Trying to Relate To and Understand the Different Generations

I'm into my sixth decade of life in this planetary experience called living.  I'm at a point where I definitely note the differences in what people in my age group like compared to "younger" people.  Now there are several different generations following me to compare lifestyles and interests too.  Plus I know I do not know the "language" spoken by these different generations or understand some of the things they have an interest in.  I'm quite sure they also don't understand my "old school" preferences either.  I was once them, and they are now me years ago.

We dress differently, like different music, movie choices may vary, and have different attitudes about the culture that we live in.  A couple of years ago, I asked a nephew in his 20s or early 30s to explain to me what the term "100" meant.  I had seen it often in an emoji form but didn't know what it related to.  He explained that it meant the truth or what was real.  When I was mentoring 10-11 year olds in the public schools I also noticed a different "language" that they spoke among themselves.  They liked to do some kind of hand gesture made famous by a professional football player.  I also noticed that many teens seemed to be copying a hairstyle made famous by another football player.

What makes them copy what they see?  Probably the same things that made me copy fashions that were around when I was there age.  The media publicizes and sometimes pushes as image onto the masses, people copy it and then there is a mass rush to join the bandwagon.  Why because it's the "cool" thing to do and it somehow shows that you are different from everybody else.  But in fact you are just copying an image that has been pushed onto you as something you need to do or be.

It's ironic how there really isn't as much individuality as people think there is.  There may be differences between the generations in our day to day "customs", but within the generations we are just copies of each other.  We are tribes within an age band.  Then within that age band we may also be different based on our race and culture.

One thing is sure.  I cannot relate to much of the things I see or hear in the younger generations.  Some  younger folk in my family like to use the phrase "nigga".  I've told a couple of the young generation that to me it's a derogatory term some European Americans tried to force upon us.  In my opinion by our own people using the term we help those European Americans who want to ensure the term lives on and in fact is accepted by black people.

Then there is rap music.  I rarely listen to it.  My preference is the real singing that reminds me of the Motown sound I grew up with in the era of the 1960s.

What really irritates me is when the younger generation attempts to impose their culture on older people.  I cringed when I saw my nieces and nephews attempting to get my 87 year old mother to do the signature move of the NFL quarterback that young people love to copy. Plus the two finger hand salute which I also haven't asked "what does it stand for?"  It kind of looks stupid for an older person to try to do what a young person does, especially if they really don't want to look young.  It would be like me buying young people clothes that represent my generation and not theirs and telling them to wear the clothes just because I said so.

I see music artists representing the younger generations and don't know who the artists are.  In that respect I've graduated from bondage.  I no longer have to care who they are!  If they make music that sounds good, that is great.  I now have a choice of not wanting to fit into what the younger generation cares about.  I have decided to stay in my generational lane, and will only change lanes if I want to.

So let's agree.  You younger folk can do your thing and believe what you are doing is really important.  I will gaze at you knowing that what you are doing is fine, but what I'm doing and care about is also fine.  I'll respect your right to do your thing as long as you respect my right to be who I've become over the years.  If I want to copy what you do, I'll do so voluntarily.

Go Back to Africa? Show Me the Reparations Package!

Once in awhile you hear some racist spout that classic racist diatribe to black people, “Go back to Africa!”  My first thought of course would be to respond, “Sure, if you go back to Europe and give the Native Americans’ back their land!”  But, I thought of a new response.  I would now say, “Show me the reparations package and I’ll get back to you with an answer in about 4 months!”

Think about that.  What would I do if the government of these United States of America really wanted to give me a reparations package to compensate me for the past kidnapping of my ancestors from Gabon and Guinea-Bissau Africa?  A reparations package for hundreds of years of family disruption and loss of identity.  A reparations package for economic and social suffering over some 400 plus years.  What would the monetary amount of such a reparations package come to?  At least 40 million I would think.  A superstar athlete can make that much in one year including endorsement money.  I think a reparations package should pay at least 40 million.  What do you think?

We now have a Presidential administration that totally supports European American male domination and arrogance to include misbehavior towards women. So, under this administration it would be appropriate for the United States government to finally give those black people of African descent the reparations package long talked about but never offered.  Forty acres and a mule?  Forget that!  Give me 40 million, throw in a yearly round trip 2 month return to the United States (with Covid precautions), first class airline tickets and hotel reservations included so I could visit friends and family once a year, and I think we might have a deal.  And yes, flying first class is not negotiable.  The original black people kidnapped or bought from Africa already experienced one way substandard transportation in a ship’s cargo hold.  That initial voyage got us to the “land of the free”.  If I’m going back to Africa, I’m going back first class of course, once again with Covid free accommodations and arrangements.

My DNA results from African Ancestry show that I have paternal genetic ancestry with the Eshira and Eviya people living in Gabon, Africa.  Plus through my great grandfather's wife, we have connection to the Balanta people of Guinea-Bissau.  Would I give up life in the United States to return to Gabon, Africa and Guinea-Bissau?  For a decent, life sustaining reparations package yes I would.  I would need to travel to Gabon and Guinea-Bissau to see what my living options would be in the country.  I would like a home in both countries. That’s why I say give me 4 months to decide.  I have not been Americanized to the point that I would not change my current style of living for another option.  You never know what you’re missing, if you don’t know what you are missing. 

What does Gabon have to offer?  Apparently 11% of the country is parklands.  There are white sand beaches, rushing rivers and references to an “Eden” like travel experience. There isn’t a lot of reliable info available on the history of Gabon through the European American media.  If there was I wouldn’t trust a European American developed record anyway.  Apparently in the 1400s Europeans went to Gabon to kidnap people into slavery.  I would take the same considerations for Guinea-Bissau.

I’ve experienced many of the extravagant materialistic things of the American culture.  I was trained since child hood to think like a European American, absent all the rights and privileges.  In the past 20 years or so I have fought through the brainwashing I received on what makes an American successful. The European American education system did a good job of convincing African Americans to pursue the values of European Americans. Through the American education system black people learned what was important to European Americans and adopted many of their customs and beliefs while losing our true heritage in the process.

 I like to compare the experience of blacks in these United States of America to the experience of the indigenous “American” people, the Native Americans.  During the years black people were enslaved in the United States, European Americans did not really attempt to “Americanize” Native Americans.  Instead the emphasis was to rid the landscape of Native Americans through a forceful conquering.  Near extinction of many Native Americans became the result of those efforts.

So, President Trump still has a few months to have his  cabinet secretaries put together a comprehensive reparations package to get “those black people” out of the country.  If a package comes out, I might have to seriously review my options! At the age of 62 I have nothing to lose.  Spending the final years of my life in a country and region in Africa I would have likely grown up in seems like a good way to end my life on this planet.  It would complete the circle of life.  It would be a return to the life that God may have meant me to have originally.  But the laziness and evilness of many European Americans changed my destiny.

I would not miss the gallons of beer available here in the United States that I don’t drink.  I would not miss seeing all the aisles and shelves full of materialistic things in the American stores. Or watch items disappear from the shelves when materialistic people panic shop in pandemics. Maybe a life in Gabon or Guinea-Bissau would make for a better appreciation of the simple things in life.  In Gabon I wouldn’t have to worry, hopefully, about being attacked by some mass shooter here in the United States angry at who knows what.  Or killed while jogging in a neighborhood where some racist lives.  We all deserve to one day go home.  So twitter man, President Trump (I still can’t believe he actually won) tell your people to start working on that Back to Africa Reparations Package (BARP) and have it ready by election day. 

My passport is up to date.  You know I’m going to keep my American citizenship.  Black people have gone through too much nonsense to give that up!  Oh, by the way make that reparations package tax free in any new tax plan.  My ancestors already paid a severe financial penalty over the years for European American greed.  We as black people did help to do much of the hard work in building this country that you all did not want to do!  Lastly, for those black people who want to stay, good luck.  I support your continued effort to rid this country of racism or to blend in. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be an African American if that is your choice.   We have options.

"Defiant Launch" by North Korea?

It is rather insulting that the media is attempting to paint the launching of missiles by North Korean as a "defiant launch".  The media and our government is also attempting to make it appear as if North Korea is planning to launch an unprovoked missile attack against the United States.  Other countries possess nuclear weapons.  Until the countries of the world are able to trust each other (never) countries will always possess nuclear weapons.

