American Made......In Prison

Big business in America has hit the proverbial lottery. They've found a nearly endless supply of laborer's who will never be late, and will always be productive, and will never go on strike. These business' don't have to provide medical insurance, vacation days, sick time, 401k or a retirement plan for this particular work force, and the most compelling advantage of all is the fact that they don't even have to pay them minimum wage. In fact, they pay them 25 cents an hour. On the surface this may seem impossible to believe, it may even sound like a fantasy. But the reality is that this work force does exist, within the prison system.
There are 2 million people currently incarcerated in The United States, many of whom are Black and Hispanic. There has never been an instance in the history of man kind in which a country has caged so many of its citizens. America has jailed more people than any other country in the world, and China has a population which exceeds that of the U.S. by 5 times more. The multitude of those incarcerated has caused a boon in prison privatization. Often with construction of new prison's contracted out to capitalistic opportunist's anxious to generate hundreds of millions of dollars through warehousing inmates with little or no focus on rehabilitation. Now The Prison Industrial Complex has found another way to capitalize on its inmate population, slave labor.
At the Union Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Florida, inmates from a lower security prison manufacture tons of processed beef, chicken and pork for P.R.I.D.E ( Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises), a privately held non-profit cooperation that operates the states 41 work programs. On PRIDE's website they offer a wide array of products for sale through contracts from private companies. Everything from eyeglasses to furniture can be shipped to anywhere in the U. S. from a distribution center in Florida. PRIDE boasts that it's work programs are “designed to provide vocational training, to improve prison security, to reduce the cost of state government, and to promote the rehabilitation of the state inmates.”
This sounds good in theory, but until there is a notable drop in the rate of recidivism, it will be nothing more than a slogan, or a mission statement with no substance or roots in reality. The profit margin is just too high for any corporate entity to resist, and it would be the equivalent of throwing money out of the window as it relates to corporate profit. So there is absolutely no incentive to train or rehabilitate, and even if there were, the skills and experience acquired in such programs would not be at all redemptive in an unforgiving market place. All that these programs really encourage is mass incarceration in order to maintain a work force. The commercial investor's who profit from prison labor spend a huge amount of money lobbying for longer prison sentences to increase their labor force.
In the past, inmates manufactured products solely for the Federal Government, license plates being the norm. Today, due to new contracts inmates manufacture everything from guided missile parts, to solar panels for government buildings.
Prison labor for the private sector was legally barred for years until the intervention of two widely unknown sources. ALEC (The American Legislative Exchange Council), with it's Prison Industries Act, and a little known government program known as P.I.E. (The Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program). These forces remain largely unknown despite the fact that they have driven the expansion of prison labor. ALEC helped pioneer some of the toughest sentencing laws on the books today, including the "3 strikes law", mandatory minimums for non violent offenders, and "The Proof In Sentencing Act", which was signed into law in 25 states in 1995. ALEC has also worked to pass state laws to create for profit prisons. Obviously ALEC is capably of finding endless way to provide a readily available workforce.
It is evident that some conspiracies have now become full fledged plans. Gone are the days of clandestine meetings, and hidden compromises with dubious intent. While we are occupied by smoke screens, laws are being passed, deals are being made, and huge amounts of cash are changing hands. Certain forces in this country would have you believe that "Black's and Brown's" are taking all of the jobs. But in reality, if there is a national expansion of prison labor the unemployment rate will ultimately inevitably increase. Not because of the Black man, the Hispanic Man or any or man, but because of corporate entities who will stop a nothing to turn a profit. It seems as fast becoming a way to enslave those who are incarcerated.

PR

What Is The Fiscal Cliff?

Almost immediately after President Obama was re-elected for another term the phrase "fiscal cliff" began to spread throughout the media as if the average citizen would know exactly what it meant. I personally had no idea what it meant or what the possible ramifications were, but it seemed as if it was a manufactured dark cloud especially created to prevent the President and his constituents from savoring his victory. It seemed like nothing more than colorful verbiage which conjured up childhood memories of watching the coyote in a cartoon fall off the edge of a cliff after a brief pause in the air. But once I did some in depth exploration, and learned what this idiom actually means I realized that it is relative to anything but child's play.
By the end of this year, which is about a month from now the terms of The Budget Control Act of 2011 will go into effect.
There are many temporary tax cuts that will expire on December. 31, 2012. Among them is the temporary tax payroll cut put in place last year. The result will be a 2% increase for workers, the end of certain tax breaks for businesses, and increase in the minimum tax amount, the end of the tax cuts from 2001-2003, and the beginning of taxes related to the President's new health care law. The spending cuts agreed upon as part of the debt ceiling deal in 2011 will begin to go into affect at the same time.
According to Barron's, over 1,000 government programs including the defense budget and Medicare are in line for "deep, automatic cuts."
There are 3 options U.S. Lawmakers have to choose from.
1. They can let the current policy scheduled for the beginning of 2013, which features a number of tax increases and spending cuts that are expected to weigh heavily on growth and possibly drive the economy back into a recession, go into effect. The plus side is the fact that the deficit, as a percentage of The Gross Domestic product, would be cut in half.
2. They can cancel some or all of the scheduled tax increases and spending cuts, which would add to the deficit. The flip side of this, of course, is that the United States' debt will continue to grow.
3. They could take a middle course, opting for an approach that would address the budget issues to some extent, but that would have much less of an impact on growth.
Congress has had 3 years to solve this problem but because of the political climate namely, fear of President Obama being re-elected, a solution was put on the back burner, along with any concern for average hard working Americans who will be adversely affected by a tax increase. Given the fact that 47% of those who hold congressional seats are millionaires, their blatant, ambivalence doesn't surprise me at all. This, coupled with the fact that it gives the G.O.P an opportunity to get back at President Obama for winning the election, are the only legitimate reasons why no attempt at compromise was ever made concerning this conundrum. It's easy to contribute yet another catch phrase to the American pantheon. One which instill's fear but does not reveal the devil in the details. But in all honesty, law makers are the ones who are pushing us off of the fiscal cliff. Some in a misguided attempt to prove a point at the expense of you and I, and others because they do not want to concede , or compromise, and are willing to sacrifice you, me, our friends, and our families. It seems as if Political Science is much more political than scientific.

