This Just Fries My Shorts!!

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Iraq, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Surge

It’s bad enough that John McCain hasn’t got a clue about who the enemy is in the Middle East region. He has falsely gone on and on about Iraq and the surge for months now. It’s hard to understand whether he is so befuddled as to not really understand or is simply engaging in the usual Rovian tactic of obfuscate, lie, and mislead at every turn.

Now it seems he has his lapdog Joey Lieberman trying to return us to the days of pre-Iraq invasion. Joe has introduced a silly resolution with Lindsey Graham that “recognizes the surge’s strategic success in the central front on the war on terror.” Lieberman, also having caught Alzheimer’s from McBush, went on to say:

“That’s why Senator Graham and I are introducing a resolution recognizing the strategic success that the surge has achieved in a central front — the central front of the war on terror against the enemies who attacked America on 9/11/01, and expressing our thanks to our troops who’ve made that success possible. “

Yep, you heard that right. Poor Joe still thinks that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. Of course, in that he joins a mediocre but stubborn percentage of Americans who have yet to have seen the literal truckload of facts to the contrary.

He is to be congratulated for his attempts to continue to pull the wool over the eyes of the American public. Such pandering to stupidity is indeed sad. Some might, in a time of such urgency around the world to engage in real issues, even call it criminal to actively lie about what we must assume he knows to be the truth.

The surge in effect has delayed the deployment of additional troops in Afghanistan where they are sorely needed. The Taliban and al-Qaeda continue to grow in strength there again, and everyone seems in agreement that more troops are needed. They were needed a year ago. But of course, we were too stubbornly on the course of never admitting a mistake to send them.

There is some hope that Lieberman will lose his chairmanships this upcoming January. Those he presently holds will expire then, and one can but pray that Harry Reid and other Democrats will see fit to give them to one of their own party and not continue to support a man whose first allegiance is to Israel. Lieberman needs to switch parties and be at least honest with his own Connecticut constituents. He is no more a Democrat than than any Dixiecrat ever was.

All of this is done, no doubt, in some lame attempt to shore up McCain. The truth of it is that the claim by Joey and Lindsey and George that the surge is a success, is more a vote for the timetable than if it were a failure. The fact that they cannot see this is all the more shocking. Fair warning, physical nearness to John seems to put one at risk of developing the same stupid and illogical thinking as John himself. It’s too late for Joey, but there may be others who can benefit from knowing.

Straight Talk about the Surge

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Barack Obama, Iraq, John McCain, Surge

It’s a topic that seems to go on and on. McCain, having almost nothing else he can lay claim to, tries desperately to hitch his wagon to the apparent success of the surge in Iraq, and not only claim credit for it, but also claim that had we not engaged in it, life as we know it would cease, and the entire planet blanketed in darkness would have ensued. Of course, this is the claim he lays at the feet of Barack Obama.

This is Rovian politics at its best, or worst. McCain has now not only taken on Rove as his political mentor (morality having passed Mr. McCain by it seems) but has hired other Rove surrogates to help him salvage a win from the horrifically bad mess of a campaign he has up to this point run.

Basically McCain claims that his famous surge demand has worked and now we can win the war and be “honorable.” And if we had followed the suggestion of Mr. Obama, the following would have ensued: the Iraqi army would have collapsed, civilian casualties would have mounted, the Sheiks would have been killed by al Qaeda and no awakening would have occurred, and al Qaeda would have used the country as a launching pad for training and dispersing fighters throughout the region. And last, America, humiliated by defeat, emboldens the enemy further.That is his claim. And it’s entirely wrong in nearly every particular.