As long as the United States respects the sovereignty of a foreign country to develop nuclear defense/offense capability all will be well. 

The media and the government need to tone down the gloomy prospects for nuclear war.  As long as the United States does not take action to provoke a war, none will happen.  There is nothing to gain for the North Korean government to start a nuclear holocaust.

Sexual Harassment Incidents

No surprise in the recent revelations of sexual harassment.  Years ago, maybe in the 1990s I recall sexual harassment training being conducted at my former workplace.  But the “training” wasn’t enough.  There was no enforcement linkage to the training to scare perpetrators from committing acts of sexual harassment.  The burden was placed on the victim to come forward.  Absent a video or audio recording, or a willing witness not afraid of some type of reprisal, sexual harassment claims came down to she said/he said.  Those who came forward faced potential loss of a job, or doors being closed to future job advances.  Knowing there was a lack of enforcement slowed any chance of those being harassed coming forward to confront their abuser.

Recently we’ve had many people admitting their acts, apologizing, and trying to walk away into the sunset to restart their lives.  Restart lives minus punishment.  No time in prison?  No loss of money via payment to those they harassed? Yes, they may lose their current job, endorsements, or be banned from their occupation.  But, minus losing their freedom via prison time and minus loss of economic power to lead a comfortable life, what punishment are the abusers facing?  There are some exceptions.  The “doctor” who abused the female gymnasts will be doing jail time.  News reporters, entertainment people, politicians for the most part so far appear to be able to skip away without doing time in prison.  I have yet to hear of the harasser making a donation to any of the many organizations that must exist to help women deal with abuse.

Their apologies are empty without follow up action, which further demonstrates they truly are sorry.  So why do they get a pass?  Because we allow them to.  It’s the same general historical pass that has been given European American men throughout history in the United States.  Many European American slave holders sexually abused female slaves.  The histories of those families shy away from admitting that European American males in their family performed such acts. They were never punished for their immoral acts.  Is it that some European American males believe they have a right to sexually harass women?

We’re now coming to a point where no female of any age can be left alone with a male, in a room.  Has it come down to where we cannot allow any one-on-one meetings of any type with people of the opposite sex?  Who can you trust?  Obviously not a morning news host and host of a PBS show.  Not a Senator, not a Congressman, not a President?  Not an actor or entertainment executive?  Well, we should have known that sexual harassment goes on in the entertainment industry.

This type of behavior goes on more than we want to admit.  I recall within the walls of a federal agency I used to work for hearing of incidents occurring.  Managers were either slapped on the wrist with minor punishment, or nothing done at all.  In one case a supervisor within Human Resources who sexually harassed one of his employee’s was allowed to maintain his employment while being demoted.  But, that supervisor has been able to regain the level of pay he was demoted from.  The employee he sexually harassed was eventually fired.

If we keep allowing women to be sexually harassed and allow the perpetrator to apologize, and settle for being fired with no financial compensation to the victims then we are not doing enough.  We have yet to hear the other side of the story, if one exist.  Are their females in power who are sexually harassing males???

Rest Stops on Interstate Highways

I do more highway driving these days.  I’ve learned to appreciate rest stops.  I stop just to use the bathroom and to wake the hell up.  You know that falling asleep feeling you get when driving.  That’s a scary feeling.  It’s like somebody is hypnotizing you and you can’t come out of the trance. That’s when I find a rest area fast. I did not know the history of rest areas.  But knowing this country black people were likely not welcome at most early rest areas.  They probably had unofficial rest areas where black people could stop.  No restroom, no water. No food.  Just a piece of cement in the ground big enough for 1 or 2 cars.   But, I did some research.  Rest areas started in the 1950s.  Some states built them, they claim, to emphasize that state’s culture.  I saw a photo where the state of Texas built rest areas in the shape of Teepees.  Now how insulting was that to Native Americans?  This country takes the land from Native Americans, then mocks them by putting up rest stops with a teepee design.  Who thought of that?  It’s like rubbing it it.  Whomever it was their entire family should be interviewed on TV then lined up to be slapped by the last 15 Native Americans living in this country. Thankfully most of the rest stops I visited looked okay.  But, I always worry about serial killers being inside the bathrooms waiting for me.  So, when I go into a rest room I go in fully loaded.  I’m packing like SWAT on a mission.  I’m talking full body armor, knives, backup guns, stun grenades.  So when I use the bathroom I have one hand on my stuff and the other hand on a weapon. I’m looking around and peeking  at whomever comes in. The food in those rest stop vending machines is sad.  They have sodas and snacks from 20 years ago.  You eat that stuff you’ll have to go big time at the next rest stop. But truckers really need rest stops.  Otherwise truckers would fall asleep and kill all of us.  Now some states are closing rest stops because you’ve got these all purpose gas stations being built with showers, restaurants, stores, video games.   They’re like little cities. I have an idea on how to keep the rest areas open.  Create rest and brothel stops.  That way it becomes a multi service facility. 

Enabling Domestic Terrorism?

Two recent mass shootings in the United States claimed the lives of 58 and 26 people respectively. It's now become so common there is even a "top 10" list of mass shootings in the United States.  We all know that as you read this, someone somewhere is making plans for their entry into the "top 10 list".  Unfortunately someone wants to be number one on the list.  Why?  Because we've been taught that being number one is something we should aspire to, even in negativity. That will mean more innocent lives will be lost for some deranged purpose.

The reason for these incidents occurring is not easy to determine.  There is no mathematical equation that shows A plus B will result in C.  C being mass shootings.  Or if their is a profile that predicts such behavior, our law enforcement agencies are not sharing that information with us.  We must agree that in these United States of America we have developed a system and processes that enables people to gain weapons and military accessories that can and will be used during mass shootings.  People are committing mass shootings basically because they can and because our system of obtaining guns enables them to.

People often refer to their second amendment right to bear arms.  We all agree that the second amendment under the US Constitution wasn't intended for the building of gun and ammunition stockpiles for mass shooters to use when they choose.  The second amendment to the United States Constitution says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."  Unless I'm reading it wrong nowhere does it say that  a human being has the right to purchase unlimited weaponry to use as they wish. The second amendment was proposed in the year 1789.  The complexities of life in the year 2017 do not compare to the "simpler" lifestyle in 1789.  We do need to reflect and act on what the amendment means in today's time frame.  Then the appropriate action to modify access to guns and other weaponry needs to be taken.

Since the police cannot protect everyone from becoming the victim of a crime, we agree that people should have the right to bear arms to protect themselves.  The self protection doctrine has merits.  But how much weaponry does one person need?  Do we not believe that our police forces and armed forces can be trusted to always protect us?  If not, one could say a person should have unlimited access to possess whatever type of non nuclear weaponry they need  to ensure their safety and the safety of their family.  As I read and learn about the massacres inflicted upon black people in these United States during race riots in the early 1900s, I definitely agree that people have the right to protect themselves from unruly mobs.

If the police are primarily responders to acts of violence, then some would say everyone needs some type of protection until the police can arrive.

Whatever side of the debate you are own we have to recognize a basic fact.  Our current system of "gun control" enables most people to obtain enough weapons to perform a mass shooting.  There is no mental health test that prevents a person who has never been labeled "mentally ill" from obtaining the weapons of mass destruction.  It is ironic that the United States often feared countries having weapons of mass destruction, when we ourselves created a system where an individual United States citizen can become a weapon of mass destruction.

Let's face a fact.  Until our lawmakers become recurring targets of mass shooters, laws further restricting access to guns will not be passed.  We know how it works.  It takes a tragedy close to the source to motivate people to act.  Our lawmakers are no different.  When they become as vulnerable as normal people, maybe they will act.  Have you seen the protection lawmakers are given at their office buildings?  They make sure a mass shooter can't get to them.  What about the rest of us?  Are we on our own?

Who knows, maybe we just need to get accustomed to the mass shootings and exercise diligence in where we go?  Get our Wills in order and have our funeral arrangements already worked out in detail. Do individuals have to arm ourselves like in the days of the Wild Wild West and always be ready to defend ourselves from harm?  I do wonder what our governmental agencies are doing to locate and stop mass shooters before they carry out their plans.  Can they develop "profiles" and mechanisms that will raise "red flags" on certain people who "might" be dangerous? How do you identify and label a person as a potential danger due to mental issues?

We have enabled people to obtain and use weapons.  If we don't plan to place further restrictions on access something has to be done to reduce the opportunities for mass shootings to occur.  Otherwise we will soon be talking about a top 20 list.

The Real Fake News

Today people have problems with fake news.  Me, I have a problem with the real news.  Especially news about black people.  Nine times out of 10 the first local news story you hear is about a black person  being shot or a black person shooting somebody.  Then the accompanying film of the story is always shot a nighttime, under dark, mysterious, murky conditions.  It’s like they think black people only come out at night like vampires.  The black person could be shot at 9 in the morning.  But, they send the film crew to cover the story 12 hours later at 9 p.m. so everything looks gloomy and depressing.  So now I just refuse to watch the local news.  Then the opposite story happens.  Somebody is murdered in a European American neighborhood.  The news crew comes out in the daytime under a bright sunny sky.  A European American couple is standing outside their $450,000 home on their door step with their two smiling children by their side.  The news reporter is talking about the “unfortunate incident” that occurred as birds chirp in the background, and squirrels scamper around playfully. It’s amazing how murders in European American neighborhoods become “tragedies”, and “terrible accidents” while murders in black neighborhoods are depicted as typical “black on black” crimes.  So don’t worry about fake news.  The real news is the fake news!

NFL Players Muhammad Ali Moment

The owner of the Dallas Cowboys has made it clear.  A player who kneels during the national anthem will not play in the game for his team.  Their was no discussion or mention by the owner regarding the issue of black men being killed by police in questionable situations.  He apparently doesn't care about that and doesn't want his players to care about that.  Just stand for the national anthem dammit and give your total allegiance to his God, the flag of these United States of America.

Now we will see how his players and other players around the NFL will react. Shades of slavery days!

I attended the public ceremony and farewell to Muhammad Ali in Louisville, Kentucky last year.  Ali took a stand in the 1960s by refusing to report for duty and "service" in the Vietnam War.  That decision resulted in him being banned from boxing until the Supreme Court overruled the ban.  He lost prime years in his career and suffered financially for his stand.  Now NFL players face a decision, especially those who are members of the Dallas Cowboys.  Your Muhammad Ali moment is upon you.  The same for millionaire athletes in other professional sports.

Is the issue of black men being systematically killed by police with no subsequent changes in policy or training worth protesting by players taking a knee during the national anthem?  We will find out during the NFL game Thursday night and the upcoming games of Sunday.

We all know that playing the national anthem and parading the flag is not necessary before sporting events.  It forces us to become junior soldiers who blindly support events and actions occurring within the country, even if the actions are wrong.

Now the players on the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams will face a dilemma  Muhammad Ali faced in the 1960s.  NFL players, now comes your Muhammad Ali moment.  In the past thankfully not all black people accepted being enslaved.  Thankfully there was support for slavery in the United States being ended.  The challenge of stepping up and demanding that the issue of blacks being killed by police is here.  It demands action.  It doesn't deserve the issue being swept aside and robotic standing to a flag and a song.  Show us what you have Dallas Cowboys and other NFL athletes. It is your Muhammad Ali moment.

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

There was a documentary on the PBS network in 1987 titled "Eyes On the Prize". It was about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.  The content of the documentary is still applicable to events occurring today.  It's still available and those of you 35 years and younger should definitely watch it.

Recently politicians, owners of professional football teams, and others have attempted to change the issue of black people being killed by police into an issue over protests during the national anthem.  It is a well crafted attempt to deflect attention from the real issue of black men being murdered by police, just because the police allegedly "feared for their lives".  This fear was even being justified by the police when the person they "feared" was unarmed.  That is the reason for the protests.  It's not about the flag it's about having discussions and then efforts to stop the "MBP" Murder By Police.  Videos have been shown in the past years documenting the murder of numerous black men by police officers.  No mass nationwide call for re training of police has occurred.  The city of Indianapolis has talked about starting Implicit Bias Training of policeman.  Otherwise apparently it's business as usual for the majority of police departments in the United States.

It is very cunning to attempt to cover up the real issues under the umbrella of "patriotism", respect for the military, and "respect those who have lost lives in Wars".  No one is attempting to disrespect veterans, so stop the lie that the protestors are purposefully disrespecting those who have lost their lives in past wars.  The attempts to cover up the issues with patriotism and the symbolic playing of the national anthem shows that those who condemn the protest really could care less about the lives of black people impacted by MBP.  Thank you for your honesty regarding your feelings towards black people.  I would rather you go further and just come out and say "you could care less about a policeman killing a black person" rather than hiding behind a flag and a national anthem as you are doing now.

You are artfully attempting to get our eyes off the prize.  You want to have the real issue ignored.  Just know that we will not let the real issue be ignored.  We will continue to protest, march, speak out and take action regarding the real issue.  We will put a stop to the practice of police killing us because they can hide behind the "fear" card. 

It is amazing to see how the patriots and anthem lovers never acknowledge that enslavement of black people, lynching of black people, racism against black people, MBP and other atrocities against black people really occurred in this country.  Playing a national anthem before sporting events and having people stand for a symbolic flag does not wipe out the past or change the present. Fix the issue that is causing the protests.

Beneath the Flag and the National Anthem – Symbols, traditions, and human made laws.

What do the national anthem, the flag, and the pledge of allegiance mean to me as a 60 year old black man?  In these United States, they are all symbolic creations aimed at demanding blind loyalty and devotion to the beliefs and values of European Americans. That devotion is demanded regardless of what atrocities have occurred in this country against black people. European American institutions attempt to impose these symbols upon us to define who has authority over us.  The symbols start in the school system at an early age.  These symbols and customs have found their ways into our sports entertainment. The NBA, a league where over 74% of the players are black, created specific rules to dictate how players must behave when the national anthem is played.  The motive for the creation of these rules apparently is to ensure the majority of the fans who actually attend the games, those being European Americans, are not offended by protesting black athletes.

I have no reason to be blindly devoted to a country that supported the kidnapping of my descendants from Africa to perform hard labor for European Americans.  I have no reason to be blindly supportive of a country that still to this day fails to acknowledge how it carried out the annihilation of the Native American people who were originally here.

For dialogue purposes I would like my fellow European Americans out there to answer these questions:

1.     Why should current day black descendants of enslaved people stand to honor a country where a black man can be murdered without cause by the police?

2.     Why should a black person pay respect to a country that allowed the lynching of black people and continues to allow discriminatory practices solely based on the color of a person’s skin?

3.     Do you acknowledge that your majority status in this country is based on the total obliteration of Native Americans by European Americans via illegal appropriation of their land and resources?

For me that is the starting point of any discussion on race and the protests against the flag and or the national anthem.

Does the national anthem need to be played at sporting events or any public event?  No it does not.  Sports are supposed to be a distraction from our everyday lives.  We go to watch athletes play a game that provides us entertainment.  The introduction of flag waving and national anthem playing is not why people pay to attend events. If you see someone not standing when the national anthem is playing or refusing to face the flag, understand that they have a reason for doing so.  You do not have to accept their reason, only respect it.

If military institutions want to play the anthem at military events, feel free to do so.  But stop using us non soldiers to visually show support for a country by making us stand at any event you feel demands a support of loyalty.  If democracy is about freedom then give us that freedom and do not impose loyalty tests on us at various social/entertainment events.

The issue of people protesting against the playing of the national anthem or protesting the flag of the United States of America is not a new event. In 1916 the President of the United States and then in 1931 the US Congress authorized the “Star Spangled Banner” as the official national anthem of the United States of America.  Only the first verse is traditionally sung. 

In 1892, the pledge of allegiance, which we all may have recited in elementary school, was written. It was modified in 1923, and 1954 to add specific reference to the flag of the United States and reference to God.  Prior to World War II, students in school would salute while reciting the pledge in a manner that was very similar to the German Nazi salute in World War II.  So the “Nazi” salute was replaced with a hand over the heart stance.  Actor Louis Gossett shared the story of how he would recite the pledge in school but instead of reciting the line “…for which it stands..” he would say “.. for Richard Stands…” not knowing what he was really saying!

