tears

dei food

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 12:08:55 -0500

The scourge of DEI must be eradicated from all corners of American life. Sadly, DEI has penetrated an everyday part of our lives that is being unaddressed: the dinner table. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” With the food around us, American values are under attack from insidious forces against real American food. President Biden and Obama both undermined American food with their lavish state dinners for foreign dignitaries, such as for Chinese Communists which featured a DEI chef and for India which promoted Hindu instead of American colors (even leaving out American beef). Every day, when you drive down the road, you see DEI restaurants that promote anti-Christian values like “China Dynasty” or “Golden Palace”, which promote gluttony and disease with all-you-can-eat buffets. What we might think of as everyday foods are actually laced with DEI. Chicken is processed by companies who hire almost 40% foreign-born and have disproportionate DEI workers; the deep state is also beginning to force vaccination of chickens. Bananas come from the same places that are invading our country and we take in more than we deport. Apples are picked by workers who are less than 32% American. Even orange juice is now DEI since the Biden administration, with companies no longer making juice from Florida oranges.

We must reverse course, now. Even beloved institutions like Chik-fil-a have fallen prey to the whims of DEI, where unqualified people are taking the jobs of able-bodied Americans. President Trump has already been championing American food by stopping USAID and its anti-American practice of sending American food to other countries when there are Americans going hungry every day. We can all join together in the fight and take action:

Demand that your meals are made without seasoning and spices (most spices are actually Hindu and not American)
Avoid foreign coffee, tea, chocolate, vanilla, and sugar that undermine American farmers
Only buy groceries that are 100% grown and made in America (especially be careful of avocados and olive oil)
Boycott chicken, pork, and beef companies that hire non-American and DEI workers (like Tyson’s, JBS, National Beef, Cargill, Perdue, and Hormel)
Only eat at restaurants that follow these anti-DEI practices
Call your representatives in Congress and demand that they do the same
Donate to organizations that are working to end hunger in America and strengthen American farms

Jesus stood silently and held in His tears, knowing that He had to be strong for everyone else. -…

Sun, 15 May 2022 17:02:15 -0400

Jesus stood silently and held in His tears, knowing that He had to be strong for everyone else.
- John 11:35 (Toxic Masculinity Version)

swap, shift, scale

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 19:32:44 -0400

When it comes to sustainability, people have a multitude of responses – from completely changing their life to responding with exasperation. Most people have the 3 R’s of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle memorized by heart, but this mnemonic device lacks clarity outside of the realm of materials such as with plastic, paper, and metals. What do you with food or electricity usage? With systems change, it is easiest when it is simple to participate in and remember. Thus, I propose the 3 S’ of sustainability: Swap, Shift, Scale.

swap

This is the simplest form of change – swapping out one product for another with similar cost and usage. Examples of this include: choosing to use paper/compostable plates instead of plastic/styrofoam, using cleaning products without harsh chemicals, choosing to purchase recycled paper over non-recycled, eating organic foods, and even choosing a plant-based meat alternative. These sorts of actions are useful. The important thing to remember is to swap when you can and encourage others to do so while understanding that sometimes the swap is not as obvious for everyone. Over time, the more sustainable products can become the only option for everyone as less and less people buy the other products. Try to do a swap every day (especially for anything plastic)!

shift

Lifestyle change is not easy, but necessary for . Shifting lifestyles can occur for small things (such as lowering the thermostat in the winter or increasing the thermostat in the summer by a degree or two) but still have major impact over time and across millions of people. Sometimes, lifestyle changes aren’t as easy or small, such as choosing to drive less and use public transportation more or to change to more plant-based diets. Instead of using disposable items, choose to use reusable ones. Instead of choosing the more convenient route, try out different options to get more comfortable with them. Be gentle on yourselves and others, as you probably grew up used to one way of doing things and have to re-learn! Additionally, some actions to shift may be hard because the world around us may be configured for the more convenient option over sustainable ones. In your own abodes and life, try to make it easier to default to sustainable choices – for example: keep a reusable water bottle in your bag and reusable bags in your car, use a smart thermostat in your house and let it maintain temperature, or keep the compost bin next to the sink for kitchen scraps. Identify a list of a couple lifestyle changes that you can shift and commit to do a new one every month.

scale

Finally, it is important to recognize that sustainability is not just up to you, but your surrounding systems. We can’t just spend our way out of a climate crisis or change how we and our family live, we need to reconfigure our societies onto platforms that can scale to be sustainable. The easiest example of this is electrification – if all of your household appliances run on electricity, then even if the electric utility still uses a lot of fossil fuels, you or the utility could switch some or all of the electric generation to more renewable sources. Electric vehicles also fall into this category. Actions here can be costly and challenging, so it is also important to recognize how elected officials can incentivize and make it easier for everyone at scale to switch onto a platform. Besides the realm of politics, think about what your place of work might be able to change to make it easier for everyone! Work with your family, neighbors, or coworkers on making a couple of these changes each year.

