Monday, February 27, 2017

Everyday Oscars

Well, the Oscars are over. Including a slight snafu around the announcement of Best Picture.

And Emma Stone's acceptance speech hit a high note. She said, in part, after thanking everyone involved in the production, "I still have a lot of growing and learning and work to do..."

Which got me to thinking, what if they handed out Everyday Oscars? And the nominees are...

Best Cinematography - Mother Nature (also known as Creation). Of course that would include everything from the Swiss Alps to the Grand Canyon to the Great Lakes to Iceland. Or the tropical Rain Forest cutting through the Amazon. Or the Amazon River itself. Or the Rockies. Or the Himalayas?

Best Sound Editing - How about the sound of ocean surf pounding against cliffs? Or the same surf a few days later, gently lapping at the shore? Or the sound of the wind rustling its way through a forest? Or the enveloping silence of snow falling in the evening? A cat purring?

Best Director - Anyone who takes the time to mentor someone else - mostly by their example. Especially to a kid who doesn't have someone else actively caring about them. This of course includes hundreds of thousands of educators - from kindergarten on up through PhD level. And the equally dedicated millions of volunteers is school systems worldwide.

Best Visual Effects - Putting down your smartphone and looking into the eyes of someone while
they are talking to you. And smiling as you acknowledge their presence.

Best Writing (Journalism) - Goes to anyone who writes/has relentlessly written the truth, undeterred by the consequences. Inspiring all of us to live the same. Including, but not limited to Hu Shuli, James Agee, Christine Amanpour, Nicholas Kristoff, James Baldwin, Margaret Bourke-White, Ed Bradley, W.E.B. DuBois, Frances FitzGerald, Nat Hentoff, Dorothy Thompson, Langston Hughes, Charles Kuralt, Bill Moyers, Anna Quindlen,  Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein and Mike Royko. Here's a list of 100.

Best Costume Design - A spotted leopard, a white-headed capuchin monkey, a blue-and-yellow
maccaw. The elegantly simple design of the ladybug. Or any forest dressed up in its autumnal glory. Or how about an evening sky in the desert (or anywhere away from city lights), with millions of stars overhead?

Best Make Up - Having the confidence and peace to go out into the world as yourself.

Best Actress - All Moms, for their consistent, unrelenting, unshakeable love. Especially in the middle of a earth-shatteringly hectic day (for them) when their kids voice their need for affirmation.

Best Actor - All Dads who offer the same. And for step-moms and step-dads, grandparents and all others who are able to handle the emotional acrobatics of stopping whatever they are doing, on a dime, to pivot their attention towards a kid.

Best Animated Feature - An otter scooting down a muddy river bank into the river. Followed
closely by any flock of birds taking off together in a miraculously random pattern. (Or if you live in North America, seeing your first robin way before your calendar officially turns to spring.)

Best Supporting Actress - Your best female friend who offers a smile when you need one. Cries along with you, without you having to stop and explain why you're crying. Offering encouragement, always.

Best Supporting Actor - To any male who offers the same as above, maybe minus the crying.

And if you're a bit curious to see who actually won the 87th Annual Academy Award Oscars, look here.

How about you? Who would receive YOUR Oscars??

Photo Credit: night sky - Islay Pictures Photoblog
otter - Wikipedia











Monday, February 20, 2017

Civil Righteousness & Nina Simone

Over the past weekend I had an opportunity to attend a couple of events tied to a Civil Righteousness Conference held in Kalamazoo, MI.

The Conference featured Jonathan Tremaine Thomas (who is Nina Simone's grandnephew). It was co-sponsored by Jesus Loves Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo House of Prayer.

During a breakfast meeting Friday morning, Thomas said that "we're in a protest culture." And that protesting keeps "recruiting on the unhealed wounds of America."

Mr. Thomas lives in St. Louis, Missouri and talked about what it felt like to be on the front lines of the protests that happened in Ferguson (a suburb of St. Louis) after the shooting of. Michael Brown. Thomas noted that the protests, while relevant, failed to address the deeper wounds.

He gave a quick history lesson about Ferguson, mentioning that Dred Scott (of the infamous Dred Scott decision) was buried not many miles from the epicenter of the protesting in Ferguson. Scott was a slave who had sued for his freedom after his master died, having lived in a free state. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the decision, given by a Court with a majority of judges from the South, ruled that Scott, being a slave, had no right to sue for his freedom. The case added fire to the growing hostility that led to the Civil War.

