out on a limb

North
I’ve been fortunate to explore the Northeast in my time in the States; it’s a totally different world. It’s a gruff-fast-savvy-modern-classic-massive. People say what they mean and mean what they say, and if you’re in the way…you cop a spray. People move quickly, talk quickly, work quickly, live quickly, everything seems to happen in double time. It’s also a hub for savvy types to show off their land, wheels, shades or loft. The new is constantly turning up, new buildings, new companies, new toys, new people; fighting for space alongside the old, the local, the resident. Everything here is slightly massive; from egos to food prices, to skyscrapers and corporations, this is the land of big and bigger.

The seasons visit here, every single year; wind & snow in the winter, sweat & thunder in the summer. This culture is more liberated than the other aspects of the country which still cling to puritan rites of passage; yet it’s not totally liberal either, with capitalist giants basing themselves here and politiking from across the globe happening in this backyard. It’s heavily influenced by Euro culture, and is the home of the traditional euro emigrant trying to make a new life in the land of opportunity. It’s a multicultural melting pot, with communities of people from across the world all converging in the one region, looking for their own slice of the dream, and unlike the west coast, most visitors end up planning to stay.

South
An experience in total contrast would be a trip from the northeast to the South.Home of all the great American traditions; nascar, coke, shrimp gumbo, the klu klux klan, oil, chik-fil-a, pick up trucks, NRA, hooters, the Malboro Man, the religious right, Sonic Burger, chicken fried steak, and lets not forget my old mate, President Bush. This is classic America; wide open spaces, slow moving lives, puritan traditions, high school pep rallies. Conservatism at it’s best is on display here. Church and religiosity are as much aligned with the civic culture as they are about the movement of Jesus. There is an underlying suspicion of the outside world, especially those liberals who inhabit the two coasts, or anyone who is not a patriot, or won’t support the troops. The military is probably the biggest single employer of high school graduates, so it makes sense that most people here are going to support the troops, regardless of the cause, because Uncle Sam is paying the bills.

For me the south was a total paradox; you have this culture of moral values; God, family and country. Hospitality, generosity & even sacrifice for the greater good abound here. You can’t fault that, no matter cynical you’ve become, and in the south you can’t miss these values, they meet you in every door way, every interaction with people. Yet running parallel is the conservative political climate, focused on propping up big money in healthcare, war materials and oil, maintaining control through conservatism. It’s undergirded by the subtle but obvious sense of suspicion about African-Americans left over from the civil war/civil rights saga, and an overt, imperialist mindset about the role of America as a light to the nations. It’s strange to me that so many of the good old boys who sacrificed to protect the freedom of the south end up begging for money on highway exits on the west coast. I’ve always been baffled by the south; some of the nicest, most sincere and humble people I’ve ever met hail from there. Yet it’s paradox is that it seems a breeding ground for some of the most insular thinking I’ve seen.
Nice to visit.
Not sure how long I could stay.
As they say in a land more familiar, may God bless America.
God help the rest…

So today is independence day; the day America celebrates the best of being American, remembering that for a least one more year, she and her inhabitants are the most influential, powerful and prosperous nation on the planet. Churches this week have been declaring the pledge of allegiance during services (offering up scary comparisons with the Roman empire). Newspapers and talk show hosts debate what it means to be a patriot and why it’s important for a presidential candidate to wear a flag pin everywhere. Ordinary Americans clash over whether or not it’s appropriate to be ashamed of military crimes and an unjust, never-ending war; or if as a true citizen, one should always be proud of the troops, regardless of the conflict or it’s methods.

With my departure from this gargantuan empire only hours away, I thought it might be time for a serious of posts on the American empire. In the coming days I hope to provide reflections on some of the cities I’ve visited, comments on sport, politics and food. I wanted to also write on culture, but after 2 years of traveling the States and interacting with her inhabitants I’ve realized that she represents many cultures and is a coalition and collision of values and ways of life. Here is the first of two posts on the divided cultures of the United States.

