The Shot Heard Round the World…..Trayvon Martin Revives Tension Surrounding Race in America

The Shot Heard Round the World…..Trayvon Martin Revives Tension Surrounding Race in America

On February 25, 2012 the world was at ease.  Families ate, children played and all was well.  Surely there were deaths that day and surely there were births. Undoubtedly someone was murdered, raped, robbed. And just as surely someone was married, someone went on their honeymoon and someone was proposed to.  Yes, February 25^th was a day just as any other.  The Earth was as it should be and as it “normally” is.  No one knew…..no one knew that in 24 hours…there would be a gunshot….there would be a teenage boy with skittles….there would be a 911 call……and more than that….the scab covering the wounds of America’s racial prejudices and profiling of the past would be ripped off and bleeding out of control.

 That day, February 26, 2012, we took a step backward as a nation.  Instead of a healing country that is taking steps day by day into the future of racial harmony, we once again found ourselves faced with an issue that seems to be at the root of our foundation.  The death of an unarmed, 17-year old, African American child named Trayvon Martin would spark outrage worldwide and highlight the still existing issues surrounding race and racial profiling in America today. Martin’s death  illustrates that though the days of slavery and Jim Crow are decades behind us, the divide between races is still prevalent in our society and that while most days as a country we hide it well it has never really gone away.  Unstable race relations has plagued our republic since its inception and seems to be a never ending saga. 

I’m not writing this blog to discuss the case.  We know what happened. It’s been reported on to death.  Marting was walking home from the corner store with skittles and tea when the neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, thought he looked suspicious, began to follow him and called 911.  The 911 operator instructed Zimmerman to stand down and he did not.  Some sort of a scuffle ensued and an unarmed teen was shot and killed and his race played a big role in it.  Zimmerman claimed self-defense and the DA was slow to prosecute.  The country was outraged and the media caught wind.  Zimmerman is now charged with second degree murder but it may be too late.  Trial will soon tell.  He’ll walk or he’ll go to jail but I think the events leading up to the trial have painted a larger picture or our countries internal issues when it comes to race and the leisureliness of the authorities to take action has left a bitter taste in the mouths of millions. 

Two things apart from a young boy’s death sadden me most about this case….

First, the media released the above picture of a young Trayvon in this red Hollister shirt though he appears to be much younger in age than he was at the time of his untimely death.  They chose that picture instead of the more age appropriate picture of him on the left in which he has tattoos and gold teeth, to which I ask……..WHY DOES IT MATTER? Please posit this question if you will, no matter which picture was released do the facts change? They do not. A 17year old unarmed boy was shot and killed. Does what he looked like make a difference to the American people? Is he no less deserved of justice with gold teeth than he is in a hollister shirt? This is the exact same person.  Why did the media choose to release the younger photo…..perhaps that is the biggest illustrator of how colossal the problem of racial profiling is.  Even the media felt that by us seeing the picture on the left, we would feel less sympathetic toward a 17 year old unarmed boy than we do when we see the photo on the right.  How sad is that? It’s embarrassing.  It suggests that the moment one clips in a row of gold teeth they instantly turn from innocent to guilty, from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde…I’d hate to think we were really so sheepish.

The second thing that bothers me is that although there is a massive amount of outcry and awareness of the case…beyond Facebook hoodie pictures and status updates….no one is doing much.  I’m not even sure anyone knows what to do.  I honestly don’t have clue.  Everyone is mad…..and everyone wants to help…but no one actually does. We feed off eachother’s energy and our anger multiplies and we hope that someone, somewhere knows what to do and does it.  That has got to be a helpless feeling for the family of this young boy. 

This case has left me unsettled.  So many things about it just went wrong and so much about it has yet to even be dealt with.  As a whole it just leaves me with unanswered questions and a distaste in my mouth.  We have to do better as a society.  We have to learn to live together. Martin has drawn comparisons to the story of Emmett Till. Till was a 14-year old African American boy who lived in Mississippi in 1955 and was lynched for flirting with a white girl.  I mean have we not moved forward from that? My wish for this country is that one day the scars of our broken past completely heel and that we can all grow and prosper as the human race and become more than just the sum of our parts…my hope is that one day we can be whole. 

And those are my inside thoughs………….  

