money money

I paid my state taxes and feel like a productive citizen. The government loves me and is going to give me $300 to go shopping! What?

I won't pretend to know anything about economics or the recession, but it seems a little silly. The government overspends so much and yet still needs more money for things like schools and health care. So Congress assumes that we are a people driven by consumerism, and will consume even though it might be in our best interest to save, or pay off debt, especially if there really is a recession! 

So what should I do with my $300? Part feels consumeristic and knows I would have no problem spending that at one trip to the Fashion Mall. The other part of me just feels rebellious!

Alternatives:

• Use it to buy something green- like the $300 indoor composter i have been eyeing - boost an earth friendly company
• Use it to buy stuff at my local non-profit fair trade store - so artisans in South America don't feel no recession
• Spend it on my trip to Europe this summer - boost the value of that Euro
• Buy 2 shares of Apple stock
• Be a responsible adult and put it in the savings account

dems

Currently watching: Democratic debate

It is sort of fascinating. This is the first debate I've watched this election season. I'm learning heaps.

I like Hillary. If elected she'll do a good job. But Obama has just felt right, and after hearing more about their differences tonight, I have some information to back up that feeling.

All viable candidates must believe they are going to win. We saw two candidates drop out this week because they saw it was not realistic. But I don't think Hillary and Bill see any spec of doubt. An article in this week's Time magazine echoed my thoughts, "(Bill) Clinton remains one of the most popular Democrats alive; if he didn't think this would work, he would not put everything else he's worked for at risk". I can picture Obama winning. But I can't picture (the) Clinton(s) losing.

stewarding

This morning before beginning the sermon, the preacher asked if we were enjoying the coffee that is available in the basement before winter morning services (the hazelnut coffee is what encourages me to get out of bed in time for the 9am service). Then he asked us to start bringing our own mugs! He said in the near future, coffee will still be available but cups will no longer be offered. How great is that? They also recently switched from small "plastic destroyer" communion cups to the "dip the bread in the big cup" style of communion. Reasons #245-246 why I love my church.

When I was little, I remember my mom hauling a basket of coffee cups to and from church so that her sunday school class wouldn't use styrofoam. I've always been conscious of the small things you can do, but haven't always done them. So I was encouraged by this small challenge he posed to our community. Maybe the next step is recycling all those programs that get tossed right after the service?

American oppression

Some friends of mine live in the "ghetto". Each time I make the short two mile drive between their house and my yuppie neighborhood, it strikes me that I am a visitor in a foreign land.

I often debate with myself about whether I want to work locally or internationally. I obviously do not have to go far to find need. I could serve here, in what to me is a foreign culture of poverty.

Sometimes I think I would be more comfortable abroad. Abroad, my privilege is assumed. I'm an American after all. We have lots of money, are well educated, and fly all over the world whenever we want.

Here, my privilege is not so easily labeled. Face to face with someone who is experiencing poverty, the differences are not a matter of stereotypes about country of origin, but are so much more complex. We're all Americans. We're all supposed to have the same opportunity. And that's what makes me uncomfortable. In the "land of opportunity" there are so many systemic flaws that allow these multiple income/wealth-bases cultures to exist, and breaking down the walls that divide them is quite a challenge.

It does seem easier to go feed hungry babies in Africa than to try to restructure systems of American oppression...

election grief

So...Mayor Peterson did not get reelected. What saddens me the most is the majority did not vote for Ballard, but rather against Peterson. It would be better if he had lost to a strong candidate. I am afraid of what this means for our city. I'm not the most knowledgeable on city government and don't know the history and the full story of what Bart has done for this city in the past 8 years...but my impressions are that he did a good job. He wasn't afraid of the big issues. He wasn't afraid to raise the taxes that provide support for the services the city needs to really become a world class city. And that caused him to lose votes.

In 2002 Peterson introduced The Blueprint to End Homelessness. The plan has it's flaws, and the city is a little behind on the steps it laid out, but it was a plan that acknowledged some of the flawed systems that cause homelessness and supported service providers by saying "yes this is a problem and we are working together to fix it!"