The Pacific Northwest
I’ve not spent nearly as much time in these parts as I would have liked. For me this includes parts of Northern California, Oregon and Washington State. I have to admit, I like the vibe of this place. Much less developed than other regions, this stretch of the States is bordered by the amazing Pacific Ocean with all her delights on one side, and seemingly never-ending mountain ranges to the east. The culture is liberal-retro-hippy-chilled out-savvy-organic. It’s Liberal in that most of the population has moved here at some point to escape the right-wing religious and political frenzy that dominates other aspects of the nation. People love their beer, yet not all are alcoholics. It’s retro in that life is tranquil here, the cities are sustainable and underdeveloped, there is tones of free space and not much concrete. The wood and snow that dominates the scenery for much of the year also creates a slightly hippy feel, and the abundance of independent cafes and thrift stores add to the feel. While the pace is slightly slower, the community life much less frantic and neurotic than other places, the region is remarkably savvy, embracing technology and even being a hub for it in the case of Washington State. It’s also a place where you’ll find quality, organic foods, alongside the processed versions. My ideal community.

California & Las Vegas
The hub of music, film, TV, celebrity, people trafficking, artistry, California & Las Vegas represent their own set of values that are broadcast not only to the remaining states but also to the world. This is a narcisstic-open ended-spiritual-copycat-liberal-exploitation-independent culture. Narcissistic in that these are the centres of the good time, the binge empire (be it binging in drinking, drugs, cosmetics, fashion, surgery) and the kingdom of self. You realize pretty quickly that while everyone in this culture is open to being your friend, most will redefine friendship to what others would call an acquaintance. The loneliest places in America are also projected as the most fun places in America. Everyone is from somewhere else, and everyone is going somewhere else, be it skid row or south Malibu. It’s an incredible place of spiritual openness and brokenness, with shattered lives begging for help on every corner and a smorgasbord of cults, charities and clubs for the elite. It’s a transmitter of culture, but not as some contend, a creator of culture. It’s the hub of the copycat, where subtle changes are mass-produced and marketed to the masses. It’s liberal, independent, freethinking and free choosing. It’s also tragically a centre of exploitation; underpaid migrants largely fulfill the working class duties of the city, while sex workers are trafficked in from across the planet, and starry-eyed-celebrity wannabes work their way through the pecking order of SAG, sound stages and starbucks for the bosses. This is the best of America and the worst of America all rolled into one; the opportunity and hostility, the intimacy and the isolation, the destructive brokenness and the brokenness becoming art are all here. Delightful and deadly.

Tomorrow-the Northeast and the South

I been in several conversations recently regarding the nature of human fidelity; there seems to be a new rush of people desperate to prove that humans are not meant for committed relationships. It stems from a belief that we’re better suited to have soul mates/companions and then separate, ever changing sexual partners. Were we meant to sow our seeds, to experience life with many companions? Is marriage & life-long commitments for the old fashioned? Stories float out of cities like NYC and Tokyo declaring that fidelity is dead, and the husbands and wives are now happy to swap, trade and move on; have we finally evolved to free sexuality?

The New York Times previously released an article documenting the prevalence of spouse swapping and multiple partners among high-flying execs. Mating clubs, online communities and underground services all propagate the multiple partner phenomenon. The services are easy to use, and open to anyone who wants to experience life with multiple partners. I was interested to see most of their examples came from in from the super cities of Tokyo, London and NYC. Fats moving places where the next big thing is everything; not excluding relationships apparently.

The increase in marriage age, combined with online dating and the fact that most of us are living more individualized lives than ever means that many of us are well into the late 20’s early 30’s territory before we ever find ourselves living with spouse. Until that time we’re evaluating all the options, looking for the best deal, the right one, often wondering if it’s even worth it to settle down. Surely our consumer mentality has infected the way we do relationships; we don’t want to buy the current version only to find out a better one will come along next year. So we keep our options open as long as possible, and let ourselves go window-shopping every once in while.

