It's a Nice House...

Church this week started just like any other service. A nice welcome, a few songs, and then our pastor asked for prayer requests. One guy, about 60 just says "yeah, pray for me, they're gonna take my house, it's a nice house, I've been there 11 years. You can get it cheap..." I live in Las Vegas, Nevada and I belong to a church that has a lot of members from Michigan. The two states with the highest unemployment in the nation, Michigan and Nevada. Thousands of people living with upside down mortgages, no more unemployment benefits, lack of work, and facing foreclosure. "They're gonna take my house..." I can't get the words out of my head, because my heart is still breaking.

Luke, I Am Your Father...

30 years ago this weekend I was standing in line at the Brea Mall in Southern California with my wife to get into the just released second installment of the Star Wars Trilogy, "The Empire Strikes Back." Here's a great story on the anniversary. Like many, I was stunned when I heard the line "Luke, I am your father" uttered by the epitome of evil, Darth Vader. Growing up in So Cal, this was what summer was about. Movies, baseball, and hangin' out, usually at the beach. Didn't life seem so much more enjoyable then? Have a great weekend...

Mexican President Calderon Addresses US Congress

The Speech, or at least bits of it, as it was called by the commentator on C-SPAN, from Mexican President Felipe Calderon. My comments are in the brackets [… ] Our Congress is standing around… apparently no one told folks you don’t start a party for someone until they are in the building… The speech starts and I switch to Univision because after yesterdays horrible translation job, I want to hear the message in Spanish. Felipe is speaking in English, and they are translating back into Spanish. I switch back to C-SPAN. Calderon states at the top that Mexico was the first country in continental America to abolish slavery… Mexico is confronting organized crime with determination and courage… [that line gets a standing ovation even if it is a failed effort] Calderon states that to restore public security in Mexico will cost still more lives, but will ultimately be won… He states that the challenge to their security has roots on both sides of he border… that the US desire for illegal drugs is part of the problem… Here is what Mexico is doing to solve the problem. They are using the military and weakening the financial abilities of the gangs and arrested many felons, [except those from the Sinaloa Cartel… see this NPR Report]. They are moving to an open and transparent judicial system… [finally Felipe] Mexico needs help… please stop the flow of assault weapons across the border… I’ll let the GOP work on that… He states that he admires the US Constitution and the 2nd Amendment, but, our open gun laws are helping fuel the violence in Mexico… The violence in Mexico, Calderon states, primarily started in 2004, when the assault weapon ban was lifted… Calderon is asking for help here… half of Congress stands and applauds… the other half sits quietly… Mexico is trying to keep their public deficit at 1% of GDP… [imagine of we did that] Felipe is touting the investment of the gov’t in the infrastructure of Mexico… [I am still waiting to see that investment in the areas where I work] Mexico did not bail out their banks, not one cent went for bailouts… [take that you bailout favoring socialists!] Calderon is making his case that Mexico is determined to move forward, and because of an economic recovery, [that I am not seeing] the country is already moving forward, expecting 4% economic growth... [good luck] And he says they are auctioning national wireless opportunities… [just give them to Slim and save yourself time, he’s gonna get them anyway. Carlos Slim owns almost 90% of the Mexican telecom market] “We are improving the quality of all Mexicans under the principle of equal opportunity for all.” Great statement Felipe, but you didn’t say that your reported drop in poverty has done little in the indigenous south… [and all the numbers were from 2006, before the worldwide economic crisis.] Felipe says they are providing more and better education… [Tell that to the maestros de Oaxaca] I think Pelosi is falling asleep… Universal health care by 2012... [Long a goal of the PAN Party, but I will wait until I see it. Again, one side of our Congress sits and another applauds, even though since a lot of our politicians say Mexicans come here for free medical care, universal care in Mexico might just keep some of them home, a fact Calderon quickly points out as he heads to the issue of the day, IMMIGRATION] Now Nancy wakes up, and Felipe switches to Spanish to speak to his paisanos in what for many, is their native tongue, I am sure some in Congress are loving this now… And he says… in Spanish, we are working hard for your rights in Mexico and we miss and admire you for working hard to make America great… But we are working to provide you jobs in Mexico… we are determined to assume our responsibilities for the immigration problem… we do not favor the breaking of rules… I fully respect the right of any country to enact and enforce it’s own laws… but we need to fix a broken system… we favor laws that work for everyone… The goal of Mexico is to provide people the opportunities they are looking for… I am convinced that comprehensive immigration is crucial to securing our borders… however I strongly disagree with the law in Arizona… [no surprise there] Now onto climate change… global warming demands the commitment of all countries and Mexico was one of the first to commit to reductions… because of your global leadership, we need your support in November in Cancun… [are you inviting me? Nancy was pretty quick on this applause line, maybe she has never been there] Mexico is transforming… to a country of laws, security, and a place free of fear… with a future where dreams can come true… I believe in North America as the most prosperous region in the world. Let us work together to give our people the future they deserve… God bless America, Viva Mexico! President Calderon had a lot of nice things to say. He was correct in some areas, and he was putting the best foot forward on some others. Whether Mexico can become the Mexico of his dreams, remains to be seen. Calderon is still deeply disliked by many in the country who resent his election and believe Mexican Courts illegally intervened to give him the Presidency in 2006. [Sound familiar?] This fact, and the ascendancy again of the PRI party, a group very effective at saying no, should make real progress difficult in the near future. Time will tell.

