tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13628144356285011252023-07-17T23:57:52.333-05:00One Pilgrim's JourneyHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-21665263538065137702012-04-28T11:24:00.002-05:002012-04-28T11:24:35.774-05:00Star Tribune Letter of the Day
April 8, 2012
Republicans will have a hard time taking back the White House if they continue to alienate Latino voters ("Arizona case blurs immigration debate," April 25).
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's attempt to offer a Republican alternative to the Dream Act comes too little, too late. Generations of Latino voters and their allies will remember how politicians talked about immigration.
We should extend compassion and hope to children who are here through no fault of their own. If we truly practice family values and compassionate conservatism, we will not punish children for their parent's actions.
THE REV. HOWARD DOTSON, Maple Grove
Star Tribune Letter of the Day
Dec 4 2011
GOP presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry should be commended for using both their heads and hearts when it comes to immigration policies.
We are a nation of immigrants. We need to remember how we treated the Chinese, Irish, Italians and Polish when our ancestors came to this land of opportunity. Where are Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in our national consciousness today?
If our immigration quotas were the same today as then, the door for a legal pathway would be much wider. Why do we have such a scarcity mentality in this land of milk and honey?
This displaced anger toward immigrants really should rest with the bankers, Wall Street traders and corporate executives. The laborers in the fields, the housekeepers and landscapers are not the source of our economic hardship.
The undocumented laborers among us contribute more to our Social Security system and pay more taxes then they consume in public benefits.
If we are to find a humane and lasting solution to this challenge, we need to address more than just border security and workplace enforcement.
With compassion and reason, we can see the human plight of the undocumented among us and appreciate where their hearts are. Family values for the whole human family.
THE REV. HOWARD DOTSON, MAPLE GROVE
Star Tribune April 16, 2009
REMEMBER THE STRANGER
Let immigration agenda make ethical sense
As a nation of immigrants, we need to remember the hospitality the Native Americans extended to the starving pilgrims. In the Hebrew Bible, we are commanded to extend hospitality to strangers because we were once strangers in Egypt.
President Obama is right to realign Immigration and Customs Enforcement priorities. If we truly value family values, we will focus our efforts on deporting violent criminals, and allow hard working families to put bread on their tables for their children.
What happens to the children when the breadwinners are deported?
THE REV. HOWARD DOTSON, ST. PAULHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-62440125169616294842012-02-26T21:55:00.001-06:002012-02-26T21:57:05.911-06:00He Gave Me RosesThe documentary Saving Face reminds me of this poem I heard read on the Domestic <br /><br />Violence Rememberance.<br /><br />Please keep your eyes, ears, hearts and minds open to the plight of far too many.<br /><br /><br />He Gave Me Roses<br /><br />I got flowers today.<br />It wasn't my birthday or any other special day.<br />We had out first argument last night, And<br />He said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me.<br />I know he is sorry and didn't mean the things he said because<br />He sent me flowers today.<br /><br />I got flowers today.<br />It wasn't our anniversary or any other special day.<br />Last night, he threw me into a wall and<br />Started to choke me.<br />It seemed like a nightmare.<br />I couldn't believe it was real.<br />I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over.<br />I know he must be sorry because<br />He sent me flowers today.<br /><br />I got flowers today and it wasn't Mother's Day<br />Or any other special day.<br />Last night he beat me up again and<br />It was much worse than all the other times.<br />If I leave him what will I do ?<br />How will I take care of my kids ?<br />What about money ?<br />I'm afraid of him and scared to leave.<br />I know he must be sorry because<br />He sent me flowers today.<br /><br />I got flowers today. Today was a very special day.<br />It was the day of my funeral.<br />Last night, he finally killed me.<br />He beat me to death.<br />If only I had gathered enough courage and<br />Strength to leave him,<br />I would not have gotten flowers today.<br /><br />-- Author UnknownHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-48130767584393063092012-01-29T16:31:00.002-06:002012-01-29T16:34:03.975-06:00Give it Time It all works outI love the saying,"What goes around comes around."<br /><br />Someone I helped a great deal betrayed and defamed me.<br /><br />Now when you google this person the first link is a photo of their mugshot.<br /><br />Justice prevails in time.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-92093575190890410712012-01-29T16:05:00.001-06:002012-01-29T16:07:46.248-06:00Dec 4 Star Tribune Letter to the EditorGOP presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry should be commended for using both their heads and hearts when it comes to immigration policies.<br /> <br />We are a nation of immigrants. We need to remember how we treated the Chinese, Irish, Italians and Polish when our ancestors came to this land of opportunity. Where are Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in our national consciousness today?<br /> <br />If our immigration quotas were the same today as then, the door for a legal pathway would be much wider. Why do we have such a scarcity mentality in this land of milk and honey?<br /> <br />This displaced anger toward immigrants really should rest with the bankers, Wall Street traders and corporate executives. The laborers in the fields, the housekeepers and landscapers are not the source of our economic hardship.<br /> <br />The undocumented laborers among us contribute more to our Social Security system and pay more taxes then they consume in public benefits.<br /> <br />If we are to find a humane and lasting solution to this challenge, we need to address more than just border security and workplace enforcement.<br /> <br />With compassion and reason, we can see the human plight of the undocumented among us and appreciate where their hearts are. Family values for the whole human family.<br /> <br />THE REV. HOWARD DOTSON, MAPLE GROVEHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-24638281471383924422011-03-14T22:42:00.001-05:002011-03-14T22:43:36.243-05:00Bill Would Repeal In-State Tuition For ImmigrantsBill would repeal in-state tuition for immigrants<br /><br />Published February 11th, 2011 <br /><br />The Education Committee heard testimony Feb. 7 on a bill that would repeal in-state tuition rates at Nebraska’s universities and colleges for children of illegal immigrants who are not lawfully present in the United States.<br /><br />State legislation passed in 2006 offered in-state tuition to students who:<br /><br />•resided with his or her parent, guardian or conservator while attending a public or private high school in Nebraska;<br /><br />•graduated from a Nebraska high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;<br /><br />•resided in Nebraska for at least three years before the date the student graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;<br /><br />•have the bona fide intention to make Nebraska his or her permanent residence;<br /><br />•are registered as an entering student in a state postsecondary educational institution no earlier than the 2006 fall semester; and<br /><br />•provided to the state postsecondary educational institution an affidavit stating that he or she will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity he or she is eligible to do so.<br />Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen, introducer of LB657, said children of illegal immigrants should not be considered residents of the state and therefore are not eligible to receive in-state tuition rates.<br /><br />“Nebraska should not grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants unless they do to all citizens,” Janssen said.<br /><br />Giving a benefit or subsidy to someone who is not lawfully present and denying it to someone who is lawfully present is in direct violation of federal law, he said.<br /><br />Dale Monsell, representing Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, testified in support of the bill.<br /><br />These students are not legally employable in the U.S. after they graduate, Monsell said, and their education should be the responsibility of their nation of origin.<br /><br />John Wiegert, a resident of Fremont and supporter of the bill, said in-state tuition for illegal immigrants directly rewards people for their parents’ illegal acts.<br /><br />Shirley Mora James, president of the Nebraska Hispanic Bar Association, testified in opposition to the bill.<br /><br />According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mora James said, granting in-state tuition to an undocumented student is not one of the benefits regulated by illegal immigration reform.<br /><br />Individual states must decide whether or not to allow illegal immigrants to attend post-secondary institutions, she said, and the state of Nebraska has the authority to grant admission to undocumented students if it chooses to do so.<br /><br />J.B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska, also opposed LB657.<br /><br />The ability of undocumented young people to contribute to the state’s economy depends on their education, Milliken said in a letter to the committee.<br /><br />The state claims that education is a priority, he said, so repealing a law that promotes education is counterproductive.<br /><br />Rev. Howard Dotson of the Westminister Presbyterian Church testified in opposition to the bill, saying education plays an important role in the Latino community.<br /><br />Nationwide, 50 percent of Latino youth fail to graduate high school, Dotson said. Having more Latino high school graduates in Nebraska who attend college will provide the community with invaluable mentors, he said.<br /><br />The committee took no immediate action on the bill.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-75047206206991592592011-03-14T22:38:00.002-05:002011-03-14T22:39:56.689-05:00Immigration Bill Gets Mixed Reception in LincolnImmigration Bill Gets Mixed Reception In Lincoln<br /><br />Senator Doubtful Measure Will Get Out Of Committee<br /><br />POSTED: 2:35 pm CST March 2, 2011<br /><br />LINCOLN, Neb. -- A Nebraska lawmaker who has introduced an Arizona-style immigration bill said he is doubtful the bill would even get out of the Judiciary Committee as state senators openly questioned it at Wednesday's public hearing in Lincoln.