When Will It End?

From the 1600s right into the 21st Century, The United States of America has been embroiled in racial injustice and there appears to be no end in sight!

Of course, when we look at slavery and its abhorrent effects upon a group of people when controlled and abused by another–there is no way justice could prevail in that situation. Beyond the “supposed end” of slavery, the injustices continued throughout Reconstruction, Jim Crow and even the appearance of Civil Rights Movement which is still being judged today. Did the civil rights movement ensure equality, justice or fairness–not just by society but in the eyes of law and Supreme Court Justices? Or was it all an act designed to pacify people for a time?

Depending upon who is asked, the answers to the aforementioned questions will certainly differ. Though laws were written, supposedly to ensure equality, our society as a whole has either ignored the laws or circumvented them. All of the protests and rallies of the 1960s and beyond have yet to change the mindsets of those in our society who are determined to hate and belittle anyone who doesn’t look like them or act like them. The problem goes beyond being a political issue, but it is an inherent moral, humanity issue and it’s time, we all did something about it.

First steps are difficult when everyone is not on the same page, so it is imperative that we all get on the same page, working to achieve, “total equality and justice” in our society for all people, no matter what their ethnic origin is. The best way to get there in the first step is to start treating all people like human beings instead of subordinates who are inferior to one group. Anyone harboring hatred for anyone else because of their skin color, religion, or sexual orientation needs to take a good look at themselves in a magnifying mirror. It is amazing what one can see when we take a very close look at ourselves and see the flaws that others may not see–with a passing glance. Of course, when we see certain blatant behaviors that indicate the level of hatred that resides within a person, we know they haven’t truly looked at themselves to see what we see.

What does hatred look like? It looks like pure evil–arrogance in how we treat others, defiance in how we refuse to accept all human beings as human beings, and ignorance in not realizing that no one group of people is superior to another–no not one. The evil pervades with lack of knowledge and determination to hold onto beliefs instilled from childhood. In some cases, those with wealth assume they are superior to others because of their bank accounts, not realizing that no amount of money will keep them from the same fate we all face–death. Some are hate-filled because of their lack of ability to achieve what others have when they think their “privilege” should be more significant than someone else’s hard work. Some are hateful simply because they can be–without cause–to unjustly mistreat others.

So, how do we combat the hatred? There is no one answer to this question. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others thought peaceful protests would make a difference. Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes, taking a more militaristic stance against injustice was thought to be the answer. That didn’t work either. The key to combating hatred is two-fold. One way is to wait until those who taught hate, die and the other is to educate–all people–in understanding that love really is key to finding solutions to racial injustice and inequities. But the first “love” must come from loving self. When we love ourselves and want to see no harm come to self, we are generally more compassionate and accepting of others. Love, in its purest form, is seen in our service–what we do for others and how we treat others.

Loving others doesn’t mean we have to agree with them on all levels, it means we’ll acknowledge our disagreement and agree to disagree, civilly, without name-calling or attempts to denigrate with whom we have disagreements. Serving others does not mean we become door-mats, or subservient to others, it means we stand up for what’s right, not afraid to speak truths or denounce lies. Until we reach this stage of interaction with our fellow human beings, we will continue fighting for racial justice and equality and many of us, may not live long enough to see the injustice end.

But while we yet live, we must fight to see the injustices and inequities end for the future of America and in order to do that, we must acknowledge the fundamental rights of all people–as guaranteed in the Constitution and the natural order of humanity. We are all human beings–one blood–bleeding red and we should have the ability and access to voting our choice in any and every election, no matter where we live, without the interference of anyone who disagrees with our decisions. We should not have to continue fighting for the right to vote, but in this society, one filled with hate and deluded by lies, fight we must, and we will.

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Fear In The Absence of Love

The product of fear

When we allow fear to influence our direction in life and what we do, we lose sight of what “humanity” should lead us in doing.

Fear–an unpleasant emotion or thought that you have when you are frightened or worried by something dangerous, painful, or bad that is happening or might happen: (From the Cambridge English Dictionary—cambridge.org)

Fear–a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. (From dictionary.com)

Fear–an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger (From Merriam-Webster.com)

“Perfect love (unconditional love—my paraphrase) casts out fear.”

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (I John 4:18 NIV)

Now, that the definition has been addressed and a biblical concept has been made, let’s look at what fear has done in our nation.

            From the beginning—when the first colonists came to this country—they allowed fear of the Native Inhabitants to influence their decisions and actions. The Native Inhabitants were different—they looked different and had different customs—therefore, they must be “dangerous.” At least that’s the attitude taken when human beings were slaughtered because they didn’t look like or act like the invaders.  Never mind the fact that those same “dangerous human beings” helped the first colonists to survive in this land. When the “killing stopped” of the Native Inhabitants, the white people restricted them the most barren lands and forced them into reservations, without thought as to how they would survive. They did and now the United States Government has acknowledged the Native Inhabitants and attempted in some ways to amend the damage done through various laws and policies. Let’s never forget this one—very important fact—the Native Inhabitants were here in this land—FIRST.

