tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87909383033372981982024-02-06T18:41:04.729-08:00Becky UnfilteredPlease read the Introduction and Legal Disclaimer before continuing.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-19809843466174060252018-06-21T17:12:00.000-07:002018-06-22T03:38:19.582-07:00Another Nazi Era?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I watched a Facebook debate with interest about whether it’s a reasonable comparison to say the current administration is akin to the Nazis. I think it is not. Yet. I </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">do believe this is how it starts. Exactly like this. When you can talk people into thinking other people’s children don’t deserve the same opportunity and protection as their own, I feel like you can talk them into pretty much any atrocity imaginable. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m not even referring to the refugee children by that statement. I’m talking about the children of the first Americans who were killed, given diseases, kidnapped, forcibly indoctrinated, and relegated to reservations with plenty of poverty and little opportunity. I’m thinking about the children of slaves who were treated as pets at best, and as commodities at worst. I’m remembering the children who labored in sweatshops and mines during the industrial revolution, and the migrant children welcomed into border communities as cheap labor during the day and sent back at night. I’m referring to the black children of the Jim Crow era who were spit on, threatened, assaulted, or even killed for daring to use a public beach or attend a school that the whites wanted to keep for themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m talking about black and Hispanic children here in the North who were relegated to overpopulated, underserved communities through redlining, where it was impossible for their families to build financial security, where you couldn’t find a doctor’s office or a decent school but you could find plenty of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. I’m thinking of our disparate educational system that gives wealthy children advantages low income children wouldn’t even dream of. I am talking about the children of Flint who STILL wait for clean water. Four. Years. Later. I’m drawing your attention to the children of Standing Rock who had their land stolen by profiteers with the help of our government. Again. I’m talking about the children of Puerto Rico who are still waiting for restoration of the most basic infrastructure, and the children here in the system waiting for families. I’m pointing out we can’t even figure out how to keep mass murderers from shooting up our children at school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">That’s how carelessly America treats OUR OWN children. Are we really that surprised at what’s going on right now with the refugee children? I’m not. It’s the American way. It is business as usual in this nation of ours where some lives matter and some don’t. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjq5kLFi8PVtNt_Np7_CfY2pi_OtdKxh8Of21oNU10jmTlHnIjQE0MXRlAbjRklVJPgKL92M5TDGw-vJwW9BshB7ovB9FsZRBF49lIAPe0mzE6xY-MhLLhu85-KON3XwNgdNDx-Z7rF4/s1600/IMG_3517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="931" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjq5kLFi8PVtNt_Np7_CfY2pi_OtdKxh8Of21oNU10jmTlHnIjQE0MXRlAbjRklVJPgKL92M5TDGw-vJwW9BshB7ovB9FsZRBF49lIAPe0mzE6xY-MhLLhu85-KON3XwNgdNDx-Z7rF4/s320/IMG_3517.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-30200020759694257772018-06-13T07:15:00.001-07:002018-06-13T07:42:57.180-07:00It’s Only Hair<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Do me a favor? Read this Facebook post: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/100008291644855/posts/2153610611591973/">https://www.facebook.com/100008291644855/posts/2153610611591973/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">When is the last time you heard about a white child’s hair being cut by a school official? I’d love to hear about it. I don’t think I will hear any examples, though. Why is this a big deal? It’s only hair, right? It will grow back, right? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s a big deal, because it’s a perfect example of micro aggression and white entitlement. In 2018, it is still viewed as acceptable for a white person to intrude upon the bodily autonomy of a black person. How many Caucasian grade schoolers run around with their stringy bangs in their faces? Hello, Justin Bieber? Every little blond girl ever? Can you imagine if a black principle did this to little Becky because she wouldn’t keep her barrettes in? Whooo!!! No way, would that be tolerated. Becky’s unruly bangs are viewed as just normal childhood. When a black child wears the same, it is viewed as defiance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black children are constantly viewed as more disobedient than white children of the same age who do the same things. These poor babies are subjected to the consequences of white supremacy as early as preschool. I’m not making this up. Do some research. Then do something productive with the new knowledge. I don’t care what you do, but do SOMETHING, anything, to make this a more equitable society for all of our babies. You could, for instance, review the school and post a comment on the website here: </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=north+jones+elementary&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#lkt=LocalPoiReviews&trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:13418938187452272230,rc_q:North%2520Jones%2520Elementary%2520School,ru_q:North%2520Jones%2520Elementary%2520School">https://www.google.com/search?q=north+jones+elementary&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#lkt=LocalPoiReviews&trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:13418938187452272230,rc_q:North%2520Jones%2520Elementary%2520School,ru_q:North%2520Jones%2520Elementary%2520School</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">FYI: from what I could find, the mother has been unsuccessful so far in her efforts to have the principle and the school held accountable. Big surprise, right?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-71876274268509073052017-10-17T08:21:00.003-07:002017-10-17T08:42:20.876-07:00Me Too<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Me too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now what? It’s appalling how many times I’ve seen that phrase in the last couple of days. What’s going to happen? What’s going to change? I have my suspicions, and they aren’t optimistic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We have a culture in which abuses and injustices are eagerly rationalized by the huddled masses, all while we are willing coconspirators in preserving the myth of an equitable nation. We “the form of [liberty] without the power thereof,” to paraphrase a biblical concept. We are so desperate to hang on to the illusion of freedom, that we ostracize anyone who tries to reveal the smoke and mirrors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We are compelled to give up our freedom of speech to worship a flag. We conspire against and vilify anyone who dares to kneel and say, “me too .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We scream in outrage that a white nurse is manhandled by the police, then accept lame excuses when we see it happen to black men, women, and children. Dead men can’t say, “me too.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We insist we honor our military, but with $600 billion dollars, we can’t find any money to rescue them—broken, jobless, and homeless—from our streets, as if they are expendable. After we’re done using them up, who is hearing “me too” from them?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We, the immigrants, argue viciously about who else is welcome in these stolen lands without even thinking about consulting the native people. Have they not been saying for hundreds of years, respect “me too?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are we not all saying the same thing? Me too! See me, too. Believe me, too. Value me, too. We must all work together to fully realize the America dream first envisioned by the signers of the Declaration of Independence. If we ever want to see a great America, and bring to fruition the ideals of freedom and justice for ALL, each one must work to give others the exact same liberties that </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">we, ourselves, yearn for. We have to do it together. Make no mistake; we are in a war, and we have a powerful battle cry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I see you. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I believe you. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I value you. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-66287759045333242352017-10-13T07:40:00.001-07:002017-10-13T07:43:39.796-07:00Do you want clean water or poison?<br />
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It's really very simple. Do you want clean water or not?<br />
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Unrestrained Capitalism = poisoned water (and unsafe working conditions, and child labor, and filthy air, and shall I go on?)<br />
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Democratic Socialism = regulations which help prevent companies from endangering their communities.<br />
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Any questions? No? So, is it ok if we use a little socialism to clean this mess up? Maybe we could use a little socialism to get Flint some clean water, too, while we're at it?<br />
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#Socialismisnotadirtyword<br />
#itsjustcommonsense<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFSxpOelC2tv2rO_3KezklgGQd2y87L-vIvCeu6V3Dwz4VYGuDvBpU8fqC41nCCwor1cUuegkQEZd04YN9AkIvesJshE9F-QDMLBqh53JzP6JryFT4LcfRcxB7jSuqLt5B505tDmTawM/s1600/wolverine-world-wide-dumpsite-contamination-in-belmont-44610ade5976f2f9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFSxpOelC2tv2rO_3KezklgGQd2y87L-vIvCeu6V3Dwz4VYGuDvBpU8fqC41nCCwor1cUuegkQEZd04YN9AkIvesJshE9F-QDMLBqh53JzP6JryFT4LcfRcxB7jSuqLt5B505tDmTawM/s640/wolverine-world-wide-dumpsite-contamination-in-belmont-44610ade5976f2f9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="gallery_title" id="gallery21438138_title" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Benton Sans Medium", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0.66em 0.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 1px 0px 1px;">
What to know about toxic Wolverine dump sites and drinking water</h1>
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<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/10/wolverines_toxic_legacy.html">http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/10/wolverines_toxic_legacy.html</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-75323945273495939192017-09-22T17:55:00.002-07:002017-09-22T17:55:08.620-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUyU_fQHFJjDT1zLhTLRb78MQFzUhJraxGXT960hDkNhhb5PyJXbEVrQoIKnBC9rMV80u8Ckg1GDjmc1ZP0kuijQpZKO0AjeQoeebN-ofSUyf51Meb2_zwoSeleQaULg7sOfqRG6iYZY/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUyU_fQHFJjDT1zLhTLRb78MQFzUhJraxGXT960hDkNhhb5PyJXbEVrQoIKnBC9rMV80u8Ckg1GDjmc1ZP0kuijQpZKO0AjeQoeebN-ofSUyf51Meb2_zwoSeleQaULg7sOfqRG6iYZY/s320/IMG_0103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-23632336212392786282017-08-17T10:06:00.002-07:002017-08-17T10:06:25.208-07:00From Now On<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After all is said and
done, I wish to thank every single one of the alt-right, neo-Nazi, white
supremacist, terrorists of Charlottesville and your supporters. No, really. I
thank you. You have laid bare for all the world the foul, rotting, rancid,
tumorous, excrement-filled, racist underbelly of America with such efficiency
it is completely unnecessary anymore to debate whether it exists. Thank you
for showing us the violent true selves of the Nazis masquerading as teachers,
employers, politicians, financiers, students, bankers--white men from many
walks of life. Never again will any decent, reasonable person have to waste
breath proving that there are willing, people eagerly carrying on with the
oppressive work of the Jim Crow era. From now on, it is entirely clear that
anyone willing to argue the matter is either blind and deaf, stupid, insane, or
evil. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for demonstrating
so clearly. Yes, in America, white men
can protect themselves in riot gear, make an armed advance on citizens and
police officers, beat and kill human beings, and walk away, alive and without
consequences. Thank you for leaving no doubt whatsoever, that in this great
country, where Native Americans are set upon with violence for protecting their
own land, and black citizens are killed in the street because police officers
are afraid of the shape of their noses, white men can get away anything their
evil minds can imagine. From now on, it is entirely clear that anyone
willing to argue the matter is either blind and deaf, stupid, insane, or
evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for
exposing, with absolute clarity how 62,979,879 betrayed voters are now drowning in the very swamp they wanted to destroy. Kudos on
showing us with certainty the values of the unhinged, bigoted, racist,
xenophobic fascist currently installed in the White House and where his
allegiances lie. Again. There's little room for doubt where priorities lie for
any man who more quickly disavowed critics of your crimes than, you the
criminals. From now on, it is entirely clear that anyone willing to argue the
matter is either blind and deaf, stupid, insane, or evil. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Katina Parker<br />
Durham, NC residents attempting to confess <br />
for the crime of removing Confederate monuments</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thank you for being
poster children for cowardly white privilege and fragility. With a million
essays, I could never have proven the case as eloquently as you have done.
Never would I have dreamed it would be so easy to make mainstream America
realize the ridiculousness of glorifying those traitorous losers of history who
were willing to destroy a country in exchange for the privilege of keeping
other human beings in bondage. Congratulations. Truly. You have now
accomplished what I feared impossible so thoroughly, discussion is no longer even
necessary. From now on, it is entirely clear that anyone willing to argue
the matter is either blind and deaf, stupid, insane, or evil. Are you catching
on yet? There’s really only one right side to be on here. One.
Right. Side. And you are not on it. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">See, here's the thing.
