BREAKING: The United States Opens Doors for Syrian Refugees

Photo by Trocaire

[PREPARE FOR THE SYRIAN TIDAL WAVE]

Foreign Policy has an exclusive story posted yesterday announcing that the United States will open its doors to 2,000 Syrian refugees.  This follows a similar announcement from Canada just a couple months ago and daily news updates on how the humanitarian crisis for the refugees is growing more and more desperate.

Here is a quote from the FP exclusive:

The numbers are relatively small: just 2,000 refugees, compared to an estimated two million people who have fled Syria during the civil war. But it's a significant increase from the 90 or so Syrian refugees who have been permanently admitted to the U.S. in the last two years. And it's not entirely uncontroversial. The refugees, mostly women and children, will be screened for terrorist ties -- a process that could take a year or more to complete. 

If nothing changes from this initial announcement (which is unlikely), we can expect to welcome new Syrian refugee families in the first half of 2014.  My expectation, of course, is that there will be changes to this announcement.  After the November elections, I expect that efforts will be made to make the US public more aware of how winter weather is making the Syrian crisis more intolerable.  Perhaps by the end of the year or beginning of 2014, we may see a larger announcement.  The Church needs to get ready to welcome these new neighbors!

If this is your first exposure to the issue, please read my primer article: "Bracing for the Syrian Tidal Wave: Preparation Points for North American Churches" as well as my "Open Letter to Displaced Syrians".  If you are hungry for more, you can check out everything I've posted on the Syrian refugee crisis here.

Obama Admin Considers Resettling Thousands of Syrian Refugees in U.S.

Photo by European Commission DG ECHO

Are you ready? I will immediately be adjusting our city plans in order to anticipate this.  You? (See below, but first some questions):

Questions:

1. Syrian refugees will not have spent decades in refugee camps like the Bhutanese or the refugees from Burma. They will not be as far separated from the horrors of war. How can we bring hope and wholeness to them? How will we address emotional, physical, relational needs?

2. We have no idea what numbers to expect. It has felt like a ton of Bhutanese have been resettled. In reality, it has been just ove 60 thousand.  There are some 1.6 million Syrians externally displaced. The UN will need to determine how many total should be resettled. Then nations will volunteer to take different numbers.  Traditionally the US offers to take about 50% of the whole. However various factors will come into play. For example, the immigration reform debate could impact this. The Obama administration may not want to spend too much of its political capital on resettling refugees. Plus, most of these refugees will be Muslims. It is simple more difficult to get Americans to feel compassion for Muslims right now. (If you don't believe me, just look at the disgusting comments below the article I have linked to below)

3. What it sure is that this is just about the worst refugee crisis in history. If a thousand or ten thousand Syrian refugees suddenly came to your city, how would your church respond to their needs? Will you be ready?

Obama Admin Considers Resettling Thousands of Syrian Refugees in U.S.: "A resettlement plan under discussion in Washington and other capitals is aimed at relieving pressure on Middle Eastern countries straining to support 1.6 million refugees, as well as assisting hard-hit Syrian families.
The State Department is "ready to consider the idea," an official from the department said, if the administration receives a formal request from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, which is the usual procedure.
The United States usually accepts about half the refugees that the U.N. agency proposes for resettlement. California has historically taken the largest share, but Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia are also popular destinations."

In Memory of Richard Twiss

I did not know Richard Twiss personally.

I had been around him a few times during the past several years, but doubt very seriously that he would have known who I was.  We were both a part of the United States delegation at Cape Town for the third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. I remember Twiss then begin associated with some other world Christian leaders who were striving to hold the Lausanne leadership's feet to the fire on diversity issues.  My impression of Twiss was that he was ever a prophetic voice to the Church, seeking to ensure that ethnic minorities and majority world voices were not silenced by those who are used to being in charge.

I also have a faint recollection of Twiss leading a too-brief time of prayer and worship at an American Society of Missiology gathering several years ago.  As I said, it was far too brief and the context was extremely limiting.  However I remember feeling like this was a man who was a friend to the kinds of things that were only just beginning to stir in my heart regarding indigenous art forms, contextualizaiton, and the like.