Knowledge is Power: How Education Changed My Life..And Can Change Yours

When I was a child I had a vision for my life and where I would be by 30.  From early on I knew I’d be married young, likely without a big ceremony, just elope or head to Vegas, cause I’m a real low key kind of person…nothing flashy. Then I’d throw a large reception.  After that I wanted to have a couple kids and be a stay at home mom and just live and enjoy life and my husband…………………..  Yes I can hear all my friends reading this and laughing.  Sometimes visions are nowhere near the plan God has laid out for us.  How different my life is in reality. I actually didn’t do any of those things and when the time comes that I decide to do them, I doubt they will be in that order or very low key. Haha…sorry Mom.  J Yes many unexpected twists and turns took me off that path and into a very different direction. 

One surprising thing that I have learned from it all is something I never expected to feel so strongly about.  I have learned the true value and importance of education.  It sounds so cliché but I believe it really is the key to success and can set you free.  Knowledge is power.   So often we hear people say that but what does it actually mean? President Obama recently said in his 2012 State of the Union Address that “higher education is an economic imperative.”  I remember that line because of the relevance it has in my own life.  While the President was referring to higher education on a national scale being imperative to the success of our country, I can’t help but acknowledge how higher education has been an economic imperative in my own life.  Literally it has drawn the line between sink or swim, stop or go and quite possibly live or die (okay that might be a bit overdramatic).

 Rewind to 2005….up until then I had navigated through life with relative ease.  I grew up in a family that was not rich, not poor, but definitely a paycheck to paycheck kind of family.  My parents worked hard and I never needed anything.  I had all my necessities and a few wants.  Can’t complain about that.  I was able to go to college which is a luxury that many of my friends that grew up in my neighborhood never had. See college where I come from is an opportunity, not a guarantee.  So I am thankful I had the chance to go and earn a degree from SFA.  All that aside, on April 12, 2005 I was handed a 6 lbs 14 ounce game changer.  I call her Kaily.  Though I didn’t know it at the time…my life had just taken a turn and the outcome of that turn was yet to be determined…it  was in my hands and mine alone.

Soon after my darling was born her dad and I parted ways.  I found myself 22 years old and completely on my own for the first time in my life….and worse….I had another mouth to feed.  Quite far from the way I had imagined things as a child.  For two years I worked and worked and worked.  We were soooooooooooooooooooo broke.  I have literally calculated how many miles it would take to drive to work and exactly how much money I needed to buy gas to get me just there and home.  To this day I can buy a fridge full of groceries for like…$20.  I learned how to survive.  I know what it is like to have nothing. As far as life goes…I think survival tactics are a good thing to learn. While my empty one bedroom apartment was a constant reminder of the things I didn’t have, the one thing I did have was pride….too much pride to ask for help.  And to be honest I never wanted help.  Some of my brokest (is that a word???) days were also my most happy.  It’s funny how you can be at the poorest point in your life and still feel like you have it all. 

Some things that I didn’t have did bother me though and kept me up at night.  Not having an abundance of clothes, shoes or furniture really didn’t worry me.  The things I felt I NEEDED were far more stressful than materialistic items.  I had no job security, I had no career and I had no freedom over my own future. I had no plan for my daughter and no path for improvement, development or advancement.  I felt like I was a fully capable person, but that doors were just not open for me.  And keep in mind…I had a college degree.  Yet still I felt like I couldn’t get anywhere.   That was a humbling moment for me. To this day whenever I see a young girl caring for her child my heart hurts for her.  Because I know…I know how hard it is. And to a girl in high school with a minimal education, supporting a child and hoping for a future must seem like an impossible task with insurmountable obstacles.    

To me, the scariest things in life tend not to be tangible.  In my own life, it is terrifying to recognize an area where I am vulnerable or weak and have no clue how to move forward to change it.  That helpless feeling that you are not in control of your own future or the thought of what could possibly happen to you that you cannot prevent is my biggest fear.   And that is where I was. What if I lost my job? What if I wreck my car and can’t pay for it? What if Kaily needed to go to the emergency room? What on Earth would I do…..scary.  I looked for different full time jobs that paid more and worked part time jobs.  I had as many as 3 jobs at a time, but nothing made much difference in the big scheme of things.  My daughter was expensive and at this point I had no child support or anything coming in….it was all on me and my $30k a year job…..and that just wasn’t good enough. Not for me…not for my daughter…we both deserved better.  Then a little stroke of luck or fate knocked on my door and forever changed things.  Well actually it was just my friend PJ.