The "alt-left, that far "left" group of people you fear and hate
so much? Surprise! We are the center. The middle. The bullseye. The very heart of
America. Here is where all the decent, truly patriotic Americans live. We
outnumber you, and now we are awake. Thanks to you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-58513509558525134992017-01-20T08:21:00.001-08:002017-01-20T08:21:49.817-08:00I'm With Elie<h3 style="text-align: center;">
We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.<br />Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. </h3>
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~Elie Wiesel</div>
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There's an awful lot of people taking to social media with the "Can't we all just get along" frame of mind. No. No we can not. No, I can not just wait and see what he's going to do and give him a chance. He had a campaign to show me what he was about, and I'm not impressed. I can not just embrace the ridiculousness that is passing for an incoming presidential administration. Stop asking me to. Stop implying it's the noisy people creating the problems. We are the ones making sure all y'all don't start thinking this crap is normal. Personally, I think Elie Wiesel is a damn good example, so I'm just going to stick with him. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-54233725685569074062016-12-16T20:11:00.000-08:002016-12-16T20:18:31.246-08:00Labels, Labels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN3wWPgZ9YRptrqWRvhaPBFnbTHf-uSjdgi9VwOFBvda1v2aNOMA7bU5AH-xKv_lZhXxpWbFUNLfc5a-E3XU4GVGPu-x_YAKT-e1Cck1RZXX0uqTwKOOwIrk632A_-wPV_xas1JOBf4U/s1600/hello-my-name-is-%2528pink%2529-send-postcard-online-2795_32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN3wWPgZ9YRptrqWRvhaPBFnbTHf-uSjdgi9VwOFBvda1v2aNOMA7bU5AH-xKv_lZhXxpWbFUNLfc5a-E3XU4GVGPu-x_YAKT-e1Cck1RZXX0uqTwKOOwIrk632A_-wPV_xas1JOBf4U/s320/hello-my-name-is-%2528pink%2529-send-postcard-online-2795_32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm thinking about labels. Let's take "progressive" for instance. Why do people throw that term around like it's a bad thing? If you had cancer, wouldn't you prefer a progressive doctor? Don't you want the one who's up to date on research and treatment options? You wouldn't want the one who is stuck using outdated methods from back when America was "great," would you? If you have to have a surgery or a c-section, don't you want a progressive surgeon? One you uses anesthesia and sterilization techniques? Would you prefer an appendectomy where they open you up neck to genitals the way they did it in the good old days? Personally, I'd prefer something a little more with the times. <br />
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<br />
What if we think about education or banking communications? Should we go back to the days of one-room school houses, the great train robbery, and mail by Pony Express? Of course not. Progress is a good thing, right? <br />
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I mean, seriously. At the time the Constitution was framed, people had some great ideas to be sure. Then they went home and had the doc come over for a quick blood-letting for their headaches and bouts with pneumonia. We've learned a few things and advanced a little since that time. It seems quite foolish to me to pretend that's a bad thing. <br />
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Look. Science is real. It is the thing that brought us the abilities to buy a house on your iPhone, bomb a country from an armchair in Nebraska, make opinions about important topics based on a meme by Jenny McCarthy, and not die a slow, itchy, agonizing death from a simple vaginal yeast infection. So, no, your conspiracy theory about climate change does not equal science. Your Google search about Common Core does not make you an expert in Education, with all due respect to Mrs DeVos. <br />
Not everything on a Facebook meme is real, and you hearing something on the Faux News Network is not equivalent to a factual understanding of history or the ability to find and understand legitimate sources for information. Not bothering to figure out what is reliable information does not mean you're dumb. It means you're lazy. If acknowledging that makes me a crazy "progressive," bring on the label.<br />
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<iframe src="<a href="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBeckyUnfiltered%2Fposts%2F1617102391919369&width=500">https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBeckyUnfiltered%2Fposts%2F1617102391919369&width=500</a>" width="500" height="258" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-42751398658779965492016-11-10T10:12:00.001-08:002016-11-10T10:12:28.370-08:00The Truth Shall Set You Free<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Murica 11/8/2016: Elects
the most openly racist president in something like a hundred years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Murica 11/9/2016: “How
dare you suggest we are racist!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know I said I was going to stay off social media for a while. I’m trying.
I’m sure sometime soon I will be a bit more conciliatory in the interest
of being the better person. Yesterday, when
I learned that so many of my “friends” and neighbors think my family is
valueless, was not that day. Today is
not that day. Tomorrow isn’t looking
good either. I don’t know how to make
you feel better about that. Electing any
president has consequences. Your choice has
frightened and deeply hurt many, many people of America. This is one of the consequences of electing
Trump, and you need to acknowledge it, own it.
Sadly, I doubt it’s going to be the worst of the fallout. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not sure what reaction you expected from social
justice-minded people when you voted for him, but it was probably
unrealistic. For future reference, if
you associate yourself with a racist, sexist xenophobe, you are likely to lend
the impression you are a racist, sexist xenophobe. I deeply apologize if this surprises you. Here’s a thought; take all that indignation,
offense, and belittlement you may be feeling about being stereotyped and
misunderstood. Now, multiply it over two
or three hundred years. You then will still
understand only a fraction of how it feels to be Native American, black, Hispanic,
female, Muslim, LGBT+, mentally ill, or differently-abled in Murica. Why do I say only a fraction? You can choose to turn me off. You’re probably not being denied dignity, the
right to protect your own land, housing, a job, clean water, a crotch safe from
grabby hands, the right to walk down your own damn street without being harassed,
assaulted, or murdered by the people sworn to protect you; an adequate
education, equal pay, health care, the right to vote, or anything else Murica
has denied others. You don’t have to
wake up tomorrow and every day knowing your country thinks you don’t matter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the entire depth of my being, I hope you will ponder
how you arrived at a place where these behaviors are palatable, maybe even
preferable to you… especially if you consider yourself a follower of
Christ. It is a deeply disturbing dichotomy
to see people who say they love Jesus rationalize the degradation of the very people
He died for. I am not one of those vapid people that thinks
you can say all kinds of malicious things, then excuse it with a misappropriated
Bible quote and a smiley face emoji. I
may not even be a very good Christian, but I know the Bible and what it means;
I know the One it leads me to. I know what He had to say about all this. After
talking about loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, He taught
us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. As. Much. As. We. Love. Ourselves. How's that for some inconvenient truth to meditate on? Then he told this story: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell
into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went
away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road,
and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when
he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan,
as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on
him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he
put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The
next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look
after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra
expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor
to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law
replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and
do likewise." (NIV, Luke 10:25-37)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trump and the unjust system he has gleefully promised to perpetuate
are the robbers. Are we going to be the
stiff-necked, self-righteous Jewish leaders who think they only have to care for people exactly
like themselves? Or are we going to be
like the despised, racially mixed Samaritan who understood the heart of God? I’m done entertaining excuses by the Christian
Right and those who are being misled by them.
If you want to be a right Christian, do what Christ says to do. Take care of the people he loves, which in
case you’ve missed it, includes ALL of us.
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#RedandYellowBlackandWhiteTheyArePreciousInHisSight #nevertrump #Murica </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">#notmypresident</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">#blacklivesmatter</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">#pussiesforsocialjustice</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-49526517011784191582016-08-17T12:37:00.001-07:002016-08-17T12:37:37.888-07:00Why I Refuse to be Colorblind<div class="MsoNormal">
It is as predictable as death and taxes. If you try to have a conversation about
race in America, you inevitably get pious comments about how we should stop pointing
out skin color. The very second someone
applauds an accomplishment in the context of a person's ethnicity, you get comments like
these: <i>“Why does race have to
be important and included in every report?
She’s an amazing American athlete that brought home the gold, period.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Why does the ignorant
media take away from her amazing accomplishment by making this about her race!? She’s part of the human race! And an American!!!! Congratulations!!”</i></div>
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<i>“Why throw race into
it? Why not just say American?” Do the other countries break out the race
cards?” </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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I would like to point out something that should be obvious
to these well-meaning folks. Your very reluctance
to even speak about skin color betrays your attitude that there’s something wrong
with having skin that’s not white. There’s
just no reason not to applaud Simone Manuel for being exactly who she is—a black,
American, female athlete—unless you think there’s something wrong about
it. Face it. Historically, we're usually only supposed to avoid talking about “bad” things:
sexuality, cancer, mental illness, domestic abuse, HIV. This list goes on, and it includes race, apparently. <br />
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Think of it this way. If someone has amazing, bright green eyes,
you would have no problem pointing them out as being so different from everyone else’s. You wouldn’t
whisper the word <i>green</i> while
describing them. If someone else
mentioned them, you wouldn’t say, “Why are you bringing eye color into it? Color doesn't matter. We're all Americans!” Quite the opposite is true. You would have no problem openly discussing
her eye color because you don’t think there’s anything wrong with having different eye colors. Why, then, can’t we talk about skin color,
especially in a positive way? We can. We should.<br />
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Of course, there's much more to the discussion of skin color, isn't there? It is a loaded observation to point out a person's race, because it speaks to identity in a way that eye color does not. Here, I believe is the crux of the problem so many whites have with discussing race. We don't want to admit that the lived experiences of people in America can be determined by skin color. It is preferable for us to pretend we are all treated fairly regardless of what we look like, when in reality our skin color often influences experiences. In turn, experiences are part of what shapes identity. How can we keep arrogantly denying white privilege, if we admit we <i>do</i> <i>see</i> the different experiences and identity that so often accompany differences in skin color? We can't. So we pretend to be colorblind.<br />
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How can we continue holding whiteness as the standard against which everyone is measured, if we are brave enough to acknowledge white privilege? We can't. So we pretend to be colorblind. Sure, there is a great need for us to
recognize that we are all part of one human race. The trouble is, many of us are living under the unconscious supposition that the one race is supposed to be white. It sounds something like, “I’m not prejudiced. I think people of other races are
just as good as whites.” Did you catch
it? We want to stop feeling bad about
racism, but we still want the <i>default</i>
to be <i>whiteness</i>. We are so uncomfortable with a change to our default, we won’t even talk about it. So we pretend to be colorblind. </div>
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My friends, colorblindness is not the key to peace in this country. It is not even possible, unless you are, in fact, blind. What value is there, then, in pretending not to see? It's time to debunk the myth; colorblindness is not the opposite of racism. The antithesis of racism is admiration, or at the very least, acceptance. What if we stopped treating the differences between us as shameful things to be spoken of in hushed tones? What if we celebrated our differences as the flavors that make us each unique? What if we all just decided to be honest and stop pretending? </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: http://abc7ny.com/sports/manuel-becomes-first-african-american-woman-to-win-swim-gold/1466927/</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-30560101938279794882016-07-11T13:18:00.000-07:002016-07-11T13:18:26.209-07:00Same Shit, Different Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18px;">So, I read this the other day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://blackcommunitynews.com/blacklivesmatter-white-guilt-and-the-marketing-of-racism/">http://blackcommunitynews.com/blacklivesmatter-white-guilt-and-the-marketing-of-racism/</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I'm going to put it
right out there that I have a certain amount of trepidation about commenting on
an essay about racial injustice, written by a biracial man, found in a
publication called Black Community News. It can certainly be argued that
Bomberger has more right to comment than I. I can accept that. What
I won't accept is misinformation, especially when the context in which I saw
the article stated that he is biracial, as if this one person's opinions,
because of his skin color, outweighed all the data available. I have said it
before, and will repeat it. There is no single "black
experience" which can speak for all black people, any more than one woman
can speak for all women. There are, however, facts that exist which
should balance any one person's opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I agree with some of
what he says. There are social problems in this country that need to be
solved. I agree abortion, so called “black on black violence,” police
safety, etc. all need better solutions. I
just don’t agree that those problems negate the very real issue of systemic
racism in the United States. I don’t agree that these problems justify
ignoring other problems. Nor do I agree that all other social problems
need to be solved before we can address the use of excessive force by the
police against African Americans. To imply that they do is
ridiculous. Imagine if I wrote something suggesting that we couldn’t try
to stop heart disease because people die of cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m annoyed by the tired
“black on black” crime thing. Sorry. It is just a stupid
argument. We aren't allowed to call for racial justice because of
"black on black" violence? (Or, as I like to call it,
violence.) 83 percent of white murders are committed by white
offenders. 90 percent of black murders are committed by black
offenders. What does that prove? Nothing except what we already
know—most murder victims know their killer. It's probably unrealistic to
expect anything better than a violent culture from a nation who solves every
foreign policy problem by spending a trillion dollars to blow it up. In
any case, I am bothered by his misleading use of statistics like
this. For someone so disgusted by media misrepresentation, maybe he
should not be adding to it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Let me put it this
way. Blacks comprise about thirteen to fifteen percent of the United
States population, depending on the source. All things being equal, one
would expect, then, about thirteen percent of US doctors to be black. One
would expect about thirteen percent of the people in prison to be black.
One would expect about thirteen percent of the business owners in the US to be
black. One would expect about thirteen percent of women getting abortions
to be black. One would expect about thirteen percent of the people killed
in officer-involved fatalities to be black. Makes sense, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here’s the reality (see
endnotes for references):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black doctors = 4-7%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black prisoners = 37%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black business owners =
37.4%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black abortions = 30%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black police fatalities
= 26%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black high school
graduates = 69% of black students graduate (86% of white students graduate)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black school
expulsions/suspensions = 50% (on average, 24% of students are black)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black college graduates
= 26% (whites 41%)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">9.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black welfare recipients
= 39% (same for whites)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">10.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black unemployment rate
= 8% (white 4%)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">11.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Black homeowners = 44%
of African Americans, (73% of whites own their homes.) What’s even worse is
that black-owned homes were valued at 18% less than white-owned homes, even for
homeowners with equal incomes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">According to this
essay, we are supposed to be appalled at the 30% of abortions in 13% of the
population, but unconcerned at the 26% of police fatalities within the same 13%
of the population? That simply does not make sense. Look, I’m
pro-life too, but I strongly suspect that means something different to me than
it does to this author. I believe that safeguarding the sanctity of life
is not an obligation that stops at birth. I believe we are equally
compelled to defend every child’s safety and access to opportunity, regardless
of race. Come on. What are we trying to save our babies for?
