ADOLPHUS WITH REFLECTION

WEEKEND YEAR END REFLECTION Just sharing a little of me. I’ve made it a habit to use Sundays as a day to reflect on my past week – what I planned to do, what I did, and the difference. Now with the yearend in sight I’m doing the same thing for 2013. A number of years ago I decided to become a professional writer and actor – meaning, some part of my income would be made from those efforts: I’ve had some success in both. I was recently in a play at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA – Sheldon Epps directing an exceptional group of actors and support staff. The play was “Twelve Angry Men.” Now my thoughts are toward publishing the 2nd Edition of my 3 novels. March-April 2014 will find me with beautiful new books. “Harvest The Dust” is the first of my Family-Fiction trilogy – it is set in 1934-35 and examines how the Great Depression influenced the lives in this family. “Milk The Iron Cow” is the second – it is set in 1941 and examines how World War II influenced the lives in this family. “Stand Upside Down” is the third – it is set in 1984 and examines how the challenge to Affirmative Action threatened to stop the progress of black people in employment. At 78 and single I think life is great – it beats the fuck out of dead.

NELSON MANDELA

NELSON MANDELA The light of his flesh is out, but the light of his life still illuminates the way to a better humanity.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE'S PRODUCTION TO BE USED AS DIVERSITY TOOL

THE PLAY 12 ANGRY MEN A DIVERSITY TOOL Pasadena Playhouse’s – Sheldon Epps Vision – version of the play could be used as a tool to open and focus the concept of “Diversity” in Education, Business, and Government. Young black and white actors, with a cautious regard for class, gender and gender preference, could be immersed in the Playhouse Version and set out to help meet the challenges of diversity in institutions throughout our pace-setter state of California, and the rest of our beautiful country. I encourage Schools and Theatres that have as their mission to train young actors as change-agents to add this suggestion to their agendas. In a country, a world, that’s growing ever-more complex, as we are forced by choice and circumstance to sit at the same table of necessities, a tool that could enable us to deal with inevitable change is an absolute necessity.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE BOLD NOT AFRAID

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE’S 12 ANGRY MEN, BOLD, NOT AFRAID The play and players will leave the Pasadena Playhouse stage Sunday, 1 December of this year. I have some parting thoughts a few of which are in this post. The impetus of these thoughts is the human habit of avoiding difficult subjects – we are inclined to talk about the sun but not the rain, the day but not the night, happiness, but we tend to avoid speaking about, or even thinking about sorrow. Race is the central theme that drives our Playhouse production. Our director, Sheldon Epps, didn’t falter when he laid out his vision of the play in our first rehearsal. Each actor, to a man, committed to employing the skills of his craft to meet that vision. I recently viewed the film 12 Angry men, Directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. I ejected the disk from my computer with the fussy notion that the story was about a lower class of people and how such individuals were treated in a court of law – the film is dated, so it’s difficult to know how the film might change if revised for today. It was clear to me the film was more about character than story. Sheldon and his mighty band of brothers did not slink away or avoid the ugly side of race, but marched, fearlessly, into the thick of battle for equitable race relations. A closing note: if we humans continue to avoid difficult subjects, solutions will never be attained. If we continue to avoid taking on difficult challenges today, our tomorrow will be the same as it is today – undoubtedly worse.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE BOLD NOT AFRAID

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE’S 12 ANGRY MEN, BOLD, NOT AFRAID The play and players will leave the Pasadena Playhouse stage Sunday, 1 December of this year. I have some parting thoughts a few of which are in this post. The impetus of these thoughts is the human habit of avoiding difficult subjects – we are inclined to talk about the sun but not the rain, the day but not the night, happiness, but we tend to avoid speaking about, or even thinking about sorrow. Race is the central theme that drives our Playhouse production. Our director, Sheldon Epps, didn’t falter when he laid out his vision of the play in our first rehearsal. Each actor, to a man, committed to employing the skills of his craft to meet that vision. I recently viewed the film 12 Angry men, Directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. I ejected the disk from my computer with the fussy notion that the story was about a lower class of people and how such individuals were treated in a court of law – the film is dated, so it’s difficult to know how the film might change if revised for today. It was clear to me the film was more about character than story. Sheldon and his mighty band of brothers did not slink away or avoid the ugly side of race, but marched, fearlessly, into the thick of battle for equitable race relations. A closing note: if we humans continue to avoid difficult subjects, solutions will never be attained. If we continue to avoid taking on difficult challenges today, our tomorrow will be the same as it is today – undoubtedly worse.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE BOLD NOT AFRAID

