Changes coming to Beyond the Pale

Some changes are coming to Beyond the Pale soon.  When I started Beyond the Pale back in 2008 it was simply a fun little project to keep me occupied while I lived in a very remote area in China.  It offered me a chance to give my input on topics I loved namely: God, politics, foreign affairs, movies, books, and baseball.  It was always nice to hear someone read and enjoyed a post but if no one did read, at least my grand kids (someday) may have something to know what grandpa was like.

Since moving to Hong Kong however, and particularly since the start of this year, I find my Christian faith stirred and  my blog posts have been increasingly reflecting that.  Where before I might have been writing on Christian topics 20% of the time, now it has been more like 90%.  I am also posting a bit more frequently and will continue to do so.

For that reason Beyond the Pale is going to make some changes over the next few weeks.  Yesterday, I purchased my first piece of digital real estate; www.stevehackman.net.  (Unfortunately the .com address is taken by a more talented and better looking "Steve Hackman" who seems to be a music conductor)  I am working with a friend to design a new webpage for "Beyond the Pale" and soon we'll be redirecting everyone to the new site which will focus primarily on my passions surrounding God's Kingdom, Church, Culture, and Grace.

I realized that it was hard to develop a bigger viewing body when the topics I covered were so eclectic.  A radio station that plays the London Philharmonic, followed by a Gospel Quartet and then topped off with Led Zeppelin will struggle to find its audience.  In the past I didn't care so much...but increasingly I want some of the things I may have to say to be read by more people. 

I have been thinking of how I can still insert some other items without upsetting the applecart and will most likely do a "Weekend Update" a la Saturday Night Live.  A single blog post once a week where I can offer my two cents on the news, film, politics, and current events.  Like the fact:

* that Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera won baseball's Triple Crown last week (highest batting average, most home runs, most runs batted in).  It has not been accomplished since Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1967

* that Republican Mitt Romney totally won the first presidential debate...don't know what game Obama was bringing...but it certainly wasn't his A-game

*  that I love living in Hong Kong and might just write about some aspect of living here

Anyhow, if anyone has advice on who to use for

* website design
* hosting
* any other tidbits you've learned

Look forward to seeing you online and will let you know when Beyond the Pale makes the final move

Does the Chinese Government understand Christianity better than America?

I was in a meeting a couple weeks ago with some Americans and the topic of the U.S. election came up.  O.K., full disclosure, I was watching the Republican National Convention with a group from Republicans Abroad  here in Hong Kong.

(Hey, it included breakfast at The American Club whose club membership I could never afford in a million years so...yes...I shamelessly took the opportunity to have coffee and bagels in such a swank setting  even if it did mean having to endure watching Fox News on the big screen)

Of course being Republicans somehow the conversation meandered on to the topic of God and as I am a pastor and have had a little history with Republican politics my opinion was sought.

"Well," I said, "sometimes I wonder if the Chinese government might understand Christianity more than the American government."

Yes, jaws dropped... and then they wanted to know what I meant.

"Well," I explained, " the Chinese government understands that Christianity is an alternative way to order society.  That it places Jesus as Lord of everything in Heaven and Earth.  For Christians to truly follow Christ is to ultimately have an authority higher than the State.  China rather frowns that; seeing any authority higher than itself as not such a good thing.  Hence, they actively persecute it"

"In America we have a Christianity that tends to put American patriotism and "We the People" as the highest authority.  Yes Jesus is our "Personal Lord & Savior" but it better stay just that...personal.  Any public proclamation of Christianity is expected to be accompanied by tacit approval (and blessing) of general domestic and foreign policy."

I went on to explain in Rome the disciples of Christ were executed, as was Jesus himself, for proclaiming a king other than Caesar. Rome was fairly tolerant of other religions and if the the disciples had basically stuck to an American styled Christianity and just told people if they accepted Jesus Christ they could go to heaven one day, followed up by a "God Bless the Roman Empire", hey, they probably would have lived to a ripe old age.

The early church, however, tended to take the words of Christ seriously.  That the Kingdom of Heaven which had come to Earth through Jesus Christ was fundamentally at odds, not just with Rome, but with the power structures of the age.   As Christians we certainly can honor governmental authorities and engage in the civic process, but when the church simply performs the role of a chaplain called in to bless the latest government policy we lose our prophetic voice which is calling all people everywhere to be citizens of the Kingdom of the Heaven.

When I see American friends who have been walking with Christ for years angrily attacking political rivals  and defaming even fellow Christians who have a different political view I realize the Kingdom of Heaven is but a soft whisper in their ears that, sadly, is all too easily silenced by the kingdom of this corrupt age.

In the end my breakfast companions polietly thanked me for my thoughts on that but, you know, Clint Eastwood was coming on now so lets give the God stuff a rest and watch what Dirty Harry had to say.

How not to get Sucked into Election Season Madness

Wow, my Facebook news feed has really changed lately.  I knew the 2012 political season was in full swing  when the normal posts featuring my "friend's" travel adventures, babies being born, and what they had for breakfast were usurped by updates showing why the apocalypse will reign down on America if there is a Democratic or Republican victory in November.

What's most disturbing from my vantage point is that the most bombastic and "cringe worthy" posts come from Christians who, ironically, are supposed to be identified by the love they have for people. I'm left wondering at what point during the election season is the Sermon on the Mount  no longer applicable to Christ's disciples?

Back in 2003 when I was a graduate student at the University of Colorado our department invited former Democratic Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson in for a panel discussion.  One of the questions asked was how things in Congress had changed from when they served.  Their immediate response was the adversarial nature between the parties was much more bitter and personal than it had been in their day.  They noted how President Reagan (R) and House Speaker Tip O'Neill (D) fought passionately over policy but at the end of the day "they were two Irishmen who enjoyed beer."

What happened?  Why have Christians, who are supposed to be putting out fires of strife and discord, are instead fanning the flames?

I recently listened to an excellent teaching by Brian Zahnd called Election Season and your Soul.  He gives his church congregation a 10 point "voter guide" on how NOT to get sucked into the "madness" of the political season.

The original post can be found here:  Let me say I agree with the below points 150%...and you should too.

1. The political process, while necessary, has little to do with how God is saving the world.
For more on this point go here: The Church as an Alternative Society

2. The fate of the kingdom of God does not depend upon political contests.
Don’t be swept away by apocalyptic political rhetoric. It is what it is. Another election cycle. Jesus is Lord no matter who wins the Big American Idol contest and gets their turn at playing Caesar.

3. Don’t be naïve, political parties are more interested in Christian votes than they are in Christian values.
Do you doubt this? Thought Experiment: Imagine if Jesus went to Washington D.C. Imagine that he is invited to give a speech to a joint session of Congress. (He’s Jesus after all, and I’m sure the senators and congressmen would be delighted to hear a speech from the founder of the world’s largest religion—it would confer great dignity upon the institution.) Imagine that the speech Jesus gave was his most famous sermon—the Sermon on the Mount. Can you imagine that? Jesus is introduced. (Standing ovation.) He stands before Congress and begins to deliver his speech. “Blessed are the poor…the mourners…the meek.” “Love your enemies.” “Turn the other cheek.” After some perfunctory applause early on, I’m pretty sure there would be a lot of squirming senators and congressmen. The room would sink into a tense silence. And when Jesus concluded his speech with a prophecy of the inevitable fall of the house that would not act upon his words (Matthew 7:26–27), what would Congress do? Nothing. They could not act. To act on Jesus’ words would undo their system. In the end, the U.S. Congress would no more adopt the policies Jesus set out in the Sermon on the Mount than they were adopted by the Jewish Sanhedrin or the Roman Senate. The Jesus Way and the Politics of Power don’t mix.

4. The bottom line for political parties is power. The bottom line for a Christian is love. And therein lies the rub.
The problem with our “change the world” rhetoric is that it is too often a thinly veiled grasp for power and a quest for dominance—things which are antithetical to the way Jesus calls his disciples to live. A politicized faith feeds on a narrative of perceived injury and lost entitlement leading us to blame, vilify and seek to in some way retaliate against those we imagine responsible for the loss in late modernity of a mythical past. It’s what Friedrich Nietzsche as a critic of Christianity identified as ressentiment and it drives much of the Christian quest for political power.

5. While in pursuit of the Ring of Power, you are not permitted to abandon the Sermon on the Mount.
When the world is arranged as an axis of power enforced by violence, the pursuit of power trumps everything. But in the new world created at the cross (an axis of love expressed by forgiveness), love trumps everything. The Sermon on the Mount is our guide to this new kind of love. Among other things, this means you cannot deliberately portray your political opponents in the worst possible light. (Attack ads? Remember the Golden Rule?) Jesus also taught us that if you call someone you disagree with a “fool” you are liable to the “Gehenna of fire.” I might put it this way: When your political rage causes you to hurl epithets like “fool” and “idiot”—you are kindling the fires of hell in your own soul!

6. If your political passion makes it hard for you to love your neighbor as yourself, you need to turn it down a notch.
Right?

7. Your task is to bring the salt of Christian civility to an ugly and acrimonious political process.
If you cannot contribute to the redemption of the political process, but are instead being contaminated by it, then you are salt that has lost its savor…and what’s the point?

8. To dismember the body of Christ over politics is a grievous sin.
This business of denying that someone is true brother or sister in Christ based upon their politics is horrible and must be repented of! It is no small sin. When the Corinthian church carried their class divisions to the communion table, the Apostle Paul said, “Anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” Don’t do it!

9. Exercise your liberty to vote your conscience and conviction, while accepting that other Christians will do the same and vote differently than you.
There are committed Christians who conscientiously vote Republican. And there are committed Christians who conscientiously vote Democratic. This is true. You simply have to accept it.

10. It’s more important that your soul be filled with love than it is for your political team to win the game.
If your team loses, the sun will come up and life will go on. But if you damage your soul by succumbing to politically motivated vitriol that causes love to whither, you would have been better off to have never got yourself politically entangled in the first place.
I leave you with this…

Love is patient and kind.
Love does not envy or boast.
Love is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way.
Love is not irritable or resentful.
Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing,
Love rejoices with the truth.
Love bears and believes all things.
Love hopes and endures all things.
Love never fails.

This is what the Apostle Paul calls the “more excellent way.”
It is the way of Christ.
It is the holy way of love.
It is the way we are called to.
It is the way of human flourishing.
And if you have to choose between love and politics—choose love.

Steve's Letter to the Editor

Some of you saw my photo on Facebook of the "Letter to the Editor" that I wrote and was published in the South China Post newspaper this week.  Some asked for a full reprint as they couldn't read the top of the picture and, not being in Hong Kong, did not have quick access to the paper.

Just for a bit of context;

The letter is a response to an op-ed piece from a few days previous when a columnist was really calling into question some aspects of legality in Hong Kong.  What was especially troubling to me was that this columnist sits on the Basic Law Committee of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.  For the layman, that means he helped arrange the mini-constitution (The Basic Law) which protects the rights of Hong Kong since the assumption of sovereignty by China from Great Britain 15 years ago.

Meaning this guy is supposed to be protecting the Rule of Law in Hong Kong...not call it into question!

The piece was really chafing against me all that Friday evening and the little voice inside said "Just forget about it..."

Saturday morning came and I couldn't forget about it...

