Jim Wallis: Vote Out Poverty

We’re in the homestretch for Pentecost 2007: Taking the Vision to the Streets. It promises to be an informative and inspiring event: a Sunday evening justice revival; a presidential candidates forum focusing on faith, values, and poverty; an organizing institute; and discussion on how to put poverty on the agenda of your local church. We will sing, pray, learn, and strategize together.

This conference is the next step in a vital campaign aimed at the critical presidential election year of 2008. Our plan is nothing less than to put poverty on the national agenda, and to compel candidates from both parties to present the nation with their plans for dramatic poverty reduction both at home and globally. I believe we can vote out poverty, but only if we are all in it together.

As we make the final preparations for the candidates forum, we’re excited to have our constituents playing a critical role in this history-making event – suggesting questions, voting on questions, and hosting watch parties on Monday evening. After the forum, participants in the watch parties will dial in to an exclusive conference call with Mike McCurry and Brian McLaren to react to the forum and kick off our "Vote Out Poverty" campaign to put overcoming poverty on the national agenda.

There are now more than 150 watch parties scheduled in 40 states. If you have not yet signed up to attend, click here to find one in your area. Watch the forum with other people of faith – then discuss what was said.

If there’s not one scheduled in your area, there is still time to host a gathering. We’ll give you a guide with everything you need to make your event a success. Click here to sign up. And, if you haven’t yet, you can still vote for your favorite question to be asked on Monday.

I’m looking forward to discussing putting our faith into action, building a new commitment to a society where all have genuine access to the resources needed to live a decent life. I know our time together in Washington will be filled with hope, inspiration, and ideas. And I hope you believe, as I do, that in our unity we can further the biblical imperative to overcome poverty.

Adam Taylor: Making Good on Our Promises to Africa

On Wednesday President Bush made a second major speech on the crisis of HIV/AIDS announcing a major commitment to double U.S. funding for global prevention and treatment programs around the world to reach a level of $30 billion over another five years. We should applaud this increased funding and the way in which President Bush has made fighting AIDS in Africa arguably the most positive part of his legacy. Even as we celebrate, though, we must also bear in mind that even this bold step will fall short of stemming this epidemic.

The crisis of HIV/AIDS continues to outpace even our best response, with an estimated 4.3 million new infections last year. The epidemic tracks the fault lines of poverty and vulnerability. The real U.S. share of the cost of meeting the global need to fight AIDS is more in the order of $50 billion by 2013, which would include continuing to provide life-prolonging treatment to one-third of the people in clinical need.

The president made his announcement in advance of the upcoming G8 summit, which takes place in Heiligendamm, Germany, from June 4-6. The German Chancellor Merkel will preside over an agenda that includes a focus on global warming, primary school education, and the crisis of extreme poverty.

Since the 2005 G-8 summit at Gleneagles raised the bar for global leadership, this year’s summit faces a crisis of expectations. With the exception of the U.K. and Japan, other G-8 nations, including the United States, have dragged their feet in realizing many of the solemn promises made to the continent of Africa, the largest of which was to double the levels of aid by 2010. Collectively, G-8 assistance to sub-Saharan Africa has increased by only $2.3 billion since 2004, instead of the $5.4 billion promised.

Tragically, promises are much easier to make than to keep. While the U.S. has made important steps toward increasing its aid through the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Millennium Challenge Account, and contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, the U.S. must increase its aid by nearly $1 billion in order to remain on track.

At the turn of the new millennium, the global AIDS crisis was only beginning to grab headlines and prick the conscience of our nation. I was converted to the cause of ending AIDS by the opening remarks of Judge Edwin Cameroon’s speech at the International AIDS Conference in 2000 in South Africa, when he prophetically said, “I represent the inequality of this world…because of my job and skin color I had access to drugs that brought me from the brink of death back to life…. But this disease still represents a death sentence to the majority of people living in poverty across this world.” These words highlighted in sobering terms how a preventable and treatable disease like AIDS must lend the urgency necessary to bring an end to extreme global poverty.

Through media savvy and celebrity-driven efforts like the ONE campaign, the cause of ending HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty has become more widely embraced. Seven years ago, it would have been almost impossible to imagine regular commercials featuring your favorite movie stars or a millions calling in to American Idol to raise awareness and money to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa. While we have reached a tipping point in public awareness and even public opinion, we are far from a tipping point in public action. Changing the politics of delay and incremental leadership will also require a dedicated constituency of committed leaders who are willing to put their faith to the test. Join us in taking action in advance of this year’s G-8 meeting by joining forces with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in telling G-8 nations to keep their promises to Africa!

On June 6, the leaders of the wealthiest nations will meet in Germany at the G-8 Summit. But this is not just any meeting. It's a meeting where life and death decisions will be made, affecting the lives of millions of people.

You can help. Join Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and tell G8 nations to keep their promises!

The commitments made by the G-8 leaders in 2005 on poverty, aid to poor countries, HIV/AIDS, health systems, and education, are solemn promises, made to impoverished people. Breaking these promises is morally unacceptable. Yet, the G-8 is not on track to keep these promises:

• Less than half of all people in urgent need of AIDS treatment by 2010 will be receiving it;



• 77 million children have no access to school; and



• Africa alone faces a shortage of nearly 1.5 million health workers.

This petition calls for the G-8 nations to agree on a financing plan to reach the promise of universal access to all AIDS services by 2010, to fully support a coordinated plan to strengthen health systems, and to provide full funding for education so every child can have the chance to go to school.

Tell the G8 leaders they must get AIDS and education funding back to the promised level. Take Action!

Thank you for making a difference!


Adam Taylor is director of campaigns and organizing for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Jim Rice: Evangelicals and Creation Care

David Gushee thinks he understands why some conservative evangelicals have opposed "creation care" (i.e., taking care of the environment). He writes:

... it seems to me that those who resist creation care sometimes are motivated by a misreading of scripture. I have been in conversations where people suggest that stewardship primarily means mastery of earth to use it as we please or need; or that human beings do not have the power to do real harm to creation; or that God has promised ever since Noah never to allow humans to do serious harm to creation; or that the earth will be destroyed by fire anyway, and soon, so what we do now to the earth isn’t really all that significant.

He goes on to name three other factors that have led to this conservative opposition to protecting our earth: a "profound mishandling of science," an "inordinate loyalty to laissez-faire capitalism," and an "inordinate loyalty to political leaders."

He concludes:

I believe that all of these ideas are erroneous, and that we need to keep working deeply on the theology of creation care to move beyond them.

Gushee is convinced that if the great body of evangelical Christians get behind creation care, "our nation's culture and politics will change rapidly," which he thinks "will be one of the best contributions we will ever make to this country and to the world."

Jim Rice is editor of Sojourners magazine.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on the justice department, Africa, presidential politics, AIDS, Iraq, Lebanon, World Bank, G-8, Russia, education, ape extinction threat, Malaysian Christian, Billy Graham Library, and select Op-Eds.


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Full news summary:

AIDS. Bush wants to boost AIDS spending "President Bush said that he would ask Congress to increase U.S. support for the global fight against HIV/AIDS to $30 billion over five years from the current commitment of $15 billion." Bush Requests $30 Billion to Fight AIDS "The initiative, if approved, would build on a program that grew out of the president's 2003 State of the Union address, when he asked for $15 billion over five years for prevention, treatment and care of AIDS patients in developing countries." US pledges $30bn to fight Aids "This would make the US by far the biggest single donor to the campaign against HIV/Aids and is in addition to the $15bn Washington has been spending since 2003."

Africa. Blair issues Africa action call "Tony Blair has used a keynote speech in South Africa to say there is a "moral obligation" to use political action "to make the world better".

Presidential politics. Thompson Bid Would Stir GOP Race "Fred D. Thompson will offer himself as a down-home antidote to Washington politics in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, running a campaign out of Nashville while promising leadership on a conservative agenda that will appeal to his party's base, advisers said yesterday." Thompson wants to be 2008's outsider "In an interview with USA TODAY, the former Tennessee senator not only makes it clear that he plans to run, he describes how he aims to do it."

Obama and Romney Lay Out Positions on Iraq and Beyond "Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney outline their respective foreign policy visions in lengthy articles in the next issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, offering sharp contrasts on issues including the war in Iraq and climate change."

Iraq. Bush sees long-term role for troops "President Bush would like to see the U.S. military provide long-term stability in Iraq as it has in South Korea, where thousands of American troops have been based for more than half a century,"

Justice Department. Political hiring case widens "The Justice Department is expanding its internal inquiry to look into new allegations that senior department officials improperly filled career jobs based on applicants' Republican or conservative credentials." Details emerge in Justice's upset with Heffelfinger "it came as a surprise -- and something of a mystery -- when he turned up on the list of U.S. attorneys who had been targeted for dismissal. Part of the reason, government documents and other evidence suggest, is that he tried to protect Indians' voting rights."

Lebanon. U.N. Council Backs Tribunal For Lebanon "A sharply divided U.N. Security Council voted to create an international criminal tribunal to prosecute the masterminds of the February 2005 suicide bombing that killed former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri and 22 others."

World Bank. Bush's Nominee Has New Agenda for Bank "The World Bank that Robert B. Zoellick stands ready to inherit may be battered, fractious and rudderless. But he said that he saw himself not simply as a healer but as a leader ready to establish a new agenda to help the world's poor." Tasks for next World Bank chief: heal rifts, tackle poverty "He'll have to heal rifts opened by the ouster of current bank president Paul Wolfowitz, while tackling the crucial issue of poverty in the world's poorest countries. And he'll be working in a truly international institution - an environment perhaps like none he's experienced before."

G-8. Germany prepares for G-8 summit "The tear gas is stocked and the police are helmeted and ready for tens of thousands of anarchists and anti-globalization protesters who are planning rallies and guerrilla-inspired mischief to disrupt the upcoming Group of 8 summit in this Baltic Sea resort." G-8 to take up climate change "The international squabble over climate change - who's to blame and how to deal with it - is coming to a boil as many of the major players prepare to meet in Germany next week."

Russia. Rice, Russian Clash Over Kosovo Plan, Missile Shield "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tangled fiercely over U.S. proposals to grant Kosovo independence and build a missile defense shield." Rice Clashes With Russian on Kosovo and Missiles "The United States and Russia, with relations between them at their most contentious since the collapse of the Soviet Union, openly sparred here at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of 8 industrialized nations." Bush Reaches to Putin as Relations Continue to Slide "President Bush yesterday launched a high-stakes effort to repair the dramatically deteriorating U.S. relationship with Russia by inviting President Vladimir Putin to visit the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, after weeks of rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War."

Education. Ohio School Fears Cuts Will Rewrite Its Success Story"The success of an experimental high school in Dayton may not be enough to save it from a budget cut." A struggling school finds reason for hope "By forming community partnerships, Hope High School in Rhode Island and other struggling public schools are showing signs of improvement."

Ape extinction threat. World's great apes face disaster "One of the world's most prominent conservation experts yesterday issued a rallying cry to save the great apes, man's closest biological cousins, which are under serious threat of extinction."

Mideast. Israel air strike hits Gaza "At least two Palestinians have been injured in an Israeli air strike against rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip," Qassams hit two Sderot apartment houses; IAF strike kills two Hamas militants "Two of six Qassam rockets to hit the western Negev yesterday struck two residential buildings in Sderot, causing several residents to go into shock. But there were no injuries." Jihadist Groups Fill a Palestinian Power Vacuum"A standoff between the Lebanese Army and Islamists at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon has focused attention on a jihadist element taking root there as well as a radicalization in the Palestinian areas themselves."

Malaysian Christian. Malaysian woman loses bid to be recognized as Christian "Malaysia's top civil court on Wednesday rejected a woman's appeal to be recognized as a Christian, in a landmark case that tested the limits of religious freedom in this moderate Islamic country."

Billy Graham library. New library: Grand, but with Graham at its heart "As his older son tells the story, Billy Graham had to be talked into it. A presidential-style museum with his name all over it?"

Op-Eds.

CEOs vs. Slaves (Barbara Ehrenreich, AlterNet) "Recent findings shed new light on t he increasingly unequal terrain of American society. The new "top" involves pay in the hundreds of millions, a private jet and a few acres of Nantucket. The new bottom is slavery."

Cindy Sheehan Steps Down as the Face of the Antiwar Movement (Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!) "Peace activist Cindy Sheehan has announced she is stepping back from her role as a leading campaigner against the Iraq war. Amy Goodman talks with her about her decision."

Seeking Sudan's pressure point (Boston Globe) "The sanctions on Sudan that President Bush announced Tuesday are justified as expressions of solidarity with the 2.5 million people of Darfur and eastern Chad who are trapped in refugee camps, prey to government-backed janjaweed militiamen, disease, and malnutrition. But there is no reason to believe the new sanctions are enough to compel Sudan's president, Lieutenant General Omar Bashir, to end the Darfur genocide."

Time for 'Plan B-H' in Iraq? (David Ignatius, Washington Post) "President Bush said publicly last Thursday what his top aides have been discussing privately for weeks. He talked about a transition to "a different configuration" in Iraq after the surge of U.S. troops is completed this summer. When pressed on whether he was talking about a post-surge Plan B, Bush answered: "Actually, I would call that a plan recommended by Baker-Hamilton, so that would be a Plan B-H."

Endgame Ahead (David S. Broder, Washington Post)"the end is coming into view -- not soon enough to spare every precious life, but sooner than President Bush and Vice President Cheney may wish. The dynamic in Congress has been set in motion that will bring this war to an end -- or at least reduce the scale of American involvement and redefine the mission of U.S. troops."

Verse of the Day: Rest and Redistribution

For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat.

- Exodus 23:10-11

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Voice of the Day: Norman Wirzba

Christ is the true philosopher because he embodies in his ministry the welcoming and caring reception of others so that they might more fully be the beings they are meant to be. Indeed, in the Christlike effort to understand, serve, heal, feed, and reconcile the earth and its communities we show forth the highest wisdom.

- Norman Wirzba
excerpt from the essay "Placing the Soul: An Agrarian Philosophical Principle" in The Essential Agraian Reader: The Future of Culture, Community, and the Land, edited by Wirzba. (c) 2003.

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Duane Shank: Your Comments on the Daily Digest

Thanks to everyone who posted a comment about the Daily Digest. I’ve read them all. I’m pleased that so many of you find the compilation useful. And thanks also for the helpful suggestions.

On the news sources I use. Several of you suggested The Wall Street Journal. I personally read the Journal and find it very useful. The problem with using it for this kind of compilation is that the online material is available to subscribers only, so linking to stories isn’t possible. A number of others suggested I read a McClatchy paper for a more “center of the nation” view. That’s a good idea - I have seen some good stories from their reporters. I’ll begin with the Kansas City Star - today’s Digest has several McClatchy stories from the Star. Others suggested more “small town newspapers,” although also noting that most of their stories come from wire services and their own coverage is mostly local news. That’s true, and there is also the matter of time – putting the digest together isn’t my only job. But I will try to watch out for more local stories from various parts of the country.

A large number of suggestions were related to including more news from international sources. Several of you noted Canada – a good suggestion. I’ll begin skimming the Globe & Mail and Toronto Star for a Canadian perspective. Other good suggestions were to include stories from Africa, Latin America, and Asia that go beyond violence and crisis. And more from “old Europe,” perhaps France's Le Monde. Within the time available, I will try to do that.

There were suggestions for non-newspaper sources. Several of you mentioned blogs. I read a number of blogs, but I tend to think of them as more opinion than news. But if I find interesting things, I’ll throw some in the mix every now and then. Same with magazines. I don’t read many magazines, but again, I will look for useful pieces. And then there is the suggestion of FOX News. My personal bias is in favor of the print media rather than television. I rarely watch television news, so I haven’t included those stories here. And it’s not just FOX - I also don’t look at MSNBC, CNN, or the major networks. I’ll think about it.

On topics. Some of you would like more on education, health care, human rights, and indigenous people. And a suggestion that there is an over-emphasis on Iraq and Iran and that there should be more stories on poverty, housing, living wage, etc. I agree, but remember, I’m not creating the news, just compiling what is in the news. And these days that is a lot of Iraq and Iran. But I’ll try to be more alert to good pieces on poverty-related issues.

Thanks again for the responses. Feel free to post a comment any day to the Daily Digest – I always look. And pray for our world as you read the news. I often recall the saying of Karl Barth, who “advised young theologians ‘to take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.’”


Duane Shank is the issues and policy adviser for Sojourners/Call to Renewal - in addition to being our resident news junkie.

Diana Butler Bass: A Post-Colonial Pageant

I have a confession to make: I watched the Miss Universe pageant Monday night. I could make some lame excuse like “nothing else was on television.” But the truth of the matter is that when choosing between elevating my mind with Al Gore’s new book and sinking into the comfy armchair in front of the flat-screen, I chose Miss Universe – live from Mexico City.

Miss Universe is a particularly embarrassing show to admit watching. Unlike Miss America, a pageant with a modicum of socially redeeming value (scholarships!), Miss Universe is an out-and-out ball gown and bathing suit spectacular. For decades, it was dominated by the blond-haired, blue-eyed likes of Miss Sweden, Miss France, and Miss USA. But this year was a different story.

Of the top 10 finalists, only one – Miss USA – represented the Anglo-European world. No Miss Sweden in sight (she actually dropped out because of social pressure at home that beauty pageants demean women). The other nine included: Miss Brazil, Miss India, Miss Japan (the eventual winner), Miss Angola, Miss Venezuela, Miss Korea, Miss Tanzania, Miss Nicaragua, and Miss Mexico, all citizens of the non-Western, post-colonial world. Even though they had been “Hollywoodized” to resemble Vogue models, they still carried distinctive aspects of their own cultures. Miss Tanzania was nearly bald – I have never seen a bald beauty pageant contestant before. Miss Japan’s modest evening gown looked more like a kimono than Christian Dior. Miss Brazil paraded around stage with Carnival flair.

In a kind of geo-political beauty contest metaphor, Miss USA tripped and fell during the evening gown competition. When she actually made the top five finalists, the Mexican audience jeered and booed like an angry soccer crowd. Were they irritated by our new immigration legislation? Maybe they don’t like George Bush? Whatever the case, Miss USA smiled graciously, and placed fourth.

The best moment, however, came when Miss Korea offered her testimony. While answering a question directed by the judges, she deftly said that she cared about missionary work more than anything else in the world – and that she wanted to be very rich so she could give much money to support the work of missionaries. Except for the accent, she sounded every bit like a Southern Baptist beauty contestant from Tennessee.

As I watched, I realized that I was witnessing a kind of Philip Jenkins (The Next Christendom) meets Miss Universe, a pop culture sort of post-colonial, post-feminist, and post-modern global gala – one to which Western Europeans were not being invited.

Of course, we were not very good hosts when we were the ones handing out invitations, as we expected everyone to come to our party our way. But as the gravity of pop culture moves south – as the gravity of religion already has – it might help for Miss USA’s fellow citizens to be prepared for some big changes, shifts in power, influence, understandings of truth, and yes, even the idea of beauty. I cannot fathom entirely what Miss Universe might portend for the future, but I do know that I do not want my nation to be booed off the world stage.


Although not many people know it, Diana Butler Bass (http://www.dianabutlerbass.com/) was once a debutante and was asked to compete in Miss Teen Arizona (she declined). Thirty years later, she holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of six books, including her award-winning Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church i s Transforming the Faith (Harper San Francisco, 2006).

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on AIDS, immigration, Iran, Iraq, pay discrimination, Sudan-Darfur, Mideast, World Bank, Russia, Poll- Bible is God's Word, peace making, and select Op-Eds.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Bush defends reform "Firing back at conservative critics, President Bush defended his plan to overhaul immigration laws and accused its opponents of "trying to rile up people's emotions" with misinformation." Bush Takes On Conservatives Over Immigration "If you want to scare the American people, what you say is the bill's an amnesty bill," Mr. Bush said … "That's empty political rhetoric trying to frighten our citizens." Bush hits foes of alien bill "President Bush yesterday rebuked members of his own political party for trying to "frighten people" into opposing his immigration bill, prompting a quick backlash from some Republicans." U.S. to raise citizenship, green card fees "Applicants will see an average 66% increase in July. Immigrant advocates call it a 'wall' for the poor but agency says it will speed service."

AIDS. Bush to Seek Extension of AIDS Effort "President Bush will call on Congress today to provide $30 billion toward battling the global AIDS crisis over the first five years after he leaves office, a doubling of the current U.S. commitment. The increase in the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) would provide lifesaving treatment to 2.5 million people -- about 1.4 million more than the program now serves."

Iraq. U.S. toll in Iraq climbs "Six U.S. soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing attack and two more in a helicopter crash in Diyala, … Those fatalities and two others announced Tuesday brought the U.S. troop death toll in May to 117, making it the deadliest month for American forces this year," 10 American Soldiers Killed in Iraq "U.S. officials have warned that the strategy of putting more American troops on the streets and in small combat outposts, part of a security plan launched in February, would lead to higher U.S. casualties. But Tuesday's carnage suggested that the effort had not created a safer security environment." Some Hitherto Staunch G.O.P. Voters Souring on Iraq"While a majority of Republican voters continue to support Mr. Bush and the Iraq war, including the recent increase in American troops deployed, there are concerns that the war is undermining the party's political position."

Iran. Iran links Iraq and nuclear issue "A senior Iranian official has said that direct Iran-US talks about security in Iraq will have an impact on the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme." Rice wants UN to stand firm on Iran "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested the U.N. nuclear enforcement chief should stay out of a long-running diplomatic standoff with Iran." Tehran charges 3 detained U.S. citizens as spies "Three Iranian Americans, including U.S. academic Haleh Esfandiari, have been charged with espionage and endangering national security, The charges, denied by relatives and colleagues of the three, were another example of Iran's stepped-up accusations that the U.S. is trying to use internal critics to destabilize the government." Tehran officials charge three Americans with spying "Iran charged three Americans with spying and national security offences yesterday in a move that intensified suspicion surrounding intellectuals with US ties."

Pay discrimination. Justices' Ruling Limits Suits on Pay Disparity "The Supreme Court made it harder for many workers to sue their employers for discrimination in pay, insisting in a 5-to-4 decision on a tight time frame to file such cases. The dissenters said the ruling ignored workplace realities."

Sudan-Darfur. President Imposes New Sanctions on Sudan "In announcing new U.S. sanctions on Sudan, President Bush made clear his frustration with the inability of his administration and the United Nations to halt the violence in Darfur, which he has described as ongoing "genocide." Bush's action on Sudan may fall short "President Bush's decision to exert new pressure on Sudan to end the violence in Darfur may have a limited effect because many of the people and businesses he targeted already are getting around existing sanctions, according to experts and business officials." Bush orders Darfur sanctions after grassroots pressure "George Bush yesterday bowed before America's most successful experiment in grassroots organisation - the coalition of Hollywood, religious groups and student activists on Darfur - and ordered economic sanctions against Sudan." Oil May Allow Sudan to Escape Sanctions' Pain"But the sanctions will do little to stem Sudan's oil exports, which are the main source of the country's wealth, analysts said. They also noted that existing sanctions against Sudan, which date back to 1997, have been unevenly enforced."

Genocide diplomacy in Darfur (Editorial, Christian Science Monitor) "Bush's call for harsher sanctions should force China to exercise a stronger hand over its friends in Khartoum. If China doesn't go along, the humanitarian crisis and the genocide in Darfur may only worsen." A Big Enough Stick for Sudan (Michael Gerson, Washngton Post) "The choice here is far from obvious. Escalation has risks; if not done in earnest, it is better not to begin at all. America is understandably weary and distracted. But a question hangs over the history of our time: Are we too tired to oppose genocide?"

Mideast. Palestinian and Israeli Leaders to Meet Next Week, as Tensions Remain High Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, will meet next week, their offices said Tuesday, in a continuation of a Washington-sponsored dialogue that will inevitably focus on another round of Israeli-Palestinian warfare." Hamas leader says attacks on Israel will go on "Khaled Mashal, the influential political leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, insists attacks on Israel will continue despite overwhelming Israeli retaliation that has cost scores of lives in the Gaza Strip in the past two weeks."

World Bank. Bush to Pick Zoellick for World Bank "President Bush today plans to name Robert B. Zoellick, a career diplomat and trade negotiator, to head the World Bank, seeking to dispatch the leadership crisis that has gripped the institution under Paul D. Wolfowitz," US diplomat to head World Bank "The White House moved last night to mend fences with the international community when it indicated it would nominate a respected veteran diplomat, Robert Zoellick, to replace Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank."

Russia. Russia adds to arms race fears "Russia yesterday threatened a new cold war-style arms race with the United States by announcing that it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of penetrating American defences." Russia claims new missiles negate shield "Russia tested new missiles that a Kremlin official boasted could penetrate any defense system, and President Vladimir Putin warned that U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield in Europe would turn the region into a "powder keg."

Poll- Bible is God's Word. Polls: Most believe Bible as God's word - "More than three-quarters of Americans believe the Bible is literally the word of God or inspired by the word of God, according to a trio of Gallup surveys, with 19 percent saying the Good Book is a compendium of myth and legend."

Peacemaking. In pictures Christians teams working for peace in divided Hebron BBC photo essay on Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron.

Essay The Shackles in the Shadows of History "In 1619, 12 years after Jamestown's settlement, two British privateers sailed into the James River with African captives for sale. The Africans had Portuguese names; they apparently knew Christianity, according to John Thornton and Linda Heywood, a husband-and-wife team of Boston University historians. Those first Africans came from the kingdom of Ndongo, now Angola, which had been penetrated by Portuguese missionaries and traders who soon stopped praying with the Africans and started selling them."

Op-Eds.

I Lost My Son to a War I Oppose. We Were Both Doing Our Duty. (Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Post) "Parents who lose children, whether through accident or illness, inevitably wonder what they could have done to prevent their loss. When my son was killed in Iraq earlier this month at age 27, I found myself pondering my responsibility for his death."

The Dems' healthcare gamble (Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times) "The best chance for reaching (or even nearing) universal healthcare coverage is a system of shared responsibility that requires government, individuals and business to all contribute. The ideas percolating in the states, and among the leading Democratic presidential contenders, move in that direction. But unless big employers also finally act on their stake in reform, healthcare for all is likely to remain out of reach - at great cost not only to the national interest but to corporate America's own bottom line."

Passing. Politician Carried On A Civil Rights Legacy"Parren J. Mitchell, 85, a Baltimore civil rights activist who became Maryland's first black member of Congress in 1970, died May 28 … A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and chairman of the House Small Business Committee, Mitchell (D) worked for years to ensure minority participation in contracts let under federal public works programs."

Voice of the Day: Thomas Merton

Religious silence is silence that is undertaken as an act of worship. Whether I hear God or not makes no difference.

- Thomas Merton
quoted in Alive Now! November/December 1990

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Verse of the Day: Lies of False Prophets

The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, say to it: You are a land that is not cleansed, not rained upon in the day of indignation. Its princes within it are like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows within it. ... Its officials within it are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. Its prophets have smeared whitewash on their behalf, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, "Thus says the Lord God," when the Lord has not spoken.

- Ezekiel 22:23-28

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Brian McLaren: Fact and Friction

I confess to being a fan of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I also confess that when I’m watching “normal” news shows, especially “fair and balanced” cable news, I frequently experience moments of disorientation, during which I can’t tell if I’m witnessing an intentional parody of honest reporting or an unintentional one. The old friction between reality and faux reality has been greased, so one keeps sliding into the other when you aren’t looking.

The recent stories of fictional reporting by our military intensify the oddness of a world where fake news and real news are too often equally fake.

Maybe that’s why when “serious” reporters and pundits play out the old, familiar, reactive scripts of left and right, liberal and conservative, many of us find ourselves laughing at the wrong times, not realizing they aren’t joking. Perhaps parody provides the only serious way to respond to the old paralyzing ideological polarities of left and right, liberal and conservative.

A new friend I met in my recent travels, Wendell Jones, offers a proposal that won’t allow the last laugh to go to polarized thinkers. Wendell is a career physical scientist whose personal crisis in addiction left him identifying deeply with the weak and the broken. He creates this imaginative scenario:

Imagine that it is 2020 and the U.S. is secure as the wealthiest nation in the world. Our best and most productive citizens remain the world’s wealthiest leaders. Tax burdens are at all time lows. Entitlement drains on the GDP have been essentially eliminated. Illegal immigration is a minor issue. Federal government spending is almost completely focused on defense and homeland security capabilities allowing the U.S. to proactively intersect all threats. The voting public is nearly unanimous in support of the government and its policies. Voters uniformly feel that taxation is reasonable and that policy rewards them for their productivity.

This vision contrasts sharply with the status quo he describes:

A number of observers in the U.S. have noted the peculiar characteristic of the American political structure that taxes the best and most proficient citizens to support those unable to contribute their fair share to the overall well-being. The growing recognition that this is unfair and damaging is fueling criticism of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In addition, trends in tax and bankruptcy law reflect the awareness that non-contributors put the success of our best citizens, and the nation as a whole, at risk. This wealth redistribution through social entitlements is a relatively new phenomenon in U.S. history.

If this kind of analysis rings some of your bells (one way or the other), I hope you’ll read his whole proposal – down to the last sentence. Don’t let its modesty fool you: Jones is making a deadly serious proposal. It’s a "moment of Zen," an eagle’s soaring flight into "truthiness," and restores some friction into fact.

Brian McLaren is an author and speaker, also serving as board chair for Sojourners/Call to Renewal. His most recent book was just released in softcover and is highly rated for group studies and discussions. Nobody is sure if the title is sincere or ironic. See his Web site for more details (brianmclaren.net).

Bob Francis: A Reluctant Patriot

Memorial Day has always been one of the most important holidays for my family. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I am from what can safely be called a military family, with my father, one grandfather, and five uncles all serving in our armed forces, representing all four major branches among them. It is on this day each year that we pause to give special thanks to those who have served in our country’s military, according the highest respect to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their very lives to secure and protect our freedoms. Given my military family heritage, it is not surprising that I was socialized from the earliest age into an unquestioned, devout patriotism, which was never on display so proudly and publicly as on Memorial Day.

I was home for Memorial Day this year, which allowed me to rehearse many of our family rituals from my youth. My 12-hour day yesterday consisted of two Memorial Day services (with accompanying parades) in two different towns, three picnics, and visits to five cemeteries to lay flowers and pay respects. In many ways, the events of the day were as touching, sincere, and heartfelt as I remembered them. I even shed a tear at one service when the local marching band played the Marine's Hymn, which brought to mind my Marine father on this first Memorial Day without him.

However, despite recollections of cherished memories, my adult sensibilities intruded, giving me a much more discerning eye through which to observe the day’s events. The patriotic premises I uncritically absorbed in my childhood have long since evolved, tempered over the years by a healthy dose of biblically-informed skepticism of nationalism and militarism. I was reminded that the inextricable linkage of patriotism, militarism, and American Christianity in our national narrative is alive and well - a marriage that I find distressing and theologically dubious at best.

At least in small towns like those where my family lives, Memorial Day services put on display the way in which the Christian faith remains co-opted by the national and military narratives of the American people. Expectedly, both services I attended rehearsed our cherished freedoms and honored our servicemen and women for their sacrifices. But the commendations went much further than that. There were prayers to God for national blessing and undisputed claims of America being the greatest nation on earth. Imagery abounded of America as a distinctly Christian nation and the related need for us to get God back into the public square "where He belongs." It was implied throughout that God guides our national ship, and consequently, our national causes must be the very causes of God. On this day, unlike any other, we see pastors and soldiers side by side, as if there were no contradiction between the kingdoms of God and America.

What concerns me in this display of Christian patriotism is how easily we think that God is on our side and that what America does may as well be what God is doing in the world - especially regarding our military. It can perpetuate a dangerous “us vs. them” mentality, with “us” always being on God’s side of the ledger and our causes always being just, simply because it involves our troops. Also alarming is the uncritical way in which our American and Christian identities no longer seem separate, making it anathema to suggest that our patriotism might need correction (instead of unabashed support) from our biblical faith.

Like most touchy and complicated issues, nuance is often lost in our world of sound bites, fundraising, and political gain. But I’d like to try and walk the fine line as a reluctant patriot. I want to honor those men and women who have bravely and nobly served our country, for in doing so, I honor my own family. I want to be grateful for America’s successes, not taking for granted the many ways in which America truly has been a noble and even unprecedented experiment in democracy. And I want to acknowledge the freedoms we indeed enjoy, ones only longed for by many in other lands and times. But I want to stop short of worshipping America. I never want to place America where only Christ should be, and I want my allegiances to be properly ordered and never confused.

If I could have scripted yesterday’s events, I would have liked to hear more talk about peace, not war. The fact that men and women of any nation must die in combat reveals that we live in a fallen and imperfect world, one waiting to be redeemed. It reveals what we have not yet learned – not the art of war – but the art of peace. In these times of violence, I would be more comforted by images of swords beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks, instead of battleships and soldiers never coming home. I would like America to honor our peacemakers as reverently as our soldiers. And if we want to invoke God, I would like to hear about God’s kingdom, the one where the lion lays down with the lamb. And we could rehearse God’s promises – not for military victory (which I don’t find in my Bible anyway) – but about how a suffering servant, who told us to turn the other cheek and offered no word in his own defense before being led to death, has somehow overcome the world. That would be my idea of a Memorial Day.

