Dr. King Spoke About War At This Church

An earlier post today covered the 2nd annual MLK event at the Riverside Church here in NYC. Senator Edwards referenced Dr. King's speech when he said that silence was betrayal when it comes to the war. Here is an audio broadcast of his incredible words on April 4th, 1967. His message is as imperative today as it was when we were losing soldiers in Vietnam nearly forty years ago.

Jokes and Consumerism Dominate Media: Human Event Stories Suffer

With numerous twenty-four hour cable news networks, a declining but still healthy print media and a plethora of local news outlets you would believe that what is news in this world would be covered. The human interest story that connects people with their fellow man should be an easy decision to cover. Unfortunately the media in America is not interested in items like that. Botched jokes and the latest gadget that is sold on gadget.com takes far more space in what we see and read than matters of life and death around the world.

Truly Equal points us to Doctors' Without Borders annual top ten list of underreported stores. Of these ten, seven minutes of airtime was dedicated, combined! The top ten are listed below in no particular order.

Somalia - Somalis Trapped by War and Disaster
Central African Republic - Fleeing Violence in the Central African Republic (CAR)
Tuberculosis - Increasing Human Toll Taken by Tuberculosis
Chechnya - Consequences of Bitter Conflict in Chechnya
Sri Lanka - Civilians Under Fire in Sri Lanka While Assistance is Limited
Malnutrition - Effective Strategies for Treating Malnutrition Not Implemented
Democratic Republic of Congo - Congolese Endure Extreme Deprivation and Violence
Colombia - Living in Fear in Colombia
Haiti - Violence Rages in Haiti’s Volatile Capital
Central India - Clashes in Central India

Where is the in-depth reporting on these issues? Is it too much work for our journalist community to send reporters to put these matters on the front pages of our newspapers and in the thousands of news segments taped daily? Perhaps the press believes that people want to be happy in a state of delusion and that George Foreman's seventh edition grill is much more important?

Earth to journalists, it is your job to cover the news, no matter what it is. Stop showing us garbage that you think will give you the best ratings and give us the truth!

Even John Bolton Calls Iraq A Civil War

Now that the moustache man has departed from Team Delusional (a.k.a. Bush Admin.) he has shown a little bit of a sense of reality. Even though the ex-U.N. Ambassador wanted to see the top ten floors of the U.N. taken down, he knows how grave the situation in Iraq is, even if his former superiors choose not to acknowledge it.

From C & L with video:

Bolton: Well look, the fundamental point is whether the civil war that exists now is going to continue or whether the Iraqis are going to decide to live together in one country.

Well of course he told this to a U.K. station, heaven help us if he told people in the U.S. where he actually resides. Thankfully some active citizens caught the segment and delivered it to the internets for all to see.

Senator Webb Actually Supports The Troops!

Unlike his predecessor George 'Macaca' Allen, Jim Webb has already done something to help the brave men and women in combat instead of using empty rhetoric of others. As a military man, he understands the needs of those who serve in uniform as opposed to the Republican chickenhawks that don't give a damn.

From Bob Geiger:

Keeping a promise he made on the campaign trail in 2006, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) did more for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on his first day in the Senate than the man he ousted, George Felix Allen, did in the entire previous Congress.

Going unnoticed in the frenzy of Democrats assuming control of Capitol Hill and George W. Bush seeking to plunge the country deeper into the Iraq quagmire, Webb introduced the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007, legislation that will provide the newest Veterans with educational benefits like those received by men and women who served in the three decades following World War II.

When I was in Virginia at Webb's inaugural party nearly two weeks ago he talked about how he was going to follow up on his campaign promise to the soldiers. I never thought it would be less than two weeks later that it would be put into action. Kudos to you Senator!

Silence Is Betrayal: John Edwards at Riverside Church

Yesterday afternoon I was one of 1,200 to 2,000 people ( AP on the low end and the NY Times on the high end) who assembled at the Riverside Church in Manhattan for a special occasion. We came from different religious backgrounds, class backgrounds and ethnic backgrounds; yet all of us came together for a common purpose.




Our purpose was to remember Dr. King, to celebrate his legacy and to realize the dream that the great Reverend so eloquently told us about with his "I Have A Dream" speech and numerous sermons through the years. Yesterday the congregation was treated to an incredible procession of the great orators of our day. The messages of hope, remembrance and a call to service had the whole congregation on their feet.



If you haven't been inside Riverside Church before, I highly recommend it. To say the edifice is impressive would be an understatement. Words cannot describe it, so I suggest you check out the pictures here.

Here's one I took:


After the prelude music by the Riverside Choir, we were treated to video excerpts of Dr. King. Then the lights went up and his son Martin Luther King III welcomed the congregation, meanwhile John and Elizabeth Edwards walked in to take their seats.

Rabbi Sarah Reines of the Central Synagogue provided the reading, co-founder of the Drum Major Institute William Wachtel gave his remarks and then the awe-inspiring Rev. Dr. James Forbes came up and delivered a powerful address. After a gospel solo Martin Luther King III came out and introduced the keynote speaker, Senator and Presidential candidate John Edwards. I would elaborate more on all of the speakers, though each one deserves post of their own.


