Monday, Indianapolis, Indiana

Pope Benedict XVI finished his high profile trip to the United States this weekend with a Mass in front of 60,000 people at Yankee Stadium. I was raised Roman Catholic and have a feeling for the powerful symbol that the pontiff is for the religions faithful. (I must say, as an aside, that it was so curious to hear in his unique accent after listening to Pope John Paul for so many years and has labored English).

During his visit, the Pope Benedict exceeded the expectations of many Catholics who had previously viewed him as a rigid, dogmatic theologian who was likely to call them to to blind obedience to orders from Rome. But his sermons have revealed a far more conciliatory and pastoral voice than anticipated.

Most comforting of all has been his willingness to repeatedly address, and confess heartfelt remorse for the shocking history of abuse by Catholic priests of children. He even met with victims of the abuse to offer confession and comfort. And although there remain too many bishops and other church leaders who have shamefully been willing to cover up this scourge, and hide behind the protection of lawyers, the pope’s gesture was a significant signal of recognition.

In addition, the Pontiff called upon Americans to rethink the lifestyle that many of us are living. Specifically he called us to rethink our zeal for individuality, self-reliance and passion for significance and wealth. He went so far as to call upon us to be more obedient to good authority and to practice humility. At a time when American popular culture puts so much emphasis on self-aggrandizement, it is indeed an important reminder that a life of separation is contrary to her basic human nature.

Regardless of your feelings about the Pope, or religion in general, his message was received with unexpected enthusiasm probably because the themes in his sermons were resonant with what so many feel is amiss in modern life. In one of his most striking statements he spoke about freedom, saying that true freedom “is found only in the self-surrender which is part of the mystery of love.” He added that “freedom blossoms when we turn away from the burden of sin, which clouds our perceptions and weakens our resolve."

In my experience the best quality of human life is found in serving others, which inevitably turns around and provides deep, abiding gratification in our own life.

Friday, Indianapolis, Indiana

This past week the presidential campaign focused on mostly petty issues. An enormous amount of time has been wasted making accusations about trivial mistakes, necessitating each candidate to spend time addressing this nonsense. At a time when the economy is tanking, the war in Iraq seems to be endless, with no endgame plan in sight, the media is spending hours covering verbal gaffes. The culmination of this stupidity came Wednesday evening at the Democratic presidential debate in Pennsylvania.

The debate was hosted by ABC, and featured moderators Charlie Gibson & George Stephanopoulos. The first 50 minutes of the debate focused entirely on the distractions of memory lapses and inconsequential misstatements. It wasn’t until the end of this exhausting waste of time that the moderators finally got around to the issues that are actually affecting people. The performance of these two knuckleheads was disgraceful.

And here is the difficult challenge posed by a free press. When journalists behave incompetently or shamefully, there is very little opportunity to have a full airing about their poor performance. When legitimate criticism is aimed at individual journalists and television talking heads the immediate reaction is frequently a defensive posture. The reaction usually focuses on the futility of attacking “the media.” But criticism of “the media” in cases such as what happened last Wednesday, is actually well-deserved criticism against two television stars, individual persons, not “the media.”

“The media” is doing fine. Specific individuals who work in the media are often idiots. No matter which side you take on political or social issues, your point of view is represented alternately by skilled and intelligent observers and pundits, and also a few of appallingly limited intellectual range. I rarely agree with voices of extremes on either side of an issue. Many voices on the conservative side, for example, are intellectually gifted and honest voices of their point of view. I may not agree with Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly, but they are intelligent. In contrast, for instance conservative siren Sean Hannity is, in the words of our late, great Vice President Spiro Agnew, “a nattering nabob of negativism.” In other words he has an intellectual range as wide as a garden hose.

And of course on the other side, I may not agree with Chris Matthews for the commentators on Air America Radio, but I don’t doubt their intellectual gifts. In contrast I consider Al Sharpton of profiteering, criminal gasbag. Boisterous voices in the media may generate good ratings agitating viewers, but they add little or nothing to the urgent need to solve problems. And caught in the middle of this economically driven media show business by the individuals who we desperately need to stand up and actually leave the country.