Protests against the national anthem are documented well back into the 1900s. The reasons were many.  Anti nationalism, anti war, civil rights, even a protest against spending money on building a sports stadium rather than for a drug treatment program.  The protests were by people of various races and beliefs.

As a black man I understand fully why Colin Kaepernick said enough is enough and no longer robotically stood during the playing of the national anthem.  It was a time when month after month a black man was being killed by police. European Americans need to put themselves in our position.  How would you like it if you were systematically stopped for no real reason other than your skin color?  Would you stand for a system where the police are not trained to deal with their biases and not taught how to diffuse a situation to avoid killing someone?

Being “patriotic” always seems appropriate especially after such events as 9/11.   Patriotism that turns into blind loyalty is dangerous.  Blind loyalty fails to see the truth.  As a 60 year old black man, I recall the events of the 1960s and the civil rights era.  I still firmly believe that the protest at the 1968 Olympics by Tommie Smith and John Carlos was a courageous action.  Many people died during and before the civil rights years of the 1960s.  They died in pursuit of having the same rights as European Americans in this “land of the free”.  They spoke up against and protested against racial discrimination.  Unfortunately some of the civil rights struggles that existed in the 1960s continue today.  That is why people like Colin Kaepernick take a stand.  That is why a black man like myself does not feel obliged to stand and place my hand over my heart as the national anthem is played.

"45" and Kim Jung-Un Do Battle Using Elton John Songs

The nuclear test drama between leaders of the United States and North Korea entered another chapter this week.  "45" called the North Korean leader, Kim Jung-Un, "Rocket Man" and then continued speaking about Kim Jung-Un as the song "Rocket Man" by Elton John played in the background.  Secret service men could be seen in the background mouthing the lyrics of the songs while scanning the crowd.

About half an hour later, Kim Jung-Un responded by calling "45's" remarks those of a barking dog as the Elton John song, "The Bitch is Back" played in the background.

Fifteen minutes later, "45" sent the White House Press secretary to remind the press of his "rain of fire and fury" comments to the sounds of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Kim Jung-Un quickly responded by playing the Elton John song, "Tiny Dancer" with a photographic close up of "45's" crotch area.

Not to be outdone, "45" had the song "Saturday Night's Allright" blasting onto Pennsylvania Avenue through the exterior White House speakers.

Minutes later the airwaves in North Korea were filled with the strands of the song "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John.

"45" then went off his scheduled speech at a luncheon as he started singing the Elton John song, "Bennie and the Jets" as he pointed to a hand held map of North Korea.

The back and forth came to an end and the parties called it a day after Kim Jung-Un played the song "Don't go breaking my heart" as he ordered another missile test over the country of Japan.

We understand that both leaders will be moving to the play list of the Rolling Stones in the next volley of musical exchanges.

My NFL Boycott Due to the Blacklisting of Colin Kaepernick

Prior to Colin Kaepernick being black listed by NFL owners, I purchased tickets to go see the Cincinnati Bengals play the Baltimore Ravens. For a period late this summer, Baltimore looked at signing Colin as a back up quarterback.   During that period I anticipated going to the game in Cincinnati to see protesters against Colin being on the Ravens team.  But the signing never happened. The Baltimore Ravens owner made sure that wouldn't happen by not agreeing to bring Colin onto the Ravens squad.

Yesterday around the NFL the play of a variety of "starting" quarterbacks were simply atrocious.  The Indianapolis Colts were a prime example of where Colin could have played if he were not black listed by the owners.  The Colts starting quarterback had a horrid game which assisted in the Colts losing by a score of 46-9 with the starting quarterback throwing for a total of 128 yards with 2 interceptions. So has Colin's phone rang to bring him in for a tryout?  Of course not.  That would be too easy.

The Bengals game I attended was mildly entertaining, but I had already decided that if the NFL continued to black list Colin, I would no longer spend my time or money on the National Football League.  For those black players in the league, even those stars who refuse to jeopardize their careers by joining any political protest, good luck.  I hope you get the biggest contracts you can from your team's owner and subsequently use some of those funds to assist others in escaping poverty and to gain an education.  As we all know for some education is the great equalizer.

If a qualified "brother" like Colin isn't allowed to pursue his career, I feel the least I can do is not support a "professional" football league that will not give him a job.  There is plenty of college and high school football to fill my football watching void.

I don't expect many fans to boycott the NFL.  We've been enslaved for years in many ways to the point that it's hard to not be enslaved.  We were probably better off when we had the old Negro League in professional baseball.  We didn't need European Americans to give us jobs in sports.  We made our own jobs and entertained ourselves.  We've moved past those years of self sufficiency into a pattern of wanting to be a part of the culture and businesses owned by European Americans.  We somehow believe that brings us the total freedoms and choices we didn't have before. Such is not the case. We don't need European American institutions that do not value our opinion, because our opinions conflict with theirs.

I'm sure there are some owners who proudly say that they would never hire Colin because of his past protests.  I hope you enjoy your 4 win 12 loss season!  I"m sure if hiring Colin would guarantee you massive profits this year you would change your mind.

There are plenty of alternative choices to watching professional football.  Yeah, I'm sure I'll miss some exciting games.  So what?  It's still a game that I am not enslaved to.  I have choices and I'm making mine regardless of what friends, family or others do.  It's great to not be a enslaved!  I do what I do and make the decisions I do to honor those who came before me who did not have a choice, and who never enjoyed any type of freedom.

The North Korea Missile Saga Continues

The latest in the continuing mini series that is North Korea and its quest to upgrade its military arsenal.  The North Korean goal apparently is to join the nuclear war club of which these United States of America is a charter member.  It was reported and not denied by North Korea that another  "test" missile was launched by North Korea with the missile traveling over a part of the country of Japan.  Not exactly an act of friendship by North Korea or a show of concern that something could go wrong as the missile traveled over part of Japan.

The antics of the North Korean leader cannot be seen as being responsible.  Missiles are not toys.  Testing weapons of war in or over populated areas is not something that you would expect from a caring leader.  Yes, in this uncivilized world of ours a country does have the right to test weaponry as long as their is no adverse impact on others.  People forget that the United States had extensive above ground and underground nuclear weapon testing for years before finally stopping the practice.

It would seem prudent for all the nuclear club members to call for a meeting with North Korea to work out a humanistic solution.  Telling North Korea to cease and desist is not the solution.  They have no reason to stop their efforts.  In this world those who possess nuclear weapons command much respect.  Nuclear weaponry does serve as a deterrent to others.  Just because the nuclear club already has one Asian member does not mean another cannot join the club.

Maybe one day we will no longer have nuclear weapons. But unfortunately that day will be the end of our world as we know it today.

Why Are Flags, Anthems, and Monuments So Important?

Last year a professional football player chose not to stand when the national anthem was played.  In response people were upset with the player.  This year owners of professional football teams refused to hire the player to fill open spots on their teams.  The player's resume includes leading a team to a Superbowl.

Some people are upset because statues honoring the Confederate era in the United States are being taken down.  The fact that the Confederacy supported maintaining the institution of slavery in these United States apparently is irrelevant to those people.

Refuse to hold your hand over your heart when the flag of the United States is raised!  You will be treated as if you are Satan himself.

People historically have been emotionally enamored by flags, anthems, and statues.   We post our flags, stand for our anthems and of course love to honor certain events and people by creating monuments or naming streets, buildings, etc. for them.   Not everyone who deserves a statue or some form of honor has received one.  We all know that.

How many monuments to Native Americans have you come across lately?  Until 2016 there was no national museum honoring the contributions of black people in these United States of America.  The textbooks in schools have historically only covered the accomplishments and events surrounding European Americans.

What would happen if we stopped having flags, anthems, and creating monuments to human beings?  Do we really need flags, anthems and monuments?  No we don't.  These symbols and instruments of "honor" are all reflective of how we as people love to focus on our human nature and create our human idols.  We love to self promote our greatness as people. We want to take time to look at the flag of "our" country and sing a song about "our" country.  It's all just misplaced adoration.

