The Rev. Chuck Currie

President Will Send 30,000 More Troops To Afghanistan. Are We On The Right Path?

Tonight President Obama out lined his plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to stop the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. He also stated his desire to remove all U.S. forces starting in mid-2011. As the president noted in his address to the nation from West Point, Afghanistan was largely ignored after American forces first invaded after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 in favor of the war in Iraq: 

After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda's leadership established a safe haven there. Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it's been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient security forces. 

Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al Qaeda, as they both seek an overthrow of the Afghan government. Gradually, the Taliban has begun to control additional swaths of territory in Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating attacks of terrorism against the Pakistani people. 

Now, throughout this period, our troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq. When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. 

Religious leaders sent a petition to the president in recent weeks asking for something more than a surge in American troops.  I was one of those who signed it.  The petition was produced by the folks at Sojourners and read in part: 

We are concerned that the discussion in Washington, D.C., is far too narrow. We respectfully and prayerfully suggest that you pursue a strategy built on a humanitarian and development surge. 

Massive humanitarian assistance and sustainable development can rebuild a broken nation, inspire confidence, trust, and hope among its people, and undermine the appeal of terrorism. And it costs less - far less - than continued war. 

Lead with economic development, starting in areas that are secure, and grow from there - providing only the security necessary to protect the strategic rebuilding of the country. Do not make aid and development another weapon of war by tying it so closely to the military; rather, provide the security needed for development work to succeed. This kind of peacekeeping security might better attract the international involvement we so desperately need, both from Europe and Arab and Muslim countries. 

Pursue political and diplomatic solutions by promoting stable governance in Afghanistan and Pakistan; seeking political integration of those elements of the Taliban that are willing to cooperate; engaging with the United Nations and regional states to stabilize the region and promote economic development; and investing in international policing to prevent the spread of extremists and the use of terror. 

During his remarks tonight the president directly addressed the Afghan people: 

The people of Afghanistan have endured violence for decades. They've been confronted with occupation -- by the Soviet Union, and then by foreign al Qaeda fighters who used Afghan land for their own purposes. So tonight, I want the Afghan people to understand -- America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. We have no interest in occupying your country. We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens. And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect -- to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron. 

But I heard no strategy for rebuilding the country and unless we are able to do that in partnership with the Afghan people and the world community there will never be real peace in that part of the globe. The modern equivalent of a Marshall Plan is needed for both Iraq and Afghanistan but such a plan did not seem central to the president’s vision. 

At the same time, the president made a good case tonight that a swift withdrawal of the United States would do nothing to serve either the security needs of the American or Afghan people. 

But will additional forces really make any long-term difference? 

In 2006, the National Council of Churches in Christ in the USA released a statement regarding Iraq that applies to the situation in Afghanistan as well: 

… we call upon the U.S. Government to recognize that the continued presence of occupying forces has not provided meaningful security for Iraqi citizens and only exacerbates escalating violence, and begin an immediate phased withdrawal of American and coalition forces from Iraq with a timetable that provides for an expeditious final troop withdrawal. And we further call upon our government to link this withdrawal plan to benchmarks for rebuilding Iraqi society, since the reconstruction of infrastructure, the restoration of essential services, and a foundation for economic growth are necessary to nurture Iraqi hopes for a stable future, and to steps to meet the security concerns of all Iraqis, including the more vulnerable, smaller ethnic and religious communities. 

The U.S. should take no action that further harms the Afghan people. Any withdrawal here also needs to be linked to benchmarks. 

President Obama should be commended for his thoughtful approach to this mess that was inherited from the Bush Administration. But as The New York Times said tonight in an editorial, a lot of questions remain unanswered this evening: 

We are eager to see American troops come home. We don’t know whether Mr. Obama will be able to meet his July 2011 deadline to start drawing down forces. 

For that to happen, there will have to be a lot more success at training Afghan forces and improving the government’s effectiveness. 

Still, setting a deadline — so long as it is not set in stone — is a sound idea. Mr. Karzai and his aides need to know that America’s commitment is not open-ended. Mr. Obama’s generals and diplomats also need to know that their work will be closely monitored and reviewed. 

Otherwise, Mr. Obama will be hard pressed to keep his promise that this war, already the longest in American history, will not go on forever. 

It’s not clear how we will even pay for this war to continue. 

Congress needs to have an open and fair debate over these issues and America’s diverse religious communities in cooperation with the world faith community should seek to offer guidance both to U.S. officials and the public over how to best bring peace to the destabilized nation of Afghanistan. 

Little was said by the president tonight that offers me confidence that we are on the right course in the long-term.

Nonetheless, I welcome President Obama's honest assessment of the difficulties faced by the U.S. – such a welcome change after the last president – and thoughtfulness.

Protect Our President

Someone needs to explain why CafePress.com allows death threats against the president of the United States to be sold on their website.  Or why in the world this website - run by the folks selling products that clearly call for the death of the president - is allowed to remain online.  

I called CafePress.com and asked them to explain their reasoning for allowing the product to be sold.  No answer so far.  But I also called the Secret Service to alert them.  That's what anyone should do when threats against the president are made.

President Obama has been subject to large numbers of death threats from extremists.  This is troubling.

What make it even more sickening is when Holy Scripture is used to justify such threats.  It is a perversion of the faith.

UPDATE: Monday, November 23rd

It appears that CafePress.com has removed these items from their website.  That was the right move.

BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE PASSES AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT

This evening the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act.  I offer this podcast reflection on an evening when the House has taken a huge step forward in addressing one of America's most fundamental moral problems - the lack of health care for millions of our people.

