obama

Here is a cartoon I did for the August 19, 2009 edition of the Tri-City Voice.

Over the past week or so, I've been troubled by the lack of civility in the town hall meetings. It's sad to see people shouting down other people who are trying to have a civil discussion on the proposals for health care reform. In my facebook account, I've been shocked to see some people post videos comparing Obama to Hitler. More ominously, some people have even brought guns in Presidential events, brandishing them in public to flaunt their second amendment rights. Sadly, these displays have had an effect on the opinions of people towards Obama's health care reform proposals, as support for reform has gone down in the polls.

A debate is necessary because the need for reform for health care is so important for our country. Fareed Zakaria wrote a column in the August 17, 2009 Washington Post in which he states:

"Clearly the U.S. health-care system is on an unsustainable path. If current trends continue -- and there is no indication that they won't -- health care will consume 40 percent of the national economy by 2050. The problem is that this is a slow and steady decline, producing no crisis. As a result, we seem incapable of grappling with it seriously.

Over the past few months, one of President Obama's greatest legislation goals has been a push for near universal care for all Americans. I generally support universal health care, but I haven't had a strong opinion on how this country should best achieve this goal, since I've yet to get a major health problem that has required me to go through the current medical system. I've had several friends who have had bad experiences with their insurance or friends who've lost their jobs and have struggled finding health insurance to help them cover their family. I did a cartoon in the July 29, 2009 issue of the Tri-City Voice .

With all this talk, the question first needs to be asked, "Why do we need to reform our health care system?" The June 27, 2009 issue of the Economist was dedicated to the issue of health care reform and it had an editorial that wrote:

Washington DC May 16, 2009 Among the most prominent opponents of President Obama's commencement speech at Notre Dame is Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City- St. Joseph who in a recent incendiary speech described Catholicism as "the Church militant" and told his audience, "We are at war."

In the course of his speech Bishop Finnhe named as "enemies" in this war, not only those who disagree strongly with the Church on various matters, but those who believe in religious tolerance and who reach out in respectful difference in search of "common ground."

Bishop Finn went on to describe dissenters as "dangerous." He also denounced people "in our own ranks... who claim a certain 'common ground' with us, while at the same time they attack the most fundamental tenets of the Church's teachings...". And who are these dangerous enemies of the Church? Finn singles out Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame for having invited President Barack Obama to speak. The principle problem is that the president is prochoice. Finn also gratuitiously notes that the president,"is, of course, not Catholic."
'"The more dangerous 'human enemies' in our battle" declared Finn, "are those who in this age of pluralism and political propriety seek ways to convince us of their sincerity and good will."

Sermon: the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A
The Community Church of Wilmette
November 9, 2008

Trimmed and Burning

Did you ever think that you would see the day?
Did you ever think that you would see the day?
Did you ever think that an African-American man would be elected President of the United States of America in our lifetime?

I am not sure that I truly believed it. I still have images of the intense segregation of my home town, Richmond. I still struggle with the deep divisions and segregation that exists in Chicago. Those wounds run so deep. The struggles and the blight of racism is still so very real...even here in the so-called enlightened north.

I was so disappointed the day that I realized how divided Chicago was. I came here thinking Chicago would show me a different way of living in a multi-racial community.

I never thought I would ever see an African-American elected to the highest office in our country. Never.

Steven Waldman, author of "Founding Faith" and editor-in-chief of BeliefNet www.blog.beliefnet/stevenwaldman reported Tuesday Oct. 21st "Big Gains for Obama Among Weekly Churchgoers". He cites a recent Pew poll noting that Obama is making amazing gains amongst Catholic and Mainline Protestant churchgoers.

A month ago McCain had a 52-36% advantage amongst weekly mass attending Catholics. Now the poll shows it's tied at 45% each.

Amongst Mainline Protestants it was McCain 53% to 39% a month ago, now it Obama 47% to 44%.

So it looks like The Surge is working alright - for Obama!

Has anyone read yesterdays Lawrence O'Donnell's post on The Huffington Post stating that Colin Powell is ready to endorse Sen. Obama? How credible is this? www.huffingtonpost.co/lawrence-odonnell/colin-powell-is-ready-to_b_13477... How credible is The Huffington Post as a reliable source?

Wouldn't that be the big October surprise --- for Sen. McCain! Wouldn't that just seal it for Sen. Obama and the Democrats?

O'Donnell cites the ugliness of the campaign, the 14 point lead in the NY Times poll and his explicit rejection of the Bush-McCain approach to the Iraq, Iran and the rest of the world.

Most of all this would be pay back time for the Bush-Cheney deception he suffered. IMO, that just has to be grinding at his soul.

Let us pray that this distinquished servant to this nation sees his next duty and musters the courage to follow thru.

I just recieved this from a friend. Very astute analysis.

It reminds me of the old radio program, The Shadow. It's opening line was, "Who know what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

www.chopra.com/wordsfromchopra

As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say, "That's a terrible statement," I grew up in a very segregated South, and I think that you have to cut some slack. And I'm going to be probably the only conservative in America who's going to say something like this, but I'm just telling you: We've got to cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told, "You have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had ... more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.

- Mike Huckabee, offering his perspective on the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. (Source: MSNBC)

I greatly appreciate what the Reverend Governor Huckabee has to say about the recent furor over Senator Obama and, more specifically, what his former pastor Reverend Wright has said in the past. Too often the sling and arrows have come from those who most probably should hold their tongues because they cannot possibly understand the context from which Rev. Wright speaks.

Sermon: Easter Sunday Year A 2008
The Community Church of Wilmette
March 23, 2008

Ps. 118:1-2, 14-24
Acts 10:34-43
Mt. 28:1-10

Indeed, No Partiality

The theological is in the news once again. If we are going to have to see it in the news, I want you all to know a little something about what theology is behind all of the hubub. Today is Easter Sunday. Today we make the most profound theological statement available to us as Christians.

Alleluia! The Lord is Risen!
The Lord is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Once again the theological is in the news.
Jeremiah Wright, the now retired pastor of Trinity UCC in Chicago, preached a sermon following the horrific attacks on September 11, 2001 that has come back to haunt him and the presidential candidate he loves so well, Senator Obama.

Have you all heard this news?
Do you know the words from the sermon?
Take a listen.

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no. God damn America – that's in the Bible – for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”