This is all neatly laid out in an article by Gary Kamiya and published at the Salon. To synopsize:

• The “Anbar awakening occurred before the surge, the surge did not create the awakening or protect the sheiks so they could come over to our side. Mr. McCain has made this error in memory and has had to admit he was wrong to say it. He forgot. Alzheimer’s moment.
• The decrease in violence which he claims as his success, is most the thoroughness of the ethnic cleansing that was done. It was so thorough, they ran out of people to kill, and violence decreased accordingly.  Not so honorable huh? The Sunnis of Baghdad have been mostly killed or forced to flee.
• No account is made by McCain of either the bribery of tribal leaders to go after insurgents or the decision of al Sadr to stand down his army.
• It is the invasion of Iraq that CAUSED safe havens in Iraq for al Qaeda in the first place. McCain always avoids that issue saying lets address where we stand today, and not how we got here. Of course he doesn’t want to address that, he was a major proponent for entering this war touting the same stupid claims of Cheney and others about how easy and cheap this war would be.
• The humiliation McCain worries about has already happened duh.

Kamiya is not by any means the only voice of reason about the surge. American Prospect this week has an article in which they asked the opinion of ten well-recognized experts on Iraq. Asked how the surge has gone, here again is a synopsis of opinions.

• Steven Biddle, Senior Fellow for Defense Policy, Council on Foreign Relations: The reason for the surge was to reduce violence to give time to negotiate a power-sharing between various segments of the country. It never happened. However, a completely unforeseen event occurred, the Anwar Awakening, which may offer a bottoms up solution, neither anticipated, planned for or intended.
• Shawn Brimley, fellow, Center for a New American Security: McCain is wrong in claiming that the surge caused the Sunnis to turn against al Qaeda. The Awakening, an independent event, the new surge policy, the decision of Sadr, the erection of concrete barriers to separate neighborhoods in Baghdad, all combined to lower violence. Our threat to leave helped convince the militias to step up to save themselves. McCain grossly “oversimplifies” the situation in attributing the decrease in violence to the “surge.”
• Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History, University of Michigan: Violence declined because tribesmen in Dulaim in Anbar accepted money from the US to fight jihadis, Shiite militias cleansed thousands of Sunnis from Baghdad, increasing their majority from 65% to 75%, oil revenues strengthened the police force, American forces helped Iraqi forces win out in the south against Sadr, Sunnis in West Baghdad received payoffs to again, fight jihadis,  and literal barricades between neighborhoods and rigid checkpoints served with ethnic cleansing already done, to keep the parties apart.
• Matthew Duss, Research Associate, Center for American Progress: the awakening, Sadr’s step down, ethnic cleansing and barriers, and the surge. The cost is that the awakening does not do as was hoped, which was redirect power to the central government, deals are between the US and various tribal leaders, not the government. There is still little legitimacy seen regarding the government which is Shia controlled and owing jobs to tens of thousands of Sunnis.
• Colin Kahl, Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security: The major reasons for the success and a reduction of violence was the decision of the various militias to stand down or turn against Jihadis, all things in play before the surge began. Our shift in emphasis played a part in this, but not the part. This shift worked in part because local tribal leaders were afraid American troops would be pulled out and they would be left to cope with jihadis themselves, and alone. In other words it was not the troops themselves but the change in strategy that worked, and before the actual surge began. In addition, Sadr’s decision and ethnic cleansing also played significant roles.
• Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress: While the additional troops played a role in reducing violence, far more crucial were events that predated the surge or had “nothing to do with it in the first place.” The Sunni Awakening was prompted by “the prospect of a U.S. withdrawal in the lead up to the 2006 midterm elections.” As regards the reduction of violence in Baghdad, Mr. Korb said, “At best, the decline in sectarian violence can be viewed as an untenable pause that came about as a result of segregating Baghdad neighborhoods rather than as a result of a true cessation of hostilities. But, while a reduction in violence has produced a tenuous security balance in Iraq, it has failed to produce a sustainable equilibrium in the country that locks in what security and political gains have been made over the last 18 months. In order to truly take advantage these gains, the U.S. must use a credible withdrawal as a lever to force political change in Iraq while pushing Iraq’s competing powers to recalculate their self-interest in light of a U.S. withdrawal. “
• Lt. Col John Nagl, author, Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lesson from Malaya and Vietnam:  The “Awakening” actually can be traced back to beginnings in 2003. Sadr’s decision to stand down, and the police force finally coming together played a significant role.
• Michael O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute: The awakening was vastly important. American leadership in this and in convincing Sadr to stand down was a huge plus. America leads the way in all these enterprises from erecting barriers to weeding out bad Iraqi commanders.
• Marina Ottaway, Middle East Program Director, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: The Awakening and the Sadr  stand down were the most important contributors of reduced violence. This is why commanders consider the situation fragile. It is not a military defeat, but one based on the “goodwill” of groups in Iraq.
• Thomas E. Ricks, author, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq: The surge was begun to give room for a political fix. That still hasn’t happened.

