Everyday Citizen

Obama On Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

2008-07-03T17:46:18Z

Now, I know there are some who bristle at the notion that faith has a place in the public square. But the fact is, leaders in both parties have recognized the value of a partnership between the White House and faith-based groups.... Now, make no mistake, as someone who used to teach constitutional law, I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don't believe this partnership will endanger that idea - so long as we follow a few basic principles. (Sen. Obama, July 2nd, 2008)

Presidents Clinton and Bush (43) both advanced the case for inviting faith communities into the essential work of community development and renewal. President Bush created the White House Office for Community and Faith-Based Initiatives. The White House Office turned out to be limited in its direct affect on the challenges facing communities, largely because funding was never adequate for the task.]]> frontpage story in yesterday's edition. Here's a taste of the report:

Senator Barack Obama said Tuesday that if elected president he would expand the delivery of social services through churches and other religious organizations, vowing to achieve a goal he said President Bush had fallen short on during his two terms. “The challenges we face today — from saving our planet to ending poverty — are simply too big for government to solve alone,” Mr. Obama said outside a community center here. “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach.”

Below you'll find the entire text of the remarks Senator Obama delivered in the Zanesville, Ohio event. His perspective on the role of faith in addressing community challenges is interesting. After you hear him out, let me know what you think.

You know, faith based groups like East Side Community Ministry carry a particular meaning for me. Because in a way, they're what led me into public service. It was a Catholic group called The Campaign for Human Development that helped fund the work I did many years ago in Chicago to help lift up neighborhoods that were devastated by the closure of a local steel plant. Now, I didn't grow up in a particularly religious household. But my experience in Chicago showed me how faith and values could be an anchor in my life. And in time, I came to see my faith as being both a personal commitment to Christ and a commitment to my community; that while I could sit in church and pray all I want, I wouldn't be fulfilling God's will unless I went out and did the Lord's work. There are millions of Americans who share a similar view of their faith, who feel they have an obligation to help others. And they're making a difference in communities all across this country - through initiatives like Ready4Work, which is helping ensure that ex-offenders don't return to a life of crime; or Catholic Charities, which is feeding the hungry and making sure we don't have homeless veterans sleeping on the streets of Chicago; or the good work that's being done by a coalition of religious groups to rebuild New Orleans. You see, while these groups are often made up of folks who've come together around a common faith, they're usually working to help people of all faiths or of no faith at all. And they're particularly well-placed to offer help. As I've said many times, I believe that change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up, and few are closer to the people than our churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques. That's why Washington needs to draw on them. The fact is, the challenges we face today - from saving our planet to ending poverty - are simply too big for government to solve alone. We need all hands on deck.I'm not saying that faith-based groups are an alternative to government or secular nonprofits. And I'm not saying that they're somehow better at lifting people up. What I'm saying is that we all have to work together - Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim; believer and non-believer alike - to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Now, I know there are some who bristle at the notion that faith has a place in the public square. But the fact is, leaders in both parties have recognized the value of a partnership between the White House and faith-based groups. President Clinton signed legislation that opened the door for faith-based groups to play a role in a number of areas, including helping people move from welfare to work. Al Gore proposed a partnership between Washington and faith-based groups to provide more support for the least of these. And President Bush came into office with a promise to "rally the armies of compassion," establishing a new Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. But what we saw instead was that the Office never fulfilled its promise. Support for social services to the poor and the needy have been consistently underfunded. Rather than promoting the cause of all faith-based organizations, former officials in the Office have described how it was used to promote partisan interests. As a result, the smaller congregations and community groups that were supposed to be empowered ended up getting short-changed. Well, I still believe it's a good idea to have a partnership between the White House and grassroots groups, both faith-based and secular. But it has to be a real partnership - not a photo-op. That's what it will be when I'm President. I'll establish a new Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The new name will reflect a new commitment. This Council will not just be another name on the White House organization chart - it will be a critical part of my administration. Now, make no mistake, as someone who used to teach constitutional law, I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don't believe this partnership will endanger that idea - so long as we follow a few basic principles. First, if you get a federal grant, you can't use that 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 their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs. And we'll also ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.With these principles as a guide, my Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will strengthen faith-based groups by making sure they know the opportunities open to them to build on their good works. Too often, faith-based groups - especially smaller congregations and those that aren't well connected - don't know how to apply for federal dollars, or how to navigate a government website to see what grants are available, or how to comply with federal laws and regulations. We rely too much on conferences in Washington, instead of getting technical assistance to the people who need it on the ground. What this means is that what's stopping many faith-based groups from helping struggling families is simply a lack of knowledge about how the system works. Well, that will change when I'm President. I will empower the nonprofit religious and community groups that do understand how this process works to train the thousands of groups that don't. We'll "train the trainers" by giving larger faith-based partners like Catholic Charities and Lutheran Services and secular nonprofits like Public/Private Ventures the support they need to help other groups build and run effective programs. Every house of worship that wants to run an effective program and that's willing to abide by our constitution - from the largest mega-churches and synagogues to the smallest store-front churches and mosques - can and will have access to the information and support they need to run that program. This Council will also help target our efforts to meet key challenges like education. All across America, too many children simply can't read or perform math at their grade-level, a problem that grows worse for low-income students during the summer months and afterschool hours. Nonprofits like Children's Defense Fund are working to solve this problem. They hold summer and afterschool Freedom Schools in communities across this country, and many of their classes are held in churches. There's a lot of evidence that these kinds of partnerships work. Take Youth Education for Tomorrow, an innovative program that's being run by churches, faith-based schools, and others in Philadelphia. To help narrow the summer learning gap, the YET program hires qualified teachers who help students with reading using proven learning techniques. They hold classes four days a week after school and during the summer. And they monitor progress closely. The results have been outstanding. Children who attended a YET center for at least six months improved nearly 2 years in reading ability. And the average high school student gained a full grade in reading level after just three months. That's the kind of real progress that can be made when we empower faith-based organizations. And that's why as President, I'll expand summer programs like this to serve one million students. This won't just help our children learn, it will help keep them off the streets during the summer so they don't turn to crime. And my Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will also have a broader role - it will help set our national agenda. Because if we are going to do something about the injustice of millions of children living in extreme poverty, we need interfaith coalitions like the Let Justice Roll campaign standing up for the powerless. If we're going to end genocide and stop the scourge of HIV/AIDS, we need people of faith on Capitol Hill talking about how these challenges don't just represent a security crisis or a humanitarian crisis, but a moral crisis as well.We know that faith and values can be a source of strength in our own lives. That's what it's been to me. And that's what it is to so many Americans. But it can also be something more. It can be the foundation of a new project of American renewal. And that's the kind of effort I intend to lead as President of the United States.

