For the BEND folk this week:
For the PHOENIX folk all Summer long:
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
For the BEND & PHOENIX heads..
RISE UP is hosting a few great events...
For the BEND folk this week:
For the PHOENIX folk all Summer long:
For the BEND folk this week:
For the PHOENIX folk all Summer long:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Barack in Bend
Hey everyone,
I am back on the Barack bandwagon.
Believe it or not- he came to Bend over the weekend. The last time a presidential nominee came to Bend was Bobby Kennedy over 40 years ago. This was my second time seeing him, the first being in Phoenix at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Three things stood out:
1... it was crazy to be no more than 100 feet from Obama (we were in a local high school gymnasium).
2... he took questions from the audience at the end. Speaking to us like we were adults- giving us long, hard answers as opposed to short rallying, sound bytes to please the crowd. This approach was very different from when Bill Clinton spoke at the local high school a few weeks back (which I went to as well)- he was slick with his sound byte-esque answers, seemingly speaking to us like we were children in need of coddling.
3... It was very different from Phoenix in January. Although the speech was similar, the whole morning with Obama seemed tired- I think everyone in the room including Barack felt as though it was ridiculous that the primary was not over.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
From Menos el Oso to Mexico City...
Last night was guys night- we drank left over beers & tequila from erin's surprise grad party in Erin's new Zen Garden (in our backyard..pics to come soon)...it was the perfect setting for conversation before we walked downtown to catch Portugal the Man and Minus the Bear. The evening reminded me of college...hanging with guys, drinking beer, going on a burrito run, and heading out to a concert...twas great!
On another college related note, I just found out that 77 year old Sue Johansen's late-night "talk sex" Oxygen network program has ended its run. I think the show used to come on at around 1am- my roommates and I would laugh hysterically every time...nothing like learning about sex from a grandma.
I am in the process right now of taking submissions for recommended Summer Reading. I have checked out the recommendations on Kelli's List, and am beginning to compile my own list. Please feel free to let me know what you think I should be reading...so far, I am planning on reading a few Vonnegut books (I need a late pass on this one), The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs, and poetry from Rumi...now lend me your two cents.
And finally, a scholarship application came across my desk to go to Mexico City for the world AIDS conference. The scholarship is given by my church's denomination the ELCA (evangelical lutheran church in america). Here is the info:
If you are between the ages of 18 and 26 and interested in addressing the AIDS pandemic, then this is for you!
Attached is an application for a scholarship to attend the International AIDS Conference in Mexico from July 31 to August 9. The application is due May 23, so you'll need to act quickly if you'd like to apply. The program for this scholarship includes the pre-conference of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and a meeting with LWF youth. This and much more is explained in the attached application. If you have additional questions, you can contact Emily Davila at Emily.Davila@elca.org or 212-808-5360.
I have the application and will e-mail it to you if you are interested. I am considering applying myself...
Mucho love to you all on this Wednesday.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Recipe for a Sunday Afternoon...
It has been a crazy stressful week-
Sunday afternoon was much needed...
1 Part Celebration: Erin found out that she has been hired to teach Language Arts at Mountain View High School next year
1 Part great weather enabling deck reading
1 Part Gin & Tonic, 2 Parts Fat Tire for me
1 Part Margarita for Erin
1 Part Jim Wallis' The Great Awakening, 1 Part Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change for me
1 Part Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 for Erin
1 Part Minus the Bear's Menos El Oso, 1 Part Paul Simon's Graceland, 1 Part U2's War, and 1 Part Fugees' the Score
1 Pearl of Wisdom- changing the way the green conversation is framed... "environment crisis," becomes "overconsumption crisis." I think it makes it more personal.
Thanks again friends for the Obama & Wright conversation...it felt very constructive, and enhanced my perspective for sure.
Have a great Week.
Friday, May 2, 2008
In a World of Sound Bytes...
In a world of sound bytes and limited time, below is a much more condensed response to everything Wright & Obama. To see my full response, read my post below this one. Cheers.
Truth is always going to be divisive- so it is, upon hindsight, understood that Barack had to distance himself from Wright politically.
I think I reacted strongly in light of my frustration with the failing church of today...a church I saw embodied this last weekend in Seattle (for more see below). Amidst my frustrations, I heard Wright speaking (in my opinion) truth to the shortcomings of our American society.
In light of this, I was angered by Obama's choice of words in his renunciation speech- "I didn't know the man," etc....sounded, in a Biblical sense a lot like Peter after the politically divisive Jesus was arrested.
Now I am not comparing Rev. Wright to Jesus, but...his message comes from the same prophetic tradition. Speaking truth to the powers, institutions, and privileged.
I think in these "accept or reject" times, I have just personally realized that I cannot endorse or campaign for any candidate. Rather, I can attempt to speak truth through my actions and campaign for the issues I am passionate about regardless of who gets elected.
Truth is always going to be divisive- so it is, upon hindsight, understood that Barack had to distance himself from Wright politically.