He was studying for the LSAT which is the law school entrance exam.  He had a roommate and couldn’t get much studying done at home so would come over to my place to do Kaplan logic games and reading comp problems.  In an effort for me to be able to help him he taught me how to do the games and I had a natural knack for the reading comprehension …next thing you know…I’m averaging 80+ percent on the tests.  That was it for me…I knew this was the change.  So I went to law school. Part time program while working a full time job.  The education I received was Grade A…no question, but most of what I got out of it wasn’t something I read in a book…or 100 books…(there were a lot of books).  No the two largest things I took from that experience  were (i) a change in ideology and (ii) beginning down the road of self-actualization.   

I took a different point of view on life.  I began to view the world as if every fact changes a situation.  And that the freedom of thought is in place to change things that are oppressive.  I noticed that new ideas may seem radical and 50 years later be normal.  I learned that no one can tell you no. 

Second, and probably the most practical and useful thing that education gave me was the security in my own life.  I will never be unemployed.  If I lose my job today I can work for myself by tonight.  I know how to do it, I have done it and I can do it again.  I will never be homeless. My daughter will never be hungry. These are basic needs that I could not 100% be sure of before law school and now I am.  That is the freedom of education.  I don’t have to sit in an office because I can do my work from anywhere in the world and I can eat lunch with my daughter any day I want to. That is the freedom of education. I can earn more than minimum wage and I don’t look in my bank account before I get gas or grocery shop. That is the freedom of education. Oh and I have furniture J small perk. Lol.

I many never earn millions of dollars.  I may never be the President of the United States.  But the freedom of education has started me down the path of self-actualization and even without those things I still have it all.  I can sleep at night. 

I know the road may seem long and never-ending but I encourage everyone to work it out.  Make it happen.  A formal college education or Doctorate program may not be for everyone, but I do believe there is something for everyone.  There will be road blocks but you have to keep going.

There is one thing I don’t tell people because to me it was embarrassing, but at this point it can no longer bring me down.  I think it’s important to share to highlight that no one’s life is without struggle.  You see I applied to 3 law schools, all of which are in the Houston.  I was restricted to the city because of Kaily. I was going to need help and my family is here. I had it all planned out.  So you can imagine my surprise when the first letter I got back was a rejection letter. The University of Houston Law Center told me I am not smart enough to attend their school. Staring at that letter I broke down crying.  For the first time in my life someone told me I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t educate myself and I would have to stay in my current situation for the time being.  It was deflating….seemed like the yearlong testing and application process was all for nothing. I wanted to curl up and quit.  But I didn’t…and no one should.  Then the second and third letters came and I was accepted….given the chance and ultimately a new life. 

So if you are considering going to school, whether it is a trade school, college, or post graduate program my advice is to take the chance.  You will be amazed at how it changes you. 

My Christmas Eve Lesson on Life

This year, on the morning of Christmas Eve I decided to go down to the George R. Brown convention center and help volunteer by feeding the homeless.  This is an annual event in Houston, Texas sponsored by the Houston City Wide Club.  It was my first time volunteering at a large event like that.  What I thought was going to be a day of serving food and smiling turned out to be far different than I anticipated and it was fraught with a wide range of emotions.  

From the moment I arrived at 7:30 in the morning, things were sort of chaotic. I wasn’t really surprised because I knew there were going to be a large number of people volunteering and anytime you have large crowds you have organized chaos.  What did surprise me though was that all the volunteers were asked to bet here at 7:00 (yeah I was late…shocking) yet nothing really went on at all for hours.  There were stations set up almost like a store with different departments.  There was the serving area, and area for children to choose a toy, a section for clothing/blankets and a final section where canned goods were being organized in bags for the guests to take home when they left.  I had signed up to volunteer on the website assuming that I was going to be serving food; however I quickly learned that all the slots for serving were in high demand and were full until 1:30 or 4:30 that afternoon.  I couldn’t stay that late.  As I looked around I was completely dumbfounded as there were hundreds of volunteers just sitting.  All of the “departments” were full to capacity and weren’t allowing any more volunteers. It was just wasted man power.  Frustrating to say the least and likely going to discourage people from participating again.    

Though it was full, my fast talking girlfriend talked our way in to the canned goods area where my brother had already set up shop.  It was not what I had anticipated doing that day and seemed rather tedious, but at that point I was just happy to have something to do.  The task was easy or so I thought.    Take brown paper bags and fill each with 6 canned goods, one dry good (either rice, beans or pasta) and then while supplies last add in a box dinner or granola bar or a “goodie”. 

As I took my first bag and looked at the small supply and variety of canned goods I suddenly felt very guilty about my life.  I am by no means well off or rich. I’m totally average, yet in that moment, I felt spoiled.  I felt wasteful and snooty.   The canned goods were separated into groups with like kinds together.   As I hustled down the aisle making my selections, skipping the section with 30 or so cans of enchilada sauce (who donates that???); I revisited a thought/fear that had crossed my mind at one of the lowest points in my life.  Many of us are only one lifeline away from being homeless or stricken by poverty.  By lifeline I mean we have that one person or job or big break in life that has kept us from falling to hard or failing.  Continuing down the aisle, I thought carefully to myself about who might select each particular bag and I felt troubled because I didn’t know if it would be a family who needed cereal or a single person who would prefer rice or noodles.  There just wasn’t enough food there to choose from and the weight of deciding who would receive what was overwhelming.  Each person was to get so little that it had to be perfectly tailored or I was worried someone would go hungry.  While making these selections, I thought about where I would be in life if I had not had my mother. She has been my ultimate lifeline.  How many times has she bailed me out of a mess???   What if she was not around or if she had been someone that struggled with drug addiction or was just completely neglectful like many parents are today.  Had I not been blessed with the family I have, I could have easily been the person in line instead of the person packing the take home bags. 

I had my daughter at 22 years old and I had a bachelor’s degree yet raising her has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. Law school certainly would not have been possible without my family.  And what if I had her at 16 and was only able to make minimum wage and had a crappy family? One word can sum that up…Screwed.  That’s what I would have been. 

Truth is I have done a lot in my life, but I’m no further than one lifeline away from the other side of the canned goods table and I’m willing to bet a lot of others are too. 

One thing you can’t teach in school is perspective.  I have been blessed to have a unique perspective on life because I have seen both sides of it.  In law school I sat next to people who have never had money issues their whole lives.  I overheard conversations in the student lounge about trust funds and tax loopholes.  Things that amused me because it was so far from the world I lived in, but many were very good people nonetheless.  Some spent many hours organizing food drives and volunteering out in the community yet I know they have no actual idea what it would be like to be on the other side of the table. How could they? It’s not something learned in a book, it’s lived.   And there is nothing wrong with that. I want that for my daughter.

 However, the down side to privilege is that it can prevent someone from ever fully understanding the plight of a homeless person, or a single mom living at poverty level.  I’m sure anyone from any walk of life can sympathize, even truly care and have a passion for helping to find a solution, but to actually understand it is different.  On the other side of the spectrum from my law school friends I have many friends from Alief.  I mention Alief a lot in my writings because it is where I grew up.  It’s a school district on the southwest side of Houston.  It’s not completely impoverished but definitely has its areas.  Many people that I grew up with have turned out fine and are your everyday middle class individuals. Some were fortunate enough to become famous athletes and others are accomplished professionals….but some….yes some, could easily be in the line for the Christmas Eve feast and the bag of canned goods, or the toy and the clothes.  And I understand that just as easily as I understand the lifestyles of my more privileged friends.  I learned the perspective of the poor as a child and the perspective of the rich as an adult.  Having those two viewpoints and understanding that opportunities in life are not distributed equally has been humbling and empowering.   

The dry goods ran out first, then the cereal and then the box dinners so we were instructed to begin packing bags full of 8 cans and that that would be all that the person or family receiving that bag would get.  I spoke to a man who was “Captain” of the canned goods area who admitted that at Thanksgiving they have 3 times as much food donated and that HEB has stopped putting the Red Barrels out in their stores at Christmas time to collect food.  I saw in his eyes that he was troubled by this.  I watched him over the next couple hours and realized he has a passion for service and that some of the decisions he made while volunteering were not easy.  When all the food was distributed he decided we should pull out the bags of rice and separate each large bag into zip locks so that more people could have some.  This act was thoughtful yet depressing.  How much rice have I thrown out in my lifetime….. I wondered….