Discovering Young Voters, Part 4

2008-07-03T02:38:24Z

Welcome to the forth installment in my series about Discovering Young Voters where I shall describe the importance of youth policy and talking about issues that matter most to young people. (See also Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3) As I stated before, I wanted to write this series because too often we bypass the introductory level information assuming everyone knows about these things. Therefore, today I'd like to continue the series for entry level topics to create an understanding of why young voters are important and how they impact elections, what are frequent mistakes about young voters, what are attitudes of young voters, youth policy and talking about issues, and how to begin a youth program. ]]> Youth Policy and Issues Important to Young People The common misconception about young people is that they don't know or care about the issues. This would be a fantasy created by republicans, because, truth be told, Millennials do care about issues and they trend more progressive. Late last year Rock the Vote did a focus group that detailed findings on issues specific to 18-29 year olds. The powerpoint presentation that can be found on their website says

"The issue environment, at present, hovers around three issues: the war in Iraq, health care, and the economy and pocket book issues. All together, young people focus on these issues at a very personal level (can I get health care, can I afford health care) and on a broader level that pertains their family (health care, the economy, college for friends and family) and the country as a whole (the war).

Another survey this spring by the Harvard Institute of Politics (PDF) details similar findings, but goes into greater detail about ranking of issues. According to their survey of 2,452 voters between 18-24 years old, 40% of them consider themselves a democrat, 25% consider themselves republican and 35% of young voters consider themselves unaffiliated or independent. Of those surveyed 80% say that they will probably or definitely be voting in November. While many people believe this is due to the Obama Momentum, only 6% said that the reason they plan to vote has anything to do with their particular candidate. Many plan to vote because its their duty, they want to voice their opinion, or we need a new direction and/or to get rid of Bush. In terms of issues a quarter say that the number one issue for them is the economy. Another number one issue for 20% of those surveyed is Iraq or the War, health care was number one for 9% and the environment was number one for 5%. For more conservative folks out there... immigration was the number one issue for only 3% of young people. Second most important issue of those surveyed was the economy again... with 20%, Iraq 19%, health care was 11%, and education was 6%. That means that the economy was one of the top two issues for 45% of young voters and Iraq was 39%. It isn't tough to understand why. Those are the two issues that impact the Millennial Generation the most. For one, its Millennials that are dying in Iraq, and its the weak economy that impacts those graduating in debt today or trying to build a life among the instability. RTV continues to note

"Young voters are engaged on specific issues that can be used to increase registration and turnout. The war in Iraq, health care and insurance, and the economy are top of mind concerns."

So.. the economy, the war, education, the environment... anything that can have a long term impact on the future of Millennials. Talking to them about issues, asking them what matters in their lives.. this is the best place to begin building a relationship but further learning how to impact policy. Most importantly.. its not all about college affordability.

Thomas Hart Benton - An American Artist

2008-07-03T01:02:24Z

I first discovered the artwork of Thomas Hart Benton from an article in Smithsonian magazine while I was in college in the 1980s. I really didn’t know too much about the fine arts back then, and I knew even less about the great American artists from that time between the two great World Wars. I loved learning about new artists and great paintings, and Benton was a real revelation to me. He was one of the biggest influences on me as I was learning to find my own style and voice as an artist. I never get tired of looking at Benton’s paintings, and his attempts to capture the energy and rawness of the everyday American life left a deep impression on my own outlook on art.]]> Boomtown , Lord Heal the Child , and Preparing the Bill, Benton conveyed the America of the 1920s and 1930s through his eye. Benton’s greatest achievements were his murals. Influenced by the Mexican muralists, like Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orosco, Benton tried to make bold statements about the America of the ordinary people through his great murals America Today , The Arts of Life In America, A Social History of Indiana , and A Social History of Missouri . These works incited controversy from many sources. Conservatives railed against Benton’s depictions of strikes and Klu Klux Klan lynchings. Leftists railed that his murals didn’t fully attain a revolutionary art. These controversies only served to show the power of the murals to inspire thought on what viewers felt America was. During the mid 1930s, Benton broke from his former Modernist and Marxist friends. Benton broke with Alfred Stieglitz and his circle of artists after Time magazine featured Benton in an article on American artists that did not include Modernist painters. His break with the radical left came after Benton declined to join with the condemnation of the destruction of Diego Rivera’s murals for the Rockefeller Center. Both conflicts were rather painful, as they involved the breaking of close friendships. And they created a reputation for Benton as being a reactionary conservative artist that is not wholly true. While Benton renounced communism as being inapplicable to American society, Benton’s politics remained very liberal. He became a strong New Deal Democrat who retained strong support for collectivist ideas. Henry Addams quotes Benton in his book Thomas Hart Benton: An American Original as saying:

“I believe in the collective control of essential productive means and resources, but as a pragmatist I believe actual, not theoretical, interests do check and test the field of social change.”