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE’S 12 ANGRY MEN, BOLD, NOT AFRAID The play and players will leave the Pasadena Playhouse stage Sunday, 1 December of this year. I have some parting thoughts a few of which are in this post. The impetus of these thoughts is the human habit of avoiding difficult subjects – we are inclined to talk about the sun but not the rain, the day but not the night, happiness, but we tend to avoid speaking about, or even thinking about sorrow. Race is the central theme that drives our Playhouse production. Our director, Sheldon Epps, didn’t falter when he laid out his vision of the play in our first rehearsal. Each actor, to a man, committed to employing the skills of his craft to meet that vision. I recently viewed the film 12 Angry men, Directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. I ejected the disk from my computer with the fussy notion that the story was about a lower class of people and how such individuals were treated in a court of law – the film is dated, so it’s difficult to know how the film might change if revised for today. It was clear to me the film was more about character than story. Sheldon and his mighty band of brothers did not slink away or avoid the ugly side of race, but marched, fearlessly, into the thick of battle for equitable race relations. A closing note: if we humans continue to avoid difficult subjects, solutions will never be attained. If we continue to avoid taking on difficult challenges today, our tomorrow will be the same as it is today – undoubtedly worse.

12 ANGRY MEN AND OTHERS

12 ANGRY MEN AND MORE Reginald Rose’s iconic play opened at the Pasadena Playhouse Sunday past. I am fortunate to be one of the twelve jurors charged with deciding the guilt or innocence of a 16 year old boy charged with killing his father –the boy is, presumably, a person of color. Sheldon Epps, the artistic director at the theatre, directed six white men and six black men, and supportive staff, in their deliberations. Our play is about race and how it manifested itself in the social, political, and psychological mind-sets of these 12 men. It is truth stripped naked – nothing is understated for very long. The men tare at each other until what is deep in their minds is exposed for everyone to see. The play closes 1 December 2013. You owe it to yourself to witness 12 Angry Men at the Pasadena Playhouse.

NO SYRIA ATTACT

NO SYRIA ATTACT I'm just sharing something on Syria that doesn't need many words. The hypocrisy of our leaders has taken on an even bolder face in recent years. If I understand our president he adds to other absurd reasons for attacking Syria by saying, 'We don't have evidence they did it but the chemical weapons they have might one day fall into the hands of our enemies – America could be attacked one day.' I've understood other voices in national leadership to say, 'We're not trying to force a regime change but just punish it for using a chemical weapon.' Our country is openly supporting the rebels in a civil war. Do our leaders believe Americans are so dumb we fail to see that an attack would likely help the rebels win the war and overthrow their government? In the language of the street, if you gonna fuck me at least give me the option of using a lubricant – it would also be civil to kiss me once in a while.

STOP and FRISK is CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Just thinking aloud – hope you find something of interest in it. My mind is in New York and the controversy around the Stop and Frisk Law. The law is not new to people of color and poor people in general – they've always been stopped, searched, and their homes entered by officers of the law, often without pretense or warrant. When the issue first started to generate some heat in the press I thought it curious that what was already a fact in some communities had become a matter of law and policy. Then my mind as always, started to grapple with the why of it. It wasn't long before I ran smack into the truth of it. There's a tactic used to control group behavior – it's referred to as "Corporal Punishment". When one person of a group does something objectionable all members of that group are punished as if each is responsible for the act. The idea is that innocent members of the group would be encouraged to point out or stop the guilty member from further objectionable acts. All those with power and influence have or will use the tactic to maintain power – governments, law enforcers, wealthy individuals, large organizations and institutions. It seems odd, but people with power gain an ally when they use the tactic of Corporal Punishment – people who are punished without just cause are often all too willing to help those in power achieve their goals: there is usually favor in doing so.