I'm reminded of one "monument" that I would see while driving westward through the state of Indiana.  It is a large cross constructed near highway I-70 near Effingham, Indiana. It speaks for itself without having any words to explain its purpose.  The large cross lets all those who see it know what really is important.  It lets us know who created us and what we should be doing in terms of our behavior.  But, we have gotten far away from the message that cross gives us.  Instead we have become enamored by our own human importance as displayed in the flags, anthems, and monuments we create to ourselves.  These self honors may have good intention, but they present barriers to our understanding what is really important.

Why do we need flags representing countries?  Is it because if we are traveling we don't know where we are at unless we see the country's flag?  I don't think so.  Flags support the development of boundaries between people.  Flags help to keep us divided. Is it not enough that we all exist on the same planet?  No, we have to create a symbolic flag that separates us by the land we live on.  Then we have to create an anthem to go with the flag.

We are far from reaching the potential that our Creator intended for us.  Instead we're arguing about the "things" we as people have created.  Flags, anthems and monuments; our idols and man made Gods that we have been taught to adore and honor.  If I never saw another flag, heard another anthem or viewed another statue my life would be just fine.  Maybe one day we'll stop all the focus on our selves.  Until then it's up to each of us to break the cycle of devotion we have placed in our flags, anthems and monuments.

Trump Escalates The Conflict With North Korea

Let's be clear.  There is no conflict between the American people and the people of North Korea.  We have no reason to be in conflict with each other.  So where is the conflict coming from?  The "leaders" of North Korea and these United States of America are the source of the conflict.  The drama was escalated recently with the comments of United States President Trump when he went into a "fire and fury" monologue several days ago.  Of course this required a comparable response by the leader of North Korea.

Here we have 2 boys in their sandbox playing war.  They are making statements that are supposed to represent the governments of each country.  Little boys with their toy tanks, missiles and soldiers. "Civilized" nations with leaders who are acting uncivilized. What an embarrassment to the human species.

Hopefully the surrounding bureaucracies of the governments will reel in the deranged talk of the "leaders" of the two countries.  They have shown that they do not deserve to lead their nations. War talk is not what the people of the two countries want.  I would like to see these two world leaders stranded together on an isolated island together. The only resources at their disposal being those that nature around them provides.  The only human company being each other.  Then let's hear you talk about "fire and fury" and attacking another country.

Both of these "leaders" need to understand that the power they have is only what the people allow then to have. They are both entering territory where the people need to protect themselves from these militaristic crazies.

North Korea Missile Launches - No Need for Fear

I was 5 years old back in 1962 and don't remember the drama and fears of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  From what I understand the United States and Russia were on the brink of a nuclear confrontation due to nuclear missiles being placed in Cuba under Russian guidance. Today, almost some 60 years since that time, North Korea has drawn attention due to their testing of ballistic missiles. The fear is that a successful testing of the missiles will enable North Korea to attach a nuclear device to these missiles enabling them to launch a nuclear attack on another country.

This fear seems a little one sided.  The media has been stressing what cities in the United States can be reached by the missiles.  I thought to myself does that mean back in the 1940s and 1950s when the United States was testing nuclear bombs, that other countries in the world were living in fear of the United States launching an attack on them?

To my knowledge there have been no stories from Russia, China, or North Korea over the years expressing fear of the United States unilaterally attacking cities in those countries. So, why are we assuming that North Korea plans to attack the United States once they have nuclear launch capability?  Why would North Korea begin a scenario that would initiate a nuclear holocaust the world might not recover from?

I agree that military based nuclear devices whether owned by a country or a small terrorist group are weapons to be feared. But, does a country have a right to develop nuclear launch capability?  As a deterrent it definitely presents an imposing presence.  In having nuclear launch capability, something could go wrong and eventually will, whether it be an accident or a deranged act by a leader or a group with access to the nuclear weaponry.  The nuclear capability club consists of nine known countries with Israel and North Korea being part of the group.  One understands the fears of Israel in wanting to keep some countries or entities from achieving nuclear capability.  Until those countries or entities withdraw their stated goal of seeing Israel eliminated, self preservation is the motive for Israel to destroy the nuclear capability of a threatening country or entity.

For the United States to arbitrarily decide that preemptive military action would be warranted to prevent North Korea from achieving nuclear launch capability would seem to be a strong leap to a final judgment.  Does North Korea have a right to create nuclear launch capability? Well, the United States thought we did back in the 1940s.  So why should the current nuclear club members be able to dictate who else can join the club?  Is it correct to take military action against any country that tries to join the nuclear club?  Such an action in itself seems to support a country wanting nuclear launch capability to keep other countries from trying to dictate military terms to them.

One thing we need to be conscious of is to not buy the hype that North Korea's missile launching ability means we are being targeted for annihilation. Mistrust builds more mistrust and initiates the actions leading to an eventual conflict.  Japan, the only country to feel the wrath of nuclear bombs is not a member of the nuclear bomb club. Despite the United States killing thousands of innocent civilians in two major Japanese metropolitan areas, the United States and Japan somehow have good relations with each other. The military views of the current North Korean leader should be an area of concern, but not the sole reason for these United States of America to go into full military defense mode.  When the media starts publicizing stories about how residents of Alaska and Hawaii should be concerned and fearful of being attacked, it's time to reel in the media fear machine from inciting mass panic.

The Biggest Lies I was Taught In Grade School

The United States educational system is probably similar to those of other countries.  Our American educational system describes the country's historical events in a positive way as to not admit the sins, mistakes, and negative actions taken within the country.  Other countries also probably take the same approach.

One of the biggest lies I was taught while growing up in the American school system was that Christopher Columbus discovered America.  That has to be in the top 3 of lies taught to kids when I was in the school system in the 1960s.  Somehow the American educational system had been taught to ignore the fact that there already was a Native American civilization prospering in what would become the United States of America.  Although in grade school we may have been taught about "Indians" already being in this country, our teachers had already been trained to brainwash us into accepting that despite that fact, Columbus "discovered" a land that people already inhabited. Teaching us that Columbus discovered America  has to be one of the great salesmanship jobs in world history.
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The history I was taught never admitted that adopting slavery as an institution in the United States was a mistake and just wrong.  Kidnapping people from another country and devastating the lives of those families apparently was seen as being a good practice.  For the good of the country slavery had to exist?  The hard labor needed to be performed by someone else?  The history I was taught did not admit how the words in the United States Constitution were written only for the benefit of land owners, specifically white European American ones at that.  The Constitution was basically a racist document designed to support only one segment of the United States, that being white males who owned land.

Now how did the original European Americans obtain the land from Native Americans? Well truthfully they stole, connived  and cheated Native Americans out of what had been theirs for many years. Some of the richest families in these United States may be benefiting from that thievery.  But will they admit that?  Of course they will not.  That would spoil the image that they simply worked hard to achieve all the family has now. You have to admit that Native Americans were forcefully made to give up what had been theirs.

After the Emancipation Proclamation, black people also had property they legally had obtained taken from them through violence, often leading to the death of black people who had owned the land.  This part of American history is low keyed as it does not fit with the image that the United States wants other countries to have of us.

Negative history is kept away from us on purpose.  It truly takes a great country to admit to the sins and travesties that occurred over the years.  The annihilation of Native American culture and the incorporation of slavery into the development of the United States are parts of history that should be covered in detail in our educational system.  Instead an obligatory paragraph or two may be all you find in the textbooks if any coverage at all.

I have read some articles that there is less emphasis on teaching children about the early years of the history of the United States.  One wonders if that is to avoid the embarrassing details of the Native American experience and how slavery was once supported as an acceptable practice in the United States?

I recall an early historical "fact" we learned about George Washington, the first President of the United States.  The tidbit was about how as a boy George confessed to cutting down an apple tree in his yard. Why that was a historical fact of significance puzzles me to this day.  There was no mention that George was also a person who willfully owned slaves, even as President of the United States.

The lies we were taught often were to the neglect of our being shared factual information about the accomplishments of black people over the years.  There are many stories to tell about the journey of black people in the United States. Some are just now coming out after years of being kept quiet. They are all positive stories about the accomplishments and sacrifices of black people that European Americans had no desire to publicize.

I'm always glad to read or hear about positive accomplishments of black people in the present or past. Such information overcomes the opening 5 minutes of negative news about actions taken by black people that you are guaranteed to see on your local news shows.

Implicit Bias Training for Indianapolis Police?