I’m serious. To get shot in the street without a trial or go to prison
for a dime-bag while a white swimmer rapes somebody and gets a slap? Are
we really going to say the media is making it all up? No. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Look at the numbers, and
<i>think.
</i>Forget about black and white.
Forget about the 300 years of government-sanctioned enslavement. Take any people group, create a system that
will for a hundred years deny them education, employment, housing, and
opportunity in general; herd them into certain communities through redlining;
kill and imprison the men in disproportionally high numbers; and limit access
both financially and geographically to health care except abortion clinics.
Kind of sounds like a recipe for high abortion rates to me. Here we are trying to say we want to stop
abortion because we believe human lives are sacred. I say, if we want to
show that human lives are divine miracles, we have to value the homeless drug
addict, and the gang member, and the black guy with the broken taillight as
much as we value the soccer mom and the CEO. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As long as we are on
stereotypes and soccer moms, let’s talk about white guilt. This guy is
mad because some white people feel bad? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?! What a
load of crap, and how arrogant to generalize the motivation of people he does
not know. Isn’t it thinking like this that perpetuates the mess? I am
white, and I will continue to fight for police reform not out of some misplaced
sense of white guilt, but for my family and loved ones. I support the
work of Black Lives Matter, despite that same, tired clip everyone keeps
dredging up with the crazy bacon fryers. Speaking of unbalanced media
representation, and all—there are chapters and have been peaceful
demonstrations all over the United States for the last four years, and the only
media image you ever see is the bacon one. <SMH and rolling my
eyes> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Let me put his mind at
ease. I do not feel guilty for a damn thing related to racial justice,
nor does any single person of color I know want me to. It seems to me
that they just want the justice and freedom promised to all of us by that
Constitution we worship. Even though I am white, I may have clued in to
something very important that his essay completely misses. This is not
about how white people feel. GASP! Try to stay with me
here. Despite the fact that we keep trying to make it about ourselves,
this issue is not. About. White people. At all. Speaking as one, though, I can tell you that
having a basic understanding of concepts like white privilege and knowing the
historical context of practices like redlining have helped me understand the
problem at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The problem we are
facing is not what people are "feeling.” Who cares how we feel about
other people, other races? You can't control the emotions of other
people, and someone else's emotions can't harm you. The longer we keep tiptoeing around
each other's feelings instead of addressing the actual problem—a discriminatory
system—the more black kids are going to die needlessly. Does it matter that it is only happening to 0.000006
percent of the black population? Not to
the mamas of the 0.000006 percent, it doesn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bomberger, like many
others, makes a big point of mentioning that more whites are killed by police than
blacks. I could mathematically explain how he is again using numbers to present
misleading information by failing to account for the vast difference in population
size, but why bother? Why are we
accepting the killing of <i>anyone</i>, of
any skin color without a proper trial? Why?
Why are we not employing even the most rudimentary de-escalation
techniques? Don’t tell me it is because
of the danger police face. The
situations around the killings of Sterling and Castile were about as dangerous
a shooting fish in a barrel, and don’t even make me point out Tamir Rice. Now, don’t lose your mind. I know there are legitimate dangers to
police. The problem here is that the police don’t have to <b>be</b> in any actual danger to get away
with killing people. They only have to <b>feel</b> in danger, and it apparently doesn’t
even matter if the police have themselves escalated the situation to the point
that they feel endangered. Well, if the
police officer’s feelings of safety are such an issue, why are we not training
these officers to manage unconscious bias and otherwise ensuring they can make
sound tactical decisions instead of killing people because they feel an
unfounded fear?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll tell you why. There is no accountability. None.
Are you aware that police departments in the US are not even required to
report police fatalities to anyone, let alone investigate them? If they are investigated, it is done
internally, with no transparency. As if
that ever really works for anything! I
am no attorney, but as I understand it, the burden of proof is much different
when it comes to officer-involved fatalities, making it incredibly difficult
for criminal charges to be made. By
contrast, in Australia, all police shootings are subject to national monitoring
and, I can only assume, appropriate consequences. Big
surprise then, that even when adjusted for the difference in population size, Australian police kill a fraction of the people that ours do.</span><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12</span></sup><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> We kill in one month, what they did in almost
twenty years. Wow. Is the disparity explained away by media bias? Is it any less dangerous to be a cop in
Australia? Do you think there is no
prejudice or fear in Australia? Come
on. We are smarter than that, aren’t we?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The best way I know how
to say it is like this: I do not care if someone hates my kid because he
is black. Could not care
less. Whatever. Everyone has to learn to deal with
idiots. What I care deeply about is whether or not someone can <i>harm</i> my
kid and <i>get away with it</i> because he is black. In
this country, in the year 2016, the sad reality is that yes, someone--even
someone sworn to protect him--could harm my child or yours and get away with
it. That is a terrible problem which
needs an immediate and concrete solution. Don’t you dare try to dismiss it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">1. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ellyn R. Boukus, Alwyn Cassil, Ann S.
O'Malley, A Snapshot of U.S. Physicians: Key Findings from the 2008 Health
Tracking Physician Survey, 2009</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">2. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">U.S. Department of Justice, 2014</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">3. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">US Census Bureau</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">4. Multiple
sources</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">5. Bomberger essay</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">6. and 8. US
Department of Education</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">7. Equal Justice Initiative,
http://www.eji.org/node/1141</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">9. US department
of Commerce</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">10. US Bureau of
Labor Statistics</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">11. Harvard University;
Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2012/12/10/how-home-ownership-keeps-blacks-poorer-than-whites/#62b46bf57e57<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">12. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/09/the-counted-police-killings-us-vs-other-countries</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-8692578188583284182016-06-28T15:05:00.001-07:002016-06-28T17:24:04.311-07:00Not Just A Pretty FaceContext is everything. Until we can come to terms with the historical context in which blacks and other "minorities" were legislated into poverty and lack of opportunity, we will get nowhere, as far as uniting our country. GAH! I hate the word "minorities." Nonetheless, we have generations of white folks from the 70's and 80's on, who mistakenly believe that racism has been cured and everyone has equal opportunity. Why? Because we were told about the highlights of the civil rights movement without learning the proper context.<br />
<br />
We have been taught what's important is that we act nice to black people so we don't FEEL like bigots. With all due respect, I don't give a rat's ass about how you feel. I do not care whether people like my kids or whether they are prejudiced dumbasses. Everyone has to learn how to deal with morons and jerks. I care whether you, or their school administrators, or the court system can harm them or deprive them of their rights. Ask Tamir Rice if that happens.<br />
<br />
So, what is it I'm always blathering about? Pure evil genius. Tell people where the can live and work. Do not allow them to take out loans or own businesses and homes so they will lack financial opportunities. That's called redlining, job discrimination, and housing discrimination.<br />
<br />
Structure the funding of schools around property values so that rich (white) areas have more and poor and minority areas have much less. Restrict access to learning, the arts, textbooks, resources because there isn't enough money. Turn out year after year of students not properly prepared for college or entrepreneurship, and without the financial buffer of family financial support. That's called educational disparity and systemic racism. <b>And we are still doing it, my friends. Why are we still funding education as if poor kids deserve less than rich kids? </b><br />
<br />
Tell people where they are allowed to live. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Every 18 years starting with the Emancipation Proclamation. That's called Generational poverty. Does it ONLY happen to blacks and not whites? No. Of course not. Does the fact that it does happen to whites erase the reality that it has happened disproportionally to blacks? Nope. Further, I would argue that even the poorest of white families did not get that way because the law said they had to live inside a red line on a map.<br />
<br />
<img src="webkit-fake-url://249d3679-e1be-4446-aebc-953c4fe5f8ae/imagejpeg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="webkit-fake-url://5968597d-dcc9-454a-978a-4c6e64476958/imagejpeg" /><br />
<img src="webkit-fake-url://158078b4-6388-4edd-80c2-67c7fabebb20/imagejpeg" /><br />
Which brings me to this guy. Not just a pretty face--who knew?!?!?!? Here it is in Jesse Williams' words. It's a little long, and he's is unfiltered in this video. I especially like these excerpts, but watch it yourself.<br />
<br />
"Generational poverty is a very real thing... You can't corral an entire segment of the population in the ghetto away from the American Dream then wonder why it doesn't look like a Norman Rockwell painting."<br />
<br />
"Housing discrimination is the biggest [effing] secret in this country... Suburbs were created to subsidize white upward mobility, while it was against the law for black people to get a loan, illegal for black people to own the deed to their property"<br />
<br />
Watch the video. He's making a lot of sense, even if it's tough to hear.<br />
<br />
https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousandaware/videos/866349313457281/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousandaware/videos/866349313457281/">https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousandaware/videos/866349313457281/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-72419149389480743422016-04-19T10:03:00.002-07:002016-04-19T10:03:50.844-07:00Pay no attention to those men behind the curtain!<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><img alt="Wizard-of-Oz-w24.jpg" src="http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Wizard-of-Oz-w24.jpg" /></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For a society that proclaims itself so advanced and
forward-thinking, Americans believe an awful lot of mythology. I write frequently about the myth of “Equal
Opportunity.” Today, I am going to talk
about the myth of the “American Free Market Economy.” Before I explain why it doesn't really exist, let’s back up and define the different possible
economic systems:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Traditional</b>: Reward for work and the exchange of property
and services is completely shaped by the traditions of a society. Most of the world operates under this system. The down side to a traditional economy is
that accumulation of surplus (wealth) is difficult, if not impossible. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Command </b>(Communism):
The government exerts control over wages
and the exchange of goods and services. There
are few countries with pure command economies (I think Cuba might be the only
one) which is probably evidence that it doesn’t work well. The obvious disadvantages to this system are
greed, nepotism, and corruption. People
in power may benefit unfairly by controlling
the economy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Market </b>(Capitalism)<b>: </b>Control
of<b> </b>industry is, at least
theoretically, in the hands of the individual. It is influenced
exclusively (again, theoretically) by the available supply of goods and
services and the demand for those goods and services. Government’s limited role in a market economy
is to provide national infrastructure, national defense, and protection against
monopolies. There are no countries in
the world with pure market economies, which could be an indication that they don’t really work that well in practice. Despite our American love affair with the
idea of a pure market economy, it is plagued with many pitfalls and
disadvantages, principally greed, nepotism, and corruption. People in power
may benefit unfairly by controlling the
economy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mixed </b>(Socialism)<b>:</b>
Individuals control the economy within a framework of governmental intervention
which may range from outright control of certain industries to selective
control of only certain industries, or indirect control through regulation. Almost
all industrialized nations fall somewhere in the spectrum of a socialized
economy. Perhaps that is an indication
that it often works better than other
economic systems? </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">So, let’s really think about which of these economic
structures we can buy into. I’m sure we don’t
have to waste much time considering Traditional or Command economies for the
United States. None of us want those. So,
what about a Market economy? Well, in order
for a free Market economy to work, we have to agree on some things. We have to decide that we are willing to give
up safety nets. </span><span style="font-size: large;">What does that mean? </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Do
you want to be assured that the new heart medication your doctor just prescribed
for you is safe, effective and appropriate for you? Sorry.
In a pure market there are no such assurances, because there are no
regulations to protect you. There is no
FDA, and there is no licensing process to make sure physicians are properly
trained. And while we are thinking about
health care, I hope we are all prepared to pay for everything out of
pocket. We would have to agree that
health insurance is completely privatized and free of any regulations to
protect us from getting ripped off, or else we have to pay it all
ourselves. Do you want to go out to eat
at that fancy new restaurant? What about
if there is no health Department to ensure that an establishment is clean and
food is prepared and stored properly?
The market will eventually decide, right? If enough people die of improper medical
treatment or food poisoning, no one will pay good money for that medicine, that
doctor, or that meal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We have to agree that we trust human nature enough to
believe that every business owner will offer a fair living wage to American adults
rather than exploiting children or importing foreign workers who will work much
cheaper. After all, why would we have child
labor laws or immigration laws if the government is only going to provide roads
and an army? We have to agree that we
trust every employer to provide a safe working environment with no regulations
or agencies for oversight. I don’t know
about you, but I am unwilling to go back to the good ole’ days of the early
1900s. No thank you; I think it is
pretty well established that’s not a good idea
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We have to agree that we are all ok with the “work or don’t
eat” philosophy. There would be no
social programs to rely on when you lose a limb in the unregulated factory you
used to work at, or when your company eventually goes under because the heart
medicine it made killed too many people and no one will buy it anymore. So…
What happens? Do we have people
starving in the street and urchins running around barefoot selling newspapers
and matchbooks? Either that, or we have
to agree that we trust human nature enough to believe that our employers and
neighbors will cheerfully and selflessly provide for us and our children , indefinitely, if tragedy strikes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We have to decide that we don’t believe in corruption. We have to trust that the owner of the heart
medicine factory won’t take all that money he made killing people and buy congressmen
to look the other way as he creates a monopoly. We have to expect he won't take the opportunity to build a new medicine factory empire that drives
all the local apothecaries out of business, leaving him free to control supply
and inflate demand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We would have to be OK with either homeschooling all our children
or paying ourselves for private schools or tutors.