He also said,

“If the radical movement is to get anywhere in this country it has got to drop Marxism as an outworn historical and economic notion and rely wholly on a pragmatic observance of developing facts. You can’t impose ideologies on people. The point I wish to make is that social revolution has got to come from the grass-roots.”

Benton wasn’t perfect. He made crude homophobic remarks against art curators and art critics that are embarrassing to read today. His World War II paintings indulged in Asian stereotypes. Benton got caught up in unnecessary fights during his tenure as teacher at the University of Kansas City Art Institute. But he remains for me a likable if imperfect man. He was willing to be unpopular rather than compromise on his beliefs, and he persevered as an artist in spite of tough times. Many people say that Benton’s art declined after World War II, but I still have some favorite paintings among these later works. His Trail Riders (nga.gov/image/a00000/a0000025.jpg), from 1964, is a wonderful painting of Mount Assinboine. Picnic, from 1952, is my favorite of all his paintings, a scene of his family and friends enjoying an outing in Martha’s Vineyard. It’s ironic that the study of rhythms and form that are the basis of Benton’s worked lived on in his most famous student, Jackson Pollock. I didn’t appreciate Pollock until I learned to see the underlying structures in Pollock’s work that he learned from Benton. Now Pollock is one of my favorite artists. Thomas Hart Benton was a great American artist. In his paintings and murals, I see something of the energy and rawness of the America of the early twentieth century. His art incited controversy and condemnation among many art critics and radicals of both the political left and right. But Benton’s work also inspired admiration from me and for others for showing an America that is now gone. In Henry Adam’s book, he gives this last quote by Thomas Hart Benton:

“I have a sort of inner conviction that for all the possible limitations of my mind and the disturbing effects of my processes, for all the contradicting struggles and failures I have gone through, I have come to something that is in the image of America and the American people of my time. This conviction is in me pretty deeply. My American image is made up of what I have come across, of what was ‘there’ in the time of my experience- no more, no less.”

Thoughts For This Independence Day

2008-07-02T21:20:45Z

As we approach this Independence Day, Americans' thoughts turn to liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. A glimpse of the flag waving also brings to mind acts of courage by our men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. While we are at the ballpark, at the lake, or at a backyard barbecue this week, let us not forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to give us the security to reach our own greatest aspirations. "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." - Martin Luther King Jr.]]>

Dear Nancy Boyda: Do Better

2008-07-02T19:49:03Z

Dear Representative Nancy Boyda, I had such high hopes. I was actually ridiculously head-over-heels excited to see you elected to represent me in the United States House of Representatives. After more than a decade of truly horrendous representation, I was just so, so excited to see you sworn in. Saying I "had" high hopes isn't quite right- I still do. And, for the most part, you haven't disappointed me, a fact with which I would imagine most of your constituents would agree. Thank you for your votes on the war, thank you for investing money in domestic programs, and thank you for treating our veterans right after so many years of neglect. Your actions on those issues, and your constant trips back home and the hundreds of hours of public meetings you've held have made you the best Member of Congress this district has had in longer than I've been alive. But, Rep. Boyda, when you have stumbled, you've stumbled badly. ]]> Employment Non-Discrimination Act and thus protected Americans from getting fired for something they have no control over, then vote against representation in Congress for the hundreds of thousands of American citizens who just happen to live in Washington, DC? How does that same person rationalize spending federal dollars on a needle exchange program for drug users in the federal district but, in a separate amendment on the very same bill, refuse to spend federal money on a list of names of loving, committed couples living in the same place? How does a Democrat who voted in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act then vote against working women who are fighting the uphill battle against discrimination? And how on Earth does someone who has spoken passionately about not bending to fear in the face of the Republican machine- someone like you- how does someone like you then bend to that Republican pressure on FISA and do an end-run around the Constitution just to avoid the election season hit pieces that are going to come regardless? In those bills, Rep. Boyda, you either voted in favor of the harder to explain piece of legislation or you only went half way in protecting the rights of Americans. Or, in the case of federal funding for DC, it seems like you drew your positions out of a hat because those votes, ma'am, are exactly that random and that contradictory. The votes I've cited bother me so because they just don't make any sense- they stick out like sore thumbs in regards to an otherwise excellent voting record. I don't really think it's you being hypocritical, rather it's almost as if, every once in awhile, you decide or someone tells you that you need to toss out an off-the-wall vote, just to shake some of your detractors from you scent. On that same coin, I think you sometimes try to do the politically expedient thing rather than the right thing in an, I'm sorry to say, amatuerish effort to insulate you from Republican attacks- the best example I have for that is your dillydallying around and refusing to endorse someone- anyone- for the Democratic nomination for President. Could you really have honestly believed just because you didn't endorse Barack Obama that the Republicans wouldn't try to tie you to him? It doesn't happen often, but I do honestly feel these votes and these actions are the rare and far-between evidence peeking through that you're still just a freshmen, you're still just a political novice, and that you're still learning the ropes. Strangely enough, it's because of that fact, that you're still just a freshmen learning the ropes, that I will vote for you in November. You're right most of the time, and I know that regardless of which ever Republican makes it out of the primary in August you are light years better than them. I'm going to give you exactly what you deserve- a chance to continue proving yourself. I don't expect you to vote with me 100% of the time, but I expect your record to make sense. One would imagine, with more experience, that will happen. In closing, I want you to remember you have the power of the bully pulpit, which you can use to bend public opinion toward you and away from the other side- which we all saw you do early in your term when you blanketed the district with editorials explaining your vote on funding the war in Iraq. Don't be afraid to do the same again. Don't think for a minute you have to vote against your own conscious because someone tells you it isn't what Kansas wants- you have the power to convince them otherwise. Don't let anyone tell you this district is too conservative for anything- the good people of the Second District of Kansas know a good, honest idea when they hear one. Here's to hoping you've learned the lessons of your first term. Sincerely, Brad Andrews

