A Good Thing: Stores Open on Thanksgiving

Each November for several years, I have seen postings on social media and heard conversations in which people denounce the fact that stores open on Thanksgiving Day to take advantage of the "Black Friday" rush.

It seems that people are annoyed by the fact that Thanksgiving is "interrupted" by the onset of the Christmas shopping season. Some folks also seem distressed that family members, friends and neighbors who work in retail must cut their holiday short in order to get to work.

This attitude doesn't seem to me to take all of the facts into account.

First, let's be honest: the Christmas shopping season starts well before Thanksgiving. Before children have gathered their final bits of candy on Halloween night, stores were putting up Christmas decorations and announcing sales. Black Friday is, if anything, a halftime in the shopping season, not a kick off.

Second, we live in uncertain times, with an extremely uncertain economy. People who are blessed to have jobs that pay well are indeed truly blessed. Having to work on part of Thanksgiving Day could be seen as a hindrance to holiday joy or as a reason to be thankful. Having a job, even in retail, even during holiday shopping madness, is a blessing. These jobs enable families to give and receive presents on Christmas & put food on the table every day. These are reasons to be grateful, not to complain.

Finally, we live in a world that gives us many reasons to complain. Instead of wasting one's time complaining about Black Friday, have fun with it! Get up early with your family, go out for a nice breakfast & then hit the mall...if only to see the madness & laugh! It's the Christmas season, after all; try to enjoy it!

Labor Day 2011: Prayer for the Unemployed

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

- from The Book of Common Prayer

Prayer on Election Day

Lord God of all creation, you rule and judge all nations; you scatter the arrogant of mind and heart; you cast down rulers from their thrones and raise up the lowly.

Today in the United States of America we elect those who will serve in our government. The voices that call us to go this way or that way are confusing; the signs of these times that we must discern are tragic and unjust; the culture of sin and death that afflicts all creation is powerful.

Open our eyes to see your reign in history, our hearts to share your love with all people, our ears to hear the cry of the widow, the orphan, and the stranger among us.

Send your Holy Spirit upon the people of this land. Teach us to make wise and prudent decisions, today as we vote, and every day that follows. Increase our faith and hope in you, and in you alone. Help your Church to live the gospel she professes.

Guide the people of our nation today as we cast votes. Grant us wisdom, patience, and humility.

May all who are elected this day do justice, love goodness, and walk humbly before you and all people. May the President, the Congress, the Judiciary, and leaders at every level of government know your protection and your insight.

We ask for these blessings, confident in your grace through all time, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

- adapted from a prayer by JustPeace.org

Broadening & Focusing the "Bullying" Conversation

There has been a good deal of discussion on the social networks and in the media recently about bullying. The conversation, while appearing sporadically in the last few years after various incidents, really took off after the tragic suicide of a young man at Rutgers University, whose homosexual behavior was revealed by his roommate via an inappropriate video of the victim engaging in the behavior.

Wikipedia defines "bullying" as:

"...a form of abuse. It comprises repeated acts over time that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power with the more powerful individual or group abusing those who are less powerful. The power imbalance may be social power and/or physical power."

Without question, bullying is a terrible "form of abuse", and can scar people for life. People are bullied for all sorts of things, at many times in life. It's never good, and it hurts.

As a child and well into my teenage years, I was a victim of bullying. I was generally much smaller than most of my classmates, and was, in many ways, very, very different from most of them; I wasn't athletic in any way and preferred music and reading to physical competition. I was shy and extremely introverted; I was socially awkward and uncomfortable around strangers, and had a real problem with self-esteem. As a result, I was often a target of both physical and verbal abuse, and it hurt deeply. I often felt isolated and alone. My sixth grade year was particularly painful. In so many ways, I still see myself as that bullied young boy who doesn't quite "fit in" (feel free to psychoanalyze now!).

Bullying is real, and though it likely has been around as long as humanity itself, it continues to be a real issue for people of all ages.

