain is making a mockery of a democratic form of government; Jefferson would be turning over in his grave. This should be an issue that is beyond left and right, conservative and liberal; it is in reality an issue between democracy and oligarchy; self-determination vs. corporate profits. If there is any issue that the Tea Party and the Progressives should get together on it is this. Because the reality is the voice of the average citizen is becoming worthless in a society where votes on issues are sold to the highest bidder.

There still seem to be some politicians with some values and morals; however, they are often the ones that are forced out by special interests. It is hard for good and honest politicians to survive, because the system is so deeply flawed. There are simply changes that the country can make if they want to reverse this un-democratic trend in the nation. These include: public financing of campaigns and term limits. If the country decides to do this, they might still be able to retain the republic that the nation was founded on. If not, the Republic could dissolve into a type of Banana Republic, where the few rich and powerful control everything, and the voice of the people means nothing.

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Kindness: Learning to Empathize (In 5 Minutes)

We might not be aware of it, but we are an extremely narcissistic society. In fact, this is becoming a problem that could actually undermine our civilization. Certainly, there are parts of this “individualism” which help a society prosper and grow. The ability to think out of strict group restrictions helps people achieve and create amazing things. However, in the midst of our individual pursuits-we have to be careful that the focus of our lives has not become reduced to selfish ambition and blind individualism.  

The first step in really cultivating kindness in our lives is choosing to actually try to think in terms of the other. Taking times to actually think and empathize with other individuals. If we are not able to empathize than we are not ever going to be able to be kind people. If we cannot learn to “walk in the shoes of another” it will be impossible to seek the good of the other. To some, empathy is natural, while it may be more difficult for other people. For those with whom empathy is not easy, perhaps a simply psychological activity could go a long way. Right now, close your eyes and think of someone in your life who is going through a rough time- it could be because of a sickness, financial problem, family or relational issues, etc. Now picture this person in your mind, see them, and imagine their thoughts, fears, sorrows, hopes, and dreams. Perhaps this may feel strange or even intrusive at first, but I guarantee as you continue on with this visualization, you will start thinking outside of yourself and experiencing life from the other individual’s perspective. This in turn will help soften your being, as you turn you focus away from yourself.

Another practice you can do is just start focusing your thoughts and prayers on the other individual. One way I like to do this is put on some calming music, close my eyes, and simply bring individuals to the forefront of my mind. As I am slowly breathing in and out, I am simply wishing blessing, peace, and grace on them. I find through this experience, that I grow more empathetic towards these individuals, and actually grow in my kindness towards them. For example, if I am visualizing a family member I have not talked to in a while, I feel more compelled to call them and see how there is life going. Perhaps, if it is a friend that I know is having a hard time, I see a new perspective on how I could be a blessing to them. You can also practice doing this with basic yoga positions. Perhaps, our prayers and wishes for others have less to do with them being directly blessed from God and more to do with God changing us, so we can become more of a blessing to them. In order to become kind people, we have to change our whole way of viewing the world and remove the narcissistic perspective by seeing life from a different point of view.

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What Cutting Spending Really Means

Cutting spending sounds great in political advertising and campaign rallies; however, the laid-off teachers, 40 student classrooms, eliminated social program for inter-city kids, decreased funding for clean energy, cuts to Senior’s Social Security, and higher unemployment tell a little different story.

Is there overspending in areas? Absolutely. Should some areas such as defense spending by dramatically decreased? Without a doubt. However, to promise across the board spending cuts while keeping lower tax rates for the billionaires in the nation is not only unwise for the health and growth of the society, it is deeply and profoundly a moral crisis. It will define if we are a nation that really cares about our citizen’s education, health care, and development, or if we are a nation that wants to be a “Wild-West” Capitalistic system, where a few prosper and the majority live in poverty.

When you hear the politicians talk about government spending needing to be cut, realize that they rarely state what needs to be cut. If they actually state what they would cut, they would lose their support. They try to vilify welfare recipients and talk about the Democratic Party as the “food stamp party”. However, the reality is that these programs are minimal in the overall spending that would need to be cut to achieve their goals.  

Before you go vote for the “cutting spending” agenda this year, remember who you are voting against- the teachers, public workers, those soon retiring, children in high needs areas, Medicare recipients, and the middle and lower classes. In exchange you are supporting a small group of the wealthy and corporations to continue to earn record profits. Cutting spending to keep low tax rates on the wealthy is a danger to the environment, school system, retirement insurance, health care, and overall quality of life. Above all, it is deeply and profoundly unjust. Next time you hear “cut spending”, realize what is really being said and whose futures are at stake.

