Fighting for Oregon's kids is Liz Smith Currie, award winning policy advocate, cool mom of 4 year old twins, and the wife of an out of control UCC minister.  Check out her recent letter to the editor:

School nurses critical
Thank you for highlighting the importance of school nurses in addressing the growing health needs of children ("The nurse will not see you now," Sept. 16).

One of the many important roles provided by school nurses is that they often are the first to identify unmet health care needs and can refer families to an appropriate provider for care. Unfortunately, too many children in Oregon lack health insurance or access to a provider who can see them in a timely manner.

This is why school-based health centers are such an important complement to school nursing services. These on-site health centers provide primary medical care to children who otherwise might not get the care they need, keeping them in school and ready to learn.

With the efforts that Oregon is making toward health care reform, policymakers should keep in mind the critical role that school nurses and school-based health centers can play in improving the health of Oregon's children and strive to make these services more widely available

LIZ SMITH CURRIE
Policy director
Oregon School-Based Health Care Network
Northeast Portland

Check out Oregon School-Based Health Care Network for more on these issues.

ACTION ALERT FROM FAITH VOICES FOR THE COMMON GOOD

The Oregonian circulated the "Obsession" DVD this Sunday as a paid advertisement. Write to protest their action and ask them to print an op-ed denouncing it as hate speech.

A video, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," resembles an educational DVD, but it is actually an anti-Muslim propaganda tool wielding fear and hatred. The Clarion Fund is circulating millions of copies of this DVD to newspapers across the country, especially in swing states. Its national release appears timed to influence the election.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Greensboro News & Record, the Detroit Free Press and the Cincinnati Enquirer took a moral stand by refusing to distribute this unbalanced, politically motivated DVD. Let them know you appreciate their principled stand. Write to your local papers to stop distribution of this DVD.

Religious leaders of many faiths, civic leaders, and many peace-loving people are deeply offended by the timing of the DVD's release only a few days prior to Eid-ul-Fitr, the end of holy month of Ramadan, when Muslim will gather in a public arena-and also within days of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
In addition to inflaming passions in order to influence votes, the film's release also exploits the strong emotions associated with the seventh anniversary of September 11, 2001. An in-depth summary and analysis of the DVD can be found at The American Muslim (TAM) website.

HOW TO CONTACT THE OREGONIAN

Publisher Fred A. Stickel
The Oregonian
1320 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503-221-8140
Fax: 503-294-4175
[email protected]

Editor in Chief: Sandy Rowe
Phone: 503-221-8400
Fax: 503-294-4175

[email protected]

Editorial Page Editor: Robert Caldwell
Phone: 503-221-8197
Fax: 503-294-4193
[email protected]

Here's what I wrote to the paper:

I was deeply disappointed in your decision to distribute a blatantly anti-Muslim DVD as paid advertising. Other papers declined to accept payment and in doing do helped to stop the spread of anti-Muslim sentiment. Your decision to accept payment and distribute the DVD in the name of "free speech" is offensive. If the DVD had been a diatribe against Christians or Jews, I suspect The Oregonian would have declined the opportunity to profit. This will be remembered as a dark chapter in The Oregonian's history.

The Rev. Chuck Currie

I hope that you'll take a moment to write as well.

Now airing on CNN, Bravo, BET and TV One. 

Check out this Sunday what it means to be a church were all the people are welcome.

In Portland, please visit Parkrose Community United Church of Chist or any of our other congregations.

We're An Open and Affirming Congregation

In Galatians 3.28 we are reminded that despite our differences we are all "one in Christ Jesus." Therefore, we, the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God's grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, religious, political or social-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry, and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation. This is God's church and no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

KOIN TV 6 was at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ this morning and spoke to me after my sermon about America's economic crisis.  You should be able to catch the story at 6 pm on television or their website.

This morning at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ my sermon focused on America’s economic crisis. We heard readings from Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 and Matthew 21:23-32 but during my sermon I focused on two different pieces of Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7 and Isaiah 3:13-15.

The subtext for my message this morning was the experience of the Exodus and the period of fleeing in the wilderness that followed. This period of national uncertainty and chaos is a “wilderness experience” for the American people – a time when we are being tested and being measured against our own failures and successes.

Use the below link to download the podcast of the sermon for your iPod or personal computer.

Download God'sEconomy.m4a

(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. Just open the ITunes application and use the search function to find

"Chuck Currie"

then click on the "Subscribe" button.

Everyone who tuned into the presidential debate tonight saw a good show. Both candidates performed well. But on the issues the winner was Barack Obama. Senator Obama has a better understanding of America’s economic needs and clearly was right when he questioned John McCain’s failed judgment on Iraq. On the economy and on Iraq – the two most important issues to face America in this generation – John McCain has followed George W. Bush and helped to led America into trouble. And tonight McCain offered what amounted to a defense of the last eight years. Senator Obama offered something more: a vision of an America that is strong and respected across the world once again.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright offered her own assesment:

Tonight was a breakthrough for Senator Obama, who showed himself truly ready to be president. He responded knowledgeably, thoughtfully and confidently to the toughest questions on the economy, Iraq, and terror. Meanwhile, Senator McCain spent so much time attacking his opponent, he neglected to show how a McCain-Palin administration would differ from Bush-Cheney. As a result, Obama answered the threshold question about his candidacy; McCain did not.

Get your popcorn ready for the vice-presidential debate next week.

In less than a half hour Barack Obama and John McCain will debate (believe it or not).  Liz and I can't help but think back to the night George W. Bush and John Kerry debated in St. Louis back in 2004.  We were at the post-debate rally with the Kerry campaign.

Tonight we are about as far away from the debate site as possible.  We're in Cannon Beach, Oregon with a view of the beautiful Pacific as our backdrop for the festivities.

I suspect we're in a much better place tonight.

Chris Cillizza reports:

The news that John McCain will debate Barack Obama tonight in Mississippi is a concession by the Arizona Senator that his attempt to score a quick political victory on legislation to bail out the financial sector did not pan out as he had hoped.

McCain suspended his presidential campaign with much fanfare on Wednesday, insisting that the crisis in financial markets and the seeming stalemate on Capitol Hill required that politics be set aside for the good of the country.

