She would have loved this...

Note: Fair warning to my conservative friends/readers. Yes, I'm going to say things that will potentially upset you. So, if you really can't stand me using my freedom of speech, go somewhere else today. I recommend Molly Wizenberg's blog Orangette. No politics there: Just joy in the creating of good food that feeds her family and her friends. On the other hand, if you can stand just a little bit of political commentary (really there won't be much) stick around and then go read Molly's wonderful words. Because this is really not so much about slamming Texas' Republican governor as it is about someone I loved.

On Friday a federal prosecutor in Austin indicted Texas Governor Rick Perry on two felony counts of abuse of power. Today he showed up at the Travis County courthouse to turn himself in and have his mug shot taken. I'm not going to get into whether the charges against Perry are baseless or natter on about how I certainly hope they aren't baseless. 

No. What struck me today was how happy my best friend Sara would have been over this turn of events. She would have been ecstatic. And we would have been emailing each other about it and speculating hopefully about Perry's hope of another presidential run being done in by this indictment. 

Sara was the real deal when it came to being a liberal Democrat, becoming more and more zealous as the years went by. The standard expectation being that most of us are fervid liberals when we are young, turning more conservative with the passing years. Sara was pretty much the opposite of that. But then she never did do anything that was expected of her. 

Today I would have shared with her the fact that my daughter, her namesake, took a afternoon break to walk down to the courthouse and watch Perry make his 'walk of shame' in to turn himself in. I would have shared the video and photo my daughter Sara shot. And Sara Gray would have loved it all. She would have relaxed a tiny bit because she saw hope for Texas in this turn of events.

Instead, I'm hoping that she's seeing this now and smiling over the fact that Rick Perry now has a mug shot and is racking up some big lawyer bills. And that he is maybe, just maybe, losing some sleep at night over this. 

It was a good day in Texas today Sara. I wish you were here.

Morning Prayer

*Warning: I'm going into rant mode about a certain Republican who is, unfortunately, currently governor of Texas. If that's not your thing this morning, let me give you a few alternate things to look at: Like this hilarious "Facebook post" that gives the entire plot of Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone in a series of 'posts' from the main characters. Or if you'd rather go shopping online, here's a link to the coolest, best designed temporary tattoos I've ever seen. I'm seriously considering ordering the Pantone chip ripoff set. Y'all have fun now.

Back to ranting:

I got up this morning, checked out the news on MSNBC online and found this link to a story about Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, and an event he is having focusing on bringing people back to God and his battle to hold said event against the evil machinations (a lawsuit) of atheists. Really, Rick? Exactly what depths will you sink to in your quest for political power?

For the record, until the past year or so, I can't remember Rick praying in public all that much. He has always been majorly conservative and supportive of all the usual issues that get the conservative, uber religious voters riled up, such as abortion, gay marriage, gay anything, etc. But in the past year, he seems to have stepped up his involvement in anything involving that section of the voting populace, in particular, public praying and attendance at events involving the religious far right. All of Rick's calling on God and God's most fervent fans seems to have a definite purpose, at least to me: Ricky is definitely hoping to show, by his holy devotions, that he is the one called by God to be our next President.

Dear Lord, no. No. No. No.

While I would love to see Rick move out of the Texas Governor's mansion (permanently mind you, not just for restoration purposes), I don't want it to happen because he's changing addresses so he can move into the White House. So here's the deal Rick. You go pray all you want that God will 'call' you to the Presidency. But I'm going to be praying that God shows you a different path. One that's more tolerant. One that is more accepting of people's different beliefs and lifestyles. One that accepts that it's going to take more than prayer of a specific Christian-based belief system to solve the problems we are facing in this country. And one that has you caring more about your current constituents than your political ambitions.

Let us pray.