It is a real tragedy that the bullying of the Rutgers student resulted in his suicide. We should not take this death lightly, and if this event can be used to jumpstart real conversation, then perhaps this young man's life will be honored in some way.

But I have serious concerns about how the conversation has been going.

First, the primary tragedy is not that a closeted homosexual was cruelly "outed"; it is that a young man is dead. Reducing any person to their sexual choices or opinions masks the worth of each human life. This young man was of infinite value in the Kingdom of God, and his untimely death is a catastrophe for all of us, for many, many reasons. My fear is that we incorrectly see this as a "gay issue" and not as a "human issue", which is far broader and even more painful. My friend Joe Miller boldly discusses this issue on his own blog; it's worth a look.

Second, I have been somewhat taken aback by the way many United Methodist Christians have approached this conversation. Too many United Methodists seem to have embraced this death as a "gay issue" (I mean no disrespect by the use of this phrase; it just seems the most concise rendering). This bodes badly for us all. Aside from the fact that it looks as if many of us may have missed the dehumanization of the victim in reducing this to a "gay issue", we may also be failing many people who still suffer from bullying, and others who are engaged in sexual behaviors which the Church does not condone.

The United Methodist Church, for good or ill, has a position on human sexuality. While it may not be a perfect statement, it nevertheless communicates to the world who we are and how we as a Church view these issues. While the entire statement from our Book of Discipline can be viewed here, pertinent pieces for this post include:

"We deplore all forms of the commercialization and exploitation of sex, with their consequent cheapening and degradation of human personality...We insist that all persons, regardless of age, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation, are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured. We recognize the continuing need for full, positive, age-appropriate and factual sex education opportunities for children, young people, and adults. The Church offers a unique opportunity to give quality guidance and education in this area.

"Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God's grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons."

An additional statement (which can be read in full here) makes clear that United Methodists are to stand against practices of fear or prejudice toward those engaged in homosexual behavior.

United Methodists (particularly clergy) need to live into these statements as best they can. This means, in my view, standing against the bullying of persons engaged in homosexual behaviors. These are persons to be loved, not feared or harmed.

Additionally, however, we are to help folks engaged in all kinds of behaviors - sexual and otherwise - to recognize that they can know redemption and deliverance in Jesus Christ. I'm reminded of something shared by Bishop William Willimon during a visit to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2007, in which he shared with those present some words we will never hear from God: "I love you just the way you are; promise me you'll never change." While we are to unequivocally stand against the bullying of persons who are targeted because of their sexual choices, this does not mean we should simply affirm their choices or behaviors. We should show them through love that Jesus has a better way for us. To do otherwise is to not only fail to live into our United Methodist covenant, but more importantly to miss an opportunity to share the unbounded grace of a merciful God who desires the best for each of us.

It is my sincere prayer that as the conversation in social media and the media continues regarding this subject, that we who are blessed to call ourselves United Methodist Christians will do our best to fully communicate the tragedy and hope surrounding the sad death of the Rutgers student and the blight that is bullying.

Clint Webb for Senate

The Scandal That Doesn't Need to Be

The recent news that the Obama White House may have offered jobs to Democrat candidates Joe Sestak and Andrew Romanoff if they chose not to run for office against fellow party opponents seems to be gaining steam. Almost every day, a new bit of information is revealed, and it's looking more ugly.

In my opinion, however, this does not (or did not) have to be a major scandal. It may well be that folks in the White House were simply not aware of a law that, while important, is relatively obscure (at least to the public-at-large). Frankly, I'd never heard of this law, which prohibits job offers to potential candidates (considered institutional interference in democracy), prior to the Joe Sestak story. I assumed that this sort of thing happened a lot in BOTH parties, regardless of how dirty it looks.

