Green Book

This afternoon, I went to see the movie Green Book.  It was a very good movie, on many different levels.  I would highly recommend it.  If you are not familiar with the story it is about Don Shirley, a Black pianist who takes his trio South on tour in 1962.  The rest of his trio is Anglo, and he hires an Anglo driver Tony Vallelonga.  The story is about the transformation of Shirley and Vallelonga.   

Separating Families - Immigration Policy or Law?

The big political storm this summer, so far, has been the policy of separating illegal children immigrants from their parents at the Mexican border, and holding the children in massive detention facilities Immigration Impact.  There was a large public outcry, and even some Republican lawmakers came out against this practice. 

I was incensed, but did not call my US Representative and Senators because I was so angry.  After thinking, praying, and talking to others, and hearing what others had to say, I wrote a script that just expressed my concerns, and why, including that this was a human rights abuse, our nation was better than this, and we deserve any censure we receive from Human Rights organizations because of this practice.  I then called my government representatives, read the script and sent a follow up email.  

At first, President Trump said he could do nothing, but he eventually signed an executive order to stop the separation, but allowing for the entire family to be detained.  So now there is problem re-uniting the children with their families. 

Most recently,  a US District Court Judge declared this separation was illegal, and ordered the separated children to be returned to their families within 30 days.  Let us hope that happens. 

The problem needs to be resolved.  It needs to be resolved by a law that addresses illegal immigration, a path to citizenship for children immigrants who grew up in this country (DREAMERS) and want to make it their home, and for asylum seekers, including those seeking to escape domestic abuse as well as gang activity, cartel activity and political threats. 

By ignoring the problem, we just create more chaos and havoc.  US is better than this. We are better than this. 

The Texas Lieberator Exhibit

I went back to the Texas Tech Museum to see the Texas Liberator Exhibit. It was a gruesome exhibit. It is important for us to remember, because it "The Final Solution" was a horrible event, and we need not let it happen again.

That is why I think we need to be pro-active in helping the Syrian refugees. No people deserve to be treated like chattel, property, or less than beasts. It is why I think we have an obligation, in this country, to work to be sure that race, creed, color, religion, ethnic background, nation of origin, or gender identity affects the way people are treated. 
Human rights must be paramount. 

The History of the United States

I am so sad tonight.  I know about all of the discriminatory and duplicity in history of the United States of America: the poor treatment of the First Americans, including the failure to abide by treaties made with these peoples and the other abysmal treatments of these peoples.  Slavery.  Jim Crow Laws. The incarceration of Japanese in camps during World War II. I had not heard about this one: The Deportation of Mexicans and Mexcian-Americans who were US citizens during the Great Depression http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/09/08/437579834/mass-deportation-may-sound-unlikely-but-its-happened-before.  Segregation, which was separate and not equal. The violation of rights in the Patriot Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Act. The incarcerations at Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp.

I believe I am missing some other grievous human rights violations. I am not touching on the violations by private industry over the years. 

So, this is so sad that the United States has such a checkered past, yet sets itself out in the international community as a "holier than thou" nation.  It is not wrong that we are, as a nation, helping other peoples and other nations to improve their human rights records. But shouldn't we be doing it from a "learn from us" stance in learn from our mistakes? vs. This is how good a nation we are.  Because, frankly, we are not. 

The current unrest and animosity between citizens and  police is a perfect example of that:  People are being killed when in the custody or in contention with law enforcement professionals under questionable circumstances. Law enforcement officials are being ambushed simply because they are law enforcement officials.  I think this country is embroiled in a war of right vs. might. No clearly defined lines. No us against them, because the lines change depending upon the circumstances.  Who is right? Who has the might?  Who is Us? Who is Them?

Voters Rights and Civil Rights

I went to see the movie Selma http://www.selmamovie.com/ earlier this year.  I thought I had blogged about it, but maybe I did not.  It is a movie marking the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, in an attempt to get voter's rights guaranteed for Afro-Americans.  It depicts the brutal treatment that not only the black people, but anyone who stood with them, received at the hand of the Alabama authorities. It is a bittersweet movie, at best. 

It is a story that needed to be told to the young people of our country who have no idea how racially divided we were until the Civil Rights Act http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm and the Voting Rights Act http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/intro/intro_b.php. were passed. Even passage of the acts did not guarantee equal treatment for people of minority status, as events of today indicate. These acts did not unite us by race or color, but helped with movement towards equality of civil rights, and responsibilities. But we are not there yet.

We have a President of Afro-American origin.  I was dismayed from the outset of his Presidency at the disrespect that the media showed him, often calling him Mr. Obama, instead of Mr. President. He deserves the title. He was elected.

Someone commented that with Mr. Obama as President, Dr. Martin Luther King's dream has been realized. I think not. Not as long as Mr. President Obama, and other black men have to have the talk with their sons, especially about being aware of where you are in public, how you present yourself in public, because police might perceive you as a threat just because of your race (racial profiling https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/racial-profiling), Dr. King's dream has not been realized.

