On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 1

I have been thinking a lot about about the events surrounding Jamar Clark's death, the protest at the 4th precinct, our men and women who serve and protect, and the ongoing system of justice, or lack thereof within our country, especially for those of us of color or economically disadvantaged.

It has been difficult determining what to say and share. And one I started to write, I found it was hard to stop. In fact, I'm still writing. But I've broken this up into three parts so as not to overwhelm. There is so much going on; emotions are running high, anger and polarization are at the forefront, and most of all there is pain, a lot of pain, all the way around. Layer has been stacked upon layer, like a Jenga tower, until we've reached the tipping point. As is often the case, it seems we are so blinded by our own pain, especially when it is true, that we cannot see that of those around us, especially when they are on the "opposite side". As human beings have a tendency to compartmentalize and categorize those we consider as "other" making it easier to dehumanize and dismiss them, to criticize them...to hate them. Doing this avoids the burden of having to consider alternative viewpoints, empathize with those making impossible decisions in difficult situations, and allows us to vilify with ease with no regard for the consequences... Because, if we have to think about it, and consider that "other" as the same, we worry that that somehow makes our own beliefs wrong, which is most assuredly not true. We do this in religion, politics and any issue not germane to our own way of thinking, and it is a very limited viewpoint. An element of disagreement in any discussion or situation is healthy and helps to ensure that all perspectives are being represented...it's just not easy to do. And, unfortunately, that's where much of our public dialogue and rhetoric have devolved to...the simple path, the unexamined path, the easy path...but that doesn't make it the right path. America is great at condemning other people and other countries, but when that lens turns inward to us, suddenly the conversation shuts down.

Now, what I'm writing is not for everyone. If you view the police and law enforcement SOLELY as a paramilitary organization with malice and wanton destruction as their goal, this post is not for you. You won't like it, and you should turn away now and find some Ziggy cartoons or something less thought provoking.

If you view Black Lives Matter and other groups SOLELY as whiny liberals and minorities, sucking up your tax dollars and creating issues where none exists just to cause trouble and unrest, this post is not for you. You won't like it, and you should turn away now and switch on FOX "News" or some other distortion of facts and information, it will bring you comfort along with your Ben Carson lawn sign.

If you view tragedy and tragic situations SOLELY as an opportunity to create a platform to elevate yourself, be interviewed for soundbites and video, and have "iconic" moments captured professionally to create your next campaign sign or promo spot, this post is not for you. I have no pithy comment to go along with this one because there can't be. In the course of doing good work, leaders WILL end up on camera or interviews and be quoted, that is par for the course and not my concern, but if that was your goal from the outset, if exploiting this tragedy was your main reason for being out there, or at any time it became more important then healing the people involved or the community, then you need help, serious, serious help, and you should seek that out immediately and step away from the limelight. Period.

BUT

If you can conceive that no one person or side is entirely and absolutely right, if you can understand that hearing another perspective does not mean that you agree or even accept that viewpoint, if you can understand that sometimes people have to make choices that they don't like or agree with, but are compelled to do because of whatever laws are being followed, then I encourage you to read on. I make no claim to have the absolute Truth or to even be right, just that I can share my thoughts and perspectives shaped by my experiences as a person of color, as a member of this community as someone who has walked the path I have and hopefully provides some insight.

~End Part 1~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 2
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

On Justice Jamar and Jenga, Part 2

I went down to the 4th Precinct Thursday night to see what I could see and learn. It was hard to go. As much as I wanted to be there, as much as I'd felt the pull, I had a sense of apprehension. The volatility, the images, the anger was all too familiar and reminiscent of what I had been through during the Rodney King verdict riots. I was not in L.A., I was in Atlanta at Morehouse College where police cordoned of the campuses of the HBCUs in the Atlanta University Center (AUC) as a "precautionary" measure (apparently that many brown people in one place caused anxiety), shot us with tear gas (even into dorms where people were simply watching) and assaulted us. They worked the group into a frenzy and then pulled back a half mile to let the rage explode, increasing the destruction and impact to "justify" their actions. Like this one, it was a mix of college students and residents from the surrounding impacted community, justifiably angry at the lack of equity and accountability within our country. The difference here being the additional element of individuals who are not affiliated with any organization or movement and who just want anarchy and chaos. I saw a number of these individuals on Thursday night.

The point I want to draw here is that having been in the middle of riots and dealt with police, agitators and simply frustrated people, it is not something I walk back into lightly. It resurfaces the experiences of violence, trauma and frustration that threatens to overwhelm. But, my heart aches for my community. It aches for those of us of color who daily must live within a system that continues to marginalize and oppress, with scant outlet for expression and justice. It aches for my community torn asunder by this system, this incident and the apathy that turns a blind eye, dismissing legitimate concerns. It aches for those who strive to uphold the law, caught in an impossible situation where mob mentality on both sides have swept them up in a tidal wave of turmoil, making it that much harder to do the job they love, to protect and serve. And it aches for the three people at the center of this and their families, because once you move past the rhetoric and accusations, once you move past the anger and rage, once you move past the soundbites, a young man lost his life and the two officers have to live with the consequences and the responsibility of that no matter what actually transpired.

When I visited the precinct, I was surprised by a number of things, some good and some not as much. I parked a block west of the intersection of Penn and Plymouth and walked down towards the demonstration. As I approached, I could hear Bob Marley's "One Love" playing as people huddled around fire pits or danced in large groups. From a distance, it could have simply been a block party, celebrating the coming of winter and neighborhood togetherness. I walked around to get a sense of things. To the west of the entrance in front, were tents set up with food, water and supplies. I asked a young lady standing next to a table if this was BLM, and she didn't know, nor was she sure where they were. She had only been there a few hours with a friend and she was just helping give out water. Not wanting to press, I moved on. Outside of the entrance stood 6 officers, half in tactical gear. Metal barricades extended to the edge of the walkway and Deputy Chief of Staff Medaria Arradondo was leaning over them talking to what looked to be reporters. As I walked out into the street, the music was then interrupted by one of the people getting on the microphone and giving an impassioned account of the reason for them to be there. She spoke from her heart regarding the importance of the moment and the value of each and every one. I ran into James Everett as I do at every rally or demonstration. He has a heart for community and I love his conviction and commitment. We talked for a minute before he had to head off. I talked with a couple of other people I knew before moving further down the block towards the east side of the precinct. For the most part, it was casual and laid back in the center as people huddled together for warmth and commiseration.

