Celebrations and Commemorations

One week ago today, I became a blogger with my first posting on this site. And as I was thinking about that mini-milestone, I realized that this weekend also marks the anniversary of two special parts of my life.

This morning found me on the baseball field in my volunteer role as an assistant coach with a baseball program for special needs kids. And it was eight years ago, on the last weekend in May, that I began that wonderful adventure. We have some new faces every year, and this year's brought us a few more younger players than we've seen in the past few years. And other players have moved away or moved on to other interests or Saturday activities. But I've had the opportunity to watch a lot of these kids grow and mature over the years. A few have graduated from high school and gotten jobs. It's been a wonderful opportunity to share my love of baseball, even making the occasional play in the field or taking a turn at bat; as well as to get to know the players and their families.

And on that same weekend eight years ago, I first visited the Unitarian Universalist congregation that has become my spiritual home. My family did not attend church when I was growing up, but I was christened and raised with all the appropriate Bible stories, lessons, and values. Early on, so early on that I'm not sure how or why, I also developped an interest in Judaism. During high school and college, I became interested in the Eastern religions, and later in earth-based, and Native American faiths. I came to understand that all religious share the same basic concepts and values; they just have different ways of teaching about and connecting with the Divine.

Shortly after college, I learned that the first Universalist sermon in the United States had been delivered about a mile from my home, at a site where the local UU's meet. I read the description of Unitarian Universalism and thought "That's me!" But I was living at home again with my non-church-going parents. And I had observed enough of what I call Sunday Christians, folks who attend church religiously, but lived lives of spite, hatred, and other hypocrisies; that I'd become rather suspicious of organized religion. And so, I remained an "unaligned monotheism"; a phrase I'd found in a Time magazine article I read during college.

But about 10 years ago, I began to desire a religious community. I had moved by then, and learned that there was a Unitarian Universalist congregation just over 20 miles away. But I wasn't sure I wanted to make that long drive on Sunday mornings. I also occasionally glanced at the phone listing for the local Jewish congregation, but felt a bit awkward about actually picking up the phone.

Then the night before I first stepped onto that baseball field, I'd stopped by my brother's house to borrow a glove; and there in the newspaper was a listing for a newly forming UU congregation right in my home town. So on the last Sunday in May, eight years ago, I walked into my congregation for the very first time; and I've attended nearly every Sunday ever since. Here I've found a great many friends; a supportive, nuturing community; lots of new volunteer opportunities; a choir to sing in; and my significant other.

I sometimes joke, borrowing a phrase from an old Saturday Night Live skit, that baseball's been very, very good to me. But I'm only half joking, because my enthusiasm for the sport has increased my circle of friends and changed my life in so many more ways than I'd imagined.

And so this weekend, I celebrate the happy little miracles of life that can happen when we say "yes" to a new opportunity. If I'd let my lack of athletic skill, or my shyness keep me away from either activity, I'd still be okay; but I'd likely be less busy and less happy today. And I doubt that I'd be confident enough to share these celebratory words with you.

Eight years ago, I was a stranger who was made to feel very welcome in two very different settings. Yes, baseball's been very, very good to me indeed!

The Madness of George the Third

The United States has had three Presidents named George. The first, the venerable George Washington, the man who could have been king or even president for life, but had higher goals for our newborn nation than for himself.

The second, of course, was George Herbery Walker Bush, who is sadly best remembered only for the first Gulf War and his infamous "read my lips" promise which was later doomed to be broken.

And the third, our current president, George W. Bush, who sometimes behaves as if he were a king; especially lately with his displeasure over Senate proceeding concerning his appointees. This morning's news related that he was angry that the Senate had not voted to approve John Bolton as UN ambassador. This up-down vote did not take place because Democrats had not received relevant documents that they had requested from the White House itself! He has some control over this situation, declined to cooperate, and now complains about outcome.

Perhaps someone should remind His Resoluteness that he was elected President, not Supreme Dictator; and that if he's going to successfully promote democracy abroad, he might want to try practicing some of it here at home first. It's easier to sell a product if you've used it yourself.