What we see here, minus O’Hanlon, who comes from Brookings, considered everywhere to be a conservative group, is a unanimous conclusion that the surge had little to do with what has happened in Iraq. Rather, and what is mostly missed is that it was the threat of withdrawal that has motivated one of the major reasons for the reduction in violence. Democratic insistence at home seems to have filtered to Iraq and frightened the Sheiks enough that they start helping eradicate the insurgent fighters. So Obama and his desire for withdrawal is indeed the correct strategy and not the McCain/Bush stay as long as it takes to  win theory.

McCain was wrong about the war in the first place, and remains wrong about the surge. Maliki and others in the government seem to get it. They realize that forcing the issue of withdrawal of American troops is the motivating force that will hopefully enable his country to coalesce into a functional unity. Obama gets it, always has.

The question becomes, will the American people notorious for accepting the quick and easy soundbite, succumb again to the big lie. Will they again listen to the Rovian strategy of lie and lie and lie again, you’ll convince the lazy that the lie is true. That is the campaign Mr. McShame has chosen to wage. It is the campaign Mr. OBama refuses to engage in. I have to believe we have learned our lesson and will not be taken in once more by the glib “stay the course,” fear mongering, flag waving, diatribe we are being offered by the one who claims to speak with straight tongue.

Mr. McCain has proven himself without shame, without honor, and without conscious. As one who spent a fair amount of time in war and imprisoned by the enemy, he above all should not wish such a fate on any other American. Yet by his outright lies, designed apparently to win a position he feels entitled to by his history, he continues to advocate the placement in harms way  of our men and women, our children, all for the personal glory of raising a hand over a bible come next January. I for one say, “NUTS.”

I Am A Blog Award Winner!!!

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Blog Award

Well, I am the happy and lucky recipient of an award. This was presented to me by Jeannelle, at Midlife by Farmlight.

Here is the award:

Now my responsibility is to list 7 blogs that I think are worthy of receiving this award. Jeannelle of course, has already stolen about 3 that I would have used, so I’m going to have to struggle to find 7. Not because of course there are not 7 worthy blogs, but because of the type of blog I run, I can’t spend a lot of time every day just enjoying myself. So, I’m going out on a limb today and designating at least some recipients who are political or specialist blogs. I don’t know if they will care, but they sure are worthy!

I must post those 7 and link to them so you can find them, then comment on their blog to let them know, they have been awarded.

The 7 are:

A Majority of Two, Joanna’s new blog. She continues to have that kind of eclectic variety that finds a rather large following. She has a great sense of humor and is wickedly satirical at times. The new blog is beautiful as was the last, with nice art and quite lovely conversational prose. A treat every day to read.

Blue Girl Red State, run by BlueGirl. Blue Girl does what I used to, a political blog covering the news each day. However, her’s is about 4 times larger, and they don’t miss much of anything. They have in-depth stories as well as early morning and late evening run downs. The do a phenomenal job. She should be on everybody’s short list of must see’s every day.

Essential Estrogen done by Linda, is a must read for anyone who wants to stay informed on Iowa and it’s politics. Linda has cred as they say. She has interviewed Helen Thomas the famed White House reporter. She also includes some poignant asides about her personal journey that are deeply moving. I recommend her blog without question!

