Could a 'Swing' be Coming?

In 1602, Galileo discovered what is known as the Pendulum (effect) Law, which describes the motion of a pendulum caused by gravity and momentum. The theory holds that cultural, moral and political trends, etc., also tend to swing from extremes over time.

Roseanne Barr, the successful television personality is noted for her oft times outrages comments and statements recently 'tweeted' that a sexual encounter between the Muslim brotherhood and planet of the apes produced Valeria Jarrett (African-American woman) who served in the Obama Administration. This is not the first such 'ape reference' about a Black person made by Roseanne.

ABC canceled the very successful revival of the 'Roseanne Show.' God Bless the power-leadership at ABC. Perhaps, just perhaps the moral dignity entwined in our American fabric is getting dusted off and placed in public view...let's hope and pray.

In this writer's opinion, I have always found Roseanne's product-delivery to be disgusting and vulgar. The revival of the 'Roseanne Show' was highly praised by another disgusting personality, President Donald Trump. This clown, who calls kneeling National Anthem NFL players (making a protest statement) son-of-a-bitches while praising Barr, who once sang the National Anthem terribly off-key, screaming the words, grabbing her crotch and spitting upon completion of the song.

Just maybe, The American Broadcasting Company's canceling of The Roseanne Television Show is taking Galileo's pendulum law to higher ground turning away from the vulgarity of Trump and Barr.
(Touch)
Clean-up Your Mouth

Why Not?

My church should take a cue from that coffee shop chain. Let me elaborate with greater in-depth reasoning:

Perhaps you recall several weeks past when a Philadelphia Starbucks Coffee Store was the scene of a racial incident when an employee called police to have two black men removed from the premise because they were waiting for a friend and had not ordered anything. Well as imagined the 'poo-poo-hit-the-fan.' This resulted in a potentially profit killing public relations problem for the nationwide over-priced java chain. In response, Starbucks closed down their eight-thousand-plus stores for four hours yesterday afternoon for racial sensitivity training sessions for employees. Hallelujah! Starbucks held that oft spoken about but never done 'conversation on race relations.' Gave me an idea. Why doesn't my United Methodist Church have a nationwide race conversation? Come to think of it you Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians, Seventh Day Adventists, Jews, Muslims, Church of Christ, Church of God, Assembly of God, Christian Church. Holy Rollers, and Church of The What's Up should ALL join the race relations conversation.

First, you must accept the following parameters: 1) Once each month the church pastors must conduct a service specifically on racial issues, myths, misconceptions and discrimination. 2) Audience participation is encouraged...it's a 'conversation' folks where we learn from idea exchanges! 3) Every church must have a 'sister-church' and thus engage in a 'parishioner-exchange-program,' i.e. Student-exchange programs similar to one American high school swapping students with a German high school. In other words: We will send you six whites for six blacks, three Jews for three Muslims...you got the idea?

Now, I don't want to upset those staunch conservative Evangelicals who gobbledygook about abortion and say nothing about capital punishment. I dare not suggest that your church change its mission statement of glorious desires, nope! I'm just suggesting that each month we who claim to be believers get out of the pews and into the trenches where we embrace one common mission: 'Understand and Love Our Brothers and Sisters Who Look Differently and Worship Differently than do we.' Wouldn't that be a novel Evangelical idea?

I know, I know! This will never happen because I'm so damn insecure about 'me' that I am fearful if I associate with you I'll begin thinking like 'YOU.' And God forbid we start mixin' races and bar-b-q sauce recipes! And besides...'remember the Sabbath to keep it segregated.'
(Touch)
He's My Brother

Conflicted at Times

 With my thoughts and subsequent desires to share those opinions, I often experience a clash between my personal needs of expression and my fears of adding fuel to the current social-fires of divisiveness. Perhaps like many of you reading these words, I have hundreds of Facebook friends. Most of those friends are much younger and so many look differently than do I. I am fortunate to have great diversity in my life. I relish and thrive in said diversity.