Bob Francis is the organizing and policy assistant for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Sudan-Darfur, Iran, G8-climate change, immigration, Iraq, Iran, nuclear power, Presidential politics, Cindy Sheehan, Billy Grahan, and select op-eds.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Debate still surrounds 'imperfect bill' - "Immigration overhaul is a top priority of the U.S. business community, which faces a growing array of conflicting state and local laws that require businesses to police workers' immigration status and that impose fines on firms that hire illegal workers." Immigration screening could snag too many workers - "A system to verify the legality of every employee within 3 years -- key to the Senate's measure -- is controversial." Change on Immigration Turns Senator Kyl Into Lightning Rod - "Angry calls poured into Senator Jon Kyl's office this week by the thousands, expressing outrage beyond anything he said he had witnessed in his 20-year political career. The callers were inflamed by Mr. Kyl's role in shaping the bipartisan immigration compromise." Bill Adds Fuel to Flames in a Divided Border State- "While cultural and economic ties to Mexico run deep in Arizona, the country's fastest-growing state, it is also where more people cross illegally from Mexico than anywhere else along the 2,000-mile border."

Iraq. Iraq likely to miss goals set by U.S. - "U.S. military leaders in Iraq are increasingly convinced that most of the broad political goals President Bush laid out early this year in his announcement of a troop buildup will not be met this summer and are seeking ways to redefine success." Militants Widen Reach as Terror Seeps Out of Iraq- "The Iraq war, which for years has drawn militants from around the world, is beginning to export fighters and tactics to neighboring countries and beyond." As Allies Turn Foe, Disillusion Rises in Some G.I.'s- "in interviews with more than a dozen soldiers in this 83-man unit over a one-week period, most said they were disillusioned by repeated deployments, by what they saw as the abysmal performance of Iraqi security forces and by a conflict that they considered a civil war, one they had no ability to stop." Strife Foreseen in Iraq Exit, but Experts Split on Degree- "Would the pullback of American forces unleash an even bloodier round of civil conflict that would lead to the implosion of the Iraqi government? Or would it put pressure on Iraqi politicians to finally reconcile their differences? More bluntly: how bad would things get?" Analysts' Warnings of Iraq Chaos Detailed - "Months before the invasion of Iraq, U.S. intelligence agencies predicted that it would be likely to spark violent sectarian divides and provide al-Qaeda with new opportunities in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Sudan-Darfur. Bush Looks To Intensify Pressure On Sudan - "President Bush has decided to implement a plan to pressure Sudan's government into cooperating with international efforts to halt the violence in its troubled Darfur region, where his administration said almost three years ago that genocide was taking place." Bush to Tighten Fiscal Penalties Against Sudan- "President Bush will announce Tuesday that he is imposing stiff economic sanctions against Sudan - including penalties against two senior government officials and a rebel leader - and that he will press the United Nations for additional actions to end the violence in Darfur" U.N. presses for peace in Darfur - "U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has put his personal diplomatic clout on the line to end the bloodshed in Darfur, demanding a cease-fire and fresh peace talks in a letter to Sudan's president,"

Iran U.S., Iran Open Dialogue On Iraq - "The United States and Iran held their first official high-level, face-to-face talks in almost 30 years Monday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, and officials emerged generally upbeat about the renewed dialogue," U.S. and Iranian Officials Meet in Baghdad, but Talks Yield No Breakthroughs- "The United States and Iran held rare face-to-face talks in Baghdad on Monday, adhering to an agenda that focused strictly on the war in Iraq and on ways the two bitter adversaries could help improve conditions here." U.S., Iran reach Iraq consensus - "The U.S. ambassador met with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad on Monday in the first formal bilateral talks between the two nations in more than a quarter century, though the talks alone were characterized by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker as unlikely to lead to specific gains to reduce violence in Iraq." US and Iran finally break the ice - "Against a background of renewed international tension, with the US conducting large-scale war games in the Gulf, the two sides met in Baghdad for discussions described by both as "positive". Iran held out the prospect of a further meeting within the next month."

Nuclear power. Arabs make plans for nuclear power - "As Iran races ahead with an illicit uranium enrichment effort, nearly a dozen other Middle East nations are moving forward on their own civilian nuclear programs."

G8-Climate change. U.S. Rejects G-8 Climate Proposal - "U.S. officials have raised a second round of unusually bluntly worded objections to a proposed global-warming declaration that Germany prepared for next month's Group of Eight summit,"

Presidential politics. Can GOP find leader to suit evangelicals? - "With President Bush, the evangelical-in-chief, leaving the White House in 19 months, conservative Christians are desperately searching for a new standard-bearer -- and they're not finding him among the three GOP poll leaders." John Edwards' populism is a risky bet - "In adopting poverty and low-wage work as his themes, Edwards has struck a far more combative, populist tone than in his 2004 presidential campaign….But Edwards' 2008 strategy carries risks, in part because it speaks most directly to a slice of the electorate that has notably little political clout."

Cindy Sheehan. Sheehan quits as face of US anti-war fight - "Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son was killed in Iraq three years ago, said yesterday she was stepping down from her role as the figurehead of the US campaign against the war. "This is my resignation letter as the 'face' of the American anti-war movement," she wrote in a sometimes bitter diary entry on the website Daily Kos."

Billy Graham. Billy Graham, tourist attraction - "The other day, Billy Graham toured the showy museum that will soon open here to honor his six decades of bringing God's word to the high and the humble."

Op-Ed. The Rise Of the Bottom Fifth (By Ron Haskins, The Washington Post) - "This increase in earnings and total income by low-income families is the biggest success in American social policy of recent decades."

Voice of the Day: on True Compassion

Honest, direct confrontation is a true expression of compassion…The illusion of power must be unmasked, idolatry must be undone, oppression and exploitation must be fought, and all who participate in these evils must be confronted. This is compassion.

- Donald P. McNeill et al.
from “Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life”

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Verse of the Day: Righteousness

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor. The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

- Psalms 112:6-10

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Duane Shank: Dissecting the Daily Digest

After nine months, the Daily Digest is now being received by more than 20,000 people. So, I thought I’d solicit some reader opinion.

First an explanation. I use the following U.S. newspapers that cover the spectrum: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and The Christian Science Monitor – and others if specific stories come to my attention. For an international take, BBC and The Guardian. For the Mideast, Haaretz and al Jazeera. The news I try to cover coincides with Sojourners/Call to Renewal’s platform – war/peace, poverty and budget priorities, the environment, life issues, marriage and family, religion in general, and faith and politics in particular.

What do you think, both of the range of sources and news? Are there important sources I’m not using? Important issues I don’t include enough? If you’d like to comment, just post it in the comments for this blog post. I’ll read them all, and respond as possible.

Rose Marie Berger: James Loney’s Living Forgiveness

“Norman, Harmeet and I have forgiven our captors,” says Jim Loney in yesterday’s op-ed to The Toronto Star. “Our reason is very simple. We've had enough with bombs and guns and gallows.”

Sojourners and I spent many an anxious moment while our compatriots in Christ with the Christian Peacemaker Teams were held captive in Baghdad between November 2005 and March 2006 (see Sojourners December 2006). In the end, this saga of modern martyrdom ended in the tragic death of Tom Fox and the ultimate release of Jim Loney, 42, Harmeet Singh Sooden, 34, and Norman Kember, 75, by British and American soldiers.

In November 2006, Jim, Harmeet, and Norman were told that an unspecified number of men alleged to be their kidnappers were in U.S. custody. According to Loney, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Scotland Yard asked them to testify in a trial to be conducted in the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (see Paul Brenner’s authorization for the formation of the CCCI). An RCMP officer indicated, "The death penalty is on the table."

A recent report from the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq says the CCCI "consistently failed to meet minimum fair trial standards." Former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark calls the CCCI a "meat grinder." "It reminds me of the reign of terror in Paris," he says. "You guillotine some, imprison others--it's unclear who's more fortunate." Amnesty International (AI) says at least 100 people have been executed and at least 270 more have been condemned to death by the CCCI.

In a May 23 op-ed to The Toronto Star, Loney told the RCMP that he won’t testify:

I cannot participate in a judicial process where the prospects of a fair trial are negligible, and more crucially, where the death penalty is a possibility. The death penalty is the legalization of blood vengeance. It is a cruel, degrading and irrevocable judgment. Take away the fancy legal rationale and the dignified court proceedings and what remains is an act of murder, plain and simple, no different than what was done to Tom Fox. Capital punishment is a manifestation of the very violence it claims to deter. Those who kidnapped us and murdered Tom were swept into a vicious cycle of violence and retribution for violence that was put in motion in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq and its continuing occupation.

Jim ends his statement by saying, “We want to see an end to all killing, regardless of the reason. Capital punishment is simply the legal face of the dead-end cycle of violence and retribution for violence that is destroying Iraq. We want to see something genuinely new and different, a future that begins with the power of forgiveness.”

This is an example of who we are as Christians. Death – and all its attendant principalities and powers of violence cloaked in the lie of necessary evil – has no dominion over us. This is the freedom that we are offered in Christ.

Rose Marie Berger is an associate editor of Sojourners magazine.

Katie Van Loo: Food for Thought

Around the lunch table the other day, a few coworkers and I discussed food, healthy eating, and body image (brought on by an amateur analysis of trans- and partially-hydrogenated fats and their banning in NYC). Yesterday while scanning my iGoogle (I love that thing), I ran across this Alternet article on a similar topic. The article spends a decent amount of time talking about deceptive lures and health risks of diet pills (has anyone seen Requiem for a Dream?) as well as some interesting points regarding the myth of obesity, a section about other countries’ diets, and the "set point weight" of our bodies.

It is important that we figure out a way to advocate for healthy bodies (not just thinner bodies). A high point of the lunchtime conversation was our distinction between approaching nutrition from a “good/bad” perspective versus what is healthy, and presenting alternatives of how to better utilize what our bodies have and need. For example, we talked about "good cholesterol/bad cholesterol" and "good fats/bad fats" versus all cholesterol is good and all natural fats are good, and it is the amount, ratio, and source of each that we put into our bodies that matters.

In regard to the media’s manipulative depictions of health (read: thinness) and the idea of skinnier = happier, while the equation is hooey, it often does play out in an individual’s social circles and even their own psyche. Though damaging, distorted, and deceptive, I have found some real-life experiential evidence for that equation. After I dropped 35 pounds in about a month during my senior year in high school, there was a significant increase in the attention that I received (as well as it being much friendlier). I also felt better about myself (self-confidence, success, and good-feeling neurochemicals = a synergistic boost to the self-esteem) and enjoyed the positive reinforcement I was receiving from those around me. You really do feel “happier” sometimes - proud of yourself. And if you do not internally feel happy (but instead distressed, irritable, anxious, consumed), other people are telling you that you should be happy through their constant affirmation.

Further, in contrast to the feminist critique that women are told “to be less powerful, less emotional, less hungry, and to assume less space in the world,” from my experience and conversations with friends, this criticism is not always widely felt. By more recent ideals for women, we are expected to be successful, professional, and to excel at everything; we are to be the best, to be noticed, and to be thin and beautiful. This is the unattainable perfection we have been charged with.

In addition, I am a little wary of the “love your body day" mentioned in the article because of the way these types of reactions to an unjust point of view are often perceived by the masses. Instead of “I love my body and thus do not need to listen to people who tear me down, but at the same time realize the importance of taking good care of my body,” it is usually, “I’m just fine the way I am even if I’m at risk of a heart attack because I starve myself while binging and purging or because I am obese and stressing my body, so screw you,” and nothing is accomplished.

All of these things together contribute to a false idea, even a false reality, of what women should be and are, what health should be and is, and how both can be and are achieved. I would like to see a more holistic approach to body acceptance and love, nutrition, and overall physical, emotional, and psychological health. It seems obvious, but here in the United States we seem to be having a rather hard time at achieving such a healthy state.

Katie Van Loo is the marketing and circulation assistant for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.


+ Read more about food justice in Sojourners magazine's special issue from May 2006

Gabriel Salguero: Where Do We Go From Here?

As announced on CNN last week, we're hosting a forum of the leading Democratic presidential candidates at our Pentecost 2007 event. We invited several of our bloggers to discuss their questions for the candidates, but we've also compiled the best questions submitted by our readers', and now you can vote on the one we'll ask on live television: + Click here to vote

The famous query of Martin Luther King, Jr., “Where do we go from here? Chaos or community?” is still a very pertinent question for today. In light of the noticeable disagreement around policies that seek to address economic, educational, and immigration reform, my queries to the presidential candidates would focus on that directional and strategic question, “Where do we go from here?” These queries underline and imply an initial stock-taking of where the candidates see the nation now and where do they see the necessary future trajectory we need to take as a nation. Below is a list of questions I submit for their examination:

Savage Inequalities

Some years ago, Jonathon Kozol wrote Savage Inequalities highlighting the severe disparities in educational spending in school districts around the country. What educational reform do you propose as necessary to close the disparities between economically stable public schools districts and those with serious economic challenges? What role, if any, do you see Affirmative Action playing in the area of education?

The rising cost of healthcare in the United States manifests a gap between the haves and the have-nots. What would you do as president to ameliorate the burden of healthcare for the working poor and the unemployed?

It is no secret that many undocumented immigrants are migrating to the United States, and parts of Europe because of poverty (not to mention war, genocide, and disease). What foreign and domestic policies would you advocate to address the glaring and growing economic and digital divide between many countries in the Global North and the Global South? How would these policies respond to the multitudes of men, women and children in Latin America, Africa, and Asia who are struggling for survival and coming into the U.S. undocumented?

Life and Quality of Life

Many people of faith, including me, underline the importance of honoring life and ensuring, as far as possible, a decent quality of life how do you respond to their concerns on these issues of life...

· Given the realities and complexities of economics, race, and gender in our country, should capital punishment still be a part of U.S. societies dealing with the most heinous of crimes?

· What foreign policy should the U.S. pursue in the cases of genocide as seen in Rwanda and Burundi?

· How would you address the concerns of many around the large number of abortions in the U.S.?

· What policies should be enacted to ensure healthcare, quality education, and housing of many children born to poor single parents?

· How can we ensure a better quality of life for the people working in the United States who can not earn enough for subsistence?

Civil Discourse

In the days following 9/11, the tone of national discourse was an inspirational note of civility and mutual respect. It appears that once again the hostility in discourse and divisiveness has returned, particularly around comprehensive immigration reform, same-sex unions, and the war in Iraq (among other issu es) in many parts of the country. What model of discourse would your administration set that could serve as a healthy model for Republicans, Democrats, Independents, etc. all around the country? This is a critical query in light of the many examples of the demonization of "the other" that our children are hearing from all quarters of public life.

I pray that these questions (certainly there are many more of equal importance) would stimulate a necessary and healthy dialogue for people of faith, secularists, and all people of good-will around the U.S. that helps us underline what we really hold true and dear and how we treat each other.


Rev. Gabriel Salguero is the pastor of the Lamb’s Church of the Nazarene in New York City, a Ph.D. candidate at Union Theological Seminary, and the director of the Hispanic Leadership Program at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also a board member for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on minimum wage, Iraq-Congress, immigration, Iraq-President Bush, North Korea, Iran, ethics and select op-eds.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Senate Votes to Keep Plan to Make Immigrants Legal - "The Senate turned aside the most significant challenge to the comprehensive immigration bill now under debate, voting 66 to 29 to keep a provision that offers legal status to most of the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants." Amendments to dilute immigration bill are defeated - "Supporters of a comprehensive immigration bill repelled a series of attacks on it on the Senate floor this week, significantly raising the prospects that the Senate will pass the controversial measure." Senate narrowly rejects additions to immigration bill - "Supporters of the bipartisan immigration reform package are heading into the Memorial Day recess with an air of cautious optimism after the Senate struck down a series of proposals that threatened to throw off the delicate balance of the legislation and erode support for the bill." Immigration Bill Provisions Gain Wide Support in Poll - "As opponents from the right and left challenge an immigration bill before Congress, there is broad support among Americans - Democrats, Republicans and independents alike - for the major provisions in the legislation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll."

Minimum wage. Congress Passes Increase in the Minimum Wage- "Congress handed a major victory to low-income workers by approving the first increase in the federal minimum wage rate in a decade." Congress Approves Minimum Wage Hike - "The bill, which a spokesman for President Bush said he would sign, would end the longest stretch without an increase in the federal minimum wage since it was established in 1938."

Iraq-Congress. Congress Passes Deadline-Free War Funding Bill - "Congress sent President Bush a new Iraq funding bill that lacked troop withdrawal deadlines demanded by liberal Democrats, but party leaders vowed it was only a temporary setback in their efforts to bring home American troops." Congress Passes War Funds Bill, Ending Impasse- "The measure does not set a date to withdraw troops but sets benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet." Congress passes war funding bill - "Bringing to a close an extended showdown between Congress and President Bush over the Iraq war, overwhelmingly united Republicans and deeply divided Democrats passed a $120-billion emergency war spending bill that would not require U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn." Congress OKs Iraq funds, benchmarks- "The outcome resolves the immediate stalemate over withdrawal dates in Bush's favor. But it binds the president even more closely to a highly unpopular war, and it postpones only until fall the next open battle between the Democratic-controlled Congress and Republican White House."

Iraq-President Bush. After Victory on Hill, President Shifts Tone on Iraq - "President Bush faced reporters for his first full-scale, solo news conference in three months savoring what may be a last victory in his battle with Congress over the course of the war in Iraq." U.S. Casualties May Spike This Summer, Bush Warns - "On a day when he expressed satisfaction with a deal in Congress that would finance American operations in Iraq and Afghanistan without the schedules for withdrawal from Iraq that Democrats had sought, Mr. Bush nonetheless said: "We're going to expect heavy fighting in the weeks and months. We can expect more American and Iraqi casualties." He added, "It could be a bloody - it could be a very difficult August."

Iraq. Radical cleric resurfaces in Iraq - "Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shia cleric, today resurfaced in public in Iraq for the first time since a US security crackdown in Baghdad began in February." Sadr Back in Iraq, U.S. Generals Say - "Moqtada al-Sadr, the influential Shiite cleric and militia leader who went into hiding before the launch of a U.S.-Iraqi security offensive in February, is in the southern city of Kufa, senior U.S. military commanders."

North Korea. North Korea tests missiles - "North Korea today reportedly fired several short-range missiles towards the Sea of Japan in the latest provocative act from the unpredictable regime." North Korea test-fires missiles North Korea's missile development, along with its nuclear weapons programme, has been a major source of concern in the region."

Iran. Stakes rise in US-Iran standoff - "Iran says it will not succumb to "enemy" efforts to halt its nuclear program, as a US armada deployed in the Persian Gulf - setting the stage for an important week in Iran's standoff with the United States and other world powers." U.S. Urges New Sanctions as Iran Stands Firm on Nuclear Policy - "President Bush said that the administration will pres s the United Nations to adopt new, expanded sanctions against Iran, as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran would "never retreat even one step" from its nuclear enrichment program."

Ethics. Ethics Legislation Easily Passes House - "Prodded by Democratic leaders and by freshmen elected partly on promises to clean up Washington, the House approved new ethics legislation that would penalize lawmakers who receive a wide range of favors from special interests, and would require lobbyists to disclose the campaign contributions they collect and deliver to lawmakers." House Votes to Lift Veil Over Donations From Lobbyists- "The House voted to drag into public view the role that registered lobbyists play in soliciting and collecting contributions for political campaigns, exposing for the first time one of the most effective ways that influence-seekers ingratiate themselves with lawmakers and presidents."

Op-Eds.

Happy birthday to a visionary following his faith (Eugene Cullen Kennedy, Chicago Tribune) - "At this time when many observers bewail the lack of great leaders, a truly great one marks a milestone. Father Theodore Hesburgh celebrates his 90th birthday Friday. Hesburgh, who led the University of Notre Dame for 35 years and is now president emeritus, could still take on the papacy or the presidency and lead the Catholic Church or the United States with great distinction."

Letting Fear Rule (Michael Gerson, Washington Post) - "In 1882, Congress passed and President Chester Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act. Today we don't name laws as bluntly as we used to. But anti-immigrant sentiments are very much alive, this time expressed in opposition to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007."

The New Establishment (Hanna Rosin, Washington Post) - "Goodling is part of a new generation of evangelicals ushered in by Falwell, who insisted that Christians get involved in politics. They are graduates of the exploding number of evangelical colleges, which no longer aim to create a parallel subculture but instead to train "Christian leaders to change the world," as the Regent mission statement reads."

My wife, a prisoner in Iran (Shaul Bakhash, teaches Middle Eastern history at George Mason University in Virginia, Los Angeles Times) - "ON MAY 8, the walls of Tehran's Evin prison closed around my wife, Haleh Esfandiari, a 67-year-old scholar, grandmother and dual citizen of Iran and the United States."

Voice of the Day: Joan Chittister

Why do people think the spiritual life demands withdrawal drom the ordinary? Because they've been taught, at least by implication, that the physical is a block to the spiritual. When we assume that the spiritual, unlike the physical, is impervious to corrosion, then we assume that all things material are not to be honored. But the fact of the matter is, the material is the vehicle of the spiritual.

- Joan Chittister
from Alive Now! July/August 1994

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Verse of the Day: Fear the Lord

You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

- Leviticus 19:13-14

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Elizabeth Palmberg: There They Go Again (And Again...)

Deputy National Security Advisor Elliot Abrams has allegedly “blessed” an undercover CIA attempt to destabilize the government of Iran. Abrams was, of course, involved in an earlier covert attempt to undermine a foreign government (of Nicaragua) which involved illegally selling arms to Iran. This November will be the 16th anniversary of Abrams’ conviction of lying to Congress about the Iran-Contra affair. We suggest that he celebrate with cake, ice cream, and maybe taking some time to talk with other administration officials about blowback.

The term “blowback” was, it turns out, first used by the CIA to describe unintended negative consequences of its 1953 plot to overthrow the elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadeq.

To be fair, the current alleged plan against the Iranian government is not licensed to kill anyone, and so far does not appear to involve lying to Congress.

Elizabeth Palmberg is an assistant editor for Sojourners.

Jim Wallis: What's Acceptable? What's Possible?

This column is adapted from a commencement address that Jim delivered at Georgetown University on Sunday, May 20.

Each new generation has a chance to alter two very basic definitions of reality in our world - what is acceptable and what is possible.

First, what is acceptable?

There are always great inhumanities that we inflict upon one another in this world, great injustices that cry out to God for redress, and great gaps in our moral recognition of them. When the really big offenses are finally corrected, finally changed, it is always and only because something has happened to change our perception of the moral issues at stake. The moral contradiction we have long lived with is no longer acceptable to us. What we accepted, or ignored, or denied, finally gets our attention and we decide that we just cannot, and will not, live with it any longer. But until that happens, the injustice and misery continue.

It often takes a new generation to make that decision - that something that people have long tolerated just won't be tolerated any more.

So the question to you as graduates, as ambassadors for a new generation, is this: what are you going to no longer accept in our world, what will you refuse to tolerate now that you will be making the decisions that matter?

Will it be acceptable to you that 3 billion people in our world today - half of God's children - live on less that $2 per day, that more than 1 billion live on less than $1 per day, that the gap between the life expectancy in the rich places and the poor places in the world is now 40 years, and that 30,000 children globally will die today - on the day of your graduation - from needless, senseless, and utterly preventable poverty and disease? It's what Bono calls "stupid poverty."

Many people don't really know that, or sort of do but have never really focused on the reality or given it a second thought. And that's the way it usually is. We don't know, or we have the easy explanations about why poverty or some other calamity exists and why it can't really be changed - all of which makes us feel better about ourselves - or we are just more concerned with lots of other things. We really don't have to care. So we tolerate it and keep looking the other way.

But then something changes. Something gets our attention, something goes deeper than it has before and hooks us in the places we call the heart, the soul, the spirit. And once we've crossed over into really seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting the injustice we can never really look back again. It is now unacceptable to us.

What we see now offends us, offends our understanding of the sanctity and dignity of life, offends our notions of fairness and justice, offends our most basic values; violates our idea of the common good, and starts to tug at our deepest places. We cross the line of unacceptability. We become intolerant of the injustice.

But just changing our notion of what is unacceptable isn't enough, however. We must also change our perception of what is possible.

In that regard, I would encourage each of you to think about your vocation more than just your career. And there is a difference. From the outside, those two tracks may look very much alike, but asking the vocational question rather than just considering the career options will take you much deeper. The key is to ask why you might take one path instead of another - the real reasons you would do something, more than just because you can. The key is to ask who you really are and what you want to become. It is to ask what you believe you are supposed to do.

You do have great potential, but that potential will be most fulfilled if you follow the leanings of conscience and the language of the heart more than just the d ictates of the market, whether economic or political. They want smart people like you to just manage the systems of the world. But rather than managing or merely fitting into systems, ask how you can change them. You're both smart enough and talented enough to do that. That's your greatest potential.

Ask where your gifts intersect with the groaning needs of the world - there is your vocation.

The antidote to cynicism is not optimism but action. And action is finally born out of hope. Try to remember that. At college, you often believe you can think your way into a new way of living, but that's actually not the way it works. Out in the world, it's more likely that you will live your way into a new way of thinking.

The key is to believe that the world can be changed, because it is only that belief that ever changes the world. And if not us, who will believe? If not you, who?

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Mary Nelson: Questions from a Community Development Veteran

As announced on CNN last week, we're hosting a forum of the leading Democratic presidential candidates at our Pentecost 2007 event (Mary will also be speaking at the conference). We've invited several of our bloggers to discuss their questions for the candidates, but we're also asking our readers to submit their questions, and TOMORROW will let YOU vote on the ones we should use!

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Little of the campaign rhetoric has touched on the issues and concerns of our low-income, minority communities, and how to help people move out of poverty. We know that it will take personal responsibility, government action, and partnership efforts with communities of faith and the corporate sector. But it will take presidential leadership to move forward.

Jonathan Kozol, in the Shame of the Nation, calls the re-segregation of public schools and the great disparity between schools in wealthy communities and in low income communities the damnation of our future, perpetuated by financing schools on property taxes and our public lack of concern for equity in education. What is your plan, candidates, for enabling quality public education for every child? For fairness in funding of public education?

Rising costs, gentrification of communities, drastically reduced government subsidies and incentives have created a dire shortage of decent housing affordable for low income people; most poor are paying over 50 percent of their income for crammed substandard housing. What are your plans to deal with this crisis? How do we help enable mixed-income communities, with spaces and places for “community” to happen?

Rising fuel costs and reduced air quality mandate a redirection of federal transportation dollars and incentives toward public mass transportation. Yet highways still get most of the transportation funds and incentives, and public transportation is struggling to stay afloat. What are your plans to deal with redirecting our efforts towards fast, efficient, and affordable public transportation?

Mary Nelson is president and CEO of Bethel New Life, a 24-year-old faith-based community development corporation on the west side of Chicago. She is also a board member of Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on immigration, the justice department, nuclear weapons-Iran, Iraq-Congress, Iraq-war, Iraq-terrorism, Nuclear weapons-U.S., nuclear weapons, Iran, Europe-missiles, Mideast, Darfur, Pope Benedict, and select editorials.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Senate gets tougher on border in immigration bill Sen. Judd Gregg's amendment to beef up security in a bipartisan measure sparks a clash before it passes. Senate OKs tweaks to immigration bill The fragile immigration bill weathered a series of legislative hits Wednesday as senators approved amendments to alter key provisions of the framework for bringing in temporary guest workers and enforcing security along U.S. borders. Senate Scales Down Proposed Guest-Worker Program The Senate slashed the size of a proposed guest-worker program for foreign laborers yesterday, dealing the first real blow to a fragile overhaul of the nation's immigration laws since it reached the Senate floor"

Divisive bill stokes GOP anger; base rejects path to citizenship The bipartisan immigration bill being pushed by the White House and Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican, is fracturing rather than "saving" the Republican Party nationally, No. 2 Senate Republican Calls for Passage of Immigration Bill Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi defended the grand bargain, which has come under heavy fire from the right and the left. Chertoff to immigration bill's critics: Get real - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Wednesday said Republican conservatives working to block an immigration bill risk endorsing a "silent amnesty" by insisting on deportations that are "not going to happen."

Iraq-Congress. On War Funds, Democrats Saw No Option but to Cede Ground to Bush - The decision by the Democratic majority to strip the measure of a timetable for troop withdrawal has raised the prospect that it could be approved mainly by Republicans with scattered Democrat support. Plan funds war without troop withdrawals A Democratic-led Congress eager to end the war in Iraq is expected to send President Bush a bill as early as today that would continue war funding without demands for troop withdrawals. Antiwar Groups Press Democrats to Vote Against Iraq BillAntiwar groups waged a last-ditch effort to block an Iraq spending bill after Democrats, conceding that they did not have enough votes to override a threatened veto from President Bush, dropped deadlines for troop withdrawals from the legislation.

Iraq-war. Morgue Data Show Increase In Sectarian Killings in Iraq More than three months into a U.S.-Iraqi security offensive designed to curtail sectarian violence in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, Health Ministry statistics show that such killings are rising again. 9 U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq; Abducted Soldier Found Dead Nine U.S. soldiers and Marines were killed in Iraq, and the military said that the body of a man found in the Euphrates River was that of an American soldier abducted during a deadly ambush south of Baghdad almost two weeks ago, U.S. officials said.

Iraq-terrorism. Bush Says Iraq Pullout Would Leave U.S. at Risk President Bush, addressing head-on the criticism that Iraq has turned into another Vietnam, argued Wednesday that withdrawing from Iraq would be dangerous because, unlike the enemy in Vietnam, terrorists in Iraq had the ability and desire to strike Americans at home. Bush declassifies selected Al Qaeda intelligence reports President Bush, who repeatedly has declassified select snippets of U.S. intelligence to justify the war in Iraq, revealed new details of an Al Qaeda attempt two years ago to coordinate attacks against the U.S. with operatives based in Iraq.

Nuclear weapons-US. New Nuclear Warhead's Funding Eliminated The House Appropriations subcommittee that controls the U.S. nuclear weapons complex's funding voted to eliminate all money that would have paid for engineering and cost studies for the new nuclear warhead that the Bush administration hoped to put in production in 2012. Unpaid U.S. dues hit nuke-test monitoring The international organization administering the nuclear test-ban treaty has warned that it would not be able to complete a global network of stations monitoring testing unless the United States, its largest contributor, pays millions of dollars in arrears.

Nuclear weapons-Iran. Iranian Defiance of U.N. Over Enrichment Detailed - "Iran has again defied U.N. demands to suspend its nuclear enrichment programs, according to a report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S., Annoyed by U.N. Report on Iran and Uranium, Hopes to Use It to Widen Sanct ions - The Bush administration said that it would use a new report detailing Irans progress in enriching uranium to encourage European and Asian allies to seek a major expansion of sanctions against Tehran, Iran makes steep nuclear gains Defying the international community, Iran has sharply upgraded its capacity to enrich uranium in recent months while the outside world's access to and grasp of Tehran's nuclear program "has deteriorated," according to an unusually blunt report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran 'three to eight years' away from nuclear weapon Iran is between three and eight years away from producing a nuclear weapon if it chooses to do so, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Europe-missiles. Putin denounces US plan for missile shield President Vladimir Putin travelled to the heart of Europe yesterday to denounce the Bush administration's plans to deploy a missile defence shield in the region.

Mideast. Israelis arrest 33 Hamas officials - Responding to a week of rocket attacks, Israeli troops today arrested 33 senior members of Hamas, including the Palestinian Authority's education minister, three members of parliament and six mayors, Fatah and Hamas Chiefs Meet on Cease-FireThe Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, met privately with Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas to try to secure a cease-fire between their factions and to discuss how to calm an escalating conflict with Israel,

Darfur. Crisis appeal for Darfur region UK charities have launched an emergency appeal to save lives in Sudan's Darfur region and neighbouring countries. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) says 4.5m people are affected by the conflict in the region while looming rain threatens to bring further misery.

Justice department. Goodling Says She 'Crossed the Line' A former senior aide to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales leveled serious new accusations against him and his deputy yesterday, describing an "uncomfortable" attempt by Gonzales to discuss the firings of U.S. attorneys as Congress and the Justice Department were intensifying their investigation Ex-Justice Aide Admits Politics Affected HiringA former top Justice Department aide testified on that she had crossed the line in considering the political beliefs of applicants for nonpartisan legal jobs.

Pope Benedict. Pope recognizes colonial injustices Confronted with continued anger in Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesda y acknowledged that the Christian colonization of Indian populations was not as rosy as he portrayed in a major speech earlier this month in Brazil.

Editorials.

Immigration bill is credible start to a formidable task (USA Today) If the test of a good legislative compromise is whether it makes both sides angry, the new immigration reform bill in the Senate certainly passes. In the week since the deal was announced, critics on the left have denounced it as inhumane and overly strict; critics on the right say it's much too tolerant of rampant illegality.

Pay the poor for good behavior? (Christian Science Monitor) New York Mayor Bloomberg wants to reduce poverty through cash incentives. It just could work. What if poor parents were paid to talk with their kid's teacher? Or to visit a dentist, or get job training? New York's mayor believes such incentives can reduce the nearly 20 percent poverty rate in his city. Kudos to him for taking a new crack at an old problem.

Voice of the Day: Thomas Aquinas

God acts mercifully not by contradicting his justice but by doing what is over and above it .... Mercy does not displace justice; rather it is the fullness of justice.

- Thomas Aquinas

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Verse of the Day: Judgement

The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.

- Isaiah 3:14-15

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The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.

- Isaiah 3:14-15

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Diana Butler Bass: American Muslims and Religious Freedom

Driving around yesterday afternoon, I was flipping between the news on two radio stations – a local talk station and BBC World Radio. During the same hour, both stations covered the same story about Islam: the findings of the first-ever nationwide survey of American Muslims, a study conducted by The Pew Research Center.

The commercial station led with the finding that one in four younger American Muslims support – under some circumstances – the practice of suicide bombing in defense of Islam. The BBC report highlighted the fact that American Muslims are far more middle class and assimilated to mainstream culture than European Muslims. The two stations, one sensationalistic and the other measured, seemed as if they were reporting on entirely different research! I went home and downloaded the whole study to check it out for myself.