My most profound hope is that with the emergence of the blogosphere and other Internet-based outlets, but the audience for the braying jackasses on cable media is shrinking by the year. Charlie Gibson, George Stephanopoulos, ABC news and many of their colleagues in television media should be ashamed of what their industry has become. I couldn’t care less if Hillary had a memory lapse about Bosnia, if Barack Obama used an indelicate word to describe the mood of voters or if John McCain was misinterpreted about the future of our involvement in Iraq.

What matters to me, and I’m guessing what matters to most Americans is whether these three remarkable public servants can actually unite us and bring some resolution to the serious problems that seem to be swamping us.

Thursday, Lafayette, Indiana

Maybe you are blessed with a perpetually sunshine personality. Perhaps your mood is stable and its fluctuations are unnoticeable to others. I’m married to someone like that. Which is great…sort of great. On the one hand I can depend on her cheery outlook that rarely sinks. She is dependable and predictable. And our son is much the same. Unfortunately, I am more…let’s say…mercurial!

In daily living, the other side of this equation is, of course, that the bright light of her temperament shines on the shadows of my own darker moods. When I am out of sorts, as they say, the contrast with someone else’s cheery glow makes me feel like an exposed bug, scurrying for cover. It makes self awareness all the more uncomfortable.

The worst aspect of mood is it’s utter unpredictability. A dark mood is no more planned than a day of buoyancy. Certainly there are times when you can feel it coming on, in the aftermath of some event, bad news or conflict. But when the blue moods come from nowhere in particular, at least when you cannot pinpoint the source, it is a contagious condition. Unpredictable moods are so frustrating because, without knowing why you feel low, it means there is nothing else substantive to talk about…except the mood itself. And that goes nowhere.

The more life I experience, the more it seems that depression in some form is virtually everywhere. For some it comes and goes. For others it is worn like a wet, heavy coat. Here I am, with a life blessed and favored, and I can neither see nor control the maddening onset of a detached, grumpy disposition. All I can do, it seems is sit and rue the bad effect it has had on others.

I hope you have a cheery day. I know I will…now…I hope!

Wednesday, Indianapolis, Indiana

One of the early hits of the 1990’s decade was an unusual concept. We often hear about children who display stunning intellectual abilities, artistic or musical prodigies, for instance, who develop years before their peers. There have been several instances of youngsters who become math geniuses, finishing high school and college before they are are out of their teens.

It shouldn’t be surprising then that Hollywood would fix on this intriguing idea. And so they did with the television comedy-drama Doogie Howser, M.D. The show, aired four years (1989–1993) and starred Neil Patrick Harris. Doogie was a brilliant adolescent who graduates from an Ivy League college at ten years old and actually becomes a physician. And since he is a teenager, the stories depict his conflicts between responsibilities as a doctor and his challenges being a teenager. Doogie documents his observations in a diary entry to close each episode.

Scott Blakeman, a comedian friend of mine from New York made me laugh with his observation of not ever feeling like an adult. He told the story of a woman approaching him at a party and saying,

“You’re a very attractive man.” Scott’s response was a polite, humble, “why thank you.”

But inside his head he was saying (in falsetto), “But I’m a boy!”

And that sometimes is how we all feel. Every adult at some point experiences the feeling that they are not up to the responsibilities of mature living. There are times when we feel like we are children trapped in a adult’s body. There are times when we feel overwhelmed by the daunting responsibilities of our careers and families and yearn to return to a simpler childhood. There are times when we feel like kids with heavy adult responsibilities.

The fact is, we all have a Doogie Howser Within!

Wednesday, Lafayette, Indiana

April 15th has mostly negative associations for us. It was on this day in 1865 that the great President Abraham Lincoln died after being shot. It’s also the anniversary of the 1945 funeral of President Franklin Roosevelt. And today we remember the 1912 sinking of the ocean liner Titanic, a stunning catastrophe that killed over 1500 people!

All of these painful associations set the proper tone for another hallmark of April 15th. This the day that the government demands that our taxes be paid. Oh the humanity!

Coping with life means maintaining an upbeat perspective even while knowing that difficulties, even calamities are lurking at our door. What distinguishes the well-adjusted person from others is the ability to maintain emotional perspective on what actually constitutes an unbearable event. Trite though it may sound, remembering that our troubles, painful as they might seem, can always be trumped by the disasters of another.

