Developing a CrossLeft Platform
Submitted by thejanet on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 08:11
As we move into the presidential campaign season, it may be useful to develop a set of platform planks that we, as progressive Christians, all believe and stand upon. We'll start at the most broad of statements and narrow each down, step by step, until consensus is no longer achievable. Back up a step (to where we all agreed) and voila! There's our platform plank.
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A Christian Progressive Platform
How about these general topics for a start, Healthcare, Education,Social Security, Demilitarization ,Rebuilding America, sane and humane Immigration, a fair workable Economy that is good for all, not just those at the top,and a new Energy Plan working hand in glove with Environmental Issues. As I get time I can elaborate on these more. In the meantime if anyone wants to start a topic on the platform, go for it.
A start?
The broadest statement I can imagine making, at this moment, is that the current administration's policies have been antithetical to the Christian ideal of love. I find myself attracted to a candidate whose platform resonates the idea of "being my brother's keeper;" in that greater inclusion, greater access to resources and education would lay a foundation based on love, not power.
a start!
That's broad and something I can agree with 100 percent.
Rest of youse: Agree? disagree?
I like this (or a narrowed down version we still all agree on) perhaps as an opening statement for our platform?
re: a start - love vs power/peace vs war
Agree. Love vs. Power is a good starting principle.
If we talk about a foundation based on love, not power, then it seems to me that we need to be upfront about always being against wars.
My belief is that pacifism is a basic principle of The Way.
Even if some of us accept some form of the Just War standard, I would argue that the technology of warfare as it now exists makes a just war impossible. I think that the proportionality of means to ends simply can't be maintained.
Thus, I come down solidly on the side of "moral equivalence" arguments, seeing, for example, the "war on terror". as conducted by our government, as a condition of state terrorism competing with ordinary terrorism.
This may be too maximalist a blessed-are-the-peacemakers position for a consensus to be reached here, but I think we need to discuss it thoroughly. I see it as the first derivative of the love vs. power principle.
Bill
also key to the early church
Pacifism was also one of the hearts (can there be more than one heart? should I switch to "key" instead?) of the early church, so much so that Christians would not fight, period, amen, in the chance they might fight against another Christian. And Jesus was really clear on that point, that the world needs to know we are Christians by our love and by the way we treat each other. So where did we fall off the tracks, other than with Charlemagne, I knew that answer. :)
And no, we probably can't get consensus on pacifism all the time, perhaps let's start out with "always seeking peace preserving the dignity of all parties" or somesuch, and then see just how close we can get to peace=good war=bad.
By the way, y'all may not be seeing the other two topics I put in here, or where to go to start your own issue topic. Look at the top of this page where it says "Home » Forums » Discussion Forums » Developing a CrossLeft Platform" ?? Click the link of "developing a CrossLeft platform" and you'll see the other topics, plus the link to start your own. The other two topics are on immigration and healthcare and we KNOW we have many more issues to cover.
Why do wars start?
If we operate from a position of love, not power, then wouldn't dialogues be more open, less dissembling and aimed at truly solving a problem?
In my mind, diplomacy in Iraq failed because we carroted and sticked, rather than simply ignoring the collective American ego and saying, "Look, we have problems between us, let's solve them mutually and amicably."
It's like problem-solving with your parents--yes, honey, you may be right, but I have the might.
As a "superpower", must we always exert military power to influence world policy? That, in my mind, seems childish.
The highest state we could possibly exist in is influencing nations based on a mutual love and respect. Remember mirroring? Even if you can't stand someone, if they tend to establish a genuine rapport, with you, then don't you find yourself loosening up, and somehow agreeing with that person, now?
A platform based on love, not power, has to first start domestically, then radiate into our foreign policy. We must first treat ourselves with love, setting the example and refusing to appear hypocritical. We can't execute death penalty sentences domestically while decrying human rights violations of another country. We can't prosecute a war on evidence that wouldn't stand up in any court, and condemn a country rattling its saber.
i think i have
Janet,
The discussion board can be a little confusing...I think i have it now that folks can post different parts of the platform under:
http://www.crossleft.org/forums/51071
I've put this forum post within that forum.
you should then be able to create new topics within that forum.
Hope this helps.
I agree things have been quiet on the site over the last day...where is everybody?
s
the link for Janet's forum doesn't work
I get "Page not found".
try this:
http://www.crossleft.org/forum/51071
thanks -- it works!
Now if I only had something to say....
you've got plenty to say!
step up to the plate brother!
help, Steve, help!!
What I wanted was this to be the umbrella topic, with a bunch of topics underneath it. It looks like I can't get their from here, so I'm begging for your help.
Can you fix it so that this is a section header? And then me or anybody can start an issue-related topic for work on each plank of our platform. Can we do that?
I really do want to get started on this like immediately, I don't know what we're going to use a platform for, but there are lots of potential uses (use as checklist for decisions on endorsing candidates, publish as a PR piece to increase awareness of what and where CrossLeft is today, use as a basis of discussion with candidates, lots of other stuff I haven't even dreamed of yet)....
I'll start thinking of issue topics so when this is a section-header I can start a handful of topics to get the ball rolling. Now where did I put that paper and pencil? (yikes! paper and writing impliment! so hard to find on my desk)
Where is everybody anyway? It feels like everybody is at a party or a cool conference and I didn't get invited. boo hoo.