... so I banged out the following response to the op-ed:

To the South China Morning Post:

I found the premise behind Lau Nai-keung's recent opinion piece (Hong Kong needs a time out from self serving legislators) to be very troubling.  Without coming out and saying it he uses the recent incident of the Legco filibuster to call in to question the very idea of "rule of law" in Hong Kong.  He contrasts a "Western mindset" whose legal procedure trumps common sense as being responsible for the filibuster as opposed to the Chinese way where, "legality has no overriding authority." 

First, creating a confrontational dichotomy between Western and Chinese ways is not entirely helpful in an International city like Hong Kong.  Second, to suggest that  Hong Kongers may find a society where "legality has no overriding authority" appealing is largely insulting.  Mr. Lau would replace legal authority with "rules (that) should be adaptable to changing conditions....if that purpose is good, then it is OK; but if bad, then no way."  The Hong Kong people would then be subject to the whims of what was thought to be "good" that day.  And whose version of what is "good" do we use?  Mr. Lau's idea of what is good would certainly be different than that of "Longhair" Leung Kwok-hung, and our new Chief Executive elect Leung Chun-ying's version of "common sense" may be different from other community and business leaders. 

In the years leading up to the Handover, when even the most ardent Hong Kong Chinese nationalists were asked if there was any positive contribution British colonialism made to Hong Kong, most would grudgingly admit, "the rule of law".  To chip away at this precious commodity Hong Kong has, and which many countries desire, is to do so at our peril.

Steve Hackman
Park Island, Ma Wan

My letter was published 4 days later...

The Church as the Conscience of the State? Bad Idea

A video making its way around the news circuit features the church of Pastor Dennis Terry hosting  GOP candidate Rick Santorum for a political "revival" meeting.

Its a little scary...

And its indicative of what happens when the Kingdom of Heaven and the American Republic get seen as one and the same.  Poor Pastor Terry...in his eyes the bad guys are winning so he's backing the candidate who. to him, represents Truth, Justice, and the American Way.

If you watch the below video you see that he declares (and even puts it on Power Point) that, "The Church is the conscience of the State."


Now I've read the New Testament  and there are many things that the church is called to do...but I don't remember "the conscience of the state" being one of them.

In fact I'm pretty sure that instead of being "the conscience of the state", the church is supposed to be representing, and foreshadowing,  the Kingdom of God.  Its not supposed to be the morality police for a temporal nation-state but instead declaring that there is a new King on the throne and he is calling all people to come and and be citizens of His Kingdom.  A Kingdom centered on Christ and that emanates love and forgiveness.

But instead of operating as an Ambassador of God's Kingdom demonstrating that love and forgiveness  to a captive audience, Pastor Terry instead chooses the role of  "the angry American" who is watching  the privileged  position he inherited as a white, male, Christian slip away   He is flailing and grasping for what is "temporal" at the expense of representing the "eternal".

The Church as the Conscience of the State?  Definitely a "bad idea"!

There is a better way Pastor Terry...there is a better way!

Iowa Caucus results: My thoughts

I popped over to The Whiskey Priest (you gotta love that name) yesterday afternoon to meet up with the "Republicans Abroad"  and watch the results of the Iowa caucus live.  (Late evening in America is lunch time here in Hong Kong)

Before the caucus began I made the prediction:

1) Romney
2) Paul
3) Santorum
4) Gingrich
5) Perry

And I was pretty close with only Santorum and Paul's places switched by 3% points.  (I also called that Perry would drop out, which by retreating to Texas he pretty much did)

There were about 30-40 guys at this lunch and we took an informal poll of who was supporting who.  Almost everyone raised their hands for Romney.  There were a couple guys for Gingrich and but none of the other candidates had any supporters among the Hong Kong Republicans.

There seems to be a consensus that people living overseas have a wider perspective and are less parochial on many issues.  Romney's fiscal and personal discipline appeal to a number of us.  He's viewed as solid as opposed to "flaky."  And more importantly, he is seen as someone who can appeal across a broader audience of voters in a general election.  Essentially, he is the best chance of beating Obama.

So, why am I not supporting the other remaining candidates:

Santorum: I think this Santorum is a genuinely nice guy who projects an authenticity that is appealing.  Having said that, I don't think "he is ready for prime time."  He is to undisciplined in his campaigning and he comes with baggage of a major senate loss in 2006 as well the feeling he is the last choice of a number of failed "conservative" options in this election.

Gingrich: He's an ideas man and sometimes he gets things right, but really doesn't know how to behave in critical situations.  He will always "go off the rails" at some point as that is who he is and what is in his nature to do.  Most people realized this as well and after a momentary surge in the polls, he finds his support base vanishing.

Paul: Ron Paul has some interesting domestic spending ideas but its his foreign policy that will keep him from EVER being President of the United States.  We have spent the last 70 years building relationships that allow the projection of American power across the globe.  He'd like to call that quits, bring home our carrier fleets, our troops in Japan and South Korea, and just hunker down around the homeland.  Yes, with the tension in the South China Sea rising NOW would be a perfect time to mothball the navy...Not!

One of the Gingrich supporters at the Whiskey Priest (can you tell I just love mentioning that name again) yesterday did indicate his support for Gingrich stemmed from his inability to back Romney because of his Mormon faith.  I must admit I had read about such people...but I had never actually met one before.

See, Hong Kong is a place where one meets all kinds of different folk.

China News Still Not "Newsworthy" in America

Obama greets troops in Australia

Living in Hong Kong I am sometimes amazed by what International news is important in this region versus what is deemed front page news in America.  Being a bit of a "news junkie" I follow both region's news cycles fairly in depth...and they just don't match.

Case in point:

Last week I was chatting with a couple old friends from high school via Skype.  All though we are all Republicans my politics have vented back toward the center a bit in recent years causing some enjoyable and "lively" discussions.  In fact one of my friends is not so much "Republican" as he is "Ayn Rand"...hence the lively discussions.

