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WORD!
From Judge Stanley F. Birch Jr. (who was appointed by the first President Bush) as quoted in the Yahoo! News Story:
"In resolving the Schiavo controversy, it is my judgment that, despite sincere and altruistic motivation, the legislative and executive branches of our government have acted in a manner demonstrably at odds with our Founding Fathers' blueprint for the governance of a free people — our Constitution."
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Monday, March 28, 2005
5 Days
See L.A. Times article Bush Offers Praise, Aid for Red Lake
Bush waited 5 days to respond to the horrible shootings at Red Lake, MN. While he flew back to D.C. during his vacation to sign a piece of legislation to help "save the life" of Mrs. Schiavo.
Really, does it take 5 days to figure out what happend in Red Lake? Do they get news down in Crawford, TX? I know the Schiavo case has been domininating the media, but as President he should know what is going on in his country. Was he still trying to figure out the words in "My Pet Goat"??
/sarcasm
Sometimes the President makes me ill.
See L.A. Times article Bush Offers Praise, Aid for Red Lake
Bush waited 5 days to respond to the horrible shootings at Red Lake, MN. While he flew back to D.C. during his vacation to sign a piece of legislation to help "save the life" of Mrs. Schiavo.
Really, does it take 5 days to figure out what happend in Red Lake? Do they get news down in Crawford, TX? I know the Schiavo case has been domininating the media, but as President he should know what is going on in his country. Was he still trying to figure out the words in "My Pet Goat"??
/sarcasm
Sometimes the President makes me ill.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Not Again
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Red Lake Nation in Red Lake, MN.
From Yahoo! News: High School Shooting
Red Lake Nation Website
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Red Lake Nation in Red Lake, MN.
From Yahoo! News: High School Shooting
Red Lake Nation Website
Monday, March 21, 2005
Thin Ice
You cannot tune into any media outlet in America and be free from multiple news stories regarding Terri Schiavo. Personally, I cannot imagine what the friends and family of Mrs. Schiavo are going through, especially in regards to the mental and physical state of Mrs. Schiavo. I pray that I never have to. However, I have experienced death in my family, I have experienced seeing a family member being kept alive by medicine, and I have experienced seeing a family member who had very little mental capabilities suffer for years before finally passing away. I think we all have had some experience with death and dying.
Of all that is going around in both mainstream media as well as with bloggers of various political persuasions, I think the best article on this issue is from Johann Christoph Arnold. Arnold, a senior pastor of the Bruderhof writes in the article “Whose Will Should Prevail?” that:
“The case of Terri Schiavo is once again making headlines and re-igniting a national debate over when and how medical treatment should be withdrawn. Many people see this case as a critical test of the political system and of culture itself. But the media attention it has received has also created an atmosphere of paranoia, and this has harmed Terri more than it has helped, and has clouded the real issues that are at stake. These issues are our society’s terrible fear of death and suffering and our over-reliance on medical technology in a desperate attempt to avoid both. In fact, God alone is in control of human life, and our idolization of science and medical technology needs to be subjugated to his much greater wisdom and love.” read the entire article here
Arnold is the first person I have heard making these statements, despite that fact that many “Christian Leaders” are being very vocal on this issue. I cannot claim to know the will of God on this issue, and I doubt anyone else can make that claim. However, I think this issue is best left to God, not the Federal Courts, not to the United States Congress, not to the President and not to the Governor of Florida. These people do not speak for God.
This is not an issue of Pro-life vs. pro-death as some conservatives would have you believe. Those fighting to re-instate the feeding tube are not truly “pro-life” or they would take up this fight for every person in a situation facing death (including those on death row, or those dying in Iraq). Those arguing that the feeding tube not be re-instated are not promoting a “culture of death”. Rather, they fear the implications that this has for America. They do not want Mrs. Schiavo to suffer, but they also do not want to let the US Congress interfere in something that is clearly not their business. I cannot recall the US Congress every passing similar legislation to this.
There are so many issues in this one case, but in the end the article from Arnold puts it as it should be, that God is in control. It is not for the Courts to decide, its not for Congress to decide, its not for the President to decide who lives and who dies.
For more on the political implications of this check out AmericaBLOG and be sure to read Drina’s take on this.
You cannot tune into any media outlet in America and be free from multiple news stories regarding Terri Schiavo. Personally, I cannot imagine what the friends and family of Mrs. Schiavo are going through, especially in regards to the mental and physical state of Mrs. Schiavo. I pray that I never have to. However, I have experienced death in my family, I have experienced seeing a family member being kept alive by medicine, and I have experienced seeing a family member who had very little mental capabilities suffer for years before finally passing away. I think we all have had some experience with death and dying.