What stands out most in my mind, strangely enough, is that I've thought for some time that Richard Twiss made more sense than anyone else on the issue of syncretism.  I believe firmly that a definition that Twiss wrote back in 2005 deserves to be the standard definition of the term in all missiological conversation on the matter.  In fact, I've been using as such for a while now.  Wrote Twiss:

“Syncretism can be described as a way of thinking that says by performing or participating in a particular religious ceremony or practice, you can alter the essential human spiritual condition in the same way that Jesus does, through His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection from the dead, because they are parallel truths.”

So, my thinking in writing today is that this was a man who made a positive impact on my life for Christ's sake.  It is up to those who knew him well to truly eulogize him.  [Red Letter Christians has a couple great examples here and here.]. For my part, I simply wanted to say that while I'm certain Twiss and I wouldn't have seen eye-to-eye on every issue, I nevertheless feel blessed to have encountered him.  I rejoice that he leaves behind a legacy of writings that I can continue to work through.  And I am sad that he has died.  I heard first from Dr. Soong-Chan Rah and had no hesitation in retweeting something that I couldn't help agreeing with:

RT @profrah: Christianity lost a spiritual giant today. Please pray for the family of Richard Twiss.

Farewell, Richard Twiss.  You are someone that I had hoped to get the chance to know and interact with more in-depth.  Lord willing, I will get some coffee with you one day when I also get home.

Deliver Us From Evil

Calvary International Baptist Ministry is the newest church plant in the TIBM family.  Today, I want to just help promote an upcoming event that they're having soon.   Pastor Eric Aidoo has invited some very special guests to help lead the "Deliver Us From Evil" event, 14 days of prayer and fasting for revival. If you are in the area, do check it out.

Bed Bug Infestation Spreads | NewsFeed | TIME.com

To heck with bald eagles! We want DDT!!!

Bed Bug Infestation Spreads | NewsFeed | TIME.com: "It’s an honor no American metropolis would fight for: The City That Bites You Back. But in any race, there’s a loser as well as a winner, and Philadelphia tops this year’s list of the most bed bug-infested cities in the U.S. Terminix, the world’s largest pest control company, annually ranks major cities based on the number of infestations confirmed by their staff. This year’s rankings have Cincinnati coming in second and New York City — the most-infested city for the past two years — coming in third. Cleveland, Miami, Houston, Indianapolis and New Haven joined the top 15 this year."

Communion or Disunion? | Sexuality/Gender

I do not belong to the Roman Catholic Church. However, I find this so-called "shift" in the Catholic community disturbing. Stories like this concern me about the times in which we are living. Seems to me that the author, Mary Hunt, is not a Catholic (or a Christian for that matter) in any meaningful sense of the word. She doesn't seem to have any sense of Scriptural authority or belief in basic historic Christianity. Anyway, I would greatly appreciate insight from my readers who may have a better perspective on such things.

Communion or Disunion? | Sexuality/Gender | Religion Dispatches: "The egregious breach of decency that led a Catholic parish priest to deny Communion to a lesbian woman at her mother’s funeral has received widespread and well-deserved condemnation. Even the Archdiocese of Washington DC admitted that the priest had violated their policy. In a little note, a vicar promised Barbara Johnson and her family that he would celebrate a Mass in memory of her mother. They deserve sympathy for their loss, a full-blown apology from the institutional Church, and time to deal with their grief in peace."


Addendum:


Thanks to Nate Taylor for referring us to a helpful article on this.  Check it out here: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/2012/03/01/the-priest-and-the-lesbian-communicant/  I also want to reference here the letter of apology that came from the Archdiocese.

Happy Maha Shivaratri! Now Pass the Bong!

Bhutanese-Nepalis just recently celebrated one of their less quaint and commendable festivals, Shivaratri.  In honor of Shiva, the god of destruction, the Bhutanese refugee community in Manchester, New Hampshire (see below link) put on a festive program at the local Hindu temple.  But what was going on behind the scenes?

