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What value do values have?

Sojourner's founder Rev. Jim Wallis appeared on John Stewart's The Daily Show Wednesday night, promoting his new book on values. Wallace gave an insightful look on what essentially is the key component missing from progressive rhetoric these days. Wallace is the perfect spokesperson, in this regard, immersed for decades in probably one of the greatest value based narratives in human history, the Hebrew and Christian Testaments. In light of Tuesday's defeat, it could do the Democratic party some good to start soul searching.

I'm not suggesting that faith take a front row seat in politics. However, there's a lot to be learned from groups that deal with the conversion of people's ideologies on a daily basis. It could offer much for the craft of healthy debate and rhetorical discourse. Wallis appears around half way into the program.

State of Opportunity in America Report released

The Opportunity Agenda just released their State of Opportunity in America report last week.  As we near the end of Obama's first 100 days, the report does an excellent job of showing where our focus should be as we move toward rising out of this recession.  Alan Jenkins, executive director, was on MS-NBC did a good job of spelling out the reports findings in light of the current economic hard times. 

The Change of Power, The Breath of Opportunity

Crossposted from The State of Opportunity Blog

The cold could not quell the flame that burned in the hearts of two million Americans, huddled together in masses across the National Mall to welcome in the 44th President of the United States.  Indeed, President Obama's inauguration speech harkened the breath of American Values, which hung in the naked cherry trees like hoar ice along the Potomac on an early January morning.

On more than one occasion, President Obama emphasized opportunity for all and placed his focus clearly on an agenda that will promote equality.  and throughout his speech, the values placed on community flowed through the vains of every race, creed and social difference witnessed by those in the crowd.  From the family Bible that Vice President Biden placed his hand upon, recalling where the heart of any community begins to beat, to the rhythmic jumps on stage before the Lincoln Memorial this past sunday during the "We Are One" concert, this week has been one of the greatest affirmations of community values in generations.

The Opportunity Agenda continually strives to lead with these and other core American values in its work.  There's a great feeling of excitement here in the work to come, and for myself a great sense of humility in meditating over the history that unfoldes itself before my own misty breath on this cold winter's day.  There is no better example on how values fuel the fire in the hearts of men and women.  More the reson, then, to find that resounding chord that rings within our own hearts and ears and use it as an anchor for the change that has come and continues to rise in our country.  Happy days to all, and safe travels to those in washington as they return home these next few days.

   

Just What Is Change?

Several years ago when I was still in Chicago, there was a priest assigned to the university where I was working.  His job was to lead public service programs through the Newman Center at the University, quite a change from his previous assignment where he started an AIDS clinic in Africa for women and children.  He had a campaign which consisted of empty tin cans with a slit in the top for coins, a sort of homemade piggy bank.  And on the side of the cans, in simple no-frills marketing, was written, "Change for Change in Africa.  Students and staff would take the cans home, and once they were full, they would bring them back in to Father's office.

Sometimes it would take all semester to fill up the can.  But as finals wound down, the sound of change being emptied into a battery powered coin separator could be heard down the hall, like some stainless steel robotic rattlesnake let loose from its box.

Some change happen over night, like winning the lottery or loosing a loved one.  And other change takes time.  It took me years to get use to waking up every morning and no longer being able to see.  And when doctors were able to restore a fraction of my sight eight years after going blind, it took time to learn how to see agin.  Colors and shapes came back.  But everything seemed out of wack, not right.  

In eight days, the Great Change begins.  There's been a lot of hype around it.  Even Bush blew up today at a press meeting, showing how the never-ending news cycle is probably weighing heavy on his own reflection over the past eight years.  Eight years is an awfully long time to be lost in the dark.  I know, first hand.  I know too that come Wednesday morning, the critics will have already begun their trial, like Spanish Dominican Friars enquiring the actions of young lads caught reading the letters Calvin or Luther.  

In defining what is change, it's important to know that time is an important measure.  Change that lasts for generations can take a generation.  It took Roosevelt over a decade, and maybe even long, to build a social change where the security of our seniors--economic and physical--was engrained into our mere notion of what duties the Fed. possess.    Therefore, rule one of change is that it is something which takes time.