Open Letter to the McCain/Palin Ticket

Open Letter to the McCain/Palin Ticket

At this point I will not be voting for your ticket, but I want to leave open some questions that will give you the option of removing my concerns and allowing me to reconsider my vote. These are in no prioritized order, simply a list of important concerns in a random order.

1. Mostly for Governor Palin, but a concern for you both - I worry about the issue of those who would ban books. I worry about any censorship in my home (or community services like libraries), when that censorship comes from others outside my home. I do not want to argue one book or another, ANY book should not be banned, burned, or suppressed. If I choose to read or not read "The Catcher In The Rye", this is up to me. I absolutely refuse to force someone else to read any book, it is not my place. But, I also absolutely refuse to accept someone else banning a book for me, it is not their place. This is not a qualitative statement or negotiable. An assurance that "The Catcher In The Rye" is not on a target list is not adequate. NO book should be banned. Nazi's burned books and I have an openly acknowledged prejudice that I view all book burners as resembling Nazis. So, Senator and Governor, can you assure me that voting for you would result in a constitutional philosophy I could live with?

2. A famous Republican was quoted as promising to 'get government off our backs.' I basically think this is a good ideal to work toward. However, I have concerns that come from both of you about what it means to get off my back. I have heard that both of you would limit (or even ban?) birth control medicines and devices. Specifically, I have heard that both of you would move to limit or ban condom use, even among married couples.

Now, I am very worried that it appears you may condone climbing into my bedroom in spite of, or because of, the concept of 'getting government off my back.' I fail to see how banning birth control gets government off my back. Does the ticket have any wisdom to impart to me about how I will personally be better served by a ban on birth control medicine and devices?

3. I am extraordinarily worried about the condition of our national security as it is portrayed by your ticket. I hear repeatedly from your ticket that 'the Surge worked and that your opponent refuses to acknowledge this.' You would think it would be a stretch that this makes me worry about national security. But my concern is the interpretation of 'success.' My memory is that the Surge was designed to accomplish a reduction in the violence and thirteen (13) major points, like agreement on sharing oil profits, local elections, some very specific legal actions, etc.

These 13 points were determined to be essential to the effort of the Surge and actually having impact on our national security. It is my understanding, that your ticket has completely abandoned those 13 points. This makes me concerned for your ticket's tenacity in following up on our national security. Your opponent has freely admitted that the violence was reduced by the Surge, but views the other 13 points that have not been successfully addressed as constituting important influences on our national security. When future lists of national security objectives are defined, will meeting just one or just some of the listed objectives be all it takes to satisfy your administration?

What can you tell me to help me better understand your ticket's commitment to national security?

4. Probably mostly for Senator McCain, but also Governor Palin to some extent: The final concern I have to request help understanding is about the economy in general and specifically about health care. I do not feel that you understand what it is like to have health care not be available to me, today. I am not talking about the end of the next administration, I mean today. I do not mean tomorrow or next week. I have chronic issues that need to be managed and I have waited for years and years and heard Presidents say, we will fix the market and it will happen. It hasn't happened. It has gotten worse. In the early 90's it was a serious problem when over 15 million people were without adequate health care and we have reduced that number to 47 million today! WHAT!?!?

Waiting for the market to adjust and for insurance companies and health care providers to do the right thing has not worked for the last 16 years. I have NO belief that it will work any time soon. Senator, you are covered by Medicare, VA, and Congressional health plans. If I lose my job, I will be bankrupt. This is a disconnect and I do not see how you can possibly understand - or care about - my situation.

What can your ticket tell me that will help me feel that a vote for you on November 4th will improve my situation on January 20th?

I am sincere in stating that I do not believe that either ticket will substantially help with my concerns on January 20th, 2009. But I will listen to both tickets. I intend to write a similar open letter to the Democratic ticket next week.

-jb

George Bush in a Wooden Box

I do not even know how to title this. I am nearly overcome by grief. I make no mis-statement that past issues have troubled me. They have. But I am immediately concerned for a current issue that brings me to tears.

It was revealed that we are keeping certain people captive in boxes. Three foot, by six (3x6) foot boxes.

Two things I want to comment on: Mr.Bush, this is happening on YOUR watch. And, this is happening in our name. I am appalled that you think this is acceptable. I am appalled that you think I accept this decision with you. I don't. According to SPCA guidelines and policies, you are not treating these human beings with even the rights of animals. How dare you? Even if they have done bad things, these persons are God's creation.

Of course, you might not believe in God. Or maybe you don't believe God created everything and everyone.

Mr. Bush, treat ALL of God's creatures as YOU would like to be treated. You have only 6 months left to serve and cannot be re-elected, please use common decency for the next half of a year. Please?

And a couple of ancillary thoughts:

1. What is next? What else, Mr. Bush, have you not told us?
2. What is the justification for treating a human being worse than we would accept for a dog?

Back to you Mr.Bush. I (as a particle of 'We the people') - I ask you as your boss, "What is happening in our name?" "What are you doing in our name?" For God's sake do the Christ-like thing!!!

