Regarding the Presidential Election...

Last night at about one oclock in the morning I found myself sweating in the middle of a crowd of 50 Peace Corps Volunteers, watching a grainy image of Barack Obama on a TV screen. The picture was going in and out, but the audio was constant. What I heard quite literally brought tears to my eyes.

Many of you readers know my politics. Yes, I agree with most of the views that President Elect Obama holds on policy issues. The emotion I felt last night had absolutely nothing to do with health care reform, taxes, or even the war in Iraq. So bear with me...

In my life time four Presidents have lived in the White House, and I remember three of them. I have lived in States with governors, and cities with mayors. I have always been concious that my leaders were somewhere out there, and that they were supposed to be working to serve me. They would make speeches on televison or the radio that were written to tell me how good a job they were doing. To convince me of their goodness, and to pander for my vote. I've grown up in this system, and I guess I've gotten used to it. Never once have my leaders asked ME for service or sacrifice. They seem content with votes.

Barack Obama does not fit into this equation, and that's why he started sticking out to me when he popped onto the national stage in 2004. His message is that if we want to see a better nation and world, we need to work for it. His often repeated anthem "yes, we can" has little to do with empty wishful thinking, and much more to do with joining together in a collective effort to improve things. The slogan is not "Yes, OBAMA can," it's "Yes, WE (meaning all of us) can."

My generation is beginning to understand that we can't count on politicians to fix the world for us. We need to take action. That is why we hold candle light vigils for darfur, or join the Peace Corps. Yet still we hunger for leadership. We are looking for people with wisdom and vision to challenge us to shed our apathy and work harder. To help us find that path. I see this hunger every time that I talk to fellow Peace Corps Volunteers. They want to be challenged, and asked for more than a vote.

My friends and I wept last night because we finally see a leader who understands our desire. He knows why we have moved away from home to take part in an idealistic task that at times seems futile. He is asking us to roll up our sleeves and keep going. "Finally," we say, "a leader who seems to be worth following." This is much more important than "liberal" and "conservative."

I also wept at the thought of how far America has come. Had Barack Obama lived in the South fifty years ago, he would not have been allowed to vote, or ride in the front of a bus. Now he has been elected to the highest office in the land. Perhaps we have reached the day that Dr. King dreamed about, when individuals "would be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." This is something that is worth celebrating.

Regarding more books...

Here are a few more literary selections for your consideration...

"A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving

One of the most fantastic works of fiction I have read in recent years.  It has wonderful characters, a fantastic plot, and will make you both laugh and cry.  It also tackles some interesting theological/philosophical questions.  I don't know why I had never read this before.  Please, get it and read it, now.

"A Secret History of the CIA" by Joseph Trento

A journalists account of the CIA's history from the end of the second World War, through the end of the cold war.  It is based on twenty years of research and interviews with a lot of the people who were on the inside.  It is saddening to see how much corruption there has been.  There is a very interesting section, though, that makes a strong case for the KGB's involvement with the Kennedy assassination.

"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara King-Solver

The fictional story of missionaries in the Congolese bush in the early 1960's.  Great writing, but more than a little depressing.

"Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne

The author makes a convincing case that as followers of Jesus, our allegiance should be to something much higher than political parties or nation states.  He argues that if we are really doing what Jesus tells us to that we would be living much more controversial lives that are subversive to what our culture considers normal.  I wrestled with this book.  I would love it if some of you would read it, and then discuss it with me over email or something.

"Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins

Eye opening.  John Perkins tells the story of how much of his career was spent as a "consultant" who wrote fraudulent economic reports in order to open doors for US aid to developing countries.  The goal of the conspiracy was to make these countries economically dependent on the US.  It is a very interesting read that spans decades of US foreign policy history.

Regarding meat on Sundays...

My neigbor doesn't go off to work every day.  He has a little piece of land, and does some carpentry for his friends, but mostly he just hangs out.  He does work pretty hard on Sunday mornings, though.  

On Saturday nights a large pig is delivered to his house.  At about 7 AM on Sunday I wake up to the sound of very loud squealing as said pig is in the process of having his or her throat cut.  The pig is then shaved, quartered, butchered, and sold to whoever wants some.  The meat is still warm when I start to cook it.

The killing of the pig is a real community event.  Everyone comes out to stand around and chit chat as we watch the guys do the cutting.  Someone usually brings coffee.  There is almost always a little kid who grabs the tail of the pig when it is cut off, and runs around whipping people in the ankles with it.  It is pretty funny.  The dogs also gather, probably because of the delicious smells.

Watching the butchering is not easy on the stomach.  I won't go into details, but I am sure you can imagine.  It has helped me to realize how sterilized a life we lead in the USA.  We go to the store, or the farmers market, and buy our meat wrapped in plastic, and cut into convenient slices.  We don't really have a picture (or smell) in our head of where it has come from.  It is just a thing that we buy, cook, and eat.  Maybe we should try a little bit harder to understand the things that we are putting into our bodies.

I don't think it is wrong to eat meat.  I have just come to believe that is important to understand the process.  The truth is that the pigs here live pretty happy lives.  They stay outdoors, roll in mud, and usually get to wander semi-freely.  And when they are killed, it is a pretty quick death without a lot of suffering.  And the meat has a really good flavor.  I'd love to show you the whole process when you come visit.