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Being Nice vs. Being Kind

Kindness has been defined as “acting for the good of people regardless of what they do.” I fear that at times we confuse being a “nice” person with being kind. Not only are they not synonymous; at times, they are in utter conflict with one another.

Being nice is often associated with being non-confrontational, agreeable, or even passive. Though nice people are often pleasant to be around and seem to build up your confidence, they are rarely the people that change the world or for that matter, really help you grow as an individual. It is the people that help, challenge, and even confront you that really help you become that better person. Obviously, some people go to the other extreme and seem to want to always confront and “speak the truth” to other individuals- which usually turns against them. However, the first step to becoming kind people is to get past the notion that kindness is being nice. Being kind is looking out for the good of the other person- even if that may temporarily hurt you or the person that you are trying to help.

I think a great example of this was Jesus in the temple-when he drove out the money changers. On one hand he was being extremely kind, by making a statement that would help the poor and needy that were being economically and religiously oppressed. In fact, he was also being kind to the money changers, because he was opening their eyes to their own greed and eventual self-destruction, giving them a chance to change.

There are many modern day examples of this. One of the individuals that immediately comes to mind is Father Romero in El Salvador, who spoke out on behalf of the poor and needy in society and against the corrupt and oppressive military regime that was ruling his nation. He was eventually assassinated for his words and actions. Being nice would not have cost him anything; he could have simply gone along with the government’s policies and tried to help out a few poor people in the church. However, he saw that it was much more important to be kind, to seek the good of other people- to really seek justice for the poor and speak truth to the greed and oppression-and it cost him his life.

I have had a tendency to be the “nice” guy, especially when I was growing up in high school and the beginning of college. I even feel into this trap when I first started teaching. However, sometimes I feel that being just a “nice” guy was an easy way out of being truly kind and thinking about what is best and not what is just easy and non-confrontational. As we seek to implement this wonderful gift of kindness in our lives, let us realize that seeking the best for others is not easy nor is it a passive trait. It is something that requires us to give, sacrifice, and love.

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When Our Celebrations Strengthen Ignorance (Columbus Day)

As a History teacher, Columbus Day is one of the most frustrating days of the year. It continues to promote a mystified version of history and purposefully distorts the true facts. As the great historian, Howard Zinn, stated, “To emphasize the heroism of Columbus and his successors as navigators and discoverers, and to deemphasize their genocide, is not a technical necessity but an ideological choice. It serves — unwittingly — to justify what was done.”

We have been taught the heroified version of Columbus; however, we might not have been taught the other side of the story. Here are some quotes from one of the Spanish priests, Las Casas, who came over with Columbus. He details what happened to the poor indigenous people that got in the way of Columbus and the Spaniards greed,

 “Endless testimonies . . . prove the mild and pacific temperament of the natives . . . .But our work was to exasperate, ravage, kill, mangle and destroy; small wonder, then, if they tried to kill one of us now and then . . . .The admiral, it is true, was blind as those who came after him, and he was so anxious to please the King that he committed irreparable crimes against the Indians . . . .

 After each six or eight months’ work in the mines, which was the time required of each crew to dig enough gold for melting, up to a third of the men died. While the men were sent many miles away to the mines, the wives remained to work the soil, forced into the excruciating job of digging and making thousands of hills for cassava plants.

 Thus husbands and wives were together only once every eight or ten months and when they met they were so exhausted and depressed on both sides . . . .they ceased to procreate. As for the newly born, they died early because their mothers, overworked and famished, had no milk to nurse them, and for this reason, while I was in Cuba, 7000 children died in three months. Some mothers even drowned their babies from sheer desperation . . . .In this way, husbands died in the mines, wives died at work, and children died from lack of milk . . . and in a short time this land which was so great, so powerful and fertile . . . was depopulated . . . .My eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature, and now I tremble as I write . .”

After reading these quotes, there is little left to say. At the very minimum, the name needs to be changed, like it is here in Costa Rica (the rough English translation is the “day of cultures”). To continue to promote a holiday, while ignoring the true historical facts is doing a disservice to our children and an honest view of History. History should not be celebrated just because it is “our History”- this does nothing but promote the myth of us as good and them as bad. It also does not allow us to realize the evils of the past and take measures to change these from happening again. This Columbus Day, take some time and think about life and History of the forgotten people, the unjustly killed, and the slaves used in the name of “progress.” Learning the “true version” of history is not always comforting, but it helps us live in the true reality of our world and make better choices for the future.