Maha Shiva Ratri Observed in NH and in Bhutanese Refugee Camps | Media Network Bhutan: "Maha Shiva Ratri was observed in Manchester, NH last Monday on Saraswati temple which lies on 582 chestnut st by resettled Bhutanese Refugees and it was also observed in Bhutanese Refugee Camp with great interest and enthusiasm.  Bhutanese Refugee resettled in NH, Performing pooja to mark Shiva Ratri. The program was organized by Saraswati temple committee. The different cultural program was organized and demonstrated by American Vivekananda Academy and resettled refugees where around 500 people observed the program from Bhutanese Refugee Committee and the American residents."


Nepalis believe that Shiva was accustomed to smoking marijuana.  Thus, it has long been the custom of the ascetic sadhus to do the same especially during Shivaratri.  Having little interest in the theological and spiritual significance, Nepali youth have sought to seize the moment afforded by the festival to get wasted.  Pot use by Nepali youth during Shivaratri has become commonplace and destructive.

Of course, this article is a wee bit late for those of you looking for insights pertaining to this year's celebration. But I post it here just as a heads up.  Such things exist and are most certainly taking place among Bhutanese-Nepalis in diaspora.  It is very common for host country volunteers to sort of objectify refugees -- thinking of them as innocent little charity cases.  Every refugee is a real, complicated human being -- a bearer of God's image, now marred by the stain of original and personal sin.

'via Blog this'

Vote Yes 4: Great Commission Baptists

It is official, in case you haven't heard, that the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention has voted overwhelmingly to approve a taskforce's recommendation that the name "Great Commission Baptists" be adopted as a sort of informal "nickname" for the denomination. Word is that churches will have the "option" to utilize the new name, but that those who didn't want to could stick with the old Southern Baptist label.

That a legal name change is not being put forward should come as no surprise to those following developments closely. The word for some time has been that pursuing more of an informal or "doing business as" approach to a name-change was likely (ala Baptist General Convention a.k.a. "Converge"). For those who have been worried about the legal ramifications or excessive costs of a name change, this should quell their concerns.

As the pastor of Trinity International Baptist Mission, I was quietly rooting for "International Baptist Convention", but "Great Commission Baptists" is okay too. It has the effect of capturing much of what many name-change opponents claimed the term "Southern Baptist" stood for. It is pretty clear as the missional heart and focus of our denomination and it is pretty impossible to conceive of it becoming dated (obeying the Great Commission will be relevant till Jesus comes). GCB moves us away from the regionalizing yoke of the term "Southern" and is free from the associations of slavery and racism.

So, in short, I am happy with the name and plan to be enthusiastically voting in favor of it at the SBC this year. Maybe I'll pack up a van of messengers and make it a New Orleans road trip. It should be a very historic time with not only the name change on the ballot, but also the opportunity to vote for our convention's first black president.

Illinois Baptist State Association: Home: IB: Convention will vote on optional 'Great Commission Baptist' identity for use by churches, while keeping legal name ‘Southern Baptist’: "NASHVILLE | Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention will decide in June whether to call the denomination “Great Commission Baptists,” at least informally. The SBC Executive Committee approved a task force’s recommendation to adopt a name for optional use by churches, while keeping the legal name of the denomination in use since its founding in 1845."

On the Issue of a Southern Baptist Name Change (pause for a breather)

I have just submitted an article that, Lord willing, shall soon appear in our Illinois State Baptist paper on the issue of whether or not the Southern Baptist Convention -- the denomination of which I have been a part for many years now -- should change its name.  And while I shall not at this time disclose where exactly I have come down on the issue (have to read the paper folks), I do want to pause for some comedy relief. 

As I was engaging in a bit of research for this article, I came across a genuinely funny article on an intriguing blog called The Wardrobe Door.  There I discovered the "proceedings" of a debate between Rev. "Jimbo" Jones and Luther "Presbyter" Calvin on what the SBC should change its name to.  Definitely worth a few minutes of your time, if for no other reason than to find out what BASCAR stands for.

The Jimbo v. Presbyter Debate
http://wardrobedoor.blogspot.com/2011/09/humor-top-5-new-names-for-sbc.html

And for those of you that love a good conspiracy theory, Peter Lumpkins is usually a sure bet.  Check out his intriguing (and slightly crazy) post on this issue here.

