Monthly Archives: May 2008

(Community Matters) Is the American Dream about a house, a car and two chickens in the pot OR about peace, health, happiness and enjoying equitable opportunities? Do most see Senator Obama as a black man or as a muti-cultural American with whom we can all identify?

Several members of our church (St. James Episcopal) gathered today to discuss Senator Obama’s march 18 speech on race delivered in response to the initial Reverend Wright controversy. We launched by watching a video of his speech, many following along reading the NYTimes transcript.

If you haven’t watched the speech in its entirety, I certainly recommend it. Or read the transcript here.

Our good friends, Rev. Bill Adams and Judge Lora Livingston, facilitated the session attended by 60+ people, all but a handful, St. James’ members. This session follows two others held during the last two years and organized around Eric Law’s book, The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spirituality for Leadership in a Muticultural Community.

The community of St. James Episcopal is muticultural and inclusive. Founded in the 1940s by six Episcopal African American families not allowed to worship at St. David’s, today the church is approximately 40% black, 40% white and 20% brown. When Steven started attending 19 years+ ago, he was one of a handful of white members. By the time I joined 10 years later, there were probably fifty or so white members. Today, there is also a sizeable GLBT presence and many mixed race families (either through child adoption or interracial marriage).

We’re proud of our multicultural, inclusive community, and we have to work hard at it. Maybe 8 years ago, we met for prayer & discussion sessions every week for 12 weeks working through the increased visibility of gay/lesbian couples. We have been working on race and cultural identity issues forever, especially in the last few years as growth among whites has surpassed that of black members.

Some of the lines that most stand out from Senator Obama’s speech on race:

• this campaign – to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America
• a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts – that out of many, we are truly one
• the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced . . . . reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through – a part of our union that we have yet to perfect
• most working- and middle-class white Americans don’t feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race
• it’s a racial stalemate we’ve been stuck in for years
• what we have already achieved gives us hope
• [providing opportunity] requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams

Helpful discussion by all followed the video. Conversations about limitations of the lens through which we see others’ experiences – our own lens and experiences altering (or distorting) the perspectives we ascribe to others’. Much conversation about how radical listening and the development of trust are required to see on the other side.

Identity politics. I asked black members of today’s conversation to share their perspective of Obama’s candidacy. Wide range of responses from Obama as an MLK-like, prophetic figure, to anger that I focused on his black ethnicity when he’s one-half white. Also, the perspective that his color doesn’t matter, it’s his words. I wasn’t able to delve deeper into the perspective that solicited anger.

I loved today’s gentle and calm perspective of a woman I don’t really know but who called me last week to learn more about my involvement in the Obama campaign. Today she noted that there’s a little bit of all of us in Obama – says people connect with different parts of him. She advised us to pay attention to the little bits that make up his whole.

A recollection about reading Scott Malcomson’s One Drop of Blood: The American Misadventure of Race on the importance of race in USA national identity. And, specifically recalling discussion that whites’ fear loss of their race – given the predominance other genes in progeny.

Also discussion about the American Dream, whether today’s definition is an environmentally unsustainable one focused on material goods or a global one focused on peace, health & happiness.

I left more confused than when I arrived. I don’t understand calls for color blindness or for not seeing Obama as African American. I agree what he says is what’s most attractive. And, I believe the idea of electing a black president – the best candidate among all in the field no doubt – is hugely appealing to a great many Americans. I believe his race doesn’t matter to some African Americans. And, I believe it matters to most.

(Community Matters) update: Marylou is back in the hospital. Currently in surgery to remove a cyst in her head. She has viral meningitis. They don’t believe the two are related. She’s requested no guests.

(Community Matters) Doesn’t matter from where or how long, always good to be home. Michael and I returned from Houston early evening, in time to join Steven and my in-laws for dinner at our favorite bistro, Chez Nous. This morning, Steven and I took the cars for hail damage inspection and claim settlement. In a bit, headed to St. James Episcopal for a conversation on race and religion. This session was planned in response to the Rev. Wright controversy but was delayed because of Ed Adams’ death. I just learned by email yesterday that Mary Lou Adams had been in the hospital. Lora Livingston confirmed and said she’s out and at home. I’ll learn more this morning.

We don’t know much more about Michael’s lymphoma now than before we went to MD Anderson. We know it’s follicular. We want to know if its small cell, large cell or a combination and if a combination, in what percentages. We also want to know to what stage the cancer has progressed. Treatment options will be determined by the stage and subtype. Whether we consider treatments in Houston or Austin largely determined by both as well. Or, in unlikely event its further progressed than anticipated, whether Houston or somewhere else (perhaps Seattle) for clinical trials if applicable and qualify. M went through all the tests these last four days. We’re returning for the reports and consults Thursday am. Robert is joining us again and we’re planning evening prior at my family’s ranch where mom’s promised big home cooked meal.

