Letter To Governor Scott Walker

Dear Governor Walker,

Prayers with you in this time of transition and in your continued call. I am writing as a neighbor, a leader of faith, a concerned citizen, and an American. I am certain that your early calling into public service included a passion with a noble idealism to serve all people. We have all been moved this week of some of the best American ideals reflecting on the loss of President George H. W. Bush. A lot of talk this week is remembering a different time, a time of honor, honesty, integrity, decency, and servitude for all people. Many are grieving not only the best of an imperfect man this week who made America better, but also grieving the loss of these virtues of governance. The good news is that each one of us can determine today our virtues going forward, of what people will say of us one day in our eulogy.

I am not a constituent of Wisconsin, and am only one voice in a neighboring state. But I am one of what I believe, I hope, to be a majority of Americans who who wish to live by better virtues, the virtues that Lincoln inspired of our better angels instead of our worst instincts.

Mr. Governor, you have before you a big decision on how you wish to lead in your final days as Governor of Wisconsin. The people of Wisconsin and across our land spoke clearly for a new direction on November 6. Do you really want your final decisions to be remembered as truly partisan, divisive, and toxic from darker instincts instead of better angels? You know what it is to walk a mile in Governor-Elect Evers' shoes. How would you have felt if this were you coming in to office and the other party limited your power over the wishes of the people? There is a much longer game than any short-term gamesmanship that chooses to abuse power because it can. What will be your legacy? What would you gain if you could have the whole world and sell yourself out to power and party instead of the promise you made when you swore an oath that you would serve everyone? I plead with you, the Wisconsin people plead with you, America pleads with you to follow the legacy of the true statesman of history, like the one we remember this week fondly for his gracious letter to his successor helping transition power, helping increase democracy, and his genuine cheering for him to succeed. Prayers with you as you choose this day who you wish to be, who you wish to serve.

Peace With You,
Reverend Rob Smith

For All

Can we say the Pledge of Allegiance anymore and mean it? I am not talking about the under God part, but the indivisible part. We are divided.  I cannot place my hand over my heart with integrity and say the next part, "With liberty and justice for all" unless it really means "for all." Social media land is reposting all week  "UNDER GOD, copy and paste if you agree." Maybe instead our focus should ask if we are in agreement on the parts "indivisible" and "liberty and justice FOR ALL."

There is this national call for unity. I agree, we need it. But this call for unity rings hollow because without addressing "for all," it is really a call for submission. Sadly, we have a long history of patriarchy and violence where this is the expectation, but progress has us looking back and confessing this was wrong. With this being the most divisive week for our nation in my lifetime, we have been forced to take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror. I could go through a laundry list of racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, and homophobia, but with the frequency of examples, we know it all to well.  To deny it should be convicting to the denier.  Until we can address our concerns for our most vulnerable, how can we work towards unity? 

Unity does not require like mindedness. We are a nation of immigrants and unique to this great country is the gift of our diversity.  The Apostle Paul speaks of unity including the diversity of many members with the most vulnerable being indispensable, and the weaker having the greatest honor. We can get there, and we should, but we are not going to find unity by telling us to "quit throwing a temper-tantrum," or 'grow up."  No, our resistance is not a tantrum and we are not sore losers.  Elections have consequences, and as much as we expected concession from Donald Trump, it would be hypocritical to not have the same expectation of ourselves. We are the 'we the people' who have an expectation that liberty and justice includes all.

How do we get there? We find a beginning. Confession and repentance would be nice. May I suggest we begin by denouncing racism in all of it's forms. If we were witness Donald Trump and key leaders speaking publicly against the acts of hatred that we have witnessed the last forty-eight hours, or a public denouncement of David Duke and White Supremacy we would have a beginning. Show us a concern that the scale of justice is focused on stopping the oppressor rather than targeting the oppressed. Another huge olive branch would be seeking a resolution that would move the Dakota Access Pipeline. Show us some art in making deals. Assure us with marriage equality. Welcome diverse leaders you disagree with to the table seeking collaborative solutions on the injustice of incarceration rates and our criminal justice system. Let us hear that freedom of religion means for all. Help show us this by answering Jesus' question, "Who was the neighbor?" (Hint: It's the one who showed mercy.) Go and do likewise. 

For All

Can we say the Pledge of Allegiance anymore and mean it? I am not talking about the under God part, but the indivisible part. We are divided.  I cannot place my hand over my heart with integrity and say the next part, "With liberty and justice for all" unless it really means "for all." Social media land is reposting all week  "UNDER GOD, copy and paste if you agree." Maybe instead our focus should ask if we are in agreement on the parts "indivisible" and "liberty and justice FOR ALL."

