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My First Letter to My Congressman

January 18, 2013 | Category: Politics

Well, I wrote to my Congressman. The first time I’ve ever done that. He’s a Republican in a very Republican district, though I don’t know much about him. Does writing to your Congressman make a difference? I don’t know. But I did it. And here’s my letter, which I submitted through his website.

This is my first letter, ever, to a Congressman.

My wife and I enjoy shooting. We own guns, and we both have concealed carry permits.

That said, I hope you’ll be open to the President’s proposals. I read through all of them and found very little that I would object to. There is a lot of hysteria about a war on the Second Amendment, and the government taking away guns, and the need to fight a tyrannical US government, but you and I know that this is an over-reaction. Too much of what is being said by gun rights advocates lacks intellectual integrity, and that angers me.

The President’s proposals dealt minimally with new gun restrictions, and placed much emphasis on issues of information sharing, school preparedness, and mental illness. These make good sense, and I would encourage you to support them. It would be a shame to see his proposals killed purely for partisan reasons, or to satisfy the gun lobby.

I do not support renewing the Assault Weapons Ban; it is an artificial category of weapons. However, I’m confident the Republic can survive its renewal. We, after all, seem to have weathered the previous 10 years of the ban without seeing the American way of life crumble before our eyes.

I am much more open to a limit on magazine capacity. While I do have some high-capacity magazines, and would like more, I can live without them.

The prevalence and accessibility of guns in American society means that, inevitably, massacres like Sandy Hook and Aurora will happen again. More innocent children WILL be slaughtered. It is an inevitable side effect of a society which reveres gun ownership. But there are common sense regulations we can impose which could cut down on the number of children and other innocents who are killed. The President outlined many good steps to take. I encourage you to give them the consideration they deserve.

Thank you.

Steve Dennie

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It’s Not as Obvious as You Think

January 17, 2013 | Category: This or That

The Explainer blog on Slate tackled this interesting question: “When and how did humankind figure out that sex is what causes babies? It’s not exactly the most obvious correlation: Sex doesn’t always lead to babies, and there’s a long lead time between the act and the consequences—weeks before there are even symptoms, usually.”

The responses cited societies even in the 1900s which didn’t see a relationship between sex and children. Does anyone else find this interesting?

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Gun Violence and Slippery Slopes

January 16, 2013 | Category: Politics

In a few hours, the White House will announce their ideas for curbing the gun violence epidemic. I think I can safely (and cynically) predict that the NRA and other gun rights organizations will oppose every single idea, as they’ve been doing with tiresome predictability.

I’m mostly a gun rights person, but I’m really disturbed by their total intransigence. They respond to every idea by saying, “It won’t work. It wouldn’t have stopped….” and then they name one of the many massacres that have occurred. Argument by anecdote. I realize that these organizations are less about gun owners than they are about gun and ammo manufacturers, so that’s a problem. And it’s pretty clear that the Republicans can block most anything from getting through Congress, so you have to wonder, “What’s the point?”

On the other side, Hollywood and videogame makers will also oppose anything aimed in their direction, citing First Amendment concerns.

I’m not an NRA slippery-slope person. In fact, the only slippery slopes I see involve more and more guns, fewer and fewer restrictions, an ever-increasing saturation of violence in entertainment media, and more frequent mass shootings. That’s the reality of American society, clear for all to see. Do we want to keep going down those slippery slopes?

Come on, people, there’s common sense stuff we can do.

UPDATE: I read through all of the materials put out by the White House. I don’t see much cause for concern from gun owners. The president didn’t order up a new fleet of black helicopters to swoop in and confiscate everyone’s guns. Universal background checks are totally reasonable, and the Republic will not collapse if people’s gun magazines are limited to 10 bullets. A good share of the recommendations dealt with sharing of information between law enforcement agencies, school preparedness, and mental health issues (which will be real thorny).

On Piers Morgan, a woman gun rights advocate was asked, “Is there ANYTHING in what the president recommended that you agree with?” She said, “No.” That type of closed-mindedness drives me nuts.

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A Wonderful Twist on the Golden Rule

January 11, 2013 | Category: Religion in General

I’m reading through the New Testament in “The Message.” I came to the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12, which I grew up hearing this way in the KJV: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

I loved how Eugene Peterson rendered it in “The Message”:

“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.”

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A Speech We’re Glad Nixon Never Gave

January 9, 2013 | Category: This or That

MentalFloss published “12 Historical Speeches that were Never Given.” Most are quite fascinating, ranging from FDR to Sarah Palin.

The first one was written for President Richard Nixon by William Safire, in the event that Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin crashed and died while trying to land on the moon. Here is that beautifully written, and thankfully unneeded, speech:

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.

These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.

They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.

In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.

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The Big Republican Cave-In

January 3, 2013 | Category: Politics

Interesting tidbit from Joe Scarborough this morning. A couple years ago, idealistic Republicans turned down a great deal from President Obama–$1 in tax increases for every $10 in spending cuts. The other day, they settled for $43 in tax increases for every $1 in spending cuts.