As I walked eastward, I glanced over and noticed a young man had climbed up on the wall on the east side of the entrance, behind the sleeping tents that had been set up, and had begun tagging the building. I thought to myself, "that's really not a good idea." Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, after he had moved on from curse words to spraying over the security camera lens. A ladder went up from inside the walls and officers came up with a rubber bullet gun. As they climbed up and slowly got into position and took aim, a number of people shouted at the man to get down, that he was going to be shot, but he kept tagging and a few minutes later he was down. All of the protesters ran to the wall shouting, "hands up, don't shoot" along with a string of expletives. The officers climbed back down and the next twenty minutes were filled with chants, cursing, yelling about abuse of power from the protesters. When the officers came out to clean off the lens, they formed a human wall and stood there while protesters jumped in their faces, calling them names and insulting them, yelling at them, and to their credit, the officers finished what they needed to do and went back inside. In at least this incident, their actions were measured and minimal and not without causation.

I suggested to one of the organizers that they warn the protesters not to engage in activities like that that would lead to further confrontation and he did. Standing up for what's right does not give free license to do what's wrong. In that same vein, as I continued to watch the activities, twice after that I saw officers come up over the wall on ladders, once with a hydraulic one and another just a regular climbing one, but with a ski mask on. As a general tip, if you're a member of a group that people think are betraying the public trust, and you're being protested against for at least in part a lack of transparency, showing up anywhere wearing items that conceal your identity might not be the best course of action...just sayin'. Another officer at the front of entrance was muttering things under his breath and giving that kind of dismissive laugh you give when something annoys you to the twenty-something, blonde, college student who was taunting them (yelling if they felt big and powerful). Not the worst he could have done, but also unnecessary and unproductive for the night.

I wandered back over to the entrance of the precinct and was standing on the side of the building when one of the officers called out to me, "You didn't come out to Open Streets this year." It took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. I'm part of a group (Minnesota Superheroes United) the dresses up like superheroes (cosplay) for public and charity events to visit with kids, make them smile and let them meet their heroes. Last year, at the Lowry Open Streets we met up with this officer and a couple of others, and took pictures together for the kids. It was a stark contrast to the situation we were in, but it brought home the fact that not everyone in this situation was bad, or wanted to be here. We exchanged a few more words, which was enough to draw the attention of some of the protesters. A guy who appeared high and had been "reassuring" the officers that they were mad at the system and not them and not to take it personally, edged over to the wall by the officer I was speaking to and one in a Guy Fawkes mask came and stood by me, while a woman snapped my picture. I laughed and asked her if it was me or the other guy she was photographing, but she denied doing it. So I wandered back to the street for 30 seconds, and when I returned, all three had mysteriously moved away. I left then, wishing the officers and the protesters good luck, and drove back home to process all that I had witnessed.

It's a lot to take in and a very complicated and complex situation.

~End Part 2~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 1
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

This is not about whether or not there should be justice, there must be. Justice is necessary to bring healing and restore balance, not just in this situation but across our country where many are just now coming to the realization of what is happening within our legal system. But bringing justice requires facts, and there are a lot of facts that must still come to light and when they do, they will reveal the guilt or innocence of the officers. This part seems to be lost on many people, however; how investigations work and what is or is not possible. When the investigation concludes, and the evidence is brought forth, if it proves the officer's guilt than I hope and pray that justice runs down like water, and bathes our community in a healing balm that enables the Truth to shine so brightly no one, not even the most ardent defenders of the status quo, will be able to look away, and in that moment, they will have to choose whether to stand for what's right or be swept away in the mighty stream of righteousness. But while we wait, we must govern ourselves in such a way that retains the moral high ground and does not give into the anger and hate that we feel, not because it is not justified but because we lose our standing, we lose our conviction and our support when deviate from the right path. When Dr. King and others of the movement were arrested it was for doing things that should have been legal and for peaceful demonstrations that allowed the country to see the brutality of oppression, not for acts of vandalism and instigation. I understand the anger, I understand the rage, but we must be better than the forces that oppose justice, we must be better than that so as to leave them no loophole or technicality to escape. We must be our best selves to ensure that justice is served.

Justice, however, does not simply mean the conviction of the officers, it must also mean their exoneration if they are proven innocent. In order for justice to be fair and impartial, the outcome, even if we disagree with it in our hearts, must be dictated by the truth that is revealed; it must hold to the same standard that we are demanding for Jamar. For only in that commitment are we able to move forward. If the truth shows that the officers acted within the law, then we must embrace the truth and bear no malice to them. This does not mean you have to let go of the anger and rage, but rather redirect it to where it should be, even now, at the system that has so oppressed our country that people have already drawn conclusions about the guilt of the officers, vowing not to refuse to believe anything but guilt, regardless of what the evidence shows. That is a problem. We cannot fix a broken system and demand that it deliver justice if we are not willing to abide and uphold the same standard. If we uphold this same standard, then we can hold the system accountable and leave it no ground to go to.

And while we wait for this, it is incumbent upon those in law enforcement to recognize the maelstrom that we are caught within. To separate out the personal from the professional and allow, the anger and frustration to be expressed even if it is directly at you, without taking it personally, without allowing it to rile you, without reacting. We need you now, more than ever, to uphold the tenet of protect and serve, and be the heroes we need right now. We need you to stand tall, so as not to disrupt the peace that is tenuously in place.

The events that have unfolded and the resultant crisis we find ourselves in are built upon generations of systematic oppression of people of color and/or low income. And the posturing, rhetoric and loud screaming is getting in the way of recognizing that we're going to have to work together to reach the solution for all of us. People must be allowed to voice their opinion and frustration and work to bring about systemic change in PARTNERSHIP not in opposition to those that represent our government. And if we approach it rationally, reasonably and equitably, it clears the path for those who agree to join us and those in opposition to be revealed and moved beyond so that progress may be achieved. And those in positions of authority, it is their responsibility to recognize the bigger issues at stake, that existed long before they took power and not to be defensive but rather help bring about productive dialogue, recognize the anger and frustration and acknowledge it so that we can heal. Know that most people are simply looking justice and equity and help us all to achieve it.