Knitting Dragonfliesis a blog by Vicki. She is a knitter as you might guess by the wonderful blog title. She is now a spinner as well, and I envy her both her talent and her dedication to a craft in all its excellence. Her pictures surely entice everyone to give it a try. What I love about her blog is how informative it is. Her sidebar is one of the most useful one’s I’ve come across.

Rogueclassicism by David. This is a specialty blog that I love. He specializes in reporting on antiquity archaeology. There are new discoveries made most every day all over Europe and the Middle East. I am of the opinion that history helps us deal with the present and better plan the future. David does a great job in bringing us all this exciting information about the past. A real ancient world detective!

Quaker Agitatoris run by Dave, and is fairly new to me. I fell in love with it immediately for its biting reports on social justice issues. He is passionate! And I like that most about him. No wishy washy view, just plain  in your face opinions. The fact that I agree with him most of the time, probably is why I like him so much! Don’t omit this one on your list of must try blogs.

Yearning for God is a beautiful blog by Jan. It just is perfect when you need inspiration. She has the perfect knack of finding the perfect quote that not only gets one thinking deeply, but also soothes the aching soul. I am deeply happy to give her this award. I envy her her studies, I wanted more than anything to get a doctorate in theology. Her blog is big D Divine!

So that is the 7. I shall attempt to place my award on the sidebar, but sometimes wordpress is finicky about the types of code it accepts. In any case, I thank Jeannelle again, and hope you try some of these sites. I have a whole other list of new ones I want to check out myself now! LOL.

The News Unfit to Print

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Afghanistan, Bush, Iraq, Media

Caution: There are photographs at the end of this post that you may wish to avoid. Read carefully and stop if you do not wish to proceed. The photos are NOT graphic but are not normally seen by Americans. Only the last photo may be difficult to see.

I subscribe to a feed from a blog called Iraq Today. Basically it runs down day by day, the various incidents of the war–both Iraq and Afghanistan. It details killings, deployments, and other war related news of the day. It does so for all sides, reporting the casualties of Americans, Iraqi government troops, and the various insurgents and militia forces. It reports on the civilian casualties. I can’t speak to how fairly it does this.

Americans have been sanitized from this war as much as possible. This has been the concerted and deliberate act of the Administration. Perhaps due to the anti-war movement against the Vietnam war, Bush and his band of thugs have chosen to pretend that people die neatly and without pictures. These pictures are routinely shown in Europe for instance. In America, we are not allowed to see returning coffins, lest the war hit home and we actually see the death as real.

Under a freedom of information suit in 2005, the Pentagon released some 700 pictures of returning dead soldiers. This is how they did it:

Blackouts by the Pentagon

Is anything more absurd that blacking out faces and units of the honor guard? This is utterly so insulting as to be an outrage. The Administration claims that such photographs are normally banned to “ensure privacy and respect is given to the families who have lost their loved ones. . . .” What utter hogwash. They are done to keep you and me from seeing the real cost of war.

I watch George Stephanopoulos each Sunday. Near the end, he always runs the list of killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. I try desperately in those moments to at least read the names, ages and home of each soldier. It generally scrolls too fast to do it adequately. I figure it is the least I can do, to remember them in this small way. What would be so terrible about stopping and silently showing the caskets of our returned fallen troops?

It has nothing to do with respecting privacy. It has everything to do with keeping the effects of war away from public scrutiny in the hopes that they will not rise in anger at the horrific and criminal policies of an Administration that led us to this point. They are trying only to save their own asses, quite literally.

The heart wrenching photo of a flag draped coffin serves to remind us that we are at war. So far, the Administration has done a pretty good job of hiding that fact to all but the families and friends of those who suffer with wounding and death. Those numbers are indeed not small, as tens of thousands return with mental and well as physical injuries that will stay with them a lifetime. Still, most of us are not directly affected and the refusal to allow us to see the real war further insulates us from that reality.

