Regardless of how you feel about the crimes of George W. Bush and impeachment, there are millions of innocent people asking for justice and who have no voice of their own. Follow me below the fold to hear ONE case for impeachment and justice.

Social Justice. Some of us were introduced to the idea in church, appropriately because Jesus preached social justice. Altho social justice is an important theme in all major religions, some churches like the Catholic Church have offices of Social Justice. In deed the term was coined by a Jesuit priest in the mid 1800's, based on the teachings of Thomas Aquinas.  

It got a lot of press both good and bad in the 60's when Jesuit priests preached social justice and organized the impoverished of South America. Social Justice is the heart of Liberation Theology and Black Liberation Theology.  Follow me below the fold for a little background on social justice, why shooting the messenger is counter productive and oh yes, the grand experiment of YES WE CAN.

CBS 2 News has learned that Francis Cardinal George is temporarily removing Father Michael Pfleger from his position as pastor of St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church on Chicago's South Side.

Also breaking on News Channels and CNN got it wrong. Pfleger has NOT left the priesthood.

Yesterday was a very trying day. I found myself in a political fight with a co-worker I used to consider a friend.  Normally we all pretty much agree on what is right. This time has been different in so much as Hillary was in the mix and now I find out John McCain as well. Follow me beneath the fold for how reasonably intelligent people are rejecting Obama. I have question, lots of questions.

Stepford citizens is what we have become. We have not just given the press too much power, we have given them all the power, we are now their bitches. We have been played, snookered, used, lied to, pwnd, exploited, preyed upon, duped, victimized, fooled and generally bamboozled.  There is no way around it, they absolutely have the upper hand, hold all the cards and if we lose this election, if Obama crashes and burns it is on US.

We talk politics a lot at our house. All of us were SOOOOO disgusted by the last debacle, er debate. I thought it might be interesting to look at what constitutes a real presidential debate, the bar our candidates must clear to carry the torch. Follow me below the fold for the real deal.

Let me first say I am not an economist, investor or a lawyer. Whatever experience and knowledge I have about mortgage banking and loans is from personal experience. However, I do believe my experiences are not only valid but common in the bigger picture of lending woes. Please join me below the fold for the WaMu snackdoodle's family saga and what I believe is fair instead of a bail out with our tax dollars.

The last few days there have been a number of fine diaries about torture enabled by the DoJ, CIA and of course our President. Read here here here here  and here.  I am shocked by the number of people who for some reason believe this is new. The roots of our violent, regime changing, torturing, death squad, secret prisons and extraordinary rendition school of foreign relations go back far more than 50 years but for the sake of brevity this diary only covers the time from the late 40's. I should tell you too I originally published this diary 10-07-07 under my old NYM of ghengismom. I have updated some information but it is essentially the same text.

Follow me below the fold for a glimpse of our shameful past, present and future and when we stopped being the good guys to the rest of the world.

I was shocked when I heard the clip of Hillary's comments regarding Rev. Wright as her pastor.
She had the opportunity to set the record straight for all time, to put it into the proper prospective and made the conscious choice to fuel the flames of racial division, to perpetuate the lies. This is what she should have said, what I wished she had said.

Cross posted at docudharma

This was meant to be posted yesterday but unfortunataly Youtube was down for maintenance, so here it is a day late.

I couldn't be in D.C. today, I imagine that was true for most of you. My solution was to put together a quickie anti-war video. Follow me below the fold for part what this war has meant. Feel free to add you own comments, this is a protest after all.

Cross Posted at Docudharma

A while back I got the urge to visit Goodwill, I rarely do because the days of bargains are long gone around here. But I also know even if I'm not shopping for anything when I get that urge I will find something I didn't know I needed until I get there. I also found a parking spot close to the door, another sign I was going home with something. I hit the furniture section and didn't see anything and then headed down the back wall something I never do, when I spotted it hanging on a hanger amidst some curtains. A flag. Not just any flag mind you, but a special flag, the creases from it's unmistakable triangular fold still visible. It was a interment flag, used to drape the coffin of a veteran or soldier who died in action.

Follow me beneath the fold.

My kids (adults) keep asking me if the Obama campaign, the universal appeal, the energy is like it was with Bobby. It couldn't be MY Bobby moment, I had already had mine, but was it theirs. Honestly, we would have a much better world if we all lived Bobby moments (the good parts) every election, everyday. If we ever get back in the right track we can have a lifetime of Bobby moments.

That being said, it was a different time, a different place, different circumstances for all there are some similarities. I was not yet 24 years old, expecting my second child and hopeful for the future because my husband had finally found a good job. That hope grew to be hope for the country and for my children's future with the entrance of Bobby Kennedy to the presidential race. Follow me below the fold for a snapshot of history and my take on if is possible for lightening to strike twice in one person's lifetime.

There are a lot of diaries and comments about switching our support to one of the other two, even of Edwards himself endorsing one or the other. New jobs, new horizons for our favorite fighter for the underdog, that would be us.

I believe all this talk and speculation is premature follow me below the fold for why.

How can we demand courage from our leader when we have so little?

How can we continue to support candidates who do not support us NOW?

How can we uphold the Constitution when we allow others to abrogate our most important responsibility, our vote?

How can we beg for change when we cannot face change?

How can we save the planet when we cannot save ourselves?

Follow me below the fold and I will give you my take on why who and what we are can be another recipe for a continuing disaster.

Cross posted at docudharma

How can we demand courage from our leader when we have so little?

How can we continue to support candidates who do not support us NOW?

How can we uphold the Constitution when we allow others to abrogate our most important responsibility, our vote?

How can we beg for change when we cannot face change?

How can we save the planet when we cannot save ourselves?

Follow me below the fold and I will give you my take on why who and what we are can be another recipe for a continuing disaster.

It has been a long road. Von Maur said Monday that it will hold a brief ceremony Thursday, then open the doors at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held by the store's first-floor inside mall entrance. There are mixed emotions but generally people are relieved.  The last 14 days have been surreal, we need to take the next step in the healing process. Only those Von Maur employees who wish to return to work will be there. I am sure they will be warmly greeted by hundreds of ordinary people needing to show their support just one more time for them and the Von Maur family.

And what of the Snowflake Memorial? Follow me below the fold and into history.

This has been a very trying week for what is ordinarily a very quiet place for creating national news of any kind and particularly this kind of national news.

My work place is only about a half mile from VonMaur and a favororite shopping spot during lunch hours. There has been a long and warm association among many of our 1100 employees spanning multi generations of children and grandchildren. We are not unique and the tragedy goes well beyond the initial horror of the event to the very real and personal loss of friends and loved ones. Omaha is still a very small town in that way and VonMaur represents to so many a vibrant slice of what is best about small town America, a family owned business with long time employees you come to see as friends.

So join me below the fold for what we learned and how we say good bye.

This has been a very trying week for what is ordinarily a very quiet place for creating national news of any kind and particularly this kind of national news.

My work place is only about a half mile from VonMaur and a favororite shopping spot during lunch hours. There has been a long and warm association among many of our 1100 employees spanning multi generations of children and grandchildren. We are not unique and the tragedy goes well beyond the initial horror of the event to the very real and personal loss of friends and loved ones. Omaha is still a very small town in that way and VonMaur represents to so many a vibrant slice of what is best about small town America, a family owned business with long time employees you come to see as friends.

So join me below the fold for what we learned and how we say good bye.