Tuesday, December 31, 2024
In the Star Tribune
I decided to build out Sunday's post on Jimmy Carter into an op-ed, which is appearing at the Minnesota Star Tribune. You can read it here.
Monday, December 30, 2024
Poems of games
Can I just say? Anonymous (anonymouses?) are bringing it. I loved this haiku:
And we were there in
This Cathedral of Baseball
Moon rising o’erhead.
This Cathedral of Baseball
Moon rising o’erhead.
This one tells a story, too:
He could sit by his
New-fangled radio and
Hear Cards play all games.
New-fangled radio and
Hear Cards play all games.
And to understand this one, well, Othello is a high school in Washington State where some very good students come from:
Othello Huskies
Ran onto the field
We cheered storm of hope.
Ran onto the field
We cheered storm of hope.
This poem is very Minnesota:
A walk—Linden Hills
Shopping held tight she looked up—
Into smile—Kirby!!
Shopping held tight she looked up—
Into smile—Kirby!!
The Medievalist has Baylor in him from way back, and I love how he put it:
Watching Baylor play
In the Cotten Bowl in
1974.
I was just a kid,
Getting to know my future
Employer and home.
In the Cotten Bowl in
1974.
I was just a kid,
Getting to know my future
Employer and home.
And from the DC contingent, Des follows the Commanders:
Beating New Orleans
by a point! Come from behind,
burgundy and gold!
by a point! Come from behind,
burgundy and gold!
And IPLawGuy harkens back to when DC's closest team was in Baltimore:
Seen Two No Hitters
World Series, All Star, Cal's Streak
First game, crystal clear.
World Series, All Star, Cal's Streak
First game, crystal clear.
Sunday, December 29, 2024
A moment with Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter had a profound affect on my life. In 2008, he came to a talk I gave. Afterwards, he rose and instead of praising me, he challenged me to do more. He was right, and I took his criticism to heart. He was a good man for our world, and a Great Man to me.
I described that in my book "Prosecuting Jesus." Later, I wrote to him and told him that, and he wrote me back.
Sunday Reflection: Christmas Continues
It's still Christmas, at least in the liturgical season, and that has always meant something to me. After the waiting of advent, the quiet I sought (sometimes unsuccessfully), this is a season of joy. And I have found that, too, in being with family back in Detroit, seeing my Mom well, and enjoying the warmth that can come on a cold day from being with those people who know you best (and love you anyways).
It's a time, too, to take joy in faith that starts with the birth of Jesus, and I have felt that, too. It kind of sneaks up on me, actually-- I have these moments of realization that can come from music or prayer or just... kind of out of nowhere. And how great is that?
Saturday, December 28, 2024
The Ball drops
Interesting how this tradition has changed-- and hasn't-- over the years.
Friday, December 27, 2024
Haiku Friday: Memorable Games
Yesterday I took seven members of my family to a Bowl Game. That sounds like quite a splurge, but it only cost $14 at $2 a ticket on the secondary market. Mostly, that's because we went to America's Least Popular Bowl Game, the Game Above Sports Bowl in Detroit. Formerly the Detroit Bowl, the Little Caesar's Bowl, the Motor City Bowl, and the Quick Lane Bowl, this year's version pitted Toledo (#4 in the MAC) vs. Pitt (#10 in the ACC).
The game turned out to be fantastic! It was decided in 6 overtimes (Toledo finally won) and featured something I had never seen before-- a blocked extra point returned the other way for two points. It is reported to be the most overtimes ever in a bowl game.
So let's haiku about memorable games this week. You don't have to have been there in person-- it just matters that it was memorable to you! Here, I will go first:
No bowl, Wisconsin
And these two seem second tier
But wow, what a game!
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
PMT: The Gerontocracy
Kay Granger, who lives is Texas, is struggling with a lot of the things that people her age (81) often face: She has been showing signs of dementia, according to her son, and recently moved into an assisted living facility. The problem is that she is an elected member of Congress who has just stopped showing up for work, as reported by the New York Times.