The audio podcast of my remarks can be downloaded here:

 Download RevCCurrieAffordableHealhCareforAmericaAct

(some browsers - like Firefox or Google Chrome - will allow you to simply click on the link and listen...otherwise click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

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Below the fold you can find a written transcript of my remarks:

People Of Faith Should Support Health Care Reform

We stand closer to passing meaningful health care reform than at any other time in our nation's history.  Both the House and Senate are ready to vote on bills that - while not perfect - would represent real change.  Tens of millions of Americans would benefit and the accomplishment would stand alongside the great achievements of the New Deal and the Great Society.  

That's why today I wrote U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) to congratulate him on his role in moving this legislation forward.

Some progressives will find fault with the House and Senate versions of reform and will argue, for example, that we need a single payer system or nothing at all.  Truth be told, I wanted a single payer system myself (as President Obama had advocated for in the past) but the political reality is that the reforms backed by the president today stand the best chance of advancing the cause of universal health care and if we miss this chance it may be a generation or longer before we have another.  We cannot fail.

In the Christian tradition, we are called to heal the sick.  I urge all people of faith - regardless of politics - to join in common cause with people across America in the coming weeks and months to get the House and Senate bills passed so that sometime soon, perhaps even before Christmas, the president of the United States has a strong reform package on his desk that provides hope to millions of our brothers and sisters.   

Related Link:  Letter to President Obama On The Public Option

On Facebook?  Join the group People of Faith for a Strong Public Option in Health Care Reform

Related Link:  Health Care and The Christian Tradition

Jon Stewart Explains FOX News

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United Church of Christ Leaders Hail Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act

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What Do Sasha and Malia Obama Have In Common With Frances and Katherine Currie?

The White House announced today that first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama have been given the H1N1 vaccine.  Our daughters, Frances and Katherine, have been given the vaccine as well.  In this pandemic - that is targeting children, the young and those with serious health problems - it is important that we all get the vaccine once it becomes available.  Liz and I will take the vaccine when it becomes available to lower risk populations.  Like the president and First Lady, we know from the CDC and others that the vaccine is safe for most (see the CDC web site for more).  To not take the vaccine puts many in danger.  We won't take that risk for our family and believe it is in the best interests of the community as a whole to have as many people take the vaccine as possible.

Do We Have A Moral Responsibility To Take The H1N1 Vaccine? Yes.

President Declares Support For Reid-Backed Public Option

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made it official today and announced that he would move a health care reform bill to the senate floor that includes a public option - with an opt-out for those states that decide through a legislative process that they wish not to participate.  The Washington Post reports:  

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) announced Monday that he will seek to bring a health-care bill to the Senate floor that includes a government insurance plan, a major reversal from just two weeks ago, when Reid was leaning against the idea. 

He also called for the bill to include a version of the so-called public option with an clause that would allow states to decide by 2014 not to participate in the government plan. 

"The best way to move forward is a public option with the opt-out provision for states," Reid told reporters, adding that he "clearly" believes that such a bill would have "the support of my caucus."

The White House offered a strong statement of support (via Politico):

“The President congratulates Senator Reid and Chairmen Baucus and Dodd for their hard work on health insurance reform. Thanks to their efforts, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to solving this decades-old problem. And while much work remains, the President is pleased that at the progress that Congress has made. He’s also pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out. As he said to Congress and the nation in September, he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition."

This is not the clear cut victory progressives have hoped for but it is a step forward - a huge step forward - and I believe fully that we wouldn't have come this far and changed the majority leader's mind if it hadn't been for the strong advocacy efforts of progressives everywhere.  

Religious leaders from across the country have been particularly active and there efforts should be noted.

There is still a lot of work to do.  Both the House and Senate need to pass bills (the House bill should include a stronger public option and that gives us even more political leverage).  So don't stop working now.  Write your Senate and House members - even if you've done it before - and tell them to send a bill to the president's desk that includes a public option.

Support Grows For Public Option In Health Care Reform

Support for a public option as part of national health care reform is growing, according to a new poll:

As Democratic congressional leaders and White House officials work to shape health care bills that will go to the House and Senate floors, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and now wins clear majority support from the public.... 

On the issue that has been a flash point in the national debate, 57 percent of all Americans now favor a public insurance option, while 40 percent are opposed. Support has risen since mid-August, when a bare majority, 52 percent, said they favored it. (In a June Post-ABC poll, support had been at 62 percent.

The United Church of Christ, with over 1.1 million Americans across the United States, including Oregon, has called for reform that includes: 

 - Coverage for all people 

 - Access regardless of ability to pay 

 - A full set of comprehensive benefits 

 - A choice of physicians and other providers 

- Elimination of racial and ethnic and other health care disparities 

- Waiver of pre-existing condition exclusions without age limits 

 - A robust public health insurance option

Send a message today to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid letting him know that only a strong public option will meet President Obama's health care goals and provide the coverage all Americans need.

Related Link:  Letter to President Obama On The Public Option

On Facebook?  Join the group People of Faith for a Strong Public Option in Health Care Reform

Oregon's Earl Blumenauer On Barack Obama In The New York Times

Oregon's Earl Blumenauer is profiled today in The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Representative Earl Blumenauer should be experiencing the most fulfilling days of his more than 35 years in public service.

The liberal Democrat from Portland, Ore. — known for his bowties, his Trek bicycle and a pragmatic brand of progressivism — embraced Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy early in 2008 and campaigned hard alongside him, steadily gaining confidence that the young senator from Illinois was the ideal liberal remedy to eight years of conservative dominance.

