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I wondered if blacks were really shot by police more than whites. Well, yes they are. A black man is 3.5 times more likely to be shot by police than a white man. However, when comparing based on the racial make up of violent crimes, a white man is actually 1.3 to 1.7 times more likely to be shot than a black man. Why? Police who work black neighborhoods are aware of the politics, and are likely more cautious about using lethal force. Also, police who work in high crime areas are more experienced in dealing with potentially violent situations, and are slowier in resorting to lethal force. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/21/police-kill-more-whites-than-blacks-but-minority-d/ One of the principles I learned in history is that perception is often more important than reality. Imagine being part of a community that believes deeply that law enforcement is against them. These are hard, frustrating times. Kudos to those spiritual leaders who serve these communities. Props too for the law enforcement officers who do not give up or give in--but continue to serve, despite the hostile and sometimes unfair accusations lobbed their way.

This article is by a retired NYPD officer, who explains why the average police officer is so angry at NYC's mayor. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/opinion/the-nypd-protests-an-officers-view.html?_r=0 Was the back-turning right? Wrong? Understandable? Indulgent? Most important, what is the way forward?

It's a terrible thing when an unarmed civilian gets killed by a policeman. When the officer is white and the civilian is black some will inevitably ask if racism was a factor. Sometimes, questions become assumptions, and hurt turns to rage. Then a chaplain gets murdered . . . http://www.christianpost.com/news/nypd-officers-shot-and-killed-victim-revealed-as-christian-chaplain-in-training-president-of-chaplain-task-force-says-officer-viewed-job-as-ministry-131529/

Part of me believes that yes, I don't understand the distrust of African-Americans towards law enforcement. Young African-American men get extra scrutiny from police, and that's not fair. Another part of me says it's not my fault, and I hate being put on the defense because of my race. I'm ot a "white privilege denier." I'm just a guy living my life. It's easier for me, but the answer is not to make it less easy for me. Rather, we should find the pathway to that place where everyone gets treated right--as unique individuals. In any case, this author says I need to be quieter and listen more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rebeccaflorencemiller/2014/11/ferguson/

I get it. I really do. Academics are sometimes so good at what they know--so focused, that they miss the optics they might create for us less enlightened ones. So...a Washington State community college employee organization, purposed to advance the condition of people of color, decides to have a discussion on improving race relations. Implicit in the email invite is that Whites are not welcome. On the upside, there must have been pushback, because an apology was issued the next day, and the event was canceled. On the downside, one of the key players doubled down, saying that the meeting would have allowed for a more honest and productive discussion than could be had "with a lot of people." http://www.king5.com/story/local/2014/11/26/13402800/