In response to a recent late night fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, the mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana recently announced that "Implicit Bias Training for police" will start in Indianapolis.  This training allegedly will be the first of its kind in these United States of America.

What is Implicit Bias Training?  Implicit bias refers to the stereotypes and attitudes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious manner.  In other words, all of the things that we have heard, seen and witnessed in life both directly and indirectly play a part in who we are and how we view the world in our subconscious mind.  All of those things play a part in our worldview without our even realizing it.  In high-adrenaline situations, especially involving threats and fears, it's the subconscious mind that takes control more often than not.  It is these biases that are activated involuntarily and without the awareness of the individual.

After recent video recorded incidents of police killing unarmed black men, you would have thought that police departments nationwide would have gathered to discuss the issue of training for police.  Apparently if Indianapolis is the first city to initiate this kind of "implicit bias training"  that national discussion did not occur.  So after decades of incidents of police killing unarmed black men it seems the police are okay with maintaining that their code of "I feared for my life" is good enough to keep killing black men and others whom they have been culturally taught to implicitly fear.

In other words a European American police officer uses deadly force against a black man in any situation because they have been trained to believe a black man will kill the police officer if the officer does not kill them first.  That logic extends to scenarios where the black man is unarmed.

What if black men reversed that logic?  A black man is stopped by the police when the black man has not done a thing to warrant a stop.  So from past events and history shouldn't the black man fear for his life and take all steps to ensure his life as a black man continues?  Do police officers have unlimited rights to draw their weapons and fire their weapons at black men?  If so, don't black men have the right to defend themselves under the logic that they were protecting their right to life and liberty?  Of course in these United States of America we know what the answer to those questions would be.

The best thing we as black men can do is to not put ourselves in a position where a police man has the opportunity to even stop us.

Health Care and Politics

After the Affordable Health Care Act was passed in 2010, members of the Republican party began an effort to repeal the law.  This repeal effort did not include a detailed Republican plan for replacing the provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act.  Once the Republican party won a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the path was smoothed for the Republican party to implement their mysterious new plan that would replace the provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act.

But, their was one problem.  The Republicans did not have a plan ready that would replace the Affordable Health Care Act.  The Republican focus was simply to repeal the Act.  In May of 2017 the Republican controlled House of Representatives passed the 2017 American Health Care Act,.  Afterwards Republican Congress members gathered at the White House to "celebrate" with Donald Trump.  Everyone knew that it was too early for a celebration.  Several months have passed and the Senate is still working on finalizing the details of a new health care act.

It has been stated that the number of uninsured people would increase under the proposed act.  Protests have erupted nationwide with our elected officials feeling the anger of people being threatened with losing their health care insurance.

Here is what I don't get.  The Republican party had 6 years to come up with a detailed plan to replace the Act they simply wanted to repeal.  Six years of attempts to repeal with nothing to replace it with?  What were they thinking?

The Republican health care "effort" was simply politics.  There was no attempt to develop a plan ready to plug into the space created by repealing the original plan. For that the Republican party should be ashamed of itself.  Partisan politics will not help alleviate problems with the health care insurance system in these United States of America.  The Republican party had a chance to develop all the details of the replacement plan but chose not to do so.

Here's a novel thought.  Instead of replacement, why not try to improve the parts of the plan that were not working?  You're in control Republicans.  Get to work and give us a product that improves not simply repeals.

Realizing My Body Is A Rental

As I got older in years and wiser in wisdom I made a decision regarding my physical fitness.  I was used to seeing men aged 50 and up with a rotund belly and obviously over weight.  I decided that I did not want to achieve that look.  Unfortunately the benefits of eating whatever you want as you get older means increased weight and a change in the proportions of your body.  I did not want those "benefits".  That meant that with being less active than when I was younger, I would need to exercise more and modify my diet.

I also realized that my body more or less is a rental.  Eventually I would need to give it back to something called "death".  In that journey towards death, what we put into our bodies and how we treat our body can play a large part in how long our bodies will maintain top condition. I decided to maintain my rental vehicle in the best condition I could for as long as the parts held out.  What that means is monitoring my intake of all the sweets I loved in my younger years.  Cakes, cookies, donuts, brownies would now have to be eaten in moderation and not as often as I had in the past.  That also meant exercising regularly and longer.  For someone in their late 50s this was not what I thought I would be doing as I got older.

I had been jogging 2 miles about 3-4 times a week.  I increased my mileage to at least a 5k, 3.1 miles 3-5 times a week.  I also joined a nearby gym to work on the weights in the gym.  I also decreased my meal portion size.  I wasn't too focused on portion sizes in the past.  But, I realized that piling food on my plate wasn't necessary.  I started decreasing my plate portions.  I also began to make natural fruit smoothies as my dessert and sometime as my breakfast or lunch.

I soon noticed that along with my increased running and activity I began to lose some weight.  I lost approximately 15 pounds.  I realized that the more active I am the more weight I can lose or keep off.  Health issues I had before went away.  It seems the less weight your body has to carry the better off  your body may be.

In this day and age, technology allows for body parts to be replaced.  Hip, knee, and artificial limbs have been created when those body parts are lost or wear out.  That's one way to deal with a body issue.  Me, as long as I can I want to maintain all of my original parts!  I view my body as a gift.  It's up to me to take care of the gift and to maintain it.  So, I see it as a rental. I have my rental contract which has a "to be determined" expiration date.  It's up to me to do all the maintenance and repairs.

I continue my journey knowing that my contract could be broken by accidents or other events.  But until then I'm trying to do my part to maintain my rental.

Paul George Departure? Pacers Fans Clamor "FANS, FANS, FANS"

Angered and upset that star Forward Paul George supposedly does not want to commit to Indiana beyond the 2017-2018 season, die hard Pacers fans were outside Bankers Life Fieldhouse deluging the team general manager with shouts of "FANS, FANS, FANS".  When asked to verify that they meant to send a message that what the fans thinks should matter, the rowdy group brought clarity to the chant.  "No, we realize George is out of here. We just want the Pacers to Find Another Negro Soon "F.A.N.S." to replace him."  Continued the mobs self appointed spokesperson, "We pay good money to have these boys.....uh, players entertain us after we've worked hard all day!"  "As a minimum we want a player with good hang time and somebody who smiles a lot.  Plus he can't be taking any rest days off when playing at home."  "We already have a home in Geist ready for the new player to move into. We can't have him living anywhere else."

In a related story, a Pacers spokesperson was quick to deny that the team was pursuing a jersey patch deal with a historically anti black group which like the NBA also features 3 letters in its name.

Your Choice of UE. Any second thoughts?

Okay fellow alumni.  My question of the day is if you had to decide all over again, would you have attended the University of Evansville?  I asked myself that question many years ago.  Since you are a subscriber to this Facebook page, I will first assume that your answer will be yes you would still choose U.E.  There are many alumni from my days at UE who once they left UE did not look back and have not returned. Now for my answer.

Prior to attending UE I grew up in the 1960s and early 1970s in urban inner city environments in Saint Louis, Missouri; Compton, California; and Gary, Indiana.  I did benefit from 8 years of attending elementary Catholic Schools in Saint Louis and Compton, but my high school years were in a public school that did not have a strong curriculum designed to prepare me for college.  Most of the schools I attended from grade school through high school consisted of a student population that was over 98% black students or other minorities.

My face to face interaction with European Americans was limited over the first 17 years of my life.  Those interactions were mostly with teachers in school, and workers in stores.  So why in 1975 did I choose UE?  First, no one in my family had attended college.  I had no parental guidance to assist me in making a college choice.  I did all the research myself to include completing the then paper based applications.  I do not recall hearing much about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during my high school years.  All I knew is I was seeking a good liberal arts school that would give me financial aid so I could attend college.  Saving money for college?  That was something my parents or me never thought of while I was growing up.  There were no discretionary funds available for a college fund. I grew up in the 1960s when we as black people were just breaking some of the chains that still tied us down from slavery days.  With all that I had seen in the era of the 1960s, I had a somewhat militant attitude towards European Americans.  All I knew is that I was going to college to prepare myself for a career of some type.

