Words and Actions Make a Difference

We've all seen the footage on CNN and USAToday - violent protests in Ferguson after the reading of the Grand Jury decision last night. The headlines today read:

The latest from the Ferguson fallout (USAToday)
Missouri governor boosts National Guard presence (USAToday)Streets of Ferguson Smolder (CNN)

All of them centered on the violence in the streets of Ferguson. Not one of them talking about the 700 non-violent protesters that were also on the streets last night. 

Do you remember hearing about PumpkinFest in Keene, NH? It was in the headlines for a total of five hours. Here is a summary from Sally Kohn (When White People Riot), 

"In mid-October, during the annual Pumpkin Festival in the small New England town of Keene, New Hampshire, some white college kids apparently had too much to drink and turned violent. They were hurling broken glass and rocks at police (as well as, apparently, pumpkins). At least a dozen people were arrested and 30 injured, with 20 taken to area hospitals. The troublemakers seemed to revel in the chaos and damage they caused, with one telling a local newspaper, "It's just like a rush. You're revolting from the cops. It's a blast to do things that you're not supposed to do."" 

Do you remember hearing about Morgantown, WV? It didn't even make the headlines in any of the main news agencies. Here is a summary from the Mountaineer News Service (How WVU’s couch-burning tradition spawned riots):  

"In the hours after West Virginia University’s football team beat the University of Texas Oct. 6, more than 1,000 students filled the streets of Morgantown, toppling a light pole and setting fires to the pole and nearby cars. Approximately 40 fires blazed that night and when the firefighters and police arrived to quell them, students threw rocks and beer bottles at them. Police eventually had to use riot gear and pepper-spray to break up the mob."

So, what's the difference between the Ferguson riots and the other two riots? The effects of media scrutiny and over-reacting police force ..... and race. Ms. Kohn noted that the National Gaurd was not called to Morgantown, nor was there a state of emergency declared. The city is, "considering a law to ban upholstered furniture from outdoor areas, since the "tradition" of setting fire to couches apparently fueled the protests."  She goes on to say .... "Could you imagine a news story about a black community with a "tradition" of burning couches? The media would be pointing out how they're "destroying their own community" and the right would make assertions about black people not deserving public assistance." 

Instead of vilifying the protesters in Ferguson, maybe we, as a nation, need to start looking at the words and the actions we use to control others. Maybe the problem is deeper than a grand jury not indicting a police officer. 

But then, to admit that would mean we would have to change. 

What are your memories of President Kennedy?

November 22, 1963 RIP

Our justice system is fair ... right?

So often we have heard that there is no racial profiling problem in Wisconsin. That is it not the fault of our criminal justice system that people of color seem to fill our state prisons faster than any other state in the union. After all, if black people would just stop committing crimes they wouldn't get arrested.

USAToday did a little research of there own. Using FBI arrest records reported by local and state police departments, USAToday compared the arrests of black people to non-black people. You can find the discussion in the article titled:  Racial gap in U.S. arrest rates: 'Staggering disparity', 

In this same article, there was an app that allowed individuals to look up their own community to see if there was a disparity in the arrest numbers. Look up your community and post your results.

These are Oshkosh numbers. It is important to remember, these are not individual arrest counts. This number is per 1000 residents. It is also important to remember that in 2012 there were just shy of 2,000 black residents that lived in Oshkosh (there were approximately 58,700 white people).

Do you realize that in order to get to this number, you'd have to arrest every black man, woman, and child in Oshkosh 10 times over to equal 780.1/1000 residents?

Still think that our system is good the way it is?

OSHKOSH POLICE DEPARTMENT

2012 ARREST RATE PER 1000 RESIDENTS

780.1

BLACK RATE

146.9

NON-BLACK RATE

Where do you fit in?

Mental Illness - when will we help those who need help the most?

If we look back at the last few mass murders that have happened at schools, movie theaters, or shopping centers in the U.S. one of the commonalities is mental illness. Yet, the conversation of reforming the mental health system has still not been taken seriously.

USAToday has started a series of articles on Mental Illness. It is called, The Cost of Not Caring - Chapter 1, about a mom who is dealing with a child that has schizophrenia.