Voddie Baucham on T.D. Jakes & the Elephant Room Controversy

I've had great respect for Voddie Baucham for a long time now and greatly appreciate his perspective on the "Elephant Room 2" controversy. Of course, since I'm kind of a nobody, no one is really asking me to weigh in. However, I believe that those of you in my audience need to be aware of the situation. The doctrine of the Trinity is, without question, the central doctrine of the Christian faith. Everything else hangs on it. ER2 appears to suggest that we can afford to compromise or even "agree to disagree" in this area in the name of unity. As my readers know, unity and a greater missional collaboration in the body of Christ is one of my central calls to the Church. But, not at any cost. I believe strongly that the oneness of the Church is an essential Christian doctrine. However, it hangs on the doctrine of the Trinity. We must have our priorities straight.

So, I commend to you Voddie Baucham's recent post related to his own experience with the Elephant Room crew. I believe you will find it interesting and challenging. He has done an excellent job of getting at the issue and explaining graciously why he chose not to participate in ER2.

Blog | Grace Family Baptist Church: "This past week a firestorm erupted over the recent “Elephant Room 2.” The controversy centers around the decision to invite Bishop T.D. Jakes to participate in the event. The central questions in the debate are 1) whether or not Bishop Jakes holds to the historic, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, 2) whether it was appropriate to invite (and feature) him without first having clarified his position on this cardinal doctrine, and 3) whether he cleared up the matter. I was scheduled to speak at Harvest Bible Chapel on the weekend following ER2 which raised significant questions about my stance on the matter. While I do not consider it my responsibility to comment on every controversy, I do recognize my duty to clarify matters with which I am involved directly, and/or those that impact the congregation I am called to shepherd. Hence, my explanation now.

Concubines, the Kingdom & other interesting topics from the Southern Baptist North Central States Rally

Here I am in Indianapolis for the 2012 North Central States Rally of the Southern Baptist Convention and I don't think I've been around this many white people in years. Nor have I seen sadder looking bartenders.  But, while I am bound by my blogger oath to utilize a fair amount of witty sarcasm, I am actually having a good time and feel pretty encouraged by things.  In some ways, these big SBC meetings are a bit like a family reunion for me.  There are always those things that your "relatives" do that drive you crazy, but overall they kind of endear themselves to you.  Like it or not, these are my people.  Southern Baptists . . . ah, what a funny group we are.  

Anyway, tonight I wanted to share some of the highlights of my day with you and thought I'd do so by means of sharing some of the more interesting one-liners that I heard today.  To protect the innocent/guilty I will withhold the names of those who actually said these things:

1. "There are more scriptures that support you having a concubine than that we should have a Lifeway."

Okay, this was the only time of the day that I actually laughed out loud - hard.  But beyond the humor, this line came in the wider context of a very important and encouraging emphasis.  Tonight the attendees of the rally were presented with a strong call to embrace the work of the Kingdom of God.  I like this very much.  It is, I think, an encouraging sign of strength for Southern Baptists to be talking about the Kingdom of God rather than simply denomination building.  

2. "The new name for the Southern Baptist Convention will not be 'The Particularly Strict Baptist Convention'." 

Nor will it be several other silly things that a group of us guessed as we unsuccessfully sought to pry the top-secret details from our tight-lipped friend who is a member of the task force that has been assigned to research the possibility and viability of changing the long held name of our denomination. What we know is simply that the task force has done their work with much prayer, diligence, and skill and will be presenting a report very soon.  

3. "Hey Cody, is this room your 'Jerusalem'?"

Sometimes I am surprised that people actually pay attention to what I tweet.  This line refers to something I tweeted during the opening session.  Some of you know that I have written on the book of Acts elsewhere and there offered some exegesis of the pericope surrounding Acts 1:8.  It always amazes me to see how deeply this one verse has become ingrained in the mission language of Southern Baptists.  Everyone seems to talk about reaching their "Jerusalem" or their "Samaria".  This, of course, is an application of a particularly symbolic reading of Acts 1:8 that isn't necessarily illegitimate.  However, I think there is a danger in using Acts 1:8 as a metaphor in that it obscures proper exegesis.  There is a tendency for pastors to kind of skim past Acts 1:8 instead of actually exegeting it.  Instead of spending so much time telling people to identify properly their Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria we should spend more time teaching them to understand what Acts 1:8 means in relationship to 1:7 and 1:9 and so on.  That's all I'm saying.

