Speak Until Justice Wakes

President Obama

2008-11-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

It has been a tumultuous 21 months but ladies and gentlemen, we did it! As I the news came in declaring Obama as winner, I was mystified, elated, and proud. Over the past eight years, my faith in my country and my fellow Americans plummeted (and it wasn't that high to begin with). Tonight, however, there was a glimmer of hope. On this momentous day, we took a stand against apathy by reclaiming the importance of each vote; we made history by electing into office the first black president. I am so grateful for this change of pace and truly feel proud to be an American.

Conversations with Roger, part II

2008-10-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

Roger: What are the real key issues for you in voting Democrat?

Erika: The long version or the short version? Lol. As it is getting late, here is the short version. I will expand for clarification if needed.

Foreign policy - If living abroad and being married to a man who reads international news daily has taught me anything, it has taught me that America has an awful reputation overseas. We seriously need to remedy this. I remember in Ghana (2002) hearing how the people were so touched that Clinton came for a visit but that they were disappointed with the relationship in the Bush administration. I commend Obama for wanting to have a conversation without pre-conditions. Christ came to people where they were; he didn't demand they be perfect before they could hear the gospel. I am NOT at all saying that Obama is Jesus or anything close. What I am saying is that I appreciate Obama's humility in conversation and in forging relationships with historic enemies and think that his approach is a much more Biblically-based model.

Iraq - I think we need to develop an exit strategy, we have been there far too long already. Obama's proposed phased withdrawal takes place over a year and a half. I think that is adequate time to slowly draw out US troops and to encourage Iraqi troops to uphold their own justice.

Health care - Seriously? It is appalling to me that this is even an issue. To me this is a human rights issue. When we count on private health care, we are putting the people with pre-existing medical conditions at a great risk of not being able to get care. Spring quarter, my husband changed jobs and we lost our health care. For the lapse of coverage between his last day and the start of Summer quarter, we sought private insurance. I was turned down because my doctor hadn't yet given me a diagnosis...I didn't even have a pre-existing condition, but the possibility of one was enough for them to deny me coverage. What about the people who critically need care and cannot get it?

Abortion - I realize that for many people, myself included, this is also a human rights issue. Morally, I am pro-life (for myself), but legally, I am pro-choice. Just as I would not want someone else to make the decision for me, I do not want to make it for someone else. It is a challenging debate wherein people take many different stances. I was reading for a paper I wrote over the summer that in condoms are against Jewish law because it prevents the intended contact between a man and a woman, sexually, (and does not give the sperm a chance to swim - in effect wasting the life producing cells). Should we outlaw condoms? Many say that life begins when the sperm fertilizes the egg. Others say that life begins when brain waves can be detected (~24-27 weeks). And I could go on. Ultimately, I think that this is a question that we should each wrestle with. But not one that should be legally mandated. Further, I think that the harm that comes when abortion is illegal is far, far more dangerous, as we saw last century.

The Economy - The economic policies of the Bush administration have moved our country into great debt. McCain's policies are very close to these. We cannot keep moving in this direction. The trickle down effect is just not working.

Roger and others, what are your reasons for voting the way you plan to vote?

x
Erika

Conversations with Roger, part I

2008-10-05T23:36:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, my friend, Roger, began to dialogue with me over the blog. Roger and I sit on different sides of the aisle, so to speak. And I hope that you will join with us in our discussions.

In response to my post, "Come on now, let's be fair" about the bipartisan attacks waged on our candidates and their "spiritual mentors", Roger wrote:

R: I think that Obama went to Rev. Wright's church to help his political career. Therefore, I don't believe that he actually aligns himself with Rev. Wright's messages.
E: Sure, that could be. Although he did join the church eight years before running for office. The year he joined was also his third year working for a church-based program, the Developing Communities Project. The black church in general, and more specifically on the south side of Chicago is kind of amazing in the way that its members exude the spirit and are so holistically Christian. I can easily imagine that his work at the DCP had potentially unexpected, missiological implications for his own life. "The Black Church" is not something that I can really explain, but is something that I hope you get the chance to experience. For a taste of it and for an expanded world view, I would highly recommend taking Dr. Smith's African American Spirituality class at Fuller next summer.
R: The thing that strikes me about your examples (mind you I have no knowledge about Rod Parsley, so I am only talking about Wright and Brickner) is the length of the time in which Obama and Palin remained in the presence of such "controversy." Palin was there (I am not sure if she was or not) for one controversial speaker for one sermon. Obama listened to one controversial pastor for 19 years. It seems valid/fair to say that both speakers, in their own ways, have said controversial statements. Yet, it is difficult, in my mind, to equivocate the two examples given the length of time that each person spent listening to their "controversial" speaker.
E: It is a fair to say that Palin's attendance at one sermon does not equal Obama's 20 years of membership. However, the sermons preached at a Chicago mega church are under much more scrutiny and are going to get a lot more press than those a church in Wasilla, Alaska. To round out the other side, Palin's regular pastor, Ed Kalnins, is not stranger to controversy. Four years ago in a sermon referencing the presidential election he lightheartedly said, "I’m not going to tell you who to vote for. But if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation." (the link takes you to the Church's web page). Honestly, I just do not think that is something to joke about in that way. Regardless, my point was basically that we all have controversial people and mentors in our lives and that we can either judge all candidates on them or none, but not half-half.
R: Either way issues such as these don't lend me to not vote for either candidate.
E: I am glad to hear that.

Register to Vote!

2008-10-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, thank you for your patience and grace. With the start of a new quarter last week and a trip half-way around the world scheduled for this week, I have been a little busy.

