Do Democrat candidates have a lock on the Black vote?

A reader posed an intriguing and provocative question to syndicated columnist Larry Meeks, whose ETHNICALLY SPEAKING column appears in many newspapers across the nation. He was asked why any Democratic candidate should waste their resources campaigning in the African-American community because Blacks will vote for them anyway; implying that the issues don’t matter because either we don’t understand them or care, and only putting another Democrat in office is the only thing that really matters. The person goes on to state that Black support for Democrats is almost unanimous at around 90%. Mr. Meeks responded with some kind of rambling, incoherent written dribble that lacked any substance because he didn’t know how to answer the question.

It does however, cause one to consider seriously with some introspection why African-Americans vote overwhelmingly Democratic in such large numbers. Have our leaders, who mostly have emerged from the Black Church, sold us out for thirty pieces of silver or a keg of rum? To think of any other political party is seen as treason and the term, “Black Republican” is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms and for some, tantamount to having a mental disease. And yet, is it not prudent to consider every side of a political argument or policy issue and support any political party that has our BEST interests as their most important concern before we vote for them at the ballot boxes? Latinos have shown that they are not monolithic as is seen in the election of a Spanish-speaking Republican Governor of Nevada and New Mexico, but yet they also contributed significantly to re-elect Jerry Brown as the Democratic Governor of California after a forty year hiatus. It is time for Blacks to look at all our options and choose the BEST candidate and not just vote party anymore because as the old saying goes, “When you lay down with the devil, there’s hell to pay.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 7, 2010
Robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Does “race” affect the success of President Obama’s legislative agenda or is it something else?

Eugene Robinson: Washington Post (rebuttal)

You had an Op-Ed in the Tacoma News Tribune on November 2, 2010 in which it read that "Race" was the reason for so much animosity toward President Obama. This reality certainly cannot be ignored in America because of its past history and into modern times, but how do you explain Barack’s overwhelming election to the nation's highest office and despite the fact of the nation's woes, he still has a high approval rating as far as people liking him? Let me suggest another reason, which was mentioned during the 2008 presidential campaign by none other than Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Sarah Palin, among quite a few others, namely, "EXPERIENCE," or lack thereof. In the Nevada Democratic Primary exit polls of 2008, voters felt that Hillary Clinton would be better at dealing with the Economy (9 percentage points higher than Barack’s), Health care (13 percentage points over Barack), but interestingly, when it comes to bringing about the needed CHANGE to Washington D.C., respondents gave Barack a 60% confidence vote to Hillary's 29%.

Now the flip side of this is that pertaining to Experience, Hillary Clinton received a whopping 87% confidence vote compared to Barack's 7%, and herein is the main reason for President Obama getting so bogged down in the economic and domestic muck and mire, so to speak. Say what you will about former President George W. Bush and Tea Partyer, Sarah Palin, at least they had broader experience than Barack Obama, since both of them served as Governors of their respective states. Hillary Clinton's tenure as NY Senator as well as being married to former President Bill Clinton and as First Lady of Arkansas would certainly be assets for her serving as the President. The idea that a junior Senator from Chicago who hadn't fully served 2 years in the U.S. Senate and whose prior Community Organizer skills and Harvard Law degree could somehow manage to navigate through all the complex domestic and international issues; irregardless of his intellectual gifts, personality, oratory, and passion, it just might be a little bit too much to expect of him. It's not about AUDACITY but rather IRRATIONALITY to look for anything more.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 3, 2010
Robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Democrats suffer heavy losses in mid-term election

This time the pollsters and pundits essentially had it right, namely, that the Democrats would get trounced at the polls; which they did. It is of course that the #1 issue among voters is the economy, and the other concerns are reducing the size of government, along with shrinking government debt, extending the Bush tax cuts, government bail out of the banks and automakers, the mortgage crisis, and Obama-Care. To a great extent, it is about President Obama not living up to his campaign promises and getting so caught up in trying to solve these unexpected financial crises all at once that he lost his focus. It is also about punishing incumbent Democratic members of Congress, some of whom are very good legislators, because of the obstructionist, abuse-of-power and partisan leanings of a few; namely, soon-to-be, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

What is uncertain at this early stage is how much of an influence that the Tea Party had in the outcome and whether Sarah Palin is a political ‘kingmaker’ or not. After all, Christine O’Donnell lost in Delaware, Sharon Angle lost Nevada, Carly Fiorina lost in California, Carl Paladino lost in New York, and Joe Miller is behind in Alaska. To be sure, several candidates backed by the ‘tea baggers’ won, but in roughly half of those contests, these were formerly or presently Red States or districts anyway. Not only that, but some of the Tea Party candidates are a little bit more to the right of the mainstream GOP ideology. What is not known is how Latinos voted, especially in regions of the country where they are the most populous, and did president Obama fail to reenergize the young, college-educated, predominately White FACEBOOK users who supported him earlier, and did African-Americans not go to the polls in heavy numbers as previously?

And what does the election say about Arizona, who reelected a Governor who introduced the controversial, albeit, discriminatory “Immigration Law,” and what about New Mexico’s ouster of a Democratic Governor to elect a Republican Spanish-speaking Governor and Senator; both of whom are female? Meanwhile, in California, of which one-third of the people are Latinos, voted for former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown to the office again after forty years. Does this mean that the Latino votes are not committed to any particular political party and are up for grabs by whoever is sympathetic to their particular cultural needs and concerns?

It is going to be interesting to see how John Boehner, as the upcoming House Majority leader is going to work with his own Republican Party, Tea Party-backed candidates, President Obama and angry Democrats to pass any significant legislation, since he doesn’t believe in compromise. As the old saying goes, “What Goes Around Comes Around,” and it just might be that in another couple of years, it will be the Republicans and their Tea Party surrogates who will be job hunting.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 3, 2010
Robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Will it be Trick or Treat for the Republicans on Tuesday?

Although HALLOWEEN was on Sunday, the real bewitching hour will be after the polls close on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, when it will be known who will get the political “TRICK OR TREAT” goodies of this mid-term election. It isn’t just President Obama and the Democrats who have a lot at stake, but also people like Rep. John Boehner, RNC Chairman Shelby Steele, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and last but not least, Sarah Palin. If the Democrats manage to retain the majorities in both the House and Senate, this will send a resoundingly strong message to the GOP and Tea Party that in spite of all the unprecedented mean-spirited and hateful politics of personal destruction launched primarily against President Obama, still, the American people are willing to continue trusting in the ‘CHANGE’ that he has promised as opposed to the “PLEDGE TO AMERICA” offered by the Republicans.

If this indeed happens and instead of the ‘Thrill of Victory,’ the political Right experiences the ‘Agony of Defeat,’ and have to swallow that bitter pill again, surely they will want to blame this unexpected outcome on somebody, and guess who will be the scapegoat; none other than former Alaska Governor and face of the Tea Party, Sarah Palin. The Republicans took a gamble on her endorsements of candidates, betting that her folksy appeal and catchy phrases would translate into votes across the wide political spectrum, including those undecided Independents, who would sweep out the incumbent Democrats in Washington D.C., thus repudiating Barack Obama’s presidency and leadership. To President Obama and the Democratic Congressional majority, the ‘people’ have spoken and they had better be listening very intently this time.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 31, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Christine O’Donnell is no Constitutional scholar, but she is not alone

It is amazing to hear people argue over the separation of ‘Church and State’ when it really isn’t all that difficult to understand. The first thing is to start with the Articles of Confederation, and then go from there. The original 13 colonies [New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia] were autonomous, self-governing bodies with legislative power invested separately in each State instead of through a central (federal) government. The Constitution was a compromise between State’s Rights advocates and those who wanted a national government (“Federalism”); with the States retaining some of their power, but not with the same authority as before. Even the Constitution itself was an imperfect document, and thus, 27 amendments were added to it, which are now called the “Bill of Rights.”

As it pertains to ‘any’ mention of religion contained in specific wording of the Constitution itself as it was adopted by the Founding Fathers, Article VI, states: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and “all” executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution, but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification [or disqualification??] to ‘any’ Office or public Trust under the United States. Now, Amendment I of the Constitution, says: Congress (Const. Article I, Section I) shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion -OR- prohibiting the free exercise thereof… Usually, this clause is used to prove or even disprove, depending upon your point-of-view, whether America is a Christian nation or not; however, nowhere is the specific theistic religion, “Christianity” mentioned, but rather by the generic term, ‘religion.’ The First Amendment should be read in conjunction with Amendment X, which reads: The powers [Legislative, Judicial, and Executive] not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited [SEE Art. I, Sect. I] by it, are reserved to the States respectively, -OR- to the People.

It would seem from combining the two amendments that the Federal Judiciary has no authority to mandate religious matters among the States, to include banning the teaching of creationism in public schools or determining whether a courthouse can display a copy of the Ten Commandments. Of course, the problem arises when expressions of other belief systems besides Christianity are denied to their devotees. And besides all that, even the Declaration of Independence mentions “Nature’s God,” or “Creator,” to which many religious faiths, both ancient and present, could claim as the object of their worship. In fairness to Delaware Tea Party Senatorial candidate, Christine O’Donnell, Ken Paulson, President of the First Amendment Center, who vindicates her by reminding us that as early as 1640, Rhode Island founder and theologian Roger Williams cited the need for "a hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world." He goes on further to quote the words Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, in which he said that the language of the First Amendment built "a wall of separation between Church and State."


