You got ‘pre-existing conditions?  Are you feeling truly vulnerable?  Then you may have something in common with all American Blacks.
Dr. Jacqui Lewis says life IS a pre-existing condition’ for all Blacks. Her words:
“To live in the USA for Afro-Americans is a pre-existing condition for 1. discrimination 2. poverty and 3. death.” so says Dr. Lewis.Â
Pretty hefty words, right? She does not recommend ‘sheltering in place’ though that might have saved the lives of the 5-7 Black children shot and killed in recent riots who lived in black neighborhoods and died there. Those children were killed by violence of blacks against blacks.  Statistics show that Black men (6% of population) commit 50% plus of all USA murders and robberies.  Â
Dr. Lewis says that Black Americans live vastly different lives from ‘White’ Americans. The ‘facts’ she cites include: Blacks are 2 1/2 more likely to be killed by a police officer and experience 5 times the incarceration rate.
Dr. Lewis’ Anti-Racism Workshop was broadcast via Zoom and publicized by various churches including St. John’s episcopal in Aptos, CA and other episcopal churches. About 1300 persons attended.
“We must create a Love Relationship” says Dr. Lewis.  Take the Pledge which she offers to all White persons in America.
  How to Create Love in Action:  1) Know Your Story — how you learned to be ‘White’. 2)  Know The Story — H ow ‘Whiteness’ is a disease that infects some and affects all of us 3) Know How to Change the Story.
To give you a flavor of what the workshop was like, here’s a few quotes from Dr. Lewis:
“Whiteness wants to have it all… Whiteness is a disease that infects some and affects all of us. Whiteness built this nation. Whiteness teaches that indigenous people are better that the nation.Whiteness built empires on the backs of others….”
“We must look at Whitness as the enemy it is…. Whiteness is our enemy…”
“Built into the fabric [of America] is a hatred and disdain  of Black bodies.” Â
“We are going to ‘re-story’ race” says Dr. Lewis. “Since race is a story we can change the story” she says.
My questions: Does Dr. Lewis, and others who agree with her, plan to do this peacefully?  There’s zero mention of any responsibility of Blacks for the killing of other Black babies, children and adults.
Where do Blacks fit in peacefully — without riots and destruction of life and property — to her Pledge?  Further,  I do seriously question the validity of Dr. Lewis’s “facts’ about life that Blacks experience in America. For example, there’s plenty of research that shows that two parent Black families make more money than similar ‘White’ families.
Further, there’s plenty of research out there that the Black middle class is growing — especially when the male head of family has 1) been in the military / gone to college ; 2)held a full time job; 3) is married.
Were Dr. Lewis anywhere accurate, why do so many people ‘jump the fence’ and do whatever to come here and experience the ‘American Dream’ that all are created equal.
That Dream is a promissory note written to all and still happening. My view. And you say?
written by Cameron Jackson  7/7/2020 reply to DrCameronJackson@gmail.com  licensed psychologist  PSY14762  Â
 “A great speech” made by President Trump at Mt. Rushmore says Amy, an older Chinese lady who lived through the Chinese Cultural Revolution that started in 1966 and, she notes, destroyed much of Chinese cultural history.
Trump’s speech speaks to Amy’s love for America because of what America offers the world: freedom, liberty and the rule of law.
 You can hear Amy’s story, why she loves America,  on 1080 AM radio.  Amy’s story was part of  The Saturday Special which  will be re-broadcast July 4 from 10-12 midnight on 1080 AM.  It’s also available in the Archives of the radio station.
As a young woman, Amy married a Jew who was saved at age 18 from a Nazi concentration camp. Her later-to-become husband  weighed only 70 pounds when  carried out by American soldiers.  Later admitted to Harvard’s medical school, her husband vowed he would save lives as his life was saved by Americans.
So did you hear Trump’s speech at Mt Rushmore? You can click on the link below.
Trump’s speech was preceded by a speech by the Gov. of South Dakota, Kristi Noem.  Gov Noem  says that 125,000 persons signed up for the 7,500 available seats. This is the first year in 11 years that there have been fireworks at Mt. Rushmore.
Gov. Noem says:Â There are those today who seek to wipe away our history, who see the flaws in our early founders and who deliberately use those flaws to condemn their ideals.
In Gov. Neem’s words,  “Let us not destroy history. Let us learn from it”.
Without a hitch, the Roman Catholics in Aptos, CA offered  a Class A worship experience today with aplomb, majesty and  attention to a thousand details which enhanced the safety of all participants.
The Roman Catholics met suggested standards for safety and did so as though they’d been doing it this way for some time. All went smoothly. The service was also available on Zoom. You Tube was not working today.
One important thing was missing at Resurrection — the social connections that people have attending without face masks and 6′ social distancing rules.  Everyone can pray in their bedroom. Getting together with others and praying together and socializing together is vital to what church connections offer. That aspect was entirely missing from the overall experience. Have to go to the local beach for social connections!
The Episcopals  across Highway #1 nearby at St. John’s in Aptos are in the process of developing a Plan How to Open.  The Episcopals might take a look at what the Roman Catholics nearby have put in place. Why re-invent something which can easily be imitated and adapted to meet their particular Episcopal needs? They, and other churches looking forward to reopening safely might ask for a copy of  the detailed paperwork the Roman Catholics have developed and sit in on a service? We are One Body …
How to figure out the social aspects — having a ‘coffee hour’ and how to recognize people when wearing a mask. Those issues have not been addressed by Catholics in Aptos so far as I can tell.
Overall, for a first time ‘try it out’ the Catholics did a good overall job.  Think of an experience you may have had of going to the theater or to a favorite restaurant knowing that your advance reservation includes easy parking near by and assistance from  helpful persons who guide you to where you typically sit.  Later, as you leave you may leave an offering in a  box located near the Exit door. Not bad, right?  Overall, it felt like ‘normal’ only more compfy and very safe.
What to expect:   Decals in the parking lot show people where to park their cars (every other space left empty). And decals also show people where to stand in line (6′ apart) preparatory to entering the building.
A team of Greeters quickly move people up the stairs and into the building. While standing in line, each person’s temperature is taken by a Greeter.  Another Greeter meets each person at the main door to ensure that the person wears a mask or provides one as needed.   Another Greeter sprays  the person’s hands with cleanser. Then each person or group is taken to a pre-assigned seating area.  Most people are seated where they typically sit.
Those who came together as a group sit together as a group. Individuals were seated 6′ apart.  Every other pew is left empty.
And thus the worship service began …. Comments? Questions? Join the conversation?
written by Cameron Jackson  DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
Black Lives Matters Inc. (BLM) has been much in the national news. BLM has held various demonstrations. What does BLM say about blacks killing fellow blacks, largely in their own neighborhoods?  Nothing.
The corporate organization Black Lives Matter (BLM) has no message opposing killings by blacks of other blacks.  BLM focuses on police killings of blacks and support de-funding the police as their ‘solution’. What will happen to black neighborhoods with even fewer people wearing blue are keeping the peace? More violence.  Just recently, New York City removed 500 plain clothes police from street duty and violent crime in the City has skyrocketed.
So what to make of all this killing? Blacks kill other blacks in huge numbers.  Unarmed blacks and whites get killed by the police.Â
So – is it ‘whitey’ that’s the real problem?  Is racism — your racism–or ‘structural racism’ — is that’s the problem?  Are you ‘woke’? Do you accept your supposed ‘white privilege’ guilt?
Maybe you’re a bit curious and willing to learn more about ‘white privilege’ and ‘structural racism’?
Well, there’s workshops out there that seek to ‘enlighten’ you.
I attended The Call of the Moment: an Anti-Racism Workshop offered via ZOOM by Dr. Lewis. About 1300 attended. Dr. Lewis plans more workshops in the future.
 Two books by Dr. Lewis are listed as available on Amazon. One of her books is The Power of Stories. Â
Dr. Jacqui Lewis, is Senior Minister of Middle Collegiate Church located in New York City.  She was ordained in the Presbyterian Church and has served in a senior position with Middle Collegiate for about 15 years. Â
Published on VOX on May 29,2020 is the following info:
 Dr. Lewis writes: “And it’s not enough to condemn this particular presidential abuse without also naming how the president [Trump] routinely kills and maims those on the margins through policy.
“Tens of thousands of people are killed each year due to ridiculously lax gun legislation he [Trump] defends. Child hunger is soaring because of our woefully anemic safety net and federal cruelty. Thousands have been kidnapped at our border at his [Trump’s] command.
And more than 16,000 people have already died in my city [New York] because the president failed to prepare for the coronavirus and did not prioritize giving New York the aid we needed. [Oh really? Factual problem here.] Â
Dr. Lewis continues: “So, while I’m horrified by the president’s callousness in demanding houses of worship be allowed to open, I cannot say I’m surprised. And I am not surprised by how many white Americans continue to support him — it is part of our country’s foundational white supremacy. Our social contract has always made its peace with brutality and death to secure the power of whiteness…..” Â
Given the strong bias against President Trump that Dr. Lewis clearly expresses, how ‘loose with the facts’ might Dr. Lewis be when she presents in an anti-racial workshop? More about the Workshop  will be discussed in a separate post. Â
  As. Dr. Lewis lays a huge number of societal problems at one person’s door — President Trump’s door –  how likely is she to consider that behavior on the part of blacks is part of the problem as well as part of the solution?  Â
Per the VOX post, Dr. Lewis blames Trump for killing twelve thousand people in New York City (where she lives and works). The facts do not support her allegations.
It is well publicized that the Mayor of New York moved COVID-19 persons into nursing homes and about 4,500 nursing home patients died. That is what the Mayor of New York City did.  That’s the city where Dr. Lewis lives and works.   It is well known that Trump sent a hospital ship to New York to help out and also it is well known that Trump sent heaps of ventilators that were not needed but New York City received them. There are no indications that Trump killed people in New York.
Dr. Lewis, as published by Vox, states ‘facts’ about Trump that are clearly erroneous for which there is no support. Â
Take Away: The workshop by Dr. Lewis on anti-racism makes no mention of the brutal violence that  male Afro-Americans living in large Democrat controlled cities inflict on other individuals of their color, ethnicity and culture both on physical bodies and on black homes, businesses and neighborhoods. Black violent behaviors harming other blacks was not touched on in the workshop.
Dr. Lewis does talk about ‘holding environments’, that we find our identify in various contexts (home, school, church). She talks about  that the first ‘holding environment’ — the womb. When bullets are flying near by that first ‘holding environment’ is at risk. Â
When black males (6% of the population) commit 50% of murders against their neighbors who are black what’s the effect on the ‘holding environments’ aka wombs of pregnant black women? Check the facts:  Floyd George put a pistol to the stomach of a pregnant woman after pushing his way into her home.  Dr. Lewis writes that there were bullets flying nearby when she was 8, living in Chicago, and it was learned that Martin Luther King had been assassinated.
I think it matters that Afro-Americans are killing, maiming children and aborting black babies in huge numbers. As stated above, 50% of all murders and robberies are committed by black men killing and robbing other blacks who are their neighbors.
In response to what I wrote about blacks killing blacks one person, an episcopal church leader wrote: “Those statistics point to the effects of years of ‘systemic racism’ that have left black people with little to no opportunity and isolated them in ghettos where violence prevails.”Â
A black author in the WSJ Jason Riley says differently. He writes that riots caused businesses to leave inner cities which resulted in social pathologies.  Here are Riley’s words:
“A common assumption among liberals is that the movement of inner-city jobs to the suburbs in the late 1960s is what led to the higher rates of crime, violence and other social pathologies associated with ghetto life. But this gets the order wrong. The business flight took place after the rioting, not before. Will history repeat itself?”
Someone, a christian and member of an episcopal church, wrote on Facebook that a video by Candice Owen  ‘made him feel sick’. He asked people to comment and received 50-60 comments in response.
Some said Candice Owens and Jason Riley, both black conservatives, are ‘shills’ Three disagreed including myself.Â
 Aren’t you just a little more ‘woke’ now ? the person writing on his Facebook page asked of one dissenter. “I reject most of what ‘woke’ stands for” that person responded. Oh dear, not everybody buys into getting ‘woked’.
Another dissenter commented  that for many years most major U.S. cities are run by black politicians …. “ My question:   do these black politicians care about the blacks voters that put them in office? Why have these black politicians produced so little helpful to blacks?
My view: Why blame the huge numbers of blacks killing and robbing  their black neighbors on something called  ‘structural racism’ when it can just as easily be described as  Democrat Party politics as usual? Why? Remember, 2020 is an election year and the Democrats prime goal is to remove Trump from office.
Churches are a main civic organization.  So what has been the response of churches to Black Lives Matters and ‘structural racism’?
The Episcopal Church has been in the news lately.  Remember the picture of Trump standing in front of the church across from the White House which had been torched the night before? Trump had a bible – that picture.
