Dear Readers,
Happy Friday, and welcome to the third issue of Second Drafts.
While a few folks have opted out of subscribing (which is fine), several more have opted in, growing the newsletter’s weekly email circulation from 350 to 365. The percentage of those opening the newsletters has averaged 53% (my goal is 90%), but it’s still early and folks are busy. A friend of mine from Chicago wrote to say as much earlier this week:
“Just wanted to take a quick minute to thank you for adding me onto your subscription list for Second Drafts. I put it aside for a bit until I knew I actually had a few minutes to do more than just skim it. I have greatly enjoyed reading through both of the first two editions…and I have taken away some nuggets from each.”
I couldn’t ask for more encouraging feedback, nor for anyone to do anything more. My hope is the newsletter’s value to you only increases and serves as a resource as you walk through life.
As always, thanks for reading.
Craig
PS: Though comments are turned off, you’re welcome and encouraged to email me directly with feedback, ideas, links, etc. at cmdunham [at] gmail [dot] com. Just know that, unless you specifically tell me not to, I may quote you here (though it will always be anonymously).
Hot Takes
Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and whose book I’m reading and featured a few weeks ago, took heat this week for what he wrote on the situation in Washington D.C. in his Monday newsletter:
“Unity demands accountability. Justice demands accountability. Without such, all we are left with is ‘lawlessness leading to more lawlessness’ (Rom. 6:19).
You don’t have to agree with me. I might be wrong. I don’t speak for anyone else, only myself. But you deserve to hear from me what I honestly think. If I were the President, I would resign. If I were the Vice President, I would assemble the cabinet in accordance with the 25th Amendment. If I were a Member of Congress, I would vote to impeach. And if I were a United States senator, I would vote to convict. And I would be willing, if necessary, to lose my seat to do so. As a matter of fact, I am willing, if necessary, to lose this seat.
Again, I might be wrong. But, if so, propose what can be done to make sure that justice is done and that this never happens to our country again.
Is that easy? No. Will people say you’re a ‘closet liberal.’ Yes. Will people threaten ‘psychological warfare’ or conduct endless investigations against you? Maybe. Will people send threats to kill you and your family or to destroy your reputation and ministry? Perhaps.
You can survive all that. Trust me.”
I appreciate Moore fearlessly practicing what he preaches and writes. We’ll see if the Southern Baptist Convention, which sponsors the ERLC and is most likely facing pressure from Big Eva(ngelicals) to silence him, does as well. Suffice it to say, we need more - not less - of Moore’s voice in (and outside of) Christendom, and I encourage you to follow him on Twitter. (Note: If you missed my own thoughts on the matter in Washington, you can revisit them here.)
A reader sent in this archived article from The Atlantic (November of 2012) on the most famous of free speech examples (and why everyone should stop using it):
“Without fail, whenever a free speech controversy hits, someone will cite this phrase as proof of limits on the First Amendment. And whatever that controversy may be, ‘the law’--as some have curiously called it--can be interpreted to suggest that we should err on the side of censorship. [Oliver Wendell] Holmes' quote has become a crutch for every censor in America, yet the quote is wildly misunderstood.”
Worth a read.
I missed this article from the World Economic Forum detailing the top ten skills of tomorrow when it came out back in October, but it’s not surprising:
“Critical thinking and problem-solving top the list of skills that employers believe will grow in prominence in the next five years. These have been consistent since the first report in 2016. But newly emerging this year are skills in self-management such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility.”
Obviously - though I would argue not only because of - COVID has had much to do with bringing those last characteristics into the spotlight. But I don’t see the need - real or perceived - going away anytime soon; life and work are hard, so we have to help our kids learn to be resilient and handle stress now rather than later.
Don’t miss: underlying all these skills is the one of being able to learn them!
“Half of us will need to reskill in the next five years, as the ‘double-disruption’ of the economic impacts of the pandemic and increasing automation transforming jobs takes hold.”
Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child. If you’re in Bozeman and starting to think about schools for next year, I know one that can help.
Justice & Mercy (Should) Go Together
Early Wednesday morning, Lisa Montgomery was executed in federal prison, the first execution of a female inmate since 1953. Even more than the novelty of 68 years passing since a woman had been executed, what also made news was the mental state (past and present) of this woman who, in 2004, strangled 23-year-old (and eight months pregnant) Bobbi Jo Stinnett before cutting the baby girl from Stinnett’s womb with a kitchen knife and attempting to pass her off as her own. (Miraculously, the girl lived.)
