ANGELA DAVIS: ACTIVIST STILL!

Angela Davis activist for human rights since the 70s, author of 8 books, Professor Emeritus of History of Consciousness at University of California at Santa Cruz spoke to hundreds of people, some seated, some standing inside and outside of the St. Louis Christ Church Cathedral. She was here at the invitation of the Central Library in observance of Black History month.

She is still the woman I remembered. Tall, striking and still able to bring a cheering crowd to its feet. Students, people of different colors and life styles,
people young and old were stirred by her words.

She spoke of her own imprisonment for a crime she did not commit; of the need to divert funding for prisons to community-wide education and asked that the Occupy Movement work toward the goal of making all levels of education available to all people; urged that capital punishment be outlawed; and cited human and economic figures showing capital benefits and costs for each.

After she spoke, a friend asked if I thought she had changed since the 70s? No, I replied, but I have!

THREE STRIKES: YOU ARE OUT!

I have always questioned "three strikes and you are out" law because it often usurps judicial deliberation. On the other hand, I wish such a law was available to me on a recent Delta Airline flight.

All passengers were seated and the luggage stowed when the Captain announced we would be delayed. We were waiting for passengers who missed their connection from Belize to Atlanta. Fair enough. Ten minutes later, the family of seven, with five children all slipped into two rows directly in front of me when I learned they had been in Fort Lauderdale not Belize.

Our take off was delayed three more times. Each time, the Captain announced over the inaudible humming intercom that we were having "mechanical problems." We did not know what the problems were. Still, we took off and arrived an hour late in St.Louis but not before the ramp to the airport had trouble hooking up to the fuselage. Finally, we got off the plane.

We had made it safe and sound but I wish I had asked the Captain if Delta had ever heard about "three strikes and you are out!"

"A SEA OF RED"?

Recently, one of the candidates running for office described the middle part of the Country as a "Sea of Red."

When I first began to paint, I learned about the use of color. I learned there was no such thing as a "pure" color. Tints of blue, yellow, green, purple, black and even white can be found in any color including red. Since moving to Missouri, I have been exposed to the many colors and broad range of thinking of my fellow citizens. Misleading pundits and political gurus often place people who live in the Midwest, East, West, and South for that matter in a one-color landscape.

Folks, there is no such thing as a "pure" color, unless we believe that the colors of nature are "pure" and without different shades. The next time you hear of a "Sea" of any color, open your eyes and ears, take a walk outside, look at the nearest bush, squint your eyes and you may find what you are looking at is made up of many colors just as are the needs of people.

WEAKENING LINKS TO EACH OTHER?

I had the benefit of growing up close to loving grandparents. All four of them shared the same faith. Yet,the differences between them was striking. One set of grandparents accepted the doctrine and customs of their faith without question. The other set believed questioning led to greater understanding. Sometimes, this difference created a schism between them and their links to other family members.

I thought of my grandparents when I heard the news of the divide between two major organizations dedicated to serving the health of women.

Denying funding to Planned Parenthood for questionable reasons is a set back for the health of women, men and families. It also weakens America's policy for Women's Rights and our links to each other as women.