How's Our Constitution, Senator McCain

Recently, the Supreme Court made a third ruling on detainee rights, specifically affecting detainees at Guantanamo. Like the other three rulings, the court once again stated that these individuals do have some basic rights to access courts.

John McCain blasted the ruling as one of the worst rulings ever. I am most concerned by this.

When I went to school, I was taught that Judges, Senators, Presidents, the military, gosh - a whole ton of people - were sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States. Of course, I could be wrong. I may not have the most recent copy of the Constitution, so there may have been changes since my copy, but mine states: "The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it."

Wikipedia says "The United States Constitution specifically included the English common law procedure in the Suspension Clause, located in Article One, Section 9." This makes me think the authors were pretty well set on its importance, intent, and use.

So, I ask you, Senator McCain, were the framers of the Constitution in error? Perhaps they were not serious? Maybe they were really not thinking of today's world - they may have been afraid of the autocratic power of King George? Aren't autocrats always a problem?

Senator McCain. I am more afraid of Presidents and lawmakers abusing many, many humans than I am of Guantanamo detainees getting due process. NOBODY says to let them out willy-nilly. But, Senator McCain, due process has worked well for us for 219 years. We were an open society, a country of laws, a leading culture - they attacked - we knee-jerked away the rights of all people. HMMM, sounds like they won.

Give me Habeas Corpus. Give me the Constitution.

-jb

Sue For Peace

One of the translations of scriptures uses the term "sue for peace" to describe diplomatic efforts. This phrase evokes in me the image of discussions that struggle, but ultimately may achieve Peace despite fits and starts and setbacks.

One of the distinctions between presidential candidates is that one candidate advocates talking to our enemies from a position of power while the other says we must refuse to talk to enemies until the knuckle under to our power or until they submit themselves to us without conditions. One of those paths is a continuation of the path taken and policy espoused by a well known "C student" and has been in place recently.

It is rather odd that the second candidate above referred to the situation between Israel and Hamas as sworn enemies and how you can't talk with someone that wants to drive you into the sea. And he goes on to label the first candidate's position as immature.

After such a candidates' exchange recently, it was revealed that sworn enemies Israel and Hamas were conducting secret talks, after all. More recently, a cease-fire was announced. Now that cease-fire may or may not hold. History holdsdim hope for the final outcome of the cease-fire. BUT! Even dim hope is more hope than existed when rockets, suicide bombers, tanks, and missles were the only interchanges - more hope than when death was the currency of the dispute.

"Sue for peace" evokes images of really 'working' at. It infers that Peace is not easy, yet remains a worthy goal. Even a C student can buy bullets, but maybe it is time for someone that can give even a slim Hope. As immature as that might sound.

-jb

Things Have Changed My Life

I think I have a very diverse life story. I think that a great deal of what has happened to me has created a wonderful mix of things inside of me.

Teachers and preachers. Days, todays, yesterdays, and tomorrows. Places I have been and places I haven't been. Things that have happened and things that have not happened. Many things have changed my life.

Sometimes the things that have changed my life saw the changes happen immediately. Sometimes the changes took awhile to happen.

One change happened immediately and I thought I recognized it then. But in fact, I recognized it this year.

In 1968, in May, I shook hands with a man. Simple action, happens all the time. In June, a man was shot and bled on the kitchen floor of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Horrible action, happens all the time. It was the same man. I shook his hand and three weeks later, he was assassinated. I knew then that it changed my life.

Forty years later, I realized that it did change my life.

-jb

Truth Chests

I am not sure that women do this anymore, but it used to be that every young lady had a Hope Chest. My fear is that this tradition has been replaced by young ladies 'hoping for a chest,' so to speak. So if you do not know what a Hope Chest is, stop! Go ask someone you know and care about to explain it to you.

Welcome back. Now that you have an understanding of the Hope Chest as a concept, I want to introduce the Truth Chest.

Just like the Hope Chest was a literal chest the sat at the end of a lady's bed or next to her dresser, the Truth Chest is something that everyone carries with them mentally. It sits at the foot of their theology, or next to their religion.

Does a Hope Chest contain all hope? Of course it does not. I have a friend with cancer and I hope for a cure for cancer. But the cure for cancer is not inside a Hope Chest. I hope the world ends the problem of starving children. But ...

But the Hope Chest does contain Hope. That is, the chest contains things that bring hope to the young lady. Hope for a nice, clean home, hope for a happy family, and hope for a fulfilling marriage for instance. These are the stuff of hope and they are inside the chest, things that bring hope.

The Truth Chest is sort of similar. Can a Truth Chest contain all Truth? Of course it cannot. There is more truth than can 'fit' in a mortal person. My Truth Chest is a part of me, a portion of me, a mortal person. Since all Truth cannot fit in me because I am not the Divine God, rather the mortal Jim, then it cannot fit into a portion of me, my Truth Chest.

But in my Truth Chest, are things that are true or bring me close to the truth of the immortal and divine. And in Sam and Sally there are Truth Chests that can bring them close to the truth of the immortal and divine. The contents are all things that bring Truth, but are not Truth itself.