The original George III, of course, was the King of England when we signed the Declaration of Independence and entered the Revolutionary War. He is also known for going a bit mad in latter years of his reign due to illness, as well as political and family challenges. Like our current George, he had his moments of resoluteness, he was against civil rights for Roman Catholics, passed a decree that he had to approve the marriage choices of the royal family, and of course opposed the independence of his American colonies. His lack of political skills and tack made it impossible for him smooth over the difference between the Whig and Tories in his own government. And he was even accused of trying to use his authority in unconstitutional way to strengthen his own power.

But as today's green button link shows, George III was not the unreasonable tyrant he's portrayed to be in American history books. He was a loving husband to his queen, and the father of 15 children. He was an avid reader, with a great interest in science and agriculture.

And all that nasty taxation without representation mostly came from a Parliment that was desperately trying to balance their national budget in a time when there was no income tax to help fund the royal coffers. And this ogre of our Revolution honed and developped pragmatic political skills, and was a popular king in his own nation.

Our George the Third sees everything in a black and white Us (Republicans, Big Business, and the Religious Right) versus Them (Democrats, Liberals, and Terrorists) universe; there are no shades of gray, no Technicolor in his worldview. He demands rather than debates; coerces rather than compromises; and seems indignantly surprised when free members of this great nation dare to expose a different point of view, be they members of Congress or the everday working citizens he and his party seem to have forgotten.

And within his own party, he demands an unwavering loyalty. And history shows that such Orwellian "goodthink" politics tends to take a nation down a rather dark path indeed. And it's certainly not the kind of politic mentality I thought I'd ever find in my own country. It reminds me of the Politburo politics in the former Soviet Union, and stories of dissidents being sent to work camps in Siberia.

Recent polls show a decline in the publics approval of both the President and Congress. And some members of Congress are taking notice; hence the compromise that diffused the "nuclear option" and the new stem cell research bill passed by the House of Representatives. The tides of politics, like their marine counterparts, are ever-shifting; and wise members of both parties are taking notice.

The President and the party faithful, of course, continue to ignore the polls and the American people. And it's a shame, because in the long run, they are hurting their own party; as well as the country they claim to love.

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Gratitude Part 2: A Postscript to Yesterday's Post

This past week seven Republican joined seven Democrats in a compromise that averted (albeit rather temporarily) the so-called "nuclear option" to eliminate judicial filibusters. Frist and other Republicans, are now calling it the "constitutional option" (another Orwellian lesson, if it's unpopular call it by a different, friendlier name), and will attempt to invoke it again. After all, it's their way or no way.

But these seven stood chose principle over party. And some Republicans likely believe they have committed political suicide. Whatever the final outcome of the filibuster debate, these seven deserve our thanks and our support:

Mike DeWine, R-Ohio
Susan Collins, R-Maine
Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.
John McCain, R-Ariz.
John Warner, R-Va.
Olympia Snowe, R-Maine
Ken Salazar, R-Colo

So use the Write to Congress link, or go to their websites and write to them today.

Half Empty or Half Full?

No green button link this evening. I'm not going to write much today. It's busy evening and I decided to send flowers to my mother instead.

She had a medical emergency last week. Everything's fine now. And we're all counting our blessings.

I sometimes think that American's don't count their blessings often enough. We grouse about not having the latest hot new gadget, a flashier car, or a svelte physique. We're impatient and eager to gulp our fast food and drive faster.

How often do we stop to say: "I'm pretty lucky. I have a roof over my head and enough food to eat. I'm reasonably healthy and I've got people who love me."

Sure we've all got our problems; but there are good things in our lives as well. And things could always be worse.

The President and the Conservative Republicans would certainly benfit from a little gratitude lesson. They've had a remarkable run of success in getting items on their wish list pass. But instead they're whining about how they are being discriminated against because they can't have everything they want. Count your blessings, folks! And remember the American people have their wish lists, too. The United States is supposed to be for all of us, not just those who happen to agree with you. Lighten up, celebrate your successes, and get to work on the real issues.

We live in a great country with a bright future, especially once we get past this ultra-partisan divisiveness. And history shows that we will get past this, it's the American way.