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 19, 2010

Christine O’Donnell may just be her own worst enemy

Perhaps Karl Rove, former GOP political strategist and brilliant architect of two George W. Bush presidential terms, hit the nail on the head when he said that Christine O’Donnell has a history of saying, “nutty things.” This could not be any clearer than at her first opportunity to publicly explain what her agenda is, she uses the time to explain her past involvement in “witchcraft,” instead. It would seem that she just shot herself in the foot and greatly diminishes voters taking her seriously to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Notwithstanding her previous statements about “masturbation and pornography” are adultery, using condoms are “anti-human,” or about her academic record, and misappropriating campaign funds for personal use, certainly Ms. O’Donnell may have to clear up for voters the part about dabbling in the occult arts. The outcome in November will be more than just reading tea leaves or wiggling her nose because people aren’t looking for a magic act or a “wack-job,” but for someone who can do the job of being a great legislator who seeks bi-partisanship support and has a good plan on how to bring solutions to Washington D.C, instead of using the same old, stale anti-Liberal, anti-Big Government, anti-Womens Choice, anti-Gay Rights, we are the true "patriots" and family-values standard bearers rhetoric.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 5, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

What really brought down the Twin Towers?

Although it has been nine years since the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, still this question still lingers in the minds of Conspiracy Theorists; and not without some justification, it seems. That the mighty towers came crashing down after being struck by Boeing commercial aircraft is, on second thought, quite implausible if the structural architecture is taken into consideration. According to WIKIPEDIA, The Twin Towers had a tube-frame structural design system with high-strength, load-bearing perimeter steel columns called Vierendeel trusses that were spaced closely together to form a strong, rigid wall structure, supporting virtually all lateral loads such as wind loads, and sharing the gravity load with the core columns.

The perimeter structure containing 59 columns per side was constructed with extensive use of prefabricated modular pieces each consisting of three columns, three stories tall, connected by spandrel plates. The spandrel plates were welded to the columns to create the modular pieces off-site at the fabrication shop. Adjacent modules were bolted together with the splices occurring at mid-span of the columns and spandrels. The spandrel plates were located at each floor, transmitting shear stress between columns, allowing them to work together in resisting lateral loads. The joints between modules were staggered vertically so the column splices between adjacent modules were not at the same floor.

The core of the towers combined steel and concrete structures of each tower with a rectangular area 87 by 135 feet (27 by 41 m) and contains 47 steel columns running from the bedrock to the top of the tower. The large, column-free space between the perimeter and core was bridged by prefabricated floor trusses. The floors supported their own weight as well as live loads, providing lateral stability to the exterior walls and distributing wind loads among the exterior walls. The floors consisted of 4inches (10 cm) of thick lightweight concrete slabs laid on a fluted steel deck. A grid of lightweight bridging trusses and main trusses supported the floors. The trusses connected to the perimeter at alternate columns and were on 6 foot 8 inch
(2.03 m) centers. The top chords of the trusses were bolted to seats welded to the spandrels on the exterior side and a channel welded to the core columns on the interior side. The floors were connected to the perimeter spandrel plates with viscoelastic dampers which helped reduce the amount of sway felt by building occupants. The trusses supported a 4-inch (100 mm) thick lightweight concrete floor slab with shear connections for composite action.

The impact from the aircraft smashing into the upper floors and the resulting fire from burning jet fuel would not be enough to melt steel girders and break down the reinforced concrete structures which were designed to withstand significant shear stresses, damaging a 107 story building to such an extent that it would come crashing down to the ground in a heap of twisted metal girders, dust and ash. Instead of the planes weakening the integrity of the buildings beyond a critical point, it is more likely that a simultaneous demolition-like detonation of explosives at vulnerable areas, probably including the elevator shafts, could be responsible for this tragedy. Even scientific tests, including forensic examination on any available evidence scattered among the remaining debris were not performed by independent, non-government laboratories and the results have not been made available to the general public.

So, yes, the Twin Towers as well as the Pentagon were destroyed and over 3,000 American citizens of various nationalities, ethnicities and religions were indeed murdered by terrorists, but the real question remains largely unanswered, namely: Did all these former terrorists from Saudi Arabia orchestrate such a masterfully deadly plan on the American homeland by themselves or did they have help from inside the United States?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 28, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Trans-racial adoptions by White Celebrities on the rise

Pop Super-Star performer and “Material Girl” MADONNA is probably the first well-known celebrity to adopt a non-White child, followed by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman [when they were together]. After them, it is Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (“Bradgelina”). Following their lead are: Hugh Jackman (aka “Wolverine”), Katherine Heigl (“Grey's Anatomy”), Jean Smart (“Samantha Who”), Sandra Bullock, and even Julia Roberts (“Pretty Woman”) wants to adopt a little Indian girl; not such a surprise since she is a practicing Buddhist, by the way. With Sandra Bullock, it just might be ‘Art imitating Life’ because of her starring role in the movie, “The Blindside.”

The issue is not to criticize or demonize Whites who want to adopt a Black child, and it is doubtful that the adoption agencies and Foster Homes will suddenly find that all their children of color have mysteriously disappeared (“raptured”) to suddenly reappear in all the available White households. Based on the latest adoption statistics, of all the Black children in the foster care system, 32% of the 510,000 children in foster care are now Black. According to the New York Times, 26% of adopted black children in 2004 were adopted by mostly white parents and in a 2000 census, 16,000 households had adopted black children. This may not be all that surprising because the records of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers of Disease Control (CDC), 2008 Vital Health Statistics Series indicate that 84% of white adoption seekers would prefer or accept a Black child.

One could ask the question as to why not adopt another white child and provide him/her with a good home, education, financial security, affluent lifestyle, happiness and all the rest? Of course, one cannot dismiss the psychological implications and difficulty of being in an environment surrounded by people, no matter how loving, who don’t look like you do; which is the concern expressed in a 2008 study by the Evan B Donaldson Adoption Institute. In an earlier opinion posited in the early 1970’s by the National Association of Black Social Workers, it branded trans-racial adoption as “cultural genocide.” They further state: “We affirm the inviolable placement [right] of black children in black families where they belong physically, psychologically and culturally in order that they receive ‘the total sense of themselves’ and develop a sound projection of their future.” Can a non African-American parent raise a Black man-child into manhood, and will they be able to explain things that they are [should be] accustomed to on a personal level?

As a final point, since the main concern is adoption by the “RICH & FAMOUS,” what has not been considered is when, say, someone like Ellen DeGeneres & Portia DeRossi, Melissa Ethridge or Rosie O’Donnell should want to follow suit in the same manner, what then? Perhaps before either a celebrity or average person decides on such a personal commitment they should watch the movie, “Losing Isaiah” to introduce them to some things they might want to consider beforehand.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 30, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

What life was like in America before 9-1-1 had happened?

It is hard to imagine what America was like before September 11, 2001 because this single act of terrorism on our native soil has been the defining moment for the United States in the modern age. It is a “new reality” and surreal moment that will be forever etched in our national consciousness; much like the rallying cry of the frontier Texan patriots, “Remember the Alamo” in memory of the sacrifice of their brave comrades at the hands of the Mexican army under General Santa Ana. Surely there must have been other significant events in the country before the attack on the World Trade Center(WTC), Pentagon and when the Twin Towers came crashing down while the news outlets broadcast the tragedy ‘Live’ and in ‘Living Color’ right in front of our very eyes on every television set.

According to the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center, during the first eight months of 2001, the rising price of gas and China’s release of a detained American air crew in April were the only stories followed closely by the majority of Americans. The biggest story of the summer was the media-driven obsession with the scandal involving California’s Congressman Gary Condit and the disappearance of Washington, D.C., intern Chandra Levy. Also, there was the execution of Timothy McVeigh for bombing the federal building in Oklahoma; U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont quits Republican Party and becomes an independent, tilting control of the Senate to the Democrats; the power crisis in California; Europe is hit by mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases; the rising power of the European Union and introduction of a common currency (the EURO); the United States withdraws from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM); the collapse of ENRON, and saving the best for last, the controversial first term election of President George W. Bush, which resulted in the intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court amid lawsuits alleging ballot improprieties and violation of federal law.

It is interesting to note that within eight months after President Bush took the oath of office that the awful terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 helped inaugurate modern warfare and redefine American nationalistic and ethnocentric ideology. The nation cannot go back to the former times of innocence or perhaps naïveté is a better word, and we must be forever vigilant and be on guard against any suspicious set of circumstances, abandoned vehicle or package which may be a deadly booby-trap set by a terrorist. That the Bush Administration and officials within the Armed Forces Intelligence communities, the FBI, NSA, Homeland Security, or CIA could not have connected the dots from a trail of clues that could have circumvented this tragedy is an open-ended question that might not ever be answered honestly. One thing is certain, which is, the on-going anger over the election of George W. Bush as President when Al Gore won the ‘Popular’ vote was consuming the energy of the nation and “THE PEOPLE” felt cheated and were so outspoken that it was dubbed “THE STOLEN ELECTION.” The ability of President Bush to lead the nation was in question as he was caricatured with the honorarium as either, “HAIL TO THE THIEF,” or the “COMMANDER-IN-THIEF” as the legitimacy of his presidency was at odds with the majority of the American people. THEN 9-1-1 HAPPENED AND THAT WAS THAT; coincidence you say, “I think not!”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 29, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Some Straight Talk about Gays serving in the Military

It is time for people to finally get a grip and come to their senses on this contentious issue. There is a sort of irrationality and mental disconnect that lead people to contend that having gays serving in the Armed Forces of the United States will somehow threaten the effectiveness and unit cohesion of our fighting forces, posing a grave national security risk; such concerns are unwarranted and utter foolishness. Attorney and retired Army Major, Jeff Cleghorn, who is gay, quotes Armed Services Committee member, Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss, as saying: “Allowing gays to serve openly might somehow lead to alcohol use, adultery, fraternization [with whom??] and body art [tattoos??].” That statement makes about as much sense as the one made by Christine O’Donnell, the East-Coast Sarah Palin, who once said that “Masturbation is Adultery.”

