Paul F. Davis's Blog, page 14
August 1, 2017
Expedia False Ads, Over Charges and Sky Star Hotel in Hong Kong a Bad Boarding Room
Expedia's website advertises discounted hotel prices and then upon payment deceives and defrauds consumers charging a higher price than advertised.
As an Expedia Gold Plus member for 20 years who has traveled to 76 nations, i have never asked to be refunded for a hotel stay, that is not until my recent stay at the Sky Star Hotel, a falsely advertised bad boarding room Expedia purports and advertises as a hotel.
Travelers and consumers beware Expedia's website advertises discounted hotel prices and then upon payment deceives and defrauds consumers charging a higher price than advertised.
Please note 2 examples from Expedia.com's website as purchased:
- Pravo Hotel (Hong Kong) - July 30, 2017
Itinerary #7284048024052
$106 - discounted rate but upon checkout i was billed $115.33 = an additional $9.33 before taxes and fees.
- City Garden Grand Hotel (Makati, Philippines) - July 31, 2017
EXP-883867976
Itinerary
7283836014328
$86 - discounted rate advertised but upon checkout i was billed $93.26 = an additional $7.26 before taxes and fees.
Expedia must refund me the overcharge for both hotels in the following amounts AND give me an additional refund of 50% for LYiNG to me and consumers while charging a higher price or i will file a formal complaint with the U.S,. Attorney General and Federal Trade Commission for consumer fraud against Expedia as a believe widespread consumer fraud is occurring and a class action lawsuit in order to rectify the problem as your website has done this to me 3 times now within 3 countries (USA, Hong Kong, Philippines) in one week.
Paul F Davis - travel writer who has touched 76 nations, consumer advocate, Expedia Gold Plus member
As i told Expedia below and await a full refund, preparing to file a lawsuit for consumer fraud and deceptive adverts against Expedia (who falsely advertised discounted hotel rates in California, Hong Kong and the Philippines where i recently stayed but upon checkout out at the final transaction billed me at a higher rate BEFORE the added taxes and fees were applied):
The Hotel Skylar - Kowloon Hong Kong has MANY PROBLEMS
Please refund me in FULL for the following 13 problems:
1. Upon arrival at the hotel - there was no street number on the building making it extremely hard to find and costing me more taxi fees.
2. inside the building there was no signage to all the elevators and the sign said Skylark hotel - NOT SKY STAR - causing much confusion, fear and tension for myself and my girlfriend looking for the hotel
3. Upon going up the elevator to the 14 floor, the Sky Star entrance was locked and nobody answered when we knocked and rang the bell. Only later a man came down from the 16th floor and put us in a small room.
4. The room was inadequate - toilet, shower and sink all right next to each other and hazardous to move around in
5. No hot water, no warm water - only cold water
6. Dirty sheets w/ semen on the sheet from previous guests
7. Hair on the floor - not clean
8. flies / gnats in the room
9. No toilet paper provided
10. towels are ripped and not in good condition
11. water from sink barely trickles out not flowing to wash hands
12. smoke in hallways as incense being burned in morning at 8am making it hard to breathe (even worse with my allergies)
13. No hotel front desk, nor attendant anywhere to be found
Please refund in full as a frequent Expedia user, travel writer and consumer advocate.
Paul F. Davis - travel writer and consumer advocate
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
(RevivingNations@gmail.com)
http://www.Linkedin.com/in/worldprope...
Expedia False Ads, Over Charges and Sky Star Hotel in Hong Kong a Bad Boarding Room
As an Expedia Gold Plus member for 20 years who has traveled to 76 nations, i have never asked to be refunded for a hotel stay, that is not until my recent stay at the Sky Star Hotel, a falsely advertised bad boarding room Expedia purports and advertises as a hotel.
Travelers and consumers beware Expedia's website advertises discounted hotel prices and then upon payment deceives and defrauds consumers charging a higher price than advertised.
Please note 2 examples from Expedia.com's website as purchased:
- Pravo Hotel (Hong Kong) - July 30, 2017
Itinerary #7284048024052
$106 - discounted rate but upon checkout i was billed $115.33 = an additional $9.33 before taxes and fees.
- City Garden Grand Hotel (Makati, Philippines) - July 31, 2017
EXP-883867976
Itinerary
7283836014328
$86 - discounted rate advertised but upon checkout i was billed $93.26 = an additional $7.26 before taxes and fees.
Expedia must refund me the overcharge for both hotels in the following amounts AND give me an additional refund of 50% for LYiNG to me and consumers while charging a higher price or i will file a formal complaint with the U.S,. Attorney General and Federal Trade Commission for consumer fraud against Expedia as a believe widespread consumer fraud is occurring and a class action lawsuit in order to rectify the problem as your website has done this to me 3 times now within 3 countries (USA, Hong Kong, Philippines) in one week.
Paul F Davis - travel writer who has touched 76 nations, consumer advocate, Expedia Gold Plus member
As i told Expedia below and await a full refund, preparing to file a lawsuit for consumer fraud and deceptive adverts against Expedia (who falsely advertised discounted hotel rates in California, Hong Kong and the Philippines where i recently stayed but upon checkout out at the final transaction billed me at a higher rate BEFORE the added taxes and fees were applied):
The Hotel Skylar - Kowloon Hong Kong has MANY PROBLEMS
Please refund me in FULL for the following 13 problems:
1. Upon arrival at the hotel - there was no street number on the building making it extremely hard to find and costing me more taxi fees.
2. inside the building there was no signage to all the elevators and the sign said Skylark hotel - NOT SKY STAR - causing much confusion, fear and tension for myself and my girlfriend looking for the hotel
3. Upon going up the elevator to the 14 floor, the Sky Star entrance was locked and nobody answered when we knocked and rang the bell. Only later a man came down from the 16th floor and put us in a small room.
4. The room was inadequate - toilet, shower and sink all right next to each other and hazardous to move around in
5. No hot water, no warm water - only cold water
6. Dirty sheets w/ semen on the sheet from previous guests
7. Hair on the floor - not clean
8. flies / gnats in the room
9. No toilet paper provided
10. towels are ripped and not in good condition
11. water from sink barely trickles out not flowing to wash hands
12. smoke in hallways as incense being burned in morning at 8am making it hard to breathe (even worse with my allergies)
13. No hotel front desk, nor attendant anywhere to be found
Please refund in full as a frequent Expedia user, travel writer and consumer advocate.
Paul F. Davis - travel writer and consumer advocate
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
(RevivingNations@gmail.com)
http://www.Linkedin.com/in/worldprope...
Expedia False Ads, Over Charges and Sky Star Hotel in Hong Kong a Bad Boarding Room
July 12, 2017
Lose Weight, Burn Fat, Free Health Advice for Baby Boomers
Lose Weight, Burn Fat, Free Health Advice for Baby Boomers
Losing weight and burning fat is not as difficult as it seems with the right diet and some simple natural supplements to assist your body in the fat burning process. Weight loss can come easy once you incorporate some simple (much overlooked) steps into your daily regiment.
For a limited time only, i'm offering free health advice for baby boomers eager to lose weight and burn fat.
Obesity and diabetes does not have to plague and torment you, nor those you love. Take action and be well.
Contact me now for immediate, simple and straight forward assistance. - [RevivingNations@gmail.com] ...remove the parentheses when emailing me (as these are added to prevent automated spam bots).
Paul F. Davis - Wellness Trainer, Health Coach, Worldwide Motivational Speaker and Author of more than 20 books who has touched 76 nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Paul has earned 4 Master degrees with honors:
- Health (U of Alabama)
- Global Food Law (Michigan State College of Law)
- Global Affairs (New York University)
- Educational Leadership (U of Texas)
Contact me now for immediate, simple and straight forward assistance. - [RevivingNations@gmail.com] ...remove the parentheses when emailing me (as these are added to prevent automated spam bots).
Lose Weight, Burn Fat, Free Health Advice for Baby Boomers
Losing weight and burning fat is not as difficult as it seems with the right diet and some simple natural supplements to assist your body in the fat burning process. Weight loss can come easy once you incorporate some simple (much overlooked) steps into your daily regiment.
For a limited time only, i'm offering free health advice for baby boomers eager to lose weight and burn fat.
Obesity and diabetes does not have to plague and torment you, nor those you love. Take action and be well.
Contact me now for immediate, simple and straight forward assistance. - [RevivingNations@gmail.com] ...remove the parentheses when emailing me (as these are added to prevent automated spam bots).
Paul F. Davis - Wellness Trainer, Health Coach, Worldwide Motivational Speaker and Author of more than 20 books who has touched 76 nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Paul has earned 4 Master degrees with honors:
- Health (U of Alabama)
- Global Food Law (Michigan State College of Law)
- Global Affairs (New York University)
- Educational Leadership (U of Texas)
Contact me now for immediate, simple and straight forward assistance. - [RevivingNations@gmail.com] ...remove the parentheses when emailing me (as these are added to prevent automated spam bots).
Lose Weight, Burn Fat, Free Health Advice for Baby Boomers
February 19, 2017
Publix Food Safety Failures, High Prices and Sinful Sales
Publix Food Safety Failures, High Prices and Sinful Sales
Publix grocery store is in walking distance from my house, but is definitely NOT the best place to buy produce and food. Beyond Publix many food safety failures which I shall document, Publix high prices and sinful sales have raised my eyebrows for years.
Publix relocated its organic section in the supermarket (which used to be in the front and take up a few aisles) to a small section within one aisle; so it could install a pharmacy and sell drugs instead.
Publix also (unlike CVS pharmacy that stopped selling tobacco to promote good health) profits from sinful sales on lottery tickets and tobacco.
As for Publix food safety failures, allow me to document several:
1. Publix uses yellow number 5 in its rotisserie chicken (lemon pepper flavored chicken especially) and used to use aluminum in the chicken (which causes Alzheimer's).
2. Publix uses harmful food coloring in cookies and cakes in the bakery, which the European Food Safety Authority has found alters and damages children's brains and neurology.
3. Publix produce (oranges, apples, grapefruit) is often rotten. This food safety failure on the part of Publix is well known, has been going on for years and is quite deceptive. The bags in which Publix sells its apples have colorful labels for good reason. Publix hides often one bad apple in the mix of good apples.
Here is a rotten apple from Publix pictured on Twitter: pic.twitter.com/CByZUiGtp0
Publix oranges (as one supplier personally told me) are bought at harvest season, but stored in coolers and sold for months after they have been plucked off the tree. As a native born Floridian who grew up with three orange trees in my backyard, I can squeeze an orange and if it is mushy, quickly tell if it is rotten. Publix citrus often has a rotten taste to it (especially organic citrus) which they keep for too long and continue to sell to unsuspecting consumers. Moreover much of Publix produce is irradiated at the border by customs when entering the country, meaning the living enzymes in the produce is dead. This explains why you can buy a Publix apple that looks good on the outside and is rotten in the core. Some external wax and spray of pesticides and preservatives externally may keep the apple looking good on the outside, but once an apple meets its expiration date; it will rot from the inside (as I have experienced several times with Publix apples and produce).