We have who most consider the very best lymphoma oncologist at MDA, Dr. Peter McLaughlin. And, we’d like to identify the very best lymphoma oncologist in Austin (if any ideas, please forward), even better if privileges at MDA, in case M selects a path of treatment in Austin (which is likely for a vanilla regiment).

Sorta haunting that I’m returning home to lots of email and conversation from CAFB/CARE Communities/Marion about the permanent food program for women with breast cancer and their families, meetings on Monday re: LAF, ACS, BCS cancer patient navigation systems in Austin, an NHI patient mapping project and meetings about joining the Austin affiliate Susan Komen for the Cure board. EF staff retreat on Monday, after an ACF investments committee meeting. Social ventures fund planning and a PeopleFund executive committee meeting on Tuesday. A goddaughter’s elementary graduation Wednesday as well as an exciting meeting with Michael and a potential director to talk about producing Michael’s play this fall/winter. Gotta get all this and fundraising done for our June 11 Obama event prior to Houston and prior to the launch of the Democratic State Convention on Friday to which I’m a delegate. Oh yeah, we’re hosting a family driving up for the convention. yikes, gotta get on that too. Hmm, not to mention joining Steven in Vienna next Monday. Shoot and there are emails from E&Y, need to work up schedules and docs next week for EF ’07 audit starting at the end of the month. I’m not sure how all this is gonna work!

(Community Matters) Based on Scott McClellan’s information about McCain’s involvement in the Iraq war disinformation campaign.

(Community Matters) Hillary Rosen is an old friend from my Human Rights Campaign board days. She’s the former Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America and now the Political Director and Washington Editor-at-Large for the Huffington Post:

Hillary’s campaign is still going for every woman who has spoken up in a meeting and was greeted with silence only to have a man say the same thing and be praised. It endures for the mothers who are taking care of their children and their parents and their home and has no time to take care of herself. It endures for women who are so scared to see her fail because of what it may say about their chances in life. And yes folks, it resonates for all the women who have seen the younger guy come along and get the promotion even though she has worked in the company loyally for years.

(Community Matters) Sorry to have missed last night’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year awards. It’s an annual reunion for everyone in the high tech and entrepreneurial worlds. So is the annual martini fest hosted by Andrews Kurth immediately after.

Congrats to Richard Halpin, founder and executive director of American Youthworks on being named the 2008 Social Entrepreneur of the Year. And, thanks to Bill Wood, Andy White and the Silverton Foundation for awarding AYW $100,000 in recognition of Richard’s award.

Business Entrepreneurs of the Year are Sam Goodner of Catapult Systems, Mark Adams, Advocate MD, and Satin Mirchandani and Mike Rosenfelt of MessageOne.

(Community Matters) The Economist says American housing prices are falling Through the Floor.
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(Community Matters) In this week’s Economist, an article on the continued growth and increased diversity of American suburbs here.

Such diversity is now common in suburbia. According to William Frey, a demographer, the white population of big-city suburbs grew by 7% between 2000 and 2006. In the same period the suburban Asian population grew by 16%, the black population by 24% and the Hispanic population by an astonishing 60%. Many immigrants to America now move directly to the suburbs without passing through established urban ghettos. Having conquered suburbia, ethnic-minority groups are now swiftly infiltrating the more distant “exurbs”. . . . Gary Gates, who follows the subject at the University of California at Los Angeles, says the number of gay and lesbian couples in suburbia is also increasing. Much of this can be put down to greater tolerance . . . . America’s suburbs have had shopping malls since the 1950s, and factories for longer. Increasingly, though, they are centres of white-collar work.

(Community Matters) Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan’s posting, Facebook as Reality

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(Community Matters) I’m mostly posting at Squirrels In the Attic while with Michael in Houston at MD Anderson.

Loved our middle of the day respite to the Byzantine Fresco Chapel.

The dome and apse were stolen from a Cyprus chapel during a Turkish occupation in the 1980s. The Menils were approached about purchasing the pieces and subsequently did, cooperating with the Cyprian government. Architect François de Menil designed the Houston chapel, where they’re housed on loan, following a tradition of housing sacred objects in a reliquary box, casket-like cases, one within another.

(Community Matters) from the Obama campaign:

If you speak Spanish fluently, or know another Obama supporter who does, you can have a major impact on this crucial contest.

We’ve put together a list of potential supporters in Puerto Rico we need to reach before Sunday’s primary. You can use our online tool to call these folks and talk to them about why you support Barack.

Get started right now — and be sure to make a few calls every day until Sunday:

We’re only a few delegates away from the nomination, so every single vote matters.

Our grassroots movement has always been about supporters reaching out to other supporters, near and far. As a Spanish speaker, you have a special opportunity to connect with people in Puerto Rico and make sure they head to the polls this Sunday.

Making calls is easy and fun, and you can use our online tool to call potential supporters from the comfort of your home.

No prior experience is necessary. You’ll be provided with some guidelines, a simple script in Spanish, and a list of phone numbers that only you will have access to.

And be sure to forward this message to your friends, neighbors, and family members who speak Spanish and encourage them to join you in making a difference for Barack this week.