Thomas made the point that racism is a violation of Divine Principle, and that any violation of Divine Principle (aka spiritual ethics), results in racism, oppression, and trans-generational wounding that leads to a "breach in the spiritual walls of righteousness."

He said that our country is experiencing "inculturated pain" that is a result of non-normal ways of dealing with violation of Divine Principle.

The church should be leading the way to heal the deep-seated wounds but "the church has no oil." Thomas referenced Ez. 22:29-30, where God speaks: "I looked for someone who would rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one."

According to Thomas, we need a spiritual solution to the problem of racism in our country, which he called Civil Righteousness. He defined it as being "the pursuit of moral excellence in the face of injustice," using a biblical standard.

The next day, at another Civil Righteousness Conference event on the steps of Kalamazoo College's Stetson Chapel, Thomas offered a template that any city or region could use to help proactively address the issue of systemic racism. The steps included:

1. Prepare yourself, spiritually, emotionally and mentally, to run into the fight. Mobilize, pray, worship and bring spiritual engagement within the conflict zone. Thomas emphasized the importance of training and gave the example of Martin Luther King, Jr's insistence that participants in the Civil Rights marches of the early 1960s be trained in non-violent protest. So they knew what to expect from the opposition and how to respond.
2. Be a bridge by cultivating fruitful relationships and mutual understanding among feuding factions through preemptive measures.
3. Dream with God - lead the change. Innovate comprehensive solutions and strategies that foster sustainable spiritual, cultural and economic reformation.

Prior to the early afternoon discussion, Thomas gave a presentation on his famous relative, Nina Simone. While there has been a resurgence of interest in Simone's music recently, many fans have no idea of her roots. Thomas explained that Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Wayman. Her mother was a Methodist preacher.

At a young age Eunice played the piano and was a prodigy, being able to perform classical pieces from memory.

Eunice played the piano in her mother's church and had a wide regional reputation. But when she applied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, she was denied because of her color.

Eventually, Eunice gave private piano lessons to earn an income, but when she began to supplement it by playing in night clubs, she changed her name to Nina Simone, so her family, who disapproved, wouldn't be offended.

At first Simone's music was more jazz centered and incorporated elements of the music sung in black churches. But after the killing of Medgar Evers and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church which killed four young black girls, her music took a more confrontational tone. Her song, "Mississippi, God Damn" was an example of this turning point.

According to Thomas his great-aunt then became increasingly involved in the Civil Rights movement, feeling a great burden for the injustice she experienced and saw around her. That, combined with a bipolar disorder, resulted in her eventually removing herself from her traditional Christian upbringing of her youth, leaving her open, explained Thomas, to her darker side.

In an interview on French television Simone was asked how she felt about how her life had developed. "I''m sorry that I didn't become the world's first black classical pianist. I think I would have been happier. I'm not very happy now," she said flatly, near tears. (And I have to say that, having seen the clips of performances that Thomas showed, I was left profoundly saddened at what appeared to be Simone slowly being given over to an anger and grief that she couldn't resolve.)

Perhaps this is why Thomas says he has been called to a ministry of Civil Righteousness, seeing the results of the heaviness of wounds left to fester on their own.

Photo Credits:
Jonathan Tremaine Thomas - Twitter
Nina Simone - blacktimetravel




Monday, February 13, 2017

Voting & Vetting



It's been a busy time at the White House during the first month of the new president's administration.

There have been 11 Executive Orders signed.

The current administration occupying the White House seems to believe they are following up on campaign promises that represent the majority will of citizens living in the US. But taking a quick look at the election results proves this is not the case.

According to The United States Election Project, only 59% of those eligible to vote did so. That means 41% of those eligible didn't. Unbelievably, that's about average for a national election.

The Pew Research Center reported that among those who did vote only 8% of Blacks and 28% of Latinos voted for the current president. Understandably, many people of color feel let down and left out.

According to New York Magazine, the Democratic nominee actually won the general election by 2.8 million votes, or 2.1% of the total. This is the second largest margin (by percentage) by which a candidate lost the Electoral College vote but won the popular vote since 1824.