Now political reality has set in, testing Mr. Blumenauer’s faith that Mr. Obama’s election and big Democratic majorities in Congress would yield quick advances in the progressive agenda.

Instead of forging ahead, Mr. Blumenauer, 61, finds himself fighting to retain one of the touchstones for liberals this year, a public insurance option in the health care overhaul, and is watching his hopes of curbing global warming grow cold in the Senate. Mr. Blumenauer, a seven-term congressman, is bracing for a tough vote on sending more troops to Afghanistan while he frets about the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay remaining open.

“It has been a hard landing for a lot of the people that I represent,” Mr. Blumenauer, referring to his largely liberal constituency, said as he assessed the first months of the Obama administration.

Full story.

(Note: this last hyperlink comes from this blog and not the NTY story.  I just count myself as one of the people the congressman represents and we were together when he endorsed Barack Obama in 2008).

President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

From CNN:

(CNN) -- President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

The first African-American to win the White House, Obama was praised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

The committee also said Obama has "created a new climate in international politics.

This is a great honor not only for the president but also for the United States.  President Obama's efforts on many fronts - the start withdrawal of troops from Iraq, efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons, and his willingness to use his office to promote peace around the world - all make him a great choice.

Update: President Obama: “I will accept this award as a call to action." An appropriate and humble statement from the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                          October 9, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON WINNING THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Rose Garden

11:16 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning.  After I received the news, Malia walked in and said, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo's birthday!"  And then Sasha added, "Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up."  So it's good to have kids to keep things in perspective.

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee.  Let me be clear:  I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations. 

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents.  And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.  And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.
     
These challenges can't be met by any one leader or any one nation.  And that's why my administration has worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek.  We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations and in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people.  And that's why we've begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons, because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power, but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions.

We cannot accept the growing threat posed by climate change, which could forever damage the world that we pass on to our children -- sowing conflict and famine; destroying coastlines and emptying cities.  And that's why all nations must now accept their share of responsibility for transforming the way that we use energy.

We can't allow the differences between peoples to define the way that we see one another, and that's why we must pursue a new beginning among people of different faiths and races and religions; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect.

And we must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years, and that effort must include an unwavering commitment that finally realizes that the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own.

We can't accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for -- the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.

And even as we strive to seek a world in which conflicts are resolved peacefully and prosperity is widely shared, we have to confront the world as we know it today.  I am the Commander-in-Chief of a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies.  I'm also aware that we are dealing with the impact of a global economic crisis that has left millions of Americans looking for work.  These are concerns that I confront every day on behalf of the American people. 

Some of the work confronting us will not be completed during my presidency.  Some, like the elimination of nuclear weapons, may not be completed in my lifetime.  But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.  This award is not simply about the efforts of my administration -- it's about the courageous efforts of people around the world. 

And that's why this award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity -- for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard even in the face of beatings and bullets; for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy; for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away; and for all those men and women across the world who sacrifice their safety and their freedom and sometime their lives for the cause of peace. 

That has always been the cause of America.  That's why the world has always looked to America.  And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.

Thank you very much.

END                                                     
11:22 A.M. EDT

Report: Obama Working For Public Option

Encouaging news from The LA Times:

Despite months of outward ambivalence about creating a government health insurance plan, the Obama White House has launched a behind-the-scenes campaign to get divided Senate Democrats to take up some version of the idea for a final vote in the coming weeks.

President Obama has cited a preference for the so-called public option. But faced with intense criticism over the summer, he strategically expressed openness to health cooperatives and other ways to offer consumers potentially more affordable alternatives to private health plans.

In the last week, however, senior administration officials have been holding private meetings almost daily at the Capitol with senior Democratic staff to discuss ways to include a version of the public plan in the healthcare bill that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to bring to the Senate floor this month, according to senior Democratic congressional aides.

Among those regularly in the meetings are Obama's top healthcare advisor, Nancy-Ann DeParle; aides to Reid; and staff from the Senate Finance and Health committees, both of which developed healthcare bills.

The measure that goes to the floor will be an amalgam of the two committees' bills, put together by Reid and key Democrats. The health committee bill contains a national government plan; the finance committee version does not.

Obama has also been reaching out personally to rank-and-file Senate Democrats, telephoning more than a dozen in the last week to press for action.

Keep up those calls to the White House and Congress.

h/t Live Pulse

Related Link:  Letter to President Obama On The Public Option

On Facebook?  Join the group People of Faith for a Strong Public Option in Health Care Reform

Mayors To President Obama: Crack Down On Gun Violence

If you're concerned about gun violence in America this news from The Washington Post will lift your spirits:

A new report from a national coalition of mayors urges President Obama to adopt dozens of reforms to help curb gun violence, including steps to crack down on problems at gun shows and the creation of a federal interstate firearms trafficking unit. 

The "Blueprint for Federal Action on Illegal Guns," a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, presents 40 recommendations that "would dramatically improve law enforcement's ability to keep guns out of the hands of criminals -- and, in doing so, save innocent lives." 

The strategies outlined by the Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan group of about 450 mayors nationwide, focus on the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The agency, which has been sent a copy of the report, declined to comment. 

"Implementing these recommendations would achieve a goal that all participants in the gun debate support: enforcing laws already on the books," says an accompanying letter signed by the coalition's co-chairmen, Mayors Thomas M. Menino (D) of Boston and Michael R. Bloomberg (I) of New York. 

According to the report, hard work by ATF field agents has "been undermined by congressional restrictions, inadequate resources, and a lack of leadership from federal officials in Washington." 