Tonight at Publix the bananas were all green. A mother with her newborn in her arms quickly noticed and commented on it. Quality grocers like Whole Foods and Target (which you can save 5% on purchases with the Target Red Card and avoid high prices at Publix) don't sell green bananas as much as Publix. It is not healthy to eat fruit that has not yet fully ripened before harvest time. Thus what is good for Publix profits is often not good for consumers' health.
4. On February 28, 2017 I bought a rotisserie chicken from Publix that had maggots in it, photos which I shared on Facebook (on March 2, 2017)
Image - pic.twitter.com/pvJnO93Ujv
http://www.Facebook.com/speakers4insp...
5. Publix frozen fruit often has moldy berries therein. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are not cheap. They cost quite a bit to buy a frozen bag (more at Publix than Target). Yet as I have experienced at Publix in their bags of frozen mixed fruit and blueberries - usually every bag has a few moldy and dried out berries therein (despite the Publix high prices). Such food safety failures should not be occurring at Publix, nor tolerated by its distributor Woodland Partners sourcing its frozen produce.
6. Garlic gone awry - Publix garlic (typically something that is very slow to rot and go moldy and has lasted for months for me in Asia when traveling abroad) did not last a week and when cut open (though looking great on the outside) was rotting and moldy within. Image at - pic.twitter.com/Zl4HPBh6ss
7. Publix frozen cherries contain pits which can wreck your teeth, causing much pain and suffering (and costing you decades of dental work and repairs). I personally experienced 4 pits in Publix frozen cherries (in one bag) and experienced pain and suffering, which ignored by Publix resulted in me getting SHINGLES (a virus due to excess pain, suffering and stress).
When I reported the incident to Publix, they merely punted and tried to point me to Woodland Partners (their distributor from Massachusetts). Publix and Woodland Partners (its supplier) unlike the restaurant which served Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich a sandwich with an olive pit that hurt his teeth and settled for $150,000 to attend to his ongoing dental work (recognizing teeth much like tires on a car require repair, replacement and continual work over a lifetime); however Publix and Woodland Partners merely gave me a cheap apology and offered me $700 to get rid of me. I don't think so! I refused the low-ball offer from Publix that has yet to acknowledge its food safety failures and negligence.
That being said shopping at Publix is the pits when you consider their food safety failures, high prices, disregard of consumers when they are guilty of negligence, and Publix sinful sales enriching their profit margins and putting consumers' health in the backseat.
Parents and consumers do yourselves and children a favor; shop at Target or Whole Foods to maintain good health, avoid food safety failures, high prices and these painful experiences and being taken advantage of by Publix (a Fortune 100 company that can do much better for consumers but continues to put profit margins before people).
If you have been wronged, defrauded, injured or taken advantage of by Publix; please email me (RevivingNations@gmail.com) to provide your full name, address, email and share your complaint to be added to my future CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Publix and Woodland Partners.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Consumer Advocate, Author of "The Future of Food: Global Reform to Improve the Quality of Food & Public Health," Wellness Trainer, Health Coach, and Worldwide Motivational Speaker who has touched 76 nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Churches, Cruise Lines, Schools, Colleges and Universities across the globe. The author of more than 20 books, Paul has earned 4 Master degrees with honors: Health (University of Alabama), Global Food Law (Michigan State College of Law), Global Affairs (New York University), and Educational Leadership (University of Texas).
www.Twitter.com/PaulFDavis.com
www.Facebook.com/speakers4inspiration
www.Linkedin.com/in/worldproperties
SOURCES:
The Future of Food: Global Reform to Improve the Quality of Food & Public Health
amzn.to/1kcjnUs
The Future of Food - GMOs, Bogus Science, Agroterrorism and Regulatory Reform
amzn.to/1Tcfqeu
European Food Safety Authority
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/defau...
Artificial Food Colors and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms: Conclusions to Dye for
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Always Read The Label
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...
Food Coloring
http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxi...
FDA Meeting: Do Food Dyes Cause Hyperactivity?
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/03...
Rep. Dennis Kucinich settles olive pit sandwich lawsuit; apologizes to constituents for distraction
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/polit...
Dennis Kucinich, Ohio U.S. Rep, sues Congressional cafeteria over 'dangerous' olive pit in sandwich
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/polit...
If you have been wronged, defrauded, injured or taken advantage of by Publix; please email me (RevivingNations@gmail.com) to provide your full name, address, email and share your complaint to be added to my future CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Publix and Woodland Partners.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
Publix Food Safety Failures, High Prices and Sinful Sales
Publix grocery store is in walking distance from my house, but is definitely NOT the best place to buy produce and food. Beyond Publix many food safety failures which I shall document, Publix high prices and sinful sales have raised my eyebrows for years.
Publix relocated its organic section in the supermarket (which used to be in the front and take up a few aisles) to a small section within one aisle; so it could install a pharmacy and sell drugs instead.
Publix also (unlike CVS pharmacy that stopped selling tobacco to promote good health) profits from sinful sales on lottery tickets and tobacco.
As for Publix food safety failures, allow me to document several:
1. Publix uses yellow number 5 in its rotisserie chicken (lemon pepper flavored chicken especially) and used to use aluminum in the chicken (which causes Alzheimer's).
2. Publix uses harmful food coloring in cookies and cakes in the bakery, which the European Food Safety Authority has found alters and damages children's brains and neurology.
3. Publix produce (oranges, apples, grapefruit) is often rotten. This food safety failure on the part of Publix is well known, has been going on for years and is quite deceptive. The bags in which Publix sells its apples have colorful labels for good reason. Publix hides often one bad apple in the mix of good apples.
Here is a rotten apple from Publix pictured on Twitter: pic.twitter.com/CByZUiGtp0
Publix oranges (as one supplier personally told me) are bought at harvest season, but stored in coolers and sold for months after they have been plucked off the tree. As a native born Floridian who grew up with three orange trees in my backyard, I can squeeze an orange and if it is mushy, quickly tell if it is rotten. Publix citrus often has a rotten taste to it (especially organic citrus) which they keep for too long and continue to sell to unsuspecting consumers. Moreover much of Publix produce is irradiated at the border by customs when entering the country, meaning the living enzymes in the produce is dead. This explains why you can buy a Publix apple that looks good on the outside and is rotten in the core. Some external wax and spray of pesticides and preservatives externally may keep the apple looking good on the outside, but once an apple meets its expiration date; it will rot from the inside (as I have experienced several times with Publix apples and produce).
Tonight at Publix the bananas were all green. A mother with her newborn in her arms quickly noticed and commented on it. Quality grocers like Whole Foods and Target (which you can save 5% on purchases with the Target Red Card and avoid high prices at Publix) don't sell green bananas as much as Publix. It is not healthy to eat fruit that has not yet fully ripened before harvest time. Thus what is good for Publix profits is often not good for consumers' health.
4. On February 28, 2017 I bought a rotisserie chicken from Publix that had maggots in it, photos which I shared on Facebook (on March 2, 2017)
Image - pic.twitter.com/pvJnO93Ujv
http://www.Facebook.com/speakers4insp...
5. Publix frozen fruit often has moldy berries therein. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are not cheap. They cost quite a bit to buy a frozen bag (more at Publix than Target). Yet as I have experienced at Publix in their bags of frozen mixed fruit and blueberries - usually every bag has a few moldy and dried out berries therein (despite the Publix high prices). Such food safety failures should not be occurring at Publix, nor tolerated by its distributor Woodland Partners sourcing its frozen produce.
6. Garlic gone awry - Publix garlic (typically something that is very slow to rot and go moldy and has lasted for months for me in Asia when traveling abroad) did not last a week and when cut open (though looking great on the outside) was rotting and moldy within. Image at - pic.twitter.com/Zl4HPBh6ss
7. Publix frozen cherries contain pits which can wreck your teeth, causing much pain and suffering (and costing you decades of dental work and repairs). I personally experienced 4 pits in Publix frozen cherries (in one bag) and experienced pain and suffering, which ignored by Publix resulted in me getting SHINGLES (a virus due to excess pain, suffering and stress).
When I reported the incident to Publix, they merely punted and tried to point me to Woodland Partners (their distributor from Massachusetts). Publix and Woodland Partners (its supplier) unlike the restaurant which served Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich a sandwich with an olive pit that hurt his teeth and settled for $150,000 to attend to his ongoing dental work (recognizing teeth much like tires on a car require repair, replacement and continual work over a lifetime); however Publix and Woodland Partners merely gave me a cheap apology and offered me $700 to get rid of me. I don't think so! I refused the low-ball offer from Publix that has yet to acknowledge its food safety failures and negligence.
That being said shopping at Publix is the pits when you consider their food safety failures, high prices, disregard of consumers when they are guilty of negligence, and Publix sinful sales enriching their profit margins and putting consumers' health in the backseat.
Parents and consumers do yourselves and children a favor; shop at Target or Whole Foods to maintain good health, avoid food safety failures, high prices and these painful experiences and being taken advantage of by Publix (a Fortune 100 company that can do much better for consumers but continues to put profit margins before people).
If you have been wronged, defrauded, injured or taken advantage of by Publix; please email me (RevivingNations@gmail.com) to provide your full name, address, email and share your complaint to be added to my future CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Publix and Woodland Partners.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Consumer Advocate, Author of "The Future of Food: Global Reform to Improve the Quality of Food & Public Health," Wellness Trainer, Health Coach, and Worldwide Motivational Speaker who has touched 76 nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Churches, Cruise Lines, Schools, Colleges and Universities across the globe. The author of more than 20 books, Paul has earned 4 Master degrees with honors: Health (University of Alabama), Global Food Law (Michigan State College of Law), Global Affairs (New York University), and Educational Leadership (University of Texas).
www.Twitter.com/PaulFDavis.com
www.Facebook.com/speakers4inspiration
www.Linkedin.com/in/worldproperties
SOURCES:
The Future of Food: Global Reform to Improve the Quality of Food & Public Health
amzn.to/1kcjnUs
The Future of Food - GMOs, Bogus Science, Agroterrorism and Regulatory Reform
amzn.to/1Tcfqeu
European Food Safety Authority
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/defau...
Artificial Food Colors and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms: Conclusions to Dye for
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Always Read The Label
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...
Food Coloring
http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxi...
FDA Meeting: Do Food Dyes Cause Hyperactivity?
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/03...
Rep. Dennis Kucinich settles olive pit sandwich lawsuit; apologizes to constituents for distraction
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/polit...
Dennis Kucinich, Ohio U.S. Rep, sues Congressional cafeteria over 'dangerous' olive pit in sandwich
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/polit...
