When I was a businessman, community organizer, youth minister and teacher, my enthusiasm for whatever I was doing served me well. It has even served me well in my home model growing power garden. Just today I was asked to do my ‘Uncle Bob’s Growing Power with Worms Magic Show’ at a green event this spring. However in my efforts for Marquette University To Teach War No More my enthusiasm for the cause has not worked.

Tonight a friend invited me to a Marquette University basketball game. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the basketball team shown by the crowd, alumni, students and supporters. When I got home my wife was watching “American Idol”, a TV show that many are enthusiastic about.

I think that back in the sixties and seventies adults, young and old, were more enthusiastic about social and political issues. We really believed we could create peace and human rights for all. We see glimpses of it here and there, as we did in President Obama’s election campaign. But when he or other politicians disappoint us with the ‘same old, same old’, and no significant changes are made, most just shrug their shoulders and move on or lower expectations. In politics money means a lot more than enthusiasm.

Movements like the ecology movement are of interest for some but do not capture a lot of enthusiasm. How do we capture some of the overwhelming enthusiasm people feel for a sports team or a TV show for social and moral issues like stopping wars, the right to health care and basic human rights?

I do not know, but do know that doing the same old thing in social justice and peace issues is not working. We need a new enthusiasm for justice and nonviolence. Any thoughts?

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