RACISM faces SOLUTION

VESTIGES OF RACISM CANNOT BE SOLVED BY STATE AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES I share, perhaps, a slightly different perspective on the post Trayvon Martin discussions. I really don't think much will come out of talk on changing the life experiences of black, brown, poor boys and girls in our country. The reason is there will only be discussion around symptoms – such as the actual shooting of Trayvon, police shootings of our youth, profiling , our young filling the prisons faster than they can be built, our young killing each other, our youth seeing no value in public education, female headed households, and so on. President Obama, in his recent comments on Trayvon, stepped away from the notion of some large federal program being the source of cure for some of these symptoms – (if I understood him) he believes instead that states should handle their own problems. I think we should look at the fact that the slave trade was a federal effort – the whole nation threw it's money and might into making it a success and reaped fortunes as a result. The use of free labor did more than make a few slave owners wealthy; it fed the growth in America's legal, political, financial and industrial systems. The whole of America grew and enriched itself on the backs and blood of slaves. Now to my different perspective: When you take a people, strip them of all the things that make them unique – their spirituality, their art, their religion, their language, you take away their soul, the center of their being, the thing that gives them a right and reason to be. When you make them accept your spirituality, your education, your art, your religion and your language, but force them to maintain a slave mentality – you have a mass of people headed down hill toward self-destruction. What our country needs now is the best willing minds from virtually every discipline in higher education to apply their focus on undoing the harm that's been done to many citizens -- while at the same time creating and applying proven remedy. An aside note but to the point: Detroit should've never have been allowed to die. It says to the rest of the world, and more importantly to our selves, that America is willing to hold its nose as a part of it rots and stinks. It really does suggest that a very shallow mind set is at work.

JUSTICE NOT BLIND -- IT'S FLAWED

JUSTICE IS NOT BLIND – IT IS FLAWED Some elected politicians, their appointees, and the folks who elected them have, throughout history, blamed victims for their own death or a death of their kind. Not just African Americans, but women – still struggling for a lead voice in shaping their own future, also those who chose a different sexual preference, and other people of color, or people of a different nationality – you can add others. The written or spoken blame generally contains the statement, "But for the actions of the victim he/she/they would still be alive." It is inferred if not plainly stated, that we should tell our sons, daughters, men, women to conduct themselves in a more appropriate way and no more of us need die. Some politicians go so far as to admonish the grievers to accept blame for the death of a victim and demand they commit to changing the behavior of their children, and their brothers and sisters. Some survivors of victims have been forced to their knees to ask God's forgiveness for their neglect. Is the American Justice System blind? Hell no! The Founding Fathers of our Constitution were all flawed individuals – it follows then that our constitution is flawed. Individuals who write our laws are flawed – it follows then that our laws are flawed. Individuals who make up our Judiciary are flawed individuals – it follows then that court judgments are flawed. Individuals who enforce the laws are flawed – it follows then that our law enforcement is flawed. Does this mean that Americans would be better off without a constitution, lawmakers, judiciary, or enforcement – hell no! What we have beats nothing by far. Change in what we have is obviously necessary for all citizens to be equally protected before the law. The big question is how do we accomplish that short of a revolution – a complete overthrow of our present system? An even larger question is what do we replace it with?

A NOTE ON RACISM

Racism is a visceral part of America's mythology – it's like the brain and heart in the human body. America would not exist without it. Some people believe that America is a melting pot – that the skin color of American's will eventually be a range of Brown Tones. This misguided thinking is thought be a solution to racism. Not all people will meld together no matter how long America cooks them. I tend to divide our country into two areas of concerns – the 1st is People-Concerns and the 2nd is Political-Concerns. People concerns have to do with providing for one's self and one's family. Political concerns have to do with who gets what, when, where, and how. When people have the things they need, race is not a problem – most don't give a shit what color another person happens to be. Politicians, the policy makers, on the other hand do care about race and which one has the most influence. Because resources – land, water, food, fuel, jobs, education – are always scares, policy makers grapple with who will get those resources. It has always been and continues to be the most powerful individuals, in terms of wealth, physical strength, and political power, who set the policy as to how scares resources will be divided. At present those individuals are white and they intend to maintain their positions of power.