A Market system makes no allowance for educating its citizens. We have to agree that we trust every person’s
ability and budget to educate the next generation. We have to decide we trust people never to
have children they can’t really care for.
We have to believe that property owners would never discriminate in renting
or selling housing, and that all our homes would be safely built and maintained
with no agency to inspect or regulate building standards. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We have to think that it would never happen that an oil baron could use his money and power to engage in price gouging at the gas pump. </span><span style="font-size: large;">We would have to be willing to bay $25 a gallon for
gas. Have I made my point? Personally, I am not willing to say I trust
in any of those things. And neither are
you. We have already decided it doesn’t work to trust
human nature to such a degree. That is
why we have labor laws and building codes. That is why we have public health
codes and licensure of certain professions.
That is why we are <b>already practicing
Socialism. </b>You might as well stop panicking at the idea because we all became Socialists the minute we realized we needed legal protection from fraud, malfeasance, and good old-fashioned greed. I would submit that the
most pertinent economics question is not whether some degree of Socialism may be better than pure Capitalism,
but rather, why does Socialism work well in some instances and not others? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps the deciding factor in whether Socialism is going to
work well is whether the working relationship between the citizenry and the government
is functional. When Socialism is instituted through the use of force, clearly the outcome is probably not going to be good. However, when the will of the people requires common sense economic and social policies, and their political leaders listen and respond, a stronger nation results. In other words, Socialism plus dictatorship equals failure. Socialism plus democracy equals, if not complete success, at least a system better than <i>corrupted</i> Capitalism, such as we have now in the US. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That's where we are, friends. We are not choosing between true, glorious, everybody-has-a-chance-to-succeed Capitalism and evil Communism, despite what people may be trying to convince you. We are choosing between Democratic Socialism and a </span><span style="font-size: large;">corrupted, fake Capitalism--a version </span><span style="font-size: large;">which will not engender a healthy nation and economy because it is not under-girded with equality of opportunity. American-style Capitalism</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is rigged to benefit the rich, the powerful and the white. Come on; be honest. You know it's true. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Today, our
elected officials have grown almost entirely out of touch with the people. That is our problem. Not food stamps or the prospects of universal health care and free college—corrupt
government officials and leaders. There
is much that needs fixing in the US, but no repair is happening until we fix
our political system. As long as we, the
people, continue to elect the same old politicians we are stuck with a bunch of
broken, outright crappy systems. As long as we allow people who are supposed to be working for us
to continue spending all of their time wheeling and dealing off-camera with big
money, we are stuck. Until we address
campaign finance reform, we are stuck. Until
we institute some reasonable term limits, we are stuck. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As long as we allow ourselves to be bamboozled
by the bald men behind the curtain, distracting us with smoke and lights,
we are going to be controlled by the Wizard--stuck and powerless. We are so riled up by sensationalism we are just accepting what everyone is telling us, rather than using our own eyes to see for ourselves that the wizard is just an illusion created by political con artists. We
are so hypnotized by Fox News, Youtube, and the latest Kardashian scandal that
we’ve given up our power at the ballot box. We need to wake up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">How do we fix it? I
have a few ideas. Shocker, I know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Quit watching the side show.</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Left wing and right wing both belong to the
same bird.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Stop supporting your
political Party, and start supporting your neighbor and your community.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Stop thinking in terms of Republican and
Democrat, and start using your own brain</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Expect better.</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Do you find it acceptable for you employee to refuse to do their
job?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Then stop allowing Congress to
shirk their duties because they don’t want to cooperate with the President.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Would you hire someone with questionable
ethics at your law firm?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Then don’t send
her to the White House.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Would you spend
$27 million to teach people in Morocco to design pottery?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Then call out Congress for doing just that in
the 2012 US budget.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Would you invite
Trump to teach ethics to your kids?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Then
don’t inflict his bigotry on the nation. Would you keep hiring the same plumber if he kept messing up your pipes? Then why keep hiring the same politicians that have messed up our nation? </span></span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">As far as I am concerned, if we re-elect a single Republican in Congress we deserve what we get.</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">And the Democrats are just as bad.</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">We need a brand new Congress.</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">These people are not looking out for you and me.</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">They just aren’t.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Educate yourself.</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s not going to happen on Facebook; you’re
going to have to read a real book. And then another one and another one after
that. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Make it a point to learn about
things you don’t agree with.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At the very
least you’ll be able to present an informed argument.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Who knows, you may find out you are more willing
to compromise than you realize.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Talk to people.</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Stop forming your opinions based
on a sound bites via social media.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Engage in real life interactions with people who are different than you.
On purpose.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Are you against raising the
minimum wage?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Make it a point to talk to
people who are living on minimum wage.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Do you think that there’s too much violence in law enforcement?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Engage with your local police
department.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Do you think the
opposite?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Talk to people who have
experienced excessive police force.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">How can we change
anything if we don’t talk to each other and learn from one another?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Think globally.</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I’m not against being patriotic, by any means, but in today’s world we
all impact each other in ways never before seen.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">We must begin to consider what’s good for
all, not just what’s good for people like me, or my city, or my state.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">We need to think bigger.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Quit electing white men all the time!</u></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Especially rich ones.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Is that harsh?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Absolutely.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">But if we want to get something different, we have to elect someone
different.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">80% of both the House and
Senate are male.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">80% of the House and about 90% of the Senate are white. Well, gaaawllee! I wonder why we are still struggling with institutional racism and male dominance? Lets do better, shall we? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Be willing to get uncomfortable in order to learn.</u> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Challenging yourself is even harder than
challenging “the system.”</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Allowing
others the same freedoms and privileges you want to enjoy may make you
uncomfortable.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">That’s to be
expected.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Look at it this way.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At my church, we make a deliberate effort to
be inclusive of many ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and faith traditions.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">One of the things I’ve learned is that if I
expect to be comfortable 100% of the time, I am expecting someone else to be UNcomfortable
100% of the time.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What gives me that
right?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Nothing.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Not a damn thing.</span></span></li>
</ol>
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Photo: </span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-indent: -24px;">http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/Wizard_Of_Oz,_The/gallery/WIZARDOZ024/</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-48962528273703951822016-04-15T10:31:00.000-07:002016-04-15T14:58:12.957-07:00A Voter Perspective<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">An Open Letter </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">To Mr. Amash</span></h2>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="President Obama introduces Merrick Garland as his Supreme Court nominee Wednesday at the White House. Garland, 63, is currently chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit." class="img" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016/03/16/gettyimages-515909568_custom-f438722c83856031aa7e9163890669be29a0ad75-s600-c85.jpg" title="President Obama introduces Merrick Garland as his Supreme Court nominee Wednesday at the White House. Garland, 63, is currently chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit." /></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
President Barack Obama and Supreme Court nominee the Honorable Merrick Garland </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Good Morning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">I am one of your constituents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to take this opportunity to explain
a situation I recently encountered in my job at a local hospital which I feel
you may relate to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a clinical pharmacist,
one of my many important responsibilities is to evaluate and implement medication
therapies as ordered by physicians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recently, I received medication orders for a patient by a physician I
was not in favor of hiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On many
occasions we have had differing opinions as to how a patient should be treated,
and I have had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made the
calculated decision not to act on his orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since a new physician would take over the case at shift change in 5
hours, I decided to wait until then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe after shift change it would be a doctor I like better, so until
then I was simply not going to cooperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Absurd, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
professional with any integrity at all would freeze patient care in such a
negligent manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously this is NOT a
real scenario.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (In case my boss is reading: Really</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">! I would never do such a thing!!!!) </span>This is simply an apt
illustration to highlight for you that, in the real world, people are required
to act like the adults they are and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>DO THEIR JOBS</u></i></b>. I cannot
emphasize it strongly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I urge you
and your Republican colleagues in Congress in the strongest possible terms to
stop behaving like petulant children and perform your constitutional duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a voter, I demand that you uphold all the
responsibilities you were elected to fulfill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Please begin confirmation proceedings for the current nominee for
Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Merrick Garland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Your party’s refusal to honor President Obama’s right and
responsibility to nominate a candidate for a vacancy on the Supreme is a great affront
to the American people—the American people who entrusted our current president
with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">all</b> of the duties of the office
in the two fair and legal elections which put President Obama in office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We have already spoken. </span>The president has been faithful to his
responsibilities; now you and your fellow Republicans in Congress must be
faithful to yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Rebecca Boyd<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">P.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a really big mouth and am not shy about broadcasting
my views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the ways I do this is
with my blog, which may be found at:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://justbeckyunfiltered.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">http://justbeckyunfiltered.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A copy of this letter will be publicly featured
there later today. Enjoy!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">RWB</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo: <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/16/470643431/-i-ve-made-my-decision-on-supreme-court-nominee-president-obama-says">http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/16/470643431/-i-ve-made-my-decision-on-supreme-court-nominee-president-obama-says</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-86157680768715731732016-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:002016-04-12T20:16:41.893-07:00Would you like fries with that?<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<img alt="" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12998718_10201605589537261_5239292655204061655_n.jpg?oh=215a3bdf8361f44eae691b05994e9ad4&oe=57BEBF0F" style="height: 615px; width: 346px;" /></div>
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<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<img alt="" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13012830_10201605589457259_2846576628569278162_n.jpg?oh=8fe9d3acb6d5bf173f9976543e76c400&oe=577E4F0F" style="height: 615px; width: 346px;" /> <br />
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This guy right here... SMH Whenever I envision people who are guilty of "Americanizing" the Gospel, I see Franklin Graham in my head. In the first place, I find it very hypocritical for Graham to hold up Bill Clinton as any kind of positive object lesson, when I have absolutely no doubt that he viewed Clinton with the highest DISrespect possible while he was actually in office. The Christian Right hated Clinton. I guess when it comes to racism, the good ole' boys can set aside party politics. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm sure this is rude to say, but come on. You would have to be either a complete idiot or a confirmed racist not to see that we have some serious inequities in our criminal justice system. And I don't think Mr Graham is an idiot. </span></div>
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Secondly, Christianity is not white, and it is not Republican (or Democrat, for that matter.). I'm sorry to have to point this out, but the Bible simply does not support most of the economic and social priorities currently espoused by the people who have hijacked the Republican Party. Read Micah 6:8, and tell me we are not supposed to be taking care of our fellow man. It says we are required of God to act justly, love mercy, walk humbly. "Required." It's not a suggestion. It's a requirement. </div>
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If you think an Old Testament verse doesn't apply anymore, Christ confirmed it in John 21. If we love Him, we will take care of his sheep. He said it right out. THREE TIMES, for crying out loud. Honestly, do you really think Christ's biggest social concern in 2016 would have been whether a Christian is supposed to make a cake for a gay wedding? I do not. I just don't.<br />
<br />
I love that Mr Graham shares the Gospel so clearly. I just wish he would
realize the message would go a lot further toward feeding God's sheep
if it were not served up with a huge side order of American-style
apostasy. So, if you find yourself in agreement with the Republican party, great. Really. I have no problem with you having opinions that differ from mine. This is America. You have every right to think what you want, to not want to pay higher taxes, to think every hint of socialism is evil, to think an unmediated free market economy is the solution to everything... Whatever. Just own it, then, because what you do not have the right to do is to claim that God is your justification for those opinions. Keep your politics out of my Savior's Gospel. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-26123679770154905202016-03-16T15:33:00.000-07:002016-03-16T15:34:44.614-07:00This Is The House That Redlining Built<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A Modern Nursery Rhyme by Mother Becky</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/media/images/74610000/jpg/_74610271_93074268.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the house that redlining
built. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the water<br />
That came to the house that redlining built. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These are the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These are the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the racism,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the fear with the media horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the power, ugly and strong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That spread the fear with the media
horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These are the men, corrupt and wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That held all the power, ugly and strong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That spread the fear with the media
horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the money<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That moved the men, corrupt and
wrong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That held<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span>all the power, ugly
and strong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That spread the fear with the media
horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These are the lies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made all the money<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That moved the men, corrupt and
wrong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That held all the power <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That spread the fear with the media
horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the country reaping discord<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That sowed the lies<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made all the money<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That moved the men, corrupt and
wrong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That held all the power <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That spread the fear with the media
horn<br />
That fed the racism<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That made the laws<br />
That hated the people<br />
That drank the water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That came to the house that redlining
built.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: </span><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27260073"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27260073</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-50150731312282749852016-03-11T11:05:00.001-08:002016-03-11T11:05:06.939-08:00What's A Mom To Do?<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><img alt="A mother with her child" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01470/mother-child_1470915c.jpg" height="288" itemprop="image" width="460" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This morning I was running late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(What’s new, right?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably could have made it in time, if I bypassed
the school parking lot morning mayhem and dropped him off at a more convenient
spot four blocks away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I briefly wished
I could do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may ask, why couldn’t
I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s 13 and a really responsible kid,
so he is certainly capable of walking a few blocks unsupervised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know the one; he’s the athlete and honor
student we all congratulated last week for winning a bunch of academic awards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why didn’t I even consider doing it? Well, I can’t
bring myself to do that because to some people, my kid isn’t an honor student
with a bright future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To them, he’s just
SCARY BLACK MAN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this to be true
because of experiences we have already had, where he has been targeted merely
because of the color of his skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has
already, at thirteen years old, been harassed by police for walking down the
street and “matching a description.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
his own safety, he doesn’t have the freedom to do what I would have allowed my
white sons to do without even thinking about it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Did I tell him any of that? No, but should I have?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t know. I want to teach him to expect <em>approriate</em> behavior from the people around him, but is that the right thing? On one hand, if I explain to him why I don’t
want him walking around amongst the general public wearing a hoodie, I’ll be
accused of “teaching him to be racist.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, he could very predictably have bad things happen to
him if I don’t teach him to be aware of how whites may perceive him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s a mom to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very easy to be opinionated about it all
until you actually have a loved one facing the crap we don’t want to admit
still happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, while you’re out there deciding who to vote for and
(hopefully) deciding whether equal opportunity really exists in the USA, I hope you’ll
think about kids like mine—the ones who can’t even walk down a street and be
assured of safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you’ll consider
that a racist candidate endorsed by known KKK members is probably not going to be
great at pursuing equity and justice for ALL of us, not just the rich, white
ones of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you’ll remember that
the candidate who had a hand in making the imprisonment of black men a
profit-generating enterprise may not be interested in the well-being of ALL
Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myself, I voted for the candidate
who has been fighting for peace and racial equity for 50 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I agree with everything he believes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
he perfect? Of course not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No candidate
is perfect, but I think he has something to offer that may be more important
than our fear of what’s going to happen with our money or our guns. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Photo: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/6103250/Britain-needs-a-middle-class-baby-boom.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/6103250/Britain-needs-a-middle-class-baby-boom.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-79048205468917549982016-02-28T07:19:00.000-08:002016-02-28T08:00:19.093-08:00All Y'All Made Me Unleash The Flying Monkeys<div class="MsoNormal">
This essay has been marinating for a very long time. I have started it on numerous occasions, then
put it aside because it just wasn’t the right time. Now, in this election season, I find myself
on the cusp of a decision that causes a deep quandary for me. This is the time. Now is the time that people on both sides of
the issue need to stop screaming at each other and listen to each other
instead. In my typical fashion, I suspect I’m going to piss off people on BOTH
sides. That’s OK with me. I doubt I will change anyone’s mind; I just
hope to help start a dialogue, to increase understanding and cooperation for
the good of everyone. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am pro-life—have been since before I even understood that
people could intentionally end the life of a child before he or she can be
born. I love people. I adore babies. I think human lives are sacred because we are
made in the image of God. Humans have
souls. Does that mean I don’t care about
other species? No. Does that mean I think women don’t have a
right to control their own bodies? No. It
simply means I can’t think of a single reason good enough to kill any child. It just means that while a baby is dependent upon the mother's body, the baby is a separate individual with inherent rights. It simply means that a person’s God-given
right to life starts in the womb. It means that there are moral consequences to abortion, consequences that are damaging to women victimized by the abortion industry and to the society that allows it. It simply means that a person is always a
person regardless of his or her address. Even if a person lives inside the
mother or on the wrong side of the tracks, he or she is still a miracle of God
and deserving of our protection. Obviously,
I hold these beliefs because of my faith.