swap, shift, scale

In summary:

Swap one item for a more sustainable one each day
Shift one aspect of your lifestyle each month
Scale your household, neighborhood, or workplace so it’s easy to make sustainable decisions

racism

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 21:16:00 -0400

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wishes to settle accounts with his people. When he began the reckoning, [Harvey Weinstein/Jeremy Smith & Jake Chelios/Myles Cosgrove, Brett Hankison, & Jonathan Mattingly] was brought to him; and, as they could not pay their debts, their king ordered them to be [ostracized/ridiculed/convicted], together with their family and all their possessions, and payment to be made. So they fell on their knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the king released them and forgave them the debt. But the same people, as they went out, came upon [Will Smith/Eileen Gu/Breonna Taylor] who [had a public outburst/played for a different country’s Olympic team/was sleeping] and seizing them by the throat, they said, ‘[Give up your Oscar/You are a traitor to America/Your life is less valuable than ours].’ Then their neighbor fell down and pleaded with them, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But they refused; then went and threw them into prison until they would pay the debt. When others saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their king all that had taken place. Then the king summoned them and said to them, ‘You wicked person! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow neighbor, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger the king handed them over to be tortured until they would pay their entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.

abortion

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:13:08 -0500

Abortion has become a litmus test of political and moral fealty. The pro-choice argument is that abortion has been a critical tool in equality for women and that women should have sovereignty over their own bodies and livelihoods. The anti-abortion argument is primarily that life begins at conception and thus nothing intentional should be done to harm that life. But to be pro-life is to understand the importance of the life of the woman, the unborn child, and the child outside of the womb.

Before further discussion, let us first frame abortion only in the context of consensual sex. The challenges that arise out of rape and incest deserve their own dialogue. An additional filter to apply is where the life of the woman is at stake, as there are confounding ethical considerations.

To break down human reproduction into three rough categories, we would have Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth. Everyone would agree that stopping conception would not end life while terminating a birth would. In the US, we have legal means for non-abortive contraceptives (e.g., condoms or diaphragms). We also have legal means to terminate parental rights, whether by a parent (see Safe Harbor laws) or by the state to protect a child (such as with foster care). The only question that remains is about pregnancy.

The US legal framework of Roe v. Wade limited abortion to until viability outside of the womb — as in when a child might survive independently without the woman. This, of course, was not an attempt to answer the question of when life began, but to set a boundary of when the state might intervene to protect the life of an unborn child. As technology has continued to develop, this line of viability has continued to be pushed back (somewhere around 24 weeks out of 40). If we had the technology for an artificial womb from conception to birth, the legal framework for abortion would instantly collapse. Without such technology however, in believing that life begins at conception invariably means in forcing some women to carry a life to birth.

The moral and legal arguments for abortion that focus on burdens of parenthood are, as Justice Barrett pointed out, primarily resolved with the ability for people to terminate parental rights and place the responsibility to the state. However, it is important to note that many people who want to be, are willing, or even already are parents may also choose to terminate a pregnancy due to sex or ability selection. Few people likely think that sex selective abortions are a moral good or should have legal standing. Selection of keeping a pregnancy where the child has presumed disabilities is a unique case as there may be significant financial, emotional, and social costs to raising a child. It is important to note that prenatal testing is notoriously inaccurate outside of a few specific genetic disorders. Additionally, the state does not discriminate based off of any ability in taking responsibility of a child. Thus, even in the case of a child with disabilities, burden of parenthood is an insufficient reason for abortion. While it is imperative that we order our societies for people of all abilities to thrive and for all parents to feel like they can support their children of all abilities, addressing the burdens of parenthood also deserves its now discussion.

What remains unaddressed is the burden on women with pregnancies, which can be broken down into three major categories: Economic, Life Change, and Shame.

Economic: For many women, pregnancy can have a huge impact on their jobs, whether due to leave or performance ratings, or finances, through hospital visits.
Life Change: While pregnancy is a temporary state, pregnant women undergo many physical, biological, emotional, and social changes to carry a child.
Shame: Finally, pregnancy may be a shameful event, even in the context of consensual sex. Shame of giving up a child may even be a reason for choosing abortion instead.

How do we address these burdens?