Most important, it incumbent on all of us to not allow ourselves to forget the humanity in this situation. Not everyone who stands across from you is against you, some people just believe differently, some just do not know better. This is not saying do not protest. This is not saying do not defend. It is saying recognize the bigger picture, look for the places to find common ground. Look for ways to not allow this tenuous tower to topple over. Understand there is a difference between an individual and an organization and at the core of this are three people and their families whose lives were irrevocably changed that night, and seeking the truth, seeking justice and healing them and the community must be the first and most important priority. We must come together at the end of the day and build a better future for us all.

No exceptions.

~Finis~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga Part 1
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga Part 2

Marathons, Movements and Black Lives...Oh My!

Recently, there has been a lot of concern raised around the plan of the Black Lives Matter movement to disrupt the Twin Cities Marathon and I don't think I'll have a better opportunity to combine double entendres with offering perspective on this issue and my unsolicited advice. Numerous friends and family of mine have expressed anxiety, apprehension and even outrage over the plan. However, I think what is not being understood completely is the comparative value of the marathon to the lives of black people.

Let me start off by saying that I don't agree with the idea to protest the marathon, but I do understand it, and the logic is sound. My wife and I discussed this at length last night and she raised all of the arguments I've heard: "Why would you do this to people who would support you, you're going to alienate them?" “I don’t see the point, the runners have nothing to do with this issue.” "These aren't government or corporate power structures, these are people who have trained for years to do this event and you're taking away their opportunity to fulfill a personal goal and do something positive."

In response, let me ask what about the young black man going to school for years, training to be an engineer or tennis player who gets assaulted and/or killed? What about the millions living in abject poverty and shunted through systems because their value isn't affirmed? How do you compare someone not being able to continue their marathon because of an intentional act by an organized or loosely affiliated group to someone not being able to finish their life because of an intentional act by an organized or loosely affiliated group? How do you hold those two up and call them the same?

Therein, in my opinion, lies the point of this protest: that people's lives are more than inconvenienced by the lack of affirmation that Black lives matter and the ingrained racism within our society that allows the systemic marginalization and decimation to occur; the point that you don't get to decide which event gets disrupted, or how this group should protest in a way that is convenient and acceptable to you any more than we, as Black people, get to decide when we get pulled over, beaten, marginalized or shot and scheduled it for a time and way that's convenient to us. The events and acts that I believe BLM is trying to raise awareness of often come with little warning and cannot be stopped, they disrupt our lives and prevent us from finishing our own races, often through death. We live daily with this concern and fear and even direct action with no choice in matter. The fact that we do not get to weigh in on and decide when racism and brutality will occur is EXACTLY the reason why this protest would happen. It is holding a mirror up to our reality through a lens that the broader community can't help but see, if they look. We do not get to choose when we are impacted, that is the point, I believe, of the protest.

Again, I don't agree with the decision to do it, and would not were it my call, but I DO understand why it is being done and for that reason, cannot condemn it. You may not like it or agree with it, but hopefully, now, you understand why someone would do it.

I will not condemn this plan, but I will offer a piece of unsolicited advice to the organizers or those involved. The idea of this plan has raised public concern to a level where numerous public officials are offering to meet with you, and if you do, there will be offers of assistance and suggestions, take them. The major point of protests is to raise awareness and perception and to attempt to gain a voice.
You have one.

You have the key stakeholders, decision makers and gate keepers who have opened their hands and minds to this message. Some because it is politically the best option, but many because they believe in the ideas, value the sentiment and honestly want to help. This is the brass ring as it were because it is an opportunity to not only achieve some of the change you want to bring about, but also firmly secure a political position that is validated and have allies to work alongside you. You will not get everything you want, negotiation and compromise is the very nature of the politics of change, but you will get more done than continually working from the outside and you will lay a solid foundation to continue advancing the issues and working towards solutions in partnership with those who have authority and power, and who may need this connection in order to fully understand and in turn support, the battle which must be won.

Now I can understand there may be some within the movement who will say no: no compromise, no negotiation, no surrender! But that reveals a lack of understanding of how society operates. People come from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and in any given situation, especially ones which challenge ideas and principles deeply entrenched, not everyone is going to agree on everything. To refuse to consider any level of compromise is to be guilty of the same dogmatic practices and positions that have brought us to this point, of course you have to add racism and classism to the mix for the original, but beneath that lies an unwavering obstinacy and refusal to embrace change that you run the risk of emulating if you are unwilling to even have a conversation.

Being willing to negotiate and compromise allows for a broader circle and the construction of an effort or initiative that not only brings more people to the table, but also ensures that the solution has support from a wider set of stakeholders and in doing so a greater audience to promote to and engender buy-in from. It may not be what everyone wants, but it will be something everyone can support and live with, and at that point the second, more powerful component of the battle begins, that of the heart. You see, once you achieve a compromise that everyone can live with, then people have to actually live with it. They have to experience it, they have to be confronted with it in a non-threatening manner and they have to think about it, day in and day out. And when that happens, all of the bluster and rage objections and soundbites fall away to reveal just the truth of the ideas, and that is when true lasting victory occurs.

The idea that Black lives matter, that they have value, that they are equal to all other lives is an idea so simple, so pure and so true, it is a mystery why anyone would oppose it, but there are people who do, and they do it out of ignorance and fear. The more they are presented with a target, the more you try to bludgeon the idea into them, the firmer they will dig in and resist. It is what we do here in America. It is what we’re known for, and we’re very good at it. But you take away that forced compliance, you take away that adversarial tactics, you build instead an agreement, an understanding, a compromise based on shared values that is accepted by leaders and representatives that people know, agree with and respect and all they are left with is the beautiful truth that is intrinsic to so many of us, that Black lives do matter and to oppose this is stand against what is right without some excuse to hide behind or some foil to pass one’s prejudice off to. To oppose this is to admit to world that the problem is not people disrupting races but one’s own insecurities, fears and biases.

It is to admit you are wrong.

And that compels the world to change, not by force, but by choice.

And that, my friends, is the battle won.

Why Does It Always Have To Come Down To A Race Thing?

Over and over I have heard the same question arise from the average person: "Why does it always have to come down to a race thing?"

It's on Fox "news", it's in my news feed, it's been tweeted, etc. etc. Often followed by them saying that the don't care about color, and why don't people just do the right thing? Why does there have to be such disparity? Why can't people just get along? Why can't we just trust the system? Why can't you just use the courts to get justice? Isn't this just about upholding the law and those breaking it?

Why does it always have to come down to a race thing?