<br /><br /> Sen. Charlie Janssen, of Fremont, told the committee that his bill, LB-48, would help Nebraska get a handle on what he believes is a serious illegal immigration problem. Janssen testified lawmakers cannot ignore their obligation to taxpayers as health care and education costs rise.<br /><br />Janssen was among the first to testify in a packed hearing room. Janssen said he was grilled by his colleagues during the hearing on everything from costs of enforcement to what constitutes reasonable suspicion.<br /><br />Janssen said the bill is a cost-saving measure for a state that faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall.<br /><br />The legislation would require police to confirm the residency status of suspected illegal immigrants who have been stopped for another reason.<br /><br />"(LB-48) makes it open season on immigrant women and children -- putting targets on their heads."<br />- Shirley More-James, resident <br /><br /><br />LB-48 got a mixed reception at the hearing as lawmakers and residents spoke.<br /><br />"I think you have to look at the overall picture of what LB-48 will do -- deter illegal immigration into the state of Nebraska," proponent Susan Smith said.<br /><br />But residents opposed to the bill spoke about concerns of racial profiling.<br /><br />"(LB-48) makes it open season on immigrant women and children -- putting targets on their heads," Shirley Mora-James, a resident who opposes the bill, said.<br /><br />Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said he is also opposing the bill because enforcement costs would be too high and many who are arrested would just walk.<br /><br />" It exposes the state and counties to serious liabilities and expenses in defending themselves." - Judge David Piester A retired federal judge also weighed in on the bill.<br /><br />Judge David Piester said law enforcement agencies could end up paying the price in enforcing an Arizona-style immigration law if it's approved.<br /><br />"It exposes the state and counties to serious liabilities and expenses in defending themselves," Piester said. "Equal protection and discrimination claims would almost certainly follow."<br /><br />Community activists present at the hearing agreed and said they hope the bill never gets out of committee.<br /><br />"Charity and reason will prevail," the Rev. Howard Dotson said. "It's a federal responsibility -- the senators understand that."<br /><br />Arizona's bill has been suspended pending a court challenge. <br /><br />Copyright 2011 by KETV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reservedHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-22632547294997772952011-03-14T22:35:00.003-05:002011-03-14T22:36:30.517-05:00Mayor Suttle's Focus on At Risk YouthDay 14: Vote No because Mayor Suttle has focussed on at-risk youth<br />Posted on January 23, 2011<br /><br />As an urban pastor, I have seen far too much poverty and violence. I serve on the Mayor’s Clergy Advisory Council and I’ve had the privilege of following his administration’s work over this past year.<br /><br />Mayor Suttle has the vision and the strategy to bring peace and prosperity to our streets.<br /><br />His three Es (education, employment and enforcement) and the From Poverty to Prosperity initiative will help keep our kids in schools and bring jobs to our under employed communities. We stop the bullets when more kids achieve their caps and gowns and have access to jobs.<br /><br />Our law enforcement officers cannot suppress the violence on their own. It takes a village of concerned citizens to bring peace to our streets. We are One Omaha, and Mayor Suttle understands our commitment to educate and empower all of our citizens.<br /><br />Mayor Suttle has made the difficult but necessary choices that have preserved our essential public services.<br /><br />This recall will distract and detract us from the critical peacemaking work underway in our communities. The bottom line is that life is sacred.<br /><br />Mayor Suttle’s vision will continue to help save lives and secure a brighter future for our youth. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”<br /><br />Rev. Howard Dotson<br />Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor serving in Omaha<br /><br />P.S. Join Mayor Suttle and Rev. Dotson tonight – From Poverty to ProsperityHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-244118757308806162011-03-14T22:25:00.001-05:002011-03-14T22:27:09.696-05:00Omaha Police and Illegal Immigration Omaha Crime ExaminerOmaha police and illegal immigration...is business the problem?<br />By Michael Ramon, Omaha Crime Examiner<br />December 27th, 2010 10:51 am CT <br /><br />In a recent letter to the Omaha World-Herald the Reverend Howard Dotson, representing Equality Nebraska, opined that if an Arizona-type law became a reality in Nebraska the result would be disastrous for the immigrant community. He fears that local enforcement of immigration laws would result in immigrants being afraid to contact police if they become victims of crime, and suggests that such a law would encourage the targeting of immigrants since they would have no recourse in getting aid from the law enforcement community. Unfortunately, crime statistics (see www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/ucr) confirm his analysis.<br /><br /><br />What role, then, is appropriate for local law enforcement? The answer depends on your values. If you think anyone should be able to contact the police if they become a victim of crime, the answer is to leave the enforcement of immigration laws to ICE. If you believe that an immigrant's status is more important than their protection and you are frustrated by the ineffectivement of the federal government in controlling illegal immigration, you would probably be inclined to want the state and local authorities to get involved. Omaha police probably see things differently. Given their limited resources and the expense of putting someone in jail, most officers would prefer not to arrest immigrants who are otherwise law abiding; clogging the jails and courts with these cases in not an effective way to lower the crime rate. It may, in fact, help to do the opposite.<br /><br />Given this conundrum, is there any way to control illegal immigration? The answer is simple: yes. Illegal immigrants come to the United States, Nebraska and Omaha because they find employment here. Take away employment opportunities and the illegal immigration problem will be solved. Of course than means holding businesses accountable. Our elected officials seem, for the most part, very reluctant to do that. The cynical might suggest this is because businesses and those who run them are politically powerful. Hiring illegal immigrants is a great way to increase profits; after all they will work for less money, they seldom complain about illegal working conditions and the American taxpayer has to pay their health insurance. Maybe we don't have an illegal immigration problem after all, we just have politicians who put self-interest and business interests ahead of our interests.<br /><br />.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-64051573166399910432011-03-14T22:21:00.001-05:002011-03-14T22:23:29.223-05:00Vigil Honors Five Dead InfantsVigil Honors Five Dead Infants<br /><br />By Martha Stoddard<br /><br />WORLD-HERALD BUREAU <br />Metro/Region<br /><br />LINCOLN — Candle flames flickered in the wind Tuesday at a vigil for five babies who have died since Nebraska cut off Medicaid prenatal care for more than 1,500 women.<br /><br />A small group gathered on the steps of the State Capitol to call attention to the consequences of the policy change.<br /><br />“Standing witness is important,” said Rev. Neal Jose Wilkinson, a priest who works with Omaha’s Hispanic community.<br /><br />Health officials have told lawmakers that five infants — four stillborn in Columbus and one born premature in Omaha — died since the March 1 change.<br /><br />A lack of prenatal care is believed to have contributed to at least some of the deaths.<br /><br />Shirley Mora James, with the Equality Nebraska Coalition, said there likely are more deaths that have not been reported because women did not seek care from a public clinic.<br /><br />Jim Cunningham, a lobbyist for the Nebraska Catholic Conference, said the new policy punishes unborn children for their mothers’ status.<br /><br />Nebraska officials cut off government-funded prenatal care for women who had received the care based on the Medicaid eligibility of their unborn children.<br /><br />About 1,600 women lost coverage because of the change, of whom about 840 were illegal immigrants. An unknown number could not get coverage in the months since.<br /><br />Attempts to reinstate coverage failed this year in the face of staunch opposition from Gov. Dave Heineman and others, who objected to providing prenatal care to illegal immigrants.<br /><br />Three state lawmakers have said they plan to try again in the 2011 Legislature.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-36752420415436679662011-03-14T08:59:00.001-05:002011-03-14T08:59:30.993-05:00Progressive Omaha Sep 11 2011Highlights of presentation by Howard Dotson to Progressive Omaha meeting, Saturday, September 11, 2010, by Barbara van den Berg <br /><br />I tried to take notes at Howard Dotson's presentation, but since so much of this information was new to me, I ended up with a lot of spaces for details that need to be researched at a later time. Never-the-less, perhaps it is useful to write down a few observations that could be used in a follow-up discussion at the next Progressive Omaha monthly meeting. <br /><br />Reverend Howard Dotson's main objective was to inform us of the up-coming screenings of 9500 Liberty, a documentary about the explosive battle over immigration policy in Prince William County, Virginia. Go to http://www.9500liberty.com to see a trailer. Here is a short list of some of the first screenings in Nebraska. <br /><br />Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 8:00 p.m, at Midlands College, Fremont, 2nd Level of the Student Center. Saturday, October 9, 7:00 p.m., at Creighton University, Harper Center Auditorium Wednesday, October 13, 7:00 p.m., McFoster's, 302 South 38th Street, (38th and Farnam),Omaha Saturday, October 16, 2:00 p.m. Filmstreams, Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey Street, Omaha <br /><br />This film is extremely relevant to the situation in Fremont, Nebraska, and its Ordinance 5165 requiring presentation of citizen documentation to police, that has the potential of fomenting a very damaging culture war. <br /><br />Reverend Howard's analysis is that immigration law is being made into a distraction for the November elections. Instead of focusing on war, peace, economic growth, unemployment, health care, financial reform...in other words...the really big, important issues of the