For Richer or Poorer

It is hard to watch the demise of our great country, but I feel that is what is happening. I see a lack of moral integrity, values and an attitude of you against me at every level. Our justice system is broke along with our legal system. Systems in general such as education, government, business, infra structure, and the list goes on and on, have taken a back seat to racism, politics, and greed.

The most prosperous country in the world, the land of the free, has more people incarcerated than any other country in the world. More than 2.4 million. The cost of housing an inmate in America for a year , $60-$80 thousand depending on where you live, would pay for another teacher, policeman,or a fireman. How about a serious government war on poverty,so that in the most prosperous country in the world all children can have a decent meal everyday.

The USA has had many causes during my life. Most have been implemented by rich Republicans. Richard Nixon, or tricky Dick, started the war on drugs in the sixties and we are still paying for it today. This is when the prison rates began to increase, and what happens when you don't have a plan that is well thought out. There was Ronald Reagan and his trickle down economics. It did just that, trickled down and some where left without entirely. Most recently have been the Bush's, father and son. The son was the worst of the two and I'm sure history will prove me right. The war on terror. Ill conceived, costing billions, making many rich folks richer, with no end in sight. Cut the  taxes, raise the spending, hide  the theft. Wall street went wild with the ability to make the rich richer, as they turned a blind eye, and scam the rest of the population.

I don't really understand how the party that was in power when all this was going on can blame anyone else, and say that they have the answer to fix the problem they created. Even if things haven't turned around completely,the idea of saying  we should have let the banks fail, or let the auto industry fail, or let millions go without health care has to be the rhetoric of the rich who are not worried about for their families.

President Obama has accomplished, at least in my mind, many things during his first term. A term that started with the worst possible state of affairs any president outside of Franklin Roosevelt ever had to handle. His quest to increase revenue, reduce the debt and create jobs to help average Americans, has been met with disrespect from the beginning, with the yelling out in his "first" state of the union address with "you lie." How would George Bush and his gang have reacted?

Anyway it's not about Mitt Romney,President Obama, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Conservative, Black or White. It's about haves versus have nots plain and simple, and it is getting worst. It's about my grand children Yasira, Daquan, Makenna, and what kind of America they will live in. Will it be no longer one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. What do you think?

Easter

Happy Easter to everyone. Easter day is the Commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus, with its promise of eternal life. I have been going to church all my life and Easter, like Christmas has always been one of my happiest family times. As I have grown older Resurrection Sunday take on greater meaning.This year though I asked myself what is this thing called Easter? Where did it come from? What's up with the bunny and the eggs?

I found out that Easter comes from a pagan festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre. When the second-century Christian missionaries encountered the tribes of the north with their pagan celebrations, they attempted to convert them to Christianity. It would have been suicide for the very early Christian converts to celebrate their holy days with observances that did not coincide with celebrations that already existed. As it happened, the pagan festival of Eastre occurred at the same time of year as the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ. It made sense, therefore, to alter the festival itself, to make it a Christian celebration as converts were slowly won over. The early name, Eastre, was eventually changed to its modern spelling, Easter.

Rabbits are reminder of spring and new life. They were the favorite animal of the spring goddess Eastre. So that's where the rabbit came from. Eggs are a symbol of spring as well as Easter. They are a sign of new life.As kids we went on Easter egg hunts to fine colorful eggs for our baskets. Later we stopped doing the egg hunting thing and just got thee baskets from the store with  candy and chocolate eggs already in them.  The lily was a reminder to the Christians of how Jesus came back to life. The white Easter Lily is used in many Easter services. It is supposed to be a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary. And probably the fortieth time I watched Charleston Heston play Moses in the Ten Commandments the night before Easter.

Today is a day to review our lives and renew our commitment to Jesus Christ. To remember what Easter is really about. Let's open our hearts to God,who is not just with us at church and on these holidays, but walks with us everyday on the common roads of life.  

Battle of the Bluegrass

Well the Battle of the Bluegrass is over. The University of Kentucky defeated the University of Louisville in a great NCAA Final Four match up. There were U of L fans in red and U of K fans in blue. All supporting their team. It's funny how a lot of things in life are addressed as red against blue. The Bloods versus the Crips, the Republicans versus the Democrats, the Poor versus the Rich, and many more. As in politics some of the fans are inflexible, and it is either Louisville or Kentucky, and there is no compromise. Even as with politics a positive result, no matter which team, would be good for the state and everyone will win.

In the end U of K prevailed and showed that they had the better team with better talent. The final score was 69 to 61, and Louisville never conceded defeat until the end. Both coaches were gracious at the end of the game complimenting their adversary. Both agree that the University of Kentucky will now be the representative of the bluegrass state in the championship game.

Another interesting thing that comes to mind is the change in both coaches. My pastor referred to it as Forever Easter. On the weekend of palm Sunday we look towards Easter and resurrection. John Calipari is a great coach in my opinion, having demonstrated his skills at several schools. However, he has faced adversity and was broken down by the scandal at both the schools he has taken to the Final Four. Allegations of cheating and games wiped out during his tenure. He was at the top of his game and then he was broken down. He is now humble and a community giver. He now be in for his resurrection to the level of champion with his current group of young men.

Rick Petino was also at the top of his game. he had it going on and surely believed he was something. But like others be was broken. Broken first by the loss of his brother in law and one of his best friends on 9/11. His team with two lottery picks and ranked #1 in the NCAA tournament eliminated in the final four. And then ,worst of all a scandal based on infidelity and extortion that was laid open by the media for all to critique. But I think Rick has been resurrected and is now a better man and happier man. He didn't have the best team but he had a team with a good heart. I believe God took him where he couldn't have gone by himself.

Life is funny and should be a joy. Rev. Cosby says that "When it's a self thing, it's forced, but when it's a God thing it flows" and I believe him.