stranger in a strange land
"Regardless of what else you put on, wear love.
It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
Cornel West via Wikipedia
I’ve become to appreciate the voice and posture of Dr Cornel West more and more in recent years.
He recently shared his thoughts with his co-host Tavis Smiley on their radio program.
Powerful words that challenge our thoughts of love, justice and retribution.
“I am just not convinced that through killing and more murder that you can stop the killing and more murder.”
Continue Reading…
April 6, 2010 "Before a prayer breakfast, the President met privately with clergy members in the Blue Room at the White House. At the conclusion of the meeting, a final prayer was delivered as they held each other's shoulders." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama shared an insight into his prayers at the National Prayer Breakfast this week.
He mentioned three re-occuring themes in his prayers:
Very insightful…
Continue Reading…
nuclear winter | Photo/art by Jimmy Brown
My college newspaper recently shared an opinion piece on Obama’s recent nuclear negotiations…
President Obama signed a nuclear arms control agreement with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday to reduce the stockpiles of nuclear weapons of both nations. The agreement, called the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, builds on a previous Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that expired in December. If passed, it will cut the number of both countries’ nuclear weapons by about a third.
With policies like the START agreement, the public health care bill and charging terrorists in American civilian courts, the Obama administration is weakening the United States’ power to influence other nations. We are stepping down from our destiny instead of rising to the potential of a world leader.
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. – Romans 12:20-21
I’ve been chewing on this idea of Obama winning the Nobel Prize for Peace since it was announced. It’s been interesting to read all the varied comments.
Especially when many conservatives were up in arms that he won it and then turned around and applauded his speech and his justification of war.
The Jesus Manifesto shares many of the thoughts that have been swirling around my head and I’ve yet to be able to put to paper – or keyboard.
So I encourage you to read his post and watch this video from Cornel West:
And consider this, did Jesus come to offer up a high-fetched dream that could never be lived up to? Or did he come as baby in a manger and the Prince of Peace to show us that living a life of love and non-violence could be achieved — and can be lived out — even in the face of the Empire?
Hillary Clinton wrote an op-ed piece in the Washington Post today regarding human trafficking and the Trafficking in Persons Report 2009, which was released by the US Dept of State last week ::
Twenty-year-old Oxana Rantchev left her home in Russia in 2001 for what she believed was a job as a translator in Cyprus. A few days later, she was found dead after attempting to escape the traffickers who tried to force her into prostitution.
Oxana’s story is the story of modern slavery. Around the world, millions of people are living in bondage. They labor in fields and factories under threat of violence if they try to escape. They work in homes for families that keep them virtually imprisoned. They are forced to work as prostitutes or to beg in the streets. Women, men and children of all ages are often held far from home with no money, no connections and no way to ask for help. They discover too late that they’ve entered a trap of forced labor, sexual exploitation and brutal violence. The United Nations estimates that at least 12 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking. Because they often live and work out of sight, that number is almost certainly too low. More than half of all victims of forced labor are women and girls, compelled into servitude as domestics or sweatshop workers or, like Oxana, forced into prostitution. They face not only the loss of their freedom but also sexual assaults and physical abuses.
To some, human trafficking may seem like a problem limited to other parts of the world. In fact, it occurs in every country, including the United States, and we have a responsibility to fight it just as others do. The destructive effects of trafficking have an impact on all of us. Trafficking weakens legitimate economies, breaks up families, fuels violence, threatens public health and safety, and shreds the social fabric that is necessary for progress. It undermines our long-term efforts to promote peace and prosperity worldwide. And it is an affront to our values and our commitment to human rights.
I for one am glad to see Clinton bringing this to light through her position. I know it’s not the first time administrations have looked into this issue or talked about this issue. But I do hope that as awareness continues to rise this administration will really step up to the task of ending human trafficking in the US and abroad.
Read More
See the Dept of State report
(picture from Power to the Poster :: download. print. post.)
I'm a husband, father of twin boys, blogger, podcaster, author and media geek who is hoping to live a simple life and follow The Way.
This is my blog. Join the Insurgency.