Anyhow, I asked them what they thought of Obama's move to station 2500 marines in a new upgraded base in Darwin, a city on the north coast of Australia.  Truth be told, I've known this group of friends for 30 years and we have a fun (my wife calls it mean :) way of "baiting" each other to provoke a response.  I was being a little cheeky I admit.  Obama energizing America's military might in the region I knew would appeal to their Republican blood.  It would be a "good thing".  But I also knew that their politics didn't allow for Obama doing a "good thing".   This could be fun...

It was not unlike the strategy used by Captain Kirk from Star Trek.  When ever he had to get by the "super computer / killer robot"  he would feed it a question that would put it into a an endless logic loop.  Kirk would then sit back as it rattled the question around a bit and then finally popped a circuit allowing him to get free and save the girl.  So I thought I'll feed them a "good thing done by Obama", watch them try to process it through their "Obama can do no good" programming, then sit back and wait for a circuit to blow.

Understand it's not that I've become a fan of Obama (I'm not) so much as I absolutely love arguing with my friends.

My strategy didn't work though...but not for the reason's I would have guessed.  "Steve," said one of them, "we've heard nothing about this."  I was frankly...shocked!

Understand, the papers in Hong Kong and in the Pacific region have been almost daily running stories and editorials either celebrating or deriding America's increased engagement in the area.  It is possibly the most important ongoing news story this side of the Pacific.  Not only the deployment of marines to north Australia but Obama's raising of the issue of Maritime claims in the South China Sea at the recent APEC summit in Hawaii against China's objections. 

Most analysts have said it has been a diplomatic win for Obama and a setback for China yet for some reason the news cycles in America were not jumping on it.  I suppose Kim Kardashian divorcing her husband after a few hours of marriage might have something to do with it but come on?  My friends are well read and well informed individuals.  I thought they would be bringing this topic up to me?

It has just demonstrated to me though that although this region has built the China - United States dynamic into the major geopolitical balance of power issue de jour, China and the Asia Pacific region still does not register on the average American's radar.  Because the news channels cater to the American appetite, stories of China and the region, while increasing in importance, still tend to focus on the human interest stories of development and are buried on Page 3.

That's likely to change though in the coming decade as China continues to develop its military and tests America's commitment to the region,  well, unless Kim Kardashian gets married again that is...

Why the Republicans need to get behind Romney

Herman Cain is the front runner in the Republican race to the White House despite new charges of sexual harassment leveled against him.  However this week's New Yorker has an article that says, The knowing people who know things in Washington generally believe that, once the electoral process begins in January, Romney will shed Cain, Perry, Bachmann, and the rest in rapid fashion."


Although I don't live in Washington, consider me one of those who "know".


Months ago I was one of those Republicans that were hoping another candidate would get in the race.  Someone that would inspire the party.  There was a quick moment when Rick Perry began his run (and admittedly when I knew nothing about him) that I thought, "Mmm maybe".  Of course then Perry started talking and that potential love affair ended before it got started.
Of course, that got me wondering how this guy got elected Governor of Texas in the first place?  By the way, how does one become Governor of Texas?  State Fair raffle?  Turkey shoot?  I'm starting to wonder...

Anyhow...

Herman Cain?  He may be nice... he may be sincere. But, whenever he discusses anything dealing with foreign policy I vacillate between laughter...and well...laughter.   Let him keep making pizzas, its a noble and necessary occupation, but that guy should never be let anywhere near Air Force One.

Michelle Bachmann?  Was never a serious contender.  She could mobilize a particularly robust segment of the party and that got her on the radar...but alas no, Americans are still smart enough to reject the Bachmanns (and Palins for that matter) of the party on the national scale.

And I think that is the fundamental problem right now with the GOP.  They seem to be "getting behind" candidates that have a particular regional appeal, but would never be seriously considered on the national stage.  Michelle Bachmann may be a able to represent Wisconsin's 6th congressional district but do we really think she can transform into the representative of the nation??

And so, my support for Romney has gone up considerably.  He has shown in the debates to rise above the fray and project a potential Mr. President.  As a Republican that managed to get elected of the left leaning State of Massachusetts he has shown he has appeal beyond Republican circles and can capture those crucial independent voters in the general election.

And yet my party seems to be going from one questionable candidate to the other in the hope they won't get stuck having to support Romney.  Even Obama replied recently when asked who he believed his election opponent might be that, "first we should see who gets voted off the Island next." highlighting the comical Reality-TV element of the the process.

Of course the only other candidate I like is Jon Huntsman and he's preparing for 2016 should we see a GOP implosion in 2012.

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last Governor, back for a visit

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last Governor, returned to the territory for the first time in 3 years to a receptive audience of well wishers.  Patten, or Fat Pang as he is also affectionately known, remains popular among the people of Hong Kong for his championing of democratic reforms in the run up to the handover of sovereignty from Great Britain to China in 1997.

Last week I was sitting with some Hong Kong Chinese peers and the subject of next years Chief Executive election came up.  (The Chief Executive is the post created to replace the Governor after the handover)  My friends were bemoaning the choice of the the two front runner candidates that they felt would be ineffective in leading Hong Kong into the 21st Century.  There seemed to be a consensus that either candidate would be too scared of upsetting Beijing to be very effectual. 

It was at this point I piped in and suggested, "Sounds like Hong Kong needs a Chinese Chris Patten as a candidate." 

Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly) there seemed to be universal agreement on the subject.
"He was good for Hong Kong" responded one
"He didn't care what Britain or China thought...He put Hong Kong people first." responded another.
"The Hong Kong people still think very highly of him." added a third.

