RICK PERRY FOR PRESIDENT?

This note is to appear in Dallas Morning News this Sunday July 10 in sounding off segement.

If he is sincere in representing Americans he needs to demonstrate it by inviting them all to his prayer fest. Americans see God as one, none and many and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names. He has an opportunity to win public opinion if he chooses to go the middle path representing the majority of Americans.

I do expect the Right wing Radicals among the Republican Party will dupe the Americans by creating hate for GLBT, Muslims and other instead of focusing on Job creation and making America Stronger. They are bent on weakening America by picking fights, bombing others ad nauseum.

Elections:

PERRY HAS TO PROVE HIS SINCERITY
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/perry-has-to-prove-his-si_b_874392.html

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BIGOTRY OF GINGRICH, CAIN & REPUBLICANS
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Bigotry-of-Newt-Gingrich--by-Mike-Ghouse-110622-717.html

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PERRY'S FEST- Dallas Morning News
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/06/texas-faith-is-rick-perrys-day-of.html

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HUNTSMAN & ROMNEY - Dallas Morning News
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/06/texas-faith-how-should-huntsman-and.html
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RESHAPING CARROLLTON POLITICS
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/06/press-release-reshaping-carrollton.html
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Rick Perry's Kingmaker, and David Brooks Wakes Up

Religion Dispatch
Post by Sarah Posner

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/4813/

I went missing last week to an undisclosed location—okay, Wyoming, one of our country's most beautiful states with two of its most spectacular national parks. Reentry into work is always hard, and this time it's no exception, coming back to debt ceiling showdowns and other evidence of the collapse of reason.

Last night, before bed, I read the New York Times on my iPad, and I must have caught David Brooks' column just as it went up. And I thought, ah, he has evolved, he realizes the GOP has gone off the rails. And I anticipated that he would (in Beltway journalist parlance) "win the morning" by saying what everyone else is thinking but is too afraid to say lest they get called a dick by Mark Halperin on TV.

See what I missed while I was hiking in the Grand Tetons! While I was watching geysers erupt in Yellowstone! Is it any wonder that I took a deep breath as I opened my laptop for the first time in 10 days this morning and thought, will everything seem both tiny and blown out of proportion at the same time?

Indeed. But back to work it is for me, with all the tiny and giant inanities that are our political culture. And look who's rising (Texas Governor Rick Perry, with several profiles presaging his presidential run, but not his Christian right bona fides) and who's falling (Godfather Pizza exec and Americans for Prosperity favorite Herman Cain, with campaign staff defections coming "after weeks of swirling rumors between Cain’s staff and volunteers in the Hawkeye State accusing each other of affairs, homosexuality and professional misconduct.")

While Cain's staff walkouts will surely make reporters hyperventilate for prurient, back-stabbing gossip (because even if there were no affairs or homosexuality, the idea that campaign staffers were accusing each other—or him? not clear—of such is somehow irresistible) it's Perry's machinations that are in fact more interesting.

Perry doesn't have boots on the ground in Iowa yet—he hasn't even announced an exploratory committee. And Iowa native and religious right (that's right, not Tea Party) charmer Michele Bachmann is already drawing huge crowds.

As I wrote back in May, Bachmann may be the Huckabee of 2012, wowing Iowa caucus-goers, but fizzling in subsequent states. Enter Perry, another Christocrat favorite whose willingness to substitute prayer for policy rivals Bachmann's. (Applying Brooksian logic, at what point does one deem the GOP not a "normal" party?)

In Time today, Amy Sullivan highlights Perry's ties to the religious right, and zeroes in on David Lane, organizer of Renewal and Restoration Projects, and their associated Pastors' Policy Briefings. When I wrote about Lane's activities back in 2007 and 2008, it was commonly thought (as Sullivan notes) that Lane and his associates played a key role in achieving at least the Iowa victory for Huckabee, to the chagrin of other Republicans. (Lane scoffs at the notion that his mingling of Christianity and politics is in any way inappropriate.) Looking ahead, Texas political columnist Bud Kennedy reported in May that Lane associate Laurence White may be organizing a "Draft Perry" movement by pastors. And they are undoubtedly looking for their anointed one to go the distance this time.

Happy Independence day

Happy Independence day, happy 4th
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Glen Beck in the News

Here are today's news items from Media Matters for America, click on the title or 'read more' to read the entirety of each story.