            Moving on to 1619—when the first slaves from Africa arrived on these shores (and possibly before they left the continent of Africa)—they looked different, had a different language and did things differently. But white slave owners didn’t care about the fact that bringing them to a strange land would make them unable to comprehend what was expected of them since they didn’t speak the language. So, what did the white slave owners do? They beat the slaves into submission without ever considering what they were doing to other human beings.

            Thankfully, the Civil War helped to end slavery when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, but it did little to assuage the fear white people had of black folks. Before 1864, there were more black and Native slaves than white people so they made unfair and horrendous laws to maintain control over them (minority rule). Afterwards, during Reconstruction, some white people continued to mistreat and abuse black people, especially the poor, uneducated white people who later made up a large percentage of the “white hate groups.”

            Looking back at history and truly understanding the “fear” white people have of black folks is evident in how they continually tore down and destroyed anything black people as a community attempted to build:

The Atlanta Race Riot

            (blackthen.com)

Hoke Smith was a former publisher of the Atlanta Journal and Clark Howell was the editor of the Atlanta Constitution. Both candidates used their influence to incite white voters and help spread the fear that whites may not be able to maintain the current social order.

The Atlanta Georgian and the Atlanta News began publishing stories about white women being molested and raped by Black men. These allegations were reported multiple times and were largely false.

On Sept. 22, 1906, Atlanta newspapers reported four alleged assaults on local white women. Soon, some 10,000 white men and boys began gathering, beating, and stabbing Blacks. It is estimated that there were between 25 and 40 African-American deaths; it was confirmed that there were only two white deaths.

Greenwood—Tulsa, Oklahoma—(Black Wall Street)

The neighborhood was destroyed during a riot that broke out after a group men from Greenwood attempted to protect a young Black man from a lynch mob. On the night of May 31, 1921, a  mob called for the lynching of Dick Rowland, a Black man who shined shoes, after reports spread that on the previous day he had assaulted Sarah Page, a white woman, in the elevator she operated in a downtown building.

In the early morning hours of June 1, 1921, Black Tulsa was looted, firebombed from the air and burned down by white rioters. The governor declared martial law, and National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa. Guardsmen assisted firemen in putting out fires, removed abducted African-Americans from the hands of white vigilantes, and imprisoned all Black Tulsans, not already confined, into a prison camp at the Convention Hall and the Fairgrounds, some for as long as eight days.

In the wake of the violence, 35 city blocks lay in charred ruins, over 800 people were treated for injuries and estimated 300 deaths occurred.

Chicago Race Riots (1919)

Termed “Red Summer.” On July 27, 1919, an African-American teenager drowned in Lake Michigan after he challenged the unofficial segregation of Chicago’s beaches and was stoned by a group of white youths.

His death, and the police refusal to arrest the men who caused it, sparked a week of race rioting between Black and white Chicagoans, with Black neighborhoods receiving the worst of the damage.

Rosewood Massacre (1923)

Spurred by unsupported accusations that a white woman in Sumner had been beaten and possibly raped by a Black drifter, white men from a number of nearby towns lynched a Rosewood resident. When the Black citizens defended themselves against further attack, several hundred whites combed the countryside hunting Black people and burning almost every structure in Rosewood.

Washington, DC Race Riots (1919)

However, Washington’s Black community was then the largest and most prosperous in the country, with a small but impressive upper class of teachers, ministers, lawyers and businessmen concentrated in the LeDroit Park neighborhood near Howard University.

By the time the “Red Summer” was underway, unemployed whites bitterly envied the relatively few blacks who were fortunate enough to procure low-level government jobs. Many whites also resented the influx of African-Americans into previously segregated neighborhoods around Capitol Hill, Foggy Bottom and the old downtown.

In July 1919, white men, many in military uniforms, responded to the rumored arrest of a Black man for rape with four days of mob violence. They rioted, randomly beat Black people on the street and pulled others off streetcars in attacks. When police refused to intervene, the Black population fought back.

Detroit Race Riot of 1943 (detroithistorical.org)

Like the successive rebellion that would erupt 24 years later, the Detroit Race Riot of 1943 was deeply rooted in racism, poor living conditions and unequal access to goods and services. The apparent industrial prosperity that made Detroit the “Arsenal of Democracy” masked a deeper social unrest that erupted during the summer of 1943. The KKK was active in the region and riots had already broken out in other cities.

Before and during World War II, workers migrated north to seek factory employment in such vast numbers that Detroit was incapable of adequately receiving them. Because black Detroiters were still treated as second class citizens, they suffered disproportionately from wartime rationing and the overall strains on the city. Factories offered employment but not housing, and because whites violently defended the borders of their segregated neighborhoods, black residents had little choice but to suffer in repulsive living conditions.

