GOIN DOWN THE ROAD FEELING BAD
JUDGE NOT BY SEAN O’HARE
he shall pass away. (James, 1:9-11.). Pastor Schultz' talk inspired me to attempt to do my small part to shame these "Christian" senators who would take from the poor to give to the rich. There are even four "Christian" senators who will not vote for this bill because it takes not enough from the poor to give to the rich. "Christian" Ted Cruz who says "I am a Christian first, American second;" "Christian" Mike Lee who says that "Judeo-Christian values are American values;" and a "Christian" such as that champion of pro-life, profamily values, Ron Johnson. Rand Paul rounds out the gang of four. I would like to remind these four alleged Christians that it was Jesus who said "...it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew, 19:23-26) As you take the possibility of medical care away from poor families remember that Jesus said "...when you refused to help the least of my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me." (Matthew, 25:45) I suppose that if Jesus was on expanded Medicaid the four plus all who would vote for this bill would also take away his medical benefits. And you smug Democratic senators who could have created a one payer universal health care system when you were in charge but instead took the bribes, I mean the
"J
udge not lest ye yourself be judged" are the words of Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:1-3.) After reading the judgments of so many self-righteous, self-described "Christians" on the sinfulness of being LGBT, of being a single poor pregnant woman, of being on welfare, etc., I have decided to risk being judged by doing some judging myself. I would like to take this opportunity to judge those Republican senators, those modern day Pharisees and Scribes, those throwers of first stones, who are planning to vote in favor of Trumpcare, which will deprive some 20 million of our poorest working citizens of expanded Medicaid, and thus, of medical care. I can do this judging because I don't care if I get judged in return. I do not claim to be a righteous Christian, although I have read the Bible. So go right ahead and judge me back. Pastor Matt Schultz of First Presbyterian recently gave a talk at the Bartlett Club about the Christian requirement to take care of our poor, citing passages from Jeremiah, Micah, Isaiah, and James who wrote "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich, in that he is made low....
SHORELINES BY SCOTT A. STERLING
contributions, from the lobbyists of the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, and gave us the disaster of Obamacare, should also ask the poor for forgiveness. No wonder they don't vote for Democrats. All you hypocrite millionaire Republican senators who were endorsed by the Faith and Freedom Coalition should remember that Jesus said "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke, 16:20-26.) Did he say blessed are the rich for you shall have villas and everything money can buy? No, in fact, he said quite the opposite. As you meet to discuss stealing from the poor and giving to your rich benefactors in some fine country club on your 4th of July recess, remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man. (Luke, 16:1931.) As you burn in Hades, don't ask Lazarus who you denied medical benefits and is now standing next to Abraham, to come and bail you out. And keep your children away from matches because it will be the fire next time. You, believers in fire and brimstone, will finally feel the shame and humiliation you deserve.
I
n 1941 E.B. White published his now-venerable essay “Once More to the Lake.� In concise terms he brought us to a lake in rural Maine, which he first visited in 1904 on a trip with his father. They stayed in a lakeside camp cabin. They went fishing, paddling and exploring. White, the boy, drank deep of the lake’s innate serenity, sounds and feel. The experience lived on in his heart. When he went back once more, decades later, with his own son, White, the man, felt true joy at seeing the lake in its wholeness and a kind of fatalistic dismay at what change — especially in the form of much louder and larger motorboats — had wrought. The water birds were splashing away, the sun was shining and yet mortality refused to be ignored. Watching his son put on some wet clothes White recalled that “..suddenly my groin felt the chill of death.� Re-reading “Once More to the Lake� I, myself, felt a little chill down south. So before it gets too cold, here is what’s wrong. First is the fact that lake-living is ceaselessly popular and every year more and more homes, cabins and commercial ventures show up on the shorelines. Second is the fact that there is
no sensible, comprehensive regime that helps lakefront property owners get right with God when it comes to shoreline protection. Third is the fact that between Fact No. 1 and Fact No. 2 far too many lakes are in trouble, in part because far too many of us strip away natural shoreline vegetation, install lawns down to the waterline and fail to mitigate run-off. I am a moderate offender: I have no lawn, kept most of the natural shoreline intact and try to divert run-off. But I have not done enough. Healthy lakes are important to life in Alaska in thousands of ways. If we are to be serious about stewardship and somehow, someday, get past grassy lawns as the beau ideal, then we need to find a way to encourage and reward shoreline protection. The State of Wisconsin operates a government program (oh, the horror) which educates and informs on lake and shoreline protection. And guess what? Active shoreline protection and prevention of petroleum product spillage into the water works wonders for the lake and property values, both. Yes, Mr. White, nature does indeed constantly remind us of mortality. In response, though, if we care enough and manage to keep the pecuniary in its proper place, then, I believe, we can ward off the chill, if only for a while.
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