I deeply understand the difference between coffins and pictures of actual dead soldiers lying in the street. I practiced law, as some of you know, for many years. I had my fair share of murder cases. I saw my fair share of morgue and scene photographs. I did not view them unless there was a bonafide reason for defense purposes. I do not care for blood and gore, I avoid horror movies and many so called “hit” movies because they are too gruesome for my taste.

I think every newspaper or media outlet should be most careful in selecting photographs to post for public viewing. I would not want to see the face of any soldier, recognizing that for the family, this would be entirely too painful. But war is not a private affair. We are all implicated in its pursuit simply by being citizens. If we do not understand the reality of what we are supporting, then we are condemned to pay the price along with the obvious perpetrators.

This girl’s parents were killed by American forces in 2005. This photograph was shown throughout the world. It apparently was not shown here until recently by the NYTimes.

Such photographs were commonplace during the Vietnam war.

Photographers who have operated in both, say that in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are on a dog leash. Those who photograph dead soldiers are denied any further access to the theatre.

The last photograph was taken by Stefan Zaklin. He was immediately removed from theatre and denied further access to all military establishments in country. The military and Administration are determined to sanitize this war. It is not clean. It is dirty, ugly, and men and women die. I don’t wish to be salacious in any way. I want to point out that war is the meanest last resort that humans should engage in to settle differences. We risk forgetting that when we refuse to see it in all its horror.

Let Us Grow in One Mind

Tags

Art, India, Photography

Eddie Adams 1978 “untouchable children, India”

Hard to imagine isn’t it? Beautiful children like these, considered unworthy of being called human.  Under the caste system, people who work in “unclean” jobs are rejected as unclean and not fully human. In the world’s so-called largest democracy, millions are called Dalits, the untouchables.

The caste system is not of genetic origin, but is a societal construct.

The work they do that is considered so unclean? It can be as varied as leather workers and carcass handlers to poor farmers and street handcrafters, to street cleaners and washermen. The population is hard to define, since recent legislation attempts to help Dalits and many register to get the benefits. But census officials number them as somewhere around 160 million. 

The practice of discrimination has been largely halted in urban areas, but still exists in rural areas. The Bhagavada Gita, a Hindu holy text, was the first to speak against this discrimination, claiming that all persons were capable of enlightenment. Gandhi also worked to improve their condition and inclusion in government. One president of India, K. R. Narayanan has originated from the caste to preside over the government in 1997.

Still, in gazing at the photo and juxtaposing it with the caption, I found it hard to digest that this could ever happen. Who could look upon such sweet faces and see anything untouchable? It perhaps suggests the degree that mythology can impede our ability to think clearly.

It is easy to condemn such practice and condemn a nation for engaging in it. But of course we have our slavery issue to contend with, and a variety of our own mythology which we desire to believe in rather than face the truths of our own history.

These portraits can serve to move us toward unity, seeing that we and they are no different in reality. We are subject to the same desires and fears, albeit we might play them out differently. We often look for the easy explanation, the knee-jerk rejection of other cultures as inhuman rather than seeing through their eyes and through their historical prism. We patently don’t wish others to see America as bloodthirsty, murderous, land stealers,  and owners of people, that some of our history would suggest. We must not see theirs in such limited ways either.

As an aside, Eddie Adams is the photographer who took the now famous picture of a Viet Cong being executed on the street of Saigon many years ago in Vietnam. Film footage is also available, but he took the stills.

Presidential Obama vs the Bully

Tags

Barack Obama, Election 2008, John McCain

It’s amusing to me, to say the least. Obama had a stunning week traveling around the Middle East and Europe, looking every bit the part of Presidential stuff. He made no stunning gaffe as Republicans prayed for; instead he was steady, sure, warm, and just plain looking the part. That was all he had to do. He didn’t appear nervous, or worried about appearances. On the contrary he appeared totally at ease. It seems that both the Middle East and Europe were ready to grant their blessing through their numerous heads of state.

Mr. McCain on the other hand, was left to pout, stumble through a super market with note card in hand, and mostly make gaffe after gaffe about facts he should know, all without any pressure much at all. He looked sad to say the least. He was reduced to three main rants.