Why?

You asked (or at least read the questions), so I will tell you.

The problem comes down to understanding the issue and the scope. It is not simply a matter of respecting authority, and you cannot view it as an isolated incident and be honest. Understand that that while you may not care what race, color or creed a person is, many people in positions of authority, positions of control and just in large numbers do care about what race, color or creed a person is, and they bring those biases, prejudices and beliefs into the systems that should have no place for them...but time and time again they do, as evidenced by the over representation of brown people within the prison system, the armed forces and the impoverished neighborhoods across the country. You ask why does there have to be such a disparity and the answer is that our country was built upon that disparity and ingrained in our way of life.

Our country was constructed on slave labor and the creation of a permanent underclass. I don't mean this in the general way that our high school history covers things, with a fleeting glance that talks about plantation slaves and cruel overseers, Jefferson Davis and the South versus the North...I mean it in the little known facts that are a significant part of our history and laying the foundation for the society that exists today. The fact that Wall Street was where you could rent out your slaves for the day, that the Capitol building in Washington DC was built by slave labor, that many companies started with slave labor to build themselves up. That it was so interwoven into our culture that we didn't give it a second thought. For 242 years in this country, one group was in bondage, providing free labor and economic growth that bolstered the coffers and position of another, all while enduring rape, murder, mutilation, and all manner of atrocities that psychologically and morally decimated the soul of brown people. And once slavery was abolished, the same practices continued under Jim Crow LEGALLY until just over 50 years ago. As a people we have been enslaved longer than we have been free, and when you add in Jim Crow, we are barely two generations out.

This is not hyperbole or rhetoric, these are facts, easily researched, difficult to read and accept. They are a part of our history. A dark and shameful part, that we don't like to think about because it hurts.

It hurts to think about it and this makes people defensive. Why? Because when you talk about white privilege and the advantages gleaned from it, people automatically assume there's an active component. That there is an accusation inherent in talking about White privilege that they actively participated in the oppression...

No.

The vast majority of White people had no more to do with the development of the system and the creation of the advantages anymore than the vast majority of Black people had anything to do with the disparity that exists for them...of course some people erroneously believe that Black people are exclusively responsible for the position they are in, but the truth is that these are integrally linked. You cannot have one without the other. They are the results of the circumstances of our country's history and action and even inaction.

To put this in perspective, think of a relay race with two teams. The rules are set by the first team because it's their track (well, actually the claimed it from another school that was still in session, but I digress) and they decide the members of the second team have to carry them for the first half of the race. At that point the first team climbs down, rested and ready, but only they get credit for the number of laps already run. So the second team not only is starting from a point further back in the cycle of the race, but they are tired and worn down. So they have to run harder and faster in order to just keep up, to compete they are going to have to run twice as much. Meanwhile, the first team keeps questioning why the second can't compete, after all, they both started at the same point on the track at the halfway mark...

And to bring it full circle, it's a relay race, with each generation being new to the race, but being handed a baton that carries with it the position and the laps completed by the previous generation. So even though they weren't involved at the beginning, they claim the position of their forerunners...

That is what privilege and systemic racism is in an allegorical nutshell.

It's not about wanting it, or liking it, or pursuing it, it's where you are in the race.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being…Black in America

Over the past several weeks, our country has been inundated with images, articles , rhetoric and friendship ending soundbites around the Michael Brown case, that has sparked a national conversation on the subject of race and race relations in this country. To say the discussion has been divisive would be to call the Winter in Minnesota slightly chilly.

And coming forward from that, people have gotten so entrenched in their positions, so solidified in their defense, that when the clearer, less ambiguous case, the strangulation of Eric Garner, has resulted in the same outcome, they have remained ensconced within positions that defy logic, reason, and, in fact, truth. I cannot recall a time when there were so many speeches and so many people so defensive, so certain of sanctity and so desperate to justify injustice in order to avoid culpability, self reflection and being American…

Wait. What?

Yes, I did say that. I’ll get to that part in a moment.

And I know this will come as a shock, but so many people have gotten their definition of what being American is from pundits and talking heads at bias “news” networks, that they forgot to actually look up the definition and the principles on which our country and rights are based. They hear words that sound good and fit their argument and regurgitate them out into the internet from the brave space behind a computer screen because they don’t have to listen to responses, examine the logic or look people in the eye. It is the conversational equivalent of singing and dancing in your underwear in front of a mirror: no one is there to give you critical feedback and you don’t have to listen to the truth that is staring you right in the face…that you’re just not Star Search material Sherman.

In America, we are happy to condemn tragedy and injustice as long as it is outside of our country: Nazis? Worst people on the planet ever; Khemer Rouge and Cambodia-Horrific human rights violations to be condemned; Idi Amin, Muammar Gaddafi, Slobodan Milošević, Kim Jong-il the list is so plentiful that you could sell trading cards and people would eat them up like they were Skittles. But you begin to turn that lens to the United States and suddenly the unified response against human oppression and tragedy becomes debates on the character of individual victims, criticism of the response of people opposed and defense of the system that exists regardless of its impact. I am quite sure that not every single one of the over six million Jews murdered as part of the Holocaust were model citizens, yet no one ever puts forth an argument of “I Stand With The Nazis”….And nor should they…Ever! We all agree on that. But the minute we start examining the inherent oppression and extermination of African Americans in the U.S. it becomes a squirrelly conversation that brings out the inner bigot in people cloaked under defending the Constitution, the 2nd Amendment and of course freedom...well, freedom for some people...

And freedom is the issue at stake here.

Now I know that people are confused, and wondering why someone like Michael Brown would inspire the expression of outrage and be an individual that protesters would rally around. They think that it invalidates the anger and indignation, that protesting following the outcome is pointless, and yet Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States who said "A society will be judged by how it treats its weakest members"...

But it is not Michael Brown alone or specifically that people are angry about. It is the sheer injustice of a system ingrained with racism and from individuals in positions of power and especially law enforcement, who abuse their sacred trust and privileged position to do harm rather than protect and serve. We are angry at the system and those who abuse their power:

For protecting them, by a mock trial from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For exciting domestic insurrections amongst us

In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury...They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

Those are not my words, they are Thomas Jefferson’s with a minor tweak or two from the Declaration of Independence. Stop and think about that for a minute. Better yet go read the full text and recognize that the charges leveled in there, many of which are reflective of our country today, led to the wide spread protests, and often violent insurrections that would eventually lead to the overthrowing of the government to establish something more just and fair to the people…think about that and then turn back to the protests and riots and maybe you’ll understand that what’s happening is not wrong, it’s American.

