My aunt has a friend, a Christian friend, that was very upset that she posted a picture of her and my younger cousin at a Hillary Clinton rally, where Barack Obama, the President of the United States, was speaking. Regardless of where you stand on this election thing, I think it's pretty amazing to stand in the same room and listen to our president speak. You see, our president looks like my little cousin. I know a lot of people can not see the significance in this, but it is a big deal to me. This same friend has big issues with the media. I do too. Mostly the way black people, especially black men, and the way black protests are portrayed. Just another reason why seeing the president is special to them. My cousin learned patience: they waited in line for over 4 hours! He learned determination: he said no one else would get in on four different occasions before they finally got in. He learned to interact with the police (we now know that to be a very important life skill for him to develop) with and without a crowd. He got to see peaceful protesters. He got to see other black men in powerful positions also peacefully involved in this political process. This same friend went on to say how disappointed she was that my aunt would post this and support Clinton as a Christian and someone who encouraged people to keep their unborn babies. I think both of these things, going to the rally and volunteering with crisis pregnancies, are two of the most American things my aunt has done to date. She is a black, Christian, pro-life patriot. She will always support the pro-life cause with her time, talent and resources. You see this movement progresses regardless of who has held the office of president. If you hate big government, get involved locally. Big government tries to do things smaller governments didn't. FACT: The abortion rate has declined in this country every year since 1990. That includes presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I know this is largely due to the combined efforts and prayers of many people of different political affiliations, different races, and different denominations. Individual citizens in local communities, sitting, talking, touching, praying and providing for the hearts of the hurting. Imagine for a minute if this kind of effort went into hunger, education, crime, and gun control regardless of who was in office. It is so hard to explain. How do you answer someone that posts “there is no such thing as racism, it is a lie made up by the media and politicians to get votes.”?

They live in the same country, the same state, the same county, attended the same church, have many mutual friends, both graduated from college and live in the same neighborhood; less than 5 minutes down the road from each other. I guess they never really talked about it. There are plenty of other things they did talk about. But obviously as close as they are in proximity they live worlds apart. You can look up formal definitions of racism, you can get into whether you have to have power to be racist. But a simple definition I like is: if two different people of different races, do the same thing with different outcomes, that is racism. This is not an exclusive or all-inclusive definition of racism. But here we go. When two drug addicted individuals on similar substances are caught eating off the face of human beings; the white person eating off the face of people he has already killed and the black person eating off the face of someone who survived. One killed on sight, one reasoned with, tazed, and taken into custody alive. That's racism. When you and I have the same exact credit score, work jobs making the same money and you get a better rate on your mortgage that's racism. When you are getting dressed for your senior graduation from high school and the police arrest you, causing you and your family to miss your graduation because two white boys said you robbed someone and you lost your college scholarship, that's racism. Read about A.J. Graham in Tallahassee. His scholarship was reinstated. The other boys later admitted they lied and didn't go to jail. That's racism. When you are an active Christian, a musician at your local church, and perform in a multicultural band and your car breaks down and you wind up dead with your family not being notified for hours that's racism. (Look up the last words uttered by Corey Jones before ex-officer Raja killed him.) I never saw this on the news and I followed this story because it was in my hometown, you can find it through Google or PalmBeachPost.com. Imagine how Brian Banks felt watching the Brock Turner trial. I'm trying to share more verifiable and personal things so you can see where some Christians like me are coming from. When we both have the funds to live in a certain location and you can and I can't, that's racism. That is a charge Donald Trump is facing now. Housing Discrimination is racism and a former of oppression. I will tell you, the very first time my aunt was in a courthouse was as very young girl, when my very present grandfather, her superhero, a great Christian, a great provider with a great sense of humor, and a great love for people and wise beyond any piece of paper was being charged for working without a license. My grandfather was a skilled tradesman one of the very best painting and decorating contracts in Palm Beach County. The person over licensure there told him as long as he was there, he would never have a license as long as he was alive. Well, he took the test several times, was never able to see his exam and never thought any question on it was difficult. When other contractors had problems they would often look to my grandfather for advice. Without a license, no matter how good, how safe, how professional you are you can't bid on government jobs, or anywhere proof of licensure is required. What do you think that does for your income? For what you could/should be able to provide for your family? It was thrown out of court, by the nice judge, but it didn't get him a license or even a look at his test. That is racism and oppression. That has far reaching, generationally effected consequences.

