According to every poll on the topic, the level of trust we Americans have for our elected officials is abysmally low – somewhere in the neighborhood of 11% for our congress people. We’ve been fed a steady diet of lies and misleading information for so long that the truth is hard to identify and we… [read more]
Fire, Hijacking and Teaching Moments
“We’re living in an extraordinary teaching moment,” said Thom Hartmann to a Tenth Dems crowd Friday evening, “ . . . [with] the issues of the commons writ large.” That’s “commons” as in what is common to all of us, like our humanity. Case in point: Have you heard the names of the 11 men… [read more]
For Those Who Would Persuade Us
Get over your smugness – you aren’t smarter, they aren’t dumber and doing what is best for America isn’t about crushing those who disagree with you. If you need to crush others, get that that’s about your ego and your fear. See your therapist immediately. Recent times have shown over and over how difficult it… [read more]
How Gullible Are We?
President Bush had intelligence information in advance of 9/11 that clearly and plainly warned of a plot by al Qaeda to attack America. He was told that they might use airplanes and that an attack was imminent. And he dismissed all of it and even belittled an agent who brought him information, saying, “Alright, you’ve… [read more]
I’m A Christian
That’s what the caller said to the talk radio host. Then he proceeded to make his comments about health care reform. I can’t help but wonder what, “I’m a Christian,” means or why he invoked his faith as preface to his comments about a hot political issue. Actually, I’ve heard many people declare their Christianity… [read more]
Grant Park
Yes, that Grant Park. The one that the world remembers from the 1968 riot that happened concurrent with the Democratic National Convention. It was defined by the Kerner Commission as a police riot, which infuriated Hizzonor The Mayor (Daley the First) and confirmed for much of the world that Chicago was still a frontier town. … [read more]
Getting Elected
I’ve have a problem with any belief that professes to be the One True Way because it always polarizes people, as well as marginalizing most of us. Be clear that a belief is just that: what one believes. It is not necessarily universal reality or The Truth. That’s “The Truth” as differentiated from the total… [read more]
The Means, The End and Freedom
I was reading a news magazine recently about Pat Robertson, former candidate for President of the United States, owner of the Family Channel on cable TV, and head of the very conservative Christian Coalition. It said that he plans to go to Congress and introduce an amendment to the Constitution that would allow “moments of… [read more]
