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The hopes and fears of all the year

28 Dec 2008 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Nearly two years ago, in April 2007, an undergraduate art student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago unveiled a papier-mache sculpture of Barack Obama as a messianic figure, titled "Blessing." David Cordero, 24, made the sculpture for his senior show after noticing all the attention Obama had received since first hinting he might run for the presidency. Run Obama did, and win he did, and his election was overwhelmingly voted the top news story of the year by U.S. editors and news directors polled by the Associated Press. But as we prepare to celebrate the Savior's birth, Obama must contend with the almost messianic-like hope that many people hold for his presidency. Artist Cordero's explanation for creating his sculpture may prove a healthy cautionary tale: "All of this is a response to what I've been witnessing and hearing, this idea that Barack is sort of a potential savior that might come and absolve the country of all its sins. In a lot of ways it's about caution in assigning all these inflated expectations on one individual, and expecting them to change something that many hands have shaped." As Obama prepares to take office in a few weeks, he inherits a number of daunting challenges not of his own creation, not least of which is the nation's financial meltdown-voted the number-two story of the year in the AP poll. Obama will also be handed the long-running war in Iraq, another top-ten story of the year, not to mention the even longer-running war in Afghanistan. If that were not enough, the U.S. as well as other nations face the ongoing threat of terrorism, as demonstrated by another top story, the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, India that killed 164 people. The historic political campaigns of two women-Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin-also made the list of top-ten news stories. Though their campaigns were not victorious, both women finished the year with their political futures intact-Clinton as Obama's choice for U.S. Secretary of State, and Palin as a leading light of the conservative wing of the Republican Party. China and Russia were home to top stories of the year as well. China made the list for a triumph, its largely successful hosting of the Beijing Olympics, as well as a tragedy, a powerful earthquake in May that left more than 70,000 dead and led to the collapse of about 7,000 classrooms in shoddily built schools. The five-day Russian-Georgian war in August rounds out the list, a further reminder that Obama will inherit a number of complex and potentially volatile foreign-relations concerns. Stories that almost made the top ten included Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 84,000 people in Myanmar; Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which wreaked deadly damage in the Caribbean and on the U.S. Gulf Coast; and the seesaw fate of same-sex marriage in California, where a court ruling approving it was later overturned by a ballot measure. Several write-in votes were cast for two developments that occurred too late to be included on the AP ballot: the indictment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the efforts of struggling U.S. automakers to get a federal bailout. The alleged financial scam involving Bernard Madoff also was revealed too late to make the ballot. Several of the editors who voted commented on how two transcendent developments dominated the news in 2008. "As far as I am concerned, there were only two stories this year," wrote Linda Grist Cunningham of the Rockford (Illinois) Register Star. "Global economy collapses (sending every country into financial, political, and personal chaos) and Obama elected U.S. president, changing the way the America does business-financial, political, and personal." Source: Articles by Joel Roberts and David Crary for the Associated Press

automakers russia beijing olympics georgia cyclone nargis myanmar hurricane gustav hurricane ike same-sex marriage california bailout bernard madoff china sarah palin hilary clinton rod blagojevich barack obama david cordero school of the art institute of chicago associated press savior iraq war afghanistan war top-ten news stories terrorism mumbai global economy
Time to toughen up

01 Feb 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts," the psalmist this Sunday urges listeners. When it comes to hardening automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards, however, President Barack Obama believes it's a good idea, and on Monday he directed federal regulators to move swiftly to allow states to do just that. Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its rejection of an attempt by the State of California to impose new emissions regulations which are significantly more restrictive than federal standards. California has for years had tougher standards, and 12 other states follow its lead. U.S. automakers began fighting the rejected rules before they were even written, claiming they would require a wholesale downsizing of the U.S. automobile fleet. But the cash-strapped automakers took a U-turn on Monday and said they welcomed Obama's move and hoped it will free up research funds and simplify a patchwork of U.S. regulations. "Our goal is not to further burden an already struggling industry; it is to help America's automakers prepare for the future," Obama said. "As we move forward, we will fully take into account the unique challenges facing the American auto industry and the taxpayer dollars that now support it. "For the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and commitment to change," Obama said in his first formal event in the East Room of the White House. "It will be the policy of my administration," he said, "to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs." Source: Articles by John M. Broder and Peer Baker for the New York Times, Ben Feller for the Associated Press, and Agence France Presse

barack obama california automobile emissions fuel efficiency environmental protection agency environmental policy
Fast food? Fat chance