The proposed changes could be accomplished within existing laws through agency reforms, regulatory moves and better funding, the report said. The strategies grew out of academic and government research, an analysis of firearms prosecutions and talks with government and law enforcement officials.

The NRA is always saying we need to enforce the laws America already has on the books before enacting new gun control measures.

Just how long it will take for them to change their tune now that 450 mayors are advocating just what the NRA has called for.

Related Post: God, Guns & American Violence: Turning Weapons Into Ploughshares

What I Liked About The President's Health Care Address To Congress

Tonight the president made a spirited argument before Congress on the need for health care reform.  Perhaps his best and most important line in the speech came near the middle:

...I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can’t find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice.

That choice, the president stated, should come in the form of a public option.

...an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange.  Let me be clear – it would only be an option for those who don’t have insurance.  No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance.  In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5% of Americans would sign up.
 
Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea.  They argue that these private companies can’t fairly compete with the government.  And they’d be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option.  But they won’t be.  I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects.  But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits, excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers.  It would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.
 
It’s worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I’ve proposed tonight. 

This was the president's strongest argument yet for health care reform. 

As I have said before, health care reform is a moral issue.  Religious leaders have been saying that for a generation.  To leave tens of millions of Americans without health insurance in the midst of such wealth is, simply put, a sin.  President Obama rightly invoked Senator Kennedy's memory and words tonight to make that moral case.

Only a strong public option, however, will help us reach the goal of universal care.  There may be different ways to shape the public option but I agree with Progressive House democrats who have said they will vote against any bill that does not include a strong public option simply for the reason that without one the insurance companies will never cover all of our people. 

Sadly, most Republicans seem opposed to any kind of meaningful reform.  Perhaps the oddest moment of the speech came when U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) actually heckled the president.  The Republican response offered by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) was filled with, you've just got to say it, lies that would make Sarah Palin proud.

Another strong moment came near the end of the address when the president declared:

I understand how difficult this health care debate has been.  I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them.  I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road – to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term. 
 
But that’s not what the moment calls for.  That’s not what we came here to do.  We did not come to fear the future.  We came here to shape it.  I still believe we can act even when it’s hard.  I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress.  I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history’s test.

I believe that as well and I hope the president and the Congress can deliver real reform.

Related:  Listen to the audio podcast of my remarks at the early September Health Care rally here in Portland, Oregon:

Download CCPDXHealthCareRally082909

(click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

You can now subscribe to my podcasts on ITunes by clicking here.   

Let The President Speak With Students

The president of the United States of America is going to talk with students this week in a special address. Our nation’s fringe lunatic right-wing is fighting mad and charging the address is part of some massive socialist plot on the part of the White House. They should shut up.

Students ought to be able to hear their president speak without interference of reactionary political activists and right-wing radio talk show hosts who see plots behind every corner. And frankly, whoever the president is – Democrat or Republican – they deserve more respect.

I fought hard to keep George W. Bush out of the White House in 2000 (when Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the Supreme Court decision) and in 2004. I fought even harder against his disastrous policies that have left America weakened economically and more at risk of terrorist attack.

But when President Bush came to Portland in 2002 and spoke at Parkrose High School I was invited to attend by then-U.S. Senator Gordon Smith and I went. When I agreed with what President Bush had to say, I applauded. Our elected officials deserve to be heard.

While vigorous debate – and even protest – are patriotic expressions of democratic values it really should go without saying that there is nothing patriotic about the criticisms from the right about the president’s planned address to students. He’ll tell the kids to work hard and stay in school.

Sadly, many on the right seek to demonize President Obama when his own story of hard work and perseverance could and should serve as an inspiration to public school students everywhere.

On the other hand, Utah’s conservative Republican governor, Gary Herbert, said today:

I think it's great. To hear from the president of the United States is an important thing.

I hope parents will take the opportunity to discuss the issues with their children, hear what the president’s views are and what his vision is for the future of America. If they agree, then explain that. If they disagree, explain to their children why. I see nothing but good coming out of this.

Democracy only works when we are willing to listen.

Tell President Obama To Stand Firm On A Public Option

Where does President Obama stand now on including a public option as part of health care reform?  It's unclear.  CNN has the latest:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House sought to reassure jittery supporters Monday that President Obama is not abandoning the fight for a public health insurance option.

The assurance came amid a media firestorm ignited over the weekend by administration officials seeming to indicate a willingness to drop such an option in order to secure congressional approval of a health care reform bill.

"The president has always said that what is essential is that health insurance reform must lower costs, ensure that there are affordable options for all Americans, and it must increase choice and competition in the health insurance market," White House aide Linda Douglass said in a written statement.

"He believes the public option is the best way to achieve those goals."

The administration seemed to step back from its insistence on such an option over the weekend, when Obama said it is "not the entirety of health care reform."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president could be "satisfied" without it. And Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told CNN's "State of the Union" that a public insurance plan is "not the essential element."

Clearly, the White House is flirting with the idea of dropping the public option.  As former Gov. Howard Dean says, doing so would destroy the goal of obtaining anything close to universal health care:

Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role.

Dean urged the Obama administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change, saying that Medicare and the Veterans Administration are "two very good programs that have been around for a long time."

Dean appeared on morning news shows Monday amid increasing indications the Obama White House is retreating from the public option in the face of vocal opposition from Republicans and some vocal participants at a town-hall-style meetings around the country.