But, over the intervening 24 hours, McCain saw what looked at first like a brilliant political gambit turn into a nightmare as what looked like a done deal to save the financial industry devolved into a partisan shouting match at the White House that left Congressional negotiators back at square one.

Now that McCain has ruined that bi-partisan plan that had been put together to save the economy and created new chaos in DC, I guess I can un-suspend my blog.

Like John McCain, I believe that America's financial crisis - one created by George W. Bush and John McCain's economic policies - should create fear and panic among the American people.  Therefore, taking a cue from Senator McCain, I hereby declare that I am suspending my blog until this crisis is over.  During this suspension I will, of course, continue to blog (just as John McCain continues to campaign and does endless television interviews).  But I will not debate Barack Obama.  I've met the man.  Twice.  And I've taken away a clear sense that Barack Obama is smarter than both John McCain and me.  Unlike Senator McCain, Barack Obama has a detailed economic plan that would help turn our economy around.  Senator Obama understands that our values are reflected in our budgets.  I can understand why Senator McCain would find any possible excuse not to debate Senator Obama.  The risks to his campaign are just to high.

Update:  Once again, Stephen Colbert tries to steal my thunder.  Even if he did do this yesterday.  The man is a mind-reader.  He's clearly still upset that my campaign for vice-president of South Carolina overshadowed his own race for president.

Update:  As you know, just minutes ago I suspended my blog in response to America's economic crisis.  Like John McCain, I can't just handle more than one crisis at a time.  But that isn't true for the folks at the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.  They've just launched a new website - www.nrcatactionfund.org - that includes (in their words) a new "Election Resource Center," a "Lobby Against Torture" section and a "Good Things to Do This Month" section. 

Didn't they get the message from Senator McCain we were suppose to stop thinking about these issues and focus on how he's going to save America from the policies he has fought hard for his entire tenure in Congress?         

Free Sarah Palin!

Weren’t Republicans supposed to be the party of “family values?”

News today in The Oregonian and on Blue Oregon about newly appointed State Representative Matt Wingard (R-Willsonville) is distressing.

It turns out that Rep. Wingard, now running for election, pleaded guilty to beating his child with a screwdriver in 2002. His ex-wife says it was part of a pattern of abuse. From The Oregonian:

The additional allegations of abuse are in a sworn affidavit that Pico, the boy's mother, submitted to a Clackamas County judge in August 2004. It outlined what she called "a mentally and sometimes physically abusive relationship" that Wingard had with their son.

She said the boy told her that Wingard struck him three times with the screwdriver during a weekend visit in 2001.

In addition, she wrote, Wingard "has a lengthy history of emotionally abusing our son, neglecting his needs, inappropriate punishments and making questionable parenting decisions" that included:

When the boy refused to eat his food, holding him down "and force-feeding him to the point of vomiting."

He locked the boy, at age 4 or 5, "in a dark stairwell and told him that he was going to get over his fear of the dark that night," adding that he wouldn't be let out until he was no longer afraid.

At times when the boy cried, Wingard "would attempt to stop the crying by holding him very tightly to the point of bruising his chest."

At other times, the boy told of Wingard "slapping him during play, leaving fingerprint marks and other bruises."

Court records include notes from the boy's medical files that also reference the abuse allegations.

Wingard denies the allegations – blaming them on his ex-wife – but the record is pretty clear. Voters could do us all a favor by electing Jessica Adamson to replace Wingard. Clearly, Winggard doesn’t have the ethical or moral skills to serve in public office.

As a clergy person, I'm allowed to opt-out of the Social Security system.  But I'm not dumb.  I opt-in along with making modest investments (in socially responsible funds) available through the United Church of Christ retirement plan.

Without Social Security my grandparents - particularly after my grandmother's stroke - would have been destitute.  The same with my great-grandmother.  Like most Americans, I don't come from a rich family.   

Churches were at the forefront of the movement to create Social Security and we are at the forefront of the movement to defend it. The National Council of Churches USA (NCC) said a few years ago:

The churches’ work to protect the Social Security system has a strong biblical grounding, even though you won’t find the phrase “Social Security” in the Bible. What you will find are Old and New Testament texts that repeatedly challenge us—as a society—to provide for the most vulnerable among us: people living in poverty, the elderly, widows and orphans. Do you remember the story of Joseph, who, inspired by God, dreamed a plan that saved Egypt from famine? Foreseeing lean years ahead, he advised Pharaoh to store up grain. The Bible records the plan: “Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities …” (Genesis 41:35) So, too, in our time, we the people, acting through our elected officials, should be prudent and provide a safety net to prevent any in our society from falling into poverty. Social Security is just such an anti-poverty program that shares risks and rewards across our whole society.

The Bible is clear that God judges peoples and nations by how well they carry out God’s assignment to care for vulnerable people. At the end of the debate on Social Security, let us be able to say we have met that challenge well.

So I was proud again today to hear Senator Barack Obama defend Social Security and to argue that our economy needs to work for all Americans - not just the rich and powerful.

I'm not using this statement from the NCC to imply that they endorse Senator Obama's position on Social Security.  After all, it was written before the presidential election and NCC does not engage in partisan politics. 

But for me the debate over the meltdown on Wall Street and the fight over Social Security - which Senator McCain has argued should be privatized - is central to this election.

I want a president that is willing to fight for everyone - young and old - and who understands that the moral responsibility of this generation is to protect the most vulnerable among us. 

There are two new upcoming Christian education opportunities for adults at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ: 

"Love"

This Fall join the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ as we study the Biblical concept of “Love” during a five week course that begins Sunday, Sept. 28th and ends Sunday, Oct. 26th. All sessions start at 9 am in the Garden Room.

Click here for more information 

“Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God”

Zion United Church of Christ and Parkrose Community United Church of Christ invite you to join us for a new and exciting Christian education opportunity from the producers of “Living the Questions.”

“Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God” is a 12-week course that invites participants to journey back to the earliest days of the church.

Click here for class dates and more information.

People from outside the church are welcome to RSVP and attend but keep in mind this disclaimer from the creators of Living the Questions, the folks who also created the “Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God” curriculum:

“Living the Questions” is a study for the countless people of faith who have suffered in silence as the voices of fear and false certitude claim to profess the unchanging truth of Christianity. It’s purpose is to provide a resource for the discussion of what is already believed and practiced by many faithful people still holding on within institutional religion while harboring a conviction that what most churches teach isn’t the whole story. It may even be helpful for those who Jack Spong calls “believers in exile” – those who have left the church because of its refusal to take their questions or life’s situation seriously. It is not intended to spell out new doctrine or create new dogma but to serve as a catalyst to perhaps crack open the door to the future.