If you have been wronged, defrauded, injured or taken advantage of by Publix; please email me (RevivingNations@gmail.com) to provide your full name, address, email and share your complaint to be added to my future CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Publix and Woodland Partners.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
Publix Food Safety Failures, High Prices and Sinful Sales
December 9, 2016
Catholic Christian Church, Peter Pope Rome Jesus Christ
Catholic Christian Church, Peter Pope Rome Jesus Christ
A friend in the Philippines recently asked me:
"How will you rebut the statement of a priest if he says that the Catholic church is the true Christian church, because Peter died in Rome, and according to the bible, Jesus told him that upon this rock, he will build His church?"
My answer is below:
Peter also denied Jesus three times. That does not sound like a rock of stable spirituality.
If Peter is a rock (Matthew 16) why did Jesus rebuke him and call Him Satan telling him he was mindful of the things of men (not God) when Peter tried to prevent Jesus from dying on the cross.
Peter was an apostle, but the chief cornerstone of the Church is Christ. Jesus ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19). As long as we like Peter keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk on water and transcend our troubles.
Yet when we take our eyes off Jesus, we like Peter will sink and be in trouble. The "rock" is the rock of revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. Peter is no rock, only a forgiven sinner called to be an apostle to point people to Christ.
I talk more about this in detail within my book "God vs. Religion"
I am willing to teach these truths throughout the world and can speak in all churches since Jesus loves everybody and honors all who hear His Word and walk in His light.
Paul F. Davis - Author of "God vs. Religion"
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
RevivingNations @gmail.com
Catholic Christian Church, Peter Pope Rome Jesus Christ
A friend in the Philippines recently asked me:
"How will you rebut the statement of a priest if he says that the Catholic church is the true Christian church, because Peter died in Rome, and according to the bible, Jesus told him that upon this rock, he will build His church?"
My answer is below:
Peter also denied Jesus three times. That does not sound like a rock of stable spirituality.
If Peter is a rock (Matthew 16) why did Jesus rebuke him and call Him Satan telling him he was mindful of the things of men (not God) when Peter tried to prevent Jesus from dying on the cross.
Peter was an apostle, but the chief cornerstone of the Church is Christ. Jesus ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19). As long as we like Peter keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk on water and transcend our troubles.
Yet when we take our eyes off Jesus, we like Peter will sink and be in trouble. The "rock" is the rock of revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. Peter is no rock, only a forgiven sinner called to be an apostle to point people to Christ.
I talk more about this in detail within my book "God vs. Religion"
I am willing to teach these truths throughout the world and can speak in all churches since Jesus loves everybody and honors all who hear His Word and walk in His light.
Paul F. Davis - Author of "God vs. Religion"
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
RevivingNations @gmail.com
Catholic Christian Church, Peter Pope Rome Jesus Christ
September 9, 2016
Mystery of Saints, Catholics vs Bible on Saints
Mystery of Saints, Catholics vs Bible on Saints
Catholics uphold saints more than most (and often pray to them), but Jesus taught His followers to pray to God the Father in His Name (Matthew 6:9).
Catholics however sometimes pray to saints, but truthfully all saints are merely forgiven sinners by God's grace. Saints and sinners alike are human. Jesus however was God manifest in the flesh (John 1:1,14). Yet Christ said we should pray to God the Father in His Name (Matthew 6:9; John 14:13-18).
Even Mary exalted Christ her Savior (though she also gave birth to Him). Read Luke 1:46-47 and for Scriptures on saints Romans 8:26-27 about praying in tongues for God's Holy Spirit to pray the perfect prayer for the saints.
In God's eyes all His children born of His Spirit and forgiven and cleansed of their sins by Christ's blood are saints. Though few see themselves this way, we who belong to Christ should see ourselves as saints - the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2Corinthians 5:21).
The epistles of Paul and Peter were written to the saints in the Church (these being disciples, formerly sinners now forgiven and born again in God).
Once we are born again in God we become new and God sees us not as sinners, but as sons and daughters (saints of the most high God) as confirmed in Holy Scripture (2Corinthians 5:17-18; 6:17-18).
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Author of "God vs. Religion" and Worldwide Minister who has touched 76 nations loving and uplifting people with the truth of God's Word and supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
http://www.Linkedin.com/in/worldprope...
Mystery of Saints, Catholics vs Bible on Saints
Catholics uphold saints more than most (and often pray to them), but Jesus taught His followers to pray to God the Father in His Name (Matthew 6:9).
Catholics however sometimes pray to saints, but truthfully all saints are merely forgiven sinners by God's grace. Saints and sinners alike are human. Jesus however was God manifest in the flesh (John 1:1,14). Yet Christ said we should pray to God the Father in His Name (Matthew 6:9; John 14:13-18).
Even Mary exalted Christ her Savior (though she also gave birth to Him). Read Luke 1:46-47 and for Scriptures on saints Romans 8:26-27 about praying in tongues for God's Holy Spirit to pray the perfect prayer for the saints.
In God's eyes all His children born of His Spirit and forgiven and cleansed of their sins by Christ's blood are saints. Though few see themselves this way, we who belong to Christ should see ourselves as saints - the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2Corinthians 5:21).
The epistles of Paul and Peter were written to the saints in the Church (these being disciples, formerly sinners now forgiven and born again in God).
Once we are born again in God we become new and God sees us not as sinners, but as sons and daughters (saints of the most high God) as confirmed in Holy Scripture (2Corinthians 5:17-18; 6:17-18).
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Author of "God vs. Religion" and Worldwide Minister who has touched 76 nations loving and uplifting people with the truth of God's Word and supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
http://www.Linkedin.com/in/worldprope...
Mystery of Saints, Catholics vs Bible on Saints
August 28, 2016
Drunk Driving MADD vs Inadequate Transportation across United States of America
Drunk Driving MADD vs Inadequate Transportation across United States of America
As someone who does not drink, or use drugs; I share Mothers Against Drunk Driving's passion to stop drunk driving across America. Unfortunately my mother cannot join me in the crusade because she herself was killed by an 18 year-old drunk driver. I myself was hit by a drunk driver (61 year-old lady) on a Tuesday afternoon, 6 years later, who totally destroyed my car and nearly killed me.
Beyond my passion against drunk driving, I think a deeper policy issue must be addressed to genuinely solve the problem of drunk driving. Perhaps MADD will be inspired and take their advocacy in an additional direction in the future to see greater results. Consider the following below.
Unlike much of Europe where cities are built for people and the rights of pedestrians and bicyclists are protected, the USA (home of the "free and brave") has inadequate transportation for people to engage in any type of social life and drink responsibly. I know one medical doctor (a bicyclists), who since being hit by a car is today in a wheelchair and unable to walk.
Whereas a few cities like American cities New York and San Francisco offer many means of public transport (God bless them for being progressive and doing so), most cities across America do not. Hence the soaring number of people being arrested for drunk driving. This could be dealt with if U.S. policy redirected funds away from the global war effort (war without end) to build proper infrastructure (and repair the crumbling infrastructure - roads and bridges falling apart across the country here at home).
I once heard Pittsburgh (where my maternal grandparents are from) has 520 bridges falling apart, the federal and state government have done little to repair.
Perhaps MADD should take this issue up with Congress to truly see change and reform the way traffic flows to and through our cities.
Being mad alone is not enough. We must tackle problems intelligent with an insight for policy to truly transform our cities, provide those drinking better transportation options, and thereby keep our roads safe.
Paul F. Davis - Wellness Trainer, Drunk Driving and Substance Abuse Prevention Speaker who has touched 76 Nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, Churches, Schools, Colleges, and Universities across the globe.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/substance-a...
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/drunk-drivi...
Drunk Driving MADD vs Inadequate Transportation across United States of America
As someone who does not drink, or use drugs; I share Mothers Against Drunk Driving's passion to stop drunk driving across America. Unfortunately my mother cannot join me in the crusade because she herself was killed by an 18 year-old drunk driver. I myself was hit by a drunk driver (61 year-old lady) on a Tuesday afternoon, 6 years later, who totally destroyed my car and nearly killed me.
Beyond my passion against drunk driving, I think a deeper policy issue must be addressed to genuinely solve the problem of drunk driving. Perhaps MADD will be inspired and take their advocacy in an additional direction in the future to see greater results. Consider the following below.
Unlike much of Europe where cities are built for people and the rights of pedestrians and bicyclists are protected, the USA (home of the "free and brave") has inadequate transportation for people to engage in any type of social life and drink responsibly. I know one medical doctor (a bicyclists), who since being hit by a car is today in a wheelchair and unable to walk.
Whereas a few cities like American cities New York and San Francisco offer many means of public transport (God bless them for being progressive and doing so), most cities across America do not. Hence the soaring number of people being arrested for drunk driving. This could be dealt with if U.S. policy redirected funds away from the global war effort (war without end) to build proper infrastructure (and repair the crumbling infrastructure - roads and bridges falling apart across the country here at home).
I once heard Pittsburgh (where my maternal grandparents are from) has 520 bridges falling apart, the federal and state government have done little to repair.
Perhaps MADD should take this issue up with Congress to truly see change and reform the way traffic flows to and through our cities.
Being mad alone is not enough. We must tackle problems intelligent with an insight for policy to truly transform our cities, provide those drinking better transportation options, and thereby keep our roads safe.
Paul F. Davis - Wellness Trainer, Drunk Driving and Substance Abuse Prevention Speaker who has touched 76 Nations serving the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, Churches, Schools, Colleges, and Universities across the globe.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/substance-a...
http://www.PaulFDavis.com/drunk-drivi...
Drunk Driving MADD vs Inadequate Transportation across United States of America
August 6, 2016
Emirates Airline Consumer Fraud, Baggage Scam, and Negligence
Emirates Airline Consumer Fraud, Baggage Scam, and Negligence
Emirates Airline charged me $225 in excess baggage fees on July 30, 2016 and damaged my luggage costing far more when flying from Jakarta, Indonesia to Orlando, Florida. Upon arriving at Orlando International Airport and reporting to terminal B to retrieve my 3 suitcases, 2 of my suitcases were severely damaged.
The Emirates airline stewardess passing by instructed me to go to terminal A (to departures) to speak to Emirates Airlines. However upon doing so I was told to wait for the luggage manager. I waited 15 minutes (watching more passengers get over charged baggage fees and arguing with Emirates reps), while the luggage manager never came. Upon leaving the Emirates Air departure counter, I spoke to 2 Orlando International Airport information desk reps at terminal B (one at the baggage arrival floor and another at the rental car floor) both told me: "EVERYDAY travelers have problems with damaged baggage with Emirates Airline and are ignored, the airline doing nothing."
Emirates claims it has "the most generous baggage allowance" in the airline industry on its website, which is false and a bold faced lie. Emirates charged me $225 ($150 for a carry-on bag in Jakarta, Indonesia which I was told would be charged the same whether it was 1 kilo over 7kg or 15 kilos over the permitted 7kg and $50 for my excess weight on two suitcases checked). As someone who has traveled to 76 countries, no other airline weighs and charges passengers for carry-on bags. This is Emirates Airline's strategy to increase profit margins and defraud consumers traveling with them.