Detroit’s 200,000 black residents were marginalized into small, subdivided apartments that often housed multiple families. They were crammed into sixty square blocks on the city’s east side, an area ironically known as Paradise Valley.

Knoxville, TN Race Riot (1919)

In August 1919, a race riot in Knoxville, Tenn., broke out after a white mob mobilized in response to a Black man accused of murdering a white woman. The 5,000-strong mob stormed the county jail searching for the prisoner. They freed 16 white prisoners, including suspected murderers.

After looting the jail and sheriff’s house, the mob moved on and attacked the African-American business district. Many of the city’s Black residents, aware of the race riots that had occurred across the country that summer, had armed themselves, and barricaded the intersection of Vine and Central to defend their businesses.

Two platoons of the Tennessee National Guard’s 4th Infantry led by Adjutant General Edward Sweeney arrived, but they were unable to halt the chaos. The mob broke into stores and stole firearms and other weapons on their way to the Black business district. Upon their arrival the streets erupted in gunfire as Black snipers exchanged fire with both the rioters and the soldiers. The Tennessee National Guard at one point fired two machine guns indiscriminately into the neighborhood, eventually dispersing the rioters.

New York City Draft Riot (1863)

The Draft Riot of 1863 was a four-day eruption of violence in New York City during the Civil War stemming from deep worker discontent with the inequities of the first federally mandated conscription laws.

In addition, the white working class feared that emancipation of enslaved Blacks would cause an influx of African-American workers from the South. In many instances, employers used Black workers as strike-breakers during this period. Thus, the white rioters eventually turned their wrath on the homes and businesses of innocent African-Americans and anything else symbolic of their growing political, economic and social power.

The East St. Louis Massacre (1917)

During spring 1917 Blacks were arriving in St. Louis at the rate of 2,000 per week, with many of them finding work at the Aluminum Ore Company and the American Steel Company in East St. Louis.

Some whites feared loss of job and wage security because of the new competition, and further resented newcomers arriving from a rural, very different culture. Tensions between the groups ran high and  escalated when rumors were spread about Black men and white women socializing at labor meetings.

In May, 3,000 white men gathered in downtown East St. Louis. The roving mob began burning buildings and attacking Black people.  The Illinois governor called in the National Guard to prevent further rioting and conditions eased somewhat for a few weeks.

Then on July 1, white men driving a car through a Black neighborhood began shooting into houses, stores, and a church. A group of Black men organized themselves to defend against the attackers. As they gathered, they mistook an approaching car for the same one that had earlier driven through the neighborhood and they shot and killed both men in the car, who were, in fact, police detectives sent to calm the situation.

            Of course, we could go on for decades describing the indignities and inhumane treatment suffered by black people at the hands of white people and all because of their fear of black people. After the Reconstruction Era, fear motivated Jim Crow Laws which further limited the mobility and potential of black folks. All of this is documented in so many places that it would entail writing a book to list it all. But let’s take another look, with a microscopic perspective at events in recent decades—the killing of black males and females by white police officers. Without going into great detail about what is readily known and has been recently portrayed in the review of the practices of police officers who appear to not think twice about shooting a black person (suspect), but will go out of their way to treat known white killers with dignity and humaneness. Why? Fear of black people motivates the unjust use of force and eventual deaths.

            I’m not trying to relitigate the deaths of all those who died at the hands of police officers who appear to have racial bias. That would take too long and not many would read it, but I am trying to show how “fear” in the absence of love, leads to disastrous results. Until we learn how to love, unconditionally, all human beings (that’s not to say we have to agree with them), we will continue to see the ravages of human life at the hands of those who are fearful and promote fear to inflame others. What the world—especially those of us in America—needs more than anything else is “love” and understanding. Where there is no understanding of the experiences of another, we tend to fertilize fear with fearmongering and that has to stop.

It’s Time Folks!

Time to wake up and see clearly all that this election means.

What everyone needs to remember first and foremost are these two facts about the major political parties:

Democrats Care More About All The People Than The Party

Republicans want to control every aspect of a person’s life and care about party ideology more than the people (power over people)

Can I make it plain?

I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears–the kind of hatred and bigotry spewed by Republicans (especially the trump party) that has led to people being randomly targeted and killed, pipe bombs sent to silence those who dare to criticize the orange monster in the White House and all the while–Republican leaders are posturing that they care about human life (trump wants the death penalty back on the books). Here’s what This Era Republicans care about–maintaining power over people (controlling what people do) and maintaining the wealth in the hands of a few. That’s it. They care nothing about the people in America and everything they do–legislatively–proves it.