To make the implicit explicit, this study is not for:

• those whose personal faith requires them to believe that the Bible is the inerrant and inspired word of God.
• those who believe that the doctrines set forth by the early church are sacrosanct and not to be questioned.
• those whose eternal salvation depends on their unswerving commitment to the above.
• those who believe the reason the mainline churches in Europe, North America, and Australia/ New Zealand have been losing members and influence for generations is because they haven’t been teaching “orthodox” Christianity or preaching the true Gospel.

Please be aware that the issues and concepts discussed in the DVDs and written material will challenge many people’s worldview and understanding of the divine. For some it will be radically new information. For others, it will be an affirmation of what they’ve known deep down for a long time. Both facilitators and participants will want to be prepared for anxiety, conflict, and the need to be patient with those who are struggling.

If it hadn't been for a nice e-card from the 20/30 Clergy Network of the UCC, I would have forgotten that today is the second anniversary of my ordination.  Take a look back at some of the photos.

This morning I was a guest on KEX to talk about Measure 62.  You can click here to listen to the podcast.  Make sure you're listening to the show from today - Sept. 16th - and fast forward to the end of the hour.  I'm about the last thing you hear.

And this evening I was on KBOO to talk about gender and homelessness.  You can listen to Part 1 of the one-hour show here and Part 2 here. 

Last night I mentioned that a new push poll was being used to try and scare Jewish voters out of voting for Barack Obama.

JewsVote.org notes:

In recent polls, more than 60% of Jewish voters said they would vote for Senator Barack Obama in the general election; close to 30% said they would vote for Senator John McCain.

I speculated that with the history of those associated with the McCain campaign it might just be someone in the GOP nominee's camp behind the calls.  Turns out I was right.

If John McCain has any honor he will disavow this pull poll and cut all ties with the organization behind it.  He's the leader of his party.  Now he needs to show he understands the moral responsibility that comes with that title.   

One of the greatest economic and moral issues we face is how to expand health insurance to the 45 million Americans who go without.  Churches and other religious bodies have actively worked for universal health care.  The Social Creed adopted in 2007 by the National Council of Churches USA calls for the church body to work for "high quality public education for all and universal, affordable and accessible healthcare."

It turns out that John McCain's perscription for health care reform would cause more problems than it would fix.  The New York Times reports:

Senator John McCain’s top domestic policy adviser, former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas J. Holtz-Eakin, recently said in a conference call with reporters that Mr. McCain’s health care proposal would “put 25 to 30 million individuals out of the ranks of the uninsured, into the ranks of the insured.” In an article released Tuesday, a panel of prominent health economists concludes that Mr. Holtz-Eakin’s projection is off by, well, 25 to 30 million.

The article, published in the journal Health Affairs, argues that “initially there would be no real change in the number of people covered as a result of the McCain plan.” After a short-term reduction of 1 million in the number of people without coverage, the number of uninsured would increase by 5 million after five years, the authors predict. There are currently 45 million people without insurance, or 15 percent of the population, according to the Census Bureau.

Mr. McCain’s plan is designed to create greater equity between the group and individual insurance markets. He would end the exclusion of employer-provided health benefits from federal income taxes, an advantage not enjoyed by those who buy insurance on their own, and replace it with health care tax credits of $2,500 per individual and $5,000 per family.

That, the McCain campaign asserts, would drive more people into the individual market, fomenting competition, reducing premiums and discouraging consumers from buying more coverage than they need or can afford. The economists wrote that many “people are likely to have far less generous policies than those they have today.”

The NYT further reports that Barack Obama's plan would "reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million in 2009 and by 34 million in 2018, according to the Urban Institute/Brookings Institution report."  That would be a huge leap forward - a huge leap forward - but our churches need to keep pressing for full coverage.

Tuesday morning around 8:20 (maybe a little after) I'll be on the air with Paul Linnman on 1190 KEX to talk about why I'm opposed to Oregon Measure 62.  You can get a preview of what I'll say by clicking here.

Later in the day I'll be in the studios of KBOO radio for a 6 pm discussion on how gender impacts homelessness.  This is really a great conversation to have and you can listen to the show - Outloud - both on air and on the internet.

So tune in.  The lines will be open on KBOO with questions.

I support Barack Obama because he'll fight to make sure that children get the medical care they need.  It has been a long time since we've had a president who put the needs of children "first."  Barack Obama will do just that.  He knows what true reform looks like and how to bring people together to solve problems.  Barack Obama knows how to address the health care crisis.  That's one reason he has my vote.

George W. Bush and his allies used push polls to destroy John McCain in 2000.  Now McCain employees much of the same team that claimed he fathered illegitimate children.

Now push polls are being used against Barack Obama.  Gee.  I wonder who might be involved....

Related Link:  JewsVote.org on Barack Obama

Negative campaigning is so out of hand that even Karl Rove is complaining about it.  In that context Paul Raushenbush writes today about the need to hold on to hope:

I became an Obama supporter because his candidacy and vision for America filled me with a feeling that no politician in my lifetime had inspired - hope. The hope that fueled my support for Senator Obama to be elected president was not sunny corporate optimism or dreamy utopian fantasy, but rather a desire to have a leader who would demand of me that I join with my fellow citizens and work together for the common good for all....

....Let's remind people why Barack Obama was such a compelling candidate to us 18 months ago. Let's reclaim Hope as a rallying call. Hope is a decision we make about the world and our perspective on it. Let's proclaim loudly that we continue to believe that unity will overcome division, hope will overcome fear, that America has an extraordinary future and that Barack Obama is the person who is best suited to lead us into this next century and to bring us together as a nation. Let's hold on and commit to hope as our compass. And even if the election does not turn out the way I want it to this time, I sincerely hope that I will continue to represent my belief in unity, in common good and work for a better future for all in America. I will vote my hope in November, and live my hope every day.

Click here for Paul's full post.

Paul is the Associate Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University.  We both attended the Democratic National Convention and heard Senator Obama's historic acceptance speech.

