Meet the Deplorables

You may already know that imagining Donald Trump as our President scares me. He has zero experience in government or in leadership outside the dictatorships that are his businesses. He is morally bankrupt, as shown through his business practices, his attitude towards women and his total disdain of anyone who is not white. He is not a true Republican, has never been anti-abortion (and is certainly not pro-life- he a self-confirmed lover of war) until it became convenient, and could not be a worse example of what it means to be a follower of Jesus (Think I'm being too harsh or judgmental? Go to Matthew 5, read The Beatitudes and tell me when you get to one that describes Donald Trump. Just one. I'll wait. And while you're at it, find a Fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control- that he exhibits. Again, just one. Still waiting...). In the big picture he has failed at everything- marriages, his University, businesses gone bankrupt, treating other humans with respect- he has ever done, if you don't include looking out for himself. But most of us, myself at the top of the list, make mistakes and have personal failures. My fear of a Trump presidency goes beyond his own failings. You see, as much as The Donald scares me, over the past few weeks I have been reminded that some (although certainly not all) of those who are supporting him actually scare me more. Witness the following accounts. 

* My wife works in downtown Tampa, and a few weeks ago there was an afternoon rally for HRC  in a nearby park. One of the women she works with attended. This lady is a well respected attorney and one of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. She is also of Asian heritage, although she was born and has lived her entire life in the the USA. As she left the rally, she was approached by an elderly Caucasian couple wearing Trump buttons and carrying protest signs- as is their right. As she passed them, they begin to call her names, using the ethnic slur "Chink" and questioning if she was here legally. Their language became foul as they screamed at her, and by the time our friend returned to the office she was in tears. Deplorable is too kind a word for such people.

* I sat in the food court of an Orlando mall eating lunch and people watching. A father and son walked by my table. The father- approximately 35 years old- was wearing a Trump hat and button. On the front of his blue t-shirt was a picture of a rifle. The back of the shirt read, "George Zimmerman is a Hero!" His son- around 10 years old- wore a red t-shirt with a target logo on the front pocket area and the following inscription on the back- "Shoot first, ask questions later!" I knew these people existed. My fear is that a Trump presidency will bring them out of the shadows and empower them. And that is horrifying.

* I sat alone in the local Dairy Queen eating lunch as four men talked at a table close to me. They were white men in their 30s or 40s, clearly on lunch break from a job that required them to work outdoors in the hot Florida sun. At first they talked about sports and especially the Buccaneers early season woes. I tuned in, always curious to hear the opinions of others. From football they moved into a discussion of the Black Lives Matter protests currently being raised during the national anthem at various sporting events. They were offended by the protests, as is their right. In fact, they were very angry about it. The conversation then turned to politics and how much they hate...and I mean HATE!- Hillary Clinton. They were confident that Trump will win, because who in their right mind would "vote for that lying bitch." President Trump will turn things around, they declared. And then they revisited the Black Lives Matter issue. "When Trump is elected," the best dressed of the group declared, "he'll send snipers to ballgames and shoot those f***ing ni**er bastards. Let's see 'em protest then." There are so many parts of that statement that offend me I don't know where to start.

Donald Trump did not say or do any of those things. But as we keep seeing over and over, the things he says INSPIRE his supporters to say and do those things. He seems to want them to say those things, and creates an atmosphere where such things are perfectly acceptable. And that is why this election scares me so badly. If he wins- and that could happen- that mentality wins along with him. And everyone who does not think like Trump and his Klan (yes- intentional!) will be caught in the cross-hairs. 

Donald Trump is unfit to be President. He was fired from his job hosting a reality TV show, for Pete's sake! I wouldn't vote for him to be dog catcher. And for those of you who support him, please give me a rational argument that doesn't begin with, "But Hillary..."  You say HRC is liar and a crook, yet Trump is caught in a lie nearly everyday and has actual court cases awaiting him. Hillary has none, and she has been investigated for the past 25 years. She's a long way from perfect, but she is qualified, experienced and ready to serve. DT is none of the above. Recognizing that Hillary has issues and that Trump is a madman are not mutually exclusive positions. It's just that one is far more significant than the other! While on our Hawaiian vacation 2 months or so ago I overheard our election being discussed by two men, one a Brit and the other an Aussie. They were both very confused as to how someone like Trump could be a finalist for the most important job in the world. The Australian gentleman asked, "You don't really think he could be elected, do you?" The Brit pondered the question a moment and replied without much certainty, "No. Not even the bloody Yanks are that stupid." I pray that my British friend is right. 

CJ

A Trump In the Temple

"Be smart," they told me. "Avoid politics and religion," they told me.  Smart was never my strong suit...

There seems to be a lot of confusion and debate in both the media and the Christian community about why Donald Trump has become an acceptable candidate for the Evangelical church. There should be no confusion at all. It's a simple matter. Since the rise of the Moral Majority in the late 1970s, Christian leaders have been consistent in voice and committed to the idea that real Christians vote Republican. That's nearly 40 years of indoctrination for the average Sue and Joe who fill a pew on Sunday morning. Many of our pastors and leaders have made it very clear- a vote for a Republican candidate is a vote for Jesus. So the logical conclusion- and this reckless course we are now on- was inevitable. The fact that Mr. Trump has nothing in common with most conservatives, evangelicals, Christians or even many Republicans doesn't matter. Trump has no relationship with the church; he seemingly discovered the need for a belief system just in time to run for office and lure in voters. The leaders  have spoken for 40 years, and we have learned. He is a Republican. So vote for him. And based on poll numbers, much of the mainstream evangelical Church seems prepared to do just that - or at least they did until he began once again showing his true colors these past few weeks.

My point? We've spent too many years listening to the wrong voices. We have bought into the thinking that voting for a specific party is the way to "return our nation to God." Many of these leaders may have meant well, but the fact is they forgot the most important thing. Only one voice should speak for the Christian community. And that voice belongs to Jesus.

What would The Christ have to say about The Donald? Obviously I don't know. But there are things we do know. We know that Trump has said that winning is all that matters, that he lives for the art of the deal and that money is power. We know that he singles out specific groups of people that he finds unworthy of love and support. We know that he considers himself as a superior human being to many on this planet. We know that while Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," Trump responds to every situation with confrontation and bomb slinging. And we know that all of those things are in direct contradiction of the teaching of Jesus. It is true that most politicians (indeed, most people) do poorly when their character and beliefs are compared to the Messiah. Hillary is no exception; her faults are many. But at least she is not pretending to be a Christian for the purpose of being elected, having spent her life as an active part of the United Methodist Church. All of us fall short of the example of Christ. But few fail the test as completely as Trump.

So how should the Church view the Republican nominee? Here's my take- and I fully confess it is a judgmental one. I think we should recognize that if the Christian community backs Trump, then we are opening the door to a money changer in the temple. You remember the story of how Jesus responded to them. He overturned tables, scattered their followers and threw them out of the temple. If we put Trump in the White House by allowing him into the temple, thinking he will lead our nation on the path of God, we should do it with the full knowledge that Jesus will probably have to throw him out. Or at least remind us that we should...

