Florida - The Haves and Havenots in Florida

 Sometime today, the Governor of Florida is supposed to announce his candidacy for the office of President of the United States.  The power and privilege of the office will be the result of being elected.  Meanwhile in Sarasota, Florida, there is a family of 6, 2 adults and 4 children, who are being evicted come June 30th from their home.  A home that has numerous health code violations.  A home where the landlord has refused to repair the unsanitary conditions. The other side of Florida, poverty and hopelessness.  Whereas the Governor represents wealth and privilege; the family of 6 represents despair, hopelessness, and the struggle to just find clean, decent, affordable housing in Florida.

The governor of Florida seems focused on fighting back against social forces in this country.  Rather than initiating a discussion with those parties, it's a war of divisive words.  Some aspects of his concerns may be valid. But, why not have a discussion instead of fighting a war of words with people and businesses in Florida?

Why isn't the governor also concerned about the quality of life for all Floridians?  I have seen no state program that attempts to help people find affordable housing in Florida.  Is that a decision the governor has made that only those with a substantial income are welcomed in Florida?  Why must a family of 6 tolerate unsanitary conditions in Florida?  Why must landlords be given the authority to rule over tenants and then force tenants out?  This family of 6 will be struggling to find an affordable home in Sarasota.  The choices of where to go are choices no fans of the governor would ever accept.

So, as you get excited over the announcement the governor is making, should you not also feel disturbed that the governor is showing no compassion for those seeking affordable housing?  He is not going after landlords who mistreat people.  I contacted local media outlets about the story of the family of 6.  So far the story has not been given any attention.  This is the way of life in Florida.  The weather forecast is more important than the living conditions of some people.   What can you do?  Get your education and obtain a job that gives you economic power where the lack of compassion by elected officials does not matter.  Your own economic power will be your way of keeping you and your family in decent living conditions.

NAACP Issues Travel Warning??

About a month ago, I heard that the NAACP, the former giant of civil rights activity, was going to issue a travel ban to warn people about social conditions in Florida.  I thought to myself, why would you keep people from coming to Florida to invest in black businesses there?  Also, why would you promote black people not coming to Florida to enjoy the natural resources of the state?  Lastly, who do you think you are hurting?  Does the NAACP really think that black dollars supports the economy of Florida?  Last time I looked around, I am the only black person living in my housing division?  The homes that do go up for sale are out of the price range of most black people.

The intent of the NAACP may have been good, but the strategy does not fit conditions in 2023.  What happened to the days when the NAACP would file suit in court to challenge legal decisions?  Why isn't the NAACP doing so in Florida?

Rescind the warning.  Urge black people to flood the state with our dollars and only shop at businesses friendly to black people.  Urge black people to purchase homes and properties in Florida.  Become citizens of Florida and then exercise your right to vote people and policies out of office and off the books.  Now is not the time to be heard and not seen.  NAACP, time to regroup on your strategy.

The Latest Stupid Human Tricks

 The past 2 weeks have featured a variety of dramatic stories.  In the United States, in Allen, Texas another deranged human being committed a mass shooting.  It has now become reality that in your family someone needs to have practiced defensive/offensive techniques with a gun to defend you when a mass shooter appears on the scene.  Any mall, or public place where people gather needs to have someone trained in the techniques to take down a mass shooter.  No talking to the shooter.  No attempt to diffuse the situation.  No hostage negotiation.  Just the technique to end the mass shooter's life as quickly as possible.

We know businesses are not going to invest money in protecting their customers and employees' lives.  So, it is up to each of us to defend ourselves and our loved ones.  Our weaponry may not consist of AR 15s but we can legally purchase self defense weaponry to end the madness of a mass shooter.  This is what we have come to in this world.  We allow people with mental illness or who are just plain evil to obtain weapons to systematically kill people for no reason.  We do not owe the mass shooter any counseling or any mental health care.  If they want help they can get it before they begin the activity of killing innocent people.

Immigration.  I have heard reports that s  many as 10,000 immigrants are awaiting the opportunity to cross over into the United States.  My thoughts were, why isn't the United States and other countries imposing sanctions against the countries immigrants are fleeing from?  Isn't it the leaders of those countries responsibility to fix the conditions in their countries that is causing people to flee to the United States?  Why are they immune from the chaos they are imposing on the United States?  So instead of shipping immigrants on buses and planes to communities across the United States, why isn't the government of the United States putting pressure on the governments of the countries where the immigrants came from to fix the mess in their country?

The debt ceiling.  Who cares if the United States debt continues to grow?  We saw during Covid that nothing gets in the way of the United States government spending money.  So please stop all the political grandstanding and just take the action that raises the debt limit.  Then move on to the day to day issues that make a difference in people's lives.  Feeding the poor.  Creating affordable housing.