This administration since 2017 has rolled back environmental protection measures established to protect all of us. They rolled back the requirements for corporations so the corporations could make more money and not be held accountable for the damage done to our health because of toxic soil, polluted water and air. And on top of all that not caring about our health and food supply, they’re doing everything they can to gut healthcare for those with pre-existing conditions as well as remove access to affordable healthcare for the masses. They claim the government can’t subsidize healthcare because it will blow up the deficit. Well, their tax cuts for the wealthy, did just that–blew up the deficit (21 Trillion Dollars), jeopardized farmers with the imposed tariffs, and now–to prove they care nothing about the “poor and the needy,” they are planning to gut Social Security benefits for the elderly, including Medicare and Medicaid for the poor. Veterans don’t matter to them at all as we can see in the fact that there is no one overseeing Veteran’s Affairs with any specific skills to do so.

Even in their political campaigns–though they claim to be “fiscally conservative” they spend more money on negative attack ads than they do commending the candidates. They lie and stoke fear about all sorts of imagined evil (claiming Democrats are evil and planning all sorts of evil deeds–when in fact–it’s them; they’re projecting). They even claim Democrats have no message or platform other than “hating trump.”

Well, I’ve got news for everyone who thinks this lie is true. Democrats have a message and the message is–We care about all the people! We respect the rights of every person to live their own best lives no matter who they love, what faith they practice, the color of their skin or gender. We want common sense gun reforms to protect the innocent and we care about women’s health choices.

It’s time for Americans to make a decision and the decision made with this election will determine whether American Democracy survives or crashes. There is already widespread efforts of voter-fraud with the voting machines used (changing Democrat votes to Republican), voter suppression with contrived justification to keep people from voting due purged voter rolls and alleged “non-matching signatures for absentee ballots” to refusing to allow a bus load of Black Senior Citizens to go vote as a collective group and closing voting locations in key areas in effort to dissuade the vulnerable from voting. This is what is occurring in every state that is currently controlled by Republican leadership. That’s what they do.

Democrats on the other hand, do everything we can to encourage voting by all. Yes, we make recommendations about the issues and candidates, but we ultimately respect the choice of people, believing they’re intelligent enough to make decisions without being led by lies and deception.

I’m very proud of the political ads I’ve seen in which Democratic candidates are merely expounding upon their own abilities to get the job done. Only some of the PACs are airing negative ads, but not nearly in the number that Republicans are airing them. So there are a few things I want every voter to consider:

• Download your sample ballot from your voting district and know who you want to vote for before you get to the polls. In Michigan go to michigan.gov/sos
• If possible, vote early to avoid the frustration of waiting in lines–in most states, absentee ballots are available prior to any day of election. Get one and take your time to complete.
• Make sure you’re familiar with the ballot proposals or initiatives and the judges who are listed in the nonpartisan section.
• Never allow fear to be a deterrent in making your choices.

If Americans don’t make the right decisions about voting in this election cycle–it could very well be our last opportunity to vote since Republicans are more concerned with “controlling the masses” and are planning to rewrite the Constitution to make sure they maintain control. Be wise, research and know whether your representatives care about you or care about controlling you.

 

What Supporting Caging Children Says!

In this political climate–forged by hatred and bigotry on one side (the trump regime), children are caged like animals–separated from their parents–all because they dared to seek asylum in America. I know there are many people who have varying thoughts about this situation, but that doesn’t change the core of the problem. These families–who feared persecution, torture and all sorts of inhumane acts against them–risked their lives and their children’s lives to get away from their countries–hopeful of finding safe haven in the United States.

Unfortunately, what they found was a hateful, bigoted regime–financed by tax payers who would rip their children from their arms, farm them out to detention centers and cage them–without the parents knowing where their children or how they’re being treated. This is the act of a “rogue government” who has demonstrated on more than one occasion they have not respect for the rule of law. Because of their zero tolerance for other human beings seeking safety, we should treat them (Jeff Sessions, Kirsten Nielsen, and trump) the same way–like they are inferior human beings because they are.

The assenting by silence and inaction GOP Congress–does not deserve to maintain their seats in Congress and should be voted out–summarily this November 6, 2018 and for those seats that are up for re-election in the Senate–we need to change the balance of power before we all lose what fragile rights, now observed.

The GOP have failed their constitutional obligations–to keep a check on whoever is in the White House. Because of their inability to do their job–which includes enacting common sense gun reform and immigration policies, we find ourselves in a country which it is easier to buy a gun than it is to get healthcare or get Congress to do their job.

We have a choice in the upcoming elections and the choice should resonate loud and clear to those in the White House–we will not tolerate children being treated like animals! For any “Conservative Christian” to continue to support trump and his unAmerican policies, shame on you. You are not the Christians recognized in the bible. In fact, I doubt seriously if God would recognize any of you as being followers of Jesus Christ. How do I know? Your fear and propensity to accept and promote fearmongering rhetoric tells me so. “Perfect love (unconditional) casts aside fear.” So if you’re acting out of fear simply because a bigoted racist tells you to be afraid, you do not belong to Christ. If you believe trump’s lies and promotes them, you are of your father, Satan–who is the father of lies. And just so you know–Jesus was a brown-skinned man–not white. Those are lies perpetuated throughout Christendom in nations who prefer to promote “white superiority” instead of love towards all human beings.