Former President Bill Clinton, in an effort to gain the support of gay and lesbian voters, was instrumental in the passage of “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” which is a dumb and unnecessary law because after gays have finally come out of the closet in the larger society, are they now to go back into the closet and their sexual orientation hidden during deployment in one of the branches of the Armed Services? Some will contend, as does retired U.S. Air Force Major General, Rich Goddard, enlistment into the military by gay Americans is not an act of patriotism and duty but part of their larger agenda to infiltrate the branches of the Armed Forces with a lifestyle that is objectionable to most Americans.

Another concern, which is relevant to the issue is, Section 654 of U.S. Code Title 10, which states that gays are not eligible for military service, and that the military is a “specialized society” that is different from the rest of American society, requiring a code of conduct and discipline that is more restrictive than for the average citizen. Also, gay men are thought to have anonymous sex with multiple partners and frequent places such as libraries, theatres, bowling alleys and movies, targeting and preying upon impressionable, more vulnerable younger children. However, similar claims can be made for the many male heterosexual predators and pedophiles who lurk at these places, also. It is true that the “special culture” within the military has no parallel in American society; still, it is not separate and apart from the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, which guarantees all citizens the right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

That the presence of gays in the military will in some mysterious way lower morale, weaken the bond of discipline and retard the readiness and training of our troops is not based upon any credible scientific evidence or study but rather on prejudice, fear, hysteria and should not be tolerated one bit. If these brave and patriotic men and women are willing to give their last full measure of devotion to the nation that they love, then we should honor them with the respect and dignity that they so richly deserve.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 24, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

It’s time for a clean sweep in the Nation’s Capitol

The Democrats cannot say that the rumors of their death is premature because the way things look now, it is likely to be a day that undertakers would turn green with envy; and it seems that there is only one person who mostly gets the blame. President Obama missed the incredible opportunity he had then to unite the country. It was also a time of great disenchantment over the 8 years of George W. Bush, and people were looking for a ray of HOPE, so here cometh the MESSIAH; politically speaking, of course. Well, now we know that he cannot create jobs out of nothing nor can he make the deep waters of partisan, political division come back together again.

Now what is needed in Washington D.C. is a clean sweep. Presidential candidate Barack Obama's famous quote of "EIGHT IS ENOUGH" should apply, in principal, to those "lifers" now serving in Congress. All the incumbents who have been in office more than, say, four terms, should be voted out of office and replaced by someone else; hopefully, a person of integrity who is willing to really work in a bi-partisan fashion to solve the problems facing all Americans. Give these four the HEAVE-HO: Nancy Pelosi, Sam Reid, Mitch McConnell, and John Boehner; and for president Obama: “WE SAY NO TO FOUR MORE.”

Perhaps the lament of Cassius in the quote from Shakespeare is appropriate at this stage: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings."


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 15, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

The Death Penalty is established by the ordinance of God

Protesters held a silent vigil outside the State Capitol in Olympia, WA in opposition to the execution of Cal Brown, who brutally raped and murder a young woman who had not even reached her twenty-first birthday, nearly twenty years ago. Opponents of this form of capital punishment carried signs which read: that it is state-sponsored execution, it doesn’t deter crime, it doesn’t provide healing and closure for the victim’s loved ones, and it leaves other families [besides the victim’s] grieving, too. While this type of response might be expected from some citizens, it is a little surprising to see Christians among the group because God ordained it in the very Bible they read from each Sunday.

In fact, when God did not personally punish someone for a serious crime [sin], the people were commanded by God to carry out the death sentence themselves. This principal is actually at the heart of the matter because any sin or offense [criminal act] was not a judgment upon just the individual, but upon the entire community or nation. There were instances where an offender paid financial restitution, sacrificed a peace offering to God, or paid the ultimate penalty, “Their very life!” It would be interesting to find out how many people would be against the Death Penalty for the commission of a capital offense if everyone had to suffer, because the punishment for it was not carried out speedily, or it was delayed for years due to the judicial appeals process.

NOTE: Read in the Bible Exodus 31: 14; Numbers 15: 32-36; Romans 13: 1-2, 5 for further consideration.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 10, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

The Dove World Outreach Church offers bonfire instead of Olive branch

In commemoration of the ninth Anniversary of terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon by Middle Eastern suicide bombers on September 11, 2001, Evangelist Terry Jones and his Gainesville, FLA congregation are planning to light a bonfire in a field outside the Church with several hundred copies of Muslim sacred book, the Holy Koran. The Church website says that it wants to show Islam as a violent and oppressive religion, but isn’t a public display of heaps of religious sacred literature set ablaze also an act of “violence’? Somehow the leaders and parishioners want to split hairs over the ‘act’ of burning copies of the Koran as hating the ideology and teaching of Islam but not hating the people who practice it, because after-all, as they say, “WE LOVE, AS GOD LOVES.” It is interesting how they can make the fine distinction between desecrating someone’s holy book, but yet feel as though they have not harmed anyone. If there is a person who believes that logic then I have some oceanfront property to sell them in arid Arizona.

Also, Pastor Terry Jones has a hate Manifesto called TEN REASONS TO BURN A KORAN, but it appears that he must not have studied too diligently at Theological Seminary or Bible College, as his propositions will be refuted in order, as in below:

MAJOR PREMISE: Islam is a danger and is of the Devil
FACT: America is not threatened by the ritualistic practice and belief system of any religion, and it was not Islam that destroyed the Twin Towers and part of the Pentagon nine years ago, but by gullible men who were part of a conspiracy devised by some Middle Eastern religious fanatics operating under the guise of Islam to gain worldwide attention by striking a blow against Western Imperialism through their martyrdom.

I. Islam teaches that Jesus is not the Son of God.
FACT: Other religions, including Judaism teaches that Jesus was not the Son of God and not only that, but the divinity of Jesus has been debated within Christianity for centuries.

II. The Koran is not the word of God but is written by man.
FACT: There are theologians and Bible scholars who do not believe that every single book in the Bible and every passage were written solely by the directive of God, nor are they convinced that every book was actually written by the ascribed author. Not only that, but most if not all religious and secular Jews reject the inspiration of the Christian New Testament.

III. The Koran has teachings about idolatry, paganism rites and rituals.
FACT: The Jewish Bible [TANACH; Old Testament] especially, has pagan rituals, incest, murder, deceit, rape, nudity, X-rated sexual connotations and language, cannibalism, genocide, animal cruelty, greed, and even more that are contained within what is considered holy and sacred text.

IV. The earliest writings attributed to the prophet Mohammed appeared 120 years or so after his death.
FACT: The dating of the books in the Bible are only arbitrary and guesswork at best because there is very scant or contradictory historical and archaeological evidence [in some instances] to substantiate its claims. The reason that even some of the people the Bible mentions are believed to have existed is that some of them are chronicled in the histories of other civilizations in the Mesopotamian region. Even the earliest gospels about the life of Jesus of Nazareth appearing in writing on parchment or papyrus aren’t even found to have existed until nearly a century after His death and resurrection. There were historians throughout the Roman Empire before, during, and after His time on Earth and there was no mention of Him in their writings.

V. Mohammed’s life and message cannot be respected because of all the assassinations, massacres, worldly ambitions and power.
FACT: The same thing can be said about all the massacres of families and rival kin in the Jewish Old Testament, especially reading the books of JUDGES thru CHRONICLES. Also, in the times of Jesus of Nazareth the family of the Jewish High priest, the Pharisees, probably Herodians, and King Herod secured their positions of power through bribery, intrigue, murder, betrayal, etc.

VI. Islamic Laws are Totalitarian [not Democratic] in nature; no separation of CHURCH and STATE and not consistent with American life and values in a Representative Democracy.
FACT: Ancient Israel was to live under God’s rule and even the secular government was under subjection, and it was a THEOCRACY where it was God’s way or the highway. In reality, it was more limiting than that because the Law [Torah] of God was religious/spiritual in nature and covered all aspects of society. The penalty for violating the commandments of God was not administered by the civil authorities but by the religious leaders and the people as authorized by the LORD Himself. So the Islamic “Shria Law” is really no different in principal than what the ancient Israelites lived under.

VII. Islam not compatible with Democracy and human rights, especially with regards to its attitude, subordination and treatment of women.
FACT: In spite of America being a Christian nation founded upon Bible principles by offering freedom, equality, and Democracy to all who walk upon her shores, yet, this country has subjugated, mistreated, and discriminated against women and people of color throughout most of its history.

VIII. A Muslim does not have the right to change his religion and apostasy is punishable by death.
FACT: The ancient Israelites certainly were not allowed to apostatize [reject the LORD God for one of the pagan gods] without dire consequences. Even throughout the early history of Christendom, apostates were dealt with harshly [banishment, torture, confiscation of personal property] and even some put to death if they did not recant their treasonous blasphemy and pledge their loyalty to the True Faith and Mother Church.

XIX. Deep is Islamic teaching and culture is an irrational fear and loathing of the West [America and other Western nation’s cultural values, freedoms, independence]
FACT: Where is this found in the Koran [Sura. . .]?

X. Islam is a weapon of Arab Imperialism and Colonialism.
FACT: American has more military bases in more countries or geographical regions than any other nation or all nations on the planet. America has exploited the wealth of Third World and Middle Eastern countries than any other nation and just because it says it is a Christian nation and has the holy Word of God does not make it God-like. In fact, in the short history of this Republic, American has probably been involved in more wars than many nations who are centuries older than it is.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 7, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Seattle Police involved in fatal shooting of deaf man

A 50 year-old Native American man, John T. Williams, who was deaf in one ear was shot and killed by Seattle Police Officer, Ian D. Birk on August 30, 2010 at the corner of Howell Street and Boren Avenue near Pike Place Park in Seattle, WA. The fatal incident [not confrontation as portrayed in the news] occurred when Officer Birk spotted the suspect displaying a small knife that he was cutting into a block of wood, from looking from his patrol car. Although Officer Bilk stopped his car and activated emergency lights, the audio recorded his verbal commands to Mr. Williams but interestingly the video inside the squad car did not show what really happened. Not only that but the officer was not equipped with a Taser [or pepper spray apparently]. Mr. Williams died from wounds inflicted by 4 bullets discharged from Officer Birk’s service revolver. Seattle Police Chief John Diaz has some questions about this third incident this year where police have had to discharge their weapons; as well he should along with the public, news reporters and possibly the Justice Department.