4.  "Where do all these dots come from?" 

The Send Chicago Coalition met for the second time today to continue to move towards the creation of a comprehensive church planting strategy for Chicagoland.  At one point, I kind of chuckled as I read some of the notes I had been recording.  See, everyone kept talking about representing the particular church planting needs of Chicagoland as "dots on a map".  At one point someone asked honestly, "So, where do all these dots come from?"  It was funny.  There was also a lot of talk about "eating the elephant" and a fair amount of discussion as to whether it was better to eat it one bite at a time or rather that it requires a whole village.  Towards the end, there was even a cake-baking metaphor thrown in.  So, yeah, I'd say we're solidly on track.  No, actually, we kind of are.

Burma government signs ceasefire with Karen rebels

Let's pray that a long-lasting peace will come over Kawthoolei (Burma)!

BBC News - Burma government signs ceasefire with Karen rebels: "Both sides agreed to a ceasefire, to open communication offices and to allow passage through territories, a government official said. The Karen have fought for greater autonomy for more than 60 years. David Htaw, a KNU leader at the talks welcomed the accord, the first written ceasefire agreement in 63 years, but added: "Talks only go so far. What matters is practical steps taken on the ground". A ceasefire is only a first step towards a durable peace, but it is a crucial sign of a new determination on both sides to try to resolve a bitter, decades-long conflict, says the BBC's South East Asia correspondent Rachel Harvey."

Best of the Web: Bhutanese-Nepali Refugees (Lots of Good Stuff!)

Today, I'd like to just provide an annotated list of some intriguing articles related to Bhutanese-Nepali refugees (in some cases more generally about refugees).  I spend time regularly scouring the web for news and information relevant to these people and try to pass on those things I find most interesting.  Here goes:

Regional Snap Shots [The following are shared because I find they serve as missiological case studies from which can be drawn insights which may prove relevant to many other diaspora contexts.]

New Hampshire's City of Manchester Debates a Moratorium on Refugee Resettlement
This is a truly fascinating look and how some people respond to the influx of refugees.  In the mid-sized and prosperous (only 4.5% unemployment) city of Manchester, NH some government officials a claiming to be overwhelmed by cities refugee population. How many refugees you ask?  A mere 2,000 over the past decade!

The Refugee Scene in Durham, NC
Interesting snap shot on one of the smaller refugee resettlement hubs. Interesting tidbits here.

Violence and Ethnic Tensions in Areas of Columbus, OH where Refugees Live
This presents more information on the very troubled areas of Columbus where many refugees and other immigrants have resettled.  Many of the tensions appear to arise from conflict and mistrust between immigrant populations and long-time residents of these impoverished urban areas.  There is much to learn here about diaspora dynamics and poverty.  What is happening in Columbus is happening in many other places as well.

Teeming Diversity in Fargo, ND Public Schools
Here is a feature that provides a nice picture at the ELL (English Language Learner) programs in public schools in Fargo, ND.  What is described here is very similar to what is going on in many other cities as well.

Bhutanese Refugees in the Suburbs of Baltimore
This is a sweeping story about the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee experience and gives a pretty good sense of what is going on in Maryland.  It also features about 20 beautiful photos.

Burlington, VT Considers Giving Refugees the Right-to-Vote Prior to Gaining Citizenship
Fascinating idea.

Blogs to Follow [I follow these blogs for the information they provide related to Bhutanese-Nepalis.]

BhutanPDX -- "Building Cultural Bridges: Bhutan - Nepal - Oregon"
This blog is dedicated to the production of a documentary film highlighting the "coming to America" experience for Bhutanese-Nepalis.  The film is posted there now.

Bhutan News Service
This ends up being my primary source of news relevant to Bhutanese refugees.  The bulk of the stories relate to happenings back in the camps and occasionally the news is more Bhutan-focused.  However, I have found many stories to be quite helpful.