Granger, of course, is about the same age as President Joe Biden, who has faced a wealth of issues related to age. Charles Grassley is over 90 and remains a member of the Senate. Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell suffered serious falls recently, as people their age do.
Why are we having such a hard time turning power over to younger people? I suspect the answer has a lot to do with the institution of Congress, which over-values incumbency and longevity. We voters, of course, are part of the problem too-- these oldsters didn't elect themselves to office, after all.
Is this a problem we need to deal with?
Merry Christmas!
Whatever your path-- towards faith or away from it-- I hope that Christmas is not just merry but meaningful to you. It can be about different things to everyone, but what I wish for you is that it is something transformative and hopeful and good.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
37 lives and true mercy
Yesterday, President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 men condemned to death in the federal system, leaving only three on death row there. While incomplete, it was a bold gesture-- his boldest exercise of clemency yet. Though I would have preferred that he clear the row, his basis for decision was at least principled: he excluded mass murderers.
Biden has now addressed and mostly fulfilled two of the four clemency goals that Rachel Barkow and I described and advocated for in the New York Times back in September: Death Row, and those our on home confinement under the CARES Act.
That leaves two key groups left: those whose petitions are at the White House with a positive recommendation from the pardon attorney and marijuana prisoners (though there will be overlap between those two groups). It would be wonderful if it all gets done!
Monday, December 23, 2024
So many haiku about music!
There were so many haiku this week! It must be the Christmas spirit. I loved this one from CraigA:
Beloved collection of
Christmas rock CD’s: Beach
Boys, Buffet, Chesney.
And then, of course: Bing,
Frank, Tony, Harry, Nat King, and
the wonderful Amy.
And for some class: Boston
Pops, Mormon Tabernacle and,
Handle’s Messiah.
Christmas rock CD’s: Beach
Boys, Buffet, Chesney.
And then, of course: Bing,
Frank, Tony, Harry, Nat King, and
the wonderful Amy.
And for some class: Boston
Pops, Mormon Tabernacle and,
Handle’s Messiah.
And this from Des:
Mom’s an immigrant
who taught me to love country
music, slide guitars.
who taught me to love country
music, slide guitars.
And Christine:
Music, most genres
is a constant companion
weaving through life.
is a constant companion
weaving through life.
The Medievalist:
My big complaint is,
There is no variety,
Bring back Osler CD.
There is no variety,
Bring back Osler CD.
And IPLawGuy had two. One was honest:
No Osler CD?!!!
Christmas will not be the same!
Waiting for Vinyl!
Christmas will not be the same!
Waiting for Vinyl!
The other kind of grumpy!
What's worse? Osler's Fake
Chipmunks, Mojo, French tunes; or
Dad's rockabilly?
Chipmunks, Mojo, French tunes; or
Dad's rockabilly?
And there were many great anonymous ones this week. Check them all out in the comments to last Friday's post. I will include my three favorites below:
One:
Silent, she rocks a
Babe in her arms,Night falls,God
Hums the same sweet.song
Babe in her arms,Night falls,God
Hums the same sweet.song
Two:
City Sidewalks slip
My Taylor Swift shiny boots
I am flung earthward.
My Taylor Swift shiny boots
I am flung earthward.
Three:
Heart stops when the blue
Note soars,lodging in my
Spine,belov’d bullet.
Note soars,lodging in my
Spine,belov’d bullet.
Oh, and the picture last Friday? It was Ian McCulloch of Echo and the Bunnymen. Thanks, Tom Francoeur!
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Sunday Reflection: Mercy at Advent
About eight years ago, I got interested in the clemency process here in Minnesota. I began to attend the pardon hearings, and was discouraged by what I saw. Few people seemed to be applying for pardons and almost none for commutations (which shorten a sentence being served in prison), and no wonder-- the state granted only about 20-30 a year. That was about 10% of the total granted annually in South Carolina, which has a smaller population (and is, you know, not really known for progressive criminal justice). We even were well behind the 70-100 granted yearly in South Dakota, which has 1/6th the population and is far more conservative. Minnesota had a mercy problem.
