Anonymous and Not Proud

Nobody, myself included, gives a hoot, gosh-darn or worse about the social political inclinations of some fool preacher; and as my call and mission supposedly are not stirring up hate and discontent, but spreading peace, tranquillity, and blessed assurance, I try to keep my mouth shut. Biting my tongue doesn’t always work, sometimes I have to excuse myself and pretend I need to go to the men’s room. My early morning rule is Type First Read Later Think Never, but it doesn’t always work: my mistake today was checking email for replies from members of our Tuesday morning Bible Seminar, and scrolling down Gmail getting caught by NYT Today’s Headlines and CSM Daily Newsletter.  

Life or death for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Of Boston residents, 62% favor life in prison, 27% death. All my life I have struggled that my convictions about capital punishment come out of my Southern heritage rather than my church’s position on capital punishment. When captured a couple days after the atrocity, the boy looked like a confused teenager. Now I’m back to my terrible deadly damnation of anyone who hurts or kills a child. In relief and reality, as a priest I’d never be kept on jury for a capital crime anyway, for which I’m thankful. 

Iran’s hard-liners show restraint on nuclear talks with U.S. because the supreme leader wants to find a negotiated solution. Peace with compromise, even peace for a time, will let many Iranian children grow to adults. Iran was once America’s friend, and will be again in time. Germany, Japan, Vietnam. More Buicks are made and sold in China than in the USA. Iran is fighting ISIS. Congress, stop kissing up to Netanyahu. WH, stop pouting about him.

Afghan militia leaders, empowered by USA to fight Taliban, inspire fear in villages. Problem without solution. Americans as a mindset think there’s a solution to every problem: there isn’t. No matter what we do, it will be wrong. Further, why save a nation whose mentality is self-righteously to beat a young woman to death because of a rumor she trashed a book. There are places in the world where their justice is more evil than any conceivable crime.

Seven children killed in a Brooklyn fire reportedly caused by leaving a hotplate burning all night and day so as to keep Sabbath by not building a fire from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. One wonders what deity is pleased by criminal stupidity. Religious extremism abides. 

Politicians starting to declare as candidates for the 2016 presidential race. Oh God. Here we go again. Eleison. I still say my solution is best and will solve much. A constitutional amendment for senate, house and white house. One term and go home scot free with a full pardon. Two terms and then to the wall.

My problem is that, in this new bedroom sleeping on the other side of the bed than I did the last 57 years, I now get up on the wrong side every morning. 

Anonymous