Fox's "Straight News" Campaigns For Estate Tax Repeal
While guest hosting Fox's "straight news" program, Special Report, Shannon Bream did a report suggesting that the estate tax hurts small businesses and therefore causes the economy to hemorrhage jobs. But the report failed to mention that a vanishingly small number of businesses and individuals are subject to the estate tax. Read More

Lila Rose Pushes Falsehood That Abortion Is How Indiana Planned Parenthood "Makes Money"
Appearing on Fox News to push her most recent attack on Planned Parenthood, Lila Rose claimed that abortions are how Planned Parenthood of Indiana "makes money." In fact, abortions account for only an estimated 16 percent of its total annual revenue in 2010. Read More

Seeing Red: After Decrying Communist Name-Calling, Beck Repeatedly Smeared His Opponents As Communists
In a January 2009 promo for his Fox News show shortly before it debuted, Glenn Beck claimed that he was "tired of the politics of left and right. It's about right and wrong. We argue back and forth -- 'If you haven't voted for the donkey, you're just a hatemonger.' The other side -- 'Oh, those donkeys trying to turn us into communist Russia.' Stop!" But despite this professed disgust with communist name-calling, Beck proceeded to use his Fox News show to relentlessly smear people and groups as Communists, Marxists, and Socialists. Read More

Glenn Beck's Top 5 Moments Invoking Violence As A Response To "Progressives"
Glenn Beck's tenure at Fox News was marked by exceedingly violent rhetoric as he obsessively invoked violence as a possible response to "progressives." Here are five of the worst examples. Read More

Beck's Golden Ticket: Gold Sellers Stayed Loyal While Other Advertisers Fled
Even as scores of advertisers abandoned Glenn Beck's Fox News show, it continued to attract sellers of gold and other precious metals. Meanwhile, Beck used his show to tout gold ownership as a way to "be prepared." Read More

Glenn Beck's Top 5 Failed Predictions
Glenn Beck has claimed: "I have been given the gift, the blessing, or the curse" to see "slightly over the horizon" and said that on his "big predictions, we have about a 90 percent accuracy rate." But Beck's ability to see "slightly over the horizon" certainly isn't a gift, given how wrong his bizarre predictions often are. With that said, Media Matters presents the top five failed Beck predictions from his time on Fox News. Read More

Glenn Beck's Top 5 Worst Smears
In more than two years on Fox News, Glenn Beck has repeatedly smeared those with which he disagrees. Media Matters presents a selection of Beck's worst smears. Read More

"They Think You're Stupid": Glenn Beck's Manipulation Of His Audience
Glenn Beck frequently pitted his Fox News audience against his foes, telling his viewers that progressives and the media "think you're stupid." Beck also praised his viewers' intelligence while attempting to sell them on his theories, claiming that his audience "will change the course of a nation." Read More

The 50 Worst Things Glenn Beck Said On Fox News
In light of Glenn Beck's transition from Fox News, Media Matters for America recalls the 50 worst things Beck has said on Fox. Read More

Glenn Beck's Perpetual Self-Promotion Machine
Throughout his career on Fox News, Glenn Beck shamelessly used the platform to promote a variety of his own ventures outside Fox News. Both on his own show and in guest appearances on other shows, Beck promoted his books, tours, subscriber-only Web content, and the Restoring Honor and Restoring Courage rallies. Read More

Adopting GOP Talking Point, Fox Claims That Obama Wasn't Involved In Default Crisis Talks
Following President Obama's Wednesday press conference in which he chided Congress for failing to resolve the default crisis, Fox News immediately began echoing the GOP's bogus attack that the president has been "AWOL" or disengaged from the debate over solving the default crisis. In fact, President Obama has been involved from the beginning and has repeatedly met with members of Congress from both parties to negotiate a solution. Read More

Glenn Beck's Obsession With Slavery
In the past two years, Glenn Beck has repeatedly invoked slavery to attack President Obama, progressives, and progressive policies, among other things. Here is a sampling. Read More

Glenn Beck's Top 5 Least Credible Sources
During his time at Fox News, Glenn Beck regularly turned to disreputable sources to back-up his wild and unfounded conspiracy theories. Here are five of Beck's least credible sources. Read More

Parents Shouldn't Trust Beck To Educate Their Kids
Glenn Beck has said he is leaving Fox News in part to "target the youth" and pitch his distinctive brand of right-wing misinformation to a younger demographic. But Beck's long history of misleading his viewers demonstrates why no one should trust him to educate his or her children. Read More

The Glenn Beck Shopping Network
Glenn Beck leaves behind a dubious ethical legacy: On his Fox show, he would promote companies with which he had a financial relationship, but without disclosing that relationship to his viewers. He also used the program as a forum to nudge viewers toward buying products like gold and a library's worth of books. Read More

Glenn Beck's Top 5 Most Inflammatory Moments
In more than two years on Fox News, Glenn Beck inundated his viewers with violent, inflammatory rhetoric. Media Matters presents a selection of his worst offenses. Read More

Conservative Media Shout "Class Warfare" To Defend Tax Breaks On Corporate Jets
The right-wing media responded with outrage after President Obama called on Congress to eliminate tax breaks on corporate jets in order to help stave off a default crisis -- accusing Obama of waging "class warfare." Read More

Thank God, Glenn Beck is Gone

For the first time in three years, I gathered the courage and patience to watch this buffoon for 11 minutes as entertainment. Sadly, I know people in my ambit who love him and I am trying to understand how can they like this man’s message, how can they believe in it?
If you have the time watch this idiot Glen Beck makes a fool of himself.
http://mediamatters.org/research/201106290030?lid=1171804&rid=62008551

Media Matters, Color of Change, and Jewish Funds for Justice Release Statements On Beck's Final Fox Show

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 30, 2011

CONTACT
Jess Levin (202) 772-8162

jlevin@mediamatters.org

Washington, DC -- Today, Media Matters for America joined Color of Change and Jewish Funds for Justice in releasing the following statements on the final installment of Glenn Beck's 5 pm show on Fox News Channel

"After two years of vitriol, the public has had enough of Glenn Beck. His ratings, relevance, and -- after more than 300 advertisers abandoned the program -- the revenue he produced for Fox were all in decline," said David Brock, founder of Media Matters for America. "However, Fox as a network is still a home for misinformation and hate. Our work is far from over."

"We are happy to see Glenn Beck's show come to an end," said Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorofChange.org. "Beck consistently played racial politics by building conspiracy theories that relied on prejudice to explain problems in our society, with his actions being consistently condoned by Fox executives Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. We're glad to see Fox end the show, although it only happened once its business interests were threatened by the departure of more than 300 advertisers, which has been attributed to the efforts of our members and our multi-year campaign.

 

"Through his own poor judgment Beck became a liability to Fox," said Simon Greer, President of Progressive Jewish Alliance & Jewish Funds for Justice. "Beck's divisiveness and hate mongering have been rejected by not only a broad spectrum of Jews, but by a diverse group of people and organizations representing all kinds of Americans who care about the common good."

# # #

Finally! After two long years of extremism, race baiting, lies, and conspiracy theories that have divided our country, Glenn Beck is ending his nightly Fox News show.

But the fight against right-wing misinformation on the airwaves is far from over. Every day, we watch the dishonesty, bias, and political manipulation on Fox News and throughout the right-wing media. And we work to prevent the destructive impact it has on every national debate from health care to immigration reform, from climate change to LGBT rights.

Now is not a time to sit back; it's a time to ramp up.

Mitt Romney, Huntsman, Mormonism and Elections 2012

All that Romney and Huntsman have to do is to understand the depth and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and show this understanding to Americans in their words and actions to earn their vote. Americans are willing to reward those who are inclusive and dump those who pit one American against the other for political gains.

Continued at: http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/06/texas-faith-how-should-huntsman-and.html

12 Opinions published at Dallas Morning News
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/06/texas-faith-how-should-huntsma.html

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer and a frequent guest on Hannity show and nationally syndicated Radio shows and Dallas TV, Radio and Print Media. He presides America Together Foundation and is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Over 1000 articles have been published on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, India and cohesive societies. Two of his books are poised to be released this fall on Pluralism and Islam. He is available to speak at your place of worship, work, school, college, seminars or conferences. His work is encapsulated in 27 blogs, four websites and several forums indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

SHARIA LAWS, NOT IN AMERICA

The intent of the Sharia laws was to construct a complete justice system with fairness to all members of society. Peace and a sense of security are the products of justice in a given society. The violations of justice and the rule of law are found in every faith, culture and political system, to varying degrees. In this respect no community is free of blame and no one can cast the first stone against another community.