So, the commentary at this point in time of our nation is sad:  The public spokespersons for the minority communities talk about the fact that there is only about a 35% turnout of voters for elections. This is a travesty!  The people who fought in the Civil Rights campaigns, and the Voters Rights campaigns did not give their lives and their selves for 35% voter participation.

I am not sure what I can do to encourage voting, but I think this is another of my social work missions that I need to embrace.  I have been too complacent, too long.

Why Are We Talking About Killing?

If you think of it, the death penalty is nothing but killing.  I understand that it is legally sanctioned in many states, including Texas where I live.  But we do not call it killing. We call it "the death penalty" as a euphemism.  People who are in favor of the death penalty seem to  think it is okay, because to get to the point where someone has been convicted of a crime, they go through due process, and are convicted in court, or plead guilty of a crime. I think, no matter how heinous the crime, I do not have the right to be the cause of someone else's death. 

So, I was appalled this week when I heard the NPR story http://www.npr.org/2015/03/11/392375383/states-scramble-to-deal-with-shortages-of-execution-drugs about states that are running out of the drug they use for administering the death penalty. This story reflects that the states are authorizing alternative methods for the death penalty, if drugs are not available. I am flabbergasted by this:  there is talk of using electric chairs or a firing squad. This is brutal. This is inhumane. This is killing.

Why are we talking about extending the death penalty?  Why are we not talking about eliminating it, as many other countries have, and are putting pressure on this country to do so.

For a nation that prides itself for due process and respect for human rights, we really stink:  Think about slavery. Think about the War Between the States that resulted in so many deaths. Think about the treatment of the Native Americans. Think about child labor. Think about apartheid and segregation in this country under the Jim Crow laws. Think about the struggles to overcome discrimination. Think about women's suffrage. Think about farm labor struggles. Think about voting rights. Think about the prisoners at Guantanamo. Think about the current unrest in many cities because of racial profiling and the over targeting of minorities.

As a nation, we do not do so good in the arena of human rights.  And this discussion about alternative methods of administering the death penalty is just one example.

Wheel of Fortune: America's Game

 Do you watch Wheel of Fortune http://www.wheeloffortune.com/? I have, off and on over the many years this TV show has been on television.  At this point in my life, I do not usually watch game shows in their entirety and on purpose.  I frequently watch game shows as "fillers;"  in other words the show is on the same channel as the next TV program I want to watch, or is on the same channel as the TV program I just watched, and I do not want to watch something else, until the next awaited show airs. So, I may or may not be paying close attention to the show.  The same is true for Jeopardy http://www.jeopardy.com/.

One thing about Wheel of Fortune is how the role of Vanna White http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_White has evolved.  In the beginning she was just the letter turner.  The letters could have been turned mechanically, like the blocks were turned on Concentration.  But some genius recognized the value of having a dazzling beauty perform this chore. I suspect that about 50% of the viewing public are as interested in watching Ms. White turn letters as they are in what the puzzle is. Ms. White has gone from being a mostly silent letter turner to an integral part of the speaking show. 

Her job could have gone long ago:  TV has the digital capabilities of turning or lighting up letters with no help from a person. But Vanna White is as much a part of Wheel of Fortune as is Pat Sajak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak, the host.

So recently, and I cannot tell you when, I have noticed something on "America's Game." that I found very exciting and positive.  When the game's winner is decided, the winner is asked who is cheering for them in the live audience. Contestants bring anybody and everybody:  parents, siblings, children, spouses, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, coworkers, for example.  Recently, I have noticed contestants introducing same sex supporters as "my special friend," "my partner," "my life partner," and most recently, a male contestant introduced his husband. 

I think this is so positive that people are willing to acknowledge their relationships in public and on national TV.  The Wikipedia information on Pat Sajak indicates he is a conservative, so I have to wonder how he feels about this. But it is what it is.  30 states now recognize same sex marriage.  We have to deal with the reality that sexual preference is a right.  And should be accorded the benefits, privileges and freedoms accorded to that right.

I think this is a good thing for the American Public. People with same sex "special friends" have been in my life as long as I can remember.  I learned about homosexuality in high school, and got to know many homosexuals in college.  As my life has evolved, I have gotten to know many more people who are homosexual, who are in various degrees of acknowledgement of their sexuality. And my relationships with them are in various degrees from acquaintance or co-worker, to good friend.

Years ago, I was in a break room at work, and my co-workers were disparaging homosexuals.  Uncharacteristically for me, I was brave enough to say they should be careful how they talk about homosexuals, because they do not know who in the room might be one. I embarrassed some people that day, and made enemies of others.