I wish I thought the Church would come around to understanding that politicians and patriotism cannot save us, only Jesus can- and he came for the world, NOT just for USAmerica. I wish our leaders would acknowledge that Trump may be a good politician but he's a horrible human being, and that the latter is much more important than the former. I wish the believers who scream "SOCIALISM" at every mention of the right sharing of resources in our nation would pause and read Acts 2:42. I wish lots of things. But right now, my biggest wish finds me in agreement with something my old friend Jacob Lupfer posted on Twitter a while back. I wish a year ago we had lined up behind Jeb Bush and given our nation a rational choice in November. Instead, we are starring into the abyss that would be a Trump in the temple. Vote for Trump if you must. But do not do it because he represents Jesus is any way, shape or form. Because he does not.

Because of Jesus,

Grief & Anger

For the past few days I have struggled with writing this post. It did not seem enough to express my emotions about the massacre in Orlando; I needed to say more, to say things that are on my heart and that need to be said. The shootings hit very close to home for me. Living in Tampa, and having lived in Kissimmee for 6 years, I know the area. Will was born in the hospital where many victims were taken, and one of his co-workers at the Olive Garden near UCF was there and survived, but lost three friends that night. I have friends who live only blocks from Pulse. The friend of a dear friend lost a niece that night. One of my former youth, a gay man now living in Arizona, had spent many nights in the club and did not know for many hours if he had lost friends. Pain is everywhere. And it is from that pain that I write today. You may not like or agree with the things I say here, and normally I am the first to tell you that "it is entirely possible that I may be wrong." I also freely admit that many of my statements are generalizations, and that there are many wonderful people and sincere churches out there who do get what it means to love like Christ. But today, I seek to write uncomfortable truths. Do with them (and me) as you will. If anything I say rings true, then you will understand that we can disagree and still be friends. We just can't hate. So here are 7 things that are on my heart this week...

• This was a Hate Crime- to call it anything else is an attempt to make the crime more political and less personal. The shooter had terrorists ties, and his warped philosophy may have come from ISIS (not Islam- ISIS!). But he targeted this specific club because he wanted to see gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people die. This story is being spun by people who believe that USAmerica belongs to them, and who, like the Lt. Governor of Texas, believe that these helpless victims "reaped what they sowed." The sooner we (especially those of us who claim to follow Jesus) confess that the shooter was not the only one with hate in his heart, the sooner we can begin to deal with the root of our problem.
• The framers of the constitution meant for the 2nd Amendment to protect your rights to own an assault rifle just as much as they wanted to protect the rights of the local fireworks tent to sell nuclear bombs. In colonial times guns were tools in the hands of the public and weapons in the hands of the militia. You needed guns to put food on the table and to protect your livestock from wild animals. No one- not one living person on planet earth- needs an assault rifle for anything but killing people. Ban them now!
• Most of you know that I am a Christian, and spent 28 years of my life working in churches. So this is hard for me. But the #PrayForOrlando memes have made me a little sick to my stomach. We are telling a community of people- the LGBT community- for whom we have done little (except to marginalize and dehumanize) for many years that suddenly we feel their pain. We are telling people that our institution has told over and over again will "burn in Hell" that we now love them. Churches are now saying that LGBT lives matter- just so long as they don't wish to get married, be clergy, adopt children, chaperone youth group trips or do anything else that matters inside of our walls. We have taught people to hate the sin- and so those who see the LGBT community as sinners have hated who they are while claiming not to hate the sinner. It doesn't work that way. If you hate the fact that I am a glutton, and I am indeed a glutton, then you hate who I am- and therefore hate me. The Orlando shootings, just like the bombings of abortion clinics, are what hating the sin looks like when taken to a extreme conclusion. Jesus taught that everyone is our neighbor. Too many of our churches teach that everyone like ME is my neighbor. And then say, "But I'm praying for you..."  I have seen the church chew up and spit out pastors and members who came out of the closet. I myself was questioned about my sexual orientation because I had a gay youth pastor friend- and I would have been immediately fired if my answer to the question "Are you gay?" had been yes.The gospels say to love all, judge none and reach out to those we don't understand. Many USAmerican Christians have become far more likely to judge all, love some and hang out with with the people who are just like us. There are many exceptions- but they are still the minority. It is time for the Church Universal to assume its role as a catalyst for positive social change. Christianity is not some moral improvement plan through which we can fix people, it's about building loving relationships and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through them. Too many of us have forgotten that.
• I am not sure I can live in a nation where a man can say things as vile and abhorrent as the pure sewage that Donald Trump has been spewing since Sunday morning and actually become more popular. No doubt, radical Islam can be a terrible thing. So can radical Christianity when it leads to groups like the KKK and events like the Crusades. The Church propped up slavery and ignored women for many years. The LGBT community has been our most recent victim. Every religion has failings and skeletons in the closet. God have mercy on us. Ignorance is a dangerous thing, and Trump is counting on the ignorance of voters and the fear it can create to get himself elected. That is not a partisan statement- if he were running as a Democrat he would still be the worst possible candidate I can imagine. And oh by the way- the oncologist who over the past year has done so much to save the life of someone I love? A Muslim immigrant...
• There was something interesting on Twitter earlier in the week. A bisexual man wrote that one of the reasons that clubs like Pulse came into being in the first place was that many times LGBT people did not feel safe in public places, so they created their own space. The tweet ended with this: "Now we don't feel safe anywhere." How horrific is that? Our African-American friends have known that fear for many yeas, as have many women and other ethnic groups. So why...WHY?????...is the Church of Jesus Christ not a place where all feel safe?
• Hundreds of people posted memes on Facebook this week that said guns aren't the problem, people are. "After all, Cain killed Abel with a rock." True- but Cain couldn't have killed 49 people with that rock. People's hearts are indeed the problem, but giving such troubled people such weapons is begging for the culture we now live in- one where guns are taking out groups of people nearly everyday. Led by the NRA, people are forever saying gun control will never work. In 1996, there was a mass shooting in Australia where 35 people were killed. The politicians sucked it up and said never again. They enacted tough gun control laws, bought back hundreds of thousands of guns and set about changing the culture. In the past 20 years there have been exactly ZERO mass shootings (more than 4 dead) in that country. In the USA we have had 7 in the past 10 days. Canada has had 8 in 20 years. We have had 7 in the past 10 days. Something must change. And it must change now.
• For Christians, the stakes have never been higher than they are right now. Who do we trust- the powerful, corrupt and greedy who seek to lead us or the One who died so that we may truly live? Will we put our hope in Jesus or in the right to own an AK-15? Will we follow the Prince of Peace and actively work to change a culture of violence? Will we follow the Giver of Grace and lovingly reach out to those who may appear to be different from us, understanding that in God we are one family? Will we listen to the voice that throughout scripture, whenever things get scary, reminds us to "FEAR NOT?" Or will we listen to a culture that proclaims violence as the answer, judgment as the rule and fear as our only option? My friend Eric wrote in a comment on Facebook the other day the following challenge, aimed at Christians like me who have been too silent for too long: "Jesus would be upending tables and screaming about this. It's time for you guys to suit up and do the same." I could not agree more.

