yes we can

I've been out of the loop for a bit—a long story I'll try to tell as soon as Kara Powell and I deliver the updates and revisions for a new edition of our sexuality curriculum, Good Sex, for Youth Specialties.

But I did find time tonight to listen, and nod my head, to the words of Barack Obama in South Carolina. He's talking about an American ideal I remember; an American ideal I want to help reclaim and burnish to a bright and shining state. I choose to ignore the weary and cynical who say it can't be done. I say it can and must be done—and we must do it.

Burn the 18 minutes it takes to watch this speech. And don't tell me you don't want this too.

us + them | Emo Philips

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't
do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do
you believe in God?"

He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said,
"A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He
said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said,
"Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern
Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too!

Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too!

Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern
Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern
Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!"

Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of
1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region
Council of 1912?"

He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist
Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And
I pushed him over.

— Emo Philips, The Guardian 29 September, 2005

a story without love | Hugh McLeod