I don’t expect everyone to embrace them.
I do expect that every mature human being can carry on a conversation
about them without being accusatory and judgmental. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To my fellow Pro-Lifers:
Please stop judging everybody and calling them murderers. Seriously.
Do you really think that helps?
It does not. A Pro-Life stance must
begin to mean you value all lives, respect all lives. We seem to have a little trouble with
this. Do you value the child but hate the
mother who wants the abortion? Or the Pro-Choicer
next door? Your rhetoric might imply just
that. If you’re going to claim that you find
life sacred, how about the lives of the impoverished kids that your politicians
poisoned in the city of Flint? How about
the life of the most recent “thug” that just got killed in the streets without
a trial by judge and jury? How about the
Muslim refugee child drowning in a boat?
Or the one we just bombed in Iraq?
What about the street kid on the other side of the wall some of us
want to build? What about the drug
addict living on the streets without access to desperately-needed health care? Do those lives matter less than the one
tucked inside a mother’s body? I don’t
think so, but our social policies are telling us loud and clear that IS EXACTLY
what we believe. Those policies would
not exist without the say-so of us Pro-Lifers right along with everyone else. I can already hear the objection that we can't be Socialists who just give everything to people. Well, I say that helping the impoverished and the refugee, providing necessities like health care and education, and feeding the hungry are not Socialist acts. They are loving my neighbor as much as I love myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I haven't already highly offended you, here’s where I’m really going to blow your mind. I believe abortion is an important political
issue. BUT… it is not the only important
issue. Our respect for life compels us
to be just as diligent in protecting quality of life. What does that mean? It means if we are not voting for improved
access to education for all of our citizens, we are not really Pro-Life, we are
Pro-Baby. It means if we think people
are deserving of only the health care they can pay for, we are Pro-Baby, not
Pro-Life. If we don’t stand up and do
something when the black kid is killed in the park for having a toy gun—sorry,
not Pro-Life. If we find it acceptable
to spend half of our pie on the war machine but scream about the minute sliver
we spend on welfare—sorry, not Pro-Life. When we allow our congressman to earn
in excess of $400,000 a year for life, but won’t pay for elderly Medicare
patients’ medications while they are in the hospital—not Pro-Life. Yup, we are
allowing all of that. Look it up. The information is there if you choose to see
it. Look, if you want credibility as an
advocate for Life, you need to earn it, and it’s going to take more than that “All
Lives Matter” banner on your Facebook wall.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My Pro-Choice friends, I haven’t forgotten about you. First of all, quit calling Pro-Lifers “Anti-Choice.” It’s rude. You certainly don’t want
Pro-Lifers running around calling you “Pro-Death.” It’s also an inaccurate characterization. There are almost always other “choices”
besides abortion. Abstinence, for one. I know it’s an old-fashioned notion, but it
is an option. If a woman consents to have
sex, she’s already made a choice to be responsible for her actions. We live in a culture that wants rights without
responsibility. We want to do whatever
the hell we want, whenever we want to, and then take a pill to fix it when
there are problems. We want to live on Big Macs even though we know better, then sue the McDonald's when we end up fat. It's all the same cultural problem of refusing to take responsibility for our actions. If a woman didn’t choose to have sex… that’s a different
story. While I still don’t believe an abortion after rape or incest is really going to fix anything for the
mother, I’m certainly not going to condemn her.
I’m talking about the other 98% of abortion cases. The choice was made before the
conception. You know it; I know it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And speaking of conception, can we be truthful about what is
being aborted? Using the clinical
term “fetus” doesn’t make it any less a child.
Before modern medicine, maybe we could have gotten away with debating
about when life begins. But now, we know
better. An unborn child has a functioning brain and heartbeat before most women
even realize they are pregnant. If you
are of the belief that it is OK to end the life of a human being with a
heartbeat, then say so. Do not hide
behind euphemisms like “tissue” and “fetus” in a disingenuous effort to make it seem less barbaric. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that I have pissed you off thoroughly, I am going to ask you tough questions, but first, I am going to make a couple of disclaimers. I already know that women of all races get
abortions. I already know that Planned
Parenthood provides other needed health care services to women. Secondly, I am going to present you with the
truth that present day abortion laws and the organization Planned
Parenthood find their roots in the US eugenics movement prior to WWII. Eugenics is the selective
breeding of human beings for the sole purpose of eliminating genetic “imperfections”
such as poverty, mental illness, and “undesirable” racial identity. Hitler was highly influenced by these
practices and viewed his Final Solution as a natural extension of them. You don’t have to take my word on any of
this. It is easy to find the information. Now, here are my questions. Is it at all possible that modern day
abortion practices are fulfilling the racist, classist mission of the eugenicists, just as they were intended to do? Is it possible that by defending a woman's right to choose, we are undermining our own intent to dismantle a corrupt system which targets the poor and the minority?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I find it entirely possible, even likely. Especially when I consider that we are
willing to restrict access to health care on the basis of who can pay for it,
yet we will find a Planned Parenthood providing reproductive services and
health care for women in most “urban” areas of the US. We can’t afford health care for
everyone. Yet we can afford to plop
abortion facilities in the middle of communities with the least number of white
citizens and give an affordable abortion to whoever wants one. I find it to be a really unbelievable coincidence. Instead, why can’t we just make it possible for every
woman to go to a doctor in an actual health care facility for screenings, contraception, and prenatal care? The answer is, we could... if we wanted to do so. If you’re reading my blog, you’re obviously a
smart person. Do the math, so to speak. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why is now the right time to talk about this? Because we have an election coming up. Because
the decision of who to vote for is harder than ever. Because people seem to have left reason
completely behind. Because if we are all, Pro-Life or Pro-Choice alike, voting solely based on a candidate's supposed abortion stance, we are making some
scary decisions. Just think about it. That's all I ask.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-89516068119788910382015-12-31T08:03:00.003-08:002016-02-28T19:13:36.525-08:00What If?<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT-GZGhSA9a7BdrxN0YLHF4fKQRgF3S5EQGKnVJNKW1symYmxLLWSIqHnxSnCvjV9hpBanB3wN0B_XmQTWCkXeS6oHDgocsY7IMezMhPcwJDpBmo8wcWqcatT9HSFWMIHFCO6hG5xOq4/s1600/Toddler+with+Hammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT-GZGhSA9a7BdrxN0YLHF4fKQRgF3S5EQGKnVJNKW1symYmxLLWSIqHnxSnCvjV9hpBanB3wN0B_XmQTWCkXeS6oHDgocsY7IMezMhPcwJDpBmo8wcWqcatT9HSFWMIHFCO6hG5xOq4/s320/Toddler+with+Hammer.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">http://theabundantwife.com/toddler-tuesday-hammer-time/</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’ve been thinking about what our country would look like if we all did our
jobs the way our police officers have been trained to do theirs. I’m
imagining my amazing friend, Erin, who runs a day care. I’m sure many
times every day, she has to respond to one of her citizens who won’t put the
toy hammer down to sit quietly and listen to story time. Would the
appropriate response be for her to gather all of her staff so that they could
arm themselves and surround the little citizen? Would that conflict best
be managed by barking orders, and then beating him up if he did not obey?”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
remembering how it is sometimes difficult to get the busy surgeons to respond
to my phone calls when I need to clarify an order. It is frustrating to
bear the responsibility of simultaneously protecting the patient’s safety and
efficiently treating them without the information I need from the prescribing
physician. In fact, sometimes I even feel disrespected. I could
solve my problem by enlisting some of my colleagues to go with me and barge
into the OR. We could then pin the doctor in a choke hold on the floor
until he either died of a crushed windpipe or managed to squeak out an answer
to my question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am
wondering what would happen if you went to the hair salon and ignored the
polite sign to refrain from using a cell phone. (Because that never
happens, right?) What if, after repeated requests to either put away the
phone or leave, you still refused? Would the hair stylist then be
justified in full-body tackling you, flipping your chair over, and throwing you
across the floor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">How about
if I’m walking down the hall of the hospital and happen upon one of the staff
from Employee Health, who realizes I am non-compliant with TB testing? Maybe I
turn around to run the other direction after she confronts me, making her give
chase. Is she then OK to pull out her duly registered concealed weapon,
shoot me in the back, and kill me? I mean, an employee running around the
hospital with potential TB is a danger to patients, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Obviously,
all of these scenarios are completely absurd. (At least I hope it is
obvious to you. If not, we have bigger problem than even I realized.) It
would simply be unacceptable to escalate every problematic situation we
encounter because we are allowing ourselves to overreact to our own bias.
Why then, are any of us willing to accept the same conflict management
strategies from our police? Especially when those strategies make an
already dangerous line of work <i>more</i> <i>dangerous</i>?
Why is escalation the default response to so many situations involving a
non-white citizen? It does not make any
damn sense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
The killing of Tamir Rice affords us another sick and tragic example. It
was the police department, itself which escalated a non-violent
situation into a murder. First, all the pertinent facts reported to
dispatch, such as that it was a kid with probably a toy gun, were not passed
along to the responding officers. Not Tamir's fault. Secondly, the
responding officers created the perception of danger to themselves, <i>all
by themselves</i>. It was an escalation to pull the squad car so close to
the scene that the cops felt endangered. Why on earth did they not remain
at a more reasonable distance in order to assess the situation for, oh I don't
know, any amount of time longer than two seconds? It was not Tamir's
fault that the cops swooped in already planning to kill. Those cops left
room for absolutely no other outcome than a death. And when I learned they did not
even try to administer aid to a dying twelve year old child...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Predictably,
the police in Cleveland are closing ranks to allow these incidents to continue.