For the first two, these can be addressed within legal frameworks. Job concerns could be addressed with policies such as paid family leave and stronger enforcements against job discrimination. Additionally, guaranteed free maternal healthcare would also address any financial concerns with visiting a hospital. Abortion as a solution to economic burden is sorely lacking as this is also a burden faced by women who do want to carry pregnancy to birth. The focus should be on ensuring all pregnant women have economic protections. Furthermore, if we believe that the life of the child and the life of the woman are equally valid, it should be our duty to ensure that pregnant woman have as much resources they need to care for themselves and the unborn child, whether that be physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Existing programs in the US, such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) provide some food assistance but should be entitled to all women who are pregnant, regardless of income or status. Additionally, acknowledging the burden to women would also mean providing above and beyond just basic needs. For example, if we believed that all women who are pregnant should carry the child to term, one policy may be to give pregnant women regular payments paid via payroll taxes above any existing entitlements.

Shame, however, this can only be overcome through cultural change. The amount of judgement reserved for pregnancy outside of wedlock in conservative Christian circles is simply bonkers and antithetical to promoting life and caring for both the woman and child. The act of ending a life to reduce or avoid shame of giving up a child for adoption or to the care of the state is morally fraught. How do we choose life above shame?

When, Mary, Mother of God, was pregnant with Jesus, St. Joseph had an initial reaction of shame. But, his vocation was to take that shame upon himself and love Jesus as his own. With a mother born without shame and a father who learned to carry it, Jesus recognized and taught the power of choosing life above shame — the father of the Prodigal Son is open in celebrating the Prodigal Son and his return despite the immense shame he has caused to the father. Jesus on the Cross chose life above shame, being willing to take on all of our shame in order that we might have life. As a society, as a human family, we must celebrate life regardless of any associated shame and seek to carry the shame of others.

“South Carolinians, you have come a long way, but we, just like every other part of this country,…

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 21:01:41 -0500

“South Carolinians, you have come a long way, but we, just like every other part of this country, still have ~~a long way~~ [only sixteen years] to go.” - Sen. Lindsey Graham of SC, on voting to reauthorize Voting Rights Acts in 2006

prayers for 2022

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:25:50 -0500

In the dawn of the new year, the past two years continue to weigh heavily. We continue to live in an apocalyptic age, experiencing the revelations of deep, systemic injustices towards all of Creation, including our fellow brothers and sisters.

Supply Chains

The pandemic has unraveled many myths and hidden truths of how we get things. The reality is that we are all deeply intertwined, in need of one another. We cannot believe that we are an island to ourselves, nor that we ought to create communities that have no need for others. We must pray in repentance for having taken for granted so many people who work, often unjustly, for us to receive and pray for the just recompense for the laborers of the field, factory, transportation, and store.

Climate Crisis

Our treatment of the planet entrusted to our care is abysmal, and we continue to experience the natural consequences. Even more pressing is the outsized impact of these consequences to those most vulnerable already. Our mindsets of controlling our environment limit us from the freedom of cooperation with the rest of Creation. We must pray in repentance for what we have taken for granted and pray for the will to live in new ways that honor the Earth and all life within it.

A Prayer of Remembrance

Bless us, O Lord, in these Thy gifts,
which we are about to receive

Bless Creation
which provided Thy gifts

Bless the laborers
who brought us Thy gifts

And bless those unable to share in these gifts,
that they may receive also

out of Thy bounty
through Creation, laborers, and Christ our Lord
Amen

And Jesus said, “it is not what goes into a country that defiles it; rather, it is what comes out of…

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 21:05:00 -0400

And Jesus said, “it is not what goes into a country that defiles it; rather, it is what comes out of the country.”

maga

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 20:41:32 -0400

Hundreds of armed men stormed the government building. Shouts of joy and exclamation echoed the hallways with phrases such as “for the glory of God!” and “God wills it!” reverberating.

A spokesman for the militia members shared why they were there. “For too long, this country has been run amok by leftists and liberals who have no idea what they are doing. They have turned this beautiful country, a country that belongs to God, into a cesspool of corruption. We are doing the will of God.”

As he was speaking, another militia member walked by shouting, “DRAIN THE SWAMP” as others cheered in adulation.

Speaking to another militia member, he shared his concerns about the illegitimacy of the government. “Did I vote for this president? No, I did not. Many people who voted should not have the right to vote and the whole thing is a scam.”

Another man standing nearby with a large assault rifle shared his thoughts. “The gender politics that the liberals have been trying to use got me involved in this movement. And when I realized how much foreigners are ruining our country, I knew I needed to defend our way of life.”

Speaking to the spokesman again, he shared his concern with the misportrayal by media. “There has been so much fake news out there. People think that we are against equality for women, but I have a wife and daughters too. I’m not a monster. We just all want to raise our families with the traditional family values taught to us by our Holy Scriptures.” When asked about others who interpret the Scriptures differently, there was a simple response: “heretics.”