Being an academic with a clemency clinic, my students and I researched the issue to assess the problems causing the Minnesota mercy dearth. I identified three primary roadblocks. First, everyone had to appear personally before the Governor, Attorney General and Chief Justice and their limited time created a narrow pipeline. Second, there was a requirement that those three vote unanimously to grant a petition. Third, most grants were under a bizarre construct called the "Pardon Extraordinary," which wasn't very extraordinary-- just a regular pardon with more rules.
After watching this for several cycles, in 2019 I wrote this piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, based in part on research done by my students at St. Thomas, who identified South Dakota as a good model. I suggested three things: Use majority instead of unanimous votes, have a commission conduct hearings to allow more cases be heard. and ditch the "pardon extraordinary."
In 2020, we got buy-in and support for a bill we drafted from Gov. Tim Walz, who made his support public. We didn't get it through the legislature, though.
I kept trying. And for three years, I failed. It was hard to fail over and over.
Then in 2023, the stars aligned, and we got the legislation through by bundling it with a number of other proposals in criminal justice, as various groups offered a common slate. Our bill was sponsored by MN Rep. Esther Agbaje, who did a great job with it-- and it passed! I later wrote about that in The Atlantic, and Dan Barry wrote a great piece for the New York Times about the first hearing under the old system but with only a 2-1 vote required to grant.
Friday of this week was the first hearing under the new system, as the Pardon Board (the governor, attorney general and chief justice) considered cases passed to them with recommendations from the new Clemency Commission (which had conducted the hearings).
I was anxious to see how it would go. I was stuck in traffic headed over there, and would barely make it for the 9:30 start. I jammed my car into a snowbank across the street from the hearing room and tried to pay. The machine rejected every card I had, though, so I gave up and took my chances.
In the room, something amazing happened. The Board accepted every one of the recommendation made by the Commission, and granted 32 petitions-- more than they had in a year not so long ago (and this would be just one of four such hearings a year). I was elated at this sudden flood of mercy. They did make some of the grants contingent on petitioners paying off parking tickets-- a requirement I cringed at, thinking about my illegally-parked car.
After the hearing, I walked up to Gov. Walz. He smiled and asked "So is that what you wanted to see?"
I nodded and said "You betcha," because that's what we say in Minnesota. But I was thinking "Oh, hell yes!"
I talked to some others, including Keith Ellison and some old friends in the fight. Then I walked out the big metal doors into the cold air, across the street to the snowbank hugging my car, I leaned over to see if I got a ticket. It turned out I received grace, too. But... maybe this time I appreciated it a little more than usual.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Some of my favorite holiday music...
Friday, December 20, 2024
Haiku Friday: Listening to Music (holiday or other)
For about 30 years (!) I made a Christmas CD (actually, at the start it was cassette tapes). I didn't do that this year after a bevy of complaints that no one has a CD player and some about content. If I can find a better format, I might try again next year, but I took a year off.
But let's haiku about listening to music this week. Bonus points if you can identify the man pictured above. Here, I will go first:
Christmas Eve service
The light is passed in dark
I sing with feelings.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern, and have some fun!
Thursday, December 19, 2024
PMT: Clemency is getting confusing
We are in a very strange time for clemency at the federal level. First President Biden gave an unprecedentedly broad pardon to his son Hunter. Then he gave pardons and commutation to hundreds of people, most of whom were out of prison but still under supervision. Now there is discussion of Biden giving preemptive pardons to people who may be subject to investigation after the administration changes. Next, President Trump is talking about pardoning January 6 defendants. By "Jan. 6," I mean this:
We will see how that plays out once Donald Trump takes office.