Are we progressing from the window-shopping stage to the inter-changeable stage, where we view relationships from a functional point of view? If yes, is that really ok? To be using people to our advantage, letting them do the same thing to us and meanwhile keeping our options permanently open? Is it really natural and as convenient as we think? It saves us having to tame our roving instincts or be stuck in a relationship we want to get out of; one step beyond a pre-nuptial agreement.

I have come to the shocking conclusion that I don’t think we were made to be unfaithful. Yes, I realize in saying that, we all do it; it being when we let our hearts wander, or find ourselves attracted to others that we haven’t made commitments too. I don’t think that is proof that we have evolved to the point of dispensing with life long partners however. I reckon that’s crap.

I could offer many arguments as to why I disagree, but one that for me, trumps them all. The pain that results from infidelity and the all-consuming power of jealousy, tells me it’s not how we function best. It hurts way too much to say it’s natural. Losing a partner is like losing a limb. Regardless of your view on relationships, monogamy and sexuality, most people will agree that sexual relationships involve a chemical, physical and even spiritual connection like no other. Some kind of transaction takes place between two people, and even in the cheapest of situations it still seems to be an amazing thing. The depth of emotion surrounding those affected by betrayal and affairs speaks to me in a way that most arguments cannot. Hearts are shattered, lives are turned upside down, and I am yet to meet a person who agrees that the affair they had was a great decision. Usually it takes them and those they love to a point of no return. Marriage may not be the best option for everyone, but infidelity and the chaos that ensues seems like a poor alternative.

RM: We talk about the connection between creativity and spirituality a lot at Mosaic, but it’s sometimes tough for us to unpack what it actually means; it seems you’ve figured it out?

JH: God speaks to people in dreams and visions, image, colour and shape; so it’s not too tough to believe that if I actually seek God, he might give me shapes and colours that actually mean something to people. Artists have the power to be prophetic; when you are the creator of all shape and colour, he can give a specific image for a specific group of people.

RM: The church was at the cutting edge of art once upon a time; do you think our insularity suffocated our relevance? Because we can’t say that Christ-Followers are even among the world leaders in art can we?

JH: Artists are not being empowered or given a voice unfortunately. Art’s been put in a box called the world, and we can’t go near that box because of what it might do to us, how it might taint us. That’s pretty sad. You know I’m actually creating a website about Christ that is told totally through art and stories. Because the Jesus on the internet and in the art world is not radiant or beautiful; he is either ridiculed, or he is sorrowful and sedentary. We’ve always been afraid of the web because of the evil there, the pornography and everything else. But you know we can mastered by the web, or we can master it. It’s the same with art; we can be mastered by it or we can become masters of it. So that’s my next goal, to create online, artistic space that leaves people reconsidering who Jesus is. I’m out to reclaim the beauty of Christ on the internet. You know art isn’t going away and the internet is not going away, so we need to figure out how to engage it. Art is such a powerful, prophetic voice that the church has not allowed to speak for a long time.

RM: So people will reconsider who Jesus is online?

JH: Yeah it’s going to be a combination of art, video and media. I’m still trying to raise money and we’re in the planning stages; but it will be a roll of art, and as you click on a piece, the artists story will be told somehow. The story of what Jesus has done, how he influenced their art. Each person represents a journey to Christ, through meaning or intimacy or destiny. Because so many people are online every day, their hearts are online every day and they’re filling their hearts with evil; their secrets take them to the wrong place. We’re creating a new place.

RM: Awesome, original idea. How important is originality in what you do?