Sports and Role Models... Are We Expecting Too Much?

[Baseball great Henry "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron and Willie "The Say Hey Kid" Mays] I was talking to friend of mine the other day and in a round about way, we touched on the subject of role models and sports. He is a big Los Angeles Laker fan, and by extension, a big fan of Kobe Bryant. I have been a Laker fan since I began to follow basketball. From the teams of West, Goodrich, Baylor, and of course, Wilt, I have been dyed in the wool Laker purple and gold. I listened as those early great teams always seemed to fall short to the dreaded Celtics. I also listened on my little transistor radio as they ran off 33 consecutive wins right after Baylor retired, and finally broke through to the NBA title in 1972. I was hooked watching Magic, Kareem, Worthy and the rest of the Showtime gang rescue us from the mediocrity of late 70's teams that included names like Robisch, DiGregorio, and Tatum. But today, on the eve of the next round of this years NBA playoffs, I must confess that it is hard for me to root for the Lakers. And the reason is Kobe Bryant. For me, Kobe lost some of his luster with his 2003 arrest for rape, a charge that ultimately went unproven, a common occurrence in rape cases. My buddy says that it is what happens on the field that counts. It is what happens on the court, between the lines that counts. He says that what athletes do in their private life is up to them, and the bottom line is, to quote Jim Rome, scoreboard baby! But is it? A few years back, Sir Charles Barkley made the announcement that he was not a role model. He claimed that kids should look to parents, and whether or not kids looked to him as a role model, that was not his issue. However, when people play their sports like OJ Simpson, Lawrence Taylor, Tiger Woods, and yes, Kobe Bryant, they are role models. Whether they asked for the role or not. Over the weekend, Major League Baseball held a Civil Rights Roundtable featuring among others, two of the games greatest players, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Here is what Aaron, who endured countless death threats as he approached Babe Ruth’s home run record thought about role models in sports, as reported by Mike Bauman of mlb.com. On the topic of role models, which was central to the roundtable discussion, Aaron related a story about a blue-chip football recruit he met at the end of his own playing career. The player was being sought by big-time college programs and Aaron noted how he looked the part, impressively large and muscled. The young man's idol was Walt Garrison, who had been a prominent running back with the Dallas Cowboys. Garrison was also a longtime spokesman for a brand of smokeless tobacco. As a result, the football prospect used "snuff" incessantly. He eventually died from the effects of it. Aaron said that whenever he thought about what his actions as famous baseball player meant to young people, this example came to mind. He was inescapably a role model. Think about that last sentence. He was inescapably a role model. Unlike Barkley, both Hank Aaron and Willie Mays understood this and made lifestyle choices based on this reality. They did not let themselves get in situations that might be misinterpreted, or reflect badly on their employers or their sport. Is it too much to expect the same type of decision making maturity from our sports stars today, knowing inescapably that whether they like it or not, they are role models? In light of the fact that we pay them millions of dollars to play a game, I think not. What are your thoughts?

Is This Your Church?