PR

The Content of Character

Character:
1. moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
2. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully.
In Dr. King's famous I have a dream speech. He talked about a day when all men would be judged not by the color of their skin but, by the content of their character.
This is perhaps the most profound statement that I have ever heard.
Unfortunately these days character has become the exception and not the rule. In an ever changing society, it almost seems as if the world had been turned upside down. Perversion, and carnality masquerade as individual freedom, and much of society lives for self gratification. Most have no regard for other human beings unless they fulfill a need, or a desire. It seems as if the very definition of human nature has been used to justify a lack of conscience.
It is becoming more and more difficult to set a standard and live our lives following Jesus Christ because we live in a wicked world. True Christianity has almost become peculiar in a tangible world in which people celebrate only that which they can see, touch, taste, and feel. But I am writing this to declare that there is nothing like being touched by the love of God. He is the only one strong enough to carry all 240lbs of me, my burdens, and my mess in the palm of his hand. I am proud of my peculiarity, and I love being an odd ball, not living as the world lives but following the principals that were written to guide me through his word. I am not perfect, I have made mistakes, and as long as I walk this earth I will continue to do so. But I will never compromise my character.
I relish going against the grain and being a non-conformist, because Jesus went against the grain, and was a non-conformist. I take great pride in feeling convicted when I have thoughts of sin because it is a sign that I am growing in Christ. My conviction makes me strong because I realize that The Lord has placed a seed in my soul, and my character is being nurtured as it grows. That which does not grow, withers and dies. Some folks have life but do not live, while others live yet have no life. The difference is, those of us who have a true life in Christ will always live! Be proud of your character.

PR

Will Susan Rice Pay The Price?

Susan Rice is the 27th Ambassador to The United Nations. She assumed Office in January of 2009. Rice, who is a 48 year old African-American woman, served on the staff of the National Security Council and as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during President Bill Clinton's second term. Rice was confirmed as UN Ambassador by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on January 22, 2009.
Recently Rice came under fire for allegedly reporting false information in reference to the Terrorist attack in Benghazi on Sept. 11 in which the US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and 3 other Americans were killed. In her early account of the attack she stated that the catalyst for the attacks was an outraged mob incensed by an anti-Muslim video posted on You Tube.
Her comments were widely denounced by Republican detractors during the Presidential campaign. Her critics believe that the attacks were carried out to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attack on the United States. The majority of the harsh criticism is due to the fact that Rice is a long time White House insider who will most likely be appointed Secretary of State by President Obama once the current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, steps down. Rice apologized, acknowledging that she acted on the intelligence information that she received. Her harshest critic was Senator John McCain who publicly questioned her qualifications, and has made blatantly disparaging comments questioning Ambassador Rices competency. His statements are incendiary.
“Susan Rice should have known better and if she didn’t know better, she is not qualified. She should have known better. I will do everything in my power to block her from being the United States secretary of state. She has proven that she either doesn’t understand or she is not willing to accept evidence on its face. There is no doubt five days later what this attack was and for — look, I was on "Face the Nation" that Sunday. Right after her came the president of the Libyan National Assembly who said this was al-Qaeda. Everybody knew that. So she went out and told the American people something that was patently false and defied common sense.”
The fact that John McCain would question someone else's common sense and competency is amazing. This is the same man who chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. This was probably the least competent decision in the history of politics. The bottom line is, the Republicans are still bitter about losing the election and will do anything to block The President's decisions, even if someone else has to pay the price. The battle still continues, and will for the next four years.

PR

The Principals of Fasting

Fasting is a way to temper our desires by denying ourselves. Biblically accurate fasting is not a dieting process. Skipping a few meals because you weren't hungry or didn't have time to eat does not count. Biblically accurate fasting is a mental declaration of doing without food to achieve spiritual strength, and an essential part of getting answers and direction. Many people have reported an elevated level of spiritual clarity while on or shortly after an extended fast. It also assists in receiving the Holy Ghost, spiritual deliverances, and in obtaining skills, understanding and wisdom. The premise is that through denying ourselves one of the fundamental pleasures of our flesh, we will achieve a heightened spirituality. Victories are won, and power is received through fasting. In the Bible, Kings, Priests, commoners, cities and whole nations fasted. It has been recorded that great revivals and renewals, occurred during or directly after fasting.
Clearly Christians are supposed to fast. Christians should fast when we feel moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. Inspiration is often the easiest time to fast because it becomes the driving force or motivation to do so. Fasting is also a commitment that all Christians should make simply because we are told to do so.
Jesus practiced fasting when He was tempted by Satan (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-4). During these tumultuous 40 days of loneliness, satanic attack, and the presence of wild beasts, “He ate nothing”
If Jesus saw fit to fast during a time of spiritual crisis, and we as Christians are striving to be like Christ then we to must fast also.
There are 3 types of fasts, the normal fast during which do not consume food, but we drink water. The absolute fast, which is considered the most extreme because we don't eat or drink, and the partial fast in which certain foods are restricted as opposed to all food. The absolute fast is not the preferred version of fasting because water is needed to rid our bodies of modern day pollutants and toxins.
When we fast we must also pray, and as we seek the throne of grace during our fast, there are several do's and don't s. I'll start with the do's.
We should not substitute other pleasures for food. The whole idea in denying ourselves is to concentrate on our breakthrough. Substituting one pleasure for another is self defeating.
We should never boast about our fasting. Doing so is vainglorious, and self aggrandizing.
We should not sin. This is self explanatory but often made more difficult once you make a conscious decision not to do so. Sins must be cut out of our lives for our fasting to be pleasing to God. In other words during your time of fasting, you must refrain from doing anything that is not of God. Everything that you feed your mind must be free of the world, and you must resist every temptation that you normally fall prey to. If you deprive your body in order to gain clarity, your mind should not be steeped in sin. Fasting can help you conquer theses weaknesses in your life.
Here are some do's. We should lay aside all of our physical, and mental burdens if possible. The focus should be on God.
We should forgive all of those in our lives who have wronged or offended us. You cannot be free if you choose to hold someone else captive.
Break every yoke. Lay aside every sin that binds us and keeps us from realizing our true spiritual potential.
Shower, continue to smell sweet and fragrant, not giving the appearance of weakness.
Fast as discreetly as possible. Your fast is between you and God. Not you and everyone else.
When we fast:
• Our light shall break forth like the morning.
• Our healing shall spring forth speedily.
• Our righteousness shall go before us.
• The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
• When we call, and the LORD will answer; when we cry, He will say, '“Here I am.”
• If we extend our souls to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted people, then our light shall ....dawn in the darkness, and our darkness shall be as the noonday.
• The LORD will guide us continually.
• He will satisfy our souls in drought.
• He will strengthen our bodies.
• We shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
• Those from among us shall build the old waste places.
• We shall raise up the foundations of many generations.
• And we shall be called the Repairer(s) of the Breach, the Restorer(s) of Streets to Dwell .....In.
Fasting and prayer works!