Rev. Curry head of the episcopal church in Washington D.C. says. “I really do believe that we’ve got to face the pain of our past and then work together to create new ways to create a new future.”.Â
I’ve found no discussion by Rev. Curry or other episcopal leaders as to the role blacks specifically play in the violence inflicted by blacks on their black neighbors. Nothing specific as to what blacks can and need to do. The episcopal stance appears to be ‘we stand against racism and structural racism…’ Â
So what are some of the factors why black men commit 50% of all murders?Â
Listen to voices who published Letters in WSJ June 13-14, 2020:  These letters cite Prof. Orlando Patterson’s essay “The Long Reach of Racism in the U.S.” (Review, June 6). One voice names the failure of black office holders. The number of black children born without a father in the home and black reliance on government programs instead of finding meaningful work is listed as another factor by another voice.
My views: It’s complicated and there’s many  factors why black men commit 50% of all U.S. violent crimes. Something not talked about is the role of feminism and easy access to abortions.   Feminism and ‘my body is my own to do as I please‘ comes to mind.  Due to Planned Parenthood, there’s easy availability of abortion as a primary birth control method. In New York City more black babies are aborted than born.  How do those young black almost-a-father and never-had-a-choice black men feel? Ask them.
Black fathers don’t appear to matter.  What about self esteem issues and attaching value for who you are.  Look at the Black Lives Matter website and you will find no role, no value, no interest in black fathers, black sons or black families with a mother and father as a married entity. Marriage and family and the place of the black man as father are not valued  by Black Lives Matters. Take a look at their web site.
Self esteem comes from learning skills that are age grounded.  Riding a bike at 4. Learning to read and later learning how to reason and think logically by early teens. These contribute to the development of self esteem. Learning a skill that can result in a wage is another crucial step for young people. The union controlled public schools produce poorly educated persons of all colors including young black men.
Effect of the unions.  In the 1930’s thousands of young blacks went north to get jobs. The blacks had carpentry and other skills and got jobs.  Then the Davis Bacon Act was passed which requires that ‘prevailing wages’ be paid. The act was passed to limit blacks from getting jobs. Time to change the law?
Recent events:  Now we learn that a bad, bad white cop with 18 disciplinary actions killed a black man he knew (they were bouncers together) while several other cops stood by and did nothing. Those other cops were complicit and contributed to the death of that black.  For years, that bad cop was protected by the police unions.
Yes — it’s time to rein in the power police unions. And time to rein in the school unions that produce poorly educated persons of all colors.
Unions for public employees. That is a major culprit. The police unions protect the bad cops. The school unions protect the bad teachers. Together as a result we get poorly educated young persons of all colors. And there are all sorts of factors why young black men take guns and kill and rob other blacks.
There’s no real bartering when the police and school unions sit down across the table from the politicians — the Democrats — who they paid to put in office. For example, t he SEIU paid $60 million to put Obama in office in 2008.
We don’t need ‘structural racism’ to explain why black Democrat politicians  in large cities do nothing about the power of police unions and the power exerted by school unions.
Why unions for public employees stay in power:  Old fashioned greed is a simple and better explanation why no change over the years.  Both sides want more and both give to each other more to get more.
This is why there should not be public employee unions. There has to be an adversarial relationship when those representing the public purse sit down to discuss money with representatives of public schools and the police.
So what to do so young blacks stop killing and robbing other blacks? Become part of the solution. How?
Churches: Are you a member of a church? Get local churches to cooperate and work together.   Episcopals with Catholics, Protestants  and others – can work collaboratively to support family values that weaken and reduce the power of Hispanic and Black gangs.  That’s a no brainer. Encourage young men to marry and staying married to the women with whom they have children. That’s also a no brainer.  Intact families with a mother and father in the home create and raise children who go to college and get jobs. How support families?  How and when? Do so around Christmas which celebrates the birth of Jesus into a family with a father in the home.
The organization Black Lives Matters:  Call out Black Lives Matters for what it is –  a marxist organization which is anti- nuclear family and puts forth policies and falsehoods  which harm blacks. Look at their website carefully. There is no message on the BLM web site saying to black men to STOP killing other blacks.  There is no support on the BLM web site for black fathers to marry the mothers of their children. There’s no discussion of the importance of male relationships between fathers and sons. And, there is no BLM message to young woman to ‘stop aborting black babies’ and re-think whether  a government check and transfer payments for the next 18 years is a good deal.
Schools: Work to create more charter schools in your community and use of money that will mean more accountability by public schools to produce better educated (literate and meet specific standards in math and reading) young people of all color. Blacks don’t learn to read in CA schools.  Require schools to provide classes that can assist all students in getting jobs. Require all students to learn at least one skill that could lead to a job.
Note:  This post was reviewed  7/1/20. Some  changes made to clarify the main points and preserve the privacy of persons who commented.
