Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

I confess that I have not been the best example of living peacefully among men. Or women. Especially my own redheads.

I get mad, and I run my mouth, and it can be as hurtful to those around me as a sock in the gut. Awareness is the first step to correction, they say, but it is a long one.

Jeff Gordon won the NASCAR race at Phoenix last night. It was his 76th win, and it tied him with the late Dale Earnhardt, an eventuality that most, if not all, Earnhardt fans were dreading.

'Cause if you're into NASCAR, fans of Jeffy-Poo Gordon and The Intimidator are like oil and water. Oh, really, it's more like those of the same family being of different political or religious bents. But they are them, and we are us, and that's true no matter which driver you root for.

Last night, when Gordon won, he came back around to the start-finish line, where a crew member handed him a flag with the familiar Earnhardt No. 3 on the familiar black background. I was stunned. Seeing the rainbow car carrying the No. 3 was as strange as seeing a painting of troops under U.S. Grant hoisting a Rebel battle flag.

But I was touched. I saw it as a tribute. And I believe Gordon when he says that was his intent.

I called Dr. ER, who had not seen it, and she sort of dismissed it. "Well, (Jeffy-Poo) is still (Jeffy-poo)." I mean, she just wasn't impressed.

I called Bird, who had seen it, and she dismissed it as an example of oneupsmanship on Gordon's part. She thought Gordon was rubbing it in, gloating over his matching of Earnhardt's record, which he will surpass before long -- and being a young guy, will blow away over the years. She saw it as him "capturing the flag."

Not sure what my point is, other than this: If three people in the same family can so differently interpret something like this, then we all got a long way to go in this country before we start to get along with those we don't like.

Myself, I thought it was the classiest thing I'd ever seen Jeff Gordon do.

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Prayer of Confession today at my church:

Lord of Life, we grieve the senseless loss at Blacksburg and are called, once more, to ask difficult questions. What kind of world are we living in? What is a culture of violence and death doing to our children? Why are so many young people living in isolation and despair? To whom does Cho Seung-Hui belong? In the days ahead, we can expect to hear many voices telling us that grief is good, but change is dangerous. And this begs the real question: have we lost our souls? In this place, we will fear no question, and no special interest. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Possible solutions: Constitutional topic: The Second Amendment.

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And then there's this:

Lee Iacocca has had enough.

--ER