PR

New York, (1989)

It was almost 24 years ago, but to me it seems like it was yesterday. New York, 1989 will always have a special place in my heart because it marked 3 important milestones for me. It was the year that I turned 18, the year that I got my drivers license, and the year that I graduated from High School. The biggest news story of the year was the "Central Park Jogger Case".
On April 19,1989 Trisha Meili a 28 year old caucasian woman, went for her nightly jog in Central Park. Meili was an Investment Banker who often put in 12 hour days, and loved to run down the paths in the park at night while listening to Billy Joel, to relieve the stress of a long days work. That night she was raped, bludgeoned, sodomized, and beaten to within an inch of her life. When Police found Meili, she was tied by knotted rope, bleeding profusely and hanging to her life by a thread having lost 75% of her blood. She was in a coma for 12 days before becoming conscious, and beginning a long road to recovery. A Police investigation into reports of as many as 40 teenagers roaming the park that night assaulting and harassing people, uncovered 5 Black, and Latino suspects. The media coverage and spin were incredible, the group of boys were referred to as a "Wolf Pack", and the phrase "wilding" was used to describe their intent as they ventured out that night. The fact that these young men of color were described using the same adjectives normally reserved for animals was a twisted, and biased way of covering the story. Not to mention the obvious racial undertones. Contrary to normal NYPD procedure which stipulates that the names and identities of suspects under the age of 16 are to be withheld, the names of the 5 juveniles arrested in this case were immediately released to the media before they had been formally arraigned or indicted.
Famed real estate developer, and outspoken blowhard Donald Trump spent $85,000 to run ads in The New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Daily News and New York News Day, demanding that the death penalty be re-enacted especially for these young men. In the ads, which have the banner headline "Bring Back the Death Penalty," Trump wrote, "They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes. They must serve as examples so that others will think long and hard before committing a crime or an act of violence."
His racist, and reckless display of exhibitionism served to further polarize a city simmering with racial tension.
Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Kharey Wise and Yusef Salaam were all arrested and convicted of this heinous crime. All except Yusef Salaam, confessed after being coerced into video taped confessions in the presence of their parents. Salaam however did confess to being present at the time of the crime, after bring told that his fingerprints were found at the scene. Weeks later, they recanted citing hours of interrogation, intimidation, and lies before they confessed. There was no DNA evidence found at the scene tying any of them to this crime. All of them spent 5-13 years in jail.
In 2002 they were released from prison when 31 year old Matias Reyes confessed to the crime and his confession was corroborated by DNA evidence. Reyes is now serving 33 years to life for other crimes. The Central Park 5 were finally exonerated after many years behind bars, and in 2003, a year after their convictions were vacated, the 5 men filed a civil suit against the city of New York for $50 million each, charging misconduct on the part of detectives and prosecutors. This suit has has been dragging on for 9 years with no end in sight. It seems is if the Central Park 5 will have to wait for justice yet again. Surprisingly enough, Donald Trump has never apologized for wasting an obscene amount of money in an effort to execute these falsely accused young men, some of whom were as young as 14 at the time, even though they have been cleared of the crime. Of course when I talk about being surprised at Trump for not apologizing I'm being sarcastic. I don't actually expect an arrogant waste of space like Donald Trump to ever admit that he's done anything wrong or acquiesce to any pressure to do so. This man has spent decades making one insane remark after another in a effort to stay relevant, and all that he ever does is prove to the world that he is the biggest imbecile who ever lived. Perhaps he believes that the memory of his mistake has been washed away by time, and reality TV but, those of us who are native New Yorker's will never forget the sheer ambivalence he's shown when it comes to the lives of people of color.
Today Trisha Meili is one of the most sought out inspirational speakers on the lecture circuit. Through her work, book, and lectures, she reaches out to people struggling through recovery from any number of problems, offering Hope and Possibility.
As for Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Kharey Wise and Yusef Salaam, they are all approaching middle age after having their prime years stolen from them after being falsely imprisoned for all those years. The City of New York still refuses to settle their civil suits despite the fact that they were wrongfully prosecuted, unjustly accused, and convicted without evidence. In the beginning there was only 1 victim, and now there are 6. The difference is that one of them not only went on to triumph over her tragedy and go on to inspire others, but thrive and serve as an inspiration. While the other 5 still struggle for justice, their experiences serve as a fearful, cautionary tale of what can happen when you are a young person of color, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

PR

Messy Jessie (Jackson Jr.)

It is a story that we know all too well, and one that I am reluctant to write about. Another young African-American man full of promise who has become a casualty of his own success, satisfying the nay sayers as they shake their heads and say I told you so. But in this particular case the African-American man is the heir apparent to a decades old civil rights legacy, and the next phase in the realization of his fathers hopes and dreams, a seat in political office.
This past Wednesday November. 21st Chicago Congressman Jessie Jackson Jr., the son of famed civil rights leader Jessie Jackson, sent his letter of resignation to House Speaker John Boehner amid reports of negotiating a plea bargain with the Feds concerning charges that he used campaign funds for personal use. Jackson Jr. allegedly had an extra-marital affair in which he used campaign funds to buy his mistress jewelry, and take her on romantic getaway's. He was re-elected 2 weeks ago despite having been absent from Congress, and not campaigning. Jackson Jr. was in The Mayo clinic being treated for bi polar disorder. Although this story is still unfolding, resigning is the best thing for both Jackson Jr. and his constituents. It always saddens me when I see a young African-American man full of promise, crash and burn. In Jackson Jr.'s case I believe that living in the long shadow cast by his father may have been too much to bare. There have always been rumors chronicling battles between Jackson Sr. and Jr. in reference to Jr.'s political style and preference for operating in a more subdued manner. There have also been rumblings of Jackson Sr. being somewhat jealous of Jr. for being able to advance in politics in a way that he never could. In fact Jessie Sr. once tried to discourage his son from running for office. The truth is, no matter what factors, or extenuating circumstances contributed to Jessie Jr. resigning, it is ultimately his responsibility as a grown man, and a civil servant to accept responsibility for his actions, and not blame his bad judgement and failure to serve the people of Chicago on allegedly have bi-polar disorder. I view Jackson Jr.'s checking into the Mayo Clinic as a "strategically pre-emptive strike". He has been absent from Capitol Hill for more than six months without an explanation. Then there was the news of his being treated for bi-polar disorder, and not long after he penned his letter of resignation. It appears to me that Jessie Jr. knew what was coming and wanted to build a case, or an excuse for his negligence. The claim of mental defect or disease has long been the last refuge of those who are looking for a reason to cover their short comings or inadequacies.
The thing that I find the most intriguing is the fact that he could take so much time off without explanation until he felt like giving one. The average American would have been terminated after not communicating with his or her employer for a few days. I believe the correct term is AWOL. In Congress, however, if a Congressman or Senator is "incapacitated", and doesn't want to give up his post, there is nothing anyone can do. Congressional rules largely leave it up to the individual politician to announce if and when they’re ready to return, or to assess if they’re even capable of handling the job. According to Donald Ritchie the historian of the U. S. Senate, there are Senators who didn't show up for years. We should all have this kind of flexibility when it comes to our jobs. But the difference is that they are elected officials who represent the people, and we are hired employees who represent ourselves. But there should be a much higher standard of accountability for those who have been given the honor of representing the people. As usual in American politics there is a pervasive double standard. Perhaps it is this double standard which leads those in power to believe that they have carte blanche when it comes to personal discretion without regard for those who are affected. There is no clearer example of this than Jessie Jackson Jr.. Unfortunately he is not the first and he won't be the last.