Refugees Voice
The blog says that it shares news pertaining to all refugees, but it is really pretty exclusively focused on the Bhutanese.

Refugee Watch
This blog has a more general, refugee focus.

Special Topics [The following articles provide specialized information that you may not have found elsewhere pertaining to the Bhutanese-Nepalis]


Medical Treatment Issues
This is an article written for healthcare providers designed to give a brief introduction to Bhutanese-Nepalis for the sake of improving the quality of healthcare they receive.

B-12 Deficiency
This may seem like a small issue.  However, I am pretty well persuaded that B-12 deficiency is responsible for quite a lot of health and psychological problems suffered by the Bhutanese.  I have seen how they eat.  Heck, I have spent quite a lot of time eating how they eat.  This is a real thing.

Secondary Resettlement
If you want to understand refugees, you must understand the issue of "secondary resettlement". Here's an excellent picture slideshow and article that presents one story.

Mental Health
I have posted this before, but while we are on special topics, it deserved another mention.

A life filled with hope cut short - West Side - The Buffalo News

Keep in prayer for the Niroula family in Buffalo, NY --

A life filled with hope cut short - West Side - The Buffalo News: "Born in a refugee camp in Nepal, Darpan Niroula spent most of his nine years living in a bamboo and plastic hut, eating little more than rice cooked over a dirty charcoal stove and not knowing what it was like to call a place home.

Two summers ago, Darpan and his family came to Buffalo in search of a better, brighter future.

The boy barely had a chance to start living that dream, when he was struck Thursday evening by a church day care bus just a few yards from his lower West Side apartment.
"

I Guess Ethnic Cleansing Doesn't Count as Corruption

Refugee's Depiction of Torture Received in Bhutan

Transparency International has released a report scoring some 183 countries according to what they call a "Corruption Perception Index". In South Asia, their findings show Bhutan as the least corrupt nation in the region. I find such a labeling (i.e. Bhutan as a relatively "clean" nation) to be misleading at best and a disservice to humanity at worse. Those unaware of the Bhutanese government's effort to "cleanse" the nation of ethnic and religious minorities may be tempted to think of Bhutan as a romantic and exotic kingdom - worthy of praise for it ability to preserve a "pure" society. An index like this may have the effect of boosting tourism and thus further prop up and legitimatize the countries criminal regime. It is laughable and sad at the same time. Bhutan has committed crimes against humanity and either forcibly exiled or killed thousands of its residents. What level of "non-corruption" they have managed to obtain has come at the edge of a genocidal sword.

TI ranks Bhutan as least corrupt country in South Asia | Bhutan News Service: "Bhutan has been ranked as the least corrupt country in South Asia. Nepal is the second most corrupt country in South Asia after Afghanistan if one goes by the Corruption Perception Index- 2011 released by Berlin-based Transparency International today."

Why Emma Sullivan Should Apologize

Not sure if you have seen the news story, but the other day an 18-year-old high school student by the name of Emma Sullivan became an overnight celebrity when she tweeted the following regarding her state's governor, Sam Brownback:

"Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot"


As I write this post, Sullivan's following on Twitter has surged to more than 12,000.  Significantly more than mine, of course.  And even quite a bit more than Gov. Brownback (Kansas) himself (about 3,000).  Sullivan uploaded the tweet, it seems, while she was in the audience listening to the Governor deliver a speech.  Sullivan was a part of a program known as "Youth in Government" which is apparently designed to give students interested in government and politics hands-on learning experiences.  


As the story goes, the Governor's staff found the tweet while monitoring the web for mentions, news stories, and discussion about Brownback.  This, of course, is the first point at which critics are firing away at the governor.  Writes Ian Millhiser, "If nothing else, one would think a state governor’s office has better things to do than troll the internet looking for young dissenting voices they can intimidate." But that's just a very silly thing to say.  Trolling the internet is what a lot of us do.  It is simple enough to set Google Alerts for a name or use an app to follow specific topics on Twitter.  I do that myself and that's without a staff.  Of course elected officials engage in this, they must.  Heck, I must and I'm just a lowly missiologist.