According to Mr. Williams’ siblings, John lost hearing in his left ear eight years ago due to an ear infection and usually wore headphones but there is no evident that he was wearing them at the time he was fatally shot. John was a seventh-generation wood carver and learned the trade around the age of five or six, along with the rest of his eleven brothers and sisters. The question which could be asked is: “How did the deceased Mr. Williams come to the attention of Officer Birk in the first place, while on patrol in his police cruiser in the neighborhood. And as for the three inch knife that was used to whittle wood carvings and totems which posed a grave threat to the officer’s safety, it meets the legal requirement for carrying a concealed or unconcealed weapon, according to the Seattle Municipal Code. Isn’t it just possible that when Mr. Williams approached Officer Bilk that he was doing so because he couldn’t hear the officer’s commands and wanted to communicate that he was deaf in one ear instead of wanting to harm him? Ironically, as part of training, Seattle police officers go through potentially lethal scenarios and one of the possible scenarios is approaching a deaf individual.

Oftentimes, a person’s past criminal record is introduced as a sort of mitigating evidence to justify the use of deadly force by the police to show their conduct as an ever-present danger to society that warrants this kind of tactical response. The only thing is, the police in most cases have no knowledge of prior criminality, and even if they did, not all situations justify them to be judge, jury, and as it seems in this case, executioner, too.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 2, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Think You Really Know What Freedom Is, Guess Again!

Filmmaker Ken Burns made a PBS documentary film in 1995 by the title, America: The Statue of Liberty, in which the question was asked to several notable American citizens; namely, former Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and writers James Baldwin and Jerry Kosinski. The question was this: “What is Freedom?” One would think the answer would be easy and so simple as to not even merit giving it much thought at all, but such was not the case. American history and cultural tradition is steeped in lofty words as freedom, liberty, independence, but its meaning or definition is determined by the contextual framework of what one has experienced and whether the person is a natural-born citizen or an immigrant. Almost every one of us has a ‘feel’ for what we think freedom is or what it means to be free, but is an emotional or intuitive response sufficient to act as the determining qualifier for something that all of us yearn for and experience in American society; even if we cannot adequately put it into words. So, in order to help solve this possible dilemma, WEBSTER’S will be an invaluable tool for defining “Freedom,” and its cognate words, “Liberty” and “Free.”

Liberty (noun)- The quality or state of being free; the power to do as one pleases. The enjoyment of various social, political or economic rights and privileges; a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant.

Freedom (noun)- The quality or state of being free; the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. (syn)- The power or condition of acting without compulsion or constraint [which encompasses the broad range of a total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered].

Free (adj)- Not subject to the control or domination of another; not determined by anything beyond its [ones] own nature or being; not bound, defined, or determined by force; not subject to [any] restriction, government regulations or official control; having no obligations or commitments.

It would seem that the most cherished and sought after of our Constitutional rights can be dangerous and harmful in its most absolute and extreme set of circumstances; bringing about what WEBSTER defines as “Anarchy.”

Anarchy (noun)- The state of lawlessness or political [and social] disorder due to the absence of governmental authority; the enjoyment of complete freedom without rules and regulations.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce ST. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 30, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Through the Looking Glass: Slavery's Legacy in retrospect

Many Americans tend to view slavery with horror, shock, disbelief, and even denial. The imagery is painful and wrenching as the level of cruelty and brutality is unparallel in scope among the annals of human history. The long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean enclosed in cramped quarters, shackled around the ankles, wrists, and neck by iron chains allowed little in the way of mobility or comfort for the captive slaves. Many slaves grew sick and diseased from the cramped conditions, darkness, and dampness, lack of proper ventilation, sanitation, as well as suffering the devastating effect of malnutrition. The gravely ill slaves are separated from the healthy so as not to infect the other slaves. Those slaves who would not survive the long and arduous voyage were tossed overboard to the waiting arms of the sea and the various schools of sharks that follow the slaver's ships.

Even the few healthy slaves who were allowed onto the deck of the ship either mutinied or voluntarily flung their infant young or themselves into the churning sea because they reasoned, " it is better to die free than live in bondage.” The terror from witnessing the piercing screams of life's last struggle by those appointed for death was enough to break even the staunchest survivor's spirit. Some of the male slaves, cruelly forced to do the rowing, tasted the lash of the whip on their strong backs and sinewy shoulders. A voyage of the damned, awaiting a fateful and uncertain future in a strange land, a trail of tears and blood, anguish of soul and spirit, and at the bottom of the ocean depths, a valley of incalculable bones and skeletons, bridging ‘Alkebulan’ (Africa) to the New World of the Americas.

It is ironic that feet which once danced to the drumbeat of freedom and that chased the swiftest of animals are now forced to walk single file down the gangplank, in one long chain of human misery, to be auctioned off one by one or in groups, to the highest bidder. In this assemblage stood proud, erect, and strong bodies that in the past triumphantly marched in valorous combat or religious ceremonial dances, now bent over and broken. The clanking sounds made by the metal chain links of iron, worn as a symbol of subjugation by the slaves, drown out the pulse-pounding heartbeat of their fear and horror. The prospective owners examine and inspect the human captives as one would a dumb animal for purchase. Men with vile hands touch and examine individuals of similar flesh and blood; no areas of the body deemed too personal or private.

The powerful, virile ‘Mandingo warrior’ type male slave would do the labor-intensive work in the fields. The female slave with full breasts as well as wide hips, are utilized for breeding, and the elderly or infirm slaves worked inside the “big house” as domestic slaves. Slave mothers had their infant children forcibly snatched from their protective bosoms and sold to another slaveholder right before their eyes. Emasculated male slaves have their manhood stripped away from them, as they are unable to protect the female from sexual abuse and rape by depraved white men. One can only imagine the fear and confusion experienced by this special group of people torn from their motherland.

These people not only lost their families, but their oral histories, traditions, and native languages as well. According to an old African proverb, “those who do not know their history are dead.” The irony is that the word, ‘Negro’, which etymologically means, ‘dead’’, and it doesn’t matter if a person is referred to as Colored, Afro-American, Black, or African-American, it essentially comes down to the same thing; a loss of cultural identity. Whether one admits it or not, the evidence can be seen in the lifestyle choices that a number of African-Americans make.

Because of the devastating impact of slavery in America some nearly three centuries later, a particular segment of American society still struggle to find not only their ‘roots’, but also a sense of unity, self-determination and a rich legacy of pride and accomplishments to pass along to succeeding generations. This ongoing dilemma does not in any way exonerate White America about her past, that horrible legacy of “chattel slavery”, and it cannot be forgotten since it is indelibly etched in our national consciousness and history. America cannot deny that this event took place nor can she justify its legitimacy.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

Man in the Mirror

The Jewish prophet and Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth mentioned about the the "poor" in one of his many sermons in the Judean hill country nearly two thousand years ago. His attention to their plight echoes with solemn importance and obliges us today to give heed to ourselves and our mutual responsibility as our brother's keeper. All societies have the arduous task of dealing with the issue of homelessness and poverty; it is a problem that will not simply just go away. In America, supporters and critics alike have weighed in on this topic of intense public debate with the interest of shaping social policy.

Some proponents feel that it is a religious duty to help the needy, poor, and the homeless in our midst. They believe that it is the moral imperative and obligation of an enlightened society in such a prosperous and wealthy nation as America to perform this form of social philanthropy. Detractors, on the other hand, feel that this is a waste of valuable resources and that, "if a person doesn't work, then neither should they eat". These individuals charge that the local, state, and federal programs are nothing more than social welfare (socialism), forcing the already heavily burdened taxpayer to pick up the tab (absorb the costs incurred with implementation of these programs) to the detriment of other needed services such as building larger jails and prisons for criminal offenders and funding the efforts to combat the threat of "global terrorism".

Perhaps the desire to help the less fortunate stems in part from our common humanity. The need to reach out and help someone suffering and in dire deprivation is our way of validating ourselves as human; as caring, sympathetic and compassionate beings, connecting with those whom society has discarded, forgotten and deemed as worthless. There are citizens who consider themselves upright, God-fearing, and patriotic that look down upon the homeless and poor as one would do to social lepers, or even as a cancer, a horrible disease to be avoided (like HIV/AIDS). Others see them as an embarrassment, an experiment gone horribly wrong, a scourge, a blight, a problem that some wish would just quietly go away or disappear.

To observe the legions of nameless faces, wandering nomads pandering for the most meager and basic human needs is visually disturbing. They remind us how vulnerable we are and that reality makes us feel uncomfortable. They are our mirrors and we don't like what we see. We live in denial, isolation and avoidance, rejecting the painful and pitiful images of ourselves. We convince ourselves that "we could never end up like that"; never realizing that any homeless person might have imagined the same thing before circumstances to the contrary placed them in this very desperate and humiliating situation.

And what about all the resources allocated to assist the homeless and poor? Despite all the community-based, religious or faith-based and governmental efforts to help the poor and homeless, all such entities receive a failing grade. The reason for such a harsh assessment is that all these programs, no matter how well-intentioned, only foster dependency; that is, they only "perpetuate homeless and poverty" instead of helping to eradicate it. All these measures on the surface merit great praise, however they are temporary and mask the failures of these organizations to successfully and effectively to integrate the individual back into society with a high degree of self-worth and confidence. It seems that the only persons who permanently escape this condition rely on "personal faith," individual effort, or with the help of charitable strangers.