So please continue to pray for the victims of this tragedy and their families. Pray for the politicians who proceed so blindly with the status quo. And pray for our churches, which are filled with people who can make a difference if they choose to do so. And then we (starting with ME!) need to get off of our knees and DO SOMETHING! We can help put a stop to the madness, to prejudice and gun violence and so much more. Jesus taught that if we want to follow him we must put ourselves aside and love others as he loves us. It's not safety first, or theology first or politics first- it's love first, last and always. Let us find a better way...

Because of Jesus,

Haven't We Been Here Before?

This is the first in a series of random posts you will see over the next few months that I am calling Things I Believe (and you probably don't)! Some will be goofy. This one is not. So be warned...

This world is a mess. We have known that for a while. But lately it is this nation that concerns me more. Laws have been passed, presidential campaigns begun, verdicts handed down, history rewritten, leaders quoted and social media exploding all with the same message- unless you are like me, I don't want you here. And it doesn't matter where here is, you aren't welcome. This would be disconcerting under any circumstances, but to hear so much of it coming from people who call themselves Christians is especially painful. My heart hurts. My brain hurts. And as a student of history I find myself asking the same question at my prayer time each day- Haven't we been here before?

It seems that many of my brothers and sisters (although some of these folks could care less what my sisters think) in Christ have taken a stance that anyone who does not agree with them is not only wrong, but somehow less a child of God than those who do agree. They come from two primary angles. You must be Christian- their version of Christian- and exclude and fear anyone who is not. In this version of the faith, judgement is a key element, and you worry less about your own soul and more about how to make others more like you. You must also hold to the theory of American Exceptionalism. It is no longer enough to love your country. Now to prove our patriotism we must adhere to the thought that the United States is and always has been superior to the rest of the world. If that means throwing out the facts to make history agree with the point, so be it. This country was not founded on exceptionalism, it was founded on and by the "wretched refuse." Our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world! These two ideologies are being used by the "elite" to exclude anyone who doesn't agree with them. People of color, our LGBT friends, immigrants and people of differing religions are more and more being targeted by people who claim to have a relationship with Jesus and being told that they do not belong. They are not Christian enough and they are not American enough. How is "religious freedom" enhanced by laws that encourage discrimination? 

History has taught us that there are few things more dangerous that religious extremism and radical nationalism. We live in a world where terrorists who fly an Islamic flag have made us afraid of all Muslims. ISIS is a band of extremists (who, by the way, walked into a leadership void WE helped create when we invaded Iraq in 2002) who in no way represent the entire religion. A few weeks back President Obama compared the extremism of ISIS to the Christian Crusades and was taken to task for it by many (As a side note, I read someone attack Obama by saying George W. Bush would have never said anything like that, and I cannot agree more. I have little doubt that W. has no idea what happened in the Crusades...). The truth is, he was right. There have been numerous atrocities committed in the name of Jesus, from the Crusades to standing in support of slavery to blowing up abortion clinics. Extremism is ugly no matter who is carrying the flag. Nazi Germany was all about lifting one nation, one race and one religion above all others and seeking to wipe out anyone who didn't "fit in." It almost worked. And yet even with all of this history to learn from, we find ourselves again posting new versions of "Whites Only" signs, fearing religions we don't understand and hating people we don't know. And doing it in the name of Jesus. We have been here before.

My big issue is this- these Christians who claim religious and cultural superiority often do it by choosing to ignore the teachings of Jesus. They see his teachings about peace, love, justice, mercy, grace and forgiveness as a part of the biblical narrative that can be debated and diluted through filtering and watering down. Then they can use their religion to exclude people, when Jesus clearly preached inclusiveness. His call to love our neighbors means loving our gay neighbors, our black neighbors our Muslim neighbors and our really hard-to-love neighbors. Some would respond with Old Testament scriptures (which Jesus gave a new spin) or twist the teachings of Paul, saying Jesus is only part of the story. Well friends, listen up, because I am about to drop some serious theology on you. Jesus is not a part of the story- Jesus is the POINT of the story! If we are willing to ignore his teachings, then everything else falls apart. Yes, there is a theology of salvation and a standard of morality that Christ-followers seek to embrace. But as Paul wrote in that passage they read at all the weddings, without love none of that other stuff means skubala (Carl translation). When we use our arms to push away rather than embrace, we are ignoring his teachings.

I confess there are days when this all seems hopeless, when it feels like the church is failing badly and there is nothing we can do about it. We are too often part of the problem in this country. But we must not- we CANNOT- give up. We serve an awesome God, a God of light and love, and we must take back our faith from those who seek to pervert it. Back in the early 1980s the band Styx recorded a rock opera called Kilroy Was Here about a morally superior bad guy named Dr. Righteous. He knew all the rules but understood nothing about love, mercy and individual freedoms. The story followed a band of rebels who worked under dangerous conditions to get the truth out- a truth that Dr. Righteous controlled. My favorite song on the album (yes, even better than Mr. Roboto) shares its name with this blog post. The lyrics are below:

Haven't we been here before
Footsteps lead down to the note on the door
That says I can't stay here anymore

And haven't we felt this same way
Sure in our hearts, but afraid just the same
To say I can't stay one minute more

You might think that it's hopeless
Beyond our control
But that's not necessarily so
Can't you see there's a chance
For the daring young soul
Who's finally learned to say no

No, I won't be misused
Ignored or refused
And I won't just give up and let go

So tonight hold me close to you
And don't give up what's important to you
And as time rolls on
Nothing can stand in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past
We'd find keys to unlock every door
Dark would turn into light
We'd be strong
We'd be right

So tonight hold me close to you
And don't give up what's important to you
And as time rolls on
Nothing will stand in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past
We'd say haven't we been here before
Oh, and I believe if we open our hearts
We'd find keys to unlock every door
Hearts could change overnight
We'd be strong...We'd be right
So stay with me now
The future is ours
And we'll be the ones who go on

The time is now for a Jesus Revolution. It is time for us to be the daring souls who say no to this blatant misuse of Christianity. Politics can corrupt the church; they cannot corrupt Jesus. Exclusivity may be championed by our politicians, but it will never be championed by Jesus. It's time to take a stand and Take Back Our Church- #TBOC (It should really be take back HIS church, but TBOC is a much better hashtag). Christianity was never intended to be a religious organization, it was intended to be a movement founded on the life and teachings of a radical Rabbi who was also the Son of God. It's not about moral superiority, or cultural warfare or national exceptionalism. It's all about love. Think of those final words of the song as being a direct order from the Christ. "Stay with me now, the future is ours, and we'll be the ones who go on." More than ever, it has GOTS to be all about Jesus! And that's all I have to say about that...

