Kety's blog

I'm not sure if people are aware of what is happening on the border...

"'I think that people should really understand that the border is a totally militarized zone and that this isn't your normal police repression at a demonstration. This is an occupation force protecting its institutional apparatus of occupation. And that is the real context of what happened today, rather than simple policing tactics.'

On Sunday, participants in the first international solidarity action to take place on both sides of a border, the No Borders Camp, marched west on a street that was once un-divided. Two marches, one on each side of what has become a 15ft wall dividing Mexicali and Calexico, converged on US Customs and Inspection Port of Entry to protest the militarized border. No Borders Camp participants on both sides of the border demonstrated peacefully until US Border Patrol, without warning, brutally dispersed participants on the US side with point-blank rounds of pepper-spray pellets, batons, and swarm tactics leaving several badly injured. This event was the closing ceremony of the No Borders Camp, and came after one week of peaceful confrontation and resistance to the border system. The unnecessary violence and detentions today were a sad ending to an otherwise thoughtful expression of concern for human dignity.

This week-end I was lucky enough to see a sneak screening of the soon to open mockumentary "What Would Jesus Buy". As a Christian who has seen Reverend Billy preaching at different rallies, I was a little apprehensive about the film (quite honestly I have not known how to feel when I've seen him preach his peace-a-luia to the protesting throngs... should I laugh, lift up a peace-a-luia or feel offended?...); but after seeing the film on Saturday, I must say that I left the theater inspired. The film was excellently done.

Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping are irreverent in their parody and prophetic in their preaching. They are courageous prophets reminding all everywhere they go (Starbuck's, Wal-mart, Disneyland, etc. across the USA) that Christmas is not about shopping, but about the birth of Jesus, Jesus a babe who would grow up to be the Prince of Peace, Jesus who taught us to take care of and love the least of these.

www.freerice.com

Please check out this site and do an anonymous good deed. It's a vocabulary tool. For every word you know the meaning of you are able to donate 10 grains of rice to feed the hungry. Doing this is easy, fun and free. Please check it out, play and pass the word along. Talk about exponential growth of food!

IPC Calls for Christian Support of the Sanctuary Movement

Washington DC October 16, 2007 The Institute for Progressive Christianity believes that the plight of the undocumented immigrants is of our concern. Therefore, IPC stands in support of the New Sanctuary Movement in the name of hospitality and justice.

A sanctuary is a place that guarantees safety and protection. This concept has solid biblical underpinnings and a long history in the Christian tradition. There are written records documenting this practice in the times of the crusades and in the Middle Ages. When people took refuge in a sanctuary, they were considered beyond the reach of civil law.

Two decades ago, the faith-based sanctuary movement came to the U.S. when Christians chose to come forward and offer sanctuary to the refugees fleeing the wars in Central America. An earlier example of similar faith based work was the Underground Rail Road. What both of these movements shared was a commitment to justice and providing refuge for those who needed it.

Now the sanctuary movement has been reborn. These immigrants enter the United States out of the same desire for a better life of immigrants past, documented as well as undocumented. For many, their passage is dangerous and agonizing. And once they reach this country they are often exploited by their employers and attacked by hostile individuals. In response, to a broken immigration system and the unwarranted hostility and aggression that is being fueled by a right wing "nativist" movement, Christians have come together to provide sanctuary to immigrants and their native born children.

He died last week.

Please keep my father and his family in your prayers.

Friends, We have a new member of the family! Mark Farr, IPC director, and his wife Laura have just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Sadie. I've asked Mark for permission to post a picture. I will post one if/when he gives us the thumbs up. Congrats Mark & Laura!

To those of you who watched the Democratic debates:

What were your thoughts?

As an independent, I watched the Democrats with my interest piqued, but not too committed.

I heard Edwards' response on Faith & was left disappointed...
He fumbled his way through the question.

Then Obama spoke and I was left with hope. I'm still not sure if I will vote for him, but I must admit, his response resonated with me; & if nothing else that's a start. What's you're take? Do you think we're seeing progress?

(for the full transcript http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/23/debate.transcript.part2/index.html):

OBAMA: I am proud of my Christian faith. And it informs what I do. And I don't think that people of any faith background should be prohibited from debating in the public square.

OBAMA: But I am a strong believer in the separation of church and state, and I think that we've got to translate...

So what's a nice Catholic girl from upstate NY doing in Texas?

Hoping to make a difference in the world. After a few moments of deliberation, a few weeks back I accepted a job that would transplant me from what I knew and held familiar to a place I had been only once before-- Texas. Believe it or not the red state, blue state, purple state conversation had nothing to do with my choice. (Although I must admit, it was one of those things that made me go hmmm...)

I write this note from the floor of my new pad in San Antonio, Texas.

(My belongings are still en route.)

It's official-- CrossLeft now has a home in San Antonio.

Inspired by the note posted about Upstate, NY (thank you!) I'm going to declare-- without knowing exactly how it is going to come about-- that we will have a get together for Progressive Christians in this part of the world soon.