Fresno Famous

What do you call a pro-life, anti-death penalty, slightly libertarian, conservative bible-based evangelical, advocate for the poor, pro-business, capitalist, prison reform advocate, bleeding heart, tough love proponent, law enforcement supporter, justice for the oppressed ranter, civil liberty guardian, very square, jazz and blues loving folk music fan with a taste for the weird who likes to play both sides of a checker board as a mental exercise in objectivity?

You call him, Pastor Tom Sims, a local Southern Baptist who hates labels.

That is me.

It is also why I get so perturbed and amused when I sit in Starbucks overhearing conversations of people who are relentlessly trying to fit those they perceive as opponents into boxes they label, "Democrat," "Republican," "conservative," "liberal," "evangelical," fun-damn-mentalist," or some other meaningless term.

I heard such a conversation by a group of fellow Democrats Friday night. Every characterization of those who disagreed with them was a brilliant exercise in hyperbole - classic. Every argument they used to counter the "straw-man" preacher completely avoided the fact that sitting anonymously next to their table was an evangelical preacher who no more matched their conception than green tea resembles coffee.

"Why don't these preachers that are pro-life speak out against the death penalty?"

That is an old, tired, boring line from my files. I used it until I realized it wasn't true because I, for one, defied the stereotype.

"Why don't they do something to help the unwed mothers and babies?"

Hmmmm .... I think that is what I was doing in the 80s when I was part of a home for pregnant women, when I adopted two preschoolers out of the foster care system, and when I helped found the Tri City Homeless Coalition. And I was not alone.

"Why don't these evangelicals do something about poverty?"

We do. I do. In fact, you will find evangelicals in the forefront of the war on poverty in this city.

"Why don't they speak out about the war?"

Excuse me, has anyone ever heard of Sojourners? How about Clarence Jordon?

Now, my Republican friends are just as guilty. I just happened to have joined the Democratic Party in 1973. Neither of the major parties is a very comfortable fit, nor is either doing anything to solve the problems about which I care.

Do you suppose that republicans have done anything to slow down abortion? Nothing. Have Democrats alleviated poverty? Nope.

And I like politicians - personally. They are nice people. Most are honest, hard-working, and conscientious. Most are people of integrity. We just seem to get our jollies by boxing them up into arbitrary categories.

The fact is that as a Christian, I can't jump on either band wagon. I tell people to pick one party, get engaged, and try to affect some change. It doesn't' matter which. Party members are not required to endorse every point of a party's platform. That is how platforms change.

Here is my hyperbole - and knowing it is hyperbole, I throw it out: There is not a dime's worth of difference between the two parties. They both resort to labels to characterize their opponents' positions with little regard for accuracy. They both engage in personal attacks and lowest common denominator appeals to sound bytes during campaigns. They both engage in dirty practices and point the finger at the other whenever possible.

And they both freely use this recent obscenity of "red state / blue state" division.

And I know that none of what I have said above is universally true. That is what hyperbole is all about.