What all of this mess is doing is unmooring clemency from what it has traditionally been in this country: A means to give mercy to those who request it and can show a change in their lives. Certainly that was true of most of the CARES Act people released (a measure I support), but the rest of it is about other things.
This could get very strange very soon.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Another school shooting
The deadly school shooting this week in Madison, Wisconsin is one of over 400 since the Columbine shootings in 1999. It's a terrible record.
They all have one thing in common: guns in the hands of someone who wants to kill children. Often, those are guns owned by the shooter's parents or given to the shooter by the parents. This was actually litigated after the Oxford, Michigan shooting, where the parents were convicted and imprisoned, but that is a singular moment of responsibility.
There is a lot of discussion about limitations on gun purchases and the right to bear arms, but not much on parents making guns available to their children. Lots of parents hunt with their kids and teach them to shoot with the family's guns-- I don't think many people have a problem with that. But there is something more going on here, and over time it bears examination.
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Here and Now
I've always loved NPR, probably from all those days driving with my dad listening to it. It's always a pleasure to be on their shows. I got that chance yesterday, on their show "Here and Now." You can hear the segment here.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Shopping poems
I heart haiku Friday. Really, I do. You all do some incredible things on here, and I really appreciate it!
This week we had nice poems from those who like this time of year, like IPLawGuy:
Hustle and bustle!
Stores full of people and goods
Makes me smile each year!
Stores full of people and goods
Makes me smile each year!
And Desiree:
So much fun to splurge
on lots of gifties! First stop:
neighborhood book store!
on lots of gifties! First stop:
neighborhood book store!
And this anonymous writer (who you might find in the same store as Desiree):
Lights in the windows
Treasures inside. All I need
Is a good bookstore!
Treasures inside. All I need
Is a good bookstore!
But other people are a little more grouchy about it all! Like the Medievalist:
Hating the big crowds,
Savage capitalism rules,
I have no words.
Savage capitalism rules,
I have no words.
And Christine:
It's mid December
Bought absolutely nothing
'Neath tree is empty
It's been a long year
Stressful, so many reasons,
Need a book and nap.
Bought absolutely nothing
'Neath tree is empty
It's been a long year
Stressful, so many reasons,
Need a book and nap.
And Tim:
Standing in long lines
To buy regular items
Because of the rush.
To buy regular items
Because of the rush.
But you all are cool with me.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Sunday Reflection: Gabriel, Angel Reporter
As we prepare for Christmas, here is a story that is often told during Advent, from Luke 1:
29 When she saw the angel, she was troubled at his words. She thought about what had been said. 30 The angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God. 31 See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the place where His early father David sat. 33 He will be King over the family of Jacob forever and His nation will have no end.”
I remember as a kid being taken by the way the Angel Gabriel (1) actually has a name, unlike most of the angels, and (2) speaks in such short, declarative sentences. I suppose that I imagined an angel speaking flowery prose, rather than the precise meter of a trained journalist.
But of course that is how an angel would provide information! This was confusing stuff, and there is no need to make it any more complicated, right?
Saturday, December 14, 2024
In today's Waco Trib...
A mystery
This week, I got to talk to people all over the world about clemency-- South Korea, Japan, Chile, Ireland, the UK and many other places. But now that I try to find the stories, I discover some mysteries, like this one from an Asian paper that apparently involves me, Steve Bannon, and Dinesh D'Souza:
A great discussion!
Earlier this week, I got to be part of a great discussion of clemency hosted by Doug Berman at Ohio State. You can see it here:
Friday, December 13, 2024
Haiku Friday: Shopping and Giving
It's the middle of December-- the heart of shopping season! I hope everyone is finding what they need. Let's haiku about that this week! Here, I will go first:
Shopping for me? Hard.
I have what I want and need!
Send me some firelight.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, December 12, 2024
NewsHour
Tonight I got to talk about this morning's clemency grants on PBS's NewsHour. You can see it here: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-bidens-historic-commutations-mean-for-non-violent-drug-offenders
PMT: China's cars are taking over world markets
I was absolutely floored when I saw this chart and the accompanying article in the New York Times.