First he alleges that Mr. Obama “prefers to lose a war to win a campaign.” This of course is an admission in some respects that McCain figures he will lose. But of course, it is all a big lie. Iraqis for the most part have urged us to set a timetable for leaving their country, Maliki called for it, and did so, like a perfectly timed gift, just as Obama arrived in his country. Bush has even come on board after some argument with Maliki although they term it “time horizons” just to sound different. So Johnny is left alone twisting in the wind, arguing that we can ignore the Iraqis desires because, well, because McCain needs this issue to stick around. Can’t have everyone agreeing with Obama can we?

Of course Mr. McCain has said we would have no basis for staying, should they ask us to leave. Forget that. Just keep hammering away with untruth after untruth. It’s a old strategy used by Bush, lie and keep up lying. The public is basically ignorant, and a certain number of the lies will be accepted as truth. So McCain continues. Yeah Mav, some Maverick you are!

Second, McBush sobbed that the press was giving Obama a free pass. Some chutzpah huh? The man who called the press his “base?” Journalists will admit they cover for him, and edit his gaffes as best they can. This is the man who had said basically ala Cheney/Bush, that the war would be short, cost us virtually nothing, and the Iraqis would welcome us as liberators. Nobody is asking Johnny those tough questions of how rottenly wrong he was. When you look at actual numbers, when Obama dominated the news in the past, its been over his association with Rev. Wright, not because they were fawning. Exactly the opposite.

The last item is so ludicrous as to be beneath even McCain and his band of desperation. They actually are trying to make some political hay arguing that Obama doesn’t care about troops because he cancelled a visit to see wounded vets in Germany. Yeah, sure John. John’s complaint simply makes no sense on its face. Obama had fine crowds of soldiers in both Afghanistan and Iraq, there is simply no reason why he would avoid meeting the wounded in Germany. His explanation makes perfect sense, the military advised that they considered his visit political, given that retired military who had endorsed him and were part of his team, would be attending. So he declined to make the visit, not wanting to in any way politicize the suffering of men and women wounded in war.

McCain of course knows better. It falls in line with any number of false claims he is now making. Each and every one is refutable by reference to documents, many of which are statements out of McShame’s own mouth to the contrary. For instance, he complains that Obama is being presumptuous in setting up a transition team should he be elected. Bush of course did the same thing, at the same time when he was running in 2000. McCain of course knows this, but hey any soundbite is worth it, hoping that the hearer won’t necessarily hear the corrected truth.

This is essentially what McCain has been reduced to. I’ve been shocked frankly. I expected the ads, from the organizations, to do the swiftboating. I didn’t expect such extreme lying from ads that end with “I’m John McCain, and I approved this message.”  Johnny is making a huge mistake. He is coming off mean and vicious, willing to try any tactic that he thinks might gain a vote or two. He is banking on what Bush banked on, people are politically stupid.

In that they are right. No I don’t mean people are stupid in the sense of being unable to grasp what is going on. People are deliberately stupid because they aren’t motivated to learn what is going on. This is what McBush banks on. Lies work as well as truth in that way of viewing things.

Obama, speaks to our higher instincts. So far, I’ve not seen a negative ad by Obama, one in which he is held responsible for. So far, he has not stooped to the kind of lying and innuendo of Mr. McSame. I suspect he won’t. Of course, some of that will occur, nobody is going to harness MoveOn.org and control it. And to be honest, Mr. Obama probably welcomes them doing some of this no doubt. But he will remain above it all, as Mr. McCain promised he would and immediately ignored. Mr. Obama is presidential you see, while McCain is but the bully down the street wanting to settle it all in a good fist fight. And that “my friends” will be his undoing as much as anything else.

By the way, Frank Rich has an excellent article in AlterNet this week. Follow this link to have a look. It’s well worth your time.