PR

The Myth of The Modern Liberal

Liberalism:
1.
the quality or state of being liberal, as in behavior or attitude.
2.
a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary systems of government, nonviolent modification of political, social, or economic institutions to assure unrestricted development in all spheres of human endeavor, and governmental guarantees of individual rights and civil liberties.
As a 41 year old man who has been well seasoned through life, research and study, I have come to many different conclusions. This one in particular is in reference to Caucasian Americans, and liberalism. Although they are few and far between, I have come to realize that they are much more to the right of Liberal than I had ever imagined. Before my interactions with them I was under the impression that they were empathetic to the disenfranchisement of African- Americans or even sympathetic to our odyssey here in America. But once I noticed similar traits that most have in common I realized that there are certain variables at play.
Cultural conditioning is something that is not often recognized but it is an integral part of who we are, how we think, and how we live our lives. The most ardent advocates of humanity and human rights across the board cannot not escape this phenomenon. The reality is the fact that Americans are conditioned to believe that white is superior, and anything else is inferior. Racism and prejudice are the manifestation of learned social cues, and subtle nuances. That being said, no matter how well intentioned a Caucasion Liberal may be, their conditioning will undoubtedly affect their objectivity. I was once told by a colleague that "Black people commit more crime". He was straight-faced, and stated this as fact without even batting an eye. Another colleague expressed disappointment in President Obama's first term, repeatedly lamenting over hesitantly giving him his vote. As if helping to get an African-American elected President was a gift for which Obama should never stop showing gratitude. The only way to truly empathize, sympathize, or understand the plight of another group, you must be able identify with that group. Anything else is just an exercise in political correctness for those who believe that they have to be.
There is a feeling of "white guilt" amongst some who feel sorry for those who do not have the "privilege" of being born white in America. So they try to ease their conscious by being advocates for those whom they perceive to be less fortunate in that sense, whether they realize it or not. African-American's are often the faces of poverty, and this is another factor in the emotional quagmire that some liberals find themselves in. It would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic. In reality there are 3 poor white people for 1 poor African-American in the United States. This attitude in and of itself is racist. This is cultural conditioning at work. They may work with, or interact with people of color who lead identical lives but, their is still a perception of deep rooted superiority because they are Caucasian.
Another variable is sheer rebellion. It has been my experience that most Caucasian Liberals come from white-collar families who are either staunch conservatives or Republicans. They are often the black sheep of their families, and choose to go against the grain because they have issues with their parents. Some are determined not to reflect the personal image of disdain that they have of their parents so they shun a tradition of upward mobility to prove independence. They choose to go as far to the left of who their parents are because they do not like them. Lifestyle, political beliefs, and even religious affiliation or lack there of, all become attributes to be shed, or disavowed in order to separate themselves. But most have already been exposed to years of imagery, and propaganda. For this reason I have come to the conclusion that the Caucasian Liberal is limited because he has already been compromised prior to his "awakening". Their driving force is an ideology, often well intentioned but asleep at the wheel.

PR

Thank You For Giving......

This is part 1 of a 2 part blog about Thanksgiving. Most Americans have celebrated this holiday all our lives but, how many of us think about the meaning of Thanksgiving beyond the turkey and gravy? We must not forget that there are those who wish that they could be in our shoes, and while we may not be totally content with our lives. It is important that we appreciate what we have because, everything that we take for granted can all be taken away in the blink of an eye.
Lord I thank you for giving me and my family life, health, and strength.
I thank you for waking us up another day.
I thank you for covering us under your blood.
I thank you for favor.
I thank you for guiding us, blessing us and keeping us from all hurt, harm, and danger.
I thank you for making a way out of no way.
I thank you for food on out table, gas in our car, and the air in our lungs.
I thank for our home, our marriage, and our family.
I thank you for continuously blessing us.
In Jesus Christ our Lord, I pray.
AMEN!

Happy Thanksgiving!

PR

Thank You For Giving?! (Part Two)

Most Americans are familiar with the legend of Thanksgiving. As early as kindergarten we are told the story of Pilgrims, or Puritans leaving England and coming to "the new world" fleeing religious persecution. Upon arriving, friendly Native American's helped them survive through the harsh winter, and taught them how to build shelter, grow and harvest crops. According to the story the first Thanksgiving dinner was held in honor of the friendship between the Puritans (Pilgrims), and the native Americans. But this familiar narrative is nothing more than a fairy tale.
The Puritans were not just religious conservatives persecuted by the Church of England. They were fugitives and outcasts who came to the new world to establish a "holy kingdom". They came to America in at least 100 ships, and they had every intention on taking the land from the native people to build their own country. They exploited the Native Americans by learning the methods they used to grow crops and survive during the winter. They believed that they were the chosen ones, anointed to wage war against satan. This is what Thomas Mather, leader of the Puritans is reported to have said on Thanksgiving Day.
"In a Thanksgiving sermon delivered at Plymouth in 1623, Thomas Mather, an elder, gave special thanks to God for the devastating plague that wiped out most of the native Wampanoag Indians. Mather added in his sermon that he praised God for destroying chiefly the young men and the children, whom he described as the "very seeds of increase, thus clearing the forests to make way for a better growth."
The Puritans were truly a twisted bunch of religious fanatics, far removed from the weary settlers of legend who "founded America". As far as the Pilgrims were concerned, the Indians were dangerous heathens who were nothing more than instruments of the devil despite their kindness and generosity. They pretended to be interested in peace while planning genocide. All along waiting for more ships to arrive. The real reason for the first Thanksgiving feast was not to give thanks at all. The true motivation behind this gathering was to give the Pilgrims a chance to negotiate a treaty for land that they could occupy while building their army. The irony is that the Native Americans brought most of the food.
As the Pilgrims gained military strength they rejected all friendship and civility. One night in 1637, without provocation Governor Bradford, the commander of the colony sent his Militia to stage a violent assault on their Native American neighbors. The soldiers staged a surprise attack, and murdered every man, woman and child. Bradford used these words to describe that night.
"It was a fearful sight to see them frying in the fire and the streams of blood quenching the same and horrible was the stink and stench thereof. But the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice and they [the Massachusetts militiamen] gave praise thereof to God." Afterward he called on his congregation to give thanks to God for the attack "that on this day we have sent 600 heathen souls to hell."
The Pilgrim's were the Devil's minion's masquerading as people of God with a twisted since of morality, entitlement, and a ghoulish thirst for blood.
A decade later most of the "New England Indians" were murdered. Those who escaped the carnage either fled to Canada or were sold into slavery. In fact, it was the success of selling Native Americans into slavery that prompted Puritan ship owners to go to Africa in search of African slaves, bringing them to America and then selling them to colonies in the South. The first ship deployed for the sole purpose of kidnapping Africans and perpetuating yet another series of atrocities was the Mayflower.
The first Thanksgiving feast was just a cover for the Pilgrims diabolical plan. It marked the near extinction of an entire race of people, and served as a catalyst for the enslavement of another. These "chosen people" were little more than malicious barbarians intent on destruction, who chose to establish their new world on the blood soaked ground of those who were its original inhabitants. These details are disturbing, and I understand why the truth is not taught as a part of our curriculum. It would surely shake the foundation that this country is built on, and most Americans do not enjoy being confused by facts.
So as we sit down this Thursday and prepare to enjoy our Thanksgiving meal, lets give thanks to God that we were not among the Native Americans who were slaughtered or The Africans who were enslaved. Most of all, we must be thankful that they survived so that we could live.