Tomorrow morning Tuesday morning around 8:20 (maybe a little after) I'll be on the air with Paul Linnman on 1190 KEX to talk about why I'm opposed to Oregon Measure 62.

Update:  I was scheduled to be on air this morning but the studio just called and they needed to reschedule for tomorrow morning. 

My feelings about John McCain were enhanced by the 2000 election.  I didn't agree with his policies but I kept think "if only he were the GOP nominee it wouldn't be so bad if Gore lost.  At least someone with some integrity would be in the White House."  It turns out McCain's integrity was only skin deep.  The NYT has three stories worth noting on the 2008 race on their website.

On the negative tone of the McCain campaign:

Harsh advertisements and negative attacks are a staple of presidential campaigns, but Senator John McCain has drawn an avalanche of criticism this week from Democrats, independent groups and even some Republicans for regularly stretching the truth in attacking Senator Barack Obama’s record and positions.

Mr. Obama has also been accused of distortions, but this week Mr. McCain has found himself under particularly heavy fire for a pair of headline-grabbing attacks. First the McCain campaign twisted Mr. Obama’s words to suggest that he had compared Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, to a pig after Mr. Obama said, in questioning Mr. McCain’s claim to be the change agent in the race, “You can put lipstick on a pig; it’s still a pig.” (Mr. McCain once used the same expression to describe Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s health plan.)

Then he falsely claimed that Mr. Obama supported “comprehensive sex education” for kindergartners (he supported teaching them to be alert for inappropriate advances from adults).

Those attacks followed weeks in which Mr. McCain repeatedly, and incorrectly, asserted that Mr. Obama would raise taxes on the middle class, even though analysts say he would cut taxes on the middle class more than Mr. McCain would, and misrepresented Mr. Obama’s positions on energy and health care.

A McCain advertisement called “Fact Check” was itself found to be “less than honest” by FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan group. The group complained that the McCain campaign had cited its work debunking various Internet rumors about Ms. Palin and implied in the advertisement that the rumors had originated with Mr. Obama.

In an interview Friday on the NY1 cable news channel, a McCain supporter, Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, called “ridiculous” the implication that Mr. Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” comment was a reference to Ms. Palin, whom he also defended as coming under unfair attack.

“The last month, for sure,” said Don Sipple, a Republican advertising strategist, “I think the predominance of liberty taken with truth and the facts has been more McCain than Obama.”

About McCain's new tv spot:

The advertisement is the latest in a number that resort to a dubious disregard for the facts. The nonpartisan political analysis group Factcheck.org has already criticized “Disrespectful” as “particularly egregious,” saying that it “goes down new paths of deception,” and is “peddling false quotes.” Even the title is troublesome. “Disrespectful” is one of those words that is loaded with racial and class connotations that many people consider offensive.

On his VP choice (this one is actually an editoral):

As we watched Sarah Palin on TV the last couple of days, we kept wondering what on earth John McCain was thinking.

If he seriously thought this first-term governor — with less than two years in office — was qualified to be president, if necessary, at such a dangerous time, it raises profound questions about his judgment. If the choice was, as we suspect, a tactical move, then it was shockingly irresponsible.

It was bad enough that Ms. Palin’s performance in the first televised interviews she has done since she joined the Republican ticket was so visibly scripted and lacking in awareness.

What made it so much worse is the strategy for which the Republicans have made Ms. Palin the frontwoman: win the White House not on ideas, but by denigrating experience, judgment and qualifications.

The idea that Americans want leaders who have none of those things — who are so blindly certain of what Ms. Palin calls “the mission” that they won’t even pause for reflection — shows a contempt for voters and raises frightening questions about how Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin plan to run this country.

One of the many bizarre moments in the questioning by ABC News’s Charles Gibson was when Ms. Palin, the governor of Alaska, excused her lack of international experience by sneering that Americans don’t want “somebody’s big fat résumé maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state.”

We know we were all supposed to think of Joe Biden. But it sure sounded like a good description of Mr. McCain. Those decades of experience earned the Arizona senator the admiration of people in both parties. They are why he was our preferred candidate in the Republican primaries.

There was a time when a lot of us thought McCain was something different - a better man than most in politics - but now we know he's as dirty and low down as the man he hopes to replace.

At least we have a solid alternative in Barack Obama.

We have this information available from United Church of Christ leaders preparing for Hurricane Ike:

The UCC South Central Conference (SCC) is prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Ike. Douglas Anders, Conference Minister, in the weekly local church e-newsletter has provided web links and phone numbers for pastors and members who may need immediate relief following the hurricane. Additionally, several conference members have agreed to be points of contact for pastors in the path of Hurricane Ike.

UCC members in Texas and other locations that will feel the effects of this hurricane are encouraged to follow the advice of county emergency management officers – if advised to evacuate, leave the area. The SCC e-newsletter included a link to evacuation routes.

National Disaster Ministries staff in Cleveland have been in contact with the Conference Minister and contact persons in the conference and are ready to respond as appropriate.

Please keep all people on the Gulf Coast who are being impacted by hurricanes this season in your prayers. To assist with UCC recovery efforts, please give generously to the OGHS, 2008 Hurricane Recovery Appeal.

Click here for the full version of this post on the United Church News Blog.

This from Politico.com:

After a week on defense, the Obama campaign is roaring back with a new theme for attacking Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.): “out of touch.”

In a conference call with reporters on Friday morning, the Obama campaign seized on a comment by McCain in Thursday night’s ServiceNation forum in New York, where the candidates appeared separately on the seventh anniversary of 9/11.

McCain was defending his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,800. Asked by Judy Woodruff of PBS about her stint as “a small-town mayor,” McCain replied: “[L]isten, mayors have the toughest job, I think, in America. It's easy for me to go to Washington and, frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have.”

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters on the call that is “a critical comment by John McCain that evidences why he really isn’t going to bring change.”

“I have been with John McCain in Washington, and I think what he said reflects the reality of many people,” Durbin said. “But even worse is the situation that his economic policies that he wants to continue with George Bush have failed. If he would, you know, be in the real world of American families in New York, Illinois or Florida, he would understand that.”

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.): “I think he said it because he knows, in fact, he’s removed from the day-to-day challenges people have faced in their lives. And you see it manifest itself in the thing when he says, you know, I don’t use a computer. I don’t use e-mail. There’s a whole economic revolution going on. And it fundamentally changed the economy, and fundamentally changed people’s lives, and he is removed from it.”

