Seeking Authentic Voice

My children were young, one in fifth grade and the other in first grade. It was a school holiday, a Monday off and we decided to go to a nearby shopping mall. We probably had to buy something like a white blouse for my daughter's upcoming school concert. Or maybe we were just going there to kill time on a cold winter day. NPR was on the radio and they were rebroadcasting Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. Listening to the speech I was transported back to when I was in fifth or sixth grade and the speech was first delivered, an impassioned face and voice pouring through our small black and white television. My kids and I sat in the car, me mesmerized again by the power and potency of hope. I have to give my kids credit, they listened too, and didn't bug me to get out of the car until the speech was over. We just sat in the car in the parking garage and listened to the entire speech. Then, wiping away tears, I helped them out of the car and holding t...

I have learned that the Rev Terry Jones is planning a visit to my new home town. And, as if all of his recent behavior hasn't been in bad enough form, as it he doesn't reflect the worst of Christianity, he has chosen Good Friday as the day of his visit. Here is a quote from an email I received: "Jones seems to have been joined by an interesting crew. The protest won't be in front of the Islamic Center of America but they intend to hold a press conference on Good Friday between 5 and 8 pm. They will be discussing jihad, sharia and the radicalization of 'Moslems' (their spelling) in America. Participating in the press conference will be: Ahmed Abaza of The Truth TV who claims to be a former Muslim who has found Jesus, Rabbi Nacham Shifren of L.A. - right wing, West Bank settler type, and Frank Fiorello, the founder of the Order of the Dragon. They say: 'We are holding a demo about the middle east the peace process by exposing some lies about Israel/Palest...