PR

Should Drugs Be Legalized?

Should all drugs be legalized? The question is, Why should it not be? This past week Washington State and Colorado both legalized Marijuana for recreational use. This reignited a debate over whether all drugs should be legalized in America. The war on drugs is the longest war in The History of The United States. An endless exercise in futility that has lasted 40 years. It is also the most costly. This war has cost tax payers $1 trillion dollars to date and has cost hundreds of thousands of people their lives. In my opinion it is the most ineffective law enforcement initiative in the world. It has not stopped drug abuse, drug related crime or the steady flow of drugs from crossing U.S. borders. The only thing this war on drugs has done is fuel the prison industrial complex by increasing the prison population with non violent offenders. Most of whom are African-Americans adversely effected by laws designed to apply stiffer penalties to those accused of crack cocaine possession. A recent study shows that 72% of all drug users are white, but 81% of all inmates in Federal prison for non violent drug offenses are Black. These disproportionate figures indicate a miscarriage of justice in which African- Americans are casualties both literally and figuratively. The war on drugs has made The United States #1 in incarceration in the world. With 746 for every 100,000 US citizens in prison.
In 1919 the Volstead Act was passed. The Volstead Act stated that "beer, wine, or other intoxicating malt or liquors" meaning any beverage that was more than 0.5% alcohol by volume was prohibited. The Act also stated that owning any item designed to manufacture alcohol was illegal and it set specific fines and jail sentences for violating Prohibition. In 1920 The 18th amendment went into effect. This amendment marked the beginning of Prohibition. It outlawed the sale, transportation and manufacture of intoxicating liquors. This created an underground economy and a criminal subculture that is legendary. After prohibition, the homicide rate in the U.S. increased by 78%. Gangsters like Al Capone ruled violent criminal empires whose soul commodity was illegal alcohol. This with the stock market crash of 1929, followed by the Great Depression started changing the common consensus as to the validity, and practicality of the 18th Amendment. People needed jobs and the Government could make a profit from the taxation of alcohol. In 1933 the 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment. It was the first amendment that was ever repealed. After the passing of the 21st amendment the crime rate plummeted, more Americans became gainfully employed, and those gangster who profited went out of business. Fast forward to today, to into account similar crime statistics, and replace a depression with a recession while applying the same principal. Is there a valid reason why legalizing drugs would not have the same effect as the 21st amendment? I'd say so. Of course there is the issue of Christian principals. Drugs lead to addiction, addiction leads to abuse, and abuse leads to destruction. The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and anything that you do to dishonor your temple does not honor God who created it. So there is definitely a biblical reason why drug use is unacceptable. But when the laws that have been designed to protect us, have been used to build a now thriving prison industry under the guise of a "war", we must question the motives of those who pass these laws. The war on drugs has also created a recidivist culture in which a steady stream of non-violent offenders are funneled in and out of the prison system without being rehabilitated or given the tools to become productive. In conclusion, if America is not winning the war on drugs, then why are we fighting at all?

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The Vanishing Party?

Last week President Obama was re-elected for a second term, despite the ancient Republican strategy of stoking the fearful fire of their mostly white constituency. The G.O.P took an inept, indecisive, candidate in Mitt Romney and deemed him good enough to win. His actual competency was a mere after thought. They supported and promoted his campaign by repeatly obfuscating the
truth and circumventing reality. Romney catered only to his base and brushed of all other groups as if they were intolerable neusances in his 47% column, and as a result African-Americans, Hispanics, and women re-elected The President at the tail end of a recession, and a high rate of unemployment. The G.O.P's total indifference to the truth, and anyone who is non white cost them the election despite getting 97% of the white vote. Any sane reasonable group of people would regroup, rethink, and then abandon a losing game plan. But, not The Republican Party, they have insisted on doubling down, instead of acknowledging the fact that the party needs to under go a metamorphosis. In the days following his defeat, Mitt Romney has claimed that the President made promises to the African-American community in order to secure there votes. He does not accept any personal responsibility for losing the election.
Rush Limbaugh, wind bag, drug addict, spin doctor, radio host, de-facto leader of the Republican Party and mouth piece for Conservatives everywhere, has insisted that the party should stay its course, and recruit more voting age conservatives. The problem is, voting age Republican/Conservatives are a dying breed. The obvious reality, at least obvious to those of us who are not geriatric white men, is the fact that the face of America is changing. Caucasians no longer make up the majority of people who live in the United States. Therefore it is virtually impossible to win an election by catering to just one demographic. The party will undoubtedly continue on its path to self destruction. The fact of the matter is that The Republican Party is not as much a party as it is an ideology. It is based on classism, perception and greed. The leaders of the party are the wealthiest among us whose belief in benevolence is nonexistent. Their only interest is staying rich, and being capitalist's. They believe that everyone should help themselves despite certain disadvantages or circumstances. For decades The GOP has utilized racial stereotypes in order to scare white America into following their lead. Subtle, suggestive methods, and slogans like "We must take our country back", and "We miss the good old days", are nothing but code used to create a phantom threat to a non-inclusive American way of life. This is just a smoke screen to pit Black and White Americans, many of whom have the same issues, concerns, and fears, against each other. The Republican Party is only concerned with the elite, and they use many white Americans to obtain political power. The irony is the fact that when social programs are cut as a result of the Conservative need to help everyone pull themselves up by their boot straps, they harm the very constituents who support them. They have mastered the art of getting their demographic to vote against their own interests, and it has always worked. But as a new generation emerges, the ideology that once managed to sway a majority, now seems old and antiquated, because people of color have become so mainstream that they are no longer a mystery, or stereotypical perception. Minorities are now the majority.