My favorite word is a Hebrew word I learned at a Passover Seder: Dayeinu. It is a word of thanks, that means it would have been enough; as in: It would have been enough that we won our freedom from the British Empire, but we also created a nation of libery and justice for all.
I cannot think of a more joyful word or concept.

We all need to take take from this hurry-hurry, gimmee-gimmee world, and consider all that we have both the material items and the less tangible, but more essential, gifts as well. Gratitude time takes away some the frustrations from those parts of our lives that we would be most grateful to do without. Without it, life is just one big GGRRRRRR!

I'm grateful that my mom's okay. I'm grateful that I live in a country where I can speak my own mind, and attend the church of my choice.

And I'm grateful that out of all the options on the Internet, you're reading this blog. I appreciate your time and your interest.

Dayeinu!

American's New Can't Do Spirit

I caught part of a NPR broadcast (today's green button link) this morning about a blind biologist who compared his findings in fossil seashells to human behavior and history. He'd noticed an gradual increase in the power of marine predators, and compared it with the growth of world power nations.

He also spoke of how his blindness, by encouraging the use of his other senses, fostered his interest in science; of how a lack of scientific curiosity hampers scientific discovery and development.

With this observation, my thoughts turned to the President and Conservatives in Congress; and the debate over stem cell research. We all know that the President boasts about not reading much. He shows little interest in history, or even the details of issues facing our nation. A month or so ago, I even heard him say that America could never find away to eliminate its dependency on oil. And I thought how UnAmerican an idea! But what else would you expect from an oilman?

Now, on the heels of a breakthrough in stem cell research by scientists in South Korea, the House has passed a bill allowing further stem cell research in here in the United States. The Senate is reviewing their version of the bill, which the President has promised to veto because it allows the use of stem cells from human embryos. And right now, it does not appear there are enough votes in Congress to override what will be Bush's first veto since he took office in 2001.

Another bill, allowing research using stem cells from umbilical cords and placentas waits in the wings for review and passage. Pundits theorize that the President will sign this bill, providing some hope for millions of Americans looking for treatments or cures for a wide spectrum of diseases and injuries for themselves or loved ones. These Americans want both bills passed.

But the President, as ever, remains resolute in holding to the views of his friends in the Religious Right, and their pro-life stance renders all fertilized eggs as a human life, even one that's frozen and not likely to ever be implanted in a womb.

Any infertile couple who has gone through invitro fertilization can tell you of the hearbreak of each failed pregnancy attempt with implanted embryos. And any doctor or biologist can tell you that not every naturally fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall to grow into a baby, and many that do fail to thrive due to genetic defects. An embryo is a potential human life.

But the Right has declared that all embryos and fetuses are human lives with the same rights as you or I. Unfortunately, their policies on health care, social programs, and education indicate that they are not necessarily so found of these new lives after they become babies and children. Where is the rush to help the US children who are hungry, neglected, and in want of decent healthcare?

The Right protests for the innocent unborn, and more recently other innocent and helpless like Terri Schiavo; declaring that only God can take a life. But many of them support the death penalty. To rephrase their persistent question: Who gets to play God and When?

The Right also has few qualms about sending our young soldiers off to war. Where are the pro-lifers in that debate? Who gets to decide what lives are sacrificed and when? Is a perpetually frozen potential human life more valuable than a child with a progressive fatal disease?

In the embryonic stem cell research debate, the ideal solution would be for the parents of the embryos to decide their fate. This would be, as all procreation decisions should be, a personal and private matter between the involved partners.

For now though, such research is banned in the United States, while other nations take in lead in this promising field of medical science. They will develop new medical treatments and technologies. And with these new technologies will come growth for businesses and economies.

America, once known as much for the ingenuity of her inventors, as well as for the promise of civil liberties for all her citizens; will sit on the sidelines and purchase these medical miracles from their overseas developpers. And we will likely also be purchasing alternative energy resources from overseas inventors as well, once we finally accept that oil won't last forever and that pollution really is a threatening our continued existence on this planet.

Just as curiosity fosters exploration and innovation, conservative resoluteness and samethink (with apologies to Mr. Orwell) can stifle them. This is America's new Can't Do spirit; and it's a lose-lose situation for us all.

