POPE FRANCIS’ WORDS OF WISDOM

                                            

In his Little Fiat, and as he goes around addressing the US Congress and the American people as well as the United Nations and the world, POPE FRANCIS’ words take the moral equivalent of papal decrees with the virtual force and effect of “legislative fiats”.

In his Little Fiat, his actions also send messages that are virtually equivalent to the moral force and effect of law. Just by riding in his Little Fiat, POPE FRANCIS displays humility and simplicity; preference for gas-saving and less expensive vehicles; the need to protect the environment; the desire to save in order to help the poor, feed the hungry, and provide homes for the homeless.

I collected some of Pope Francis’ Words of Wisdom during his visit to the US.To many Catholics they are considered virtual Papal Fiats. I thought of sharing them with our readers.

POPE FRANCIS > American Legislators and Leaders

"A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to "dream" of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton."

Quoting THOMAS JEFFERSON: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

POPE FRANCIS: "If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you in this effort."

POPE FRANCIS > US CONGRESS

"Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people of the United States. Here, together with their representatives, I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day's work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and — one step at a time — to build a better life for their families. These are men and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of society. They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need."

POPE FRANCIS: "I am happy that America continues to be, for many, a land of "dreams." Dreams which lead to action, to participation, to commitment. Dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life of a people.

In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants."

POPE FRANCIS > UNITED NATIONS

"Solemn commitments, however, are not enough, even though they are a necessary step toward solutions. The classic definition of justice which I mentioned earlier contains as one of its essential elements a constant and perpetual will: Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius sum cuique tribuendi. Our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical and constant, concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and thus putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion, with its baneful consequences: human trafficking, the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labour, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism and international organized crime. Such is the magnitude of these situations and their toll in innocent lives, that we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences. We need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all these scourges."

POPE FRANCIS at the 9/11 Memorial Interfaith Service:

"Here, amid pain and grief, we also have a palpable sense of the heroic goodness which people are capable of, those hidden reserves of strength from which we can draw. In the depths of pain and suffering, you also witnessed the heights of generosity and service. Hands reached out, lives were given. In a metropolis which might seem impersonal, faceless, lonely, you demonstrated the powerful solidarity born of mutual support, love and self-sacrifice. No one thought about race, nationality, neighborhoods, religion or politics. It was all about solidarity, meeting immediate needs, brotherhood. It was about being brothers and sisters. New York City firemen walked into the crumbling towers, with no concern for their own well-being. Many succumbed; their sacrifice enabled great numbers to be saved."

"This place of death became a place of life too, a place of saved lives, a hymn to the triumph of life over the prophets of destruction and death, to goodness over evil, to reconciliation and unity over hatred and division."

POPE FRANCIS at the Memorial Interfaith Service

"It is a source of great hope that in this place of sorrow and remembrance I can join with leaders representing the many religious traditions which enrich the life of this great city. I trust that our presence together will be a powerful sign of our shared desire to be a force for reconciliation, peace and justice in this community and throughout the world. For all our differences and disagreements, we can live in a world of peace. In opposing every attempt to create a rigid uniformity, we can and must build unity on the basis of our diversity of languages, cultures and religions, and lift our voices against everything which would stand in the way of such unity. Together we are called to say “no” to every attempt to impose uniformity and “yes” to a diversity accepted and reconciled."

POPE FRANCIS (At the Independence Mall in Philly):

"One of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before Independence Mall, the birthplace of the United States of America. It was here that the freedoms which define this country were first proclaimed. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that governments exist to protect and defend those rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today, even as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight for the freedom to live in accordance with their dignity.

But history also shows that these or any truths must constantly be reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended. The history of this nation is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our own day, to embody those lofty principles in social and political life. We remember the great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive waves of new Americans. This shows that, when a country is determined to remain true to its founding principles, based on respect for human dignity, it is strengthened and renewed."

POPE FRANCIS (On remembering one's history):

"All of us benefit from remembering our past. A people which remembers does not repeat past errors; instead, it looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and the future. Remembrance saves a people's soul from whatever or whoever would attempt to dominate it or use it for their interests. When individuals and communities are guaranteed the effective exercise of their rights, they are not only free to realize their potential, they also contribute to the welfare and enrichment of society."

POPE FRANCIS (On religious freedom):

"Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families.

Our various religious traditions serve society primarily by the message they proclaim. They call individuals and communities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and happiness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of every claim to absolute power. We need but look at history, especially the history of the last century, to see the atrocities perpetrated by systems which claimed to build one or another "earthly paradise" by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights. Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and direction, "they have an enduring power to open new horizons, to stimulate thought, to expand the mind and heart" (Evangelii Gaudium, 256). They call to conversion, reconciliation, concern for the future of society, self-sacrifice in the service of the common good, and compassion for those in need. At the heart of their spiritual mission is the proclamation of the truth and dignity of the human person and human rights."

POPE FRANCIS quoting SAINT JOHN PAUL II (During his visit in the US in 1987):

 "The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones" (Farewell Address, 19 September 1987, 3).

POPE FRANCIS (To the Hispanics and recent immigrants in the US):

"Among us today are members of America's large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. I greet all of you with particular affection! Many of you have emigrated to this country at great personal cost, but in the hope of building a new life. Do not be discouraged by whatever challenges and hardships you face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to your new nation. You should never be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which are something you can bring to enrich the life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you, your life blood. You are also called to be responsible citizens, and to contribute fruitfully to the life of the communities in which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values which you have inherited. By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from within."