The article got me thinking ..... what would happen if one of my children was diagnosed with a serious mental illness? Would I be able to afford to the care they would need? Most of us are currently going through open enrollment. Looking at my health insurance information, I will end up paying between 20%-40% coinsurance after deductible. That could end up being thousands of dollars.

This isn't the only issue. As we saw when Senator R. Creigh was attacked by his son, as reported by the Washington Post.  The attack ended with his son dead and Senator Creigh in critical condition. The day before the attack, Senator Creigh tried to have his son committed. After an evaluation, his son was not admitted -- not because he was not mentally ill, but because there were no beds available.

So, how do we get the conversation going? How do we get real reform in the care of the mentally ill?

Suggestions?

History not based on history?

One of the easiest ways to change history is to change what we teach our children. This isn't something new, we've seen it time and again. Imagine a history book teaching the real history of Christopher Columbus or Abraham Lincoln and slavery or that George Washington was a slave owner.

Texas has taken a page from other history books and has decided to bring classrooms with false and misleading information through history and geography texbooks.

Controversial Texas Texbooks

What do you think?

Does Kim Kardashian know who Saartjie (Sarah) Bartman is?

This week Kim Kardashian's pictures came out in a magazine - both completely frontal nudity and the cover you see to the left. Yes, She is a very beautiful woman. I just can't help but think .... is this really necessary? 

Seeing the picture on the front of the electronic copy of USAToday, I couldn't help but remember the story of Sarah Bartman. For those unfamiliar with the story of Ms. Bartman, here is a very brief introduction:

Baartman had unusually large buttocks and genitals, and in the early 1800s Europeans were arrogantly obsessed with their own superiority, and with proving that others, particularly blacks, were inferior and oversexed.

Baartman’s physical characteristics, not unusual for Khoisan women, although her features were larger than normal, were "evidence" of this prejudice, and she was treated like a freak exhibit in London.

Ms. Bartman lived until the age of 26. A cast was made of her body, her brains and genitals were removed from her body, pickled, and put on display for everyone to see. They stayed in this state for 160 years, until 1974. Nelson Mandela demanded her body be returned to her homland in 1994. In 2002, Ms. Sarah Bartman was finally given a proper burial. 

Baartman objectified: an early nineteenth century French print titled, 'La Belle Hottentot'

Knowing this history, I wonder what was Kim Kardashian thinking? Not to mention, what was her husband and family thinking? Was this really necessary? 

What do you think? 

For those of you who don't know the story of Ms. Bartman, visit the Sarah Bartman Story

God's Beautiful World

Last weekend we went to High Cliff State Park for a quiet hike. I LOVE hiking at this location because it is so serene and beautiful.  Here's a few pictures from our day out .....

Doesn't this look peaceful? It was so windy in the parking lot --- but here, not a leaf was moving. The greatest end to a very stressful week.

Artemas looking over the ledge. That is Lake Winnebago out there ---- in less than 4 weeks, that lake will be completely covered in ice. 

We went on the Indian Mound trail. You won't see any pictures of the mounds - that feels disrespectful. But, walking through just thinking of the people who used to reside in these areas. 

Again, amazed at how still everything is - not a leaf moving, but the wind is howling off the cold lake waters.

Just an amazing area of bluffs and rocks overlooking the lake.

More ledges over the lake. 

Another look at that big, cold lake.

This was a beautiful "fence" that separated the trail from the family camping area. It was beautiful in person. 

More bluffs. 

I've decided I need the same hood that Artemas has on --- it definitely kept him warm.

Do you have a favorite hiking spot? Share with us!

Fit Oshkosh

Oshkosh Scene Magazine Article on Fit Oshkosh

Fit Oshkosh is a local organization dedicated to providing racial and technology literacy education workshops and training to the adult residents of Winnebago County.

CNN article on the relationship between race and gun control.

The first paragraph of this story says it all!

What if large groups of African-American men carrying shotguns and semi-automatic rifles started moseying into stores across America to tout their support of open-carry gun laws?

I've never really thought of the gun debate in that way. But, think about it .... what would happen? What would YOUR reaction be?

Amazing Artwork!

I received a henna tattoo at the Oshkosh Farmer's Market. It was beautiful!

I'm memorized by them ..... intricate, delicate, beautiful.

Diversity is beautiful! Agree?