Senator Obama, Lies and the Constitution

2008-07-02T13:54:20Z

The last presidential election as interesting as this one, at least in my opinion, took place in 1960 when John F. Kennedy squared off against Richard M. Nixon. The Democratic Convention that year went down to the wire. I remember watching the final vote late into the night, until my parents made me go to bed. Kennedy prevailed in a real squeaker over Lyndon Johnson who salvaged the vice-presidential nomination out of the heated, at times vitriolic contest. The Democrats have been through a tough primary season and the nominee will be Senator Obama. The interest displayed during the primary has been astounding. The race for the White House between Senator Barack H. Obama and Senator John S. McCain will be historic and more than fun to witness. It is hard for me to imagine what it must be like running for the presidency.]]> Dirty tricks, incriminating innuendos, and blatant lies await both candidates without a doubt. Senator Obama recently put up a website to answer all of the false claims and accusations that already are flying. I expect you've read some of the negative, anti-Obama material. Obama is a Muslim? False. He is a Christian. Obama was educated in Islamic schools? False. For a time in elementary school he lived in Indonesia and attended a secular public school. Obama has ties to radical Islamic groups that attempted to overthrow the government of Kenya. False. Will it never end? This one came from some off-the-wall Christian missionaries in Africa. Obama refused to use a Bible when taking the oath of office when sworn in as a U.S. Senator. False. He put his hand on a copy of the Bible when taking his oath. Obama's middle name is Hussein. Correct, it is. Mark Elrod, a political science professor at Harding University (a very conservative, Evangelical Christian college located in Searcy, Arkansas and my undergraduate alma mater!), is featured in a New York Times article by Jodi Kantor with the headline: Obama Supporters Take His Middle Name As Their Own. Would that be Mark Hussein Elrod? I love this story. Hundreds -- and it will become thousands -- of people are taking Hussein as their temporary middle name in support of the Senator and in opposition to the untrue propaganda about his religion. My youngest daughter on hearing a report that Senator Obama was Muslim responded, "So what if he is?" Hmmm. I think she understands the U.S. Constitution. Proud she is a public school teacher! The fact is, of course, Obama is no Muslim. But our form of government does not prohibit anyone from seeking office on the basis of some marker defined by religion. My point here is not to be read as an Obama endorsement. That said, if you oppose his ideas, his policy plans, his record in Washington or his choice in ties, fine. All I'm calling for is a commitment to honesty and truth telling on both sides. Wouldn't that be refreshing? Good for community, don't you think? Now that I've opened this can of worms, what do you think?

One Day: Commitment to Peace

2008-07-02T12:55:54Z

This is really inspiring. We're moving into a time where it's the individual that can make a difference. The old way of thinking, being, politically, sociologically, etc., is no longer working - that has become very clear. But it's an amazing opportunity to see and feel the power of the individual rise, not in a self righteous way but in a form that actually creates a stronger community, society and hopefully, planet. Enjoy and pass on.

Upclose Activism

2008-07-02T02:23:56Z

The Center for Community Change's Sally Kohn has a piece today about the passionate Millennial activism that is taking place online and the extent to which it happens off line. We've kinda heard this complaint before with Thomas Friedman's Generation Q piece that slammed the Millennial Generation for not being disgusted enough by our contemporary world to take to the streets. In Mike's rebuttal of the piece and indeed many of us who spoke out against Friedman's uneducated assumptions, it isn't that Millennials aren't taking to the streets, indeed they are, they are just virtual streets. Kohn is bothered by the virtual part. She agrees that young people feel "deeply connected" with causes - things going on in Darfur, Tibet, you name it.... But she fears the online activism will "erode the community values [Millennials] seek."]]> "On the one hand, they have grown up with new technologies that have helped the world connect more easily; on the other hand, they have been raised alongside the rise of hyperindividualism in American culture that has isolated us from each other and the world around us... "But social movements are based on collective action. The American Revolution, the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and every significant social change movement in between and since has relied on community organizing, building mutually responsible communities to challenge the status quo." Kohn says that the Internets are very individualistic. Seems Kohn hasn't heard of Web 2.0. I don't know about ya'll but we are collectively communicating right here on the tubes. And this blog is fed into Facebook - which, if you haven't seen it, is this SOCIAL networking site where all these people who went to school together, work together, or associate in the same causes collectively chill together on line. For example, Invisible Children started out just on MySpace and Facebook, living through social networking sites. This organization brought awareness and action to a cause among an age specific group of people. Now, young people are serving to help walk these children to safe houses daily, people are donating online, showing the film, and raising awareness about something no one was talking about a few years ago. IC isn't the only one. Save Darfur is another cause that I hardly think would have the passion and power that it does today without a mobilized group of people online. If you look at online donations on Change.org or the FB Causes application you see that Save Darfur has raised $2,657 on Change with 1997 actions and $24,000 on the Causes Application on Facebook. Young people have a lot of power and that power can take place on-line or off, each action is just as valid and just as powerful and appreciated. No one should be allowed to get away with diminishing that.

