Category: Politics

>Occupation

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When it comes the plight of the Palestinians I don’t trust what I hear coming from either the Israeli government or the U.S. government – and not merely because governments lie. And, of course, I certainly do not support the actions of any group that uses terror against civilians to push forward their political goals. So, that means I don’t support Hamas. But it also means that I don’t support the Israeli government in its present form very much. But it is hard for me to have an opinion, being so far away geographically, socially, and informationally.

If you are like me then you probably don’t know a lot about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the roots of the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza. If I have learned anything about what is going on over in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the rest of the Middle East, it is that I am quite ignorant of the facts. I am not willing anymore to parrot the typical American refrain that “those people have been fighting forever and they will always fight.” (I have become increasing wary of the term “those people” however it’s used.) If they have always been fighting then it follows they were fighting during the time of Christ, and if that is true then the admonition to love one’s neighbor as oneself, or the story of the good Samaritan, or the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well are meaningless if there is no hope for peace.

The two videos below take a look at life under occupation from a particular and personal perspective. These videos were made before the recent invasion of Gaza and the war against the Palestinian people. Although the audio is sometimes rough this is the kind of news/reporting/insight that the rest of the world needs even if only as a kind of starting point to begin discussing the issues rather than falling into the typical stereotypes and worn out stigmatizations. It is particularly important for American Christians to view, for they are some of the most ideologically driven and yet least informed people when it comes to Israel.
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2726126&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2864803&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=ff9933&fullscreen=1

There is mention of the organization Breaking the Silence. Their web site is here.

>that ribbon of highway

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>The inauguration was a great day filled with many notable moments. The clip below has got to be of one of the best:

God bless Pete Seeger.

>BHO

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>It is difficult for words to express what this truly means.

There is a kind of glory happening here. This, of course, is not really about Obama, rather it is a claiming of that which we know is a better idea, a nobler nature, and a call to a higher goal. While not forgetting the reality of the world we inhabit, including our own corruption, let us promote this experiment we call freedom and seek to love each other better.

I have to say this makes me happy.

>Zinn on War and Social Justice

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>Howard Zinn gave a talk just after the presidential election. It is worth listening to. The audio/picture don’t quite match in the video in the intro, but the rest looks okay.

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-7945130554885211401&hl=en&fs=true

He mentions the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If you are not familiar with it, check it out here, and learn more about it here.

Also, Democracy Now is one of my favorite news programs. I usually watch/listen to it online while I eat lunch and do emails.

>The World After Bush

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>I am fascinated by what the world is thinking about the outcome to the U.S. presidential election. There have been many reports of people celebrating from around the world, which is rather amazing. Those celebrations should remind us of how important the U.S. and it’s foreign policies are to people everywhere. I find it both remarkable and sobering.

There are also concerns from various quarters. Does an Obama presidency truly mean change? What about the Palestinians when Obama selects a hard-line Zionist as his chief of staff? Is he really going to end the war in Iraq or develop diplomatic ties with Iran? Is it even possible to fulfill those promises? Below is a four part discussion from Al Jaeera that looks at U.S. foreign policy, Obama as president, and the future from the outside. I found it fascinating and worth taking the time to watch.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

>Post-election thoughts: What "President Obama" means to me

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>There are so many things that can be said about any election and this one in particular. Now that the dust has settled slightly and Obama is putting together his cabinet and planning the transition it is worth stepping back a bit, look at the sweep of history, and consider what this change really means for the U.S. A lot of issues were on the table from the economy to terrorism, but in truth those are merely details, important as they are. What is far bigger, far more reaching and profound, is the cultural sea change this presidency may represent. An African American president is a stunning example of something deeper going on in this country than mere politics. An African American president at this point in our history says something about our collective soul, about our character as a nation. Obama may turn out to be a good president and not a great one, he may be challenged in ways that shake his resolve or push him in directions he did not intend to go, he may become mired in some of the lousy politicking that is our government’s tendency, but he will always be our first African American president. That is a remarkable achievement. He is our generation’s Jackie Robinson and more. And he just might turn out to be a great president too. I pray that he does.

