Japan

There are many things that I could and should write about. I should probably write an entry a week to catch up (man March is flying by). I'll start with the most urgent.

Friday I awoke to turn on the news, to watch about a 9.0 earthquake that struck Japan. This was the strongest to ever hit the nation made of smaller islands, and tied for the fourth strongest quake ever recorded. Let me give you some perspective on how strong this was.

1. Japan moved 8 feet, up to 13 feet on the island closest to the epicenter.
2. It was felt in China, and recorded affecting things as far as St. Louis, MO, USA.
3. It adjusted the axis of the earth a few feet, according to some experts.
4. It actually sped the rotation of the earth.
5. There have been hundreds of after shocks, with more than 100 registering as a 5.0 or stronger.

This quake also unleashed a 33 foot Tsunami, with tens of thousands dead as of today, with possible hundreds of thousands missing. Millions are homeless. What shelters there are stand well beyond capacity, with no food, water, electricity, clothes, or medicine available to survivors. The wave also struck California, wiping three onlookers out to sea. Two were recovered alive.

However, there is a measure of hope. Japan has less than 1% Christians. It is one of the hardest missions fields to reach. At this time, missionaries on the ground, as well as organizations like International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES) and World Vision and many more are stepping in, providing help to a proud, stubborn, traditional people who need help for the first time maybe ever in their culture.

Governments are only able to help so much, due to red tape, pride, and the general waste that accompanies anything the government sticks their hands in. The government is helping with the nuke reactors that were damaged and seem to be exploding one at a time, but these missions organizations are uniquely primed, uniquely trained, and uniquely skilled at assessing and delivering aide to those who need it most. All the governments in all the world cannot do as much as the Church of Jesus Christ. Besides, no government has the blessing of God as the church, and no government can have the lasting impact of everlasting life that comes only through Jesus Christ. So please, give to one of these organizations.

Playing catch up and immigration

I haven't posted in a while. The reason why is because I threw my back out. Uh. Back pain is terrible. It is easy to immobilize you. It seems like it should be bearable, but...

I ended up calling for help and staying a few days under medical supervision. It was rough to be immobilized and dependant on others. That's the way it goes.

Ok, onto topics that matter. Some people, Republicans, want to repeal the 14th Amendment, specifically section 1.

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to
the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State
wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge
the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any
State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of
law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the
laws.

They call this now the Anchor babies Amendment. In its original design, shortly after the Civil war, was to declare all slaves as citizens. Now, Mexicans jump the border to have babies in the US that are citizens.

Republicans, in an effort to win voters, are now anti-immigrant. They confuse the Arizona issue with anti-immigrant sentiment. This makes me sick. I hate it when people play politics, especially with people's lives.

My opinon? I'm all for anchor babies. Let the amendment stand. They are US citizens. Don't take that away. It would be wrong. Besides, in this country, we don't understand what it means to be desperately poor. You've never had to chose which of your children eats this week. You've never had to chose whether your family would die of dehydration, or diseases from the only available water.

If that is a serious problem, then still deport the parents, with baby in tow. When the baby then a legal adult, they as a United States citizen return free and clear. It seems simple. In the mean time, I don't want to reward illegal behavior, but I think there needs to be some understanding of desperation and not punish innocent children. Let's go after some of these dangerous illegals who are dealing drugs, starting gangs, and killing people.

Health Care

Ok, I have a few minutes to weigh in on this. There's a lot that could be said. I think it would be apparent where I would land on this issue. But I might surprise you.

Let me start by saying I think this thing has problems. First of all, a health care bill that includes a government takeover of student loans? What does that have to do with anything? It seems this has provisions that have nothing to do with health. It bothers me that in the name of providing for those who can't provide for themselves, they did many things that have nothing to do with caring for people. In fact, after Obama's signing of the bill into law, the white house press secretary admitted that it had nothing to do with health, but with redistribution of wealth. No one has any idea what is in the thing. They didn't read it. They just passed it.

Or we could move into how it was passed. There was some strong arming, with the president mocking the Tea Party Movement (named after the Boston Tea Party, the start of the American revolution), calling them the Tea-bag movement. The President mocking Americans? How about the State of the Union, where Obama said people that are against it just don't understand it, basically calling his opposition stupid.

That I can get over. Realistically, I think Obama is an idealist who is standing up for what he believes in. I respect him for that, even if I don't always agree with policy or his tactics. What I CANNOT stand is congress. Many were given MILLIONS in campaign contributions if they would vote for the health care bill. That's called BRIBERY where I come from. This is the most corrupt, immoral congress in the history of America. They don't care about what they believe in, only about who will line their pockets. Many in Congress should be prosecuted. Almost all, regardless of party, are corrupt to the point that it is time to be sent home. We need public servants, not people who think the public exists to serve them. Republicans for years manipulated Christians to make them vote in fear of abortion. They didn't care. They did nothing to stop it. The Religious Right in response became anti-democrat on any issue. The democrats have oppressed the "minorities" as well as Republicans, because if they convince them "we'll take care of you" then of course the poor will vote for Democrats, but if they actually got a leg up, well, then they won't need us anymore so they might stop voting for us, so we have to keep them down.

Here's the bottom line. Congress is corrupt and worthless. I believe that the time of America is over. I just hope that our economy lasts long enough to help build up Haiti or rebuild Chile. If you want to talk about a "right" of health care, what about the right of clean drinking water? We will spend trillions on "health care" (when incidentally, if you walk into an emergency room, you will get the health care you need) when if we spent only millions everyone in the WORLD could have clean drinking water. Do you know what the number 1 cause of death of children under 5 is? Diarrea caused by unclean, diseased drinking water. Diseases like Malaria, polio, and TB also ravage third world contries, when they are COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE. They want government funded lyposuction, but others don't get the basic right to live.

Chivalry

If you haven't figured out by the name of the blog, I love the ideals of chivalry. One of the primary tenants of the oath of chivaly was justice. Included in justice is the idea of helping the oppressed. This idea has been lost in America. In America, we have this idea of you get what you deserve. We oppress the oppressed.

This is true in politics. Republicans want to ignore the poor and help the wealthy get wealth (even if the idea is that the rich can create businesses, they exploit small business owners in favor of their mega-corporate sponsors). Democrats wish to profit off the poor, by getting them to vote for them, then giving them a pitance of welfare and elemenating all opporunities for them to get ahead. Look at the schools in the inner city, in the same areas that supply democratic voters. I was in one tonight, packing lunches so that these poor ghetto kids can actually eat on weekends. In the mean time, the rich school down the streets got grants for millions in an unnecessary remodel.

This is also true internationally. Americans spent 450 Billion dollars (Billion with a B) on Christmas every year. For 10 million dollars (Million with an M) every human being could have access to clean, sanitary drinking water. This would cut childhood fatalities in HALF.

The average woman or child in a third world country spend 5 hours A DAY getting water. And the water that they get is usually from stagnant bogs and pond, and is so disease ridden it is deadly. They are forced to make the choice of dying from lack of water or from drinking what water they have. How would you like to make that choice for you and your children? How would you like to choose from what you watch them die?

And because this is 5 hours a day, and they are very ill from what water they do have access to, they are unable to participate in what little educational opporunities are available to them. Bono said, "We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies." Yet, despite the ability to do so, WE DO NOTHING.

Where is the justice? This is one night who won't stand for it. I have done what I can for now. I will try to continue to do more. I do not want to stand by while not doing what I can to provide justice for the poor. We have the ability to do so much. There is more to do than I can possibly do alone, but as long as there is no justice for the oppressed, I will do what I can.

Recommended resources: World Vision and Richard Stearns The Hole in Our Gospel.