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Why the Chinese Anger Makes Me Smile

Chinese government officials are outraged by the Noble Peace Prize that was awarded to the jailed pro-democracy, pro-human rights dissident, Liu Xiaobo. They have said that this is going to damage relations between China and Norway, and that it is “blasphemy”. The outrage makes me feel like I am watching one of those movies where the oppressive leader or antagonist is outwitted and made to look foolish-it makes me smile.

While China in many ways has become integrated in the world community; it still practices oppression of political opposition and censorship. It needs to be called out on its actions-just like people call out other nations on their oppressive nations; just like we should call out our own government on its unjust practices.

When the power of those in authority gets thwarted by a man who they have jailed-it can be nothing but the beauty of justice. In the attempt to silence an unwanted voice, they have given the whole world community a chance to hear that voice loud and clearly. This day should be a day of celebration; a day where a single man with a cause and passion embarrassed and shamed a whole government. It is the stuff of epic tales, and it should help us realize that the voice of justice will ultimately win out. 

In our own lives, no matter how large the enemy may seem, no matter how great the difficulties that we may come up against-ultimately what is right will win out, the truth will be brought to the light, and truth will be spoken to power.

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Gentleness: Freeing Ourselves from Bitterness

One of the famous survivors of the Holocaust, Corrie Ten Boom, wisely stated, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize that the prisoner was you.” In the midst of us justifying our bitterness, a quote like this is haunting-the realization that bitterness, even against something as evil as Nazi Germany, will enslave you and destroy your life.

In order for us to become gentle people, we have to become free of bitterness. This is not done for the sake of the person or group we are bitter against, rather it is done so that we can live in freedom and grace and not be controlled by that hatred. It does not mean accepting or even trying to understand what the person or group did to hurt you. It does not mean in any way lessening your resolve for justice or going against the harmful things the individual or group may be doing. Rather, it is not letting that bitterness be the current that controls the direction which your life flows.

Everyone has bitterness; some may be for extremely horrible offenses, while others may be smaller offenses that still don’t seem able to escape our hearts. Some of the bitterness we can be greatly aware of, while others we have suppressed in our sub-conscience, but they still haunt our dreams, emotions, and reactions. They are sure to come out when we are going through the dark seasons of our lives when our ability to suppress our negative emotions has been torn away.

We have to realize that letting go of this bitterness is a process. The first step is located and realizing what the bitterness is. Perhaps it was a friend that betrayed you, a lover that broke your heart, a family member that deserted you, an organization that damaged you, or a person that hurt you physically, psychologically, or emotionally. Until we are able to locate that we have this bitterness, we can never be free of it.

The next process is even harder-letting it go. It is not usually a one-time event; it make take months, years, and even decades-depending on what the offense is. However, as we let go of our bitterness we let the light of God in to our lives to shine more fully. We become more gentle, kind, and caring people. We live our lives as an expression of grace and love, rather than a negative reaction based on hate and pain. As we seek to implement gentleness in our own lives, let’s pray for the Spirit of God to capture us and allow us to let go of the chain of bitterness that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

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NOW is the time for Immigration Reform

This past week, Senator Menendez from the state of New Jersey released a plan for comprehensive immigration reform. It includes increased border protection and tougher regulations on companies hiring undocumented workers, but it also providing a pathway to citizenship for those that are currently residing and working in the country illegally.

Many in Congress are scared to vote on it because they are afraid it will negatively affect their election campaigns. Some are hoping to move it to after the election or simple scrap it all together. While I disagree with the first option, the second option is completely unacceptable. It is time to stop being so scared to do the right thing for the possible political blowback, and actually do what is needed.

Our current system is deeply broken, and to continue on the way it is (separating families, large scale deportations, creating a whole underclass in society) is simply unacceptable. Any attempts for reform will become much more difficult if the Republicans take control of Congress. It is time for the Democratic led Congress to gain a little courage and actually stand up for the cause of compassion and justice. Will there be some negative consequences for their electoral campaigns? Perhaps. However, it is much more important that they can go out fighting for their principals than stand for nothing in the hopes of retaining their position. Also, many progressives and Latino voters would be inspired to come out to vote, if they saw their representatives actually working for something important instead of being overly cautious or cowardly.