JH: I accumulate things that I like; colours, pieces, ideas. I’ve got a treasure chest of things that mean something to me, graphics, websites…whatever. The problem for me is when someone actually comes with a specific idea; we want it to be like this! For instance, with the soul cravings book, my goal was to create something that people will actually pick up in a book store because of how it looks. I wandered around, checking out what was there and saw all these books with bold prints and white covers and bad pictures. So it was gloss black, to be different and grab attention because of how light hits it and reflects off. Erwin loved it, and he actually added the thumbprint. For me, originality is about asking “where is everyone going and how can I capture their attention as they go?” Sometimes that means I go further, push the boundaries, and other times it means turning around and going in opposite directions. I always think of Noah. You know it had never rained when he built that ark. And people probably had boats, but nothing like that. God gave him a design, but he had to build it and it had never been done. He had to have faith to be original; that’s how creativity ties in with faith, you must believe that God has your back. God provides the design and we take the steps to see it birthed…it doesn’t mean that if we pray it just happens. The boat still needed to be constructed.So it’s like God provides the idea, the timing and the people who will benefit from it; he is already working, already aware of the people and their secrets and he includes you in the process.

RM: So then the creative process is a choice between ego or others; but it can’t be both?

JH: I say be a sponge and soak it all up. Observe. I love that word, it’s what I tell artists to do. Observe people and things and images and colours. We’re constantly taking in the things we like, but the goal is to serve; to point people to Christ. You know Hebrews says make every effort to be a peace with people and be holy; because without holiness no-one will see the Lord. I live in that tension of others and holiness. Relevance is observing what people are like, understanding why they’re like that, but then connecting it to holiness. You have to hold onto holiness, otherwise they miss God. So you take every opportunity to be as good as people in the world, to develop your skills and talents. But there has to be something different about what you produce, otherwise they don’t ever see God, they’re never pointed to Christ. But, in doing that…you have to be at peace with people; not so distinct and removed, that they can’t ever connect with what you create. When art is prideful, you sacrifice everything to be at peace with people. That’s not right. It must have an edge. It must point people to something, deeper, bigger. To Christ.

I’ve ahd the chance to interact with some awesome people during the past 2 years at Mosaic Los Angeles; one of them is Joby Harris, who oversees all of the visual art at Mosaic. This is part I of an interview we did late last year.

RM: Joby can you tell us what the creative process looks like for you, how it plays out?

JH: Well I produce art for our gatherings at Mosaic. A good example I guess is the Christmas series we have coming up…for me the artwork I produce comes out of the title I get given. The subject matter comes from Mosaic’s navigators, and so I source as much info from them as I can get, I have to be proactive about that. I’m looking to capture in an image what the series is about. I guess I think in terms of films; the art posters they produce that capture the film. What I’m creating, it’s a teaser to get people thinking and feeling before they even hear a message; like a good trailer for a movie you want to go see it, even though the clip is only a minute long. So for me details are secondary. I’m asking can this series be communicated in one piece? Can the art and title grab the attention of people like a good movie trailer or poster will?

RM: Do you need stimulus for that, or is your brain always moving with ideas?

JH: Yeah I always come back to this verse in 1 Cor 14 that’s kind of the foundation of all I do, where Paul says that people keep secrets in their hearts; that God is able to reveal those secrets, if we’re willing to seek him out. So I’ll take a series I’m working on and look at it’s about, and really pray that I’ll design an image that connects with and draws out the secrets in people’s hearts. I want to tap into those with what I create. Because there is unspoken things in people’s lives that this series and these pieces of art can draw out; people look at and say I resonate with that, or agree with that, even before they sometimes know why. Because God is working through it, tapping into the things that are unspoken.

RM: Do you find art draws out your secrets?