According to this Associated Press report,
“U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon, who had halted Montgomery’s execution before the stay was overturned on appeal, cited defense experts who alleged Montgomery suffered from depression, borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Montgomery, the judge wrote, also suffered around the time of the killing from an extremely rare condition called pseudocyesis in which a woman’s false belief she is pregnant triggers hormonal and physical changes as if she were actually pregnant.”
The Equal Justice Initiative, in a press release on Monday about her case, wrote:
“The only woman on federal death row, Ms. Montgomery, 52, suffers from brain damage and severe mental illnesses that result in dissociation and psychosis, as a recent court filing details. She was beaten and sexually trafficked by her mother and stepfather, who built a special room where he and his friends repeatedly raped, sodomized, and even urinated on Lisa.”
Madeline Kearns, writing (also on Monday) for The National Review, filled in more (gory) details in her piece, “Lisa Montgomery Does Not Deserve Special Treatment”:
“…Montgomery contacted [Stinnett] online, claiming to be a woman named ‘Darlene Fischer’ who was also pregnant and interested in buying a terrier. Montgomery researched how to perform a cesarean section, packed a rope and knife, drove 350 miles to Stinnett’s home, strangled her to death, ripped her premature baby from her womb, and left her mangled and bloody corpse to be discovered by her mother. She then took the baby girl, who survived, back to Kansas to pass off as her own daughter.”
Kearns’ title is intentionally provocative, however, for the purpose of engaging and leading her readers to consider her argument that,
“People such as Montgomery should be locked up forever, not least because doing so allows the public to save its compassion for those who deserve it: their victims’ families. But no one should make the Montgomerys of the world poster children for the anti-capital-punishment movement. Activists against the death penalty have a strong enough case as it is; they don’t need to diminish the perpetrators’ responsibility for such horrific crimes to effectively make their point.”
Despite calls from anti-death penalty protesters who were trying to make the case that Montgomery’s mental state (past or present) should have resulted in life in prison instead of execution, she received a lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 1:31 a.m. on Wednesday in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was 52.
The Tension
Full disclosure: I am passionately pro-life - womb to tomb - because I believe God values all life and has given us a commandment not to take it from anyone.
Because of this conviction, I also believe that the establishment of capital punishment - which was God’s idea in Genesis 9:6; was submitted to by Jesus before Pilate in John 19:10-11; and was established as the responsibility of the state by Paul in Romans 13:1-4 - speaks to how much He values human life, so much so that, as a deterrent, if you or I were to take another's life, ours could be taken as well.
Thus, while I speak of being “pro”-life, I would never say I’m “pro”-death penalty. Truth be told, I hate it…as I believe God did when he instituted it. (Note: for an excellent treatment of this tension, watch episode five of Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski’s 1988 cinematic treatment of the Ten Commandments, The Dekalog.)
All that said, cases with outcomes like Lisa Montgomery’s feel so difficult, even for those of us who have studied, formed, and even taught these convictions and their biblical foundations over several decades. And that’s okay, because I never want to get comfortable or cavalier when it comes to handling matters of human life and death.
Questions…and Answers
Here are some thoughts and questions I’ve had over the past few days:
The degree to which sin manifests itself and causes mental illness/insanity is inscrutable to us. To what degree are all people who commit murder mentally ill? If the answer to the question of, "Did they know what they were doing was wrong?" was, "No," to what degree does that merit a lesser penalty, particularly for such a heinous crime?
To what degree does post-murder cognizance of crime (or lack thereof) affect just punishment? A life has still been taken (and in this case, in a very brutal way - not that the taking of life is anything other), so to what degree does that merit/not merit capital punishment for the sake of serving justice?
Not exactly multiple-choice questions. Thankfully, though, in addition to some friends on Facebook, I also have a mentor from back in my early days of teaching who guided my entry into and exegesis of Christian Ethics. Newly retired, Larry Hughes is one of my heroes of the faith, teaching as easily about the Bible or ancient philosophy as the ideas and issues of our day. Best of all, he speaks in a fun Tennessee twang, and has a heart for God and people even bigger than his personal library (which is pretty big).
(Larry and I in 2007. He taught me much about Christian Ethics…and matching fashions.)
Wrestling through much of this across the week, I sent him the above links along with my questions; his answers did not disappoint in terms of empathetic clarity.
“This case is packed with tragedy. As I understand it, criminal trials have the highest bar for proof, unlike civil trials. It appears the prosecutor met the standard for proof so far as the jury was concerned respecting guilt. The elaborate planning, the time involved traveling, and the horror of the crime - all this seems like it meets the criteria for murder.
