FUN'S FUN, NOW BACK TO WORK

Okay, truth be told. It ain't easy being green, like the famous faux frog sez. Lived on the Left most of what passes for an adult life- more than 30 years now, and counting. Practiced my Catholic faith for longer than that - despite feeling a great deal of angst, anger, frustration - indeed rage, at the so-called "leaders" of the Religion, for their acts and omissions over the period of time that happens to coincide with LOSTs lifetime. Still, felt that enough about the faith - particularly the importance of works and faith, Matthew 25, and the "two greatest commandments" - were worth passing on to the next generation that we incorporated same into our child raising efforts. Along with that effort has been to acknowledge that all people are creations of the creator - irrespective of color, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

It just gets a little sickening to be part of the progressive "movement" and yet at times feel every bit as much an outsider as LOST would be at a Concerned Women for America Rally. All Progressive/Liberal folks are not atheist. That also doesn't mean that all progressives with a Faith think less of any atheist or agnostics. Well, maybe the agnostics. After all, they are, to paraphrase Dante, preserving their neutrality in times of moral crisis.

At Saturday night Mass this past week, our visiting presider spoke of the gospel reading which contained the fairly straightforward "I am the way, the truth, and the Life" passage, and effectively turned it upon its ear. That is to say, he dared, in a very conservative venue (these are red-State wannabes, most of 'em) that the meaning of that passage isn't the requirement to accept a Personal Savior as the key to salvation but to believe in the works of the Savior. In that one bit of oratory, this admittedly flawed old man acknowledged that the goal was to try to "right wrongs that one sees," to "sow love where one sees hatred," and to bring "joy to those in sorrow." There is nothing wrong with those sentiments. They are, in plain fact, a call to act by the Golden Rule, which itself devolves from New Testament scripture, and is as altruistic, and as laudable a goal as anything the Progressive/liberal element in American society has ever advocated.

So can the left grow up - just a bit, at least - and acknowledge room in its decidedly bigger-than-the-alternative-element's "tent," for progressive/liberal folks who still work to practice a Faith in a higher power, an unmoved mover who supports a Greater Good? It's not too much to ask.

JUST A FEW WORDS . . .

I love the fierce advocacy you often displayed for each of us. Camping in the dealership showroom, demanding “justice” for your oldest son, when he was taken advantage of, with a squirming, screaming 4 year old me in tow. I love your resolve, and the desire to go back to school at 40+, finish college and join the workforce, when the seventh kid hit kindergarten. I love the fact that you got on the roof at 50 and helped put up Christmas lights. I love the willingness to try to make almost anything in the kitchen – at least once. I love the pizza that your kitchen put out like clockwork on so many Fridays, same as the mountains of cookies that poured forth every December.

I love and share your political passions. I love the care you gave to a declining Dad for those seemingly interminable final years. I love the happy tone in your voice when you recognize the caller - even if the cellphone takes away some of the surprise. I love that you still practice your Faith, and you’re still willing to call out the flaws within the structure that tries to govern It.

I love the relationship you’ve cultivated with your grandsons – and all your grandkids. I love that you’re editing a newsletter in your community. I love that you took the plunge and found love again in your 80s. I love being a part of your “extended “ family. I love that you’re still making an effort to bridge gaps. I love (despite the embarrassment) that you tell people I’m a writer because I write this blog.

Mostly, I love you, Mom.

SUNDAY STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Don't know if the "cellphones are killing the bees" theory is accurate, but just saw a very subtle weapon in the fight against the theory. AT&T has a new commercial where it depicts it's "ever expanding coverage area" as blooming green-and-orange growth all over buildings, entire cities,and ultimately the country. The underlying message is that AT&T is somehow compatible with plant life - which means it couldn't be harming the bees, could it? Sure, and its coverage area really is 97%, LOST and family just happen to perpetually dwell and travel in the 3% non-coverage bubble . . . Newt Gingrich, standard bearer of family values? According to which of his three wives . . . most Americans seem alarmingly calm considering the "end" is approaching in a mere 6 days. This is not at all the panic depicted in "Armageddon," or "The Day After Tomorrow;" such apathy . . . "Water for Elephants" was great - right up until the time that Christoph Waltz nearly ends the picture by strangling another attractive blonde - will Tarantino scream copyright infringement . . . homemade cookies taste better when there are more people at home to enjoy them (thanks, cousin Bonnie for that recipe) . . .