Many of my Facebook friends share similar feelings and beliefs but many also worship differently or not at all, embrace different likes and advance opposing political views...Personally, I love it; as I suggested 'diversity makes my world go round.' So you might ask, where's you personal conflict, Mel? And if you didn't think to ask, I'll take liberties to explain anyway...

Many times when I post my blog, people respond. Some respond expressing agreement while others react with varying degrees of disagreement even disdain. I should state that I never seek one response or the other. I am not particularly thrilled when folks agree with me and I do not take offense when people express anger towards me and what I may have stated. Please understand that I was an athlete who competed in the public arena and I coached high school basketball for thirty-nine years in communities that expected winning. I don't live on 'hoorahs' and likewise the critic never moved my needle.

So what's the conflicted issue within? You've likely already guessed. Often times, my blog creates discourse between folks who are my Facebook 'friends' and too many times those interactions become ugly full blown personal attacks. I ask myself; Mel, have you done a good thing this day with your blog or did you add fuel to our current discombobulated divisive society? And therein lies my personal conflict.

I'm not a complicated person. I have opinions based on my personal experiences, early childhood nurturing and formal education. Although silence 'can' be golden, I truly believe that all people are morally responsible to speak to and oppose that which they think is hurtful to brothers and sisters in this journey. When one seeks to do good but creates bad, one can and should 'feel conflicted.'
(Touch)
My World

A Time To Remember

If you are like me and been hanging around for some time, you recall when this day was once called 'Decoration Day.' That handle eventually gave way to 'Memorial Day' but not much else has changed; we still take a moment to pause and remember those military men and women who gave an ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. We remember by shutting down and perhaps celebrating life and or decorating grave sites.

I often make that memorial remembrance trek twice each year as my wife and youngest daughter's husband and family travel to the metro-east (Illinois) area and pay homage to many family members who have departed this life. My wish for each whose eyes read these words that this day flood your mind and soul with precious memories of loved ones and friends who served in military commitments and also those loved ones who left our journey but gave you a template for living a glorious life.

May each of us feel compelled to pick up the baton and pay goodness forward.
(Touch)
Remember Them

Good Days and Great Days

Yesterday was a great day due to great 'outcomes.'  That's not to be confused with a good day with good 'outcomes.' The outcome great or good turns on the matter of control. I have always felt that if I was 'in control' of the outcome and the result was successful that made for a 'good' day. On the other hand, if I was NOT in control and the result was positive it made for a 'great' day because I was blessed; a recipient of good fortune both of which are beyond my doing.

Usually, I've noticed that those 'great outcomes' also ocurr on the heel of concerns if not angst. Recently, I've had both concern and angst over my wife, Gerry and our puppy, Yodie. For the past two weeks, my wife has been suffering from temple pain and headaches. She went to our family physician who believed she was dealing with a sinus issue and perhaps an infection. The doctor put her on an antibiotic. The issues did not resolve but worsened. My wife went back to the doctor yesterday and explained more adding that three weeks ago she had fallen in the yard while planting flowers. During the fall she struck the back of her head on concrete stones. Immediately, the doctor sent her to the hospital for blood tests, x-rays and CT scans. The doctor's concerns were that of a slow brain bleed or Eustachian tube dysfunctions, which can indicate other more serious issues.

Toy Poodle, Yodie is a backyard security guard. He chases away all critters that dare trespass,,i.e. Squirrels, Rabbits and those little ground Squirrels, 'Chipmunks.' Well, two weeks ago, Yodie bolted from his chair and immediately pulled up lame. The Vet determined that my boy likely strained or tore one of three cruciate ligaments. The Vet will not want to do surgery on such a small dog due to risks and  believes the pup will heal if kept down. Keeping him down has not been a problem because the dog  refuses to walk and only pees and poops if I tell him we are going 'bye bye cars.' I then take him to the back lot at the nearby Target Store where he does his job. For a solid week, I feared the local police would come calling asking me to explain my weird  behavior noted on the Target Store's security camera.

