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

Why does the thought of "Holy War" have us almost scared to death?

Ever since September 11, 2001, many if not most Americans have become increasingly jittery and paranoid when hearing words such as ‘jihad,’ terrorists, and al-Qaida; which have been added to our social and political Lexicon, but should this really be the case? It seems that many of us have a short attention span and selected memory when it pertains to the Historical and Biblical narratives. To the colonial settlers on the American frontier, the British “Red Coats” might have seemed like they were the ‘terrorists,’ and to the Royal troops these upstart, disloyal and traitorous brigands were waging some sort of guerilla or urban warfare against them.

The American Civil War, WWI, WWII, Spanish-American War, Korean Conflict, Viet-Nam, etc., all have one thing in common, namely: At least one side in the conflict believes that what they are doing is “God’s Will” or that their justification to participate in such horrific acts has some sort of ‘Divine’ sanction or “Higher Purpose.” During the 1970’s, Folk Singer Bob Dylan had a song entitled, “God is on our Side.” Indeed, even that old “Rail Splitter,” “Honest Abe,” President Abraham Lincoln, penned the immemorial words about it is not so much a concern as to whether or not we are on God’s side but rather if God is on our side. This overarching ‘TRUTH’ [religious sanction] is behind just about all the Wars that have ever been waged on planet Earth since people started to make weapons and use these instruments to kill; especially beyond that point used for just mere survival.

It is of special concern for those who study the TANAKH (Christian Old Testament Bible), because clearly, an undeniable “fact” emerges, and that is, Holy War [jihad] is throughout its many pages, and just as startling, namely, that “it is of God;” and not just something made up in recent times by religiously zealous Muslim and Arab fighters from predominately the Middle East countries.

The progenitor of the Israelites, the Patriarch Jacob, and his family grew into a mixed multitude of approximately one and one-half to two million people, doubtless an amalgamation of indigenous Egyptians and other slave laborers, after leaving Egypt became a confederation of 12 uniquely distinctive clans united under a single leader; each with their own clan or tribal loyalties. The one single thing which would unite these disparate groups and their leading families is embracing a common set of rules or conduct [RELIGION] to which everyone pledged loyalty and mutual protection. Under this agreement is belief in the God and His Torah [Law] as revealed to Moses and now these people were given the command to go out and conquer the inhabitants of Canaan and possess the land that God promised to the Patriarchs.

So, this ‘jihad’ or “Holy War” against other peoples (“infidels”) was not really so much different then than it is today. These acts of armed conflict and destruction aren’t so much about a philosophical difference or morality, but rather faithful obedience to one’s God and victory over another people and their god(s). That being said, the one mistake that America makes when trying to understand the seeming inconsistency between Islam [“Peace”] or a Muslim [“submission” to the will of God/Allah] is viewing the religion or the Anti-American rhetoric spewed in the Madrasas by the Imams through the lens of Western cultural values. The warfare against America isn’t retaliation from past Imperialist exploitation by the Western powers nor is it even personal, and it may not even seem rational, but one thing is certain: Muslim zealots take this mandate very seriously and one they are willing to give their very lives for, and in the words of Lao-Tzu in “The Art of War,” WAR IS FOREVER.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 19, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

President Obama and the Members of Congress may need to reread "The Constitution."

One of the things that most Americans can reasonably agree on is their distrust of “Big government,” and according to the latest poll numbers from the Pew Research Institute, that seems to be just about right. In survey after survey, whether it is one conducted by MSNBC or some independent research firm, there is growing animosity among citizens as to the role, or rather, intrusion of government into the public and private sector of American society. With a stagnant economy, high unemployment, record foreclosures and unprecedented personal and business bankruptcies, along with the difficulty in obtaining a bank loan and families who cannot afford to pay for Healthcare or medical prescriptions, its no wonder people feel the way they do; but what is the “solution” to the confusion? The first thing just might be for the legislators in Washington, D.C. to take a refresher course in CONSTITUTION 101.

One of the things that almost prevented the US Constitution from finally being adopted and ratified was the very real concern about the growing power and influence of the federal government (“Federalism”). The statutes under the Articles of Confederation, which protected and upheld State Rights to be independent and autonomous from federal intrusion was championed because it was deemed that the individual State governments [in the South, particularly] were in a better position to address the needs of their citizens [people] than a national legislature in Philadelphia or elsewhere. The thing is, with all the proposals that President Barack Obama has made, and of which a few have passed into Law, with Congress [The Hose of Representatives and U.S. Senate], seemingly acting like the little kitten that plays with a ball of yarn only to become entangled in it, only does the bidding of America’s CEO [Czar Executive Officer-in-Chief] through Democratic partisanship and majority representation in both Legislative Houses.

Be that as it may, a quick review of ARTICLE 1, Section 8. says: Congress [NOT the President] shall have power . . . To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes. Congress [NOT the President] shall have power To establish uniform Laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States. Congress [NOT the President] shall have power To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts.