So what say you? Become part of the conversation! It is easy to comment. Monterey Bay Forum is exactly that — a forum for discussion of ideas.
This post was written by Cameron Jackson,  licensed CA psychologist PSY14762     127 Jewell Street, Santa Cruz, CA  95060      DrCameronJackson@gmail.comÂ
Wonder what the young black woman, Candice Owens, has to say?  This is from You Tube and she has a mouthful to say about why blacks kill blacks.
Democrat politicians expect you to hand over your brain when thinking about recent lootings, the killing of an unarmed black by a white cop and how to manage Covid-19.  Do you live in a town or city run by Democrats? Watch out! Think for your self!
What can you do about Covid-19, looting in the streets and Democrat policy failures? For sure, vote in November.  In the meanwhile, use your brain to make decisions and do so with courage and a heart that is caring.
Courage. A heart. A brain. That’s what the lion, the tin man and the scarecrow wanted. And those are precisely what Democrat Party policies lacks.
New York is a Democrat stronghold.  New York been a hot spot during the Covid-19 epidemic with a higher death rate than the rest of the U.S. The actual disparity is absolutely shocking. As a proportion of the population, the number of excess deaths in New York City during the epidemic has been 16 times as high as in the rest of America.(Wall Street Journal, The Measure of New York’s Covid Devastation, June 3, 2020).
Many east coast and west coast cities and states are controlled by the Democrat parties. Thanks to Democrat progressive policies,  San Francisco on the west coast is known as the city of feces and homeless. That’s Nancy Pelosi’s home town.
Democrat controlled New York City is  now known as the place where the most die from Covid-19. That’s where 4,300 Covid-19 patients were transfered from New York  hospitals to nursing homes. This exposed the oldest, frailest and most vulnerable to the virus. (WSJ, The Measure of New York’s Covid Devastation, June 3, 2020).
The Democrat politicians that run cities have bought into the belief that the police are a bigger problem than rampant disorder. Where did that belief come from? Remember President Obama and his policies towards the police. Eight years of Obama and his AG Eric Holder have had a huge impact.
In response to the recent killing of a black unarmed man by a white policeman Eric Holder was asked to day 6/3/2020 in a podcast on Obama’s website, ‘what is your most radical dream?‘ Holder replied,‘that people be judged by their deeds and not sterotype people.”
Deeds — let’s judge people based on their deeds says AG Eric Holder.  Blacks make up 13% of the USA population and in 2018 African-Americans and made up 53% of known homocide offenders in the U.S.. African-Americans commit about 60% of all robberies.
What about who is killed by the police?  In 2019, the police fatally shot 9 unarmed blacks and 19 unarmed whites according to a Washington Post database, down from 38 and 32, respectively in 2015.
So, last year in 2019 twice as many unarmed whites were killed compared to unarmed blacks. There’s been no outrage or looting because unarmed white men died.
In 2018 there were 7,404  black homocide victims. That’s alot of blacks dying and most of them are killed by another black person That is the sad, rarely discussed story than Democrat politicians do not address.
What about the safety of police officers?  A police officer is 18 times more likely to be killed by a black male than an unarmed black male is to be killed by a police officer.  The above statistics are from The Myth of Systemic Police Racism, WSJ, June 8, 2020.
California and New York are both run by Democrats. Both states have been slow to re-open from the Covid-19 pandemic. In Santa Cruz, CA people are still kept off the beaches during th 11-5 hours and people are still “sheltering in place” wearing masks.
What to do? Use your brain, have a heart and show courage.
written by Cameron Jackson  PSY14762 licensed CA psychologist
Assemblyman Mark Stone and Dr. Shirley Weber  District 79 seek to kill the golden goose, Proposition 209, by passage of  ACA 5 which, if passed, brings back the corrupt  policies of “affirmative action”.
Dr. Weber talks the talk that CA needs””opportunity for all” but Dr. Weber walks the walk that women and persons of color are those needing the opportunity and that quotas of “affirmative action” can deliver.
Read Dr. Weber’s Sample Letter which  she wants you to sign and send back to her. The  phrase “women and persons of color” are the persons Dr. Weber actually seeks to assist.
Under the cover of media attention focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and the riots, the Democrats seek swift passage of ACA 5 through the CA state legislature so ACA 5 will be on the ballot in November.
Why is the golden goose — Proposition 209– so golden? Proposition 209, passed in 1996, made it illegal to use race as basis for decisions as to who got into CA state universities, who got contracts and who was hired for public jobs. CA has been “color-blind” and the golden state has benefited enormously.