Yes, all the things happening in Ferguson and across the country, all of the actions are as American as baseball, George Washington and Apple pie...they are the same beginnings of our first Revolution. How, then, can anyone criticize or condemn these acts and still call themselves an American...How can one not see that the major difference between that one which we hold in such high regards, and this one, is race.

I know it may be hard to wrap your brain around, but it doesn’t make it less true.

“You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.” Morpheus, The Matrix

End Part One

JP Calling Orson, Come In Orson...

I don't generally mourn entertainers. They, by definition, entertain. I do enjoy them, but they are paid to do a job that some do well, some do poorly and most fall somewhere in the middle. Whether it's movie or pop star, comic or cartoonist, writer or sports star, they are regular people with a skill (hopefully) and a career. They may have green room peculiarities but they put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us...they are mortal.

Robin Williams was not. He was so much more.

Robin had an infectious style that couldn't help but make you laugh; he had a provocative mind that couldn't help but make you think; and he had a careless abandon that couldn't help but make you dream. He was not merely a comedian or movie star, he was an artist.

I grew up with Robin...well not literally, but ever since I first saw him appear to Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) on Happy Days as Mork from Ork, I was hooked. When Mork & Mindy started, I was right there watching religiously each week, saying "Shazbot" when things pissed me off and "Na-nu Na-nu" when I wanted to say goodbye. My years can be marked by the time a grown up Peter Pan showed up on the show (ironically enough) or the arrival of Mearth (Jonathan Winters) his son as Orkans aged backwards (sorry Benjamin Button, Mork was here first). And I'm pretty sure Raquel Welch jump started puberty for me when she showed up as Captain Nirvana. I learned how to first wade into the pool of irreverent silliness with Robin and never looked back.

But like so many of us, life does not stand still. I marveled at him in Popeye, expanded my horizons in The World According to Garp and laughed and cried in Good Morning Vietnam; each new venture peeled back a layer of the man, exposing another dimension that was as deep and crazy as the former. But it was in 1989 when the world changed for me with Dead Poet's Society. I had enjoyed many a movie over the years, but that was the first time I was touched to a depth that reached my soul. Life seemed so much more after that. I came out of the theater wanting to form my own DPS, because the words of that film had resonated so deeply I though I might never be the same again. I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...

It was then that Robin became my muse.

I listened to his comedy performances and laughed out loud each time my world seemed dim. Every movie he did broadened my horizons and stirred fresh imaginings. The Fisher King brought home all the crazy ideas that roll through my head and the imaginary life that awaits out there. And Good Will Hunting encouraged me to find what is out there and not be barricade behind defenses and pain. Patch Adams made me want to be a doctor, leaving with me the lasting message that everyone brings something to the table.

But I think the movie I most loved him in, besides DPS was Hook. No other person could have epitomized the boy who never grew up than Robin. It was the character he was meant to play and he breathed life into that role so deeply that I regularly shout "bangarang" at random. It constantly reminds me to use my imagination and dream bigger. That life is full of wonder. Pan the Avenger will ever be my hero, my guide and my happy thought.

Words cannot fully express what Robin meant to me, but I will be forever grateful that my life was touched and transformed by this man that I never met in person, but shared an almost metaphysical connection to across the imaginary distance that separates us from one another. I cannot thank him, but I hope somehow that he knows now of at least this one life that he changed and channeled and made better through the gift of his craft. He was my hero. He was my friend. And I will always remember him and no matter what the future may bring or what dreams may come.

Fare ye well Robin Williams, fare ye well, I'll meet you on the other shore.

I Too Sing America Revisited

“To him, as to the man by whom salvation has been wrought unto our people, we are bound both by law and by his merits that our freedom may be still maintained, and by him, come what may, we mean to stand.”
-Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland 1320

Nearly 700 years ago, these words were inscribed on parchment declaring the support of Robert the Bruce and in doing so the independence of Scotland. It was a proclamation to set a country free from the tyranny of those who would subjugate it, oppressing its people to their own ends.

Seven centuries later, and we are again standing on the precipice of decision and behind a man who represents the best of us. A leader, a president, an American in the truest sense of the word. Not because of the color of his skin, but because of the content of his character.

We hold these truths to be self evident, but over the last four years, they have been anything but. From casual dismissal to blatant disrespect and disregard in scenes all too common to those of us who too “sing America”. But each step he has taken proudly, confidently and always on the tightrope of the “Color Line”.

For make no mistake, beneath all the rhetoric, pundits and campaign slogans lies the truth of the race…Race.

If you want to vote for Romney because you like his positions, economic policy or even his hair, By all means, do so. Support the candidate you believe in, but be willing to accept the consequences of your choice.

But if you’re voting for him to be against Obama, because you believe that the economy, unemployment or even Hurricane Sandy is his fault; if you believe that he’s a secret Muslim socialist out to destroy the American way of life, or because Chuck Norris or Rush Limbaugh told you the country would be destroyed if Obama was re-elected, then you have been hoodwinked, bamboozled and led astray. You have been duped by one of the oldest forms of subtle racism that permeates the tapestry of our country. It is interwoven into phrases like “taking our country back”, “restoring America”, and “class warfare”. And because our country cannot as yet, have an honest an open dialogue about the history of racism, Slavery and the impacts today, they are able to deny the very existence of this phenomenon…like some erstwhile Kaiser Soze or Someone Else’s Problem generator…we are scared to admit our failings and culpability, and so it is easier to blame it on fictitious assertions…it’s just not the truth. It’s not your fault if you fell into this, but it is your responsibility, once you are aware, to pull yourself out and refuse to go back in. To cast off the shackles of lies and misinformation used to create fear.

Most importantly, you vote should not be against a candidate but rather for one, one that you believe in wholeheartedly and will never regret. Too many generations fought for the vote, honor it by doing the right thing and voting for who you believe in.

I believe in Barack Obama.

I believe in him because he acts with honor and integrity. I believe in him because he puts the people ahead of his own agenda. I believe in him because I see the same nobility that was embodied in the Bruce, 700 years ago; I see the same courage that charged the field at Bannockburn for freedom.

I see the Warrior Poet.

