An interesting event is taking place tonight in DC. Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama will be sitting together to discuss Faith, Values and Poverty.

The event is named “Faith Guiding Our Votes,” because it will be a unique forum to ask questions not just about issues, but about values. Not just what policies the candidates propose, but why. Not just whether they believe privately, but about how they live out their faith in public life.

Moderated by author and Sojourners Editor-in-Chief and CEO Jim Wallis, this event is the first of its kind, bringing together God and Politics in a new light.

The country has changed since Bill Clinton was elected. It has changed even since George Bush was elected. Ten years ago (and more), the economy was steady and healthy, it looked like there would be peace (as it could be) in the Middle East, and the country was not nearly as divided as it is now. Today, we have a raging war in Iraq, the economy stumbles, and nobody can agree on anything - there are lots of fingers to be pointed and blame to be pushed around. It’s also interesting that I don’t think I’ve ever seen an election where religion played such a role, and so early on. I also think that Iraq is such a FUBAR situation, that it is difficult to determine and articulate a fine answer and/or solution to both help the country recover from the mess that has been created and get the troops out.

It really is too early to tell how any of this is going to play out, even a year from now once conventions and candidates are finalized, there is no guarantee. What I do know is that with religion playing a hand, no strong candidate on either side (in my opinion), the war in Iraq looming over us all, and the use of Web 2.0 in campaigning and reporting…2008 will be an election for the books.

I read a book recently that touched lightly on one woman’s experience during the many protests of the Vietnam war. It made me think a little bit…where are our protests?

The war in Iraq has certainly been an issue near and dear to many people’s hearts, and also the cause for much controversy, both politically and globally.

But, although there have been many anti-war rallies, most have been peaceful. Which isn’t to say peaceful protest is a bad thing…but where is the indignation? Where are the people who are saying, “what is wrong with this picture?” and questioning the decisions that are being made that affect our country and the world? Why are college campuses not full of unified students, bright with energy and impossible ideals who want to change and help the world? How come protests against war and for peace come so few and far between, often nothing more than a small blip on the radar - even in our nation’s capital?

I feel that as a whole, our country too easily turns the other way, and is more concerned with rising gas prices than the cause for it, more worried about MySpace predators than violence in schools, more worried about getting richer than looking around to see those in poverty. I can’t say that I’m blameless in being self-absorbed. But sometimes when you take a look at the bigger picture, it’s all in vain. The world will continue on no matter how many members of Congress are exposed as pedophiles, no matter how many innocent children are murdered, and no matter how many families are grieving lost loved ones. The news is a fickle mistress, and with all of the constantly changing headlines, I wish that more people would start to open their eyes, and feel outraged and appalled at all that is going on in the world…and maybe, just maybe, try to do something about it.

Tonight I heard Keith Olbermann give his special comment in a biting and brutal message to our fearless leader, concering the President’s statement that Democrats and all others opposing his administration are weak on terror and in essence helping terrorists. He said that Bush’s words were basically a whole lot of negative, cowardly bullshit.**

I think what made Mr. Olbermann’s statement so clear to me, was his closing with the infamous Edward R. Murrow sign off, “Good night, and good luck.” It brings back the seriousness, the corruption, and the scandal of the McCarthy trials; and reminds me that there are still some journalists out there that remain a strong voice of dissent against the government, demand truth, and stand up for what is right.

Amen, Mr. Olbermann.

**an excert of the comments**

“You have dishonored your party, sir; you have dishonored your supporters; you have dishonored yourself.

But tonight the stark question we must face is — why?

Why has the ferocity of your venom against the Democrats now exceeded the ferocity of your venom against the terrorists?

Why have you chosen to go down in history as the president who made things up?

In less than one month you have gone from a flawed call to unity to this clarion call to hatred of Americans, by Americans.

If this is not simply the most shameless example of the rhetoric of political hackery, then it would have to be the cry of a leader crumbling under the weight of his own lies.

We have, of course, survived all manner of political hackery, of every shape, size and party. We will have to suffer it, for as long as the Republic stands.

But the premise of a president who comes across as a compulsive liar is nothing less than terrifying.

A president who since 9/11 will not listen, is not listening — and thanks to Bob Woodward’s most recent account — evidently has never listened.

A president who since 9/11 so hates or fears other Americans that he accuses them of advocating deliberate inaction in the face of the enemy.

A president who since 9/11 has savaged the very freedoms he claims to be protecting from attack — attack by terrorists, or by Democrats, or by both — it is now impossible to find a consistent thread of logic as to who Mr. Bush believes the enemy is.

But if we know one thing for certain about Mr. Bush, it is this: This president — in his bullying of the Senate last month and in his slandering of the Democrats this month — has shown us that he believes whoever the enemies are, they are hiding themselves inside a dangerous cloak called the Constitution of the United States of America.”