True, ignorance of the law is no excuse, especially from the branch of government which exists to enforce the law. But I sincerely doubt that President Obama meant to do anything illegal in this instance; my gut feeling is that the people around him failed to act and advise appropriately. The president seems to have surrounded himself with some pretty mistake-prone people, in my opinion, and they've often given him some bad advice.

But the incident has been handled poorly from Day 1. I wish the President would simply have pulled a mea culpa, admitting that something inappropriate had occurred and that he was holding the proper folks accountable. A few firings could then have stopped the story dead in its tracks. Instead, we've gotten mysterious denials, incomplete statements, and a total lack of clarity. This relatively minor issue did not have to become a major scandal, but it is becoming such because of poor handling.

The other thing that bothers me about this story is the assumption that a political opponent is involved in scandal. Not every President is personally corrupt a la Nixon or Clinton. Bush and Obama, for instance, seem to be two decent men with whom I have disagreements, and who both have made mistakes. Both, however, have seen their opponents assuming the worst. The constant search in Washington for "the next scandal", the presumption that one's opponent is also one's enemy and that he/she must be up to no good is no way to run a nation. I pray we get to the point where we can disagree without assuming our opponent is evil or their administration scandal-ridden rather than simply wrong.

Woody Allen & Roman Polanski, Justice & Forgiveness

Clearly, Woody Allen doesn't get it.

At the recent Cannes Film Festival in France, the Hollywood legend was asked about the plight of fellow director Roman Polanski. Polanski, as you may know, was charged in California with raping a 13 year old girl in the early 1980s. He fled the United States and has since been living comfortably in Europe (primarily France), where he has continued his career, winning an Oscar in 2002 for The Pianist.

Allen responded - amazingly:

It’s something that happened many years ago...He has suffered, he has not been allowed to go to the United States. He was embarrassed by the whole thing...He's an artist, he's a nice person, he did something wrong and he paid for it. They [his critics] are not happy unless he pays the rest of his life. They would be happy if they could execute him in a firing squad. Enough is enough.

I have to wonder if Allen realizes exactly what he said. He suggested - no, he unequivocally stated - that embarrassment is an acceptable punishment for raping a child. Is de facto exile from the United States - to live comfortably abroad while continuing a lucrative career - acceptable punishment? Should we not pursue criminal charges against someone who is a "nice person", evidence be damned?

Woody Allen is, like Polanski, an excellent filmmaker. But his notions of justice are bizarre, to say the least. True, if Polanski were to return to California and go to prison, that would still not be a "just" punishment for raping a child. But it would be a step in the right direction.

Kudos to actor Michael Douglas, who refused to sign a petition in support of Polanski (which Allen dutifully signed), saying that it would be "unfair" for him to sign a petition for "somebody who did break the law." I sincerely hope that the bulk of the Hollywood community and the rest of the American Radical Left favors Douglas' approach rather than that of Woody Allen.

The Christian faith is all about forgiveness, to be sure. But implicit in Jesus' call to discipleship is a call to repent that we might know forgiveness, both at the beginning of his earthly ministry and near its end. In fact, Jesus always connected penitence with forgiveness, and penitence carries with it the notion of "penance", a desire to be forgiven and to "make things right". Polanski can indeed know forgiveness for even this vile crime, but it seems to me that penitence needs to be a part of his plan if he is sincere. Being a "nice person", unfortunately, isn't enough.

Ron Luce on Leadership

“Those who speak up shape culture.”

- Ron Luce, BattleCry

Interesting quote

"There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."

- President Barack Obama,
at the National Prayer Breakfast
(Source: The White House)

An Oscar Reflection: Has the Church failed Dustin Lance Black & Sean Penn?

"...to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families...you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours."

- from Dustin Lance Black's speech after winning the Academy Award
for Best Original Screenplay for Milk

"Thank you. You commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns...I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone."

- from Sean Penn's speech after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Milk

I have no doubt that radical voices at the fringes of the Church have expressed outright hatred for anyone who struggles with or practices homosexual behavior; the Fred Phelps cult - which cannot really be termed a part of the Christian Church - has done some horrid, despicable, demonic things.