Click here for the full story.

Via People for the American Way

Great democracies cannot allow politicians for their own personal religious reasons to advocate the banning of books from public libraries.  It's clear now that not only is Sarah Palin not qualified to be the Vice-President of the United States of America she never should have been mayor of her township of 9,000 people.

On this - another beautiful fall day that reminds me of September 2001 - we stop as a nation to remember those lost on 9/11.  Thousands died in a terrible crime.  For a brief moment what happened united the American people in a way not seen in generations.  Sadly, that moment was lost as some used the attacks to further divide the American people and to push social agendas and foreign policy doctrines that left America weaker and which must have given the terrorists hope.

So it did the country good today to see the two major presidential party candidates put aside their campaigns for a moment and in the spirit of national unity join together at Ground Zero.  The New York Times reports:

After days of sharp attacks against each other on the campaign trail, John McCain and Barack Obama suspended their political advertising Thursday and made a joint visit late this afternoon to ground zero in New York City to mark the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Mr. Obama, after a 90-minute lunch with former President Bill Clinton in Harlem, traveled far downtown to the former site of the World Trade Center and met Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg near the pile just before 4 p.m. A short time later, Mr. McCain and his wife Cindy arrived and shook hands with Mr. Obama and Mr. Bloomberg.

Then the two presidential nominees walked shoulder-to-shoulder down a long ramp toward the site, occasionally chatting along the way, as Mrs. McCain and Mayor Bloomberg walked behind. Michelle Obama was home in Chicago with the couple’s daughters on Thursday.

At the end of the ramp, the two senators greeted a small receiving line; each took a rose — Mr. Obama, a pink one, and Mr. McCain, a yellow one — and laid the flower on a reflecting pool at the bottom of the site. They stood silent for a few moments, each clasping his own fingers, and then shook hands with officers of the New York police and fire departments.

The four then walked back up the ramp, which was decked with flags of dozens of nations; Mr. McCain took his wife by the arm, while Mr. Obama walked with his hands behind his back as Mr. Bloomberg appeared to point out sights. Near their separate motorcades, the two men shook hands with several uniformed officers and thanked them for their service. They also posed separately for a couple of photographs by children and other onlookers, chatted with some of them, and accepted a couple of roses and notes.

At the end, Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama shook hands, and Mr. McCain could be heard saying to his rival, “All right sir, see you soon.” Both appeared cordial but somber.

The idea for the two rivals to appear together at ground zero originated last week during a telephone conversation between the men. When Mr. Obama called Mr. McCain to congratulate him on accepting the Republican presidential nomination, aides to both men said, Mr. Obama proposed the idea and Mr. McCain accepted.

We need more moments like this in American politics - where people even when they disagree with each other on the issues - can come together when it matters.  Senator Obama was right to see this as a moment that should be about reconciliation and not politics.

Today State Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo announced that Oregon’s homeless student population for the 2007-08 school year was 15,859.

That’s an “increase of 93% since 2003-04,” according to the Oregon Department of Education.

This announcement represents the collective moral failings of our elected leaders.

Last year religious leaders from across Oregon wrote Governor Ted Kulongoski, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Senator Gordon Smith asking that they take immediate action to support schools and non-profits assisting homeless families in the wake of this growing crisis. The letter stated in part:

As religious leaders, we care deeply about this issue. Our traditions teach that justice for those living in poverty is of paramount concern. Churches, temples and mosques across Oregon are involved in the fight to end homelessness.

The fact that over 15,000 children were homeless in Oregon during the last school year is a moral scandal. No child should be homeless in a nation as rich as ours. We support efforts to fully integrate homeless students into the public school system where they can receive all the benefits of a public education and oppose segregating homeless children into separate schools. Separate is never equal.

Furthermore, we call on the federal and state government to do more to address the root causes of homelessness in our society. We support economic policies that help lift people out of poverty and oppose the present policies that have led to increased poverty in our nation. The needs of homeless children and families have been largely forgotten by politicians at every level of government.

A full copy of the letter can be found here: http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2007/09/breaking-news-r.html

Neither Senator Smith nor Senator Wyden ever responded. Governor Kulongoski’s office sent a 1- paragraph e-mail thanking the religious community for sharing their concerns. All three leaders should be ashamed that this crisis has continued to grow on their watch without substantial action.

How much longer will our state wait until we take action to end homelessness among children and families?

OPB's program "Think Out Loud" is focusing today on Measure 62, a proposed Constitutional Amendment that would allocate 15% of lottery funds to public safety for crime prevention, investigation and prosecution.

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is urging a "NO" vote on this proposal.  I serve as a member of EMO's public policy committee.  Here's why we recommend a no vote:

By dedicating 15% of lottery funding to crime program - despite recent funding increases for state police- this measure would significantly reduce funding available for education, economic development and natural resource programs. This is a shell game that creates no new revenue for badly underfunded programs, but simply writes into the state constitution a permanent preference for funding for law enforcement over funding for education, economic development and environmental protection.

Measure 62 is bad public policy that would have a long-term negative effective on Oregon's future.

Click here to view all of EMO ballot measure recommendations.

via Obama Politics:

Going back to Ronald Reagan, the Rev. Wilfredo De Jesús—the senior pastor of a 4,500-member Hispanic evangelical church in Chicago—has pulled the lever for Republicans in presidential elections. "I always voted on the issue of abortion and the sanctity of marriage," he says. This time, though, Sen. Barack Obama's message of faith and social justice, combined with strident GOP rhetoric on illegal immigration, has persuaded him to endorse the Democrat.

Visit the site for source links.

Susan Brooks Thistlewaite writes for OnFaith:

John McCain has demonstrated, with the Sarah Palin vice-presidential pick, that these days he puts his country last, certainly behind his own ambition. This transparently political move is the antithesis of putting the well-being of the country first, especially in regard to its national security. McCain also showed how much he identifies with George W. Bush; he put her on the ticket.

Click here for the full story.

From The Washington Post:

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Being governor of Alaska must be a great gig.  Stay home, watch tv, and pick-up a per diem meant for when you're out working.

John McCain & Sarah Palin - More of the same.  We can't afford that. 