Because of Jesus,

A Political Parable

Tomorrow is Election Day, a day when everyone who can should get out and vote in their local elections. It is also a high holy day for many of us, because after tomorrow we will get a break from the annoying, hateful, I-can't-believe-they actually-sway-anyone campaign advertisements. Like many of you, hearing how terrible the opposing Candidate B is without ever hearing any legitimate reasons why Candidate A is any better makes me a little crazy. Here in Florida the nastiest battle has been the one for governor between incumbent Rick Scott and former governor Charlie Crist. It's been ugly for 18 months now, and has gotten worse as tomorrow approaches. At this point I find myself hoping that they both lose. How bad is it? The following is a parable- but just barely. It could easily be a true story...and either candidate could be the guilty party!

Charlie Crist was holding a press conference by the pool at a local resort when a young boy of about 10 found himself in water over his head and began to thrash about and scream for help. As others panicked, Crist calmly turned, surveyed the situation, and began to walk across the pool- on the water! He reached down, pulled the boy up, and carried him to safety. The gathered crowd could not believe what they had just seen. The former governor had walked on water. Some were amazed at this miraculous feat and wanted to proclaim him Saint Charlie. Others scoffed at the whole thing, asserting that it was clearly some sort of plot to allow him to show off for the cameras. It was an amazing scene.

The next day the Rick Scott campaign released a new attack ad. There was no mention of the little boy or the rescue. There was simply footage of Crist walking across the pool, with a very serious Darth Vader-like voice narrating the following:

Florida is a peninsula, surround by water on 3 sides. Rick Scott was in the Navy, and is very comfortable around water. Charlie Crist? He claims he can walk on water. But here's the truth, Florida...he only did it because

Charlie Can't Swim!!!

Political ads all over the county are almost that ridiculous. Voting is supposed to be a privilege. These days it far too often just seems like the end of our misery- until the 2016 presidential primary campaigns kick-in. Next week...  

Have a happy Monday, and please, if you are able tomorrow, get out and vote!

They Say

John 13:34-35: (Jesus said) Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples—when they see how you love one another.

A couple of years ago my family and I came out of church and found a pamphlet on our windshield. It was from a group called The Christian Coalition, and it told us who to vote for in an upcoming election. It told us of the evils of those running against "God's candidates" and suggested that voting for any of those not chosen by them could result in apocalyptic consequences, or perhaps even having your salvation revoked. Even apart from my belief that such political things have no place at a house of worship, this really ticked me off! Then yesterday a youth pastor friend tweeted that he had just been told that the church is best represented in our world by conservative politicians. These things reminded me that many of the things that THEY say in the name of Christianity do not represent me and have little to do with Jesus. Who are THEY? I don't really know, but every day on TV or in the paper THEY certainly have a lot to say. What are THEY telling the world about the best ways to identify a Christ-follower? Things like this:

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by which church we attend and which translation of the Bible we have collecting dust on our end tables.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by our doctrine and the ways we keep riff-raff and ragamuffins out of our churches.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by our knowledge of scripture- and the way we use it to make others feel small and stupid.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by the things we don't let people see us do, such as smoking, drinking, gambling and sexual promiscuity.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by the things we are against, like abortion and homosexuality.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by the amount of money we make, because God blesses the faithful with wealth.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by the bumper stickers on our cars and the t-shirts on our backs.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples because we are patriotic and worship the flag.

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by the way we point fingers, judge people and tell them that they are sinners. You can't be a good Christian if you haven't told someone they are going to hell!

THEY say people will know we are His disciples because we understand this to be true:  God is good, and you are not, so try harder! We can save ourselves, because this world is all about us!

THEY say people will know we are His disciples by our intolerance of other religions, other races and anyone who disagrees with us. Also the way we ignore the homeless, the poor and the different.

That's what THEY say; what do I say (and more importantly, do)? Do I represent God with love and grace, or do I too enjoy pointing fingers and making my own words more important than His?  Do I remember that whoever THEY are, I must love them too, because in Jesus we should be "one in the Spirit."  As my friend Ashley Goad loves to say, "It should be simple; love God, love people." Why do we make it so complicated? I have to believe that God is shaking His head at the nonsense that comes out of His church. We may fool ourselves, but God is no fool. His word is the truth. You cannot focus on being anti-anything if you become pro-love. God's word says that there is only one way the world will know if we are followers of His Son: "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they'll know we are Christians by our love..."  We need to get out there and love each other before THEY convince this world that Jesus is who THEY say He is. Have a blessed Sabbath, everyone!

Because of Jesus,

Lessons Learned...or Forgotten?

My readers know that I love taking trips down memory lane. But not all such trips are filled with nostalgia and happy memories. Some are reminders of terrible moments and hard lessons. That's where I am today. You may not like this post very much...

Sometime in the early 1990's I read a book entitled And the Band Played On. Written by Randy Shilts and published in 1987, the book is a graphic look at the Gay culture of the late 70s and early 80s and the first days of what would become the AIDS epidemic. Shilts (who would eventually die from complications due to AIDS) attacks the story head on, tracing the origins of the HIV virus, tracking it to the US, and exploring how even as it was killing thousands by 1984 it was still being treated as a "Gay plague." The politics involved in our nation's response to HIV/AIDS were stunning and had tragic consequences. The unwillingness of the Gay community at that time to give up newly won freedoms- even if those freedoms were killing them- was a reminder of how selfish we all can be when it comes to protecting what is important to us. The book was very moving and very eye-opening to me in many ways. I re-read the book in 2007 and had the same gut-wrenching reaction, and was left to wonder if the lessons of our failures had been learned...or forgotten.

Then this week all of that was brought rushing back to my mind as I watched two movies for the first time. On Sunday we watched Dallas Buyers Club, and then Monday I saw The Normal Heart. While they are not directly connected, in some way I watched them out of order. The Normal Heart was a film made by HBO based on a play written by Larry Kramer in the 80s. Kramer was one of the first Gay men in NYC to try to alert both the Gay community and political leaders to the horrors of the coming epidemic- and he was ostracized by both groups for his efforts. The film is his story, and it is an amazing (albeit tragic) piece of history. There was so much that could have been done in the early years of the crisis- and so little that was done. The overwhelming response of medical community was to be afraid of what was happening to these Gay men, Haitians and intravenous drug users. Research for either a cause or a cure moved at a snails pace because there was no money pumped into either. Gay men refused to believe it was sexually transmitted until it had killed many of their friends. President Reagan did not say the word AIDS in public until 4 years after people started dying. It took the death of a gay movie star- Rock Hudson- to make us see that the crisis was real and we were all at risk. Once that happened. the money began to flow- a full 5 years after the first deaths. It is a horrific story in many ways, but it also a love story about caring for loved ones in the depths of misery and despair. The actors- Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Taylor Kitsch- are simply amazing. And the story it tells should not be forgotten.