Its easy to see why, even after 14 years, Fat Pang still holds a certain soft spot in the locals hearts, particularly with the older generation of Hong Kongers.  Unlike previous Governors, and later Chief Executives, Chris Patten was known for frequently strolling along Hong Kong streets in an attempt to meet everyday Hong Kong people.  In fact, many a Hong Kong restaurant would have a picture on the wall of the Governor stopping by their establishment and posing with the owner.

I remember once in the late 1990's after the Handover the owner of a restaurant Tammy and I frequented in Wan Chai told us a story.  For a number of years he had a picture of himself with Chris Patten on the wall when Patten had dropped by out of the blue one day to meet him in his back kitchen.  Some local government officials who were part of the new post-British administration came in for lunch one day and called him over to their table. He said to me, "Steve,  they pointed at the picture of Chris Patten and me shaking hands and asked whether it wasn't about time I took that picture down."  

He told them, "No, the picture stays but any time Tung Che-Hwa (the then Chief Executive) wants to come around and shake my hand, I'll be happy to put his picture up as well".

The officials never came back...

Patten was well known for his love of local egg tarts and the South China Morning Post newspaper reported that his plane had landed at 4:00 PM and the former Governor was able to sample his first local egg tart at "quarter past five".

Although Patten's visit to Hong Kong is not political in nature he did have three pieces of advice for the two men seeking to run for his old job;

"Understanding the profound honor of serving  the people of Hong Kong.  Understanding the reasons for the city's success are prerequisites for success.  Comprehending the full meaning of 'one country, two systems' is important too."

TV You Should Watch: Yes Minister!

I've been meaning to start a series of occasional posts highlighting what I believe are the Best TV Shows ever and why you should give them a look see.  This post is prompted by seeing a You Tube clip from the BBC highlighting the possibility that Yes Minister  is the Best British comedy ever.

Co-Writer Jonathan Lynn describes it best when he says, "There is no reason why, when you think about it, Yes Minister should be a hit.  There's no sex, no action... on paper it's a complete dud!"

Despite this, I have watched all of the episodes MANY times over and in my humble opinion it is one of the funniest, most intelligently written shows ever produced. Yes Minister follows the exploits of the Minister of Administrative Affairs James Hacker and his Machiavellian Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby.  In later episodes, Hacker is elected to be the Prime Minister and then things get even more crazy.



I know this clip is a little long but if you want a good laugh and a little understanding of what I find to be extremely funny, watch it until the end.

Although the action takes place in a Reagan / Thatcher era Great Britain, the parody of the absurdity of modern politics are laid bare in all of their glorious grandeur.

So take Uncle Stevie's advice and give Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister a look...

Chris Christie: Please...Please run for President!!

Chris Christie probably won't run...but I sure hope he does.  Up until now I've been somewhat behind Mitt Romney.  One because he has increasingly impressed me in his debate performances and second because most of the the rest of the Republican field are a public embarrassment.

Watching Christie talk though I realize this guy means what he says.  Everyone else, Obama included, seem like they have just been given a cue card to read from.  No strength, no passion...  I was beginning to think men of courage no longer ran for President.  Well since he is still sitting on the fence, maybe they don't.

When the rest of the Republican candidates invoke Reagan it seems depressing.  They want the mantle but on them it hangs like an ill fitting leisure suit.  When Christie talks about America he doesn't have to invoke Reagan...he's already living it.  I listen to him and think, "I want what he's having."

I think Romney could be a good president but Chris Christie has the potential to be a great one.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

At the same time I would be remiss if I forgot to mention our favorite Grizzly Mama, Sarah Palin, said she is still considering running for President.  Oh, I do wish she would. She could say some random silly things, make us all giggle, give Saturday Night Live some choice material, and then maybe...if we're all really, really lucky...she'll just go away!

But that may be to much to hope for!

Diversity: or How America makes Americans

My 9 month old son, Ethan George, attended his first Republican meeting this week.  Being that I am in Hong Kong I need to qualify that statement to say I am referring to the American political party and not any organization designed to abolish the Monarchy.

God Save the Queen!

No, the Republicans Abroad is the group in Hong Kong for Americans of the Republican Party to gather together for networking and political events.  This last Thursday's Lan Kwai Fong event was a reception to get to know Philip Yin, a state of Washington native working in Hong Kong, who is returning home this week to run for the U.S. Senate.

As someone who had run for the U.S. House of Representatives, Yin and I had a bit to talk about.  We hold a similar position on a number of issues, tend to favor a more "moderate" approach in general and both shook our heads in embarrassment at the performance of a majority of the Republican presidential candidates in the previous night's debate.  I was able to encourage him in the undertaking he was preparing to start and I always applaud anyone willing to "enter the arena" so to speak.

As Philip Yin addressed the group of about 30 who had come out to wish him well though I was struck by a thought.  He talked about his father immigrating to America as a young man from China speaking no English but working hard to achieve the American Dream.  He stated although he supports China he is American and his loyalty is to America.  The thought that struck me was the pride I felt in our country that we can absorb the best and the brightest from around the world and create Americans.  This son of a poor Chinese immigrant is making a legitimate run for the U.S. Senate.  Its as if America says to the world, "Yes, you to can be American".  There would (most likely) never be the reciprocal opportunity for an immigrant's child in Asia.  I mean the child of a Filipino maid could never get elected to public office in Malaysia, Japan, or South Korea.

Even in cosmopolitan Hong Kong, the Legislative Counsel is made up of only ethnic Chinese and is likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future.

In 2008 I was teaching a class in Qingdao China made up primarily of Korean International students.  It was election week in American and I asked the class who they wanted to win the U.S. presidency...McCain or Obama?  The class mostly supported Obama.  I asked one young South Korean student why? She responded, "Because it's good for America to have a minority president to promote diversity."