Holding up a cell phone and smashing it to the ground, the spokesman illustrated a crucial point for the movement. “This technology and liberal values have distorted our children. They have been seeking to silence us for too long, but we have now spoken. We are bringing law and order. We will drive out all the foreigners who are trying to destroy our way of life, by the will of God. #MakeAfghanistanGreatAgain!”

immortal cell lines, pray for us

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 17:10:06 -0400

ALT

To the persons of aborted fetal cell lines – as Christ died to bring us new life, through your unjust deaths, you also have brought forth life. Your cells have delivered immunity for generations from a multitude of diseases and sickness. Persons of WI-38 (she, 1962) and MRC-5 (he, 1966?), through your stolen breath you have protected many from polio and measles. Person of PER.C6 (unknown, 1985), your clarifying sight has guarded against influenza; Person of HEK 293 (she, 1972), your kidney provides purifying hope against Covid-19. Pray for us, that we may be faithful with our lives and work towards the preservation and respect of all made in the image of God, from conception to natural death.

ALT

Henrietta, as Christ poured out his blood for the healing of nations, your cells have been poured out for the advancement of healing of the human community. May we always remember your contributions with gratitude while seeking justice and merciful care for all. Comfort those who are sick, especially those who are uncared for or exploited by those empowered to heal. Pray that we will approach our neighbors and our community with respect and love in protecting our common health.

the great american worker short

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 11:25:43 -0400

Two facts that everyone can agree upon right now – a lot of industries need workers and a lot of people are not returning to the jobs they have had or even quitting. This has been true across industries, from the service sector to white collar jobs.

Some would have you believe that the pandemic and the boosting of the social safety net have created lazy Americans who no longer want to work. There have been three fundamental shifts that contribute to American workers collectively calling the bluff of companies and businesses.

1. Increased Social Safety Net

Admittedly, this shortage is only possible because of the various increases to the social safety net, from boosted unemployment benefits to the direct pandemic payments. The fundamental question is: without the boot of survival on the neck of American workers, how would people react? If they were working a job for survival instead of thriving, it should be of no surprise to anyone that they might want to change jobs. If they were working a low wage job with extremely challenging hours, why would they want to return?

2. Focus on Life

In general, most people who work jobs spend over half of their lives at wage work. The focus on jobs also discounts the many aspects of labor that people do (especially women and mothers) that are fundamental to society and the economy but are not recognized financially. Most people would agree that the most important aspect of their life is their family – yet historically, people have struggled to have the space and time to invest everything that they want to into these critical relationships. The pandemic hit a big reset button: life is not about work, life is more valuable than work.

3. Collective Action

In this past year, our individualistic culture has been rudely awakened to the importance of thinking and acting communally. Staying home wasn’t just about staying safe, but also to not spread Covid to others. Wearing a mask wasn’t that effective to protect yourself, but it was very effective at preventing spread to others. Racial injustice was not just a problem for some people, but it was a problem for all Americans. We marched, we sanitized, we voted. Even moments, such as when the average, everyday person bought stonks and wiped out hedge funds shorting businesses, highlight how Americans are beginning to reawaken to the power of collective action.

In Short

For too long, many businesses have collectively shorted American workers – now Americans are collectively holding out for better work/life balances and better benefits. The groveling of many businesses about American workers being lazy shows the mismatch in valuation of labor. If people aren’t willing to work for you at the pay you are offering, maybe it’s because your business model is broken and not because people are lazy. The hold has been working – wages are up, benefits are up, and people are reorienting their lives beyond survival. We must continue to organize together to demand that all people have the opportunity to live flourishing lives.

take off your shoes

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:39:13 -0400

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a wedding of dear friends. There are many things that I could say about the seeming lack of concern around safe Covid practices by many of the guests, but what stuck out to me most was this singular moment. The rehearsal dinner took place at a former rectory turned AirBnB. At the entrance, a large sign posted by the hosts declared a simple request: PLEASE TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES. To assist in this effort, the hosts also offered plentiful shoe covers that are easy to slip on. I saw that there were some people in the house already but I was confused that I did not see any shoes in the doorway. My wife wondered aloud if anyone had taken off their shoes and a bridesmaid walked by with a smile saying, “no, we all just kept them on.” Hearing the voices of our ancestors, we still dutifully took off our shoes and entered into the party as the only people of color.

This, perhaps, is one of the simplest examples of embodied White supremacy.

You may think that this is a silly and superfluous conclusion so I will help break it down:

The hosts made a simple, non-confrontational, non-politicized request to take off shoes before entering into their house (which was exceptionally clean)
The hosts provided easy-to-use shoe slip covers to make it even easier
The White guests figured it was not a sign of disrespect to do what they wanted in someone else’s space

You may also know this fable from the plethora of stories of White American tourists trouncing over cultural norms in other countries. Or through the examination of American history towards indigenous people. However, the stories around shoes embody deeper meanings from my own personal experience as the son of Taiwanese immigrants.

