Redeeming Hope - State of Our Union Archives

"State of Our Union" archive

The State of Our Union - Listening to Nobody (12:14) - I watched President Bush and Governor Kaine last night in total shock and awe. Surely, they can’t believe the American people buy what they’re peddling. And members of Congress who keep howling and standing and clapping, surely they must know their posturing is silly. What about the real America? There were three phrases that framed last night’s speeches: “There is no honor in retreat;” America is a “hopeful society;” and there is “no higher calling... | 0 Trackbacks | 6 Comments

The State of Our Union - Questions to Consider (12:02) - Tonight the president and a Democratic counterpart, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, will offer a State of the Union Address. At issue: simply more politics, or a message that engages the American people? Here are four questions for you to use in watching tonight. They come from my travels across the country. I urge you to watch, think about these questions, and log back on to share your thoughts. Do you believe the president and... | 0 Trackbacks | 3 Comments

The State of Our Union – The Pursuit of Happiness (17:18) - The notion of personal sovereignty is an enormously powerful idea – and a potentially dangerous one. It signals to us that we as individuals can go our own way, do our own thing, and be our own person. Or, as the U.S. Army used to say, “Be all you can be!” The idea is deeply embedded in the current definition of consumerism that has grabbed hold of the American imagination. Nowadays we consumers expect to... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

The State of Our Union - Who among us do we see? (11:35) - As our society fragments and people retreat into close-knit circles of family and friends, we must wrestle with a fundamental question. The question is where do we fit, and thus who among us do we see? Right now, many of us believe we fit into close-knit circles, along with others who are similar to us. When people come together, it is often for the purpose of pursuing their pre-set agenda, without even considering at times... | 0 Trackbacks | 2 Comments

The State of Our Union – Do Political Leaders Care? (10:56) - Today, to what extent do we believe our political leaders care about the state of our union? And how would we ever know given their hyperbolic rhetoric and constant need to draw attention to themselves? In the past few weeks alone we have witnessed a collection of political gyrations that makes one head spin with dismay and turn our stomachs sick. The examples come from both political parties – there is no red/blue divide on... | 0 Trackbacks | 2 Comments

The State of Our Union – In Search of Truth (14:32) - To what extent do we as a society value truth today – and when is escapism okay, and when does it undermine our need to square with reality? What is the state of our union when it comes to truth? In recent days, we have heard much hoopla about James Frey’s best-selling memoir A Little Million Pieces, in which he fabricated part of his personal story. Beyond the outcry, some people, like his publisher and... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments