I’ve already stated my objections to Arizona’s notorious law generally known by its Senate bill designation SB 1070. Now, in my state of Rhode Island, a representative with a history of immigrant baiting has introduced what is essentially SB 1070. I’ve spoken with the House Speaker’s general counsel as well as another representative and have come away confident this bill has no legs. Nonetheless, it is introduced and it is going into committee. What is important is for those who... Read more

Fats Waller was born today in 1904… Read more

On this day in 1609 Thomas Thorpe published William Shakespeare’s collected Sonnets. Read more

The interviewer isn’t a complete idiot. Although it might have helped if he had thought to read her book… I love Grace! One of the good ones, no doubt… Read more

Okay, I’ve now read the new anti-immigration legislation in Arizona, senate bill which gives the legislation the name we most commonly call it, SB1070, the house bill which refines it, and the governor’s executive order regarding training officers with the express intent of avoiding racial profiling with the law’s implementation. I admit I should use scare quotes around the term read. I generally have a higher comprehension rate with what passes in front of my eyes. I tell you, the... Read more

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Henry Saint Clair Fredericks, better known to most of us as Taj Mahal, was born on this day in 1942. Read more

RAISING UP DEVASTATIONS FROM OLD A Meditation on the Work of Justice James Ishmael Ford A sermon preached at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, in Rhode Island on the 16th of May, 2010 Text All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? Dhammapada 129-130 Not long ago Jan and I left directly after a three-day intensive Zen meditation retreat in Worcester, I... Read more

Just ’cause… Read more

Well, I’ve just booked my tickets. I will be in Arizona on the 29th of May, joining with, I expect many, many people, but included among that number our denominational president, the Reverend Peter Morales and numerous other Unitarian Universalist clergy. (Together, perhaps, with a Zen priest or two…) If you’re in the area, perhaps we’ll see each other. We’re starting at 8am at the corner of E Indian School Road & N 3rd Street and will march to the... Read more