What you need to do is come out from behind the walls of “fearmongering in the guise of Conservative Christianity” and get acquainted with the real world. More crime is committed by those who were born in this country–Black and White–than any of the immigrants who came here. And while I’m on the subject–the only two groups of people in this country right now–that were never immigrants to America–are the Native Inhabitants and Slaves. Everyone else–chose to come here–as an opportunity to thrive and excel and now–some of you want to deny others the opportunity your ancestors had.

Make no mistake, those of us who are watching and have been paying attention–we knew–Make America Great Again–was all about trying to make America white again. We’re not stupid. I said this from the very beginning of the 2016 presidential campaigns and many tried to tell me I was wrong. What was that? I can’t hear you. Tell me again, I was wrong and I’ll call you a liar to your face (at least your online presence). We have the most bigoted racist person sitting in the Oval Office–ever in the 20th Century and it’s all due to the lie promoted by White Evangelicals and their congregations. GOD DID NOT CHOOSE TRUMP–YOUR BIGOTRY AND FEAR CHOSE TRUMP!

And please–don’t bother to tell about me about your being pro-life because the evidence is in–GOP policies decimate the poor and vulnerable–those lives outside the womb. Those who proclaim they are pro-choice actually mean they are “pro-fetus” since they could care less about life once it puts in appearance. Christian Conservatives are not Christians, but religious people (modern day Pharisees) who are only interested in “controlling” others. That evidence is readily seen–efforts to disband Planned Parenthood (out of fear of white extinction), controlling women’s health and reproductive choices, while at the same time–encouraging sexual predators as revealed in the party of trump. I know a number of Republicans who are not thrilled with the direction this country is taking and some of them are even advocating that everyone vote for Democrats–to save our democracy from becoming a fascist regime led by trump and his Putin cohorts.

Listen and learn, watch a real news channel (Fox is not licensed to produce news, but opinions) and do some research for yourself rather than sitting by complacently waiting to be fed the latest lie. If you support caging children and separating them from their parents, you are not a Bible Christian, but an inhuman perpetrator of lies. And God, not me–will hold you accountable for what you do or don’t do–claiming to be a follower of Christ.

For Just A Minute!

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:6-8 NIV

Though many in the world celebrate “Easter,” those of us who have a relationship with Christ (not a church organization) understand the real meaning of the celebration–The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They (the haters who don’t understand) are alive and well today, as well and we must remember–so we don’t become like them.

He Loved!

They lied on Him.

They beat Him.

They spit on Him.

They crowned Him with thorns.

They nailed Him to a cross.

They mocked Him.

They crucified Him.

They pierced His side with a sword.

He died.

They buried Him.

He Rose.

He Loves!

He Lives!

He is alive and well in the hearts of all who have accepted the sacrifice of His love, all who choose to live the way He wants us to live, and all who know how to love–all others–unconditionally and who defend the rights of the poor and the needy!

He Has Risen!

Celebrate His Resurrection by

Sharing The Love With Others!

Live like Jesus lived–always helping others in need!

 

Rejecting Wisdom Is What Fools Do!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 NIV

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:5-7 NIV

Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? Proverbs 8:1 NIV

for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 8:11 NIV

Whenever we need to grasp a better understanding of what we are seeing in Washington, DC, reading Proverbs reminds us that those who lack wisdom are the fools in charge–for now.

How did this happen? Gullible people–fearful, hateful, and spiteful–decided to believe all the disinformation and misinformation promoted by the racist bigots with the help of Russian trolls.

Though many did not like Hillary Clinton (actually hated her), they hated her without justification based upon the political, tribal agenda of the Republicans. Had they listened to her, and accepted the wisdom they did not agree with–this country would not be a laughingstock in the eyes of other nations. Whether people liked her or not–she told us exactly what would happen if the menace in the White House was elected.

She warned of his being triggered by tweets.

She warned of his authoritarian–dictatorial mentality.

She warned us that he would lie about any and everything.

She warned us that his hatred would reign in his decisions.

She warned us that any tax reform would only benefit the rich.

She warned us that millions would be without adequate healthcare.

She warned us that budget slashes would affect the poor and the needy.

She warned us that he would turn on the LGBQT community.

She warned us that he was Putin’s puppet.

She warned us that his ego would lead us into places wise men would not go.

Isn’t it amazing how God references wisdom in the “feminine” voice! This refutes the notion that God views women as inferior to men.

Since we cannot go back in time and change anything, it is time we sought wisdom and stopped thinking we know it all–like the rest of the fools.

Obtaining wisdom leads us to understanding why right-wing evangelicals felt the need to lie to their congregations and are still lying to America–at those to those who bother to listen to them.

Obtaining wisdom leads us to understanding why we should never take our democracy for granted since we see the results of a wanna-be dictator trying to dismantle our Constitution.

Obtaining wisdom leads us to understanding why we should research information for ourselves and not allow the opinions of a few–especially those with distorted views–feed us information that will eventually lead to our destruction.