But the Church has done its best and continues to do its best to express God's love for all people. It is certainly true that:

"The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching."

This famous quote from paragraph 161G of the Social Principles in our Book of Discipline should not be read or interpreted in a vacuum, or taken out of context:

"Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God's grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons."

If a local congregation has told writer Dustin Lance Black that he is "less than" because of his sex decisions, then shame on that local congregation. Every person - straight or gay - is sacred in God's eyes, and Jesus died for each. God loves Dustin Lance Black just as he loves Keith McIlwain or Billy Graham or Pope Benedict XVI or Ellen Degeneres or even Fred Phelps. God may be disappointed by some of the decisions we make (I'm sure that I am a constant disappointment), but that divine love does not cease.

Mr. Black and actor Sean Penn seem to believe something about the Church that is not true, and perhaps the Church is in part to blame. Mr. Black is correct: gays and lesbians are "...beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you." That is a statement with which every thinking, compassionate Christian can agree. What churches have taught him something else? I wish he'd "named names"!

Have we failed to share with Mr. Black the amazing cosmic truth that God loves him, that Jesus died and rose for him, that the Creator of the universe desires to be in a salvific, transformative relationship with him? Shame on us for not reaching this gifted young man with the heart of the gospel, that he now believes something about the Church that is inherently false.

Then again, my understanding is that Mr. Black was raised in a Mormon environment, and, while I haven't seen anything hateful about mainstream contemporary Mormonism, I'm no expert on their theology or practice, other than to say that I don't believe it to be Biblically or doctrinally Christian. So it's possible that Mr. Black is reflecting on some Mormon practice of which I am ignorant.

But both Mr. Black and Mr. Penn mischaracterized the "gay marriage" debate at the Oscars on Monday night. I know a lot of Christians, and I don't know of one who does not favor equal rights. The fact that Christians have opposed California's "Prop 8" and similar measures in other states isn't because Christians want to deny everyone "equal rights", nor is it out of hate.

Christians oppose "gay marriage" because they love gay persons. If indeed homosexual practice is "incompatible with Christian teaching", then the Christians are compelled to help those individuals engaged in sinful behaviors to be liberated from those behaviors. This is equally true for those engaged in sinful heterosexual practices, or sinful practices which have nothing to do with sex. Sanctioning behavior believed to be sin would be extremely hateful, and, thankfully, the Church has thus far refused to do so.

To mischaracterize those opposed to sanctioning homosexual practice as hateful is not only a lie, it is mean. And possibly hateful. Or at the very least ignorant.

My prayer is twofold: that we can raise the discourse of the debate so as not to characterize our opponents as hateful, when no one involved in the debate is actually driven by hatred, and that the Church can find ways to be more effective in sharing the life-changing gospel - which is "good news", after all - so that all persons can know and praise God's wonderful work in Jesus Christ, submit to his Lordship (and his alone), and be emancipated from the great bondage of sin - sexual and otherwise.

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (BCP)

(Note in the interest of full disclosure: I have not yet seen the film Milk, but have no doubt that the always brilliant Sean Penn delivered an excellent performance.)

Presidents Day list: Best U.S. Presidents

(According to me!)

1 - Abraham Lincoln

2 - George Washington

3 - Theodore Roosevelt

4 - Ronald Reagan

5 - Franklin Roosevelt

6 - James Polk

7 - Andrew Jackson

8 - Thomas Jefferson

9 - John Adams

10 - Grover Cleveland

Words Matter

Last Sunday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appeared on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Speaking about the pending "economic stimulus" package championed by President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and most other Democrat leaders, an exchange occurred which has since been spread all over the blogosphere...

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

I am not the only person in America who has found the Speaker's words very disturbing. I am pleased that, with the support of the President, these provisions have been removed from the package.