The former Vermont governor was asked on NBC's Meet the Press about President Obama's statement over the weekend that the public option for insurance coverage was "just a sliver" of the overall proposal. Obama's health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, advanced that line, telling CNN on Sunday that a direct government role in a system intended to provide virtually universal coverage was "not the essential element."

Dean argued that a public option is fair and said there must be such a choice in any genuine shake up of the existing system.

"You can't really do health reform without it," he said. Dean maintained that the health insurance industry has "put enormous pressure on patients and doctors" in recent years.

He called a direct government role "the entirety of health care reform. It isn't the entirety of insurance reform. ... We shouldn't spend $60 billion a year subsidizing the insurance industry."

The president needs to hear from supporters of a public option now. Without his strong leadership the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats are just about to kill any meaningful chance for health care reform.  Write the president today and tell him to stand firm. 

Related Link:  Health Care and The Christian Tradition

Related Link:  Letter to President Obama On The Public Option

On Facebook?  Join the group People of Faith for a Strong Public Option in Health Care Reform

It's Time For People Of Faith To Take A Stand For A Public Option In Health Care Reform

The debate over health care reform continues to rage.  47 million Americans have no health insurance and millions more have inadequate coverage.  Before Congress now are proposals that would extend coverage - letting people keep their own doctors and insurance plan - but also creating a much needed public option.

Critics of the plan are disrupting town hall meetings with mobs of enraged people organized by DC lobbying firms where members of Congress are attempting to listen to citizens concerned about health care reform.  A Congressman in Washington State and a North Carolina congressman have had their lives threatened.  These out of control groups are being egged on by right-wing radio shows hosts and politicians like Sarah Palin who actually called the proposals now under debate "downright evil." 

IT'S TIME FOR PEOPLE OF FAITH TO TAKE A STAND

Organizing for America is asking people to be in touch - either in person or with a phone call - with their members of Congress immediately to show support for health care reform and the president's call for a public option.  At this moment extremists fighting against health care reform are dominating the discussion and we cannot let them win.

Once you've talked to your House and Senate members please contact the President.  Thank him for his leadership and urge him to stand strong against the opponents of a public option.  As I told the president in a letter sent this evening, for the faith community health care reform is about a ministry of healing. How we treat the least of these in society is akin to how we treat God, says Jesus.

And if you are on Facebook please consider joining the People of Faith For A Strong Public Option group.  In just over a week more than three hundred lay members, seminarians, clergy, authors and professors have joined national religious leaders in calling for meaningful health care reform.

Finally, show some love to the people at Faith In Public Life and help them keep the spot above on CNN.  

Sonia Sotomayor Confirmed To United States Supreme Court

Today the United States Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor to a seat on the United States Supreme Court.  Judge Sotomayor, nominated by President Obama, was one of the most qualified people to be nominated to the nation's highest court in the last one hundred years.  Her nomination drew 68 votes - all Democrats and a small number of Republicans.  Sadly,the majority of  Republicans, towing the line of the National Rifle Association and extremist voices from the Religious Right and others, opposed the nomination.  Nevertheless, an overwhelming number of senators supported the nomination.  The Supreme Court will benefit from her experiences and judicial philosophy.  Today was a victory for America and a defeat for extremists like the NRA. 

Photo: White House

Related Link:  Bush, NRA Share Blame For Tragic Pittsburgh Shooting

Related Link:  Sonia Sotomayor’s Views Draw Support From Mainline Christians, Gun Control Advocates 

President Honors Joseph Lowery

The president announced today the winners of the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor.  Among those named was The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a true prophet who has never shied away from speaking truth to power.  From the White House news release: 

Reverend Lowery has been a leader in the U.S. civil rights movement since the early 1950s. Rev. Lowery helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott after Rosa Parks was denied a seat, and later co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a leading civil rights organization, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rev. Lowery led the march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Rev. Lowery is a minister in the United Methodist Church, and has continued to highlight important civil rights issues in the U.S. and worldwide, including apartheid in South Africa, since the 1960s.

It is right that the president of the United States of America honor this true American hero.

Related Podcast Sermon: A Podcast Sermon On Isaiah 3:13-15: The Lord Judges The Lord's People  

SC GOP Official: Zoo Gorilla “Ancestor” of Michelle Obama

Extremists on the right fueled by the likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh have inspired death threats against the president and a new wave of hateful political rhetoric. Taking the prize this week for “Racist of the Week” is GOP activist Rusty DePass. WCBD reports:

A former chairman of the South Carolina Election Commission has apologized after his posting on Facebook suggested a gorilla that escaped from a Columbia zoo was an ancestor of first lady Michelle Obama.

Minutes after the gorilla’s escape was reported Friday, Rusty DePass posted: “I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors - probably harmless.“

The comment has since been deleted, but DePass confirmed to WIS-TV that he made it, apologizing and saying it was a joke about statements Obama has made about evolution.

The comment was no joke. It was one of the most hateful types of racist rhetoric. DePass was saying that Ms. Obama, an African-America, was sub-human. Comparing blacks to primates has always been a typical expression of hate.

All this hate talk on the right has already fueled the murder of a Kansas doctor in a church and the shooting at the Holocaust museum. When will these folks realize their rhetoric has consequences? Maybe they don’t care.

Where Does Obama Really Stand On Gay Rights?

I'm deeply concerned about news today that the Justice Dept. under President Obama went to court to defend DOMA and in their brief compared homosexuality to incest.

 

This is a complete betrayal of the values and ideals articulated by the president during the campaign.

 

The White House must immediately apologize and the Justice Department should immediately fire the attorney involved.  

 

The president cannot claim to be supportive of gay rights and continue a pattern that started in the campaign and that continues today of lifting up prominent anti-gay activists at public events - such as Rick Warren - and outright opposing civil rights for the gay and lesbian community, as the administration has done in court this week.

Christians, Jews & Muslims All Like Obama

I missed this poll from a few weeks back.

President Obama is getting high marks from religious Americans across the board.

If he can bring all these different religious groups together can world peace be far behind? 

Limbaugh The 20th Hijacker?

Best line of tonight's White House Correspondent's Dinner came from comedian Wanda Sykes:

"You've had your fair share of critics. ... Rush Limbaugh said this administration fails. ... He just wants the country to fail. To me that's treason. He's not saying anything different than what Osama Bin Laden is saying. You might want to look into this, sir, because I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was just so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight....

The president didn't laugh but Liz and I just about fell off the couch.  Her rift on Joe Biden being captured by terrorists also had us in tears.

POTUS got in some really good laugh lines as well.

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POTUS Church Search

The search goes on for a church the Obama family can worship at in Washington, DC. Churches vying for the first family’s affections should be careful, however, about how they approach the presidential family as potential future congregants. Church leaders should stop campaigning to be the church of the First Family.

Read my full post on the United Church News Blog.

Pope Newt Gingrich

You'd have thought that the Roman Catholic Church had enough problems these days - what with the Pope first embracing a Nazi sympathizer (a decision the pontiff thankfully backed away from after a worldwide outcry) and then speaking out against condoms in Africa (remarks that were condemned by international health groups).  We all have our bad periods.   

Not helping matters is their newly self-appointed spokesman:

Newt Gingrich, the disgraced former U.S. House speaker.

First some background:

President Obama has been invited to deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame, a Roman Catholic institution.  Some Roman Catholic groups and one bishop have condemned the invitation because of the president's stances on health issues that are at odds with Roman Catholic positions.  But their concerns turn out to be partisan.  None of these same groups protested when George W. Bush addressed students at Notre Dame (or other Roman Catholic schools) even though Bush started the war in Iraq (a move opposed by Rome) and the death penalty.

There is nothing wrong when Roman Catholics finding fault with Democrats (even though I may disagree with their reasons) but why do some in their leadership ignore or even openly support Republicans? Thankfully, most in the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church are fair minded and even when taking controversial stands are open and tolerant of other view points.   

Catholics United issued a statement in support of university's decision to invite the president and calling out those opposing the president's visit for "selectively applying the Catholic faith in service of their partisan agendas."

One of those selectively applying the Catholic faith is none other than Gingrich.  He called the invitation "sad" and said the president had "anti-Catholic values."  Gingrich, a life long Baptist, is joining the Roman Catholic church this weekend, according to media reports.  

Gingrich, however, really shouldn't be lecturing anyone about values.  As Media Matters reports, Gingrich has had a couple of divorces and some other problems:

There was Jackie, his former high school math teacher, whom he divorced as she was in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery, and Marianne, whom he married shortly after divorcing Jackie, and with whom he was still married when he began his relationship with Callista -- an affair that occurred around the time he was promising to never give another speech as Speaker of the House without mentioning the Lewinsky scandal. 

Gingrich was forced to resign. 

In addition, Gingrich spoke out in support of the war in Iraq and as the House Speaker launched an unprecedented campaign to cut services for the poorest of the poor in America.       

President Obama To Lift Ban On Embryonic Stem Cell Research

President Barack Obama is scheduled on Monday to lift the federal ban on embryonic stem cell research. The ban was imposed by President Bush and enjoyed support from the Religious Right but embryonic stem cell research has been supported by the United Church of Christ, Episcopal Church (USA), the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Scientific leaders have long argued that such research has the potential to cure "diabetes, spinal cord paralysis, heart disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, cancer, MS [multiple sclerosis], Lou Gehrig's disease" and any number of other conditions. The General Synod of the United Church of Christ endorsed federal funding of embryonic stem cell research in 2001 saying that “Jesus set an example, by his ministry of healing and caring for the sick and disabled, challenging us to follow his example by supporting the healing and caring ministry in our own day.” President Obama is to be applauded for undertaking this action. The president’s position is entirely consistent with Christian ethics.

Related Link:  Support For Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is A Christian Position

"Protecting The Least Of These"

The Oregonian has published an op-ed that I wrote - Protecting The Least Of These - concerning deliberations over Portland's budget.  Check it out.

The Art Of The Possible vs. The Kingdom Of God: Reflecting On the President's Address To Congress

The president of the United States offered Americans a progressive vision of the future today based on the moral principles that have historically made our nation strong: reward for hard work, commitment to national service, and a strong national government that seeks not to overwhelm citizens but rather to assist our people achieve their highest aspirations.

Tonight as the president spoke most of the republicans sat in their seats as democrats celebrated the passage of new health care opportunities for children. Republicans also sat on their behinds as the president outlined new tax policies that will benefit the middle class while making the richest Americans pay their fair share. I think most viewers walked away with two clear observations about the republicans: they don’t like poor kids without health care but love really rich guys.

It really is a mystery how President Obama won this election. ;) 

But for all the good plans offered by the President there was something bothering me again about the entire political process. The president wants to achieve what his chief of staff called the “art of the possible” in legislative victories.

I’m a minister ordained to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m not a politician. We have different world views. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite's words, written for United Church News, might be helpful in illustrating my point:

….we have a responsibility to proclaim, even demand, good stewardship of God's creation and to call to account those who are responsible for making this system work productively so that individuals and families who work hard can have the means to live. A story may help us understand the separate but related roles of proclamation and politics. When Ronald Reagan was elected President, as many of you doubtless remember, his first budget included many cuts in social programs. A group of clergy went to Washington D.C., myself among them, to argue with Congressional representatives that these social programs helped people get out of poverty and that it was wrong to engage in these wholesale cuts.

A few prominent clergypersons were invited to the Oval Office to meet with the President. Rev. William Sloan Coffin, then Senior Pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, was one of those invited. President Reagan patiently explained to the visiting pastors why these cuts were necessary, in his view, to balance the budget. Rev. Coffin replied, "Mr. President, it is up to us to proclaim that 'Justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream. Your job is the plumbing."

It is not up to us as church people to dictate a certain economic plan, but it is up to us to say loud and clear when the plumbing isn't working and the means of life is not flowing to most of the people.

I’m happy when new health care proposals to ensure children become law. But tens of millions Americans still don’t have the care they need. I’m looking forward to reading the Obama universal health plan that takes into account the “art of the possible.” My job, however, is to look toward the future with an eye on the impossible. After all, I’m working for the Kingdom of God and that means I’m bound to push the envelope and to advocate for the radical solutions people are afraid to bring up because they’d be “impossible” to achieve. “It’s impossible to achieve” is never a good answer to give to one who follows the resurrected Jesus, the child of God. In God, all things are possible. Thy Kingdom Come!

The New York Times Point On Faith-Based Funding Well Taken

The New York Times has a point:

On the campaign trail, Mr. Obama made clear that he would extend the faith-based initiative started by former President George Bush to help social service programs run by religious and other charitable groups obtain federal grants and contracts. But he also pledged that unlike Mr. Bush, he would provide meaningful safeguards to avoid the blurring of church-state boundaries, including a firm rule barring discrimination on the basis of religion. The rule is notably missing from his new decree.

Speaking last July in Ohio, Mr. Obama set forth his “basic principles” for assuring constitutional balance. “First, if you get a federal grant, you can’t use the grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them — or against the people you hire — on the basis of religion,” he said. “Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples and mosques can only be used on secular programs.”

He said taxpayer dollars should not be used to advance partisan interests, and there was reassuring language about maintaining the separation of church and state in Mr. Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast preceding the issuance of his order, and in the order itself. But it would have been a lot more reassuring if the directive had actually revoked Mr. Bush’s 2002 executive order authorizing religious-oriented recipients of federal funding to hire and fire on religious grounds.

We suspect that Mr. Obama was not particularly proud of this omission. He chose to sign his order away from the view of television cameras or an audience. Joshua DuBois, the Pentecostal minister selected by Mr. Obama to lead his initiative, says the president is “committed to nondiscrimination,” and that the executive order “provides a process” for case-by-case review to decide if grants to faith-based organizations are “consistent with law.”

What process? The executive order says only that White House officials “may” seek Justice Department guidance if questions arise about particular grants. Discrimination by faith-based grantees should be barred.

Full editorial. 

Can We Find Common Ground On Abortion?

Late last week I posted a statement from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice praising the decision by President Obama repealing the global gag rule.  RCRC stated:

Also known as the Mexico City policy, the rule prohibited American dollars from being granted to foreign family planning clinics unless they agreed not to use their own private, non-U.S. funds for abortion services or counseling. The rule also prohibited organizations from lobbying to reform harmful anti-abortion policies and laws.

Over the last several decades the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, our high deliberative body, has reaffirmed the right of women to make their own health care decisions.  But that does not many everyone in the UCC is pro-choice.

Douglas e-mailed this morning to say:

I am a member of the UCC.  I do not condone the wholesale murder of embryos that is taking place in abortion clinics.  I feel that this is not a right bur a crime against humanity.  There are only two situations where one has to question the use of abortion and then it is questionable.  The life of the mother or baby is in jeopardy or in cases of rape.  I am a parent and cherish the memories of my daughter growing up.  I would not have given that up for anything.  Children are gifts we receive from God and entrusted to us by Him for our care and nurturing.  When someone flushes this gift away it is a terrible crime which should not be alowed. On other maters I consider myself a liberal.

One of my favorite aspects of the United Church of Christ is that we allow the freedom to disagree.  You don't have to agree with a General Synod ruling, for example, but be do ask that people respect those involved in the decision making process.

On the issue of abortion, I still wonder where we can find common ground?  Perhaps in legislation that seeks to end the need for so many abortions by providing family planning, critically needed birth control, and support for families with young children. 

A Prayer For All God's People

The Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery offered the benediction at the Inaugural today.  He offered words to God that were inclusive and prophetic.   

"If You're Out There"

We listened to a bit of the “We Are One” inaugural concert this afternoon. Liz said she felt as if a war had just ended and finally there was reason for hope and celebration. Clearly, millions of Americans are feeling the same way. We’ve endured another “long national nightmare” that will finally end on Tuesday as Americans unite under a new president.

I said in July 2007 that…

All of the candidates running for president in 2008 bring different gifts to the debate over our nation’s future and my endorsement of Senator Obama is not a reflection on any of them but rather because of my faith in the senator’s leadership and ideas. I believe in Barack Obama.

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not reflect on the church I serve or my denomination. But as a citizen I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive. So I choose to add my voice today with millions of other Americans concerned about the direction of this nation.

Barack Obama has shown leadership on the most pressing moral issues of our day – such as the war in Iraq and the global AIDS crisis. During his time in the Illinois Legislature and in the United States Senate he has demonstrated that his values cannot be compromised by prevailing political winds.