Like most kids growing up, I invited my friends over. In my Southwest Ohioan case, my friends were of White Midwestern Evangelical stock. I loved hosting and throwing parties, running tangled LAN cables up and down stairs connecting computers and gaming consoles. As most Taiwanese households are trained, shoes must come off at the doorway. Visiting my friends’ houses, I would always take off my shoes and would be appalled at seeing them walking around with their shoes on. Understanding this cultural difference, I was always proactive in reminding my friends to take off their shoes before entering into my parents’ house — even sometimes putting up signs with big, bold letters as a reminder.

In retrospect, it never occurred to me that after years (some up to a decade) of coming over, I still had to remind some of my friends to take off their shoes. Given that those who forgot also often intersected with those bantering to me about my parents’ English or making various Asian jokes, I mourn that I never addressed the disrespect that they had for me or for my culture. That after a decade of friendship, they still couldn’t take the time to remember or respect this cultural norm clearly states something.

In Exodus 3:5, Moses saw the burning bush and God responded, “put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.” Why was this command given? The fire dwelling in the bush was the direct Image of God, as referenced by v2 as “the angel of the LORD.” The bush was a Bearer of the Image. As Gregory the Theologian noted, the shoes are a sign of death, that which was a result of the Fall from Eden. Thus, to be present even before a Bearer of the Image of God is to be on holy ground which demands respect, putting off one’s own way to enter into something set apart.

The inability to respond to a simple request as a sign of respect, after numerous reminders, is a clear sign of disrespect. To think that you can just walk into someone else’s space and do whatever you want is denying their dignity as a fellow person. That the slightest inconvenience to you as a guest is seen as an affront to you or treated with indifference shows that you believe you and your cultural norms are superior to those of your host. This superiority denies that this other person also reflects the image of God and claims that somehow your own image is a clearer reflection.

Many people are wondering what to do in response to the communal awakening and acknowledgement of AAPI hate and violence. I propose an easy first step — show some respect and take off your shoes before entering an Asian household. From there, you can move on to ever deeper layers of solidarity and mutuality. Disrespect in the small things, regardless of being through indifference or antagonism, is the ground cover in the forest of White supremacy.

mammon

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:35:13 -0400

who is mammon
but the beast who devours flesh
that which seeks
to deface the image of God

who is mammon
but the king of property
offering temptation
in exchange for fresh life

who is mammon
but the great objectifier
power to transform
life into meaningless bits

who is mammon
but the man who believes
that a piece of rock
is worth more than the thief who steals

depart from me
for I was hungry, and you said I was lazy and took away my food stamps
I was thirsty, and you poisoned my water with lead and gas
I was a refugee, and you built a wall to keep me out
naked, and you masturbated at my image
a criminal, and you demanded that I lay dying in the streets

parables: judas

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 12:28:18 -0400

Reclining at the dinner table with Jesus and other disciples, Judas saw a woman enter into the room. In shock, he watched as the woman annointed Jesus with expensive oil, worth an entire year’s wages. What a waste! Has this woman not heard anything of what Jesus has taught? What need is there for beauty when the Kingdom of God is at hand? Didn’t Jesus just teach about giving to the poor? How could He just accept this? We could have sold this and used the money for better things! Judas frowned with indignation.

Jesus looked over at him and then spoke to the room, “Do not judge her. The poor you will always need to care for, but I will not be with you for much longer.”

Judas rolled his eyes. Jesus and his mind reading again. You’d think he put his skills to better use than just sitting around.

As Jesus and the other disciples continued to dine and laugh, Judas grew more sullen. No one else seems to be understanding the message of Jesus and that He is the Messiah. How can we be caring for the poor if we aren’t rich? How can we be caring for the weak if we aren’t powerful?

A thought ocurred to Judas. Maybe I need to help Jesus fulfill His mission by putting Him into a position where He has to use His power!

Judas slipped off into the brisk night to find the authorities. Finally, the time has come. As he negotiated the details of how to arrest Jesus, Judas figured that he might as well get paid! This is the real Kingdom work that none of the other disciples are willing to do – plus we can always give some of this money to the poor, he thought as he walked off with thirty pieces of silver.

In the midst of darkness, Judas approached Jesus and his fellow disciples, greeting Jesus with a kiss and a wink, “Rabbi, now is your time! The Kingdom of God is here!”

Jesus smiled softly as the commotion of the lynching mob descended upon Him.

Judas watched in expectation as Peter drew a sword and struck a man – yet Jesus stopped him.

Judas stood confused as Jesus was led away. Ah, I guess Jesus is waiting for a bigger crowd.