day, campaigns are distracting voters with fears about illegal immigration. This, however, is not going well. Several anti-immigrant laws are being held up because of their unconstitutionality. The national organization of police chiefs recognize that it is impossible to do their work which requires the trust of immigrant communities if they have to follow these new anti-immigrant laws requiring residents to show documentation of citizenship. Police departments around the country do not want to do the work of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement (US Department of Homeland Security). <br /><br />Reverend Howard also emphasized the importance of informing voters of the kinds of people and groups who are behind Ordinance 5165, namely FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which has been labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Kris Kobach is FAIR's lawyer defending court cases against Arizona's anti-immigration law. Governor Heineman enabled Fremont to proceed with its ordinance and voters should call him on this. Reverend Howard feels that Heineman's opponent for governor in the November election, Mike Meister, should emphasize Heineman's anti-immigrant stand in campaigns and debates. <br /><br />The kind of rhetoric that surrounds immigration debate started by these types of anti-immigrant ordinances shows little understanding of the immigration issue in general. Little is said about the demand side of the economy. Immigrants are consumers, business owners, homeowners, and renters, all contributing to the tax base of the local, state, and federal governments. When immigrant groups feel threatened and leave as they did in Prince William County, Virginia, the local economy suffers. Despite claims otherwise, large monopolistic transnational firms and big agriculture like an unending supply of labor that can be intimidated with arrest and deportation. Fomenting culture wars where neighbors turn on each other is a common tactic used by political parties in election years and this midterm election is no exception. Communities must resist being manipulated by our politicians and must stand up for constitutional rights of its residents. The culture wars started by anti-immigrant ordinances and funded by hate groups such as FAIR stir up racism, can lead to hate crimes, and social wounds that take centuries to heal.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-56834719595579687732011-03-14T08:53:00.002-05:002011-03-14T08:55:35.916-05:00Creighton Center for Health Policy and Ethics RoundtablesWednesday, September 1, 3:30-4:30pm (CHPE Conference Room)<br /><br />Prison Populations’ impact on Community Health – HIV as a case in point. <br />Discussants: Reverend Howard Dotson, Presbyterian AIDS Network, Ann Smolsky, Outreach Coordinator, Nebraska AIDS Project, Mark Foxall, PhD, Deputy Director, Douglas County Corrections, Mary Lou Flearl, MD, Omaha Correctional Center <br />Moderator: Mark Goodman<br />_________________________________________________________________<br /><br />Wednesday February 9, 2011 “Mental Health Care for Crime Victim Families” <br /><br />Wednesday, February 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m. <br />Center for Health Policy & Ethics Conference Room <br />Panel:<br />Beth Croston Hansen, MS, LMHP, CCGC, OneWorld Community Health Centers<br />Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry, Creighton University<br />Pat Christopher, MPA, MS, LPC, NCC, Charles Drew Medical Center<br />Rev. Howard Dotson, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church <br /><br />These panelists represent an excellent cross section of our mental health service providers addressing the pressing concern of untreated Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and complicated grief present in families of crime victims in the Omaha community.<br /><br />Moderator: Christy Rentmeester<br /><br />Bibliography of sources related to this topic: Literature Review of Mental Health Concerns with Crime VictimsHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-91818135764784236182011-03-14T08:51:00.000-05:002011-03-14T08:53:02.947-05:00The Founder of Homeboy Industries is coming to OmahaThe Founder of Homeboy Industries is coming to Omaha this week<br /> <br />Cheril Lee (2011-02-22) <br /> OMAHA, NE (kios) - Father Greg Boyle, Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, will lead a consultation on microenterprises on Thursday afternoon and present a lecture Thursday night at Metro. <br /><br />Reverend Howard Dotson is helping coordinate the events. He says Homeboy Industries began 20 years ago in East L.A. with the purpose of taking former gang members recently released from prison and helping rehabilitate them. Reverend Dotson says he hopes local intervention prevention and workforce development specialists are able to replicate the model in North and South Omaha where there are constant challenges due to gang violence. He says Homeboy Industries encourages gang members to, "remove the tattoos and helps puts them into workforce development, giving them job skills that match their skill level because the tagline for Homeboy Industries is 'Jobs, not Jail'. When these guys and gals come out of prison, if there's not a community and a sense of hope, many of them end up going back into prison because they end up being engaged in gang activity."<br /><br />Father Boyle will lead a consultation from 1:00 to 4:00 at Creighton this Thursday. Additionally, he will give a lecture Thursday night at 7:00 at Metro Community College's South Omaha Campus. Reservations are not required. <br />© Copyright 2011, kiosHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-23047295476613570152011-01-03T14:35:00.001-06:002011-01-03T14:36:28.140-06:00Lack of Medicaid coverage hurting Nebraska babiesLack of Medicaid coverage hurting Nebraska babies <br /><br />BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star JournalStar.com | <br />Posted: Saturday, November 20, 2010 9:00 am <br /><br /> <br />Rebecca Rayman described it simply: The change in Medicaid coverage for about 1,500 pregnant Nebraska women has drastically affected mothers, infants, doctors and medical clinics.<br /><br />At Rayman's Good Neighbor Community Health Center in Columbus, four babies have died in utero, two in the final four weeks of pregnancy. In the previous six years, the clinic had not lost any unborn babies after five months gestation.<br /><br />Until the Medicaid coverage change, no women getting prenatal care had ever inquired about abortion.<br /><br />Andrea Skolkin, CEO of OneWorld Community Health Centers, said the full impact of the lost Medicaid coverage is just beginning to unfold.<br /><br />One baby delivered at 20 weeks, whose mother did not have prenatal care, did not survive. The mother had come to the center fearful of going to the hospital, in case she was not in labor.<br /><br />The center has had nine premature births to uninsured women, compared to five for those with insurance, she said.<br /><br />While the health center used to see 85 percent of patients on Medicaid, they now see 9 percent on Medicaid and 66 percent uninsured, Skolkin said.<br /><br />Moms can qualify for emergency delivery care, but it is a lengthy process, she said.<br /><br />Rayman and others testified Friday at a Health and Human Services Committee interim hearing on the costs and effects to women and infants -- and the state -- of Medicaid not providing services to certain low-income women, including undocumented mothers, since March 1.<br /><br />"I fear that in five to 10 years from now the state is going to have an ongoing expense it cannnot stop because of the decisions made," said Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center. "Children are going to be needing help for 20 years, and it's going to be an expense of the state."<br /><br />Rayman, executive director of the Good Neighbor Community Health Center in Columbus, said that since the Medicaid change March 1 at her health center:<br /><br />* The number of women seen per month has doubled, from 53 in January to 109 in October. Seven to nine pregnant women are calling each week for first-time prenatal appointments.<br /><br />* In October, the clinic provided prenatal care to women from 13 counties, some of them driving as far as from 156 miles away. They say they cannot get care in their towns or counties without insurance and cannot afford to pay for it themselves.<br /><br />* In 2007 and 2008, over 80 percent of patients entered prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy. In 2010, with Medicaid changes, 32 percent of women are being seen in the first trimester.<br /><br />* The percentage of low-birth-weight babies has gone from 7.26 percent of all infants to 10 percent, with some months at 20 percent.<br /><br />With the increase in prenatal patients, and the decrease in reimbursement from Medicaid, the clinic has had to shift away from mental health care. Rayman said the community has seen more mentally ill people getting in trouble and being arrested.<br /><br />Dr. Paul Welch, an obstetrican-gynecologist in Columbus, said his practice is not getting reimbursed even for the emergency obstetric care it is providing, costing about $100,000, mostly because women are not able to fill out the paperwork properly.<br /><br />Doctors also are facing increased exposure to malpractice because of the high-risk population they are treating.<br /><br />Preventive care is the foundation of medicine, he said. <br /><br />"And yet, inexplicably, the state of Nebraska has done just the opposite," he said. "And I believe that continuation along this course will result in a financial and human course that will make any short-term savings appear minor by comparison."<br /><br />"It is mind boggling to me as a health care provider," he said.<br /><br />John Cavanaugh, executive director of Building Bright Futures, said he had not heard one word of testimony on the positive impact of the Medicaid change in policy.<br /><br />"This is very destructive in terms of consequences for the state of Nebraska," he said.<br /><br />The Rev. Howard Dotson of Westminster Presbyterian Church in south Omaha came to the hearing to tell of his concern about women in his area considering abortion and the babies dying and suffering because of the loss of Medicaid coverage. <br /><br />"Each life is sacred. And those four babies that we talked about in Columbus and the one baby in Omaha should break our hearts," he said. "These babies are innocent, and we're punishing them for the documentation status of their mothers."<br /><br />Dotson said people need to stand up to the anti-immigration sentiment and racism in the state. These children are the casualties, he said.<br /><br />Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell, who introduced the interim study resolution, said she and other senators who supported a bill in the last session to restore the coverage must gather more statistics on the effect of the loss of Medicaid for these women.