Furthermore the Emirates Airline representatives in Jakarta, Indonesia and at the Orlando International Airport (Florida, USA) were extremely rude.
There is a HUGE disconnect between the quality of service on the plane at Emirates and at the airport when checking in and retrieving luggage. For the most part the Emirates crew on the plane are pleasant and professional, but the Emirates employees at the airports are rude, aggressive, bossy and heartless only seeking to monetize the moment.
In fact the Emirates Airline rep in Dubai when I was attempting to board my connecting flight on July 31st to return to Orlando, Florida - he was clueless as to the gate of the plane departing. The TV screens in Dubai for departures originally said the plane (EK 219) would leave gate B18. However upon going to B18 at the time of boarding, the Emirates rep told me I must report to C13. I walked across the entire airport to get to C13, only to find out in fact the plane was departing from B28 (and had to return again to the other side of the airport, running and with much stress to catch the flight ...for which I arrived originally arrived in Dubai 4 hours before departure). Hence the stress and strain caused by Emirates Airline's reps at the airport was unnecessary, but a sad ongoing reality with such a poorly managed airline.
I must also report the Emirates crew were spraying air fresheners with chemicals aboard the plane in the bathrooms and food service areas near my seat 37H, which also had infants, newborns and small children nearby. These toxic chemicals (not natural and without proper ventilation to remove the harmful fumes aboard the plane) resulted in me having chest pains and difficulty breathing throughout the flight and resulted in others near me also coughing and caused small children to begin crying.
As someone who has earned a Master degree in Health, I know the harmful petrochemicals and solvents (causing neurotoxicity) that are used in aerosol sprays and the importance of ensuring adequate ventilation when using them. The Emirates Airline flight attendants need better training to be aware of this public health hazard.
Thus the Emirates flight and service from Jakarta, Indonesia to Dubai, UAE (July 30, 2016 - EK 357) and Dubai to Orlando (July 31, 2016 - EK 219) was a disaster, uncomfortable, painful, stressful, and costly due to the harm to my personal health and damaged baggage for which Emirates failed to report and take accountability for. I now must attend to my respiratory / breathing problems (seeking medical assistance as needed) AND buy new luggage to replace the luggage Emirates Airline damaged and disregarded upon arrival.
I therefore demand a full refund for the Emirates Airline flight and my damaged baggage amounting to $500 for the 2 suitcases needing extensive repairs or replacement. I also encourage all defrauded consumers and travelers who have been similarly wronged by Emirates Airlines to comment hereafter on this article to alert consumers and travelers to the ongoing consumer fraud and negligence occurring at Emirates Airline. Together we can launch a class action lawsuit against Emirates Airlines and recuperate the money stolen from us, be compensated for the pain and suffering caused to us, and alert travelers and consumers throughout the world to not fly with Emirates Airline until it improves its customer service and handling of baggage (including taking responsibility and refunding customers when they are negligent and damage bags / luggage).
Given Orlando International Airport Information Desk reps who admitted Emirates Air damages travelers' bags everyday and ignores them being continually negligent for wrongdoing; I urge all travelers to fly another airline until Emirates Airline behaves with more respect, decency, and ethics toward travelers.
Respectfully,
Paul F. Davis - consumer advocate and world traveler who has touched 76 nations
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
RevivingNations @gmail.com
Emirates Airline Consumer Fraud, Baggage Scam, and Negligence
On August 25, 2016 the Better Business Bureau in San Jose, California wrote me (below) stating that Emirates Airlines has not taken the time to reply or respond to the complaint I filed against their company.
On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Better Business Bureau wrote:
Complaint ID#: 502926
Business Name: Emirates airline Los angles office
You recently requested our help concerning a problem with the company named above.
The company has NOT responded to BBB to date. If you have heard from the company please contact BBB at (408)278-7400.
We encourage you to use our ONLINE COMPLAINT system to keep up with the progress of this complaint.
To go directly to your complaint click on the following website link: http://sanjose.app.bbb.org/complaint/....
Sincerely,
Omar Cerezo
Complaint Specialist
BBB Complaint Department
Emirates Airline charged me $225 in excess baggage fees on July 30, 2016 and damaged my luggage costing far more when flying from Jakarta, Indonesia to Orlando, Florida. Upon arriving at Orlando International Airport and reporting to terminal B to retrieve my 3 suitcases, 2 of my suitcases were severely damaged.
The Emirates airline stewardess passing by instructed me to go to terminal A (to departures) to speak to Emirates Airlines. However upon doing so I was told to wait for the luggage manager. I waited 15 minutes (watching more passengers get over charged baggage fees and arguing with Emirates reps), while the luggage manager never came. Upon leaving the Emirates Air departure counter, I spoke to 2 Orlando International Airport information desk reps at terminal B (one at the baggage arrival floor and another at the rental car floor) both told me: "EVERYDAY travelers have problems with damaged baggage with Emirates Airline and are ignored, the airline doing nothing."
Emirates claims it has "the most generous baggage allowance" in the airline industry on its website, which is false and a bold faced lie. Emirates charged me $225 ($150 for a carry-on bag in Jakarta, Indonesia which I was told would be charged the same whether it was 1 kilo over 7kg or 15 kilos over the permitted 7kg and $50 for my excess weight on two suitcases checked). As someone who has traveled to 76 countries, no other airline weighs and charges passengers for carry-on bags. This is Emirates Airline's strategy to increase profit margins and defraud consumers traveling with them.
Furthermore the Emirates Airline representatives in Jakarta, Indonesia and at the Orlando International Airport (Florida, USA) were extremely rude.
There is a HUGE disconnect between the quality of service on the plane at Emirates and at the airport when checking in and retrieving luggage. For the most part the Emirates crew on the plane are pleasant and professional, but the Emirates employees at the airports are rude, aggressive, bossy and heartless only seeking to monetize the moment.
In fact the Emirates Airline rep in Dubai when I was attempting to board my connecting flight on July 31st to return to Orlando, Florida - he was clueless as to the gate of the plane departing. The TV screens in Dubai for departures originally said the plane (EK 219) would leave gate B18. However upon going to B18 at the time of boarding, the Emirates rep told me I must report to C13. I walked across the entire airport to get to C13, only to find out in fact the plane was departing from B28 (and had to return again to the other side of the airport, running and with much stress to catch the flight ...for which I arrived originally arrived in Dubai 4 hours before departure). Hence the stress and strain caused by Emirates Airline's reps at the airport was unnecessary, but a sad ongoing reality with such a poorly managed airline.
I must also report the Emirates crew were spraying air fresheners with chemicals aboard the plane in the bathrooms and food service areas near my seat 37H, which also had infants, newborns and small children nearby. These toxic chemicals (not natural and without proper ventilation to remove the harmful fumes aboard the plane) resulted in me having chest pains and difficulty breathing throughout the flight and resulted in others near me also coughing and caused small children to begin crying.
As someone who has earned a Master degree in Health, I know the harmful petrochemicals and solvents (causing neurotoxicity) that are used in aerosol sprays and the importance of ensuring adequate ventilation when using them. The Emirates Airline flight attendants need better training to be aware of this public health hazard.
Thus the Emirates flight and service from Jakarta, Indonesia to Dubai, UAE (July 30, 2016 - EK 357) and Dubai to Orlando (July 31, 2016 - EK 219) was a disaster, uncomfortable, painful, stressful, and costly due to the harm to my personal health and damaged baggage for which Emirates failed to report and take accountability for. I now must attend to my respiratory / breathing problems (seeking medical assistance as needed) AND buy new luggage to replace the luggage Emirates Airline damaged and disregarded upon arrival.
I therefore demand a full refund for the Emirates Airline flight and my damaged baggage amounting to $500 for the 2 suitcases needing extensive repairs or replacement. I also encourage all defrauded consumers and travelers who have been similarly wronged by Emirates Airlines to comment hereafter on this article to alert consumers and travelers to the ongoing consumer fraud and negligence occurring at Emirates Airline. Together we can launch a class action lawsuit against Emirates Airlines and recuperate the money stolen from us, be compensated for the pain and suffering caused to us, and alert travelers and consumers throughout the world to not fly with Emirates Airline until it improves its customer service and handling of baggage (including taking responsibility and refunding customers when they are negligent and damage bags / luggage).
Given Orlando International Airport Information Desk reps who admitted Emirates Air damages travelers' bags everyday and ignores them being continually negligent for wrongdoing; I urge all travelers to fly another airline until Emirates Airline behaves with more respect, decency, and ethics toward travelers.
Respectfully,
Paul F. Davis - consumer advocate and world traveler who has touched 76 nations
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
RevivingNations @gmail.com
Emirates Airline Consumer Fraud, Baggage Scam, and Negligence
On August 25, 2016 the Better Business Bureau in San Jose, California wrote me (below) stating that Emirates Airlines has not taken the time to reply or respond to the complaint I filed against their company.
On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Better Business Bureau wrote:
Complaint ID#: 502926
Business Name: Emirates airline Los angles office
You recently requested our help concerning a problem with the company named above.
The company has NOT responded to BBB to date. If you have heard from the company please contact BBB at (408)278-7400.
We encourage you to use our ONLINE COMPLAINT system to keep up with the progress of this complaint.
To go directly to your complaint click on the following website link: http://sanjose.app.bbb.org/complaint/....
Sincerely,
Omar Cerezo
Complaint Specialist
BBB Complaint Department
March 16, 2016
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Following police brutality and racial profiling being called to attention the past couple of years by social media and mainstream media, it is time we as a nation come together and have an adult conversation (listening to one another and learning how we can heal our nation).
As someone who worked at Ground Zero in New York City the first week of 9/11 (2001) during the attack on our nation, I was deeply troubled by our response as a nation to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I wrote and prophesied it was time for the White House to get some color and heal the homeland. Although we have some color in our nation's capital today (2016), 300,000 guns are still on the loose and racism remains (often evident in the way law enforcement officers mistreat people of color).
More than a decade later our nation is buried in debt as a result of war without end and indiscriminately killing people in these "theaters of war" where we have poorly performed and wrecked U.S. global credibility in the process. Nonetheless our soldiers have served honorably and sacrificed themselves courageously fulfilling orders and their duty to our country. Yet our highest Generals in the military have repeatedly said our global problems with Muslims abroad cannot be solved with military weapons of warfare.
As the author of "United States of Arrogance" (published in 2007 during the Iraq War led by the W. Bush administration), I think we need to look and listen more, talk less, and think things through before we act foolishly and hastily to our own demise. A nation divided cannot stand, nor endure.
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
- Questions -
1. How did the participants at the meeting frame their arguments? What positions did individuals take at the meeting?
Participants at the meeting spoke in an assembly with a microphone individually following the direction of the host, who led a conversation and presented various meaningful questions to facilitate a discussion.
Former Black Panther party member Eddie Conway spoke on the unfinished business from the civil rights movement mentioning that reforms of that era did not change institutionalized racism, whites' opinions toward blacks, nor the economic inequalities that existed between the races. The means of production within communities did not change. The abilities of black Americans were still hindered following the legal reforms enacted during the civil rights era.
Black communities thereafter were still used strategically to profit other races. This led to the black power movement that sought to build institutions in the community. Due to the rapid expansion of the black power movement, the American government launched counter intelligence programs to monitor and slow its growth. The result was African Americans within the community turned against each other.
Protestation alone is not enough because institutions must be built alongside of activism to have a lasting impact and continue to serve African American communities. Disputes and disagreements must not marginalize and divide us. Otherwise as a people we will be ineffective, unable to come together, and incapable of building anything that lasts. Conway said, "For the next 500 years we will continue to make wealth and fight against ourselves."
Attorney and activist Kamau Franklin said it is somewhat unclear what African Americans were historically fighting against. In deciding which way to go forward, "Were the disputes around civil rights or self-determination? Even within those blocks, there were disputes as to what civil rights meant. Was it integration or desegregation?"
For the advocates of black power disputes ranged from: "What is self-determination mean? What does black power mean?" There were so many different ways people interpreted these terms that they came to mean everything and nothing at the same time."
"Others," according to Franklin, "thought of black power as black capitalism. They interpreted this to mean it was about black people making money and as long as there were black businesses, that resolved issues in the community."
"Other folks took a more radical approach saying black power was about self-determination, liberation, and nationalism. Malcolm X became the figurehead for that movement. People said, 'We need control of our resources: our land, political, economic, and educational resources.'"
"Then there were people in the middle, who said we just need some community control, but still want to be part of America. Because anything else is too big, too daunting, and not something we can resolve right now."
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Franklin poignantly says, "We sort of emulate the same posture and personality that we accuse our oppressors of many times a lot of times. We want to be the big person on campus. We want to be able to make that speech. We want to be able to get that funding."
"Yet people who are serious about changing conditions," Franklin says, "they find ways to work together."
Nelini Stamp, co-director of the organization Rise Up, mentioned often African Americans are being integrated into a burning house of capitalism. For example, blacks frequently fight for community organizer jobs to access money from foundations led by people who have a history of oppressing African Americans.
Yet the power of movements during the civil rights era is undeniable. "The Young Lords were able to exist because of the Black Panthers." The ripple effect of liberation movements inspired leadership in the African American community and broke down racial barriers. "Black people are powerful beings who the world emulates" when we get it right and do something worthwhile. "I am black and Latina and I want liberation for both of my people." These are important conversations that we must have that are often uncomfortable.
The Real News host mentioned that grassroots movements organically spring up and such coalitions are often without leaders. Grassroots movements are thus disjointed by their very nature in how they were created and tend to evolve.
"There were a lot of black politicians in favor of the war on drugs. Because people saw drugs as the cause of tearing up their communities."
Yusef Bunchy Shakur (author and community organizer) said: "Drugs was a form of handicapping and destroying the black liberation movement in our communities. Heroine put us asleep and crack cocaine came and knocked us out." Therefore "when we talk about the war on drugs, we have to put it in the context of chemical warfare."
"Why wasn't the black liberation movement successful? There were individuals who looked like us who betrayed us. If you fast forward, that is still happening within our community."
"White people funded the NAACP to control the organization." Too often "the media is picking our leadership. We need to develop our leadership."
Blacks have a problem accepting African American leaders and their differences, preferring to follow only one and oppose the other.
Paul Jay (CEO of The Real News Network) said, "Mistakes are inherent in doing something new. In building our news network, we have made way more mistakes than we have done things right. But the point of it is how do you learn from it?"
"What if we get the right to vote and there is nobody worth voting for? That doesn't mean we should not pursue the right to vote. It means we need to address that issue. At its very best a protest movement can probably do what the Civil Rights Movement did - bring some concessions out of the elite that is terrified of the revolutionary potential of black America. And in order not to have that potential realized, they will give up some concessions. ...The littlest concession is better than no concession. But that is not having power. Malcolm said, 'We need a united front against the western power structure.'"
"Why does the Department of Justice enter certain police review boards and have sanctions? They are terrified that if the cops go too far... They need to mitigate some or we will have another Rodney King event across the country."
Yes, police are permitted to use hammers to keep the lid on things, but don't do it in such a way people revolt and say, "Enough is enough."
Tef Poe (rapper and activist), "We cannot gain anything until we start modeling and thinking in terms of actual resistance. That looks different for different people."
"Civil rights leaders were not murdered because they were humanitarians. They were murdered for moving us into a culture of resistance. Once that culture picked up, that became the problem."
"Rodney King was in the 90s, not 1965. And it never stopped. That energy never died it just transformed into different forms or fashions."
"Legislation is good. I believe that, but it is not my job to tell people to go vote for people who send drones to kill black folks, who support international countries that kill 50 Africans a day."
2. Identify and describe the interests of each of the participants at the meeting.
All participants want peace in their community and country where they live. Every human being present wants freedom, mutual respect, equality, civil rights, and American values to be available to everyone of us without restriction or discrimination.
One of the main interests among all black participants was the fact that nearly 50% of all prisoners in the United States are black. Other interests and concerns are police brutality, inequality and injustice in America, and institutional racism (specifically the political parties and their tendency to serve the interests of whites over minorities).
African American citizens who participated expressed interest in the civil rights of black people in our country and protecting them from racial discrimination, racial profiling, and police brutality. More than 40 years after the civil rights movement, blacks in the community still struggle with trusting each other and unifying to organize efforts to advance their rights and interests.
Young African Americans are interested in leadership, further reforms needed to ensure equality in our country, and healing the racial divide in our nation.
White participants are interested in not being demonized or categorized to be racist, or thought to be all the same. Also white participants want to better understand black Americans and their struggles.
Police participants want black Americans to know not all police officers are against them and that there are many good and fair law enforcement officers in our country (a large amount of whom are black themselves).
3. Discuss whether the participants were able to be objective in their approaches to the problem. Describe how the people involved were able to separate themselves from the problem.
Participants were able to be objective, but because most participants were black themselves it is understandable how they can lean toward certain opinions related to issues concerning their race and people.
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Mr. Franklin wisely acknowledged that we in this era may not resolve all of those unanswered questions.
These unanswered questions and the internal struggle for identity within the heart of every African American has caused conflict within blacks themselves, black communities, and the nation as a whole (as black Americans are discontent, still wrestling within, and trying to make peace with whites and other races simultaneously).
Participants were able to separate themselves from the problems within the black community and our nation, but were simultaneously equally passionate about identifying and solving these problems. Through intellectually discussing the issues, revisiting history, hearing and learning from elder black leaders; those present at the town hall meeting were able to handle conflict graciously and strategically pioneer a path to peaceful reformation for the future.
As Mr. Franklin pointed out, many small organizations and coalitions purportedly advocating the cause of African Americans are sprouting. Many of these organizations and coalitions do not even talk to each other, as they compete for the dollars and support of black citizens. Neither do they work together collectively in any capacity. Thus conflict is occurring in black communities among blacks themselves.
Mr. Franklin says of blacks, "We are good at talking about what our problems are as a people. We are o.k. at resolving some of our problems. Some victories have changed our present conditions, removing slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow laws. We now face different forms of mutilation and control over our bodies, but some things have changed due to people organizing and advocating to make those changes."
Yet the emphasis of blacks attempting to create their group (over minor differences), has continued to divide African Americans and prevent them from coming together to work with unified strength.
4. In what ways did the participants seek to find mutually beneficial solutions to their conflict?
Participants first sought to be heard, they being a racial minority in the United States accounting for approximately 13% of the national population. Participants sought to articulate their views, opinions, and experiences to help people of others races and police officers themselves become aware of their struggle and the injustices they wrestle with on a daily basis in society.
Participants actively and respectfully listened to one another, gaining valued perspectives and insights. The few white men present were actively listening, sincerely engaged, and striving to build bridges to help their African American brothers.
The white CEO of the news network and the host leading the panel discussion and town hall forum were humble, honest concerning their mistakes, and eager to hear from the participants attending the event. Participants came to listen more than talk. They were respectful and genuinely interested in what others had to say (unlike what a Jerry Springer or Fox News show with Bill O'Reilly looks like).
Thus many mutually beneficial solutions, approaches, and meaningful contexts to engage and tackle problems were discussed. As a result the participants gained a better understanding of the problems, challenges, and how to cooperate to improve the status of African Americans and minorities in the United States. It was a very positive town hall meeting that will set the stage for more dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration to solve problems in our communities and pursue reconciliation, social justice and peace in our nation.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com - Worldwide Minister, Policy Adviser, Wellness Trainer, Life Coach and Author who has touched 72 nations speaking for the Churches, the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Source:
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUIA...
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Following police brutality and racial profiling being called to attention the past couple of years by social media and mainstream media, it is time we as a nation come together and have an adult conversation (listening to one another and learning how we can heal our nation).
As someone who worked at Ground Zero in New York City the first week of 9/11 (2001) during the attack on our nation, I was deeply troubled by our response as a nation to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I wrote and prophesied it was time for the White House to get some color and heal the homeland. Although we have some color in our nation's capital today (2016), 300,000 guns are still on the loose and racism remains (often evident in the way law enforcement officers mistreat people of color).
More than a decade later our nation is buried in debt as a result of war without end and indiscriminately killing people in these "theaters of war" where we have poorly performed and wrecked U.S. global credibility in the process. Nonetheless our soldiers have served honorably and sacrificed themselves courageously fulfilling orders and their duty to our country. Yet our highest Generals in the military have repeatedly said our global problems with Muslims abroad cannot be solved with military weapons of warfare.
As the author of "United States of Arrogance" (published in 2007 during the Iraq War led by the W. Bush administration), I think we need to look and listen more, talk less, and think things through before we act foolishly and hastily to our own demise. A nation divided cannot stand, nor endure.
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
- Questions -
1. How did the participants at the meeting frame their arguments? What positions did individuals take at the meeting?
Participants at the meeting spoke in an assembly with a microphone individually following the direction of the host, who led a conversation and presented various meaningful questions to facilitate a discussion.
Former Black Panther party member Eddie Conway spoke on the unfinished business from the civil rights movement mentioning that reforms of that era did not change institutionalized racism, whites' opinions toward blacks, nor the economic inequalities that existed between the races. The means of production within communities did not change. The abilities of black Americans were still hindered following the legal reforms enacted during the civil rights era.
Black communities thereafter were still used strategically to profit other races. This led to the black power movement that sought to build institutions in the community. Due to the rapid expansion of the black power movement, the American government launched counter intelligence programs to monitor and slow its growth. The result was African Americans within the community turned against each other.
