Tough Questions for Turbulent Times

Another amazing sunrise yesterday

It's been a tough week for Americans who are concerned about human rights and about our badly ravaged planet. We have seen the beginning of sweeping changes designed to remove environmental protections. We've seen our attorney general fired for trying to defend the American constitution. We now have the former CEO of one of the world's largest fossil fuel companies as our secretary of state. We have seen legal immigrants detained  merely for being present. Here in Lubbock I saw our police force aggressively descend (in riot gear and with multiple trucks) upon a peaceful group of protesters who were already in the process of leaving. Nearby an openly armed Lubbock citizen was patrolling the sidewalk in front of his Tech Terrace house to prevent anyone from legally parking on the street in front of his house.

I urge you, please spend some time this weekend evaluating your own values as an American and as a human being. What do you truly believe in? What do you care about? Then ask yourself one more question - do your actions match your beliefs? (Or are you working hard at distracting yourself with football, facebook, and keeping yourself too busy to notice what is going around you?)

May America, all people, and the planet thrive.

[Me, I am thankful to be an American and a Lubbockite. I am thankful for the wonderful people who surround me. I am thankful for the freedom to speak openly and worship openly. I am thankful for the church I attend. But I am fearful to see the wanton destruction of this planet with which we've been blessed and of the marginalization of people who stand in the way of corporate profits or mainstream" ideals.]