After the decision was announced not to indict Tamir's killers, Anthony Hawkins
of the Cleveland Browns peacefully protested by wearing a shirt printed with "Justice
for Tamir Rice and John Crawford III.” According
to several news sources, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff Follmer, president of
the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association responded by saying,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s pretty
pathetic when athletes think they know the law. They should stick to what they
know best on the field.” </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">What appalling
arrogance. Appalling, yet not surprising. This is exactly the kind
of blatant disregard for citizens that we in the United States find
unacceptable from “officers of the law.” What a ridiculous notion that that
regular citizens are not capable of understanding the law. Does Follmer
think all athletes are stupid, or just the black ones? Why would he think we
citizens have no right to express opinion or belief about the laws that govern
our lives? It also apparently escaped his notice that Mr. Hawkins was not
even commenting on the law; he was calling for justice. The two concepts are
very widely separated in this country, especially for minorities. Justice was
in no way served for Tamir Rice or his grieving family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr.
Follmer, I am neither a legal scholar nor an athlete, but let me assure you I
recognize a corrupt system and a miscarriage of justice when I see them. I
stand with Andrew Hawkins when he said, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I was taught that justice is a right that every
American should have. Also justice should be the goal of every American. I
think that’s what makes this country. To me, justice means the innocent should
be found innocent. It means that those who do wrong should get their due punishment.
Ultimately, it means fair treatment. So a call for justice shouldn’t offend or
disrespect anybody. A call for justice shouldn’t warrant an apology."</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">A call
for justice does NOT offend or disrespect. A call for justice does NOT warrant
an apology. The very fact that Follmer would dare to disagree confirms he
either has a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept or that he believes
police are not bound by it. Excessive violence does not make the police officers safer. It doesn’t make
anyone safer. It’s time to try something smarter. It’s
time for all of us to stand up and demand better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-27332091167028034892015-12-30T07:20:00.001-08:002015-12-30T10:49:48.139-08:00Stuck Inside A Well<div class="MsoNormal">
In October of 1987 an adorable, sandy-haired toddler fell
into a hole in Midland, Texas. She
stayed there for 58 hours, while America held its breath. Baby Jessica was America’s baby; “Everybody’s
Baby” is what the media called her. For
three days, we all watched and prayed and waited, desperately hoping she could
be saved. No one blamed her for messing
around with an old well. No one
questioned if we should help because “where were her parents?” We all just wanted her to be ok. And she was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Almost thirty years later, we have millions of America’s kids
stuck inside a well, and many of them die in there. Inside this hole, they are judged more
harshly than others. In this well, they
are considered dangerous adults. They
are disciplined more severely than others.
The kids in this well can be denied opportunities. The children stuck in this hole can’t necessarily count
on the same quality of education or medical treatment. They can’t freely walk the streets or safely
play in a park. This well is a very
treacherous place for the children inside because we have deemed them dispensable. We have decided their lives don’t really
matter. We have decided it is OK to deny
them a future. We have decided it’s
better to kill them than to “risk” saving them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We can live with ourselves for leaving them there because we
blame them for their own situation: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
“If they wouldn’t have [<i>fill in the blank</i>] they wouldn’t be in
there in the first place.” “If they
would just stop [<i>fill in the blank</i>]
they would be able to climb out of there.”
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
“Their parents should have [<i>fill in the blank</i>] or should <i>not </i>have [<i>fill in the blank.]</i> That’s
why they’re in there.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
“It wouldn’t be fair to get them
out of the well; how will they learn to be responsible for their own actions?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we blame the children inside the well for being stuck
in a hole, we can conveniently forget how they got there. We can deny the truth that we put them in
that well. Historically, our society
benefited by trapping them in there. Now
that they are in so deep, we are too selfish to admit the truth. We are too lazy to get them out. It’s just too damn easy to pretend the well doesn’t
exist or to convince ourselves that they belong in there. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you recognize the hole I’m referring to? If you’re an African American, I bet this
well is all too familiar. I bet you've fought to stay out of there your whole life. If you are
white, you probably have a hard time believing the hole is really even there. You have never seen inside it, in all likelihood. What is the well called? Its name is Systemic Racism. What pushed the children into it? It is called Racial Bias, which is the same
thing that is fighting to keep them there. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why can’t <i>these</i>
kids be “Everybody’s Kids”? Wouldn’t our
whole nation be stronger if we were <i>all</i>
safe? Wouldn’t we all benefit if <i>every </i>kid had the opportunity to live
up to his or her full potential, if they all survived to do so? It’s time to clear out that well of racism
and seal it up. Enough is enough. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
The cap which now seals off Baby Jessica’s well </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-ved="0ahUKEwiFmcO76IPKAhWD5yYKHW-sCnkQjRwIBw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiFmcO76IPKAhWD5yYKHW-sCnkQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FUS%2Fphotos%2Fbaby-jessica-25th-anniversary-rescue-17462789&bvm=bv.110151844,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNHenljK3LBOzCZuUebHLTe-wHH-Qg&ust=1451572731619122" id="irc_mil" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk;irc.il;" style="border: 0px currentcolor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/gty_baby_jessica_well_cover_jef_ss_121011_ssh.jpg" height="308" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 112px;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.google.com/search?q=baby+jessica+well&safe=active&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwih9bKa54PKAhWKHD4KHUVRBJYQ_AUIBygB&biw=</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1016&bih=833#safe=active&tbm=isch&q=baby+jessica+well+cover&imgrc=HxLX21Js1ONPRM%3A<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a data-ved="0ahUKEwiFmcO76IPKAhWD5yYKHW-sCnkQjRwIBw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiFmcO76IPKAhWD5yYKHW-sCnkQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FUS%2Fphotos%2Fbaby-jessica-25th-anniversary-rescue-17462789&bvm=bv.110151844,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNHenljK3LBOzCZuUebHLTe-wHH-Qg&ust=1451572731619122" id="irc_mil" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk;irc.il;" style="border: 0px currentcolor;"></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-7263589570653453232015-11-27T13:41:00.000-08:002015-11-27T13:41:33.263-08:00Indignation and a Can of Tuna<div class="MsoNormal">
You may have noticed I have a particular concern about
social justice in general and race relations in particular. Not long ago, my family had a disappointing encounter with the local police department. I’ve mentioned it in other posts, and
addressed, at length, my feelings about what occurred, why it happened, and the
strategy used by the officers. This post
isn’t really about that. This story is
me and my life in a nutshell. Forty
percent tragedy, forty percent comedy, and ten percent sheer absurdity! This stuff just never happens to normal
people! (Footnote: someone smarter than me pointed put that my numbers only add up to 90%. The other 10% is to keep you guessing!) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was on my way home from grocery shopping one early
evening. I was tired and cranky as
hell. I called my husband’s phone to
have him get everybody outside to help me unload when I got there, but he didn’t
answer. Not necessarily weird. As I got closer to home, I barely noticed there
was a hoorahrah happening across the street, a couple of doors down from our
house. I’m sad to say, it’s not a rare
occurrence in my part of town, and it doesn’t even mean something exciting is
happening. It just means that the
police have encountered a black person.
So, I ignored it completely, and I pulled into the driveway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I blared the horn to alert the fam I was home and started gathering
up stuff to take into the house, when I noticed something odd. “Why is the side door standing wide open like
someone fled the house in a panic?” As
the light bulb goes on in my head, I slowly turned around to take another look
at the circus across the street. Sure
enough, there was my kid, surrounded by cops and a crowd. My first thought was fear that someone had
gotten hit by a car or something.
Nope. “Oh sweet Jesus! What did those dumbasses do
now?” is what I thought next, because you <i>know</i>
that teenage boys are not always the best decision-makers. So, I headed across the street to see what
the heck was happening, and I called my son’s name. One of the officers whirled around, and I
heard my husband tell him who I was. I
was instantly on guard when I saw how upset my son was. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I got more information about what was going on, I started
getting mad. I asked, “It takes three cops
to question one 8<sup>th</sup> grader?” I
found myself glaring indignantly at the officer. Just then, I sort of became aware of
myself. I realized I was standing there
with my big, ugly grandma purse in one hand; in the other I had… a can of
TUNA. Oh. My.
God. I played it off and very casually
put the can in my purse, but the damage was done. There’s really just no regaining your
credibility when you have allowed yourself to look as if you’re going to
assault an officer of the law with tuna fish. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The event very quickly fizzled out after that. I will go to my grave wondering if it was
because a white person showed up, or if the officers merely wanted to get the
hell out of there before they had to institutionalize the crazy tuna lady. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-72923182486343107532015-10-29T08:12:00.001-07:002015-10-29T08:12:35.078-07:00Hold on tight to your sanity, and wait for it to be over!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I feel like I would be so much better <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now </i>at mothering small children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It only took more than twenty years of parenting experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For one thing, I now have the vivid
realization that parenting is so much more about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">learning</i> than teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much
of what I now know, I only learned because I did it wrong!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For another thing, I see how truly fast it
all goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All those sleepless nights,
the interminable days of messy bedrooms and capless toothpaste tubes really do
pass in a flash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, I’m about to get my first grandchild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have all of this joy and eagerness and fear
and regret and sorrow and resignation all bouncing around inside of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want my daughter’s experience to be so much
easier and less stressful than mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
feel this urgency to help it be so, but also this sense of knowing that she will have to
do her own learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter is
becoming an incredible woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has
made painful mistakes and is doing her best to make amends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
suffered terrible things no kid should have had to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has endured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In and of itself, that is an accomplishment,
but more than just surviving, she’s turned the corner to flourishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not be more proud of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not be more anxious for her to feel
successful at mothering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve made so many mistakes myself as a mom, and I’m sure I’m
going to make more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, my children
have survived in spite of me, and I’m very proud of the people they are
becoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all the missteps and mistakes,
there are at least a few things thing I can be confident of as I near the end
of this season—I have loved being a mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I adored my kids and still do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
did the best I could, and it is enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here’s what meager advice I have to offer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Give yourself room to grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have no idea what you’re doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of us did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither do your Facebooking, Instagramming
friends, so don’t get sucked into the illusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not a competition!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll
screw up and make mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll be
fine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll do your best, and it will
be enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God loves him infinitely more
than even you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord will bless
your parenting successes and redeem your failures to shape your son into the
man He wants him to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Teach him to sleep in his own bed as early as
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you, and you need your sleep!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pick your battles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it won’t matter when he’s grown, it
probably doesn’t matter now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hug and
an “I love you” will solve many of your discipline problems, so try that
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Use a lingerie bag to keep his sox together.
Teach him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">from birth</i> to put his sox
in there the minute he takes them off his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m dead serious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apologize to him when you’ve been wrong. Be
honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will teach him to be kind and
responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Start out organized and stay that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll thank me later if you make this a
habit now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let him learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He needs to fall down, to cry, to yearn for things he doesn’t have, and
to experience failure, loss, and regret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He needs to hurt, sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
will break your heart, but it’s necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has to learn his own lessons, and often it will be the hard way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only solution for the “terrible twos” is turning three… until he
gets hormones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it’s the “terrible
twos” on steroids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s going turn into
a crazy beast you won’t recognize as a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll be back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
hang on to your sanity and wait it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nobody knows more than you what is best for your
kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even your mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m only going to admit that once!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be careful of who you let into his life, and
always trust your own instincts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love him and enjoy him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Talk to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laugh with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything else can wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That bears repeating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everything
else can wait</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-55932376635423126692015-10-19T06:32:00.001-07:002015-10-19T07:02:32.407-07:00An Open Letter to "White, Christian Conservatives" <h3 style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">(and the Bigoted Blowhards Masquerading as
Such) <span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">I am going to preface what is surely going to be
the Longest. Rant. Ever. Before anyone reads any further, I want to help you be
able to read what I AM ACTUALLY SAYING. To accomplish that I am going to
tell you what I am NOT saying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">For starters, I am not saying every police
officer is a racist murderer of black people. I do not ever, in any way want
cops to be more in danger. I have never even suggested such a thing, nor will I
ever because I do not believe that. I will admit to a bit of emotional confusion
about the subject of excessive police force. There is a disconnect between the
character and behavior of the people in law enforcement that I actually know
personally, and the blatantly racist things that I see occurring. It is
troubling. It made me uncomfortable enough to look deeper. I am learning that
it seems to be the law enforcement <i>policies </i>that are racist,
not necessarily law enforcement officers. Here's what I mean, somewhere along
the line, the paper-pushers sitting safely behind their desks decided it would
be a great use of our peace officers to fight and fund their “war on drugs.” To
accomplish this, some blatantly racist practices have become commonly
accepted—practices that are DANGEROUS for EVERYONE involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Secondly,
I hear a lot of people who are well-meaning, peace-loving individuals, suggest
that we should all just forgive and forget—let the past be the past. I pray for
the day that we can all do that, but we are not there yet. It is not the past
if it is STILL HAPPENING. We are going
to have to create justice, before we can enjoy its fruit, peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The background on the rest of this post is as
follows, I befriended an ignorant racist on Facebook. On purpose.