I say all this as a white guy who has never directly felt the affects of racism or bigotry. I live in a largely white city far from the streets of Chicago or the burrows of New York or any of the former slave states. My knowledge of race related struggles comes mainly from documents like Eyes on the Prize and books. I could be considered an unlikely Obama supporter. Even so I was eager to vote for Obama. Time came to realize the importance and rightness of that vote, and I am glad I did. I believe this nation will be glad it did too. Obama is not a savior, there are no saviors in politics, but he is a good man with a good heart who inspires, and this country’s greatest moments have always been the products of inspiration.

I have always thought that the American dream was not economic opportunity but the possibility of freedom and the multitude of opportunities that come with freedom. I have believed that this country’s greatest assets are not its natural resources or it labor force but its underlying ideas and ideals. My desire is that my children see that as well. I desire they see being an American is not a chance to get something but to give, not a chance for the wealth of things but the wealth of goodness and character. This election has been a chance to more fully put those ideas on the table and talk about them. Having Obama in the race has heightened it even more. Freedom is also a responsibility, but that responsibility is not merely a burden but another opportunity. Freedom is an opportunity to do what is right, to live a life of service, to give. These are rather starry-eyed words, and much of Obama’s rhetoric soars in that direction, but inspiration is good. It is a worthy thing to ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country – to quote another American president.

Without illusions I see those words “President Obama” as signaling once again a chance to check our cynicism at the door and work together in doing good. That chance has always been there, of course, but now there is a new spirit in the air. As I see it, it is not ultimately about what we accomplish but who we are. I believe that is true for us a nation as much as it is true for each individual.

Naturally there is a lot of excitement and joy in this country and around the world about Obama’s election. Here are couple of well-made videos that unpack some of those emotions and what this election means to a lot of people:

>Hey we’re voting!

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>Below are amateur videos of people going to vote today, and I find them both fascinating and inspiring. I used to stand in such lines before Oregon went to an all mail-in voting system. My wife and I voted on Sunday and dropped off our ballots yesterday. Our daughter Lily watched us vote (she asked us to make sure she didn’t miss the process) and then she put the ballots in the drop box for us.

I get a bit emotional seeing these lines. In many places voting is a real chore today. Some people are standing in lines for hours. In some places there are problems with machines, registrations, and even locations being moved at the last minute. Knowing that most people are toughing it out and getting their votes in regardless of rain or long lines or general wrestling with the system makes me proud to be a citizen and participate. In fact it’s a real honor. The next step is to continue to live out the commitments we make on the ballot by living lives of genuine citizenship.

Video the Vote report from Brooklyn:

Students in Pittsburgh voting:

Long lines in Virginia:

Super long lines in Maryland:

If you haven’t voted, GO VOTE! It’s a good thing.

>vote

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The lawn art Jesus and Uncle Sam want you to vote.

>I’m voting for comedy (and other serious matters)

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Once upon a time…

..the big talk about political campaigns was about television. Kennedy looked better than Nixon in the 1960 television debate. Of course Kennedy looked better than Nixon period, but television was now king.

Today it’s not so much about television. The candidate who wins will need to garner positive “youtube points.” But it’s more than that. It’s not so much how one looks in online video clips. Certainly many people watched recorded excerpts of the debates and various speeches, but now one also has to be extremely careful not to be recorded saying or doing anything incriminating that can then be watched over and over online. And yet, the real issue may be the comedy clips that have been springing up since the campaigns began.

Sara Palin was skewered by her interviews with Katie Couric, but it is likely everyone will remember Tina Fey’s portrayal of Palin even more. It is the comedy clips that get forwarded ad nauseum. I speculate that it is more likely that a McCain supporter will watch a clip that humorously makes fun of McCain than watch a serious clip of an Obama speech. Comedy cuts through a lot of bias. Speaking of these creative comedy clips, why is it that most are coming from the left? Is it that there is a natural link between artistic creativity and a liberal temperament?

Will these comedy clips sway the vote? Or just reaffirm already held beliefs?

And just in case you missed any of those clips, here are some of my favorite:

I would like to think there is a link between creativity and more progressive leanings. But that’s just my bias. Anyway, I’m voting for comedy.

As a final note, Nixon did finally get his day. I guess looking back this is comedy too:

And maybe a little bit of tragedy as well.