Needed: National Reconciliation On 9-11 Malfeasance & Iraq Catastrophe

The malfeasance of the Bush administration's dismissing early and very late warnings on the 9-11 attack and both the Bush deception on the rationale for the Iraq invasion and subsequent catastrophe as well as congressional votes on this crime have earned a national reconciliation assembly.  Perhaps patterned after the South African post-apartheid commission work.

These two events, now far more that Watergate, have caused a deep and continuous lack of confidence in our political leaders and system as well as endless suffering among the victims.  This includes the families of the Towers, Pentagon employees and families of crew and passengers on the 9-11 flight #93 that went down in Pennsylvania.  It also includes the electorate lied to by the Bush/Cheney administration and mal-served by all those in congress voting to go to war in Iraq on well known bogus, contrived so-called evidence of harm to our country.  This also includes the thousands who gave their lives for this lie, hundreds of thousands forever damaged physically and psychologically by the war and millions in the middle east killed or displaced as a result of this crime.

There is now irrefutable evidence of longstanding economic damage created by both national security over reaction and debt incurred as a result the war.

It is my assessment after years of contemplation that the harm these two events of governmental incompetence, outright dishonesty and cowardice to face up to facts and reality have maybe forever compromised our democracy and ability to continue the great American experiment with public support.  We have been a despondent and non-functioning democracy ever since.   A significant portion of the electorate are now alienated from the process and not participating, or are angry at the wrong things with abandonment of critical thinking or believing outright proven untruths. 

A solution to at least partially repair our broken system and nation would be to create a program of national reconciliation, since there seems to be little national stomach for criminal, political and civil accountability for the perpetrators.  The political class responsible  are either enjoying a plush retirement while the rest of us struggle or continue to hold office, irrespective of party.  And they continue to deliver fraudulent narratives on well documented evidence to the contrary.  Again, while we struggle.

One of my struggles continues to be my nagging doubts about even those in my party who voted for the Iraq invasion and horrific occupation and supported grossly overreached national security measures.  Early on that included Kerry who in a Texas living room I challenged on his Iraq vote and he had the audacity to ask us if we did not join him in believing Bush's assertions on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction.  Sadly, later I became cynical about the intellectual capabilities or honesty of both Biden and Clinton on their Iraq votes and support for overreach on the surveillance state.  Many other fellow citizens have dropped out and opted out due to their lack of trust.

Such a national reconciliation program would not suspend future criminal or civil action as the law might allow.  But by impaneling a Reconciliation Council of respected non-office holding citizens with expertise on the two major issues, such as academics, clergy and retired jurists to conduct widely publicized public hearings, we can have a start at restoring an honest national conversation about these events, come to closure on our failings and make a plan to prevent their repetition.

These hearings would hear testimony from willing perpetrators and their critics for a full airing.  Those that own up to their malfeasance or dishonesty would be given the chance to apologize to the nation and the Council would grant forgiveness.   Those perpetrators failing to participate and apologize would be called out by the Council and hopefully shunned by the media and electorate.

No doubt there are refinements that can be made to such a process based on what we might learn from South Africa's experience and perhaps other examples. 

Anything would be better than the current national limbo and amnesia we are experiencing.

Support HR 3717, Rep. Tim Murphy, PhD, PA

Those of us who have family members suffering with chronic mental illness such as schizophrenia know what a travesty HIPPA regulations are, crippling families trying to help those they are ill equipped to provide care for.  We also know the need for longer term inpatient care for some of these patients, unavailable due to the absurd notion that most of these patients are best cared for on an outpatient basis. 

Rep. Murphy, yes, a Republican, has a sensible solution to this crisis many have endured without clinical or community support.  Please, get informed and turn this legislation into a reality so many in our society need.

 

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (12/12/2013)

Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013 - Creates in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, who shall supervise and direct the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Directs the Assistant Secretary to establish a National Mental Health Policy Laboratory to: (1) identify and implement policy changes and other trends likely to have the most significant impact on mental health services; (2) collect information from grantees; and (3) evaluate and disseminate to such grantees evidence-based practices and services delivery models, using the best available science shown to reduce program expenditures while enhancing the quality of care furnished to individuals by other such grantees.
Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to require the Assistant Secretary to establish: (1) an Interagency Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee; and (2) a four-year pilot program to award up to 50 grants each year to counties, cities, mental health systems, mental health courts, and any other entities with authority under state law to implement, monitor, and oversee assisted outpatient treatment programs.
Directs the Assistant Secretary to establish a program of tele-psychiatry and primary care physician training grants to states to promote the use of qualified telehealth technology for the identification, diagnosis, mitigation, or treatment of a mental health disorder.
Directs the HHS Secretary (Secretary), in coordination with the Assistant Secretary, to award planning grants to enable up to 10 states to carry out 5-year demonstration programs to improve the provision of behavioral health services by federally qualified community behavioral health clinics.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to certify federally qualified community behavioral health clinics that meet specified criteria.
Requires the caregiver of an individual with a serious mental illness to be treated as the individual's personal representative with respect to protected health information, even though the individual has not consented to disclosure of such information to the caregiver, when the individual's service provider reasonably believes it is necessary for protected health information to be made available to the caregiver in order to protect the individual's health, safety, or welfare or the safety of one or more other individuals.
Amends the General Education Provisions Act to allow an educational agency or institution to disclose to such a caregiver the individual's education record in certain related circumstances.
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make available: (1) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants for mental health programs and operations by law enforcement or corrections officers, and (2) public safety and community policing grants to provide specialized training to law enforcement officers to recognize and intervene properly with individuals who have mental illness.
Reauthorizes and revises requirements for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004.
Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to: (1) establish or expand veterans treatment court programs; and (2) enhance the capabilities of a correctional facility to identify, screen, and treat inmates with a mental illness, as well as develop and implement post-release transition plans for them.
Requires any data prepared by or submitted to the Attorney General or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with respect to homicides, law enforcement officers killed and assaulted, or individuals killed by law enforcement officers to include data about the involvement of mental illness in such incidences, if any.
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to detail the cost of federal. state, or local imprisonment for persons who have serious mental illness.
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit a state medical assistance plan from prohibiting payment for a same-day qualifying mental health service or primary care service furnished to an individual at a federally qualified community behavioral health center or a federally qualified health center on the same day as the other kind of service.
Allows states the option to provide medical assistance for inpatient psychiatric hospital services and psychiatric residential treatment facility services for individuals age 21-65.
Amends both SSA titles XIX and XVIII (Medicare) to cover prescription drugs used to treat mental health disorders.
Amends the PHSA to increase funding for the brain initiative at the National Institute of Mental Health.
Transfers responsibility for the administration of community mental health block grants to the Assistant Secretary from the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS).
Revises requirements for the funding agreement under a formula block grant to a state for community mental health services to prescribe the general standard under state law for court ordered inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment as well as assisted outpatient treatment.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to evaluate the combined paperwork burden of certain community mental health centers as well as of certified federally qualified community mental health clinics.
Directs the Secretary of Education, along with the Assistant Secretary, to organize a national awareness campaign to assist secondary school students and postsecondary students in: (1) reducing the stigma associated with serious mental illness; (2) understanding how to assist an individual demonstrating signs of a serious mental illness; and (3) understanding the importance of seeking treatment from a physician, clinical psychologist, or licensed mental health professional when a student believes the student may be suffering from a serious mental illness or behavioral health disorder.
Amends the PHSA to include as health care providers any behavioral and mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, psychiatric hospitals, certain community mental health centers (including one operated by a county behavioral health agency), and residential or outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities.
Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare), with respect to incentives for meaningful use of certified electronic health records (EHR) technology under the pay schedule for physician's services, to include as additional eligible professionals clinical psychologists providing qualified psychologist services and clinical social workers. Subjects any additional eligible professionals, including those under a MedicareAdvantage (MA) plan, to reductions in incentive payments after a certain date for failure to be a meaningful EHR user.
Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to treat as Medicaid providers the following additional Medicaid providers: (1) public and certain private hospitals that are principally psychiatric hospitals, (2) certain community mental health centers, and (3) certain residential or outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities.
Makes eligible Medicaid professionals certain clinical psychologists providing qualified psychologist services and certain clinical social workers.
Amends the PHSA to accord health care professional volunteers at community mental health centers and federally qualified community behavioral health clinics the liability protections of Public Health Service employees.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to transfer all functions and responsibilities of the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality to the National Mental Health Policy Laboratory.
Revises the duties of the CMHS Director.
Reauthorizes the Secretary's authority to address priority mental health needs of regional and national significance.
Amends the PHSA to reauthorize and revise requirements for a youth interagency research, training, and technical assistance center to prevent suicides (the Suicide Prevention Technical Assistance Center). Expands the program's focus from youth suicides to suicides among all ages, particularly among groups that are at high risk for suicide. Repeals authority for grants to establish research, training, and technical assistance centers related to mental health, substance abuse and the justice system.
Reauthorizes a program of grants for the development of state or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies.
Reauthorizes and revises a grant program to enhance services for students with mental health or substance use disorders at institutions of higher education. Requires the Secretary (who currently is merely authorized), acting through the CMHS Director, to award grants to enhance such services and to develop best practices for the delivery of such services. Permits grant funds to be used for the provision of such services to students and to employ appropriately trained staff. Requires the Secretary to give special consideration to applications for grants that describe programs that demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional mental and substance use disorder services and the greatest potential for replication.
Requires the Assistant Secretary, before making a grant to a public entity for comprehensive community mental health services to children with a serious emotional disturbance, to consult with the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to ensure that the grant recipient will use evidence-based practices. Reauthorizes funding for such grants.
Repeals current authority of the Secretary to carry out directly or through grants, contracts or cooperative agreements with public entities a program to assist local communities in developing ways to assist children in dealing with violence.
Reauthorizes the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Amends the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act to reduce corresponding funding for protection and advocacy systems for mentally ill individuals.
Prohibits lobbying by any such systems accepting federal funds to protect and advocate the rights of individuals with mental illness.
Prohibits the SAMHSA Administrator from hosting or sponsoring any conference that will not be primarily administered by SAMHSA without giving at least 90 days prior notice to specified congressional committees.
Prohibits the SAMHSA Administrator also from establishing (and the Secretary from delegating to the Administrator responsibility for) any program or project not explicitly authorized or required by statute. Terminates by the end of FY2014 any SAMHSA program or project not so explicitly authorized or required.

Congress.gov

Key People Who Shaped Who I Am

With maybe too much time on my hands, I’ve begun lately to think about the greatest influences on my life from the beginning.  This not to diminish in any way  unmentioned family, children or friends over my over three quarters of a century who gave me so much and to whom I am forever grateful.

Maggie Merriman-Whose pain over my father’s absence in Europe in WWII was visible to me as a child and in later life made me think hard about war and its terrible toll on those involved.  Through her I learned too about religious discrimination and exclusion and fanaticism  as non-Mormons in Utah. Her enrollment of me as a kid of 10 or so in an integrated YMCA summer camp forever shaped my affinity for my black brothers and sisters.

Stan Worthen-My maternal grandfather who fathered me for the two WWII years we lived with them.  He charmed me with his cowboying stories, took me to his work as a movie projectionist and introduced me to the magic of film art, sat me beside him when he tied amazing trout fishing flies and regaled me with stories of his work as a labor organizer/leader in hostile territory, Salt Lake City.

Taylor Merriman-My father who taught me the meaning of patriotism with his father’s and his own service as an officer in the U.S. Army in WWI and WWII respectively.  It gave me my sense of duty to do the same with ROTC and active duty as an junior officer.  Another lesson important to my values was being chastised for beating up a bully when I thought my report on this event would earn me praise.  A major lesson in violence as a solution of any kind.

Mrs. Woodruff-Old Mill Elementary.  A kind, grandmotherly teacher who gave me love and love for learning, the most influential teacher I ever had.  It was a combination of love, support and hard work on lessons that shaped my appreciation for educators.

Pete Gross (Goldstone)-My first really close buddy, particularly as an only child.  His Mom made us roasted lamb ribs and roasted potatoes on those many Friday nights when I stayed overnight to box with him on the street below and then listen to the Friday night fights on the radio.   My first exposure to Jewish people, loving and kind which forever gave me a strong affinity for Jewish friends and social groups.  Pete in those early years was an avid sports fan and always wanted to be a sports announcer. He lived his dream and became a huge sports broadcasting icon in Seattle.  The lesson here, grab a dream and chase it hard.

The Priest who shuttled me to Marin Catholic High School- Sadly, I cannot remember his name but I needed a ride from our nearby town to this school each day and evening and he taught there.  He did not recruit me hard but his kind and generous help endeared me to Catholicism to which I converted.  It gave me an affinity group and a family outside my very tolerant non-believing family.  Later in high school, at my confirmation ceremony the Archbishop of Baltimore, who officiated, planted my seeds of doubt with his words of anti-semitism in his sermon which rang as false with me that years later led to my departure from the Church and religion and magical belief.

Aunt Jane Angel-Among the first unapologetic liberals and early feminists (1950’s) I was exposed to, bending me further in that direction in high school.  She also was a completely non-homophobic person as was my mother. My mother and Aunt Jane adored my Uncle Tommy (dancer actor, out-gay man) as others shunned him.  He was a brother of my paternal grandfather and this for some was too close for “comfort”.  I too, due to their influence loved and enjoyed uncle Tommy’s stories of his life in Hawaii studying the hula dance tradition.  In high school, in my father’s absence due to a two year military post in Korea, Aunt Jane and my mother brought Jane’s next door neighbors in D.C., two professional very out gay men into my life as kind of surrogate fathers.  They were enthusiastically part of major family events including Christmas, birthdays and my high school graduation in Maryland.

Steve Tobash-Golf pro at the Ft. Meade, Maryland golf course.  Steve gave me my first jobs in high school, teaching me lessons about being on time and doing my best work.   I graduated from running refreshment stands at the course to shagging balls for him on the practice range, to caddying for him both at the course and in some Eastern PGA tournaments.  I met his Polish Parents and stayed with them in a PA. mining town when we were on Tour.  Steve taught me well at the best sport I excelled in and even assigned me to caddy for President Eisenhower when he played our course. 

Grandma and Grandpa Merriman-With whom I lived my freshman year in college, sold me my first car to commute to my University of Santa Clara and taught me many life lessons.  Bernice was a college educated woman with a new England background and member of the DAR.  She later resigned from the DAR when their board protested the appearance of the first black Opera singer at Constitution Hall.  She was both an ardent feminist and abolitionist.   Fred was also a college graduate in Pharmacy and invented a coffee brewing system which provided them a more than comfortable living for much of their lives.  He taught me about entrepreneurship which served me well later in life.

Father Austin Fagothy S.J., Ethics Professor, Santa Clara-This Jesuit singularly stands out as a huge influence on my thinking and life.  He is/was an acknowledged expert on ethics and taught well and hard.   So hard in fact, when I became snarky in class and challenged him, he assigned me the task of getting up and serving Mass for him in the chapel each morning for a semester at 6 a.m.  Those marble alter steps were cold and hard.  But he taught me not only ethics but humility, a huge Jesuit value.  I went on to become active in the Catholic Worker Movement (Dorothy Day, founder) there and began shaping a left world view, though my Dept. Chair  mentor tried very hard to turn me right wing.  That is the wonder of the Jesuit order; both left and right strongly represented in their ranks.  I mainly attribute my atheism to Fr. Fagothy and the Jesuit intellectuals who taught me that I could  think my way out of the Church and organized religion which I regard as magical, wishful thinking. 

Lt. Rick Melton-My co-briefing officer for the 2^nd U.S. Army.  Rick also a poly sci major from Syracuse U.

Rick and I devised a “Huntley-Brinkley” style of co-presenting our weekly world events briefing to a audience of mostly sleeping Generals and Colonels.  We got a jeep each week from the motor pool to drive to the Pentagon.  There we learned what a joke top secret files were and the primary source of the Pentagon and CIA’s intelligence….Reuters News Service published reports.  Rick further reinforced both my anti-war views and general left-liberal view of world events.  He went onto a distinguished career with the State Department.  He was thrown out of Nicaragua for protesting their shutting down of newspapers during their 70’s revolution.    His Uncle was Sen. Byrd from West Virginia.  He and I also taught an enlisted guy in our unit a course in Marxism, who happened to be a son from the Rockefeller family !

Mary Katharine Green Merriman-My first and only love for 46 years.  I fell hard and quickly when my army buddy Scott Riley fixed me up with a double date.  Blond, beautiful and vivacious she was throughout our lives together.  She gave us our four also very blond children.  We shared triumphs and heartaches; we fought for reforms in the Catholic Church which gave us both university educations and lost; we fought for equal rights for women, and lost mostly.  We fought the racism we found in the south and mostly lost.   We fought together for a better Democratic Party and society and mostly lost.  We fought for an integrated Houston school system and after 3 years of integration, mostly lost. But we lost together and it was, with all its bumps along the way, a great life together, most of it in Houston.  She gave me also my second great love, besides my children, Sylvia Green, her mother.  I adored my mother in law and am also so grateful for her.

Bob Flowers, Bobby Valz, Jim Hardenberg, Sam Keeper and Berkley Cooke, Dick McDonald-Six  business mentors whose sage advice prepared me for the best and the worst.  Flowers-endure the trivial and more interesting things will follow.  Valz- take care of the “little people” and they will take care of you.  Hardenberg-crying when I resigned to move to Houston- you can do it.   Keeper-you’re really good at this.  Cooke-I trust you to do the right thing.  McDonald-find a niche and work it.  My advice to those starting careers, find a good mentor. Listen hard.  Ask questions.  Earn their support with your loyalty and attentiveness to what they are teaching you.  These good leaders helped me flourish at Kroger, Hormel,  Daigle Merriman & Associates, Bozell,  McDonald Davis, MarketCare Services.  They gave me a good retirement and plenty of creative freedom  both as an employee and entrepreneur. And the strength and discipline to endure losing Mary Kaye and the 10 years I was caregiver to Tim.

Fr.Wm. Tinney, Houston Pastor-The one primary negative influence in my life.  Fired me from my parish volunteer job as Adult Education Director because I introduced dissident Catholic theologians to my fellow parishioners, information apparently they should not have been given.  This liberated me to first create a Catholic worship community called the Community of Hope for other Catholic dissenters hoping Pope John XXIII and his Vatican Council II might give us a modern church.  They didn’t and we lasted about three years.  Mary Kaye and I then liberated ourselves from the Catholic Church.  She found community years later with a group of Catholic women and I with atheism.

Terilynn Murray-Mary Kaye’s cousin in Baltimore who became really the one remaining relative who gave me a sense of family in the latter stages of my life.  She constantly checks on my physical and emotional well being like no one else connected to me excepting my adorable spouse.  Opened her home to us, introduced us to her friends, introduced us to the possibilities of moving to the northeast.  Smart, fun and generous in time and attention.  Most of all, a wise advice giver.  She has made this transition to the northeast so pleasurable after 45 years in Houston.

Julie Jackson-I swore to myself on losing my first love that I was not going to be like my father and his father and marry soon again after losing Mary Kaye.  But, events over which I had little control took over and I fell madly in love with Julie Jackson, who had been an 8 or 9 year platonic political friend.  I could not believe the rush of feelings, so very much like the falling in love stages with Mary Kaye.  I knew these feelings were real and authentic and all for the right reasons.  At this writing,  after 8 years together as husband and wife, my love only grows.  Julie give me life, laughter, so much love and incredible companionship.  I adore her and hope I show it all the time.

Nancy Pelosi Stands Up To Theocratic Error And Hate

First Published on 1/27/2015 in DelawareLiberal by ProgressivePopulist

 

Theological error from none other than Nancy Pelosi's highly credentialed (by his organization) Canon Law expert in the Diocese of San Francisco.

“This has been the consistent teaching of the Church from the very beginning, a teaching already discernible in the natural moral law, and so a teaching from which no Catholic can dissent in good conscience,” he said.

These are the words of Nancy Pelosi's Archbishop in San Francisco.  His name is Salvatore Cordileone who not long ago partnered with the Mormon Church in opposing marriage equality in the California Prop. 8 fight.  He was responding to a press inquiry directed to him in the aftermath of an interview by Rep. Pelosi where she avoided taking a position on whether an unborn fetus of 20 weeks was a human being.  The interview took place on January 22 in conjunction with current Republican legislation further undermining the law of the land per Roe v. Wade and the right of women to choose.

Pitted against a conservative canon  law theologian, she avoided answering because as a professed Catholic and mother of five children and a lawmaker, she well understood the history of her Church as ambiguous and historically contradictory on this question.   The same is true of the Church's position overall on abortion.

Canonical penalties for abortion changed over the centuries.  Women (yes, only the women) convicted of abortion in the early Church were subject to exile.  Then, later "Women who commit abortion before the fetus has life shall do penance for one year or for the three forty day periods or for forty days, according to the nature of the offense;...."

Later, women were excluded from communion for life; then, amended to exclusion from communion for ten years.

The penalty for murder, in contrast, was the ultimate punishment....excommunication.