But wait, there is more. The contents of the three Truth Chests all bring Truth, but these may not all be the same. In fact, they may seem to mortals to conflict. And that is really okay. For instance I live in San Antonio, Sam lives in Minneapolis, and Sally lives in Denver. If we all need to go to Kansas City, we can look in our Truth Chest for what is true and find a map to Kansas City. But if we try to apply our truth to each other, our maps disagree, could confuse, and do conflict.

I tell Sam to get to Kansas City by taking I-35 North because that is the truth for me. In fact, that is a tried and true fact that I have tested and can testify to. If Sam does that, though, he will end up in Canada. Sam's truth would be similar, but would be confused because what he says and knows is to take I-35 South, a way he has tried, tested, and proven.

Our truths seem to confuse us, yet BOTH are true. Both are accurate. God gave mankind, through cartographers, geographers, and others the ability to document true facts of the geography of God's creation such that both our Truth Chests contain God-given information that is simultaneously accurate and confusing.

But wait, Sally looks in her chest and her directions conflict totally with ours. Her directions are to take I-70 East. Not the same path, not the same direction, not even the confusion of the Jim-Sam, North-South variations, nothing is the same. Sally is in total conflict with Sam and me.

But all three of us possess God-given information. We possess information designed to literally guide us. We all can literally look at another and accurately say that their truth is confused or in conflict with our truth. And we would all be correct, and at the same time, we all possess correct information. We all possess God-given information that literally works, tried, true, tested and proven accurate.

And the mystery grows because once, I was in Denver and when I was there, my truth Chest contained a scrap of information, that was true, that was different than my Truth Chest contains now. It contained information that told me to get to Kansas City by taking I-70 East. I did, and I tried it, I tested it, and I proved it - I got to Kansas City by doing it.

My very own Truth Chest contained accurate truth then that worked and properly guided me and yet conflicts with my accurate information now, which works and which properly guides me, today.

And when I explored further, with some modifications my truth was helpful, but not totally accurate, for friends in McAllen, Dallas, and Wichita. And Sam's essentially worked for folks in Sioux Falls and Des Moines. Sally's could be tweaked and help folks in St Louis.

• So what does all this mean? I have some thoughts I want to share:

• Truth is bigger than can fit in one person's truth Chest.

• Truth must be updated as our spiritual, physical, and temporal location changes.

• My Truth, tried-tested-proven, may confuse someone else.

• My Truth, tried-tested-proven, may conflict with someone else's Truth. And BOTH may be correct.

• Truth does not change over time or location; we do change in both time and location.

• Total Truth is greater than the truth of consolidating truth from any number of people.

• I do not have sufficient truth to lend to all others, but my truth may be help some others, not if the truth is flexible, but if they are.

When I hear a radio preacher or a TV preacher, or a guy in a coffee shop talk as though their Truth Chest is 100% accurate in always and in all ways - I doubt. When I here one of them or one of theirs try to expect my Truth Chest to look like theirs or compare them in other ways - I steer clear. When I hear one of them or one of theirs or someone thinking like them try to apply their Truth Chest to me or to others - I cry.

-jb

The Worth Of Your Best

The Worth of Your Best

Especially when times are hard, it is easy to get folks to concentrate on what they don't have. But they (or we) do this at our peril, because it ignores or devalues something every one of us DOES have: 'Our Best.'

When we evaluate our situation by possession or lack of items, we measure on a ruler of quantity. That ruler has no metric or valuation for quality. When we measure on a ruler of quality, our metric of quantity (possessions and/or lack thereof) means little.

Today, I stopped for lunch at a new café touting 'Burgers and BBQ' on its sign. Never having eaten at this restaurant, I was gathering my first impression.

I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with mustard, pickles, and tomato. Now it turns out there is a national tomato-scare happening, so I was informed that there was no tomato, and I understand how things are and said I'd like the rest of my order, repeating "a bacon cheeseburger with mustard and pickles" just to be sure.

The gentleman asked me if I wanted onions and lettuce and I said that I preferred not to get them, so he gave me a receipt and a glass and sent me to find a table.

Not terribly later, a young lady brought my order out and it clearly had lettuce on it, which I am willing to sweep aside, but I was somewhat bothered by why it had this and told her I had said I didn't want onions or lettuce and her response was there are no onions on the burger …

I am capable of removing onions, or lettuce, or most anything I don't care for, but that is not what this is about.

After I ate, I stopped by the counter and since there was nobody else in line or around, I talked to the young lady:

"This is my first time here and this was your chance to impress me, to 'Wow' me. I can get a burger anywhere in town, but today, yours was the only place that had a chance to impress me and make me happy. Now if you don't ask me how I want my burger, I feel that you don't care if I am happy or not. But if you ask me how I want it and then you bring it some other way, I am
convinced that you REALLY don't care if I am happy or not.

A burger is a burger and costs about the same to make anywhere or to buy anywhere. Selling me a burger is no big deal and easy to do. But what makes me come back is a feeling of being glad that I bought my burger from a place that made me happy.

Now, if you measure success by selling me a burger, you may or may not see me again, but if you give me your best service, showing that you care about my satisfaction, you will see me again.

This goes for burgers, accountants, taxis, doctors, lawyers, and candle makers. The most important thing you can give is your best. It is invaluable.