My foster dad died this morning....

we put him in hospice this week and he passed away at 10:45AM PST today. He was a great champion of civil and lgbt rights...he was my father for 41 years taking me in as an orphan at 15 years old. My dad had died because of the Vietnam war and my mom had a stroke. He was a Lutheran pastor and wonderful person..my heart is aching and I will miss him deeply!

We put my foster dad in hospice care this afternoon

He has been my foster dad for 41 years, a lot of my progressive attitudes were taught to me by him! Hope he makes it through Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

what are some of your favorite Christmas memories? Mine is of my last Christmas in Frankfurt, Germany. We had a live tree with little candles on it. After midnight Mass at the Cathedral we walked home, lit the candles, sang Stille Nacht, and then opened presents, going to bed about 4 in the morning. On Christmas Day we had a bunch of relatives over for more celebrating and then on the 26th we had friends come together for a 3rd day of Christmas!

I am preaching at a United Methodist Church

on Sunday. My topic is peace and justice. Mainly about The School of the America's and also some about Ferguson. Any thoughts? Where would you say is the "Good News"? Would love to hear what you have to say.

Who is going shopping on Gray Thursday (tonight) or on Black Friday?

What is your favorite part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

It's been a tough shitty week in many ways. So I challenge all my DU friends to jot down three things they are thankful for. Me:

1) Family

2) Community

3) The ability to speak out for justice

Asking for prayers and good wishes from DU community

I am in Atlanta and getting ready to pick up my wife from the airport. We are heading to Columbus, Georgia to the School of America's vigil, teach in and protest advocating closing the school down. This is the school that brought people in from El Salvador and trained them to murder their own people including six Jesuit priests 25 years ago this week. I ran against our US Congressman in the Democratic primary of 1990 and got a really good vote total which helped make him reconsider his voting for funding of this school. Fighting for closure of this place has been in my DNA for the majority of adult life. I have wanted to join the thousands who are going to be there also. I will be getting arrested on Sunday, please keep me (us) in your prayers and thoughts this weekend as myself, my wife and thousands of others speak and witness against undue US Military aggression and destabilization of other nations around the globe. Thanks-Mike C

November 16, 1989 and the School of America's

On November 16, 1989 in San Salvador, El Salvador six Jesuit priests. their housekeeper and the housekeepers daughter were assassinated. This was the most prolific in the thousands of murders of activists, peasants requesting land reform, academics and clerics. It turned out that the people responsible for the killings were trained at the School of America's in Fort Benning, Georgia. For decades the United States has funded and brought folks in from other nations to train them to foment violence and unrest and to murder their own people. Many of these citizens are doing the bidding of right wing dictatorships and repressive regimes that perform the dirty work of the US abroad. Year after year the US Congress has funded this operation.

As a result of this happening and the actions being brought to light, each year near the anniversary of this atrocity, there is a huge vigil, demonstration and teach in at the Fort. Thousands come together to witness, march, demand and pray for a change in US Policy and attitude.

When this happened 25 years ago, I had just successfully run a city initiative for an advisory vote requesting a reduction of 10% of military spending to be re-directed into deficit reduction and social services. Since this was a very heavy military town nobody thought we would get on the ballot. Not only did we, but we won with 64% of the vote. 9 days later, the Jesuits we killed.

Four days after they were killed, our US Rep. (Who had been voting consistently for the SOA) Came to the Jesuit seat here in Tacoma at a Mass of mourning and said to the congregation that the priests shouldn't have been there. About half the congregation walked out and sought a person to run against him. They decided on me and I ran. While not winning, I got the highest percentage of votes ever against him in a primary and shortly after the election, he changed his vote in regards to the SOA.

In the years since, I have always wanted to be present at this action in Ft. Benning every November and finally this year I am so moved, honored and excited to be there. If there are any DU members on here who will be attending also, please let me know. My wife and I will be staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Phenix City on Friday and the Comfort Inn in Columbus on Saturday and Sunday.

Ok then it's time to start vehemntly protesting churches

and anti abortion leaders places of residence. No buffer zone, well then game on. Revile, shame, scream at folks from churches that do the same to Planned Parenthood clients. Make them walk the gauntlet with their children as they go to Mass or their fundy or Mormon services.