Never dealt with by the Church or the good Archbishop is the biological fact that 50% of all pregnancies result in spontaneous abortions.  That is, either the Catholic God allowing the forces of nature they believe he created prevail, or actual direct causal action by their Creator to initiate the abortion.  Archbishop, how do you square the laws of nature with your view of "natural moral law"?

These issues never have been ruled on with so called infallibility; theologians have disagreed for centuries on both when human life is present in a fetus and whether abortion of any type is "murder."  And she speaks as a lawmaker for both Catholic and believers of other faiths, or no faith in her elected position.

But, clearly she has a more informed grasp of her Church's erratic history on these issues than this highly trained theologian, who was assigned by a discredited Pope to straighten out those rebellious San Franciscans on liberalism, homosexuality and gay marriage a couple of years back.

Catholics, including authoritative theologians such as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and several Popes including Innocent II and  Gregory XIV have indeed dissented on these questions.   Salvatore, indeed your Church has not been "consistent" from the very beginning as you incorrectly cite history.

Further, Salvatore, your position was not written into centuries of your Canon Law until about 100 years ago.  But, also written into Canon Law of all these centuries is the Law of Primacy of Conscience.  The Vatican even today has acknowledged that is does not know when the fetus becomes a person.  Thus, your Law makes these matters a moral choice by the "faithful" empowered by this Law in defining legitimate laws and norms.

Nancy Pelosi and millions of other American Catholics properly exercise their right to their own conscience and moral choice on these matters.  You, sir,  have distorted your appointed role as teacher and shepherd of your flock  into that of a bully.

Thank you leader Pelosi for not being intimidated by the bully and for taking the time and effort to understand your Church's history and their Law on matters impacting women and families worldwide, irrespective of whether they submit to his authority or prefer to have their choices governed with their own conscience.

Proof: Republicans Are Incapable Of Governing

 First Published in DelawareLiberal on January 22, 2015 by ProgressivePopulist

 

Barely starting their majority rule  in this new Congress, the Republicans, not satisfied with a visionless, utterly barren domestic policy are now usurping the Constitutional powers of the Executive branch in foreign affairs/policy.

Their sabotaging of the very difficult Iranian nuclear negotiations secured by a very competent Democratic Executive administration is beyond stupid.  There is simply nothing for the nation to lose in seeing through these negotiations to whatever conclusion is reached.  Yet Boehner and McConnell are determined to undermine this effort.  Is there some noble purpose behind their blundering effort to undermine the talks?

No.  Rather, this is an attempt to avert any possible credit for a Democratic Administration in securing yet another diplomatic success in averting a potential war.  Nothing high minded here.

This sabotage not being satisfying enough, now they are usurping Presidential prerogatives in foreign affairs by extending an invitation to Netanyahu to address Congress two weeks before his own very hotly contested election with the expressed purpose of displaying the very contentious disagreement between our country and and much of Israel on the Iranian nuclear power issue.  This of course in an opportunity in both campaign fund raising for Bibi in the U.S.A. and a chance to further dampen his tenuous relationship with our President Obama.  Some noble purpose here?  Nope.  Pure partisan politics and the chance to create a Constitutional crisis.

All of this in the wake of a clear Democratic Party success for America in mostly shutting down two catastrophic Republican wars.  These wars which had a major role in the Republican financial collapse of our economy President Obama has had to invest most of his Presidency in fixing.
Republicans.

Governing is about averting and correcting crises.  Not creating them.

Reflections On My Civil Rights Awakening

First Published in this blog in August, 2013. 


The events in Washington D.C. this week inspire me to share my story about racial justice awareness in my life of just past three quarters of a century.  My intent is to create reflection on what MLK called "the beloved community" and how each of us can work to make it a reality.  With the current political environment it is apparent that it is still largely a vision, not a reality.

My earliest encounter with race issues goes back to YMCA camp when I was in elementary school.  There were no African American kids in my northern California school in the late 40's/early 50's, though the community was decidedly liberal by reputation.  Black kids lived a few miles away in a mixed public housing project on the route to San Francisco.  My only encounter with them was when a few of them would launch raids at our baseball field, hiding in a nearby gully and emerging for a good fight after our practices and games.  it was kind of scary.  We'd high tail it home to avoid their attacks, armed with fists and rhetoric.

YMCA camp was mostly populated by city kids, many being black or Asian and a few of us Anglos from nearby suburban enclaves.  I was paired with a Black kid on a camping expedition to share a double sleeping bag.  I didn't know it was a big deal until a few white campers expressed amazement  that I was chosen for this event by a counselor.  I don't remember whether I volunteered or just picked.  But, I clearly remember that he was a really great kid and I had lots of fun and felt no discomfort.  It was a really positive experience that gave me a life lesson.

Fast forward to high school in the 50's on the east coast and college in northern California.  Both environments were nearly all Anglo; overwhelmingly Anglo.  But as soon as I entered the military, things changed dramatically.  As a young officer training at a post in Baltimore I had a number of black classmates.  Soon after arrival there I became friendly with two white guys from Notre Dame's ROTC program; one from New Jersey and another from Chicago.  I guess we were drawn together by our Catholic university backgrounds.  We observed the large African American population in Baltimore.  We were joined by an affable African American guy in our training class for drinking sessions at the Officer's Club on Friday nights and the often drunken encounters with marines who wanted to duke it out with us.  So, the New Jersey guy came up with a brilliant idea.  We'd keep on our uniforms on Friday nights and the four of us would go to nearby segregated clubs and bars and try to integrate them.  The uniforms were our calling cards, pretty hard for the bouncers to argue with us as we cajoled  our way in with our black buddy.  This became a regular Friday routine and it worked.  We never failed and while the receptions were often cool at these establishments, we formed a phalanx around our buddy and were served.

Fast forward to post military life in Washington DC.  My now deceased wife and I lived in the northern Virginia suburbs, both working in DC.  There we had our first two children.  We were both liberals and were very aware of the racial stirrings around us and throughout the country, especially the south.  We were married in 1960 and as we socialized with Anglo friends in the suburban apartment complexes, we shared concerns about the racial slurs neither of us had grown up with.  Racism was a part of everyday life there, even among educated Anglos.  Though my wife's childhood neighborhood in Baltimore began to become integrated while we dated, her parents never expressed being threatened or anxiety about this change.   Today, on returning to that area, it has transformed from a mostly German heritage area with German restaurants and bakeries to almost completely African American.  It remains a tidy and well kept suburban village.

So, in 1963, soon to be transferred to a southern Virginia town,  as Washington D.C.area residents, we quite naturally attended the March on Washington and were in awe of the massive gathering.  Only years later did we fully appreciate the historic significance of MLK's speech and the impact this stirring event would have on our country. But as a face in the crowd I can attest that just being in the company of such a massive gathering of American souls felt good and created for me a sense of solidarity with a movement for economic and racial justice which stayed with me for life; a pretty long life at that.  I experienced the same feeling of solidarity 40 something years later at both Obama inaugurations.

The next major life event which fueled my passion for racial justice was following our move to Roanoke, Virginia.  Still a practicing Catholic, I became involved with the Knights of Columbus in that city.  I was recruited by a casual friend there to join him in a move to vote in the first African American member of that local body.  Our major fringe benefit of membership was a private bar in their meeting hall in a dry southern county.   My friend must have read me as a liberal and so he and I plotted our nomination of a distinguished black physician and pitch to the group consisting of mostly locals comprising the membership. ironically, few of our fellow Anglo Knights had the education our Black physician friend had attained.  My friend was a very effective communicator, evidenced by his ownership of a local radio station.  The net net result was a vote by the membership of professed Catholic defenders of the faith, using, a secret ballot technique involving, believe it or not, black and white marbles to cast our votes.  So, those supporting the physicians acceptance into membership would be secretly unidentified.  We thought under those circumstances that the doctor would be a shoe in among this group of Christians.  It was not to be.  He lost by a substantial majority of cast black ball votes.

I left the Knights of Columbus, Roanoke, shortly thereafter, though I toted my Knights sword around the country with our many future relocations, gathering dust in many closets.

The next major life experience which changed my life and solidified my search for racial justice was when my wife and I were recruited by our parish priest in our new home, Austin, Minnesota to take under our wings an African American couple who had also moved into this area from Ohio.  They would become the first black people to belong to this parish.  Once again, I guess the good padre read us correctly as liberals.  We entertained the young couple, who had a child about the age of our kids. Austin was about 98% white.  We then networked them with other friends, mostly "townies" and introduced them around at the coffee's held after mass.  It worked well and they soon were warmly embraced by this faith community.