Rev. Forbes

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Senator Edwards' speech was nothing short of spectacular. Many of you have either seen the webcast or read excerpts of the text.
The energy in the nave of Riverside Church was simply awesome.

“If you are in Congress and you know this war is going in the wrong direction, it is no longer enough to study your options,”

Although this speech was webcasted and/or televised, both Senator Schumer and Congressman Weiner sat in the front section and heard these words loud and clear. It is up to them and the rest of the Congress to take heed of this sound advice.

“I believe it is betrayal not to speak out against an escalation of the war in Iraq,” Mr. Edwards said, to a standing ovation.

That little snippet resulted in a three minute standing ovation. Even the NY Times noted it. Though the beginning of the speech was what really got to me.

Forty years ago, almost to the month, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at this pulpit, in this house of God, and with the full force of his conscience, his principles and his love of peace, denounced the war in Vietnam, calling it a tragedy that threatened to drag our nation down to dust.

As he put it then, there comes a time when silence is a betrayal -- not only of one's personal convictions, or even of one's country alone, but also of our deeper obligations to one another and to the brotherhood of man.

Echoing what King said and the times in which he said it made the comparison of Iraq and Vietnam crystal clear. Silence while the cruel sting of reality punctures our nation is truly a betrayal to the principles that our country was founded on. An active citizenry will hold the government accountable for its actions alongside a vigilant press. Unfortunately we don't have much of either currently but that can change. We have it in us to make that change.

John F. Kennedy once said:

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

His words of wisdom ring true to this day and every day beyond. It is imperative to remember that each day we can strive to do our best to make the world a better place, if only a small amount at a time.

--------------------------------

After Edwards left the pulpit to a standing ovation, thirteen year old Joshua Govnor McVay-Bennett read Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech. Though reading wasn't necessary since the high school student memorized it when he was eight. Following him was Marian Wright Edelman of Children's Defense Fund. She spoke about the state of health care and poverty and that it is a crime for millions of children to not have health insurance.



The last speaker was Imam Al-Hajj Talib 'Abdur-Rashid' from the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem. He referenced the tale of Rip Van Winkle and how the character slept through the American Revolution. He warned the audience that there is a 'triple-revolution' going on in this country right now. One part is the advances in technology, one in the advancement of warfare capabilities and the human rights revolution that is occuring all over the globe. He stated that we must not sleep through this era and let it go by just as Rip Van Winkle had.

After a quick, but powerful closing remark by Martin Luther King III, dozens of brightly colored robed choirpeople came up to the front while Dr. Forbes went to the secondary pulpit high above the stage. He finished with inspiring words of wisdom that encouraged us to work for a better world.





At the end of the service, everyone held hands and sang 'We Shall Overcome.' It did not matter if we were a Senator, Congressman, Pastor, Christian, Jew, Muslim, poor, wealthy, black, white, yellow, blue or green; we sang as one. It was a true representation of what John Edwards calls 'One America.'

Opinions of War: Bill O'Reilly vs. Martin Luther King Jr.

Which one resembles democracy most? Which one echoes authoritarianism?

Martin Luther King Jr.: The Dream Lives On

Take a few minutes and watch this monumental speech. Remember that we have come so far since that day in August of 1963, yet we have so much further to go. The divide between ethnicities, rich and poor and political differences still need tremendous work to heal our nation.

What Does Hell Look Like?

I've often pondered the question of heaven and hell. What is out there that waits for us in the afterlife, does it matter if we are good or bad? Now I am not a theology or religious authority, so I am going to stick to what I know here and now. I know that while our troops are being cut down in the middle of an increasingly vicious civil war, there is hell to pay for the families of the fallen.

I look at this picture and see the devil in the background.

Strippers, Private Jets and Joe Bruno

There was once one 'Joe' that provided me with constant frustration and ridiculous behavior (a certain Senator in Connecticut). Now I need to differentiate between Lieberman and Bruno. Joe Bruno can't stay out of the news these days. First the F.B.I. starts investigating him, then it turns out his son is tangled in his web of corruption and now it seems the pressure is getting to State Senator Joe.

What is one to do when duty calls and you just don't want to work? Hide away with the comfort of your family, especially with an ailing wife or perhaps just staying in seclusion? When you are Joe Bruno there are much better things calling your name. While a debate over sex offenders was taking place in Albany last year, Joe was off to Florida with some 'friends' for a good time.

From The Times-Union:

It was Jan. 11, a Wednesday, and a bitter political debate over sexual offender laws was unfolding as Bruno boarded the private jet of his friend, Jared E. Abbruzzese, a Loudonville multimillionaire.

The two-day excursion included an expensive round of golf at an exclusive course, The Medalist, designed by Australian golf legend Greg Norman.

The day would end with Abbruzzese bankrolling the senator's visit to a strip club. The trip, the Times Union has learned, has become one of many events being scrutinized by federal authorities in an ongoing criminal investigation of the unusual relationship between the senator and the businessman.

Playing some golf in the warm winter sun of South Florida sounds much more relaxing than working for his constituents up in Albany. Now playing a round of golf is nice, but can you think of something even better for the Senator?