Judas followed Jesus to observe his trial before the Sanhedrin. Surely now.

A rising, anxious feeling began to situate upon Judas as he stood in the crowd that mocked Jesus before Pilate. This has to be the moment! Look at the size of the crowd. Now everyone will know of Jesus’ power.

As Jesus was crucified, each strike of a hammer into a nail brought Judas lower to the ground. A group of people around him mocked Jesus. “Surely, if He was the Son of God, He could bring himself down from the Cross!” Judas could barely watch, but the eyes of Jesus scanned across the chasm and found him, gazing lovingly at him with sorrow. Judas wept. Lord, is this not your time? Is the Kingdom of God not at hand?

white / male supremacy

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 01:13:44 -0400

Chanequa Walker-Barnes (adapting prior work by Andrea Smith) drew a framework on four pillars of White supremacy: Commodification, Extermination, Demonization, Indoctrination. Commodification is the process of exploiting people for their labor. Extermination is killing people or their cultural mitosis. Demonization is marking people as an other and enemy. Indoctrination is when people are forced to assimilate and adopt the supremacist culture. I posture that this framework can be more broadly utilized to reference any form of supremacy.

While many have drawn connections as to how White supremacy may have played a role in a White, Evangelical man (whom I purposefully refuse to name here) targeting massage parlors with Asian workers and murdering eight people, the murderer specifically gave his reason: “sex addiction.”

As a former and recovering addict, there are two clear things that are off:

Anyone who has gone through any recovery program likely has heard of the 12 steps, the first being on acknowledging personal powerlessness over the problem. This man instead sought to enact power over others and blame them for his own failure.
When Jesus mentions in Matthew 5 that “if your right eye” or “right hand” causes one to sin, it is better to cut it off than for the whole body to perish — he clearly is not instructing people to destroy others. Matthew 15:19 is direct: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.”

Misogyny and toxic masculinity are just different sides of the coin of male supremacy (which seems a more relatable word than patriarchy which is used by scholars). Misogyny is how women are commodified, exterminated, and demonized. Toxic masculinity is how men enact misogyny upon themselves, refusing to acknowledge their God-given capacity for empathy and nurturing. Just as White supremacy is built upon a myth of “not a single drop of color” — male supremacy is built upon the lie that man is the exact opposite of anything associated with woman.

The White, Evangelical man? He had commodified women, either virtually or physically from his use of porn and seeking sex workers. He had demonized women, seeing them as the enemy and the source of his problems. Finally, he acted from the position as a male supremacist to kill women that he did know. It is not a stretch to see how his chosen venues of murder were also directly tied with having commodified Asian women, demonizing Asian women, and finally seeking to kill Asian women. There is no evidence that any of people killed were sex workers nor are all sex workers Asian (the latter being another conversation on the fetishization and exploitation of Asian women). After attacking three separate Asian massage parlors, his next move was to go to another state to continue his rampage on similar locations. Yet other, very explicit “porn industry” related businesses nearby were not targeted.

In many ways, as a Taiwanese American, feel numb to this violence and yet another sign to how white supremacy is a culture of death. But as a man, I also know that I have a role in dismantling male supremacy in myself and then in the world around me. Justice and healing always begins with ourselves.

St. Joseph, pray for us, especially men to serve and love as you did. St. Mary, pray for us, especially Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Paul Andre Michels, the other four women who were killed, and any people who have been exploited for sex. Jesus, have mercy on us sinners.

the mother of creativity

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:16:02 -0500

The proverb is one many of us know: “necessity is the mother of invention.” Yet within this proposed axiom lies a darker truth – that chaos is what ushers forth creation. This myth is as old as human history, with the Enūma Eliš recounting how the desecration of Tiamat, a goddess and mother who represents chaos, gives birth to the creation of the heavens and the earth, the rivers and the stars.

Yet in the account of Genesis, we see how creation takes place not because of chaos, but because of an outpouring of love. As the Trinitarian Creator spoke, “it was good.” Man was created not to serve the gods, but because God’s love overflowed to those made in His image. Soon after, of course, man created the first clothes. The need? They were naked. The cause? Having acted to separate themselves from their Creator. The means? Through destroying the life of a fellow creature to attempt atonement.

Alfred North Whitehead, an English mathematician and philosopher, wrote that “necessity is the mother of futile dodges.” What comes through “necessity” is not true creativity, but a shadow. Beauty and love are not born through chaos, but beget by Love itself.

This truth is sadly non-resonant within the very communities that claim to follow the loving, creative God. A “dignity of work” is twisted into a “dignity of suffering, struggling to put food on the table while working multiple jobs, being sucked into a whirlwind of debt, living on the edge of chaos.” If man has no need, then would he not live a life of laziness? If man is not forced to work, then would he not simply be a drain on society?