 I responded that was very thoughtful and true that because of past racial tensions in America the election of Barack Obama may help demonstrate new opportunities for diversity in America.  Then I furthered the notion, "So you would also be open to more diversity in South Korea as well and perhaps have a minority president in the future...possibly a black president?"

She quickly dropped her head and I sensed a wave of discomfort among the mainly Korean students.  They whispered in Korean for a moment and then she looked up at me and embarrassingly responded,

"No, that couldn't happen in Korea."

Apparently diversity is good... you know, for Western nations who are into that sort of thing.

But at that Republicans Abroad reception I realized for all the bumps, bruises, and challenges that come from our vast melting pot...its still cooking up a pretty good dish!

Dylan Ratigan's Rant and President Obama's failed leadership

There is a Shakespearean sentiment that is brewing within America.  Republicans and Democrats alike have been completely ineffective in dealing with the economic crisis that is beginning to jeopardize, at least the perception, of America's place in the world and for that reason the American people seem to be unified in declaring " A Curse on both your Houses" towards their elected representatives.

That sentiment was expressed admirably (and quite passionately) by MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan where he exploded in a video clip that has gone viral on the internet:



Those of you that follow Beyond the Pale know that I have tried to be a Republican that refrains from bashing President Obama simply because he exists. In fact I often take a bit of heat from my GOP cohorts for not seeing past his nice guy, family loving, reasonable mannerisms smokescreen to the Kenyan born, socialist / fascist anti-Christ he obviously is...at least to them.

But I gotta say it... America needs a leader right now and President Obama just ain't doin what needs to be done.

When President Reagan talked about America being the greatest country on Earth and that our best days were ahead of us he meant it. It oozed out of the very fiber of his DNA and we all caught what he had. Like the classic line from When Harry Met Sally we looked at the Gipper on TV and said, "we'll have what he's having."

When President Obama talks about American greatness however it seems like its something he knows you want him to say and although he'd like to help, well...you see... his hands are tied.

I wrote in 2008 that one of my fears of Obama was that we were electing another Jimmy Carter. Carter was a nice guy but an ineffective President who created a depressed state of affairs for America. Likewise, Obama has that nice guy thing which really helped get him elected (as did Carter) but is increasingly demonstrating the lack of ability to lead the American people with any sense of conviction or urgency.

Mike Barnacle on the MSNBC show Morning Joe says it best in this short clip where he seems perplexed and frustrated by Obama's apparent inability to say and do what needs to be done:

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For all of our sakes, lets hope the President and the Congress get their acts together soon...

Return of the Gweilo

I lived in Hong Kong in the years leading up to July 1, 1997 when the territory was returned to China from Great Britain.  During those days it was common to see gweilos (a vaguely pejorative term given to Caucasians meaning at worst "foreign devil" and at best "pale ghost") holding political office alongside Chinese counterparts.  During that time members of the Legislative Council (Hong Kong's version of parliament) were just as apt to have a last name like MacGreggor as they were to be a Lee or a Chan. 

With resumption of sovereignty by China in 1997, any smattering of diversity, at least in the politcal arena, disappeared almost overnight.  The International flavor of Hong Kong was still visable in other city sectors however.  Business, religious, and  entertainment sectors to name but a few, still mixed the majority Chinese population with many other ethnic minority Hong Kongers to create a vibrant cosmopolitan fabric.  But in the political sector, save a few civil service positions, the ethnicity became quite homogenous.  (I recently saw a "gweilo" police officer and was surprised to be told there were still a few around)

Recently though a couple items hit the news here in Hong Kong that raised a few eyebrows. The first was that in an election last September, Paul Zimmerman, became the first non-Chinese elected to political office as a District Councillor when he was voted in by 60% of the Pok Fu Lam residents.  Zimmerman, who admits his Cantonese is poor, still saw a large portion of the local Chinese population of that district tick a gweilo's name in the ballot box.

This is followed by a recent South China Morning Post article that details British born, but long time Hong Kong resident, Andrew Brown's trials since winning a village election by a single vote in 2003.  Seems Brown has had trouble with one of the long time ruling families to the point where he has not even been allowed into the village office he is supposed to work from.

But "foreigners" winning elections in post-Handover Hong Kong??  I can almost see the movie poster now:

                                           "Return of the Gweilo"

      starring Joaquin Phoenix as Paul Zimmerman and Hugh Grant as Andrew Brown. 

An Oscar contender for sure :)

Happy Birthday to The Gipper!

He would have been 100 years old today!  Across America, Cenetennial celebrations are being carried out to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of former President Ronald Wilson Reagan. 

I miss the Gipper!  He gave America hope after the malaise years of Vietnam and Carter.  Like today, the economy was shot, unemployment was up, and we were constantly told that Japan was the rising economic power that would eventually dislodge America's economic might and the Soviets were going to dominate us militarily .  America's Best Days were behind and we needed to accept the fact we were a superpower in decline.  (Anything sound familiar?)



Then a little known B-grade Hollywood actor out of California said, "Well, we'll just have to see about that..." and over the next 8 years put the pride back in America's soul.  He called the United States a "shining city on a hill" pronounced the Soviet Union "an evil empire" and turned the U.S. economy into a global powerhouse again.  Leaders of the Democratic Party were agast as their rank and file broke away to reelect him by a landslide in 1984.  The same year a young 18 year old Steve Hackman cast his first vote which proudly went to the Gipper!  What a time it was for Republicans....a time when we didn't have to canvess the trash bin for our leaders, we KNEW who our leader was.

I just read an article that said President Obama was trying to study Reagan to learn how he coped through some of the similar hurdles they have both encountered.  In the piece they quote Pres. Obama saying:

"No matter what political disagreements you may have had with President Reagan -- and I certainly had my share -- there is no denying his leadership in the world, or his gift for communicating his vision for America," Obama wrote in an op-ed for USA Today.  Observers argue that Obama is looking to Reagan to find out how to turn around a bad economy, reach out to the other side of the aisle and restore faith in the American spirit.