Needless to say, the commercial station lifted the edgiest finding – one tempered by the fact that Muslim Americans reject religious terrorism by a much larger margin than do Muslims in other western countries. Older American Muslims almost completely reject Islamic terrorism, and half are “very concerned” about Islamic extremism throughout the world. And 53 percent also say that since Sept. 11 it has become “harder” to be a Muslim in the U.S.

The BBC got the big story right. According to the survey, American Muslims are happy, politically and socially moderate, and middle class. The data counters conventional wisdom. U.S. Muslims are better educated, have higher incomes, and express a higher degree of life satisfaction than European Muslims. Fifty-three percent think of themselves as “American” first and “Muslim” second. They believe the American dream: 71 percent agree that people who work hard can get ahead. Almost two-thirds said that “life is better” for Muslim women in America than in Muslim countries.

Muslim satisfaction with American life is a pleasant surprise; a result that should cause all Americans to consider how well immigration can work. However interesting that data may be, the story behind the story – that of the contrasts between U.S. and European Muslims – strikes me as more provocative. In Britain, France, Germany, and Spain, Muslims are much poorer than other citizens. Eighty-one percent of British Muslims consider themselves “Muslim” first and “British” second. French, German, and Spanish Muslims express little concern over Islamic extremism. Of all western Muslims, those living in Germany and Spain expressed greatest life dissatisfaction. Germany and Spain were, of course, places where the Sept. 11 terrorists had cells and financial support.

The primary historical difference regarding religion between the United States and these western European nations is the separation of church and state. Britain, France, Germany, and Spain have long – and often violent – histories of church-state establishments, often having made Christianity (or some form of Christianity) their official religion. In some cases, religious toleration was forced (either slowly or violently) upon European governments, not developing as a natural part of the society’s internal sense of identity. As recently as 2000, during the writing of the European Union Constitution, many Europeans still argued that Europe was “Christian,” and that religious identity should be part of the Union’s legal apparatus.

In the United States, Christianity was the religion of vast numbers of early settlers and political leaders. But it was never of a singular form, allowing for religious diversity since the nation’s founding (and, please, remember the native religions that inhabited this land). Diversity made it impossible for one church to gain hegemony over politics thus necessitating the establishment clause and guarantees for religious freedom. Eventually, the experience of religious diversity, a de sire for toleration, and the prohibition of establishment led to the contemporary doctrine of the separation of church and state. At its best, America has a heritage of Christian liberality, intellectually influenced by Christianity but open to a wide range of ideas and peoples through the practice of religious toleration. Religious freedom is the great American contribution to classical liberalism and the foundation of contemporary liberal movements.

With its contrast between the U.S. and Europe, the Pew study suggests that the separation of church and state works to create a more generous, open, and safer society in regard to terrorism. In his recent book, Freedom’s Power: The True Force of Liberalism, Paul Starr argues:

[T]he guarantees of religious toleration and freedom of conscience exemplify the logic of liberalism as a foundation for a stable policy. Internecine religious conflicts and wars of religion, like revenge feuds, deplete the powers of states and societies. Religious toleration serves not only to allow people to worship differently but also to reduce conflict, facilitate economic exchange, and create a wider pool of talent for productive work and the state itself (p. 22).

Since Sept. 11, some Christians have called for an end to the separation of church and state to combat terrorism, claiming a stronger national Christian identity, a “Christian America,” is the way to defeat Islamic extremism – a tactic employed by some reactionary European political parties. The Pew study shows that approach is wrong-headed. The path to peace between Christians and Muslims is that of religious freedom, separation of church and state, and appreciative toleration in the best traditions of liberality.


Diana Butler Bass (www.dianabutlerbass.com) is the author of Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith (Harper San Francisco), an award-winning study of mainline Protestant spirituality and congregational life.

Rev. Derrick Harkins: Immigration and Family Values

The immigration system in America is beyond broken; it is in crisis. Because it is not simply a crisis limited to issues of documentation and border enforcement, but rather one that is tearing at the very fabric of individuals, families, and communities, it is a crisis that the church is, in my opinion, compelled to address.

The Hebrew prophet Micah declared that God’s expectation of the faithful is to “do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” We take in part, from that mandate, the understanding of bringing both justice and compassion to circumstances of human need. And also we understand the need to soberly, humbly, and prayerfully consider the response from the church to this crisis in order that far more light than heat is added to the present dialogue and subsequent solutions.

I commend Congress as it begins the “heavy lifting” of crafting legislation that is fair and comprehensive, that keeps our nation secure, and that preserves family values as well as strengthening the economic and social fabric of our society.

But I also come to you today with a pastor’s heart, and with the deeply held concern that any laws enacted consider the very American tradition of compassion. The heart of what we teach, preach, and live is anchored in the Good News, Christ’s saving and liberating love and compassion that has not built walls, but “broken every barrier down.”

Family, in its strongest and most stable structure, is an essential pillar of our society. Within the church the institution of family is supported, encouraged, and applauded. In my own congregation, I see again and again - and am truly thankful for - the examples of family strength and values in the homes and lives of those who have immigrated to the United States.

The limitation of family-based immigration by the reduction of family reunification visas would impair that family structure in significant measure. Siblings, adult children, and parents (those directly affected by any potential reduction) are in many examples and cultural contexts core, and not merely “extended,” family. It is also important to note here the idea of “chain” immigration, the concept asserting that immigrants sponsor an uncontrollable number of family members, is without basis. In reality, only immigrants who have already gained legal permanent residency or U.S. citizenship are able to sponsor relatives, and on average only 1.2 family members are sponsored.

It is within the structure of families that immigration reform can wield the most enduring benefits. Through a process of restitution, integration into the larger community, and a pathway to earned citizenship, we will do away with a system that has kept millions of hard-working individuals who wish to become productive, law-abiding members of our society in the shadows, and has prevented numerous families from being fully intact and stable (two conditions that benefit society).

Finally, let me say that many within the historically African-American church have made their voices heard in support of comprehensive immigration reform. Like the overwhelming majority of all Americans, African-American voters support immigration reform that includes enforcement and a path to citizenship. It is the legitimate continuing legacy of the civil rights struggle and part of the very nature of the African-American church that one should speak for those who have no voice, advocate for those who have no power, and stand for those who are not represented. But with a fair and compassionate earned pathway to citizenship, those who are now in the shadows will be able to speak, be empowered, and stand for themselves.

Rev. Derrick Harkins is Senior Pastor of the Nine teenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He previously has served as a pastor in Dallas, Texas, and as the Assistant Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York. He is a member of the Board of Directors for World Relief, and a vice president of the North American Baptist Fellowship of the Baptist World Alliance. This post is adapted from his testimony to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law in the House of Representatives on May 22, 2007.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Conventional Wisdom Catches up with the Prophetic

Katie Barge at Faith in Public Life has a great compilation of Falwell legacy coverage that demonstrates that the major media seems to be finally "getting it" that evangelicals really are far more diverse and broad in their political interests than previously assumed.

It was not so long ago that I regularly spent a portion of my morning sending reporters compilations of news articles demonstrating evangelical activism agenda around issues such as climate change, global AIDS, Darfur, and immigration, to make the case that evangelicals are not in fact monolithic. Alan Cooperman’s Washington Post story, “Evangelicals Broaden Their Moral Agenda” (October 16, 2006), signaled a shift, but it was a seen a break with conventional wisdom.

The coverage of evangelicalism following Rev. Jerry Falwell’s passing has convinced me that my morning routine is no longer necessary. The old conventional wisdom about evangelicals – that they care only about abortion and same-sex marriage – is out. And the new conventional wisdom – that evangelicals are not monolithic and care about a broad range of compassion issues – is in.

She then follows with links from the AP, The New York Times, NPR, Time, The Washington Post, and CNN all supporting this new conventional wisdom. And I'll add one more from yesterday's Washington Post:

[A] sometimes bitter debate is pitting evangelicals who want to keep their political activity tightly focused on a few issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, against those who want to embrace a broader agenda, including climate change and global poverty.

Of course, we've been proclaiming for a while now that the monologue of the Religious Right is over - but it's gratifying to see that now even the mainstream media are reaching a consensus that this shift has taken place. Of course, evangelicals are still far from consensus on which moral values issues matter most, but the breadth and depth of the new conversation is encouraging. It's nice when the conventional wisdom finally catches up with a prophetic word.



Ryan Rodrick Beiler is the Web Editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Iraq-Congress, immigration, U.S. Muslims, Iraq-war policy, Iran, immigration, Falwell's funeral, the Anglican Church, Mideast, and select Op-Eds.

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Full news summary:

Iraq-Congress. Democrats capitulate on war funds - "Congressional Democrats backed down in the standoff with the White House over war funds, abandoning their veto-instigating effort to link deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq to President Bush's request for more than $100 billion in emergency spending." Democrats drop Iraq troop deadline - "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) characterized the compromise as progress in the Democratic drive to bring the U.S. combat role in Iraq to an end, saying the bill was not a "blank check." Democrats Pull Troop Deadline From Iraq Bill- "The decision to back down was a wrenching reversal for leading Democrats, who saw their election triumph in November as a call to force an end to the war." Democrats Relent On Pullout Timetable - "Democrats gave up their demand for troop-withdrawal deadlines in an Iraq war spending package, abandoning their top goal of bringing U.S. troops home and handing President Bush a victory in a debate that has roiled Congress for months."

Iraq-war policy. New Strategy for War Stresses Iraqi Politics - "Top U.S. commanders and diplomats in Iraq are completing a far-reaching campaign plan for a new U.S. strategy, laying out military and political goals and endorsing the selective removal of hardened sectarian actors from Iraq's security forces and government." Bush turn to UN for Iraq solution - "The Bush administration is developing plans to "internationalise" the Iraq crisis, including an expanded role for the United Nations, as a way of reducing overall US responsibility for Iraq's future and limiting domestic political fallout from the war as the 2008 election season approaches." In Baghdad, fighting their 'Alamo' - "U.S. troops in the Iraq security push face daunting foes: snipers and bombs. A captain fears it may be 'their surge, not ours."

Iran. Nine U.S. warships in Gulf for show of force- "ABOARD USS JOHN C. STENNIS (Reuters) - The largest daytime assembly of U.S. warships in the Gulf since the 2003 Iraq war prepared on Wednesday to hold drills off Iran's coast in a major U.S. show of force that unnerved oil markets. U.S. Navy officials said Iran was not notified of plans to sail nine ships, inc luding two aircraft carriers, through the Straits of Hormuz," Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran - "The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com."

Immigration. Guest worker program survives - "A controversial bill that would overhaul the nation's immigration system survived its first major test when the Senate overwhelmingly defeated a bid by two Democratic senators to eliminate a key component: a program to allow foreign workers into the country temporarily." Proposal For Guest Workers Survives - "Democrats vowed they would come back to the program again and again, with amendments to cut the guest-worker program's size in half, to add an expiration date, to torpedo the program if workers do not comply with the rules, and to bolster worker protections for participants." Senate Votes to Keep Temporary Worker Program - "If the guest worker program, part of the "grand bargain" negotiated with the Bush administration by a bipartisan group of 12 senators, had been stripped from the bill, the fragile deal could have collapsed."

Falwell funeral. Farewell to Falwell - "Thousands of mourners, many arriving before dawn, yesterday bade farewell to the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the Baptist evangelist who became a leader in winning souls to Christ, founder of Liberty Baptist University, and a moral force in national politics." During His Funeral, Falwell Is Praised for Activist Style - "Before the doors opened for the 1 p.m. service, the line of students and the elderly, toddlers and parents had wrapped around the building and extended for blocks. The Bush administration sent a representative, Tim Goeglein, the deputy director of the Office of Public Liaison at the White House, and evangelical leaders active in Republican politics, including Par Robertson, streamed into the church."

Anglican church. Gay and Dissident Bishops Excluded From '08 Meeting- "The archbishop of Canterbury sent out more than 800 invitations to a once-a-decade global gathering of Anglican bishops. But he did not invite the openly gay Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire and the bishop in Virginia who heads a conservative cluster of disaffected American churches affiliated with the archbishop of Nigeria."

Mideast. Israel threatens Hamas - "The Israeli government said it would consider assassinating the Palestinian prime minister as the town of Sderot emptied following the first death from a Qassam rocket in six months." Israelis Don't Want Gaza to Be Their Next Lebanon - "For the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, badly battered by last summer's inconclusive war against the rockets of Hezbollah, launched from Lebanon, the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip seems a similarly intractable problem with no easy, popular response." Furious Street Battles Remind Lebanon of Its Past- "The stark reality of the three-day battle in this seaside refugee camp became apparent Tuesday on a drive through the area during a brief but dangerous lull in the fighting."

U.S. Muslims. Survey: U.S. Muslims Assimilated, Opposed to Extremism - "Unlike Muslim minorities in many European countries, U.S. Muslims are highly assimilated, close to parity with other Americans in income and overwhelmingly opposed to Islamic extremism, according to the first major, nationwide random survey of Muslims." American Muslims reject extremes - "The USA's estimated 2.4 million Muslims hold more moderate political views than Muslims elsewhere in the world and are mostly middle class and willing to adopt the American way of life," US Muslims more assimilated than British - "The detailed survey, conducted by the Washington-based Pew Research Centre, found that American Muslims tended to have a better standard of living than their counterparts in Europe and were more comfortable with a society in which a majority believed in God compared with secular Europe." The Pew Research Center survey is titled "Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream."

Op-Ed.

Immigration's Future (Tamar Jacoby, Washington Post) - "The immigration deal the Senate produced last week is far from perfect, and its critics, left and right, make many valid points. But much of the criticism misses the forest for the trees. Left out of the debate: the historic scope and significance of the deal -- its ambition to deliver an immigration system that grapples with globalization and the choices it poses for America."

Giuliani's Abortion Muddle (Michael Gerson, Washington Post) - "Giuliani is now attempting a political vault with the highest degree of difficulty: winning the GOP presidential nomination as a pro-choice candidate. … There is, however, a question that comes before politics: Does Giuliani's position on abortion actually make sense?"

Voice of the Day: Naim Ateek

To keep struggling against hate and to practice forgiveness need not mean abdicating one's rights or renouncing justice. This should be emphasized over and over again. It is part of loving one's enemy that Christians must remind the "enemy" of justice and right. It is part of loving to speak the truth.

- Naim Ateek
from "Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation"

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Verse of the Day: Hypocrisy

Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.

- Luke 6:41-42

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John Dear: The Narrow Path

Years ago my friend Gerry Straub underwent a spectacular modern-day conversion, from successful Hollywood TV producer and practicing atheist to downwardly mobile disciple of Jesus, following his hero, St. Francis of Assisi. Soon, he founded a Franciscan-based non-profit, the San Damiano Foundation, where he now makes groundbreaking films documenting the poorest of the world’s poor.

This week, his latest film premieres, touching upon a slightly different topic - of all things, me. It's about my life in the New Mexico desert, my efforts to teach gospel nonviolence, and my tales from 25 years in the Christian peace movement.

Church groups and universities everywhere have shown his films, with titles such as: Endless Exodus, Embracing the Leper, Rescue Me, When Did I See You Hungry?, The Patients of a Saint, and Where Love Is. “I fervently believe film can touch hearts and minds,” Gerry told the Los Angeles Times. To The New York Times, he said, “My message is for Christians who show an utter lack of concern or compassion for people who have nothing.”

Gerry’s new film about gospel nonviolence, The Narrow Path, developed over the course of some years. Gerry and I talk frequently (St. Francis is passion for both of us). During one conversation, when Gerry grew animated over the saint’s voluntary poverty and his great love for the poor and marginalized, I suggested that Francis embodied radical nonviolence, as well.

From there Gerry spun out his idea. “Let’s do a film about you in the New Mexico desert,” he said. “We’ll film you walking through the high desert, talking about the nonviolence of Jesus, and we’ll culminate with the annual Christian gathering at Los Alamos.” That’s where hundreds of us go each Hiroshima Day to sit in sackcloth and ashes to repent of the sin of war and nuclear weapons, just like the people of Nineveh did long ago.

Thus, a movie is born. The Narrow Path, some 90 minutes long on DVD - with cameos from Daniel Berrigan, Martin Sheen, Cindy Sheehan, Kathy Kelly, Ron Kovic and music by Jackson Browne, “Lives in the Balance,” and Joan Baez, “Let it Be” - is a movie set in the austere beauty of the desert where I live, atop a mesa some 7,000 feet in the air, overlooking miles of spectacular scenery, the land teeming with jackrabbits, ravens, horses, coyotes, scorpions, tarantulas, and rattlers (plus my cat) ... And in the distance - the nuclear hellhole of Los Alamos.

It’s awkward undertaking such a project, but the risks notwithstanding, I hope it will spur people, especially young people, toward a life of peace work and active nonviolence; to take up the gospel journey and walk forward on that "narrow path" of gospel nonviolence toward a new world without war, poverty, or nuclear weapons.

Watch the trailer:



John Dear is a Jesuit priest, peace activist, and the author of more than 20 books. He has also just released his latest book, Transfiguration (from Doubleday), and writes a weekly column for the National Catholic Reporter, at www.ncrcafe.org. The Narrow Path DVD can be shown in short chapter segments, and is an excellent resource for church groups, classes, or family viewing. Learn more at www.sandamianofoundation.org. For further information about John, or for discount bulk orders, contact: http://www.johndear.org/.

William Cavanaugh: Moral Reasoning or Just Trust the President?

History does not tend to be kind to Christian theologians who demand war.

Peter Steinfels recently called attention to a contemporary history lesson drawn in an ongoing debate between Catholic neo-cons who have supported the Iraq war and the popes and bishops who have not (“A Catholic Debate Mounts on the Meaning of ‘Just War,’” The New York Times, April 14). In the April issue of First Things, George Weigel revisits his arguments for the justice and necessity of the Iraq war and refuses to admit regret. Weigel instead casts blame for the failures in Iraq in two directions: the U.S. foreign policy community who failed adequately to plan for the war’s aftermath, and the Arab Islamic political culture whose “irresponsibility, authoritarian brutality, rage and self-delusion” has caused them to refuse “the foreigner’s gift” of political freedom that we have brought them. (I’m not making that up.)

The history lesson is delivered in a commentary by the editors in Commonweal (“Bishops and Their Critics,” April 20), who remind their readers of Weigel’s original well-publicized arguments in favor of the invasion back in 2003. They focus on one key point: In the face of vociferous objections to the impending war by the pope and the U.S. bishops, Weigel argued that Catholics should defer to the president’s judgment on whether or not this war, or any war, met the just war criteria.

Weigel’s argument on this point was two-fold: 1) the president has access to privileged information, and 2) the president, by virtue of his office, exercises a “charism of political discernment” not shared by leaders of the church. The Commonweal editorial wonders whether all the mistakes that Weigel points to in his recent article undermine his claim of the special charism enjoyed by the president. Commonweal remarks that, in retrospect, the Catholic bishops’ charism in matters of war and peace looks pretty darn good compared to that of the president.

Weigel’s argument here is self-defeating. In the case of the Iraq war, the more he insists on point number one, then the more point two is proven false. If the president did indeed have access to privileged information, then he either misinterpreted that information or deliberately lied about it to make a case for the war. This conclusion seems inescapable, given what we now know about how pre-war intelligence was handled.

Regardless of the facts of this particular case, moral judgments about war, like all moral judgments, are not primarily a matter of good information. Good information is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for sound moral judgments. Sound moral judgments depend on being formed in certain virtues. Why a Christian should assume that the president of a secular nation-state would be so formed – much less enjoy a certain “charism” of moral judgment – is a mystery to me. “Charism” is a theological term denoting a gift of the Holy Spirit. To apply such a term to whomever the electoral process of a secular nation-state happens to cough up does not strike me as theologically sound or practically wise.

The fundamental issue here is of much greater importance than arguments about the justice (or lack thereof) of this particular war. Weigel would have the church effectively abdicate its moral judgment in matters of war to the leaders of the nation-state. It is hard to imagine what could do greater damage to both church and nation. If the church does not have an independent pro cess of discernment to bring the gospel to bear on matters of war and peace, then any hope that the Prince of Peace will be heard over the din of self-interest and fear will be lost. History is already littered with the wreckage caused by Christian capitulation to reasons of state.

William Cavanaugh is associate professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and author of Theopolitical Imagination and Torture and Eucharist.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on climate change, Iran, Lebanon, immigration, Iraq, Richardson's announcement, faith and politics, Darfur, Colombia, and select editorials.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Strife over immigration bill as debate begins in the Senate - "even before lawmakers voted 69 to 23 to begin the debate, the bill's opponents promised a bruising fight, taking to the Senate floor to protest the way the measure was written, the way it will be debated and what it would do." Immigration Compromise Faces New Opposition - "The Senate voted to move forward on an overhaul of immigration laws, but even proponents of the delicate compromise proposal conceded that the furor over the deal was surpassing their expectations and endangering the plan." Critics in Senate Vowing to Alter Immigration Bill- "Lawmakers from both parties are seeking to alter a comprehensive immigration bill substantially." Senate to open debate on immigration bill - "The Senate voted to begin debate on an immigration-reform bill, turning aside objections from senators who said the legislation is being rushed and acting even as Senate offices were being flooded with calls and faxes urging the deal be blocked." Time to Scrutinize Bill Begins - "a breakdown of what the bill does, and where critics have said it falls short."

Iraq. Iran's plan to force US out of Iraq - "Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say." Democrats drop insistence on Iraq withdrawal timeline - "Scrambling to send President Bush an emergency war spending bill he will sign, Democratic leaders have decided to drop their insistence on a timeline for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq."

Richardson announces. New Mexico Gov. Richardson officially enters presidential race - "Flanked by local Latino leaders and a large contingent of politicians from his home state, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson formally entered the 2008 presidential campaign Monday, saying that his thick resume offered him an ability unmatched by others in the race to tackle the country's problems at home and abroad."

Faith & politics. Evangelicals at a Crossroads As Falwell's Generation Fades - "Although Falwell's personal influence had been waning for years, his death at age 73 last week threw into stark relief the current headless state of the political movement he founded with the establishment of the Moral Majority in 1978."

Iran. American Scholar Is Charged in Iran - "Noted American scholar and Potomac resident Haleh Esfandiari has been charged with "seeking to topple the ruling Islamic establishment," Tehran's state-controlled television reported yesterday." Iran Accuses American of Revolution Plot - "The Islamic Republic of Iran yesterday accused a prominent American academic it imprisoned two weeks ago of conspiring to foment a velvet revolution there."

Climate change. Global carbon emissions in overdrive - "From 2000 to 2004, emissions grew at a rate of 3 percent a year - more than the highest rates used in recent key UN reports." Worldwide carbon dioxide emissions soar - "Warnings about global warming may not be dire enough, according to a climate study that describes a runaway-train acceleration of industrial carbon dioxide emissions."

Lebanon. Lebanese bombardment renewed - "Lebanese forces today renewed their bombardment of a Palestinian refugee camp where hundreds of Islamist militants have vowed to fight to the "last shot". Shelling of the Nahr al-Bared camp just outside the northern port of Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, started at dawn," Lebanese Army and Islamists Battle for 2nd Day- "Lebanese tanks and artillery pounded a Palestinian refugee camp in this northern Lebanese city for the second straight day on Monday, battling members of a radical Islamist group and raising concerns for thousands trapped inside." Lebanon Confronts A Fierce Adversary - "A little-known Islamic militant group based in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon battled government troops Monday in some of the country's fiercest fighting since the civil war ended in 1990," Lebanon's stability under fire - "An obscure Palestinian group with ties to Al Qaeda and perhaps to Syrian intelligence has emerged virtually overnight as the latest threat to Lebanon's fragile stability."

Darfur. In Darfur, some Arabs now fight alongside rebels - "Rebel leaders claim that dozens of janjaweed commanders are joining their struggle against the Sudanese government after prom ises of land, cattle, and money proved worthless." Speakers urge Angelenos to aid Darfur - "Sunday's observance was developed after two Jewish organizations, the American Jewish Committee and Jewish World Watch, approached First AME and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to find ways to spur further activism. Eventually, the effort was joined by a coalition of dozens of religious and human rights groups, including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Islamic Center of Southern California and the UCLA African Studies Center."

Colombia. Paramilitary Ties to Elite In Colombia Are Detailed - "Top paramilitary commanders have in recent days confirmed what human rights groups and others have long alleged: Some of Colombia's most influential political, military and business figures helped build a powerful anti-guerrilla movement that operated with impunity."

Editorial. (Washington Times) - Traditional values and voters - "In 2004, voters who emphasize traditional values played a crucial role in re-electing President Bush and increasing Republican control of both chambers of Congress. In 2006, however, traditional-values voters were unable to stem the Democratic tide, and, based on exit-polling data, some even contributed to it. Last year Democrats captured control of both bodies of Congress by defeating six incumbent Republican senators and winning 30 House seats held by Republicans."

Voice of the Day: Rabbi Jack Riemer on Prayer and Action

We cannot merely pray to You, O God to end war:
For we know You made the world in a way
That we must find our own path of peace
Within ourselves and with our neighbor.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to root out prejudice:
For you have already given us eyes
With which to see the good in all people
If we would only use them rightly.

- Rabbi Jack Riemer
excerpt from a prayer entitled "Social Action" found in "Living God's Justice: Reflections and Prayers."

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Verse of the Day: Obeying the Lord

Why do you call me "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I tell you?

- Luke 6:46

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Audio: Shane Claiborne on NPR's Speaking of Faith

Here's the summary that Speaking of Faith posted about Krista Tippett's conversation with Red Letter Christian Shane Claiborne:

Shane Claiborne is an original voice, a creative spirit, in a gathering movement of young people known as the "new monastics." With virtues like simplicity and imagination, they are engaging great contradictions of our culture – beginning with the gap between the churches they were raised in, the needs of the poor, and the "loneliness" they find in our culture's vision of adulthood.

+ Download mp3 audio of the broadcast (49MB 53:18)
+ Listen to a streaming audio version (53:00)
+ Read and learn more on Speaking of Faith's Web site, including
+ Full, unedited audio of Krista Tippett's interviews with Shane

Sarah Osmer: Florida Farmworkers Make Peace with McDonald's

A glimmer of Isaiah’s vision of the peaceable kingdom (Isaiah 11:6-9) – a vision of peace, reconciliation, and justice – is realized in the partnership recently formed between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the McDonald’s corporation. The CIW, a farmworker organization based in rural Southwest Florida, has led two successful efforts to improve wages and working conditions in the fields, first winning an agreement with Taco Bell, and now with the McDonald’s, the two largest fast-food chains in the world. McDonald’s will now work with the CIW to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes directly to the farmworkers who harvest its tomatoes, enforce a stronger code of conduct based on the principle of worker participation, collaboratively develop a third-party mechanism for monitoring conditions in the fields, and investigate workers’ complaints of abuse.

For two years, a war of words was waged between the farmworker organization from Immokalee and the fast-food giant. The CIW and Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida, a faith-based partner to the CIW, educated consumers across the country about the sweatshop and slavery conditions facing farmworkers in the agricultural industry today. Florida tomato pickers must pick two tons of tomatoes to earn just $50 in a day, a pay rate that’s been stagnant for almost 30 years. They regularly work 10-12 hour days with no overtime pay, no health insurance, no right to organize, no sick days, and no benefits whatsoever. Recognizing the tremendous market power of fast-food corporations like McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Burger King to control conditions and push down prices in their supply chains, the CIW focused its “Campaign for Fair Food” on calling these companies to address the inhumane conditions of farmworkers who harvest their tomatoes.

McDonald’s, however, initially chose to view the situation in its suppliers’ fields not as a human rights crisis to be addressed but as a public relations fire to be extinguished. The company responded to the CIW with a public relations campaign, undertaking a series of moves aimed more at quelling the public outcry than changing the underlying exploitation faced daily by workers in the fields.

Christians and people of faith from many traditions joined the farmworkers’ struggle for justice. Interfaith Action’s national network and people of faith across the country took action - clergy wrote letters to McDonald’s, denominational bodies passed resolutions in support of the Campaign for Fair Food, mission committees invited CIW farmworkers to speak in their churches, hundreds of people of faith organized peaceful protests and marched alongside the farmworkers, congregations lodged and fed CIW members during national tours, and Sojourners’ action alert generated several thousand e-mails to the McDonald’s executives.

It seemed, at times, that the day when the CIW and McDonald’s would work together as partners would never come, and that an unjust status quo might prevail. But on April 9 of this year, it finally happened! As a result of the growing call of the CIW, people of faith, and consumers across the country, the farmworkers and the corporate giant McDonald’s reached a historic agreement for dignity and justice for tomato pickers. Now, we’ve seen a glimpse of God’s peaceable kingdom that Isaiah describes – the lion is living with the lamb, the high-power corporate executives are joining together with exploited farmworkers – for justice and dignity.

Today, the CIW is calling on Burger King to do the same, as the m ovement for fair food and justice for farmworkers continues to grow. You too can be a part of this vibrant movement! Visit http://www.ciw-online.org/ and http://www.allianceforfairfood.org/faith.html for more information and ways to become involved.

Sarah Osmer is co-coordinator of Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida, an ally organization of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) that educates and animates people of faith to partner with the CIW in their efforts to improve wages and working conditions for farmworkers and put an end to modern-day slavery in the agricultural industry.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on faith and politics, Iraq-policy, immigration, Mideast, Iraq-war, Iraq-Carter v. Bush, Europe, wealth gap, political parties online, and select Op-Eds.


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Full news summary:

Faith & politics. Emphasis Shifts for New Breed of Evangelicals - "The evangelical Christian movement, which has been pivotal in reshaping the country's political landscape since the 1980s, has shifted in potentially momentous ways in recent years, broadening its agenda and exposing new fissures." The Right: Down, but Maybe Not Out - "WITH the death on Tuesday of the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the Baptist minister and founder of the Moral Majority, and the announcement on Thursday that Paul D. Wolfowitz would resign from the presidency of the World Bank, two major figures in the modern conservative movement exited the political stage." GOP's commitment on social issues tested - "For decades, Christian conservatives have turned out in Republican primaries and had great influence. Giuliani's candidacy is testing their clout, and some analysts predict it will be a turning point. "The era of the religious right being able to call the tune to which Republican candidates will dance is over," says GOP strategist Rich Galen," Gingrich Assails 'Radical Secularism' - "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich decried a "growing culture of radical secularism" Saturday morning as he hailed the life of Liberty University's late founder, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, in an address to the school's 2007 graduating class."

Immmigration. Discord on the Immigration Accord - "There is little doubt about how grass-roots organizations feel about a bipartisan immigration compromise reached in the Senate: They don't like it." In Congress, a long road ahead for immigration bill - "After months of quiet negotiations, a historic immigration bill debuts in the Senate on Monday, where it faces a bruising floor fight - and even more uncertain prospects later this summer in the House." Few senators support the illegals bill - "Fewer than 20 senators are publicly committed to supporting the immigration deal that hits the Senate floor today while nearly 40 are already opposed or have serious concerns." Businesses, families have a lot riding on immigration change - "As the U.S. Senate prepares this week to debate the most sweeping proposed change to the nation's immigration system in more than four decades, Irvine technology executive Bruce Warren and Los Angeles homemaker Monsorat Jaldon symbolize the high stakes looming for millions of families, businesses and workers." After Aiding Bill on Immigration, Employers Balk- "Employers, who helped shape a major immigration bill over the last three months, said on Sunday that they were unhappy with the result because it would not cure the severe labor shortages they foresee in the coming decade."

Mideast. Dozens Slain as Lebanese Army Fights Islamists- "Fierce clashes erupted between Lebanese Army soldiers and Islamic militants in the vicinity of a Palestinian refugee camp, leaving 22 Lebanese soldiers and 17 militants dead and dozens injured in one of the most significant challenges to the army since the end of Lebanon's bloody civil war." 8 Killed as Israel Hits a Hamas Politician's Gaza Home - "The Israeli Air Force struck the home of a Hamas Parliament member in Gaza, killing eight people, Palestinian hospital officials said. The Parliament member, Khalil al-Hayya, was not in the house at the time."

Iraq-war. 7 U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq, 6 in Sweep of Baghdad- "Six American soldiers and their interpreter were killed by a roadside bomb in western Baghdad on Saturday, the military said Sunday, in one of the deadliest single attacks against American troops in the capital in recent months. … A soldier assigned to the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), a supply unit, was killed Saturday when a bomb struck his armored vehicle" Edging Their Way Into Sadr City - "The U.S. military is engaged in delicate negotiations inside Sadr City to clear the way for a gradual push in coming weeks by more American and Iraqi forces into the volatile Shiite enclave of more than 2 million people, one of the most daunting challenges of the campaign to stabilize Baghdad."

Iraq-policy. Second Life for Study Group - "After an initially tepid reception from policymakers, the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group are getting a second look from the White House and Congress, as officials continue to scour for bipartisan solutions to salvage the American engagement in Iraq." U.S. fears pullout of British troops by Blair successor - "U.S. officials are bracing for the prospect that Gordon Brown -- Tony Blair's almost certain successor as British prime minister -- will act quickly to reduce his country's military commitment in Iraq." Iraq decision was right - Brown - "Gordon Brown has stuck by the decision to go to war in Iraq amid protests at a Labour le adership hustings event. Mr Brown said the government was working with the people of Iraq to enable them to run their own security, and did not place a timescale on when British involvement might end."