The Dallas Buyers Club won OSCARS this year for Matthew McConnaughey and Jared Leto, and it chronicles the HIV/AIDS crisis in the mid to late 80s. As the worldwide medical community rushed to find treatments that would improve the quality of life for patients- remember, in those days a diagnosis was a death sentence- our government refused to approve many medicines because they were "unsafe." Believing that nothing is risky when you are dying, a straight, homophobic AIDS patient named Ron Woodroof begins to find ways to bring illegal medicines to Dallas to help people he was certain he hated. The government fought him at every turn, but he persevered until his death in 1992. Another amazing movie, another crushing story.

Earlier I mentioned lessons learned or forgotten. What are the lessons for me?  First, we are all connected in this world and what happens to any human being has an impact on us all. There were people in power during the early years of AIDS who thought that it was a disease for "those people." They were horribly wrong. We tend to be so selfish. Ebola has killed thousands in Africa, but it didn't really matter to us until a man in Texas was diagnosed. We share a planet, and we must learn that God has commanded us to care for everyone on it. The second lesson is that no freedom- no matter how dear we hold it or how significant it feels to us- is more important than the life of another human being. True freedom comes from Jesus. And every life is important to him. Thirdly, we as a nation must think hard about our priorities. In 1985 one month of our military budget was three times the total amount spent on HIV/AIDS research and development in the first 4 years of the crisis. Could our doctors and scientists have cured cancer or diabetes by now if we funded them with the same passion with which we build bombers? And finally I am left to wonder where the church was in the midst of that crisis- and where we are in the midst of such crisis today. Do we reject people based on our personal beliefs and opinions, or do we love as Jesus taught us to love- everyone no matter who they are.

History wouldn't repeat itself so often if we would just listen the first time. Read the book. See the movies. If you are even slightly homophobic then get ready to be overwhelmed with an inside look at a culture you despise. If you view the politics of the 1980s through rose colored glasses, you will be disappointed and stunned. Sometimes a trip down memory lane reminds us we still have miles to go to be the people God has called us to be. My prayer is that our hearts and minds will be open to learning the lessons of the past.

Because of Jesus,

The Wretched Refuse

For those of you who have been praying for my father-law, thank you. Please continue to hold him in the Light. He continues to hang in there. There is really nothing new to report, but they will be doing more testing today and I will give you an update tomorrow. 

But on this Monday, I feel a rant coming on...

I know very little about the hot topic of immigration. I tend to be politically naive and simplistic. But still, with all the debate lately about immigration and building walls and closing our borders I have found myself wondering about the Statue of Liberty. As a student of history (and an old geezer) I can remember when Lady Liberty was more than a tourist attraction. It was a symbol of hope to the world. But the world has changed, our nation has changed, and I worry that the old girl may soon be out of a job. If the borders are all closed, who will she welcome? And if she is no longer needed we could have a real predicament on our hands. She's an immigrant from France, and if she becomes unemployed she could be deported. How embarrassing would that be? Seriously, I know we need to limit the chaos and I know we need immigration reform so that families can stay together in our country after they arrive. But this country was founded on the "wretched refuse" - my ancestors and yours. We are all mutts. We need to be very careful about seeing ourselves as "real Americans" and others as interlopers. Does the rest of the world now see Lady Liberty more as a guardian of "what's ours" rather than as a beacon of hope? I love this quote from Robin Williams:

Maybe that's the way things have to be in this new world. But fixing immigration is, at its heart, a political problem. And since I know very little about politics and care about them even less I will leave that issue up to those who are smarter than me. Besides, that's not what I want to write about today.

I want to write about Jesus.

You see, I fear that too many of our churches (and PRAISE GOD for those churches that rise above this description) have already adopted a closed border policy. We are often only comfortable with those who are like us- who look like us, think like us, act like us and smell like us. We seek those who are already Church Worthy in our eyes. If I were going to start a church tomorrow, I would put these words from the Statue of Liberty on a billboard in the front yard. Even if, as some feel. they are no longer applicable to USAmerica in 2014, they are still absolutely perfect for the church of Jesus Christ.

Jesus made it clear during his earthly ministry that outreach to the lost, the hurt, the lame, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the imprisoned, the sin-filled- the wretched refuse- was not just a task, it was a priority! Those who are "tempest-tost" by life, looking for a port of refuge in the storms of this world, should find the church to be a welcoming shore. Jesus has lifted his lamp and promised that "he who the Son sets free is free indeed!" The questions are not about the Savior and what he taught; they are about us. Do we live in fear of those who are different? Have we taken ownership of a love that was never meant to be contained or controlled, but was meant to explode throughout with entire world? Has Christianity become a religion of entitlement, teaching us better ways to save resources instead of better ways to share them? Do all of the biblical commands to take care of one another only apply to church members? Jesus said he did not come for the healthy, he came for those needing care. Our churches should be FULL of people who are hurting, who are among the lost and the least, because our streets are full of wounded people. The very people Jesus commanded us to love the most we too often turn away. These huddled masses are indeed yearning for freedom, and we know the one true source of freedom- Christ Jesus, the Risen Savior! How dare we keep the Good News to ourselves?

It is time to take the love and care of the hurting and disenfranchised out of the hands of a government that is (and has been for many years) ill-equipped to handle the job and put it back where it belongs- in the arms of Jesus. My pastor often says that "the church is God's Plan A for saving the world- and there is no Plan B." The church can still be a beacon of hope. I know- I am one of the wretched refuse who has been saved by grace. But if we want to love like Jesus taught us to love, we cannot have guards at our doors. We cannot build walls. We cannot label people. The church needs to be the one place where everyone is welcome and everyone is loved- no matter how tired, how poor or how wretched. I know I'm naive and simplistic on this issue too. But I'm also right. Because Jesus said it first...

Because of Jesus,

A Floridian Rant

Careful, dear readers...I feel a rant coming on!

There are many states that have unique personalities and traits. Texas believes it is an independent nation. California is actually 3 different states pretending to be one. Arizona is beyond weird, Alabama doesn't exist after the college football season and Rhode Island is a large park pretending to be a state. And then there is Florida. I was not born in Florida. North Carolina is my home state and lately it seems like that entire place has gone politically insane. But today, I want to write about my adopted state. Because Florida is often just flat-out wacky...

When you think of the Sunshine State, you may picture gorgeous beaches, golf courses, theme parks and great weather. You might think of spring training baseball, NASA launches or cruise ships. These are all wonderful, and make living in Florida pretty awesome...most of the time. But it's not all oranges and smiles. There's something in the water here that seems to bring out the weird in people. And it's not just the hurricanes. Let me show you what I mean.