However, if I have read the articles correctly, it appears that her attorneys made the argument that her mental illnesses have progressed to the point that she no longer is aware of or understands the punishment, so she should not have been executed.
The death penalty is the most severe penalty and if it is going to be used, it should be for the most severe crimes. Coming to mind is a crime like that of Timothy McVeigh, in which there appeared to be no mitigating factors, unlike here. In this case, the horrors of this woman’s past and circumstances of continuing horror that she dwelt in do seem to call for consideration. It appears they were raised at trial.
The argument that ‘a person has to be insane to commit murder’ is not a good argument that would cover all instances of murder. There are people who truly are so broken and that requires consideration. Being on a jury means listening and considering all the evidence and then reaching a conclusion. It is a serious responsibility.
The commandment is addressed to humans who do have the ability to think and pursue justice and mercy; otherwise it makes no sense. Justice and mercy go together, and in this case, there seems to be proper grounds for a life sentence. Consideration of her mental/emotional illnesses ought to have been mitigating factors in sentencing. To me that means a life sentence, not execution.”
Thinking (and Re-Thinking) Life & Death
I needed to hear Larry’s thoughts. For someone like me with a “high moral grounds” philosophical tendency, the struggle is keeping justice and mercy together. Inevitably, when there is a call for a life sentence instead of the death penalty, I'm always sympathetic; however, those calling for a life sentence are usually also wanting to do away with the death penalty altogether, which I find no support for biblically, nor do I think would ultimately be good for the country (though I’d be the first to say it definitely needs reform).
Just because we have capital punishment doesn’t mean it always has to be used. Sometimes it does…and sometimes it doesn’t.
Too often I can become too black and white with the arguments when what are really needed are tears. My hope is we never make peace with the tension either way - we need capital punishment on the books as an ultimate deterrent; likewise, we need to apply wisdom and mercy in how and when we employ it. We have to do better than we did in the case of Lisa Montgomery, who, yes, received justice, but not so much mercy.
God, forgive us, teach us, be with us. Help us be both just and merciful as You are.
Old Dog, New Tricks
So on Monday, I start a new job. I should clarify: not a new job at a new place, but in a new role within my current company, Montana Instruments. With a new CEO and COO both coming on board last quarter, they’re making changes, which I tend to like. Thinking I could contribute more than as the Strategic Assistant to the CEO, I looked around, found some gaps I could fill, and rewrote my job description accordingly.
Thus, on Monday, I become Communications Manager for Montana Instruments.
(Here’s a little video I wrote, directed, and produced back in October about our company, the field of cryogenics (it’s not freezing dead people - that’s cryonics), and quantum computing.)
Long Story Longer
As easy as the transition sounds, it hasn’t been. I started with MI a year ago in a part-time (20 hours/week) capacity, juggling two other part-time jobs to help make ends meet. In April, I went full-time, but while the hours were there, the work was hit-or-miss; some days were less full (and fulfilling) than others. More than once I was twiddling my thumbs and feeling pretty useless in my contribution to the company.
Still, I tried to do what I could to serve people, improve systems, and learn the science of cryogenics. I handled a variety of never-personally-done-before tasks (managing employee stock options; serving as a company liaison with attorneys, government officials, and other company CEOs; reading and writing reports about all things quantum computing), as well as duties I’ve done a million times over (coordinating schedules and projects; problem-solving and perspective-sharing; serving as a counselor and confidant).
When the news broke last month about the coming leadership change, I gave thought to whether it was a good time to look for something different, particularly since the new CEO communicated in our first meeting that he had never utilized an assistant of any kind (let alone a “strategic” one), and wasn’t sure where things might go with me. I appreciated his candor, tweaked my resume, and reopened my account on Indeed.com.
I applied to a few jobs and had a few interviews. One or two seemed ideal (or at least more in line with my experience pre-MI), but doors closed on their end; others seemed less ideal, so I closed those doors. In the midst of the process, I sought out a few folks - Megan and my daughters, my pastors, my growth group, a friend in the tech world - who provided support, counsel, and prayer. They trusted that I was trusting God, and kept me from poor self-talk (“You’re a loser having been there only a year and thinking of leaving,” “You’re almost 50 years old and are somebody’s assistant?,” etc.).