Protestation alone is not enough because institutions must be built alongside of activism to have a lasting impact and continue to serve African American communities. Disputes and disagreements must not marginalize and divide us. Otherwise as a people we will be ineffective, unable to come together, and incapable of building anything that lasts. Conway said, "For the next 500 years we will continue to make wealth and fight against ourselves."
Attorney and activist Kamau Franklin said it is somewhat unclear what African Americans were historically fighting against. In deciding which way to go forward, "Were the disputes around civil rights or self-determination? Even within those blocks, there were disputes as to what civil rights meant. Was it integration or desegregation?"
For the advocates of black power disputes ranged from: "What is self-determination mean? What does black power mean?" There were so many different ways people interpreted these terms that they came to mean everything and nothing at the same time."
"Others," according to Franklin, "thought of black power as black capitalism. They interpreted this to mean it was about black people making money and as long as there were black businesses, that resolved issues in the community."
"Other folks took a more radical approach saying black power was about self-determination, liberation, and nationalism. Malcolm X became the figurehead for that movement. People said, 'We need control of our resources: our land, political, economic, and educational resources.'"
"Then there were people in the middle, who said we just need some community control, but still want to be part of America. Because anything else is too big, too daunting, and not something we can resolve right now."
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Franklin poignantly says, "We sort of emulate the same posture and personality that we accuse our oppressors of many times a lot of times. We want to be the big person on campus. We want to be able to make that speech. We want to be able to get that funding."
"Yet people who are serious about changing conditions," Franklin says, "they find ways to work together."
Nelini Stamp, co-director of the organization Rise Up, mentioned often African Americans are being integrated into a burning house of capitalism. For example, blacks frequently fight for community organizer jobs to access money from foundations led by people who have a history of oppressing African Americans.
Yet the power of movements during the civil rights era is undeniable. "The Young Lords were able to exist because of the Black Panthers." The ripple effect of liberation movements inspired leadership in the African American community and broke down racial barriers. "Black people are powerful beings who the world emulates" when we get it right and do something worthwhile. "I am black and Latina and I want liberation for both of my people." These are important conversations that we must have that are often uncomfortable.
The Real News host mentioned that grassroots movements organically spring up and such coalitions are often without leaders. Grassroots movements are thus disjointed by their very nature in how they were created and tend to evolve.
"There were a lot of black politicians in favor of the war on drugs. Because people saw drugs as the cause of tearing up their communities."
Yusef Bunchy Shakur (author and community organizer) said: "Drugs was a form of handicapping and destroying the black liberation movement in our communities. Heroine put us asleep and crack cocaine came and knocked us out." Therefore "when we talk about the war on drugs, we have to put it in the context of chemical warfare."
"Why wasn't the black liberation movement successful? There were individuals who looked like us who betrayed us. If you fast forward, that is still happening within our community."
"White people funded the NAACP to control the organization." Too often "the media is picking our leadership. We need to develop our leadership."
Blacks have a problem accepting African American leaders and their differences, preferring to follow only one and oppose the other.
Paul Jay (CEO of The Real News Network) said, "Mistakes are inherent in doing something new. In building our news network, we have made way more mistakes than we have done things right. But the point of it is how do you learn from it?"
"What if we get the right to vote and there is nobody worth voting for? That doesn't mean we should not pursue the right to vote. It means we need to address that issue. At its very best a protest movement can probably do what the Civil Rights Movement did - bring some concessions out of the elite that is terrified of the revolutionary potential of black America. And in order not to have that potential realized, they will give up some concessions. ...The littlest concession is better than no concession. But that is not having power. Malcolm said, 'We need a united front against the western power structure.'"
"Why does the Department of Justice enter certain police review boards and have sanctions? They are terrified that if the cops go too far... They need to mitigate some or we will have another Rodney King event across the country."
Yes, police are permitted to use hammers to keep the lid on things, but don't do it in such a way people revolt and say, "Enough is enough."
Tef Poe (rapper and activist), "We cannot gain anything until we start modeling and thinking in terms of actual resistance. That looks different for different people."
"Civil rights leaders were not murdered because they were humanitarians. They were murdered for moving us into a culture of resistance. Once that culture picked up, that became the problem."
"Rodney King was in the 90s, not 1965. And it never stopped. That energy never died it just transformed into different forms or fashions."
"Legislation is good. I believe that, but it is not my job to tell people to go vote for people who send drones to kill black folks, who support international countries that kill 50 Africans a day."
2. Identify and describe the interests of each of the participants at the meeting.
All participants want peace in their community and country where they live. Every human being present wants freedom, mutual respect, equality, civil rights, and American values to be available to everyone of us without restriction or discrimination.
One of the main interests among all black participants was the fact that nearly 50% of all prisoners in the United States are black. Other interests and concerns are police brutality, inequality and injustice in America, and institutional racism (specifically the political parties and their tendency to serve the interests of whites over minorities).
African American citizens who participated expressed interest in the civil rights of black people in our country and protecting them from racial discrimination, racial profiling, and police brutality. More than 40 years after the civil rights movement, blacks in the community still struggle with trusting each other and unifying to organize efforts to advance their rights and interests.
Young African Americans are interested in leadership, further reforms needed to ensure equality in our country, and healing the racial divide in our nation.
White participants are interested in not being demonized or categorized to be racist, or thought to be all the same. Also white participants want to better understand black Americans and their struggles.
Police participants want black Americans to know not all police officers are against them and that there are many good and fair law enforcement officers in our country (a large amount of whom are black themselves).
3. Discuss whether the participants were able to be objective in their approaches to the problem. Describe how the people involved were able to separate themselves from the problem.
Participants were able to be objective, but because most participants were black themselves it is understandable how they can lean toward certain opinions related to issues concerning their race and people.
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Mr. Franklin wisely acknowledged that we in this era may not resolve all of those unanswered questions.
These unanswered questions and the internal struggle for identity within the heart of every African American has caused conflict within blacks themselves, black communities, and the nation as a whole (as black Americans are discontent, still wrestling within, and trying to make peace with whites and other races simultaneously).
Participants were able to separate themselves from the problems within the black community and our nation, but were simultaneously equally passionate about identifying and solving these problems. Through intellectually discussing the issues, revisiting history, hearing and learning from elder black leaders; those present at the town hall meeting were able to handle conflict graciously and strategically pioneer a path to peaceful reformation for the future.
As Mr. Franklin pointed out, many small organizations and coalitions purportedly advocating the cause of African Americans are sprouting. Many of these organizations and coalitions do not even talk to each other, as they compete for the dollars and support of black citizens. Neither do they work together collectively in any capacity. Thus conflict is occurring in black communities among blacks themselves.
Mr. Franklin says of blacks, "We are good at talking about what our problems are as a people. We are o.k. at resolving some of our problems. Some victories have changed our present conditions, removing slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow laws. We now face different forms of mutilation and control over our bodies, but some things have changed due to people organizing and advocating to make those changes."
Yet the emphasis of blacks attempting to create their group (over minor differences), has continued to divide African Americans and prevent them from coming together to work with unified strength.
4. In what ways did the participants seek to find mutually beneficial solutions to their conflict?
Participants first sought to be heard, they being a racial minority in the United States accounting for approximately 13% of the national population. Participants sought to articulate their views, opinions, and experiences to help people of others races and police officers themselves become aware of their struggle and the injustices they wrestle with on a daily basis in society.
Participants actively and respectfully listened to one another, gaining valued perspectives and insights. The few white men present were actively listening, sincerely engaged, and striving to build bridges to help their African American brothers.
The white CEO of the news network and the host leading the panel discussion and town hall forum were humble, honest concerning their mistakes, and eager to hear from the participants attending the event. Participants came to listen more than talk. They were respectful and genuinely interested in what others had to say (unlike what a Jerry Springer or Fox News show with Bill O'Reilly looks like).
Thus many mutually beneficial solutions, approaches, and meaningful contexts to engage and tackle problems were discussed. As a result the participants gained a better understanding of the problems, challenges, and how to cooperate to improve the status of African Americans and minorities in the United States. It was a very positive town hall meeting that will set the stage for more dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration to solve problems in our communities and pursue reconciliation, social justice and peace in our nation.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com - Worldwide Minister, Policy Adviser, Wellness Trainer, Life Coach and Author who has touched 72 nations speaking for the Churches, the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Source:
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUIA...
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Following police brutality and racial profiling being called to attention the past couple of years by social media and mainstream media, it is time we as a nation come together and have an adult conversation (listening to one another and learning how we can heal our nation).
As someone who worked at Ground Zero in New York City the first week of 9/11 (2001) during the attack on our nation, I was deeply troubled by our response as a nation to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I wrote and prophesied it was time for the White House to get some color and heal the homeland. Although we have some color in our nation's capital today (2016), 300,000 guns are still on the loose and racism remains (often evident in the way law enforcement officers mistreat people of color).
More than a decade later our nation is buried in debt as a result of war without end and indiscriminately killing people in these "theaters of war" where we have poorly performed and wrecked U.S. global credibility in the process. Nonetheless our soldiers have served honorably and sacrificed themselves courageously fulfilling orders and their duty to our country. Yet our highest Generals in the military have repeatedly said our global problems with Muslims abroad cannot be solved with military weapons of warfare.
As the author of "United States of Arrogance" (published in 2007 during the Iraq War led by the W. Bush administration), I think we need to look and listen more, talk less, and think things through before we act foolishly and hastily to our own demise. A nation divided cannot stand, nor endure.
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
- Questions -
1. How did the participants at the meeting frame their arguments? What positions did individuals take at the meeting?
Participants at the meeting spoke in an assembly with a microphone individually following the direction of the host, who led a conversation and presented various meaningful questions to facilitate a discussion.
Former Black Panther party member Eddie Conway spoke on the unfinished business from the civil rights movement mentioning that reforms of that era did not change institutionalized racism, whites' opinions toward blacks, nor the economic inequalities that existed between the races. The means of production within communities did not change. The abilities of black Americans were still hindered following the legal reforms enacted during the civil rights era.
Black communities thereafter were still used strategically to profit other races. This led to the black power movement that sought to build institutions in the community. Due to the rapid expansion of the black power movement, the American government launched counter intelligence programs to monitor and slow its growth. The result was African Americans within the community turned against each other.
Protestation alone is not enough because institutions must be built alongside of activism to have a lasting impact and continue to serve African American communities. Disputes and disagreements must not marginalize and divide us. Otherwise as a people we will be ineffective, unable to come together, and incapable of building anything that lasts. Conway said, "For the next 500 years we will continue to make wealth and fight against ourselves."
Attorney and activist Kamau Franklin said it is somewhat unclear what African Americans were historically fighting against. In deciding which way to go forward, "Were the disputes around civil rights or self-determination? Even within those blocks, there were disputes as to what civil rights meant. Was it integration or desegregation?"