After a few 'debates' around the Black Lives Matter movement, he tagged me in a
post of presidential candidate Ben Carson's remarks about Black Lives Matters.
Carson was quoted as stating the slogan should be ALL Black Lives Matter, a
reference to abortion and black on black violence. OK, let’s just all agree
from now until the rest of forever, if you don't want me to tell you, don't ask
me “What do you think?” Naturally, being me, I posted, at length, what I think.
That is Part One. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, I pissed off some very, ummmm... we will
generously call them... “conservative” people. Not surprising, probably. A lot
of accusations followed, to which I of course had responses. Part Two
contains summaries of objections on the public domain, Facebook. Some of them
are from the encounter I just described. Others are from encounters I have had
on other Facebook activities, and still others are combinations of the two. Any
direct quote will have quotation marks. All of Part Two, other than my own
comments has come directly from Facebook. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Part One</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obviously, Mr. Carson, who I actually agree with on
many points, is entitled to his opinion. Arguably, as an African American he is
more entitled to an opinion than I am. I would love to ask him, and other
conservatives some questions, though. When in God's name did we decide we must
cure all social ills before everyone is entitled to expect equal
protection under the law? Oh, I remember… when white people got uncomfortable.
If serial killers are running around killing white kids, do we say, “Well, if
white lives matter, then why do white people get abortions?” No sir, we do not.
When white people are in danger, we don't see anybody on Fox news screaming
that we have to eradicate corporate greed before we can send in the National
Guard.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most of
the objections to the phrase "Black Lives Matter" are just pathetic
attempts to distract us from the problem at hand. Very, very transparent attempts,
and make no mistake, it is racism. The next time anyone reading this is tempted
to utter the words “If black lives really mattered, then....”
please realize your racism is showing. That sentence is just a
passive-aggressive way of saying “Black lives DON'T matter because...”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let's ask ourselves what is the motive for
intentionally and arrogantly misrepresenting the ideas behind “Black Lives
Matter?" Are we really so shallow and ignorant that we believe
demanding an end to the abuse of power in law enforcement is the same thing as
saying ONLY black lives matter? What is the motive behind stubbornly refusing
to admit the obvious reality that black people in this country have been
treated unjustly for centuries? Are we really going keep our heads buried in
our own BS instead of acknowledging that black citizens are still being
targeted in this country? Are we really going to pretend that only scary
criminals are being detained, beaten, harassed, and killed, not law-abiding
black folks, too?</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unfortunately, I think I may understand Mr.
Carson's motive. Fact is, in order for him to win an election on a Republican
ticket, he is going to have to court the affections of an awful lot of white
conservatives who find it inconvenient to acknowledge the crap that is going on
around them. Let me be clear, the things I appreciate most about Mr. Carson are
his stance on personal responsibility and his own history of overcoming the
odds through hard work. I admire him tremendously. His is a powerful and needed
message for every American. However, I am disgusted by white
conservatives who have had the audacity to use his accomplishments to
scold the black community about personal responsibility. These buffoons
have have no credibility and profound arrogance. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
The historical actions of the white population of this country are directly
responsible for the inequities that still exist. Deal with that. This country
was built to the advantage of white Americans at the expense of Blacks, Asians,
Hispanics, Native Americans and any other minority we could subjugate. Public
policies still exist which target minorities. Tell me again, who is it that
needs to take responsibility and make restitution here? The
Bible tells us that generations suffer the consequences of the sins of the
father. Take it up with Him, if you don't think that's fair. You still don't
think that we should be held responsible for the actions of our forebears? Why
not? We are reaping the benefits. Many, many of their unjust systems remain,
along with some new ones. There is still work for us to do.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I understand the motive of many white
conservatives, too. I used to be one. To be honest, I still am.
It's hard to take responsibility. It makes me feel bad. Guess what, I got over
it really quick when someone I love, who WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG, was
pulled over, surrounded by police with their HANDS ON THEIR WEAPONS, ready to
blow his head off if they got “scared.” I got over it when I sat in court and
watched two kids, one white and one black, receive very different treatment for
doing the same thing wrong, together. I got over feeling bad as I've watched
dozens of times as black relatives, neighbors and friends are pulled over and
detained by multiple police officers for such egregious offenses as hanging air
fresheners, rolling stops, cracked taillights, turning around in a school
driveway... and on and on. Funny thing is, for all of these 'legitimate'
traffic stops, there are hardly ever any actual tickets issued. I
definitely got over it when my 13-year-old son was illegally detained and
questioned by three armed men. Why? For being a light-skinned black
kid with an afro.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Meanwhile,
I live in the same neighborhood, drive the same car, go the same places.
I hardly ever get stopped, never by more than one officer and always actually
deserve a ticket. What is the difference? Are you really going to try to
convince me there is no racial targeting going on? It's time to wake up and
take responsibility. It's time to stop turning a blind eye to the truth. It's
time we expect all officers of the law to treat everybody's kids the way we
treat white people's kids. We have to do better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The good news is, I believe in the power of love
and the power of prayer. My real awakening came because I have black kids, and
I want them safe. I want them to have a better USA. I want them to be able to
walk anywhere they want to without fear of encountering a bad cop instead of
one of the honorable ones. I want them to be able to run down the street and
not have people assume they are running away from their crime. I want them to
be able to wear a hoodie. I want them to be able to make a mistake without
dying for it. I want them not to be suspicious of every police officer. I want
the best for my kids. So do all of you; why can't you see that is the real
point of it all? You would be able to see it if it were YOUR loved ones in
danger. Maybe that is exactly the answer. So this is going to be my prayer for
the rest of my life:</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Lord who loves us all, regardless
of our race, religion, our crimes and our sins; who loved us all enough to die
for us on a cross, I pray that your justice, your peace and your love will
permeate our country and our world until we learn to treat each other with
respect and dignity. I pray you will bless every person who has ever had the
thought, “IF black lives matter...” I pray you will bless them with compassion.
I pray you will send them love and deep relationships with people of many
races, so they will never again be able to question whether someone matters. I
pray you will send to them wives, husbands, children, grandchildren, nieces,
nephews, students, neighbors, friends, doctors, nurses, and pastors of color in
such abundance that they will see a glorious preview of what your Heaven is
going to look like. We long for your kingdom, your will on earth as it is in
Heaven.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Part Two</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How dare you say a black man can’t run
for president without catering to voters? That is disgusting.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: How naive are you,
exactly? Of course it’s disgusting. Welcome to modern politics in
the USA. Do you really think anyone in this country makes is to the
Presidency without courting the affections of voters?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
You attacked a black man for standing up for his beliefs.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: No. I asked some
hard questions, to be sure, but if he’s up to running the country, I’m pretty
sure he can handle it. When people do not agree with someone that does
not mean they are attacking. Grow up. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ben Carson believes abortion is wrong
and you are too dumb to figure that out.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: People generally end up
looking very silly when they make assumptions about others. I am well
aware Mr. Carson is Pro-Life. I happen to share his view. It still
has nothing whatsoever to do with the issue of excessive police force. The
trouble you’re going to have debating me here is that I AM A
CONSERVATIVE. I believe in freedom and justice just like you. For
everyone, though, not just people exactly like me. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>It’s not OK to kill anyone, black or white.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Right. So why are
we even discussing this? Why aren’t you fighting to keep everyone safe
instead defending police violence to me if you don't think the number of blacks
being killed is actually is OK? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If blacks don’t want to be shot in the
street they should stop being criminals.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: For starters, this is
the United States of America in the year 2015. We have a criminal justice
system that provides for a trial by jury. The police must not circumvent
the entire system by killing people in the street—even if they are criminals.
For another thing, not everyone who is a victim of police violence
is a criminal. Mistakes are made all the time. That is why we have
a justice system. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blacks are killing each other every
day.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Did I even once suggest
that the US does not have too much violence? Blacks kill blacks, whites
kill whites, blacks and whites kill each other. So maybe we should
allocate our police resources to preventing and solving actual crimes.
Maybe we don’t need to be endangering everyone involved by advocating fishing
expeditions cleverly disguised as routine traffic stops for idiotic “offenses”
like dangling air fresheners. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s not conservatives that are killing
the blacks.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Ooookkaaayy. I never
suggested that in any way. What I said very plainly is that whites
need to take responsibility for creating the culture of racial injustice that
still exists today.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You said it’s conservative’s fault that
blacks kill each other every day, and really it’s black peoples’ own fault they
are murdering each other.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Nope. I never
said conservatives are to blame for the violent choices of other people.
I said that those Conservatives who can’t admit the truth about the topic of
institutional racism have their heads up their butts. Not the same thing
at all.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When black people do bad things/get
killed by cops it is their parent’s fault because they obviously didn’t raise
them properly.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Anyone who has a kid
over the age of about 9 years old knows this one is false. People do not
always follow their parents’ teachings. Besides, if we are such fans of
Conservativism, don’t we already agree that people are responsible for their
own choices?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Democratic liberalism is to blame for
all of the above. </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Are you serious right
now?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Obama and his liberal radical friends
are to blame for this big race division in America.” It’s movements like
Black Lives Matter that are causing the all the problems. Black Lives
Matter creates division among the races. Famous black people who say things I
don’t like are the ones who cause the problems. Diversity is to blame for
all this.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Please, I am begging
you. Come out from under your comfy rock and join us. These
problems are not a new thing just because some white people suddenly noticed
there is some racial tension. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your ideas hold black communities
back. Your excuses cause blacks to kill each other every day.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I had absolutely no
idea I was so powerful. And here I thought it was the more than two
hundred years of slavery and oppression that had something to do with it.
I wonder if I have any other super powers. It would be really sweet
if I could fry things with my eyes...</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You are perpetuating excuses. You
blame and point fingers.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Why is it that you all have so much to
say about other people taking responsibility, but refuse to acknowledge OUR
responsibilities? Frankly, I am very disappointed in the general
lack of ability to have any sense of accountability, or compassion for your
fellow Americans. All of them. This is not about making glib
sound bites for the news. This is about making a better world for everyone's
kids, not just the white ones.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Stop insulting me.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: In all sincerity, I
really do not intend to be insulting. I will not mince words for the
comfort of us white folks, though. We’ve been happily in our comfort zone
long enough, at the expense of other races. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You have a warped sense of reality.</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Quite possibly.
It’s a good thing I didn’t make all of this stuff up on my own. There’s
this little thing that happened a few years ago called the Civil Rights
Movement. Most of these ideas have been floating around in one form or
another since then. Oh yeah, and then there’s this bestseller I
re-read once in a while. It gives these really good suggestions about how
not to kill and abuse people with less power than you. It was written by
this author named GOD, hundreds of years ago but it’s still a pretty relevant
book. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>You aren’t helping you’re enabling.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Enabling who to do
what, exactly? How in the world is expressing an opinion enabling? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i> “You are a pseudo-intellectual.”</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: You are right. As
you see from my complete lack of ability to frame a thought in a complete
sentence with correct grammar and punctuation, I am quite stupid.
(OK. I admit it. I included this accusation purely for the comedy
aspect. )</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You are twisting the facts. Twice
as many whites are killed by police as blacks. </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: I am doing what
everyone should be doing, which is using my brain to think for myself, rather
than letting someone spoon feed me. I am using the 11:00 news as STARTING
POINT, not as a definitive resource. I’m listening to both sides of a
debate. When someone throws out a random number, I am going to data
sources such as the FBI, the DOJ, RAINN, Ohio State University, and the
National Police Wives Association to check them for myself. Then I am
doing some high school math to make sure I’m comparing “apples to
apples.” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black citizens are killed in encounters
with the police at rate that is at least twice that of white Americans, when we
account for population size. For some reason, you think that is “twisting
the numbers.” Let me see if I can put it into terms you might find more
interesting. I have 25 fifty-dollar bills, and I’m going to give
them to random people in a room A. There are 45 people in that room.
I have another 25 fifty-dollar bills I’m going to give to random people in a
room B. There are 300 people in Room B. Which room would you rather
be in? Room A, of course. I'm sure you figured that out quick
enough. Your chance of walking away with $50 is a lot higher in room
A.. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What if I give fifty $50 bills to the
people in Room B and still give only 25 to Room A. Your odds are
STILL better in room A. Think about that. Say 123 people were
killed in a room of 450 blacks, and 326 people were killed in a room of 3000
whites. All I did was take a few zeros away from the actual statistics
to make it manageable, so we can see that the odds of surviving were much
better in the white room. It’s not some fancy mind trick—It’s math.