And just as my Scottish ancestors, cast off the yoke of oppression, and refused to give in and submit to tyranny, so, too, must we cast aside the lies and misinformation and elect the person who is honestly and truthfully the best person for the job.

For “it is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”

I will fight for my and America’s freedom today by casting my vote for honesty, integrity and truth. I will fight by voting for Barack Obama. Not because he’s the “Black man”, but because he is the "Best man".

An Open Letter to the Granite City Board of Education

April 4, 2012

An Open Letter to the Granite City Board of Education


Granite City School District #9
Board of Education
c/o Superintendent Dr. Harry Briggs
1947 Adams St.
Granite City, IL 62040

Dear Members of the Granite City School District Board of Education:

I am writing to you today as an American of Scottish descent, imploring you to reconsider your decision to not allow a kilt to be worn to the Granite City High School prom. My great grandmother Lily Boyden MacFarlane was the first of our family born in America. We are from a small town called Dunkeld in central Scotland, while my ancestors of Clan MacFarlane hail from the Highlands. I am the Director of Gatherings and the Minnesota Commissioner for the International Clan MacFarlane Society, President of the Minnesota Coalition of Scottish Clans, Board Member of the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games, Member of the Minnesota Tartan Day Cooperative and a Trustee of the Clan MacFarlane Charitable Trust. I have traveled to my ancestral homelands three times.

I say all this so that it is clear Scottish heritage and culture is both traditional and very much a part of the daily life of myself and those of us involved in our local, national and international Scottish communities. We honor this tradition by donning our cultural attire for annual celebrations, including Burns Nights, Highland Games, and Tartan Day annually on April 6th, the recognition of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland’s Declaration of Independence.

I am also African American. I mention this for two reasons: 1. Due to our nation’s dark past of Slavery, records and information are much harder to locate for this side of my heritage, making my Scottish history that much more important and accessible to me. 2. Due to this history, I risk alienation from those on both sides of my heritage who have difficulty reconciling both in one, making it that much harder to honor my heritage. Even so, I do everyday because it is a part of who and what I am, and to have anyone deny this or how I chose to honor and recognize it is an affront to my very being. It is offensive and it is wrong, and it is what you have done to William Carruba.

More to the point, the reason you have given for denying him the right to wear a kilt to his prom is inaccurate, based upon both the Granite City High School Student Handbook as well as the very history of Granite City itself.

To begin with, there is nothing in the Student Code of Dress which prohibits the wearing of a kilt, merely prescriptive guidelines for color of various articles of clothing, length and condition, etc. There is no regulation which states that either a kilt cannot be worn, or that pants must be worn by males. Further, the handbook gives teachers and administrators the discretion to make decisions on a case-by-case basis, and it gives the superintendent the authority to amend the policy.

So, since your policy does not prohibit the wearing of the kilt, and teachers and administrators have the ability to make decisions and exceptions if they wrongly believe that it does, the question then arises as to why William Carruba is really not being allowed to dress in traditional Scottish attire. Is the discriminatory statement that Principal Jim Greenwald is alleged to have made, and its sentiment, more reflective of an unwritten policy of discrimination in the District? Ironically enough, your decision reflects a bleak time in Scottish history when King George II imposed the “Dress Act” as part of the Act of Proscription in 1746 which outlawed all Highland Dress for the next 32 years as a means of suppressing Scottish heritage and culture. Whatever the reason, discriminatory or not, prohibiting the kilt is not listed in your policies, and therefore is an arbitrary and unnecessary decision.

The Code of Dress for Granite City High School prohibits "see-through" apparel, scantily clad outfits and gang-related apparel, all of which are inappropriate attire customarily worn by miscreants who disrupt the educational environment and generally cause trouble in society. When you group traditional Scottish attire in with these outfits like this, you are denigrating not only members of the American Scottish community, but the very history of Granite City. Your first mayor was James G. McRoberts, a Scot of Clan Donnachaidh. Over the years your mayors have included Kirkpatricks, a Kennedy, a Robertson, a Hodges, a Davis, etc. – all people of Scottish and Irish descent. Many of your first settlers, including Caldwell, Cummings, Waddle and Griffins, were also Scots and Irish. Further, your first mayor was also the first superintendent of the American Steel plant, helping to establish industry in Granite City…meaning that as with America and so many American states and cities, Scottish and Irish people and their culture and heritage have been intimately intertwined with the origins and establishment of your own city. What could be more traditional than that?

Finally, the Student Code of Dress states: “Granite City CUSD #9 encourages a standard in behavior, dress, grooming, and appearance that reflects pride in self, home and school.” And the District Mission states: “This learning environment must offer students the opportunity to practice and adopt the principles, values, and ideals which will help them to become self-sufficient and effective citizens in today’s democratic society. Our goal is to promote learning as a life-long process.” Is not an outfit that has been a part of our tradition for centuries, traditional enough for a high school prom? Is not the support of a student who is honoring his history and heritage, an opportunity to practice and adopt principles, values and ideals to help them to be more self-sufficient? What message are you imparting on this young man and his peers by negating his opportunity for self expression and honoring his heritage? What message are you imparting in emulating a historical oppression of Scottish culture? What lesson are you, as a Board of Education, teaching your students here?

In closing, I wore my kilt for my wedding. There is no more formal, traditional occasion. I have worn it for nearly every formal occasion since. It is a symbol of my family and my pride. It is a symbol of my heritage. Every instance I wear it, I honor my ancestors and our traditions. Every instance I wear it is an opportunity to enlighten people about my culture and heritage. Is this not part of what makes America the multifaceted tableau of cultures that it is? Is this not part of what makes America great?

I would hope that the opportunity to encourage even one of your students to learn more about his culture and heritage would far outweigh any outdated notion of what is “manly” to wear, and that in preparing children for a global society, perhaps it is time to rethink the definition of “traditional” to be more inclusive of other cultures and heritage. Perhaps then, a young man and his peers will learn acceptance rather than discrimination as part of his education in Granite City.

Sincerely,



Jonathan Palmer
President, Minnesota Coalition of Scottish Clans
president@mncsc.org

In Defense of Jon Stewart: An Open Letter to FOX "News"

Dear FOX "News",

I just wanted to say "Thank you". Thank you for all that you do to bring the absurd to light and make clear that which is cleverly hidden by reason and accountability...