Christians, Jews, Muslims – all people of faith in America – share in a deep and abiding love for this nation. But many of us, as William Sloane Coffin would have said, have a “lover’s quarrel” with America. We know things can be better. We know all Americans need health care. We know that no one should be homeless in the world’s richest nation. We know that global warming threatens God’s own earth and that as the stewards of creation we are called forth to protect this planet. We are also called to be peacemakers in times of conflict.

Barack Obama shares these values and when elected president will embody them as he makes decisions in the Oval Office. When that day comes we will be a better nation.

The problems that America faces now are even greater than when this campaign first began. The economy has collapsed and we face challenges not seen since the Great Depression. No president can fix this mess alone. It will take millions of Americans working for a common purpose…that American ideal that tomorrow can be better than today.

At some point our children and our grandchildren will look back and ask what we did in this moment of history. Did we do something to lift a generation out of poverty? Did we work to stop the war? Did we fight to end to global climate change crisis? We are all called to this task, regardless of party or any of the other labels we might try and apply to one another. Each one of us is needed for the world to change.

Mainline Church Leader Will Preach At National Prayer Service

Good news!  President-Elect Obama has invited the Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins to preach at the National Prayer Service in the National Cathedral on January 21, according to the National Council of Churches (NCC) and The New York Times.  Click here for the full story.

Invitation To History

This nice piece of mail showed up today at our house:

We'd love to go, of course, but after attending the convention in Denver and meeting the President-elect twice on the campaign it just isn't possible to get away to Washington.  Liz and I were both at Clinton's 1993 Inaugural (though we didn't know each other then) and maybe one Inaugural is really all anyone should hope for. 

The New York Times ran a great story a few weeks back about the printing of the invitations:

ON Thursday, Dec. 11, Jim Donnelly got the call at his office on Jay Street in Dumbo for the biggest job he had ever had. Emmett Beliveau, the executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, told him that Precise Continental, Mr. Donnelly’s 26-year-old printing company, had won the bid to produce one million gold-and-black engraved invitations for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

Mr. Donnelly gathered his staff for the announcement, and a cheer went up. “They were ecstatic,” he said. “They wanted to be a part of history.”

To meet the Jan. 2 deadline, Mr. Donnelly’s 65 employees have to work around the clock. But no one was complaining, Mr. Donnelly said, and he put out dozens of calls for rush orders of paper, ink and the like.

According to Mr. Donnelly, Precise Continental was selected over rival printers because it is a union company, it uses recycled paper and it is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes responsible forest management. Although Clark Stevens, a spokesman for the inaugural committee, would not confirm that those factors were decisive, he did say, “These are issues that President-elect Obama campaigned on and that have concerned him throughout his career...”

Click here for the full story.

Rick Warren Wrong Voice For Inauguration

I am deeply troubled that President-elect Obama has invited Rick Warren to offer the invocation at the inauguration.  Warren stands opposed to the progressive agenda and to many of the core values that Barack Obama campaigned on.  The symbolism of offering such as prodigious place in history to a figure such as Warren is upsetting. 

What is Warren's record?  People for the American Way reports:

As we've pointed out several times before, in 2004 Warren declared that marriage, reproductive choice, and stem cell research were "non-negotiable" issues for Christian voters and has admitted that the main difference between himself and James Dobson is a matter of tone.  He criticized Obama's answers at the Faith Forum he hosted before the election and vowed to continue to pressure him to change his views on the issue of reproductive choice.  He came out strongly in support of Prop 8, saying "there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population ... This is not a political issue -- it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about." He's declared that those who do not believe in God should not be allowed to hold public office.

Warren is a good spokesman for the Religious Right but does not represent mainstream Christianity.

Update:  I'm delighted, however, to learn that The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery will provide the benediction.  Rev. Lowery is an American hero whose ministry of tolerance and justice stands in stark contrast to those who have used religion as a tool to divide Americans.

Update:  The Huffington Post has picked up the story...

On Wednesday, the transition team announced that Rick Warren, pastor of the powerful Saddleback Church, would give the invocation on January 20th. The selection may not have been incredibly surprising. Obama and Warren are reportedly close -- Obama praised the Megachurch leader in his second book "The Audacity of Hope." Warren, meanwhile, hosted a values forum between Obama and McCain during the general election. Nevertheless, the announcement is being greeted with deep skepticism in progressive religious and political circles.

"My blood pressure is really high right now," said Rev. Chuck Currie, minister at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. "Rick Warren does some really good stuff and there are some areas that I have admired his ability to build bridges between evangelicals and mainline religious and political figures... but he is also very established in the religious right and his position on social issues like gay rights, stem cell research and women's rights are all out of the mainstream and are very much opposed to the progressive agenda that Obama ran on. I think that he is very much the wrong person to put on the stage with the president that day."

Click here to read the full article.   

Come What May: I'm Invited To Screen "Pro-Life" Movie

Will President-elect Obama and Congress "make life more difficult for the unborn?"  That's the charge made by Household of Faith Community Church, which is promoting a new "pro-life" film entitled "Come What May."

The Oregon-based congregation sent my office an invitation to a screening of the film.  Read their hyper-partisan invite and my response calling on them to support common ground approaches advocated by the president-elect to reduce the number of abortions and to support families.

Response from Rev. Chuck Currie to Household of Faith Community Church.    

(Note how they assume all pastors are men).

Update:  I should have done a little more homework.  It turns out this film was made before the election.  It was hoped it would become popular enough to sway voters, according to Christian Film News.

Willamette Week today (12/03/08) posted a small article about my letter to Household of Faith Community Church.  Read the story here.

'Arianna' on SNL