Time to Ponder

Tags

Catholicism, Episcopalian, faith, God

Usually, I do what I call a Sunday Editorial on of all days, Sunday. I knew that sooner or later I would come up dry, or at least having nothing I was particularly passionate to speak about. But then I realized that I did have something I was beginning to feel pretty passionate about, but certainly not in the ranty way I am wont to do normally.

A couple of folks were aware that today I was headed off to an Episcopal church to test the waters so to speak. I’ve mentioned that I’ve been having a bit of a crisis in my faith life. Not as I hasten to point out, a crisis with God, but with “church.”

Some of this has stemmed no doubt from my presence on a Catholic forum. If you are thinking of converting, don’t go there! You will get a very squirrelly rendition of Catholicism there in my humble opinion. They are ultra ultra right wing in orientation. They invite me to leave the church quite regularly because either I disagree with their interpretation of certain doctrines, or I disagree with agreed doctrines of the Church.

For a very long time, I have been content to be a “backpew” Catholic. After all, most of the things I was in disagreement on with the Church had to do with issues that I was not personally involved with, so I thought my dissent was personal and private and didn’t matter that much. I was not counseling anyone to disobey, nor was I working for the “other side” so to speak.

But on one issue, well I was in open defiance, but I’m not delving into that now. I will, I promise, but I would like to make that a several part series on my faith as a total experience, and that story is but a part of the picture.

Suffice it to say, I felt okay about the situation for the most part, and was content. But someone pointed out to me, not knowing that they were doing so of course, that things could change quickly. A new priest, one with a very different and ultra conservative outlook, could land at my chosen parish any day, and turn things upside down, and for the most part, be well within his right to do so. The magisterium does speak fairly clearly on abortion, homosexuality, contraception, and other things. There is little if any wiggle room.

The fact is, that for most Catholics, most of whom fall into the middle, these issues are not a bar to their faith. Most Catholics use contraception for instance, and most priests say that it is a matter of personal conscience. They often say the same thing about things like homosexuality and such. That is true to a point, but not to the point  that some Catholics take it. I have thought hard and long about these issues, read and prayed, and I’m still not sure I have satisfied what I perceive to be searching for a well-formed conscience.

Most priests avoid these issues, and I would argue rightly so. Sexual issues are not the major issues facing the world. Poverty, health care, the, justice,  environment, these are issues that should host the vast majority of our time. Once these are addressed, there is plenty of time to address sex, although I have argued that the Church rather wishes it hadn’t in the first place.

But any priest is in fact well within his rights to claim that parishioners who are in dissent on these issues are “separated” and should not partake in holy Eucharist. The question became, do I wish to remain in a church that may actively turn on me some day?

Thus, my voyage out into the Anglican world. I arrived at Christ Episcopal this morning for 8 am services fifteen minutes early. Nary a car was in the lot for this worship service denominated “Rite I.” I figured I had messed up somewhere. But under the self-imposed belief that any home of God is some place I have a right to enter, I boldly went forth. The doors were unlocked.

I found myself in a corridor, flanked with small rooms down it’s length. Some I could clearly identify: play room, kitchen, bathrooms. None were open, and I saw no doors marked “main church” or something to that effect. I retraced my steps, and went down the perpendicular hallway. I heard voices, and before more than ten steps, a voice asked, “Can I help you?”

I turned to see a gentleman, with that famous collar. “Father, I’m new, I thought there was a service at 8 am. Am I wrong?” “Oh, no, most certainly not. Your just early. They will be rolling in about two minutes to eight.” He introduced himself and I myself. “I’m an unhappy Catholic,” I proclaimed. He, and the woman standing next to him, laughed. “We get a lot of that here. Come let me show you inside.”

The church proper was much like any Catholic church I had been in. I like the long and narrow ones, with peaked ceilings. Lots of stone, lots of wood. Father Bill, (he actually introduced himself as Bill) said, “I’m was ordained a Roman Catholic priest, myself.” We chatted a bit, about my reasons. He nodded, and lamented, “Rome has now lost Europe, and it seems well on its way to losing the American church as well.” He said this with no glee, but sadness. “Yes,” I murmured, “I thought I was okay with being a backpew Catholic, but a certain hypocricy is creeping in. I have friends on the internet who have told me about the Episcopal Church, and that it might be more to my way of thinking.”