Don't right-wing bloggers have better things to do than talk about me?  This one is at least entertaining (if you can just pretend you're listening to a tongue-in-cheek Stephen Colbert type show instead hearing it for what it is: hateful and juvenile).   

Related Post: A Podcast Sermon On John 14:6: Finding Your Path(s) to God 

As a member of the Public Policy Committee for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO), one of the responsibilities I share with other committee members is in making recommendations as to what ballot measures EMO should support or oppose each election cycle.  EMO's Fall 2008 voter guide is now available.  The introduction states:

This voters’ guide to ballot measures for the Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008, statewide general election in Oregon is provided as an educational resource by the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) Board of Directors and Public Policy Committee. EMO is a statewide, ecumenical association working to respond to the needs of Oregonians.

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon’s position statements reflect a vote of its board of directors based on the recommendations of its Public Policy Advocacy Committee.

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon has adopted a “Statement of Social Principles,” which guides our public policy advocacy work. In this statement, we affirm the value of involvement with civic affairs and the governmental process:

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon believes that the demands of the Gospel and our understanding of our diverse religious traditions call us to participate in civic life. Our faith traditions give us a unique and important perspective to offer the community in deliberations on civic, legislative and governmental matters. EMO believes that every person should be given the opportunity to be informed about the policies and processes of government at every level.

As we consider each ballot measure, we keep in mind this statement of principles and seek to make recommendations that are consistent with our past positions and our biblical and theological core principles. We ask that you prayerfully consider the wisdom of your own tradition and process of discernment in exercising your civic duty.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland and the Greek Orthodox Church abstained from EMO’s deliberations regarding the November ballot measures. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese releases all public policy statements through the Oregon Catholic Conference.

Here is how we came down on the ballot measures up for consideration this fall:

Measure 54: Deletes unenforceable constitutional language
Vote YES

Measure 55: Minor redistricting change
No Position

Measure 56: Eliminates double majority requirement
Vote YES

Measure 57: Increases sentences for specified crimes
Vote NO

Measure 58: Limits bilingual education
Vote NO

Measure 59: Tax break for high-income taxpayers
Vote NO

Measure 60: Teacher evaluation based on “performance”
Vote NO

Measure 61: Mandatory minimum prison sentences
Vote NO

Measure 62: Dedicates lottery funds to law enforcement
Vote NO

Measure 63: Eliminates specified building permit requirements
Vote NO

Measure 64: Cuts political funds for public employee unions
Vote NO

Measure 65: Creates open primary elections
No Position

Download the full voter guide to read our reasoning on each of these recommendations.  Copies of the ballot guides are available for bulk purchase for use in churches and other groups.  Please contact EMO at 503-221-1054 or e-mail [email protected].

While Sarah Palin continues to hid out in her undisclosed location (wherever the press isn't) we are learning more about how her religion informs her public policy views.  The New York Times reports:

Interviews with the two pastors she has been most closely associated with here in her hometown — she now attends the Wasilla Bible Church, though she keeps in touch with Mr. Riley and recently spoke at an event at his former church — and with friends and acquaintances who have worshipped with her point to a firm conclusion: her foundation and source of guidance is the Bible, and with it has come a conviction to be God’s servant.

“Just be amazed at the umbrella of this church here, where God is going to send you from this church,” Ms. Palin told the gathering in June of young graduates of a ministry program at the Assembly of God Church, a video of which has been posted on YouTube.

“Believe me,” she said, “I know what I am saying — where God has sent me, from underneath the umbrella of this church, throughout the state.”

Janet Kincaid, who has known Ms. Palin for about 15 years and worked with her on some Wasilla town boards and commissions when Ms. Palin was mayor here, said Ms. Palin’s spiritual path, from the Assembly of God to Wasilla Bible, has had a consistent theme.

“The churches that Sarah has attended all believe in a literal translation of the Bible,” Ms. Kincaid said. “Her principal ethical and moral beliefs stem from this.”

Prayer, and belief in its power, is another constant theme, Ms. Kincaid said, in what she has witnessed in Ms. Palin. “Her beliefs are firm in the power of prayer — let’s put it that way,” she said.

Maria Comella, a spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign, said Ms. Palin had been baptized Roman Catholic as an infant, but declined to comment further.

“We’re not going to get into discussing her religion,” she said.

In the address at the Assembly of God Church here, Ms. Palin’s ease in talking about the intersection of faith and public life was clear. Among other things, she encouraged the group of young church leaders to pray that “God’s will” be done in bringing about the construction of a big pipeline in the state, and suggested her work as governor would be hampered “if the people of Alaska’s heart isn’t right with God.”

She also told the group that her eldest child, Track, would soon be deployed by the Army to Iraq, and that they should pray “that our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God, that’s what we have to make sure we are praying for, that there is a plan, and that plan is God’s plan.”

Remind you of anyone?  George W. Bush shares this same basic theological outlook.  It's a viewpoint that allows you to rape the environment and wage war all in the name of God.  Like Bush, she appears to believe that God has called her to this moment. 

Governor, that wasn't God.  It was John McCain.     

This morning at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ our Scripture readings included Ps 149, Rom 13:8-14, and Matt 18:15-20.  My sermon focused on the text from Romans in which we are told to "dress ourselves in Christ and be up and about (The Message)" with a sense of urgency.

We need to be urgent in our work this week as Dalit Christian in India flee from violence.  These are our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are called to come to their aid.

Use the below link to download the podcast of the sermon for your iPod or personal computer.     

Download Pray, Fast For The Dalit People.

(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. Just open the ITunes application and use the search function to find

"Chuck Currie"

then click on the "Subscribe" button.

Jonathan Martin reports:

In a moment sure to provide memorable images, Barack Obama and John McCain will stand together in solidarity at the former site of the World Trade Center on the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The campaigns jointly issued a statement today announcing a rare moment of unity in a campaign increasingly marked by sharply worded attacks.

"On Thursday, we will put aside politics and come together to renew that unity, to honor the memory of each and every American who died, and to grieve with the families and friends who lost loved ones," said both senators in a statement. "We will also give thanks for the firefighters, police and emergency responders who set a heroic example of selfless service, and for the men and women who serve today in defense of the freedom and security that came under attack in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa."

Click here for the full post.

I'm feeling a little bit better about the state of America right this moment.