JH: Totally. I resonate with colours and shapes and images that make me feel a certain way; so I actually try to stay away from the literal image…or from telling people what they should think, as I see some churches doing. I’m trying to bring people into the event, letting them bring their own experiences to the art that they see. My experience with art is that colour and shape actually affect people’s moods. So I don’t put too much meaning into it, I want to get people’s attention long enough to give them something they hold onto. And as their life experiences change, they see the art as a reference point and Mosaic as an option in their life increases. It’s like credit card ads; they send you tonnes of ads, more than you need, not because they think you’re needing it but because they know your life experiences will change. So when your car breaks down you think “maybe I need a credit card” and bang there is a letter right there somewhere. I want my art to be like that. I’m putting a seed in people’s hearts; that Mosaic is here, so long as they hold onto the card, we’re an option for them. The deeper the connection to the art, the longer they hold on. I guess I also focus on creating art that hints at a literal meaning, rather than literal art which is giving it all away.

RM: Do you think art doesn’t exist without people connecting to it?

JH: Yeah a lot of people create because they feel they have something within them that needs to be expressed, but it’s wasted; no-one ever sees it or gets it the way they want them too. So they blame their audience; but I’ll say it’s bad art. They claim the viewer has to understand what’s happening in the artist; I think the artist needs to see what’s happening in the people. Art shouldn’t be inwardly focused, wanting to be understood; art is outwardly focused, speaking to the needs and secrets of the audience, the people.

RM: So you’re wanting to understand others as you create?

JH: Art is prideful. It makes people work hard to understand where you’re coming from; and if they never get it, they never understand it and it’s their fault. There is an arrogance to that. People pick and choose. Like in Perth, Australia recently I was at an arts festival. People were walking around, locals going from booth to booth; they wanted desperately to understand the art and enjoy it. But there was such an arrogance about the art, they couldn’t figure it out, even though they were so wanting to. So with art there is this opportunity to create something that resonates with people and taps into their hearts. It takes thinking of others as you create; I’m not creating for myself anymore, I’m creating for others.

So I have been harbouring a secret ambition for a few years now. It started when I visited this fine place, soaking up the vibe, guzzling down the wine and delighting in all the fine products, their art, their food, their music and their cities

I want to be Italian.

I love Italian food; the rich cheeses, the amazing vegetables, the delicious pastas & pizzas. I heart gelato, and little gelato carts that line the streets of their cities, always popping up whenever my stomach craves it. Italian is my favourite food to eat, my favourite thing to cook, my favourite to celebrate with and indulge in. I love their liquids; peroni beer, pelligrino water, red wine, lambrusco, all of it is delightful.

I will also admit, rather sheepishly, that I am a sucker for fashion. Italians have style. Their silk rocks. So does their leather, their denim, the cuts and the styles. In fact just about everything they make is sweet. If I could afford it, I would wear nothing else.

I love the cities, from the breezy sea-side Brindisi, the cultural epicentre that is Florence, the sprawling, sinking streets of Venice, and the history, chaos and adventure to be had in Rome.

So my secret is out. I can probably never forgive them for cheating Australia out of the soccer world cup in 2006; but I am happy to live in hypocrisy. If I can, I will live there one day. Until then, expect to be served Italian if you come to my house for food. And don’t give me crap if you see me drinking Pelligrino.

So keeping with the theme of the last few posts, and in light of surging fuel prices & ridiculous charges to check-in bags, I thought it might be time to do an airline review. I’ll start with the worst…

United are without a doubt, the scummiest, cheapest, dirtiest, nastiest airline in the world. I have no idea how they still exist, because they overcharge and under-deliver. They are the McDonalds of the air travel world; ubiquitous, profitable, hitting the lowest-common-denominator, generally disgusting. Fly at your own peril…or if for some reason, Afghani Air are all booked out.

Having said that, American Airlines ay actually be worse; they now charge to check in luggage, which is code for “we are money hungry mongrels who can’t actually run a business properly.” They are just as crummy as united but for some reason, seem to treat people just a little better. Which makes a difference.

Delta seem to get a bad wrap in the states, but I think they’re a decent airline. Not brilliant, but no fuss, friendlier staff than other airlines and a decent price. They also fly places others seem unwilling to go too, like the Middle East and Africa. Fly them if you can. Alaskan Airlines are a great option if you’re flying on the west coast of the USA; they fly everywhere over there, very often. Simple, efficient and economically viable, fly them if you can too.