Cynicism dismisses such perspective as denial or naiveté. But it is actually the essence of an evolved spiritual choice - that others are suffering more than me and this calls me to endure and to sacrifice in service to these other sufferers. This is the essence of great religious calling - regardless of how doctrine and practice may have polluted the message.

My struggles pale in comparison to so many others I know, let alone those around the globe whose disasters are beyond my comprehension. Today I will pay taxes, think about people I know whose pain is deeper than mine and pray that there be divine mercy for those whose stories shame my own complaints.

In response to any of my own suffering, today I have decided to just shut up about it!

Monday, Indianapolis, Indiana

It was 180 years ago today that Noah Webster published the first dictionary of the English Language. For generations Webster’ Dictionary was our principle source for understanding words. Until the age of the Internet and the ease of Google, the dictionary was it - the essential resource for vocabulary. It was required reading for every school child in a time when competence with the English language was demanded. Being educated meant competence with our language, including it’s proper usage - grammar.

“…I never had went there before…”

“…a large amount of people showed up…”

It seems almost quaint now in a time when we seem to celebrate speech that is so casual that it violates all grammatical rules. Listen to the language you hear in casual conversations, speaking with service people in stores or on the phone. Common conversation makes vividly clear that millions of people simply did not pay attention in their English classes through a decade of schooling.

“…this is your guys time…”

“…the team are all ready…”

Even if you are not a grammar aficionado yourself, most of us can feel the cringe when we hear someone butcher the language. This is not to say there aren’t times when intentionally casual speech is fine. But if an individual cannot switch between informal speech and proper grammar when professionally necessary, it is a sure career show-stopper. And this limitation affects a lot of people with college degrees.

“…between you and I…”

“…they didn’t except my credit card…”

While this might seem a petty point, slovenly communication seriously inhibits a person’s ability to succeed in most professions. In fact in surveys, employers list poor grammar and spelling as the main reason they pass over a resume.

What’s sad is that when a person demonstrates such limitations in their communication, it not only exposes their lack of cultivation, but it’s unlikely that anyone will be kind enough to point it out to them. People who speak poorly rarely hear feedback that their language is holding them back.

I am no model of perfection. I frequently use the phrase “with him and I” instead of “him and me.” Thankfully my wife Sally, an elementary school principal, reminds me gently and I have mostly corrected the error. In fact, she tells me that the number one item missed on school achievement tests in misuse of the personal pronoun.

It’s become clear to me over the years that polished language is a critical asset for anyone’s career and life.

“…but comparing to me, he don’t talk too good…”

If you career is stalled, might be time to breeze through the classic Webster tome and perhaps your fourth grade grammar text. It will pay off. You get a job, a raise and the respect that you have become a real good talker!

Friday, Indianapolis, Indiana

Barack Obama came here to Lafayette, Indiana Thursday evening and spoke at a local High School. As has happened in almost every city where he has visited, he attracts huge crowds. The 2500 seats at the school auditorium were distributed within an hour to a huge crowd that had lined up early in the morning waiting.

And it was indeed like a U2 concert. We watched the speech online and were amazed at the fervor and the enthusiasm of the crowd for this man. I have been aware of every presidential election since John F. Kennedy in 1960. I recall the deep divisions that surrounded the candidacies of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton’s second term. And of course I was well aware of the great passions that surrounded the controversial 2004 race between Al Gore and George Bush.

But never have I seen a zeal for an individual politician that surrounds Barack Obama. The media has repeatedly used the phrase “rock star” to describe Obama’s impact on the crowds he attracts. In last night’s speech, there was very little that I hadn’t already heard from him about his policies and his positions. The story of the evening was more the reaction to his presence than what he was saying.

I don’t know if in the end he will prevail and become the next president of the United States. But from where I set, something unique is afoot. Watching the broadcast I found myself looking at the audience more than the speaker. The smiling faces were children through seniors. He was given repeated standing ovations; the noise was an eruption.