Study hard Mr. President ...Study hard!

America: Let's make "Civility" contagious!

The shooting in Tucson was tragic!  Twenty people shot, 6 fatally including a 9 year old girl and a United States Congresswoman who is in critical condition with a bullet through her head  I won't go more into the details as we all know what occurred.  Instead, I want to say again, as I so often do on Beyond The Pale;

"Can we dial down the crazy...Please!"

Even as the nation seems to be demanding a stop to the vitriol and blame game, our 24 hour news rags seem to have non-stop talking head segments with Crazy Left and Crazy Right battling it out to see who can take the blame for an even more crazy nut that was the source of the tragedy.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said it best when he said can we finally have an end to the societal downward spiral that is the result of an "I'm Right & you're Evil" siege mentality.

Ok, is it possible? Can we as a nation begin to see people whom we disagree with on public policy simply as wrong, and not evil?  Can we agree to disagree yet still respect our neighbor as a fellow American?

Can we?

Well, I suppose someone has to go first, so ...here goes

Dear President Obama,

I'm a Conservative Republican who, most likely, will never vote for you (even if you run against Sarah Palin, in which case I'll probably write in the name of some random guy who lives across the street).  I don't think you are doing enough to reduce our national debt, nor to create jobs.  I believe you and I have fundamental disagreements on some of the key social issues that divide our country and I believe you are ineffectual and slightly naive in regards to foreign policy at a time when America can't afford to be ineffectual.  Having said that, I want to say

• I admire your commitment to your wife and children and feel it serves as an inspiration for families around our country.  
• I have concerns about your health care plan but don't think its part of some "Fabian Socialist" plot to undermine America.  I believe it's born of a genuine desire to see health care available to the most vulnerable of my fellow Americans.  I just think we need to work on it some more...
• I believe you have tried to maintain a modicum of integrity in an arena that has all but jettisoned it
• I would thoroughly enjoy having a beer with you 
• That you are my President and have my support 110%.  

Oh and:

• I am a Pentecostal Christian who doesn't believe you are the Anti-Christ, 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse, or any other character from the Book of Revelation.

Your Sincerely,

Stephen Hackman

Fellow American

Well, now it's your turn.  Choose one prominent politician from "the other side" with whom you most disagree with.  Examine them and find 1 or 2 things you can say something positive about.

You have to watch civility though, it could become contagious... 

John Boehner & the 112th Congress

I'm becoming more and more impressed with John Boehner!  As the new Speaker of the House assumes his gavel and the newly crowned Republican led 112th Congress take their seats, a lot of expectation is growing as the country tries to climb out of the downward spiral of unemployment and debt. 

Boehner delivered a short, thoughtful speech making special note of the humility the congress felt at being reminded just how temporary their time there could be.  I believe Boehner just might be what America needs right now.  He is not a firebrand or a radical.  He has the ability to cooperate with the far right of his own party and yet have enough respect in the "relationship account" to reach across the aisle to create working policy.

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Joe Scarsbough, on his show Morning Joe, discussed the increased humility he is seeing from both Democrats and Republicans alike.  Back in 1994 when the Republicans assumed power, it had been a Democratically controlled house for 40 years!  The obituary of the Democratic Party was wrote after that but all it took was 3 or 4 years of Newt Gingrich and a Congress who felt entitled to be there for the American people to send them packing.

After the 2008 Tsunami that swept Barack Obama and the Democrats in, multiple news organizations were declaring  the end of the Republican Party as we knew it.  At best, it would be regulated to a regional party centered in some of the southern states.  Everytime someone would say that to me I would shake my head and respond, "The Democrats will screw it up soon, and then all will change again."

Well, the Democrats screwed it up and the the "dead" Republican Party rose from the grave and have taken up control of the House of Representatives... again.  This time though, there is a sense of humility.  John Boehner knows, as do many of his colleagues, that if they can't deliver jobs and lower our national debt, they'll be given their walking papers in the next election.

But I think John Boehner is no Newt Gingrich.  I used to think that was a bad thing. Now? ...I think that's a good thing...and maybe a thing America needs.

Christmas Shopping with Obama and the Republicans

Its Christmas time and President Obama and the Republicans have been out shopping just for you.  Using China President Hu Jiantao's Platinum MasterCard they have bought a mountain of presents for the American people I know you're just going to love!

You got to hand it to the Republicans, when they come into power, they know how to deal. The new plan they worked out with President Obama and the Democrats will balloon the American budget deficit by a whopping ...wait for it... 1 TRILLION Dollars!

Funny then how both parties had agreed in principal to address the deficit crisis.  The Democrats of course, want to do it by raising taxes, targeted predominately at "the rich."  The Republicans in turn want the deficit to be curbed through budget cuts aimed at social entitlements.

What happened though was that in mental abyss that we like to call party politics, somehow we ended up with lower taxes renewed and spending increased.  The thinking being, "Hey, why tighten the belt and make hard choices when our Chinese friends seem more than happy to keep lending us money."

A trillion here, a trillion there, sooner or later it starts becoming real dinero.

The deficit troubles really began to hit hard when President Bush decided to engage in two wars AND cut taxes. That made as much sense as saying to my wife, "Hey Hon, let's remodel the kitchen, buy a new car, and take a vacation overseas, oh, and by the way, I've decided to go to part time at work."