ARTICLE 1, Section 7 & Section 8 says: All Bills for raising Revenue [taxes] shall originate in the House of Representatives [NOT the Oval Office]; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills. No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequences of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money [taxes??] shall be published from time to time.

It is all about fiscal responsibility and when the President of the United States has his heavy hand in the financial markets and Commerce (Wall Street, The Big Three Automakers bankruptcy filings, Fortune 500 CEO compensation, The Banking Industry Mortgage foreclosure crisis, NASA exploits to land on an asteroid, mandating Federal or State-run Healthcare Insurance holding company coverage on individual Americans, Clean-Energy initiatives, etc.), this is a little troubling; to say the least. Also, the term “Commerce” is very broad and includes all business, trade, industry, transportation, manufacturing, goods, and services. This is not to indict President Obama as having some sort of Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde alter-ego nor accusing him of succumbing to the adage, “Absolute Power corrupts absolutely,” because considering the ineptitude of Congress nowadays, what he is attempting is more than they are doing; which is to say all these Legislators seem to care about are being wined and dined by lobbyists and voting to give themselves a big raise at the next session of Congress. And, although President Obama may have good intentions during this present economic downturn, but as the old saying goes, “The road to HELL is paved with good intentions.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 19, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

The Tea Party: Serious grassroots Movement or just a Flash-in-the-pan?

Not since the colonial days in which protestors dumped bags of tea overboard in Boston harbor to protest the high taxation from the King of England (The Redcoats or British) and the East India Company on this commodity, eventually leading up to the American Revolution, Tea Baggers haven’t been part of the Lexicon. It seems that once again, people are fed up with Government, but this time it is the one on America’s very shoreline, and not in a far away European Monarch. What will determine whether these public gatherings of citizens who want a redress of grievances will transform into a potent and formidable force in America’s political discourse depends entirely on how committed they are towards real “CHANGE” as opposed to what former Texas Republican Senator Phil Gramm calls, “A bunch of Whiners.”

Along with that, having former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as ‘Poster Girl’ for the movement is hardly encouraging. Although Sarah basks in the limelight of her celebrity-like status, coincidentally, the same thing that she, as Vice-Presidential nominee mercilessly criticized Barack Obama, which she now enjoys with gleeful abandon. Not only can Sarah Palin draw a crowd but recent polls indicate that she is still quite popular with her loyal base of supporters and constituency. Also, one should not dismiss some of her memorable one-liner zingers like: “I’ll keep my guns, freedom and money; You can keep the ‘CHANGE,’" specifically aimed at President Obama, so as to momentarily distract him and get him off his game a little.

Be that as it may, the bigger question is whether the Tea Party has enough of a clear message that will redirect peoples' anger in more productive ways instead of just heaping up more and more criticism of government; which is neither constructive nor helpful. The one thing that Tea Party organizers need to do is to “speak truth to power,” and not just come up with these misleading and outright false sound bites laced with such diatribe as “Death panels for seniors” and President Obama is trying to promote “Socialism” with his agenda. If these "true” Americans want to save the Republic, then they need to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric, sharpen their pencils and wits, do their homework or research, and present in a clear and concise manner their better plan. In this way they will become, if not a “third rail” in American political theatre, but rather an amalgamation of a disenchanted, heterogeneous electorate who become energized enough and with their vote and pocketbook become the ‘CHANGE’ themselves that they were looking instead, to come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 16, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Board Game causes protest from Native Americans

The game is called “King Philip’s War” and according to AP reporter Eric Tucker, the Massachusetts Wampanoag tribe is all up in arms about it. The game is based upon a battle between 17th century New England colonists and Native Americans in the area. The game, although designed initially to be an educational tool of an actual historic event, although the objective of the game is to defeat as many Indians as possible, it perpetuates the usual stereotype of them as bloodthirsty, uncivilized savages. Instead of bringing to light the scant attention this little ‘war’ has been ignored in most textbooks and is beneath the public radar, still, it has for a growing number of Indian tribes been a source of irritation and racial insensitivity. The game’s designer, John Poniske, a Middle School Social Studies and English teacher in Hagerstown, MD said that he was surprised that this “incident” was not better known.

This is not the first time controversy has been generated in association with a game because several years ago “Ghettopoly” developer David Chang caused outrage among many African-Americans and the NAACP because of the negative depictions of drugs, guns, 40 oz. beer, buying stolen goods, prostitution and pimping, crack houses, getting car jacked, etc., contained in it. No matter what the intention of the inventor or creator of a product is, its success depends upon how well it is received by the public-at-large and it all comes down to “ethnic branding.” How would Jews feel about a board game depicting the ‘HOLOCAUST’ from the perspective of a former German Nazi soldier or what about a Civil War game from the perspective of a former rebel soldier from the South; better still, from the perspective of a slave living below the Mason-Dickson Line?

