I n a moment of bravery, I shared a post to my Facebook wall about an event that occurred at a political convention. In 2024, you're taking your sanity and relationships in your hands by risking such a click. But I had seen and read enough by that point that Friday to warrant a cast into the lake of general advocacy. Wednesday evening, August 21st, I watched some of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, because part of my process of discernment in an election year is seeing and hearing candidates speak for themselves, in longer-format platforms. Conventions are notorious for being celebrations of and for the political party itself -- this is not lost on me. But I can generally glean something of what's valuable to someone in watching a 15-20+ minute delivered speech or interview. The Democratic nominee for Vice President, Tim Walz, took to the podium as part of his acceptance of the nomination. His family -- wife, daughter and son -- all watching. During his speech, Walz r...
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