Urban Predators Speak Out

  While humanity’s capacity to imagine continues to evolve and deliver dramatic breakthroughs (e.g. technology, science, medicine, education, education, religion, enterprise and laws of governance), it continues to build rather than tear down the dividing walls (e.g. color, race, faith, and socioeconomic status). Thus, humanity continues in constant conflict with itself (e.g. the us vs them, the divine destiny of the privileged vs the underrated and excluded) with little regard for environment or investments toward future generations. But let’s gamble a walk on the wild side and consider how the arts (e.g. painting, music, movies), can depict, even amplify, the often overlooked past and cast a prophetic light on future possibilities. Remember Star Trek and its opening lines, “Space: The final frontier . These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise . Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone...

  “The kingdom is” (upon you, within you, in the midst of you), a constant concept spread throughout the gospel, is a statement many out of disappointment, anger and resentment come to critique and/or mock (especially among the sick, suffering and persecuted), saying “How many centuries have we heard that!”  Thus, many lose faith or worse, conclude “If God ain’t saving me, might as well live for self” and become victims, victimizers, or bystanders. Yet Jesus countered the issue saying, “ The kingdom of God does not come with observation ” (Luke17:20–21). Does that not somehow imply “The Kingdom” is not a destination to anticipate but a journey full of actions , choices and discoveries to experience and explore beyond the limits of self-gratifying means and ends? Justice is not an issue reserved for the kingdom to come. Justice is a matter to be addressed here on earth because it’s everyone’s sovereign right to coexist. And it’s everyone’s responsibility to strive toward such e...

  The Donald Dash from Immigrants to Emigrants While it continues to get harder to determine whether the ICE focus was ever about brown, illegals, and criminals or something more sinister (e.g. blanket federal citizen policing undermining state jurisdiction); whether it’s about migrants, immigrants, or profit (e.g. $45+ billion in contracts offered to large private organizations as  CoreCivic and the GEO Group collecting a daily $165 per detainee). For sure, while the atmosphere of uncertainty continues to spread feelings of suspicion, fear and despair; powder kegs of anger and hate are being lit across the country. For sure, families are being torn apart as Mama’s and Papa’s continue getting put on ICE in undisclosed places without due process or adequate provisions. Meanwhile, for sure, there’s a new exodus underway as not seen since 1935 where approximately 100,000 Americans migrated to work in Russia during the Great Depression. Although now dubbed “ The Donald Dash ,” the...

  The American melting pot is cracked and eroding. The once fragrant scent of “We Stew” brewing for all to sit at the banquet feast and share is now boiling with bursting bubbles of a “Me! Me! Me broth” threatening to burn the faces of anyone willing to come near and dare a sniff. Remember the market crash and the great depression leading to widespread despair, vise, crime, murder and suicide. Remember how the recent fear of it recurring led to the ill managed bailout of Wall Street and Fany May when the realty bubble and more finally began to burst. And remember what the admiral of the Japanese naval fleet said after pearl harbor? While many celebrated a battle victory, he saw a no-win war coming and sadly said “we have awakened a sleeping giant:” A fire breathing dragon that eventually set Nagasaki and Hiroshima ablaze. Today that sleeping giant is the working middle class and its fire breathing dragons are the young who, realizing how regardless of preparatory efforts, are facin...

  Models, role models, and mentors are all sources of influence but differ in how they impact a person. Based on the nature, proximity, and duration of the relationship, they each offer something to learn and imitate. For good or bad, models tend to be random individuals reflecting some admired behavior or achievement deemed worth emulating. Role models tend to be widely recognized individuals representing a particular set of values, skills, or achievements in a field (e.g. a famous leader, writer, athlete or celebrity) able to motivate others toward achievable goals. Mentors are action-oriented people offering direct, ongoing relationships, providing guidance, support, and advice toward achieving specific goals. Social psychology stresses how all these play significant roles and are of critical importance for the continual harmonious development of youth, adults, family and society at large. However, they come in stages and do not operate in a vacuum. They are interactive, evoluti...

  Immigrant 3:  One Nation Under Siege With “THE NO KINGS DAY” efforts well underway ask: What’s accomplished? Yes, a marvelous turn out! Yes, a venting of frustration and a celebration of comradery! But what are the powers that be witnessing? And what have they already decided to do? Do they see the gorillas of the 60’s resurfacing or temper throwing monkeys swinging on a chain waving a tin cup begging to be refilled. Then by all means, rest sure, they will gladly fill the cup with some consoling trinkets and sacrificial lambs. But not a Constitutional review and overhaul or an amendment. Maybe there’ll be a new bill, a few temporary programs and some compensatory grants to prevent a brush fire from becoming a forest blaze. Isn’t that what was done during the near threat of another revolution in the 60’s and 70’s? Dare disagree? Consider enjoying a picnic at the beach! Mindful of the many annoying, swift eagle-eyed seagulls deprived of their once abundant supply of seasho...