For the advocates of black power disputes ranged from: "What is self-determination mean? What does black power mean?" There were so many different ways people interpreted these terms that they came to mean everything and nothing at the same time."
"Others," according to Franklin, "thought of black power as black capitalism. They interpreted this to mean it was about black people making money and as long as there were black businesses, that resolved issues in the community."
"Other folks took a more radical approach saying black power was about self-determination, liberation, and nationalism. Malcolm X became the figurehead for that movement. People said, 'We need control of our resources: our land, political, economic, and educational resources.'"
"Then there were people in the middle, who said we just need some community control, but still want to be part of America. Because anything else is too big, too daunting, and not something we can resolve right now."
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Franklin poignantly says, "We sort of emulate the same posture and personality that we accuse our oppressors of many times a lot of times. We want to be the big person on campus. We want to be able to make that speech. We want to be able to get that funding."
"Yet people who are serious about changing conditions," Franklin says, "they find ways to work together."
Nelini Stamp, co-director of the organization Rise Up, mentioned often African Americans are being integrated into a burning house of capitalism. For example, blacks frequently fight for community organizer jobs to access money from foundations led by people who have a history of oppressing African Americans.
Yet the power of movements during the civil rights era is undeniable. "The Young Lords were able to exist because of the Black Panthers." The ripple effect of liberation movements inspired leadership in the African American community and broke down racial barriers. "Black people are powerful beings who the world emulates" when we get it right and do something worthwhile. "I am black and Latina and I want liberation for both of my people." These are important conversations that we must have that are often uncomfortable.
The Real News host mentioned that grassroots movements organically spring up and such coalitions are often without leaders. Grassroots movements are thus disjointed by their very nature in how they were created and tend to evolve.
"There were a lot of black politicians in favor of the war on drugs. Because people saw drugs as the cause of tearing up their communities."
Yusef Bunchy Shakur (author and community organizer) said: "Drugs was a form of handicapping and destroying the black liberation movement in our communities. Heroine put us asleep and crack cocaine came and knocked us out." Therefore "when we talk about the war on drugs, we have to put it in the context of chemical warfare."
"Why wasn't the black liberation movement successful? There were individuals who looked like us who betrayed us. If you fast forward, that is still happening within our community."
"White people funded the NAACP to control the organization." Too often "the media is picking our leadership. We need to develop our leadership."
Blacks have a problem accepting African American leaders and their differences, preferring to follow only one and oppose the other.
Paul Jay (CEO of The Real News Network) said, "Mistakes are inherent in doing something new. In building our news network, we have made way more mistakes than we have done things right. But the point of it is how do you learn from it?"
"What if we get the right to vote and there is nobody worth voting for? That doesn't mean we should not pursue the right to vote. It means we need to address that issue. At its very best a protest movement can probably do what the Civil Rights Movement did - bring some concessions out of the elite that is terrified of the revolutionary potential of black America. And in order not to have that potential realized, they will give up some concessions. ...The littlest concession is better than no concession. But that is not having power. Malcolm said, 'We need a united front against the western power structure.'"
"Why does the Department of Justice enter certain police review boards and have sanctions? They are terrified that if the cops go too far... They need to mitigate some or we will have another Rodney King event across the country."
Yes, police are permitted to use hammers to keep the lid on things, but don't do it in such a way people revolt and say, "Enough is enough."
Tef Poe (rapper and activist), "We cannot gain anything until we start modeling and thinking in terms of actual resistance. That looks different for different people."
"Civil rights leaders were not murdered because they were humanitarians. They were murdered for moving us into a culture of resistance. Once that culture picked up, that became the problem."
"Rodney King was in the 90s, not 1965. And it never stopped. That energy never died it just transformed into different forms or fashions."
"Legislation is good. I believe that, but it is not my job to tell people to go vote for people who send drones to kill black folks, who support international countries that kill 50 Africans a day."
2. Identify and describe the interests of each of the participants at the meeting.
All participants want peace in their community and country where they live. Every human being present wants freedom, mutual respect, equality, civil rights, and American values to be available to everyone of us without restriction or discrimination.
One of the main interests among all black participants was the fact that nearly 50% of all prisoners in the United States are black. Other interests and concerns are police brutality, inequality and injustice in America, and institutional racism (specifically the political parties and their tendency to serve the interests of whites over minorities).
African American citizens who participated expressed interest in the civil rights of black people in our country and protecting them from racial discrimination, racial profiling, and police brutality. More than 40 years after the civil rights movement, blacks in the community still struggle with trusting each other and unifying to organize efforts to advance their rights and interests.
Young African Americans are interested in leadership, further reforms needed to ensure equality in our country, and healing the racial divide in our nation.
White participants are interested in not being demonized or categorized to be racist, or thought to be all the same. Also white participants want to better understand black Americans and their struggles.
Police participants want black Americans to know not all police officers are against them and that there are many good and fair law enforcement officers in our country (a large amount of whom are black themselves).
3. Discuss whether the participants were able to be objective in their approaches to the problem. Describe how the people involved were able to separate themselves from the problem.
Participants were able to be objective, but because most participants were black themselves it is understandable how they can lean toward certain opinions related to issues concerning their race and people.
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Mr. Franklin wisely acknowledged that we in this era may not resolve all of those unanswered questions.
These unanswered questions and the internal struggle for identity within the heart of every African American has caused conflict within blacks themselves, black communities, and the nation as a whole (as black Americans are discontent, still wrestling within, and trying to make peace with whites and other races simultaneously).
Participants were able to separate themselves from the problems within the black community and our nation, but were simultaneously equally passionate about identifying and solving these problems. Through intellectually discussing the issues, revisiting history, hearing and learning from elder black leaders; those present at the town hall meeting were able to handle conflict graciously and strategically pioneer a path to peaceful reformation for the future.
As Mr. Franklin pointed out, many small organizations and coalitions purportedly advocating the cause of African Americans are sprouting. Many of these organizations and coalitions do not even talk to each other, as they compete for the dollars and support of black citizens. Neither do they work together collectively in any capacity. Thus conflict is occurring in black communities among blacks themselves.
Mr. Franklin says of blacks, "We are good at talking about what our problems are as a people. We are o.k. at resolving some of our problems. Some victories have changed our present conditions, removing slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow laws. We now face different forms of mutilation and control over our bodies, but some things have changed due to people organizing and advocating to make those changes."
Yet the emphasis of blacks attempting to
create their group (over minor differences), has continued to divide African Americans and prevent them from coming together to work with unified strength.
4. In what ways did the participants seek to find mutually beneficial solutions to their conflict?
Participants first sought to be heard, they being a racial minority in the United States accounting for approximately 13% of the national population. Participants sought to articulate their views, opinions, and experiences to help people of others races and police officers themselves become aware of their struggle and the injustices they wrestle with on a daily basis in society.
Participants actively and respectfully listened to one another, gaining valued perspectives and insights. The few white men present were actively listening, sincerely engaged, and striving to build bridges to help their African American brothers.
The white CEO of the news network and the host leading the panel discussion and town hall forum were humble, honest concerning their mistakes, and eager to hear from the participants attending the event. Participants came to listen more than talk. They were respectful and genuinely interested in what others had to say (unlike what a Jerry Springer or Fox News show with Bill O'Reilly looks like).
Thus many mutually beneficial solutions, approaches, and meaningful contexts to engage and tackle problems were discussed. As a result the participants gained a better understanding of the problems, challenges, and how to cooperate to improve the status of African Americans and minorities in the United States. It was a very positive town hall meeting that will set the stage for more dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration to solve problems in our communities and pursue reconciliation, social justice and peace in our nation.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com - Worldwide Minister, Policy Adviser, Wellness Trainer, Life Coach and Author who has touched 72 nations speaking for the Churches, the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Source:
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUIA...
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
Following police brutality and racial profiling being called to attention the past couple of years by social media and mainstream media, it is time we as a nation come together and have an adult conversation (listening to one another and learning how we can heal our nation).
As someone who worked at Ground Zero in New York City the first week of 9/11 (2001) during the attack on our nation, I was deeply troubled by our response as a nation to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I wrote and prophesied it was time for the White House to get some color and heal the homeland. Although we have some color in our nation's capital today (2016), 300,000 guns are still on the loose and racism remains (often evident in the way law enforcement officers mistreat people of color).
More than a decade later our nation is buried in debt as a result of war without end and indiscriminately killing people in these "theaters of war" where we have poorly performed and wrecked U.S. global credibility in the process. Nonetheless our soldiers have served honorably and sacrificed themselves courageously fulfilling orders and their duty to our country. Yet our highest Generals in the military have repeatedly said our global problems with Muslims abroad cannot be solved with military weapons of warfare.
As the author of "United States of Arrogance" (published in 2007 during the Iraq War led by the W. Bush administration), I think we need to look and listen more, talk less, and think things through before we act foolishly and hastily to our own demise. A nation divided cannot stand, nor endure.
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
- Questions -
1. How did the participants at the meeting frame their arguments? What positions did individuals take at the meeting?
Participants at the meeting spoke in an assembly with a microphone individually following the direction of the host, who led a conversation and presented various meaningful questions to facilitate a discussion.
Former Black Panther party member Eddie Conway spoke on the unfinished business from the civil rights movement mentioning that reforms of that era did not change institutionalized racism, whites' opinions toward blacks, nor the economic inequalities that existed between the races. The means of production within communities did not change. The abilities of black Americans were still hindered following the legal reforms enacted during the civil rights era.
Black communities thereafter were still used strategically to profit other races. This led to the black power movement that sought to build institutions in the community. Due to the rapid expansion of the black power movement, the American government launched counter intelligence programs to monitor and slow its growth. The result was African Americans within the community turned against each other.
Protestation alone is not enough because institutions must be built alongside of activism to have a lasting impact and continue to serve African American communities. Disputes and disagreements must not marginalize and divide us. Otherwise as a people we will be ineffective, unable to come together, and incapable of building anything that lasts. Conway said, "For the next 500 years we will continue to make wealth and fight against ourselves."
Attorney and activist Kamau Franklin said it is somewhat unclear what African Americans were historically fighting against. In deciding which way to go forward, "Were the disputes around civil rights or self-determination? Even within those blocks, there were disputes as to what civil rights meant. Was it integration or desegregation?"
For the advocates of black power disputes ranged from: "What is self-determination mean? What does black power mean?" There were so many different ways people interpreted these terms that they came to mean everything and nothing at the same time."
"Others," according to Franklin, "thought of black power as black capitalism. They interpreted this to mean it was about black people making money and as long as there were black businesses, that resolved issues in the community."
"Other folks took a more radical approach saying black power was about self-determination, liberation, and nationalism. Malcolm X became the figurehead for that movement. People said, 'We need control of our resources: our land, political, economic, and educational resources.'"