Florida brought you the "hanging chad" and the first presidential election ever decided by a coin toss. The number of retirees who move here earned us the nickname of "God's Waiting Room" and make driving after dark a total nightmare. Despite not actually being a "southern" state (good sweet tea is so hard to find here, and accents are as much New York and Boston as they are southern) it is home to a large KKK organization and lots of confederate flags. Or that may just be our state flag- it's very confusing. We provided Nancy Grace and her ilk with Debra Lafave, Casey Anthony AND George Zimmerman. Noted serial killer Ted Bundy did his most gruesome work here. Remember the crazy pastor who started an uproar by threatening to burn to Koran? Yep- Florida. The 2 winless teams in the NFL both reside in the state, and the mediocre Dolphins are currently being featured on both SportsCenter and The Jerry Springer Show (at least we still have FSU football- and btw, THANK YOU Stanford!!!). Maybe the most beloved figure in the state is a currently unemployed quarterback. Just yesterday here in Tampa, less than 10 miles from my house, a man pulled his gun from his car- yes, carrying a loaded handgun in your car seems to be perfectly normal in Florida - and started shooting at a woman in the parking lot of a Home Depot because he thought she was stealing the last good parking space. Apparently good parking places are a God-given right just like carrying a handgun- and it's not even Black Friday yet. I think I should copyright the term Parking Lot Rage before someone else grabs it. I'm just scratching the surface, my friends. This place gets a little crazy.

Seriously- which one is Rick?

But what ignited this rant was a commercial I saw yesterday morning. I am not terribly political, but this made me more than a little nauseated. The next Florida gubernatorial election will take place one year from now. Our current governor, republican Rick Scott (also known as Lord Voldemort in some circles), will be running for re-election. Among the candidates who have announced they will be seeking the democratic nomination is former governor Charlie Crist, who currently works from one of the most notrious ambulance chasing law firms in the country. This is interesting because when Crist held the office he was a republican himself. The commercial I saw was attacking Crist for being a party flip-flopper- a year before an election that he doesn't even have his party's nomination for yet. It's going to be a very long year in the Sunshine State...

But this being Florida, things could still get more interesting. We have yet one more former republican governor roaming around who should get involved. Jeb Bush should run as an independent! Then we would have Rick Scott claiming be a Tea Party candidate but having flip-flopped back to the mainstream republicans; Crist flip-flopping to the dems; and Jeb Bush, from the first family of republican politics, flip-flopping to be an independent. That's more flip-flops than you would find on a good day at Cocoa Beach! And strangely enough, that's just a normal political season here in paradise.

And with that, I invite you to come visit us in Florida. After all, tourism is our number one industry. We can take in a spring training game, go see Mickey Mouse and hit some of the world's best beaches. We can visit awesome aquariums, spectacular museums and the original Hooters. It's a great place to vacation. But you may want to invest in a kevlar vest before you come down. The old joke that says "Why do they call it tourist season if we can't shoot them?" is getting less funny every year. Thus endeth my rant.  Tomorrow we shall return to our regularly scheduled Saturday Shout Outs! Until then, peace my friends.

7 Things: Politics Gone Wild!

The following is political commentary. As always, it is entirely possible that I am completely wrong...

On Wednesday night I confess that I watched half of the Presidential debate on TV, the other half on Twitter.  It worked out well for me, a political agnostic.  By the time I got to Twitter I knew why everyone was tweeting about Big Bird and the moderator (Jim Leher) being like a replacement referee in an NFL game. I didn't really need to read the comments from those that I follow who actually care about politics- the Romney fans thought he was brilliant and the Obama fans were certain their man was in control.  I myself chose to be snarky, tweeting that I would watch no more until Ron Burgundy was made moderator, and nominating Sheldon Cooper for President.  But in the middle of all the fun I did have a few serious questions about the political process, and today I share them.  I don't mean to endorse anyone here- I have declared myself a PURPLE state. I am not hating the players, I am hating the game!  So here are 7 random thoughts...

1. Experts say that the debates are designed to change the minds of undecided voters.  I would submit that the only thing most voters are undecided about at this point is whether or not they are going to vote at all.  I just don't see their purpose in this day of unlimited information and 24 hours news cycles. We have heard it all before.
2. If we are going to be subjected to these 90 minute gab fests, then PLEASE- quit telling me what the other guy is doing or is going to do WRONG and tell me what you are going to do that is RIGHT- and why.
3. In DUH News, we do realize that the real issue here is not Romney or Obama, it is the fact that we continue to elect congressmen/women and senators who do everything in their power to fight for their party and almost nothing to represent "we the people"- right? When the goal of our elected representatives becomes keeping people from the other party from being elected rather than working for the good of the country, the system is badly broken. Both parties share equal blame, and both have a lot of people who need to be sent home from Washington. Permanently.
4. In words I thought I would never, ever say, I find myself agreeing with Rush Limbaugh (wow, that really hurt) on this one thing- if the President is re-elected, the Republican Party may be in serious trouble. I am not sure why "The Big Bag of Wind" said that, but here is my historical reasoning.  In 1980 we began 12 years of a Reagan/Bush presidency. Few remember this now, but Ronald Reagan created the first deficit in history in order to repair a horribly damaged economy.  In 1992 Bush #41 was defeated primarily because the economy was a mess and we had the worst deficit in history.  In his first 4 years Bill Clinton was able to do little to fix it, but in his 2nd term the economy turned upward, the deficit was wiped out and he turned over a budget surplus to W. Eight years later the economy was in shambles again and we had our first trillion dollar debt.  The first 4 years of an Obama administration have seemingly done little to fix the problems.  But here's the deal (in my feeble mind)...if he is re-elected (a big IF) and if his plans to fix the economy and begin to reduce the debt work (another big IF) then I don't see how the Republicans come back from that.  To quote Bush #43, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...well...I won't get fooled again."  Or something like that.  The Red State guys need a win or an Obama fail- or it could be all over.
5. Speaking of 43, I think I would vote for any Republican candidate at any level who would be willing to admit that this financial crisis we are in is NOT Obama's fault. He may not have fixed it, but he certainly didn't invent it. Spin it any way you want to, much of the blame lies with the previous administration.  And Republicans, while blackballing W. from the convention and pretty much everything else, just refuse to claim their part in this mess. I will have unending respect for anyone who does.
6. Liberal Democrats seem to be afraid that if Obama is given a second term that he may dessert them and move more to the middle of the political spectrum in order to get things done. Romney is a middle-of-the-road Republican who has abandoned many of his own beliefs to appeal more to the Tea Party and the conservative wing of his party. Wouldn't it be awesome if the third debate was them telling us what they really think instead of what they think we want to hear?
7. And finally, I am sick to death of both sides trying to claim high ground on the issue of faith. Stop it. Here's what I see. I read tweets from both sides slamming the candidates and people who believe in them with harsh words and vitriol, only to tweet the next morning about how we should all love one another.  I heard both candidates talk about saving the middle class, but I heard nothing about reaching out to "the least of these"- as Jesus commanded.  There was (and will be more in the next debate) talk of military power and and shows of strength, but little thought given to peacemaking and the Prince of Peace. They spoke of Big Bird, but there was no mention of Bert & Ernie (if you catch my drift), ignoring a part of the population that has been bullied and persecuted for years.  The Evangelical Church backs Romney because he is a Republican and despite the fact that they consider his Mormon faith an abomination.  Half of the country still believes Obama is Muslim.  Romney said "we are all children of the same god" but we have no idea which god that might be.  Neither of these men and neither of these political parties comes close to representing Jesus and the things he taught. The question becomes less about who is President and more about who has control of our hearts. Who are you going to follow?