Over Christmas Break, I spent time reflecting on the company’s strengths and weaknesses (most of which I’d seen up close at all levels as a result of my proximity to staff, the CEO, and as secretary of the Board), as well as where we hoped to be one, two, five, even ten years from now. I revisited whether I still liked who I worked with (I do) and if I was still excited about the vision of the company (I am). As a result (as well as lacking other options - not always a bad thing), I shut down my job-hunting accounts, unsubscribed from receiving daily employment postings, and decided to commit and get busy figuring out a better fit.
By God’s goodness, what I came up with is what I start working on this Monday.
Be Vital
A motivating idea informing my process was the concept our new CEO wrote on his whiteboard as a reminder to himself: “Be vital.” I like that mentality coming from a CEO (there’s not an assumption that he automatically is), so I took to heart the call myself. How could I “be vital” - “absolutely necessary or important; essential” - to what’s going on at Montana Instruments?
The idea is an animating one for me because it starts from a point of thinking of others before myself. As an important part of the international supply chain for a variety of academic, industrial, and U.S. government entities, what does our little Bozeman company need to do to be vital to others? What do my fellow staff - those to whom I report, work alongside, and who report to me (or will, come Monday) - need in order to be vital to them? How can I be vital to these folks for the good of the cause?
A flood of ideas came to mind, but the one that I felt I could most help with was communication - internally (top down, bottom up), externally (publicly, politically), excellently (quality, quantity). I tried to keep my focus not on what I thought I could do competently (though that obviously had to be part of the equation), but rather on how the company would benefit from me contributing vitally. It’s amazing what this change in perspective does to one’s thinking because the focus is others-centered.
Even now, as I plan for Monday, I’m trying to keep this idea of “being vital” in mind. Anyone can put together an effective communications plan, but how can I put one together that becomes vital to our customers, our company, and our people? It’s not hard to put words on a page or tell stories about what’s going on in cryogenics or the quantum computing world, but how do I make them vital to anybody who reads them?
Doing the work is not the challenge (though it won’t be easy); bringing value that is vital to others is. I appreciate your prayers as I begin this new chapter on Monday.
Post(erity): A Twofer!
Each week, I choose a post from the past that seems apropos of something (of course, you’re always welcome to crawl the archive yourself whenever you like).
This week’s Post(erity) entry, “MLK Day: Is It Enough?,” is a meditation I wrote a few years ago that also features a 20-minute video presentation on civil rights history by former teaching colleague, Libby Kueneke. The post was written on January 15, 2017.
Since next week includes a Presidential Inauguration, here’s a Post(erity) twofer - a list of “Inaugural Pros and Cons” from President Obama’s ceremony on January 18, 2009.
Peaches’ Picks
Peaches and I weren’t quite sure what to do with this little book (85 pages) published in 1943. A fantasy fable of sorts, the story of The Little Prince involves multiple strange characters, other worlds, and a little prince who tells his tales of engaging all of them.
Perhaps what Peaches and I liked most about the story (particularly early on) are the little prince’s observations of adults. Much along the lines of C.S. Lewis in thought and writing, author Antoine de Saint-Exupery draws honest conclusions of overbearing adults that bear sharing, as his narrator - once an aspiring artist - does here:
“The grown-ups advised me to put away my drawings of boa constrictors, outside or inside, and apply myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar. That is why I abandoned, at the age of six, a magnificent career as an artist. I had been discouraged by the failure of my drawing Number One and of my drawing Number Two. Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is exhausting for children to have to provide explanations over and over again.”
This was one of Peaches’ favorites’ (she resonates with the “close range” observation):
“So I have had, in the course of my life, lots of encounters with lots of serious people. I have spent lots of time with grown-ups. I have seen them at close range…which hasn’t much improved my opinion of them.”
And here’s one of my favorites, as it reminds me not to take myself too seriously:
“Whenever I encountered a grown-up who seemed to me at all enlightened, I would experiment on him with my drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I wanted to see if he really understood anything. But he would always answer, ‘That’s a hat.’ Then I wouldn’t talk about boa constrictors or jungles or stars. I would put myself on his level and talk about bridge and golf and politics and neckties. And my grown-up was glad to know such a reasonable person.”
A sweet read, especially if you have a child you can perch on your lap for the journey.
Fresh Linkage
Here’s a clever Covid-19 parody of 80s band Dexys Midnight Runners’ (only) hit, “Come on, Eileen,” brought to you by The Holderness Family.
Megan and I have become officers in an exclusive new club, and we’ve got the stickers to prove it! (It’s so exclusive, in fact, that we can’t be in the same chapter.)
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