PR

A General Mess

Last week Retired 4 star General David Patraeus stepped down from his post as director of the Central Intelligence Agency after 14 months. As the details surrounding his ouster began to emerge, it appeared that the truth really is stranger than fiction. Patreus who is married had been having an affair with Paula Broadwell a senior defense official and his biographer. Broadwell is also married.
The affair came to light when Jill Kelley, a social planner who organized events at MacDill Air Force Base began receiving harassing e-mails, she then asked an FBI acquaintance of hers to investigate. Upon further investigation it was discovered that Broadwell was the author of the e-mails, and was apparently jealous of Patraeus relationship with Kelley who co- authored one of his books previously. In a shocking twist, Kelley who is also married was having an extra-marital affair of her own with Afghanistan Marine General John Allen (also married), who was recently nominated to be the new NATO supreme allied commander for Europe. General Allen accumulated 30,000 documents, most are e-mails with Kelley. Adultery is against military law, and General Allans nomination has now been put on hold.
It gets better! The unnamed FBI Agent allegedly sent topless photos of himself to Kelley prior to the investigation, and is now being investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility, the FBI internal affairs division.
This is a drama of epic proportions almost too surreal to be believable. Upon hearing all of these sloppy details, I thought to myself, there is no way anyone can possibly defend Patraeus or anyone involved.
Of course I was wrong. Pat Robertson, a televangelist of questionable character, and self proclaimed man of God. Went on to say that Patraeus is just a man who could not resist a beautiful woman, who probably threw herself at him. As if his opinion totally clears Patraeus of all wrong doing. This is the same man who condemned Former President Bill Clinton in the midst of the Lewinski scandal, thanking The Republicans for their thorough investigation. There in lies the hypocrisy. People like Pat Robertson who say that they are men of God, yet pick and choose who to condemn based on their political alliances instead of biblical principal, are even more iniquitous than those whose short comings they have chosen to ignore. The bottom line is, no matter what race or political affiliation, men of power feel that they are in control of the universe. They believe that they can get away with anything and everything until they don't any more. Some become fallen heroes like Patraeus and Allen, while others crash and burn in disgrace. But the one thing that they all have in common is the fact that their legacies will all be punctuated by a footnote.

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An Open Letter (Next Time, Think For Yourselves)

Dear Brothers, and Sisters in Christ,

I am writing this in hopes that it will inspire both analytical, and critical thinking. To all of those who decided to heed the words of their Pastor's, and not cast their vote based on President Obama's stance on gay marriage. I pray that you truly believe that God is in control, and truly knows what is best for us. Despite blindly following whoever you see in the pulpit each and every Sunday it is important to look at the facts, and then make decision's that you can live with in the present and future.
God has blessed us with an incredible organ between our ears capable of processing complex thoughts. So, when you allow someone to think for you rather than thinking for yourself you are choosing not to use what the good Lord has given you.
I suspect that our country will make great strides during the next 4 years. During this time, I hope that you realize that in not voting for President Obama you made the wrong choice, and learn a valuable lesson from your mistake. I pray that as you and your families enjoy the benefits of Affordable Healthcare, lower taxes, job growth, and financial aid. I pray that you grow in wisdom, discernment, and learn to appreciate the destiny that God has ordained for our country.

Love, your brother in Christ,

PR Brown

1 Step Forward, 5 Steps Back

It always embarrasses and amazes me at the same time. The narrative is becoming all too familiar. Young African- American political protigies embroiled in scandal. Some appear to be egomaniacal victims of their own largess. Others just make bad judgements under "the illusion of inclusion". No matter what their dalliances are attributed to their falls from grace are swift, and their short comings reverberate across the national and political landscape. In most cases they receive harsh punishment for their malfeasance, and are rarely allowed to rise again once they have fallen.
Back in April 2002, just 4 months into his term it had been widely reported that Kwame Kilpatrick, then mayor of Detroit, known as the hip- hop mayor because of his flash, swagger, and huge diamond stud earring, hosted a wild party in the Mayors mansion which included a stripper. Around this same time one of his bodyguards, Harold Nelthorpe reported that the Mayor's personal Police Force was running amuck, crashing cars and racking up overtime.
These allegations prompted an investigation lead by Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown. But two weeks into the investigation Brown was fired. A month later both Brown and Nelthorpe filed a "whistle blower" lawsuit against Kilpatrick and the city, which went to trial in the summer of 2007. Kilpatrick who is married with children, also faced charges of having an illicit affair with his Chief of Staff, Christine Beatty. The two swore under oath that they were not having an affair and did not fire Brown. A jury found Kilpatrick and the city liable and ordered the city to pay 9 million of Detroit tax payer dollars.
In January of 2008, the then 37 year old Kilpatrick had started his 2nd term as mayor, when the Detroit Free Press published text messages between Kilpatrick and Beatty which indicated that they were in fact having and affair.
"I've been dreaming all day about having you all to myself for three days," Kilpatrick texted on his city issued pager.
"Relaxing, laughing, talking, sleeping and making love."
In Detroit there was widespread outrage. Kilpatrick was called a disgrace, and a habitual liar amid calls for his resignation. Municipal employees in Detroit even protested in front of city hall asking him to resign.
In February of 2008 Christine Beatty resigned. She also left Wayne State Law School where she was studying for her Juris Doctor degree.
An investigation led to charges being filed against Beatty, and Kilpatrick in March of 2008. On September 4, 2008 Kilpatrick pled guilty to obstruction of justice, and no contest to assault on a police officer who was trying to serve a sopena to a family friend. As part of his plea deal he was ordered to step down as mayor, pay 1,000,000 in restitution to the city of Detroit, and serve 120 days in jail. He was also forced to surrender his law license. He lost his state pension, and has to do 5 years probation upon being released.
But in April of 2010 a Michigan judge ruled that Kilpatrick violated his probation by not fully disclosing his assets as required as a part of his plea deal. He was then sentenced to 5 years in prison but was released in 2011 after just 14 months, and was placed on parole for 5 years. However, he still faces Federal charges related to his time as Mayor of Detroit. These charges include, racketeering, bribery, extortion, and filing false tax returns.
Kwame Kilpatrick is a classic example of what happens when prominent African- American's fall for the illusion of inclusion. They reach a certain status, attain a certain level of fame and success and they believe that they are untouchable. They start to think that the level of their achievements dwarf all prejudice, and racism. Many live in their own color blind bubble until somebody comes along, bursts it, and brings them back down to earth. The fact of the matter is, there always has and always will be a double standard. One for African-Americans and one for the rest of America. For every Elliot Spitzer who is able to rise from the ashes of his disgrace, there is a Kwame Kilpatrick whose legacy is forever tarnished albeit by his own hand. The illusion of inclusion means that an individual chooses to believe that they are included in an elite group which always them to indulge their every desire because their station in life has allowed them to open doors that few can enter. This is the illusion. What many come to find is that the powers that be take any deviation from perfection as a sign of personal betrayal because they have, in their minds, allowed you to walk through that door. I am continually shocked by Black men like Kilpatrick who become successful and still have no clue as to how to play the game. Being Black in any position of power means that you simply cannot have a fatal flaw because there is always someone near by wondering who you think you are. The real issue is, guy's like Kilpatrick forget who they are. If they had a better memory perhaps they wouldn't send text messages to their mistress's on their city issued pagers.

