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Mixing up Symbol and Reality
It’s interesting that the following article, Burning Gods: Fear and Free Speech in America, is written by an atheist. The principle is so strongly applicable to Christian thinking as well. Carol’s article reminded me of the Ten Commandments flap in Alabama, which produced some interesting pictures of Christians bowing down in front of the ten…
Race and Obama’s Success
I have watched the stories about Geraldine Ferraro with some interest. She was one of the pioneers, suffering a loss in 1984, but nonetheless being part of a historic candidacy. Though I have at times thought the Clinton campaign wants to introduce race into the campaign, they have at a minimum done so subtly. Ferraro…
Behind Every Peaceful Protester . . .
. . . is someone who is willing to fight for it. I don’t mean disrespect to peaceful protest. There is a great value in it, and in civil disobedience, though civil disobedience has been somewhat tamed since the days of Martin Luther King. When I was stationed at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, a protest leader…
On the Troubles of Candidates’ Children
I wasn’t going to say anything about this, because I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with spreading the story any further, but now that it has been discussed in the mainstream media, such as MSNBC.com, I want to make a short comment. I married late, in my early 40s, and picked up a…
Progressives, Minimum Wage, and Strategies
I receive regular newsletters from the Christian Alliance for Progress, and I really appreciate that organization for its work to reclaim Christianity from the religious right. Christianity is about moral and ethical values, and about caring for our neighbor, and not about making small numbers of people rich or about right wing politics. None of…
The Flawed Way People Read Polls
Here’s your illustration. Liberals loved Nate Silver because he calculated that Barack Obama would win the presidency, among other things. Conservatives didn’t like him so much. Now conservatives are pointing to the poor odds, though 60-40 is a ratio many politicians would covet. I love Nate Silver not because of who he supports but because…
Thanks for this clip. When people are in power and doing a good job (in their profession) – and are likeable – it probably happens more often than we know – turning a deaf ear, making a very weak response and soothing one’s conscience, apples and oranges (I’m a great coach – this is not my responsibility) – on and on. Of course, it was Paterno’s responsibility – and others’ who knew what was happening. When did coming to the aid of a victim and calling the police and “risking” the reputation of a sports team become the norm? Always, always the disadvantaged, vulnerable, minorities – and, yes, people in high places – can be victimized. Witnesses and people who know and keep silent are as guilty as the perpetrator.
There is nobody whose reputation and position entitles them to avoid accountability. I’m just glad someone eventually brought it all to light!