I think I reacted strongly in light of my frustration with the failing church of today...a church I saw embodied this last weekend in Seattle (for more see below). Amidst my frustrations, I heard Wright speaking (in my opinion) truth to the shortcomings of our American society.
In light of this, I was angered by Obama's choice of words in his renunciation speech- "I didn't know the man," etc....sounded, in a Biblical sense a lot like Peter after the politically divisive Jesus was arrested.
Now I am not comparing Rev. Wright to Jesus, but...his message comes from the same prophetic tradition. Speaking truth to the powers, institutions, and privileged.
I think in these "accept or reject" times, I have just personally realized that I cannot endorse or campaign for any candidate. Rather, I can attempt to speak truth through my actions and campaign for the issues I am passionate about regardless of who gets elected.
Redefining Campaign (the Hopefully Wright Response)
First off, I want to tell you all how grateful I am for your friendship. Amidst difficult economic & social times, amidst sadness & anger at the policies of today, and amidst my own personal struggle to be an agent of change- I find myself thankful for a group of "digital" & "real-life" friends that will allow me to vent when at a loss for words, surround me when I am depressed, and spur me on to keep moving. For this I owe you all. Bear with me, as I set up the context for which I heard Jeremiah Wright speak.
This last weekend I was up in Seattle scouting out a week long service learning experience for my high school students- this will be the third trip that I have taken these students on. These trips are about 75% learning & 25% service...together we have tackled immigrant rights & myth in Los Angeles, HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, and now (I am still piecing it all together) Native American history, sustainability, and the growing disparity between the rich and poor in Seattle. It is my hope that students will see that as a matter of faith, we must not just be socially aware- but socially active...working for justice & peace as we seek to tread lightly on the Earth.
This last weekend was filled with many highs & lows- great conversations over alcoholic beverages, yet depressing church visits (we visit various churches in the city to see what kind of justice work they are doing). Most of these churches we visited had neglected their surroundings (from the urban poor to the university student), and became insular- serving members from their heyday in the 50's (folk now over 75). It was depressing to see these once thriving ministries (set in ginormous cathedrals) become isolated from the world- dwindling off into the sunset, refusing to listen to the cries of their neighbors. This just bummed out.
Upon our drive home, we recalled Jeremiah Wright's preaching from our drive up (from the NAACP night), and were thankful for his pastoral vision in the South Side of Chicago. Thankful, that he would not let his community become isolated from their neighbors. Thankful, that he would use his voice (and risk "pastoral standing") to speak to the margins, to speak against the powers that be, and make deeply "political" statements. We were thankful because this is who we know Jesus to be. This was a piece of what Christians, Jews, and Muslims call the prophetic tradition- a tradition that calls for justice from the margins, that speaks truth (despite opposition from the privileged of society), a tradition that is ancient, sorely missed, and yet much needed in today's world.
We all have frustrations about the leadership of George W. Bush- at some level or another, I have heard you all countdown the days 'til he leaves office. But, I ask this...are we just as frustrated with the American "fantasy?" The fantasy that, as columnist Paul Street (to see full article check out the comments section- thx Jesse for the forward) pointed out using Obama's own words..."America is the last best hope for the world." Obama, like any other politician that wants to get elected has sipped the syrup that is the American Dream. Many of you have pointed out that i shouldn't have had as high of hopes for Obama- that at the end of the day he is a politician. Yes, this is true- but Obama (unlike other politicians up until this point) has transcended the "either/or," "accept/reject," dualistic boxes that fuel the world of sound byte driven media. His "Race in America" speech was, for me the shining highlight of his campaign- when the media gave him boxes...he rose up and moved beyond them.
Here comes my frustration today (which was a whole lot more pissed on Monday), Obama did not transcend any boxes in his "renunciation speech." Rather, I think he just flat out lied. Making comments like "this is not the man I knew 20 years ago," "his comments contradict everything I am about and who I am," and finally "The fact that Reverend Wright would think that somehow it was appropriate to command the stage for three or four consecutive days in the midst of this major debate is something that not only makes me angry, but also saddens me." The truth is that Reverend Wright preaches like this every Sunday (my colleague Dave has seen him preach twice- and was the case there too), Obama definitely knew the man. Obama should know that this is the pastoral call- to speak, as Martin Luther King said, "as one trying desperately to be the conscience of all the political parties, rather than being a political candidate." By the way, MLK was also called a "spectacle," especially after speaking out against the Vietnam war.
If Rev. Wright's words contradict everything Obama is about- then where does that leave me? Before you all start to worry, I am probably still going to vote for Obama (but will not campaign for him whatsoever). After a few days of thought, multiple conversations, and the sonic infusion of the Roots' latest album "Rising Down," I think that I am going to follow the words of Wright (I will still be a Pastor on November 5th and January 21st)...the words of Dr. King that encourage people of faith to speak to the conscience of politicians, and begin to campaign.