I don't know much about the new guy, but was told that in a debate he failed to demonstrate a real understanding of homelessness. So I don't know what will happen with the plan, or if the city will continue to provide the funds that service providers desperately need.

I know, I know, homelessness is not an issue that most people think of when they go to vote. There are bigger issues, like taxes. I think many voters failed to make the connection...no property tax = less funds for IPS = bad school system = bad kids = more crime! Critics of Peterson said he did not do enough to fight crime...I'd like to see what ideas the new guy has, because I think Bart was on the right track. Change takes time. It takes even longer when you have to turn the boat around and adjust to a new administration with new priorities.

Tonight I gathered for tea with a minister, a homeless coalition employee, and a city planner. The last 2 had a lot of interaction with the mayor and his staff, and had nothing but good things to say about them. We just sat there and grieved over the loss, and wondered what the next four years will bring.

So goodbye Bart (what a classy guy).

i love my nalgene

I just found this out, there is a proposal in to
tax bottled water in Chicago! It is pretty awesome, I think. Will hopefully cut down on the wasteful beverage, and also drum up some revenue for the city.

I've been studying tax policy in school and it is pretty fascinating. Perhaps later I will post some interesting charts. The United States is overall pretty ridiculous when it comes to taxes, and by that I mean we don't tax enough! The bottle water tax seems like one of many needed solutions.

School is using up all my critical thinking and writing skills. So here, literally, are fragments.

jena 6

Today during my lunch break I came across a demonstration in support of the Jena 6 (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14574972) so I sat down and listened for awhile. I was one of a handful of pale faces in the crowd, and it was a pretty small crowd, considering the size of the university. Another white woman approached me and said something like "if we ever had a white rally, they'd say it was discrimination!" She clearly did not understand that this was not a "black rally", but a gathering of people concerned about the injustice going on in Jena, LA. I was shocked, and just shook my head and tried to say something about the issue behind the rally, and she saw I didn't agree with her and walked away mumbling about white males being the people who are most discriminated against. arg! As always I found all the right things to say after she was gone. Or I should have just thrown my social work book at her, turned to the chapter I just read on white privilege.

inattentive

Tonight it was revealed to me that I have become very apathetic. Like the bumper sticker says, I haven't been outraged because I haven't been paying attention. The grad program I'm in has a huge emphasis on social justice, and it has gotten me riled up a little the past few weeks, but Jesus has been missing.

I went to a prayer/worship event in support of ServLife International and my passion was renewed. The Lord showed me again the things that began breaking my heart years ago. Back then I did not have a grasp on how Jesus and social justice fit together. It was not talked about at church or in college ministries. Now I can't see them apart. I am broken, encouraged, hopeful, and ready to go.

indpls

Recently I have been really enjoying this fine city and the things it has to offer.

From last weekend's celebration of all things meat (and redneck- the Rib America Festival)...

(forget the ribs...i just like hootie & the blowfish)

to Thursday's NFL kickoff Colts celebration...

(yay colts for giving $ to Horizon House, and being pretty good at football too)

to the IDADA First Friday Art tour- of which I have no pictures...but could have spent thousands of dollars on great local art.

At the last art center we visited, there was a great band playing songs about "death, Jesus, and Indianapolis". Unfortunatly it was their last show, and I'm bummed that I just now found about about them. Yay for a fun band that sang about the city.

we're all immigrants...

It's the Norweigian Minnesotan settlers against the new German immigrants. The 1920's = a lot of anti-German sentiments, and even those with German heiritage deny it a bit.

"No, no, no. I'm an American. My mother's mother was German, my mother's father was Irish, my father has Ojibwa blood. But I, I'm an American"

It was interesting to see prejudice played out between white europeans. It seems so silly now. Hopefully future generations the prejudice think the same of the prejudices we see now...

equality & change in IN

So there's a new report out about the gender pay gap. Hoosier women aren't doing so hot...our salaries are only 67% of mens! Only three other states are at or below this level. For me it's just another reminder of things that aren't so great about my beloved home state.