Now is the time for comprehensive immigration reform. We cannot let the voices of fear and hatred control this debate. We cannot let misinformation and xenophobia keep us from pursuing a just and rational policy. We cannot let right-wing fear baiting destroy the lives of millions of undocumented workers. Now is the time for action. I hope and pray that Senator Mendez and the Democratic Congress will put their fear aside and do what is right. Simple keeping the status quo is not only uncompassionate; it is harmful to the overall society. The only common sense move is to have comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for our many undocumented neighbors, friends, and family.

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The Real Price of “Less Government” (House Burns Down for Lack of $75 subscription)

It sounds so absurd that is hard to believe it really happened- a house burned to the ground in rural Tennessee because the owners had failed to pay their “subscription fee”. The firefighters were in front of the house with all the equipment needed to put out the fire, but instead just watched it burn. They made sure they contained the fire, so it did not spread to the neighbors who had a “subscription.” The homeowners begged the firefighters and offered to give whatever money necessary, but it was to no avail.

People are going to come out and say that this is just an isolated incident; however, it seems to me to be part of a scary trend towards privatization and lack of government responsibility towards the common good. Let’s just take the issue of healthcare for example….why do people in the U.S. still pay highly exaggerated fees for medical care and still face possible denial for pre-existing conditions? It is because there is no public system or even public insurance option to look out for the common good. Living in a country with a public health system (Costa Rica), I have seen how it had made competition for even the private health care-so the rates are a little more sane.

Another example is the current move by some conservative politicians to privatize Social Security- another very dangerous idea. What happens when the privatized investments crash (like in the last financial crisis)? What is going to happen to the poor grandmother who is counting on the small Social Security check to make ends meet? Those concerns never seem to be brought up by the small government individuals who push for these programs privatization.

Where does privatization lead? Is this “opt-in” fire department service going to become more common in order to keep taxes lower? Are we going to have a privatized police force that will only respond to the needs of those who are willing or able to pay? Is education going to only be an option for the wealthy? Are we going to have to slash even more social services and public jobs in order to let the Billionaires keep their tax cuts? Libertarianism and “keeping a small government” sounds great in theory, but a privatization of the aspects of society that should be public services is something that is extremely detrimental to society. When does Libertarianism simply become a lack of social responsibility? When does individualism and liberty become smokescreens for selfishness? Before we go further down this road of expanding privatization of the public sector, we should look at events such as this outrageous lack of responsibility by the fire department and realize that is a path we need to be careful to avoid.

To read more about this story you can go to

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/04/libertarian_fire_department

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Gentleness: Being Slow to Accuse

We just studied the Salem Witch Trials in my U.S. History Class. There are many different lessons to learn from those events, but one that I really stressed to my students was the importance of being slow to accuse. While we were discussing this, I shared a little story from my own life when I was about ready to unfairly accuse someone.

I had moved into an apartment with a friend, and things were going fairly well. However, one day I received my debit card statement and realized that some charges had been made on my card- that I had not made. They were not big charges, but were rather small charges that had been made around the area we were living. I had my debit card, so it had not been stolen, and I also did not think it had been a case of fraud, because the charges would have been much larger in this case. My card would have already been maxed out. The only explanation I could think of was that my roommate had been using my card when I had not been paying attention. I was angry; I remember talking to another friend about how we were going to confront my roommate.

Before I went in to accuse him, I decided to call the bank. I then realized that they had given a card to my dad (who has close to the same name as me) and had somehow accidently linked it to my account. It has been a big misunderstanding. I had almost completely destroyed the relationship with my roommate and created a very awkward situation because of a false accusation.

How many times do we do this in life? We automatically assume the worse, accuse others, and then have to try and pick up the broken pieces of the relationship that result. I am convinced that one of the most important aspects of gentleness is learning to be slow to accuse- even when you can’t see any other possible explanations. It is better to give the benefit of doubt to the other individual than destroy the relationship out of your own anger and need for retribution. As we try to grow in this area of gentleness, let’s ask the Spirit to give us the wisdom, patience, and gentleness that is required to be slow to accuse, quick to forgive, and driven to love. It is not easy, but it is essential for healthy and thriving relationships. Here are some questions that I created for my students for this issue which I think can be very applicable to individuals at any age.

1. Think of a time where you were falsely accused of something you didn’t do. Explain how you felt.

2. Explain an incident when you falsely accused someone. How did this make you feel?

3. How can you become a person who is slow to accuse other people?

4. If you are slow to accuse, what are some of the positive results that could occur in your life and to those around you?