It’s funny hearing Grover Norquist try to rationalize that Republicans didn’t actually vote for a tax increase. His whole existence is predicated on his famous no-tax pledge. If Republicans have now repudiated the pledge, Grover becomes irrelevant. So he’s trying to contort reality to convince people that his pledge is still in place, and he therefore counts.

Meanwhile…I wouldn’t want to be John Boehner right now. Everybody, right and left, is shooting at him.

And then, this gem from columnist Ezra Klein:

“What’s the record of the 112th Congress? Well, it almost shut down the government and almost breached the debt ceiling. It almost went over the fiscal cliff (which it had designed in the first place). It cut a trillion dollars of discretionary spending in the Budget Control Act and scheduled another trillion in spending cuts through an automatic sequester, which everyone agrees is terrible policy. It achieved nothing of note on housing, energy, stimulus, immigration, guns, tax reform, infrastructure, climate change or, really, anything. It’s hard to identify a single significant problem that existed prior to the 112th Congress that was in any way improved by its two years of rule.”

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Book: “The Troubled Man,” by Henning Mankell

January 2, 2013 | Category: Books

mankell-troubled-man In 2012, Swedish writer Henning Mankell brought to a close his 12-book series on inspector Kurt Wallander. Actually, he concluded the series in 2009, but it took a couple more years to reach America. For that, Mankell used English academic Laurie Thompson, who translated three other books in the series, including the best one, “The White Lioness,” as well as about five other Mankell books. Thompson also translates the excellent Inspector Van Veeteren series from Hakan Nesser.

I had read about “The Troubled Man” well before it was published in April 2012 in America under the Vintage Black Lizard imprint (responsible for nearly all Mankell books). I had learned that this would be the final Wallander book, and that though Wallander wouldn’t die, it would be obvious why he couldn’t continue doing what he did. It became apparent very early in “The Troubled Man” what the issue would be, and Wallander struggles with it throughout the book even as he plods through his final case.

The case involves a retired naval officer who disappears, but only after a cryptic conversation with Wallander. The officer is the father-in-law of Wallander’s daughter, Linda, thus the connection. Wallander becomes embroiled, on his own time, in determining what happened to the man. There is a spy, Cold War theme.

The book moves along slowly, much more so than other Wallander books. But there’s a reason. A lot of things are happening, and they are happening with exceptional care under Mankell’s pen. This may be his most literate book, the most tenderly written, as he bids goodbye to his hero. There are references to earlier books, previous cases, including a final disposition of his long-distance Latvian soulmate, Baiba Leipa, which traces back to the second book, “The Dogs of Riga.”

Yes, it’s a slow book. The main plot doesn’t involve a whole lot of action. But I was entranced, finding myself clearly in the hands of a master writer who was intent on doing justice to the character he had created and nurtured so well. I didn’t care how slowly the story moved. I was soaking it all up.

The plot resolution was not unexpected, though it kept me guessing. However, the book continued well after the case was settled, as Mankell ties up loose ends in Wallander’s life. And the final paragraph, and especially the final sentence, close the story–close this life I’ve come to know so well–with dignity and grace. It was a totally, completely satisfying ending.

The Wallander books were among the first books I read in the Black Lizard imprint, which I’ve come to love. I’ve read 14 Mankell books now, including all 12 Wallander books. “The Troubled Man” was a milestone for me, the 150th Black Lizard book I’ve read. I saved this book for number 150, knowing it would be special. It seemed appropriate.

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The One Year Bible

December 29, 2012 | Category: Books

oneyearbible I’m a preacher’s kid. I grew up in the church and never strayed. I attended a Christian college. I have spent my entire career in fulltime Christian service. Pretty decent Christian “resume.”

And yet, despite having reached the advanced age of 56, I have never read through the entire Bible. Never.

I’ve made a few attempts. But I would get behind a day, then several days, and then a couple weeks…and I’d give it up. It’s always easy to get bogged down in Leviticus, or example, and just lose interest.

Last year right about this time–just a day or two before the new year started–my friend Barb Kenley, a Presbyterian minister, mentioned on Facebook “The One Year Bible.” She said she’d used it several times to read through the Bible in a year.

It struck a note in my heart. I promptly downloaded the “One Year Bible” to my Nook.

What a blessing it has been!

With many plans, you read straight through the Bible, Genesis to Revelation. But the “One Year Bible” gives you a variety each day: an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, a passage from the Psalms, and a few verses of Proverbs. You read straight through all four parts, at the same time. If you’re bogged down in Old Testament genealogies, you can look forward to something inspirational from the New Testament, or maybe from the Psalms. My favorite part of each day was the capstone Proverbs reading–some real gems! (You actually read through Psalms twice. On July 1, you start all over again.)

The readings required at least 20 minutes per day. To keep on track, I set a few rules for myself.