MATH. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The liberal media are all liars.
You can’t trust the media. Your facts are wrong and these numbers I got from
Fox News and Facebook prove it.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Sigh</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blacks commit more crime. Blacks
kill more police than whites so they deserve cops being tough on them.
Blacks commit the most hate crimes. There are 35,000 black on white rapes
every year. There’s a 2012 FBI/DOJ study that proves it. </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: False, false, false and
false. None of those statements can be substantiated. I actually
looked everywhere for the study that supposedly “proves” the rape
statistic. Not to be found anywhere. I finally just googled the
quote and got a hit. It was a really big headline. Above a
cartoon. A CARTOON. With “links” to “references” that took me
to advertisements. SMH</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>You are ignorant.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Well, if you put it in
a cartoon with a big enough headline, maybe this will be true, too. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>All lives matter. A white person matters just as much as a black
person.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Poor you. It’s
too bad white people haven’t been more privileged in the US. It’s too bad
that white people haven’t mattered enough in relation to everyone
else. Please. No one ever said white lives don’t
matter. The very idea your statement promotes--that white lives matter less
if black lives matter at all--vividly illustrates that you do not really
understand the concepts of justice or equity. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>I am not privileged.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: I bet you have never
had to spare a single thought about your skin color. You won’t have to think
about what other people are thinking about your skin color. It would never
occur to you that anyone else even is thinking about your skin color. In all
probability, you have never, ever had someone point out to you that you are
white. You can run down the street and NOT have people assume
you’re running from a crime scene. You can wear a hoodie and have your
hands in its pockets without risking your life. Everything about the
country you live in was designed to accommodate people just like you. You
ARE privileged. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>I didn’t have slaves, so none of this is my fault.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: “All that is necessary
for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Are you or I
directly responsible for the actions of our ancestors? No. Are we
morally justified in ignoring the ongoing results of those actions that are
still a factor in many lives still today? NO. NO. NO.
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>I don’t believe in reverse discrimination. </i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Great! I don’t
believe in fairy tales either. Reverse discrimination would be possible
if suddenly blacks outnumbered whites six to one and used that advantage to
enslave them for a hundred years, followed by another hundred years of
oppressive laws.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black people need to take personal
responsibility.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Yes, as does every
other human being. Maybe you can help me understand how demanding
equal treatment under the law is the same as refusing to take personal
responsibility? Better yet, explain how white people are taking
personal responsibility to correct the injustices that have been
inflicted upon minorities, the poor, children, and women in our country's
history?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If we acknowledge that people hate
others because of race we are just using that as an excuse.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You don’t get to reconciliation by pretending that evil
things never happened.” –Colin Smith</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. The first step to solving
any problem is to acknowledge it exists. Pretending racism doesn’t exist
may solve your discomfort problem but it certainly does not make racism any
less real. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>Why hasn’t the black president done anything to fix the race problems?</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Let me get this
straight. Slavery and institutional racism have persisted for 210 years
under forty-three different white presidents, and you think the black guy was
supposed to fix it in two terms?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blacks hate white people too.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: I’m sure there
are. What’s the point? That it’s OK to kill them for it? Ask
any random black person if they care AT ALL about how whites feel about
them. I predict the answer will be no. We are not talking about
feelings here. You cannot regulate feelings and attitudes. We can
and must regulate systems that perpetuate racial disparity.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We have a mixed President who denies
his white half.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: “The nation's answer to
the question 'Who is black?" has long been that a black is any person
with </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">any</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> known African black ancestry. This definition reflects the
long experience with slavery and later with Jim Crow segregation. In the South
it became known as the ‘one-drop rule,'’ meaning that a single drop of
"black blood" makes a person a black." --F. James Davis </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A “movement” is what it takes to make
things change. Your insignificant ideas aren’t starting one.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Whew. Good thing
I didn’t need to. This “movement” caught on about 50 years ago. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>Black Lives Matter is hatred. I was somewhere and some black people
said bad stuff so Black Lives Matter is evil. Black Lives Matter is a
hate group. Black Lives Matter wants to fry police like bacon.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Black Lives Matter as a
movement began in 2012, aimed at increasing awareness of ongoing systemic
racism in the US. The majority of its activities during those three years
have been non-violent, although admittedly noisy. Have some people taken
it too far, and engaged in radical activities? Yes. The actions of
those individuals do not represent its supporters as a whole. As
far as the slogan, the following quote sums it up pretty well. “The
reason "black lives matter" became a slogan to begin with was that
activists felt that some people needed to be reminded that black lives mattered
as much as white lives, because no one needed to be reminded white lives
mattered. They were reacting to a system that assigned different levels of
value to lives based on race. But by making a difference explicit, they've been
hit with the charge that they're the ones who created that difference to begin
with.”—Dara Lind</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black Lives Matter is the same as the
KKK.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Well, maybe without the
white hoods, cross-burning, and the actual killing of people. NOPE.
NOT. EVEN. THEN. What a stupid thing to say.
Seriously. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black Lives Matter doesn’t represent
all black people.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Of course not. No
one idea or philosophy represents all white people, or all Danish people, or
all Republicans. Why would you think any one idea is supposed to represent
every black American?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>My black friend, cousin, coworker, neighbor agrees with me. All
my black friends agree with me.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: So where are they in
this dialogue? I’m not hearing from them. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You’re not even black.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Right. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Who are you to speak for black people?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: No one, which is why I
do not attempt to speak for anyone but myself. Never once have I
purported myself to be a spokesperson for anyone. Unlike other parties in
this dialogue, I have not once said, “such and such person agrees with
me.” I have been known to quote my own husband, but I don’t even do that
very often because he is well capable of speaking for himself. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You’re not allowed to call yourself a
black sympathizer.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Honestly, I don’t know
what that even means. Being black is not an identity that requires
sympathy, nor is that what I offer to my friends and loved ones. I offer solidarity
in acknowledging and seeking solutions for racial injustice. Furthermore, I am
allowed to call myself whatever I want. I choose, “patriot,” “decent
human being,” and “Christian Conservative” in the true senses of those
words. Quite frankly, I am sick to death
of wacko radicals who have hijacked that last title and made it synonymous with
obnoxious racist and intolerant bigot. Those of you that are polluting
the media and internet with your lies and misrepresentations do NOT speak for
me. Stop conducting yourselves as if you have a corner on the market of “Christian”
behavior because all the while, you are willing to tolerate the SIN of injustice. That’s right, SIN. You make us all look like hypocrites and
buffoons. Sit down and shut up. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You’re not allowed to speak up because
I think you haven’t done anything for the black community.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is interesting to me that there have
been so many digs intended to belittle me into silence. It’s a waste of
time. I will not shut up, nor do I need to justify myself in order to speak the
plain truth. The “black community” is not some homogenous group of
gingerbread men that needs the great favor of white “help.” What is
needed here is justice, and I don’t have to be black to see that or speak up
about it. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am already well educated; I do not
need to “educate myself.” </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: I take it from that
statement that you think you have nothing else to learn. Congratulations
on your educational achievements, certainly. May I humbly suggest
you revisit a few subjects from high school, such as American History, Math,
Statistics, and Civics? There are a few topics it seems you could do with
some review on: Native Americans, the Trail of Tears, slavery, the
Tuskegee Experiment, the Civil Rights Movement, the American eugenics movement’s
influence on the Nazis, Redlining, the Rosewood Massacre, WW II era
injustices against the Japanese… </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>Black children are growing up with the
same opportunities as white children.</i></span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Wait. A. Second.
Hold up, because now I am really confused. A minute ago you said it was
my ideas holding the black community back, that Democrats are causing all the
race problems. Which is it? Oh, that’s right. NONE of
those statements are true. When black kids can’t even be assured of
walking down the street without risk from the police, a “nervous” citizen, or a
vigilante with a hot temper, they hardly have equal opportunities.
Practices like redlining have enforced an unofficial segregation which has
limited access to certain opportunities.
I could go on and on, but how about a concrete example? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">There are only 4 percent black doctors
in the US. Why is that, I wonder? All things being equal, one would
expect that black doctors would be at about 13 percent which is roughly
the percentage of the black population in the US. So why is it so
low? Do blacks not WANT to be doctors? I doubt
it. Are blacks not capable of being doctors? That’s not
true. Are blacks too lazy to be doctors? Not at
all. Still think we are an equal opportunity country?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Yet, we have a black president.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: One reviled and
disrespected black president in 200 years doesn't exactly scream equal
opportunity to me, but it is progress.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i>You should stop teaching your kids about racism. You should teach your
children not to fear race. You should not teach kids that people
hate based on race. Stop teaching your kids to fear the police. </i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: You think black
kids are learning about racism from their parents? My mouth is gaping
open from utter incredulity. Wow. Your planet must be really
nice. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You should teach black kids children to
be respectful. You should teach black kids right from wrong.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: How dare you assume
that is not already happening? I have never heard anything so insulting
and arrogant in my life. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Racial tensions are going to continue
as long as we keep thinking whites owe blacks something.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: We whites do owe blacks some things. They
are called justice, equity, and basic human decency, at the bare minimum. Further, what value do you place on modern
health care? Are you aware of the human
experimentation that was perpetrated upon blacks? What value do you place upon the railway
system? Are you aware that it was built
by blacks and Asians who were paid only a fraction of the wages paid to whites? Again, I could go on and on. It truly sickens me to see the sense of
entitlement that allows whites to think that we “got where we are all on our
own, so blacks should have to, also.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Racial tensions are going to continue
as long as we keep thinking blacks are inferior.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response: Wow. And there it is in a nutshell. I
never used the word inferior. You THOUGHT the word inferior. Thank
you for proving my entire premise that bigotry is alive and well. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-82175020626795861192015-06-29T17:03:00.000-07:002015-06-29T17:03:04.007-07:00A Lesson in CivicsApparently, an awful lot of Americans slept through high school civics. If that applies to you, try to keep up. This is the United States of America. We have some papers which are sort of important, called the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. These papers spell out in great detail what the government is allowed to do and what individuals are allowed to do. For instance, an individual (that's one person) can display any flag of his or her choice on his or her own property, up to and including having it tattooed on his or her forehead. In contrast, our government (that's all the people we pay a ridiculous amount of money to run the country on behalf of all us individuals) must preserve justice and freedom from oppression for everyone, equally. There is one flag that (theoretically, at least) represents everyone equally. Therefore, it is the flag we should observe on the buildings that house the government that has a duty to preserve equal rights for everyone, equally. A different flag--one that represents slavery, oppression, and legalized terrorism to anyone not white--maybe not that one.<br />
<br />
For another example, an individual may hold any belief he or she finds reasonable. An individual may express said belief in any way which does not infringe upon the rights of any other individual. The government, however, may not favor certain systems of belief by denying the rights of some individuals, but not others in matters like, let's say marriage.<br />
<br />
Finally, the government itself must not infringe upon the rights of any individual. An individual is entitled to freedom of religion, which means that neither the government, nor its leader may tell individuals what they may believe or how to express that belief. Or when it's time to change that belief. Sorry, Mr. President.<br />
<br />
In addition to freedom OF religion, individuals are entitled to freedom FROM religion. This is why we don't chop off the heads of "infidels" here or burn people at the stake for witchcraft. Anymore, that is.<br />
Sorry, Christians. We can't really have it both ways. If we expect to be protected, everyone else gets the same.<br />
<br />
Any questions? I didn't think so. I'm glad we cleared that up. Good talk!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8790938303337298198.post-37344949285213975652015-06-29T17:00:00.000-07:002015-06-29T17:00:09.404-07:00For Christians OnlyJune 19, 2015<br />
<br />
Wondering where the Church is. Wondering why we spent so much time focusing on whether we could pitch a baseball or mow the lawn on Sunday, go to the Prom, have a beer, or go to a movie when we were turning a blind eye to hatred and murder. Wondering if things would have been different by now if we had stepped up a little sooner.<br />
<br />
We have to wake up, Church. It is our job to bring justice to the oppressed. It is our job to stand in unity with ALL of our brothers and sisters. Instead, we have turned a blind eye for HUNDREDS of years and let our own be tortured and terrorized while we run around "defending" the rest of the world in the names of God and Democracy. We have tolerated, permitted, even enabled the rotting, stinking open wound of racism in the body of Christ.<br />
<br />
And then we have the nerve to cry about the fact that we are picked on by the "liberal media." News flash: that's what happens when you give away all of your credibility. Notice I didn't say "lose" credibility. We didn't lose it, we handed it over. The American Church might as well burn our own Bibles if we can't do better than this.<br />
<br />
I'm not praying for peace, my dear, mourning brothers and sisters in Charleston. I'm praying for such a righteous and holy uproar that we will finally, FINALLY drown out the clamor of hate and racism. I'm praying fervently, and expectantly for the brightness of God's light to shine into every hidden corner, pocket, and heart where racism festers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01153600956635433757noreply@blogger.com