On the drive back from the golf course, the men pulled into Rachel's, a high-class strip club and steakhouse in the heart of West Palm Beach. There, patrons are greeted by overly polite valets who spend much of their time parking Range Rovers and customized BMWs driven by an almost exclusively male clientele.

A source who spoke to the Times Union about the trip said Bruno had no idea what was in store, although a sign outside indicates the club offers "adult entertainment."

Inside, $40 steaks and $90 bottles of wine are delivered by bow-tied waiters in a darkened four-star atmosphere. On two stages in the center of the club, female performers, some fully nude, move fluidly under pulsing strobe lights while tunes from rockers such as Tom Petty and Jimi Hendrix pierce the air.

For those seeking a closer encounter, the women, many resembling Playboy centerfolds, offer private lap dances -- at a $20 minimum -- on a leather-covered bench near a secluded spot in the back.

Now that's what I call living it up! NYBri over at The Albany Project comments on the illustrious Sen. Bruno:

"... in true JB fashion, a high class stripper thing at that. No truck stop, girlie bars for the Republican State Senate Majority Leader, no sir."

Will reporters, or the F.B.I. be asking Joe how many lap dances he had down there last year? Perhaps his wife and family are curious as well. Since this was one lobbyist-paid trip left out of the Senator's official documents, authorities will definitely hunt for all the details from this sordid affair.

Environmental Entrepreneurship in NYC

Many people say that they acknowledge climate change and do little about it. A few recycle, a few deny it exists despite the ever-increasing temperatures. Then there are those that not only help the environment, but make a living from it.

Brent Baker, owner of Tri-State Biodiesel has not only found a comfortable niche in New York but he is doing a valuable service for the city. Many people have heard of the term 'bio-diesel' but don't understand exactly what it is. Baker can explain quite well.

From the NY Times:

With more than 20,000 restaurants in the city, Mr. Baker’s business model is simple: collect used fryer grease for free, and take it to a rendering plant where it is converted to biodiesel, to be sold back to consumers. The idea, said Mr. Baker, is to make things as easy as possible for the restaurant owners.

“A lot of them genuinely want to do the right thing for the environment,” he said. “So we give them the option of making that choice in a way that doesn’t hurt them economically.”

Now that is a lot of grease, which in turn creates a lot of fuel that does not have to come from oil. Bio-diesel is also much cleaner and the pollution content is far lower than conventional crude. The grease itself is an awful by-product of a restaurant that could clog and/or break pipes ( I know from personal experience), create an awful mess and otherwise.

Biodiesel is made from refining vegetable oils or animal fats, and is usually mixed with petroleum diesel to form a cleaner-burning fuel that can be used in most diesel engines. With New York’s many diesel-powered delivery and construction vehicles, there is a big market for the fuel, as well as the chance to improve the city’s environment and its inhabitants’ health, Mr. Baker says.

With support from the city and private investors, two-year-old Tri-State made its first grease pickup just before Christmas. Aaron Hoffman, owner of Wogies, a West Village sanctuary for expatriate Philadelphia sports fans, is one of the places that have signed on with Tri-State, and none too soon: He expects to deep-fry nearly 5,000 chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday.

Now that the Eagles are out of the playoffs there might not be so many wings fried at that joint, but you get the point. Tri-State Biodiesel services 100 restaurants, a mere 0.5 percent of the grease producing restaurants that help make NYC what it is (at least to my stomach). If you own a restaurant here and you are reading this, talk to Brent as soon as you can and help make a difference at your establishment. Don't live in NYC? Find a similar company in your area or take a step and help start one yourself!

Letterman's Top Ten Bush Moments

There has to be more than ten classic idiotic Dubya moments of all time. Though these are definitely worth watching.

Republicans Fall Like A House Of Cards

Something that looked so big and powerful when it swept into office twelve years ago is now nothing but an illusion. Last November's 'thumpin' by the Democratic party crushed Bush's failed agenda. Of course the Do-Nothing 109th Congress hardly got anything passed for the President. Bush didn't take that lying down however, he just ruled with his iron-coated fist. The President simply made 'laws' as he went, telling the American people about it on occasion if it seemed necessary to cover his ass. The loser in his trek was the United States, its citizens and the constitution which our great nation was founded on.

Now we enter a new era with the beginning of the Democratic-controlled 110th Congress. The Republicans are fracturing worse than fault lines in East Asia. Democrats are cruising through Speaker Pelosi's 100 hours plan, passing much needed reform that can help our country regain its footing at home. In addition to the necessary reforms, the Congress is renewing its commitment to provide checks and balances on the Executive branch. Oversight and accountability can be seen with the likes of the tenacious Sen. Webb, Rep. Waxman and many others.

Now that the party of the people is in charge, the once formidable Republican caucus is in tatters. Many Republicans crossed party lines to vote for Democratic bills, often providing veto-proof majorities. The long, dark shadows of men like Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay have been crushed by the powerful light that the Democratic leadership is showing. One hundred hours has not even passed (in legislative time) and so much has been done already, with so much more hope and reform to come.