Next, the Governor's staff contacted those responsible for organizing the Youth in Government field trip and let them know about what one of their students had posted online.  This is apparently what Governor Brownback has now publicly apologized for.   He has stated, “My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms. I enjoyed speaking to the more than 100 students who  participated in the Youth in Government Program at the Kansas Capitol. They are our future. I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum.  Again, I apologize for our over-reaction.”


I suppose that was what Brownback had to do.  However, if I had been organizing such a program as "Youth in Government", I would hope that those students who participated in it would conduct themselves with much more "civility and decorum" than what Sullivan displayed.  I'm sorry, but saying that an elected official "sucks" does not exactly rise to the level of mature and thoughtful criticism.  Since, Sullivan's school principle apparently responded to the news by reprimanding her, people have been rushing to cry foul regarding the student's freedom of speech.  But freedom of speech isn't the issue at all.  Had Sullivan tweeted an actual critique of Brownback's policies, this would have never been a story.  For example, she might have said, "Gov. Brownback's defunding of education sucks." Had she done so, I have a feeling she'd still be hovering around 60 followers.


The point is that Sullivan made a comment that manifested deep ignorance and immaturity along with an inability to articulate her dissent respectfully.  And when adults do that, when we put our feet in our mouths, we apologize for it.  This isn't about freedom of speech or government censorship.  It is about mature and respectful engagement with other members of a civilized society.  We say something stupid.  It gets out.  We apologize and try not to be such an idiot in the future.  Self-censorship is a mark of humility and maturity -- an essential mark of good leadership.  Crassness may suddenly jar an audience and stir a flash-in-the-pan following, but it isn't worthy of long-term attention.  It isn't capable of dealing with the realities of the troubled world in which we live.  


Well, Sullivan apparently isn't aware of this.  When asked during a CNN interview if she would like to apologize to Gov. Brownback or perhaps have a chance to have a direct conversation with him, Sullivan replied, "I wouldn't mind maybe voicing my opinions to him. I'm not a politician myself so I can't sit down and tell him, 'This is what you need to do for this, this, this and  this, you know, different policies or what he needs to do to help our education system'.  But I wouldn't apologize for the tweet itself because, like I said, that was aimed toward my audience. That wasn't aimed towards him.  I wasn't talking directly to him. It was to my high school friends."


Ahh yes, the myth of a personal Twitter feed rehashed.  Perhaps Sullivan should be made aware of the Twitter feature that allows one to lock his/her tweets.  It is a kind of cancer of the new wireless society that we live in that people feel that they can post whatever they want online for all the world to see and if anyone ever calls them on it simply duck behind a line like, "Hey that was between me and my friends."  People, look, it doesn't work that way.  Public posts are open for public critique.  If you can't handle it, don't post it.


Bottom line, Emma Sullivan should apologize because her tweet was disrespectful and actually mocks the complicated reality of the times we live in.  With her tweet, she has effectively become the unofficial representative of Kansas's "Youth in Government" program.  In which, I would guess that there may be at least a few other students, who would rather their political insights and opinions not be reduced crass comments about whether given political figures either suck or blow.

Let me end with a couple questions:

1. What will Emma Sullivan's following on Twitter peak at?  Where will it be by January 1st?

2. Has anyone actually investigated whether or not Sullivan's tweet was true?  She claims that she told Gov. Brownback that he sucked "in person".  Did she?  I haven't found any story addressing that.

Hunger Strike in Nepali Refugee Camp

To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what to make of this story.  For the past few days, I've been following, with some level of confusion, the development in Nepal's Beldangi 2 camp.  There a young Bhutanese-Nepali woman by the name of Durga Bista has spearheaded a hunger strike with about a dozen other women.  They have vowed to "fast unto death" unless their demands are met and are now a few days into the process.  Their demands?  They appear to be calling upon the Nation of Nepal to grant them "refugee status".

Now, what does that exactly mean?  That's where the confusion comes in.  Bista has said that the group is not asking to become Nepali citizens.  Rather they want to be granted refugee status.  Of course, in the United States, being granted refugee status means that you can legally live and work in the U.S. on a permanent basis and begin a process towards obtaining citizenship.  In Nepal, I assume that this is somewhat different.  However, it seems clear enough that Bista and her companions want to be granted some kind of permanent, legal status -- to live and work in Nepal.  The best I can discern is that this group consists of those who reject 3rd country resettlement for whatever reason.  