Iraq-Carter v. Bush. Carter Criticizes Bush and Blair on War in Iraq- "Former President Jimmy Carter criticized George W. Bush's presidency in interviews released Saturday as "the worst in history" in international relations and faulted Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain for his loyal relationship with Mr. Bush." White House doesn't turn the other cheek - "Perhaps not since Herbert Hoover took issue with the blame heaped on him for the Great Depression by Franklin D. Roosevelt have two presidents or their spokesmen feuded quite so publicly - and angrily - as former President Carter and President Bush."

Europe. New Leadership Trio Could Put Europe Back on Political Map - "Europe is undergoing its most dramatic changing of the guard in more than a decade. New leaders in the European Union's three preeminent countries -- Britain, France and Germany -- not only may transform their nations individually but also have the collective clout to blast Europe out of its lethargy and revitalize it as a global and diplomatic powerhouse."

Wealth gap. Generation gap? About $200,000- "The growing divide between the rich and poor in America is more generation gap than class conflict, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal government data. The rich are getting richer, but what's received little attention is who these rich people are. Overwhelmingly, they're older folks."

Parties online. Online, GOP Is Playing Catch-Up - "One reason for the disparity between the parties, political insiders say, is that the top Republican candidates are not exciting voters the way the Democratic front-runners are. Another is that it takes a certain level of technical skill and understanding to be an online strategist, and Republicans admit that "the pool of talent in the Democrats' side is much bigger than ours."

Opinion.

What is a 'real' Christian? (Dan Gilgoff, USA Today) - "Placing strong in polls of Republican voters and encouraged to run by some leading party activists, actor and former senator Fred Thompson has emerged as the biggest X factor of the 2008 presidential race. … But a wrinkle has appeared in that strategy. Focus on the Family's founder, James Dobson, said recently that Thompson does not appear to be Christian - and that such an impression would make it difficult for him to connect with the GOP's evangelical base."

How Ch urch and State Made Their Match(Lou Cannon, New York Times) - "JERRY FALWELL, who died on Tuesday, would no doubt be pleased that so many obituaries gave him credit for putting Ronald Reagan in the White House. Mr. Falwell encouraged this view of his influence, as well as the related notion that he and Mr. Reagan were cut from the same conservative cloth. The record does not support either claim."

Voice of the Day: Thomas Merton

I have the immense joy of being [human], a member of a race in which God became incarnate. As if the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition could overwhelm me, now I realize what we all are. And if only everybody could realize this! But it cannot be explained. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.

- Thomas Merton
from Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

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Verse of the Day: "Go, Sell your Possessions"

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

- Matthew 19:21-22

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Jim Rice: Bill Moyers Protests Loss of Independent Voices

Publishing an independent niche magazine has always been a risky business. Many excellent-but-small periodicals in the faith and justice genre have fallen off the cliff of financial precariousness – Christianity & Crisis and The Other Side are two late-and-lamented notables that come to mind.

One factor that can make or break small publications is the cost of mailing each issue to subscribers. A few-cents-per-ounce increase in the cost of postage costs a magazine tens of thousands of dollars, which can easily be the difference between breaking even and going bottoms-up.

As Bill Moyers points out on his blog, the U.S. Postal Service is about to implement a significant rate increase that threatens to cripple small journals. Moyers says:

An impending rate hike, worked out by postal regulators, with almost no public input but plenty of corporate lobbying, would reward big publishers like Time Warner, while forcing these smaller periodicals into higher subscription fees, big cutbacks and even bankruptcy.

It's not too late. The postal service is a monopoly, but if its governors, and especially members of Congress, hear from enough citizens, they could have a change of heart.

Moyers argues that small publications make “a unique contribution to the conversation of democracy.” Postal increases like these – that in effect punish small nonprofits to the benefit of huge multinational conglomerates – carry the very real risk of making that conversation much narrower in the years to come.

Jim Rice is Editor of Sojourners magazine.

Video: Larry King, Jim Wallis, and Others on Faith in Politics

We posted video of CNN's announcement of our presidential forum at Pentecost 2007 from this show earlier this week, but now we thank our friends at Faith in Public Life for posting video of the entire show, which included Rev. Albert Mohler, Jr. of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, David Kuo, former Deputy Director of the Bush Administration's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and David Gergen, former White House Adviser to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Clinton.

Here's the opening segment, and you can click here for the rest of the show.

Jim Wallis: The Family Research Council vs. Lou Dobbs

In the midst of my "conversation" with Lou Dobbs, an unlikely organization has spoken out on the behalf of myself and other religious leaders of the Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Give the Family Research Council credit for making a clear non-partisan appeal in defense of faith-inspired activism:

CNN host Lou Dobbs is a man of strong opinions - but last week he offered a wrong opinion. Dobbs challenged the First Amendment rights of pastors and asked his viewers in an online poll whether they believe "churches and religious institutions that engage in political activity should have their federal tax exemptions revoked." He attacked church leaders for speaking out on the immigration debate.

There is much disagreement on immigration, but these leaders have every right to express their views. Last year, Lou Dobbs said the "intrusion of religion into our political lives, in my opinion, should be rejected in the same fashion that we constitutionally guarantee government will not interfere with religion."

Throughout American history, church leaders have spoken out on the vital moral issues of the day - whether it be slavery, civil rights, or in defense of the family and the dignity of human life. One of the enduring lessons the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught is the power a religious community can have in society. Reverend King said, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority."

Rose Marie Berger: The Tehran Two-Step

While the Iranian government plays a complicated game of international roulette regarding its nuclear power and weapons capacity, its role in stabilizing (or de-stabilizing Iraq), and its work to stem the flow of drugs through the Middle East, one thing - sadly - has remained consistent: human rights abuses.

Less than three weeks before the much touted U.S-Iran meetings on May 28, Iranian security forces have abducted and imprisoned Haleh Esfandiari, the 67-year-old director of the Middle East Program at the Washington, D.C.-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Dr. Esfandiari, who has lived in the U.S since 1980 and traveled to Iran to visit her 93-year-old mother, has been held for a week at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison.

“Her arrest,” reported a London-based Iranian agency, “came amid increasing restrictions on Iranian rights groups, particularly women's organizations, and other critics by the hard-line government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iranian authorities have stepped up their warnings that the U.S. aims to use internal critics to destabilize the Iranian government amid the mounting tensions between the two countries.” Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, who has herself been imprisoned at Evin, has agreed to defend Esfandiari through Ebadi’s organization, the Human Rights Defenders Center.

“Gracefully she approached, in a dress of bright blue silk,” writes Iranian poet Simin Behbahani. “With an olive branch in her hand, and many tales of sorrows in her eyes. Running to her, I greeted her, and took her hand in mine: Pulses could still be felt in her veins; warm was still her body with life.” We pray for Haleh Esfandiari’s safety and the protection of her grace and dignity.

If Iran is going to make a place for itself - and its 70 million citizens, 60 percent of whom are under 30 - in the world, then it must reclaim and restore a vision of government and society that preferences human rights over state secrecy and diversity of opinion and thought over social control. Only then can human dignity be elevated and souls mature as God intended. +Sign the petition for Haleh Esfandiari’s release

Rose Marie Berger is an Associate Editor of Sojourners magazine.

Sue Badeau: A Mom's Questions

It’s the week after Mother’s Day, and after being feted with handmade cards, sticky kisses, and a delicious meal I did not have to cook (or clean up after) I am back at work - surrounded by evidence that neither my city of Philadelphia nor my country are particularly hospitable places for us moms. Whether the news is about funding for the war, the dismal state of our local schools, the most recent homicide on our mean streets, or the “idols” being worshiped on TV, there are plenty of opportunities for a mom to become depressed about the world her children will inhabit. So it is with my mom hat on that I would like to propose three critical questions for the Democratic candidates that will speak at Pentecost 2007 next month.

1. Perhaps the single most important thing we can provide for all of our children are connections – connections to stable, loving families and communities, connections that last a lifetime, connections to parents, mentors, and teachers. Yet every night in our country, more than half a million children go to bed in a foster home, not knowing if they will sleep in the same bed tomorrow night, or attend the same school next week. Over a million children in America are homeless each year. Many more live at the fringes of our society, disconnected youth, living out their own personal terrors, and at times staving off their own loneliness and fear by creating terror on our streets and in our schools. Please describe your strategy for ensuring that all of our children can have the opportunity to grow up in safe, stable families and communities where they are securely connected to caring adults.

2. A good education is often seen as the great equalizer – a place where every child can feast at the great American opportunity table. And yet, we know that a child whose belly is rumbling with hunger, or who was awake all night hearing gunshots and sirens outside her window, or who attends a school with no textbooks cannot fully benefit from the American dream of a free and public education for all children. What is first thing you will do, if elected, to ensure that every child in America can have a fighting chance to succeed and achieve in school?

3. Like the mother of Seung-Hui Cho, I have a son with a mental illness. Like the mother of Emilio Gonzales, I have a son with severe disabilities requiring feeding tubes, multiple medications and round-the-clock care. Like Sherry Grace, I am the mother of an incarcerated son who struggled with drugs and addiction. What hope do you offer to mothers, like us, who live with children in pain, children struggling to cope with physical, mental, and emotional challenges every day? We go into our communities seeking help for our children and doors are closed in our faces – for lack of insurance, lack of access, lack of public will. When our children struggle, act-out, or “fail,” we are often vilified and blamed, rarely supported and helped. How will you ensure that all of our nation’s children have access to the health care, mental health services, dental care and other supports they need to grow up strong and healthy?

"If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. " (Mark 9:42)


Susan H. Badeau is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Children's Commission, a parent of 22 children by birth, foster care, and adoption, a life-long advocate and a Sojourners/Philadelphia volunteer. This article was part of the inspiration for this post.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on immigration, World Bank, Gordon Brown-PM, Bush and Blair, Iraq, Gaza, Colombia, promise keepers, and select Op-Eds.


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Full news summary:

Immigration. Accord on Immigration Reached - "The Bush administration and a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement on a sprawling overhaul of the nation's immigration laws that would bring an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants out of society's shadows while stiffening border protections" Senators in Bipartisan Deal on Immigration Bill- "If the bill becomes law, it would result in the biggest changes in immigration law and policy in more than 20 years." Senators craft immigration compromise - "The plan to legalize most of the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants and to create a temporary-worker program would not start until steps were completed to strengthen border security and workplace enforcement." Adversaries praise a relentless Kennedy - "Kennedy, the Senate's consummate dealmaker -- still indefatigable at 75 -- pushed hard at his fellow Democrats, wavering Republican moderates, and even members of the Bush administration, insisting that the deal-makers work all night Wednesday to beat the deadline imposed by the Senate leadership."

Compromise greeted with skepticism by advocates, opponents - "Advocates called the compromise bill a good starting point, but said they had serious concerns about many of its provisions," Immigration deal feels heat from left and right - "Conservatives groups' anger at yesterday's immigration deal may be overshadowed only by that of some liberal and immigrant rights' groups, which said they will fight to change or block the agreement." Immigration bill faces a wall of opposition - "But the attacks from both left and right that met the proposal suggested the latest push for change, although representing a potential breakthrough, could again end in a stalemate."

World Bank. Wolfowitz Resigns From World Bank- "Paul D. Wolfowitz, ending a furor over favoritism that blew up into a global fight over American leadership, announced his resignation as president of the World Bank after the bank's board accepted his claim that his mistakes at the bank were made in good faith." Wolfowitz resigns after battle - "Paul Wolfowitz lost his battle to hang on to his job as president of the World Bank, announcing his resignation after a bitter international controversy." For Washington Insider, Job Was an Uneasy Fit - "others, including some friends and admirers, saw the seeds of Wolfowitz's demise in the arc of his 34-year Washington career -- a steady rise through the State Department and the Pentagon … Wolfowitz built a reputation as a foreign policy iconoclast, a mild-mannered intellectual with a steely ideological core, and an inept manager."

Bush & Blair. Bush, Blair reaffirm their alliance - "President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair passionately defended one another and their wartime alliance, saying they still believed they did the right thing by invading Iraq and had confidence that history would one day validate that decision." From one embattled leader to another, a fond farewell - "The language in the Rose Garden never seemed as rosy as it sounded when President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared to be competing over how much they admired each other."

Gordon Brown-PM. Labor Party Picks Brown to Succeed Blair in Britain- "Opening a new era in British politics, the governing Labor Party confirmed that Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the Exchequer, had emerged as the sole candidate to assume the party leadership and thus succeed Prime Minister Tony Blair when he steps down in June." Brown: A quest fulfilled - "After waiting 13 years to acquire his crown, Gordon Brown is king without a contest. For more than a decade Brown endured phases of misplaced hope when he assumed that Tony Blair was about to stand aside. Even worse, there were periods when he wondered whether he would ever get the top job." Britain's two prime ministers - "Britain began an unprecedented six week transitional government as Gordon Brown accepted his landslide nomination as Labour leader."

Iraq. Congress and Bush Striving for Compromise on War Funds- "Congressional leaders and the White House began what they said they hoped were the final talks on an Iraq war spending bill as Democrats braced for potential defections by lawmakers leery of any compromise with President Bush." 60 Die in Iraq; Study Warns of Collapse- "More than 60 people were killed and doze ns wounded in mortar strikes, drive-by shootings, roadside explosions, suicide bombings and other violent attacks in Iraq, as a new study warned that the country was close to becoming a "failed state."

Gaza. Israel targets Gaza for second day - "Israel today launched air strikes in Gaza for a second day running in response to continued rocket attacks from Hamas militants." Tanks edge into Gaza, air strikes is intensify - "The Israel Defense Forces sent tanks a short way into the Gaza Strip for the first time since November yesterday in response to continued heavy rocket fire on southern Israel." Fatah Troops Enter Gaza With Israeli Assent - "Israel this week allowed the Palestinian party Fatah to bring into the Gaza Strip as many as 500 fresh troops trained under a U.S.-coordinated program to counter Hamas," 9 killed in Gaza Strip as Israel targets Hamas - "Ratcheting up its response to militant rocket attacks, Israel moved tanks across its border with the Gaza Strip and pounded Hamas targets in a series of air strikes Thursday and early Friday, killing nine Palestinians and wounding more than 40, medical officials said."

Colombia. Colombian leader denies link to paramilitaries - "President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia has made an impassioned plea to be seen as a warrior against terrorism, despite a scandal linking his political allies with rightwing death squads." From the Colombian jungle, word of vanished hostages - "An escaped captive tells of seeing a politician and 3 Americans alive. On April 28, Pinchao escaped a camp in this country's eastern jungle lowlands where several hostages were being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Pinchao claims he saw the Americans and Betancourt the day he fled."

Promise Keepers. Christian men called back to fill 'Gap' - "Christian men are being called back to the Mall this fall for a 10th-anniversary celebration of the 1997 Promise Keepers "Stand in the Gap" event that attracted about 1 million followers for prayer and worship."

Op-Ed.

Tony Blair's Unshaken Logic (Michael Gerson, The Washington Post) - "More than that of any other world leader, Blair's foreign policy approach is a rigorous, logical argument. Like advancements in communications and the global economy, political challenges, Blair contends, have "immediate impact, an ability to cross frontiers." Irresponsible and failing states become bases of operation for terrorist, crime and drug syndicates. This chaos is tamed, in his view, by promoting economic development, treating killer diseases, fighting global warming and achieving peace in the Middle East."

China Up Against the Wall (Nat Hentoff, Village Voice) - "Next March, China will start the longest Olympic torch march in history, described by the Associated Press as "an 85,000-mile, 130-day route that will cross five countries and scale Mount Everest." Among those cheering on the route will be celebrators - but also some involved in a growing worldwide campaign to boycott the "Genocide Olympics" and otherwise shame China for its deep criminal involvement in Darfur as Sudan's chief investor, arms supplier, and protector at the U.N. Security Council."

The GOP's Crisis of Faith (E. J. Dionne Jr., The Washington Post) - " It isn't always easy to notice, but this year's Republican presidential campaign has become the occasion for the collapse of conservative orthodoxy. In Tuesday's Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, every leading candidate declared independence from some piece of dogma or another."

Verse of the Day: Facing Christ among the Least of These

If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not eaten from it ... if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or a poor person without covering, whose loins have not blessed me, and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; if I have raised my hand against the orphan, because I saw I had supporters at the gate; then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.

- Job 31:16-23

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Voice of the Day: Thomas Merton

I believe the basis for valid political action can only be the recognition that the true solution to our problems is not accessible to any one isolated party or nation but that all must arrive at it by working together.

--Thomas Merton

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Amy Ard: I'm Harboring an Undocumented Person

It’ll feel good to get this off my chest: I’m harboring an undocumented person. Growing at the rate of half a pound each week, somewhere between my rib cage and my bladder, this interloper is preparing to make his/her grand entrance sometime in the next four to seven weeks - and for the life of me, I can’t figure out whether he or she is a true-blooded U.S. citizen.

Unlike many of our uninvited, hard-working guests currently in the United States, this little stowaway doesn’t have so much as a library card for documentation. And what about this meaningless “birth certificate” I’ll sign with the aid of my coyote (okay, midwife)? I’ve looked that document over, and as far as I can tell it doesn’t offer any guarantee that this new citizen will be productive, good looking, or give a hoot about U.S. foreign policy. Do we really want such an unpredictable kid running wild on the streets of Washington, D.C.?

So what exactly has this child done to deserve U.S. citizenship? Should he/she expect a free ride on the American Dream Expressway just for passing through the birth canal of a tax-paying, hard-working, U.S.-citizen mother? Talk about cheating the system! This small fry hasn’t paid one cent of taxes (and if I read the IRS materials correctly, I actually get to pay less when he/she hits the scene!), I’d be surprised if he/she can speak more than a few words of English within a year of arriving on U.S. soil, and instead of contributing to the U.S. economy this little person will just take, take, take.

Right now the U.S. Senate is working hard to hammer out the details of building big fences on the border (mostly concerning themselves with the one to the south) and finding ways to make immigrants pay for the great honor of picking tomatoes for our Big Macs and turning down the sheets at our Hilton Hotels. They’re suggesting that these workers pay $5,000 (over 20 percent of the average yearly salary for an agricultural worker) and return to their country of origin to get a nice stamp in a visa book before returning to pick up where they left off in those high-paying gigs.

What’s wrong with coming up with a way to make sure that those lucky enough to be born on U.S. soil actually deserve the benefits of citizenship that are so casually bestowed to them when they arrive, all wrinkled-up and screaming? If some folks are willing to walk across a burning desert with no money, little water, and no guarantee they’ll make it past some over-caffeinated Minuteman’s pickup truck, shouldn’t we ensure that those who make the comparatively easy trip down the birth canal work a little bit harder for their journey to citizenship?

Here’s my proposal: nobody gets automatic U.S. citizenship. Instead, we give ourselves some time to get to know these new recruits. How about instituting a review board for toddlers? For those who show anti-social tendencies (remember, we've grown terrorists here, too) we’ll go ahead and install some wiretaps and video-cams for closer observation. And imagine having all 12-year-olds pass an English language and citizenship test. Additionally, the $5,000 citizenship fee should be extended to all who wish to live and work in this great land. Or, better yet, we institute a progressive fee determined by an individual’s net worth. Rich kids will pay more. A large number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. currently pay taxes, so that’s no excuse for those of us born here - from here on out you pay your taxes and you pay for the unwarranted privilege of being born in Atlanta, Georgia, Granville, Ohio, Sacramento, California, etc. Fair is fair.

Oh, and these kids shouldn’t be allowed to vote until enough pollsters have been dispatched to figure out exactly which way they swing. If they promise to disrupt the balance of power, we won’t allow them in the voting booth. Our democracy depend s on stability and predictability. Who knows what upstarts are being born right now?

As one or two country music musicians remind us: freedom isn't free. And U.S. citizenship shouldn’t be either. A note to the little kick boxer in my belly – Immigration and Customs Enforcement may not be knocking down the door to our birthing room, but don’t think because you’re scheduled to be born on the 4th of July it means you deserve high-priced healthcare and the freedom to own a gun. Kid, you’re going to have to prove you deserved to be born here.

Amy Ard is the National Field Organizer for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Jim Wallis: Falwell's Legacy

I watched much of the cable television coverage of Jerry Falwell’s death and legacy. And I did a lot of grimacing, in response to both the uncritical adulations of his allies (who just passed over the divisive character of much of Falwell’s rhetoric), and also the ugly vitriol from some of Falwell’s enemies (who attacked both his character and his faith). And there were even some who attacked all people of faith. I ended up being glad that I had passed up all the invitations to be on those shows. On the day of Rev. Jerry Falwell’s death, I was content to offer a brief statement, which read:

I was saddened to learn that Rev. Jerry Falwell passed away this morning at age 73. Rev. Falwell and I met many times over the years, as the media often paired us as debate partners on issues of faith and politics. I respected his passionate commitment to his beliefs, and our shared commitment to bringing moral debate to the public square, although we didn’t agree on many things. At this time, however, what matters most is our prayers for comfort and peace for his family and friends.

Two days later, I might add that Falwell, in his own way, did help to teach Christians that their faith should express itself in the public square and I am grateful for that, even if the positions Falwell took were often at great variance with my own. I spent much of my early Christian life fighting the privatizing of faith, characterized by the withdrawal of any concern for the world (so as to not be “worldly”) and an exclusive focus on private matters. If God so loved the world, God must care a great deal about what happens to it and in it. Falwell agreed with that, and blew the trumpet that awakened fundamentalist Christians to engage the world with their faith and moral values. And that commitment is a good thing. Jerry and I debated often about how faith should impact public life and what all the great moral issues of our time really are.

But many conservative Christians are now also embracing poverty, HIV/AIDS, Darfur, sex trafficking, and even the war in Iraq as matters of faith and moral imperatives. It would have been nice to hear on those TV shows that Jerry Falwell, too, had moved to embrace a broader agenda than just abortion and homosexuality. Rev. Falwell, who was admittedly racist during the civil rights movement, was in later years honored by the Lynchburg NAACP for his turn-about on the issue of race, showing the famous founder of the Religious Right’s capacity to grow and change. But two nights ago on television, I saw the pain on the face of gay Christian Mel White, who lamented that despite his and other’s efforts, Falwell never did even moderate his strong and often inflammatory language (even if maintaining his religious convictions) against gay and lesbian people. They still feel the most wounded by the fundamentalist minister’s statements; that healing has yet to be done.

Ralph Reed said that Jerry Falwell presided over the “marriage ceremony” between religious fundamentalists and the Republican Party. That’s still a concern about the Religious Right for many of us, and should be a warning for the relationship of any so-called religious left with the Democrats. But perhaps in the overly partisan mistakes that Jerry Falwell made - and actually pioneered - we can all be instructed in how to forge a faith that is principled but not ideological, political but not partisan, engaged but not used. That’s how the Catholic Bishops put it, and it is a better guide than the direction we got from the Moral Majority. But Falwell proclaimed a public faith, not a private one. And I am with him on that. As I like to say, God is personal, but never private. So let’s pray for Jerry Falwell’s family, the members of his Thomas R oad Baptist Church, and all the students at his Liberty University. And let’s learn from his legacy - about how and how not to best apply our faith to politics.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Iraq-Congress, Passing-Yolanda King, the budget, Iraq-military, Iran, the World Bank, immigration, U.S. minority populations, Palestine, and select op-eds.


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Full news summary:

Iraq-Congress. Symbolic Measure to End War Voted Down 67 to 29 in Senate - "The Senate soundly rejected a symbolic bid to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq within a year, underscoring the lingering divisions within the Democratic Party over how hard to push President Bush to end the war." Senate Rejects Iraq Troop Withdrawal - "Congressional Democratic leaders signaled on that they were ready to give ground to end an impasse with President Bush over war spending after the Senate soundly rejected a Democratic plan to block money for major combat operations in Iraq beginning next spring." Democrats move to the left on war, define stance as GOP courts the party base - "All four Democratic senators running for president voted to advance a measure that would cut off funding for the Iraq war by March 2008, a reversal of the lawmakers' 2006 votes on the same issue." Votes build in Senate to rein in Bush on Iraq - "Forty-four Republican senators backed a plan to tie continued economic aid to Iraq to the performance of its government, the strongest demonstration yet of GOP willingness to impose limits on President Bush's management of the war."

Iraq-military. Perhaps for God, England and St. George, but Not Harry - "after weeks of speculation about the risks not just to him but also to soldiers under his command, Britain announced that Prince Harry, the 22-year-old third-in-line to the throne, would not, after all, be heading out with his regiment when it deploys to the Basra region." Veterans take antiwar call on road - "The Boston chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, formed this month in an Allston restaurant by a handful of former soldiers and Marines, is planning to take its call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq to all major military bases along the East Coast." Anti-war ads star retired generals - "Since last week, two retired Army generals have called on Johnson and seven other congressional Republicans in television advertisements aired in their districts to take action to wind down the war in Iraq." To 'War Czar,' Solution to Iraq Conflict Won't Be Purely Military - "In selecting Lt. Gen. Dougla s E. Lute to manage the war in Iraq, President Bush has chosen a soldier who believes there is no purely military solution to the conflict and wants to forge a political accommodation among Iraqi factions that may fall short of full reconciliation but could lead to an exit strategy."

Iran. Iran and US to hold Iraq talks - "Iran and the US are to hold ambassadorial level talks on Iraq, the Iranian foreign minister said today, in the first substantive contacts between the countries for years." Iran leader takes hard line in backing talks with US - "Iran's supreme leader gave his backing yesterday to US-Iran talks about Iraq's security. But he took a tough line, insisting the meeting would deal only with fixing American policies in Iraq, not changing Iran's."

World Bank. Wolfowitz Said to Push for Deal to Quit- "After six weeks of combating efforts to oust him as president of the World Bank, Paul D. Wolfowitz began to negotiate the terms under which he would resign," Wolfowitz negotiates resignation terms - "A crucial meeting of the World Bank's executive board adjourned without a decision on Paul Wolfowitz's future as president." World Bank's woes go beyond scandal - "Now the bank is struggling to maintain its relevance in a 21st Century global economy where many countries it helped, and still helps, can get all the capital they need from private sources and where fighting poverty, its main mission, has proved to be extraordinarily difficult, especially in Africa."

Immigration. Lawmakers Near Agreement on New Immigration Rules - "Senators from both parties said that they were close to agreement on a new system of selecting immigrants that would give greater weight to education and to job skills deemed helpful to the economy." Immigration Overhaul Is Closer to Senate Floor - "Senate negotiators reached a tentative agreement on a broad overhaul of the nation's immigration laws that would offer virtually all of the nation's 12 million undocumented workers a route to legal status while shifting migration preferences away from the extended families of citizens toward more skilled and educated workers." White House backs off alien safeguards - "The Bush administration, trying to win an immigration agreement with Democrats, is backing away from safeguards designed to target businesses that hire illegal aliens and to prevent a repeat of the rampant fraud that resulted from the 1986 amnesty."

Budget. Democrats Agree on a $2.9 Trillion Budget - "House and Senate Democratic leaders reached agreement on a $2.9 trillion budget for 2008 that envisions a return to budget surpluses by 2012 and assumes that some of President Bush's tax cuts will be allowed to expire. The five-year blueprint … calls for more money for children's health care, education and a wide variety of other domestic programs."

US minority populations. USA's minority numbers top 100M - "The nation's minority population has topped 100 million for the first time and now makes up about a third of the USA, a symbolic milestone that signals more challenges for communities adapting to diversity." New Demographic Racial Gap Emerges - "That development may portend a nation split between an older, whiter electorate and a younger overall population that is more Hispanic, black and Asian and that presses sometimes competing agendas and priorities."

Palestine. Unity Fractures as Palestinians Battle in Gaza- "At least 19 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday - more than 40 have been killed over the past four days - in fighting between Fatah and Hamas as their unity government fractures and rage rises on both sides." Hamas suicide bombings threat - "Hamas today threatened to resume suicide bombings in Israel after an Israeli air strike on one of its compounds killed at least one person and injured more than 45."

Passing-Yolanda King. Yolanda King, 51, Actor and Dr. King's Daughter, Dies - "Yolanda King was the eldest child of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who melded her father's message of racial equality and nonviolence with her own calling as an actor and a motivational speaker."

Four good features from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

YOLANDA KING: 1955 - 2007: MEMORIES OF YOLANDA KING: Friendship spanned decades, extended to public, private moments

YOLANDA KING: 1955 - 2007: To father's dismay, being an actress was her passion

YOLANDA KING: 1955 - 2007: In roles on film, TV and stage, her art often imitated life

YOLANDA KING: 1955-2007: Firstborn King child's death stuns loved ones

Op-Eds.

Who Exiled New Orleans' Poor? (Judith Browne-Dianis, Washington Post) - "Mary Ann Wright has been waiting to return home to the Lafitte public housing development in New Orleans for 20 months, but the federal government stands in her way. She's used to waiting for a f ederal response to Hurricane Katrina. After all, she was left in the floodwaters like thousands of other low-income African Americans."

The legacy of Jerry Falwell (Cal Thomas, Washington Times) - "The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who died in his office on Tuesday at age 73, was a seminal figure in the rise of what liberals despairingly called the "Religious Right." Without him, it is doubtful Christian fundamentalist, Evangelical Christians and conservative Roman Catholics would ever have mobilized into the significant voting bloc that elected Ronald Reagan twice, George H.W. Bush once and the current President Bush.

Voice of the Day: Joan Chittister

We are not disembodied spirits. God apparently values the material enough to endow it with the spiritual. That's what the Incarnation is all about. We've come at this whole notion of the exaltation of the spirit by losing respect for the vehicle of the divine, which is the body. Where do we see God? We see God in nature and the people around us.

- Joan Chittister
from Alive Now, July/August 1994

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Verse of the Day: "Rise up, O Lord!"

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever. Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you. Put them in fear, O Lord; let the nations know that they are only human.

- Psalms 9:18-20

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Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Falwell Commentary Round-Up

Since Tuesday's news of the sudden passing of Rev. Jerry Falwell, there has been no shortage of commentaries on his life and legacy. Here are a few examples from across the political spectrum that I've found interesting and helpful as I've reflected on such a controversial and influential religious figure:

From Rev. Jennifer Butler of Faith in Public Life:

With his passing, one of the landmarks of the American religious landscape has passed as well; our discourse on religion and public life is sure to be impacted in ways we cannot yet fully imagine.

From Rod Dreher, Crunchy Con:

[N]obody can deny the significance of Falwell to U.S. politics. Christian conservatives like me may not have liked Falwell's style much of the time, or some of the causes he championed. ... His passing today is not only the passing of a man, but the passing of an era. The next generation of engaged Evangelical pastors aren't like him and his generation. I'm generalizing, of course, but they are conservative, but not so partisan, and not as eager to cast their lot with the GOP. And they care about bringing their Christian faith to bear on a wider range of issues than that which galvanized the Falwell generation.

Ralph Reed, on National Review Online:

Falwell’s liberal critics saw him only through the prism of secularism, and so they never grasped what a groundbreaking progressive he was within fundamentalism. He insisted that the Moral Majority work with Catholics, Jews, charismatic Protestants, and Mormons, who were anathema to some of his fundamentalist colleagues. But this break with the separatist, isolationist past of fundamentalism was critical to building cooperation across denominational and doctrinal lines in the pro-family movement. It is one of his most significant and lasting achievements. ... When he founded the Moral Majority in 1979, he awakened the slumbering giant of the evangelical vote. The marriage of that vote to an ascendant, confident Republican party is among the most important political demographic changes of the last century.

Fred Barnes, on Fox's Special Report with Brit Hume:

[H]e spurred one of the most important transformations of modern times and basically taking a group, millions of conservative Christians who'd been apathetic about politics, really since the 1920s and turned them into an active, lively, concerned voting block, that basically joined the Republican Party and gave the Republican party rough parity with Democrats.

From Jesse Lava of Faithful Democrats:

[W]e would be remiss to let this moment pass without reflecting on one of the most regrettable features of the Falwell legacy — or at least, of the political movement that Falwell and his co-thinkers have left us: the notion that there’s a heavenly link between Christianity and the Republican Party. ... [L]et’s not make the same mistakes that Falwell did. We would be wise to emulate his passion and effectiveness; we would be downright sacrilegious to conflate our church with our party — a habit which, ultimately, renders Christ our pawn instead of our king.

From David Kuo's J-Walking blog:

It is ironic and a bit sad that the man who stood on the sidelines during the civil rights movement - saying pastors needed to preach Jesus, not politics - became the leading person marketing Jesus for political ends in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and that he will be remembered not as a great spiritual leader but a powerful political one.

Joseph Loconte on the National Review Online:

Falwell’s contradictions continue to define too much of conservative Christianity in America. The assumption that America lays claim to a “covenant” relationship with God, the confusion of the gospel of Christ with a party platform, the narrow definition of a “moral agenda” in American politics — all were among the unseemly aspects of Falwell’s activism that survive his death.

Yet there are other elements of Falwell’s legacy that are worth recalling on both sides of the Atlantic. For one thing, he helped religious believers of all stripes take their civic and political responsibilities more seriously. Today Christian conservatives are perhaps the most politically active and important voting bloc in America. Though many find aspects of their agenda objectionable — their pro-life position or support for Israel, for example — their impressive advocacy on behalf of international human rights is widely respected. No constituency has fought harder for peace in Sudan, for laws against the sexual trafficking of women, or for America’s global AIDS policy. No group has done more to bring attention to the human rights atrocities of the North Korean regime. Sadly, these issues were never taken up by the Moral Majority, but it helped to lay the groundwork for this kind of engagement.