The initial television exchange, however, remains very disturbing to me because it shows a radical difference in worldview from my own.

Speaker Pelosi is a strong, vocal supporter of legal abortion, sometimes misunderstanding the teachings of her denomination (the Roman Catholic Church). It would not be surprising to see her vote for any measure which would support legal abortion or speak in support of such a measure.

What dismays me is that in the exchange with George Stephanopoulos, Speaker Pelosi seems to reduce "family planning" to economics. We need to support such measures, she claimed, because they will "reduce costs" to the government, and that these are simply "the consequences of the downturn in our economy." There is no mention of human rights or what might be best for the baby, the parents, or the family. "Family planning" has been reduced to dollars and cents. One might ask, "What is a baby worth?"

To be fair, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats may not have been including abortion in the "family planning" section of the "stimulus" package; I have not read the proposed bills. She may only have been referring to condoms and birth control pills.

Even so, the Speaker's words tread on dangerous ground. I'm not ready to join those who have accused the Speaker of supporting eugenics, though her words may come close to doing so. I'm more willing to believe that she simply chose her words poorly...very poorly. But when we begin to think of babies and children in terms of economics and not in terms of their inherent worth as precious human souls for whom Jesus died, we take another step further on the road to dehumanization, and that can make eugenics and other atrocities possible.

The Election of 2008 in Prophecy?

From the 1976 film Network...

Prayer for President Obama

Gracious Heavenly Father, who has made a good world filled with beauty and the miraculous, be with President Barack Obama this day and in the difficult days ahead, that, protected by your hand and guided by your Spirit, he might lead this imperfect nation and this broken world into a time of peace and sharing, where conversation replaces violence, where celebration replaces poverty, and where love replaces hate; make him your man in this world; give him zeal to serve "the least of these"; protect his family from all harm; lead him always on your holy path; and through his work, prosper your people and your creation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Bush Legacy: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

THE GOOD

* By far, his most important achievement is that he kept the homeland safe after the tragic attacks of 9/11/01. No more attacks when everyone thought another one was inevitable...that's good stuff. It also looks like Al Qaeda has been pretty much neutered in their ability to hurt or kill others, and the Taliban is effectively no more; these are good things for America, the Middle East and the world.

* "He stood athwart mounting global warming hysteria and yelled, 'Stop!' He slowed the movement toward a policy blunder of worldwide impact, providing time for facts to catch up with the dubious claims of alarmists. Thanks in part to Bush, the supposed consensus of scientists on global warming has now collapsed. The skeptics, who point to global cooling over the past decade, are now heard loud and clear. And a rational approach to the theory of manmade global warming is possible." - Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard 1/19/09

* The No Child Left Behind Act...far from perfect, Bush nevertheless tried to do something about the educational problems in this nation, and tried to do what previous presidents were too frightened to attempt: hold teachers accountable for their teaching.

* John Roberts & Samuel Alito, two faithful Roman Catholic men of the highest integrity and deep faith, appointed to the highest court in the land.

* The Iraq surge. I am a pacifist and oppose all war, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, or Clinton's forays into Kosovo and Haiti, or Vietnam and Korea...wherever. But Bush disregarded the advice of many so-called "experts" and initiated "the surge", which has stabilized Iraq and given that nation the hope of a free, democratic future.

* Afghans - including long-persecuted Afghan women - participated in a free election for the first time in history. How could anyone fail to be moved?

* Cutting taxes is always a good thing, in my opinion.

* Bush delivered an astounding amount of aid to Africa, to fight poverty as well as the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Based on financial aid, no other president comes close in their commitment to the people of Africa; no other president has done more to combat the global scourge of HIV/AIDS. One would think that the Left would celebrate this achievement, but hate seems to blind them - at least for now - to this reality.