You see I am not happy to see that there is a photo of women of color standing on the flag captioned, “These 2 ignorant [women] don’t mind doing this because they are too chickenshit to do this” and I don't know what they are protesting, do you? But last I learned this was legal and although disrespectful to our flag, it isn't killing anyone. No buildings are burning and when I see this it looks the same as people throwing tea into the Boston Harbor. . . protest. What I do have a problem with is that there are two women in military uniform being White and the two women on the flag being Black. If all four women were White or all four women were all Black, I think it would send a very different message. I'm not going to get into the language because just like with Donald Trump, “the ‘language’ is not the issue.” It's the actions, the tone, the promotion of fear, promotion of hatred and the promotion of racism that not to mention some of those other things that are really the problem to me. See this is highly offensive to Black people to promote the idea that White women love the country and Black women don't. These are the type of media images that make me want to make sure my cousin gets as many chances to see other images. My grandmother has 5 brothers all that served this country in the military some for many, many years and a variety of ways. I can't count the cousins that have done the same. When you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem. I know lots of God fearing Black Christians that have served this country. Love this country and will not be voting for Trump. America will never be great or at least not as great as it could be as long as we have this kind of hate and misunderstanding deepening this divide. By the way, when was America great? Because that “great”, again, with no specific time reference or plan is concerning to some people of color. You see great for you, may not have been great for me.

I can't remember if I got into the Pro-life movement including the Black Lives Matter movement, but if so it bears repeating. That's why they are take away movements. Several people have asked me what can they do, what can one person do. I would challenge you to find out more about that. Remember that BLM doesn't mean all lives don't matter any more than wearing a pink breast cancer ribbon means that other cancers don't matter. Get involved in a way that makes people better. My aunt did not vote for Barack Obama because he looked more like her son, but what a nice perk. Ask her if she would vote for Ben Carson. By the way, I do think he was a gifted surgeon. She did not vote for Barack Obama because he was a Democrat. Ask her if she would vote for a Republican Colin Powell. I don't think the government or either party caused the decrease in the abortion rate. That was my point about change being made when regular people give of their time, talents and resources united, big things can happen.

I am not going to get into all the Hillary vs. Donald madness. We've all seen the same news, same posts, same articles, same ads on TV so I will stick to the question. How could she stand before God and explain her vote for Hillary Clinton? Easy I say, (not that he wouldn't already know) she is a single widowed Black woman trying to raise a Black son to grow up to to be a law abiding, God fearing, tax paying, tithing, independent critical thinker, that is free and has developed his skills and God-given talents to be a contributing member of society and keeper of his family. Lord, she has read and she has prayed and to ME voting for Trump is not going to help her reach this goal so she’s with her not because she thinks Hillary is a saint on any level. (See the Netflix documentary 13th if you doubt her resolve about this.) I think her husband did some shady stuff and quite possibly her too. Not getting into the email and Russia thing, but I will sum it up as the lesser of two evils argument. I think she does know a little better now, this transparency thing is catching up with a lot of people and for the most part, I think it's a good thing. I honestly think most of us are very naive about what it takes to keep this country going and on top. I hope we can handle the truth when we get it. Probably not, since many are choking or in denial trying to swallow our current and past truths about this country.

Many of you don’t know, but she had her son with a Republican. I say it that way because he wasn't one when they married. She respected his faith, his passion, and his integrity. I personally think it was a Republican phase that he would've eventually outgrown, who knows, but it really taught her love through disagreement. and what really matters. She woke up almost every morning hearing that same Republican that would fall asleep watching Fox News praying for her and their son. They would jokingly ask each other why they were going to vote, their votes are just going to cancel the other’s out. She would reply, “I know but your car might break down or you might get so busy at work you wouldn't get a chance to.” But they both agreed in God's providence and ultimate divine power.