The first night of the Democratic National Convention the delegates and guests heard a video presentation from former President Jimmy Carter that addressed poverty and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  At the conclusion of the video President and Mrs. Carter took the stage to loud applause.  It was an honor for me to be there to watch the Noble Peace Prize winner.  He has spent all these years after leaving the White House working to address poverty and war through the Carter Center.  He has a wisdom about him that is rooted, I think, in his deep faith.  President Carter knows what it means to be a peacemaker. 

Tonight I've been watching the documentary Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains.  Here's how the filmmakers describe their work:

Man From Plains is an intimate, surprising encounter with President Jimmy Carter. Following the path of Mr. Carter's recent controversial book tour for Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, Academy Award© - winning director Jonthan Demme reveals a complex individual who, with the gusto and determination of a youngster, criss-crosses the country to get his message across, even as that message creates a media onslaught in which his credibility and judgment are called into question. Man From Plains explores both the private and public sides of Jimmy Carter, whose intense sense of justice compels him to pursue, with undiminished energy and hope, his lifelong and deeply spiritual vision of reconciliation and peace.

What President Carter has always offered the American people (and the world for that matter) is an example to live by.  He has made controversial statements and put forth controversial proposals that have in different moments of his public life made him unpopular.  That doesn't seem to matter much to President Carter.  What seems to matter more is that President Carter understands that his unique place in history affords him the opportunity to push nations toward peace.  He offers a moral voice on both foerign and domestic issues that cannot be ignored.

Press Release from The Community of Welcoming Congregations

Songs of Faith & Freedom II
October 18, 7:00 pm Congregation Neveh Shalom, Portland

(GRESHAM, OREGON) – Portland composer/director Dr. David York will bring multiple artistic talents to a concert to benefit The Community of Welcoming Congregations.  Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, local congregational choirs including Ainsworth United Church of Christ, First Unitarian Church, three local Centers for Spiritual Living, Metropolitan Community Church, and individuals will participate in the event to be held at Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland.

Titled, “Songs of Faith & Freedom II,” the benefit concert will build on last year’s hugely successful event held in Portland’s Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

“Music is the universal language of love and hope”, said Rev. Tara Wilkins, CWC’s Executive Director.  The Community of Welcoming Congregations is an Oregon and SW Washington interfaith ministry that dedicates itself to the full inclusion and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning people.  With 98 active congregations throughout the state, CWC celebrates the diversity of creation by bringing together top religious musicians to offer their inspirational voices to raise support and awareness for their ministry.

Last year CWC organized religious leaders supporting the Oregon Equality Act (SB 2) and the Family Fairness Act (HB 2007), which were passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Kulongoski.  “Many clergy and congregational leaders support gay and lesbian equality”, said Wilkins.  “For us it is a matter of faith and justice to celebrate the gifts of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and the contributions they make to our congregations.” 

The proceeds for this event will go toward the ongoing work of CWC, which will include building community coalitions, sponsoring a youth camp, hosting an interfaith transgender conference, mentoring congregations seeking to be inclusive and providing outreach to those seeking spiritual homes.

NOTE: Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, the congregation I pastor, is a member of The Community of Welcoming Congregations.

Having just returned last week from the Democratic National Convention in Denver where the delegates and guests looked like America - white, black, Hispanic, Christian, Jewish, working class, young and old - it is a little disheartening to watch John McCain's nearly whites-only convention in St. Paul.  The Washington Post reports:

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 3 -- Organizers conceived of this convention as a means to inspire, but some African American Republicans have found the Xcel Energy Center depressing this week. Everywhere they look, they see evidence of what they consider one of their party's biggest shortcomings.

As the country rapidly diversifies, Republicans are presenting a convention that is almost entirely white.

Only 36 of the 2,380 delegates seated on the convention floor are black, the lowest number since the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies began tracking diversity at political conventions 40 years ago. Each night, the overwhelmingly white audience watches a series of white politicians step to the lectern -- a visual reminder that no black Republican has served as a governor, U.S. senator or U.S. House member in the past six years.

McCain's campaign staff doesn't seem to mind that they represent only one part of America.

The good news, Republicans said, is that they think Sen. John McCain can still win this election with the kind of demographics on display in St. Paul.

Campaigns ought to be about building coalitions that bring people from all walks of life into the political process as equal partners so that together we might address the issues that threaten our common good.  John McCain's coalition of mostly old wealthy white men (+ one woman as VP that even McCain doesn't know anything about) doesn't have the experience or the wisdom to lead this nation.  It would simply be another four years of the failed policies of George W. Bush. 

Sarah Palin is a hypocrite.

The Governor says that she is pro-life but that apparently only extends to fetuses in the womb.  Once babies are born and young mothers are in need the last person who they should turn to help from is Sarah Palin.

The New Times reports on how she cut funding recently for programs meant to help babies and young mothers:

“Our house is full, help us build a new home,” proclaims the Web site for Covenant House Alaska, a program that helps younger people, including teenage mothers. The Alaska legislature decided to allocate $5 million in building funds, but Gov. Sarah Palin cut that to $3.9 million with a line-item veto in June....

...the lost $1.1 million may delay a $22 million project to expand an emergency shelter, which is open 24 hours a day and provides food, counseling, medical care and a place to sleep for troubled youths ages 13 to 20 years old. Some teenagers later move on to transitional housing, including Passage House, which serves young mothers with babies.

The group is also banking on money from the state to help leverage private donations.

John McCain and Sarah Palin want to take away a women's right to make her own health care decisions.  Palin has been clear that she is opposed to sex education for teenagers. 

The bottom line is this:  Palin is pro-life until the child is born and then she is willing to throw that life away. 

It seems a little early to concede the election but maybe these top Republicans are smarter than the average elephant.  In any case, I can feel their pain.  McCain / Palin?  If that were my team I'd be worried too.   

What McCain running mate Sarah Palin thinks about faith and theology is largely unknown outside of the obvious:  she is a conservative evangelical.  Because so little is know about her (even to John McCain it would seem) it is hard to know how exactly her religious views inform her public policy stances.  We do know that she is against abortion in all cases (even rape), that she has opposed sex education, and that she urged public schools to teach creationism.  Since these are all typical positions for the Religious Right one would assume that her positions come in large part out of her religious beliefs.