It must be remembered in politically-correct American society that traditional values or appropriateness are not so clearly defined and it is prudent to consider how someone else might perceive differently the thing that you take for granted.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 16, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

What’s the real issue in the Health Insurance debate?

When the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution of the United States and in THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, penned these words: “. . . that they [Men] are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. . .” Now, these great statesmen and intellectuals did not mention anything about the right of every American to affordable Health Insurance, but rather continued allegiance the King of England and the tyranny imposed upon the colonial settlers by him. Somehow, there are many voices in and out of the political arena today who seem to think that surely this august document written nearly 234 years ago must have had them in mind. The thing is, very few individuals have read and understand all the nearly 2,000 pages of the Health Care Bill, and doubtless, because it was drafted by politicians who included some of their own personal pet projects “pork” among the usually confusing ‘legalese’ (lawyer script); much like the prescriptions written in Latin by medical doctors. Perhaps the first thing that needs to be understood and accepted is that any company which offers ‘Insurance” of any type is underwriting “risk” and like any business, the objective is to make a profit. There is no legal mandate, either at the federal or state level in America that compels any of these organizations to offer this benefit; which by the way, is NOT a ‘Right’ that someone is entitled to.

Before going even further into this matter, it may be a good idea to look at this term called “risk” again. Essentially, it is all about statistical analysis, mortuary tables, age, race, lifestyle, and other demographics, etc. When a policy is issued to an individual/family for a particular coverage of benefits, this same “umbrella” insures or manages ‘risk’ for others who fall into the same category. When a claim is filed, deductibles satisfied, and payments made for medical treatment, premiums paid by the insured are already calculated into the payments because statistically, the chances of a significant number of the insured filing benefit claims at the same time that you do, albeit for different medical treatment, are relatively low. The deductibles that you pay are your part in assuming part of the risk for going to the doctor or dentist. If a statistically high cluster of claims are filed, adjustments have to made; either in the form of increased premiums or a reduction in benefits. Several decades ago, there used to be a much simpler coverage plan: (PLAN A) for a single employee and (PLAN B) for the employee’s family with 90% or in some cases 100% for all medical expenses. Insurers were prone to favor single individuals who didn’t have children because maternity claims were very expensive, especially as more and more females had C-sections (Caesarean births).

Also, if a husband and wife both worked for an employer with health benefits, both of them and their family were covered as Primary beneficiaries; meaning, for any medical or dental claim submitted by either party, both companies would pay as the Primary insurer. Since the insurer paid the claim check to the employee and left it up to him/her to pay their physician, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that they made some money in the deal because more often than not, both checks were an overpayment and was more than the doctor’s charges. Add to that, most of the time when someone made an appointment to see the doctor, one of the ‘first’ questions that was asked by the receptionist or office staff is “Do You Have Insurance?” before they even mention your name or ask who you were. Even on the “New Patient” intake form that you complete, it is not just to list your symptoms but rather as a screening process to see if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or the potential to develop something down the road.

All this fact-finding just adds to the amount on your bill and after-all, as they used to say, you don’t have to worry about it because, “YOU HAVE INSURANCE.” Many of the insurance companies were usually based on the East coast and the rates that were paid out in benefits were calculated based upon the medical charges in this region as opposed to states in the South, Midwest, or in WA and OR. Eventually, the insurance companies caught on to this over-billing scheme, sometimes by hiring medical professionals into their own organizations who are knowledgeable as to what certain costs for services rendered should or should not be. The insurance companies started billing the medical service provider directly instead of remitting a check to the patient and let him/her be responsible for paying off the cost of their treatment for services rendered. Not only that, but these insurers placed a lower maximum ceiling on how much they would pay for any type of treatment, irregardless of circumstances or need; and they transitioned from the “STANDARD/UNIVERSAL” coverage model to the more familiar “CAFETERIA-STYLE” where you pick your own benefits among a sliding scale of reduced coverage and premiums. Usually, the amount of coverage that a person or family may need they cannot afford to pay for nowadays.

PANDORA’S BOX has been opened now, and no one can back all the little gremlins of greed and selfishness; besides all of that, somebody has to pay for all those shiny, new high-tech and life-saving medical devices. So what’s the answer, then? The first thing is: “Don’t Believe the Hype.” Don’t take as the Gospel what you hear from TALK RADIO (AM Radio), ABC/CBS/NBC NEWS, women of “The VIEW,” political pundits, Think Tank spin-meisters, members of Congress, or even President Barack Obama. The best thing to do is find some clear-thinking person who is articulate and can make sense out of this ‘ball-of-confusion.’

Here is a radical idea: instead of trying to insure everyone on a macro level, perhaps it is best to see if there is a plan where people are adequately insured at affordable rates and use this example as a model to be implemented state by state until almost everyone who wants and can afford to pay for insurance coverage will have access to quality medical care. There are already laws in every state where no hospital or clinic can refuse to treat someone who has a medical emergency just because they don’t have insurance; so a lot of this anger, threats of violence, as well as acts of violence is irrational and dangerous. To reiterate: Health Insurance coverage is a privileged benefit that is offered by companies who are in the business of risk management, with the objective to make a profit. It is offered as a service to the millions of individuals who cannot afford to pay for the unexpected circumstances in life when a medical takes them by surprise (in most cases) and they have incurred sizeable financial liability to which they must now pay the costs; but it is in no sense of the word a “RIGHT” to which any Federal, State, City, Township, privately or publicly held company/organization is obligated to provide, and as some “inalienable [‘divine’] right” to which someone is entitled.


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

TESORO Refinery fire in Anacortes, WA

It is tragic that such an event happened at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, WA which resulted in the tragic deaths of at last five people and two other workers received severe burns over fifty percent of their body. The thing that probably goes unnoticed is that many of the nation's refineries and chemical plants are at least thirty years old and could present an ever-present danger to some sort of incident that happened here. All of these facilities have to keep up with the ever-growing demand to increase output and meet the latest stringent environmental regulations. There aren't enough inspectors within the Federal and State EPA, OSHA, or DOE to adequately monitor and check the safety of hundreds of plants.

These facilities contain thousands of gallons of highly volatile and reactive chemical components (hydrocarbons) and although reasonable measures are in place to prevent a major catastrophe from happening, it does occur from time to time; with deadly results. Although "SAFETY FIRST" is the mantra of these companies, when it comes down to expenditures for retrofitting old equipment for increased production as opposed to the cost for purchasing newer equipment, as well meeting governmental regulations to reduce pollution of the environment, safety is sometimes compromised.

Of course, it is also true that accidents do happen, and when it does it usually results in significant harm to persons and property. Not all sensors and monitors are calibrated on a regular basis or frequently enough, and some equipment does not always respond the way it should during an emergency. Even workers at these plants know the inherent dangers associated with their workplace and in the industry that they are in, but are willing to take the risk because of earning the big bucks with lots of overtime and other benefits like pension, sick leave, personal days off, etc.

As long as society craves the hundreds of by-products that can be derived from refining or cooking crude oil at high temperatures and pressure, then demand will drive these plants to perhaps take short cuts on safety to meet production goals. This does not rule out human error or lack of adequate training which can result in an industrial accident, but the verdict is out regarding whom to blame.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 6, 2010
253-382-4092
pbks@hotmail.com

Hillary Clinton’s comment may be a wake-up call for Israel

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent statement at the summit called AIPAC should have been a reality check for the Israeli people; not to mention, another glaring example of American ‘hubris.’ While avowing unrelenting support for the nation of Israel, she went on to say that with all the sophisticated weapons and technology being developed by the enemy, [in light of this continually evolving situation], “WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT ISRAEL ANYMORE.” This unfortunate comment should have caused some consternation among the Israeli political leadership including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak; as well as outrage among Israeli citizens and other people as well. It says that if America wasn’t around to scare away all the enemies and haters of Israel who are bent on her destruction or annihilation, she would not even exist. Perhaps Israel needs to rethink its relationship with the United States, Western European countries, and her role within the United Nations as well.

In the Jewish Bible [“TANAKH”] there are some lessons to be learned from the Jews depending on or soliciting for military deliverance from other nations instead of their God. In 2 Kings 16: 1, 7, 9, King Ahaz of Judah paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser to save them from the armies of the Kings of Syria and Israel. Also, in 2 Kings 17: 1, 3-4, King Hoshea of Israel conspired with the King of Egypt to come to his aid against Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, and when the Assyrian King uncovered the plot, he imprisoned King Hoshea and besieged the capitol [Samaria] for three years and carried away the people captive.

Later in 2 Kings 18: 17, 19-21, 32b; 19: 16, 19-22, 32-34, Rabshakeh, the Chief of Staff for Sennacherib King of Assyria taunted King Hezekiah and the people along the wall in Judah [the city of Jerusalem], and speaking for King Sennacherib, said, “Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD [Adonai??] should [can] deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” (Cp. 18: 35). What is instructive for the political leaders of modern-day Israel is what King Hezekiah did as recorded in 2 Kings 19: 1, 20, 32, 34: And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth [and ashes??], and went into the house of the LORD. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to me against Sennacherib King of Assyria, I have heard.’ ” “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the King of Assyria: ‘He shall not come [set foot] into this city [Jerusalem], Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it. “For I will defend this city [Jerusalem], to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”

Ironically enough, the remnant of the children of Israel [tribe of Judah, no doubt] wanted to return back to Egypt, the very country which their ancestors were enslaved, as it says in Jeremiah 42: 9a, 10a, 13-14; 43: 7a: Thus says the LORD, “If you will remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. “But if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, saying, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall not see war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell.’ ” So they went into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD.” Eventually Egypt was defeated and Israel went into captivity, anyway (Cp. Jeremiah 46: 1-28).

