Have you noticed frequently you hear, “I didn’t mean for that to happen.” Well, you may not have meant for that to happen, but the side effects and the residuals and the results of your actions led to this effect. You caused it by doing this. Think back…think way back and remember the prerequisite to your actions. What do you think The Almighty would say if He was asked, “O’Lord, why are we in this situation?” Since, He is all wise, all knowing and knows the end from the beginning, He might say something like, “You remember the instructions I gave you way back in the “garden?” Do you remember what you did anyway?” “Cain, remember when I told you, “I’m going to give you another chance. Just go back and think this thing over.” But, Cain persisted in doing things his own way and decided to confront God and worship The Holy God in his own way. Remember what happened to Cain?...God put him away from His presence. Cain became a vagabond and a wanderer. ... read more »

National politics is increasingly marked by negative messaging cynically intended to inflame rather than inform voters. It’s disturbing to see the same happening in our local mayoral race. ... read more »

Jackie Lacey has been a member of my church since she was five years old. She was baptized here and met her husband of 50 years in the youth choir group when she was 17. Today, she and her family have been active members and I know that her life has been shaped by the extraordinary church leaders that have counseled her over the years. ... read more »

Once again, COVID-19 has put a glitch in our everyday lives.  This year, we are told not to let our children go out “trick or treating” or attend Halloween parties.  Of course, this is good advice to help fight the virus and hopefully bring our numbers down from this pandemic.  When my children were little, I was never really much in favor of them trick or treating anyway.  ... read more »

In an ideal world, discrimination would not exist and outlawing it wouldn’t be necessary. Racism and sexism would only be fleeting thoughts of a time far gone. And people would rise in society based on the merits of their achievements, and not their gender, race, ethnicity, or any combination of the three. ... read more »

So, the woman or lady or young woman you have been sleeping with says, “I’m pregnant.” Well, what did you expect to happen? Maybe you never thought about it. Well, it’s time to think about a child can come from this union … Surprise! It’s time to be growing up and be responsible and accountable. You’re going to have another mouth to feed. You’re going to need to stop your life as you have been living it. You’re going to have to make some sacrifices. After all, that’s better than murdering the child!!! Isn’t it? Oh! You have to think about it. You say, ‘I have to make a difference. I have to take care of this child and consider others rather than just myself.’ So, the woman says, “I don’t want this baby!” As the progenitor, you have something to say about it too! No! You cannot kill my baby! Well,  you should have thought about that beforehand. I know. I know. ... read more »

As a police officer patrolling the streets of Los Angeles, I made split-second decisions every day based on risk. Yet after we arrested someone, the decision to keep them in jail or send them home awaiting trial didn’t hinge on risk but rather on their wealth. Our cash bail system wastes critical resources by incarcerating people pretrial who aren’t likely to reoffend, while letting high-risk individuals pay for release. Thankfully, we have a chance to end money bail this November by voting YES on Prop. 25. ... read more »

During the civil rights phase of the Black Freedom Movement, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) chose as its motto: “To Save the Soul of America.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., SCLC’s principal theorist and social philosopher, explained that it was really to reaffirm that “America would never be free or saved from itself” until African Americans are freed “completely from the shackles they still wear.” He said it was a question of concern for the integrity and life of America. And as I read it, it is a question concerning the very life and death of the people of America, caught up, at that time, in a monstrously immoral war against the Vietnamese people and wasting lives and resources better spent on the well-being of the American people. ... read more »

One of the most consequential decisions that presidents make are lifetime federal judicial appointments at every level: circuit, appellate and the U.S. Supreme Court. The independent federal judiciary is charged with ensuring that the nation’s courts are fair to all people. Even the phrase “equal justice under law” is carved in the stone façade of the Supreme Court building.   ... read more »

It’s the year 2020 and we are still fighting systemic racism – not just in our neighborhoods and streets, but also in our healthcare system. The roots run deep –the 19th and 20th centuries included several ground-breaking studies which advanced medicine. ... read more »

During the “ol’den days” many young women thought  if they had sex with a young man that meant marriage. Not true. Based on the family training of those young people, they may have been taught that. To some extent that may have been true. Promiscuous behavior has defied that principle. However, some men (I have to always say “some,” because it’s not a one size fits all premise) still live by that principle. Some of the constraints lie with the woman (young lady). Ask yourself, “What type of woman do I want to marry?” Some men don’t want to marry at all. That’s fine. But, you still keep running into that “God thing.” Yes, what would God say about you (even the man) sleeping around and why do you keep on doing it if you believe it to be immoral. Yes. Morals apply to men too. Because if you have diminished  moral standards and you plant your seed anywhere and anytime, this comes back to society and has an impact on all of us. So, you want to be a eunuch? I don’t believe it. The word comes from perhaps the positions (job functions of the man). ... read more »

Lessons Learned from the Mission Statement ... read more »

Since my own cancer diagnosis and treatment, I have spent a good part of my life listening to and supporting Black women battling breast cancer. ... read more »

Councilman Joe Buscaino recently replied to a series of articles by the undersigned setting forth facts demonstrating that Watts is and has been a politically neglected appendage of Los Angeles. Mr. Buscaino takes issue with that contention and responds that Watts has not been neglected and cites several recent projects to support his argument. At the outset, we need to express appreciation for Mr. Buscaino’s efforts for the people of his district and his willingness to debate the larger political issues relating to Watts in particular, and the city generally. Healthy debate always leads to positive results. That said, let us take a closer look at Watts. ... read more »

Plato said, “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” We are in countdown mode with less than two weeks before the election.  Some of us have already cast our vote, either in person where we stood in long lines, or we sent our ballots in by mail. For those that may still be on the fence regarding if you are going to vote, I am telling you it is not an option.  Too many people have fought, sacrificed, or even died for us to have the right to cast our vote.  It is imperative that each one of us does our research about the candidates and the issues that are before us right now. If you are not sure, I am here to tell you your vote means everything. I decided to take a personal look at how I view the importance of everyone’s vote, especially during this 2020 election. ... read more »