So that what I've been pondering these past couple of days. What say you?

The Politics of Flip & Flop

As we enter the home stretch of the 2012 election cycle, I am sure many of you are growing as weary as I am of the constant yammering of candidates and (perhaps even more annoyingly) the people who support them.  So as a public service to you, my loyal readers, I would like to sum up everything you are likely to hear between now and November.  This will hold true for most local and national elections. Trust me. Here we go.  The ideology of the colors are intentionally mixed up- much like the politicians themselves. 

Red Candidates:  My fellow Americans, FLIP. FLIP, FLIP...FLIP FLIP FLIP!!!  I cannot stress how important this is- FLIP.  My opponent will tell you that FLOP is the way. FLOP was an idea given to that party by someone....oh I don't know who it could have been...maybe...SATAN???  Only FLIP can save us now!

Blue Candidates:  FLOP. I have always said FLOP.  FLIP is socialism, communism and vegetarianism rolled into one evil policy.  There is some evidence it can even turn us all into Dallas Cowboys fans! So FLOP, FLOP, FLOP!!!!!  And God bless America!!!

Red Supporters:  There is only one answer, and that answer is FLIP!!!  Our candidate understands the needs of the people, and everything he/she says is the absolute truth and the ONLY way to save our nation/state/town.  The other candidate says FLOP.  Geez what an idiot! Plus they listen to rap music!

Blue Supporters:  4 years ago they promised us that FLIP would save the planet,  make us rich and make Keeping Up With the Kardashians watchable. It was all a lie!!!  FLIP failed before, it will fail again!  FLOP! FLOP! FLOP!  And also, he once killed a baby seal.  

And there you have it.  The candidates will not say much, and their supporters will declare them geniuses for this lame rhetoric. But mostly, they will spend more time telling you what the other side will do wrong than what they will do right- because they have so little idea of what they are actually doing to do!  So for the next 6 weeks or so keep the mute button handy, limit your social media time, and watch a lot of ESPN. Should we seek to be an informed electorate? Absolutely.  But that is really tricky without informed candidates. So make your decision, and by all means get out and vote.  Talk about the issues and explore opposing viewpoints. Talk about the qualifications, experience and positive traits of the candidates you support. And if you feel the need to speak ill of their opponents, remember you have an option.  If you can't say something nice, the very least you can do is to SHUT UP!  Have a great Saturday.

Return To the RNC

"Greetings from Tampa- where flip-flops are considered to be evening wear!"  - The Daily Show

A week ago I wrote about what it was going to be like living in Tampa during the Republican National Convention (The RNC Comes To Tampa). It turned out to be one of my most-read posts ever.  I wrote of horrible traffic, tropical storms and strange politics- and a great deal of what I predicted turned out to be accurate!  With the convention having ended Thursday night, I thought I would take a moment today and reflect on a few stories and personal thoughts from the past week. Again, politics are not really my thing, although I do enjoy making fun of politicians.  If either candidate would declare they were planning to start a Department of Common Sense, they would have my support. But anyway...a few thoughts...

*  First and foremost, congratulations to the RNC and the city of Tampa for a very successful event. Traffic snafus were well managed, protests were orderly and peaceful, and the giant pep rally seemed to work.  At the beginning of the event it seemed that delegates were resigned to Mitt Romney instead of excited about him.  Now I think many are really behind him.  And since that was the whole point, way to go RNC!  Personally, I still miss the smoke filled rooms and political wheeling and dealing of conventions before 1960, but maybe that's just me.

*  But not everything was perfect. Remember all of the money that was supposed to be flowing into the merchants in downtown Tampa?  As it turned out, not so much.  With all of the sidewalk barricades, national guardsmen and no street parking, small businesses in the convention area mostly just had to shut down.  One local Quiznos, only blocks from the Convention Center, was expecting to do huge business.  Instead, by 1:30 PM on Tuesday they decided to close for the rest of the week.  With no parking and no sidewalks, they had NO business.  It is estimated some 25 downtown stores and eateries will go belly-up as a result of the convention.  $150 million may have come into the local economy, but as usual, it is the fat cats who are getting fatter.
*  You may find me guilty of sterotyping (because I am!) but my wife and I are pretty sure we had at least one delegate at church last Sunday morning.  We think that because a man in a $1000 black suit, white shirt and black tie came into the service a bit late.  Not only was he almost certainly the only man in the sanctuary in a suit, he may have been the only man wearing tie. We are a Florida congregation; half the men wear shorts and even the pastor doesn't wear a tie.  He also had a very conservative (but expensive looking) haircut.  When I was growing up in NC we used to joke about "Baptist haircuts."  This was a Republican haircut if I have ever seen one...  :)

*  Regardless of your view on the very hot-topic subject of abortion (and my own opinions send both sides in search of ways to shut me up!), The Daily Show piece that aired Wednesday featuring Samantha Bee interviewing actual delegates was a brilliant piece of fake journalism.  By asking if it made any difference to them that the "absolutely no abortions ever" plank in the most conservative platform ever (upon review, this platform makes Ronald Reagan posthumously a liberal) differs from Gov. Romney's personal views on the subject, she got a group of hardcore pro-life Republicans to ramble on and on about how the freedom to choose is one of the great American traditions. Irony alert!  They all stepped right in the poop, and they didn't even notice the smell.  It was totally manipulative and completely hysterical!
*  Speaking of The Daily Show, one of my other favorite bits of the week came when correspondent John Oliver was complaining about the heat and humidity in Tampa, saying that since Issac had passed we were back to normal atmospheric conditions- "somewhere between a Friar's Club steam room and a subway platform in Haiti." Jon Stewart responded that yes, it was a bit muggy.  Oliver then cracked, "A bit muggy? Jon, the Amazon is a bit muggy! This is the land that time forgot!"  Ah...it's not the heat, it's the humidity!
*  There were a number of trucks and vans cruising downtown Tampa with signs on them for all to read.  The ones I saw focused mostly on anti-abortion slogans, not believing the liberal media, and putting a stop to anything that could possibly be related to homosexuality.  Having these signs in town during the RNC is a little like preaching to the choir, isn't it? This is a gathering of people who for the most part ALREADY AGREE with you. You are wasting money and energy.  If you want to convert the masses, then you need to take your signs to Charlotte next week.  I'm just sayin...
*  Overheard on local talk radio the other morning from a local waitress...  "If Republicans really believe that the economy can be rebuilt by giving tax breaks to the rich guys and letting that money trickle down to the rest of us, then they need to leave better than a 10% tip.  I am going broke this week while they fix the economy."  Wow.