Of all that is going around in both mainstream media as well as with bloggers of various political persuasions, I think the best article on this issue is from Johann Christoph Arnold. Arnold, a senior pastor of the Bruderhof writes in the article “Whose Will Should Prevail?” that:
“The case of Terri Schiavo is once again making headlines and re-igniting a national debate over when and how medical treatment should be withdrawn. Many people see this case as a critical test of the political system and of culture itself. But the media attention it has received has also created an atmosphere of paranoia, and this has harmed Terri more than it has helped, and has clouded the real issues that are at stake. These issues are our society’s terrible fear of death and suffering and our over-reliance on medical technology in a desperate attempt to avoid both. In fact, God alone is in control of human life, and our idolization of science and medical technology needs to be subjugated to his much greater wisdom and love.” read the entire article here
Arnold is the first person I have heard making these statements, despite that fact that many “Christian Leaders” are being very vocal on this issue. I cannot claim to know the will of God on this issue, and I doubt anyone else can make that claim. However, I think this issue is best left to God, not the Federal Courts, not to the United States Congress, not to the President and not to the Governor of Florida. These people do not speak for God.
This is not an issue of Pro-life vs. pro-death as some conservatives would have you believe. Those fighting to re-instate the feeding tube are not truly “pro-life” or they would take up this fight for every person in a situation facing death (including those on death row, or those dying in Iraq). Those arguing that the feeding tube not be re-instated are not promoting a “culture of death”. Rather, they fear the implications that this has for America. They do not want Mrs. Schiavo to suffer, but they also do not want to let the US Congress interfere in something that is clearly not their business. I cannot recall the US Congress every passing similar legislation to this.
There are so many issues in this one case, but in the end the article from Arnold puts it as it should be, that God is in control. It is not for the Courts to decide, its not for Congress to decide, its not for the President to decide who lives and who dies.
For more on the political implications of this check out AmericaBLOG and be sure to read Drina’s take on this.
Friday, March 18, 2005
Spring Break
Next week is the Spring Break whole of the entire NW Arkansas area (And by Spring Break, I mean, a week when no students are on campus, not a week off ;-P), which in and of itself is pretty crazy. However, for me this time means a week where I can hopefully catch up on all the non-student related issues that I am working on. I pray that I can, in fact, actually do some catching up. Fortunately for me, most of the folks in my office will either be on vacation or at various conferences next week. That means I can do more, and not have to drop what I am doing in order to get something done for someone else. It also means that I will not be required to have as much interaction with my co-workers, because they will not be in the office. That last two weeks my morale has been pretty low because of some things that have been circulating around the office. I pray that next week will provide me with some “breathing room”.
Anyway...that explains the lack of posts as of late. Lots is going on in the world, and in my own world, but for now, I'll keep it at that.
Next week is the Spring Break whole of the entire NW Arkansas area (And by Spring Break, I mean, a week when no students are on campus, not a week off ;-P), which in and of itself is pretty crazy. However, for me this time means a week where I can hopefully catch up on all the non-student related issues that I am working on. I pray that I can, in fact, actually do some catching up. Fortunately for me, most of the folks in my office will either be on vacation or at various conferences next week. That means I can do more, and not have to drop what I am doing in order to get something done for someone else. It also means that I will not be required to have as much interaction with my co-workers, because they will not be in the office. That last two weeks my morale has been pretty low because of some things that have been circulating around the office. I pray that next week will provide me with some “breathing room”.
Anyway...that explains the lack of posts as of late. Lots is going on in the world, and in my own world, but for now, I'll keep it at that.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Ode to Exhaustion
The weeks have begun to turn into days and what happened yesterday feels like it happened weeks ago. I am tired. Class and work, and life have caught up with me. I’ve hit the wall.
Spring Break is a few weeks away. While I still may have to work, I hope the pace will be a little bit slower so I can get some rest and relaxation. Without it, I fear the month of April. I have been told that April is the busiest month of the year for my office. Oh Joy! I had previously planned on going to a conference over Spring Break. However, those plans fell through.
I have a Red Bull in the fridge. I am debating whether or not to drink it, because the coffee in front of me is not working. Thank goodness it is Friday.
On another note, I fear that a couple friendships I’ve had while in Arkansas have begun to fade away. For one reason or another it seems that some priorities in their lives and some in mine have shifted. This latest lesson is reason #1987341 that my time here in Arkansas has become more of an education than I bargained for.
I am thankful that my time here has brought me closer to forgetting any regrets I’ve had. I am very thankful for this.
Oh yeah…it’s March!
The weeks have begun to turn into days and what happened yesterday feels like it happened weeks ago. I am tired. Class and work, and life have caught up with me. I’ve hit the wall.
Spring Break is a few weeks away. While I still may have to work, I hope the pace will be a little bit slower so I can get some rest and relaxation. Without it, I fear the month of April. I have been told that April is the busiest month of the year for my office. Oh Joy! I had previously planned on going to a conference over Spring Break. However, those plans fell through.
I have a Red Bull in the fridge. I am debating whether or not to drink it, because the coffee in front of me is not working. Thank goodness it is Friday.
On another note, I fear that a couple friendships I’ve had while in Arkansas have begun to fade away. For one reason or another it seems that some priorities in their lives and some in mine have shifted. This latest lesson is reason #1987341 that my time here in Arkansas has become more of an education than I bargained for.
I am thankful that my time here has brought me closer to forgetting any regrets I’ve had. I am very thankful for this.
Oh yeah…it’s March!
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