<br /><br />"Anecdotal information is important to the issue, but we need actual numbers" before any future legislation on the issue is introduced, she said.<br /><br />Reach JoAnne Young at 402-473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.comHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-6822544865206415842011-01-03T14:33:00.002-06:002011-01-03T14:33:59.232-06:00Immigration reform hope sharedImmigration reform hope shared<br />By Sarah Reinecke<br />WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER <br /><br />South Omaha's Tree of Life sculpture at 24th and L Streets is a symbol of immigrant heritage.<br /><br />Gathering under that symbolic tree Tuesday were people of different races and ages who spoke, prayed and sang in Spanish and English, urging changes in federal immigration policy.<br /><br />Omaha faith leaders joined in the national campaign of fasting and prayer for immigration reform. This week has been designated as Nebraska's week of action.<br /><br />The campaign is a response to Arizona's new immigration law, which makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally.<br /><br />It also comes just days before Fremont, Neb., residents vote on a proposed ordinance that would require businesses to take steps to ensure the identity of new employees and restrict landlords from renting to people without verified documents.<br /><br />Maria Teresa Gaston, director of the Creighton University Center for Services and Justice, said the goal is to get federal leaders to create a new immigration policy that makes the legalization process easier for immigrants.<br /><br />“If they are here, they should have a path to become citizens, and there is not a path for the majority of them,” Gaston said.<br /><br />“We are not trying to say we shouldn't have borders and policies to regulate borders. We're talking about reasonable policy. ... We can work things out in humane and just ways.”<br /><br />More than 50 people took part in the vigil.<br /><br />Bright orange day lilies were held by many participating in the vigil. Gaston said the flowers were an expression of “what is blooming today” and represented how immigrants are helping Omaha and Nebraska to grow and flourish.<br /><br />The Rev. Howard Dotson spoke of how much Latinos contribute to society and how everyone deserves dignity and human rights.<br /><br />Immigrants “seek the American dream, but the reality is that dream has become a nightmare,” Dotson said. “We need to learn from our mistakes and turn a new page.”<br /><br />Contact the writer:<br /><br />444-1543, sarah.reinecke@owh.comHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-59949237315237798532011-01-03T14:29:00.000-06:002011-01-03T14:30:01.929-06:00Fremont City Council Suspends Illegal Immigration OrdinanceFremont City Council Suspends Illegal Immigration Ordinance<br />Posted: Jul 27, 2010 10:02 PM CDT <br /> <br />FREMONT (KPTM) – The Fremont City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to delay implementing a new illegal immigration ordinance.<br /><br />The council also voted to appoint well–known, national immigration attorney Kris Kobach to defend Fremont against two pending lawsuits in federal court. Kobach, one of the architects of the Arizona immigration law that has sparked widespread debate, is said to be offering his services pro–bono. He would be the lead attorney for Fremont on the case.<br /><br />The votes by the council are just the latest chapter in an illegal immigration debate that's captured national attention and divided the community 25,000.<br /><br />It comes just five weeks after Fremont voters passed the ban on hiring or renting to illegal immigrants and some see it as another attempt by the city to block the ordinance altogether.<br /><br />It was council members who initially narrowly rejected a similar ban in 2008 and it took supporters circulating petitions to get the measure on the ballot.<br /><br />The ordinance requires employers to use a federal online system to check if someone is authorized to work in the United States. Landlords who knowingly rent to illegal immigrants could also be fined $100.<br /><br />Supporters say it's necessary because the federal government isn't doing its job when it comes to illegal immigration. "This idea of everything printed in Spanish as well as English, I think it's a bunch of baloney. It's not right and we need to take our country back," said Fremont resident Leon Rabe.<br /><br />Headed into the meeting, some were already angry with the council's action. "It's very frustrating to know that they are taking our voices away from us and people who live here, work here and voted and it's just not the American way, it's really isn't," said Fremont resident Johnny Pry.<br /><br />Others are greeting the news with relief. The ACLU, one of two groups who will argue the ban is unconstitutional in federal court, says the council has made a "responsible decision" that will prevent additional hostility until the matter is resolved in court.<br /><br />Some say discrimination against Latinos has already scared folks in the community. "There hasn't been confirmed reports, because no one will come forward to file a report. A house was shot with BB guns, and another person had a person knock on their door screaming, 'The ordinance is in effect, you need to move now,' and people don't know someone's documentation status," said Rev. Howard Dotson.<br /><br />Brian Hendrickson asked: "Why can't we have two Catholic churches in this town? Why can't have Latinos and others living side by side? Instead of building walls, we need to be creating more bridges."Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-76560979511215390632011-01-03T14:28:00.001-06:002011-01-03T14:28:38.202-06:00Support boosts spirits at clinicSupport boosts spirits at clinic<br />By Cindy Gonzalez<br />WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER <br /><br /><br />It won't be a cure-all, but the moral and financial support flowing into a south Omaha clinic has buoyed staff spirits and should temporarily help fill a gap in prenatal services to illegal immigrants.<br /><br />Just days ago, staffers at OneWorld Community Health Center were feeling a bit beleaguered and disappointed, said medical director Dr. Kristine McVea.<br /><br />They were even fielding some threatening calls from people angry that OneWorld was urging state officials to restore government-funded prenatal care for poor and illegal immigrant women.<br /><br />“It's an odd position to be put in as a physician,” McVea said. “You don't usually think of caring for pregnant women as being controversial.”<br /><br /><br />The governor and state lawmakers have not restored the Medicaid coverage.<br /><br />OneWorld staff, however, has been re-energized by other recent events.<br /><br />Members of the public have donated $20 here, $100 there to help the clinic continue prenatal services to those who lost them.<br /><br />A group of churches is organizing a June 13 fundraising concert. The Nebraska Association of Social Workers also is raising money.<br /><br />“It can be disheartening, so you've got to find constructive channels to be part of the solution,” said the Rev. Howard Dotson of Westminster Presbyterian Church, who is helping coordinate the concert.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-44676027866058811702011-01-03T14:24:00.000-06:002011-01-03T14:27:12.665-06:00Fremont Suspends New LawFremont suspends new law<br />By Cindy Gonzalez<br />WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER <br /><br /> <br />FREMONT, Neb. - The Fremont City Council voted Tuesday night to suspend its controversial immigration ordinance until lawsuits challenging it are resolved.<br /><br />No council debate or sparks preceded the 8-0 vote that took place before a packed council chamber holding about 80 spectators. Several police officers were stationed at entrances.<br /><br />Council President Scott Getzschman said the decision does not mean the council is disregarding the results of the June 21 public vote to ban the housing and hiring of illegal immigrants in the city.<br /><br />Advertising<br />Rather, he said, the council is anticipating a court order to temporarily block enforcement of the law anyway. He said suspending the ordinance could hold down legal fees.<br /><br />“Truly, the temporary restraining order was imminent,” Getzschman said after the vote. “We were advised that if we actually suspend the ordinance ahead of those legal proceedings, we’d have an opportunity to possibly reduce costs.”<br /><br />When pressed on how much might be saved, he said, “Costs are costs, and it’s saving money we don’t have.”<br /><br />If the experience of other cities facing similar legal challenges is any indication, the Fremont ordinance that was to take effect Thursday now could be up in the air for years.<br /><br />The cities of Hazleton, Pa., and Farmers Branch, Texas, both adopted similar ordinances. Their laws have yet to be enforced because they’ve been in costly court battles for four years.<br /><br />Pointing to Hazleton and Farmers Branch, Fremont officials have estimated that it would cost taxpayers up to $1 million a year to defend the law. They said the city would have to spend $200,000 annually to cover the staffing to enforce it.<br /><br />Two civil rights organizations the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) have filed federal lawsuits against the Fremont law. <br /><br />The groups say the ordinance usurps the federal government’s authority to make immigration laws and discriminates against Latinos and renters.<br /><br />But supporters of the law say it is needed because the government has been lax and selective on immigration enforcement.<br /><br />While several people testified against suspending the ordinance, even a man who led the petition drive in favor of the measure urged the council to delay implementing it.<br /><br />“We should delay it and get it done the right way,” said John Weigert.<br /><br />He noted that Kansas City attorney Kris Kobach, who helped draft the Fremont ordinance and the Arizona immigration law, had recommended suspension as well. <br /><br />Kobach told The World-Herald earlier that a delay would save money and some legal maneuvering. It also would allow the court to move more swiftly to a judgment on the full merits of the case.<br /><br />Terry Flanagan of Fremont told the council that it should not ignore the voters’ wishes.<br /><br />“We put you in charge of the store,” he said. “But you don’t own the store.”<br /><br />As the Fremont ordinance is written, every potential renter must give personal information and $5 to the Police Department to obtain an occupancy license.