From Mike Lee at Faithfully Liberal:

I didn’t like Jerry Falwell, yet I mourn the passing of one of my fellow human beings. All those with a heart for love must do the same. Here we have a perfect example of the Christ ethic - we must love our enemies, we must pray for those that persecuted us.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler is the Web Editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Virginia Lohmann Bauman: Women Standing To Save the World

For many of us, Mother’s Day is now a check mark on the “to-do” list, an “x” on the calendar, a card tucked into a drawer or scrapbook. But before the flowers wilt, I wanted to share the power and witness of thousands of women who stood in silence on Mother’s Day, 2007, to manifest a dream to save the world.

The movement started with a book Sharon Mehdi wrote for her granddaughter called The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering. A quick summary of the story: A busboy who worked in a café whose window faced the public park noticed that two grandmotherly looking women had been standing in the park all day without moving at all and without talking. They were dressed up in their Sunday best, and were just staring at the town hall. He asked the other patrons in the café what they thought the women were up to. Then, a 5-year-old spoke up and said, "One of them is my grandmother and I know what they are doing. They are standing there to save the world." All of the men in the café hooted and howled and laughed. On his way home the busboy decided to ask the women what they were doing - and sure enough, their answer was, "We are saving the world." Over dinner that evening the busboy told his parents, and he and his father hooted and howled, but his mother was totally silent. After dinner, the mother called her best friends to tell them. The next morning the busboy looked out the café window and the two women were back, along with his mother, her friends, and the women who had been in the café the day before. All were standing in silence staring at the town hall. Again, the men hooted and howled and said things like, "You can't save the world by standing in the park. That is what we have armies for," and, "Everyone knows you have to have banners and slogans to save the world - you can't do it by just standing in the park." The next day, the women were joined by the women who were in the café the day before and a number of their friends. The news quickly spread and soon women were standing all over the country. The story ended with women standing in every country throughout the globe; standing to save the world.

Like the women in the story, on May 13, 2007, thousands upon thousands of women in 75 nations gathered in 3,586 different locations and stood to save the world. I was one of those women, along with my mother and my daughter – three generations standing in a little park across from a church in Granville, Ohio, standing to save the world on Mother’s Day. As we gathered in a circle with the other women in town – young, old, babies, and children – one of the grandmothers rang a bell and said:

“Today we will be standing for the world’s children and grandchildren, and for the seven generations beyond them. We dream of a world where all of our children have safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, and enough food to eat. A world where they have access to a basic education to develop their minds, and healthcare to nurture their growing bodies. A world where they have a warm, safe, and loving place to call home. A world where they don’t live in fear of violence – in their home, in their neighborhood, in their school, or in their world. This is the world of which we dream. This is the cause for which we stand.”

The bell again rang at the end of our silent witness. As my young daughter ran to see a friend, I saw my mother wipe a tear. And I knew without a doubt that if she could make it so, we would save the world – for her children, for her grandchildren, and for the seven generations beyond them.

Virginia Lohmann Bauman is a Field Organizer for Sojourners/Call to Renewal. For more information on Standing Women and next steps, see www.StandingWomen.org .

Shane Claiborne: Questions for an Empire's Candidates

As announced on CNN last night, we're hosting a forum of the leading Democratic presidential candidates at our Pentecost 2007 event (Shane will also be speaking at the conference). We've invited several of our bloggers to discuss their questions for the candidates, but we're also asking our readers to submit their questions, and will let YOU vote on the ones we should use!
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Don’t let anyone make you think that God has chosen America as [God's] divine messianic force to be reckoned with.” There are compelling voices who claim that God has chosen America (not the church) as a special embodiment of hope for the world, and then there are times (perhaps in more recent history) when it seems America embodies an antithesis of what God hopes for. U.S. flags colonize the altars and the money is branded “In God We Trust,” but the economy is an eerie reflection of the seven deadly sins listed in scripture, with a culture dangerously close to the sins of Sodom, a culture the prophet Ezekiel describes as “arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned.” Given the fact that America and God’s kingdom are not the same - and are often at odds - how do we resist the temptation of thinking that America, rather than God or God’s church, is the hope of the world?

Perhaps reflect on the following words from George W. Bush: “The ideal of America is the hope of all mankind ... That hope still lights our way. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And the recent words of Barack Obama on the Late Show with David Letterman, “This country is still the last best hope on earth.” As Christians, how do we reconcile where our ultimate faith lies, especially within an empire as mesmerizing as Rome or America?


Shane Claiborne is a Red Letter Christian, author of The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, and a founding partner of the Simple Way community, a radical faith community that lives among and serves the homeless in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on immigration, the World Bank, Iraq, Jerry Falwell, Russia, Iran, Republican debate, Colombia, food stamps, Brazil, and select commentaries.


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Full news summary:

Jerry Falwell. Rev. Jerry Falwell dies, leader of evangelicals - "The Rev. Jerry Falwell, one of the founders of the so-called religious right and a friend and ally of Republican presidents, died yesterday from a heart rhythm abnormality in his office on the campus of the Lynchburg university he founded." Other stories:

New York Times - Jerry Falwell, Moral Majority Founder, Dies at 73

Washington Post - Harnessed The Political Power of Evangelicals

Los Angeles Times - Preacher built religious right into a political force

Falwell's Legacy in the Pulpit and Politics - "At his death yesterday, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the founding father and long the public face of the religious right, left behind a university, a megachurch and a movement that are likely to carry on his legacy." Church, state and the legacy of Jerry Falwell (Cal Thomas, USA Today) - "Jerry Falwell was a simple country preacher who rose from obscurity and the founding of his church in a defunct soft drink bottling plant in his hometown of Lynchburg, Va., to become, in the 1980s, the face of much of Evangelical Christianity and "moral politics."

Immigration. Senators Report Progress on a Complicated Bill on Immigration - "With the new Congress poised to take its first vote on immigration, senators from both parties stepped up the pace of negotiations in hopes of cutting a deal on a comprehensive bill that would increase enforcement at the border and offer legal status to millions of undocumented workers." Senate nearing immigration bill - "Senators negotiating a bipartisan immigration reform bill have settled on the details of a plan that would immediately grant legal status to all illegal immigrants currently in the United States." Bush, Kennedy join forces over immigration law - "As he presses for legacy-building immigration legislation, President Bush finds himself aligned with the same unlikely ally who helped enact his first major domestic initiative." Latino Groups Play Key Role on Hill - "After laboring in obscurity for decades, groups such as the National Council of La Raza, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the National Immigration Forum are virtually being granted veto power over perhaps the biggest domestic issue coming before Congress this year."

World Bank. Wolfowitz pleads case to World Bank board - "A day after World Bank directors accused Paul D. Wolfowitz of breaking ethics rules in negotiating a promotion and salary raise for his companion, the bank president pleaded with them to give him another chance at leading the anti-poverty lender." Wolfowitz under fire from Europe - "European governments are preparing to take a hard line against Paul Wolfowitz remaining as head of the World Bank, pushing ahead with a possible vote of no confidence and brushing off US proposals to delay judging the embattled president over his ethical violations." White House Support for Wolfowitz Wavers - "The Bush administration softened its support for World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz, signaling a willingness to replace him if the bank's executive board resolves an ethics controversy without firing him." Bush Opens Door to Wolfowitz's Resigning - "The Bush administration, shifting strategy in the face of mounting opposition to Paul D. Wolfowitz, opened the door to his resigning voluntarily as World Bank president if the bank board dropped its drive to declare him unfit to remain in office."

Iraq. Bush Taps Skeptic of Buildup as 'War Czar' - "President Bush tapped Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute to serve as a new White House "war czar" overseeing the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, choosing a low-key soldier who privately expressed skepticism about sending more troops to Iraq during last winter's strategy review." Bush Picks General to Coordinate War Policy- "The White House said that President Bush ended his lengthy search for a so-called war czar to carry out Iraq and Afghanistan policy by offering the job to an active duty three-star Army general who said in his interview that he had been skeptical of the troop buildup in Iraq." Iraq Attacks Stayed Steady Despite Troop Increase, Data Show - "Newly declassified data show that as additional American troops began streaming into Iraq in March and April, the number of attacks on civilians and security forces there stayed relatively steady or at most declined slightly, in the clearest indication yet that the troop increase could take months to have a widespread impact on security."

Russia. Rice nudg es Putin away from tough talk aimed at U.S. - "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to tone down the harsh words used by the Kremlin against Washington in recent months, though their talks failed to yield any breakthroughs on Kosovo independence or U.S. plans for a missile shield in Europe." After Rice and Putin Meet, Russia Agrees to Soften Language- "Russia agreed to tone down the harsh language its senior officials have used against the United States in recent months, but the two countries remained at an impasse on several issues that have strained relations."

Iran. U.S. cautious about Iran nuclear report - "Bush administration officials reacted cautiously to indications that Iran has improved its ability to enrich uranium as fuel for nuclear reactors, a crucial step toward nuclear weapons."

Republican debate. Republicans Debate Their Conservative Bona Fides - "The leading Republican presidential candidates parried accusations from their rivals that they have strayed too far from their party's conservative philosophies on abortion, taxes and immigration in a debate that featured some of the most direct exchanges of the 2008 battle for the GOP nomination." Lively exchanges fill second GOP debate - "Ten Republican candidates for president, standing nearly toe-to-toe, teased out their differences over immigration, abortion and conservative purity in a feisty debate that sharpened distinctions among the party's top White House contenders."

Colombia. Death-Squad Scandal Circles Closer to Colombia's President - "President Álvaro Uribe, the Bush administration's closest ally in Latin America, faces an intensifying scandal after a jailed former commander of paramilitary death squads testified that Mr. Uribe's defense minister had tried to plot with the outlawed private militias to upset the rule of a former president."

Food stamps. Lawmakers Find $21 a Week Doesn't Buy a Lot of Groceries - "Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), co-chairmen of the House Hunger Caucus, called on lawmakers to take the "Food Stamp Challenge" to raise awareness of hunger and what they say are inadequate benefits for food stamp recipients." Lawmakers live on food-stamp budget - "the politicians are trying to spend seven days in the life of someone living on food stamps to highlight the difficulties of eating healthy while stretching resources."

Brazil. Brazilian rancher guilty in nun's slaying - "The verdict was met here with celebratory music, tearful embraces and thunderous applause among farmers gathered in a public square. Human rights experts hailed the decision as a long-awaited break after years of impunity afforded to large landowners in the rain forest region."

Commentary

Same war, different goals (Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times) - "Though Blair and Bush marched into war together, they did so in the service of distinct and even opposing visions. Long before 9/11, Blair argued that no single nation could solve the 21st century's toughest problems. Only through international cooperation could the world confront challenges from global warming to global terror."

Sick kids lost in gap (Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune) - "Residents of the nation's capital woke up one recent morning to the sort of bad news that we like to think doesn't happen in America: A child died from lack of dental care."

Voice of the Day: Richard Foster

We fear so deeply what we think other people see in us, so we talk in order to straighten out their understanding. ... One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let our justification rest entirely with God.

- Richard Foster
from Celebration of Discipline

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Verse of the Day: Blessed are the Poor

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

- Luke 6:20-23

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Jim Wallis: The Passing of Rev. Jerry Falwell

I was saddened to learn that Rev. Jerry Falwell passed away this morning at age 73. Rev. Falwell and I met many times over the years, as the media often paired us as debate partners on issues of faith and politics. I respected his passionate commitment to his beliefs, and our shared commitment to bringing moral debate to the public square, although we didn’t agree on many things. At this time, however, what matters most is our prayers for comfort and peace for his family and friends.

Elizabeth Palmberg: New Day or Bad Gamble?

Why is it so ironic that, last Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that congressional leaders had reached a compromise with the Bush administration to make proposed trade agreements with Peru and Panama somewhat less terrible, and would now encourage Congress to approve those agreements?

Less than a week earlier, U.S. trade negotiators admitted that - oops! - back in the early 1990s, at the start of the WTO, they’d accidentally committed the entire nation to provide completely unfettered access to foreign Internet casinos:

the United States did not intend to adopt commitments that were inconsistent with its own laws … gambling or betting services are generally prohibited or highly restricted in the United States for reasons of public morality, law enforcement and protection of minors and other vulnerable groups.

We only noticed the blooper when casino host country Antigua filed a successful trade lawsuit (European countries were expected to follow suit). And what the government isn’t emphasizing now is that, in order to withdraw our gambling market from WTO jurisdiction and protect countless state and local gambling laws, we’re going to have to pay through the nose to Antigua and any other country that feels cut out of the action.

So, when Pelosi tells Congress, and the rest of us, that it’s “a new day,” and that all the problems with the proposed U.S-Peru and U.S.-Panama trade agreements - extraordinarily complex, binding treaties - are fixed now, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do you feel lucky?

Well, do you?

Elizabeth Palmberg is an Assistant Editor for Sojourners magazine. + Learn more in Sojourners' May special issue on trade justice

Video: Jim Wallis Announces Candidates Forum on Larry King

Watch it:



This forum will be taking place at our Pentecost 2007 conference - click here to register to be there. We're also asking our readers to submit their questions for the candidates, and will let YOU vote on the ones we should use!
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Chap Clark: Beyond Crafted Answers to Obvious Questions

As Jim Wallis announced last week, we're pleased to be hosting a forum of the leading Democratic presidential candidates at our Pentecost 2007 conference (and hoping to do a Republican candidates forum later this year). We've invited several of our bloggers to discuss their questions for the candidates, but we're also asking our readers to submit their questions, and will let YOU vote on the ones we should use!
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Since in one way or another they all reference some level of spiritual interest, if not outright commitment, the obvious question would be, "In what ways does your faith influence your political opinions, agenda, and rhetoric?"

But since every candidate has an a priori answer carefully crafted for this exact question, which would certainly fall within the parameters of what each candidate’s staff deems an appropriately elusive and/or encompassing response, and since they all espouse a Christian faith, I would rather ask them:

• How do you determine which imperatives and examples of both the Old and New Testaments will proactively shape your political and personal convictions? What are the criteria you use that gives some teaching, instruction, or narrative more clout than another?
• Can an American politician publicly argue for the inherent worth of a fetus, referencing Psalm 139, and at the same time believe that women should be given the opportunity to terminate a pregnancy?
• Assuming that no pacifist would, or even could, become president of the United States, when is there a right time to use force to stop violence, or injustice, or evil? Without turning the question into an indictment of how the current administration failed, what is your criteria for making the choice to use military force?
• Under what conditions is the free enterprise system and basic market economics "fair?" And, at the same time, when does too much assistance promote a disempowering effect?
• What is the best way to grant people a sense of worth and power?

Obviously, if we get the same shot at the Republicans, the questions would be slightly different!

Chap Clark is president of ParenTeen, a senior editor for Youthworker Journal, a professor of youth, family, and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Red Letter Christian.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Iran, Colombia, the Justice Department, Iraq, Israel-Palestine, abortion, G-8, World Bank, Republican candidates, immigration, Colombia, and Brazil.

BREAKING NEWS: Rev. Jerry Falwell has died at age 73.


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Full news summary:

Breaking News. Rev. Jerry Falwell dead at 73 "Evangelist Jerry Falwell died Tuesday after he was found unresponsive in his office."

Iraq. U.S.: Insurgents likely seized missing troops - "The U.S. military said that three soldiers missing since their patrol was ambushed in the early hours of Saturday have likely been captured by an Al Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group." End hunt for troops or else, al-Qaida tells US - "An al-Qaida-led group demanded yesterday that the US military end its massive search for three missing American soldiers."Your soldiers are in our grip. If you want the safety of your soldiers then do not search for them," the Islamic State in Iraq said in a statement on a website."

U.S. scrambles to keep Kirkuk from igniting - "Tensions already are so high in Kirkuk that [Lt. Col. Michael] Browder says just one bomb with mass casualties might be enough to unleash a massive bloodletting. "Everybody's right on the envelope," he says. Such a scenario would significantly worsen problems throughout Iraq and beyond."

Son of professor opposed to war is killed in Iraq - "Boston University professor Andrew J. Bacevich has been a persistent, vocal critic of the Iraq war, calling the conflict a catastrophic failure. This week, the retired Army lieutenant colonel received the grim news that his son had been killed on patrol there."

Israel-Palestine. Israel drawn into Fatah-Hamas fighting - "Hamas gunmen attacked rival Fatah forces at a Gaza-Israel border crossing, killing at least five people and drawing gunfire from nearby Israeli troops, Palestinian officials said." Palestinian Minister Quits, as Factions Battle On - "Mr. Qawasmeh, who has been unable to control either the Fatah or the Hamas forces, said he had not been given authority to direct the security forces that were supposed to be under his control."

Iran. Inspectors Cite Big Gain by Iran on Nuclear Fuel- "Inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that Iran appears to have solved most of its technological problems and is now beginning to enrich uranium on a far larger scale than before," Tehran Both Warns And Reassures U.S. - "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned yesterday that Iran would retaliate against any U.S. strike on his country and urged U.S. troops to "pack their bags" and leave the Persian Gulf region. But during a visit yesterday to the United Arab Emirates, he also acknowledged that Tehran is "ready and prepared" to hold talks with the United States."

Abortion. Pro-lifers ready for a comeback - "If traditional-values candidates took a beating in the 2006 elections, pro-life causes were pulverized. Although last month's Supreme Court ruling to uphold the ban on partial-birth abortion was a welcome boost for pro-life forces, they are still recovering from last year's defeats." (Washington Times "Values Voters" Part 2 of 3) Abortion stances pose risks for Romney, Giuliani - "As they head into the second Republican debate of the campaign tonight in Columbia, S.C., the strategies Romney and Giuliani are employing to assuage social conservatives have grown more distinct."

Justice department. Justice Dept.'s No. 2 to Resign - "Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty announced his resignation yesterday after 18 months on the job, becoming the fourth senior Justice Department official to quit amid the controversy surrounding the dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys last year." No. 2 at Justice Department resigns - "His exit marks the fourth resignation since the matter became public this year. It is all the more dramatic because of his high rank - deputy attorney general - in the Bush administration." Resignation deals blow to Gonzales - "McNulty's departure as the department's day-to-day manager was widely expected but nonetheless represents a blow to the leadership of Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales, who has been battling for weeks to keep his job in the face of demands for his resignation by lawmakers from both parties."

G-8. Rock Star Still Hasn't Found the African Aid He's Looking For - "With less than a month to go before the leaders of the Group of 8 nations gather at a Baltic Sea resort in Germany for their annual summit meeting, Bono, the rock star and antipoverty campaigner who helped sweet-talk, cajole and otherwise persuade them to make commitments to double aid to Africa, says most of them have fallen behind on their promise."

World Bank. Bank's Report Says Wolfowitz Violated Ethics- "A World Bank committee charged that Paul D. Wolfowitz violated ethical and governance rules as bank president by showing favoritism to his companion in 2005. In response, the Bush administration mounted a last-ditch global campaign to save Mr. Wolfowitz from being ousted from office." World Bank panel finds Wolfowitz broke rules - "World Bank President Wolfowitz violated his contract, broke the bank's code of conduct and trampled on numerous staff rules in arranging a promotion and a series of raises for his companion, a bank employee, according to a scathing report by an internal committee investigating the controversy." Wolfowitz in four-letter tirade - "An angry and bitter Paul Wolfowitz poured abuse and threatened retaliations on senior World Bank staff if his orders for pay rises and promotions for his partner were revealed, according to new details published last night."

Republican candidates. Republican presidential candidates stick to the playbook - "For months, top Republicans running for president have been striking the same three notes: They champion small government, a strong military and, in most cases, traditional values. That formula has propelled GOP victories for a generation. But increasingly, scholars and political strategists are casting doubt on its value in the 2008 race for the White House."

Immigration. Top GOP Hopefuls Keep Distance on Immigration - "Senators from both parties and senior White House officials are hurrying to negotiate a deal that would give illegal immigrants a path to legal status after clearing criminal checks and paying fines. The plan would beef up border security and put new emphasis on enforcing workplace rules. … In the meantime, the leading Republican candidates for president are distancing themselves from the plan."

Colombia. Colombia orders the arrest of 19 politicians - "The Colombian government ordered the arrest of 19 current and former officials Monday who are accused of signing a 2001 "devil's pact" with outlawed paramilitary groups in which they promised to work together to "re-found Colombia." Colombian Lawmakers Arrested - "The Colombian Supreme Court on Monday ordered the arrest of five more congressmen for alleged links with illegal paramilitary groups, bringing to 14 the number of lawmakers charged in the widening "para-politics" scandal that has shaken this Andean country and its conservative government."

Brazil. Wealth's power tested in Amazon murder case - "A rancher accused of masterminding the slaying of a U.S.-born Catholic nun went on trial Monday in a case widely viewed as a test of the impunity long enjoyed by wealthy Brazilian landowners in the Amazon."

Voice of the Day: Pat Peterson on Baptism

I have glimpsed intimations of baptism being fulfilled in a multitude of unexpected reminders: laughing with the inner-city children I taught as we spashed in the gushing water of a fire hydrant on a sweltering afternoon. Washing dishes at the kitchen sink with my grandmother. Sharing a canteen of icy water with thirsty hikers at a trail junction in a mountain wilderness. Hand watering my dad's newly planted vegetable garden.

- Pat Peterson
from Alive Now, May/June 1994

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Verse of the Day: The Woman with the Alabaster Jar

While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me."

- Mark 14:3-7

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Jim Wallis: The Ever-Widening Evangelical Agenda

This article in Sunday's LA Times caught my attention:

Evangelical leader Rick Warren came to the heart of the religious right movement last week to criticize a narrow focus on abortion, homosexuality and pornography as un-Christian.

Strikingly, top Christian conservatives agreed.

During a three-day summit here, members of Focus on the Family and Campus Crusade for Christ joined Warren and dozens of other pastors from across the nation in a pledge to devote more of their resources and clout to helping children in need.

"We've got some people who only focus on moral purity and couldn't care less about the poor, the sick, the uneducated. And they haven't done zip for those people," said Warren, a mega-church pastor in California and author of the best-selling "The Purpose-Driven Life."

Warren hastened to say that he also opposed abortion and gay marriage. But too often, he said, Christians these days are defined by their "big mouth" - what they argue against, not what they embrace. He pointed to a verse from the Book of James that calls caring for orphans an essential element of a "pure and undefiled" faith.

"It's time for the church to stop debating the Bible and start doing it," Warren said.

I've had some good conversations with Rick Warren about his deep passion to serve the poor. He's helping to guide a shift among religious conservatives that should not go without notice or welcome. I pray that this movement keeps moving - beyond personal changes that produce acts of charity (where it always begins) to structural changes that bring about social justice. The criticism Warren alludes to - that conservative activists seem to care more about unborn children than about those living and suffering in poverty - has often been accurate. So when they begin to talk about moving from a narrow focus to a broader agenda that includes loving and sacrificial action for the poor, it feels like a movement of the spirit; one that shows there's hope for the church, and hope for the poor.

Brian McLaren: My Questions for the Democratic Candidates

As Jim Wallis announced last week, we're pleased to be hosting a forum of the leading Democratic presidential candidates at our Pentecost 2007 conference (and hoping to do a Republican candidates forum later this year). We've invited several of our bloggers to discuss their questions for the candidates, but are also asking our readers to submit their questions, and will let YOU vote on the ones we should use!
+ Click here to submit your questions

I'm writing from the Republic of South Africa, where I've been speaking in conferences and other gatherings with church leaders from across many denominations. With the memories of apartheid still alive here, with a poverty rate of about 40 percent, with crime rates moving higher and higher - in part due to desperate immigrants from Zimbabwe - and with the continuing work of creating a successful multicultural democracy ongoing, several questions come to my mind for the three candidates. Here is how I would formulate them sitting in a home in downtown Johannesburg:

1. For Senator Clinton: If you are elected and serve two terms, it would mean that two families would share the presidency of the United States for 28 years. It's hard not to conclude that we are living in something more like an oligarchy or plutocracy than a democracy. Would you reflect on this problem so we can see how deeply you have thought about it, and would you propose what can be done about it?

2. For Senator Obama: I've heard critics express fear that you aren't tough enough or militaristic enough to be president in a world of terrorism and nuclear weapons. I would imagine that would prompt you to want to prove you are indeed capable of being tough and militaristic. But many of us are hoping for someone who will present another vision for the role of America in the world - something beyond the world's dominant military force, the world's police, or the world's imperial center. Not that America would be weak, but that we would be strong in new and different ways. Can you comment on your vision for the role of America in the world, and what you would do to pursue that role?

3. For John Edwards: When the subject of terrorism comes up, many Americans seem to think that terrorism can be stopped by guns and bombs. But others believe that wherever there is a large gap between rich and poor countries, terrorism (like high crime rates) will be likely, perhaps inevitable. If that is the case, creating a more equitable global economy becomes one of the most essential dimensions of reducing terrorism. Do you agree, and if so, what can America do to increase its security by helping poor nations improve their economic systems?

There are two additional questions I would want to ask all the candidates:

1. America seems to be caught in a cycle of fear. Politicians use fear to garner support and inhibit criticism. News media profit when people are afraid and watch TV news more often, raising ratings and advertising income. The arms industry profits when fears run high. Political parties compete for fear dominance over other parties. Cycles of fear are hard to break. How will your campaign and your presidency address this rise in the fear quotient?

2. The United States is not leading the world in addressing our unsustainable economy. We are the world's prime example of an unsustainable consumer society, and if our lifestyles were generalized to the whole human population, we would need many planet earths to sustain us. Should we be a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability? How would you lead in this regard? What would your priorities be in environmental renewal and sustainable living?


Brian McLaren (brianmclaren.net) is an author, speaker, Red Letter Christian, and serves as board chair for Sojourners/Call to Renewal. His next book, due out in October, will be called Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope.

Nancy Chan: Exiled Evangelicals Return to Campus

Nine months ago, shortly before the school year began, six evangelical Protestant groups were abruptly de-recognized by Georgetown University and were informed by the Office of Campus Ministry that they would "no longer be allowed to hold any activity or presence (i.e., bible studies, retreats with Georgetown students, mid-week worship services, fellowship events, move-in assistance, SAC Fair, etc.) on campus." They later backpedaled slightly, stating that students could continue to meet under the InterVarsity, Chi Alpha and other banners, but without official connection to the university. The reason given?

... ongoing difficulties in communication and cooperation with these outside organizations. The result has been fragmentation between student groups and the inability to gather our Protestant students on occasion for ecumenical worship and dialogue while acknowledging distinct theological differences.

According to staff and students of the affiliated ministries, the claims regarding lack of cooperation were simply untrue. In response to the flood of more than 400 letters, e-mails and petitions from concerned students, alumni, and parents in the fall, the university convened an advisory committee of Georgetown faculty, students, campus ministers, and off-campus ministry leaders to explore the matter. Finally, Georgetown announced last week that it would again recognize InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries and other external Protestant evangelical campus ministry groups, accepting the advisory committee's proposal to re-affiliate all of the ministries and to enhance communications and partnership between the various groups and the Office of Campus Ministry.

This resolution differs from a similar series of events earlier this year at Univeristy of Wisconsin-Superior because no lawsuit was filed against Georgetown. This sets a strong precedent for the use of dialogue instead of court action in settling such matters.

The re-affiliation of these evangelical ministries is also significant because it reaffirms the importance of making room around the table for all voices: If our academic institutions are in the business of teaching students how to think for themselves, then in the spirit of good scholarship, they should promote the free exchange of ideas and expose students to a wide range of viewpoints. As a private university, Georgetown may have the legal right to decide which students groups it will recognize, but along with other private universities, it needs to consider when exercising that right the university may undermine its own mission and values. Georgetown places a high value on interfaith dialogue, diversity, and pluralism - as seen by its support for Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim student groups. Under this framework, it is consistent and necessary to recognize the diversity of expression in the Protestant faith as well.

Reflecting on the situation at Georgetown, InterVarsity staff member Jennifer DeJong commented, "We have seen God answer prayer on many levels; while the advisory committee has been meeting to make the recommendations that would go through official channels, there have been many helpful conversations and steps taken toward reconciliation by students, staff, and chaplains. As staff, we have been encouraged by the many students who have approached these difficult conversations with integrity and grace. Please continue to pray as several of us participate on an 'organizing committee' this summer to work on the logistical aspects of the new plan for university affiliation."

Nancy Chan has served as a volunteer staff member with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Georgetown University since the winter of 2002. She is also a 2006 graduate of the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI), and was the cofounder of the GPPI Forum on Faith and Policy, a student group promoting dialogue on issues where faith and policy intersect. Find related articles here. Or, for more information, contact Gordon Govier.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on the religious right, youth voters, Benedict in Brazil, adoption, Afghanistan, Iraq, religious earmarks, Bush at St. Vincent, general speaks on Iraq, national guard, military recruiting, climate change, Republican presidential candidates, immigration, and select op-eds.
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Full news summary:

Bnedict in Brazil. The Pope Denounces Capitalism and Marxism - "In a major speech on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI condemned capitalism and Marxism as "systems that marginalize God" and urged the Latin American clergy to feed people's spiritual hunger as the way to ease poverty and halt the Roman Catholic Church's steady decline in the region." Pope ends Brazil trip with fierce speech - "Pope Benedict XVI ended his first pilgrimage to the Americas much as he began it: with a searing attack on diverse forces, from Marxism and capitalism to birth control, that he believes threaten society and the Roman Catholic faith."

Religious Right. Traditional values down, but not out - "The midterm elections that swept congressional Democrats into power sparked fresh obituaries for the religious right. Are the obituary writers correct? Is the traditional-values movement declining? … In a three-part series, The Washington Times looks at the future of the traditional-values movement, including the status of the abortion debate and the role of women."

Adoption. Christian groups launch adoption campaign - "Evangelical leader Rick Warren came to the heart of the religious right movement last week to criticize a narrow focus on abortion, homosexuality and pornography as un-Christian. Strikingly, top Christian conservatives agreed. During a three-day summit here, members of Focus on the Family and Campus Crusade for Christ joined Warren and dozens of other pastors from across the nation in a pledge to devote more of their resources and clout to helping children in need."

Afghanistan. Key Taliban Leader Is Killed in Afghanistan- "The man who probably was the Taliban's's foremost operational commander, Mullah Dadullah, was killed in a joint operation by Afghan security forces, American forces and NATO troops in Helmand Province," Taliban leader's death a big blow - "The killing of a major Taliban military commander over the weekend means three top leaders have been lost in the past six months, raising questions about whether the militants' long-promised spring offensive in Afghanistan will happen this year."

Iraq. U.S. Forces Search Iraq Area for 3 Missing Soldiers- "The intensive search coincided with two deadly car bombings in Baghdad and northern Iraq that killed at least 55 people, wounded 155 and further underscored the challenges facing the American and Iraqi security forces, which have been unable to thwart such attacks by the Sunni Arab-led insurgency despite the infusion of new American troops." Iraqi militants claim to hold U.S. soldiers - "A militant group tied to Al Qaeda claimed to be holding three American soldiers missing since an ambush that left four U.S. troops and an Iraqi interpreter dead."

Religious earmarks. Religious Groups Reap Share of U.S. Aid for Pet Projects- "Religious organizations have long competed for federal contracts to provide social services, and they have tried to influence Congress on matters of moral and social policy - indeed, most major denominations have a presence in Washington to monitor such legislation. But an analysis of federal records shows that some religious organizations are also hiring professional lobbyists to pursue the narrowly tailored individual appropriations known as earmarks."

Bush at St. Vincent. Visit by Bush Tests Beliefs and Hospitality of Students at a Catholic College - "these are far from ordinary times for President Bush. In yet another sign of the troubles he is facing, even in places where he once could have expected none, the news that he would give the commencement address at St. Vincent College here on Friday was not universally welcomed on the campus, which is about 35 miles east of Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County. Rather, it set off weeks of debate and protests as this tight Benedictine campus community grappled with faith and war and an unfamiliar level of polarization."

General speaks on Iraq. Army Career Behind Him, General Speaks Out on Iraq- "John Batiste has traveled a long way in the last four years, from commanding the First Infantry Division in Iraq to quitting the Army after three decades in uniform and, now, from his new life overseeing a steel factory here, to openly challenging President Bush on his management of the war."

National Guard. Governors say war has gutted Guard - "As wildfires, floods and tornadoes batter the nation, the readiness of the National Guard to deal with those disasters, as well as potential terrorist assaults, is so depleted by deployments to foreign wars and equipment shortfalls that Congress is considering moves to curtail the president's powers over the Guard and require the Defense Department to analyze how prepared the country is for domestic emergencies."

Military recruiting. Tougher sell for recruiters: Dad - "The percentage of fathers who said they would support military service for their son or daughter dropped from 77 percent in 2003 to 59 percent by last August, according to defense officials. Mothers' support also dropped, from 65 percent to 52 percent. Even grandparents, some of whom belong to the "greatest generation," showed slightly more reluctance to approve of a grandchild joining the military."

Youth voters. Youth voters a force in '08 race - "Young voters, who for decades played a marginal role in electoral politics, have emerged as a powerful new force in the 2008 elections and are poised to determine the next president as a result of an explosion in political activity among youth."

Climate change. Climate change to force mass migration - "A billion people - one in seven people on Earth today - could be forced to leave their homes over the next 50 years as the effects of climate change worsen an already serious migration crisis, a new report from Christian Aid predicts."

Republican presidential candidates. Christian conservatives pledge support for '08 Thompson bid - "Several leading Christian conservatives say they will rally to former Sen. Fred Thompson, who they expect to announce "in a matter of weeks" that he will seek the Republican nomination for president next year." Giuliani Takes On G.O.P. Orthodoxy on Social Issues - "Rudolph W. Giuliani directly challenged Republican orthodoxy on Friday, asserting that his support for abortion rights, gun control and gay rights should not disqualify him from winning the party's presidential nomination." Giuliani Tries to Clarify Abortion Stance - "Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani sought to quell a growing controversy over abortion that has disrupted his presidential campaign. Restating his support for abortion rights, he asked Republican voters to look beyond that issue to the totality of his platform and record."