ACA 5 supporters seek to bring back “affirmative action” to CA.  Why bring back the old, racist policies of “affirmative action” that use skin color as basis for decisions?  Why, given that Proposition has been is a success story why replace it with failed policies?
Recently returning to CA, Ward Connerly allies in 2020 with Asian Americans against race discrimination.  Tenty-five years ago Ward Connerly as a member of the University of California’s Board of Regents got an inside look at the “corruption” affirmative action introduces. Connerly launched Proposition 209.
Mark Stone represents Santa Cruz CA and areas near by.  Let’s get Mr. Stone on the KSCO 1080 radio so he can answer questions about “affirmative action” and why he thinks it’s time to kill the goose Proposition 209 that gives the golden eggs of thousands of success stories wherein students matched better with colleges succeed and graduate from schools in far greater numbers than before Proposition 209.  Why bring back the old quota system? Is this really the way forward for “women and persons of color” to succeed?
What say you?
written by Cameron Jackson, Ph.D., J.D.  licensed psychologist PSY14762
How you can help stop racism and keep California colorblind?
Pick up a phone and call your legislature and oppose passage of ACA5 by the CA state legislature.
Assembly Constitutional Amendment N0. 5 aka ACA5 kills Proposition 209 which in 1996 made it illegal to consider race in making decisions who gets into CA state schools. Proposition 209 has made it possible for far more minorities to enter the UC system and for far more to graduate. The numbers are there which show that Proposition 209 is a success story.  More minorities go and more minorities graduate now thanks to Proposition 209.
For those living in Santa Cruz CA and near by your representatives in CA government are Mark Stone  (916 319 2029) (831 425 2570) and Bill Monning (916 651 4017) (831 425-0401)  are your representatives.
Mark Stone is a co-author of ACA-5. Per telephone contact 6/2/2020 with one of Mr. Stone’s Santa Cruz field representatives,  Mr. Stone believes that getting rid of Prop. 209 is a good thing which will create a level playing ground.Â
How about an invitation? One way to get some questions answered:  Let’s get Mr. Stone on KSCO 1080 in Santa Cruz so locals can get answers to their questions. Michael Z of 1080 attended UCSC years ago. From Mr. Stone’s Facebook page, why not invite him to speak on the radio via KSCO 1080?Â
This is a crucial week for registering opposition to ACA5.  The Democrat controlled CA State Legislature want ACA 5 on the ballot in November. ACA 5 makes race central again in deciding who gets into state schools. Why the push now? With the pandemic and riots dominating the news now,  it’s a convenient time to push the race card and get ACA 5 on the ballot without even a vote in the CA Senate.
ACA 5 overturns Proposition 209 the successful ballot initiative passed in 1996 which made it illegal for CA to consider race for awarding contracts, in hiring for public jobs and in deciding who is admitted to CA state schools. Ward Connerly, age 81, is back in the saddle working to join the fight against a new effort to overturn what he accomplished in 1996 and return race to the center of how decisions are made.
Those who care about a colorblind CA and that it remain that way can join Wenyuan Wu’s organization Asian-American Coalition for Education. Wu’s organization  part of a broader alliance of Asian-American groups trying to stop ACA 5. Click here to become a member of Wu’s organization and fight racism in education.
Organizations that oppose CA proposed legislation ACA5  include a broad range of organizations: the Asian American Legal Foundation, Facebook group Asians Not Brainwashed by Media and Fair Chance for Asians to the Panda Kung Fu Center of the Univerisity of California, Chinese Alumni Association and Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation.
These associations have organized against ACA 5 because Ms Wu says, “If it passes, Asian-American students will be further scapegoated and penalized in college admissions.”
Proposition 209 has resulted in more — not less — minorities graduating from CA state schools. See below from Jacoby with
“In the University of California system, four-year graduation rates of underrepresented racial minorities rose from 31.3 percent [before Proposition 209] … to 43.3 percent during 2001-03. In 2014, underrepresented racial minorities’ four-year graduation rate rose to a record high of 55.1 percent.â€
Jacoby continues: “And what is true of graduation rates is equally true of enrollment. Both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of all admissions, there are more minority students on University of California campuses than ever before. The charge that Proposition 209 “stymied†diversity in California’s public higher-education system, Wu says flatly, “is simply untrue.â€
“Last summer, the University of California system admitted the largest and most diverse class of freshmen in its history — without resorting to racial quotas. Fully 40 percent of the new undergraduates, reported the Los Angeles Times, were African-American, Hispanic, or American Indian.”