Then there is Virgin America. Ah…May…Zing. They are cheaper than any other airline. They have leather seats in economy. They give you a touch screen TV, with movies, cable TV, music and all kinds of stuff. I am writing this on one fo their planes, because they have power sockets in every seat, and I plugged my laptop in. Oh, and they have a little bit of extra room in them, which is just amazing if you’re a larger person (my shoulders are actually too broad for the standard seat…tragedy I know).

In terms of internationals; Luftansa is the worst I’ve ever sat in. Cramped. Very cramped. Bad food. Annoying little hosts waking you up way too early and asking if you want tea. Don’t do it people. Garuda Indonesia were pretty good, bringing us food and drink non-stop on the way to Bali. But then again, they did just lose a few people when they crashed last year, so maybe think before you book that flight.

I’ve been pretty fond of Qantas as an airline overall, especially their long-haul service where they are tough to beat. The food is decent for a plane, they usually can get the personal entertainment systems working, they have friendly staff and clean, modern planes. However, they also charge out the wazoo, especially on the US-Australia route where they often get away with making Australians pay double what Americans pay. Of late they seem to be a company that is losing it’s human ethos and swapping it out for a bumper salary for executives. They also killed off Ansett and Compass. But at least they’re better than united.

Anyway, they are my airline stories. Share yours if you want.

Caroline mentioned today that one of her favorite things about traveling is meeting up with old friends in new places. We were lucky enough to be in New York City this week, and today was perhaps the most amazing day as we shared breakfast with our Columbian padre, Omar, in Jersey City. It’s been almost a year since we first met Omar (actually since I met caroline too, seeing as they were part of the same group of Mosaic Interns!) Rekindling the friendship in a new setting was heaps of fun. Then we skipped under the Hudson River for lunch in Central Park with our Hawaiian pal, Neil Nakamoto. What a treat to connect with two awesome people in such amazing places.

I have to confess, that while I enjoy meeting old friends in new places, I have something I love even more. I have a personal theory that new cities, countries, villages are so much fun when they’re being discovered at the same time as new people are being discovered. Some of my richest adventures have been with brand new friends in brand new settings. Living in a foreign nation for a while has convinced me that friendship is at the heart of what it means to be human; to live with others and journey makes life rich and fulfilling, even if it does bring it’s ups and downs. Not just physical journey, but the emotional journeys we travel, the development and learning journey we embark on. Again, I think we have something to learn about journey and friendship from our old mate Abraham.

As I’ve tried to understand the scriptures, I’ve come across this concept that intruiges and frustrates me; Mission in the Old Testament. It’s the idea that God is somehow working overtly and subversively through the people and places of the ancient Israel to connect with all of humanity. It kind of sounds ironic when you read various parts; at times it even seems sick to imagine that all the wars, slaughters, plunders and conquests of the times were actually about mission. It will have to rest with someone smarter than me to explain how a loving God, on a mission to woo humanity back to him, could work through a divinely sanctioned crusade. However, what is unmistakable to me is how the theme of humanity resounds through the story of Abraham like an echo in a cave.

Whenever Abraham is called to step out, to journey to a new place, the assumption underlying his adventures is not having a good time, taking a break for whatever it was that he did or recording some happy snaps; it was about blessing humanity. Yes, humanity. No nation, culture, race, sex or tribe is excluded; he is to be a blessing to the nations. He is the mouthpiece of the God who speaks. His adventures are wrapped around a mission, and that mission goes beyond him, beyond his people and culture and biases; it connects with those who could not possibly be more unlike him.

I wonder, if in our instinctive need to go walkabout, we also do well to have a sense of mission, a desire to be a blessing not a curse. Maybe even the simplest of journeys are laced with the potential of incredible realities, as we look past ourselves and step into the lives of others. Perhaps the question is not where am I going, but who am I walking with?