Immigration. Senators plan weekend talks on immigration bill - "In a last-ditch attempt to avoid a bipartisan stalemate on immigration reform, senators plan to negotiate through the weekend to try to forge a long-elusive compromise."

Op-Ed. Thought vs. feeling in religion - (James Carroll, Boston Globe) - "RELIGION SERVES two functions. It explains the mysteries of life. It helps overcome life's difficulties. Preachers who have influence are like good teachers, in the first case, or like motivational speakers, in the second. The powers of intellect are in tension here with emotional fervor. As happiness itself depends on vital interaction between thought and feeling, good religion achieves a balance between these polarities. The conflict between them was on display when Pope Benedict XVI arrived last week in Brazil."

Voice of the Day: Henri J.M. Nouwen

In our chatty world, in which the word has lost its power to communicate, silence helps us to keep our mind and heart anchored in the future world and allows us to speak from there a creative and recreative word to the present world.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen
from The Way of the Heart

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Verse of the Day: Being 'Lawful'

One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?" Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."

- Luke 6:1-5

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Ryan Rodrick Beiler: The Mother's Day Manifesto

As we have in various ways over the years, it is incumbent upon us here at Sojourners/Call to Renewal to remind our readers of the history behind the Mother's Day holiday. For while honoring one's mother is important - see commandment #5 - like most holidays, Mother's Day has been distorted nearly beyond recognition by the greeting-card-candy-and-floral-industrial-complex.

For the record, Mother's Day was first declared in the U.S. in 1870 by pacifist Unitarian suffragist Julia Ward Howe. This was not a day originally intended for saccharine sentiment - it was proclaimed as a day for empowerment and activism!

Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation:

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise, all women who have breasts,
Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler is the Web Editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Chris LaTondresse: Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister

The resignation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair comes as no real surprise for those watching the soap opera of British politics over the past two years. Most thought it would come much sooner. This occasion provides an opportunity to assess his legacy over 20-plus years of public service, 10 of those as parliamentary leader.

Tony Blair leaves behind a reputation for aggressive political reform within the United Kingdom and effective statesmanship abroad - two lessons the United States could learn from the former superpower as we move ahead into the 21st century.

Domestically, Blair forcefully confronted the false choice between economic growth and compassionate governance by incentivizing corporate innovation in the social sector and demanding greater accountability from state-run public services.

In doing so, he offered a model for those looking to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors, promoting partnership rather than enmity - beginning with the moral questions of "What must be done?" and ending with the market questions of "How can we do it best?"

Acting with courage and ethical clarity in an era of staggering global poverty and vast economic inequality, Blair believed the ancient wisdom that "to whom much is given, much is required."

To this end, he fought to forgive outstanding loans to developing nations and increased his country's commitments to foreign aid - investments that provided millions with education, food relief, clean drinking water, and access to basic medical care.

Addressing the ever-present threat of international terrorism, Blair shrewdly recognized it for what it is: a symptomatic birth pang of globalization - the inevitable consequence of the three colliding forces of unprecedented individual empowerment, unprecedented financial growth, and unprecedented economic disparity.

As such, Blair led with the conviction that the Western world will never find true security until the rest of the world is given a chance to transcend their current circumstances. In other words, while hopelessness breeds resentment and violence, opportunity secures hope for the future.

While it's sad to see him go (and perhaps even sadder to see his legacy blemished by the unresolved conflict in Iraq), the gentleman he's selected to fill his shoes, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, brings an uncommon blend of conscience, talent, and experience to the table.

For the sake of a world where only rare politicians continue to lead with “. . . a curious mix of moral cause and strategic interest” - words spoken by the outgoing prime minister at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year - we hope Brown fills them well.

In the end, Tony Blair exits with an important admonition, benediction, and commission:

In 20 years, or sooner, there will be new powers, new constellations of authority, with strong intentions and powerful means of advancing them. What values will govern that new world? Will they be global values, commonly shared, or will the world revert to spheres of interest, to competing power-plays in which the lesser or struggling nations are the victims?

If the narrative we believe in - a world of tolerance, freedom, openness and justice for all - is to be credible, it has to be effective. The best answer to fear is always hope. But hope requires belief. And belief comes only from words turned into deeds. So take these issues: Africa, climate change, world trade.

Imagine over the coming months the world agrees and over the coming years, it acts. Think how attractive our story of the world's progress would be. Then think of failure and who will weep and who will rejoice. Think of all of this. Then let us agree.
Then let us act.

Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.

Chris LaTondresse is the special assistant to the CEO at Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Jim Wallis: Ask the Candidates

In the 2004 presidential campaign, solutions to the persistent poverty in our country and around the world were almost never discussed. But this year, we have a chance to change that. On Monday, June 4, the leading Democratic presidential contenders – Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama – will join us at Pentecost 2007: Taking the Vision to the Streets for the first-ever presidential candidates forum to focus exclusively on faith, values, and poverty.

I want your input about what questions we should ask the candidates. What concerns do you have about the future of our nation, and the least of these in our midst? How has poverty touched your family or your community? How will your faith impact how you vote in 2008?

This is our opportunity to raise these questions in the presidential campaign, first with Democratic candidates and later this year with the Republicans. We will issue a prophetic challenge to put poverty near the top of the political agenda, asking the candidates to present the nation with their plans for dramatic poverty reduction both at home and globally.

Before I decide how to vote in 2008, I want to know what the candidates plan to do for 13 million children living in poverty, 47 million Americans with no health insurance, and 3 billion people around the world who live on under $2 a day. Behind those numbers are human faces and moral tragedies – stories of working families desperately trying to make ends meet, immigrant families being torn apart, and children all over the world going to bed hungry.

I want presidential candidates to hear those stories and commit to making a difference in the lives of poor people in the United States and around the globe. And I want to know how they’re going to pay for it, given a ballooning military budget and a disastrous war in Iraq with no end in sight.If you have a question you’d like to ask the candidates, please click here to share it with us . We’ll be asking our online supporters to vote for their favorite questions before the forum, and asking the winning questions live at Pentecost 2007.

I’m looking forward to hearing your questions – and their answers.

Verse of the Day: One Thing Lacking

A certain ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.' " He replied, "I have kept all these since my youth." When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

- Luke 18:18-22

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Voice of the Day: Jesus and Children

Jesus chose to be around small children a number of times in his ministry, often over the objections of his disciples. Sometimes he seems to have done this in order to hold children up as examples of the childlike qualitites that enable God's Realm. But maybe, sometimes, he just wanted to hold them.

- Susan Ross
from Alive Now, July/August 1994

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Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

the latest reports on Iraq and Congress, Gordon Brown's PM bid, Blair's legacy, Iran, immigration, Darfur, Republican candidates, the World Bank, and select op-eds

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Full news summary:

Iraq-Congress. House Approves Revised War Bill - "The House pushed through its second plan to fund the Iraq war and reshape war policy, approving legislation that would provide partial funding for the conflict but hold back most of the money until President Bush reports on the war's progress in July." Senators push for war funding deal - "Seeking to end the partisan standoff over funding the war in Iraq, politically moderate senators from both parties pressed their efforts to find a compromise that could put new requirements on the Iraqi government without holding up money for U.S. troops." President Open to Benchmarks in Iraq Measure- "Hours before the House approved a plan to finance the Iraq war only through midsummer, President Bush offered his first public concession to try to resolve the impasse on war spending, acknowledging rising pressure from his own party and the public." Iraqi Lawmakers Back Bill on U.S. Withdrawal- "A majority of members of Iraq's parliament have signed a draft bill that would require a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Iraq and freeze current troop levels. The development was a sign of a growing division between Iraq's legislators and prime minister that mirrors the widening gulf between the Bush administration and its critics in Congress."

Iraq-unlikely dissent. Dissent in an unlikely place - "President Bush could hardly have picked a better private liberal arts college to find a welcoming audience for a commencement address than St. Vincent, a Catholic school run by a loyal former White House aide in a conservative region. Yet consider what has taken place here since Bush was invited for today's speech: Students vigorously debated the invitation at a town-hall meeting last month. A former St. Vincent College president wrote a scathing newspaper essay saying Bush had no place on the campus. About a quarter of the tenure-rank faculty wrote an open letter to Bush challenging the Iraq war as contrary to Roman Catholic doctrine."

Gordon Brown announces PM bid. Brown announces leadership bid - "Gordon Brown vowed that he would "listen" and "learn" today as he formally announced his candidacy to succeed Tony Blair." Brown launches UK leadership bid - "Gordon Brown has said he has the "new ideas and vision" to govern Britain as he launched his long-awaited Labour leadership campaign." Blair backs Brown as successor - "After years of obfuscation over who he would like to see replace him at No 10, the prime minister said he would be "absolutely delighted to give my full support to Gordon". Brown May Loosen U.K. Ties to Bush - "Brown, 56, has more knowledge and experience regarding the United States than perhaps any British leader in history, … But analysts here say the British public's toxic feelings toward Bush and the Iraq war -- and Blair's unyielding support for both -- mean that Prime Minister Brown will have to maintain a certain distance from the White House, at least until next year's presidential election."

Blair legacy. The Legacy: Tony Blair, Prime Minister, 1997-2007 - "Tony Blair has apologised for his mistakes and admitted that his legacy in the eyes of many people will be dominated by Iraq when he stands down as Prime Minister." Blair Ends a Decade of Stewardship- "He announced the end with much the same flourish as, 10 years ago, he initiated a decade in power that became known as his era. By turns pensive, boastful and humble, Tony Blair made a final pitch to his followers to accept that, whatever else, he did what he thought was right."

Immigration. Senate nears immigration overhaul - "With a deadline looming next week, senators locked in intense, secret negotiations over how to overhaul America's broken immigration system say they are closing in on a "grand bargain." Senate GOP sees compromise near on immigration bill - "Senate Republican leaders said they are close to hashing out a compromise with Democrats on a new immigration bill, saying that a deal was "within our grasp."

Darfur. Republicans in Congress Press Bush for Sanctions on Sudan - "In the latest attempt to exert pressure on Sudan over the killing in the Darfur region, a group of conservative to moderate Republicans in Congress demanded that President Bush impose sanctions against the government for its failure to rein in the violence." China appoints special envoy for Darfur - "China announced the appointment of a special envoy dedicated to the Darfur crisis yesterday as Beijing faces international pressure to do more to resolve the conflict and the possibility of an Olympic boycott if it fails to act."

Iran. Six nations agree to ask Iran to resume enrichment talks - "Senior diplomats representing the United Nations Security Counci l and Germany agreed yesterday to resume negotiations with Iran in a bid to persuade it to stop its uranium enrichment program. Nicholas Burns, the US undersecretary of state for political affairs, said Washington has agreed to suspend sanctions and is prepared to negotiate face to face with Iran for the first time in 28 years."

Republican candidates. Romney Works to Put Skeptics' Doubts to Rest - "In national polls, Mr. Romney is still sometimes in single digits. But his more immediate problem, given his need to do well among Republican primary voters in the first contests early next year, may be the continued concerns of many conservative Christians about his religion - some evangelicals view Mormonism as something akin to a cult - and his relatively recent shift from supporter of abortion rights to opponent." Political Memo: Can the G.O.P. Accept Giuliani's Abortion Stance? - "with Rudolph W. Giuliani one of the front-runners for the Republican nomination, the question inevitably arises: … Can a supporter of abortion rights, even one with caveats and qualifications, make it to the top of the Republican Party in 2008?"

World Bank. Europeans Press Wolfowitz to Quit as Bank Chief - "European leaders have told the Bush administration that Paul D. Wolfowitz must resign as president of the World Bank in order to avoid a vote next week by the bank's board declaring that he no longer has its confidence to function as the bank's leader," Europe calls for Wolfowitz to go - "But his case seemed increasingly like a lost cause amid indications of mounting European pressure, particularly from Germany, that Mr Wolfowitz, formerly the number two at the Pentagon during the Iraq war, should quit now."

Op-Eds.
A Legacy Overshadowed (E. J. Dionne Jr, Washington Post) British Prime Minister Tony Blair's announcement that he's stepping down won't quell the anger felt among so much of the antiwar left. But my own reaction is a deep sadness that he tarnished a formidable legacy.

Giuliani's Abortion 'Gaffe' (Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post) Instead of discussing what a decent society owes women and what it owes soon-to-be-born infants, and trying to balance the two by politically hammering out regulations that a broad national consensus can support, we debate the constitutional niceties of a 35-year-old, appallingly crafted Supreme Court decision.

Jim Rice: Justice Delayed

The New York Times reported today that an indictment was issued on Wednesday in a 40-year-old murder case that helped inspire the Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965. Jimmy Lee Jackson was killed by Alabama state troopers, and retired trooper James Fowler has long admitted that he was the triggerman, although he claims it was in self-defense.

Sojourners magazine reported the story of Jackson's murder in John Fleming's article "Who Killed Jimmy Lee Jackson?" in its April 2005 issue. Fowler, who is likely the person indicted by the Alabama grand jury, told Fleming, "I don’t remember how many times I pulled the trigger, but I think I just pulled it once. But I might have pulled it three times. I didn’t know his name at the time, but his name was Jimmy Lee Jackson."

Fowler told Sojourners in 2005 that he wasn't afraid of being indicted. "I don’t think legally I could get convicted for murder now no matter how much politics they got ’cause after 40 years they ain’t no telling how many people is dead." Jackson's cousin, Carlton Hogue, responded at the time that "There ain’t no statute of limitations on murder." He said, "That man needs to be prosecuted...."

It looks like it's finally about to happen.

Jim Rice is editor of Sojourners magazine.

Jim Wallis: Jesus and Lou Dobbs, Round Two

At our press conference on Monday announcing the formation of Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, I remarked, "If given the choice on this issue between Jesus and Lou Dobbs, I choose my lord and savior, Jesus Christ."

As you might imagine, Lou didn’t like that very much. In his column on CNN.com, "A call to the faithful," rather than addressing the need for reforming a broken immigration system, he accuses us of being "hell-bent on ignoring the separation of church and state" as we "conflate religion and politics" by our "political adventurism." Then he suggests:

... before the faithful acquiesce in the false choice offered by the good Reverend, perhaps he and his followers should consult Romans 13 where it is written: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

I don’t think Lou read our statement, where we clearly said:

We believe in the rule of law, but we also believe that we are to oppose unjust laws and systems that harm and oppress people made in God's image, especially the vulnerable (Isaiah 10:1-4, Jeremiah 7:1-7, Acts 5:29, Romans 13:1-7).

The current U.S. immigration system is broken and now is the time for a fair and compassionate solution. We think it is entirely possible to protect our borders while establishing a viable, humane, and realistic immigration system ...

Dobbs doesn’t understand that compassion is not amnesty, and that reforming an unworkable system is not simply flinging open our borders. But then, he long ago stopped being a journalist, and is now one of the leading advocates against comprehensive immigration reform.

He also doesn’t seem to understand that most people now believe that bringing our faith into public life is not undermining the separation of church and state. As I’ve said many times, where would America be if Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had kept his faith to himself? And on this issue, given a choice between Jesus and Lou Dobbs, I’ll still choose Jesus.

Hyepin Im: VA Tech and the Model Minority Myth

Virginia Tech ... although most of the nation has moved on to other headlines, Virginia Tech has not faded from my memory. As each day passes, I can’t help but feel the same mixed emotions I had during the 1992 L.A. Riots: anger, bafflement, and sadness. In both cases, the media played with the lives, fortunes, and futures of Korean Americans, portraying them as foreigners who did not belong in the U.S.

Like Seung-Hui, I came to the U.S. at an early age and consider the U.S. my home. I doubt that I would survive if I was dropped off in South Korea. Consequently, I was quite disturbed - and even angry at times - to see the media distort Seung-Hui Cho’s name and identify him as a foreign alien. I am even more baffled by the fact that even after over 150 years of history and contribution to this country, Asian Americans can still be mistreated as foreigners by today’s media. As I braced myself with other Korean and Asian Americans for the potential backlash from the Virginia Tech massacre, the whole ordeal saddened me deeply. Because of our country’s racism and ignorance, minority communities are forced to deal with the tragic action of one person.

There is no denying Seung-Hui Cho was one sick individual whose wild rampage was senseless and tragic. At the same time, I can’t help but mourn and wonder whether or not this tragedy could have been averted if Seung-Hui had early intervention. For too long, Asian American communities have been ignored or left out of policy, program, and funding decisions under the justification of being "model minorities." Only recently, studies are acknowledging that monolingual Asians and their families are underserved in this country. Such short-sighted decisions are costing many innocent lives, and taking a huge toll on the community and the country. For example, juvenile delinquency for Asian Americans has increased while it has decreased for other groups in the last 20 years. Asian Americans suffer from high suicide, depression, and domestic violence rates.

Last year, the Korean American community and its family challenges received some attention by mainstream media, including the LA Times and The Washington Post, when three Korean American men committed family murder suicides, killing their spouses, their children, and themselves, all during a one-week period. In all three cases, there were serious business, financial, and marriage problems, even though they had projected the appearance of wealth, good education, and the typical model minority image. Although these stories are just the tip of the iceberg, the tragedies and problems that exist in the Asian American community are often ignored or simply not covered. Just two weeks ago, a Korean woman killed her husband and then herself. This week, a Korean American man confessed to killing both his wife and mother in law.

The need for accessible, comprehensive, and culturally and linguistically sensitive services is great - yet adequate resources are still not allocated for the Asian American community. How many Seung-Hui Chos does this country need to see before policy makers, government officials, and others starting paying some serious attention to the Asian American community? How many more innocent lives will be lost before there is serious action?

Virginia Tech is a wake up call to the nation. Asian Americans are no different than any other American in that we all want to be part of the American dream. When any segment of society is left out and left without hope, the rest of our society bears the consequences.


Hyepin Im is the the Founder and President of Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD).

Wes Granberg-Michaelson: Four Lessons from Vietnam

The showdown between Congress and the president this month around the funding for the Iraq war isn’t the first of its kind. We’ve been here before, and we need not walk blindly down rhetorical dead ends.

In 1970, well into the Vietnam War, Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, a Republican, and Sen. George McGovern, a Democrat, introduced legislation to cut off funding by a certain date in the future for U.S. combat operations in Vietnam. The invasion of Cambodia, and the widespread anti-war demonstrations that followed throughout the country, focused political attention on the McGovern-Hatfield legislation as a means to reverse President Nixon’s Vietnam policies. A mobilization of public opinion, with TV and radio ads and a focused lobbying campaign, backed this effort.

What lessons can be learned to inform our present debate?

1) Opposition must be genuinely bi-partisan. Republican senators such as Charles Goodell, Charles “Mac” Mathias, and others joined Hatfield. And powerful Democratic senators such as John Stennis and Henry Jackson were ardent supporters of President Nixon’s policies. This meant debate on the war policy did not immediately degenerate into predictable partisan rhetoric. That allowed for more focus and examination of actual policy alternatives. Judgments on war policy had more of a chance to transcend partisan allegiance than they do today. Opposition to President Bush’s Iraq policy, as well as support, has to become more principled than a simple litmus test of loyalty to either party.

2) It’s not about supporting our troops. The McGovern-Hatfield proposal established a date in the future – from nine months to a year in various versions – when congressional appropriations for U.S. combat troops in Vietnam would cease. In the meantime, it specified that all necessary support and funding for the troops be provided. No policymaker would ever propose that we stop buying bullets for soldiers that are deployed.

Today’s Iraq debate seems framed by arguments over who can best support our troops. The president and vice-president maintain that we must continue the war in order to support our troops. But that is a non-sensible rationale for a war policy. Democrats argue that we best support our troops by bringing them home. Likewise, that’s no foundation for reversing a war policy, only a consequence.

Supporting the troops is not the issue. That’s a given. The question is whether our Iraq policy is right or wrong.

President Nixon tried hard to frame those such as McGovern and Hatfield as not backing our soldiers in the field. He even argued that we must continue the Vietnam War in order to get our prisoners of war returned – as if that would not be a part of a negotiated end to the war. That’s why the protest of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, where John Kerry entered the public spotlight, was the most threatening of any opposition to Nixon’s policies. Hippies could be dismissed, but not uniformed veterans.

3) It is about the money. Sen. Hatfield’s opening arguments on the Senate floor (this was at a time when speeches in the Senate actually seemed to matter), when he and George McGovern introduced their proposal, centered on Congress’ constitutional power of the purse regarding war. A long list of distinguished constitutional scholars agreed. Those arguments are being recycled today.

The president is right to say that Congress shouldn’t “micro-manage” the strategy and tactics of war. But that’s a clever rhetorical phrase that is largely meaningless. Congress does have the clear right to establish whether and when its support of a war, through its appropriations, will come to an end. Then it is up to the president and his military commanders to manage and implement that goal.

Oth er means of congressional opposition are largely empty rhetoric. Granted, the power of the purse is a blunt instrument for policymaking regarding war. But it is the constitutional avenue clearly provided, through which elected representatives can balance the power of the executive with the will of the people. Members of Congress who are convinced our Iraq war policy is wrong should not pay for it after an agreed and reasonable date. Those who believe it is right should write a blank check.

4) Political pressure eventually works. The McGovern-Hatfield amendment never passed the Senate. It first received 39 votes, then 42, and then, under the less politically volatile name of Sen. Lawton Chiles, 49 votes. Had McGovern-Hatfield passed and been adopted by the House, President Nixon would have vetoed it.

But all these congressional actions created a political environment that limited Nixon’s options. He began withdrawing troops and finally negotiated an end to the war. Despite their dire predictions of outcomes, today U.S. companies are racing to catch up with other corporations heavily investing in Vietnam’s economy.

In retrospect, we see now that successful congressional action could have ended the Vietnam War sooner, saving thousands of lives and achieving the same outcome. U.S. troops will be withdrawn, at some date, from Iraq. The question is when, and how. Congress can and should use its constitutional power to influence that outcome.

Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson served as legislative assistant to Sen. Mark O. Hatfield from 1968 to 1976 and was his chief legislative strategist on Vietnam. Today he serves as general secretary of the Reformed Church in America.

Verse of the Day: Deliverance and Blessing

When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved; because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

- Job 29:11-13

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Voice of the Day: Howard Thurman

All travelers, somewhere along the way, find it necessary to check their course, to see how they are doing. We wait until we are sick, or shocked into stillness, before we do the commonplace thing of getting our bearings. And yet, we wonder why we are depressed, why we are unhappy, why we lose our friends, why we are ill-tempered. This condition we pass on to our children, our husbands, our wives, our associates, our friends. Cultivate the mood to linger. ... Who knows? God may whisper to you in the quietness what [God] has been trying to say to you, oh, for so long a time.

- Howard Thurman
Deep Is the Hunger

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Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Blair stepping down, Darfur, immigration, Iraq-Republicans warn Bush, Iraq-military, Afghan civilians, abortion-giuliani, abortion-Benedict XVI, education, Iran, G-8, internet and politics, and select commentaries.

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Blair steps down. Blair will stand down on 27 June - "Tony Blair has announced he will stand down as prime minister on 27 June. He made the announcement in a speech to party activists in his Sedgefield constituency," Britain's Blair to Step Down on June 27 - "Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of Britain's most influential and long-serving leaders in a century, announced that he will step down on June 27, leaving behind a legacy of economic and political achievement mixed with deep public anger over his partnership with President Bush in the Iraq War." For Blair, a Legacy Overshadowed by Iraq War - "While he led his Labor Party to three national election victories, resuscitated the British economy and helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Sierra Leone, many analysts here agree that the charismatic prime minister will be remembered mainly for his shoulder-to-shoulder stand with Bush on Iraq." Scot With Baggage Readies for Leader's Role - "Britons seem set to trade the Great Communicator for the Great Puzzle - Mr. Blair's likely successor, James Gordon Brown."

Iraq-Republicans warn Bush. G.O.P. Moderates Warn Bush Iraq Must Show Gains- "Moderate Republicans gave President Bush a blunt warning on his Iraq policy at a private White House meeting this week, telling the president that conditions needed to improve markedly by fall or more Republicans would desert him on the war." Bush Told War Is Harming The GOP - "House Republican moderates, in a remarkably blunt White House meeting, warned President Bush this week that his pursuit of the war in Iraq is risking the future of the Republican Party and that he cannot count on GOP support for many more months." GOP pressures Bush on war - "A group of congressional Republicans warned President Bush in person this week that their support for the Iraq war could evaporate if conditions don't improve there by September."

Iraq-military. Gates sees a fall scenario for fewer troops - "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that if the current U.S. military strategy showed signs of success by autumn, the Pentagon may be able to reduce the number of U.S. forces in Iraq." Ex-generals fault GOP lawmakers - "Three retired generals challenged a dozen members of Congress in a new ad campaign, saying the politicians can't expect to win reelection if they support President Bush's policies in Iraq."

Afghan civilians. Afghans Say U.S. Airstrikes Killed 21 Civilians- "Afghan officials said that airstrikes called in by American Special Forces against Taliban fighters in Helmand Province had killed 21 civilians, the latest in a series of claims of noncombatant casualties that have strained relations with the Afghan government." Afghans report civilian toll in airstrikes - "Wednesday's report of civilian casualties came one day after the U.S. military apologized and paid compensation to the families of 19 people killed and 50 wounded in March by Marine Special Forces in eastern Afghanistan."

Immigration. Reid Forces New Senate Debate on Immigration - "With bipartisan talks on immigration near a standstill, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) moved yesterday to bring last year's broad overhaul of immigration laws back to the floor of the Senate next week," Immigration deal likely in jeopardy - "Participants on all sides of the immigration battle for months have been carefully watching negotiations among a small group of senators who are struggling to put together a "grand bargain" that would have an outside chance of attracting enough support from conservatives and liberals to squeeze through Congress." Immigration deal called 'sellout' - "Immigrant-advocacy groups yesterday said Senate Democrats are selling out their principles on families and workers' rights if they agree with Republicans and President Bush on a compromise immigration bill." Churches offer sanctuary to illegal aliens - "Churches in five large U.S. cities plan to protect illegal aliens from deportation, offering sanctuary if need be, as they pressure lawmakers to create a path to citizenship for the nation's estimated 12 million to 20 million illegals."

Abortion-Giuliani. Giuliani to Support Abortion Rights- "After months of conflicting signals on abortion, Rudolph W. Giuliani is planning to offer a forthright affirmation of his support for abortion rights in public forums, television appearances and interviews in the coming days, despite the potential for bad consequences among some conservative voters already wary of his views,"

Abortion-Benedict XVI. Pope Opens Trip With Remarks Against Abortion - "Benedict XVI arrived in Brazil, starting his first papal trip to Latin America with strong words against abortion, and roiling a Catholic continent increasingly divided by the issue." Pope speaks strongly against legalizing abortion - "Launching his first papal pilgrimage to the Americas, Pope Benedict XVI issued a strong condemnation of abortion and immediately touched off a firestorm by suggesting Catholic politicians who legalize it have excommunicated themselves from the church."

Education. New Figures Show High Dropout Rate - "The statistics paint a dire portrait: Seventy percent of students nationwide earned diplomas in four years as of 2003, the latest data available nationally, a much lower rate than that reported by the vast majority of school systems."

Darfur. China defends Darfur stance against Olympic warning - "China defended its support for Sudan amid threats of an Olympic backlash unless Beijing makes greater use of its influence to stop the slaughter in Darfur. In a sign that it may be yielding to a growing chorus of international pressure, however, the Chinese foreign ministry announced the appointment of a new special representative to Africa." The Genocide Games (Nat Hentoff, Village Voice) - "China's only acute vulnerability - as it becomes the most powerful nation in the world economically and politically - is the tarnishing of its coming glorification as the host of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing."

Iran. Moderate's re-election a warning for Ahmadinejad - "The mayor of Tehran has been re-elected in a vote seen as a victory for moderate conservatives in Iran and a sign of waning support for the country's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad." Hard-liners are defied in Tehran vote - "The mayor is a conservative who backs the Islamic government, but also a pragmatist who has stressed efficiency over hard-line ideology in running Tehran."

G-8. Germany Conducts Raids Ahead of G-8 Summit - "Four weeks before leaders of the world's big industrial nations are to gather at a Baltic Sea resort in northern Germany, the police conducted sweeping raids on Wednesday on the offices and homes of left-wing campaigners whom they suspected of planning to disrupt the meeting."

Internet and politics. Internet and politics an uneasy fit - "Candidates want to tap into the uncontrollable citizen power of the Internet, but they also want to control their message. In a growing number of cases, camp aigns are finding these efforts impossible to reconcile."

Commentary. A 'Plan B' with teeth for Darfur (John Prendergast, ENOUGH Campaign,Boston Globe) - "Plan B" is not yet strong enough and must be buttressed in specific ways. If it is transformed into a real set of multilateral punitive measures with teeth, the administration has an opportunity to lead in bringing the horrors in Darfur to an end."

'Temporary is temporary' won't work for all immigrants (Tamar Jacoby, Manhattan Institute, Los Angeles Times) - "Illegal immigrants are merely a symptom. The real problem is the law that ignores the truth about our economic needs. And the critical question is whether Congress can own up to the reality of those needs and the real behavior of the foreign workers who come to meet them."

Jim Wallis: Sam Brownback Says 'The Poor Will Save Our Souls'

Sen. Sam Brownback and I don't see eye-to-eye on every issue or policy, but he's been a faithful ally in our efforts to forge a grand alliance of conservatives and liberals to fight poverty - something he and I agree this country needs. He was also part of our Pentecost conference last year. He just did an interview with Beliefnet's David Kuo, in which he made some of his clearest statements ever on the issue. You can watch the video or read the transcript here, but here are a few good quotes:

I would agree wholeheartedly that we're not doing everything that we can or should for the poor, and that hurts us. The poor will save our souls. It's the story of Lazarus and the rich man. I mean, and that story haunts me because it's a story about us today. You know, Lazarus is a poor man laid at the rich man's doorstep and even has sores that dogs lick. ... Lazarus goes to the bosom of Abraham, and the rich man goes to hell. And he says, "Lazarus, help me out." Well, I can't. And I just look at that, and I just go, if we just engage the poor, they'll save our souls. And that's what I look at when I see - and go into Africa or poverty situations here, or even in prisons, and you actually talk with people.

On the relationship between faith and politics:

I do believe in the separation of church and state. But I don't think separation of church and state means you have to be free from your faith. My faith informs everything I think and do. It's part of my value system. And to suggest that I can somehow separate and divorce that from the rest of me is not possible. I would not, under any circumstances, try to impose my personal faith and belief on the rest of the country. I don't think that's right. I don't think that's appropriate. But freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion. And I think that anything we can do to promote the idea that people should express their faith is a good thing.

It's also interesting that he's talking about the need for revival. I'm believing more and more that politics alone cannot overcome poverty and our other great social problems. I don't think it's a choice between a political and spiritual solution, and it looks like Brownback and I share some similar hopes for revival. Even if we don't agree on every detail about exactly how such a movement of the spirit will inform our policies, we do agree on the historical imperative:

You've got the lowest level of family formation ever, in terms of marriages. You still have seriously high divorce rates. There are more people in prison per capita than in any other country in the world. Is there a historical precedent for turning this around with anything other than mass revival - in other words, through a religious conversion as opposed to something political?

I've asked that very question of historians, and they haven't been able to cite one to me. I think those two move together. When you look at - I think one of the more recent examples that is somewhat close to it would be pre-Victorian England in the late 1700's, early 1800's, and you had the Wesley brothers that came forward with Methodism. And then, you had the political movement that moved on top of it ... and the end of the slave trade took place. But, you had a culture then that was starting to deteriorate, and then was revived. And then, that revived culture then took on big topics like the slave trade.

Perhaps most refreshing in a politician is this level of humility:

I still have a lot of judgmentalism in me, where I'd see somebody and I just would, you know, I disagree with this person, and you kind of automatically cast them away. And even though you don't do anything physic ally, you don't say anything, but people get a real sense of your heart. And I think that's probably the place that [God would] be most displeased.

I recommend reading or watching the entire interview as an important part of the ongoing discussion of faith and politics that we're always glad is taking place.

Audio: Dolores Huerta on Justice for Immigrants

At age 75, Dolores Huerta—the mother of the United Farm Workers movement—serves as president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which educates on public policy issues affecting immigrants, women, and youth. As an advocate for immigrant workers rights, Dolores has been arrested 22 times for non-violent peaceful union activities. In 1998, Dolores received the United States Presidential Eleanor D. Roosevelt Human Rights Award from President Clinton. On May 3, 2007, she addressed 2,500 women at the New York Women’s Foundation on the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

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Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Iraq-Congress, Pope in Brazil, New Sanctuary Movement, Iraq-Military, Iraq-Christians, national guard, terror plot, immigration legislation, Giuliani-abortion, fuel deficiency, Iran, AIDS drugs, Herod's tomb, and select op-eds.

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Full news summary:

Immigration. New Coalition of Christians Seeks Changes at Borders- "A new coalition of more than 100 largely evangelical Christian leaders and organizations asked Congress on Monday to pass bills to strengthen border controls but also give illegal immigrants ways to gain legal residency." Christians eye immigration reform - "A new Christian group touting liberal immigration reform has begun an extensive nationwide advertising campaign, days before Capitol Hill lawmakers are expected to begin debate on proposed changes to U.S. immigration laws."

LAPD chief reassigns two officials over park violence - "Two high-ranking Los Angeles Police Department commanders were reassigned Monday for their role in overseeing the violent police response to last week's MacArthur Park immigration rally." Los Angeles Punishes Police Official Over Clash at Demonstration - "The city's mayor and its police chief said Monday that one of the highest-ranking officials in the Police Department would be demoted and transferred in the wake of a violent confrontation between officers and demonstrators at an immigration rally last week."