There is this national call for unity. I agree, we need it. But this call for unity rings hollow because without addressing "for all," it is really a call for submission. Sadly, we have a long history of patriarchy and violence where this is the expectation, but progress has us looking back and confessing this was wrong. With this being the most divisive week for our nation in my lifetime, we have been forced to take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror. I could go through a laundry list of racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, and homophobia, but with the frequency of examples, we know it all to well.  To deny it should be convicting to the denier.  Until we can address our concerns for our most vulnerable, how can we work towards unity? 

Unity does not require like mindedness. We are a nation of immigrants and unique to this great country is the gift of our diversity.  The Apostle Paul speaks of unity including the diversity of many members with the most vulnerable being indispensable, and the weaker having the greatest honor. We can get there, and we should, but we are not going to find unity by telling us to "quit throwing a temper-tantrum," or 'grow up."  No, our resistance is not a tantrum and we are not sore losers.  Elections have consequences, and as much as we expected concession from Donald Trump, it would be hypocritical to not have the same expectation of ourselves. We are the 'we the people' who have an expectation that liberty and justice includes all.

How do we get there? We find a beginning. Confession and repentance would be nice. May I suggest we begin by denouncing racism in all of it's forms. If we were witness Donald Trump and key leaders speaking publicly against the acts of hatred that we have witnessed the last forty-eight hours, or a public denouncement of David Duke and White Supremacy we would have a beginning. Show us a concern that the scale of justice is focused on stopping the oppressor rather than targeting the oppressed. Another huge olive branch would be seeking a resolution that would move the Dakota Access Pipeline. Show us some art in making deals. Assure us with marriage equality. Welcome diverse leaders you disagree with to the table seeking collaborative solutions on the injustice of incarceration rates and our criminal justice system. Let us hear that freedom of religion means for all. Help show us this by answering Jesus' question, "Who was the neighbor?" (Hint: It's the one who showed mercy.) Go and do likewise. 

Jesus For President

Funny how we keep trying to vote for Jesus for President. Jesus is not on the ballot. It’s kind of a ridiculous idea, really, considering Jesus would never run for President. But let’s entertain the ‘what if’ because I think Jesus has a lot to say about what we should be looking for. The great irony is that if we look at what Jesus says when he is challenging power, teaching disciples, or speaking to the crowd, is that when it comes down to it, I don’t think we would actually vote for Jesus. Perhaps, what we would want to see as Jesus, but if were to lean in to take a closer look, we are left with finding our own reflection in the mirror. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall..."

What does Jesus for president look like? We can catch a glimpse in the foreshadow of what we should expect as Mary sings in “The Magnificat”, where God’s strength is shown in scattering the braggart, knocking down the powerful while lifting the humble, giving enough to the hungry while the rich are sent away empty. And then at the first campaign rally as Jesus delivers to the hometown faithful, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free. And the good news is that I am the fulfillment of this good news that you don’t find so good.”

Then Jesus begins building his team picking a despised tax collector, some guys who fish a lot, and a rebellious zealot. At each campaign stop, Jesus focuses his attention to the despised, unclean, and left out. To the popular, the largest donors, and the connected, Jesus has a special knack for ticking them off as he suggests things such as giving up their front row seats, and a story (or two or three) of greed that weaves together money and camels and needles. When people attempt to purchase influence at a fancy meal, Jesus says instead, ‘when you have these expensive dinners, quit inviting the well connected and your group of privileged friends, but instead invite the misfits, the rejected, the poor—the ones who cannot pay you back.'

When asked to clarify what the most important rules to live by, Jesus says “Love God with your whole selves, and second, we do this by how we love our neighbors (even the enemy ones)." Someone who didn’t like these rules asked, "but who is this person you call neighbor?" And Jesus tells a shocking story where the neighbor, who is the hero to be modeled, is not the pastor, or the evangelical, but happens to be the atheist, the non-religious, or the Muslim—the one who showed mercy. Go and do likewise.

When he runs across some big egos, he tells a story of two who went to church to pray. The church goer who has it altogether prays, ‘God, I thank you I am not like these other people who make mistakes, because I am great and don’t need forgiveness like this outcast.’ But the outcast who is not even welcome inside prays, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  Jesus says, 'be humble like this guy.’ 

Yeah, I don’t think we would vote for Jesus for President. Shoot, just being himself got him killed. Jesus isn’t running for president. But a good beginning in what we should be looking for in a president can begin with seeking these qualities in ourselves. Because how we treat one another matters. How we take care of others matters. And true greatness?  Can be found in how we serve. 

As November 8th cannot come fast enough, Come Lord Jesus, may we be reminded to be kind to one another. At a minimum, can we please ask the same of our candidates.