People always ask me if I'm going to stay in Indiana my whole life. It's sort of a ridiculous question. Who plans where they will live their whole life? (Ok, I may have just facilitated a life planning workshop this week...but thats different) Maybe I will be here my whole life, maybe I won't. I'm gonna go where the spirit leads.

Most often the people who ask me this want me to know that they're getting out of here as soon as possible, as if there are better places to live. Ok, there are probably better places to live. But if we all leave, what will this state become? There are plenty of opportunities here, but you might have to look harder to find them (and get paid less, apparently).

I hope that with my generation more people will make a commitment to be the change they want to see here- instead of just moving away to somewhere with more/better ___________ (fill in the blank). I think that people are generally the same wherever you go. Maybe elsewhere you will find more like-minded progressive people, maybe you will have more options for nightlife/outdoor activities/employment, or maybe you will have a better view. But there will still be people and events that make you mad. There will still be crime, close mindedness, inequality, corporate greed, and systems that don't function as they should. There will still be nights where you can't find anything to do, and days when you are too busy to appreciate the good things you are surrounded by. So for now I am staying put, and we'll work to turn our communities into the communities we dream about living in.

Amazing Grace

So my last post about Uganda was not optimistic, but today the glass is looking half full.

Last night I was reminded that change takes time. Sometimes a long long time.

Some friends and I saw the movie Amazing Grace. I was encouraged. William Wilberforce spent his whole life advocating to end the slave trade- something that was a hot topic in British society at the time but nowadays seems so obviously evil and unjust and wrong. It took so long to change that... how much longer will it take us to fight against all the injustices that go unnoticed by most of the world (for example, 27 million people still bound by slavery)?

It will take a little while. It has already taken a little while, and there is still plenty of work to be done. But we'll press on and our small steps will add up and get us there eventually. We will, like Wilburforce, keep doing the work of the God who gives grace while we go about our careers and everyday lives. And we'll get discouraged and want give up but there will be people to pick us up and we'll keep fighting together...

humility

sometimes it seems like the world boils down to two types of people:

• those who feel they deserve everything

• those who feel they deserve nothing

it is a beautiful thing when the former becomes the latter.

uganda uganda

So the peace talks in Northern Uganda are not going so hot. It is discouraging and I have failed to keep up with the headlines, because I can tell they aren't good news. I find myself questioning pacifism. Wouldn't a military solution be quicker? Nevermind the "military solution" that has not worked for the past 2o years...

In other Uganda related news, Forest Whitaker won Best Actor for his portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

It was a crazy and unsettling movie. As usual I found myself getting confused about fiction and history and wondering what was really true. It was a reminder of how the people of Uganda are still suffering for the sins of their fathers and grandfathers. Every leader leaves a legacy...

Houses of God

It is hard not to notice the booming condo industry around here. A couple have recently caught my eye and broke my heart.







Old churches. Buildings that slowly grew emptier as members of congregations aged and/or moved to the suburbs. Remnants of an old concept- the neighborhood church. Breaks my heart for 2 reasons: At one point these churchs ceased being relevant to the communities in which they are located- and they will not have a second chance at housing a congregation who would seek to make it relevant.

I know that the building is not what matters...but they hold so much history and tradition that it is a shame to see them being used for something other than worship. The church I now attend, although it's a 7-year-old contemporary church, was lucky be given a beautiful old church building that spent most of its years being the neighborhood Baptist church. The buildings above weren't lucky enough to have a new community of believers who were ready to (or could afford to) move in.

If churches do seek to relocate downtown, to get one of these precious buildings they would have to buy back the 5-8 units at $300,000-$800,000 each and then reverse all the remodeling done to divide them. I don't think that will happen to any of them anytime soon...but one can dream.



I guess it is just a challenge. The church (believers, not buildings) must change to fit the needs of a new demographic, with or without a neighborhood congregation.

when will it end?

Last night my heart broke (and was inspired at the same time) as the hero and heroine fought for justice, fought to protect the rights of a people. Although battles were won there was no happy ending. It’s a fictionalized account of one heart-breaking history that represents many around the world. There will always be people to perpetuate injustice, and always people to fight against it. There will never - as long as we are a fallen people separated from God – be peace.