This line of thinking strikes against the justice of God, who created with interdependence embedded into to the source code of life. We must rely upon the rest of creation for sustenance, we must rely upon one another for support, we must rely upon the Creator for salvation. It is only through this interdependence, this common love, this foundation of support that we are able to create further beauty.

In our current era, the dignity of being must be made explicit. Human life is sacred, from conception to natural death and all the parts in between. We live in a consumerist, competitive world that thrives on chaos and sees it as a form of beauty (see the side hustle and the gig economy), but chaos only begets more chaos and death. We know its impact on our lives, our friends, our communities – how many GoFundMe campaigns have we seen for basic needs, including healthcare?

The time for an unconditional, universal basic income is now. Studies after studies have shown the efficacy of universal basic income in improving the quality of life, the quality of being for families, and especially children. From Pope Francis to Mitt Romney, leaders around the world see the value of unconditional payments for the common good. People don’t work more, they work better – choosing to try new opportunities or spend time on the things we really say matter but devalue financially such as caring for family.

Unconditional basic income begets the dignity of being. And this unconditional love for our fellow humans, our common humanity, will be the mother of new beauty and creativity.

a shared mythology

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:55:15 -0500

How does a country whose revolution, inception, and existence are intertwined with sin, do any good? How does a country whose mythology is built upon lies and misconceptions find a common story? Ibram X. Kendi proposes that denial is the “heartbeat of America.” And in eviscerating this denial, what remains? Or as the Aspen Institute asks, “who is us?”

We likely all know the oft-repeated slogans. No taxation without representation! A country of immigrants founded upon principles of freedom and equality. The greatest democracy in the world. In every lie, there is a kernel of truth. How do we begin to process that our revolution was for refusing taxes for national defense while trying to infringe upon indigenous land? Or that embedded within our Constitution is a clause delineating that Black people are less than human? Or that throughout our history we have sought to disenfranchise those who were deemed as others or to keep them out entirely or to violate treaties made with those who already resided on the land?

We are a country that both developed a vaccine for polio and utilize non-consensual cell lines of Black people and aborted children to develop new medicines. We are a country that stood against the rise of fascism in the world while fostering racism at home. We are a country that says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,” while passing the Chinese Exclusion Act. We are a country that has developed incredible technological innovation while devouring natural resources around the world to expand the bottom line. We are a country which has brokered peace deals amongst warring nations while having some of the greatest gun violence in the world on our own soil.

From all of this we can indeed find our common story – we are a country of innovators. Pioneers. Explorers. None of these facets are a moral good, and so often they have been twisted for demonstrable harm and evil. These qualities are also not exclusive to America, but they are the soul of our country.

America is filled with so many generations of those who moved to start something new, to build a better life for their families. Too often, this has resulted in the erasure of cultures past – whether by oneself or systematic violence. As spoken by Dr. Jose P. Rizal, “A person who does not look back to where he came from would not be able to reach his destination.” We must never forget where we came from. We must never forget Whom we came from. Only from these points can we begin to take on the audacious task of building a true multicultural society that carries forward a culture of life for all of its people to the ends of the world. Despite all of the fallen nature of our country’s founders and foundation, this is our call: to be innovators of new and beautiful things rooted upon justice and mercy.

I’m consistently amazed / dismayed at the torturous logic used to justify violence against black…

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 08:55:00 -0400

I’m consistently amazed / dismayed at the torturous logic used to justify violence against black bodies. With all of the imaginative power used, how does it never cross the mind that even a single moment of empathy (aka, what if I or a friend was in this situation) would change the entire perspective of the situation? All the colorblind folk have no problem seeing color – they are just blind to their own.

banality of violence

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:04:04 -0400

We would like to believe that the world is dichotomous – a constant struggle between Good vs Evil. The world is easier to understand in these stark categories. Pure Goodness must mean there is Pure Evil; I must be in the forces of Light battling the forces of Darkness.

This Dualism, however comforting, is a heresy. The term banality of evil was proposed by Hannah Arendt, a Jewish philosopher, on the evil of a Nazi SS leader. Evil was not simply deeply manifested, but occurred through seemingly, uninteresting series of decisions. Ruha Benjamin spoke about a concept of bureaucratic violence when the family of Tamir Rice received an ambulance bill from the city government for their son who was murdered by city police officers.

A flawed understanding of theology is that we all have a little Nazi inside of us – that evil is simply waiting to manifest inside each and every one of us. A fuller understanding is that we all have the capability of doing violence, even through a series of banal decisions. The question of Evil can be understood as a distortion of Good. How often are evil, sinful acts interpreted, in the moment, as evil or sinful? The cleverness of the Serpent was the thread of truth within the Lie – “You will gain knowledge of good and evil”; “You are just doing your job.”