Some people in my life have accusingly told me that my friends are homosexuals.  My response has been "so."  I did not care if the accusation was right or wrong. It makes no difference.  Those people are right.  I do have friends who are homosexuals, but not all of my friends are homosexuals.  I make friends based on the character of the person, not their sexual preference.  I have very few close friends, and I cherish those I have.  Their religion, ethnic origin, or sexual preference is of no consequence to me.  Their character and interaction with me is.

Isn't this "America's Game?"  Not our race, religion, gender preference, sexual preference, creed, national origin, ethnicity, age, or physical and mental capability, or socioeconomic status? Are we not all created equal under the law? True we are all individuals with individuals talents and capabilities, but should we not all be offered similar, equal or consistent opportunities under the law?  Sure our personal circumstances do not necessarily offer us equal economic, educational or social advantages.   But shouldn't we have the opportunity to those if we can access those? And shouldn't our government be working towards making those opportunities more universally accessible to all citizens? Isn't this "America's Game?"

The CIA and Enhanced Interrogation Techniques

So, what I get out of the statements from the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)   John Brennan http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/11/politics/john-brennan-defends-cia-after-torture-report/index.html is that he is acknowledging that there were inappropriate interrogation techniques, but they resulted in information that was useful in protecting our country.  So, he is saying that the ends justified the means. 

You and I know that that is not right. The ends do not justify the means. I understand that the nation was freaked out by the 9/11/2001 attacks, but since when did we become amoral?  Even in the face of these attacks.  When other countries around us remained level headed and moral? 

It is my hope that my nation never stoops to this sort of amoral behavior again.  However, we have a lot of cleaning up to do in regards to race relations, and some of that borders on, or maybe is amoral.  Hmmm.

Enhanced Interrogation vs. Torture?

Okay, so I do not usually address really serious issues in this blog, but this is something I have to say.  When the United States agents were doing "enhanced interrogation" I felt like this activity did not represent the moral character of the United States I want to love.  Today, a report about these activities has been widely discussed http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/enhanced-interrogation-techniques-ineffective/. 

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA in case you did not know) https://www.cia.gov supports the value of enhanced interrogation because it provided intelligence that helped to keep the United States safe.  Do I believe this?  No.  These are the same people who provided intelligence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that allowed us to justify war with Iraq. The American public bought it, and it was a lie!  President Bush's government needed to find a reason to retaliate against Irag for 9/11.  As if the attack on this country was not reason enough.

Instead of saying "We are attacking you because you sanctioned, supported, aided and abetted the factions that attacked the United States" we hid behind the "weapons of mass destruction" façade which was a total lie.

And, when we went to war, we abandoned the moral character of this country and supported "enhanced interrogation" and generally inappropriate behavior by the United States Military ala Abu Ghraib http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Ghraib_torture_and_prisoner_abuse.

I do not like war.  But the character of the war in Iraq was very different from the character of the war in Desert Storm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War.  I believe that had to do with several things, but most importantly, our leaders at the time.

In my mind, although he is a Republican, President George Herbert Walker Bush was a man of honor.  He surrounded himself with military men of honor: General Colin Powell http://www.biography.com/people/colin-powell-9445708  and Commander-in-Chief General Normal Schwarzkopt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Schwarzkopf,_Jr.  to name a few.  Desert Storm was conducted in such a way as I was proud of this country although I do not support war. 

Not so the U.S.- Iraq War. Not so the "intelligence gathering" techniques of the CIA that included methods of torture.  I am sorry that my country engaged in these acts.  They are not reflective of the values of the United States. They are not reflective of the moral character of the United States.  I am grateful the President Obama has made that clear.

I am concerned that we may have a future president who does not have such a strong moral compass.  I want to love my country. I cannot love abuse of human rights.

The Monuments Men

I am reading the book, The Monuments Men http://www.monumentsmen.com/books-movies/the-monuments-men by  Robert Edsel  with Brett Witter. This is the book upon which the movie was based. 

Earlier this year, I saw the movie, The Monuments Men http://www.monumentsmen.com/. It was a good story, but a little disjointed.  But, you got the message.

As is usually true, the book is better than the movie. But this book is dryer and even more disjointed than the movie.  In the movie, you got the sense that the efforts of the Monuments Men were disorganized and disjointed, and they really were not sure what they were doing. Well, in the book, this is so obvious.  It is a wonder that they accomplished anything. That they did is a tribute to the character of the men charged with the task of saving the art and cultural treasures of Europe.

It is so sad that the German Nazis tried to confiscate and destroy the culture of Europe.  It was understandable:  They wanted the best for themselves and they wanted to obliterate the rest that was not the best, and not German, or Aryan. It was their way of disrespecting the rest of Europe, denigrating Europe, and demeaning the identity of the peoples they "conquered."