Citizens Deserve Explanation for Ron Thornburgh's Actions

2008-07-01T22:04:05Z

Is Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh playing politics with the November ballot? Ballot Access News reports:

The ballot-qualified Kansas Reform Party held its state convention back on May 31, and nominated candidates for office, including presidential electors pledged to Chuck Baldwin for president. On June 27, the party turned in the paperwork for these nominations. The Kansas Secretary of State has hinted that he won’t allow the party to do this...

]]> He has not ruled definitively, however. Now that the party has finalized its choice, he will need to either honor the nominations, or explain precisely what provision of Kansas law purports to tell the party that it cannot nominate the presidential candidate of the Constitution Party. In 1980, the American Party of Kansas was allowed to nominate Frank Shelton for president, even though the national convention of the American Party had chosen Percy Greaves. Also, in 1968, the Conservative Party of Kansas was permitted to nominate George Wallace as its presidential candidate, even though the Conservative Party was not affiliated with George Wallace’s American (also called American Independent) Party. I'm certainly no friend of the Reform or Constitution Parties and I think Chuck Baldwin is a creepy right-wing theocrat, but Thornburgh's actions seem very questionable. The Kansas Reform Party has been on the ballot ever since Ross Perot's first Presidential campaign. They have run numerous candidates for federal and state office. In the last two elections, they have filed candidates in a number of legislative districts where one of the major parties has failed to field a candidate. Moreover, in 2004, Thornburgh placed on the ballot a number of Presidential candidates for non-ballot qualified candidates. (They received, 4, 33,5 and 5 votes)

Sam Merten: Hunting Down the Garbage

2008-07-01T14:15:36Z

But instead of giving these workers a fighting chance, the city wants to track them with GPS to make sure they aren’t slackin’ off or wasting gas. Maybe a day working on the back of a garbage truck would change their minds. -- Sam Merten, Dallas Observer

All of my life and up until just a few weeks before his death, my dad listened for the sanitation workers who served his home in Richardson, Texas. When he heard their trucks in the alley behind his house, he would spring into action. Laden with cold drinks and ice water, he would insist that they stop, take a break and enjoy some refreshment. He appreciated what they did for all of us. Not to honor their hard work was for him, well, intolerable. My father respected workers.]]> (Click here for to read Sam Merten's entire story at The Dallas Observer blog. The photo here comes from this source. I'd love to hear your reactions, as always. By the way, thanks for the report, Sam!) Ms. Hunt believes that city employees should be paid a living wage. That concept is increasingly elusive to more and more Dallasites, as is true across the nation today. As I read the Observer's blog on the story, I was blown away by the disparity in pay between the drivers and the trash movers working in the back of the vehicles. Drivers earn between $11 and $18 an hour and are city employees. The trash haulers on the street and back of the truck are "temporary workers," earning minimum wage and often working over 12 hours daily. Again, check out the blog for more amazing and disheartening details about fair wages, working conditions and Dallas sanitation services.

Hunt says she was told that nearly 90 percent of the trucks don’t have air conditioning, and opening the windows isn’t an option because the low-hanging branches smack the drivers on the head. The branches also make it difficult to ride on the truck, forcing them to walk behind it through rough spots. After a couple hours on the job, she was exhausted, while garbage collectors can work up to 14 hours a day. -- Sam Merten, Dallas Observer

One more fact: many of the guys "on the back" are ex-offenders who have a hard time finding work anywhere else. As a result, they are left take jobs like this earning low wages. Can anyone spell recidivism? Ms. Hunt, you are correct when you say, “Let’s pay these guys a decent wage so that they aren’t forced back into crime to make ends meet.” I won't tell you about the city's idea regarding GPS systems and sanitation trucks! You'll need to read Sam's story to pick that one up.

But instead of giving these workers a fighting chance, the city wants to track them with GPS to make sure they aren’t slackin’ off or wasting gas. Maybe a day working on the back of a garbage truck would change their minds. -- Sam Merten, Dallas Observer

Again, I'll wait for your responses. I'll tell you one thing for sure. My dad wouldn't be pleased. And, frankly, I believe he's in a better place to judge such things than he was a few months ago.

Discovering Young Voters, Part 3

2008-07-01T11:46:03Z

The third installment of my series guided at teaching folks about young voters is here! If you haven't read the previous pieces you can find Discovering Young Voters, Part 1 and Part 2. Often times we bypass the introductory level information assuming everyone knows about these things. Therefore, today I'd like to continue the series for entry level topics to create an understanding of why young voters are important and how they impact elections, what are frequent mistakes about young voters, what are attitudes of young voters, youth policy and talking about issues, and how to begin a youth program.]]> Young Voter Attitudes There is a beautiful Chinese Proverb that says "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." To understand the attitudes of young voters you must understand where young voters are coming from and the lives they live. I have the unique position of actually being a young voter myself, but further I'm immersed in pop-culture. Not as someone who is cool (believe me I'm not... not even a little bit), but I watch, I learn, I listen, I experience, and I remember. With understanding comes great wisdom. Thus sayeth the Sarah... or possibly someone I stole that from. And to understand Millennials, you really have to understand three major key points: 1) Why they are on social networks and where they are socially networking; 2) The influence of Millennials on their parents and other generations; and, 3) How they want to be involved and impact the world around them. I am in great admiration of a PhD candidate at Berkeley's iSchool named Danah Boyd who I believe is a delightful subversive and sublime troublemaker. She recently wrote Why the Youth (Heart) Social Networking> (pdf):