<br /><br />Police then would submit information on noncitizens to the federal government or check federal databases themselves. <br /><br />If a renter’s legal status is found to be in question, the landlord is notified. If not remedied in two months, the occupancy license would be revoked. <br /><br />Employers would be required to check the immigration status of applicants by using E-Verify, an electronic verification system. <br /><br />Despite the City Council’s decision, attorneys say a hearing Wednesday in federal court to temporarily block enforcement of the ordinance was still on.<br /><br />Shirley Mora James, a Lincoln attorney who is co-counsel of MALDEF, said the group can’t be assured that the Fremont council won’t vote later to implement the ordinance.<br /><br />“They could pass a resolution next week to change their mind,” said Mora James.<br /><br />The ordinance has divided this town of 25,000 west of Omaha ever since the City Council first considered the measure two years ago.<br /><br />After the council’s vote, a group of about 20 people led by an Omaha Presbyterian minister and a police escort walked 11⁄4 miles to a trailer park inhabited by mostly Latino residents. They delivered roses of “compassion and solidarity.”<br /><br />The Rev. Howard Dotson said he had learned of a few incidents of alleged harassment since the ordinance was approved by voters. He said a house was shot at by a BB gun. Someone knocked on another Latino resident’s door and said they were not welcome in town.<br /><br />“This is ground zero for anti-immigrant sentiment in Nebraska,” Dotson said.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-18077227770384497222011-01-03T14:23:00.000-06:002011-01-03T14:24:30.927-06:00Arizona law hinders safetyMidlands Voices: Arizona law hinders safety<br />By The Rev. Howard Dotson <br /><br />The writer, of Omaha, is faith community liaison for Equality Nebraska.<br /> <br />Some people may wonder why I, as an urban Presbyterian minister, am so opposed to the Arizona immigration enforcement legislation possibly coming to Nebraska.<br /><br />Over these past five years, I have seen the urban violence that gang members have afflicted on many of my Latino brothers and sisters — shell casings, crime tape and caskets.<br /><br />As urban churches, we seek to preserve public safety in our communities by fostering good community relations between our neighbors and law enforcement. This Arizona law threatens to compromise this relationship.<br /><br />When people are too afraid to interact with the police, the gang members in our midst will use this to their advantage. Gangs will feel emboldened to act with impunity. They will prey on my Latino brothers and sisters who live in the shadows.<br /><br />Even in Los Angeles, which is officially a sanctuary city, the LAPD struggles to foster good community policing relations with its Latino residents.<br /><br />On one fateful night in L.A. in September 2008, blocks from the church I was serving, an 18th Street gang member wanted to make a lesson out of a street vendor who refused to pay his rent to the gang. Shots rang out and baby Garcia, a 23-day-old infant, was struck and killed by a stray bullet as he rested in his stroller.<br /><br />To date, this remains my most difficult days in ministry: Walking his tiny casket down the church aisle as a pallbearer. Holding up his mother, Daniella, at the grave site as she convulsed with sobs of grief.<br /><br />I stand opposed to this Arizona immigration enforcement law as part of our legacy to preserve the memory of this precious baby I buried. The tears of these bereaved Latino moms are what drive me to stop this Arizona law from coming to Nebraska.<br /><br />Many Latinos have moved to Omaha from Los Angeles seeking better lives for their children. How tragic it would be if this same violence that we saw in Los Angeles came to the streets of Omaha.<br /><br />Community policing is our best measure of crime prevention. We need for there to be a healthy relationship between our Latino community and law enforcement. This Arizona-style immigration enforcement law will compromise our peacemaking efforts in our streets.<br /><br />Anything we can do to prevent another mom from having to bury her child is worth our time and effort.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-28789535324384805492011-01-03T14:12:00.000-06:002011-01-03T14:15:08.484-06:00Lake Phalen: Ugly bat attacks raise fear and resolveLake Phalen: Ugly bat attacks raise fear and resolve<br /><br />As police look into the two Lake Phalen beatings, East Siders vow "to take back the park." <br /><br />By ANTHONY LONETREE, Star Tribune <br /><br />Last update: August 5, 2008 - 11:06 PM<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />When the assailants swung their bats, they meant business, aiming for the head in two attacks that occurred three days apart at St. Paul's normally peaceful Lake Phalen.<br /><br />"Wannabe gangsters" targeted a 49-year-old woman battling cancer -- hoping to live long enough to see her son graduate in two years -- and an 18-year-old man out walking with his wife, police said Tuesday.<br /><br />Seven people were in custody Tuesday, but no one is charged yet, as investigators from three police units explored possible connections between the assaults -- the second of which occurred Monday night as a vigil was held for the first victim.<br /><br />"It's not just brazen and cold, it's worse. It's sick," said Sue McCall, a block club coordinator for the city's District 2 Community Council during a National Night Out gathering Tuesday at a Boys and Girls Club near the lake. "You just don't understand that type of behavior."<br /><br />Charges could be filed today, a spokeswoman for the Ramsey County attorney's office said.<br /><br />Police spokesman Peter Panos said Tuesday that investigators had yet to determine whether any of the suspects were involved in both assaults.<br /><br />As the investigation continued, police weighed sending additional patrols to the area and park security officers stepped up their rounds of Lake Phalen.<br /><br />"Neighbors want to take back the park," said Brad Meyer, a Parks Department spokesman.<br /><br />Panos said that despite the back-to-back nature of the attacks, police consider the attacks to be "very isolated" incidents.<br /><br />Safety in a community<br /><br />At Tuesday's National Night Out event at the Boys Club, Police Chief John Harrington, whose family lives near the lake, said the area is safe.<br /><br />"The more we're out together as a community, the safer we are," he said.<br /><br />Earlier, two friends sitting under a tree near where the first attack occurred said they never felt unsafe at Lake Phalen. "It's real cool riding around here," said Sarah Boedigheimer, 18, of St. Paul, whose mountain bike lay in the grass nearby. "Real calming."<br />But her friend, Shawn Trudeau, 34, also of St. Paul, was a bit unnerved to learn that it was behind that tree where three assailants allegedly hid about 12:30 a.m. Friday, each with a bat. They left the 49-year-old victim, identified only as Tammie, with her hands and left forearm broken, and her left middle finger torn off.<br /><br />Said Trudeau, "It may be the first and last time I stop at this tree."<br /><br />Pam McCreary, St. Paul's National Night Out coordinator, said the attack "brought a lot of fear out of people. They're asking, 'What can I do to make this place safer?'"<br /><br />Exploring gang ties<br /><br />Just to the south of Lake Phalen, the East Side has witnessed new investment in the form of the Phalen Boulevard transportation and economic development initiative. There is new housing, as well as a new Cub Foods store under construction.<br /><br />At Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church, people gathered before 7 p.m. Monday, preparing to march from the parking lot to the bent tree where Friday's attack occurred.<br /><br />Then, sirens wailed.<br /><br />About that time, a married man and woman, both of them 18, were walking on the east side of the lake, Panos said, when a youth ran by them, with four others chasing him. One pursuer continued on, he said, but the other three stopped and asked the married man whether he was a member of a specific gang.<br /><br />He told them he wasn't, Panos said, but a fight ensued during which both the man and woman were punched, and a bat raised. The man managed to prevent the bat from striking his head, Panos said, but he was struck on the upper body. The injuries were not serious.<br /><br />When police sirens sounded, the three suspects ran, and they eventually were nabbed on a path in a nearby wooded area. An aluminum bat was recovered, Panos said.<br /><br />The remaining four suspects were arrested after witnesses said they believed a white minivan was connected to the incident. That van was stopped about three hours later, and three juveniles and a 22-year-old adult were arrested.<br /><br />All seven suspects are associated with a gang, Panos said. <br /><br />Among the witnesses to the second attack was Tammie's sister, who with her four children was headed to the vigil.<br /><br />The Rev. Howard Dotson, who organized Monday's vigil, said traumatic incidents can either force people inside their homes or "bring them together to be productive."<br />He's hopeful, he said, that the East Side will be coming together.<br /><br />At the National Night Out party on the East Side with five of his kids, James White, 50, echoed a similar sentiment.<br /><br />"We all live here," he said. "We can't be scared."<br /><br />Staff writers Terry Collins and Tim Harlow contributed to this report. Anthony Lonetree • 651-298-1545Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-6697423179762028732011-01-03T14:07:00.001-06:002011-01-03T14:11:28.332-06:00Peacemaking in St Paul (2008-2009)Another violent attack along the shores of a popular Twin Cities lake <br /><br /> <br /> <br />Authorities are investigating the attack of a runner at a popular Twin Cities lake, and whether it's related to other assaults. <br /><br />The latest attack happened around 6:30 last night. Maplewood police say a woman was running along the west side of Lake Phalen when a man came up from behind and knocked her to the ground. <br /><br />The suspect began beating the woman, hitting her in the face and grabbing at her clothes. The suspect was eventually scared off when other people walked towards them. Fortunately, the victim was not seriously injured. <br /><br />The suspect is described as: <br /><br />•black male <br />•approximately 5'11" <br />•170 lbs <br />He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. <br /><br />Authorities want to hear from anyone that may have witnessed anything last night. <br /><br />Police say they do not have any evidence to connect this attack to other recent assaults along Lake Phalen over the course of several months. Still, they have not completely ruled out a connection. <br /><br />On March 11th, two attackers kicked and punched a 25-year-old woman who had been jogging and stole her iPod. One week earlier a 45-year-old man was attacked while walking his dog. <br /><br />Last August, a couple and a woman were assaulted by groups of teens with baseball bats. One of the victim's fingers was severed, and she suffered multiple broken bones in her hands and a wrist. <br /><br />All of these crimes have motivated a couple community leaders. Rev. Howard Dotson and Larry Simpson are actively trying to organize community walk groups. They say it's critical to keeping the community safe. <br /><br />"I just worry that folks on the East Side are going to get demoralized and they're going to stay inside, and that's the last thing we want to happen," Dotson said. <br /><br />The police can't do it all, bless their hearts," Simpson said. "Citizens have to take to the streets, but they have to do it in an effective and safe way." <br /><br />Simpson and Dotson encourage anyone interested in joining a patrol group to attend a meeting, at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month, at the headquarters of the St. Paul Police Department's Eastern District, located at Payne and Minnehaha Ave.. <br /><br />Meantime, police encourage people to be aware of their surroundings and to consider running or walking with a friend. <br /><br />Anyone with information is asked to contact Maplewood Police through the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center at 651-767-0640.