As we speed downtown
toward South Ferry
the window captures my image
where it hovers, perhaps forever,
leading me to wonder:
whose train-snared shades surround me?
Who went before?
Whose paths do I share?
Who are my companions?
11 May 2013
1 Train between 116th and 110th
He quietly stepped into the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York‘s hall where the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, his mother’s employer, held their final Regional Conference today.
On this day before Mother’s Day, our older son Sean, who lives in New York, decided to surprise his mother. He made plans to attend the conference and told his mother. What he did not tell her, and he did not tell me until just a couple of weeks ago, he also arranged for his brother, Eric, to come from Texas to New York for the weekend. Eric also registered for the conference.
Tricia arrived on Thursday. Yesterday she worked with her colleagues finalizing the plans for today’s event. Brian and Kellie made a hasty adjustment so that Eric’s name did not appear in the list of participants, replacing it with mine.
When Tricia saw the list, a flurry of texts flew among Brian, Sean, Kellie, and me. We made up a story to tell Tricia. A thin story, but the best we could do quickly.
At dinner, Tricia said, “Apparently Sean registered you for the conference.”
“What?” said I. She repeated her words.
“I did talk to him at one point about maybe attending,” I said. “Then I checked and decided that because the theme is about changing church policy, I probably should not go. I guess he went ahead and registered me any how.”
Brian, Pam, and Jon, our dinner companions, backed my play. Brian said, “I will tell Sean that the Covenant Network will refund his money.”
“No worries,” I replied. “He makes enough. Call it a contribution.” Everyone laughed and the moment passed.
When Tricia and I returned to the Shire near the Hudson from seeing Kinky Boots, we talked about today’s schedule. I made up a story about having an early meeting with someone this morning near Columbus Circle for breakfast. Location and purpose of the morning were true. The other person not so much.
Tricia and I boarded the subway together this morning. I got off at Columbus Circle and met Sean and Eric for a bagel. Then we headed to the church.
Eric and Sean got their name tags. I explained the situation. And we moved to the room where participants could find coffee.
Tricia stood, her back to the door, talking to our friend Susan. Sean pushed Eric forward. He stepped to his mother and tapped her shoulder. She knows almost all the conference participants . When she turned, she expected to see one of her colleagues; she saw her son.
Smiles and laughter followed. Susan took some photos. We made some introductions to friends who marveled to see us in one place. I bid farewell and trust they are enjoying the conference. I will rejoin them when it ends and we will do something this evening. Brunch and a show tomorrow. A good weekend.
Happy Mother’s Day!
See you along the Trail.
I watch from the subway platform
as below, the workers
disembowel what remains of
my dry cleaning store. Piece by
piece they remove the innards
making way for who knows what.
The other would-be passengers
stir restlessly on the platform.
Then I see him.
Leaning against the railing,
eyes closed, he thrusts his face
expectantly toward the sky
trying to absorb every ray
of the early morning sun.
The moment breaks as the platform
begins to vibrate, signalling the
approach of the train. The doors open.
As I enter, Brother Willie comes on my iPod.
11 May 2013
125th Station
Filed under New York
In a reversal of an April decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court voted 8-1 to grant a reprieve “until further order” to Willie Manning, who was convicted in 1994 of murdering two college students. The stay came about four hours before the today’s scheduled execution.
The court did not explain its decision or put a time limit on the reprieve. The U.S. Justice Department had sent letters to officials involved in the case raising questions about the degree of certainty expressed by F.B.I. forensic experts at Manning’s original trial.
Hopefully this stay will offer an opportunity for the DNA testing that the Innocence Project and others call for in this case. Testing all the evidence seems an absolute minimum standard in capital cases.
I grieve for those who love Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller, of whose murders Manning is convicted. An execution will not bring them back.
At 6:32 p.m. CDT, in Huntsville, Texas, Carroll Joe Parr died from a lethal dose of pentobarbital administered by the state. Parr stood convicted of the murder of 18-year-old Joel Dominguez. Although Parr denied the killing, evidence against him was strong.
Parr reportedly endured an abusive childhood. His criminal record included convictions on drug-related charges and alleged links to other crimes.
I grieve for the family and friends of Joel Dominguez.
But an execution demeans us all and perpetuates a cycle of violence. There has to be another way.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Capital Punishment, Death Penalty
The commercial has iconic status.
Joe Greene, hall of fame defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, limps down a ramp toward the locker room. Battered and weary, he carries his jersey draped over his shoulder.
A child offers asks Joe if he needs help. Joe tries to avoid the child. The child persists, offering Joe his Coke.
Joe accepts. Taking the Coke in his massive hand, he downs it in one gulp.
Joe starts down the ramp. A bit confused, and perhaps disappointed, the child says good-bye and moves toward the stadium.
Joe stops, turns and calls: “Hey kid. Catch.” He tosses his jersey to the child whose eyes go wide as he pulls in the precious jersey. Awe fills his voice as he says: “Wow! Thanks Mean Joe!”
Those of us who inhabit Steelers Nation have said those words many times over the years. Today, they carry special meaning.
When he arrived in Pittsburgh in 1969, people asked “Joe who?” Chuck Noll made a defensive tackle from North Texas State University the fourth pick of the 1969 draft and the first pick of his coaching career. Most folks in Pittsburgh had never heard of the school or of Joe Greene despite his outstanding college career. Joe quickly taught us to know and admire him becoming one of the dominant players of his era and the cornerstone of the Steel Curtain.
The Steelers had never won a championship when Joe arrived. Now six Lombardi Trophies decorate Heinz Field. Joe Greene anchored the defensive line on four championship teams. He served in the front office when the Steelers won the other two.