"Music is cultural glue among youth. As the bands began advertising their presence on MySpace, mid 20/30-something club goers jumped on board in the hopes of gaining access to VIP passes or acquiring valuable (sub)cultural capital. While fans typically have to be 21+ in the United States to get into the venues where bands play (because of alcohol laws), younger audiences are avid consumers of music and the culture that surrounds it. When young music aficionados learned that their favorite bands had profiles on MySpace, they began checking out the site."

In her other piece, Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace, she explains that since the inception of Facebook was rooted in the Ivy League community and MySpace with music aficionados there naturally began a class divide between users of the two spaces. Class divisions breed variations in purpose for use as well as length of time spent on the site, education background, race, and even location. Since Facebook has opened its doors to everyone that gap is closing, but the divisions are still wide.

"The goodie two shoes, jocks, athletes, or other 'good' kids are now going to Facebook. These kids tend to come from families who emphasize education and going to college. They are part of what we'd call hegemonic society. They are primarily white, but not exclusively. They are in honors classes, looking forward to the prom, and live in a world dictated by after school activities. "MySpace is still home for Latino/Hispanic teens, immigrant teens, 'burnouts,' 'alternative kids,' 'art fags,' punks, emos, goths, gangstas, queer kids, and other kids who didn't play into the dominant high school popularity paradigm. These are kids whose parents didn't go to college, who are expected to get a job when they finish high school. These are the teens who plan to go into the military immediately after schools. Teens who are really into music or in a band are also on MySpace. MySpace has most of the kids who are socially ostracized at school because they are geeks, freaks, or queers."

For a candidate to only have a Facebook Fan Page excludes an enormous population of young people. A presence in both is a must. In Socializing Digitally (pdf), Danah addresses some of the topics you can see in this video of her speech. Aside from those trends, I highly recommend looking at the Purchase Power of the Millennial Generation. While this doesn't seem like it would make a difference what kind of detergent a Millennial prefers their mom buy its incredibly important. In the 1990's we saw one of the waves of the recycling movement which was attributed in large party by young people who forced their parents to act accordingly. If Millennials can convince their folks to recycle (I know I did), to buy specific detergent, to get an iPhone (my mom did), or how they spend their money, can you imagine how they influence their politics? I can promise you that my folks would never have read as much, watched as many debates, or seen as many political events if I hadn't been there pushing the buttons on the remote. I'm not alone. Finally, Millennials are a creative and participatory bunch. Unlike some generations (you know who you are) they are more doers than talkers. Oh, I'm sure we talk plenty, but we like to do stuff. And Millennials are super creative. Some people like to say that they are more about having things exactly the way they want them. Don't get caught up in this old-school mentality. According to Richard Sweeny University librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology,

"Millennials want more options, more personalization and customization, not one-size, cookie-cutter learning approaches. They want practical, efficient learning processes and they want to learn better, have more fun, and do so faster...."

Ford figured it out, too:

"Youth are purchasing more than any previous generation, and they're personalizing everything from sneakers to cell phones and handbags to headlamps. "Today's youth have come to expect customization in all their product choices, having grown up with the Internet and the world of personal technology – from personalized Web pages to play lists for MP3 players," says Valentic. "They're presented with endless choices, so it's important for youth to be different and to stand out in the sea of choices. In fact, they place a premium on one-of-a-kind style."

What this means is that young people want to personalize their relationship to politics and government too. They want to do something and they want it to be personal. This sucks for all those control freak operatives out there. Remember a few years ago when everyone was wanking to George Lakoff's Don't Think of an Elephant? Not that its a bad book, its quite good. But what I thought then and I think we're seeing now, is that 10 people saying exactly the same thing isn't as valuable as 500 people all being positive about a candidate. Distribution is key. When operatives learn to let go of the control and let their people help in ways that make sense for them - whether its blogging, or making videos, or podcasts, or digital art, or whatever the hell they want ... all boats will rise. Let go, bring them in. Let the masses lead the charge. So here's the thing... when understanding young people's attitudes you have to understand where they are coming from. There is a lot of potential if you can just chill with some young peeps. Get to know them and you get to know how to organize them, guide them, and harness their energy and influence.

Don't Betray Yourself Barack!!!

2008-07-01T05:51:56Z

politics as usual move. I know campaigns can be crazy but I certainly hope that Obama sees how he is straying. The Republicans are going to beat on him as weak on terror no matter how he votes. I only hope he realizes this and goes with his "gut" because I believe that will lead him to vote against this bill. After all, this bill is only going to give the Bush Administration permission to walk all over the Constitution. They have done that, are doing that, and will continue to do that regardless. The other disgusting attribute of this bill is what is effectively a blanket Presidential Pardon, delivered via the Congress, to protect the telecom giants from being held accountable for their own lack of ethics. ]]> However, some Democrats are hard at work and have seen that this does not protect them from criminal charges. This is a bright light on the horizon. There may still be justice delivered for the American people and the bruised Constitution. My final words for Senator Obama is; vote no and own your decision. It will pay its dues later on.