UBERPOOL

At the Dreamforce 2015, I was fortunate to listen to billionaire Travis Kalanic, as he talked to another billionaire Mark Benioff. The former is the co-founder of Uber, a mobile application that connects passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire and ridesharing services. The latter is the Chairman & CEO of Salesforce, Inc. – organizer of the annual Dreamforce conferences.

Uber operates in 58 countries and in more than 300 cities around the world. Most recently, it launched the UberPool which Kalanic discussed with Benioff.

I got interested on the topic because of the traffic problems that the Metro Manila area is now experiencing.

Here is a brief write-up on UberPool when it was first launched.

Since the early days of Uber, we’ve been excited about the idea of providing transportation so inexpensive and reliable, people can actually sell their cars.

Today, we’re announcing a bold experiment straight from the Uber Garage that we believe will be another important step toward that vision, and we’re calling it UberPool.

UberPool – The Idea

 />The idea is simple. With UberPool, you share a ride—and split the cost—with another person who just happens to be requesting a ride along a similar route. The beauty, though, is that you still get Uber-style on-demand convenience and reliability: just push the button like before and get a car in five minutes. When we find a match, we notify you of your co-rider’s first name.

Why We’re So Excited

While the UberPool idea is simple, the implications are profound. On average, uberX already costs 40% less than taxi. Imagine reducing that cost by up to another 50%! In San Francisco, how about $6 to Uber from the Castro to the Financial District? Or $10 from Sunset to SOMA? At these price points, Uber really is cost-competitive with owning a car, which is a game-changer for consumers.

This is also a bold social experiment. There’s the interaction between riders in an UberPool—should they talk to each other? When is that cool and when is it, well, annoying? We’re going to find out how this brave new world of UberPooling works—we’ll iterate on this beta product and get it right, because the larger social implications of reducing the number of cars on the road, congestion in cities, pollution, parking challenges… are truly inspiring.

When Do We Launch?

This is rolling out immediately in private beta. Because UberPool is an early beta product, there will undoubtedly be kinks and surprises to work through. Throughout the beta, we’ll be training more drivers and getting feedback from initial riders and drivers doing UberPool rides.

Our friends at Google will also be joining us in the beta. They share our vision of a more energy-efficient world with less traffic congestion and pollution in our cities and are excited to be early adopters of UberPool. The beta has been expanded more broadly on August 15, 2015.

Hillary Clinton and the Email Controversy: An Update

For the benefit of my barber, his friends and customers at the barbershop, I gave my personal take and update on the email controversy involving former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Although her critics and political opponents are trying to show that there was something wrong with what Clinton did with her email when she was Secretary of State, I have no doubt that the real motive is political. This is especially because she is now the leading presidential candidate of the Democratic Party.

It is reported that Hillary Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as Secretary of State.

This means that she skipped a State Department email account and used a private email server registered to her and her husband, former President Bill Clinton home address.

What makes an email a State Department or private email? Is it the email server, the email account, the contents of the email, the source of the email, or the recipient of the email?

At the start of her tenure as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was given the choice of using both a State Department and a private email account.  Having the two meant deciding before hand when to use the State Department account and when to use the private account. In short, the decision to segregate was still within her power except that the decision must be made prior to using her email account.

She decided to have only one email account but used it for both – State Department or official government business and private ones.  In this case, the decision to segregate was still hers except that it was done prior AND after the receiving, replying, or the sending of emails.

According to Hillary Clinton, having only one email account seemed to be more convenient and appropriate at the time.  There was no outright ban at the State Department on using personal email address to conduct official government business. Her critics still have to present evidence that she violated any law or State Department rule and/or policy.

In fact, her predecessors Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice both had personal email accounts during their time as Secretaries of State. Powell also used personal email to communicate with his own State Department staff, foreign ministers and ambassadors.

Hillary Clinton had and continuous to have an email server that she shares with former President Bill Clinton at home. Such a server has experienced no security breaches since its installation. She is not banned from having a Gmail or Yahoo account using their respective servers.

On the other hand, security breaches had been experienced by Federal agencies including the State Department and the White House. 

There are questions on whether she used her email to send or receive classified information. After reviewing a sampling of the 55,000 pages of emails, the Inspectors General have proffered that a small number of emails which did not contain any classified markings and/or dissemination controls, should have been classified at the time they were sent. The State Department has said it disagrees with this assessment. Disagreement between agencies as to classification of documents is obviously not the fault of Hillary Clinton.

Besides, making her liable today for acts committed that were not illegal when she committed them as Secretary of State is what we call in legal parlance, ex post facto.

There are efforts on the part of her political enemies and some in the media to press for investigation. Unfortunately, the investigations are beginning to look like “fishing expeditions” or worse, "witch hunting".

There is no law violated. The regulations and the State Department policy in place during her tenure permitted her to use a non-government email for work. In fact, most recently, the Department of Justice ruled that Hillary Clinton followed the law when she deleted her personal emails.

Meanwhile because of the impression that she is in trouble due to the email controversy, some are tempted to challenge her formidable candidacy. Although they are free to challenge and the more the merrier, they are wrong about their impression involving the email controversy.

For me, she is clean and on the clear. She should move on to reach her destiny – be the first woman president of the United States.