Greetings WAC Community,
You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:26-27
I would like to add to Paul’s letter to the people of Galatia for my message to my friends in Wyoming that. “Also in Christ there is neither Republican nor Democrat.”
Doing Justice in a Red State: Recognizing Racism; Embracing Diversity, January 31st, 4-8 pm, at Canterbury House, 110 S. 9th Street, Laramie. Light supper to be provided. RSVP here.
I grew up in a Christian family where civic engagement was valued. My parents voted. My mother ran for a county office. There were six of us children. Three became Republicans and three became Democrats. One brother as a young man was a Socialist. Another brother has been active with the Tea Party. But what we all had in common is our commitment to civic engagement. My five brothers all had good hearts; none were mean spirited. So it is easy for me to believe that in Christ there is neither Republican nor Democrat.
Wyoming is a “Red” state, meaning that a majority of those who vote are registered Republicans and on the conservative spectrum. The election results reflect that. How we do justice in Wyoming is different than in a “Blue” state in the East or even a “Purple” state like Colorado that is a blend of Red and Blue. No political party can claim God as being on their side any more than one sports team can make that claim. That is not how God works.
How we do justice, however, differs in a Red state than in a Blue or a Purple state. That does not mean that one is better than the other. It is reality. It simply is how it is.
How? Consider values. What are values that permeate a Red state? What are Christian values? Where do those converge? That is where we can find justice. For example, a few of the values Jesus taught and lived:
Love your neighbor as yourself
Sacrifice and give all
Heal the sick
Truth
Compare these to predominant Wyoming values:
Sharing and not being wasteful
Service above self and generosity
Access to quality health care
Factual honesty
In 2016, there will be opportunities to do justice in Wyoming. One is for the 2016 Wyoming Legislative Session.
If you have not contacted the Joint Appropriations Committee who will be making critical decisions about Medicaid expansion this week, please do so now. The JAC is hearing from opponents who are misinformed about the good that Medicaid expansion is doing in other states where it has been adopted. We in Wyoming are paying for it through federal income taxes, but are not benefiting from it. 20,000 of us and our neighbors are left without health care. Send your message to these on the JAC:
Sen. Tony Ross — Tony.Ross@wyoleg.gov
Sen. Bruce Burns — Bruce.Burns@wyoleg.gov
Sen. John Hastert — John.Hastert@wyoleg.gov
Sen. Drew Perkins — Drew.Perkins@wyoleg.gov
Sen. Jeff Wasserberger — Jeff.Wasserburger@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Steve Harshman — Steve.Harshman@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Donald E. Burkhart, Jr. — Donald.Burkhart@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Cathy Connolly — Cathy.Connolly@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Mike Greear — Mike.Greear@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Glenn Moniz — Glenn.Moniz@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Bob Nicholas — Bob.Nicholas@wyoleg.gov
Rep. Tim Stubson — Tim.Stubson@wyoleg.gov
Fear not. Be bold. Do justice.
Blessings,
Chesie