Obtaining wisdom leads us to listening to those who are far wiser than we are, whether we agree with them or not–it should make us stop and think–critically–of what it is we’re hearing.

Hopefully, we have seen so much foolishness that we will certainly acquire the wisdom needed to right the wrongs and set America back on the track of greatness and honor. We can exercise wisdom in the coming elections by analyzing what has occurred and concluding what could result if the party of grand old prevaricators stay in power. They have proven they will not uphold their oaths of office and do their job by covering for the pathological liar, making excuses for his incompetence and hatefulness.

Determine now–that never again–will we allow anyone to mislead us and encourage us to vote for political candidate out of hatred, bigotry and fear. For the those of us who claim to be Christians–we should know, “perfect love cast out fear.” Where there is fear, a fearful heart, and unjustifiable fear of people–there is no love. Where there is no love, people live in darkness for love is light in dark places. Where there is love–unconditionally–for all people–there is no room for hatred and bigotry.

Determine now–that we will walk in love towards all people–endeavoring to live at peace with the world, learning to disagree, agreeably–not with malice in our hearts. We will walk in wisdom in coming elections–voting for the person who cares about all people–not just a group–and one who consider policies that benefit all–not just some. America is “one nation” composed of many diverse people–all of whom have much to contribute to our society and our ability to thrive as a nation.

The person we next elect as president of the “United” (not separated/divided) States of America should be an Everyday American who knows and understands the struggles and challenges of Everyday Americans and one who will fight for the rights of all Everyday Americans without denigrating or maligning others.

I am an Everyday American. I cherish and embrace wisdom and know how to reject foolishness. I know I can serve the needs of all Everyday Americans regardless of political affiliations, gender, ethnicity, or faith. My loyalty will be to the people, not a party and I will work with all who choose to serve Americans.

Sometimes I Want To Quit!

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37  NKJV

Every once in a while, I feel like quitting–trying to make a difference for others is extremely hard work–when fighting against the odds or rather the people who hate becomes overwhelming. But then, in my quiet time, I meditate on The Word and remember–as long as God is in the plan, nothing will be too difficult for us (not just me) to accomplish!

Don’t get me wrong–for those who don’t believe in God–that’s your belief and I won’t challenge it, but I believe in my relationship with God and I know–as long as I’m willing to listen to Him, I can’t go wrong. I also know–God is not coming down from His throne to do anything–He has always worked through people and He always will–until He returns to take us home with Him for all eternity.

So, I’m looking for some of those people who are willing to be used–by God and in my presidential campaign efforts. I need to have a conversation with an experienced Campaign Manager and Finance Director. Notice, I said conversation since nothing is written in cement (FEC) and won’t be until November 7, 2018, but  I need to be ready to go, not getting ready to go forth. If this is you–visit and leave a comment on http://www.facebook.com/YesIAm2020.  Read through the material depicting my stance and let me know what you think.

No matter what happens, I’m not going to stop caring about all people, loving all people, and working to make sure all people are treated like human beings–no hate or haters, not fearmongering, just love! So, even if I feel like quitting sometimes, I won’t. This time in my life is far too important for me to quit.

 

We Have Power and Authority!

Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. Mark 6:7 NIV

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Ephesians 3:7 NIV

While the religious are working to undermine the Spirit of The Word of God, we who have received Jesus into our hearts and live to please Him, know we have power by Holy Spirit to accomplish all things–loving all unconditionally–and in doing The Word, not just spouting The Word.

The power and authority are not just given to us to preach the Gospel, but to live the Gospel and to carry over into our everyday lives. We have the power within to receive all the visions and gifts Holy Spirit has for us in order to accomplish all we need to do here on earth.

Unfortunately, there are some who are acting as if the power we have through Holy Spirit is intended to have power over people to control them. God never intended for people–especially not Christians–to control others, but to share the Gospel with them so they, too could receive Holy Spirit and allow Him to control what we do. That’s the Power that needs to control, not the rich who think they are all “powerful” and have a right to dictate to others. The evangelical movement has forgotten what “evangelism” means. It is not about forcing others to share a viewpoint, but to spread the love of Christ and the Gospel message which is “love” not dictatorship. The power we have is not about being religious, but to keep us in Relationship with Christ.

When we love, we do so without hesitation or confrontation, but with acceptance that we are all one race–the human race–and we are all entitled to the same fair, equitable treatment by all. This is not a question of loyalty to a party, but it’s about loving other human beings, not controlling them. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “God allows us to CHOOSE our paths” and no one else should intervene, knowing there are consequences for whichever path we take in life. That’s God’s way; it is not the way of evangelicals who think they need to control others–especially women.

For the rest of the Believers–we must choose to exercise the power and authority given to us through Holy Spirit so we can promote love, integrity and honor in every arena and event in which we participate. GOD IS LOVE! He loves us in spite of our imperfections and He never told us to put political party views over the care of one another. The least we can do is to love others as He loves us and “defend the rights” of the poor and needy. That’s what He expects us to do–not control people.