We all still await the transformation

2008-06-30T17:53:56Z

"Politics can be chaotic and messy, but that is the nature of inclusive politics.... Political systems and the politicians who operate in them — along with the electorate — take time to mature.... We’ve seen that some minority politicians are as flawed as any of their white predecessors, but we’ve also seen that there are many who are equally, if not more, talented and committed.... In 2008, we’re debating whether we can entrust the leadership of our country to an African-American. One hundred and forty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation...."(Rev. Gerald Britt Jr.)

Gerald has been making a difference in Dallas for a long, long time, and he is still a young man! If you want to read an informed, brief summary of the history of the advancement of civil rights and participatory democracy in Dallas, Texas, you must read the Op-Ed piece that my dear friend and partner, Rev. Gerald Britt wrote...]]> published Wednesday, June 25, 2008 by The Dallas Morning News.

Gerald Britt: 14-1 system has changed Dallas’ political landscape Twenty years ago Roy Williams and Marvin Crenshaw filed a lawsuit that has resulted in the present Dallas City Council configuration known as 14-1. This fight didn’t follow a linear path. In fact, it took three years of struggle. Dallas officials wanted to keep some semblance of governance by representatives elected at large. Formerly the configuration was 8-3, eight elected from single-member districts, with two members and the mayor elected at large. This design diluted the voting strength of Dallas minorities, leaving them little opportunity to elect candidates focused on their interests. The establishment feared a change to single-member districts would result in the election of politicians who weren’t committed to the interests of Dallas as a whole and would leave our city mired in ward politics. Many leaders favored a configuration known as 10-4-1, 10 single-member districts, four regional districts and an at-large mayor. The city council continuously appealed a federal judge’s order for a referendum on the issue. The local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference protested those appeals, calling for a boycott of Dallas by all conventions scheduled to meet here. Just as Mr. Williams and Mr. Crenshaw may never get the credit they deserve for changing Dallas politics, Peter Johnson will probably never be fully appreciated for his contributions to this historic change. Mr. Johnson, along with the late Rev. Marshall Hodge and L. Charles Stovall, mentored a few young preachers — Robert Hadley, Henry Wilkins IV and me — to help in the fight to assure equal representation for all Dallas citizens. Eventually, the NAACP gave its support, and Hispanic leaders also became a vital part of a dynamic coalition. Michael Gonzales, Adelfa Callejo and LULAC were invaluable allies and formed a coalition that withstood a great deal of criticism. That’s right: African-Americans and Hispanics worked together to bring this historic change to Dallas. In June of 1991, the U.S. Justice Department ruled that the 10-4-1 design didn’t provide adequate representation for minorities in Dallas, resulting in the form of council we have today. Some still question whether 14-1 is the best choice. My answer: Inclusion is always good. Dallas politics can be chaotic and messy, but that is the nature of inclusive politics. The influence of 14-1 is felt throughout the city’s political landscape. The diversity of city boards and commissions, the school board, and city and county staffs are the legacy of 14-1. Political systems and the politicians who operate in them — along with the electorate — take time to mature. We still await the transformation of our most underdeveloped and neglected neighborhoods in the southern part of Dallas, where 14-1 was expected to make the most difference. We’ve seen that some minority politicians are as flawed as any of their white predecessors, but we’ve also seen that there are many who are equally, if not more, talented and committed. Twenty years ago, many questioned the ability of minority council members to represent the interests of the city as well as their communities. In 2008, we’re debating whether we can entrust the leadership of our country to an African-American. One hundred and forty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, America may be recognizing that minorities can be considered citizens in every sense of the word. Still, Dallas and our country have come a long way in 20 years. The dynamics of our history are important as we consider how far we still have to go.

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The Rev. Gerald Britt Jr. is vice president for public policy at Central Dallas Ministries and has worked on civic affairs and social justice issues as a community leader in Dallas for more than 25 years. Rev. Gerald Britt joined Central Dallas Ministries (CDM) in September 2004 to further his lifelong work serving those around him. His pastoral and community experience and wisdom are rich assets to CDM. Gerald oversees the following programs: CDMWorkPaths, Charlie Mae Ransom Technology Learning Center, Children's Education, Roseland Homes, and Urban Connection - San Antonio. A high profile community leader for many years, Gerald has strong ties to the political, faith and business communities of Dallas. Gerald most recently served as Senior Pastor for the New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, located in the heart of far South Dallas. During his 22 years there, he led the church in significant growth and organizational change. Through his work in the church and surrounding neighborhoods as well as years of leadership in Dallas Area Interfaith, Gerald has distinguished himself as one of Dallas’ most influential community leaders. He has been out front on many city issues, from advocating for better care for Parkland Hospital patients to increasing voter turnout in South Dallas, among others.

Interesting Juxtaposition

2008-06-30T16:44:55Z

The Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade was held just the other day, on June 26, which would have been right smack dab in the middle of the GAFCON Conference. Let me explain. GAFCON stands for the Global Anglican Future Conference which was held, in Jerusalem, June 22 - 29. It was called by conservative African bishops who are still in a snit because the Episcopalians of New Hampshire, in a free election, chose Gene Robinson, a gay man, to be their bishop five years ago. I'll bet these gay-bashing bishops loved that parade! (/snark) ]]> statement yesterday, basically castigating the Episcopal Church USA for practicing what it calls a "false gospel." If you've been around the church for awhile, you know that somebody is always accusing somebody else of practicing a "false gospel." In fact, one of the major problems with the statement -- "The Jerusalem Declaration" -- is that it doesn't seem to understand the gospel. The gospel can be nothing other than God's love in Christ -- always good news, said Luther, never bad news. "God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us," as Paul put it (Romans 5:8). The Declaration seems to say that acceptance of homosexuality is a gospel-related -- even gospel-central -- issue. It is not -- not even close. No matter what side of the question you're on, the issue of sexuality and homosexuality is within the realm of God's law, not God's gospel. God speaks in two ways -- law and gospel. The gospel is always God's love for sinners. Everything else -- the processes of the universe as well as individual morality -- is in realm of law. This includes our sexuality. This means that questions of sexuality are dealt with in the realm of creation, through the mechanisms of daily life, through culture and religion, law and custom. Truly, there are days when I do appreciate my Lutheran education.