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-60210349251635249102009-05-29T17:40:00.000-05:002009-05-29T17:41:25.076-05:00A better way of dealing with society's neediest<span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />A better way of dealing with society's neediest</span><br />Steve Lopez <br />April 19, 2009<br /><br />Reporting from Washington -- So what exactly am I doing on Capitol Hill? I'm at a congressional briefing, which wouldn't be entirely out of the ordinary, except that I'm not taking notes and not planning to beat up on anyone.<br /><br />I'm the keynote speaker.<br /><br />Yes, friends, the republic is in trouble.<br /><br />I've been asked here to share what I've learned since meeting Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a former Juilliard student who has taught me about this nation's triumphs and failures in helping those who battle mental illness and end up homeless.<br /><br />I'm well aware that Capitol Hill briefings are a dime a dozen and that public policy is not likely to be greatly influenced by my testimony. But I was invited here by officials from the Corp. for Supportive Housing, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and other agencies.<br /><br />My instinct was to decline the offer. It's not in my nature as a journalist to become personally involved in a story.<br /><br />But that struck me as too convenient an excuse for avoiding my civic duty. There's a new administration now and stimulus money needing to be spent. Maybe there's finally hope for more programs to help the Nathaniels of the world.<br /><br />So here I am, Mr. Lopez goes to Washington, and just as I'm beginning to experience an unwelcome sense of self-importance, I'm told the actual congressional representatives are in recess and out of town.<br /><br />What? You mean they skipped out just as I got here and sent their minions to hear me?<br /><br />I swallow my pride and look out on a few dozen congressional staffers, policy wonks and service providers. I've been given 15 minutes. I confess to listeners that I'm not the expert on housing and mental illness that my fellow panelists are, but I have a story.<br /><br />I tell them about Mr. Ayers, who lost nearly everything at the age of 20 to schizophrenia. By the time I met him four years ago, he had been living on the streets for decades, with little to keep him going but his love of music.<br /><br />In helping him find a home at Lamp Community in Los Angeles, I learned firsthand how permanent supportive housing is not only the humane approach, but often the cost-effective one too.<br /><br />Lamp has rescued hundreds of people from lives of despair and saved taxpayers the cost of churning them endlessly through emergency rooms, criminal courts and prisons.<br /><br />The homeless population is growing across the country because of the recession and returning veterans who are physically and mentally wounded. It's not that we don't know how to help them rebuild their lives, I tell my audience, but that we haven't provided nearly enough support for alternative courts and for programs like Lamp.<br /><br />And so vets sleep in Santa Monica parks, not far from abandoned VA barracks; L.A. County Jail serves as a mental institution; and there's a waiting list at Lamp and other agencies with good track records but limited funds.<br /><br />On behalf of Mr. Ayers, I urge my audience to support a better way of dealing with society's neediest, then step aside so the professionals can speak.<br /><br />Bob Carolla of the National Alliance on Mental Illness talks about how, while working as an aide to former Sen. George Mitchell (D-Maine), he was overcome by debilitating depression and found himself in handcuffs near the Capitol.<br /><br />"No one is immune from mental illness," he says.<br /><br />Hyacinth King, a business school graduate, tells how schizophrenia left her homeless until Project HOME in Philadelphia gave her back her life, including a job as both an advocate and computer specialist, and a home with enough support services to help her thrive.<br /><br />Deborah DeSantis, chief executive of the Corp. for Supportive Housing, lists a number of cities that have reduced homeless populations and asks congressional staffers to go back to their bosses and tell them how it was done.<br /><br />"Study after study shows we're going to save money by putting people into permanent supportive housing," she says.<br /><br />DeSantis and other speakers have a specific request: They want a budget allocation of $2.2 billion this year in the Housing and Urban Development Department's McKinney-Vento grants. That would be an increase of about $500 million over this year's funding, and it would pay for 15,000 new supportive housing units.<br /><br />They also are arguing for $120 million to support programs that help keep formerly homeless people from ending up back on the pavement.<br /><br />And what are the chances these pleas will be answered?<br /><br />Gil Duran, a spokesman for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), tells me the senator "supports these programs" and "will continue to work to ensure that California cities get the help they need." But it remains to be seen whether President Obama's budget will include the necessary funds.<br /><br />A staffer for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) tells me that given the current fiscal crisis, it would help convince doubters in Congress if there were more hard evidence that supportive housing can save money over the long term.<br /><br />I leave it to one of my fellow panel members to make that case. Sister Mary Scullion of Philadelphia is convinced beyond a doubt that with a combination of public investment and private support, investing in permanent supportive housing is humane and cost-effective.<br /><br />The last time I visited Sister Mary in Philadelphia, she took me to a formerly devastated neighborhood that has been rebuilt by Project HOME, which she co-founded two decades ago. When I asked who did all the work, Sister Mary said, "our people," meaning formerly homeless, mentally ill people who were given homes and jobs rebuilding the neighborhood.<br /><br />Sister Mary is the last speaker at the Capitol Hill briefing and no doubt the most compelling.<br /><br />If Congress can find $80 billion to bail out the inept insurance giant AIG, she says, surely it can come up with $2.2 billion for supportive housing. As for the request for $120 million in support services, Scullion adds, that was roughly what AIG paid in executive bonuses.<br /><br />"I'm not kidding," Sister Mary says as I scribble in my notebook, happy to be back on the other side of the podium.<br /><br />steve.lopez@latimes.comHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-40254373174192416112009-05-24T15:30:00.000-05:002009-05-24T15:31:46.315-05:00President Obama Heads to CairoWorld Cititzen: Obama's Cairo Speech and the 57-State Solution<br />Frida Ghitis | Bio | 14 May 2009<br />World Politics Review <br /><br /><br /><br />When President Barack Obama finally announced the location of his much-heralded speech to the Muslim world, the news came as a surprise. As a candidate, Obama had promised to give such an address during his first 100 days in office, as part of an urgent campaign to repair relations between the United States and Muslims. <br /><br />Observers wondered where Obama would go for the potentially historic occasion. Many believed the U.S. president would choose a democratic, Muslim-majority country for the event. Favorites included Jakarta, where Obama lived as a child. Turkey, a U.S. ally, also seemed like a good choice. Even Morocco, one of the more open Arab countries, was considered a longshot. <br /><br />The choice of Cairo proved controversial, as the White House surely knew it would. When it comes to democratic values, Egypt -- America's autocratic ally -- is something of an embarrassment. Critics pounced, highlighting Egypt's dismal human rights record. Why would the Obama administration choose for its speech a country where the president has ruled for 28 years, human rights are routinely violated, and democratic ideals are regularly trampled?<br /><br />The White House is giving faint hints about the reasons and the strategy behind the choice.<br /><br />Egypt, declared White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, is "the heart of the Arab world." Although it remains an eminently non-democratic country, Washington would like it to become an example to emulate for all Arab countries.<br /><br />This signals that the speech to Muslims is gradually morphing into a speech to Arabs. Improving relations with Muslims is important. But when it comes to U.S. strategic interests, the more urgent item on the agenda is creating a strong coalition with Arab countries. The Obama administration has chosen Egypt because Cairo has taken a strong position on the two major crises brewing in the region: the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and the conflict with Iran.<br /><br />Obama will seek to boost Egypt's standing by placing it at the center of a coalition to isolate Iran and bring peace, not just between Israelis and Palestinians, but between Israel and the entire Arab world.