So why are the Democrats in Sacramento pushing ACA5 now? Because with the pandemic and now riots it’s easy for the Democrats to push it through. So they think. So — pickup your phone. Call your representatives. And call radio stations in your area.
Democrat fat cats in CA state legislature go after the mouse of Proposition 209 which in 1996 made it illegal to consider race in awarding contracts, in hiring and in school admissions.
The Democrat cats running state government in CA go after Proposition 209 ‘mouse’ ….  Run mouse run! Run for your life!  Most ‘experts’ expect ACA5 to win if it makes it on the CA ballot in Nov. That’s why it’s important to act now. Pick up your phone?  What say you……
written by Cameron Jackson  drcameronjackson@gmail.com
The minister of Trinity Covenant in Aptos, CA typically discusses books which he has read and today was no exception.
The book mentioned today  is Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. A best seller  on Amazon — for $10.21 in paperback and $12.99 on electronic Kindle – Into the Wild is about a young man who gives up everything he owns, lives a life of non-attachment and four months later he poisons himself and then starves to death in Alaska. His body was found. He had kept a journal.  One of his last journal entries was  “Happiness is only real when shared.” Â
Christopher McCandless, the young man who sought non-attachment and died on the slopes of Alaska,  realized belatedly that sharing and happiness are intertwined.
So is a church about sharing? Yes.  Christians know that Communion / aka Mass is sharing bread and wine as the body of Christ. And there’s other kinds of sharing – the word of God, sharing prayers for others and sharing lots of smiles and also  tears.
A  bit of what people heard in the sermon:  “Spirit is the word for wind…..”  “Fire comes down when God makes a new place of worship…. “ “God pours Himself in with baptism….”
Take away what a church is?   An attempt:  A church is a gathering of Christians in physical space (not ZOOM virtual reality) which is at the same time both a specific  and a catholic gathering  Analogy:  Think of light — which is both a wave and a particle.  Likewise a church is both a particular physical gathering and not a not particular world wide gathering.
So, what’s your attempt to define “church”?
What is shared in the picture taken at Trinity Covenant on Pentacost Sunday, May 31, 2020?  The minister,Troy Martin, invites with the words “Come together to eat” 1 Corinthians 11:33. Together in one place people share.
Interested? Want to share?  The Trinity Covenant service is at 10:00 am on Sundays at physical location of 1040 Bonita Drive, Aptos, CA.  The building is just off highway #1 near the Seascape exit.
You can also tune in on ZOOM.  Go for the real thing, I say.
There’s heaps of well behaved kids. Amazing kids! Just a little popery! Â
written by Cameron Jackson  drcameronjackson@gmail.com
Keep it simple — here’s some ways that  you can help open your CA town or city.
It’s what you do – and what you tell your government to do — that will get the economy humming again and do so safely.
Rule #1:  Expect zero from the government and figure out what you can do each and every day to solve problems related to management of COVID-19. It’s what you do — not what the government tells you to do — that matters.
Every town is different. The following is about Santa Cruz CA and their local paper the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz has lots of tourists and a U.C. facility.
A “take away” from reading  several stories in the 5/29  Santa Cruz Sentinel:  Local government bureaucracy grinds on and on doing little to re-open the economy. Local health officials trend along with what state officials say to do.
Put the three 5/29 Sentinel stories regarding COVID-19 together and you read that Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel is miffed that Gov Newsom did not do as she expected. “The governor is not following the cadence that was expected†she says.â€Â That’s a low whine. Gail Newel thinks Santa Cruz has taken “a very thoughtful approach†and now working “fast and furious†to re-open.  Don’t hold your breath, Santa Cruz folks. This local public health officer  is part of the ‘too little and too late’ crowd. More businesses will flounder. There will be more domestic abuse. And more depressed kids.