I can’t speak for others, but my only desire in running for President in 2020 will be to serve the needs of the people, not to beat people into submission to my will or the will of a political party. Hope you’ll stand with me–exercising the power and authority given us to care for all. Check me out on facebook.com/YesIam2020 and watch for updates.

We Must Intercede!

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 1 Timothy 2:1-8 NIV

What does it mean to intercede on behalf of others? We seek God  or act on their behalf when it appears they are incapable of doing the right thing on their own.

Interventions are an act of love and concern for an individual or people who are headed in the wrong direction. Family interventions are needed with loved ones who succumb to addiction or other negative behaviors and in some cases, interventions are needed in workplaces where those in authority fail to see how their actions affect the whole in a negative way.

Since we have an idiot in the White House–who is incapable of rational, logical thinking–we must intercede–praying for him, his family and the entire administration who has succumbed to cult mentality and will not rein him in.

We pray against the lying that is so pervasive from those in the White House, they won’t even admit when they’re lying. They have succumbed to the thought that “alternative facts” are actual facts and not another label for “lies.”

We pray against their plots to conspire against America and all Americans with their blatantly obvious rhetoric and behavior that leads to the erosion of our Constitution and eventual destruction of our democracy.

We pray against all those white nationalists who seek to divide and further destroy humanity with their hatred and bigotry.

We pray against all the dictators and authoritarians and their hold on any US citizen.

We pray against all liars who deliberately attempt to deceive the nations and any group of people by use of false propaganda in whatever form it takes.

We pray that all people everywhere, will open their eyes and see truth, empty their hearts of hatred and allow love to fill the void, and close their ears to lies perpetuated by those who have decided to join the devil’s army and hear only truth from the Spirit of God, residing within.

It is time to stop complaining about all the stuff occurring in our politics, cities, capitol and all over the world and do something. The one thing we can do stop all the stupidity is to recognize and receive truth when we hear and to encourage all to get out and vote–vote for those who have demonstrated by their actions that they are humanitarians, capable of loving and concern for others and not just the folks who “claim to be Christians, but we see no Christ in them.”

It is up to us who know how Christ lived as an example to us to do what He would do. It is up to us to care for the poor, needy, and vulnerable and to fight for their rights. It is up to us to call out lies whenever and wherever we hear or see them. Those of us who know truth, should never be afraid to speak truth and expose the lies and the liars.

Therefore, by now all with a functioning brain should understand that we have a liar-in-chief in the White House and all of his spokespersons lie when they regurgitate his lies. There are no alternative facts to spin the lies–they lie–pure and simple and every time they lie or promote false propaganda, truth is easily and quickly revealed.

Mainstream Media–CNN, MSNBC, NYT, WAPO, ABC, NBC are not fake news. Fox News–is not a news network, but a licensed entertainment network that posits opinions and biased opinions that promote hatred and bigotry. Hillary Clinton is not a pedophile or trafficking in child sex rings–no matter how many times someone says it. Nor is she or Bob Mueller in the least responsible or culpable for the Uranium One situation. That has been debunked over and over again and only the foolish and gullible still believe and promote it.

Time magazine did not call trump to say anything to him about being the Person of the Year, trump was not responsible for the release of the basketball players in China, and he is under investigation–no matter how they try to spin it. More importantly, trump doesn’t have a clue as to what he’s supposed to be doing and those who believe he does–need much prayer and revelations of truth. He is not a savior of the world, nor is he a great negotiator. He is a greedy, self-involved corrupt person (not a real man) who is only interested in making himself richer by violating the Constitution. His rhetoric with North Korea is a distraction to keep his base from paying attention the Mueller investigation which is closing in on all those involved in the 2016 election rigging. Of course those who believe, “God chose trump to be president,” will never believe the truth because if they did, they’d have to admit–they were wrong and actually lied.

Republicans in the House clamoring for an investigation are merely providing a distraction to the gullible in hopes they will not pay attention to the unfolding and revealing revelations about their “savior and his minions.”

It is time–no past time–that we who know Christ–have a relationship with Him and desire to only please Him and not people to act like we know Him and stop spreading the lies and convoluted propaganda that will eventually lead to greater loss of lives than we have recently seen. Hate destroys–love builds. When hatred is the driving force for policy decisions that affect all people, we must root out the hatred and plant love so we will not allow the decimation of millions of people.

In the coming elections–we must not allow predatory, hateful people to sit in positions of authority, making decisions for those they have violated in one way or another. We must vote for those who want to help others. Republicans–at this point–have only shown their love of a fetus–not a life after it gets here with their support of sexual predators, loss of access to healthcare and the very basics of humanitarian need. They should called themselves–“fetus-lovers” since they have no plans to assist lives once they are born. They are not the true representatives of Christ and though they loathe Democrats–Democrats have proven they have more love in their hearts for others than the “fetus-lovers.”