The people of Israel as well as the rest of the world needs to recognize that God has on occasion punished the Jews for their transgression of His Law [Torah], which included plagues (diseases), military defeat, captivity and exile into foreign lands, but nevertheless, as it says in Proverbs 21: 31: The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD. God will protect Israel from her enemies and will gather them from all the nations around the world to settle them in the land promised to the patriarch Abraham and codified in the Law [Torah] given at Mount Sinai; irrespective of the negotiations between the United States, Israel, the UN and the Palestinians about the settlement issue in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

Finally, it is not about having fighter jets with “STEALTH TECHNOLOGY” traveling at several times the speed of sound or having some of the best pilots in the world, or how many nuclear bombs they have, or equipping their soldiers with the latest in body armor and sensors to detect chemical, radiological, and biological weapons, and other such capabilities to wage modern warfare. The very opposite existed for their ancestors who were at a tactical disadvantage in almost every encounter before their enemies; especially when it came to the development of iron weapons. The one thing Israel had, though, was unwavering ‘faith’ in the promises of God and as long as she trusted in the LORD, Israel was victorious. The people of Israel need to be reminded of this because their sacred Scriptures teach:

Exodus 14: 14
The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

Deuteronomy 1: 30
The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes.

1 Samuel 17: 47
Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear [weapons]; for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.

Zechariah 4: 6b
So he answered and said to me, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts [YHVH Sabaoth].”

The Jewish people, their military and political leaders need to return [repent] to their LORD God through living according with the Law [Torah] and not adopt the customs of America and Western Europe. When this happens, the blessings which come to Israel will flow throughout the entire world and we will all be better off because of this.

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 23, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Rielle breaks silence, but is anyone really listening or even care?

After nearly two years since her affair with North Carolina Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate, femme fatale and sometime photojournalist, Rielle Hunter has decided to seek public absolution in her tell-all interview and confessional with writer Lisa DePaulo of GQ Magazine. According to Ms. Hunter, the attraction between she and John Edwards was, in her words, “Lust at First Sight,” and within a span of several hours, the illicit affair was in full effect. Never mind that Edwards was a married man with a family and a wife suffering from the most virulent and non-curable form of cancer, but hey, she isn’t such a horrible person or a money-grubbing opportunist who could have sold her story for big bucks.

Of course, Rielle didn’t have to worry about things financially because she was already receiving money secretly from “Johnny,” as she likes to call him, including the purchase of a house in North Carolina not too far from the Edwards’ Estate. Former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky could also say that what she did wasn’t so bad either, and also didn’t try to capitalize monetarily on the scandal and paparazzi over her affair with former President Bill Clinton; although the “Cali Girl” did have to leave the United States from all the intense and mostly negative media attention and go live in Europe (The UK) and start a business selling women’s purses/handbags.

Ms. Hunter says that she and John Edwards “love each other very much” and that, also, according to the interview with DePaulo, instead of the affair resulting in Edwards “Falling from Grace,” he has in her words, “Fallen into Grace” because he is ‘Living a Life of Truth' now. There was no shame in her game and an unapologetic as well as unrepentant Ms. Hunter probably feels that it isn't her fault if the bond between Elizabeth and John wasn't strong enough to keep him from being seduced by her. It seems that Rielle also seeks to portray Elizabeth Edwards in a less than stellar light; as overly controlling, and as a woman who has stripped John of his ‘manhood’ (emasculated him) and pushed him into running for President when he wasn't sure he really wanted to.

In her eyes, John is the real victim in their marriage and like most fairy tales, Ms. Hunter truly believes that she and ‘Johnny’ will Live Happily Ever After; but she may come to find that instead, that her life with John is a tragic Shakespearean drama and the final act will be one filled with betrayal, lust, anger, revenge, pain, and sorrow. Right now, Rielle is feeling satisfied and can exult and celebrate as the ‘other’ woman who finally snatched her Price Charming from the clutches of Elizabeth, but perhaps in about a few years from now, she may find as true that old adage: “What he will do with you he will do to You;" and both of them might come to find out that "Having [someone] is not necessarily so pleasant a thing as Wanting."

As a last point: John repeatedly professed his love for his wfe and family and how much he was so devoted to them and how happy they were, but it did not prevent him from betraying those to whom he pledged his unfailing love, support, and fidelity; so why does Rielle think it is going to be any different in her case, considering the fact that John dishonored his marital vows and abandoned a terminally sick wife just to have sex with her [in secret, no less]?