Obama in Independence: Speaks of Patriotism

2008-06-30T15:52:45Z

Join me for the Live Blog of Obama's Patriotism Speech! UPDATE: Now with video Late this morning Barack Obama is appearing in Independence, Missouri where he will speak about patriotism in the lead up to the 4th of July holiday. Obama's speech will detail what he fells patriotism requires of all Americans who loves this country and how he wants to see it do better according to the release. Free tickets for the speech were gone within two hours and large crowds are packed in the Truman Memorial Auditorium 10:30am: Crowds are packed in, fired up, and ready to go. Lots of chanting of OBAMA OBAMA! 11:12am The introduction of Obama begins, the building is beautiful if you haven't been here I highly suggest it...]]> 11:14 Obama takes the stage the crowd goes wild - behind a bank of flags.. Obama "expressing my deep gratitude for Vince Gunther (veteran) for his service to his country. I also want to acknowledge some wonderful public servants who are here. Congressman Emanuel Clever, Congressman Ike Skelton, State Sen. Jolie Justice," and others... Also mentioned Claire McCaskill who could not be with them today - "for the Jayhawks in the audience, Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Jay Nixion" 11:20 "For the first time in my life my patriotism has been challenged - so let me say this, I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by while others question mine." 11:23: "Most Americans understand there is nothing smart about a cynical view of America's institutions... and yet the anger and turmoil of that period never drained away... Those who opposed administration policy were labeled as unpatriotic ... given the enormous ... that lie before us we cannot afford to be that divided.. Surly, we can agree that no political party has a monopoly on patriotism" 11:26 "one of my earliest memories is sitting on my grandfather's shoulders watching the Astronauts come into the bay in Hawaii and hearing him talk to me about how being American means you can do anything you set your mind to do..... That's my idea of America... I remember living for 4 years in Indonesia and having my mom read me the first few sentences of the Declaration of Independence ... and how that applied to all of us... that's my idea of America. As I got older that gut instinct that we were the greatest country in the world would help us go past its flaws. Watergate... the flaws of the Mississippi Delta, and racism... The joys and vitality all without its imperfections... ignores the possibility that it can be made better" 11:31 "we are not constrained by the accident of our birth, but it can define our lives as it has defined the lives of so many - and that's why to me patriotism is more to me than a place on a map or a certain kind of people but to a kind of ideals. That someone can give their last full measure of emotion, religions and customs can come together as one. the application of these that separates us from Zimbabwe where opposition is being hunted.. and Burma... or Iraq where despite the heroic efforts of our men and women factions remain divided... Those who ignore those do not truly understand America" 11:33: "As Mark Twian, that great Missourian once said, "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." 11:35: "This is part of the American tradition, why we are proud to be Americans. The willingness to dissent on those ideas. Willingness to sacrifice, on behalf of a larger cause. The young veterans like this, the ones I meet at Walter Reed, the ones like John McCain who have sacrificed the most. We must always express our gratitude for our men and women in uniform ... period... full stop... The greatest thing to emerge from this war - whether you oppose it or are for it, our support for those who serve is strong. That has changed since the 60's. " 11:36: In spite of this absence of leadership from Washington, a new group of Americans have taken up this cause. The young people I've met all over the nation. Those who serve over seas, but those who also reach out to teach in our communities.... I believe one of the tasks of our next generation is to ensure this grows. We should expand AmeriCore and expand the Peace Corps ... and give more benefits for those who serve in our military. True patriotism cannot be forced by policy .. it must be nurtured in the hearts of our children. It is easy to take the nature of our country for granted, but it is that history in our children both at home and at school. Too many children are ignorant of the sheer effort of risks and sacrifices to ensure people survived war and depression - it is up to us to teach them in our schools, and even though we have faced great challenges and faced mistakes. We have always been able to come together to make America better. It has always been up to us to teach them that the world has looked to us to be the leaders. It is up to us to teach them how to make their voices heard. " 11:41 "Patriotism involves not just working against external threats, but working together to make this country better for future generations. When we pill up debt for them to pay off.... we risk leaving behind an America that has fallen in the rank of the world." 11:42 "The better angels of our nation" We know the greatness of this country, all result in the image and imagination of this country. Their quite heroism, the liberty to pursue our own dreams. The community we strive to build, in this sometimes messy democracy of ours. There is nothing we cannot do if we put our mind to it. Our own face wrapped up in the faith of our people. And that's what patriotism means to me... Thank you very much, and may God Bless America." Spin Oddly enough CNN did not go live with the speech. It was interesting to see Rep. Clever there, who had been a Hillary supporter until the very end. It was also very interesting the extent to which young people were referenced in the speech and that dedication to the next generation was considered to be patriotic and the extent to which the burn rate this administration has gone through has disrespected future generations so extensively.