American Muslims have placed their trust in the American justice system and will continue to oppose Sharia laws as they are currently applied in many places across the globe. I will be one of the first ones, if not the first one, to stand up against it. The Muslim majority in America is happy with the American system and does not want to have Sharia law here in America.

Continued - http://www.opednews.com/articles/Sharia-not-in-America-by-Mike-Ghouse-110622-556.html

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a frequent guest on Hannity show and nationally syndicated Radio shows and Dallas TV, Radio and Print Media. Over 1000 articles have been published on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, India and cohesive societies. Two of his books are poised to be released this fall on Pluralism and Islam. He is available to speak at your place of worship, work, school, college, seminars or conferences. His work is encapsulated in 27 blogs, four websites and several forums indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/.

Bigotry of Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain and Right wing Republicans

I am starting a series to take on the the Right wing Republicans... There are many things in this article that will become talking points to moderate Americans who want to fight back the right wingers attacking Muslims, Hindus, Jews and others, there is short poem written as an example tomake Texans, New Yorkers and Californians angry, it is to make the point about false accusations against Muslims.

There are four clear points communicated in this article and God willing more to come through 2012 Elections. I am going on a Drive America Tour this fall talking about building a cohesive America. If you can arrange with your local Democrats and Republicans party to speak, I will be happy to do that.

As a disclosure, I am a moderate Republican and there are plenty of us, but most of them are gutless like most Muslims are and are afraid to speak up. I will fight with them to bring moderates to the front, you are right, I may not succeed but will make  the points is crucial to activate the sleeping Moderate Americans to counter the right wing propaganda.   

I am writing a series and will be talking on American Politics, if you wish to add your comment to my articles to be published in Huffington Post, Washington Post, OpEd News, New York Times and other papers. I will be happy to include, please let me know if you wish to contribute a sentence or a paragraph to it, you must be willing to stand up for the attacks from right wing Muslims and right wing Christians. It is time now. Let’s us be the catalysts for a safe, secure America.

Let us act now as participants, rather than known protestors.

Please feel free to write your comment at the article to create momentum and not allow me to stand alone.

TAKING ON BIGOTRY OF NEWT GIINGRICH, HERMAN CAIN AND REPUBLICANS http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Bigotry-of-Newt-Gingrich--by-Mike-Ghouse-110622-717.html

TEXAS FAITH: Should churches be able to hold services in a public school?

10 PANELISTS RESPOND

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist  Tue., Jun. 21, 2011 | Permalink

This week's question comes courtesy of Texas Faith panelist Cindy Rigby, after she read this New York Times article.

The story deals with an evangelical church using a New York public school for its services. According to the article, the church does not pay rent. It instead pays the fee for the custodians.

As the story indicates, this is not the only church to use a New York public school for its services. Churches, mostly evangelical ones, use at least 60 of them.

The Supreme Court, as well as various equal access laws, have held that schools must give religious groups the same access to their facilities that they do all other clubs. But then, as this story indicates, an appellate court ruled in June that New York City could prohibit churches from holding worship services at a public school. As author Katherine Stewart put it, "Using the school system to subsidize houses of worship...risks violating the constitutional ban on the establishment of religion."

But does it? Does the holding of a church service in a public school imply an endorsement of a particular religion?

As you consider this week's question, I would ask you to think about how you would feel if a church group that you support or like wanted to do the same. How would that affect your views? And what separates a church from holding a service there versus, say, an AA group?

We have not dealt with a church/state question, so thanks to Cindy for bringing up the issue.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Katherine Stewart's comment in the op-ed piece at the NY Times is wise. As she writes, "In a city blessed with an uncountable number of faiths, it's foolish to get schools tangled up in religion."

Indeed, holding of a church service in a public school implies a tacit endorsement of a particular religion. The group may or may not be affixing their version of the religion on the school building, but it will eventually monopolize zoning and steer (chase) others away.

A conservative value would be what is good for the goose has got to be good for the gander. To build cohesive societies where trust is the norm, and where commitment to the idea of a society where no one is apprehensive of the other becomes customary, we have to treat everyone justly. Fairness ought to be valued by all including the conservatives.

When I and my interest become subservient to the interest of the society at large, no one will lose. In business, one has to be aggressive and selfish to succeed. However, when it is at the cost of other, both will lose at the end.