It is important to consider and debate ethical questions in each step of progress in technology and science, especially medical science. We must consider possible circumstances and dangers, take actions against improper or immoral uses of techonolgy, and weigh the pros and cons of each new possibility. And we must make difficult choices in these considerations. But we must make wise choices for the greater good.

Mr. Smith Stays in Washington: Or Hooray for the Filibuster, Now What?

Last night, having said what I wanted to say about the "nuclear option", and being preoccupied with some personal matters, I was not inspired to write a new posting. But as I watched the evening new, a prayer for our nation began composing in my head and heart. And I thought, I'll post that.

However, when I signed on to post, I found that my prayer, or perhaps I should say our prayers, had been answered. The "nuclear option" had been avoided. Compromise is the word of the day.

Both sides blinked. And despite all rhetoric to the contrary, neither side can really claim victory.
But this compromise, like all compromises is not necessarily a bad thing.

Compromise has played a large part in our nation's political history. Even at the very beginning, when the Constitutional Convention was trying to decide what type of representative government our country should have. Some delegates felt that each state's number of representatives should be based on that state's population. Delegates from smaller states objected, stating this would give the bigger and more populated states an unfair advantage. They proposed that each state have two representatives. The resulting compromise resulted in the creation of the Congress we have today. And the members of Congress have been debating and compromising ever since.

However, this compromise does not eliminate the opposing views regarding judical nominees, or the many other ideological differences between Conservatives and Progressives. There is still much work to be done by Congress, and by us, the American citizens.

We must continue to use our voices and our votes in service to our nation. There are many organizations, such as MoveOn and True Patriot, with websites and listservs to help you get involved. And we must get involved.

We must let our nation's leaders, and just as importantly the media, that there are people of faith with moderate and even progressive points of view. Yes, even those of us who, like myself, prefer to not to mix religion and politics; we must speak out about our faith and our political beliefs.

One interesting item that I'll be discussing with friends in my UU (Unitarian Univeralist) congregation, is the newly-forming Network of Spiritual Progressives (today's green button). I just learned about it this evening, and will be exploring the details more fully myself. But I'm excited about the concept. Groups such as this can speak out and say "Hey, the Religious Right does not have a monopoly on Faith and Morality. This is our country too! And this is what we want for our country."

I believe that our history shows that America is at its best when it celebrates the cultural and spiritual diversity of its citizens. And that our darkest days have been when we let our differences divide us; i.e. McCarthyism, Jim Crow, and the Civil War.

Our history also shows that we can raise ourselves out of this Right vs. Left quagmire, and again return to working together towards the ideals consecrated in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. This is the convenant we keep with each other as Americans. And it is the job of every true patriot.

Open Letter to US Senators: The Filibuster You Save May Be Your Own

Here's a copy of the letter I emailed to my Senators, asking them to vote against the "nuclear option" to eliminate the filibuster. I'm sharing it in case you need some ideas for your own letters. Just remember that a personal note will get a lot more attention that a copied or e-mailed mass mailing. And boy, do we need to get their attention this week!



Dear Senator:

I oppose the "nuclear option" to eliminate the filibuster that will be come up for a vote in the Senate this week.

The voice of each Senator is the voice of the many citizens he represents. Therefore, to eliminate the filibuster is to deny those American citizens their civil rights to free speech, and to dissent. And it is these sacred rights that have kept our country strong and free for over 200 years.

The Constitution, our national convenant, is a miraculously ingenious system of checks and balances; designed by our Founders to preserve our freedom and rights through whatever challenges future generations may face.

Please respect, and retain, those blessed checks and balances, by voting against this attempt to eliminate the filibuster.

Respectfully,
Your fellow Patriot,
Julie L. Ham


You can also state your case by signing MoveOn's petition. Just click on the green button link above and fill out the form.

I'm a big believer in the power of the individual American citizen. I know if seems as if Big Politics and Big Business have taken over the show. But we still have our most powerful weapon: the Vote.

So let us make the President and Congress hear our voices this week. And let us remind them that they are working for US. And that on next Election Day, we can very well choose to use a "nuclear option" of our own.