My dad just sent this in to the Washington Post as an op-ed…I thought I would share it with you all. I think it goes along the lines of my own 9-11 post and post about the situation of the world in general.

He (my dad) is a former Air Force pilot and government advisor turned United Methodist minister, and is currently the owner/President of a company he is trying to get started (if he ever gets more financial backing) called Planning for Peace…so this just a sample of his thoughts and vision… I hope it gets published in the Post because I really believe in it and hope others feel the same.

Too often these days I hear people say that September 11, 2001 changed America – that “9-11” is the pivotal point in defining our recent 21^st century. I do not agree. This is not to abstract the horrific loss of life in the twin towers, airplanes, or Pentagon. I lost good friends and colleagues on that day. However, what I believe to be pivotal to the definition of our recent 21^st century was articulated by our Nation’s president one month later when he eulogized saying that “in our anger we will find our purpose.”

Our nation or the world (including our Islamic brothers and sisters) was never given permission to grieve. For it is in our grief that our purpose is to be found. It is not what happens to a person or group that defines them. What defines them is how they respond. Instead of allowing for hearts to be broken, hearts were hardened. Anger now serves our purpose and this is spilling over into our interpersonal relationships as well as relationships on the global stage. The rhetoric of anger ushers in the wrath it seeks because anger, unchecked, all too easily can create an atmosphere of fear resulting in a terror of its own making.

John Wesley, a spiritual leader, a great man of the Church, and to many still today, once remarked, “Whatever it is that drives you to your knees in prayer, that is your calling in life.” For me personally, that is planning for peace. I find myself saddened that nations plan for war (I have served as an integral part to that end) but seemingly do not think to plan for peace. It seems humanity expects peace to come as easily as the next breath; yet, the work of peace is exceedingly more challenging and elusive than our human body’s automatic and preconditioned responses to life. This is because peacemaking is fall down and get up again relational work. To ensure it, one must never let go of the other with whom you are in conflict and always remain engaged in serving the other to the end that reconciliation is realized and blessing flow again.

So I write to encourage others to take the time to find the way to be peacemakers in their personal lives, families, and communities. Be a peacemaker in daily life – get up every morning and tell yourself you are going to follow a rule of life that helps you be a peacemaker each day. Pray for peace and please pray that the nations expend greater energy planning for peace.

Read about peacemaking and be careful what you watch, what you read, and you view on TV. This includes the movies as well as games that celebrate violence. We are what we eat. Feeding on violent events feeds our propensity for anger. And, finally, find ways you can financially and spiritually support the work of peace.

I’m sure there will be a flurry of posts about 9/11 over the next few days…and here are my thoughts…

For one, I saw that certain stations (some CNN) will be re-running the events live in their entirety, starting at 8:30 am tomorrow. Part of me thinks that it would be interesting to watch, with a more objective eye - as the events unfold…another part of me thinks that it’s a bit much…do we need to relive that all over again? I personally have no interest in watching the towers fall, and the Pentagon get hit, and all of the people who were hurt, killed, and lost loved ones. I mean, I know that things shouldn’t just be pushed aside and ignored…but shouldn’t there be a better way to honor heroes and remember lives lost than watching it happen all over again?*

Then of course there is the ABC mini-documentary that is under fire right now from many people. It’s too soon, we don’t have all the facts, the information is inaccurarte and it’s wrong to show, etc… Now, I’ll have to see it before I decide what I think…but it’s interesting that it has caused such an uproar. Perhaps because even though it’s a drama, it’s seen as more of a factual documentary as opposed to movies such as Flight 93 and World Trade Center.

And while it is important to remember this tragedy, it’s also going to fuel a lot more remembrance of the hatred and fear that many people felt causing the discrminiation against people from countries like Iraq and Afghanistan to be elevated yet again. Innocent people who don’t have ties to extremist groups or Muslims who follow the peace they seek are going to be seen as “taxi drivers by day and terrorists by night” all over again. Of course, there are those people among us who assimilate and do intend to cause harm to others…but no different than the person walking down the street planning to shoot a crowd of people, or the child bringing a gun to school, or even the other building bomb tragedies that have occured over the years. Which, is also to say, mostly done by caucasian males.

It’s hard to manage both remembering what happened and giving people the peace they desire. It’s difficult to separate threats from paranoia. And, it’s impossible to live now without the constant thought that someone, somewhere, is trying to hurt you. Airport travel, building security, and the way that people treat one another will perhaps never be the same, thanks to the war on terror and the miseducation of millions. Not to say that I know it all, or that I even understand everything…I too feel the annoyance and occasional slight fear of traveling on a plane, and I too notice when Muslims and other groups are discriminated against, and when more and more soldiers are dying.