*  Does anyone remember George W. Bush?  He used to be President.  He was not invited to the RNC, and was barely mentioned at all until Thursday night when his brother Jeb very subtly threw him under a bus (He said my grandfather and my father were great American leaders who helped shape this nation. "And my brother...well, I love my brother.").  In fact, except for the always elegant Condi Rice,  the Bush administration was MIA from this convention. 
*  It continues to amaze me that in this day of Google and instant, constant information that politicians and political campaigns (seemingly all of them, both parties!) continue to distort the truth and think we won't notice.  An easy example: Paul Ryan told a story about candidate Obama (in 2008) visiting an auto plant in Ryan's hometown and promising that with government assistance it could be open for a very long time.  Ryan pointed out that in less than a year it closed, and pointed to this as failed policy. Only one problem- the closing was announced while Bush was President. No Obama policies were in place. But we weren't supposed to notice that...
*  Marco Rubio is THE rising political star in the Republican party, and he was awesome Thursday night.  And they really should have let him have Clint Eastwood's time.  I love you Clint, but no. No.
*  Governor Romney is now officially his party's nominee for President.  I wish him well on the campaign trail, and invite both he and President Obama to actually talk about the issues that "we the people" care about.  In 1992 Bill Clinton was elected because his advisers kept him on task by reminding him that the issues were economic. They still are.  In the words of that Clinton campaign, "It the economy, stupid!"  Whoever does the best job of remembering that and actually addressing those issues will most likely be our next President.

One last thought.  To all those out there who insist on using social media to attempt to change the hearts and minds of those who have different political views...STOP IT!  STOP IT NOW!  As popular wisdom says, "You changed my mind with your brilliant tweet about the other candidate"...said NO ONE EVER!"  Let's keep it real, my friends!

I hope you are all having a great holiday weekend!  Stay safe and be blessed!

Because of Jesus,

The RNC Comes to Tampa

I generally try to steer clear of political commentary on this blog, but today it just felt necessary- because I am feeling very snarky!  Next week much of the country will focus its attention on my hometown of Tampa, Florida, as the Republican Party gathers to nominate the Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan ticket.  You will see televised speeches, a giant pep rally and probably a few protests from the comfort of your living rooms. Faux Fox News will be cheering, MSNBC will be jeering, and the very best part of the week is that The Daily Show correspondents (at left) will be here in Tampa to point out how ridiculous the entire thing is!  But today I would like to share a little about what it will be like to live here next week.  Those of us living in Tampa are, to quote the band Starship, "knee deep in the hoopla!"  This is a behind-the-scenes look from the perspective of someone who has very little use for politicians in general and almost no use for this particular group.  Donald Trump is a speaker? Check please!  So here are 7 Things that make me chuckle as we prepare for next week.  Please reserve your hatred until the end of the post. :)

*  The billboard you see above is one that actually greets travelers as they arrive in downtown Tampa while driving north on I-275.  I see it when taking my wife to work.  Among the dozens of "Welcome to Tampa, RNC" signs you see everywhere, it truly stands out. Irony cracks me up...

*  Speaking of my wife and her work, she is employed by a law firm with an office in a downtown high-rise just blocks from the Convention Center.  The traffic is expected to be so horrendous and the security so tight that many downtown offices are forcing employees to take vacation next week.  Marilyn is fortunate; she gets to work, she will simply have to arrive at her office at 7 am each morning to avoid the crush.  To quote Dana Carvey's Church Lady, "How conveeenient!"  
*  The whole issue of the traffic raises another question for me. I love Tampa. It is a beautiful city with lots to do, including a great aquarium, Busch Gardens and some great professional sports teams. It is close to beaches and Walt Disney World. There are many fine restaurants and wonderful places to spend an evening.  But the RNC chose Tampa to host this event knowing full well that the Tampa Bay area has massive traffic problems and virtually no public transportation, and that bringing an extra 50,000 folks on 300 buses into downtown Tampa for a week would be at BEST a nightmare.  So my question is, do we really want whoever made this decision making more important decisions?  I am just asking.  :)  And speaking of decision making, Tampa in August offers one other challenge.  As Jimmy Buffet once wrote, "There's no tryin' to reason with Hurricane season..."
*  So it seems Tropical Storm/Hurricane Issac may make a visit to the convention as well.  This raises some philosophical questions for one (far right) wing of the party. It seems that in the past they have made statements that God has used natural disasters to demonstrate his disapproval with certain lifestyles and segments of society.  If Issac were to really mess up this RNC shindig, how would they explain that?  Some questions just beg to be asked!

Which one is Rick?

*  Governor Rick Scott of Florida has been asked to say a few words at the convention.  I really hope the national audience likes him, because here in Florida he has often maintained the lowest approval rating of any governor in history.  Not any Florida governor- ANY governor!  Governor Jeb Bush will also be speaking. Pay no attention to the Jeb 2016 signs waving in the background, Mitt...
*  A local radio station reported the other day that in addition to delegates and other convention personnel, there would be a large influx of strippers from out of town coming in for the RNC.  Local strip clubs (for those who don't know, Tampa features one of the highest strip club to population ratios in the US) are expecting to do record business next week- even better than when Tampa hosts the Super Bowl.  Plus I heard yesterday morning on TV that the Hooters closest to downtown has hired 20 new Hooters Girls and will be staying open until 3 am.  The Grand Old Party indeed!  It's all just part of the $150 million expected to be pumped in to the local economy, despite the fact that many small downtown businesses (that are not restaurants) will be closed all week because it is just too much trouble to say open.

*  And finally, on a somewhat serious note...  The political convention is a relic leftover from the days when a party would gather to decide who their candidate was going to be and to build a platform of ideas for them to stand on.  This is no longer true.  Both parties will gather this year to hold giant pep rallies (and spend millions of dollars) for candidates who were long since decided upon.  To make it even more useless, we live in a time when Republicans would vote for the candidate from their party even if it was Darth Vader- and Democrats would do the exact same thing.  The time (at both conventions) will be spent in much the same way- not telling us how they will set about fixing what is wrong in our nation, but telling us how the other side broke it. I am sick of it.  So you see,  I am not just cynical about the RNC. I am cynical about "politics as usual."  The RNC just happens to be invading my hometown.  How would I fix this mess?  I would begin by throwing out everyone from both houses of Congress and starting over again with brand new people. People who are teachers, factory workers and cab drivers. Real Americans with real problems and real concerns who want to make things happen.  And then I would elect Brain as President and Pinky as VP.  Because they are independent, committed and persistent.  "What are we going to do tonight, Brain?"  "Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to fix this stinking economy..."

And that is all I have to say about that...   :)