PR

The Battle Continues At Home

It is quite difficult for me to wrap my mind around the results of this study. When I began doing research for this story I was both shocked and puzzled by the statistics. There are currently 22,000,000 veterans in the United States.
According to the Veterans Administration there are 75,000 Veterans who are homeless on any given night.
Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless compared to other Americans.
About 20,000 veterans of the war's in Afghanistan, and Iraq have become homeless within the last 5 years. One of the root problems is unemployment. 12.1% of post 9/11 veterans are unemployed compared to 9% of the population. The unemployment rate among former service members ages 18-24 is 20%. More than 75% of former veterans report an inability to apply their military skills to civilian life.
President Obama has vowed to end homelessness for all US veterans by 2015, and has emphatically stated that no one who has served our country should have to struggle to find employment, or housing.
There is also the issue of mental health among some veterans. A study done by The Center For A New American Security found that every 36 hours a service member commits suicide.
Nearly 35% of deployed service members experience symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, and 10-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have suffered traumatic brain disorder or TBI. But only 53% seek help for TBI or other forms of depression.
27% of returning soldiers abuse alcohol 3-4 months after they return home. The substance abuse rate for some veterans is 7.1% ( an estimated 1.8 million).
Those of us who have never served in the armed forces cannot possibly begin to understand what life in the armed forces is like. The struggles that come with making so many personal sacrifices is not something that the average person can measure. Many of us spend long days working to support our family's and we think that we are making a sacrifice. Imagine having to work in another country spending long months away from your family in honor of your country, and then having to return home to an uncertain future. Discovering that the freedoms that you fought for did nothing to make you free. Imagine returning home and discovering you do not have the liberty to pursue your happiness because you wear the mental scars of war. The majority of us just can't fathom such a chaotic shift in our lives. Our veterans deserve more.
Whenever I'd hear about a service member who chose to reenlist, or make a career out of the military I would often wonder why. I couldn't understand why someone would want to subject themselves to such rigid discipline, and the ever looming possibility of battle. But now I understand, the struggle to reaclimate into an ever changing society can be a battle all it's own.

PR

Never Forget!

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Since the Afghanistan war started in. 2001, there have been 2,151 casualties. This has been the longest war in the history of the United States. Since 9/11/01 nearly 3 million Veterans have left military service. Today is the day that we officially observe Veterans Day. As we go about our every day routine it can be easy to forget about those who defend our freedoms in the armed forces. They are our family members and our neighbors, who have been and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. If it wasn't for these brave soldiers in our armed forces, America would not be what it is today.
We would have fallen to foreign foes decades ago, and succumbed to tyranny, and communism, Osama Bin Ladin would still be free to unleash his reign of terror on the world, and The United States as we know it would cease to exist. On this day we should honor not only those who have been in wars but all of those who face the ever looming possibility of combat. I have a few family members who are veterans and I have a great respect for them. When I hear their stories, and I witness what they have to go through, my respect and admiration is multiplied because I know that it takes a special kind of American to stand tall and represent the The American way of life. God bless America, and God bless those who help make America what it is.

PR

This Is Why She Won't Call You

1. You still live with your mother and father.
This wouldn't be so bad if you were 22 and still trying to find yourself. But if you're 32, chances are your already too lost be found.
Stop putting your name on the Orange Juice and bringing girls home when your mother is at choir rehearsal, and your father is working late.
One day rehearsal will get cancelled, and your father will get off early. There is no bigger turn off for a woman than getting caught "heavy petting" on your mother's couch.
2. Too much baggage.
If you have 3 or 4 babies mother's and you don't get along with any of them, that says a lot. It says that you are not, and have not been handling your business. As if having that many baby mama's isn't bad enough. Having that many who hate you, sends a message that you are not the easiest dude to deal with. Most women do not want to be on Maury dealing with your mess.
3. No ambition.
Being in your mid thirties and being perfectly content to work the fries does not exactly reek of ambition. Contentment and complacency are not conducive to progress. Have a dream and act on it. Have a plan and execute it. No woman wants a man who is going nowhere.
4. You keep calling.
Desperation doesn't equal respect. Nobody wants to be stalked. She is probably playing your sad, pitiful messages back for all of her friends to hear, and they will laugh. Trust me. You must have enough self esteem to believe that you will find someone else if she never answers the phone. You must believe that there is a grown woman out there somewhere who doesn't mind you sneaking her out through the basement. Just not the one that you keep calling!
Keep hope alive son, keep hope alive!

PR

She Set My Metaphor

She carved my metaphor from marvel, and set it in stone.
More than love or incredible alone.
She walks and switches those hips and they call me.
But I would never switch her hips for those belonging to another.
I keep my outer shell hard but everything melts inside me when, I know that I am going to melt with her again.
Why should I pretend, when it is obvious that I'm hooked, like Pepsi people or friends who love many Miss Wrong's.
The difference is I'm hooked on Miss Right, or should I say Mrs., because when we met down at the alter, we knew that we would alter each others lives making everything before that, old and making this alter new.
All because she carved my metaphor from marvel and set it in stone.

PR

3 Reasons Why Romney Lost

I would say that I hate to toot my own horn but, I'd be lying. As a matter of fact I'm going to pat myself on the back. I'll try not to break my arm!
I called the election, and I knew that the President would be re-elected for 3 reasons. All in reference to the faulty strategy of the Romney campaign.

1. He alienated woman, Hispanics, and African- Americans.
Mitt Romney is anti-abortion. Which means he does not believe that women have the right to choose. In addition he did little or nothing to distance himself from those In the GOP who coined phrases like "legitimate rape", or those who believe that women some how have the ability stop themselves from conceiving after being raped. He alienated the Hispanic population by not presenting a viable plan for immigration reform, and taking their vote for granted. The Hispanic demographic is the fastest growing demographic in the country. In a recent census 12.3% of respondents identified themselves as Hispanic, up from 9.0 in the previous census. To ignore this group was a huge mistake. Another huge mistake was his failure to reach out to African- American voters. He gave one speech at an NAACP event, got booed and then pretty much washed his hands of us and our votes. It was automatically assumed that President Obama was going to get the majority of the Black vote. This may have been true but, there should have at least been some effort put into wooing us.
2. He failed to run a campaign based on the issues.
The Romney campaign's chief weapon was defamation of character. Instead of presenting a detailed plan to move America forward, Romney chose to criticize the President using accusations that were not substantive or accurate. Romney continually insisted during the 2nd debate that it took the President 2 weeks to call the murder of a U.S. Ambassador, terrorism. This was simply not true. Both the President and the moderator of the debate quickly rebuffed Governor Romney's claim. The President called this heinous execution an act of terrorism the very next day.
Paul Ryan made multiple references to an automobile manufacturing plant being shut down by The President. When in reality the plant was slated to be shut down during the Bush administration.
3. Pathological lying.
Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan repeated the same lies time and time again. For months they claimed that The President took $716,000,000,000 out of Medicare in order fund Universal Healthcare (Obama Care). But the fact is, President Obama cut $716,000,000,000 in wasteful spending and closed a gap in the Medicare budget to give senior citizens more benefits.
Just last week the Romney campaign released a false narrative followed by a commercial. The subject of the commercial which followed was The Chrysler Automotive Corporation's plan to halt production of it's Jeep brand in America in favor of resuming all operations in China due to the state of the U.S. economy. The story spun so out of control that Chrysler C.E.O Sergio Marchionne had to make a public statement refuting this claim, and confirming that the story was false.
If I continued I could easily elaborate on each one of these reasons and then come up with 33 more. But the fact is, Governor Romney was never The G.O.P's Mr. Right. He was their Mr. Right Now. Everyone else was either too to the right of fringe or way too crazy to be palatable. So they decided to choose the least radical of the bunch. A Mormon who was all for a woman's right to choose as Governor of Massachusetts, then suddenly became, Pro-life once he became the Republican nominee. A candidate who vowed to repeal Obama Care if he became President, but then says that he would maintain certain component's of it. Mitt Romney is a living breathing enigma who was in way over his head, and is probably relieved that this is finally over and done with. I know I am.