Read each day’s selection on that day. No matter how tired I was, or how late it was–read it that day. Several times I climbed out of bed because I realized I had forgotten to read for that day.
NEVER decide to skip a day, and just read double the next day. The days will pile up and you’ll never get caught up.
Don’t read ahead. Even if you want to read what happens next, save tomorrow’s reading for tomorrow. Never say, “I’ll read a couple days to get ahead, and then I can take a day or two off.” Keep the daily discipline intact.
“Read for the message, not the mileage.” I forced myself to read at a slow pace, and almost always reread certain portions just to make sure I wasn’t missing something important. I didn’t want to read to “get through it.” (Though that became my attitude with the OT prophetic books!)

Some things I learned:

Despite attending church all my life, there are lots of stories I’d never heard.
Parts of the Old Testament are incredibly dull. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel are particularly dreadful.
It’s extremely valuable to have the whole picture of the Bible in your head. My view of God’s Word has changed substantially.

Reading through the entire Bible is very demanding. I don’t want to continue that pace for two years in a row. So in 2013, I’m slowing down, reading entirely for the message (no mileage needed). I’m reading through the New Testament one chapter at a time, with some of the more interesting Old Testament books thrown in for filler.

But for anyone interested in reading through the entire Bible, I definitely recommend the “One Year Bible.” And I particularly recommend the New Living Translation, which I used. It rendered many familiar passages in ways which made it delightfully fresh to me. I should add that the “One Year Bible” is perfectly suited for an electronic reader, like my ColorNook.

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Yet Another Rant about “Happy Holidays”

December 23, 2012 | Category: This or That

Here’s something I find ironic. Conservative Christians tend to support Israel wholly and unconditionally. Whatever Israel wants, they believe Israel should get. And yet, these same Christians adamantly oppose including Jews in a simple holiday greeting.

Jesus himself would have celebrated Hanukkah. But if, instead of saying “Merry Christmas,” I say “Happy Holidays” to include goodwill to Jews (and fellow Americans of other faiths), people will frown, and some will accuse me of participating in the War on Christmas.

At the end of his press conference a few days ago, I noticed that President Obama said “Merry Christmas.” If he had said “Happy Holidays,” the conservative media would be pillorying him. And their hand-wringing would seem incredibly petty to me…and no doubt to lots of other people, Christian and non. It’s a made-up, contrived grievance which plays well with the conservative base and really gets them riled up. The result is a bunch of indignant Facebook graphics.

Living in a country which was founded on celebrating pluralism, it seems intensely American to NOT exclude other faiths from well wishing. America is not about excluding faiths, about putting one religion above another. As a Christian, I’ll tell you that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and no other religion offers a path to heaven. But as a citizen of the USA, which has always invited diversity, I am totally fine with living amidst other religions. And as a nice guy, I don’t mind wishing them well on the holidays important to them. It seems both Christian and American.

Though, frankly, I’m not sure I’ve ever said “Happy Holidays.” I’m a “Merry Christmas” kind of guy. And thankfully, nonChristians who have been hearing “Merry Christmas” all their lives, including getting bombarded with it during this time of year, don’t seem to get all bent out of shape about it. Minority religions seem to “get” the concept of pluralism a bit more clearly than the Christians, who command a distinct majority in American life and don’t think any other religion should be acknowledged.

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Where to Draw the Line with Guns

December 17, 2012 | Category: World Events

When it comes to the right to bear arms, society has already accepted a huge number of “reasonable” restrictions. The range of allowable weaponry is fairly limited. As far as I know, I can’t freely buy a working bazooka, or a howitzer, or a grenade, or a mortar. In the interests of self-defense, I can’t place landmines and a rocket launcher in my yard. I don’t know anyone who owns a tank, or has a 50-calibre machine-gun mounted on their SUV. We have all kinds of restrictions on the right to bear arms, and we accept them. Just as we don’t allow people to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater, and consider that a reasonable restriction on free speech.

People could argue that these restrictions infringe on the “right to bear arms.” Yet nobody does. We’ve ruled out anything larger than an assault rifle, and anything that is fully automatic. This is where we’ve drawn the line, and society seems okay with that. Even the most rabid gun enthusiasts.

So as I think about drawing the line tighter, I see few options. I’m pretty happy with where things stand now. Banning all semi-auto weapons would affect most handguns and a large number of rifles of all calibers, right down to the common .22LR. Limit magazine size? That is talked about. Tax the heck out of certain ammo? The stuff is already very expensive. With some ammo, every trigger pull is a dollar spent.

So in the interests of “reasonable” gun control, what else can we do?

Training? In Indiana, it’s easier to get a Bushmaster than a driver’s license. We require no class or testing, as some states do. Background checks? They appear rather solidly in place, though I’m sure there are flaws in the system, things to tighten.

We’ll never get to the point of confiscating guns–not in America, with 300 million guns already out there–and I wouldn’t support that. But there must be further things that could be done. Any ideas?

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My First Letter to My Congressman

It’s Not as Obvious as You Think

Gun Violence and Slippery Slopes

A Wonderful Twist on the Golden Rule

A Speech We’re Glad Nixon Never Gave

The Big Republican Cave-In

Book: “The Troubled Man,” by Henning Mankell

The One Year Bible

Yet Another Rant about “Happy Holidays”

Where to Draw the Line with Guns

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