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

Professor Henry Louis Gates donates handcuffs to Smithsonian

One would think the public has heard the last from distinguished Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates jr., but there he goes again. When “Skip” Gates is not teaching or lecturing on African-American History, or as a spokesman for Public Television (PBS), he is helping famous celebrities, both Black and White, to find out about their ancestral, ethnic, and cultural roots. Now it seems that the esteemed Professor is graciously donating the handcuffs placed around his wrists for the “Disorderly Conduct” charge by the Cambridge, MA police department and Sgt. James Crowley to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.; according to the Tacoma News Tribune section A2, 2/14/2010 and featured in The New York Times Magazine on the same date.

There is just no quit in this man and it seems that he is just determined to write his own concluding narrative of this nearly forgotten and equally insignificant much-to-do-about nothing;’ or maybe it was his opportunistic self-aggrandizing moment, grandstanding, or pompous self-important attempt to grab the public’s attention; which he did rather successfully, including that of his old friend and fellow Alumni member, President Barack Obama.

Preserving the first pair of handcuffs worn by Martin Luther King jr., Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, or some other historic or spiritual icon is one thing; but for “Skip,” the final verdict just might be out on that one. Now, after having said all of this, of course the idea of donating something of value or significance to the National Museum and Library does have merit, and if there is a device large enough to wrap around Professor Gates rather enormously inflated ego, then that would be a rare cultural treasure, indeed.


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

Senator Harry Reid’s comment about Barack Obama not all that surprising

It is puzzling why there is such a public outrage and shock when another politician or public figure, usually a White male, makes disparagingly hurtful or insensitive racial remarks. Nevada Senator Harry Reid, leader of the US Senate made reference to then Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s skin complexion and the way he talked (dialect) as being something of a viable asset which separates him from the stereotypical Black man; making him more appealing to White voters. Vice-President Joe Biden said a very similar comment about candidate Barack Obama during the presidential debates, too. Even former President Bill Clinton, the reputed ‘First Black President’ (according to him), mentioned essentially the same thing. What is so interesting is that all of these men think what they said was intended to be a compliment and should not be viewed as anything else but the highest form of
R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Barack Obama is nothing ‘special’ among the many men of color who have ever lived in America, but rather just another link in the long chain of distinguishable Black men who have contributed to this country’s greatness. The implication that someone is not a shuckin’ and jivin’ slick Willie, a rappin’ and rhyming Ambulance chaser, or a Preacher, is insulting and ignores the very fact about the diversity, changeableness, depth, potential, and wealth of knowledge that exists within the African-American community. As expected, President Obama accepted Sen. Reid’s apology and mentioned that the effort to pressure the Senator to resign is much ado about nothing; but what else was Barack Obama supposed to say or do? Now what one says in public and how one feels or reacts and discusses in private conversations with family, friends, and confidants is an altogether different matter.

Not to miss an opportunity, the GOP led by African-American Shelby Steele, Chairman of the RNC denounced the statement by Sen. Reid as well as the apology and accuse the Democrats of wanting to have it both ways because of the political firestorm that was set off when then Majority Leader of the Senate Trent Lott’s comment about the country being better off if Segregationist Senator, the late Strom Thurmond had been elected President in 1948. With the Democrats wanting to hang onto their slim majority in the Senate, the Black Congressional Congress still supports Senator Reed based upon his past position on Civil Rights, which based on this revelation, makes one wonder if his votes on that legislation was because of his deep conviction for equality and justice or rather because of political expediency and advantage. With two Democratic Senators, including Chris Dodd of Connecticut not seeking to run again during the mid-term elections because they won’t win, the Republicans could shift the balance of power in the Senate back to their advantage.

So, are the words by Senator Reid inexcusable and should he resign from the Senate because of this statement he made back in 2008? There are certainly more important things to discuss but at least it was a break from hearing about how many women golfer Tiger Woods slept with. As far as Senator Reed, only the electorate in Nevada can decide his fate, and with a still sluggish economy, record numbers of unemployed workers (around 15% overall nationally), Iraq and Afghanistan, Healthcare, Airport security, affordable housing, job creation, Retirement/Pension benefits, Social Security, the Budget Deficit, Medicare/Medicaid, the devaluating Dollar, and the difficulty securing new bank loans, this brouhaha with Senator Reid will pass away like the morning dew on the blades of grass when the sun arises.


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

Dear President Obama: It's about Time to either Put up or Shut Up!

One thing that President Barack Obama is finding out with increasing certitude is that it is far easier to criticize someone than to walk a mile in their shoes; or in this case, the few steps from the Rose Garden to the Oval Office. Notwithstanding the disagreements with Moderate [Reagan] and some Liberal Democrats, Republicans, and Independents within both the House of Representatives and Senate regarding legislation over Health Care, the Economy, and dozens of other domestic as well as foreign policy issues, Barack Obama is looking more like a “lame duck” [legislatively ineffectual] already than a newly elected President.