Campaign not for a candidate, but for the greatest issues of our time. Campaign for an end to human trafficking, campaign for racial & religious reconciliation, campaign for immigrant rights (the sojourner/stranger in our land), campaign for children being killed by bombs all over the world, campaign for the end of arms trade (America arms 93% of all conflicts worldwide), campaign for downward mobility and the closing of the historic gap between rich and poor, and campaign for environmental stability- all of which are a direct response to my faith. The faith of the Hebrew prophets, Jesus, St. Francis, Martin Luther King, and Jeremiah Wright.
Thanks again friends for listening- know that I kind of wrote this as a "pep talk" for myself. To remind myself not to place hope in politics, institutions, or the top-down mentality.
Mucho hope from the bottom up...and peace be with you
Ronnie
This last weekend I was up in Seattle scouting out a week long service learning experience for my high school students- this will be the third trip that I have taken these students on. These trips are about 75% learning & 25% service...together we have tackled immigrant rights & myth in Los Angeles, HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, and now (I am still piecing it all together) Native American history, sustainability, and the growing disparity between the rich and poor in Seattle. It is my hope that students will see that as a matter of faith, we must not just be socially aware- but socially active...working for justice & peace as we seek to tread lightly on the Earth.
This last weekend was filled with many highs & lows- great conversations over alcoholic beverages, yet depressing church visits (we visit various churches in the city to see what kind of justice work they are doing). Most of these churches we visited had neglected their surroundings (from the urban poor to the university student), and became insular- serving members from their heyday in the 50's (folk now over 75). It was depressing to see these once thriving ministries (set in ginormous cathedrals) become isolated from the world- dwindling off into the sunset, refusing to listen to the cries of their neighbors. This just bummed out.
Upon our drive home, we recalled Jeremiah Wright's preaching from our drive up (from the NAACP night), and were thankful for his pastoral vision in the South Side of Chicago. Thankful, that he would not let his community become isolated from their neighbors. Thankful, that he would use his voice (and risk "pastoral standing") to speak to the margins, to speak against the powers that be, and make deeply "political" statements. We were thankful because this is who we know Jesus to be. This was a piece of what Christians, Jews, and Muslims call the prophetic tradition- a tradition that calls for justice from the margins, that speaks truth (despite opposition from the privileged of society), a tradition that is ancient, sorely missed, and yet much needed in today's world.
We all have frustrations about the leadership of George W. Bush- at some level or another, I have heard you all countdown the days 'til he leaves office. But, I ask this...are we just as frustrated with the American "fantasy?" The fantasy that, as columnist Paul Street (to see full article check out the comments section- thx Jesse for the forward) pointed out using Obama's own words..."America is the last best hope for the world." Obama, like any other politician that wants to get elected has sipped the syrup that is the American Dream. Many of you have pointed out that i shouldn't have had as high of hopes for Obama- that at the end of the day he is a politician. Yes, this is true- but Obama (unlike other politicians up until this point) has transcended the "either/or," "accept/reject," dualistic boxes that fuel the world of sound byte driven media. His "Race in America" speech was, for me the shining highlight of his campaign- when the media gave him boxes...he rose up and moved beyond them.
Here comes my frustration today (which was a whole lot more pissed on Monday), Obama did not transcend any boxes in his "renunciation speech." Rather, I think he just flat out lied. Making comments like "this is not the man I knew 20 years ago," "his comments contradict everything I am about and who I am," and finally "The fact that Reverend Wright would think that somehow it was appropriate to command the stage for three or four consecutive days in the midst of this major debate is something that not only makes me angry, but also saddens me." The truth is that Reverend Wright preaches like this every Sunday (my colleague Dave has seen him preach twice- and was the case there too), Obama definitely knew the man. Obama should know that this is the pastoral call- to speak, as Martin Luther King said, "as one trying desperately to be the conscience of all the political parties, rather than being a political candidate." By the way, MLK was also called a "spectacle," especially after speaking out against the Vietnam war.
If Rev. Wright's words contradict everything Obama is about- then where does that leave me? Before you all start to worry, I am probably still going to vote for Obama (but will not campaign for him whatsoever). After a few days of thought, multiple conversations, and the sonic infusion of the Roots' latest album "Rising Down," I think that I am going to follow the words of Wright (I will still be a Pastor on November 5th and January 21st)...the words of Dr. King that encourage people of faith to speak to the conscience of politicians, and begin to campaign.
Campaign not for a candidate, but for the greatest issues of our time. Campaign for an end to human trafficking, campaign for racial & religious reconciliation, campaign for immigrant rights (the sojourner/stranger in our land), campaign for children being killed by bombs all over the world, campaign for the end of arms trade (America arms 93% of all conflicts worldwide), campaign for downward mobility and the closing of the historic gap between rich and poor, and campaign for environmental stability- all of which are a direct response to my faith. The faith of the Hebrew prophets, Jesus, St. Francis, Martin Luther King, and Jeremiah Wright.
Thanks again friends for listening- know that I kind of wrote this as a "pep talk" for myself. To remind myself not to place hope in politics, institutions, or the top-down mentality.
Mucho hope from the bottom up...and peace be with you
Ronnie
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