Okay! Now you have the background information causing my personal concerns and angst. Well, yesterday was 'Halleilujah Day!' About four o'clock, I noticed Yodie acting strange. I took a chance and escorted him to the backyard...He pooped! I came inside to share the great news with my wife and noticed she was on the telephone. She had gen greater news. The doctors office called telling her that the CT of her head showed 'NOTHING.' A 'great day' knowing things are returning to normal.
(Touch)
Good Days/Great Days

We Got Trouble

My daily (rants) blogs frequently express personal political and societal concerns and opinions.
Today, I shall offer you, the reader an opportunity to 'express' or sign off on your top three (3) concerns. You may choose those top concerns from the suggested list herein or advance a concern not listed.

In no particular order here are some of the more obvious issues facing our nation:

Protection for first responders.                                              Media Integrity (honesty)
Illegal Drugs.                                                                         Russian meddling in election
Deciding what Nations can have nuke weapons.                  Cancer Research
Economy.                                                                               Race Relations
Health Insurance.                                                                   Free Press
Pollution.                                                                                Political Office Term Limits
Obesity.                                                                                  Choice v. Anti-abortion laws
Mental Illness.                                                                        Permissive Parenting
Declining Church Attendance.                                               Pharmaceutical Costs
Social Media.                                                                         Children Killed at Schools
Illegal Immigration.                                                               Equal Pay for Women
Minimum Wage.                                                                     Lower Taxes
Gun Control.                                                                          Moral Behavior of Elected Officials
Government Subsides for Poor.                                             Government Subsides for Farmers
Societal Moral Decay.                                                            Homelessness
Plethora of Perscription Drugs                                              People Who Write Blogs.      
24/7 Cable News Networks.                                                  Too Many Bread & Cereal Choices    
Military Defense.                                                                   Censorship (Too Much/Not Enough)
Lowering of Academic Standards.                                        TV Sports Too Long Due to Commercials
(Touch)
Ya Got Trouble

Reverse 'White Flight' for Safety Reasons

Since the Columbine High School shooting nineteen years ago, there has been 270 shootings at schools, fifty mass murder attempts at schools and 141 killings committed by 96% white males.

Consider---

In the 1950's, the phenomenon called 'white flight' began in cities. By the late 1960's a significant exodus of white people from the inner cities to the suburbs was staggering. The attraction was three-fold: (1) fears that city property values would decline as blacks moved in, (2) lauded suburban schools and (3) socially embedded prejudices.

There was historical events tied to this 'white flight:' 1954- Brown v. Board of Education when The Supreme Court said school segregation is unconstitutional. 1971-Supreme Court gave its nod to busing students to achieve racial desegregation. Finally, school choice becomes a top issue with parents and many States begin giving financial vouchers to support families leaving public schools for private institutions.

Now, stop and consider the current educational landscape and embrace factors of school safety and learning. I believe we would all say that our childrens' safety is of utmost importance followed by  good schools. Therefore, since affluent white suburban kids, who are more inclined to mental illness than poor inner city black kids, are more likely to steal the unlocked guns of parents and go into suburban school buildings and shoot people, we can conclude that the inner city schools are safer.   Let's begin 'busing white kids' back into city schools for safety. We can then use the voucher money to improve the  teaching and physical environment of the city schools. Dadgumit, I can see the inner city schools having better tennis and swim teams already. Folks, who 'woulda thunk' that one day 'white' kids would be safer attending inner city black schools?

While some folks are hell-bent to build a wall to prevent would be 'thugs' from entering our country and doing us harm, we have our own seemingly 'normal' white kids entering school buildings and killing their classmates. Let's take the Mexican-border wall money and secure our schools and protect our children.
(Touch)
Hammer Out Warning