Tag: scared

Two Rallies, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Sometimes you just cannot believe your luck.

Seeing the candidates in person was really not a possibility in either of my first two election forays.  For reasons of timing and range, it simply could not be.  And while the cargo city bus allows me so much more flexibility and greater range, I barely allowed myself to hope that my path would cross with either of the candidates.

But there I was on Tuesday when my morning campaign website check in revealed that Hillary Clinton would be at Iowa Democratic Party “Women Win” early vote rally in Cedar Rapids just as I was arriving.  Newbo City Market at 1:00.  Register, send, celebrate.

No such luck with the Trump calendar.  That is, not until yesterday morning.  It appeared as an added stop on the Trump schedule. McGrath Amphitheater, Cedar Rapids at 7:00pm for the same day.  Register, send, celebrate.

And in the spirit of celebration, please meet Jade.  She is a poet and youth activist that I met at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church.  A local, she is currently working in New York City and I think you will see that she takes the GMBC spirit wherever she is.

Sunday, redemption and Langston Hughes

I arrived early at the Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church to experience the full measure of the Praise time music and call to worship.  To say it was uplifting is do to it a disservice. It is a coming together in song and spirit that carries through and touches everyone blessed to be there.

The Deacons and Deaconesses are dressed in black suits, the latter in fabulous hats.  I watched as the father of a young women receiving her baptism discreetly wiped a tear as he returned to his seat.  I listened as Rev. Dr. James Jackson first asks us to contemplate if God was fair.  Then, within a powerful message of redemption he humanized our brokenness.

Note – Just when I managed to get the audio on track, I totally missed the effect of the back lighting and camera angle.  Please bear with it as Dr. Jackson’s message is well worth it.

And because, not once, but twice today, Langston Hughes was recited to me in two unrelated interactions, I leave you with this,

DEMOCRACY, by Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.
I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.
I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.

Tomorrow is another day.

I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.

I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.
Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.
I live here, too.

I want freedom
Just as you.

Hard subjects, soft hearts

This was a rare morning with familiar faces at the breakfast table.  I was able to meet up with my partner Steve and stayed last night in Richmond, Virginia with his sister Nancy and her husband Tom.  It has been a lovely step off my journey, but also a chance to align with voices that mean a lot to me.

Our subject this morning drifted to the nature of discourse.  That the easiest emotion to access and to drive an argument is fear.  It turns out that not only do we hear a lot of that in the media (and from one candidate in particular), my observation is that it has made its way into how to address each other.  But then I met Tamara.

A veteran, wife and mother, we share the same alma mater – Go Spartans!  Originally from Seattle, she has lived an remarkable life for her young age.  Not only was her well-considered world view apparent, so was her heart.  Her words and her spirit created one of the best moments to date.