It seems that the phenomenon of Barack Obama exceeds the sum of his parts. Many of those who were skeptical, or inclined to vote for either Hillary Clinton or John McCain are likely focused on his positions and his point of view. They are perhaps also skeptical about Obama’s youth. And of course these are all valid reasons to not support his candidacy. However even the most cynical has to be curious about the reaction that he is getting from huge numbers of people, especially the young. In fact, it is probably his own youthful optimism, and pointed message about a change of direction that is resonating with so many people who are dismayed by the state of the nation these days.

Whatever is triggering this emotional reaction for him, it tells us something important about the mood of the country. It seems to me that we could fairly diagnose the entire culture is struggling with some form of depression. There are deep worries about our economic health, the frightening prospects about losing our homes as a result of a medical crisis, and of course the endless war in Iraq.

Whether his approach is the best one for America or not, the fact that Barack Obama is speaking hopefully about change is music to the ears of many people, regardless of their past political loyalties. I cannot remember a presidential campaign that reflected the psychological dynamics that are at play this year. If this is the year of destiny for Barack Obama I pray that he will be safe and up to the task.

Thursday, Indianapolis, Indiana

The YouTube phenomenon has changed the equation for triggering shock and awe. Most mature Americans have weathered so many bizarre spectacles in the culture that we feel numb to the impact of the latest shenanigans of our fellow citizens. But every once in a while a new bottom is hit. But with the easy ability for morons and sociopaths to record and post on the Internet, old records for horror stories are up for grabs.

And so it is this week with the revolting footage of a group of Florida high school girls arranging a brutal beat down of another student because she had dissed them on her MySpace page. The video is sickening as these coed thugs beat the girl into unconsciousness. And the half dozen perpetrators took turns punching the victim as she was held down by their friends.

Certainly the future for these twits is forever altered, perhaps ruined. It is likely that they will be tried as adults and jailed for some time. And it begs the question, how did these teenagers get to a place where they planned and carried out the elaborate scheme for violence? And what were their expectations about the consequences knowing it was to be taped and posted online? They are obviously disturbed and will pay the price.

More frustrating is the continuing ability of parents to escape the consequences of the actions of their sociopathic children. This behavior did not come out of the blue. These girls were criminals long before they acted in this scene. Surely Mom and Dad were aware that their little girl was a psycho. What steps did they take to intervene, get help or otherwise corral the young beast?

While I am well aware that there are adolescents with genetic, biological inclinations toward antisocial behavior, in the majority of cases bad teenagers got that way because parents did not hold them accountable over their earlier, formative years.

The rigors of parenting demand relentless, consistent boundaries. Exhaustion is not an excuse. Rearing children means teaching, disciplining and controlling behavior, demanding that the child abide by the rules and conduct of civility. Throwing up your hands in exasperation is not an option.

For those parents who, through self pity or disconnection have allowed their children to become criminals wreaking havoc on their community, it’s time they paid a price as well as the cretin they spawned. It’s time that some parents went to jail with their kids.

Wednesday, Lafayette, Indiana

It was thirty-eight years ago this week that the Beatles officially broke up as a band. The news came out through the announcement by Paul McCartney that he was releasing a solo album. Word of the breakup happened on the heels of the release of their last recording together, the great Let It Be album.

Americans caught Beatlemania with their inaugural visit to New York and their storied celebration on The Ed Sullivan Variety Show. They ruled popular music for the rest of the decade that included a record twenty number one hits with unprecedented song writing and a mind boggling array of innovative styles. Every album release was a stunning surprise of new sounds, techniques and messages. They were, and remain today, the creative band without peer.

Even after four decades and the murder of John Lennon and death of George Harrison, the Beatles remain a towering presence in modern music. I realize that there are many younger people who only know the Beatles from their music, their own recordings or covers by others. I am not aware of another pop culture phenomenon to parallel the galvanizing influence of the Beatles in their day. They riveted the attention of the country, especially the young.

The Beatles offered a distraction from the angst of their troubled time - with the Vietnam War and deep generational tensions. But the distraction was not simply idle disconnection. Their music told stories alternately light and profound. They sang about romantic love and higher love. They sang about personal serenity and world peace.

They truly were a voice for many. I’m not sure who fills that role today.