THE BAD

* While the hurricane was in no way his fault, the federal government's slow response to Katrina was disappointing. Bush could have been a more visible, vocal cheerleader. True, the 2005 disaster revealed absolute incompetence from New Orleans and Louisiana officials, who were primarily responsible for the failures of the relief effort, but Bush shares at least part of the blame for the confusion of the initial relief effort. See my post from 8/29/06.

* The current economic crisis has nothing to do with President Bush; it's no more his fault than it is the fault of Steven Spielberg or Captain Kangaroo. But the gigantic recovery packages he has obtained are ghastly, and will likely do little to stave off recession. My advice: Let the economy take its course...help those in imminent danger of death...and let the culture determine its own financial path.

* "Mission accomplished" was obviously premature. It was not the best idea the White House ever had.

* Osama Bin Laden may be still at large. My own opinion is that he is dead, killed in the caves of eastern Afghanistan / western Pakistan when American bombs made that region resemble the surface of the sun. But there's no evidence, so it's fair to hold Bush accountable.

* Abu Ghraib. Bush didn't cause this tragedy or condone it, but a few bad apples in the U.S. military did this under his watch.

THE UGLY

* Allowing torture to become acceptable practice in the attempt to obtain information. Torturing another human being cannot bode well for America, and is never acceptable behavior for a Christian. See my post from 10/28/06.

* Gitmo. I understand that one can't simply let these killers go free, but something needs to be done. See my posts from 10/28/06 and 4/2/07.

* Bush's biggest failure in my opinion was a terrible practice of communication.

In 2001, the President declared what became known as "the Bush doctrine" as a new way of dealing with foreign policy and war. Whether one agrees with the doctrine or not (I don't), and whether one understands it fully or not (news anchor Charlie Gibson doesn't...but then strangely chastised Gov. Sarah Palin for not knowing it either, in one of the 2008 election's more bizarre moments), the doctrine was to be the rationale for any efforts in the War on Terror and beyond.

But Bush did a terrible job of communicating this rationale as the war continued. Iraq was initially to be one front of the wider war, Afghanistan another front; Bush failed to communicate these as such. Because he was unwilling or unable to communicate the "doctrine" as it pertains to Iraq, his political opponents in government and the media were able to establish the "two wars" motif. Imagine folks in the 1940s failing to connect the fronts in the Pacific, Africa, and Europe as part of one greater conflict; that is almost impossible to consider.

The communication failures of President Bush resulted in the compartmentalization of these efforts, so that the American people view Afghanistan as one war, Iraq as another. This has been disastrous for Bush's approval ratings as well as for the GOP in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

It has largely affected his ability to accomplish other things, internationally and domestically. Ineffective communication must stand, therefore, as his greatest failure. And it's a big one.

THE FINAL ANALYSIS

President Bush seems to be a good man of sincere Christian faith and upstanding personal character. He loves his wife, he loves his daughters, he has wanted to do what's right. He has experienced incredibly bad luck, with at least three events occurring during his tenure which could have destroyed any leader: 9/11/01, Hurricane Katrina, and the current economic crisis. He did some things well, others not so well. But I have never gotten the impression that he is mean or vindictive.

I believe that history will treat President Bush in a kind fashion, particularly if Iraqi democracy takes off. Those who claim he is the worst president in history know little about history. He is nowhere near the bottom of that list; neither was he able to reach the vaunted heights of Washington, Lincoln, or Reagan.

As Americans inaugurate a new President, let us pledge to pray for Barack Obama and continue to pray for George W. Bush, that both men will be safe and filled with the Spirit of wisdom and grace.

A Message from the Baltimore-Washington Conference

Prayer for Gaza & Israel

Almighty Father, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in calm your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; especially grant peace to Jerusalem and all who live in Israel and the Gaza Strip, that violent thoughts would disappear, weapons of destruction would vanish, and all hate would be conquered by your perfect compassion, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

- adapted from the Book of Common Prayer

Wise Words from Mona Charen

He Did Good:
But the Left won’t give Bush credit

By Mona Charen


I can see it now. The world will be very different. The president of the United States will receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his lifesaving aid to victims of disease in Africa. Government and civic leaders from Europe and Asia will express their admiration. Americans will walk a little taller. Barack Obama will bow his head as the ribboned medal is extended …

But wait. The president who deserves such an honor is in office now. It is George W. Bush who has devoted so much time, energy, and money (well, our money, but it was legal) to fighting AIDS and other diseases in Africa.

