California Props Part 2
10/31/08 17:59 Categories: Politics
So, here is the second part of the props:
1a: For
6: Against
8: Against
9: Against
10: Against
11: For
R: For
A relatively lame list this does not do justice to the wonderful discussion and time we had together talking about these props. I do not advocate for churches to get uber-political, but we should all be informed voters, and a lot of these issues relate directly to social justice.
1a: For
6: Against
8: Against
9: Against
10: Against
11: For
R: For
A relatively lame list this does not do justice to the wonderful discussion and time we had together talking about these props. I do not advocate for churches to get uber-political, but we should all be informed voters, and a lot of these issues relate directly to social justice.
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W
10/28/08 17:17 Categories: Politics | Literature and Film
I saw W the other day with Emily. Although the reviews called it a fair portrayal of Bush the Younger, I could not believe the Oliver Stone would not be a bit more... negative in his depiction. Instead, I witnessed a very well written, performed pseudo-biography. I have had a particular animosity towards Bush these last few years (really since the beginning of 2005, after I had re-elected the fellow). Watching this film gave me a compassion towards him that would make Anne Lamott cringe.
Stone suggests that the really motivational force behind W is trying to please his father, whose approval he was never able to get to a satisfactory level. I do not know how accurate the portrayal of their relationship is, but it is an understandable conclusion. Stone suggests that W blamed his father’s refusal to take out Saddam Hussein when he had the chance as a show of weakness which subsequently lost the election. Interestingly, just prior W had become an evangelical Christian. I wonder
Stone suggests that the really motivational force behind W is trying to please his father, whose approval he was never able to get to a satisfactory level. I do not know how accurate the portrayal of their relationship is, but it is an understandable conclusion. Stone suggests that W blamed his father’s refusal to take out Saddam Hussein when he had the chance as a show of weakness which subsequently lost the election. Interestingly, just prior W had become an evangelical Christian. I wonder
California Props
10/24/08 17:09 Categories: Politics
My church this week started a two week conversation about the California ballot propositions. Folks were each assigned a prop, which they research and then share with the group - including the personal bias used to approach the issue (for or against), a summary of the proposition and its effects, as well as summaries of arguments for and against. We made it through half of them, and it was a pretty great time. It was very informational, and we found that the research done was unable to answer the questions that people have (not to the fault of the folks doing the research, but more related to the lack of information on the props, particularly if one has a hard time reading ‘legalese’). The best moments were the moments where we got to discuss our reactions to the props. We had to constantly cut this short (or risk being there all night long), but there was good discussion. I think this experience along with time I have been spending with Jon Damiani disagreeing about politics has been very helpful. Not in a sense of particularly changing my political and economic opinions, but in terms of learning how to be friends with folks I do not agree with. That has always been a bit difficult for me: learning how to truly enjoy being with folks with whom I bitterly disagree.
Anyways... for anyone who cares here is where I am at with the props so far:
2: For
3: For
4: Against
5: Against
7: Against
12: For
We will be talking about the others next week!
Anyways... for anyone who cares here is where I am at with the props so far:
2: For
3: For
4: Against
5: Against
7: Against
12: For
We will be talking about the others next week!