The question to be asked is: “what's wrong with these outreaches and why do they fail so miserably?” In the first place, homelessness and poverty needs to be reevaluated not only in America, but worldwide. All the available resources and emphasis is directed towards treating the' symptoms' and not in the cure. Homeless and poverty are a disease and should be designated so by the WHO (World Health Organization), NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), APA (American Psychiatric Association), the AMA (American Medical Association) and other agencies or professional organizations dealing with physical and mental health. Just as mental illness, alcoholism and drug addiction are a disease, so is homelessness and poverty. In fact, these maladies create a downward spiral into the deepest levels of poverty and homelessness. Waiting lists are increasing for admittance to shelters and with federal subsidies too low and the income of renters shrinking, the poor and homeless may find that it is much easier to just give up completely; on themselves and society as a whole.

The true measure of affluence for any nation is the health of all its citizens, and America is gradually and increasingly becoming a two-class society; one rich, and the other poor. Will America accept the challenge and rise up to fulfill her creed of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all her children, or is it just for the "privileged" few? In the midst of the most marvelous architecturally designed buildings and skyscrapers reaching ever skyward toward the heavens, one finds squalor. Will these magnificent structures that represent the pinnacle of technological achievement and advancement be marred in contrast by the encampments of tent cities inhabited by those whom such an enlightened society deems marginal and invisible?

The poor you have with you always; the enigmatic statement spoken nearly two millennia ago that either compels us to want to share and participate in each others misfortune, or to turn a deaf ear to those whom we should treat with dignity, compassion, and respect. It is an individual choice, and as Jesus of Nazareth reminded those in the regions of Galilee and Judea, "insomuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have also done it unto me."


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

African-American discusses Near death Experience

I remember watching "Oprah" one day, and all these White people were on the show talking about their own personal near death experiences and of course, everyone has to write a book about it. In fact, at one time, books of this kind of phenomenon were quite popular and bestsellers on The New York Times booklist; no doubt spearheaded by Marianne Williamson's book, "Return to Love" (which incidentally, I purchased and it influenced me, too). After watching a few interviews of the guests, I wondered, "how come no Black people have these near death experiences?" I was more than a little cynical and stated that I guess when we die, we don't get to come back and tell about it. This is where the Creator says, "THAT'S ALL FOLKS," "END OF THE LINE," or something like that. As the old oriental saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

One day, by accident or perhaps it was more than that, I met a man who was trying to get government funding to study the effects of TM (“transcendental meditation”), and he was looking for volunteers. After he and I talked about the subject matter, this experience seemed to be a perfect vehicle for me to achieve cosmic awareness. However, the funding did not come through for the project and we lost touch with one another soon afterward. It was later that I remembered his words to me about "effortless effort", but I didn't understand the meaning at the time. It seemed so puzzling and enigmatic to me; how can you initiate something without trying in the first place? From the brief encounter with the stranger, I learned that TM techniques involve being in a relaxed state as to transcend this mortal plane of illusion (called 'Maia' in Hindu philosophy) and become one with the universe; easier said than done, I might add. I tried several times, but without any success. However, I think part of the process is to still the mind, and in the society in which we live, amid all the noise and other distractions of everyday living, this would be very hard to accomplish. I more of less gave up on trying to achieve "enlightenment," and after a few failed attempts, I forgot all about it.

In the meantime, I continued to read more books and I think at this time I was reflecting on something that I read in Egyptian history or mythology having to do with the symbolism of the pyramid; "You have to go down before you can go up." I thought about the words of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who said something about "going into your closet to pray and God who sees in secret will reward you openly." Anyway, on this particular day I was not pondering anything profound, at least not on a conscious level, when it suddenly happened! I was lying on my bed, my body quite relaxed, my mind calm, when I took a seemingly normal exhalation, and everything changed; I thought forever! As best as I can describe it, although it has been many years since, and I am not so sure that even at this moment, I am entirely comfortable describing what occurred. To start with, I felt as if my essence or ‘being' was pulled or drawn out of my physical body, in a downward direction, if you want to call it that. Not only was this pull almost the feel of something like that of a magnet, maybe because the sheer sudden and unexpected nature of it.

This inexplicable force pulled my essence from the body, and it seemed to me at least, through the bed, the floor, everything; but it was seemed like a rip or tear in the very fabric of material reality itself. The curious thing is that it seemed for a moment that I was conscious of still being in my body, and it was immobile and felt heavy, very heavy, like it weighed a ton. Afterward, I experienced what could be something like a cosmic blink, and I was no longer in my former body, or even in the reality or universe that I was formerly part of; that much I realized as my eyes opened ("spiritually-speaking"). No, I didn't see that bright light at the end of some tunnel or meet any angelic messenger or guardian spirit, nor did I see deceased relatives or other people I knew back on earth in their glorified bodies.
It seemed to me that I was part of something that I can't even find the words for.

I suppose that I was becoming more consciously aware of “Essential” things, but not thinking about anything in the human sense of the word. I knew that I existed, but without the physical body that I previously had. I experienced a brief, albeit fleeting consideration of what I might be (as far as form) and what I likened it to was if someone could picture a ‘thought' or ‘consciousness,' something like that; then that what I was, or part of, but on a universal scale; at least, that's what it seemed to me.The experience was beyond anything to compare it to or conceivable in the imagination of mortals, because there is no human vocabulary to describe it. In the words of the Chinese Daoist in portraying the Tao: "If you experience it, you can't describe it; if you can describe it, then you haven't experienced it." There was the sense of everything all-at-once, and yet, N-O-T-H-I-N-G-N-E-S-S.

As I write this, I can still glimpse that part of it that will always remain within me, but I still can't put it into exact words because there is no conceptual framework on which to use as a guidepost. Interestingly enough, although I don't really know why, but I started to rationalize or started thinking, and realized that I wasn't breathing (in the human sense) because I existed is some form other than a physical one as far as I could perceive. Instead of continuing to experience the timeless moment, for some unknown reason I just couldn't wait to get back and tell somebody or anybody what this was like. Then suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, it dawned on me that I might not get the chance, ever again! Then a sense of awe and finality filled my being and I thought,"Oh My God!" The next thing I remember was a re-awakening (in a sense) and being in my physical body, conscious and sentient, but still not breathing as of yet. Then suddenly, I took the deepest inhalation, possibly similar to the breath of life ("neshamah" in the Hebrew) as recorded in the Jewish Old Testament; this is my best guess of the experience because I did not remember how to start the process of respiration [breathing].

After what seemed like timeless moments, I came back from where I emerged from to where I had been, and I pondered for some days over the meaning and purpose of what happened to me because I did not converse with any celestial being or archangel and so I wasn't quite so sure what to make of it all. I shared the experience with a few acquaintances that are knowledgeable in metaphysical things; some of them having had a near death experience or out of body experience (OBE), which is what I had. The only difference between the two may simply be one of degrees or duration, because in my case, I don't believe that I was "clinically dead". I think what happened is that for a moment, my body and mind were so relaxed that I was allowed to slip past the normal boundary of reality and experience something akin to "enlightenment;" or ascendancy on some higher plane of existence; probably what the ancient yogis, priests, hierophants, and monks aspired to, and which some did achieve.

Maybe what I experienced was attaining a ‘oneness' with what some might call the "Group Soul" or "Universal Mind", which is the Collective Conscience of all human experience that each of us, based on our experience and lessons on earth, leave a record of. So, what great message did I bring back from beyond this veil of reality? Well, not much; just this: "Love is the total absence of fear." Perhaps Marianne Williamson is right after all. Love is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning of all things and the end of all things. Although, as a believing Christian I know the Scriptures don’t appear to substantiate what happened to me, but nevertheless I cannot deny the profound thing I experienced which was an “epiphany,” nor will I attempt to devalue it just for the sake of appeasement to some of the doubters. All I know is that it was deeply moving, spiritual, unforgettable, and I will never be able to view LIFE or DEATH again in the same way as I did before.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

Extending jobless benefits is not the solution to Economic recovery

After months of contentious debate between President Barack Obama and Republican Legislators over extending unemployment benefits to the nearly 2.5 million unemployed workers who have recently exhausted their benefits, Senators voted 60-40 to approve the Bill, ending the staunchly partisan Republican filibuster which has previously resisted attempts to approve continued funding for those desperately in need of financial relief. The main reason for the opposition is that more federal borrowing will be used to pay for the benefits instead of looking to trim or eliminate redundant and ineffectual programs from the $3.7 trillion federal budget. Still, this will not help those 1.5 million Americans who have exhausted their UI after receiving payments for 99 weeks, and who do not have any other safety net. Not only that, but these checks printed by the US Treasury Department will only add to the burgeoning Federal Deficit; which is estimated to be $47, 000 for each of the over 300, 000, 000 Americans in the general population.

The thing is, receiving the government-issued checks will not necessarily stimulate the economy mainly because the money is not going towards buying big-ticket items as one would do with discretionary income from, say, an income tax rebate check. The recipients will use the money for living expenses and their basic necessities, not for frivolous spending sprees which generally drive the high-end retail and automotive markets. Displaced workers aren’t looking for a handout but a helping hand in the form of a job. Like most things, complex problems usually originate from a simpler precursor, and in this case it is one of basic economics, SUPPLY vs. DEMAND. It is counter-intuitive to extend for long periods of time giving money to a claimant who is jobless in the hope that he/she will eventually find a job among a shrinking or contracting economy. It seems more sensible and rational to approach the matter from another direction, and that is, allocating resources to promote OJT apprenticeships and give tax breaks and stimulus money to major in-demand industries who will by contractual agreement, hire and train the most disaffected workers from within any local city, county, municipality, and State level throughout the nation.