You recent media blitz insinuating that Jon Stewart is defaming Herman Cain because he's Black could not have made it more clear just how hypocritical your tagline "fair and balanced" is. Perhaps it is because you're working under a different definition of "fair and balanced" than the rest of the world uses, maybe your commentators have no journalistic integrity that makes them do more than read off cue cards instead of actually examining the merits of statements, or, and this is my favorite, perhaps your entire network escaped from the Bizarro world of Superman comics where everything is the opposite. I'm really banking on this last one because I know where we can get a whole case of Blue Kryptonite to solve this whole thing, quick snap and in a hurry.

Oh, would that it were that easy to defenestrate an entity with the parasitic impact that you have on the body that is the United States of America.

But I digress...

Stop it. Please just stop it.

You are a cancer on the very conscience of our country. Not because you represent a conservative viewpoint, not because you go after those you view as liberal and "left leaning", but because you consistently omit facts, stretch the truth and frame the simplest of things in the most heinous light possible in order to forward your agenda and scare people into following you.

You are fraudulent and a blatant lie that has been perpetrated on the American people.

I hope this is clear and understandable. I'm trying to think of what you would say in this instance and then express the opposite...just so I can express a balanced and fair viewpoint.

To be clear, I love the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

I think Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are two of the funniest and smartest people in media today, more importantly, they are honest and they have integrity, something which seems to have excused itself from the FOX "News" studios right around the time we started trading in CDs for MP3s. I went to the Rally, I watch the show, but more importantly, I trust them because they are honest about their intentions, their information and what they do.

Oh, and you can actually verify what they say on their shows with reference, sources and research.

The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for FOX "News".

"With great power there must also come great responsibility." A comic book taught me that. A fictional cartoon character espouses a principle so basic yet it escapes the grasp of your network. FOX "News" has one of the largest spheres of influence in the world, but it is squandered away on propoganda and malicious political rhetoric cloaked in the label of "fair and balanced".

So Jon Stewart made fun of Herman Cain and he's a Black man. I'm a Black man and I make fun of Herman Cain. More to the point, I am a fellow Morehouse Man and if Herman Cain were the standard, I would be ashamed to call myself one. But he isn't. He is a sad example of how a significant segment of the Republican party, the Tea Party and FOX "News" continue to use African Americans for their own agenda, not because any of you care about the issues of African Americans but simply because it is expedient and you somehow got the impression that we're all interchangeable.

Expressing an alternative viewpoint is not only healthy, but needed to ensure balance in our world...lying about it, falsely representing yourself in this light knowing full well that all your rhetoric is to cover the agenda you have is so bereft of morals, Rod Blagojevich would back off.

With great power, does come great responsibility and as such, FOX "News", you have a responsibility to your viewers, more importantly to the American people, to stop the intentional misdirection, stop the misleading information and honestly and accurately report the news using actual facts, not something Karl and Sarah put together on a bus ride over. You have a responsibility to be honest, truthful and act with integrity.

So I am writing this, and I'm asking you, FOX "News", to just say "no" and put away the falsehoods, put away the misrepresentation, to put away the lies and be forthright as a news organization should. Because Jon Stewart has done nothing but be fair and balanced in the truest sense of the words, even when having to report on issues that hit close to home.

So you have a choice. You can step up to the plate and do the right thing, or you can continue down a path that will further erode your reputation, sensibility and whatever remains of principles in your studio. The choice is yours, but whichever route you go, leave the hatchet jobs alone. Like him or not, Jon Stewart has been the consummate professional, even when dealing with your network. Stick to battling CNN and MSNBC, rather than using a whole network to attack one man, because, quite frankly, you aren't in his league.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Palmer

If Fox News Is Singing Your Praises, That Should Be A Sign...

and not a good one either...

The recent firing of Juan Williams over some personal profiling comments he made on Fox "News" which subsequently resulted in his being hired by Fox "News" got me to thinking. When I first heard, I wasn't shocked since in our overly PC-ed world, you usually cannot say "boo" in a venue or enclave without getting three complaints against you for defaming the cultural identity of "living challenged Americans" (hey, I worked in a Halloween reference...go me!), but I wasn't sure it was warranted...that is until I started hearing Karl Rove and friends singing his praises like he was the ice cream man and they had just gotten their allowance...and that gave me pause.

See, I like Lou Reed as much as the next person, and don't mind taking a "walk on the wild side" every once in awhile...it's the "Crazy-and-Evil-Side" bus tour where I like to pull the chord and ask the bus driver to let me off.

And if Karl Rove is talking about you like he's giving your eulogy, well, then you're already in the ninth level...

Realistically, Juan's switch is like going from Broadway to the WWF. You're still acting, one of them just has a little more credibility...the simple fact that they call themselves Fox "News" when it's clearly not, should be a clue...

It won't be long now before Bill O'Reilly shows up in a feathered boa and some Zubaz to challenge Wolf Blitzer to a cage match.

But I digress.

When the Dark Lor- I mean, Karl Rove is all over you like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snow storm, I tend to ask a few questions and after looking into things a little more, I can't say that Juan's firing was right or wrong...but as Chris Rock said, now I understand.

See Fox "News" and NPR arguably represent opposite ends of the spectrum and Juan liked to play on both sides of the fence. This was not his first incident of conflict with NPR or controversy. He'd also been a contributor since 1997 on Fox, appear on many of the shows, most notably the O'Reilly Factor where he'd even been a guest host...(guest host?!?!?) Fox loves this kind of thing. Any time they can take a moderate or liberal and turn them to the dark side, even a little like having them straddle the fence, it's a victory. If you can infect light with one sliver of darkness...that darkness will grow, as it did for Juan.

NPR, on the other hand, and I believe rightly so, hates this kind of thing.

Not in the least because the chances of cleansing someone of the bile that is Fox "News" is like curing a terminal disease, miraculous. I mean for all our efforts, all we've managed to get is Alan Colmes (not Alan Keyes, thank God. Really, you all can keep all of that right over there, we have enough crazy on this side).