  Your Unalienable Right To Live It’s time for the kid in us to grow up and face the facts! Looking for a freedom and life of one’s own isn’t quite as sweet as the next war comes and the truth hits home. While being hard pressed by the daily cost of living paycheck by paycheck putting national concerns dangerously easy to dismiss: We're simply reaping what has long been sown. And it’s not about MAGA, ICE or Middle East. While the mounting body bags are just getting started: It’s about A Constitution that’s always been selectively inclusive, exclusive, and as we move toward global order, it’s becoming irrelevant . Face it! While building growing systems of preparation ; segregated educational programs, limited employment opportunities smothered in rites of passage, a political arena where representation goes to the lobbyists with the biggest purse, and a media tool able to misdirect attention through selective misinformation: America has been breeding a nation of obedient autom...

  JESUS FACTOR: Bench Warmers Don’t Defend “Unalienable Rights When they stated, “ Didn’t we do ” (whatever), Jesus responded “Begone! I knew you not.” Why? Because He also stated, “ When you did it not for the least of these , you did it not for me.” And when considering the global dark blanket of fear and despair triggering individual hoarding greed (and more), these statements warrant serious introspection leading to the question: How can one say “I love the CREATOR and NOT HIS/HER CREATIONS (environment and one’s neighbor), both at home and abroad? While mounting widows and orphans being left homeless and hungry, while the next generation is being ill equipped to deal with the present mess being left for future address, what happened to what Jesus said, “Let the children come to me?” Church Bench Warmers Need Rise To Defend “Unalienable Rights”    Not that long ago, even with the separation of church and state hovering to be a constantly misapplied distortion; t...

TRUTH SPEAKS FOR ITSELF   “Men” and “Women,” choosing to seek a life on the path of enlightenment and grow, set preferential gratifications aside and commit to the journey of a cause full of exploration, experiments and application of fascinating discoveries to share with humanity. In the case of truth, they do not seek glory or claim to create its light but point toward its existence. They understand and accept truth speaks for itself with liberating effect and affect. It needs representation not defense. It needs courageous leaders not complacent followers. Thus, striving to offer perspectives for individual reflection, interpretation and personal choice; truth will never be silenced, ignored or worse, suppressed! But especially through the multi-dimensional forms of the arts; it will never be denied presence! Let’s consider another one of Jackson Browne's songs: " I Was Made for America ." Expressing a deep sense of patriotism and connection to American identity, i...

  2. “We The Other People” are not “MIGRANT GRUNTS” Has anyone stopped to wonder why the present issue of immigration is single focused on “Brown?” If it’s realistically about weeding out illegal residents and criminal elements; why are members from Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa not being rounded up? Hasn’t the Italian Mob been allegedly dismantled and replaced by those stemming from all over (Russia, Japan, and Jamaica etc.)? Face it and let the truth be told: Had the Cosa Nostra been left alone they would have done a better, tax-free job of protecting our ports and borders than the feds. So yes! There is more in play than meets the eye! For starters, Venezuela. If it’s about drug trafficking, what about Columbia and its surrounding cohorts in Central America? If it’s just about American business pirating foreign oil, why so focused on hindering its exports to places considered threats to America’s future (e.g. China and Cuba)? Consider how unlike America flexing milit...

FILLING THE TOMB Once again, periodically alternating its celebration date, Easter has come depicting: A Resurrection! A Dawning! A Choice! So, forget the use of American Gregorian or European Julian Calendars, the stagnating dogmas of denominational divides, how the pagan bunny eggs came to overshadow the essence of the empty tomb where asked: “ Why do you seek the living among the dead ?” Can you muster the courage to put general opinions and preferences aside to entertain an alternative to needing a convenient escape from the truth . Consider a personal meditative exploration able to lead toward new revelations while listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix3GrxUA1GY . And what is the truth ? Recall John the Baptist who said I baptize with water but there is one waiting to baptize with the redemptive flame of a comforting counselor and consider listening to  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDIgKzRkMAA .  Do you get it! Then let’s move on! As e xemplified throughout ...