I stand in the gap–interceding for all–for those who hearts need comforting from the loss of loved ones through military actions or madmen assaults because our law-makers care more about the NRA’s donations than they do people; I’m interceding on behalf of all those whose income is less than $75K a year–that they’ll get involved and called their representatives in Congress and tell them, “Not one penny for the rich if the poor don’t get more.” I’m interceding on behalf of all who love truth and will not perpetuate a lie that they’ll find the courage and boldness to call out all who blatantly lie to make themselves something they are not.

Go vote and elect those who care about all people–not just the white people or the straight people or the “fetus-lovers” but ALL people.  This is why we must intercede with prayers and our votes!

 

Giving Thanks!

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. Romans 14:1-7 NIV

Today–encourage all to enjoy the day–giving thanks for all we have, all we didn’t get when we wanted it and for all the miss-steps we’ve taken in life in order for God to get us where we are. I love me–just the way I am–but didn’t always for the way, I used to be. But now, I have a reason to give thanks–daily–the grace of God that has sustained me through trials and wrong directions for over 65 years.

Listen, I’ve been there and done that–facing all the challenges and struggles I know many have and are facing. I know what it’s like to be a single mother raising two children in the depths of the ghetto, always praying for their safety as well as my own.

But I’m a big girl and I learned to take life’s knocks with a spring-back attitude. I never let one failure or disappointment keep me down. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t discouraged from time to time, but I refused to allow discouragement and discontent keep me from my destination even when I wasn’t sure where I was headed.

I had a dream and I put a lot of credence in dreams. For years, I dreamed that I was running through a school, trying to get to class and though I always started out fully dressed in the dream, I always ended up naked–wondering why people were staring at me. When I got a chance to go back to school in my forties, I stopped having the dream. Not only did I complete my BA in Sociology and English, I kept going until I finished a MA in English and Speech and then completed all the coursework for a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English and Special Education.

During a lay-off in which I didn’t have a full time job for two years, I had an opportunity to really look at where I was headed. I realized that teaching was no longer a viable career and I couldn’t/wouldn’t attempt to encourage anyone to go into a field that did not offer a wage comparable to other professions and one in which very few people respected teachers. When I finished the coursework, I stopped–no longer interested in completing that particular path for it no longer had meaning for me and my passion subsided. Don’t get me wrong–I still love teaching–it is my passion, but I could not look another person in the eye and encourage them to get into that field.

At any rate, I retired and am working seven hours a week–teaching college courses. But then came the 2016 election and Hillary lost (with Russia’s help). I, along with millions of others railed against the rigged election, and started working social media to vent. On the night #TraitorDon launched missiles into Syria just to flex his muscles, I dreamed I had a conversation with him. In the dream, I told him I was running for president and he told me, I couldn’t because I wasn’t qualified. I told him I was more qualified than he was and then I woke up. I was attending a tax march and watching others and listening to their concerns, I reflected upon the dream and here I am, months later, preparing my run for president in 2020.

Not everyone understands what’s driving me to do this–especially since I have no previous political experience–but I have a passion to represent all Everyday Americans and to make sure they have a voice in the White House. People I’ve talked to are more concerned about Republicans digging up dirt than I am. I’m not afraid of any discoveries since my life is outlined on the Internet in various mediums.

No matter what others say, I will not be deterred; especially if Democrats are successful in flipping the House in 2018. If I lose, I lose, but no one will ever say I didn’t try. After all, I’m planning to win and I’ll never know what I can do, unless I try.

I may not be the perfect candidate, but there are none. So, here’s what I have–a desire to serve, considering all and not supporting or promoting any policies that cause harm to people, planet or economy. We do not need to build a wall to keep immigrants out; we need to build relationships that solidify positive forward movement. We need to provide accessible, affordable healthcare to every American. We need to focus our attention on making sure our children have access to a quality, free college education. We need to make sure our senior citizens never have to worry about where or how they’re going to live because of their limited incomes. We need to shore up our justice system so justice is equitable and fair no matter a person’s income, gender or race. We need to secure our standing on the global stage by being #1 again in the eyes of other world leaders and doing all we can to make sure the world can live in peace and we can keep our planet sustaining life, not destroying life.

My ancestors were not immigrants, they were imported to make life better for those who migrated from Europe to live in this land. There are groups of hate-filled, bigoted people who desire to deport every person who is not white in order to “preserve their race” with white privilege. I’m not a hater, don’t understand hate and don’t want to understand hate. But I will not stand by and silently allow any group of people to attempt to silence or denigrate others. I’m a known rebel and I won’t stop when I know there’s something I can do to help others.

If you care to read more about my plans to serve as president of the United States of America, please check out my facebook.com/YesIAm2020 page and let me know what you think. It matters a great deal to me since I want to address those issues that matter to all. Thank you for taking the time to engage in the process of making America truly safe again.