29 Mar 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus uses images of fruit and wheat to bring home his message. Young people, however, might get the picture more quickly if he had spoken of Big Macs and Whoppers instead. According to a new study from the University of California-Berkeley and Columbia University, teenagers who go to a school with a fast-food restaurant within walking distance have a significantly higher probability of obesity. The presence of a fast-food outlet within easy walking distance of a high school—about 530 feet or less—resulted in a 5.2 percent increase in the incidence of student obesity compared with the average for California youths. ”Fast food offers the most calories per price compared to other restaurants, and that’s combined with a high temptation factor for students,” said Stefano DellaVigna, a U.C.-Berkeley economist and one of the paper’s authors. “I get ice cream, French fries, double cheeseburgers, all that stuff,” said ninth-grader Anyea Wilson of Fullerton Union High School in California. “I know it’s not very good for you, but I eat it because that is the closest place to school.” Blaming restaurants for the nation’s weight problem, however, strikes many as misguided, experts say. Obesity can be a product of a variety of factors, including genetics, lack of exercise, and household nutrition. But the finding that students who are constantly exposed to fast food are more likely to be fat “should not be a surprise,” said Brenda Roche, a registered dietitian at U.C. Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles County. "If you put a McDonald’s in front of a school, kids will eat there,” she said. “Obesity is as much a factor of environment as it is a matter of choice.” Source: An article by Jerry Hirsch for the Los Angeles Times

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Migration reforms the political landscape

17 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus reminds his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "it was not you who chose me, but I who chose you." A record 1 million immigrants chose to become U.S. citizens in 2008, a trend that is transforming the political map in immigrant-rich states such as California, Florida, and Texas. California's 300,000 new citizens accounted for nearly one-third of the nation's total and represented a near-doubling over 2006, according to a recent report by the U.S. Office of Immigration Statistics. Florida recorded the second-largest group of new citizens, and Texas claimed the fastest growth. Mexicans, who have traditionally registered low rates of naturalization, represented the largest group of new citizens, with nearly one-fourth of the total. They were followed by Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Cubans, and Vietnamese. The new citizens are likely to reorder policy priorities in their states, political analysts predict. Polls show that Latinos and Asians are more supportive than whites of public investments and broad services, even if they require higher taxes. New citizen Alfonso Vergara is one product of a massive citizenship campaign effort by Latino groups in California this past year. A Mexico native and pharmaceutical technician, the 31-year-old said he had postponed applying for citizenship for years because the process seemed too time-consuming. But last year he was swept up in the marches and the call for civic activism. "It was time for me to build a stronger future for my family and become a more active person in this country," Vargas said. "This isn't about helping Latinos for the sake of helping Latinos. This is about helping Latinos succeed for the sake of America." Source: An article by Teresa Watanabe for The Los Angeles Times

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California’s budget subjected to school of hard knocks

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Moved to pity by the anxious and leaderless crowd, this Sunday's gospel tells us, Jesus taught the people many things. California legislators announced Wednesday that agreement had finally neared on a series of budget cuts-including contentious cuts in education-needed to close the state's $23.6-billion budget deficit. The progress in negotiations comes as the cash-starved state is issuing IOUs to vendors, college students, and local governments, while a third Wall Street credit rating agency on Tuesday dropped California's bond rating. "I don't think there is anything that would make negotiations shut down at this point," said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles). Senate GOP leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) agreed that a final budget deal was probably imminent. Fiscal experts have been struggling for days to find a way to cut billions of dollars from schools. The California Teachers Association has been running television advertisements to pressure legislators not to suspend voter-approved funding formulas that guarantee schools a set amount of money each year. Any final deal is expected to include some of the sharpest cutbacks in government services the state has experienced. Programs that have not been cut deeply in years are likely to shrink considerably, with tens of thousands of Californians losing access to programs they have relied on. Some programs, like home health care for senior citizens, may be wiped out entirely. Source: An article by Evan Halper for the Los Angeles Times

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California’s budget subjected to school of hard knocks

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Moved to pity by the anxious and leaderless crowd, this Sunday's gospel tells us, Jesus taught the people many things. California legislators announced Wednesday that agreement had finally neared on a series of budget cuts-including contentious cuts in education-needed to close the state's $23.6-billion budget deficit. The progress in negotiations comes as the cash-starved state is issuing IOUs to vendors, college students, and local governments, while a third Wall Street credit rating agency on Tuesday dropped California's bond rating. "I don't think there is anything that would make negotiations shut down at this point," said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles). Senate GOP leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) agreed that a final budget deal was probably imminent. Fiscal experts have been struggling for days to find a way to cut billions of dollars from schools. The California Teachers Association has been running television advertisements to pressure legislators not to suspend voter-approved funding formulas that guarantee schools a set amount of money each year. Any final deal is expected to include some of the sharpest cutbacks in government services the state has experienced. Programs that have not been cut deeply in years are likely to shrink considerably, with tens of thousands of Californians losing access to programs they have relied on. Some programs, like home health care for senior citizens, may be wiped out entirely. Source: An article by Evan Halper for the Los Angeles Times

california budget deficit programs schools california teachers association dennis hollingsworth karen bass budget cuts
California regrets its past China syndrome