<br /><br />Egypt not only has relatively good relations with Israel. It has also confronted Iran openly and forcefully, especially after uncovering a plot by Iran-backed Hezbollah to attack targets inside Egypt. Egyptian officials have publicly accused Iran of trying to "conquer the Arab world." <br /><br />In the coming months, the Obama administration will speak frequently and loudly about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In reality, however, it will push behind the scenes for a much wider agreement: something harkening back to the old Madrid Process, which sought to bring a comprehensive peace deal for the region. That subsequently went off the rails, pushed aside by the much narrower Oslo Accords between Israelis and Palestinians.<br /><br />Jordan's King Abdullah, the first Arab leader to visit the Obama White House, is a strong advocate of the plan. He claims that Obama is reaching for a "57-state solution," one that would bring peace between Israel and all 57 member countries -- Arab and Muslim -- of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.<br /><br />Obama cannot be accused of holding modest aspirations. The plan may be extremely ambitious, but it is also very clever. If it works, it could break the knot that has tied up the prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as play a key role in breaking the impasse with Iran.<br /><br />Ever since Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel's prime minister, much ink has been spilled noting that he has so far refused to accept the two-state solution. But that is not the main obstacle to peace today. Eventually, Netanyahu will accept two states. When he does, Israel will have seemed to have made a major concession, even though several Israeli governments have already signed on to the plan, and Netanyahu himself has agreed to accept previous agreements. <br /><br />The biggest obstacle to peace between Israelis and Palestinians lies in the strength of Iran-backed Hamas, relative to Fatah. Israelis and Palestinians know that if Israel withdraws all its forces from the West Bank, Hamas will take over with the same ease with which it took over Gaza in 2006. A Hamas-ruled West Bank is an existential red line for Israel. Obama knows, understands, and accepts this.<br /><br />Rather than waste energy on a goal that is unachievable in the immediate future, Obama's plan to bring peace between Israelis and Arabs would help isolate Iran, along with Hamas and Hezbollah, two armed groups that vow to fight Israel's existence until the bitter end. By building such an alliance and imbuing it with popular support -- hence the high-profile speech -- Obama would tell Arabs that he is offering them a new path: a path to the future. <br /><br />Pressure is already being brought to bear on Syria to jump on the peace bandwagon and leave Iran behind. Simultaneous with overt efforts to reach out to Damascus, the U.S. has also just renewed sanctions, charging that Syria's actions "supporting terrorism, pursuing weapons of mass destruction [pose a] threat to the national security" of the U.S. This was the stick. The carrot may have come delivered by the hand of King Abdullah, who visited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after meeting Obama.<br /><br />Pressure on Hamas is also mounting. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who will meet Obama later this month -- as will Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak -- has reportedly decided to form a new government without Hamas. <br /><br />Obama will try to build a front for the future, one based on two pillars: peace between Israelis and Arabs, and rejection of Iran's regional goals. If he succeeds in building the foundation for that new edifice, he will have a strategically placed megaphone to speak to the region -- not about platitudes, but about concrete steps for peace. Arab and Muslim countries will hear the presumably persuasive message that they can stand with the U.S.-backed alliance, or remain on the wrong side of history. <br /><br />Frida Ghitis is an independent commentator on world affairs and a World Politics Review contributing editor. Her weekly column, World Citizen, appears every Thursday.<br /><br />Photo: President Barack Obama during a press conference following the G20 Summit, London, April 2, 2009 (White House Photo by Pete Souza).Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-1290280977487710122009-05-18T08:34:00.000-05:002009-05-18T08:36:04.369-05:00White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood PartnershipsObama Announces White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships<br />THE WHITE HOUSE<br /><br />Office of the Press Secretary<br /><br />Obama Announces White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships<br /><br />Washington (February 5, 2009) – President Barack Obama today signed an executive order establishing the new White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will work on behalf of Americans committed to improving their communities, no matter their religious or political beliefs.<br /><br />"Over the past few days and weeks, there has been much talk about what our government’s role should be during this period of economic emergency. That is as it should be – because there is much that government can and must do to help people in need," said President Obama. "But no matter how much money we invest or how sensibly we design our policies, the change that Americans are looking for will not come from government alone. There is a force for good greater than government. It is an expression of faith, this yearning to give back, this hungering for a purpose larger than our own, that reveals itself not simply in places of worship, but in senior centers and shelters, schools and hospitals, and any place an American decides."<br /><br />The White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be a resource for nonprofits and community organizations, both secular and faith based, looking for ways to make a bigger impact in their communities, learn their obligations under the law, cut through red tape, and make the most of what the federal government has to offer.<br /><br />President Obama appointed Joshua DuBois, a former associate pastor and advisor to the President in his U.S. Senate office and campaign Director of Religious Affairs, to lead this office. "Joshua understands the issues at stake, knows the people involved, and will be able to bring everyone together – from both the secular and faith-based communities, from academia and politics – around our common goals," said President Obama.<br /><br />The Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will focus on four key priorities, to be carried out by working closely with the President’s Cabinet Secretaries and each of the eleven agency offices for faith-based and neighborhood partnerships:<br /><br />The Office’s top priority will be making community groups an integral part of our economic recovery and poverty a burden fewer have to bear when recovery is complete. <br />It will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion. <br /><br />The Office will strive to support fathers who stand by their families, which involves working to get young men off the streets and into well-paying jobs, and encouraging responsible fatherhood. <br />Finally, beyond American shores this Office will work with the National Security Council to foster interfaith dialogue with leaders and scholars around the world. <br />As the priorities of this Office are carried out, it will be done in a way that upholds the Constitution – by ensuring that both existing programs and new proposals are consistent with American laws and values. The separation of church and state is a principle President Obama supports firmly – not only because it protects our democracy, but also because it protects the plurality of America’s religious and civic life. The Executive Order President Obama will sign today strengthens this by adding a new mechanism for the Executive Director of the Office to work through the White House Counsel to seek the advice of the Attorney General on difficult legal and constitutional issues.<br /><br />The Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will include a new President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, composed of religious and secular leaders and scholars from different backgrounds. There will be 25 members of the Council, appointed to 1-year terms.<br /><br />Members of the Council include:<br /><br />Judith N. Vredenburgh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Big Brothers / Big Sisters of America<br />Philadelphia, PA<br /><br />Rabbi David N. Saperstein, Director & Counsel, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and noted church/state expert<br />Washington, DC<br /><br />Dr. Frank S. Page, President emeritus, Southern Baptist Convention<br />Taylors, SC<br /><br />Father Larry J. Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA<br />Alexandria, VA<br /><br />Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., Pastor emeritus, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church<br />Cleveland, OH<br /><br />Eboo S. Patel, Founder & Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Corps<br />Chicago, IL<br /><br />Fred Davie, President, Public / Private Ventures, a secular non-profit intermediary <br />New York, NY<br /><br />Dr. William J. Shaw, President, National Baptist Convention, USA<br />Philadelphia, PA<br /><br />Melissa Rogers, Director, Wake Forest School of Divinity Center for Religion and Public Affairs and expert on church/state issues<br />Winston-Salem, NC<br /><br />Pastor Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland, a Church Distributed<br />Lakeland, FL<br /><br />Dr. Arturo Chavez, Ph.D., President & CEO, Mexican American Cultural Center<br />San Antonio, TX<br /><br />Rev. Jim Wallis, President & Executive Director, Sojourners<br />Washington, DC<br /><br />Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie, Presiding Bishop, 13th Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church<br />Knoxville, TN<br /><br />Diane Baillargeon, President & CEO, Seedco, a secular national operating intermediary<br />New York, NY<br /><br />Richard Stearns, President, World Vision<br />Bellevue, WA<br /><br /># #Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-45523505551233110792009-05-16T10:23:00.000-05:002009-05-18T08:43:14.280-05:00Love is RadicalLove is Radical John 15:9-17 Sunday May 17<br /><br />9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. <br /><br /> When we think of love we remember all those diamond commercials we see on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s day. Many of us brought our Mom’s out to dinner for Mother’s day last Saturday. When we think of love we remember all the songs on our airwaves. When we ponder such deep topics we can feel like we are at a coffee shop on the West bank of Paris with berets on. Do we really know what it means to love one another as Christ loves us? Let’s pull up a chair, order another cup of coffee and engage this deep question. Is Christ’s love too radical for us? <br /> Yes, Christ’s love is radical. This notion of compassion, solidarity and sacrifice takes us out of ourselves. We are stretched to love the stranger among us, not just our family and small circle of friends. As Christians, we are called to love as Christ loves us. This can seem like a really tall order! Surely we can never measure up to what the Son of God is capable of. We want to do our best to approximate, but sometimes we feel like it is too pie in the sky for us to live this out in our daily lives. These Hallmark card slogans are nice and all, but is this really realistic in our daily lives?