"Then there were people in the middle, who said we just need some community control, but still want to be part of America. Because anything else is too big, too daunting, and not something we can resolve right now."
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Franklin poignantly says, "We sort of emulate the same posture and personality that we accuse our oppressors of many times a lot of times. We want to be the big person on campus. We want to be able to make that speech. We want to be able to get that funding."
"Yet people who are serious about changing conditions," Franklin says, "they find ways to work together."
Nelini Stamp, co-director of the organization Rise Up, mentioned often African Americans are being integrated into a burning house of capitalism. For example, blacks frequently fight for community organizer jobs to access money from foundations led by people who have a history of oppressing African Americans.
Yet the power of movements during the civil rights era is undeniable. "The Young Lords were able to exist because of the Black Panthers." The ripple effect of liberation movements inspired leadership in the African American community and broke down racial barriers. "Black people are powerful beings who the world emulates" when we get it right and do something worthwhile. "I am black and Latina and I want liberation for both of my people." These are important conversations that we must have that are often uncomfortable.
The Real News host mentioned that grassroots movements organically spring up and such coalitions are often without leaders. Grassroots movements are thus disjointed by their very nature in how they were created and tend to evolve.
"There were a lot of black politicians in favor of the war on drugs. Because people saw drugs as the cause of tearing up their communities."
Yusef Bunchy Shakur (author and community organizer) said: "Drugs was a form of handicapping and destroying the black liberation movement in our communities. Heroine put us asleep and crack cocaine came and knocked us out." Therefore "when we talk about the war on drugs, we have to put it in the context of chemical warfare."
"Why wasn't the black liberation movement successful? There were individuals who looked like us who betrayed us. If you fast forward, that is still happening within our community."
"White people funded the NAACP to control the organization." Too often "the media is picking our leadership. We need to develop our leadership."
Blacks have a problem accepting African American leaders and their differences, preferring to follow only one and oppose the other.
Paul Jay (CEO of The Real News Network) said, "Mistakes are inherent in doing something new. In building our news network, we have made way more mistakes than we have done things right. But the point of it is how do you learn from it?"
"What if we get the right to vote and there is nobody worth voting for? That doesn't mean we should not pursue the right to vote. It means we need to address that issue. At its very best a protest movement can probably do what the Civil Rights Movement did - bring some concessions out of the elite that is terrified of the revolutionary potential of black America. And in order not to have that potential realized, they will give up some concessions. ...The littlest concession is better than no concession. But that is not having power. Malcolm said, 'We need a united front against the western power structure.'"
"Why does the Department of Justice enter certain police review boards and have sanctions? They are terrified that if the cops go too far... They need to mitigate some or we will have another Rodney King event across the country."
Yes, police are permitted to use hammers to keep the lid on things, but don't do it in such a way people revolt and say, "Enough is enough."
Tef Poe (rapper and activist), "We cannot gain anything until we start modeling and thinking in terms of actual resistance. That looks different for different people."
"Civil rights leaders were not murdered because they were humanitarians. They were murdered for moving us into a culture of resistance. Once that culture picked up, that became the problem."
"Rodney King was in the 90s, not 1965. And it never stopped. That energy never died it just transformed into different forms or fashions."
"Legislation is good. I believe that, but it is not my job to tell people to go vote for people who send drones to kill black folks, who support international countries that kill 50 Africans a day."
2. Identify and describe the interests of each of the participants at the meeting.
All participants want peace in their community and country where they live. Every human being present wants freedom, mutual respect, equality, civil rights, and American values to be available to everyone of us without restriction or discrimination.
One of the main interests among all black participants was the fact that nearly 50% of all prisoners in the United States are black. Other interests and concerns are police brutality, inequality and injustice in America, and institutional racism (specifically the political parties and their tendency to serve the interests of whites over minorities).
African American citizens who participated expressed interest in the civil rights of black people in our country and protecting them from racial discrimination, racial profiling, and police brutality. More than 40 years after the civil rights movement, blacks in the community still struggle with trusting each other and unifying to organize efforts to advance their rights and interests.
Young African Americans are interested in leadership, further reforms needed to ensure equality in our country, and healing the racial divide in our nation.
White participants are interested in not being demonized or categorized to be racist, or thought to be all the same. Also white participants want to better understand black Americans and their struggles.
Police participants want black Americans to know not all police officers are against them and that there are many good and fair law enforcement officers in our country (a large amount of whom are black themselves).
3. Discuss whether the participants were able to be objective in their approaches to the problem. Describe how the people involved were able to separate themselves from the problem.
Participants were able to be objective, but because most participants were black themselves it is understandable how they can lean toward certain opinions related to issues concerning their race and people.
Amid all of the ideological struggles, central questions within the black community were never resolved (as Mr. Franklin sees it). Mr. Franklin wisely acknowledged that we in this era may not resolve all of those unanswered questions.
These unanswered questions and the internal struggle for identity within the heart of every African American has caused conflict within blacks themselves, black communities, and the nation as a whole (as black Americans are discontent, still wrestling within, and trying to make peace with whites and other races simultaneously).
Participants were able to separate themselves from the problems within the black community and our nation, but were simultaneously equally passionate about identifying and solving these problems. Through intellectually discussing the issues, revisiting history, hearing and learning from elder black leaders; those present at the town hall meeting were able to handle conflict graciously and strategically pioneer a path to peaceful reformation for the future.
As Mr. Franklin pointed out, many small organizations and coalitions purportedly advocating the cause of African Americans are sprouting. Many of these organizations and coalitions do not even talk to each other, as they compete for the dollars and support of black citizens. Neither do they work together collectively in any capacity. Thus conflict is occurring in black communities among blacks themselves.
Mr. Franklin says of blacks, "We are good at talking about what our problems are as a people. We are o.k. at resolving some of our problems. Some victories have changed our present conditions, removing slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow laws. We now face different forms of mutilation and control over our bodies, but some things have changed due to people organizing and advocating to make those changes."
Yet the emphasis of blacks attempting to
create their group (over minor differences), has continued to divide African Americans and prevent them from coming together to work with unified strength.
4. In what ways did the participants seek to find mutually beneficial solutions to their conflict?
Participants first sought to be heard, they being a racial minority in the United States accounting for approximately 13% of the national population. Participants sought to articulate their views, opinions, and experiences to help people of others races and police officers themselves become aware of their struggle and the injustices they wrestle with on a daily basis in society.
Participants actively and respectfully listened to one another, gaining valued perspectives and insights. The few white men present were actively listening, sincerely engaged, and striving to build bridges to help their African American brothers.
The white CEO of the news network and the host leading the panel discussion and town hall forum were humble, honest concerning their mistakes, and eager to hear from the participants attending the event. Participants came to listen more than talk. They were respectful and genuinely interested in what others had to say (unlike what a Jerry Springer or Fox News show with Bill O'Reilly looks like).
Thus many mutually beneficial solutions, approaches, and meaningful contexts to engage and tackle problems were discussed. As a result the participants gained a better understanding of the problems, challenges, and how to cooperate to improve the status of African Americans and minorities in the United States. It was a very positive town hall meeting that will set the stage for more dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration to solve problems in our communities and pursue reconciliation, social justice and peace in our nation.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com - Worldwide Minister, Policy Adviser, Wellness Trainer, Life Coach and Author who has touched 72 nations speaking for the Churches, the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines, and Universities across the globe.
Source:
Police Violence and Militarization Town Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUIA...
Black Power, Liberation Movement, Civil Rights, Racial Reconciliation in America
University of Alabama is Failing Students and Hindering Job Prospects
University of Alabama is Failing Students and Hindering Job Prospects
The area of higher education desperately needs further time and attention from you. Many of our nation's colleges and universities are outstanding and exceptional. A few however have been lying to and defrauding students.
The FTC was right to sue Devry University for its inflated employment claims by which it has aggressively recruited students.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press...
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-wa...
Yet there are many more colleges and universities doing the same thing, or defrauding students in other ways.
I have earned 3 Master degrees thus far:
- Global Affairs (New York University)
- Global Food Law (Michigan State University College of Law)
- Health (University of Alabama)
However upon graduating from the University of Alabama in August, 2015; I had to "apply" to graduate and wait until January, 2016 to receive the diploma I earned. When I finally received my earned diploma, it only read "Master of Arts" stating nothing about the 10 Health courses I had earnestly completed with a 3.9 (out of a 4.0) grade point average.
The diplomas earned at NYU and MSU both stated the subjects studied and degree I earned on the diploma, my university academic transcript and the diploma aligning and being clear to both graduates and potential employers.
Not so at the University of Alabama where I studied Health courses, but was awarded a diploma that only read "Master of Arts." The master degree in Health I pursued was done to help me obtain employment at the World Health Organization thereafter. However upon graduation I was given a "Master of Arts" diploma that is useless when trying to pursue employment in the health field.
Hopefully the new U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. King will address this matter with the University of Alabama and other academic institutions of higher learning in our country to help students' job prospects after graduation and ensure they are not wasting their time and money when studying in American Colleges and Universities.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Worldwide Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and Wellness Trainer who has touched 72 nations speaking for the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines and Universities across the globe. Paul is also the author of more than 20 books.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
University of Alabama is Failing Students and Hindering Job Prospects
The area of higher education desperately needs further time and attention from you. Many of our nation's colleges and universities are outstanding and exceptional. A few however have been lying to and defrauding students.
The FTC was right to sue Devry University for its inflated employment claims by which it has aggressively recruited students.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press...
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-wa...
Yet there are many more colleges and universities doing the same thing, or defrauding students in other ways.
I have earned 3 Master degrees thus far:
- Global Affairs (New York University)
- Global Food Law (Michigan State University College of Law)
- Health (University of Alabama)
However upon graduating from the University of Alabama in August, 2015; I had to "apply" to graduate and wait until January, 2016 to receive the diploma I earned. When I finally received my earned diploma, it only read "Master of Arts" stating nothing about the 10 Health courses I had earnestly completed with a 3.9 (out of a 4.0) grade point average.
The diplomas earned at NYU and MSU both stated the subjects studied and degree I earned on the diploma, my university academic transcript and the diploma aligning and being clear to both graduates and potential employers.
Not so at the University of Alabama where I studied Health courses, but was awarded a diploma that only read "Master of Arts." The master degree in Health I pursued was done to help me obtain employment at the World Health Organization thereafter. However upon graduation I was given a "Master of Arts" diploma that is useless when trying to pursue employment in the health field.
Hopefully the new U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. King will address this matter with the University of Alabama and other academic institutions of higher learning in our country to help students' job prospects after graduation and ensure they are not wasting their time and money when studying in American Colleges and Universities.
http://www.PaulFDavis.com Worldwide Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and Wellness Trainer who has touched 72 nations speaking for the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines and Universities across the globe. Paul is also the author of more than 20 books.
RevivingNations@ gmail.com
University of Alabama is Failing Students and Hindering Job Prospects