This lack of knowledge about where Palin stands on the issues - coupled with where we do have information - has forced people to question her beliefs on a range of issues.  One of the most important is how Palin views Jewish Americans.

You'll remember that McCain was forced earlier this year to distance himself from right-wing extremist ministers who offered up clearly anti-Semitic rhetoric in sermons and other public remarks.   

Now comes word that Palin's own church recently invited the David Brickner, the leader of Jews for Jesus (a right-wing fundemntalist group) to preach.  Politico.com reports:

Palin’s pastor, Larry Kroon, introduced Brickner on Aug. 17, according to a transcript of the sermon on the church’s website.

“He’s a leader of Jews for Jesus, a ministry that is out on the leading edge in a pressing, demanding area of witnessing and evangelism,” Kroon said.

Brickner then explained that Jesus and his disciples were themselves Jewish.

“The Jewish community, in particular, has a difficult time understanding this reality,” he said.  Brickner’s mission has drawn wide criticism from the organized Jewish community, and the Anti-Defamation League accused them in a report of “targeting Jews for conversion with subterfuge and deception.”

Brickner also described terrorist attacks on Israelis as God's "judgment of unbelief" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity.

"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It's very real. When [Brickner's son] was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment — you can't miss it."

Palin was in church that day,

The fact that Jesus was a Jew is not a debatable point (or even a debated one) in Christian-Jewish dialog.  But the rest of Brickner's words and history reflect deeply anti-Semitic views that mainline Christians and many evangelicals reject.

The question is this:  does Sarah Palin share these views?

For more information on Jews for Jesus visit my 2004 post Jews for Jesus: A Dishonest Name And A Misguided Purpose.

Update:  VIA Jake Tapper

McCain-Palin campaign spokesman Goldfarb said that Brickner "was a guest at the church who Gov. Palin did not know would be speaking, and she does not share the views he expressed. She and her family would not have been sitting in the pews of the church if those remarks were remotely typical."

I don't quite buy these comments from the McCain-Palin campaign.  You don't just accidentaly invite a radical extremist group like Jews for Jesus into your church and let them provide the sermon.  You'd have to suspect that there was support for Jews for Jesus and their beliefs offered up from the leadership of the congregation otherwise they would never have been invited.  As a pastor, I'd never invite a group that I know nothing about to address the congregation.       

Republican VP choice and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was forced to admit today that her teen-age daughter was pregnant.  Leave the kid alone.  The children of candidates shouldn't be targets in a political campaign.  The Obama campaign has stayed on the high road and kept clear of this story.  Senator Obama knows that our politics should be better than this.

What should matter in a presidential campaign are the public policy decisions a candidate makes.

MSNBC reports:

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said.

I'm glad that Miss Palin lives in a country where she could make her own decision but worry deeply that John McCain and Sarah Palin want to take that right away for all other Americans. 

Cecile Richards said this week:

“Senator McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as a running mate makes clear that John McCain is completely out of touch on the issues that matter to American women. The last thing women need is a president — and vice president — who are prepared to turn back the clock on women's rights and repeal the protections of Roe v. Wade.

“The 2008 presidential election is about going forward, not backwards. It is about change, not about more of the same. But in choosing Governor Palin, Senator McCain has once again demonstrated that a McCain-Palin administration would be four more years of the same.

“According to an article in the Alaska Journal of Commerce (3/16/08), when Palin was running for lieutenant governor in 2002, she sent an e-mail to the Alaska Right to Life board saying she was as 'pro-life as any candidate can be.' She is also on the record stating that she is opposed to abortion even in the case of rape or incest.

“Women deserve a president who understands all their health care needs. There should be no question now that Barack Obama does and John McCain does not. John McCain may have a woman on the ticket, but he does not have the interests of women at heart. This selection may satisfy the right wing of the Republican Party, but it will further alienate mainstream women voters.”

UPDATE:  Governor Palin also opposed sex education programs for teen-age students, according to Politico.com.

Governor Palin represents a choice outside the mainstream of America but makes the right-wing base of the Republican Party happy as can be.  The Washington Post reports:

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 31 -- Outside his evangelical church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sunday, David Chung was mobbed by friends and church members suddenly excited about the Republican ticket. "I had half a dozen people come up to me," said Chung, a delegate to the Republican National Convention. "It's a night-and-day change."

Ralph Reed, former director of the Christian Coalition, reported the same reaction at his church in Atlanta to John McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. "It's really extraordinary," Reed said.

For Christian conservatives, who watched with dismay as their issues were ignored or trivialized during the long Republican primary, the surprise addition to the GOP ticket of a woman raised in a Pentecostal church, who once described herself as "pro-life as any candidate can be," has transformed an election many had come to regard with indifference. Now Republicans such as Reed -- who describes the Palin selection as a "shot directly into the heart of the evangelical movement" -- hope the party will benefit in November from a crucial part of its base that is as energized as the young supporters of Democrat Barack Obama.

When people like Ralph Reed are happy you know the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Thankfully, Barack Obama and Joe Biden respect women and will do everything they can to both reduce the need for abortion and to protect the right of women to make their own reproductive health decisions.

The Peace Bubble Cafe came to Portland, Oregon recently for an event sponsored by Zion United Church of Christ in Gresham, Oregon and Portland's Parkrose Community United Church of Christ. What is the Peace Bubble?

The Peace Bubble Café, featuring singer, songwriter and modern storyteller Jerry Leggett, will be coming to towns across America with a mobile, multimedia peace exhibit and live entertainment.

The Peace Bubble Café is a mobile, multimedia art and entertainment exhibit, featuring live music and a public kiosk for innovative resources that promote peace and nonviolence. The Café is designed to create a spontaneous space for the audiences to listen to peace tales, hear songs that inspire, and participate in a national video compilation of thoughts on peace.

As Leggett asks the question, “What does peace look like for you?”, audiences contemplate a more peaceful world and define themselves and their environments as spaces for peace. The Peace Bubble Café website at MyPeaceSpace.org will follow the 2008 tour and provide Internet audiences a way to follow the tour and define their own peace spaces.

Jerry Leggett is a UCC minister. In Portland, the Peace Bubble was part of an all-day Peace Fair and Rev. Leggest preached the following morning at a joint Zion-Parkrose worship service held at a local park. Check out some of the photos: