It's a Miracle!!!

Now, I am a Christian and I believe in the power of God. I believe in the possibility of miracles. And more than that, I am a Baptist so I believe in the possibility of conversion, of radical changes in direction for people... of redemption. I believe in hope that overcomes cynicism and grace that transcends evil.
I was soooo excited this morning when a quick glance at Travis Armstrong's editorial in the News Press included these words, "what should disturb everyone in our county, is the reliance on alarmist rhetoric and disinformation..." I was a fraction of a second away from singing "Halleluia!" when I read the rest of the commentary. It wasn't a confession. It was a condemnation of those with whom he disagrees regarding the Chumash.

Now I have no position on the controversy surrounding the Chumash. I'm not even sure what it is. I'm sure it is important for the Chumash and for some who live in the Santa Ynez valley but I've got other issues that I'm worried about... wouldn't it be wonderful if we discussed them all with an absence of alarmist rhetoric and disinformation? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could sit together across ideological lines and talk about what needs to be done to address housing needs, poverty, homelessness, gang violence, environmental stresses, even the controversy around Chumash expansion plans or the lack thereof, and a hundred other issues that shape the lives of the members of our community? Wouldn't it be wonderful if the News Press helped set the tone for those discussions by using facts, a civil tone, and allowing fair hearing for all sides of the issues?

That would be a miracle! And I believe in miracles!