In terms of Indiana colleges, for some reason my choices came down to Earlham College and UE.  The University of Cincinnati also became a late entry to consider. I had received some mail from UE advertising their school. I felt that was a sign that maybe the campus desired to attract more minority students.  From my research I knew that UE had a very minuscule black student population.  I visited UE taking a Greyhound bus from Gary.  I recall I over packed for my 2 day visit. I liked what I saw in terms of the campus and decided to attend UE.  I wrote to all the incoming black freshmen in an attempt to build relationships before we even stepped on campus.

I know that my first year I came to UE with a chip on my shoulder.  My attitude was,”yeah, I’m a black student at this white campus, you deal with it!”  I spoke my mind and viewpoints, criticized European American Greek fraternities, posted my militant views on my dorm wall to include an American flag on which I had written the word “Caucasia”.  I had no fears about being a true minority on campus and in the city of Evansville.  I was often the only black student in my class.  It was a precursor of what I would experience most of my life in the real world.

Life at UE to me was just practice for the real world.  As Allen Iverson would say, “we’re talking about practice!” Even at that age I knew that if I aspired to a successful career after college I would need to learn to deal with a European American world.  At UE I had a few friends of European American descent.  But most of my friendships especially in the dining hall were with my fellow black students.

My social skills were terrible then (and not much better now). I became active in student activity organizations at UE.  I interacted well with European American students and teachers for the 5 years I attended UE.  I learned much about the thought processes of those I interacted with.  I did an internship with a Federal agency my sophomore and junior years at UE.  I applied what I learned at UE while on my internships.  My time at UE prepared me for a work environment where I was the only black male in the office.  That was my environment during my internships and in the real world after I graduated from UE.  My time at UE made my transition to the working world seamless.  Would I have had the same seamless transition if I had attended an HBCU?  Maybe.  I think an HBCU might have cared more about me as a person and helped me improve many of my personal skills.  That’s just my guess.

One thing I do know is that I had a very successful career after UE.  Rewards, accolades etc.  I rose up the chain to become a supervisor and manager in Human Resources.  My income was higher than what I had set as a goal during my high school years.  I experienced things I never would have dreamed of while sharing a small room with my two older brothers.  After I left UE I’ve never gone without a meal, never been homeless, never been without a job until I retired.  I’ve been able to give back to charities via money and my time.  I’ve traveled to places that were never a thought to me as a child.  I was able to retire at age 55 with a very generous pension.

UE shaped who I would become after UE.  It was the place I was destined to attend.  I was not the smartest student at UE but I think I got as much out of the school as I could.  Would I have been more successful if I had attended an HBCU?  Who knows?  One regret that I do have is that when I attended UE I didn’t give much thought to the black students who had preceded me. It was not until some 25 years later when I researched the history of black students at UE that I became aware of the many contributions and challenges faced over the years by black students at UE.  But through UEAAA some of that legacy can be defined and passed on to black students who attend now and in the future.

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So now fellow alumni it’s your turn.  Would you have chosen UE if you had to decide again?

Trump's Budget

I watched this week as the Office of Management and Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney,  stated that Trump’s proposed budget was an attempt to be compassionate towards those who are paying taxes.  His view apparently is that much tax money is spent unwisely in “entitlement” programs designed to assist people in need.  That view somehow insinuates that those with a high income that allows them to live comfortable lives are being inconvenienced by paying the taxes the system has stated they should pay.  So people who are able to eat regularly every day, pay bills on times, live in $200,000 plus homes, take several vacations each year, stay in time shares or rental homes, pay medical bills without being financially burdened are somehow deserving of compassion??

The White House budget director’s comments seemed to say “don’t feel sorry for the poor, the homeless, those who don’t have opportunities to make their lives better”.  No, feel sorry for the wealthy and the well off who are burdened to have to pay taxes to assist those who are not well off.  This seems a very selfish attitude.  A “me first” attitude.  I got mine, you get yours somehow without my help!

Let’s be fair.  There are many well off people who donate to causes, charities, or even volunteer to help those who for whatever reason are disadvantaged.  But the comments of the budget director appear to be an elitist view of what taxes are meant for.  Apparently taxes are not meant to go to any form of assistance to those who through no fault of their own are not well off.  The view is that the government doesn’t exist to open doors or provide opportunities.

If the government doesn’t exist to open doors than how do people aspire to improve themselves?  Well, let’s look at the history of these United States of America.  European Americans came to this country, inhabited then by Native Americans and took/stole what they wanted.  European Americans took property and made it theirs.  There was no fair compensation to Native Americans.  Any treaties made were one sided towards European Americans or agreements that took advantage of Native Americans.  European Americans understand that open immigration today that allows competitors to enter these United States of America is a danger to the interests of European Americans.  More competition for resources is something they do not advocate.  The demise of Native Americans is a lesson not forgotten by those in control.  Sharing the wealth is not a European American strength.  That is one reason why after the Civil War, Reconstruction policies designed to allow newly freed black people to gain economic wealth were crushed.  Selfish, me first attitudes governed and the government of these United States of America supported the demise of Reconstruction policies.  Forget uplifting people who had been enslaved for hundreds of years in this country.

 “..there’s a certain philosophy wrapped up in the budget, and that is that we are no longer going to measure compassion by the number of programs or the number of people on those programs.  We're going to measure compassion and success by the number of people we help get off of those programs and get back in charge of their own lives.  We're not going to measure our success by how much money we spend, but by how many people we actually help.”  This statement by the budget director shows that getting people off of programs is the goal.  It does not say how to get those people back in charge of their own lives." commented the budget director. 

It’s fine to pause and reassess the value of entitlement programs and if they are truly working.  But, to claim that “compassion” for taxpayers is the reason and giving people control of their lives?  There’s something wrong with that logic.

The Trump Experiment

Well America.  How is that experiment going with a businessman with no political experience being President?  Are you folks in Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio who voted for Trump rethinking your vote?  Do you feel safer in a world where North Korea is launching missiles almost weekly and we have Trump as our leader?  Do you have confidence in a President who appears to be an amateur among seasoned world political leaders?  Do you see a President moving out with a well planned agenda to address the myriad of domestic issues in these United States of America?  The economic markets have started to panic at the performance of our Russian connected President.  You may want to move your stocks and other investments into safer areas.

It’s only been 4 months and now we’re moving into investigations of Trumps actions/decisions. Are we going to have to adjust to saying President Pence?  “PP”.  It kind of has a nice ring to it as a quick acronym for number 46.  What’s going to happen next in the Trump administration?  Where are all the great things he spoke about in the campaign? 

What do Presidents do when they are in trouble at home?  They get the hell out of the country and act Presidential in foreign countries. Trump is now headed to Saudi Arabia and among other stops will meet with 50 Muslim leaders over lunch, visit Jerusalem and then meet the Pope in Vatican City.  So we can look forward to stupid comments and embarrassing actions from overseas on the nightly news for 8 days.  Order your pizza, chips, sodas etc. ahead of time.  It should be a show worth watching.  Who knows, maybe he’ll even stop by North Korea on a quick detour and observe a missile launch.

We can only hope that he’ll meet Jesus in Jerusalem or the Pope will exorcise him of all his demons.

A Presidential Crisis?

I'm reading a book on James Buchanan, the 15th President of these United States of America. Buchanan was the President just before the American Civil War began.  Buchanan has been deemed by historians as one of the worst Presidents in American History.  He may soon be joined in the worst Presidents club by Donald Trump.

In the span of 4 months, Trump has consistently spoken and acted in an undignified non Presidential manner.  Yes, he became President by winning the electoral college process but he did not win the popular vote.  We expect great things from our President.  Regardless of what the current President says, great things are not coming from the oval office.  Trump's legitimacy as a President is seriously in question.

Trump, his "family" of advisers and his inexperienced staff are showing that they are not ready to lead the nation in the turbulent times we live in.  The American public may have been disenchanted with the political system in 2016, but now is not the time to support an amateur in the White House.  The world is too dangerous to place our lives at risk in the hands of a President who is a narcissist.

We can hope that a miracle happens and the light will come on in Trumps head.  But, their is too much at stake to just hope and pray.  The checks and balances of the American political system need to be implemented and implemented quickly.  We cannot wait until we are at a crisis point to act.

We have witnessed in 1972 how a President can misbehave.  In 1972 President Richard Nixon became embroiled in the Watergate scandal that lead to his resignation.  Will that be the way the Trump Presidency ends?