With the murder of Daniel Prude, one can see, in the aftermath, how a series of banal decisions that may seem easily justifiable in the moment are, in reality, deeply problematic. A note in red letters to change documentation on Daniel Prude that just says, “make him a suspect.” Language that euphemizes violence such as “stabilize the individual on the ground” and “the officers’ actions and conduct … appear to be appropriate and consistent with their training.” Emails trying to delay release of body cam footage to avoid “misinterpretation.” Lies about an “enormous backlog of work” to explain the delay.

This is how systemic violence often occurs – not through deliberate intentions of evil, but unexamined intentions of good. One lie leading to another. One person’s banal action setting up another’s. One person’s silence permitting the violence of another. This is what it means to be complicit, and it is well within the capability of any of us to participate.

An honest question lies regarding the consequences to an individual who has participated in communal violence – can they be held personally responsible for any single action? Can anyone? Too often, we search for a scapegoat in the demand for justice, while none of the cogs of banality have changed. A sense of filial fallibility or culpability is likely just – leaders should be held accountable for how their leadership has permitted (or encouraged) such actions. However, what we must realize is that the real consequence occurs beyond the individual and to an entire community – a cultural separation from God.

Pope Francis has focused attention on how pervasive a Culture of Death exists amongst us. The murder of someone innocent is obvious. Even the murder of someone who is guilty is now also understood to be a part of the Culture of Death. The banal and bureaucratic violence exists as a foundation to these more explicit forms of violence. The Culture of Death is nourished by euphemistic language that dehumanizes violence; it is cultivated by a focus on self-protection instead of self-sacrifice. It exists because we justify little lies, distortions of truth, as a means to an end.

In the end, we are all held accountable for our actions. We are not exempt from unintended consequences of our actions. We must pursue a Culture of Life and our individual actions play a role in the development of such a culture. The first battle rages within ourselves, that we choose love over banal distortions. At the same time, we must remember that the responsibility is also beyond the individual. This is a communal responsibility to create and hold accountable systems to work for Life.

cognitive dissonance (and the barrier to reparations)

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 09:13:38 -0400

Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. And when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Yesterday, I experienced an incident where a co-worker stated, “I don’t understand this, it looks like Chinese to me.” I just froze, and then (to my dismay) tried to ignore it.

This is an experience of Othering that I became numb to from past experience, and I have sought to become more cognizant of this kind of behavior.

However, what I deeply appreciated of this co-worker was that they immediately caught themselves and followed-up with, “I shouldn’t have said that.” Since then, the co-worker has also apologized.

When we do something that was wrong, why is it so hard for us to confess wrongdoing?

The co-worker actually is married to someone of Asian descent (intentionally vague for anonymity). What we have seen in recent times are people using family / friends as a cover for wrongdoing. “I couldn’t have said that.. I couldn’t have done that.. I’m definitely not… Because I am married to.. Because I have a friend who is.. Because.. Because.."

What does having daughters or a wife have to do with a man doing a sexist act? What does having a black friend or husband have to do with doing a racist act?

We use our past, our friends, our families as shields to defend and justify ourselves. We see an image of ourselves as one person which is in contradiction to that action we took. We see ourselves in relation to others which is in contradiction to the action that could be harmful to others. I’m thankful that my co-worker apologized without invoking any of this.

Confession sets us free. I am so grateful to be Catholic and have the sacrament of reconciliation – it is truly a grace that God has provided as the pathway to once again be in right relationship with Him, and with others.

Why then, do we struggle to confess personal wrongdoings? Why do we struggle to confess corporate wrongdoings?

To admit wrongdoing is to destroy the ego. To confess is to die to self.

It only takes another step to see the same behavior from institutions and those within them. We see an image of our country in contradiction to its history. We see an image of the Church in contradiction to its Mother and its Foundation.

The struggle to confess seems to be situated upon a cognitive dissonance and a belief that "good works” and past righteousness are atonement for wrongdoing. What does having done many “good works” have to do with a man doing a sinful act? What does having done many “good works” have to do with a country having harmed others? St. Basil, on his discourse On Justice and Mercy, stated, “If you give alms to the poor after you have despoiled them of their goods, it were better for you neither to have taken nor given.” It doesn’t matter how many “good things” someone does, sin is separation from God. It doesn’t matter how many “good things” America has done, harmful actions still need to be addressed. And if unaddressed, it was better to not have done the “good things” at all.

At the end of the sacrament of reconciliation, the person confessing is called to true repentance in making amends and reparations for wrongdoing. The quicker we are to confess, the quicker we are to find healing. The sacrament of reconciliation is a true gift of grace from God to renew right relationships. Only then can we even begin to discuss making amends and reparations.