Considering all of the above, it would seem like the current party that controls the White House and Congress would be less inclined to act as if they somehow have a mandate. Instead, the current president continues to insistent that he lost millions of votes due to widespread voter fraud. Including an allegation that Massachusetts voters were bused to New Hampshire to vote illegally. None of these claims have been proven to be true.

The current administration's lack of popular support among US citizens is especially important when considering a few of the executive orders signed by the president within his first month of office. This lack of support goes far beyond politics.

One executive order elevated Stephen Bannon (his chief strategist) to the National Security Council (NSC). The same order lessened the power of the Director of National Intelligence and the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest ranking military officer in the US). Now the Chair of the JCOS and the Director of National Intelligence will attend meetings of the NSC only "where issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise care to be discussed."

Former White House aides who know the importance of separating politics from national security decisions have said that this action on the part of the present administration is ill-advised and unprecedented.

The president also signed an executive order authorizing the US to build a "contiguous, physical wall, or other similarly secure physical structure"  across the Mexican border. The estimates of building the wall run from a minimum of $12 billion to $24 billion.

Another executive order pledges to hire an additional 10,000 immigration officers. If an immigration officer earns $20,000 a year, that would translate into an expenditure of $200,000,000 annually.

Given the Republican party's historic focus on fiscal responsibility (especially when it comes to a reluctance to fund programs targeted to serve the poor) it's curious to me why they would back executive orders that will substantially raise the national deficit. How is this being fiscally responsible? (Giving in to fear and prejudice can be extremely expensive.) Not to mention that the Pew Research Center and others have factually proven that for the past few years, the number of Mexicans leaving the US has been greater than those coming in. Meaning, in practical terms, there simply isn't a need for a wall. 

The president insists the wall will do wonders for our national security, meanwhile he has succeeded only in alienating President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico.

Perhaps the most controversial of the executive orders has been the one instituting a travel ban on Muslims from seven targeted countries, as well as all Syrian refugees.

The day the president signed this particular executive order, there were protests across the US and around the world.

The president has also cited the need for "extreme vetting." The current vetting process involves 20 steps, beginning with the United Nations, and includes clearance from the US State Department, FBI, Homeland Security and US Immigration. What would "extreme" vetting accomplish, except making it more tedious and expensive to implement? What practical, factual cause is there for hiring 10,000 additional immigration agents?

BBC World News has done an outstanding job of detailing the executive orders.

If you're wondering why there have been more protests than normal surrounding this new administration in Washington, maybe it's good to remember that the president isn't exactly popular, and despite his belief, he did not come into power upon a tidal wave of support.

In fact, the support for the current president is actually quite low.  Forbes reported a late January Gallup poll in which recipients gave him a 45% approval rating.The most recent Gallup poll puts the president's approval rating at 38%  The lowest approval rating for an in-coming president in the history of Gallup (since 1953). To put this in perspective President Obama came into office with a 68% approval rating. George W. Bush had a 58% approval rating.

And this displeasure has been filtering down to members of Congress at local town hall meetings.

Those familiar with the Bible and what it has to say about treating the poor know the gold standard for a religious life, which is to "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly before your God." (Check out Micah in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New for additional details.)

So, taken from a moral or religious view, the current administration's actions to date, have much to be desired.

It's no wonder then, that there has been such an outpouring of protest - the Women's March in January and the aforementioned demonstrations at airports included.

What else can a person do to keep the present administration accountable?

. call your elected state and national representatives and tell them, respectfully, what you think
. after you get off the phone, track how they voted
. which is part of keeping tabs on your state capital and federal government
. stay informed - but steer clear of radio talk shows, cable news, alt-news websites and any other source that is extreme in its views; read a national newspaper on a regular basis; understand the difference between opinion and fact (we need to be able to separate fact from political opinion)
. continue to stay engaged - but not enraged (the Bible also tells us to take a break, in fact, one of the Ten Commandments specifically mentions setting aside a day a week to rest and give thanks).

Photo Credit: Jeannette Rankin Peace Center













Monday, February 6, 2017

Sally Stap: Brain Surgery Survivor

Sally Stap is an author living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She's always dabbled in writing, but found that writing after brain surgery gave her an outlet to capture her experience. After her broken brain brought an Information Technology career to a halt and she struggled with head pain, facial paralysis, and single-sided deafness, she found that writing helped her express what she was feeling both physically and emotionally.