26 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Lord is just in all his ways, the psalmist tells us this Sunday. Humanity, however, often falls short on the justice meter. Last Friday the California legislature approved a landmark bill to apologize to the state's Chinese-American community for racist laws enacted as far back as the mid-19th century Gold Rush. The laws, some of which were not repealed until the 1940s, barred Chinese from owning land or property, marrying whites, working in the public sector, and testifying against whites in court. The new bill also recognized the contributions Chinese immigrants have made to the state, particularly their work on the transcontinental railroad. "It's symbolic to recognize that the state made mistakes," said assembly member Paul Fong, who cosponsored the legislation with assembly member Kevin de Leon. "These laws reverberate to this date because racism still exists." Said Donald Tamaki, a San Francisco-based attorney who helped overturn wrongful World War II-era convictions of Japanese Americans: "Part of what a humane society does is recognize past injustices and address them." Fong now plans to take the issue to the U.S. Congress, where he will request an apology for the Chinese Exclusion Act, the only federal law ever enacted to deny immigration based exclusively on race or nationality. Passed in 1882, the law was not fully repealed until 1943, after China and the U.S. became allies during the Second World War. The apology is the latest in a wave of official acts of remorse around the globe. In 2006 Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a similar apology, expressing regret to Chinese Canadians for unequal taxes imposed on them in the late 19th century. Last February Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized to his country's Aborigines for racist laws of the past, including the forced separation of children from their parents. Source: An article by Ling Wood Liu for TIME

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Things looking up in Baja, cooling down in L.A.

06 Sep 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The reading from the Book of Isaiah this Sunday encourages those whose hearts are frightened to "be strong, fear not!" Residents and tourists in Baja California, Mexico as well as their neighbors to the north in Los Angeles, California breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday as threats posed by natural disasters receded. Los Cabos resorts cleaned up after an overnight pounding from the once-mighty Hurricane Jimena, which weakened Wednesday as it doused the southern end of Baja. Winds had fallen from Tuesday's roaring 150 m.p.h. to 100 m.p.h. by Wednesday morning, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said they were expected to weaken further as the hurricane heads up the Baja peninsula, home to about 3.5 million people, including more than 150,000 U.S. citizens. Authorities reported no injuries in Los Cabos, but several thousand people spent the night in shelters. The evacuees waited for dawn and a chance to look at what the hurricane did to their homes of plastic sheeting, wood, and tar paper. "Instead of giving out a few sheets of roofing every year, they should give us materials to build real houses--wood, or even bricks," said Paulino Hernandez, an out-of-work mason who sought haven at a school. "Every year it's the same thing: They [officials] give out a few sheets of roofing, and the next year it has to be replaced" when a hurricane comes. Farther north firefighters made progress Wednesday against a giant wildfire that has ravaged a national forest north of Los Angeles. Since erupting August 26 the blaze has destroyed more than five dozen homes, killed two firefighters, and forced thousands of people from their homes. Source: Articles by Mark Stevenson, Jacob Adelman, and Raquel Maria Dillion for Associated Press

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Plastic bags get a pass—for now—in California

05 Sep 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday’s reading from the Letter to Philemon, Saint Paul encourages the path of voluntary compliance with his wishes rather than imposing his will, “so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.” California lawmakers made a similar decision this week, rejecting a bill that would have banned plastic shopping bags outright while encouraging shoppers to take voluntary measures to minimize their use. The bill, which failed late Tuesday after a contentious debate over whether the state was going too far in trying to regulate personal choices, would have been the first statewide ban, although a few California cities already prohibit their use. While the psalmist reminds us this Sunday that God turns us “back to dust” at the end of our days, plastic bags are more problematic. Supporters of the bill said the 19 billion plastic bags California residents use every year harm the environment and cost the state $25 million annually to collect and transport to landfills. Those voting against the ban said voluntary measures, recycling, and economic incentives were a better way than an outright ban to encourage more environmentally conscious use of the bags. The plastic bag manufacturing industry also opposed the bill, calling it “a job killer.” The bill’s author, Democratic Assemblywoman Julia Brownley of Santa Monica, said the movement to ban plastic bags would continue despite the setback. “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when consumers bring their own bags and become good stewards of the environment,” Brownley said in a statement early Wednesday morning. Source: An article by Robin Hindery for the Associated Press

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Discrimination defined online way out of line

27 Feb 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Saint Paul encourages the Corinthians not to be judgmental but rather to wait for the Lord who “will bring to light what is hidden.” A judgmental definition of religious discrimination had been hidden in an obscure document on a university website for years without apparently raising a stir. After receiving complaints last week, however, the University of California at Davis eliminated the text that defined religious discrimination in the United States as "institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian" because it was itself discriminatory The definition appeared in an online glossary of a "Principles of Community" diversity statement to which students and students groups were asked to pledge their commitment. The Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal aid group, says one of its lawyers notified UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi last week that the language violated the constitutional rights of Christian students. Campus spokeswoman Julia Ann Easley said the university removed the glossary the same day. The school's Office of Campus Community Relations estimates the definition had been around for six or seven years. Source: An article by the Associated Press

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