At the end of the episode…

Heroine: He did it, he brought peace
Hero: For how long?
Heroine: Now. We have peace now.

For now. I guess that’s all we can fight for.

O Night Divine

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

(O Holy Night, verse three, which I hadn't heard or paid attention to until tonight)

community

Community...the idea has come up over and over in the past few weeks. global community, intentional community, community supported agriculture, etc. The idea of living, working, playing, and worshiping in the same neighborhood is appealing.

As I prepare for a career in the non-profit sector, it is becoming evident to me that if we were all really living in community, the need for social services would decrease drastically. I suppose this is a fairly obvious realization. Any non-profit leader will tell you they'd like to work themselves out of business. I think a return to more communal living is the only way that is ever going to happen.

Most social services just come down to organizations taking care of the people that society has ceased to care for. Then we have to write grant proposals and try to convince people to give money- and people do- because it is easier/more comfortable to write a check than to get to know your neighbor and see what you could offer to help. I think the latter could be so rich and meaningful to all involved...

more on this later.

Northern Uganda Lobby Day

The conflict in Northern Uganda has been called today's worst humanitarian crisis-and it has also been said that it is the easiest African crisis to fix.

I spent part of last week in Washington DC with 700 people learning about the humanitarian crisis in Northern Uganda and lobbying our government officials to support the peace talks that are taking place between the Ugandan army and the LRA. I learned so much about the history and complexity of the conflict, so here we go.

80% of the Acholi people are living in Internally Displaced People Camps (that’s almost 2 million people). In 1996 President Musseveni forced the Acholi people into these camps as a way of driving out the LRA- thinking that they Acholi were helping the LRA to hid (wrong). The government did not provide food, water or medical care to the people in these camps, and so non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rushed in with humanitarian aid. While aid from NGOs is good in theory, many think it was wrong of the NGOs to rush in with aid instead of putting pressure on Musseveni to provide for the people that he himself forced off of their land, out of their communities, into internment camps.

To back up even farther, the origins of this conflict can be traced to colonial rule. The English maintained their power partially through creating divisions between the north and south. The Northern Ugandans were characterized as fighters, and the Ugandan army always recruited from the north. Southerns were thought to be more privileged and the south became a lot more developed. This didn't really change when Uganda gained independence, in fact Musseveni increased the division. Southern Uganda is the poster child for economic development and AIDS awareness/prevention. The north is overlooked.

There were some tense moments and arguing during the symposium. Most panelists were from NGOs, but the US and Ugandan governments each had at least one representative each. Both were drilled with questions from the audience, and both were pretty defensive about what their country is already doing to help. I think both know that more needs to be done.

John Prendergast, Senior Advisor of the International Crisis Group, has said that this crisis is the easy African crisis to fix. Why? Two main reasons 1. The LRA are losing numbers. Officers have been leaving the bush and accepting amnesty. Children are escaping. The numbers of attacks and abductions have decreased a lot in the past few months. 2. Joseph Kony wants peace, and is willing to talk.

Sadly peace talks are just the beginning to conflict transformation in Northern Uganda. With 2 million people displaced and up to 30,000 children who bear the physical and psychological wounds of war, and also have no education or skills....social problems are going to abound. Someone at the symposium said that for 1 year of war it takes 10 years to rebuild and heal. It's going to be a long road, but we're going to get there. Anyone familiar with the people of Uganda will tell you that they are resilient and hopeful amidst the present and past suffering.

A few big questions that the symposium dealt with:

Will the peace talks bring justice to the senior LRA officers who are wanted by the International Criminal Court?
This is a huge question. Right now peace is a priority for the people of Northern Uganda. Former child soldier Grace Akallo speaks for 96% of Ugandans when she says "peace first". The Acholi people choose forgiveness and have traditional ceremonies for reintegration into the community after a wrong has been committed...however these methods were not created to deal with the mass atrocities of a war like this.