But the two key points that I think bear noting:

1. Juan has been straddling this fence for too long. You can't "dance with the Devil in the pale moon light" and go to church on Sunday as if nothing has happened, and in this day and age with the culture war that's underway, you can't afford to stand on the sidelines anymore, you have to pick side, X-Men or Brotherhood, and roll with it;

2. With great power comes great responsibility...Juan is certainly entitled to his opinion, but as someone who millions of people listen to and whom Fox would exploit, he has a responsibility to be more judicious in his timing, words and phrasing. Juan's been doing this for a long time and he was well aware of the sensationalistic impression and sound bite that would be created by his "stating his fear", and could have made his point a dozen other ways...why, then, didn't he?
Further having been around Fox before and knowing their racist anti-Muslim sentiment that permeates every broadcast, ever show and every commentator the way your best friend in college puking in the back of your car and then leaving it in the hot Sun for 3 days does your upholstery, he knew they would take this ball and run with it.

And they have.

They have been all over their 24-hour "news" channel calling for a cessation to funding, attacking NPR, wild accusations of racism against them...and Juan has stayed silent...well, except to defend himself and promote his narrative. I get that he's angry. I know he's not happy with them, but responsibly he should be telling Fox to stand down; to allow this to used to attack an institution that he supposedly has believed in and supported like NPR is stepping to the side, standing by and letting the crap happen. Even in the face of adversity, if you're on the sides of the angels, you step up and step in to ensure what's right happens. You don't stand idly by and you don't let setbacks stop you...

There's a battle going on right now for the soul of America. It is being waged on the airwaves and the internet and in the corner store. Fox "News" and the far Right are not merely acting irresponsibly, they are actively and hypocritically undermining our country; more specifically, they are strategically disseminating misinformation to tear asunder the fabric of the very country that they claim to love because it doesn't fit their outdated "old timey" image of what should be...

And we, moderate and liberal, we open-minded have a responsibility to counter this sabotage, to stand against this tyranny that is being thrust upon us and say "No More!" We have a responsibility to pick a side and fight on that side with every strength of sinew we may muster to ensure our country is that which it is meant to be. A shining beacon of hope and truth that is open to everyone.

Coming out of the Bush Administration, we've been dirty for a long while, it's about time we got clean.

It's about time we ante up and kick in.

It's about time WE take our country back from the insanity that has gripped in through fear and prejudice and brave-behind-the-teleprompter sycophants and narcissists.

It's time.

Wake Up America, It's Time To Ante Up and Kick In...

It's been a long time,I shouldn't have left you, without a strong rhyme to step to; think of how many weak shows you slept through, time's up, sorry I kept you...
-I Know You Got Soul, Eric B. & Rakim

I picked that quote by Erik B. & Rakim because it has been a long time since I've written, and when I look at all of the insanity that has gone on around that I might have helped to stem the tide of, I cannot help but feel remorse for not being here when I should have. So from now, at least until the election, I'm going to write as much as I can to show my supporty and loyalty to our President and to our country.

So lend me your ears, my Fellow Americans, for I have words that I would impart to our country...Because that's what it this is about, OUR country.

Recently, our President said something that struck a chord within me:

"It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election."

Inexcusable.

Unable to be excused.

Unjustifiable.

Unpardonable...

Indefensible.

The mission may not be accomplished, but the message has been received. Time to ante up and kick in...

You see, as someone who has severe constraints on his time, there is often a lot I can't do to get some skin in the game...I don't have the free time to do doorknocking and phone calling; lit dropping does not go well with my plantar faciitus and in this tight economy, there is only so much fundraising one can do...

But, I can write.

I can write and say the things that need to be said. Things that must be said and are not. Things that need to be heard.

And so, I am answering our President's call, to do what needs to be done in the way that I can...by writing. For in writing, I can speak truth to power, I can say what needs to be said, and hopefully, just hopefully, snap some people out of the Matrix-like slumber they have descended into.

Our country has been besieged by terrorists from within, small minded hysterics with delusions of grandeur that prey upon the fears of the populace, igniting blind rage and panic that have loosed an evil upon our country, heretofore unknown...

When did this all change?

When did it become okay to dress up racism as patriotism and avoid culpability?

When did it become okay to limit the diversity between us and call it "family values"?

When did it become okay to shout epithets and and spew intolerance under the guise of protecting freedom?

When did America, stop being America?

It did not, but we have been asleep at the wheel.

We have nodded off in the dead of night, threatening to veer into the ditch of ignorance and lose our way along this path.

We must wake up. WAKE UP!

Our Founding Fathers held to be self evident that all men (people) are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, chief among them being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...

In case you didn't realize, that means you can marry whoever you damn well please, regardless of race, color, creed, gender or orientation. There was no asterisk on the Declaration of Independence with a footnote that said: "except 'those' people." To deny this nullif ies your ability to wave the flag and cry freedom.

America, beyond the colonialism that devasted the indigenous people, carried within its founding the principle of religious freedom away from persecutions...

In case you didn't realize, that means that you can build a mosque wherever you damn well please, and standing against this invalidates your right to call yourself a patriot.

They also incorporated into the Constitution the manner and balloting for electing the President and which, when followed, rests the fate of the Country on this one person.

In case you didn't realize, that means that whether you voted for him or not, he IS the President of the United States and should be afforded the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any before him. To disrespect the man, is to disrespect the office, which is to disrespect the Constitution, and within that, the Country. That does not make you an American, it makes you a coward...

We cannot be the Land of the Free, while any amongst us must hide or deny who they are for fear of retribution.

We cannot be the Home of the Brave, if we are so frightened by culture and individuals that are different from us that we cease to stand up for the founding principles of America--Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

We cannot call ourselves America and not embody and exemplify these principles...principles which only truly count when they're not convenient, when you have to struggle and sacrifice to support them, when you have to stand for them.

So here I stand.

This is a serious time, and we need serious people. Sarah Palin, Glen Beck, your 15 minutes are up. Stop wasting the time of the American people and find a new gig...maybe something in the exciting electronics field or check out Brown College...

Really.

Tea Party, you want to take this country back, then start moving forward and understand that it is not enough to put on a tricorner hat and yell, you have to have substance, and actually study your history.

America, stop following whatever talking head pops up with an idea about a fence or following the money (as long as it doesn't connect to them) and begin to look at the truth behind the rhetoric and shouting to see who is really pulling the strings.

Wake up!

Wake up my country, my fellow Americans, and come together now. Cast aside the tyranny of ignorance and recognize the folly in the ways of the past. Be true to the principles on which we were founded, be true to the best of what is in us, be true to the ideal of what is must mean to be an American...Stand with pride, act with honor and live with integrity.

Wake up and be "one together America", with all the differences of opinion and thought that entails, but with civil discourse and honest debate.

Wake up because we are ONE country and it is time we started acting like it.