Loving Republicans: For He is Kind to The Ungrateful and The Selfish

So I mentioned I'm not too into blaming any single person for the miserable anticipation and response that surrounded hurricane Katrina. It's not only typical of how poor people in the US are treated, I think it's a function of bureaucracy. Now notice I say a function and not the function. And if you infer from that statement that I mean it is purposeful you are right.

Firstly, as fun as some of them may be, I tend to not believe in conspiracy theories- especially those that involve complex nefarious government plots. Have you ever been to the DMV, or had mail lost, or tried to see the registrar at a public university? Bureaucracy tends away from simplicity of execution (and one thing most conspiracy theories require is a clear vision and manipulation of these various levels of power). It was largely the multiple levels of government and responsibility that contributed to horrible preparation and coordination in anticipation of Katrina, and the same that led to the ball-dropping and buck-passing in response. It would be convenient to identify one person as responsible, and it is a noble leader who can say the buck does indeed stop with them (Where are you now Harry Truman?- Oh right decomposing) but that is not representative of how our government works. Ideally, under attentive leadership and a participating citizenry, the redundancy of systems and the scale of the Federal government would allow for a better response to, not just Katrina, but various concerns of industrial society. But in actuality, it seems the diffusion of responsibility and decision making make this more difficult when you mix in apathy and self-interest. Add evil to that and you have situations wherein individuals can use the system to work plots or events to their advantage: win contracts, ignore looming problems, identify scapegoats, eliminate opponents, blah blah blah. And all the while, those without power are wihtout power.

Anyway, I say this as background. I mentioned that I was bothered that my dad is a Republican. That really should be qualified. I live in Glendora and taught in a private school- I know lots of Republicans- and that fact alone does not bother me. I love a lot of Republicans. I appreciate political differences, I think they are necessary for a world that doesn't know Jesus. The resulting tension between them can keep power decentralized and prevent any one entity from dominating the landscape (of course this requires viable opposing groups- not just opposition in name). I don't think it is the place of the Body of Christ to hitch their ponies to any of their wagons but to oppose them and live truthfully. After all, any worldly power has worldly power in mind; so even if the parties (as generically understood) keep each other in check they still do not serve Christ. So it's not the job of the Church to elect any particular party to office but to force them to be honest.

So my dad... So my dad sent me a forward. He (or his wife- they share an address) sends me a lot of forwards. He is a chaplain for a state agency, so a lot of them have to do with praying for such and such a thing. This last forward he sent was not about an injured police officer nor about what this state agency may be doing to help out hurricane victims. It was about what we said we don't want to play- the blame game. (scroll down in the links for transcripts of press-press secretary dialogue) It was a forward including an AP picture of flooded buses in New Orleans with the accompanying explanation that it wasn't the president who failed- in fact the federal government is doing an amazing job, vacations, ignorance, and withholding orders to send in troops notwithstanding. It was whoever happens to be a Democrat that is to blame- "them." The "them" that relies too much on the Feds for assistance, the "them" that waits for a handout instead of taking initiative, the "them" that only knows how to play the blame game.

I know these arguments are out there. I know a lot of people, in trying times, do what is most comforting to them (it's funny for how many people what is most comfortable to them is blaming Bill Clinton) and turn responsibility from themselves. But I didn't want them to come from people I figured knew better.

I know he and I don't see things similarly nor will we likely ever vote for the same person. That is not as discouraging as knowing that this forward sent to me was little more than political hackery. It's one thing to favor one politician over another, it's quite another thing to give yourself over as a political stooge, and that's what this is/was. It is what so much of the church does and it was very disheartening to see my dad (or his wife using their joint account) engage in it.
Maybe you could say it is keeping the people that want to blame the Federal government about the Katrina response honest, except that it isn't. The information in the forward is not accurate and ignores many of the facts that reveal the culpability of the federal level. Like I said, everyone is to blame. This forward was not about sharing responsibility but more of the buck passing and excuse making that accompanies being a shill. Anytime I see the members of the church buy into what the whore is selling, whether it's on the Left or Right, I am bothered. It was just extra troubling to have it so close to home.
It didn't help that I was so physically exhausted too. I was sleeping-on-my-feet tired. When I read the forward I was deeply discouraged. Later, I stood in the shower thinking about it, just letting the water hit me, wondering why he thought it necessary to send that to me as much as why I was being such a baby about it.

Anyway, this is better than sending forwards or crying about what you find in your inbox. Really, go here. Do it. Or even here.

What did we hear this morning?
Wednesday Prayer Meeting- Charles Mingus
Judy Is a Punk-The Ramones
Fitter Happier-Radiohead
Politician-Cream
Sweet Leaf-Black Sabbath
Come Dancing-The Kinks
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA-Devo
Just A Gigolo-Louis Prima
Something In The Way-Nirvana
The Meaning of the Blues-Miles Davis
(great transition)
Hang On To Yourself-David Bowie
Get Up On The Downstroke-Parliament
I've Been Loving You to Long-Otis Redding
Climbing Up The Walls-Smashing Pumpkins
Deep Concentration-Lyrics Born
Folsom Prison Blues-Johnny Cash

I know I probably can, but I wonder how I could make it so you hear the songs as you read.