White people can turn off the TV when we're sick of talking about race. White, liberal people want to be nice. We don't want to be racist. We want to be, "Oh we're post-racial. We don't want to talk about white privilege and it's all good, right?" It's not the case. Silence is an action and it's my privilege that I can be silent about this issue. And I'm tired of being silent about it. We have to get past that awkward stage of the race conversation. As a white person, we have to listen. -- Macklemore, quoted in Rolling Stone, 11.30.14
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
On White Privilege
Saturday, December 20, 2014
DJesus Uncrossed | back in action
In the spirit of Christmas I'm sure, a number of people came looking this week for the SNL short, DJesus Uncrossed. Unfortunately the link was dead, but now, after just a few days, it's...well, you know.
The clip is still guaranteed to offend about as many as it delights (though delight is probably not the right word). Anyway, the question remains: Is this, or anything like it, really anyone's preferred image of Jesus — let alone the Jesus of Matthew, Mark, Luke and/or John? Sadly, it probably is.
If you haven't already, you can find DJesus Uncrossed right...here.
The clip is still guaranteed to offend about as many as it delights (though delight is probably not the right word). Anyway, the question remains: Is this, or anything like it, really anyone's preferred image of Jesus — let alone the Jesus of Matthew, Mark, Luke and/or John? Sadly, it probably is.
If you haven't already, you can find DJesus Uncrossed right...here.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
in the wind | tweets from the space ending 12.13.14
...and the truth will make you flinch before it sets you free | thoughts on torture as American policy jimhancock.blogspot.com
God help us | Letter to Mr. Lord re: 10-year Priorities, 2005-2014 http://jimhancock.blogspot.com
@commonsense picks for best 2014 movies to watch with your children, tweens + teens http://bit.ly/1DpaeQB
@commonsense picks best holiday books for children, three - nine years http://bit.ly/1DpbNOB
This is not the conversation parents are supposed to dread http://jimhancock.blogspot.com
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
shutdown vs bank bailouts | a letter to my senators
December 12, 2014
Senator, the last government shutdown cost billions, but the last bank-precipitated financial crisis cost trillions.
I hate the prospect of a shutdown, but I urge you: Don't put the course of our economy back in the hands of actors who demand their exercise of high-risk investment schemes be backstopped by taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Jim Hancock
Senator, the last government shutdown cost billions, but the last bank-precipitated financial crisis cost trillions.
I hate the prospect of a shutdown, but I urge you: Don't put the course of our economy back in the hands of actors who demand their exercise of high-risk investment schemes be backstopped by taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Jim Hancock
Thursday, December 11, 2014
God help us | Letter to Mr. Lord re: 10-year Priorities, 2005-2014
December 15, 2004
From: USLT
Re: 10-year Priorities, 2005-2014
Dear Mr. Lord,
As the year draws to a close, no one knows better than you that our branch is working with limited resources. With competing interests in the Morals & Ethics department and insufficient bandwidth to tackle everything, the team could use a quick reality check.
If, for the foreseeable future, we have to choose between A and B, do you want us to prioritize:
A. Speaking against the torture of suspected terrorists by employees and agents of the government in the US jurisdiction
B. Speaking against equal protection under the law for LBGT citizens in the US jurisdiction
[Or perhaps there's a "C" that we missed? (wouldn't be the first time, lol)]
Sorry to put you in this position so late in the year. Hopefully, we’ll have greater resources as our real estate and other investments begin paying out, but until then...
Awaiting your reply,
The US Leadership Team
p.s. Candidly, some in the branch feel like we’re getting mixed messages from you and your son. It would nice to clear that up at some point.
p.p.s If we don’t see you, Merry Christmas!
[h/t @JanaRiess <http://janariess.religionnews.com/2014/12/10/mormonism-responsible-torture/>]
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
You will know the truth and the truth will make you flinch before it sets you free | thoughts on torture as an American policy
"You will know the truth and the truth will make you flinch before it sets you free."
It's a saying passed down by friends of the Baptist preacher Carlyle Marney, He doesn't seem to have included the line in any of his writings or published sermons, but he appears to be stuck with until somebody steps forward to claim it for someone else.
We are in the grip of one of those massive flinches right now as we digest the summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture as a tool of US policy.
Some of us feel blindsided by the release of hundreds of pages detailing horrendous acts committed in our name. But not everyone. The conversation has been going on for more than a decade. In 2006, I decided to stop just talking about torture and start recording what I knew, what I suspected and what I feared about my country's decent into officially sanctioned torture.
I'm indebted to those who held the light so others could read the handwriting on the wall.
Here, for what it's worth, is one person's progression of posts — some original, much borrowed —tracking how the wind's been blowing on torture as an American pursuit.
Here, for what it's worth, is one person's progression of posts — some original, much borrowed —tracking how the wind's been blowing on torture as an American pursuit.
March 06 2006 | Mr. Conyers Steps Up
October 17 2006 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Two Centuries of American
Democracy Undone with the Stroke of a Pen
March 09 2007 | Iraq Four Years On | In Search of Moral Footing
February 15 2008 | Senator McCain Said What?
March 10 2008 | Hey; this is America, we don't torture
November 03 2008 | a last word on November 3, 2008
August 31 2009 | Torture Debate Lost in Maze
January 21 2010 | A letter to Senator-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts
June 11 2010 | Torture: Are You Convinced?
November 09 2010 | The Tortured Logic of Our Times | Expecting More from Our Leaders
June 10 2011 | Martin Marty on Torture, Then + Now
November 05 2012 | Too Far to Turn Back Now | The Election of 2012
May 23 2013 | Barack Obama on the components of a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy
October 27, 2014 | If... National Security + Moral Law 01
Monday, December 08, 2014
in the wind | posts from the space ending 12.06.14
nothing inevitable | on choosing to vote for the common good jimhancock.blogspot.com
it's on us | sexual assault + the casual bystander jimhancock.blogspot.com
slap a banker | Colin Farrell + global corruption jimhancock.blogspot.com
Ferguson Grand Jury | an honest mistake? jimhancock.blogspot.com
Who's picking up the slack on World AIDS Day 2014 jimhancock.blogspot.com
(RED) | a more hopeful note on World AIDS Day jimhancock.blogspot.com
If Eric Garner is not my brother, is there any reason to believe God is my father? jimhancock.blogspot.com
Thursday, December 04, 2014
If Eric Garner is not my brother, is there any reason to believe God is my father?
I don't think I'm too far out a limb here. An ancient proverb says:
As news on the Eric Garner Grand Jury decision broke yesterday in New York, Jon Stewart's emotional tone felt about right to me. Lord have mercy.
The righteous care about justice for the poor,Now, suggesting I'm righteous would be ludicrous, but holey moley...we can't get a jury trial from the physical evidence in this case?
but the wicked have no such concern.
As news on the Eric Garner Grand Jury decision broke yesterday in New York, Jon Stewart's emotional tone felt about right to me. Lord have mercy.
Monday, December 01, 2014
(RED) | a more hopeful note on World AIDS Day
The post below is a question that needs answering. This one's an answer that needs telling.
Post by Bank of America.
h/t #BofA + @RED
Who's picking up the slack on World AIDS Day 14
On this World AIDS Day, HIV in the US appears to be spreading most rapidly among young males (aged 13-24) having sex with males.
Question: are the parents who exclude their teenage boys from instruction on HIV prevention picking up the slack — meaning — are those adults teaching their youngsters how to prevent HIV infection? And if not the parents, then...?