I’ve always loved to travel; my first time taking off in Qantas plane was one of the most exciting experiences I had as a kid. I must admit, I still get excited taking off 15 years later! I’ve traveled many parts of the earth, been privileged to live in big cities, and come from a country where 4 weeks of paid annual leave is deeply embedded in most job descriptions.

I have the travel bug…and it may be a spiritual condition…

Indigenous Australians have a tradition they call walkabout; the concept is simple. A person will announce to their family and tribe that they intend on going walkabout. Then will proceed to walk away, roaming the earth, with no agenda, no fixed destination and no return date. They are roaming the earth, seeking out its secrets, hoping for a mystical, spiritual, transcendent encounter along the way.

Australians love to travel; we are in some ways the most isolated nation in the world, roughly half a day from any other major city or continent. Yet Australians travel the world over because the walkabout ethos has captured our imaginations. We cannot be content with what we have seen and experienced thus far; we must search for more, explore the unknown and experience the unfamiliar.

I’ve been drawn repeatedly over the last 5 years to the stories of Abraham in the scriptures; I’ve always been struck at how bold, adventurous and obedient he was in stepping into the new thing God was doing when he called to leave all he had and become a wanderer. A walkabout. His journey was mystical…spiritual…full of transcendent encounters with one known only as the Lord God. Perhaps this ancient figure from another place has much to teach us about the re-discovery of the Australian walkabout. Maybe Abraham is our Father in a more profound way than we ever imagined.

Have you ever wondered if the travel bug, the inability to settle, the relentless pursuit of new experiences…journeys…cultures…was actually a core piece of what it means to be human…to be spiritual…on right terms with God? Have we reduced our faith to pulling up the drawbridge, protecting the kids and posturing for an onslaught…when we should have been roaming the earth, leaving the security of the familiar for the rush of the mystical? Doesn’t it say somewhere…that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…that’s what the ancients were commended for?

I was so intrigued by the chapter on abortion in this book; I spent some time in the homeland of Ceausescu in 1999, staying in the very unheated Romanian apartment buildings described in the book. I had no idea it was the beneficiaries of Ceausescuâs anti-abortion policy who ultimately saw him thrown from office and violently executed, making Romania’s transition from communism the most dramatic of all the former Soviet nations. Obviously the political climate of post-Soviet Romania is markedly different from that of late 20th century USA; however I find it slightly ironic that a ban on abortion led to a leaders execution in one part of the world, while it’s legalization in the USA was parallelled by a dramatic drop in crime. Thus support for abortions ensured the success of politicians and lawmakers who campaigned against it on one side of the world, while the lives saved by an anti-abortion policy provided the momentum for political revolution and a violent, public execution of the policy maker.

I take this startling statistic way back to Genesis, where Joseph said “you meant this for evil, but the Lord used it for good.” I can’t really bring myself to support widespread abortion; I understand it is a sensitive and often loaded issue which I don’t pretend to have an answer for. However I do concur with Levitts comment in Freakonomics that when a woman does not wish to bear a child, she usually has a good reason for it.

Interesting to me is how the culture of the United States has morphed through several crisis:
-The segregation policies

-The crack Cocaine epidemic

-The homocide epidemic

All of which seem to have declined as the abortion rate increased…It’s harrowing to wonder what might have ensued has a generation not been prevented from being born. What America would be like as a nation today, had the abortion rulings of Roe Vs Wade not been upheld by the supreme court?

What would the streets be like?

What would the emerging generation be defined by?

I also wonder what kind of humanity is being cultivated in the nations that legalize abortion; it seems to have short-circuited in some ways the downside to the sexual and information revolutions, hiding from us the cost of our choices. I wonder if future generations will have to make painful changes due to our lack of foresight, much in the same way our generation is having to face the realities of global warming, caused in large part by those generations who are passing or have already passed?

Freaky….