Bloomberg conducted a study a few years ago that showed most Americans no longer have faith in the American Dream. Bloomberg reported; "The widening gap between rich and poor is eroding faith in the American dream. By almost two to one — 64 percent to 33 percent — Americans say the U.S. no longer offers everyone an equal chance to get ahead, according to a Bloomberg National Poll. And some say the government isn't doing much to help." "The lack of faith is especially pronounced among those making less than $50,000 a year: By a 73 percent to 24 percent margin, they say the economy is unfair. Even 60 percent of those whose annual income is $100,000 or more bemoan the absence of a fair deal while 39 percent say everyone has an equal shot to advance." These results shouldn't surprise anyone. After all, the Media's preoccupation with income inequality ends up creating the perception in the minds of people that the American Dream is a myth and that the rich are getting richer at their expense. No wonder they want the government to intervene. The truth of the matter is that the American Dream has nothing to do with income inequality, but everything to do with whether or not you come from an intact family. The National Review featured an article on its website a few weeks ago, "What an Intact Family Has to Do with the American Dream, in Six Charts." The article discusses a study that reveals why those from intact homes are more likely to achive the American Dream. As the family continues to fall apart, its only logical that we will see an even greater divide between the rich and poor. Rather than focus on the root cause of the problems in society, this generation will turn to the government even more which will only make the problem worse. To save the reader time, I went ahead and highlighted the main ideas from each of the six categories listed in the study. One: Fewer families are headed by married parents. “One big reason ordinary families are struggling is that fewer families are headed by married parents.” This matters “because married parents are more likely to pool their income, save more, and spend more on their children, compared with single parents. To make matters worse, this retreat from marriage is concentrated among Americans without college degrees.” Two: Children raised in intact families are less likely to fall afoul of detours on the road to the American Dream. “Boys and girls raised in intact families are more likely to flourish in the labor force later in life. One reason? They are less likely to fall afoul of the detours on the road to the American Dream that can put teens and young adults on the wrong track. A nonmarital birth, for instance, puts a real economic strain on both women and men. That’s partly because such births can derail schooling and decrease adults’ future chances of getting and staying married. And a stable family protects them against these kinds of detours. The chart below shows that young men and young women from intact families are, respectively, 5 and 12 percent less likely to have a child before marriage, compared with their peers from single-parent families.” Three: Children raised in intact families are more likely to acquire the human capital they need to live the American Dream. “Children from intact families are less likely to drop out of high school...to put this positively: Young men and women are more likely to acquire the education they need to compete in today’s global economy if they were raised in an intact home with both of their parents.” “Having two parents in the picture typically increases the amount of time, attention, encouragement, and money that can be devoted to a child’s education. It also protects children from the household moves and emotional stress associated with family instability, both factors that seem to hurt children’s odds of educational success in high school and beyond.” Four: Young men and women raised in intact families work more hours. “It’s a simple idea: On average, the more hours you work, the more experience you gain in the labor force and the more money you make. What’s clear from the data is that young men and young women who are raised by their own biological or adoptive parents in an intact family work more hours as young adults aged 28 to 30...our analyses suggest that part of the reason is that these young adults have more education and fewer children born out of wedlock in their personal histories.” Five: Young men raised in intact families make more money. “Today, young men and women who are raised by their own biological or adoptive parents in an intact family make more money. Specifically, 28- to 30-year-old men make more than $6,500 more than peers who come from single-parent families but otherwise hail from largely similar backgrounds; their family income is also about $16,000 greater, on average.” Six: Young women raised in intact families make more money. "Likewise, young women who grow up in an intact family also make more money for themselves and enjoy more family income, compared with their peers who grew up in single-parent families but who were otherwise comparable to them in most respects. They make at least $4,700 more personally, and enjoy family incomes that are at least $12,000 greater, compared with their female peers from single-parent families. Note here that one reason that these young women and men enjoy higher family incomes is that they are more likely to be married compared with their peers from non-intact families." The bottom line: “Both young men and young women who grow up in an intact, two-parent family have a leg up in today’s competitive economy. By contrast, young adults from single-parent families are much more likely to be floundering in this economy. It’s for that reason, in part, that Americans of all stripes — be they conservative or liberal — concerned about the health of the American Dream should be concerned about the health of the American family.”

I found a link to this at Real Clear Religion. It appears to be a very recent statement from the Church, and more or less blames Brigham Young's pronouncement that Blacks could not receive the priesthood on the prevalent cultural realities of his era. https://www.lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng The Real Clear Politics article indicated that this statement is being well-received--a "Christmas Present" to LDS of all ethnicities. Mormon church traces black priesthood ban to Brigham Young | The Salt Lake Tribune

Alrighty, so, I kinda wanna talk running. Partially because I love what it does for you! I ran cross country all four years of high school and absoultly loved it! I don't know what I would have done without running and my coach ha ha. Since graduating I haven't been as consistant as I would like but I still do what I can here and there. I got my first marathon under my belt at 18 woot woot! And looking for another one to do in May (suggestions are welcomed, and I will be in Oregon in the first week of may so if you know of any up there that is a possability too). I even did a duathlon in St. George about two weeks ago. Gotta say, I don't know if I can get into biking :S lol. Anyways, I want to hear your stories, experiances, what running has done for you, your accomplishments, etc. So please share! I find talking about it also helps motivate me to get out their and kick some asphalt woot woot!