There has been a lot going on in my absence from the blogosphere and I hope to get this page up to date as soon as I can. However there is a very important deadline approaching that needs to be addressed. Are you registered to vote? Over half of the states have deadlines this week. For info on your state, visit http://www.rockthevote.com/electioncenter/.

Brain in hibernation

2008-09-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,
I have been MIA from this little blog for nearly a week now! All summer coursework was due on Friday and since then my brain has gone into hibernation before fall classes resume next Monday. I hope to get the dialogue rolling again soon. Thanks for bearing with me!
Peace,
E

Lipstick on a Pig

2008-09-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

If you watch these two videos, you will see how both McCain and Obama have used the phrase, "lipstick on a pig" in describing an oponent. The McCain camp calls Obama's use sexist and a smear of Palin; yet it seems to me that Obama is clearly talking about McCain's policy here. However, McCain's use of it seems to be much more of a chauvinistic slam on Hilary Clinton. I know that I watch these videos with biased eyes and ears...but seriously, do you see them differently?

McCain:

Obama:

Bipartisan Lies

2008-09-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.slate.com/id/2199923

On a side note, there is a link to a YouTube video at the end of the article. The video is hilarious but it breaks my "no spin" ground rule, so I will not post it here.

Grace and Peace,
E

Energy Policy

2008-09-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14friedman.html

Come on now, let's be fair

2008-09-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

This election season, I have been particularly disturbed by the rediculous double-standards for judging moral character coming from both sides of the aisle. Case in point:
(All links below guide you to the very scholarly source: wikipedia!)

Obama's (former) Spiritual Mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Controversial for some of his racially and politically charged sermons
My perspective: Much of white America does not understand the racial oppression that still exists and that we perpetuate with ignorance. White America, further, does not understand the black church. Given this, I believe that the overarching majority of Rev/ Wright's sermons were misinterpreted; the media and the GOP told Americans what to hear. Ultimately, I think that, at times, Rev. Wright may have gone too far. Unfortunately, at some point all of our heroes and mentors fall short (save Jesus). We live in a fallen world which means that every last one of us falls short of perfection. We say and do things that we later regret. Is is fair to judge someone by his/her mentor? I resoundingly say no.

McCain's (former) Spiritual Mentor, Pastor Rod Parsley

Controversial for extremist views on Islam and participation in the "dominionist" movement
My perspective: Parsley takes it way too far. But it is Parsley alone who is responsible for what he says. We cannot aptly judge McCain based on Parsley's words.

Palin's (loose) Ties to Jews for Jesus Leader, David Brickner

Controversial for views regarding Jews and Israel recently preached at Palin's home church; specifically, comments that terrorist attacks on Israelis are God's "judgment of unbelief" for Jews who have not embraced Christ. Brickner has recently recinded these statements saying that, "The notion that the terrorist, bulldozer attack in Jerusalem this summer was God’s judgment on Israel for not believing in Jesus, is absolutely not what I believe. In retrospect, I can see how my rhetoric might be misunderstood and I truly regret that." (http://jewsforjesus.org)
My perspective: Sarah Palin was there, but that tells us nothing of her perspective on the sermon. I have attended sermons in my own and other faith traditions wherein I firmly disagreed with the message being preached. I watch the current President address the Nation, but that does not mean that I agree with what he has to say, even though I am both watching and am a member of country.

Leveling the Bipartisan Playing Field:

If you heard about Brickner or Parsley and thought, "Oh those Democrats, taking it out of context and out of line" or heard about Wright and thought, "Well, I can actually get on board with what he is saying. It is the Republican Party that is twisting this", I implore you to consider the other side. Either a) none of these attacks are valid/fair, or b) they all are. Pick a side, a) or b), but do not dance on both sides of the fence depending on the repercussions for your party.

A few recent links

2008-09-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

From the NY Times:
"Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html

"Blizzard of Lies"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/opinion/12krugman.html

From CNN:
"Rove: McCain Went 'Too Far' in Ads"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/14/campaign.wrap/index.html

From YouTube:
Sarah Palin: Reads Well From a Teleprompter, Does Not Do Well On Her Own

McCain: Caught in a Web of Inconsistencies

McCain's Ads: Replete With Lies

I never thought I would be a blogger...

2008-09-13T23:14:00.000-07:00

When I first heard about blogs, I thought they were a bizarre form of narcissistic expression. As more people, including close friends, ventured out into the blogosphere, I began to see the value of blogs and realized that they were more than just a home for neurotic catharsis. However, if you had asked me, even a week ago, I would have told you that I, personally, would never host a blog. I simply never had any desire to do so, until now. I feel that the present political situation has left me no choice. The media and the candidates try to spoon feed us flawed and imperfect reasoning. I am searching for the grains of truth and justice out there. My husband has heard more than his share of my beef. So, friends, if you feel called, join me on this journey as I organize my thoughts and rantings, and try to make some sense out of the 2008 presidential campaign. If you know of any good articles/youtube videos/etc. that would be well suited, please feel free to post them here. I welcome bipartisan dialogue; the only ground rule is that whatever is posted must be intelligent and fair. Please, no spin and no Brittany Spears.

Peace,
Erika

"You must speak until justice wakes, rubs sleep from its eyes, and balances the scales of history. You must speak until the wrong has been made right, till the oppressed have had their day in court, and till truth can stand tall again, clothed in righteousness."
-Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith.
(2006). Speak Until Justice Wakes: Prophetic Reflections from J. Alfred Smith Sr. Valley Forge, PA: Fortress Press, p. 19.