PR

We Won !

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Hebrews 11:1-10 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

As of this writing the election has not yet taken place but being a Christian I have faith in prayer, and I firmly believe that if I stand on the word of God and speak what I believe into the atmosphere, it shall be done. I declare President Obama the winner of the election by a small margin. Despite all of the obstacles and attempts to impede the progress of our country, he will be elected again. I am bold enough to make this assertion simply because I believe in the word of God. Light will always prevail over darkness, and I pray that those who stood against our President will soon see the light, and realize that no man is perfect, but one man cares about 100% of our country as opposed to 47% of our country.

PR

A Curious Case of Poverty

In 1492 Columbus and his crew arrived in America and began his reign of terror on friendly Native American tribes, enslaving them, forcing them to work in gold mines, and perpetrating mass genocide. Within 2 years of his arrival an estimated 125,000 Native Americans (half the population) were dead. Thus began America's legacy of mass exploitation. In the year 1500 the first Africans were kidnapped and brought to this country as slaves. They were taken from the continent of Africa against their will, transported in the hull's of ships, packed together like wretched animals, and made to wallow in their own filth during a 3 week journey over rough waters. Many didn't survive the journey. Some died from disease due to the squalid conditions, and others preferred suicide over captivity. Though no exact figures exist, it has been estimated that about 2,000,000 Africans were brought to America between 1500 and 1800. Africans were stripped of their language, culture, and identity. As captors in a foreign land they were beaten, terrorized, victimized and subjected to unspeakable atrocities both physical and psychological that would go on to haunt them for generations. All were sold as property on auction blocks like cattle without regard for their humanity, all in the name of capitalism. The slave labor of Africans was used to start the cotton industry which is the first product to be industrialized on a large scale in America. Picking cotton in the fields was not the American dream. It was, in fact an African nightmare. During this time America was colonized by English, and European settler's and in 1776 The Declaration of Independence was signed by the "founding father's" in order to guarantee all American citizen's certain inalienable rights. Namely, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. All of the signer's of the declaration were slave owners, who did not have Africans in mind at the time of it's signing. This is the reason for constitutional amendment's. The original document was flawed in its original form, and corrupt in its purpose. This document was not designed for slaves.
Slavery lasted for more than 300 years until President Abraham Lincoln signed The Emancipation Proclamation in 1865, but the legacy, and after effects of slavery are never ending.
In 1890 President Benjamin Harrison set up a Federal Immigration Station called Ellis Island, in New York Harbor. It was a place to accept immigrants coming by fairy from countries across the world. It was sort of like a check point where they could have their paperwork processed and to be examined themselves before they were allowed to go out into this "new world" and partake in the American dream. For many, their rich heritage, customs, and traditions were all that they had to bring with them. Everything from, language, to customary cuisine, to their names, all represented their homeland in some way. I've seen it many times, grainy footage of shivering immigrants, "tired, poor, and huddle masses, yearning to be free." It has been romanticized, and used as an example of just how far you can go in this country with hard work, drive, dedication, and most of all, opportunity. They did not face slavery, brutality, or a systematic culture of bigotry and disenfranchisement. As a result they were able to assimilate, and become the face of the United States. A nation of immigrant's.
Fast forward to the present, and the reason for my brief history lesson.
I have always been a history buff. For years I have read about certain aspects of American history, and given the facts, I have never understood why some Caucasian American's live in impoverished conditions. A recent census has revealed that out of the 49,000,000 people who live in poverty in this country, 31,000,000 are white. Of the 49,000,000 people in The U.S. without health insurance coverage, 37,000,000 are white. Contrary to popular belief the caucasian population, make up the vast majority of those who receive assistance from tax payer funded programs such as welfare at 70%.I know that there has to be many legitimate reasons that I am not aware of. But on the surface it seems puzzling, never having been subjected to slavery, Jim Crow laws and a system of discrimination that seems endless. Never having to have the constitution amended to guarantee their rights, and never having to suffer psychological, and physical torture unheard of, and on top of it all, being the beneficiaries of a system designed for their prosperity and their prosperity alone seems like the formula for unlimited success.
I am not attempting to be condescending, or arrogant when I pose this question, and maybe it is better suited to an individual as opposed to a whole group of people. But as stated previously, given the facts. I would appreciate some insight, because it is truly beyond my understanding.

PR

But It's Saturday

If it were a Monday, I'd wake up thanking God that I'm alive.
Even though I hate waking up at 445.
If it were a Tuesday, I'd think of it as just another 24 hours to make it through, to another day brand new.
But it's a Saturday, unlike any day and I can have this world my way.
I can have my life, and maintain my power for just 24 little hours.
It's Saturday!
If it were a Wednesday, I'd feel the hope building up inside of me, knowing that soon I'll see, a happy Saturday.
If it were a Thursday, I would start my day by making all my plans, not bogged down by all of those working place demands.
If it were a Friday, I'd be happy all day, waiting to start my Saturday. Not much matters on this day, unless its a pay day Friday.
But it's a Saturday, unlike any day and I can have this world my way. I can have my life, and maintain my power for just 24 little hours.
I love Saturday's!

PR

Are Your Children Taking Over?

It never fails. Everywhere I go I see well intentioned, well meaning parents asking, and requesting that their children be obedient during a tantrum, or an act of rebellion. This does and always has annoyed me to no end. When you ask or request anything it gives the implication that there is a choice. A child's choices should be limited, and a parent's job is to guide their children. not the other way around. Your children are not your equal, and have no business dictating their agenda to you. Most children today are given way too many choices. Choices that they are not equipped to make. Many parents unknowingly relinquish their authority in an attempt to be fair and even-handed. Which would be admirable if life was fair and even handed. But this is far from the truth. Giving children control is not an effective way of parenting because the lines become blurred, and little if any authority is established. As they grow into adulthood they are going to expect the world to mirror a false reality. There are enough delusional adults as it is. Your children do not need to be in that number.
The authorities have frightened a whole generation of parents into believing that disciplining their children is a crime. But discipline is not a crime, discipline is love. You love your children enough to teach them that for every action there will not always be a positive reaction. If not, they will be punished by an indifferent judicial system with no love what so ever. The ability to make effective choices comes with time, age, and maturity. Children are a blessing which must be handled with care. Letting them call the shots does not show that you care. It shows that you are desperate to show them that you care. Raise a child right, and years later they won't go wrong. But raise a child wrong and they may never be right.

PR