From the beginning of his administration, President Bush has pushed for more aid to Africa. Motivated perhaps by his deeply felt Christian faith (relieving poverty in Africa has become a major charitable push among evangelicals), the president has pressed for greater aid to Africa across the board. The original PEPFAR legislation (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which passed in 2003, was the largest single health investment by any government ever ($15 billion). At the time the initiative was launched, only about 50,000 sub-Saharan Africans were receiving antiretroviral treatment for AIDS. Today, 1.7 million people in the region, as well as tens of thousands more around the globe, are receiving such treatment. PEPFAR has also funded efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the AIDS virus, provided compassionate care to the sick and dying, and cared for 5 million orphans. One aspect of the program has been to reduce the stigma of the AIDS diagnosis in Africa.

In July of this year, the president requested that funding for PEPFAR be doubled to $30 billion. The new funding will be used to train 140,000 new health-care workers. It would also address other illnesses, like tuberculosis, that often complicate AIDS.

The president also backed a malaria initiative that has provided an estimated 25 million Africans with nets, spraying, and other prevention and treatment options. Separate from the AIDS funds, the president has tripled development assistance and humanitarian aid to Africa since taking office.

When he traveled to Africa earlier this year (his second trip to the region as president), President Bush was greeted by enthusiastic crowds and grateful heads of state. Of the ten nations around the world that expressed the most positive feelings toward the U.S.A. in a recent Pew poll, eight were in Africa. (The other two were Israel and the U.S.) President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania paid tribute to Mr. Bush, saying, as the Christian Science Monitor reported, “Different people may have different views about you and your administration and your legacy. We in Tanzania, if we are to speak for ourselves and for Africa, we know for sure that you, Mr. President, and your administration have been good friends of our country and … of Africa.”

“Bush Has Quietly Tripled Aid to Africa.” So headlined a Washington Post story from 2006. But the president has been trying not to be quiet about it. On the contrary, he’s been touting it as often as he can.

But he gets precious little credit. Yes, Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church has awarded President Bush the “International Medal of Peace” for his humanitarian efforts in Africa. And a few agitators for international aid like Bono and Bob Geldof have put in a few good words for the man. Actually, Geldof was pretty interesting. He said George Bush had done more for Africa than his predecessor and was “pissed off” at the press for failing to report it.

But for the most part, the beautiful people in America — the Hollywood and university types, the book and magazine publishers, and of course, the major media — have shown complete indifference to George W. Bush’s dedication to a cause they purport to value. In fact, they’ve pointedly ignored it. It goes without saying that if Obama does even half of what Bush has done for AIDS sufferers in Africa, he will be — in the eyes of those same people — a candidate for canonization.

Of course the Left can say whatever they like about George Bush and the war in Iraq and the war on terror. But when he does something completely in line with their own stated principles and values, it is simply mean-spirited of them to deny him his due.

© 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

Friday Top 10: Best U.S. Presidents

1 - Abraham Lincoln

2 - George Washington

3 - Theodore Roosevelt

4 - Ronald Reagan

5 - Franklin Roosevelt

6 - James Polk

7 - Andrew Jackson

8 - Thomas Jefferson

9 - John Adams

10 - Grover Cleveland

A Prayer for Presidential Leaders

Gracious Heavenly Father, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to your merciful care, that, being guided by your Holy Spirit, we may dwell secure in your peace. Grant to President George W. Bush, President-elect Barack Obama, and to all in authority the wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Protect them and their families; fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.