A SALUTE TO DEATH 19

I cringe whenever I think of the number 19. With the number comes the thought of the firemen who gave their lives trying to keep flames away from the lives and property of others. I don't talk about it a lot but I have a deep respect for those who serve and protect the rest of us. Whatever uniform or duty they are a special breed. Politics will often distort and fuckup the honor due them – but they are a special breed. My best thoughts of thanks and peace go especially to those who are directly affected by Death 19.

INCOME DIFFERENCE AND POLITICAL POWER

INCOME DIFFERENCE AND POLITICS I'm just sharing my thoughts about income disparities and political power. As I look at the political landscape in our country my sight informs me that the superrich have more political muscle than the rest of us. Don't jump to the conclusion that I dislike rich people – I don't. I'm an independent writer and actor – I decide what materials I write and make available to prospective buyers; I decide which producers I allow to rent my acting talent. I select and pay professionals to help me in my efforts to make a profit. My bank balance doesn't show it yet but I like to make money – I like deciding what I do, when, where, how, and who with. The superrich continue in their efforts to privatize anything that has the slightest chance of making a profit – they're buying up public resources, they're stripping the government of any regulatory powers while diluting existing policies designed to enhance the economic growth of others. With their money they're shaping the future of ordinary citizens by controlling the pathways to economic wealth – education, jobs, mobility, taxes, investment, etc. The verbiage of the superrich is laced with belief in a god. It implies that they have been chosen by god to set the economic lives of everyone else. There is fervor in the talk that almost convinces me god actually ordained them to be my economic savior – if I did believe in a god they may have had a convert. https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward

PHONE OR NO PHONE

I've been listening to those ins and outs of government intrusion into the nature of our telephone communications. I'm convinced that our government's reach – when added to credit card companies, large retailers, corporations, and think-tanks – into our lives is well passed the fragile membrane of chastity protecting our privacy. Our vocal concerns are well behind the Nano speed of super computers – data is already retrieved and now being correlated. It's a done deal. The only decision left for us citizens is to determine how much intrusive pain is more than we can tolerate. We could give up our phones or do what we usually do – shut up and bare the pain. http://twittercomadolphusward.blogspot.com/

POLITICAL FRONT GROUP TAKES IRS TO WOODSHED

POLITICAL FRONT GROUP TAKES IRS TO WOODSHED As an American it's really encouraging to see our democracy at work. It isn't every day that a political-front-group can take the IRS to the woodshed and blister its behind for doing its job. What's a little confusing, though, is that same front-group applauded the IRS for taking the NAACP to that woodshed and looked on while the NAACP received a Taliban-Caning for daring to do what it – political-front-group – does. More confusing is that Americans are asked to be outraged at the insulting pain inflicted on the sensitive behinds of the front-group. No such lamentations were even hinted at for the long suffering guardian of social justice – the NAACP. I don't give a shit if your eyes are cocked to the right or left: our nation is sinking deeper in the bogs of hypocrisy. Adolphus A Ward

ASSADA SHAKUR to be killed

ASSADA SHAKUR okay to capture or kill A few days ago I wrote a short piece on FB that suggested the ease at which we as Americans and the American Government seem to be able to take a human life – it is true in other parts of the world as well. I thought and still think that human life is losing the value once embraced by most Americans. Where murder used to be whispered about after the fact, it is now boasted about before the fact. It seems that Americans have decided that Assada Shakur's life has no value and that she should either be imprisoned or executed – by any one.

ME AND MURDER

THINKING ABOUT ME AND MURDER Just thinking out loud about the anguish I once endured when the thought of killing someone entered my mind. As a boy the thought of killing another human-being was difficult to conceive and next to improbable to actually carry out. To be sure, there were those moments when anger and revenge made the thought of taking a life less remorseful to contemplate – but when that moment of rage subsided so too did the thought of me ending a human life. Something has happened with my thoughts about murder over the years between my boyhood and now. I now know that I could kill in defense of my life and the lives of others without remorse. I know that if I were certain another human being was plotting to kill me and others that I would seek and destroy him without remorse. It scares me to think that the value of life has been reduced to the point where there is no remorse. In some odd way I'm a direct reflection of the American Government and its willingness to murder in order to achieve its ambitions: that thought does causes me remorse. Adolphus A Ward