There are important lessons in the book and movie. Lessons about respecting our history, our culture, and past histories and culture. Lessons about respecting the right of nations to have museums that safeguard and exhibit this history and culture. Lessons about the fact that private individuals have the right to amass treasures of art and culture that also pay tribute to our history and culture. Lessons about what can go amok when a government, or a faction puts itself above the law of civil rights and respect for human rights.

The book came out in 2009.  I am not really good about keeping up with what new books are coming out.  I happened to be at the movie theater and saw a trailer for the movie. If I had not seen the trailer, I am not sure I would have heard about the movie or the book. That is a lesson to me, I need to do better informed about what books are being written.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela died December 5, 2013.  I did not know who he was until I was a freshman at Cornell University in 1970.  We prayed for him every day at Mass, and wished for his freedom.  I now know that he was a freedom fighter, trying to get equal rights for Black or Native  South Africans vs. white South Africans.

Sorry to say, after I left the Cornell community, I lost track of Nelson Mandela. Until years later, when he was freed.

And even years later after that, I was re-awakened to his story by the movie Invictus.

Mandela was a member of the African National Congress that advocated equality and the demise of apartheid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid_in_South_Africasystem in South Africa.  Apartheid was like the Jim Crow Laws http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws in the United States.  Although the laws said separate but equal, there was nothing equal about these laws and they way people were treated.

The resources, services, treatment of persons, and whatever was not only inferior to black citizens, it was intended to denigrate, and other wise demean the black population and continue to keep the black population as an underdog.

The Civil Rights movement in the United States  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movements_for_civil_rights  worked to change these conditions. Although it has been somewhat successful, I will sadly say that there is still a lot of undercurrent of racism in this country.

We have so much to learn from Mr. Mandela.  Mostly, we need to learn forgiveness and conciliatory behavior so we can co-exist peacefully.  These are hard lessons. But the way for all nations to exist.

What Would I Do?

Reading the book, The Countrymen by Bo Lidegarrd, has brought home to me some questions about what would I have done in similar circumstances.

When I was a teenager, my mother and I used to argue about some of my plans and actions. I used to ask her for advise, and she used to be very angry about some of my thoughts and plans.  And, when I ultimately acted, not always according to her standard, she would be very unhappy with me.  I remember a significant interchange, during which she commented that I was the one child who asked her opinion and then went off and did something different. I told her that I respected her opinion, and changed my plan based on it.  We argued much less after that, I guess because she realized she had an ameliorating affect on me.

I am not brave. I am not strong. I have, over the years. capitulated when I have should have stood firm.

I cannot know what I would have done in Denmark in 1943.  Would I have been brave? Would I have whiffed out?  Would I have snitched?  Would I have pitched in? I do not know.

The Countrymen

I recently finished reading the book, The Countrymen by Bo Lidegaard.  This is a story about the Jews in Denmark during World War II. It tells about how the Danish people responded to the German threats against the Jews. It tells about how the Danish non-government responded to the German threats against the Jews. And it tells about how the country came together to help the Jews escape, as best they could to Sweden. And how Sweden opened its arms to the Jews, and offered material assistance to those who helped them to escape Denmark, when the Germans were trying to deport them to the concentration camps.

Years ago, I had heard what I learned was a myth, about when the Germans decreed that the Jews wear a gold star, as they had in other countries, everyone in Denmark, including King Christian, wore a star. Well, others smarter that I thought that to be the truth. It was not, but it exemplified the Danish attitude: they were countrymen all.

This is an amazing story about democracy, attitude, defiance, and politics. 

All of the countrymen who helped the Jews were so brave. And, as the story is written, it seems most of them did not think about being brave. They seemed to think about doing the right thing and being humanitarian. 

What a lesson we can learn.  There are still so many mass injustices in the world.  This is a lesson for us that when people step up, and do not back down to bullying and tyranny and hatred, but do the right thing, that something good can happen.

Human Rescue Coalition

Lubbock has something called the "Human Rescue Coalition" which has been meeting and currently has been working with the  Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Task Force, overseen by the Lubbock Rape Crisis Center, dba as "The Voice of Hope,"  to bring this issue to the forefront in Lubbock. Today, there was a workshop regarding Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, and a "Night of Awareness" about sex trafficking, pornography, prostitution, and the lack of resources for people who are trying to exit this lifestyle.

I attended both sessions.  I did not need the CEUs offered at the workshop, but I accepted them. I mostly attended because this is a youth at risk issue, and I am trying to learn more about youth at risk, as a member of the board of directors at Catholic Charities.  But, I can use the education credits towards the required 40 ACA credits that I need at work.

The Human Resource Coalition has a Facebook page.  Which I will probably not access.

I was pleased to learn that they meet at the Catholic Diocese building, which lends its support to this issue. I am so pleased to see the Diocese of Lubbock involved in human rights issues.

For more information, look at the Voice of Hope webpage at VoiceofhopeLubbock.org.