I don't usually post videos twice in a row, but this one came to my attention yesterday. As a church guy, I visit almost 30 different churches a year in both the US and Mexico and when I saw this I couldn't resist. Enjoy... "Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Pistol Packin' Mama

I listen to a lot of different music. I happened to catch Willie Nelson last week on The View. He performed an old country classic, "Pistol Packin' Mama" from his newest album. Even at 77 years of age, Willie still knows how to sell a song. Many are saying this album, simply titled "Country Music" is his best in years. Note in this video how closely he interacts with his fellow guitar player and back up singer over his left shoulder. The guy has his eyes locked on Willie to know exactly what his boss is going to do. Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo... and Immigration

[Victory of Cinco de Mayo] I was talking yesterday with someone about Cinco de Mayo and I asked her if she knew what was the reason for celebrating the day. Almost without thinking, she said, "Mexican Independence Day, of course. " Well of course, her answer was wrong. Cinco de Mayo is the day the Mexican Army, under the direction of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French troops in the Battle of Puebla. There is a great account of that battle and the history here. Now in Mexico, unless you are in Puebla, the day is hardly even mentioned. It seems as if the hoopla generated by the day here in the US is more a creation of Budweiser than anything else. Nonetheless, in honor of the day, I want to take a few minutes and share some of my personal thoughts and observations on the immigration issue as it relates to Mexico. And then I will step aside and let the more educated people and the politicians sort it all out. I hear frequently that people have no problem with immigration, they just wish Mexicans would "play by the rules." This is a fair statement, if in fact there are rules. Or if those rules are explained. Many may not be aware of the process to try and receive a VISA to even visit the US. After you get your Mexican passport, you must make an appointment for an interview with a case worker in one of four consulates in Mexico. They are located in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Mexico City. When you get there, you must pay your fee for the interview, approx. $125.00, just for the interview. The fee is not a fee for the VISA, it is only for the chance to get a VISA. During your interview, you may be asked about anything. Remember, our agents are trying to protect our country. And then after a few minutes, the interview is over. Minutes later, you learn your fate. And there are no appeals. You are seldom, if ever, given a reason. You are just told, after having paid your fees, and followed all the rules you could find, that no, you may not even visit the US. And you are not told why. And this is part of the problem. Mexicans want to play by the rules. They understand buereaucracy, it is in their blood. Just tell them the rules. The hard and fast objective rules. Rules that our agents must also follow. When we do that, and eliminate a subjective judgement based on some unknown criteria, then we can say "play by the rules," because it is unfair to enforce rules that only one side knows. I am asked frequently here in the US why Mexicans cannot just stay in their country, that we cannot afford to have them taking jobs from Americans. On the surface, this is a reasonable concern. But let's look deeper. What if you were a steel worker in Pittsburgh and the government of China decided that they would guarantee their steel producers above market price for their steel, allowing those producers to undercut the world market, yet still get their profit, courtesy of the government? Would you support that? Of course not. Yet that is exactly what is happening in Mexico. It costs less for Maria to buy US corn than locally grown corn. That's right, Maria can save money buying corn from the US because our farmers and US agribusiness can sell our corn at below market prices and still make money. How can this happen you ask, because our government guarantees a basement price for corn that enables US producers to undercut emerging markets like Mexico. This in turn has idled many small corn farmers because they have been frozen out of the local market by cheap US corn. Under these conditions, is it any wonder Mexicans might want to come and work here? I could go on like this for hours. Our history of dealings with a country whom President George W. Bush said "that the United States has no more important relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico, " has been shameful. And this includes the current drug war where many in the US act as if we have no guilt ourselves, even though it is our insatiable desire for these drugs that is at the root of the problem. But none of that is to say we, as a country, do not have an absolute sovereign right to secure our borders. I just wish we could do it in a way that is mutually beneficial, respectful, and takes into account the needs on both sides of the border for the other.

Defining American Culture

When people serve with me in Mexico, we try and introduce them to a little of the Mexican culture. It is my belief that until you know a little about what makes people tick; you can’t really understand and effectively serve them. Now many people can readily identify certain aspects of the Mexican culture. Things like mariachi music, charros and the Jarabe Tapatío [the Mexican Hat Dance] from Guadalajara readily come to mind. Foods like tacos, salsa, carnitas, and pozole are some of the traditional foods many in America have experienced either here in the US, or across our southern border. But there is another culture in Mexico as well and that is the indigenous culture. Found primarily in the south, instead of tacos and tortillas, we see more breads, tlayudas, and of course the heavy molés found in the state of Oaxaca. And we have the Guelaguetza, an annual celebration of the Oaxacan culture shared every July in almost every city and town across the state. I bring this up because one of the concerns I have seen expressed a lot recently in the wake of the new Arizona legislation is that we are losing our American culture. I have been wondering a lot about what exactly that is. Maybe Chevrolet had it right a few years back with their “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.” But I would like to believe who we are can be expressed better than an advertising slogan. So help me out. If someone came to you and asked for those quintessential examples of American culture, what would they be?