With nearly a year into his presidency, Barack Obama has achieved very little in the way of steering a sure and steady course toward any coherent, meaningful, and realistic agenda for moving the country forward. Outside of the occasional rhetorical flourishes, he has not shown the very thing that people expect, namely, “leadership.” It is about time that something tangible and sustainable emerges from the president other than him trying to do everything all-at-once, thereby accomplishing very little in the way of achieving ‘real’ results.

During the Presidential campaign, candidate Barack Obama promised accountability, transparency, doing things right that make sense, reaching out to members across the [political] aisle (bi-partisanship), being deliberate and thoughtful, and bringing economic relief to those Americans on Main Street and not Wall Street. So far, none of this has happened and the printing presses at the US Treasury Department have issued nearly a trillion dollars to keep Insurance companies, US Automakers, and major Banking Institutions from bankruptcy. The average unemployed worker has received an extension of UI benefit checks but none of the optimistically forecasted new "Green Energy" jobs.

Even Federal and State Pell Grant or Worker Retraining funding to go to a College University or Technical School is dwindling and may be unavailable for those who most need it. President Obama is reminiscent of the Nursery School tale of the Little Dutch Boy who tried to plug a hole in the dike with his little finger to stop a leak. When he did that, another leak sprung somewhere else; you get the picture. Just like the little lad in the story, President Obama doesn't know how to "fix" the problem. And in the story, was it that the little boy didn't have enough fingers to plug each leak that formed in the wall of the dike, or was the dike constructed of cheap materials and of such poor quality to hold back the swelling waters, or was it instead, the mounting water pressure on the other side of the dike's protective wall which threatened its eventual collapse?

President Obama’s numbers are plummeting, edging below 50% according to the latest MSNBC poll for the first time since he took office, and is likely to drop even more until the “CHANGE” that candidate Obama promised the electorate truly comes to pass. Internationally, outside of the few mostly positive remarks from Western European countries and their leaders who sing his praises publicly, it is uncertain whether Barack Obama conveys the same kind of confidence and support in private diplomatic negotiations and discussions.

If the United States governmental officials and politicians are at odds with him on the domestic agenda, what chance does Barack have to persuade an International assembly of disparate and separate political entities, ethnic, religious, and economic ideologies, each with their own particular self-interests and priorities? Political representatives and citizens of countries in Central and South America, Eastern Europe, The Middle East, and the Far East as well as in parts of Africa are waiting to see what President Obama is going to do; as they have yet to swoon over the eloquence of Barack’s oratory because as the old saying goes, “Talk is cheap but it takes money to buy land,” or as the slogan in an unforgettable former fast foods commercial asks, “Where’s the Beef?”

Years ago, former President George W. Bush mentioned to a reporter during questioning after one of his press conferences that, "It's a hard job [being President]," and based upon what Barack Obama is dealing with behind-closed-doors and out of the glare of the media spotlight, he would undoubtedly say, "Amen, Brother!" Of course, President Obama is not one who lacks a high estimation of himself, as told to Oprah recently when she asked him to rate his performance in office, and not surprisingly, he gave himself a "B+" grade. That overrating must be for "style" points because it sure is not based on "substance;" and come to think of it, isn't this the very thing that Hillary Clinton pointed out during the Presidential Caucuses and debates? And if this is how Barack does now, what will he do in a real national emergency or International crisis in the future when that "red phone" in the Oval Office actually does ring at 3AM?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 18, 2009
pbks@hotmail.com

Slain Police Officers shock Washington residents

The State of Washington has for the third time this year made national news, and once again, not in a positive light. A few days ago, four Lakewood, WA police officers were gunned down, or rather assassinated at a local coffee shop by Maurice Clemons near the town of Parkland, WA. On Halloween night of October 31st, Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton was slain by John Monfort, and back in June of this year, Kurt Husted, a 16 year veteran of Loomis armored cars, was killed by Calvin Finley at a Wal-Mart store in Lakewood, WA. This is all the more distressing because the assailants were Black men and this will undoubtedly not be a positive step towards healings the feeling of animosity, tension and distrust that typically exists between Law Enforcement and the African-American community. It is anyone’s guess as to whether these isolated incidents will increase the scrutiny and racial profiling towards Black males that come into the proximity and attention of White police officers who, despite their extensive professional training, may feel the sting, anger, and frustration of a Criminal Justice system that they feel does not protect the public adequately from criminal activity, and who may feel potentially threatened and act instinctively to protect themselves by what they may perceive as a ‘War’ on Law Enforcement.

Ironically, this latest victim of the fallout and collateral damage from Maurice Clemons apparently unprovoked murderous vendetta is former Arkansas Governor and Republican Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee. Huckabee approved the recommendations from the Arkansas Parole Board to commute Clemons 108 year prison sentence to 47 years in 2000, making him eligible for parole; which he made. Maurice Clemons was 16 years old when he was sentenced to the exorbitant and excessive prison time for robbery and theft, a sentence that even the most vicious of criminals would not have been subjected to. For Mike Huckabee, this is like former Massachusetts Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis’ “Willie Horton” moment when he as a first term Governor, furloughed convicted murder Willie Horton who later committed rape and assault in Maryland after his release. So, where do we lay the blame; on the Courts, State Legislatures Criminal Law Codes, Parole Boards, Governor’s Executive authority to pardon, family environment of the criminals, or society as a whole?