Fans referred to the “same old Steelers” with an air of resignation when he arrived. Today, a .500 season marks a bitter disappointment.
No one player makes a team. But few players have played such key role in transforming a franchise as Joe Greene did.
He forced offenses to adapt to account for him: double teaming him, triple teaming him, still failing to stop him. He played with a fervor that led by example and raised the play of those around him.
The outstanding North Texas State University defense earned the nickname, “Mean Green.” The name followed Joe to Pittsburgh and stuck to him. “Mean Joe Greene.”
At moments he lived into the nickname, particularly in his early years when the Steelers’ losing seasons frustrated him. He reportedly spat at Dick Butkus in one game. He tossed his helmet into the stands in another. His intensity drew the team together and led others to adopt a similar attitude and match it with their play.
Of course, the fire burned all the years. Late in his career, as the Steelers faced elimination in the playoffs, officials ejected Joe for punching an opponent.
When he retired, for the first time, as a player, he became the defensive line coach under his former head coach Chuck Noll. Noll’s retirement brought speculation that the Steelers might hire Joe as the head coach. It did not happen. This resulted in a second retirement from the Steelers organization. The new coach, Bill Cowher, did not keep Joe on the staff.
Steelers Nation found it hard to watch at times, but Joe spent a few years coaching with the Dolphins and Cardinals. After the Cardinals let him go in 2004, the Steelers created a position for Joe in their scouting and player personnel department. He served for nine years before retiring for the third, and he says final, time today.
Player. Hall of Famer. Coach. Executive. As Steeler President Art Rooney said:
“There are very few people in the history of the NFL who have had a greater impact on one franchise than Joe Greene has had on the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Wow! Thanks Mean Joe!
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Football
One never knows when a quotation from Lennon and McCartney will come in handy. Opportunities to use them abound. Take today.
I entered the car on the 1 Train at 125th Street and took a seat. It does not happen often, but today was a good day to sit.
At 110th, a woman boarded. I caught her eye and offered her my seat. She politely declined. Then she stepped across the car to talk.
She told me that she had injured her knee about seven months ago. The doctors wanted to do surgery, but as a nurse, she decided for acupuncture and physical therapy. Her recovery had gone well until a few months before when someone pushed her getting on a train and she jammed her knee against the seat. Still, she feels she has about 50% function in her knee.
Quickly after telling me that, she began to complain about how pushy and rude subway riders can be in New York. She definitely prefers the riders of the Tube in her home town of London.
Her litany of concerns continued. Many in her family and among her friends and neighbors have criticized her choice of a husband. Clearly this has hurt her.
She said, “What difference does it make who people marry? All that matters if the person is nice to you. All that matters is if you love each other.”
At this point, she stopped and I finally had a chance to say something. I chose to channel John and Paul. An obvious choice, I admit. But that does not make it any less appropriate:
All you need is love
May love find you this day and all days.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under New York
Inside people enjoy art;
outside a bee enjoys the flowers.
Richmond, Virginia
16 August 2012
Filed under Photo
I had the privilege to preach at First Presbyterian Church of Forest Hills this morning. At its May 21 meeting, the Presbytery of New York City will vote to approve (technically they don’t have to approve, but they will) my friend Larissa Kwong Abazia as their pastor. She will start her ministry in August. Until then, the church has pulpit supply pastors. Today I preached and celebrated Communion.
About 60 people gathered for worship this morning. Even a group that size had incredible diversity.
During the coffee hour, I talked for a long time with three members – one from Madagascar, one from Russia, and one from Zambia.
Similar experiences have blessed me in other congregations and locations around the city – this international city.
See you along the Trail.
I ask you to join me in calling on Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to stay Willie Manning’s execution and order DNA testing!
The state of Mississippi has set May 7 as the execution date for Willie Manning.
I do not know if Willie Manning committed the acts for which he stands convicted. But I believe it is utterly unconscionable to execute him without examining all the possible evidence.
DNA testing can provide definitive proof of guilt or innocence. As the dissenters on the Mississippi Supreme Court noted, it could also identify the person responsible for the crime. Testing in this case will provide surety that Mississippi is not committing a travesty of justice by executing an innocent man.
I do not know if Willie Manning is guilty. Do the test and see what it reveals.
I do not know about all the utterly unconscionable acts and travesties of justice occur daily. I cannot know about them all. I cannot stop them all. I grieve for that.
What I do know is that the state plans to execute Willie Manning on May 7. And evidence remains untested. And that is wrong.
So I call on Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to stay Willie Manning’s execution and order DNA testing. I encourage you to do the same.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Capital Punishment, Current Events, Death Penalty
On his 94th birthday, I remember seeing Pete Seeger in concert many times, including a benefit concert for Leonard Peltier shortly before Christmas 2012. I remember listening to his recordings – on LPs, tapes, and CDs. I remember singing along as he transformed audiences into choirs.
Most of all, I remember the one conversation I had with Pete. Actually, it was a conversation with Pete and Si Kahn. They had led music at a conference I was attending. I sat down beside them. Si noticed that I was wearing a watch (this was the old days). He asked, “What time is it?” I responded with the time. “Thanks,” said Pete.
That should have been my line.
Thanks, Pete
for unflagging witness
persisting patiently
sharing hope
living with integrity
caring for creation
pursuing justice
building community
breaking down walls
crossing lines when appropriate
and honoring lines when appropriate.
Thanks Pete
for rising up in song,
bringing us along,
and reminding us that
we cannot keep from singing.
Happy Birthday!
May you stay Forever Young.
Thanks Pete!
See you along the Trail.