As a pluralist and a Muslim, I have no problem with "a church that runs a Gender Affirming Ministry Endeavor associated with the movement to "cure" gay men and lesbians," or if the, "movement that instructs its members to pray for a Christian "reformation" of American education and for the election of like-minded political leaders," or a religious group that teaches evolution. All of them should have the access and freedom to preach what they want.

The real problem is why would I want to subsidize a group to use taxpayer's funding?
Muslims have great examples to offer. The mosque in Richardson does not lend its cultural hall to any activity that is ascribable to a particular denomination, including a few groups who celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad. A few years ago, Turkey, a Muslim majority democracy, had banned reciting verses from Quran in a city event where people of other faiths were participants.

Indeed, I would urge the ministries using the school for church to hang on to the conservative values of peace and safety for every American, and volunteer to ease out of the situation and not create an entanglement for the school. Let this not be an entitlement.

Even if the school has one child who is an Atheist, Zoroastrian, Native American or a Wicca, he or his parents must have equal access to the facilities to preach his take on the issues. We are a leading civilization of the free world, and we ought to be worth emulating by other nations to create a better world for the benefit of all of God's creation. The best thing for the school is to untangle itself from any religious affiliation.

 Ten Panelists have responded to the question and continue for the other 9 at -http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/06/this-weeks-question-comes-cour.html

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a frequent guest on Hannity show and nationally syndicated Radio shows and Dallas TV, Radio and Print Media. Over 1000 articles have been published on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, India and cohesive societies. Two of his books are poised to be released this fall on Pluralism and Islam. His work is encapsulated in 27 blogs, four websites and several forums indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/.

TEXAS FAITH: Anthony Weiner and Internet ethics

TEXAS FAITH: Anthony Weiner and Internet ethics

By now, we all know more about Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner’s online habits than we probably care to know. But his distribution of a lewd photo and online sex-talk with women other than his wife does raise ethical issues that the Internet if fast forcing upon us. And that is, to what degree is a sin a sin?

Jesus certainly said that to look at a woman with lust was like committing adultery. So, to some extent, that ethic applies to today’s wired world. Applying that standard, what happens online “counts” as much as what happens physically between two people.

But here’s the question for this week from William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist, Dallas Morning News; "In what ways does the Internet force us to rethink ethical standards?"

Here is the take from Mike Ghouse, one of the 7 seven panelists for all the response go to: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/06/texas-faith-anthony-weiner-and.html

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

We keep going back to the basics whenever there is a flaunting violation of ethics in the public square. This is like going home where it is safe and comfortable. Ethical standards are indeed dynamic and are moving away from public domain to individual concerns in linear progression. However, they remain the anchor of a culturally stable society.

Before the emergence of earliest formal religions like Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Hinduism and the native traditions, adultery was handled like the bulls or the rams, it was not even considered an ethical issue. Whoever was mightier took the girl as though she was a prized chattel.

We have come a long way in moving the civilization to maturation. The statement, "to look at a woman with lust is like committing adultery" is not as comfortable as it was a hundred years ago. Today we are consciously accommodating, "to look at the other person with lust is like betraying the trust of the spouse or a partner."

Oddly the word "sin" is alarmingly absent in the public discourse on Weiner's issue. Indeed, the word is reduced to a personal betrayal rather than a public violation that demanded flogging once. Even the evangelicals were looking at Gingrich, Spitzer, Hart, Craig, Edwards and Clinton as violators rather than sinners, all the while Clinton made attempts to redefine sin in the Lewinsky hearings. According to a new CNN poll, "56 percent of voters in Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner's district do not think the scandal-plagued congressman should resign."

Welcome to the world of new emerging ethics. Thanks to the Internet for forcing us to factor in a variety of individual opinions to change the public discourse on sin, ethics and morality. Without the Internet, the only opinions that mattered were that of the clergy and the polls reaching out to a few.

But today, citizen journalism, blogging and social networks are dramatically altering the black and white issues into colorful ones that give an ever-widening range. The opinions are not the domain of a few any more, but of everyone who freely expresses his or her opinion on a given topic. On my facebook, I have received over 70 comments on the issue and the conversation about open marriages and accommodating the whims in a relationship has earned a space.

As a futurist, I see the word "sin" to remain on books but gradually lose its old meaning and acquire a new value in the public square. The violations would be individual in nature resulting in betrayal and cheating, rather than sinful activities. A new ethics is in the making.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, writer, thinker and an activist committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day – all of his work is indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/