Iraq-Congress. House Democrats May Seek Short-Term Financing of War- "House Democrats may push ahead this week with a new war spending bill that would provide money for combat operations through midsummer, with the rest of the funds sought by President Bush withheld until commanders in Iraq provide a report on conditions there." September Could Be Key Deadline in War - "Congressional leaders from both political parties are givingPresident Bush a matter of months to prove that theIraq war effort has turned a corner, with September looking increasingly like a decisive deadline."

Turkey-Kurds. Turkish-Kurdish Dispute Tests U.S. Strategic Alliances - "While President Bush's new strategy in Iraq focuses on stopping the violence in Baghdad, trouble threatens to boil over in Iraq's Kurdish region to the north, which the administration frequently holds up as an island of stability and a model for the future."

Nuclear terrorism. U.S. Debates Deterrence for Nuclear Terrorism - "Every week, a group of experts from agencies around the government - inclu ding the C.I.A., the Pentagon, the F.B.I. and the Energy Department - meet to assess Washington's progress toward solving a grim problem: if a terrorist set off a nuclear bomb in an American city, could the United States determine who detonated it and who provided the nuclear material?"

Civil rights. 50 Years Later, Little Rock Can't Escape Race- "Fifty years after the epic desegregation struggle at Central High School, the school district here is still riven by racial conflict, casting a pall on this year's ambitious commemorative efforts."

World Bank. Pressure increases on Wolfowitz - "Paul Wolfowitz's tenure as president of the World Bank is rapidly ticking away, after he was found to have broken bank rules and one of his closest advisors suddenly announced his resignation." Deal Is Offered for Chief's Exit at World Bank- "Leading governments of Europe, mounting a new campaign to push Paul D. Wolfowitz from his job as World Bank president, signaled Monday that they were willing to let the United States choose the bank's next chief, but only if Mr. Wolfowitz stepped down soon, European officials said."

Darfur. China, Russia deny Darfur arms claim - "China and Russia have denied claims by Amnesty International that they are supplying arms to Sudan for use in Darfur, in breach of a UN arms embargo." Egypt leery of pressing Sudan to end Darfur fighting - "Western countries looking for ways to pressure Sudan to curb violence in Darfur are getting little support from the Khartoum regime's Arab neighbors."

Child mortality. Report on Child Deaths Finds Some Hope in Poorest Nations - "The rate at which young children perish has worsened most disastrously over the past 15 years in Iraq, hard hit by both sanctions and war, and in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, devastated by AIDS, according to a report released yesterday by Save the Children. But researchers also found against-the-odds progress in some of the world's poorest nations." Infant mortality in Iraq soars as young pay the price for war - "Two wars and a decade of sanctions have led to a huge rise in the mortality rate among young children in Iraq, leaving statistics that were once the envy of the Arab world now comparable with those of sub-Saharan Africa."

Trade. For Democrats, New Challenge in Age-Old Rift- "Defining the rules of engagement in a fiercely competitive global marketplace, trade policy cuts to the heart of the Democrats' identity, how they view their party's past and envision its future. It can divide them along regional and economic lines."

Verse of the Day: Be Kind to the Poor

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.

- Proverbs 19:17

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Voice of the Day: Morton T. Kelsey

Silence, for many people, allows the soul to grow and develop in its spiritual dimension. In fact, the more one finds the reality of silence, the more significant it becomes. While this in itself is a danger, the same is true of anything else we touch which has such real value.

--Morton T. Kelsey
from The Other Side of Silence

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Video: Jim Wallis on Jesus and Lou Dobbs

At a press conference announcing Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Jim talked about "welcoming the stranger" and "the least of these." Watch it:



See Jim and others respond to questions about the breadth of the campaign here. You can watch the entire press conference at Faith in Public Life. Jim's remarks weren't lost on Lou Dobbs, who aired this segment:

Jess Hunter-Bowman: Colombia's Martyrs

Too often, those of us immersed in Colombia get lost in the sheer magnitude of the horrors of the five-decade-old armed conflict: over 31,000 civilians murdered in just the last 10 years; almost 3 million people driven out of their homes since 1985; more than 1,350 massacres perpetrated between 1994 and 2004; at least 134 Protestant church leaders killed in the past four years; an archbishop, a bishop, 32 priests and dozens of nuns murdered since 1987; three presidential candidates murdered in the 1990 campaign; a whole political party—the Patriotic Union, with over 3,000 members—exterminated; and on and on…

Swimming in this sea of death and destruction, we rarely stop to mourn individual losses. We focus on the forest instead of the trees. Why is there no Colombian Oscar Romero or Martin Luther King Jr.? Some would say it is unfair to hold one life up as more significant than the rest. Yet martyrs, as representatives of a people’s suffering, are powerful reminders of the human cost of violence.

While many should be remembered for their sacrifice for justice and peace, this May we will commemorate two in particular.

In the wee hours of Monday morning, May 19, 1997, paramilitary gunmen stormed the home of Mario Calderon and Elsa Alvarado. Mario – a former Jesuit priest who had dedicated his life to working for the poor, human rights, and environmental protection – and Elsa – a human rights worker who founded the Cien Dias human rights magazine – were both human rights defenders at the Jesuit organization CINEP.

Elsa and Mario were shot 40 times each. Elsa’s father, Carlos, was also killed, and her mother, Elvira, was wounded. Mario and Elsa are “martyr(s) for social justice who tried to build a country based on human rights for all, rather than based on the privileges of a few,” said Father Alejandro Angulo S.J., director of CINEP.

On May 18, thousands will gather in Bogotá’s central plaza to commemorate the lives of Elsa and Mario. The plaza will be full of photos of the thousands who have died in the conflict, and while they will be remembered, we will focus on two trees within the forest of memories.

People of faith throughout the United States and Canada are invited to join in this commemoration of the lives of Elsa and Mario and all Colombians who have given their lives for justice and peace in Colombia. Join us for the second annual Days of Prayer and Action for Peace in Colombia on May 20-21. Find out how here.

Jess Hunter-Bowman is the Andean Regional Director for Witness for Peace.

Bruce Whitfield: Oppose All ‘War-Mongering’

I have often felt that the U.S. has been duped into making Muslims the enemy du jour. It’s clear that the business with the Shah of Iran effected a major change in U.S.-Muslim relations. Before that they were our fierce allies; we even gave weapons and training to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Then suddenly we were bitter enemies.

But I have to ask a serious question: All the antiwar advocacy I see seems to be only directed against the current war in Iraq. Why isn’t there advocacy against U.S. war-mongering in its entirety?

Let me be clear. I am not defending Republican war-mongering; I am attacking both Republican and Democratic war-mongering. I do not see any difference between what Bush is doing in Iraq/Afghanistan and what Clinton did in Bosnia/Herzegovina. We still have a military presence in Bosnia/Herzegovina and our presence there has accomplished nothing but the peace of the gun. Or what about Reagan’s efforts in Nicaragua, or Carter’s efforts with the Shah and Iran/Iraq? Or countless others?

Since most of the advocacy seems to originate with one of the parties, it always seems to only address what the opponent party is doing wrong. It never seems to address the root cause - that the U.S. thinks military action is the solution to all the world’s troubles. There’s money in war and we profit mightily from it (or at least some U.S. businesses do). From selling tanks in World War II to being the world’s largest and most stable offshore bank, the U.S. makes big money from military action.

Until the corporations that profit from our wars are called to account for it, it won’t stop. Only the places we invade will change. If the Republicans really hated what Clinton did in Bosnia/Herzegovina, as they loudly proclaimed, why didn’t they pull the troops out of there when Bush came into office? It's the same reason the Democrats will make hay with the Iraq war, but will never completely remove the U.S. military from Iraq now that we are entrenched there. Do we ever leave any place we get a military foothold?

One of the major reasons I have chosen to work abroad is because I want to be a part of finding peaceful solutions to the problems of poor nations in the hopes that the U.S. won’t someday have to invade them.

Bruce Whitfield is a retired attorney currently living and doing volunteer work in Costa Rica.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on World Bank, Darfur, Turkey-Kurds, Immigration, Iraq-Congress, nuclear terrorism, civil rights, child mortality, and trade.

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Full news summary:

Immigration. New Coalition of Christians Seeks Changes at Borders- "A new coalition of more than 100 largely evangelical Christian leaders and organizations asked Congress on Monday to pass bills to strengthen border controls but also give illegal immigrants ways to gain legal residency." Christians eye immigration reform - "A new Christian group touting liberal immigration reform has begun an extensive nationwide advertising campaign, days before Capitol Hill lawmakers are expected to begin debate on proposed changes to U.S. immigration laws."

LAPD chief reassigns two officials over park violence - "Two high-ranking Los Angeles Police Department commanders were reassigned Monday for their role in overseeing the violent police response to last week's MacArthur Park immigration rally." Los Angeles Punishes Police Official Over Clash at Demonstration - "The city's mayor and its police chief said Monday that one of the highest-ranking officials in the Police Department would be demoted and transferred in the wake of a violent confrontation between officers and demonstrators at an immigration rally last week."

Iraq-Congress. House Democrats May Seek Short-Term Financing of War- "House Democrats may push ahead this week with a new war spending bill that would provide money for combat operations through midsummer, with the rest of the funds sought by President Bush withheld until commanders in Iraq provide a report on conditions there." September Could Be Key Deadline in War - "Congressional leaders from both political parties are givingPresident Bush a matter of months to prove that theIraq war effort has turned a corner, with September looking increasingly like a decisive deadline."

Turkey-Kurds. Turkish-Kurdish Dispute Tests U.S. Strategic Alliances - "While President Bush's new strategy in Iraq focuses on stopping the violence in Baghdad, trouble threatens to boil over in Iraq's Kurdish region to the north, which the administration frequently holds up as an island of stability and a model for the future."

Nuclear terrorism. U.S. Debates Deterrence for Nuclear Terrorism - "Every week, a group of experts from agencies around the government - including the C.I.A., the Pentagon, the F.B.I. and the Energy Department - meet to assess Washington's progres s toward solving a grim problem: if a terrorist set off a nuclear bomb in an American city, could the United States determine who detonated it and who provided the nuclear material?"

Civil rights. 50 Years Later, Little Rock Can't Escape Race- "Fifty years after the epic desegregation struggle at Central High School, the school district here is still riven by racial conflict, casting a pall on this year's ambitious commemorative efforts."

World Bank. Pressure increases on Wolfowitz - "Paul Wolfowitz's tenure as president of the World Bank is rapidly ticking away, after he was found to have broken bank rules and one of his closest advisors suddenly announced his resignation." Deal Is Offered for Chief's Exit at World Bank- "Leading governments of Europe, mounting a new campaign to push Paul D. Wolfowitz from his job as World Bank president, signaled Monday that they were willing to let the United States choose the bank's next chief, but only if Mr. Wolfowitz stepped down soon, European officials said."

Darfur. China, Russia deny Darfur arms claim - "China and Russia have denied claims by Amnesty International that they are supplying arms to Sudan for use in Darfur, in breach of a UN arms embargo." Egypt leery of pressing Sudan to end Darfur fighting - "Western countries looking for ways to pressure Sudan to curb violence in Darfur are getting little support from the Khartoum regime's Arab neighbors."

Child mortality. Report on Child Deaths Finds Some Hope in Poorest Nations - "The rate at which young children perish has worsened most disastrously over the past 15 years in Iraq, hard hit by both sanctions and war, and in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, devastated by AIDS, according to a report released yesterday by Save the Children. But researchers also found against-the-odds progress in some of the world's poorest nations." Infant mortality in Iraq soars as young pay the price for war - "Two wars and a decade of sanctions have led to a huge rise in the mortality rate among young children in Iraq, leaving statistics that were once the envy of the Arab world now comparable with those of sub-Saharan Africa."

Trade. For Democrats, New Challenge in Age-Old Rift- "Defining the rules of engagement in a fiercely competitive global marketplace, trade policy cuts to the heart of the Democrats' identity, how they view their party's past and envision its future. It can divide them along regional and economic lines."

Verse of the Day: Loving Your Neighbors

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

- Leviticus 19:33-34

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Voice of the Day: Madeleine L'Engle

If our usual response to an annoying situation is a curse, we're likely to meet emergencies with a curse. In the little events of daily living we have the opportunity to condition our reflexes, which are built up out of ordinary things.

- Madeleine L'Engle
from The Irrational Season

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Becky Garrison: Christian vs. Atheist Celebrity Death Match

On Saturday, May 5, I attended the taping for the first-ever Nightline Face Off. In this premiere episode, taped at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City, The Way of the Master co-hosts Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort debated the existence of God with the Rational Response Squad (RSS), founders of The Blasphemy Challenge. (See “The New Atheists Blasphemy Challenge” for my earlier coverage of this venture.)

In the Christian corner, Comfort claimed he could prove the existence of God scientifically without the use of faith. Simply put, if there is a design, then must be a designer - because you can find out the specific person who designed physical items such as buildings, paintings, and cars.

That argument was refuted by the A-team, who noted that if all creations need a creator, then what created God? Throughout the match up, well-worn arguments such as, “We’re all atheists when it comes to Zeus or Apollo” and “Jesus never existed” were thrown about in a feeble attempt to disprove God.

Watching these teams of non-scientists try to explain evolution versus intelligent design proved to be laughable at best. My favorite bit had to be when Kirk Cameron disputed evolution by showing pictures of a "crock-a-duck" and other nonexistent creatures that he claims prove evolution is a fallacy.

Even though the atheists failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that God could not have been the spark that set all of creation, they seem to have nailed this debate when Cameron pulled out the get-out-of-hell card. Simply put, this was “what you believe about God will determine where you spend eternity.” At this point, if I wasn’t covering this event, I would have crawled out of the church in shame. While this is supposed to be an ABC news program, I felt like I had entered a rather lame taping of Saturday Night Live instead. I honestly felt that at any moment Cameron was going to demonstrate the Church Lady’s Superiority Dance.

I wish I could say these extremist encounters are few and far between, but the animosity on both sides of the God debate seems to be hitting a fever pitch. When I skim the slew of material refuting these strident "New Atheists," I’m stuck at how many people of faith are betting on Pascal’s Wager. According to this logic, one should believe in God as a safeguard to avoid spending eternity surrounded by the flames of hell. The overarching emphasis here seems to be on the personal nature of Christianity as a means of guaranteeing one an eternal night’s sleep, with scant attention paid to what it means to implement Jesus’ teachings here on earth. Even Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, took this heaven-bound approach when he essentially asked Christopher Hitchens, “Does religion serve a purpose to give comfort to people given we're all going to die someday?”

Given this line of theological thinking present in some Christian circles, I get why someone would give up on the God game for good. Brian McLaren aptly observes that “much of the appeal of today’s popular atheists - from Richard Dawkins to Sam Harris - lies in the corruption of religion.”

Through my travels and travails covering this unique phenomenon called Americana Christianity, I’ve learned that many of those with a deep hunger to be fed spiritually are those souls for whom “church” is not in their vocabulary. Often they’ve been burned by one too many toxic church settings, or they grew up in a household where religion was inconsequential at best. They can embrace the universal message of Jesus but they balk at how his teaching gets corrupted by those prayer warriors who are engaging in some very public and tawdry biblical battles waged in the religious-political arena.

Still, I see glimmers of hope. For example, prior to going to this taping, I sat in on a panel that was part of the Tribeca Film Festival, titled “Prodigies, Nobelists and Penguins: Science and Stereotypes in the Movies.” Here, I found a group of filmmakers and scientists who were open to exploring where we can find common ground between religion and science. Where is there space where we can dialogue with the other? Or are we so concerned about being right that we forget what it means to put Christ’s teachings into practice?

To quote postmodern philosopher Peter Rollins, “The truth of Christianity is life. The implications of this are vast.” I can’t speak for the atheists, but for those of us who profess to follow Jesus, what does it mean for us to live a life that is truthful to the gospel teachings of Christ? Along those lines, how should we interact with those whose hold beliefs that are different from ours?


Becky Garrison is Senior Contributing Editor of The Wittenburg Door and author of Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church. For those who want to catch this debate, tune in to ABC News Now on May 9 at 2 p.m. Also, Nightline will air a segment that same night at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT, and the debate will be available on the Nightline page at ABCNews.com.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Daily News Digest

the latest reports on France, Zimbabwe, Iraq, immigration, Israel, Virgina Tech shootings, Catholicism, poverty, faith and politics, and eco-chic

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Full news summary:

Iraq. Iraq War Strain Leads Troops to Abuse civilians, Survey Shows "One in 10 of the US soldiers in Iraq mistreats civilians or damages their property, according to a survey published by the Pentagon last night. The report said the mental health of soldiers and marines deteriorated significantly as a result of extended or multiple deployments." Middle East fears broken Iraq "When you travel around the Middle East and ask people about how the war in Iraq has affected them you get a combination of regret, anger and trepidation." U.S. expects rise in troop casualties "Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, said casualties would climb as American troops went deeper into enemy territory as part of a stepped-up military operation ordered by President Bush in January. Lynch, who oversees a swath of territory to the south and east of Baghdad, gave his bleak prediction on the heels of the deadliest month so far this year for American forces in Iraq."

Catholicism. As Pope Heads to Brazil, a Rival Theology Persists "Over the past 25 years, even as the Vatican moved to silence the clerical theorists of liberation theology and the church fortified its conservative hierarchy, the social and economic ills the movement highlighted have worsened. In recent years, the politics of the region have also drifted leftward, giving the movement’s demand that the church embrace 'a preferential option for the poor' new impetus and credibility." In U.S., Hispanics Bring Catholicism to Its Feet "[A]s waves of Latin American immigrants alter the fabric of life in much of the United States, they are leaving one of their biggest imprints on the Roman Catholic Church. ... American Catholic leaders say the church here has not made a conscious effort to promote charismatic practices. Rather, it has embraced them as a pragmatic response to the growing number of Hispanic Catholics."

Immigration. Border crackdown jams US federal courts "The US government's crackdown on illegal immigration is resulting in so many more felony charges against foreigners that the federal courts serving the Southwest border are overwhelmed and reaching for the panic button."

France. A brief retreat, then a rapid advance "The self-styled man of action believes that if he is to deliver his promised economic revolution and soothe French malaise he must push through his most important reforms in his first months: loosening the 35-hour week, limiting strike powers, tightening immigration laws, bringing in increased penalties for young re-offenders ...'" Sarkozy Wins, Vows to Restore Pride in France "His election signals a shift to the right in French politics and could herald a major transition for French society. Sarkozy has promised to boost economic growth and employment by cutting taxes, reducing deficits, shrinking government and loosening labor laws -- the kind of free-marke t policies embraced by the United States and Britain, but long eschewed by French leaders."

Israel. Human rights groups: Shin Bet still uses torture "Human rights groups accuse the Shin Bet security forces of continuing to use 'irregular' interrogation techniques involving physical measures and torture against Palestinian prisoners ..." Palestinians 'routinely tortured' in Israeli jails "The ill-treatment, which includes beatings, sensory deprivation, back-bending, back-stretching and other forms of physical abuse, contravenes international law and Israeli law, the report says." Israel accused of prisoner abuse "[T]he human rights groups point to a more ambiguous ruling from the Israeli High Court. It decreed that members of the security service who abused detainees may be exempted from criminal liability, if they believed that the people they were interrogating had information about an imminent terrorist act. "

Virginia Tech shootings. Cho Didn't Get Court-Ordered Treatment "Seung Hui Cho never received the treatment ordered by a judge who declared him dangerously mentally ill less than two years before his rampage at Virginia Tech, law enforcement officials said, exposing flaws in Virginia's labyrinthine mental health system, including confusion about the law, spotty enforcement and inadequate funding."

Zimbabwe. Cleric calls for Mugabe to resign "The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube also urged Zimbabweans not to be intimidated by President Mugabe. ... 'You can't negotiate with him. It's useless. African presidents have tried to negotiate with that man to no avail.'" Church leaders confront President Mugabe "Tired of watching their once-prosperous country deteriorate, Zimbabwe's church leaders have banded together and called on fellow citizens to denounce President Robert Mugabe's actions."

Poverty and Politics. On Poverty, Edwards Faces Old Hurdles "Advocates and researchers praise Edwards for focusing on an issue they say too many have shied from over the years. ... But Edwards's plan to "end poverty in 30 years" also underscores the challenges of tackling poverty in the political arena, of the intractability of the problem and of the seeming timelessness of the debates over solving it."

Faith and Politics. Romney Reaches to the Christian Right "Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) did not discuss his Mormon faith as he continued his outreach Saturday to conservative Christians in a graduation speech at Regent University, the school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson. ... It was Romney's second appearance at Regent University in the past four months. His visits underscore the competition for support from top Christian conservative leaders such as Robertson, whose television programs have millions of viewers. Romney, along with several other GOP hopefuls, attended a convention of religious broadcasters in February. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani will appear at Regent next month."

Eco-chic. Totes goods, saves the planet, costs a bunch "There's paper. There's pl astic. Then there's the $960 reusable Hermes shopping bag. ... In a confluence of politics, eco-consciousness, fashion and global commerce, yet another great, green notion appears poised for mainstream consideration: the bring-your-own shopping bag. Until recently, those sturdy cloth totes that are common in Europe were mostly confined in this country to farmers markets and health food co-ops (and even there, only in the sternest, oat-iest styles and colors). Now, whether they are chic and pricey or cheap and cheerful, they are vehicles for a range of self-expression."

Verse of the Day: A Righteous Man/Woman

If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right ... does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

- Ezekiel 18:5-9

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Voice of the Day: Kenneth Gottman

The rhythm of life for a kingdom dweller puts chronos in service of kairos, the cyclical in service of the directional, the calendar in service of the kingdom. ... As we submit our anarchy to a rhythm, in a sort of earthy, mystical way, all of life is lived lucidly, intentionally, and to the glory of God. Every washing becomes a baptism; every eating a Communion. Every sleeping becomes a dying; every rising a resurrection.

- Kenneth Gottman
from Ministry and Mission

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Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Mugabe Threatens Zimbabwe's Bishops

Covering the Daily Digest while Duane Shank is taking a much-deserved long weekend, I read this chilling report of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's threats against the Catholic bishops in his country:

Once [the bishops] turn political, we regard them as no longer spiritual and our relations with them would be conducted as if we are dealing with political entities and this is quite a dangerous path they have chosen for themselves.

We've had several reports on this blog from friends connected to the suffering in Zimbabwe, including a former intern Nontando Hadebe, but this unequivocal and direct threat by Mugabe conjured echoes of those who killed Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, Guatemalan Archbishop Juan Jose Gerardi, and other church leaders who were assassinated for defending their people.

Earlier this month, the Zimbabwean bishops issued an open letter titled "God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed," which courageously and unambiguously describes the violence and oppression of Mugabe's regime:

The consequences of such overtly corrupt leadership as we are witnessing in Zimbabwe today will be with us for many years, perhaps decades, to come. Evil habits and attitudes take much longer to rehabilitate than to acquire. Being elected to a position of leadership should not be misconstrued as a license to do as one pleases at the expense of the will and trust of the electorate.

As well as the colonial roots of the crisis:

The present crisis in our country has its roots deep in colonial society. Despite the rhetoric of a glorious socialist revolution brought about by the armed struggle, the colonial structures and institutions of pre-independent Zimbabwe continue to persist in our society. None of the unjust and oppressive security laws of the Rhodesian State have been repealed; in fact, they have been reinforced by even more repressive legislation ...

Why was this done? Because soon after independence, the power and wealth of the tiny white Rhodesian elite was appropriated by an equally exclusive black elite, some of whom have governed the country for the past 27 years through political patronage. Black Zimbabweans today fight for the same basic rights they fought for during the liberation struggle. It is the same conflict between those who possess power and wealth in abundance, and those who do not; ... between those who only know the language of violence and intimidation, and those who feel they have nothing more to lose because their Constitutional rights have been abrogated and their votes rigged. Many people in Zimbabwe are angry, and their anger is now erupting into open revolt in one township after another.

Their letter includes a biblical mandate:

The God of the Bible is always on the side of the oppressed. He does not reconcile Moses and Pharaoh, or the Hebrew slaves with their Egyptian oppressors. Oppression is sin and cannot be compromised with. It must be overcome. God takes sides with the oppressed. As we read in Psalm 103:6: "God who does what is right, is always on the side of the oppressed". ...

We conclude our pastoral letter by affirming with a clear and unambiguous "yes" our support of morally legitimate political authority. At the same time we say an equally clear and unambiguous "no" to power through violence, oppression and intimidation. We call on those who are responsible for the current crisis in our country to repent and listen to the cry of their citizens. To the people o f Zimbabwe we appeal for peace and restraint when expressing their justified grievances and demonstrating for their human rights.

Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe. Pray, as the bishops ask in their letter, that "those responsible for causing the crisis repent, heed the cry of the people and foster a change of heart and mind." Pray that such a transformation could occur peacefully, and without more violence and suffering. Pray with the bishops, as their letter concludes:

God Our Father,
You have given all peoples one common origin,
And your will is to gather them as one family in yourself.
Give compassion to our leaders, integrity to our citizens, and repentance to us all.
Fill the hearts of all women and men with your love
And the desire to ensure justice for all their brothers and sisters.
By sharing the good things you give us
May we ensure justice and equality for every human being,
An end to all division, and a human society built on love,
Lasting prosperity and peace for all.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler is the Web Editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Jim Wallis: Two Pieces on Poverty

There are two pieces on poverty from today's Washington Post that are worth reading and discussing. The first is by one of my favorite columnists, E.J. Dionne Jr., If Democrats Want to Help the Poor. . . :

Republicans once preached compassion, but then went off to war. Democrats waged a war on poverty, but then lost some elections. They decided the middle class is where it's at.

But the poor are still with us, and their ranks are growing. One in eight Americans lives in poverty, which seems obscene given that the really rich are enjoying a level of privilege that makes the Gilded Age Vanderbilts look like abstemious Puritans.

And A Powerhouse for the Poor, by Steven Pearlstein:

You often hear that the poor and working people don't have a voice in Washington, that they invariably lose out to special interests that give big campaign contributions or can mobilize a vast membership.

As it turns out, this bit of conventional wisdom is wrong for one reason: Bob Greenstein and his crew at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Daily News Digest

the latest news and opinion on the Republican debate, Zimbabwe, global warming, Iran, Israel-Palestine, Darfur, civil rights, Northern Ireland, and poverty

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Full news summary:

Republican debate. ’08 Republicans Differ on Defining Party’s Future "The leading candidates offered sharply contrasting views of Mr. Bush himself. But they also differed on an array of social issues — abortion, stem cell research, immigration and evolution — in a debate that highlighted a party in flux as it struggles to figure out how to retain the White House for a third consecutive term." GOP Field United On War, Divided On Social Issues "Giuliani and Sen. John McCain of Arizona were in the minority in expressing support for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, while former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was pressed to explain why he has shifted from support to opposition of abortion rights as he prepared to campaign for the White House."

Zimbabwe. Mugabe warns bishops of 'danger' "Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has told Roman Catholic bishops they are on a 'dangerous path' if they become too political, state media reports. He said they would be treated as politicians and not spiritual leaders."

Global warming. Climate change 'can be tackled' "The growth in greenhouse gas emissions can be curbed at reasonable cost, experts at a major UN climate change conference in Bangkok have agreed. Boosting renewable energy, reducing deforestation and improving energy efficiency can all help, they said. This is the third report this year from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and aims to set out the costs and benefits of various policies. "

Iran. U.S. Officials Meet Briefly With Iranians "American and Iranian officials spoke briefly today at a regional conference here on the Iraq situation, in a rare direct conversation between representatives of the two antagonistic nations." U.S. Official, Iranian Diplomat Discuss Stabilizing Iraq "The session, which U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker downplayed as a short discussion, came at the close of a three-day conference on Iraq's future at which Iran continued to demand a withdrawal of American troops and U.S. officials said Iran, Syria and other Iraqi neighbors must avoid fomenting discord."

Israel/Palestine. Israeli Protesters Demand That Prime Minister Resign "Tens of thousands of Israelis assembled Thursday in Rabin Square, the customary venue for this country's public soul-searching, to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over his alleged mismanagement of the war in Lebanon last summer." Israelis call on Olmert to resign "The report, issued after a six-month investigation led by retired judge Eliahu Winograd, accused Mr Olmert of 'serious failure in exercising judgement, responsibility and prudence.' On Wednesday Mr Olmert's own Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, called for the prime minister to resign, offering to stand as his replacement. Olmert vows to stay on despite m ass rally calling on him to quit "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reiterated his intention to remain in office Friday, Israel Radio reported, despite Thursday evening's massive protest in Tel Aviv calling on him and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign."

US sets targets for Israelis to lift restrictions and Palestinians to improve security "The United States has set deadlines for Israel to lift restrictions on the West Bank and Gaza, and for the Palestinians to prevent rocket fire at Israel, it emerged today. The deadlines are contained in a list of 33 "benchmarks" issued to both parties that set out goals and tasks for each side." U.S. official: Demands not being imposed on anyone "Deputy U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Friday that the United States would not enforce the demands listed in a document presented to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, detailing actions for both sides to implement. He also said that there is no deadlines for taking the recommended actions."

Darfur. Berkshire wealth clashes with Gates mission in Sudan "In Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have perished in what the United States calls a genocide, the killing has been supported by profits from companies helping the government of Sudan tap its vast reservoirs of oil, according to services that research corporate conduct for investors. The firms include China's Sinopec Corp., Malaysia's Petronas, and Schlumberger, based in the Netherlands Antilles — whose investors include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation's most significant connection to the Sudanese oil industry, however, is through Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Bill Gates is a Berkshire director, and Berkshire's chairman, Warren E. Buffett, is a trustee of the Gates Foundation. ... Some of Berkshire's wealth comes from PetroChina, whose parent company supplies a large part of the money that underwrites Sudan's military — as well as the janjaweed, according to the United States and the United Nations. The infusion of Berkshire stock places the Gates Foundation in conflict with its own efforts to help victims of the Sudanese civil war."

Civil rights. FBI May Probe Use of Force by L.A. Police at Immigration Rally "The FBI will open a civil rights inquiry into the Los Angeles Police Department's actions at an immigration rally where officers cleared a city park by wielding batons and firing rubber bullets, the bureau said Thursday." LAPD cut back forces at park rally "Police Chief William J. Bratton escalated his criticism of the officers' tactics and said the department's three investigations would focus on the actions not only of line officers but also of the top brass who gave the orders."

House Backs Expanded Hate-Crime Law "Brushing aside a veto threat from President Bush, the House yesterday approved legislation that would extend federal hate-crime protection to gays and increase penalties against their attackers." Hate crime bill veto is vowed "Under intense pressure from conservative religious organizations to derail the bill, the White House on Thursday called it "unnecessary and constitutionally questionable," issuing the latest in a string of veto threats aimed at the congressional Democratic majority."

Northern Ireland. N. Ireland loyalist paramilitary renounces violence "The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), one of the most violent paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, has announced that the group is disarming and assuming a 'non-military, civilianized role." UVF must match words with actions "The words have been rewritten over and over again since then, but the general thrust did not change: having accepted that the IRA's war is over, the UVF's leadership could no longer offer any justification for the organisation to continue to exist."

Poverty. If Democrats Want to Help the Poor . . . "Republicans once preached compassion, but then went off to war. Democrats waged a war on poverty, but then lost some elections. They decided the middle class is where it's at." A Powerhouse for the Poor "You often hear that the poor and working people don't have a voice in Washington, that they invariably lose out to special interests that give big campaign contributions or can mobilize a vast membership."

Julie Clendenin: Notes From a Minivan

Sitting in the carpool line, I'm surrounded by a crowd of high-occupancy vehicles. Almost all of them are hued in the peaceful colors of a seascape - navy blue, metallic blue, blue-green, silver, and shimmering beige. There's not a lot of red or yellow here - no shocking colors to interrupt the serene abundance of blues. Minivans are designed to blend in, I think.

Inside the cars are mostly moms, but a couple of dads and several grandparents. Some have come straight from the office to pick up their little ones, and others have worked the day away running errands and managing the demands of their full households. We're coming from many different directions for a singular purpose: We are each collecting our cherished offspring.

The routine of the carpool line is like a well-rehearsed dance performance. Everyone knows their part and slides into step without being told what to do. Cars begin arriving about 20 minutes before school lets out, assembling in a long line that winds through the parking lot. The unruffled, organized people arrive first and set a good example for the rest of us. The frantic, overbooked folks fill in the back of the line. We're all checking our watches with various levels of intensity to be sure that we're staying on schedule for the day.

In good weather, some PTA moms congregate outside their cars and talk about school activities. The rest sit in their cars reading or talking on the phone as they wait. The staff who manage the line of children on the curb talk urgently into their walkie-talkies, calling for dismissal and organizing the kids into groups. We are focused, cooperative, and calm - sticking with the routine. It is a quick break in the midst of the hectic day. The whole scene looks sweet and simple. It's a lovely picture of community - a very suburban ideal. One might even call it peaceful.

As I observe the scene, I think about peace. I think that the view before me is not a picture of true peace. We have gotten very good at creating a façade of peace. On the surface, it appears that every one of us has it all together. We are blending in with our shiny cars and our happy talk about the busyness of suburban life. We commiserate about our full schedules, inserting subtle boasts about our children's accomplishments, our demanding jobs, our overwhelming yard work, our volunteer commitments, and the birthday parties and soccer games we're juggling this weekend. We are working hard to impress each other with this image of peaceful productivity - but our image is interrupted by talk of stress and frantic schedules, and, well . . . our discontent. We don't get enough free time, our children aren't getting enough individualized attention in school, the kids are always fighting, and we're running late. We need help!