<br /> Jesus’ life and ministry challenges us to love our neighbors, near and far. Jesus meant it when he told us to turn the other cheek and to love our enemies. We are branches of the true vine, who sends us out to our communities to bear the fruit of his love. God’s vineyard is always expanding to reach out to our brothers and sisters who live on the margins. We are not called to merely love the holy huddle of the few. We too are called to lay down our life for our friends, and embrace the strangers among us. Our sense of family and parish are to be ever expanding. In spite of the barriers and prejudgments that society too often creates, we reach beyond the fences to open our hearts and hands to our brothers and sisters who feel isolated and misunderstood. <br /> If we are to embrace the least among us, then we will need to deconstruct some of the social barriers that continue to divide us. As American Christians, we have inherited many of the race and class issues that continue to burden us. It can be hard and sobering for us to be students of history. We can grow depressed and dejected when we see how often we have failed to live up to the radical love that Christ calls us to. <br /> The good news is that we can always transcend the past, and reconnect with God’s vine of love. Our branches have always been there. For every painful chapter, we can find the faithful few who understood how radical God’s love is. Instead of dwelling on how many ways have we failed, we can seek out the beacons of hope who stayed true to our calling as disciples of Christ. There will always be a remnant who get it. They have the courage to live out the gospel of love and grace. They can endure the social isolation, and the hammer of public opinion. <br /> Growing up here in the Western suburbs of the Twin Cities in the 70s and 80s, race relations were framed in the black-white paradigm. The new neighbors, “the strangers” among us were the new black families moving into the neighbourhood. My eyes were opened to their journey when I became friends with my new classmates who lived down the street. I saw how they endured life on the margins of our community. Did they experience the radical love that Christ calls us to in our community? <br /> Several years later, my eyes were opened wider in college when I spent a semester as an exchange student in San Antonio. I began to see America in new terms. I had never seen so many Latinos before. As a wet-behind-the ears Yankee, this was a new learning for me. San Antonio is often called little Mexico. I began to understand that is was not only blacks who endured racism and discrimination in America. <br /> This was a learning for me that our nation as a melting pot was broader and wider than the black and white paradigm of my childhood. As Christians living in one of the most diverse nations, we remember our call to love our neighbours as ourselves. We are called to open our hearts and minds to the journeys and the dreams that our new neighbours have to share with us.<br /> For generations, the Eastside of St Paul has been an Ellis Island for waves of immigrants, the Swedes, the Italians, the Poles. This heritage continues today. Every day I drive Payne Ave and see that many of the shops and signs are Latino. The main drag of the Eastside has been transformed by our new Latino neighbours. How has this been received in the wider community? Are we ready and willing to embrace our new neighbours with the radical love of Christ? Yes there are language and cultural barriers, but Christ’s love transcends any and every obstacle! <br /> As many of you know the Latino community is very religious, the vast majority are Catholic. There is also a growing store front Pentecostal presence. As mainline Protestants, have we fully embraced this sacred connection we have with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? <br /> As disciples of Christ’s radical love, we need to take to the time to learn the stories of our brothers and sisters who have travelled north. What did they experience in the Americas before they made the journey? We can’t lose Christ’s grace and compassion in the midst of the immigration debate.<br /> We have something to learn from our Hebrew Bible. The Jewish people have long understood what it means to be a stranger in another land. The Ancient prophets in the Bible remind us that we too were once strangers in Egypt. Therefore, we are to embrace the stranger among us, and extend hospitality and treat them as one of us. This is the radical love Christ is pointing us to.<br /> The next time we see a Latino family, I want us to take the time to look for the face of Christ in their lives. I was moved by a story in the current issue of Christian Century of the Fortin De las Flores, a small town at the foot of mountains in Vera Cruz. They see the Central American migrants making their way north on the freight trains. Many people have lost limbs and some have lost their very lives trying to making it to better life. The local residents in Fortin de Las Flores have established a home for the victims of these rail road accidents. The residents also extend radical love, by breaking their loaves and fishes to share with the pilgrims. They have opened their hearts and minds to the stories of what people have endured on this journey north. Are we too willing to keep our hearts and minds open to their stories? <br /> In recent months we have seen the raids in the Iowa. We have 12 million people in our midst who live out of status, and endure the fear and anxiety that ICE will come knocking and separate their families. What does Christ’s radical love call us to do in these difficult times? Our eyes and ears are to remain open to their story and their journey. <br /> How will we embrace the stranger among us? How will the branches of Christ’s love envelope our brothers and sisters from the south seeking their daily bread? As branches from the true vine, we bear the fruit of Christ’s love. When new neighbours join us in St Paul, let us listen with grace and compassion to their testimonies. We remember our prophetic calling to embrace the stranger among us. <br />We remember the miracle of the loaves and fishes. God is still with us. The manna from heaven will fall again and again. Many of our new neighbours are pilgrims coming out of their own journey through the wilderness. They have joined us in search of a promised land, a land of milk and honey. <br /> With radical love, we will embrace our brothers and sisters in their quest for their daily bread. We will take the time to hear their story. With radical love, we set aside prejudgments and prejudices. We remember how our ancestors came here with similar hopes and dreams. We share this common dream for our children and grandchildren. With Christ’s radical love flowing in and through us, we lift up the common loaf and trust that it will divide again and again. God’s abundant grace and compassion will provide for us all. <br /> As a fellowship of Christ’s radical love on the Eastside, may our community know the fruit of the Spirit flowing through us. This is the radical love that we are called to share with every child of God.Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1362814435628501125.post-53408480550600570272009-05-08T10:45:00.001-05:002009-05-08T10:48:17.742-05:00Evangelical Church of Torture and Jack BauerJonathan L. Walton is assistant professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Riverside. He teaches courses in African American Religion; Religion, Media & Culture and Religion & Political Discourse. His new book is: Watch This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Religious Broadcasting (New York University Press).<br />_____________________________________________________________________________________<br /><br />Last week the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life released poll data revealing the relationships between religious commitment and support for the use of torture against terror suspects. Those who rarely attend religious services are the least likely to support torture. The more one attends religious service, the greater the level of support. And white evangelical Protestants offered the greatest amount of support for torture with a majority (62%) of respondents believing that torture can at least sometimes be justified. <br /><br />I am sickened but not terribly shocked.<br /><br />This glib view of the brutality and inhumanity of torture is bound up in a particular strand of American Christian theology that’s been a growing force for over a century.<br /><br />Muscular Christianity in America has minimized the vice of torture and extolled the virtue of the Heroic One who endures for a greater cause. The crucified body of Jesus is held up as a paragon of strength, virtue and virility. <br /><br />This is true not because Jesus offered an alternative conception of society where the first shall be last or the last shall be first. Not because Jesus found virtue rather than vice in the “least of these” among us. And not because Jesus inverted assumptions about authority by his willingness to humbly wash the feet of those who would otherwise worship him. <br /><br />Rather, Jesus is a moral exemplar because “he was wounded for our transgressions, by his wounds we are healed, and by his blood we are made whole.” Jesus is worshiped as the ultimate “strong man” who could overcome the pain and sting of death for the sake of righteousness. The horror of inflicted suffering is theologically interpreted as an efficient cause toward bringing forth the greater good and thus torture becomes divinely utilitarian. <br /><br />Is it a wonder why, then, on Sunday morning it is often hard to tell the difference between Jesus and Jack Bauer on Fox’s megahit “24?” Like a long list of American messianic masculine archetypes (John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Mel Gibson), Jesus is situated in this tradition of bulletproof heroes who mock the machinations of torture. <br /><br />What is more, like Jack Bauer, anyone who is willing to endure torture for others is that much more justified in dishing it out. And, unfortunately, since muscular evangelicals so identify with the mutilated body of Jesus who “suffered for the sins of the world,” it is only right that they, too, would condone the suffering of others in order to purge our world of “evil.”Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17770107919152746665noreply@blogger.com0