I find it difficult to believe that county officials in San Diego would actually pursue a neighborhood Bible study group for violating a regulation requiring a major use permit before being allowed to meet. But given the source of the news account - an area TV station - I have to believe it is credible.
County employees apparently responded to a complaint about the number of cars parking in the neighborhood due to the weekly gatherings of some 20-25 people. While that seems like a legitimate action, the problem comes as workers question the nature of the gathering, not the parking concerns. No doubt those county workers never anticipated the matter escalating into a potential First Amendment issue.
What's next? Backyard neighborhood barbecues?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Spin Machine
Has anyone noted the sad irony in White House rhetoric around the buildup of American troops and funding to expand the war in Afghanistan? "The president has decided he is going to resource this war properly," says one administration official. Another says the President wants a sharp break from what one describes as "a directionless and under-resourced conflict inherited from the Bush administration." Is this the same President who won the election largely on a promise to bring our troops home and end the $10 billion-a-month drain on our economy? The Washington Post this morning notes that we are already spending $2 billion a month in Afghanistan - the President is increasing that spending by 60 percent this year alone. Swapping one war for another - that wasn't part of the campaign rhetoric. Ah, the spin machine ...
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tragedy - More Than a Number
News reports identified him as No. 28 in a string of high school students murdered in Chicago.
But, he has a name. And a story . . . a beautiful story with a tragic ending that has become all-too-familiar in our nation’s third largest urban center. The story stuns those of us who don’t have to live it – but has become a painfully common narrative to those calling the south side of Chicago home.
Fourteen-year-old Gregory Robinson died in a hail of bullets as he stretched his body across the back seat of the family automobile. He was shielding two young cousins – ages 10 months and four years - from danger as best he could. One bullet in the back ended his young life, the coroner says. One of 40 bullets spitting from an AK-47 automatic weapon and a .40 caliber handgun.
Gregory was not the target of what police believe was a gang-related shooting – he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, some would say. But, he wasn’t in the wrong place. His family car was just pulling up to the family home when the gunfire erupted. He was in his own space. He was very much where he was supposed to be. It was the hatred, the violence, and most importantly the guns that were where they are not supposed to be.
Feelings of anger, profound sadness, and a sense of helplessness overwhelmed me as I sat in Oakdale Covenant Church, a large Southside church that was packed to overflowing. The sorrow, the grief, and the senselessness of it all. Here was a young man who represented the image of what any parent would love to see in their child – considerate, committed to sports, committed to achieving, and with a great sense of humor. All of that and more was reflected in the many tributes from politicians, city, school, and church representatives, and family members and friends.
How much longer are we as a community – a country – going to sit by and watch this kind of violence continue to command our streets and undermine our safety? What will it take for folks to become angry enough to stand tall and do whatever it takes to reclaim our streets, and prevent No. 29 from becoming a reality?
Sadly, we’re too late – No. 29 made the headlines a few days later.
How long?
But, he has a name. And a story . . . a beautiful story with a tragic ending that has become all-too-familiar in our nation’s third largest urban center. The story stuns those of us who don’t have to live it – but has become a painfully common narrative to those calling the south side of Chicago home.
Fourteen-year-old Gregory Robinson died in a hail of bullets as he stretched his body across the back seat of the family automobile. He was shielding two young cousins – ages 10 months and four years - from danger as best he could. One bullet in the back ended his young life, the coroner says. One of 40 bullets spitting from an AK-47 automatic weapon and a .40 caliber handgun.
Gregory was not the target of what police believe was a gang-related shooting – he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, some would say. But, he wasn’t in the wrong place. His family car was just pulling up to the family home when the gunfire erupted. He was in his own space. He was very much where he was supposed to be. It was the hatred, the violence, and most importantly the guns that were where they are not supposed to be.
Feelings of anger, profound sadness, and a sense of helplessness overwhelmed me as I sat in Oakdale Covenant Church, a large Southside church that was packed to overflowing. The sorrow, the grief, and the senselessness of it all. Here was a young man who represented the image of what any parent would love to see in their child – considerate, committed to sports, committed to achieving, and with a great sense of humor. All of that and more was reflected in the many tributes from politicians, city, school, and church representatives, and family members and friends.
How much longer are we as a community – a country – going to sit by and watch this kind of violence continue to command our streets and undermine our safety? What will it take for folks to become angry enough to stand tall and do whatever it takes to reclaim our streets, and prevent No. 29 from becoming a reality?
Sadly, we’re too late – No. 29 made the headlines a few days later.
How long?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
God Is Good, But Not Safe?
This morning's reading from Covenant Home Altar is a grabber. My good friend Glen Wiberg, using Psalm 50 as his text, reminds us that God may be good, but he is not necessarily safe. "To appear before the God who comes as consuming fire with steady knees would be foolhardy," Wiberg writes. "As we begin our Lenten journey to the cross, let us pray that the yawn of familiarity with holy things might be replaced by a renewed sense of reverence and awe before the God who is good, very good, but not safe." That will have me thinking for awhile today ...
Friday, January 09, 2009
The Love Box
A number of years ago, my wife of 35 years lost her battle with cancer. I faced a difficult challenge in trying to explain that loss to two very small grandchildren.
I faced an even greater challenge later on when I decided to remarry and tried to help the grandkids understand this new change in our lives. The kids were confused – how can a new grandma replace the other one, they wondered?
I used the image of a shadow box with all of its little cubbyholes to try and help them understand. I suggested this was like the “love box” inside our heart – and each little cubbyhole was a special place where we tuck away our love for each special person in our life. I explained that each space, once filled, forever belongs to that person and holds not only their love for us, but our love for them. And that space can never be filled by anyone else.
We named our special people – mom, dad, brother and sister, and yes, grandma too. We attached their names to the cubbyholes. Interestingly enough, there remained many cubbyholes with no names. I suggested that these are places for other special people who will come into our lives – a new baby sister, a new brother perhaps. And, yes, a new grandma could nicely fit into her own, special cubbyhole, too.
The gift of new life comes in all sizes – new babies and adults, too. I was reminded of that special gift this past Christmas as our car pulled up to spend Christmas with these grandkids. You can probably guess into whose arms they went running first, beaming and crying out, gramma, gramma!
God has given us an amazing capacity to give and receive love.
I faced an even greater challenge later on when I decided to remarry and tried to help the grandkids understand this new change in our lives. The kids were confused – how can a new grandma replace the other one, they wondered?
I used the image of a shadow box with all of its little cubbyholes to try and help them understand. I suggested this was like the “love box” inside our heart – and each little cubbyhole was a special place where we tuck away our love for each special person in our life. I explained that each space, once filled, forever belongs to that person and holds not only their love for us, but our love for them. And that space can never be filled by anyone else.
We named our special people – mom, dad, brother and sister, and yes, grandma too. We attached their names to the cubbyholes. Interestingly enough, there remained many cubbyholes with no names. I suggested that these are places for other special people who will come into our lives – a new baby sister, a new brother perhaps. And, yes, a new grandma could nicely fit into her own, special cubbyhole, too.
The gift of new life comes in all sizes – new babies and adults, too. I was reminded of that special gift this past Christmas as our car pulled up to spend Christmas with these grandkids. You can probably guess into whose arms they went running first, beaming and crying out, gramma, gramma!
God has given us an amazing capacity to give and receive love.
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