The solution is daunting, but not impossible and it will take a firm resolve, bi-partisan Congressional support as well as time; but sadly, a lot of hot air coming from both political parties and their pundits are not helpful but rather obstructionist, distracting, and counter-productive. Also, instead of President Obama focusing so much on those futuristic “GREEN JOBS,” most, if not all unemployed workers can’t wait that long for the technology to materialize and would gladly take a low-tech production, construction, or manufacturing job wearing a hard hat and steel-toed boots.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 20, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

NAACP accuses Tea Party of racist agenda

It must be difficult for the nation’s oldest Civil Rights organization to find their place in this complex, increasingly multicultural, bi-racial, ethnically and religiously diverse American society. Gone for the most part are the marathon Civil Rights marches, boycotts of buses, sit-ins at lunch counters, Jim Crow segregation Laws, bombings of Black Churches, KKK cross burnings, lynching of Black males, torrents of water spray from fire hoses, snarling teeth and bite marks from police canines, the painful sting and bloodied bruising inflicted by police Billy clubs, police roadblocks or barricades, and the “Dreamer” [MLK] was assassinated and has been laid to rest over forty years ago. It is a daunting task indeed to stay relevant in a culture when a generation of Black youth use the “N” word more frequently and just as freely as any racial bigot ever did or could have even imagined, and subsequently one of the most important issues of social justice, equality, and civil rights facing people of color today is that of “access to technology.” Indeed, Bill Gates, co-founder of MICROSOFT, said in an interview several years ago that the issue of racial, educational, and economic disparity is a matter of bridging the “Digital Gap” between those who have access to technology and those who do not [in a manner of speaking].

Since the beleaguered organization has not been in the forefront leading the charge for social change, it is not surprising that they would want to seize on some convenient opportunity to turn things around from some previous unfavorable news reporting on one of its former leaders or about misappropriation of funds, and dwindling membership as well as receiving fewer donations than in the past. Perhaps in an attempt to repair its image, leaders like NAACP President Ben Jealous are accusing the Tea Party of being a bunch of bigots, and while there are doubtless some members who are supporters of Arizona’s Immigration Law and are almost primarily concerned about White people [codeword: Patriotic Americans] losing their jobs to ‘foreigners’ and government spending for social programs that they perceive the greater amount as going towards people of color who have all these babies and are on welfare and the baby daddies won’t take care of their family responsibilities; among their other concerns.

Poster Girl for the Tea Party, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, said that she is saddened by the NAACP’s claims that they are ‘racists.’ It is unclear as to what the adoption of a resolution condemning the Tea Party’s agenda is going to achieve, except that it might have a negative impact toward the NAACP and galvanize Tea Party loyalists. One would also question the timing of this announcement, that is, whether it is politically-motivated and to what purpose or benefit does this action serve? If the NAACP want to decry the presence of ‘racists’ in the midst, start with Democrats who allegedly initially resisted the Voting Rights Act, then one could doubtless go through the ranks of the Republicans, Green Party, Libertarians, Independents, and Socialists Workers Party and discover a few working there, too. It’s really much to do about nothing and unless the Tea Party invite members of the John Birch Society, Glenn Beck, David Duke, or actor Mel [“I don’t hate Jews or Blacks, I was just drunk”] Gibson to speak at their rallies, the NAACP should focus their energies on some of the more important social issues than get caught up in this matter and and distracted from the kinds of advocacy and sounding the alarm to expose unlawful discriminatory and divisive practices and policies that the NAACP is known to fight against.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 14, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Lebron James is pariah of Sports World

Lebron James, the probable heir-apparent to Basketball legend Michael “Air” Jordan, disappointed many of his fans, sportswriters, and even some national news anchors with his surprising decision to play for the Miami Heat. The GM of his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, accused Lebron of being narcissistic and selfish, but Lebron was to the city of Cleveland perhaps like what Jesus is to the town of Nazareth and to many of his hometown fans, his decision to play elsewhere is seen as an act of betrayal, much like that of Judas Iscariot. But is all of this criticism toward the NBA Superstar justified? After at least 7 seasons playing in the NBA without a Championship ring, shouldn’t he try to position himself to be on a contending team to win the NBA finals crown and ring, instead of playing another season at Cleveland out of a misplaced sense of duty or loyalty? And besides all of this, hasn’t Lebron been enough of a CASH COW to the city of Cleveland, to the tune of upwards of 100 million dollars throughout his professional basketball career?

For Miami, it is ‘Dancing in the Streets’ and in Cleveland, it is “Crying in the Streets” along with a much greatly reduced FIRESALE on Lebron James sports memorabilia. It must be remembered, however, that just because King James will join Dwayne Wade on the Heat’s roster, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this DREAM TEAM will win their Division, let alone the NBA Finals Championship. It also has to do with team chemistry and putting egos in check because it took some time for Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen of the Chicago Bulls to combine their unique talents into a nearly unbeatable dynasty. As it stands right now, Lebron James is about as popular as Tiger Woods and it will be interesting to see whether or not this story continues to capture the public’s interest, or will Lindsay Lohan’s self-destructive travails again take center-stage next on the tabloid agenda?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 14, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

The Obama Administration’s First Crisis Management Response fails test

For nearly two months, oil from an explosion on April 22, at British Petroleum’s deepwater rig has been pouring into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate estimated to be as high as 200, 000 gallons a day. In the meantime, there have been the usual finger-pointing as the CEO of BP has been brought before members of Congress and sharply criticized by Legislators for not doing enough to contain the spill and possibly underestimating the amount of oil being lost, the serious damage to the environment and marine life, as well as the economic impact on the Gulf Coast region. This just might be President Obama’s “Waterloo” and certainly not his finest hour because he essentially lost this battle from the very beginning by not getting on top of it. It is too late to address the Nation when there are pictures of Sea Turtles, Whales, Sea Birds, Plankton, shrimp, oysters and other marine animals coated with a layer of black, sticky oil. There are critics of the President who refer to this as “Obama’s Hurricane Katrina,” but in some ways it is even worse than that. Barack must be feeling the political pressure because the usually cool and in-control President lost his cool during a press conference when he quipped about, “Knowing whose ASS to kick.” Doesn’t that statement sound like it’s coming from “An Angry Black Man” instead of the Commander-in-Chief and President of the United States?

And passing the buck toward the beleaguered federal agency under the Department of Interior, The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is not helping matters, and is only just a distraction and not a step toward solving the real problem, or better yet, of looking at how the spill got to be so unmanageable almost from the start. Outside of some rather unthinkable ‘Draconian’ legislation to nationalize British Petroleum, which might even be unconstitutional, there is at least one step that should have been taken, the very better-late-than-never proposal that actor Kevin Costner and his company, Ocean Therapy Solutions, who got the idea from his movie, “Waterworld,” which is, use giant centrifuges or cyclonic devices which are engineered to separate oil from water. There are only a few of these companies with the technology to separate a few hundred gallons to thousands of gallons of the oil/sea water slurry per day. Why did the government not contract with these companies to start sucking up and separating the heterogeneous mixture, along with BP trying to plug the leak before all of this disruption and destruction to the delicate ecological balance in the Gulf Coast aquatic universe? But like most things, hindsight is just water-under-the-bridge and what lessons have been learned are yet to be known. It is uncertain whether the effect of having controlled “burns” under the auspices of the Coast Guard will be successful and it must be remembered that oil is a complex hydrocarbon which contains other chemical substances, like methane and others, which may pose just as harmful and toxic to the environment as the visible slick, gooey, black stuff.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 18, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Seattle/King County Police Officers out of control?

In the second such incident this year, a member of Seattle Law Enforcement has been implicated in the use of excessive-force when it pertains to interacting with a non-White member of the community. Officer Ian P. Walsh punched a 17-year-old African-American girl, Angel L. Rosenthal, in the face after she intervened in the arrest of her 19-year-old friend, Marilyn Ellen Levias. It seems that this situation, which must be embarrassing for the Seattle Police Department, started as the result of a simple Jaywalking violation near Franklin High School on Monday, June 14, 2010, that spiraled out of control. Interestingly, Acting Deputy Chief Nick Metz has expressed concerns over Officer’s Walsh’s conduct and has recommended that he be reassigned to the department’s training unit, pending the results of an internal investigation by the civilian-led Office of Professional Accountability. The head of the Seattle Police Union and Sgt. Rich O’Neill of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said that Walsh acted properly and was justified in the action he took to defend himself by the use-of-force. Serene Cook of Lakewood, WA wrote the Op-Ed, POLICE: Officer handled situation with grace (TNT, 6-17) in which she lauded the officer for handling the situation with amazing restraint [a punch in the face, no less] and should be commended, and that he handled it with grace; although one might just be inclined to suggest that it was D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E.

Be that as it may, here’s a little recent history lesson of interaction between Law Enforcement and local citizens. According to Seattle P-I reporter Scott Gutierrez, on November 29, 2009, King County Deputy Sheriff Paul Schene, an 8 year veteran, after a 15-year-old girl who was booked into the Sea-Tac City Hall Detention center holding cell, was asked to removed her basketball ball shoes, as she kicked one of them off, it was sent flying apparently in the direction of Schene and hit him on the right shin. The Officer then lunged through the other side of the door and kicked the girl, striking her in the stomach or upper thigh, pushed her against a corner of the wall before flinging her to the floor by her hair, and if that was not enough, he made “two overhead strikes” to her body, although it was not clear where they landed. He further uncovers that in December, Deputy Don Griffee was charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly punching a handcuffed male suspect. In January, Deputy Brian Bonnar was accused by his fellow deputies of using excessive force on a woman who had been restrained after a high-speed pursuit. And as far as interaction with the minority community, on April 17, 2010, at least two Seattle Police Officers kicked and stomped a Spanish-speaking robbery suspect who was lying prone on the ground and under their control. One of the officers kicked the suspect while he was lying on the sidewalk and yelled racist epithets at him. Officers let the man go after realizing that they had the wrong person.