Her right brain, subservient to her left brain throughout her career, now regularly finds a voice through writing as she strives to interpret emotions and experiences through words. She's a member of the Kalamazoo Christian Writer's critique group, Wordweavers, and Faithwriters.com.

Smiling Again, chronicles the journey you took after being diagnosed with a brain tumor and the surgery that followed. What motivated you to write about this experience? I was shocked by how my life was turned upside down by this experience. I had done research but was totally in denial about what outcome I might encounter. I felt that all the scientific information available didn’t prepare me for the human experience that I had. 


In what ways did your experience change your understanding of God?
I like to say that my faith evolved from theoretical to applied. I have had a relatively blessed life and usually “got what I wanted.” This experience helped me to understand that God frequently has plans different than we do, but that ultimately His view is better than ours. I had a strong faith that has been tested. I’ve had to admit to being angry with God at times and worked through that. I can question, be frustrated, or accept what is and move on. I now seek joy in each day and accept that I don’t have all the answers.


In what ways has your faith been challenged?
Prior to my surgery, everyone I knew was praying for me. Specifically, the day before I left for Mayo I was at a church conference. About 15-20 people laid their hands of me and prayed. I even told them what to pray -- that the tumor be easy to remove ad not vascular or sticky. After surgery, I learned that the tumor was very vascular (lots of blood vessels in it) and it was sticky – particularly to my facial nerve. I had prayed for a perfect ending with a neat story to share. Instead I was given a fight for my life and I had to ask where God was in my experience.


You led a very busy life as a business consultant before being diagnosed. Do you miss that life?
Yes, I miss it. I have adjusted though and have worked much more with the right side of my brain by exploring art. My life is definitely more peaceful now. I need to be calm and deliberate to minimize my chronic head pain.


How have your priorities changed since the surgery?
My career ended, so I had to figure out my self-worth. I now appreciate relationships and the generosity of people. I appreciate each day and don’t push to always be productive.


What advice would you give to anyone reading who may be facing surgery for removal of a tumor?
Connect with the community on social media (and local support groups if possible). There are many different outcomes, so you want to be knowledgeable but not freaked out. You will get through it and your journey will be unique. Possibly easy, possibly challenging, but it will be your unique journey.


What advice would you offer, in general, for living life?
Seek joy in each day. Don’t always have huge expectations because you might miss the fragile flower growing between the cracks in the sidewalk. Love the people in your life.


What’s most important to you in life now? And why?
My family is most important to me. They were there for me and I recognize moments spent with them that might not have been. Every day following brain surgery is a gift.


Can you give us an update as to how you’re doing physically, emotionally, spiritually?
Physically I’m still struggling with head pain. I am deaf in the right ear. My face is still challenged with partial paralysis. Emotionally? Life is emotionally challenging when you are living with chronic pain and disability. I must let my body be the judge of what gets done in a day. I’ve lost that battle --- mind over matter – so I now listen. I build in much more rest time and allow myself quiet time without guilt. Spiritually? I have a strengthened faith in God and am doing better at handing issues over to Him instead of clinging to them as I whine.


What was your writing routine for Smiling Again? Do you have a particular writing routine now?
I’m more of a sprinter than a marathon runner. I am not disciplined daily – I confess! For Smiling Again, I wrote for a while but was too much in the experience to complete it. I had to get out a couple years from the trauma before I could look back and write reflectively (and objectively) about it. Mostly, I write when words about a topic pop into my head. I take notes immediately and at some point, sit down to sort them out.


Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
I’ve had to accept that I’m not in control. I don’t have all the answers. My goal is to live a peaceful life seeking joy in each day. Of course, (grin) I have to mention the value of reading Smiling Again for anyone, whether facing a crisis or not. It is my best attempt to be transparent and share my human experience. I welcome dialogue with readers on my blog www.smilingagain.com or https://www.facebook.com/Sallystapauthor
You can check out Sally’s book, Smiling Again, here.


Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

Pinocchio: Art Credit, Disney If ever there were a time for a national "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" award, it's now. And certai...