One wonders why  Santa Cruz County has such a low death rate from COVID-19. Is it low because of how the health officials count?   Health official Gail Newel says that the state health statistics which currently  list 3 deaths and not 2 for Santa Cruz County are in error because the third death had the virus but that person did not die from the virus.   Â
So when a cluster of elderly living in a Santa Cruz county group home who have diabetes and high blood pressure and obesity die after infected with COVID-19 from a staff person that means those persons did not die from the virus but rather from their pre-existing conditions and therefore should not be counted in the local  COVID-19 count? Is it the way in which Santa Cruz County health officers count deaths? A way that makes for such a low count? Â
How many residents in any Santa Cruz county long term facility have died since COVID-19 (early Appril) became a serious health problem? Were any of those persons tested for COVID-19? Since testing is not mandatory for long term health facilities / nursing homes and only now, three months into the pandemic, state government suggests that a testing plan be made …. There is no easy way to know how many have died due to the virus while living in a nursing home. Â
Look elsewhere how COVID-19 deaths are counted. All over the USA health departments are counting deaths which include a positive COVID-19 test as a death due to the virus. But not Santa Cruz County according to health officer Gail Newel.
Rule #2: Isolation is bad for the soul and hard on people.  We punish people by locking them up — remember that.   Do what’s sensible to stay mentally healthy.
Take specific actions that put money into other people’s wallets. Deliberately buy take out to help local restaurants stay afloat. Go to hardware stores and stock up on items you will need in the future.
Drive around in your car and smile and say hi and count those ‘contacts’ as part of your social routine. Remember who and why you smiled at others.  Those smiles break social isolation. Yours and other people’s. You help others and yourself when you smile. Not a crocodile smile but a real smile from the soul.
Rule #3: Set a daily schedule for yourself that includes what we have learned helps manage COVID-19:  Take your daily temperature before and after your in-home or out-of-home work. Yes you should have a daily “work†routine. Wash your  hands frequently with soap and water. Keep your hands off your face as COVID -19 gets into your body via eyes, nose and mouth. Keep your distance from other people as best makes sense socially. Masks? You figure it out. Just another way to control people, for sure. They are easily contaminated. You breath in the CO2 you just exhaled.
Rule #4: Learn how to advocate for the most vulnerable who are the most likely to get COVID-19 and die from it. Remember — 40-50% of all COVID-19 deaths occur to elderly persons with pre-existing conditions who are living in long term nursing facilities. Since that is where the bulk of deaths occur it only makes sense to do all that’s possible to ensure that staff are healthy and residents are tested and isolated from others when they test positive.
 What you will learn from the news in the Santa Cruz Sentinel is that CA government has done squat — nothing — to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable citizens. There are no required testing, isolation and contact tracing plan of all residents and all staff persons.
Learn how to advocate for persons in your CA town and city.  Those are our veterans, retired folks, farm workers and others who are cared for by a variety of persons. Staff  persons  help get the elderly to the toilet, help feed them and when necessary may diaper them and routinely give medicines to them.
Remember two thirds of all Americans take 3+ medicines  on a daily basis.   These nursing home staff persons have close physical contact with the vulnerable elderly. And if the staff have symptoms it’s easy to pass along the virus to the residents.
How to  advocate for our most vulnerable that are in group facilities? Go visit these long term housing facilities.  Call them. Contact them any way you can.
In the Santa Cruz Sentinel 5/29 had the  following: The State Department of Public Health issues a letter saying facilities should draft testing plans for all residents in settings without cases and all residents who have been exposed to the virus. That this Letter  says it would be a good thing …. means that three months into the pandemic our CA state government and local government have no standards in place and no ‘blue print’ to offer so testing, isolation and finding others exposed is routinely done of persons in long term facilities.
One way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is to require daily temperature  testing of staff and that they fill out a brief questionnaire  as to possible symptoms they had during work.  Couple monitoring of staff with  appropriate testing of all residents.
Santa Cruz County has about 10-12 long term care facilities which care for about 1,066 persons. The staff that care for them are not highly paid R.N’s but LVN and others without letters after their name. They may or may not be trained in how COVID-19 spreads. Some may live in crowded living conditions which exist in pockets throughout Santa Cruz County. Keeping a close watch on symptoms by staff and residents is crucial to keeping our most vulnerable safe.
Another way to reduce   COVID-19 is to take the needed tests to the facilities. That way testing of staff and residents will be frequent and regular.    A handful of churches in mid-County  currently  fund a truck which provides showers for the homeless. That’s been going on for a year or so.  What about a  truck that would go around to the long term care facilities and brings test kits  to these facilities?
Now is the time to politely ask your county  health officer and other government officials to provide  immediate and regular  testing of all staff and residents of local nursing homes.
As individuals we can do lots to stop COVID-19 in its tracks. Government can test and should test immediately and regularly those most likely to die from it — the elderly with pre-existing conditions.
What say you? What do you suggest that can help re-open your CA town safely and now?
“Built into the fabric [of America] is a hatred and disdain  of Black bodies.”  
