Imus in the morning, booboos big time.

I have been looking around the Christian world of internet, to see if anybody besides Rev. Sharpton is saying anything about this? And guess what, no. Why? I am bamboozled. I decided I would say something. How in the world is he just getting 2 weeks suspension? How have we become so bawdy and crass so freely over the airwaves? Doesn't anybody care? Are we afraid of being shot down for standing up for this? I know that racism still exists, its all around me. I hate it. And yet the monster rears its ugly head in me sometimes too. Its in our churches; and in lots of ways, even though it isn't spoken out loud its spoken silently and nonverbally. Its there.
Mr. Imus said out loud what probably a lot of people think. But that doesn't make it right. It is absolutely sad and maddening that it happened. I feel for the girls on the Rutgers Basketball team that were on the receiving end of the remark.

Idol Chatter at Belief Net says this about Mr. Imus.

Well now some of the advertisers have pulled their advertising from his show, As they say money talks, and may bring about more power than any other thing can.

Imus "has stolen a moment of pure grace from us," the captain of the Rutgers women's basketball team said Tuesday, responding to the uproar over the radio host's comments. The media is saying the team is handling it with class and dignity. But the effects are there.

Perhaps Mr. Imus brought out what is still alive in our country that needs to be confronted with God's grace and love. After all isn't this part of the Resurrection story and the story of the gospel? Lord heal our prejudices in this country. Help us to stop the name calling. Help us heal the division in our country. Help us to heal the division in our world.

If you don't know what Imus said, you can read it here.
Here is Imus on MSNBC

Easter Wisdom from a Target Cashier

I know, I know, many of you don't shop Target, but I do. Wednesday I was in there finishing up some Easter shopping for the kids, and shopping for upcoming birthdays. (They had a sale going.) At the checkout counter, I started the usual friendly chatter with the cashier. She was a young girl and a new hire. I mentioned to her why I bought all I had for Easter and birthdays. She said to me at that point, "Used to be when I was little, all we did was dye the Easter eggs, and get a little candy. Now Easter is like Christmas, the way parents buy things for their kids for Easter." I said to her, "Sure loses its meaning." Her reply was, "My kids want a bunch of candy and things for Easter, but I told them no, we are not going to do that." "Well, good for you."

I left the store feeling guilty with my basket full of bags. And what did I do to feel guilty? I didn't want to give the kids a bunch of candy, they get enough from all the parties and Easter Egg Hunts. I decided I would try to find some things that were Eastery instead but not candy. I think I went overboard. God forgive me. The cashier was right, it's become more like commercialized Christmas, and I have helped it become that. Here it is Good Friday. Nail that nail into Jesus hand, Abi.

But I am not sure she knew what Easter really means, and I wish I had told her. Here is my excuse, the line was long, and she had already moved on to the next person. Maybe I'll see her again, and find out if she knows and if not tell her. Will my kids know from what I do, and say? I hope so. I hope so.

Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday

Over at revgalblogpals, we have been taking a sabbatical from our regular postings. Instead each day one of us has posted something for that day as part of Holy Week. There are some good postings with good thoughts. Today it was my turn, go have a look at the Maundy Thursday/Holy Week post. And yes, I did post it early in the morning. I woke up early and could not go back to sleep. I'm now going to make some coffee and work on my sermons for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is quiet, and I am looking out the window at the stars, and the moon. How beautiful, what a sight to see for the beginning of a day. I stepped outside and felt the cool crisp air, and listened to the songs of the birds.

Looks like Sororities have not changed

Well, especially if you were a member of the Delta Zeta at DePauw University. Perhaps you read the news story; When a psychology professor at DePauw University here surveyed students, they described one sorority as a group of “daddy’s little princesses” and another as “offbeat hippies.” The sisters of Delta Zeta were seen as “socially awkward.”Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in membership that had left its Greek-columned house here half empty, Delta Zeta’s national officers interviewed 35 DePauw members in November, quizzing them about their dedication to recruitment. They judged 23 of the women insufficiently committed and later told them to vacate the sorority house.The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men — conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit. Tthe picture above is of some of the girls

“Virtually everyone who didn’t fit a certain sorority member archetype was told to leave,” said Kate Holloway, a senior who withdrew from the chapter during its reorganization.“I sensed the disrespect with which this was to be carried out and got fed up,” Ms. Holloway added. “I didn’t have room in my life for these women to come in and tell my sisters of three years that they weren’t needed.”

The mass eviction battered the self-esteem of many of the former sorority members, and some withdrew from classes in depression. There have been student protests, outraged letters from alumni and parents, and a faculty petition calling the sorority’s action unethical.DePauw’s president, Robert G. Bottoms, issued a two-page letter of reprimand to the sorority. In an interview in his office, Dr. Bottoms said he had been stunned by the sorority’s insensitivity.

The sorority “is saddened that the isolated incident at DePauw has been mischaracterized,” Ms. Menges wrote. Asked for clarification, the sorority’s public relations representative e-mailed a statement saying its actions were aimed at the “enrichment of student life at DePauw.” Uh, depression, having to withdraw from classes, battering people's self esteem sounds like enriching to me. Not. Hey even the President got booted.

I knew I didn't have legacy. I knew I wasn't going to be in a sorority, and I didn't care. But to people who have legacy, want to be in one, it does matter. I was a member of Service Sorority where looks, money, popularity, skin color, any of those things didn't matter. I enjoyed the sister hood, the fun, the service we did, and other good times. I had friends in sororities, and if this happened it would have been devastating. I guess I am naive I keep thinking we can get past looks, money popularity etc, but I guess we can't. It makes me sad for these girls. It makes me sad for the girls of the future. And it makes me sad for my girls, I guess they won't be sorority girls either, being Asian. They will have to find their fun and group else where.