He spoke a bit more, assuring me that everything would be easy to fit into, then he left to ready himself, I to my pew. I had little or no trouble following along, many of the responses were identical to what I was used to. People genuflected, knelt upon kneelers, crossed themselves. In fact they did this a bit more than most Catholics do. ( Most everyone knelt for the Gospel, for instance, although standing is perfectly okay.) At communion, everyone goes to an alter rail, circling the alter at the base. I rather liked that, much better than the usual walking up and standing and receiving.

There were two priests officiating, Bill and the associate, Barbara. I found it open and loving in all respects. The handshake of peace was performed exactly as is done in the Catholic faith. After the service ( I didn’t hear it called a mass, so I’m not sure of that yet), I had a chance to talk more with Barbara. I had already met a nice lady from the pew ahead of me. We were chatting about Catholic ritual vs Episcopal.She too is a an ex-Catholic. She told me that the choir used at the 10:30 service (Rite II) was first rate. There was a beautiful pipe organ off to one side, so I imagine it will be quite lovely.

Barbara, is a small woman, my age I would guess. I immediately said, “I have no idea how I am to address you, Father seems inappropriate.” She laughed, “actually its fine to call me Father Barbara, or Dr. Barbara, but I much prefer my Christian name, Barbara is just fine. Just no Mother Barbara–only two people can call me that.” A bit more chatting and I said I would return next week for the 10:30 service.

Now the ultra orthodox Catholic will say that I received nothing of God there. No Eucharist, because no Anglican has the power to convert the bread and wine. Anglicans treat this a bit differently. They don’t believe in transubstantiation, but more than it memorializes the Last Supper in some mysterious way? I’m not quite clear, having not yet received a book I’ve ordered on the recommendation of Ruth at Visions and Revisions.

My response to Catholics who try to claim such power reserved only to themselves, is phooey! You make God so small and frankly you make God a snippy nitpicker. You make God the Pharisee who promotes form over substance.

I’m pretty sure I shall be leaving the Catholic Church. I’m pretty sure I found a home in the Anglican Church. I got that feeling which I get when I know that I have found the “right” fit. I never ever thought I would leave the Catholic Church. I dreamed of being Catholic since I was maybe 11 or so. It was the most wonderful experience of my life converting. I met some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known, none of whom by the way, would dream of imposing such stultifying rules on anyone as the Church formally does, and as some in it seem determined to promote over everyone.

I never dreamed I would leave, in fact I rebelled at even thinking of such a thing mere weeks ago. I search broadly in my faith. (I’m reading the Urantia Book right now, and find it fascinating. I find not a think really incompatible with that and wanting to experience the fellowship of congregational worship by the way.)

It’s ironic to me that I should have yearned for something for so long, finally achieved it, and now find myself, less than 20 years later, ready to formally leave the Church I have loved most all my life. She is simply going in a direction that I cannot share. A direction that is mean, closed, judgmental, presumptuous, and arrogant. While God remains with Her, hoping I believe to guide her back to the real world, God I believe beckons us to grow in brotherhood, love, compassion, empathy. And this can be best accomplished if we perceive ourselves as flawed, not all-knowing as a Church, and thus unwilling to claim moral superiority over the deeply felt beliefs of others.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I’ll be reaching the point where I wish to discuss my full experience with God in a few weeks in my autobiography. If you are interested in such things, then come and join me on this journey of discovery. For truly, it’s a never ending journey of course, and it is endlessly unfolding, seldom in ways we expect, testing us, prodding at us, always giving us the unexpected. We are being taught you see, if only we have the wisdom to see that. The earth is our present day classroom.  I’m looking for an A, I say aim high! I may not succeed, but it won’t be for lack of trying!