Is the disparity that exists in American society which cuts across all educational, economic, and racial sectors to blame for these deadly outbursts; and if so, what is the solution before-the-fact; not after-the-fact? Unfortunately, we do not have the benefit of the aquatic telepaths in the science-fiction movie, “Minority Report,” who predict criminal acts of the perpetrator before they happen. No, we are not so fortunate and the laws as they are presently written do not penalize someone for a crime that is about to performed in the future. The slippery slope on which that leads to would be the eventual outlawing of “thought crimes.” No, there is no simple answer and the anecdotes or recriminations are not helpful as they only tend to focus on the problem but offer little in the way of a solution. The thing is that recidivism among those released from incarceration is at 90% or more, and rehabilitation of inmates is quite rare and minimal at best.

Not only that, but the first penal system brought over to the North American Continent from Europe by those beloved God-fearing Quakers is ineffective with regards to reintegrating people back into society nor does it serve as an ideally effective deterrent to antisocial behaviors resulting in criminality. Instead of the dismal failure of civil remedies, perhaps a spiritual solution should be given more serious consideration because the teaching of the holy Koran and Islam seems to have promising results to those African-American prisoners who testify to having a greater sense of peace and less violent tendencies. Also, there are numerous prison ministries among the Christian Church with varying degrees of success also, so why not support these outreaches with more of our prayers and other resources for healing the wounds, pain, anxiety and hurting that is prevalent in American society; besides, what do we have to lose but very much to gain?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 2, 2009
pbks@hotmail.com

Dear Tyra: Let’s get fiercesome real here, OK!

Earlier this week, former “SUPERMODEL,” ‘Victoria Secret’ spokesperson and Executive Producer of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL, Tyra Banks, did a segment on her show ‘TYRA’ about the negative discrimination facing women suffering from obesity. Tyra donned a fat suit that her professional makeup artists and staff equipped her with in order to go undercover to expose the harsh treatment, ridicule, and insults that overweight women face in American society. This is not however, the first time that Ms. Banks dealt with this particular issue. In fact, she addressed the same subject about last month in October on her show. Tyra was made to look like a 350 pound woman and was set up on a series of anonymous blind dates to check her potential suitor’s reaction to an unexpectedly plus size female dining guest. The exposé was disingenuous to women because Tyra was in fact, acting out a scene or script; playing a role just for the sake of gathering information.

Tyra broke down a little in front of her guests and studio audience because of the way she was treated and the pain she felt as she emulated the lives of the women she wanted to profile. One of Tyra’s guests was quite astute when she had second thoughts and was reluctant about even appearing on the show because she asked herself why Tyra was doing this in the first place. She did get some conciliation from Tyra’s ordeal and her bravery to at least bring this treatment of women to the attention of the public; but here again, this is not new and there weren’t any greater insights into the issue of obesity or a commitment to treat people differently because of their physical shape or size.

At the end of the day, Tyra can take off her fat suit and go about her business as usual lifestyle, but there are countless women who have to live every day of their lives the way Ms. Banks was pretending to do for a few hours, so how can what she experienced be of any real benefit to these women who have to suffer with not only the verbal and mental abuse, guilt, and shame, but the serious medical health issues as well? To be honest, Ms. Banks might not be the best choice because she is not the girl-next-door and is not representative of the average woman, nor can the average female relate to her anyway. Even Tyra admitted that she discriminates and have said some unflattering statements against women who are like the one she portrayed, but she vowed that she would never do it again.

One can only wonder if she came to that conclusion based upon what she experienced or because she knows that it is wrong, and how many of Tyra’s close friends, and not just a casual acquaintances are large-and-in-charge, are in her inner circle; or are the spaces reserved only for those svelte, waif-like nymphs who are nimbly able to slip through in their famous fashion designer Haute Couture clothing and accessories. As a side note: Talk about an irony of contrasts; just within a day or two after the airing of that show, two of the most beautiful women in the world, Halle Berry and Beyonce Knowles were Tyra’s guests, and of course, Ms. Banks just had to show out a little with the “GIRLFRIENDS,” “Miss THANG,” and the ‘Diva’ conversation going on. When Beyonce was on the show, Tyra talked with such pride about being considered as part of the Knowles’ family, like a play big sister and all of that, but would she also be as enthusiastic to be adopted into the family of someone like Gabourey Sidibe starring as Claireece Jones in the movie, “PRECIOUS?” You be the judge.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 13, 2009
pbks@hotmail.com