So what does all of this have to do with Officer Walsh’s actions? It seems that the SPD has a systemic problem of over-reaction and developing an aggressive posture, especially with members of the minority community, often escalating into a use-of-force or excessive-force situational response during an incident that is either provocative, confrontational, or appears threatening to Law Enforcement. Officer Walsh has been on the force since 2006 and despite his training, it appears that he lost control of the situation, did not consider his surroundings and proximity to her friends to properly to make the proper assessment of his actions to handcuff Levias, wherein Rosenthal was able to approach him and place her hands on him. He apparently wasn’t watching her come near or if he did, was not able to prevent her advance until after making contact with his person, he decided to punch a teenage girl in the face. This is not the action of a trained professional because a blow to the face could have resulted in serious facial lacerations, a spinal injury from the head snapping backwards or even death, in some extreme cases.

Police officers are supposedly taught de-escalation techniques to take control of the situation, not to “lose” control, and it could very easily have gotten out of hand altogether; especially seeing a grown man [whether in a uniform or not] punch a teenage girl in the face with his clenched fist, especially if he’s White and she is Black. Walsh panicked because he didn’t have sufficient backup to secure the area and prevent any more interference from friends of the girls or curious onlookers, and it apparently did not occur to him to threaten to use a taser or pepper spray on anyone who seemed as though they would interfere with his initial detention and handcuffing of Levias. One can only ponder, in retrospect, what the reaction would have been if the girl in question was White and the Police Officer was Black?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 17, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Should convicted felons be allowed the right to vote?

Sharon Brown and Roger Clegg wrote an Op-Ed in the LA Times newspaper and it was featured in the Thursday, June 17, 2010 edition of the Tacoma News Tribune under the heading: “9th Circuit should rule against using Voting Rights Act to let felons vote” in which they have filed an amicus brief in the case of Farrakhan v. Gregoire, challenging the ruling that the State of Washington is violating the Constitution. Their disagreement over the plaintiff [Farrakhan] using the Voting Rights Act as it derives from the 15th Amendment to prove that African-Americans are systematically and unfairly disenfranchised by being denied the right to vote as the result of a felony conviction because of disproportionate representation among overcrowded prison populations, receiving higher incarceration rates per the general population, and given longer prison terms, seem to have merit as a basis-in-fact; although the penal and Criminal Justice System is a failure as an institution, and it is inherently racist as well as biased against those who are poor, illegal or undocumented citizens and indigent.

Before weighing in on this matter further, it seems prudent to read the US Constitution to find out what it says about the “right” to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment, Section 1, says: “The right of citizens” of the United States to VOTE shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of (1) race, (2) color, or (3) previous condition of servitude. The Nineteenth Amendment says: “The right of citizens” of the United States to VOTE shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any other State on account of (4) sex [gender]. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment, Section 1, says: “The right of citizens” of the United States to VOTE in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, or for Senator or for Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of (5) failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, Section 1, says: “The right of citizens” of the United States, (6) who are eighteen years of age or older, to VOTE shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

The aforementioned Constitutional Amendments are the minimum set of guidelines that are set forth by the Founding Fathers of this Democratic Republic to guarantee that every person and their posterity, in order to enjoy the full rights of citizenship and freedom, to establish for the common good and to promote Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, the right to “vote” is certainly among these most cherished of our lofty ideals. Not only that, but even the First Amendment guarantees the Freedom of Speech, and voting is a part of that “Right.” For any State to enact “Felon Disenfranchisement Laws” to keep felons from voting is clearly ‘unconstitutional.’ According to the opinion of Ms. Browne and Mr. Clegg, “The Constitution ‘explicitly assumes’ that felons be barred from voting,” but where in the Constitution does it explicitly or implicitly say that? They go on to say, further: “There are certain minimum and ‘objective’ standards of trustworthiness, loyalty, responsibility, and those who have committed serious crimes against their fellow citizens don’t meet those standards.” Are they saying in effect: “If you are not living a morally excellent life or as a ‘saint,’ then you don’t have the right to VOTE?” Have they ever heard this statement: “Those of you without sin, be the ‘first’ to cast a stone at her?”

This is certainly not to excuse any of the totally reprehensible and heinous acts that felons do time and time again, but unless in the commission of these deplorable and sometimes unforgivable acts, they are deprived or stripped of the privilege of ‘citizenship,’ then any one of them has just as much a right to VOTE as the next law-abiding, hard-working, honest, and God-fearing or not, average citizen.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 17, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Is “Vigilantism” the convenient new form of crime deterrent?

The Saturday, June 12, 2010 edition of the Tacoma News Tribune featured 2 articles about the shooting death of 20-year-old Joseph Tobeck of Tenino, WA. The story must have been quite important for two reporters, Kathleen Merryman and Mike Archbold to have written separate articles about this unfortunate incident. In Ms. Merryman’s version, the towns of Roy and McKenna have been under siege by a proliferation of Methamphetamine labs that have sprung up in these unincorporated towns within Pierce County, and the associated home burglaries which these “tweakers” commit to support their drug habit. In this particular case, however, 69-year-old McKenna resident William Morgan shot and killed Joseph Tobeck for nothing more than taking [collecting], along with an unidentified friend, old, discarded scrap metal pipe out of a drainage ditch on county property across the street from the shooters home. Mr. Morgan, armed with a handgun, confronted Tobeck and his friend, he fired nine .40 caliber rounds at them as they left the scene in a truck and one of the bullets struck Tobeck in the back of the head, and he died later as a result of his injuries. The thing is, according to Tobeck’s grandmother, he collected and sold scrap metal for a living.

The article by reporter Mike Archbold gives the identity of Joseph Tobeck’s friend, who was 20-year-old Robert Justus. Morgan’s claim that his actions were in self-defense because the pair tried to run him over with the truck may not stand up to the scrutiny of ballistics, forensic investigation, the fatal bullet entry wound to Tobeck, and the window and body of the truck which was riddled with bullets. WA State Law as well as every other one allows for the use of ‘equivalent’ deadly force if you have “reason” to believe your life is in immediate or imminent danger. To kill someone solely on the basis of protecting property, whether your own or belonging to someone else, is NOT permitted under Washington Law or any other jurisdiction within the United States. Another consideration is the mental or emotional state-of-mind of Mr. Morgan at the time of this event and whether he perceived a ‘real’ threat to his life and acted in the way he did based upon that fear. If the metal pipe did belong to Morgan, why was it not on his property instead of across the street in a ditch? Of course, it might have belonged to him at some point, but after he apparently discarded it then it was available to anyone to take who had the means to carry it away.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist might not have such a easy case with this one because a young man was killed, who it seems, did not pose an immediate threat to the alleged victim because the actions leading to this final and fatal confrontation occurred across the street and not on Mr. Morgan’s property; so what was the danger to his life? It is a sad commentary of our modern society when this kind of action by Mr. Morgan can be applauded as some kind of heroic action, and yet, a young 20-year-old’s family will have to make funeral arrangements for a son barely 2 years after graduating from High School, all because a possibly neurotic, depressed, lonely, delusional or mentally deficient 69-year-old man shot him to death over a 250 pound piece of old, crusty, deteriorated, metal drainage pipe.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 12, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Local professional sports teams continue to disappoint fans

Will somebody please stop all the bloodletting about our local professional sports teams, it is excruciatingly painful. The Seattle Mariners should be named the "Marionettes" because they play like puppets on a string and the Seattle and King County council should contact comedian/actor Drew Carey and tell him they will pay him money to relocate the Seattle Sounders out of Washington State because this 'joke' ain't so funny. As for the Seahawks, maybe Billionaire owner Paul Allen should just sell then now and cut his losses.

Oh, wait! Isn't there another team that Sportswriters seemed to have forgotten about, namely, Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird and the quiet "Seattle Storm?" The only thing worse than hearing about the economy and unemployment rate is the dismal performance of the male-dominated sports franchises in the State. Even UW Senior girl's softball pitching and phenom Danielle Lawrie was a breath of fresh air to cover up the embarrassment of another losing season for avid and supportive sports fans. It seems that the highly-paid professional male athletes of the state's major sports teams play as though they are indeed, 'Sleepless in Seattle.'


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 11, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

City of Tacoma should just mind its own business

Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland cast the decisive vote on a resolution opposing Arizona’s egregious and “racially-insensitive” Immigration Law, but exactly what does all of this mean? Every State is an independent, autonomous legislative and governmental entity with the rights guaranteed under the Constitution to enact Laws that each one deems appropriate according to their respective State Charter and with the consent of their citizens as represented through their elected officials. What’s next? Will this action of Washington and dozens of other States who oppose this policy result in some type of economic retaliation and intrastate protectionism? Will a given State oppose another one by refusing to do business with it just because it disagrees with the way some of its laws are written? If one State executes more Death Row inmates than anyone else or if another one doesn’t legalize Gay Marriage, should those offending States not receive Washington-grown produce, salmon, wines and beer, lumber, Boeing aircraft, Biotechnology, other goods and services, or resource management and emergency assistance in a national disaster? While any American citizen has the right to voice their disagreement with any policy matter that they believe is offensive, unfair, or in violation of the Constitution of the United States, one would think that the City of Tacoma or the Pierce County Council, as well as the Washington State Legislature have more important things to be concerned about than what Arizona lawmakers do.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 26, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Sister of Cop Killers face biased jury at Trial

It was on November 29, 2009 that Maurice Clemmons walked into the FORZA Coffee Shop in Parkland, WA and gunned down four Lakewood Police Officers, marking the worst incident in the State’s history involving the deaths of Law Enforcement officials. The suspect was later killed in a shootout with a Seattle Police Officer. Because of the impact of this heinous crime on the local community it will certainly be difficult to find an impartial juror. Although LaTanya Clemmons has admitted to giving money to Dorcus Allen, who drove the getaway car, to rent a motel room and for bus fare, she contents that her actions were in no way related to the horrific murders that had taken place some days earlier. The Prosecution wants to charge LaTanya with four counts of first-degree rending criminal assistance for allegedly helping evade police capture, but that might prove to be quite a challenge without credible evidence.