Americans Shound Educate All Children

Melissa Harris-Perry (MSNBC) doesn't need me defending her; she's more than capable of defending herself. But anyone making statements like (I'm paraphrasing) we (Americans) have never spent enough money on public education; and being bold enough to add that we (Americans) should see all children as our own – is begging for a return of The Inquisition for such blasphemous reasoning. I have peeped Melissa's hole-card – it's a Joker (Lady Justice) – with the scale in one hand and a smiley-face in the other. Melissa, you sly little devil you, I'm with you on this. Adolphus Ambrose Ward https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward http://twittercomadolphusward.blogspot.com/

CHOICE EXPECTATION REALITY

THE CHOICES WE MAKE LEAD TOWARD OR AWAY FROM PEACE AND WELL BEING Abdul, a longtime friend and fellow artist, recently commented that growing old is not for the faint of heart. I'll leave that stand as is and add that life in this and the coming century is not for the faint of heart. I share the philosophical notion that injustice anywhere will inevitably lead to injustice everywhere. Hunger anywhere will inevitably lead to hunger everywhere. Disregard for human dignity anywhere will inevitably lead to disregard for human dignity everywhere. Race-phobia, gender-phobia, religious-phobia, intellectual-phobia, you-name-it-phobia anywhere will inevitably lead to phobias everywhere. The choices we make as individuals, as a people, as an organization, as a government, will shape the realities of our future. What we do now establishes expectations and expectations lead to predictable outcomes. In short we are at this moment creating the realities of our own future. The question to ask is, what the fuck are we doing? Adolphus A. Ward https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward http://twittercomadolphusward.blogspot.com

THE PASSING OF MY SISTER GRISELDA

MY YOUNGEST SISTER PASSED Tomorrow will be a week since Griselda's passing service. There was six of us, three boys and three girls – there is now three, one girl two boys; I'm the oldest. In two weeks I will be seventy-eight. Age has not changed my belief about an afterlife – I don't believe there is one; I believe the life I have is the only one I'll ever get. To those of you who hold a religious belief, whatever faith, this is not an invitation to debate the fervency of your belief – I respect you and I respect your belief. If you believe in a God, a Savior (here now or yet to come), if you believe in an Afterlife: I'm simply saying I don't share your beliefs. The ceremony for my sister was elegant: magnificent edifice, angelic voices, moving orations, all in tribute to my sister Griselda. All of it stirred and soothed the spiritual part of me. What I could not share was that my sister was in a better place and if I would only believe I'd be with her again in that place where there will be no more sorrow and joy will never end. I don't believe that such a place has ever nor will it ever exist. That's why I will continue to do those things that benefit me and others while I live – always consciously seeking to do more good than harm. Adolphus Ward https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward http://twittercomadolphusward.blogspot.com

AMERICA'S BUDGET CONGRESS PRESIDENT

AMERICA'S BUDGET CONGRESS PRESIDENT The American People were led to reelect President Obama. His reelection was only a surprise to those who don't understand that Wealth, not the Middle Class – the 99%, is shaping the direction America is going. The controlling Wealth is forcibly moving our country in the direction of a Pure Capitalist State; where Wealth will dictate the terms of life for every American. Wealth is moving our government away from any social obligation for the American People. Social spending for health, education, skill development, job creation, and general wellbeing will be reduced to a bare subsistence level. Spending for war materials will increase as will the profits of the Wealth. The disparity between the haves and have-nots will continue to grow. President Obama will continue his appeal for fair and equitable compromise in spending cuts, but the Wealth will use his sincerity to further its aims. If your income is Social Security with a Pension you might die before Wealth takes some or all of what you have. If you don't have skills that are in demand and you're drawing some form of social welfare, you will soon be on your own with no job or income. If you are young and not in school; if you are not acquiring a skill that will earn you a good living; you will die before you get old. Adolphus A. Ward https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward

DJANGO LOOSE...

DJANGO LOOSE and MAD AS HELL I did see the movie – my comments are not intended to fuss with anyone whose reaction to the movie is opposite mine. As a writer and actor I long ago stopped looking for something in a work of art that just isn't there. DJANGO… is a farce baked in a Western Soufflé – certainly nothing more. Fox, Waltz, and DiCaprio kept the dish from going flat – it tasted pretty good. https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adolphusaward