UE Students Feel Unsafe on Campus

 In 1934, Evansville College admitted its first black student, Zerah Priestly, after an 80-year period when black students were not permitted to attend the college.  In 1934, social conditions in the United States were at the point where Evansville College was the last major college in Indiana to allow a black student admittance.  Racism and "Jim Crow" laws and policies were the norm in many parts of the United States.  The common theme was to treat black people inhumanely.  Lynching of black people throughout the United States were commonplace.

In 2023, some 89 years since the doors were opened to black students, a climate of "unwelcomeness" still exists towards black students at the University of Evansville (UE).  Systemic conditions exist that make UE at times an "unsafe" environment for black students.

Recently several black students attended a student function at a UE fraternity house.  At the function, black students were called the "N" word by several of the European American UE students at the function.  The official response of UE to the incident so far has been underwhelming. Last night the UE Black Student Union held a meeting to air grievances regarding the lack of an official response by UE to the incident and black student feelings of being unsafe at UE.

As a 1980 graduate of UE, I urge university officials to take appropriate disciplinary actions against the students who initiated the hate speech against the black students. A failure to do so would be a "wink and a smile" towards all students who believe in verbally assaulting black students, or anyone, with hateful words.  A failure to act condones poor behavior.

UE we await your response.

TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board - A "secretive" organization creating public policy

 What is one of the most secretive organizations in the United States?  That would be the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board.  The Board consist of 18 appointed members of the entertainment industry and 5 "public interest" members.  Representatives from Hulu, NBC, CBS, and the Boys and Girls Club of America are some of the group members  The group meets in private and the names of the members are kept hidden from the general public.  This private group is responsible for creation of ratings and descriptors for the TV shows and movies the general public watches.  You will never see this group interviewed on television.  The group interacts with the public via a one way communication of survey results that they proudly say always supports the rating system.  The rating system they oversee is supposed to serve as a guideline to parents and others who want to be aware of the content of the material they or their children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren are about to view.

The Board stated that recent survey results indicated that 95% of parents feel it is important to know about sexual situations in the program they are about to watch.  One issue that has come up is to understand how the Board defines "sexual situations"?  Are scenes featuring two women kissing, or two males kissing in a bed defined as "sexual situations"?  Currently such scenes are not labeled as sexual situations and have been pushed out as viewers in TV shows and movies without a warning that the program contains such scenes.

Do you as a viewer want to be forewarned about the presence of scenes that involve homosexual behavior or non binary gender behaviors?  "Sexual situations" is a descriptor that needs to be defined by the Board.  If sexual situations does not involve homosexual behavior or non binary gender issues, then separate descriptors need to be created for homosexual and non binary gender content.  In addition the ratings and descriptors need to remain on the screen for at least a full minute.  Please contact the Board via the below methods to express your views on the adequacy of current ratings and descriptors related to homosexual behavior and non binary gender content.

TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board
PO BOX 771
Washington, DC 20044
TVOMB@tvguidelines.org
(202) 570-7776

The Good News

We are in a world destined for destruction in a horrific chaotic manner.  God created a system and method for human beings, as broken as we are, to have eternal life beyond this world.  God's system was to place His son in a human form on Earth.  He then allowed for that son to suffer and die for OUR sins.  That system opened a new door for all people to achieve eternal life.

This system/method is in place.  The rules for humans to follow have been established in those words given in the bible.  Now it is up to each of us to overcome the human ways of the world and to adhere to God's rules if we want what God has offered.  The path to the offer is through the narrowest of gates.

What is your choice?  What is your chosen destination?  Begin/continue your journey.  The path is full of obstacles.  Tread carefully and in constant prayer.

Mr. Hamlin and StandAndPray

 No longer being a fan of football, I was unaware of the tragic event that occurred to Mr. Hamlin prior to posting my prior blog on StandAndPray 2023. What really caught my attention was how many football fans were suddenly motivated to pray in response to the tragedy. Would it not have been better to Stand And Pray during the playing of the national anthem to include a prayer for the safety and well being of all the players?  No, what we as humans do is pray after a negative event has happened.

Next Sunday football fans across the world will be likely asked to stand for a moment of silence in honor of Mr. Hamlin.  Some of you football fans might even take that opportunity to say a silent prayer.  But, then you will go right back into the human behavior where you remain standing with your hand over your heart , and your beer in your other hand to honor your nation during the playing of the national anthem.

Prayerfully, Mr. Hamlin will recover.  Prayerfully you will not be asked to stand at a future football game in memory of Mr. Hamlin.

So now I will ask you again.  Before your next football game or any sporting event, can you simply StandAndPray during the national anthem?