Not long after this very positive experience, MLK was assassinated and major cities began to erupt.  My clients with my work at Hormel were major vending and catering companies in major cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., L.A. and Chicago.  Their warehouses and headquarters were mostly in industrial districts adjacent to largely African American neighborhoods.  These areas were in flames for weeks after our loss of MLK.  Being young and both very self assured and curious, I began to hang out in these community's bars in the evenings after working with my clients on road trips.  What I learned and encountered with a few beers with locals was an eye opener.  I was greeted with great curiosity as often the only white guy in the establishment but often fellow patrons opened up to me.  What I learned from these encounters was that while those I met were enraged at the loss of a great and inspiring leader, they were still hopeful for change and felt there were enough white people of good will out there to accept them as fellow human beings and provide a chance for their realization of the American Dream.  They were not in despair as I expected them to be nor as unhopeful  as I felt then.  They inspired me and infused me with the desire to engage my kids with their kids to further the movement toward justice and MLK's beloved community. 

Soon thereafter came a move to Houston, Texas.  This gave me opportunities I never imagined would be opened up for me.  There my wife and I became involved with a group which sponsored weekend "salt and pepper" parties; gatherings of adults, often with our kids.  We were Black, Hispanic  and Anglo young professionals outraged with a local school board resisting integration of our public schools and acceptance of the law of the land.  We had deliberately chosen a neighborhood which was a part of a large urban, multi-ethnic city, not the more popular suburban all white school districts embracing white flight.

These salt and pepper parties soon led to the creation of a political movement of mostly middle class white liberal, Hispanic and Black parents.  About 1,000 strong.   We organized over about a year, raised money and recruited a multi-ethinic slate of candidates to run against the intransigent, conservative school board resisting court ordered integration.  My own wife during this period ran for the State Board of Education against a very popular incumbent Republican after whom a nearby Stadium was named.  She wound up earning 44 % of  the vote, running, believe it or not, on a pro-busing platform.  But, our Houston school district slate won, taking a majority on the board and beginning the process of integrating the school district which my four children were privileged to attend.  In a few short years our candidates created some of the first magnet schools in the nation as well as gifted and talented programs later emulated by school districts all over the nation.  Our initiatives to assist Hispanic immigrant children were models also matched elsewhere.  We ultimately lost board control to backlash conservatives but it was too late for them to stop the momentum our brave board members initiated. But, best intentions were not rewarded.  Over the subsequent years the Houston schools became overwhelmingly minority populated as Anglos departed for distant suburban districts in white flight.

I also was given further awakening by association with a brilliant organizer of the liberal Democrats in Texas, Billie Carr who formed the Harris County Democrats, a shadow party to the conservative dominated Democratic Party of Harris County.  Their purpose was the ouster of the segregationist conservatives who had set the Party agenda for a hundred years.  That agenda: exclusion of Blacks and Hispanics.  I studied under Billie for several years and learned grassroots organizing at its best.  This included not only being mentored by Billie, but also Jamerson Berry, a long time Democratic Precinct Judge in the black Sunnyside community in south Houston.  Jamerson taught me techniques of block walking and black voter registration as well as counter poll watching of harassing Republicans in black voting precincts which served me for decades thereafter.  The result of this organizing mentoring?  We were able to purge the Texas Democratic Party of the Wallace faction in the early 70's and gain control of the party apparatus, paving the way for Black and Hispanic Democratic leaders and rank and file to take their political fortunes into their own hands.  Leaders like Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leeland and Craig Washington became Party visionaries and inspired me to support Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns and become a Jackson delegate.

As the years progressed, the mentoring of black Texas Democratic leaders led me to create and lead  action committees within my county Party organization to counter the voter suppression activities of the Tea Party and the Republican party. With the work of thousands of volunteers in Harris County we succeeded in securing the nomination and subsequent election of our first black President in Harris county in both 2008 and 2012, where, excepting Jimmy Carter's successful campaign, Republican's dominated our county for years.  I was privileged also to direct the communications of the successful campaign of the first African American county-wide judge in our large urban county which up to that time Republicans had dominated.

My message for my readers?  note that all along the way on this journey, I was inspired and mentored by persons who empowered and prepared me for the work ahead in seeking still unachieved racial justice.  A camp counselor, fellow liberal Army officers, MLK's Dream speech,  a Parish priest, a liberal Knight of Columbus, Black bar fellow patrons, fellow young education activists, Democratic Party activists, to name a few.   If one is open to such a task, Samaritans are out there to give you the tools to do the work toward the unending task of working toward the beloved community.