I want real peace - the kind that is beyond understanding. I want a peace that can conquer my worries and discontent. I want this so that I can show it to my children, because I know that they need it and I don't think I can teach it to them. In the midst of a world that is decidedly un-peaceful, I want my children to carry this supernatural, God-given peace within them.

This kind of peace is borne out of intentional connection to my Creator. God will help me to see the good that is around me and will make my heart glad. God will deliver peace in just the right measure for today, and God's peace will extend beyond my routines, ahead of my circumstances and it will not be defined by this world.

Today in the carpool line, I'll pause and pray. I will express gratitude for the good things and ask for the gift of peace. I will pause and sense peace bubbling up within me - a gift from my Creator - and I will hope for an opportunity to share it.

"Stop striving and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

Julie Clendenin is the mother of three youn g daughters. She sits in the carpool line every Monday afternoon in Silver Spring, Maryland. She drives a silver Honda and tries not to blend in too much.

Voice of the Day: Gordon Cosby

Therefore, somehow, we have to learn to get our satisfaction and our joy in faithfulness and in our intimate relationship with Christ. Then the question of effectiveness and success, in the usual sense of those terms is not the issue. We can transcend that and get energized and nourished by faithfulness knowing we are doing what we must do to live- not what we must do to change the neighborhood. The constant struggle is the deepening of faith that enables us to really trust that somehow the whole show is going to come off right in God's timing.

- Gordon Cosby
Co-founder and pastor of Church of the Saviour in Washington, D.C. Excerpt is from "Spirituality and Community: Reflections on Evil and Grace."

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Verse of the Day: One Body

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

- 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

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Jim Rice: Cal Thomas on the 'End of the Religious Right'

Cal Thomas' essay "The Beginning of the End of the Religious Right?" uses the occasion of the closing of one of the Coral Ridge Ministries of D. James Kennedy to argue that:

Christians must first understand that the issues they most care about – abortion, same-sex marriage and cultural rot – are not caused by bad politics, but are matters of the heart and soul.

Thomas goes on to write:

Some evangelicals wish to broaden the political agenda beyond these issues to poverty, social justice, and the environment. Politics can never completely cure the ills of any of these, but the message Christians bring about salvation and redemption can.

He concludes with a warning to those too wrapped up in partisan political activity:

To paraphrase a verse familiar to most Christians, what shall it profit a [person] if he gains the White House, but loses his own soul?

Jim Rice is Editor of Sojourners magazine.

Sue Badeau: The Defeat of Victory

In the cacophony of words and voices swirling around the president’s veto of the Iraq bill this week, two words stood out to me – “victory” and “defeat.”

Opponents of the bill call it a timetable for defeat and urge us to push on for victory.

A question that has long been troubling me whenever I hear these words in this context is, “What would victory look like?”

I never supported this war, so to me, we hit defeat the moment the first shots rang. The idea of "victory" in a war situation is elusive to me: We are all losers. We are, all of us – Americans and Iraqis alike – worse for the wear. Yet, I keep hearing these terms bandied about, and I would really like to understand – what would victory look like to those who speak of it? I have asked war supporters this question - none can answer. I have listened to the pundits and politicians - none of them offer a vision for victory. They simply reiterate, vociferously, how we must not give in to defeat.

What would victory look like? What are our leaders waiting for? Will they know it when they see it?

After reading the headlines and hearing these calls for victory and sneers about timetables for defeat again this morning, I turned again to the Bible, following a trail through Psalms and Matthew, landing in Isaiah 59, where the unmistakable answer is clear – God’s definition of “victory” is “justice”.

Not the human construct that equates justice with revenge and retribution. But the unearthly vision that justice is connected to mercy and grace and brings about peace.

And the definition of defeat? Isaiah 59 tells us that neither victory nor justice will be found as long as “truth stumbles in the public square.”

We must not allow our leaders to hide behind powerful words like “victory” and “defeat” while truth goes stumbling by.

What would victory look like? I am afraid that our leaders do not know – they cannot find their way. “They do not know the way of peace, and there is no justice in their tracks ... Yes, truth is lacking.” (Isaiah 59:8 and 15).

As many voices, for and against, discuss the veto and its implications for victory, we need someone to be bold enough to bring a different “v” word into the conversation – “vision.” We need a vision for victory that is built on truth and leads to peace.


Susan H. Badeau is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Children's Commission, a parent of 22 children by birth, foster care, and adoption, a life-long advocate and a Sojourners/Philadelphia volunteer.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on the Iraq Summit, Head Start, Afghanistan, Iraq-Congress, immigration, Darfur, Iran, and Israel.

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Full news summary:

Iraq-Congress. Democrats Regroup After Veto, Seeking Unity on Iraq Plan - "Congressional Democrats must find a way to bridge the divergent views of those two lawmakers - and others of similar ideology in both the House and Senate - in their second try at writing legislation that is either acceptable to President Bush or could withstand his veto." Democrats Back Down On Iraq Timetable - "President Bush and congressional leaders began negotiating a second war funding bill yesterday, with Democrats offering the first major concession: an agreement to drop their demand for a timeline to bring troops home from Iraq." Some Republicans split with Bush on the war - "Distressed by the violence in Iraq and worried about tying their political fate to an unpopular president, some Republicans on Capitol Hill are beginning to move away from the White House to stake out a more critical position on the U.S. role in the war."

Iraq. Iraqi Blocs Opposed to Draft Oil Bill- "Kurdish and Sunni Arab officials expressed deep reservations on Wednesday about the draft version of a national oil law and related legislation, misgivings that could derail one of the benchmark measures of progress in Iraq laid down by President Bush." Trainers say Iraqi forces would collapse without U.S. support - "But despite some signs of progress, both Iraqis and their American advisors at this training range are blunt about how much work remains: If a U.S. pullout comes anytime soon, most say, the Iraqi army will collapse."

Iraq summit. Iraq summit opens in Egypt - "Close to 60 different flags are flying in the hot sunshine of Sharm el-Sheikh as an international conference on Iraqi stabilisation and security gets under way today. Iraq's neighbours are here in force and being urged to do more to help as the US and Britain hone their exit strategies." Concern Is High and Unity Hopes Are Nil at Talks on Iraq - "While about 60 countries are expected to attend - evidence of global concern over Iraq - the competing agendas here suggest that cobbling together an effective, widely accepted strategy will be hard." U.S. lowers expectations for Iraq conference - "A gathering of top diplomats intended to reconcile warring sects in Iraq instead thr eatens to further expose the rift between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the wider region. As a result, observers and participants now have limited expectations for the two-day conference that opens today."

Afghanistan. Afghans Say U.S. Bombing Killed 42 Civilians - "Aerial bombing of a valley in western Afghanistan several days ago by the American military killed at least 42 civilians, including women and children, and wounded 50 more, an Afghan government investigation found. Karzai Says Civilian Toll Is No Longer Acceptable - "Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared Wednesday that his government can "no longer accept" civilian casualties caused by U.S.-led operations, shortly before news spread that as many as 51 civilians may have died during clashes this week in far western Afghanistan."

Immigration. Immigrant groups decry police tactics - "[Los Angeles] Police Chief William J. Bratton said yesterday that some of the police tactics used to clear immigration protesters from a park were inappropriate, as news videos showed officers striking people with batons and firing rubber bullets into crowds that included children." Inexcusable conduct (Los Angeles Times editorial) - "THE IMAGES Tuesday of police firing projectiles at people trying to flee a mostly peaceful rally at MacArthur Park are glaringly out of place in the Los Angeles of 2007. At least, they were supposed to be out of place."

Darfur. Sudan 'will defy Darfur warrants' - "Sudan's government has dismissed the warrants of arrest issued by The International Criminal Court for two men suspected of war crimes in Darfur. "Sudan is not a member of the Statute of Rome - it is not bound by the ICC," Foreign Minister Lam Akol told the BBC." Attacks on Darfur aid workers are rising - "One year on from a much-heralded peace deal for Darfur, aid agencies have been forced to roll back operations and are facing an unprecedented level of attacks on personnel,"

Iran. Iran's former nuclear negotiator arrested in Tehran, taken to notorious prison - "Iranian authorities have arrested the country's former nuclear negotiator, an ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's predecessor and key rival, and he reportedly could face an espionage charge." Iran holds ex-envoy on security charges - "Hossein Mousavian was taken from his home on Monday by security officials and charged with passing on information on Iran's nuclear industry … Mr Mousavian had served as the deputy head of the Iranian delegation in talks with the west on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and had also been ambassador to Germany."

Israel. Israeli Premier Rebuffs Rebellion Within Party - "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appeared to face down a revolt within his party Wednesday over his decision to remain in office after an investigative committee found "serious failings" in his management of the Lebanon war last summer." Olmert vows to stay Israel's PM - "Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, was struggling to hold on to power last night in the face of a wave of criticism after his foreign minister and chief rival for the job told him to resign." Israeli Foreign Minister Calls on Olmert to Resign- "But she insisted that she would not organize an effort to oust him and that she did not intend to resign herself, but would do the best she could to fix the flaws in governance that the report laid bare."

Head start. House approves expanded Head Start - "The House yesterday renewed and expanded the Head Start program for preschoolers, despite squabbling about student tests, the role of faith-based providers and whether states should have more control."

Voice of the Day: Brother Roger of Taize

Living God, you want us to have hearts that are completely simple, to the point that the complicated things in life do not bring us to a halt. Through the Holy Spirit, the spirit of the Risen Christ, you come to open a way for us, a way that is possible; on it we understand that you love us first, before we loved you.

- Brother Roger of Taize
from Life from Within

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Verse of the Day: "Having Nothing, and Yet Possessing Everything"

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

- 2 Corinthians 6:8-10

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Jim Wallis: Feeding the Wolves

This past weekend, my wife Joy Carroll Wallis was the commencement speaker at Goshen College in Indiana. She began with a story:

My hope today is to equip you with a warning and commission that might be helpful as you set out on this journey, as you begin the next chapter of your lives. So I want to tell you a story. One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, fear, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other one is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The grandson thought about this for few minutes and then he looked up at his grandfather and asked: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed. The one you feed.”

Joy said,

You see, just because you are all set with this fabulous educational and spiritual experience here at Goshen, it doesn’t mean it’s easy or plain sailing from here on in. Most people assume that if we can get this life thing and how to live it figured out in our heads that we’re fine. At college, we often believe we can think our way into a new way of living, but that’s actually not the way it works. In reality, it’s more likely that we will live our way into a new way of thinking. And that’s the challenge before all of us. It’s all about the choices and the decisions that we make – making the right choices, feeding the right wolves, and it’s something we will all wrestle with for the rest of our lives, even on a daily basis.

Then she challenged the students:

Don’t just ask the question, “Does this career path bring me job satisfaction?” Ask, “Does it bring meaning?” and the Christian question is, “Does it contribute to the building of God’s kingdom?” Don’t just go where you are directed or invited. Don’t just do something because you can – but try and make the connections between your talents and gifts and your deepest values and beliefs. Go where your moral compass leads you.

You can read the entire speech, "Feeding the Wolves."

Janna Hunter-Bowman: 'None of Us Knows Enough to Be Cynical'

How can U.S. policymakers and taxpayers know the truth if Colombia’s victims aren’t allowed to speak to them?

Dany is a 28-year-old husband, father, and banana vendor from San Onofre, a poor, rural municipality along the Caribbean coast. In the past seven years more than 3,000 people have been killed there. Many of them were buried in the 300-plus mass graves identified in the municipal limits. Leftist guerillas are responsible for much political violence and heartache, but right-wing paramilitaries are responsible for filling these graves. In 2000, the guerrillas and the paramilitaries began their territorial dispute. Unarmed civilians dared to live where armies fought for power and control, and paid the costs. Mass displacements punctuated 2001-2003; at the end of 2003 the "paras" won and established control of this strategic corridor for drug trafficking. Dany lived through it all.

The detailed accounts that flow from his lips clash with his easygoing coastal demeanor and sunny smile: He describes cruel and calculated harm. Obvious and systematic collaboration between the government state-armed forces and the paramilitary. Government leaders from his area are in jail and under investigation because of this cozy, blood-letting relationship. Witnesses to the facts are being killed.

He was to go to the U.S. to tell you about this first hand.

The U.S. Office on Colombia, Mennonite Central Committee, Lutheran World Relief, and Justapaz teamed up for a speaker’s tour of Washington, D.C., and the East Coast. Along with two active volunteers from our documentation program and Oliva – a journalist and member of an urban Pentecostal church - Dany was slated to visit congressional offices, churches, and schools to share his personal experiences and findings of the documentation program in general.

We pulled out all the stops that supposedly “guarantee” a tourist visa for an official visit: letters of invitation from the sponsoring organization outlining purpose, schedule, assurances that all costs are covered, and airplane ticket information to demonstrate their full intention to return. The human rights division of the U.S. Embassy wrote a letter of recommendation asking that they be granted the visas. This usually works.

Oliva was granted her visa. Dany was denied. He says they didn’t even look at his papers. Was it because he was poor? Because he was black? Because he was from San Onofre?

How are taxpayers, even those who care enough to listen, going to know the truth if the victims are not allowed to speak? How are U.S. policymakers - yes, the ones who are currently swooning over Colombian President Uribe in Washington - going to make informed decisions when they only hear convincing half-truths?

There are structural, rational reasons why Dany was denied a visa. The same is said for the need to “pacify” San Onofre through paramilitary domination.

Now for my second, shorter, related complaint: Too many U.S. elected officials are misinformed and don’t know what they are talking about - and that is seriously irresponsible.

For example, Rep. Meeks (D - NY) used to be an ally in Congress. But he sold out. He was quoted in El Tiempo, as saying that “People in the streets [of Colombia] feel good. [Colombian President] Uribe has improved the quality of life. And this is the best thermometer to know that things are going well.”

It just so happens that I was in the streets of Colombia today. While in the line at the bank two middle-aged men in suits were reading the paper over my shoulder and then hesitantly struck up a conversation on the article. They consider Colombia’s situation “tragic and complex” and think that instead of more money to boost the war effort, the government would do well to stop diverting funds from health care and education and i nvest international support in social programs.

That’s not to say that Uribe doesn’t have support. He certainly does, but it was nowhere near full and now it’s waning. And this is not to say that all U.S. members of Congress lack clarity. Actually, the critical contingent is growing. There are some, like Sen. Leahy, who are championing the cause and appear(ed) to be making meaningful strides with the new Congress. We need him to write a letter on Dany’s behalf. But back to my theme…

I allow myself to indulge in sharing this second complaint because, in theory, it could be addressed if the first was rectified. The holy work of transformation happens through sharing truth (good news) and human connection.

At moments like this, I recite as a mantra the wise words of my mentor and friend, deceased Goshen College anthropology professor Ron Stutzman: “Janna, none of us knows enough to be cynical.”

I commit to addressing this constructively tomorrow morning.

You can help too! How about going to hear Oliva speak? She’s going to be excellent. See the itinerary and press release. How many of us are going to participate in Days of Prayer and Action? It’s coming right up, May 20 and 21. We’ve done all the work for you: prayers, glossy bulletin inserts, and talking points for your members of Congress at your fingertips! It’s all here.

Janna Hunter-Bowman is the Coordinator the Documentation and Advocacy Program of Justapaz, the peace and justice ministry of the Colombian Mennonite Church. She works with regional teams to register the impact of the armed conflict on Colombia's Protestant churches. Learn more about their work in their recent report: A Prophetic Call: Colombian Protestant Churches Document Their Suffering and Their Hope.

Colin Mathewson: Sojourners Magazine Accepts Top Honors

Sojourners magazine was honored with 17 awards last week in Chicago at the annual convention of the Associated Church Press, North America's oldest interdenominational religious press association.

The "best of the Christian press" awards presented to Sojourners included Best in Class (Ecumenical General Interest Magazine) and the top honor in the following categories: Magazine Design, Theme Issue, Theme Section, Biographical Profile article, and Personal Experience article.

In addition, www.sojo.net was honored as the top Publication Web site.

The ACP consists of nearly 200 publications, Web sites, news services, and individuals representing a combined circulation of several million. The ACP has honored “the best of the Christian press” at its national convention each year since 1916.

Colin Mathewson is the Communications/Media Assistant at Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Bob Francis: Second Commandment Republicans

Time's Joe Klein makes some interesting observations about Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee ("a political inconvenience, a destroyer of stereotypes"), asking whether or not "compassionate conservatism" is dead, and if poverty has a place on the Republican agenda:

In 2000, George W. Bush successfully used "compassionate conservatism" to soften his image with independents and some conservative Democrats. But it didn't go over so well with many Republicans: I remember Bush putting more than a few country-club-conservative audiences to sleep with his long disquisitions about "armies of compassion," only rousing the faithful when he talked about tax cuts. (Huckabee plays this card too: he claims to be the only Governor of Arkansas to cut taxes in the past 160 years.) Bush sustained his candidacy, despite all the soft talk, because he was the eldest son of royalty in the party of primogeniture. Neither Huckabee nor Brownback has that luxury, and both are languishing in the polls. Is it because it's early and they're not well known? Or is it just too much talk of Darfur - Brownback's cause - and food banks? Several weeks ago, I watched Huckabee lose an audience at the National Review's Conservative Summit with his talk of feeding the hungry and health care. "I think he's in the wrong party," a gentleman from Pennsylvania told me.

Bob Francis is the Organizing and Policy Assistant for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Alexia Salvatierra: La Alabanza es Medicina para el Alma (Praise is Medicine for the Soul)

When elements of the recent Pew study on Hispanic religiosity were first published last summer, a number of my colleagues in movements for social justice were surprised. Many were also worried.

According to the study (conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life), 15% of the Hispanic community identifies as evangelical (which goes up by generation – a much higher percentage of Latinos are evangelical in the second generation than among immigrants.) Even more surprising for many of my non-Latino friends was that 34% of Hispanics identify as charismatic/evangelical Catholics (whose services and many of whose spiritual practices and faith disciplines are indistinguishable from non-Catholic evangelicals.) The implications? A little less than half of all Latinos in the U.S. are pursuing a form of faith that centers around a personal relationship with Jesus, ecstatic worship, direct experience of miracle (particularly miracles of healing) devotion to personal and small group Bible study, disciplined personal morality, and a strong network of mutual care among the members of the church.

As a member of the Hispanic community myself, a Lutheran pastor who has served Spanish-speaking congregations, and an organizer who works daily with Hispanic Catholics, I’m not surprised. I am also not worried, although I think that we are in a moment of opportunity and danger.

My companions in the struggle for economic and social justice are worried about the frequent correlation in the larger American culture between religious faith with these characteristics and a blatant disregard for the human and sacred rights of the poor and oppressed. My Hispanic, non-Christian comrades know the history of colonialism and how often a similar kind of religion has been used to distract and tranquilize the oppressed so that they can be more easily exploited. They have a point.

However, they are deaf and blind to the beauty of the movement of the Spirit in the Latino community at this historic, kairos moment, and the hope it could bring to this country. Why do we think that oppressed people will be less able and less likely to fight for justice if they are healed and strengthened by the intimate love of Jesus, the gifts of the Spirit, the care of their community? Couldn’t the opposite be true? The study also noted that the single greatest complaint of Hispanic congregants is that their leaders didn’t involve them enough in ministry to the community. The Bible is full of the call to economic and social justice – over 600 verses at my last count. If we who know the dangers of colonial interpretations take up the mantle to teach, we have a slowly awakening giant in our hands – one who could offer a new vision to the American people, a holistic vision of faith that integrates personal joy and healing, integrity, mysticism, the transforming power of scripture, real community, and the ancient progressive prophetic vision of justice. Andale!


Rev. Alexia Salvatierra is the Executive Director of CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice), an organization of religious leaders in Los Angeles county who support low-wage workers in their struggle for a living wage, health insurance, fair working conditions and a voice in the decisions that affect them.

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on the presidential veto, Darfur, religion, Iraq war, immigration rallies, Israeli PM, Venezuela, and select commentaries.


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Full news summary:

Presidential veto. Bush Keeps Vow to Veto War Funding Bill - "President Bush vetoed a $124 billion measure yesterday that would have funded overseas military operations but required him to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq as early as July, escalating the most serious confrontation between the White House and Congress over war policy in a generation." Bush uses 2nd veto to kill Iraq war bill - "With President Bush's veto Tuesday of a war spending bill that demanded timelines for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Democratic congressional leaders will be pressed to find a way to fund troops on the front line while keeping pressure on the administration to wind down an unpopular war." Bush Vetoes Bill Tying Iraq Funds to Exit- "The veto added new punctuation to a major war powers clash between Democrats in Congress - buoyed what they regard as a mandate in last November's elections and seeking to force an end to the fighting in Iraq - and a president working to defy what he regards as an incursion on his authority as commander in chief."

Iraq war. Iraq's civilian toll grows - "Police on Tuesday reported the deaths of dozens of people in sectarian violence across Iraq, including the massacre of 16 people attending a funeral in Khalis, north of Baghdad." U.S. diplomats returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder - "U.S. diplomats are returning from Iraq with the same debilitating, stress-related symptoms that have afflicted many U.S. troops, prompting the State Department to order a mental health survey of 1,400 employees who have completed assignments there." Key US Army ranks begin to thin - "Four years into the fight in Iraq, the Army continues to be successful in retaining enough soldiers overall - "a miracle" to some observers, because the war has lasted so long. But that success masks a growing problem within the ranks: Fewer mid-grade sergeants are opting to stay in the Army as many face yet another deployment to Iraq."

Immigration rallies. Immigrant Rights Rallies Smaller Than Last Year- "Tens of thousands of people pressing for immigrants' rights demonstrated on Tuesday in dozens of cities. But with advocates splintered over tactics, the crowds paled in comparison with the turnout last year." Immigration Rallies Focus On Keeping Families Intact - "A year after a series of similar rallies, yesterday's protests focused on keeping families intact. That focus appeared aimed at raids that could separate parents who are in the country illegally from children born here who are citizens." 'We're proud of our lives' - "The chants and drum beats were familiar, and so was the sight of an estimated 150,000 demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder through Chicago's Loop, a sweaty, tightly packed throng waving American flags and hoisting signs as downtown traffic stood still." Small turnout, big questions - "Waving U.S. flags and demanding citizenship for undocumented immigrants, tens of thousands of jubilant protesters marched through the streets of Los Angeles during a mostly peaceful day that ended with clashes between police and demonstrators in MacArthur Park."

Israeli PM. Top Party Official Calls for Olmert to Resign - "A senior official in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's own party openly called for him to resign today, adding to mounting pressure in the wake of a damning report about Mr. Olmert's performance in last summer's war against Hezbollah." PM Olmert to tell deputy Livni: Stop undermining me, or resign - " The battle between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni following the release of the Winograd Committee's interim report is reaching a boiling point: Olmert is expected to warn Livni at a meeting between the two today that she cannot continue to undermine him and still hold her position as deputy premier."

Darfur. ICC issues Darfur arrest warrants - "The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for a Sudanese minister and a militia leader suspected of war crimes in the Darfur region." ICC issues Darfur arrest warrants - "The warrants, for Ahmed Haroun, secretary of state for humanitarian affairs and a former minister for Darfur, and Ali Kosheib, are the first to be issued by the ICC over the conflict."

Venezuela. Venezuela seizes foreign oil fields - "Thousands of Venezualan workers took control of foreign-owned oil fields yesterday as Hugo Chávez stepped up his battle with Washington in a new wave of nationalisation and an announcement that the country was leaving the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund."

Religion. Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus- "Across the country, on secular campuses as varied as Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California, Berkeley, chaplains, professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and s pirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember." Episcopal bishop hits Anglican installation - "Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori is confronting Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola head-on with a new demand that he not install Truro Church rector Martyn Minns as head of a parallel denomination this coming weekend." Little Tokyo's Pentecostal miracle - "For more than a decade, a group of Pentecostal and community leaders have worked to memorialize the site. Bill Watanabe, executive director of the Little Tokyo Service Center, knew nothing of Pentecostalism but became intrigued after being repeatedly asked by visitors for directions to Azusa Street - which he knew only as an unremarkable alley. After learning the story behind it, he helped launch the Azusa Street Memorial Committee in the 1990s."

Commentary. The wise investment of insuring children (Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times) - "House and Senate Democrats have approved budgets providing up to $50 billion in increased CHIPs funding over the next five years. Before Democrats can commit those funds, they must find offsetting revenues or cuts in other programs, a formidable challenge. But if Democrats meet their $50-billion goal, they will provide CHIPs with enough money to cover not only the current caseload but as many as two-thirds of the nation's remaining uninsured children."

The gambling scam on America's poor (Mark Lange, Christian Science Monitor) - "Some scandals don't involve illegal activity - they're just outrageous and unjust. Take gambling in America. Abetted by Congress, legislatures from 48 states now sponsor gambling operations and lottery monopolies to balance their budgets on the backs of their poorest and most vulnerable citizens - while basking in the virtue of fighting tax increases."

Voice of the Day: Robert Llewelyn

True silence which is creative silence is the most demanding activity God asks of any of us. Here it is that heart and mind and will, memory, and imagination are gathered up and collected in God.

- Robert Llewelyn
from Love Bade Me Welcome

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Verse of the Day: "Ministry to the Saints"

At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints; for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them; for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things.

- Romans 15:25-27

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Linda Martindale: The Trouble with Quiet Diplomacy

Having spent the first ten years of my life in Zimbabwe, and still feeling a somewhat deep sense of loyalty to the country of my birth, my ears prick up when the news turns to our troubled closest neighbor. Understanding the broader issues around what has gone down in Zimbabwe during the past 25 years is crucial and helpful in trying to get into the previously brilliant mind of the current dictator. That Britain has played a controlling hand regarding land issues, patronizing the first democratic government and isolating President Robert Mugabe in the process, cannot be ignored. That there was no significant process of truth and reconciliation, as happened in South Africa, to draw a line in the political sand; that nothing significant in the way of restitution on a national level took place – these issues cannot be seen in isolation to the current mess. That being said, what is happening just north of our borders is unjustifiable on any grounds and affecting the lives of thousands of Zimbabweans in unimaginable ways.

Even more puzzling than the spiral of a beautiful and successful nation into its current demise in a relatively short space of time, is South African leadership's well-publicized “quiet diplomacy” in the face of despotic behavior that smacks of our condemned previous regime. Having given up trying to get into Mugabe's mind a while back, I try to get into my own president's mind. But there comes no further understanding yet. For Thabo Mbeki, and other African leaders, to not only stand back and allow the blatant abuse of human rights, but openly welcome Mugabe into the proverbial fold, is more than mind-boggling to citizens of a nation that prides itself on its high regard for human rights and recent struggle for freedom.

The journalist who shot footage of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai leaving official government hands after severe beatings, was murdered in Harare recently - one of the first glaring signs of a crumbled democracy. Unheard-of inflation rates, increasing poverty and a dictatorship that has some blindly bowing and cheering whilst others are beaten and arrested – on the surface level alone, Mugabe's regime is slowly sucking the lifeblood out of the once priceless country. The South African Council of Churches has come out in grave opposition to the state of Zimbabwe and her current wave of human rights abuses. The Zimbabwean church holds on during this time of persecution – many seeing it as just that – persecution. And the South African government, for whatever reason, insists that the current foreign policy is the best way forward. In the meantime, people are intimidated, beaten, murdered, and forced to flee their homes because of an old man who clings to power, pulls the race card, and is mildly affirmed for it by his African peers.

Probably one of the saddest twists to this tale is the fodder that this is giving to doomsayers and colonials, one of whom told me to “wash my hand” after I had excitedly shaken Mugabe's when I was ten years old. As my heart sinks when I hear of another level of downward spiraling in our beloved Zimbabwe, I am reminded to pray for the peace of that nation, for her children, for her churches and for her government.

Linda Martindale is a journalist in Cape Town, South Africa. She is the author of Celebrate Hope (City Mission Press, 2002).

Ryan Rodrick Beiler: Tell Us the Mission

Four years after George W. Bush landed on an aircraft carrier and declared victory in Iraq in front of a banner that said, "Mission Accomplished," spoken word artist Steven Connell asks what has and hasn't been accomplished. Steven has teamed up with Robert Greenwald (Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices and Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers) to produce a video promoting both a contest to decide what should go on that infamous banner, as well as reminding Americans about the cost of this war in soldiers' lives. Watch it:

Duane Shank: Daily News Digest

The latest news on Israeli PM accused of war failure, Iraq-casualties, Immigration, Iraq-President V. Congress, US military and oil, missiles in Europe, Fred Thompson, administration investigation, Venezuela, and select commentaries.

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Full news summary:

Israeli PM accused of war failure. Winograd to PM: You failed; Olmert insists: I won't resign "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed last night that he would not resign, despite the publication of the Winograd report on the Second Lebanon War, which accused him of "severe failures" in handling the conflict." Olmert Rebuked by Israeli Panel on Lebanon War- "Despite a resounding chorus of calls in Israel for the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, to resign following a report that excoriated Mr. Olmert for "severe failures" in last summer's war against the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, his aides insisted today that he had no intention of leaving office." Scathing war report shakes Israel - "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's political fate hung in the balance after a government-appointed panel probing Israel's war last summer against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon issued a scathing report accusing him of hastily leading the country into conflict with neither a detailed plan nor clear goals that could be achieved." Immediate resignation (Haaretz editorial) - "The hint was almost explicit: If the report's principal subjects do not take personal responsibility, the committee will make clear recommendations in July. If the prime minister does not quit, he will be thrown out in a month or two."

Iraq-President v. Congress. Bush's veto pen poised for war bill - "Four years after President Bush declared the "mission accomplished" for the American military in Iraq, the president is poised to veto a $124 billion war spending bill that demands timelines for troop withdrawals from an unrelenting war." Democrats conceding on war bill- "Democratic leaders in Congress are slowly backing down from a standoff with the White House over tying war funding to a troop-withdrawal timetable, saying they can use other bills to confront President Bush on Iraq." Republicans Buck Bush On Iraq Benchmarks - "Brushing aside White House opposition, Republican leaders in Congress said that negotiations on a second war spending bill should begin with benchmarks of success for the Iraqi government, and possible consequences if those benchmarks are not met."

Iraq-casualties. April Toll Is Highest Of '07 for U.S . Troops - "The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence." US reports 40% rise in terror deaths - "Deaths and injuries from terrorist attacks increased sharply last year, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, with government officials, police, and security guards coming under greater attack than ever before, the State Department's annual survey of global terrorism concluded."Terrorist Attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan Rose Sharply Last Year, State Department Says - "Terrorist attacks against noncombatants nearly doubled in Iraq from 2005 to 2006 and were up sharply in Afghanistan, with those two countries alone accounting for a 29 percent increase in terrorism worldwide,"

US military and oil. Pentagon study says oil reliance strains military - "A new study ordered by the Pentagon warns that the rising cost and dwindling supply of oil -- the lifeblood of fighter jets, warships, and tanks -- will make the US military's ability to respond to hot spots around the world "unsustainable in the long term."

Immigration. Illegal Families Face Increased Deportations- "Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, facing intense political pressure to toughen enforcement, removed 221,664 illegal immigrants from the country over the last year, an increase of more than 37,000 - about 20 percent - over the year before," Downtown prepares for May Day gridlock - "As Southern California organizers made final preparations for May Day marches to press for immigrant and labor rights today, officials warned that the protests will snarl traffic, disrupt mass transit and halt some business in downtown Los Angeles and beyond." Immigration rally plans changed by police - "Chicago police, anticipating Tuesday's immigration march will be larger than first expected, announced Monday that demonstrators will be rerouted to Grant Park instead of Daley Plaza, where the rally had been scheduled to take place."

Missiles in Europe. Bush Steps Up Effort to Persuade Putin on Missile Defense Plan - "President Bush, under pressure from allies in Europe to be more forthcoming about his plans for basing missile interceptors in the region, said that he was intensifying his efforts to persuade Russia to cooperate with the United States on the initiative "so that they don't see us as an antagonistic force, but see us as a friendly force." Poles demand missile shield against Russia - "Poland and the Cz ech Republic are raising the ante in negotiations with the Americans, demanding missiles to deploy against Russia and security and legal guarantees in return for hosting elements of the US missile shield."

Fred Thompson. Ex-Senator Seen as Rehearsing for Prime Time- "Making speeches at carefully chosen appearances, doing an occasional interview and fielding questions from Republican congressmen, Mr. Thompson, 64, is running something of a guerrilla exploratory effort."

Administration investigation. A Bush appointee goes after the White House - "Prosecutor Scott J. Bloch, a committed conservative, is turning heads with his investigation of the administration's political operation, which is headed by Karl Rove. His office is investigating whether Bush administration personnel violated civil statutes by inserting GOP electoral politics into Cabinet agency meetings, firing at least one U.S. attorney, and discussing some of the activities in private e-mails that are missing."

Venezuela. Venezuela quits IMF and World Bank - "The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, today severed ties with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. In doing so he distanced Caracas further from what he described as Washington-dominated institutions."

Commentary. NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: A compromising of independence (By Peter S. Canellos, Boston Globe Columnist) - "The biggest revelation in former CIA director George Tenet's memoir seems to be showing just how far officials like Tenet, who work for the president but are presumed to have independent expertise, will go to please their bosses."

Voice of the Day: Joan Chittister

If I cannot listen to all of life, then any part that I do hear will be only partial or distorted. If I am listening only in chapel, if I am listening only to my peers, if I am listening only to my profession, if I am listening only to my routine, then I have cut out the poor, the children, the needy, the holy where it is calling me to be present.

- Joan Chittister
from Alive Now! July/August 1994

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Verse of the Day: Unjust Authorities

Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth, so as not to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain? For all this [God's] anger has not turned away; [God's] hand is stretched out still.

- Isaiah 10:1-4

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