It seems that the tactic used by the Prosecution is that it wants to prey on the sympathy of the jury by continuing to replay the circumstances of the murder done by her brother Maurice through calling witnesses to the slaying and playing 911 recordings, instead of focusing on the more narrow scope of her alleged criminality. The Prosecution has the burden to prove “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” that LaTanya had knowledge of the police officers’ murder had happened, or was going to occur, and that her actions were deliberate, premeditated, and solely intended for the purpose of rendering criminal assistance to evade capture. While it is true that LaTanya Clemmons actions did seem to betray a lousy sense of timing and is incriminating, still, this does not prove her guilt or complicity. Since Maurice Clemmons is dead and beyond the reach of Justice, the next best thing to prosecuting him to the fullest extent of the Law is to take it out on the nearest living relative, namely, his sister LaTanya.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 25, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Taxing Candy not such a Sweet idea

Effective June 1, a 6.5 percent State sales tax in addition to local add-on taxes will accompany a favorite candy confectionary, bringing a sour taste to someone’s mouth to go along with that sweet tooth. The economic downturn and high unemployment rate in Washington has resulted in a statewide budget shortfall and a shrinking tax base threaten to jeopardize important agricultural, educational, environmental, transportation, social service and other programs. The Washington State Department of Revenue defines what constitutes a ‘candy’ and what does not, as far as ingredients are concerned. It seems that not all candy is created equal, whereas, one could be a candy confectionary and the other a sweet treat. It is interesting that the new Law exempts from taxation candy that is purchased under the Food Stamp Program. Be that as it may, manufacturers of products that are almost entirely classified as a “candy” according to State Law might show a decrease in their bottom line and shrinking market share if consumers protesting this newest ‘taxation’ decide to satisfy their palette with other sweet, non-candy confectionaries.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 12, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Don’t use Ken Griffey jr. as Scapegoat

The brouhaha over whether Ken Griffey jr. was asleep in the clubhouse last Saturday is deflecting attention away from the critical question, which is: why are the Mariners bats asleep in Seattle and elsewhere? When the Mariners GM and owner lured Griffey back to Seattle with a reasonably generous one-year renewable contract, it wasn’t to perform miracles. The once stellar and youthful All-Star outfielder and slugger is a forty year-old injury-ridden DH; a shell of his former self. Griffey’s presence on the team is more of inspiration, not perspiration, and he is more of a legendary and living team mascot than the Mariner Moose could ever be.

It is more serious than playing jokes on Ichiro or be featured in a few commercials, but in a more practical sense, it is about increasing ticket sells and good PR with the “GRIFFEY” name brand and hometown recognition. So don’t point the finger at Ken Griffey jr. for the failure of the Mariners to win more games, despite having one of the best pitching rosters in Major League Baseball. Of course, when things are not going as expected, someone has to get the blame, and it appears that at this point, Ken Griffey jr. is the one. As far as his future with the team, Griffey is in the batter’s box with a full count, waiting for the next pitch. Griffey will walk before the season’s end or retire thereafter. Either way, “Thanks for the memories and we still love you Junior.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 12, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Kagan might not be the best choice for Supreme Court Justice

President Barack Obama seems poised to announce his choice of Elena Kagan to replace ailing 81 year-old Justice John Paul Stevens, who announced his plan to retire later this year. All the present Supreme Court Justices have served as a Federal Judge before being nominated to the nation’s highest court, but Kagan has not served in that capacity nor has she been a judge at all. It seems that President Obama is more interested in placing someone on the Bench who thinks like he does as opposed to selecting someone who is willing to apply the rule of law when making judicial decisions which will affect the lives of millions of American citizens for generations. While Kagan might have an impressive resume and doubtless has an astute legal mind as the President of harvard Law School, still, it is not known what her judicial philosophy is, or how impartial she can be; considering the fact that she is the government’s former Solicitor General before the very Supreme Court that she wants to become a member of, and, of which would seem to be a conflict-of-interest (cronyism at the very least). No doubt the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee will subject her to some intensive questions and scrutiny, but at the end of the day, who wants to stand in the way of history as Kagan will be the third female Supreme Court Justice in this country’s history. As for experience: “FORGET-ABOUT-IT,” because a Community Organizer became President of the United States, after-all; so why not her?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 10, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Do employees have Right-of privacy when using work-issued communication devices?

Ontario, CA police Sgt. Jeff Quon sued the city for what he considers a violation of his Fourth Amendment Rights, the Right of Privacy, when his boss (the Chief of Police) gained access to his text messages. Quon is a member of the elite SWAT unit and along with all the other communication devices and equipment that each officer utilizes to enhance their ability for rapid deployment in an emergency situation, a pager is the latest additional to their arsenal of crime-fighting tools. Although pagers are not covered in the departments “written policy,” still, all the officers, including Quon, were given sufficient warning that the pagers were covered in the policy as well. Also, Sgt. Quon has signed a letter acknowledging agreement with the city policy pertaining to the fact that there were no “privacy rights” regarding the use of city computers and communication equipment.

Although one could argue that ‘pagers’ aren’t specifically mentioned in the policy but it can be thought of as “implicitly” stated in the draft just as if were mentioned verbatim. This case has made it all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States on a “Writ of Certiorari” and the Justices have weighed the evidence and listened to the oral arguments from legal counsel delivered by both the Plaintiffs and Defendants. The ruling by a majority of the Justices could very well establish legal precedent regarding the broader issue of ‘Privacy’ in general in light of growing technology which seem to blur the otherwise well established line between the public and private domain; especially when it comes to the accumulation, assimilation, and sharing of information, and perhaps more importantly, who is entitled to have access to it. Since the Fourth Amendment is cited as the main “witness” for the Defendant (Sgt. Quon) and counsel Dieter Dammier, it is therefore prudent to examine what this Constitutional provision states.

The Fourth Amendment guarantees that a person shall be protected from “unreasonable” searches and seizures by the Federal and State Government without probable cause, and that any Warrant or Oath authorizing such action must particularly describe the (1) place to be searched, the (2) person searched or the (3) things to be seized. In effect, because of the aforementioned stipulations the individual can feel secure in their person, houses, papers, and personal effects against illegal search [personal, private property or residence], and against forfeiture, seizure, confiscation of anything that a person owns or controls. This statute does appear to protect the “right of privacy” is a rather limited way but it certainly DOES NOT pertain to the matter that the Supreme Court Justices have deliberated on. The thing is the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals erred when it overturned the Trial Court’s verdict which agreed with the city of Ontario, and the original petition filed by counsel for Sgt. Quon [City of Ontario v. Quon, No. 08-1332] should have been dismissed because it was without ‘merit.’ The Supreme Court should remand the case back to the Appellate Court and order them to reverse their previous ruling.

The problem is because of the complexity of modern society, some activist Judges have tried to legislate from the Bench instead of applying the Law as it is written, taking into account that not all judicial decisions are forward-looking and changing circumstances may require fresh reinterpretation based upon the values and social experiences of people in present times. That being said, one cannot rationally apply a statute that protects personal property and domicile to a situation outside the home and in possession of and using non-personal equipment issued by an employer. Not only that, but the case fails the “reasonableness” requirement by a ‘tryer of fact’ [Judge or jury] because would a ‘reasonable’ person have an expectation of a “right of privacy” using a company-issued pager, cell phone, computer, telephone, copier, video camera, walkie-talkie, etc.? There are a few legal experts who seem to think that the Ninth Amendment applies to this case as well; and it says: The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Unfortunately, the Founding Fathers did not enumerate what these rights are at this place, but some of the ones that they might have had in mind could be the ones mentioned in THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENCE, second paragraph: We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed with their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these [not the complete list] are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed [Tenth Amendment??], that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

There is another issue which receive brief mention from a few of the Justices, but which has largely gone under the radar, but which is vitally important, namely, the “right of privacy” of those to whom Officer Quon sent and received text messages. It is of little consequence about the ‘content’ of the messages shared between adults, although according to some reports, some of the content has been described as ‘racy,’ which is just another way of saying that some of it was “sexually explicit.” Texting between individuals, whether thru a cell phone, pager, or computer could be viewed as privileged communication and protected under the First Amendment as Freedom of Speech. No agency or employer should have the right to listen to or have a transcript of an electronic conversation between persons, which is tantamount to eavesdropping or wiretapping unless the information is pertinent in some kind of probable cause scenario where there is at least circumstantial evidence or credible information of a criminal conspiracy to act illegally or after the commission of such an act.

It is a little unnerving to think that someone’s personal and intimate expressions have no guarantee of confidentiality and can be available to anyone, even if it is used, just as in this pending case for disciplinary action of the other party. It doesn’t stop with the city and its policy, but what about the responsibility or rather liability of the service provider for the pagers because they were the ones who turned over the information to the police department in the first place? The ruling from the Highest Court in the land will doubtless impact millions of workers in America who use company-issued cell phones, Blackberries, etc., and depending upon the verdict, might just opt out on using devices that they feel might just compromise their right to have what they say or text to remain private; to be shared only just between them and their recipient.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 20, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com