Then, rather than asking the American people to stand with the soldiers fighting overseas by making sacrifices at home, the narrative from the White House was "this doesn't have to affect you much at all. Don't make sacrifices and whatever you do, keep shopping."  This just reenforced into our national psyche that important things have no cost associated to them whatsoever

The downside of a democracy with a very large credit rating is that you can use that credit rating to keep showering presents on the electorate to keep them happy.  Its like these celebrities who you find out are broke, but still live a high lifestyle for sometime.  Their perceived wealth gives them the ability to live beyond their means for much longer than the average guy.  Thats America right now.  Its living a lifestyle in really can't afford and we now need politicians that can make some of the hard choices.

Either that, or we can end up like Greece where the hard choices were forced on them against their will.

Great Britain has done it though.  Finding themselves in an even higher deficit than the U.S by percentage of G.D.P.  they have instituted an austerity program program where they are cutting 25% almost across the board over the next five years.  The people there are generally supportive of it as they see, and can appreciate, the dire consequences for them if they don't begin acting now.

Obama can't seem to make the hard choices though because he has to get himself reelected in 2012...and so the Christmas presents keep coming out...

...even though they're all Made in China!

Nobel Peace Prize puts China "On Tilt"

In the 1998 film Rounders Matt Damon narrates the subtleties of No Limit Texas Hold-up poker:

A brilliant player can get a strong hand cracked, go on tilt...
and lose his mind along with every single chip in front of him.

In poker parlance to "go on tilt" means to so frustrate a player to point where they are not playing rationally. The other players enjoy a great advantage because the flummoxed player keeps throwing good money after bad rather than mentally acknowledging they lost a big hand, cool down, and play the next hand fresh. A guy going "on tilt" can be fun to watch...provided you're not the guy.

That Matt Damon Rounders line has been ringing in my ears as I've watched the proceedings surrounding the Nobel Peace Prize award given to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo this week. The Nobel Committee's naming of Liu for the prestigious award has managed to put the Middle Kingdom into full on "tilt" mode.

China's normally restrained and carefully calculated "soft" diplomacy was thrown out the window in favor of earlier, and more proven, ways of dealing with dissent. Both Norway, and countries that sent representatives to the ceremony were threatened with future punitive actions, Chinese nationals were not allowed to travel to Oslo for the occasion, and Chinese dignitaries labeled the award to Liu "obscene" and a "political farce". In China words like "Liu" and "Nobel Peace" were censored preventing texts and Internet searches from yielding results and news broadcasting the award ceremony were blacked out.

Ironically, if China had simply ignored or down played the award, most people, both inside and outside of China, would have remained ignorant of Liu Xiaobo's existence.

So why has China lashed out so vocally and let itself "go on tilt"?

Part of the reason can be explained in that China is a "face" driven society. Most westerners see "face" as the need to give someone respect but having lived over here for many years I'm beginning to see it as a much deeper trait. It really is part of the soul of the country. The Nobel Prize, although publicly ridiculed now by Chinese leaders, is really held in high regard for the prestige it confers. And in China, prestige is paramount. The country has been trying for years to get some of its "approved" writers awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature to no avail. Thus the awarding of the Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, whom the government has labeled a criminal, stung pretty bad.

China has in turn accused the whole event of being politically motivated. And you know what?

...they're probably right.

The Nobel Committee is far from being a neutral and unbiased body. Did they intend to provoke China? Of course they did and you know why?

Because they could.

Being a "face" based society makes China more susceptible to "going on tilt" as it feels compelled to respond to diplomatic slights that most Western nations can simply ignore. Hence, anytime a Western nation wants to "tilt" China, they mearly need to increase ties with Taiwan,  have the Dali Lama 'round for a Bar-B-Q, or you know, give the Nobel Peace prize to a dissident. There is no reciprocal action that China can have on the West that can provoke it. The West is not "face" based and can fall back on a yawn.

China is sitting at the big boys diplomatic poker table now but its at a distinct disadvantage. It's sincere desire to be respected in the world's eyes exposes it to pressure points that can be poked at by the other players ad infinitum.

Matt Damon goes on to say in Rounders:

Some people, pros even, won't play No-Limit.
They can't handle the swings.

China is seated at the "no-Limit" table;  it better learn to handle the swings fast because a China "on tilt" won't be fun for anyone.

Why the Left and the Right hate the Rally to Restore Sanity

A couple weeks ago I arrived  home late Saturday night from a great evening with friends and the family.  However rather than collapse in bed as is the norm (those that know me also know I am NOT a night person), Gabriel and I fired up the computer to catch the live feed of Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity on the mall in Washington DC.


First of all let me say...I loved it!  If I had been in America, this would have been the Rally I would like to attend.
Good music...good humor...good message!  No one angry...no ridiculous chants, just good times and celebrating America.  Sure there were a few nut jobs out there that made fodder for right wing bloggers; have a couple hundred thousand people show up and I guarantee there will be some crazies, but we should't judge the rally's message by these people.  To be fair, Glen Beck's rally shouldn't be judged by the minority of nut jobs that showed up to his.

And by making this distinction we've taken a step to "restoring sanity" ...something I am a huge supporter of.

The Rally's purpose is validated by the fact that both the Right and the Left came out to condemn it.  The Right, knowing Jon Stewart vents Left in his politics,  saw the appeal to neutrality and "sanity" as a sham and that the whole gig was nothing more than a last ditch attempt to rally "progressives" for the Democrats in the run-up to the election.

The Left, in turn, felt betrayed as they were secretly hoping that WAS the reason for the rally...and it wasn't (as the video can attest)

Let's face it, if sanity were to return to the public arena, a lot of people on both sides of the political spectrum would be out of a job.  A huge part of our economy now rests on convincing you that "those guys over there" are out to destroy everything you hold dear!

So Jon, and Stephen, you hit the bullseye.  You managed to de-fang both the Right and the Left and took us, at least for a day, on the long road back to sanity!  Cheers!