ALLELUJIA, THERE ARE STILL PROGRESSIVES IN THE CATHOLIC FAITH!!!!

At a time when the faithful's loudest voices seem to be the hypocrites - 5 non-negotiable screamers, serial-groom-and-noted-family-values-expert Newt Gingrich - at last there is a ray of hope, or maybe even a green shoot or two in the trough of regressive retrenchment within the Church: From today's Springfield News Sun (http://www.springfieldnewssun.com)

WASHINGTON — A group of leading Catholics assailed House Speaker John Boehner Wednesday for backing a budget plan that is “particularly cruel to pregnant women and children,’’ while “radically’’ cutting Medicaid and “effectively’’ ending Medicare.

In a letter to Boehner, R-West Chester, signed by more than 70 Catholic university professors, priests and sisters from across the country, the Catholic leaders charged that Boehner’s “voting record is at variance from one of the Church’s most ancient moral teachings’’ – to help the poor.’’

“Your record in support of legislation to address the desperate needs of the poor is among the worst in Congress,’’ the authors wrote. “This fundamental concern should have great urgency for Catholic policy makers. Yet, even now, you work in opposition to it.’’

The sharply worded letter to Boehner, a Catholic from Greater Cincinnati, is one of the most intense attacks on his efforts to slash trillions of dollars from the budget in an effort to dramatically reduce the federal deficit. Among those who signed the letter were faculty members from the University of Dayton and Xavier University – where Boehner attended college.

The letter was sent on the eve of Boehner’s commencement address Saturday at the Catholic University of America in Washington. Boehner will receive an honorary doctorate in law at the commencement.

And this nugget, after the obligatory self-exoneration attempt by a Boehner toady - er, staffer:

But in a direct swipe at Boehner, the authors of the letter wrote that “it is good for Catholic universities to host and engage the thoughts of powerful public figures, even Catholics such as yourself who fail to recognize ... important aspects of Catholic teaching.’’

Huzzah you wonderful bunch of pinko radical liberation theology freaks, you! Just when a kick was needed to get through the week, and you delivered. The Faith isn't dead or even damaged, the religion is what needs to be tweaked, tinkered and transformed. Please, don't anyone expect Boehner to shed any tears over this rebuke, either.

TIME FOR A CHANGE

Okay, the truth. It wasn't that staring at Peter Billingsley's forever youthful mug grew tiresome, or that a constant reminder of the best time of any year became dull. It wasn't because so many cathartic moments have happened of late - the running of the birthers out of town, the swan song of Osama at the hands of the Kenyan socialista and its accompanying cacaphony of Winger angst and teeth-gnashing which followed - worse than what normally hits 'em by the mere mention of the name "Clinton," but that's a digression. The main reason for finally uncorking the bottle and pouring it onto these pages was simply the need to vent. To recalibrate, lower the pressure, burn off a tad. There. Already better.

Turning half a century quelled some of the rage. Resigning a lifetime rank-and-file commission in the Party of Roosevelt removed some of the partisan irascibility, no doubt. Yeah, the conviction is still there - Boehner and buddies are still wrong about nearly everything, nothing but crazies are standing at the 2012 sweepstakes start line to run the race for Second place. Unfortunately, though, the California economy is still in the dumper, same as the national one, people are still out of work or underemployed, and those who are not are looking 'round every corner for the pink slip monster, or are they checking their FaceBook Status? Don't know which. Oh, and just because it ain't being talked about anymore, rest assured plenty of isotopes are still flowing out of Fukushima and into the Pacific, just like all of BP's presents to the Gulf last year are still lingering about. Are all the bees dead yet? If the Rapture really does come on May 21, 2011, will the saved do us all a favor and strap a Mormon and a Jehovah's Witness under each arm before they whoosh away? Do I really need to see a doctor for an erection lasting 4 hours, or should I work that visit in between "encounters," or just call the Guinness people - the record books folks, not the brewers I mean. Although, doesn't a frosty cold stout sound particularly good right, about . . . now? Sure beats the crap out of a marathon of "Sarah Palin's Alaska" episodes, now, doesn't it . . .more later over most of these NBC stations.