Pride in something seems to be a good thing to have. But pride can lead to prejudice. And it can also lead to displacement and erasure. For many, President Trump’s promise on Inauguration Day, that “From this moment on, it’s going to be America First,”  feels like an evocation of national pride.

When I heard over breakfast that Billy Graham had died, the news ricocheted around my mind and stirred up lots of memories. The counter of George’s Diner on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn was just the place to begin reflecting on the surprising connection between Graham’s legacy and organized labor.

October 31, 2017 will mark the 500^th anniversary of Martin Luther’s defiant act of protest against the Church. What does this distant anniversary of a theological controversy have to do with the labor and class issues of our time?