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Why Iran is not a Serious Threat to the U.S. or Israel

Over the next few years, I can state with almost complete certainty that the rhetoric to bomb Iran will pick up-especially as presidential elections come near and hawkish, right-wing policies often gain more steam. It will not only pick up in the U.S., but also in Israel. We can already see this happening as forces in both countries are stating the danger that Iran proposes to both countries.

This danger and idea of a serious threat from Iran is greatly overrated. Let’s remember a couple of things. First of all, Iran’s leadership cares more about their own retention of power and the fate of their own nation than they do of their hatred to the United States of Israel. Yes…Iran has made inflammatory remarks towards the U.S. and the nation of Israel, such as the nation of Israel should be “wiped off the map”. However, we have to remember that politicians always say inflammatory remarks to get citizens to follow them. Is the rhetoric that much difference than our own politician use? Some recent examples include Newt Gingrich implying a comparison between Muslims with Nazis, Tom Tancredo saying it would be a good idea to put nuclear bombs next to Mecca and Medina to stop any further terrorist attacks, and the overall political environment that has tried to make people hate Muslims in order to gain votes. We should know something of hateful political rhetoric that is used to gain votes. We should understand why many Muslims have the same fear towards the U.S., that some in the U.S. have towards Iran.

Secondly, we have already gone down this road before. Have we forgotten 2003 and Bush’s desire to attack Iraq because of his “Weapons of Mass Destruction”. I hope we are not foolish to follow the same action with Iran a country that is three times the size of Iraq and would require a more extensive war-something that the current U.S. military and economy could not handle. If the U.S. actually went to war with the U.S. (or Israel attacks Iran essentially forcing U.S. involvement) it would be something of a nature that the U.S. has not seen before, possibly requiring a draft, even more economical problems, and an even greater hatred for the U.S. and Israel worldwide.

When you start hearing people over the next few years state how serious a threat Iran is, just remember that many of them are playing the same game that the Iranian government is playing-making comments that will appeal to the fear and anger within people. Also, this is the reason why it is so important we have the right person in the white House. The president has almost “king like” powers when it comes to foreign policy, which is why the thought of a hawkish neo-con like Newt Gingrich or an ignorant leader like Sarah Palin could lead to disastrous effects in our nation. Please don’t buy into the fear of Iran, we have gone down this road before, and it will lead to nothing good.

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Gentleness: Accepting Criticism with Moderation

When someone criticizes something you do or the way you are, how do you respond? Do you respond with anger and aggression over the mere thought of someone criticizing you? Or, do you simply give in to the criticism, get down on yourself, and accept that criticism as truth? Perhaps, both responses are equally ineffective and damaging.

The Greek word for gentleness, prautes, was described by Aristotle as the “the ability to bear reproaches and slights with moderation.” I love that definition- responding to the criticism of others with a sense of moderation and perspective. On one hand, many are tempted to simply dismiss any criticism they may receive from others. They don’t want to believe it; they refuse to see the ways in which they are wrong, and therefore, no real change is made. Many times, criticism has at least a grain of truth in it, and should at least be considered by the individual who is being criticized. This criticism could come from anyone- a boss, co-worker, friend, family member, or even enemy. Criticism can be a great opportunity to examine some of your own behaviors and ways of living to see if there is any truth to what is being said; it should not be a time to simply reject any criticism to protect our sense of pride.

On the other hand, criticism should not simply be accepted-especially by individuals who have a very different perspective on an issue. Some individuals love to correct and rebuke others, but what they said should be taken with a grain of salt. Just as it is dangerous to dismiss any criticism; it can also be dangerous to simply accept any criticism, without examining the reasons behind the criticism and without a critique of the person giving the criticism.

I certainly face this sometimes with a writing a blog that can be controversial. Some people make criticism which I consider and maybe even make changes on. However, other people try to psychoanalyze me or simply have strong or even harsh criticism because they have a different political or social philosophy- the majority of this criticism I am less likely to be open to because of the reasons and motivation behind the criticism.

This ability to accept criticism with moderation can be extremely important to really have this fruit of gentleness grow and flourish in our lives. If we refuse to accept criticism, we will follow in the same destructive habits and even become harder in our hearts. On the other hand, openly accepting all criticism will cause us to lose our own sense of self-confidence and cause us to be dependent on the whims of those around us. This lack of self-confidence actually destroys true gentleness. Let us seek the Spirit to help us in this often tricky and treacherous area of accepting criticism with moderation.

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