I consider myself a follower of Christ, a Christian. But I do not consider myself an evangelical Christian as I once did. I first started to break with evangelicals over the issue of abortion–not that I ever had an abortion. Luckily, I was never presented with that dilemma. But their pro-life argument doesn’t make Biblical or scientific sense to me. And then the final break came over their stance and ill-treatment of homosexuals and transgender people. If I hadn’t already broken with the evangelicals, I would now as their leaders give a pass to the most overtly immoral president we have ever had. Continue reading “Evangelicals Versus Planned Parenthood”
First Time Juror on a Trial
I did my civic duty and reported for jury duty on Wednesday of last week. I was fully expecting a repeat of my many previous days of jury service. I would read and possibly be called into a courtroom for jury selection and be excused. I’ve never served beyond that. That’s what I was expecting, but this time was very different. And I’m actually glad it was. Continue reading “First Time Juror on a Trial”
Immigration from Shitholes
According to my Ancestry DNA, 84% of my ethnic heritage comes from the “Shithole” Africa. More specifically, a whopping 48% of it comes from Nigeria. I have traced my family roots in America back to slaves on both sides and not surprisingly, there are a few white people (of Scottish, Jewish, and Spanish descent) mixed in. Mine is the story of America and what it means to be American. What Mr. Trump espoused was a white supremacist way of thinking that threatens to poison the collective minds and attitudes of vulnerable, ill-informed people. Continue reading “Immigration from Shitholes”
The Long Fight for Social Justice
It is a delightful sight to sit in a large room surrounded by the ethnic, racial, gender fluidity, religious, generational, and sexual orientation diversity that represents America. In early December, I had the pleasure of attending the NASPA Multicultural Institute in New Orleans. At the conference were student affairs professionals, chief diversity officers, campus mental health providers, faculty, researchers, diversity experts, and graduate students hoping for a career in student affairs. Since its inception, I have attended all but one of the Multicultural Institutes. But this one, because we are in the age of Trump when the values and tenants of multiculturalism are under attack, this conference made me realize why social justice work is so exhausting. Continue reading “The Long Fight for Social Justice”