To me, it’s not that the people who died on 9/11 “gave their lives to fight terrorism.” America didn’t completely know terror until 9/11, it wasn’t a daily part of our lives like it is for so many other people in the world. But, these people died because of terrorism, and now there are more dying in the war in Iraq because of it. Revenge is bittersweet. I’m not saying there is a clear or easy answer to any of this, and I’m not saying I’m right.

On this day tomorrow, and in the days that follow, I think it’s important to remember that we’re all in this together. We are all human - even extremist terrorist groups are someone’s brothers, fathers, sisters, mothers… and while many of the violent things that people do are unforgiveable and unfathomable…without taking a look at the bigger picture, nobody wins and nothing will ever be resolved. Maybe I’m just being an idealist and naive, but that’s what I think.

The strongest memory I have of 9/11, is of being on my college campus and the entire university coming together. The afternoon of, there was an elementary school style assembly in the theatre…and that night a candlelight vigil. Many students had parents and families in DC and NYC who were affected. I remember feeling the strength of so many gathered together in grief, confusion, and comfort. Some were angry and some were sad, and while it was a horrible reason to become one body, it was a powerful experience to all be bound by something that made us all the same.

So tomorrow, through the critics and the good and bad media coverage…just take a moment to remember that although it may be just another Monday…it also represents something much larger. America changed on 9/11/01…and I’m not sure if it will ever be the same.

*On a side note, don’t most people have to work? I mean, even if I wanted to sit and watch I couldn’t…

Everybody knows how the fighting in Israel has escalated into pretty much a full out open war. While tensions in the middle east in general remain high, you have to wonder what’s going to happen. Iraq and Afghanistan are certainly still unstable, people in Israel and Lebanon are getting killed every day, and Iran and North Korea are just sitting there taking it all in while playing with their nuclear missiles. While all of this is happening, let’s also remember that the entire world has problems - there are people in Africa and El Salvador and even here in America that are oppressed, that are poor, that are angry, and that are violent. This is the tip of the iceberg. World War III could very well come crashing down on us, before we can even blink.

As far as the Israel conflict goes, I think it annnoys me the most to think that of the say, 60% of Americans who are actually paying attention to the news and watching what’s happening (and maybe 60% is an optimistic number), only about 40% (again, maybe optimistic) actually understand it. And, it is a complicated issue for sure, and I don’t really think there is a right or wrong party here. I have the sinking feeling that most people in this country believe it’s the same battles as Iraq, that all of the middle east is the same, and it’s all TERRORISTS. Maybe I don’t give people enough credit, but I think that people are so self absorbed, that they just don’t notice or even care. It’s too far away to affect them (other than higher gas prices) and they don’t understand it, so they dismiss what’s happening.

Speaking of terrorists, George W. doesn’t know his ass from his elbow - and personally I think he’s a little trigger happy. We’re already in a tight situation in Iraq, that I believe GW got us into less for “finding terrorists” and more for oil and revenge for his father. Tell me I’m unpatriotic, and tell me I’m not supporting our government. I believe in protection and justice. But the idea of preemptive strike, of relating ALL of the middle east back to 9/11 and terrorists…how can I support that? How can I support Bush being the only world leader to say “sure, you’re justified in killing hundreds of people” and other world leaders are calling on all parties to be at fault, and all to make amends. On another note, Condi - where are YOU on all of this?


The U.S. fully backs Israel, and always has. But, it’s not a simple black and white argument. The Palestinians are not WRONG either. It’s more than the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They have been forced into refugee camps for decades, pushed off land, and for what? The majority of fights in the middle east, and every other country - boils down to fighting over land, and over religion. It doesn’t make either side right or wrong. This recent violence began because two soldiers were captured. But, to kill hundreds of civilians and innocent people over it is unecessary. The primary antagonist in this situation is Hezbollah, an extremist group. The thing is, every country has extremist groups. In Iraq, in Israel, in Africa, in Asia, even in America there are extremist groups - militant, religious, etc… People need to realize that terrorists do exist, but that not everyone is a terrorist.

There is so much wrong in the world today, that I think it’s much easier to live not knowing that the entire world is oppressed. I can say I’m guilty of turning a blind eye, and being one of those self absorbed Americans…and I admit it. But, I’m also one who can see the bigger picture, who understands that while we in America have more consumer choices and options than you can imagine, there are people all over the world without the basic necessities to live. They are poor, they are starving, they are are oppressed, they are sick (AIDS), they are weakened….and if they haven’t completely given up hope, they are angry. Even in America. It’s a shame that while there are so many resources to help people, there is not enough help available to even begin to make a change.

I think this country will continue to turn away, to think it doesn’t affect them. That is, until the entire world is up in arms, and suddenly America too is thrown even deeper into battle, and maybe then people will start to pay attention.