Video Episodes:
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12:02:50 09/16/08
Two future presidents? Peter Morales says invocation for Barack Obama in Golden, Colorado
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Peter Morales gave the invocation at Barack Obama’s campaign event in Golden, Colorado!
Sunday morning, our Golden Obama office looked a bit like UU coffee hour: a quarter of the volunteers, or so it seemed, are also members at Jefferson Unitarian Church, and among the hundreds queuing up for tickets outside were many familiar faces (and I saw most of them again for the 11am service as the church was full!).
That’s where I first heard a rumor:
Peter Morales had been asked to give the convocation for Barack Obama’s speech today at the Colorado School of Mines.
Low and behold, this morning it came to pass!
Even though I have a deep dislike for linking politics and religion I’m very heartened by that decision by the Obama campaign to let a Unitarian Universalist minister invite the audience to reflection. What better religion to call for inclusiveness and openness! As you will see, Peter Morales had the courage of his conviction, calling faiths that preach hatred false.
Here is Peter’s convocation transcribed from the video:
“As we gather today for a political event in a heated election season, at a time of great uncertainty in our nation, let us remind ourselves that we are one people - and here in Colorado: ”Somos un pueblo!” In this troubled time, let us remember the lessons of all the great religious traditions, let us remember that the task of a leader is to serve the people.
All the great traditions - Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism - teach that we are all connected to each other. They teach us that we best demonstrate our religious faith by showing compassion for one another. If we are to be faithful, we are to help one another, we will work for justice, we will work for peace.
When God works through us, we will marginalize no one.
When we are truly faithful we will see that religion is what ties us together. Any faith that divides us, that creates enemies, that preaches hatred, is false.
Finally let us remember that being faithful to our ideals of peace and justice is far greater than this campaign: it’s the work of our lives. It’s easy to pray for peace and compassion and justice, [but] our faiths call us to do much more than pray with words.
Our lives speak much louder and more truthfully than our words.
Oh, loving spirit, use us. Use us, guide us, give us courage. Our time demands courageous acts from each and everyone of us.
Let each of us say, in the words of the prophet Isaiah: Here I am, send me.
May it be so, amen.”
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01:13:40 09/12/08
Constitutional Law & Congress - John Nichols, Keith Ellison, Steve Cobble, LeslieCagan, Jamie Raskin
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August 28, 2008, Denver, CO, during the DNC
Constitutional Law and Congress . A panel discussion.
John Nichols, The Nation Magazine, moderator
Rep. Keith Ellison, D-MN
Steve Cobble, Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and PDA Advisory board member;
Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator United for Peace and Justice;
Jamie Raskin, Maryland State Senator, Law Professor at American University, and author.
PDA organized five days of concurrent panel discussions featuring progressive activists and lawmakers which will be featured here. Speakers include Jesse Jackson, John Conyers, Greg Palast, John Bonifaz, Rep. Jim McGovern, Medea Benjamin, Vincent Bugliosi, Rep. Robert Wexler, Governor Don Siegelman, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Norman Solomon, Ann Wright, and many others.
Several panels were broadcast by Free Speech TV, see http://freespeech.org
About PDA :
Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and our country. We seek to build a party and government controlled by citizens, not corporate elites -- with policies that serve the broad public interest, not just private interests. As a grassroots PAC operating inside the Democratic Party, and outside in movements for peace and justice, PDA played a key role in the stunning electoral victory of November 2006. Our inside/outside strategy is guided by the belief that a lasting majority will require a revitalized Democratic Party built on firm progressive principles.
For over two decades, the party declined as its leadership listened more to the voices of Wall Street than those of Main Street. PDA strives to rebuild the Democratic Party from the bottom up – from every Congressional District to statewide party structures to the corridors of power in Washington, where we work arm in arm with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In just a couple of years, PDA and its allies have shaken up the political status quo – on issues from the Iraq war to voter rights to economic justice.