I found these sodas while I was visiting a friend from Olaf in Wisconsin. I love the name- "Americana" if you can't see it- and their little slogan. They're all about replicating sodas from the 1930's, when they were known as "tonics". I had the black cherry, and it was really, really good. I'm trying to justify this as a blog post by mentioning the name of the pop, but in actuality I just hope someone from Wisconsin reads this and buys me a bottle of the ginger ale. Who doesn't love ginger ale?

Separation of Church and State

Just after Beth and I were discussing the separation of church and state, I heard this story on NPR. It's about churches in Alabama suing the state after new, extremely strict immigration laws which could potentially interfere with their mission. It is their duty to aid anyone who comes to them in need, and the churches fear the legal repercussions if they do what they morally are obligated to do.
I always thought of the separation of church and state as a one-way street; church shouldn't have its hand in government. But here we see the reversal occurring where the government is interfering with the churches obligations. Personally, I take a lenient view on immigration, so I support the church here. But this story has got me thinking about the separation of church and state... is it possible for them to be utterly and truly separated? Especially considering that the state is made of people who may hold religious views? I need to think about this a little more.

Healing After 9/11

I stumbled upon this video this summer when I was lazily watching TED talks (How I wish I had that leisure time now...). But anyway, I decided to put it aside and save it for a rainy [blog] day, keeping in mind the conversations we had last year about 9/11, and the impact it had on us as a country and as a people. We mentioned that it's hard to imagine a world before 9/11, simply because of our age and the way it changed our perspective on our world. In the midst of all the chaos and hatred that ensued, it's important to see, understand, and perpetuate this fundamental healing.

Blessed are the Organized

Life back on the hill is quickly approaching, so I thought I would ease myself back into the swing of things. Part of my goal this summer has been to pay attention to the news, and through trying to achieve that goal I've come across various bloggers, organizations, and online sources of information. One of which is "Religious Dispatches", an online magazine focusing on news and the spiritual world I first came in contact with in Amcon.  Recently they published an interview with Jeffrey Stout. Amongst conversation on the religiosity of organizing, he discussed money, accountability, grassroots movements and the current political system. That's where this quote comes from!

The labor unions are obviously much weaker. The civil rights movement ended. The struggle against the Vietnam War ran aground. But, meanwhile, there has been a remarkable growth in grassroots citizens’ organizations. Nearly all of that growth has been under the media radar, but it has been truly significant. And many important victories have been won. Community organizing, which was focused on organizing particular neighborhoods, has given way to what Cortes calls “broad-based” organizing, which is meant to build ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse coalitions that can last for generations.

Stout  was discussing the change in activism since the 1960's. Here there is almost a challenge to Putnam's discoveries. I suppose organizing and voluntary organizations are slightly different categories... But maybe there is a movement rolling under the radar. Especially with internet resources, many smaller movement have replaced nationwide fights for rights. But is that beneficial? After all, plights that one community faces are no doubt going to be mirrored in towns across the nation. This year I might make an effort to recognize some of the smaller movements in our communities. I think that would be an interesting take on Amcon.