The ICC has arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and his top 4 officials. This is the first time the ICC is actually being used like this, and now some people think the warrants should be dropped so that the LRA will be more willing to come out and accept amnesty. Technically, the ICC can trump the Ugandan government and arrest them even if amnesty is accepted. So it's a bit complicated...

None of the speakers claimed to have the answer but all agreed that violence has not been successful at ending this conflict. As Chief Acana of the Acholi people said "If we believe in human rights, it is cheaper now to talk than to fight".

What is needed for successful peace talks? How can US involvement help the bring peace in Acholiland?
The peace talks need to include all voices in this conflict, including victims and women. The government of south Sudan needs to stay consistent in mediating talks.

The people of Uganda pay a lot of attention to what the United States says and does regarding the conflict (which usually, is nothing). Perhaps the best example is this: this spring when a former child soldier named Evelyn appeared on Oprah (same episode as George Clooney talking about Defer), Oprah called Joseph Kony an animal. Shortly after the episode aired, Joseph Kony came out of the bush for the first time in years to respond to her comment and tell the press that he was not an animal that he wanted peace. Crazy! Imagine what could happen if George Bush were to make a statement supporting the peace talks. What if the US showed confidence in the talks and held both sides accountable to any peace agreement that develops?

What can we do as individuals living in the United States?
Three words: masses, media, and money
Continue to lobby the government and lobby the media. Write to your Senators and representatives in Congress. Even if you wrote last year, even if you've spoke to their assistants on Capitol Hill, remind them. Don't let them forget that US support of the Juba Peace talks is essential. This is becoming an issue that America cares about...if the government doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Likewise, if the media doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Tell your favorite news sources that you want to hear more about the conflict and the peace talks. Send editorials. As John Prendergast said last week, only like 90% of editorials get published- so we need to write a lot. When coverage of Uganda appears, give positive feedback.

Give $ to legit organizations that are helping the rehabilitation process and providing hope for a safe future for former child soldiers and their families. I recommend World Vision- they have already put thousands of children through their rehabilitation program.

And keep talking, reading, thinking about it. I've just touched on the tip of the iceberg here.


Random bits of interest:

Uganda Rising (www.ugandarising) is another great documentary. As well as Invisible Children did with tugging at the heartstrings, this documentary does a great job on the history and facts behind the conflict.

www.ugandacan.org- started by 2 recent Notre Dame grads, this website is awesome for the latest news

global gifts

Last week I started volunteering at local fair trade store. The concept: a non-profit store where the products are made by artisans in other countries who are paid a fair wage for their crafts.

The store's mission:
-Providing vital fair income and employment for people of limitied opportunity
-Marketing ethically produced and ethically obtained handmade products
-Educating the public about the cultures and traditions associated with the items we sell
-Helping consumers spend their shopping dollars in ways that benefit impoverished peoples around the world

It ends up that the artisan makes about 25% of the items sale price, as opposed to, like, 2% in a regular store. Its funny...some of the items are very similar i have seen in my travels overseas, in tourist shops or roadside stands- and the items are cheaper here than they are over there. the same is true of types of handmade crafts imported to the US and sold for profit. sketchy. who got all that extra money?

I love being in the store and examing all the beautiful products and thinking about the hands that made it. Its all so reasonably priced that even I can afford to shop (I'm eyeing several items for my apt). But last night, when unpacking a new shipment of goods in for the Christmas season, I was thinking that it is sort of silly that all this stuff comes from a millon miles away so that Americans can spend money on it, even when money that goes back to feed the people who made it. And, practically every item comes in its own little custom fit box. Boxes within boxes within boxes, it is sorta a waste of materials. I should not be so critical, because it is I think it's producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people (as opposed to sweatshop items). While fair trade certainly has trend value in the US right now, I wonder if it is a passing trend in the oversea communities that benefit from our dollars. Is this a way to get them on their feet, or will their economic livlihood always be dependant on American money?

either way- i'll choose my fair trade store over target. and you know i love target.

i am trying to post a picture, but it is not working :( spell check is not working either.