Anyway, the former camp secretary of Beldangi 2 lives here in Wheaton (he's one of my Nepali brothers actually) so I'm going to do a bit of inquiry to see if I can get a better handle on what's going on.  Since some of you may be concerned, as I am, about these women, I will report back any insights I am able to glean.  Below is a video of Durga Bista explaining her group's demands.  It is in Nepali and I've already been unsuccessful in trying to translate it -- kati chito boleko!

AMENDMENT:  I've just come across another story.  It has actually just left me more confused however.  I can't figure out whether those fasting represent all the people in the camp or just a small portion of people who aren't fully considered as refugees for some reason.  The numbers don't work in the story.  For example, at one point the article refers to 37,000 people who are living a "miserable life" in the camps.  Later, however, we read that "55,000 refugees from Bhutan continue to dwell" in the camps.  Not sure what's going on with those numbers.  Plus the first paragraph says that they are demanding "refugee status and other facilities as enjoyed by by their fellow refugees" in Beldangi 2.  My question is, what are the special circumstances of these women that cause them to not enjoy the benefits of other refugees?  And, who exactly do they represent?

AMENDMENT 2:  Okay, now another story that does shed a bit of light, but just a bit.  Here we get this rather vague statement, "Some 3,749 Bhutanese refugees in five camps . . . have not received identity cards due to various technical reasons and they have been deprived of the government relief package".  The term "various technical reasons" sounds intentionally non-specific.  What technical reasons?  Incorrectly filled out paperwork?  Not really being from Bhutan?  There is sort of a wide range of possibilities.

Road to Manila: Lausanne Diasporas, One Year After Cape Town 2010 | The Lausanne Global Conversation

My friend, Joy Tira, has posted an exciting article on the Lausanne Global Conversation updated the Church on diaspora mission happenings during the past 12 months. Joy leads the newly formed Global Diasporas Network which was commissioned by the Lausanne Movement at Cape Town 2010 and on which I serve as "Diaspora Missions Catalyst". I hope you will take some time to read this and that it will stimulate you and your church to embrace more fully what God is doing among diasporas.

Road to Manila: Lausanne Diasporas, One Year After Cape Town 2010 | The Lausanne Global Conversation: "It’s been almost a year since my last post during the height of Lausanne III or Cape Town 2010, in Cape Town South Africa. Since then, I have been on the move and have not been blogging lately, but Lausanne Diasporas (LD) is alive and well. It is kicking into the new millennium.
Before I re-launch into the blogosphere, let me give you a brief rundown of Lausanne Diaspora’s activity in the past 12 months.
Recall that the “Diaspora Agenda” (i.e. evangelizing, discipling, and mobilizing the people on the move) was presented and articulated during the October 20th multiplex and plenary session. It is evident that the Global Church, as represented by the World Evangelical Alliance and Lausanne Movement, has embraced the “Diaspora Agenda” as presented and articulated in the Seoul Declaration on Diaspora Missiology. Also read through the Cape Town Commitment statement on “reaching out to scattered people” in section IIC.5 below:
"

Ohio Prison System Working Towards Sharia Compliance

How do you feel about the following?

Answering Muslims: Ohio Prison System Working Towards Sharia Compliance: "A decision by Ohio officials to remove all pork products from prison menus in response to a lawsuit by Muslim inmates is not sitting well with the state's pork producers and processors.

Both promise action of their own, including a possible counter lawsuit, to address what they consider an unfair and illogical decision.

"We really think it's not in the best interest, frankly, of the whole prison system," said Dick Isler, executive director of the Ohio Pork Producers Council. "It seems like we're letting a small group make the rules when it really isn't in the best interest of the rest of prisoners.""

GOP Debate Highlights on Video

Did you catch the GOP debate tonight? Haven't really started thinking about this yet.  Where are you at on all of it?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/highlights-from-the-gop-debate-in-orlando/2011/09/22/gIQA4SGJpK_video.html