After all, I grew up in the Detroit area among Ford, Chrysler and GM executives and engineers who were routinely cycling through assignments in Europe, Asia and Australia, reflecting the American manufacturers' role in the world auto economy, established in the days of Henry Ford. In my mind, we were still there. We aren't.
The truth is that Chinese companies increasingly control world markets where we don't even try anymore. In part, that is because American companies decided to focus on high-profit SUVs and trucks rather than smaller more affordable vehicles, and that precludes selling much to the developing world-- or even to Europe.
I'm baffled by the American strategy of building electric cars... but only huge, expensive ones. Why did they thing that what the world (or at least part of North America) needed was an electric Hummer? People who can afford and desire a tank-like $106,000 vehicle can probably pay for gas, and usually don't care so much about the environment. In October, 2024, the average price for an electric car in the US was over $56,000, which is shocking.
The car companies obviously decided that just selling vehicles with big profit margins is what they want to do (except for Chrysler, which has decided to sell almost no vehicles at all). That might be good for them in the short term, but it is terrible for consumers, and I wonder why their interests don't seem to matter when government subsidies are being handed out. In truth, if Chinese cars enter the American market, even with tariffs, the whole game may be over for US makers.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
War
There is a lot of war going on in the world right now.
-- Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, with horrific losses
-- The civil war in Syria finally ended. Kind of . For the moment.
-- The War between Israel and Palestinians continues
-- In Mali, a civil war has been ongoing since 2012
-- In Yemen, a civil war still remains a hot conflict
-- Somalia's civil war has been going on since 2009
To check out the full list, check out the Conflict Tracker.
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Just in Time for Christmas: Megan Willome's new book!
I've been a Megan Willome fan for a long time-- she's an actual poet who sometimes joins us here for Haiku Friday. I met her when she wrote the profile when I was the 2009 Wacoan of the Year (an award that came with this kooky video). She is a strong and elegant writer, and I have followed her work since.
Plus, the new book has this great blurb from Razor Hero of Writing Bob Darden:
"To read one of Megan Willome's jewel-like poems is to become Leeuwenhoek again, staring in gape-jawed wonder at the tiny "animalcules" swimming in the dish at the end of the first microscope. You're seeing things for the first time. Or maybe you're seeing old things with a new lens. This is elegant, insightful stuff, equally capable of delivering a quick gasp or a gentle chuckle. Yes, please."
So you can get the book anyplace, but I suggest Fabled in Waco (whose co-founder has also been profiled by Megan).
Monday, December 09, 2024
So much anonymity!
There were some great poems this week (on what we want from Santa), and a lot of them were anonymous. Like this one:
All I want is snow
A real white winter again
C'mon Minnesota!
A real white winter again
C'mon Minnesota!
And this:
Hey, Santa baby!
Bring me some comfort and joy
And holiday fun.
Bring me some comfort and joy
And holiday fun.
And this particularly poignant one (and I see you, David!):
Santa can't bring me
What I need the most: a brand
spanking new kidney.
What I need the most: a brand
spanking new kidney.
Or this one, from someone who knows IPLawGuy:
If I could really
Wish, would be for some comfort
For people in pain.
Like IP Law guy, missing his dog.:(
Wish, would be for some comfort
For people in pain.
Like IP Law guy, missing his dog.:(
But of course we have our reliable friends as well, like Des:
Santa, please bring a
bird feeder with a cam’ra.
Oh, and a new job.
bird feeder with a cam’ra.
Oh, and a new job.
And Christine:
Really don't need much
Pens are great stocking stuffers
Always a new book.
Pens are great stocking stuffers
Always a new book.
And Jill Scoggins:
Seeking a life change
guided by prayer and by
meditation, love.
guided by prayer and by
meditation, love.