What Ever Happened to "Win, Win" As an Outcome?

I was watching a network "news" show one morning.  The Vice President of the United States, mentioned that Congress had reached agreement on a piece of legislation that kept the government from shutting down.  One of the news correspondents mentioned the word "compromise" several time.  Unfortunately compromise has not been something that Congress has done well over the past 10 plus years.

In the past decade we have seen political parties become entrenched in viewpoints to the point where nothing is accomplished.  There was a time when people were focused on "win, win" as a strategy.  In "win, win" both parties could gain from a discussion or a deal.  It was the art of compromise.  Instead of defeating the other party, both parties could walk away having gained something.  In a world where there are many divergent viewpoints and opinions there is a need for compromise and give and take.  Unless we develop specific living areas where it is a requirement that everyone agree on everything, we must accept that we cannot always get our way!

It is imperative that we as individuals understand that we cannot force our opinions and viewpoints on others.  Some of us want to make our personal views, the dominant view.  We need to understand that we should not do that.  I call such thoughts  and views the "God" complex.  People who think there is only one specific way to think and believe somehow are placing themselves into a position of being a God on earth.  Such people forget that they are not supreme beings who have the answers to everything.  Those with a "God" complex apparently believe they have a direct communication line with our ultimate Creator, the one who created human beings.

I cringe when I hear people talk about something being the answer to a problem.  My thought is does the proposed answer really benefit everyone?  An example is the current issue about health care coverage.  Congress has been struggling to develop legislation involving health care.  My thought has been that whatever they do, the result will not be beneficial to 100% of the people.  So, what defines a successful health care bill?  If it benefits 80% of the people?  90%?  What is the level of acceptable pain on people?  Is a bill that benefits 80% of the population really a "win, win" proposition?

In such a case the pain caused to the remaining 20% should be a concern.  A way to ease that pain should be sought.  Don't just move on to the next 80-20 solution.  If not, then we as people have come to the conclusion that there must be a winner and a loser in every situation?  We can do better than that.  It may take more work, but a situation that results in a "win, win" for the various parties does seem more compassionate and humane.  Absent compromise comes conflict.  We've all seen how human beings deal with conflict.

As you interact with others during your day, think about the opportunities to compromise on issues rather than seeking your "solution" as being what applies to everyone.

Voting Reform - Make It Easier to Vote

Election Day.  Or even on early voting days.  Long lines at the polls.  The self proclaimed greatest country in the world has yet to develop a system that eliminates long voting lines at the polls.  So what is the answer?  Devote more resources to the current systems?  Create a hacker proof system of voting that uses state of the art technology?   Recent legislative actions related to voting have only resulted in additional types of personal identification being required prior to a person voting.  Some say those laws have simply made it more difficult for people to vote.  The intent of these "voter ID" laws supposedly was to reduce instances of voter fraud.

Well now it's time to reduce the time it takes to vote.  There is no reason why a person should have to wait in line several hours to vote.  If we can stream television shows into our televisions and personal devices anytime we want, I'm sure there is a way to allow people to vote without having to stand in line for hours or to even leave their home or place of work.

What will it take for the current systems to be changed?  Apparently we are waiting for a massive failure on a larger scale than what happened in Florida during the 2000 Presidential election.  For those of you to young to remember, use your favorite search engine for a recap of a failure that decided the political direction of our country.

I would love to vote from the comfort of my home through a secure website, while I'm watching the morning news, or favorite television show.  Wouldn't you?  We can send people to the moon but can't create a tamper proof technological voting system?  Something is wrong with that statement!

Urge your Congressperson to seek national reform of our voting systems.

Diversity Not A Concern - Images on the Wall

Several months ago I became a member of a nearby fitness center.  The Center is under the umbrella of the Hancock Regional Hospital.  The facility is equipped with the latest fitness equipment and also includes a pool, basketball court, and sauna rooms.  My main reason for joining was to take advantage of the indoor track, especially in the winter time.

During my initial visits to the center, I noticed that most of the clients were older people like myself.  Unlike me they were more on the European American side of the human being equation.  My ears quickly picked up that the background music being played as people worked out was music that European Americans like.  In response to my asking what satellite radio station was being played, I was told that it was a Pandora "classic rock".  That explained why the only song I heard by a black artist was one by Jimi Hendrix, legendary guitarist from the 1960s early 1970s.

My eyes quickly noticed that the photographs on the wall around the indoor track all depicted young European Americans exercising vigorously.  It was in direct contrast to the older European Americans and myself who were the normal clients of the center.  So, I sent a letter to the manager of the facility pointing out that the images prominently displayed along the wall did not reflect the reality of the paying customers who are using the fitness center.  The response I received mentioned the music being played reflected the demographics of the inhabitants of the community.  The photographs I was told were based on the design of an architect and reflected his/her vision.

The architect's vision obviously did not see minorities or older people using the center.  Anyone who uses the center will notice the giant photos and get the message quickly.  The architect apparently believes that the world consist of only youthful looking, thin European American life forms.  The response I received from the center did not express any urgency to modify the images on the wall.  Their was no acknowledgement that maybe I had a point and that other images should be added along the wall.

My conclusion was the response basically was saying, "yeah, you're right, but we like the images on the wall and don't plan to change anything."  It's nice to know what to expect.  When I stop by the center, I always have a set of headphones to play the kind of music I want to hear.   When I walk into the center I quickly note that every day the clientele are older adults, some likely retired like me, who are just trying to keep their bodies in shape.  When I do jog on the track I ignore the photographs of the youthful European Americans and focus on what I am doing.

I find it amazing that a simple decision on placing images on the wall of a building could exclude acknowledging the diversity of people in a community.  It lets me know the thought processes of the architect who designed the interior.  It just shows that even the educated still have much to learn.

10 Years of Mentoring

I recently stepped down from an active roll as a mentor.  For the past 10 years I participated in mentoring programs with high school, elementary school and college boys/men.  The interactions had mixed results.  Most of my mentoring efforts was "group" mentoring through the local chapter of a national mentoring organization focused on mentoring black boys/teenagers.  I served as a mentor (with another partner) to mentor a group of boys in the 5th and 6th grades in the local Indianapolis Public School (IPS) system.  We conducted our sessions once a week inside the schools during lunch hours.  We typically had 5 to 15 boys in our group.

Dealing with disciplinary and behavior issues of students took up a lot of the 1 hour a week we spent with the boys.  I often felt like the distractions of misbehaving kids prevented the program from truly impacting the boys who attended the sessions.  But, what kept me going was the desire to "give back" to others.  I hoped that maybe through interacting with me, the young boys would see that they can aspire to have a good life.

In the sessions of this past year I tried to share with the 5th grade boys how I grew up in a poor environment.  Despite my poor economic surroundings I tried to show them that through education I escaped those conditions of poverty.  I shared with them how I am now retired and that my income in retirement from my annuity was higher than the income of most people who are working at a full time job today.  With a 40 year difference in our ages, I of course struggled in understanding some of the things the kids were talking about.

This past year my main goal was to work with a new mentor in the program.  I had worked behind the scenes the past 3 years to support the program.  I performed administrative work that supported the efforts of the actual mentors.  But, there were fewer men volunteering to become mentors so I returned to the classroom this year.  My mentor partner was a young, black, pediatrician to be.  It was obvious from the first session that he possessed the skills to be a good mentor.  So, I stepped aside and let him conduct most of the sessions while I took care of organizing the room and taking care of administrative matters.

Over the years, the organization of the mentoring program had some problems.  I kept working through the disorganization and lack of clarity in the program as I felt the time spent with the boys was the key.  I decided earlier this year that this would be my final year working in the program.  The lack of improvement in the program was a continuing frustration.  Plus, at age 59 I believe there are younger men who can fill the gap.

I do believe the kids need to see younger men than myself involved in mentoring programs.  The dilemma has been that the younger men often can't get away from their jobs for mentoring programs that conduct session on the school's lunch hour.

I'm hoping the My Brother's Keeper (MBK) program started by President Obama will grow and become a viable force to promote mentoring of our youth.  Maybe I will get involved with targeted efforts where sharing my experiences can help some youth.  I look back on the past 10 years knowing that I at least tried to offer my skills for the benefit of our youth.  All my efforts were not successful, but at least I tried.