Civil War n.

Does anybody know what defines a civil war? Let me know if you do. I remember my time in the Navy patrolling the Iraqi oil platforms in the Northern Arabian Gulf. I sat one evening in the bridge of the transport tug from Port Basra lead by an Iraqi captain while the Royal Marines made their security rounds. We talked of life on shore and his hopes for Iraq. He stood smoking his cigarrette and answered some of the questions he had answered a thousand times before. "What is your overall opinion of the presence of Coalition Forces in Iraq." After talking about his family and thanking God for his present well-being, this question broke a gleaming smile. "I hope the Coalition Forces never leave", he replied. "Why?" I asked. "Because when they leave, there will be a civil war." With relatively secure conditions in the southern port town of Basra, he dreaded the day he would have to face his own nation's diverse religious and political factions as they duked it out for the ruling sceptor. Has the civil war begun? I believe many of our own politicians, to include the President himself, as they frequent the scriptures every morning have oft times read the stubbornly prophetic destiny of nations described in ... "A nation divided against itself cannot stand." So why all the debate? Que sera, sera.

Recycled for the Homeless

A non-profit in Baltimore, MD has convinced the city to use recycled parking meters in order to provide funds for homeless services and programs. The recycling effort is an attempt to reduce panhandling in the downtown areas. Little meters with Despair on one spectrum and Hope on the latter, will be installed at least 10 feet from the curbs so as not to confuse the parking population. Put in a coin and watch the meter turn to Hope.

I'm always skeptical about the public's discomfort with panhandling. Part of me feels like I should be confronted, face-to-face, with the social disparities of my culture and community. Should I seek non-profit means to assure the proper stewardship over another's good will? Or is it enough to give in love, and allow the weight of responsibility to rest upon the backs of those asking for charity. Can money = hope. Or money = love. Who isn't going to visit downtown because, "There are poor people there asking for money."? Something just doesn't sound right about that. In any case, cheers to the city planners of Baltimore for implementing a vision that recycles for the homeless, rather than recycling THE homeless.

Cheers

CCU - "Protesters Need Not Apply"

Recently, a student at Colorado Christian University known as Raymond Schwab, was expelled for actively protesting and admonishing others against war and more specifically the Iraq war.
The 31 year old husband and father of four was asked to pack up his bags and leave the classroom which was interrupted for the sake of his immediate escort off University premises. According to Mr. Schwab, his dismissal came as a consequence of his deep, outspoken convictions in regards to war. Mr. Schwab had been organizing a forum on the main campus titled, "9/11 to Iraq: A Christian Response", but was dismissed from the University before such a forum was able to take place.

Read more at www.911blogger.com.

Hope for American Media ...

Just thought I'd give a shout out to the people who helped put some pressure on FOX who were trying to pay the mortgage with the royalties gained in publishing O.J.'s "If I did it ... I think I'll write a book about how", and then interviewing the man on top of that. A successful spoiling of plans, if I do say so myself. Hip hip hooray!

Get Your Times!

Just a couple of days ago, upon finishing my intake of the daily New York Times, I began to toss around ideas with Luna about the possibility of me studying Journalism and how badly I would love to begin some e.journal that was a bit more grass-roots (yet equally if not more integrous) than our (inter) national conglomerates such as CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, and the like.
What would be it's mission? How could it get off the ground? What does it take to run a website, or worse, a newspaper. And anyway, isn't a newspaper a waste of paper in our day and age?
Today after work, I stopped by the grocery store behind my school to pick up today's New York Times. Lo and behold on the cover page there is an article just below the blow up of President George W. dressed in ethnic Vietnamese garb whispering ("Where'd she get her hat" (did you see the picture?) to a fellow leader at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, on a man by the name of Brian Stelter. He's a 21 year old, baby-faced college student at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. He's kept a steady blog, now known as tvnewser.com, on the content and real-time broadcasts of various tv news channels. It was said by Jeffrey W. Schneider, senior vice president of ABC News, of tvnewser.com, "The whole industry pays attention to his blog. It would not surprise me if I refreshed my browser 30 to 40 times a day" (NYT A-1). That's some influence....not to mention encouragement and inspiration. So what does this mean for us...yes us. Well, I sit back and I look at the people I love, I mean the people and friends who have changed my life, and I notice a strand of DNA (or opposition to humanity) that finds community in fighting and striving for justice. Social justice. So here it is...into-the-know.blogspot.com, your international carrier in matters of social justice. Do you need help? Wish to inform of breakthroughs or setbacks in the efforts however great or small. Send me an email, (afsbowser@hotmail.com) and see how we can spread the news or assist in your cause. (WARNING: "Just Causes" are subject to scrutiny)
I recently made friends with a woman who was living in her VW bus with her boyfriend and 7 year old son. We were talking about our work one day and I asked her if she was happy to have a 'steady job'. She hesitated and said, "You know, I kind of miss just walking around all day and looking for ways to help people." I replied, "Yeah, but there's not much of a market in just helping people." She looked at me in surprise as though I were crazy and said, "You'd be surprised." And so here's my attempt, not to make money, but to investigate the market of helping people. I look forward to hearing, reading, and posting your experiences and findings as we seek to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Thank you