[W]hat we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, ( Read more... )

I originally wrote this as a comment on a Facebook thread discussing reasons why Jared Loughner murdered a 9-year old girl and five other people, wounding almost a dozen others while trying to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. I had linked to an article pointing out that merely blaming the suspect as being "mentally ill" was a cop out ( Read more... )

We had a lovely retreat for (from?) work today. There was a lot of sharing and discussion with some truly wonderful people about how we help those whose lives we touch. The very last "assignment" was to write a list of 5 things we wanted to do before we died ( Read more... )

Yesterday, I posted a link on my Facebook page to friend's essay on immigration. As someone pointed out, the essay does seem to assume a greater anti-immigration movement than I, personally, have experienced, but I can see how the more Draconian aspects of the recent AZ immigration enforcement law and the uproar against Muslims building a community ( Read more... )

Introductory caveat: I am not condemning the mother, because, as a mom myself, I know that it's a "learn as you go" type of gig, and I've screwed up plenty myself.
At the same time, I think it important to point out why I disagree with how she handled the situation.

*****

A lot of my friends have been linking to this story about a mom whose five ( Read more... )

I have found a disturbing tendency in many of my liberal friends to dismiss not just Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and other Tea Party leaders but their constituency of followers, calling them stupid and racist and all sorts of other names.

Here's the thing: there are thousands, if not millions of them. And for all that I deplore their rhetoric about ( Read more... )

I am so dang frustrated with how the healthcare "debate" went. Our healthcare system is completely dysfunctional. Anyone who complains that Obama wants to "ration" healthcare is living in an alternate universe. Healthcare is already rationed: people who have money get healthcare. People who don't have money avoid going to the doctor until their ( Read more... )

Yesterday, I was a little bit late picking Hunter up from school. His school has parent pick-up at a turnaround outside the front of the building, but when they are down to 3-4 kids, they bring them inside and call their parents to make sure they are on their way.

When I arrived, I was told that Hunter had not been cooperative and had refused to ( Read more... )

It is past noon, yet the house is still quiet. Shawn and Hunter are tangled together in our bedsheets, sweet exhaustion from far too late a night keeping them slumbering long beyond normal rising ( Read more... )

Even though Hunter is only in kindergarten, he has homework. However, the homework is very minor, primarily focused on promoting interaction between student and parent ( Read more... )