That morning changed me.  It wasn’t an Earth shattering change but it humbled me.  It will effect decisions that I make throughout the year and probably my whole life.  It reminded me that a commitment to service is necessary because one day I could be on the receiving end of someone’s donated time.   I keep a small group of close friends and many of them know that 2011 was difficult for me and has been one of inconsistency and change.  Neither of which I handle very well. I started a new job, ended a 5 year relationship, relocated to a new part of Houston and my closest girlfriends moved out of town resulting in me just feeling kind of isolated.  It sounds really dumb when I write it. Lol. Wow rough life right. Lol. But that is my point.   It is dumb.  Much of those internal difficulties and struggles was what led me out to the George R. Brown that morning to begin with.  I went looking for something to help me because I wanted to fill a void I have but I left realizing I don’t need help, I need TO help. Everyone in that line would trade my problems for theirs. 

I wrote that whole blog just to encourage you to get out in the community and help when you can. Take a look at your own life not for what it is, but for what it could have been.  I still struggle with feeling guilty for the things and the life I have even though I’m pretty regular. Service will definitely be a focus of mine this year and perhaps while helping others I can finally put my own heart at ease.   

And those are my inside thoughts…..

The political circus that is the Republican Party

I have never enjoyed a Republican presidential race quite the way I have enjoyed the candidates that are in the running for the 2012 Republican nomination for presidency.  This group of 7 individuals…well 6 now that Herman Cain has “suspended his campaign” have kept me entertained and full of laughter.  I mean you have to admit it is comical.  After two years of prep time to groom a perfect candidate these 7  now down to 6 individuals are the best the Grand Old Party could come up with? It’s sad.  Perhaps the devastating blow the party received after the fall of the economy under George W. and the backlash from the American people at the end of his lame duck presidency hasn’t taught the Republicans any lessons. They still don’t seem to have together.

After President Obama’s first year in office I admittedly became unsure about his chances for re-election.  Some of his choices regarding spending were unpopular and the number of major issues he was dealing with seemed almost insurmountable.  But fast forward to today and things are far from perfect, but good, and getting better every day.   Still, put up against a strong Republican candidate, I think the race would be close.  The good news is….the Republicans have no strong candidates…at least in my opinion.  The two years they had to groom someone within the party to become a strong leader has been wasted on 7 candidates that seem to be auditioning for a dysfunctional reality show or entertainment program more than they are campaigning in front of the camera interviewing for the world’s most important position. 

In fact, the Republicans have screwed this opportunity up so badly that I liken it to when the Heat lost the NBA Finals last year.  Many people probably don’t even remember that the Dallas Mavericks won because the media focused more on how on Earth the Heat could have possibly lost.  That being said….at least the Heat had the starting lineup that could win…the Presidential candidates…ehhhh the jury’s still out.  Let’s take a look

Rick Perry – Oh God…Rick Perry.  This guy can’t open his mouth without screwing up.  He is not a strong debater and while the down south “Good Ole Boy” looks the part he, should have never stepped foot out of the Governor’s mansion in Texas.  He attempted to criticize the White House for loaning over $500 million to the country Solyndra but instead made himself look dumb….hey Rick…that is not a country it’s a company.  He failed to name 3 federal agencies he would close after HE brought up the argument that he would close three…he got the voting age wrong in an interview as well as the date of the 2012 election…Good Lord Rick…go back to dismantling the Texas Education System and shooting boars out of helicopters…

Ron Paul – This guy is no stranger to presidential campaigns. He has run twice before.  I’ve watched him in debates this year and this guy is just smart. I mean not like brilliant I think he should be President…but abnormally smart.  He reminds me of that kid in the front row in law school who raises his hand just to add to the professor’s point..but no one but him and the professor understand what he is talking about.  He never seems to have much backing by republican supporters but I will give it to the guy, he knows a lot about a lot.  But he just comes off as weird. 

Mitt Romney – He’s been the only consistent candidate that the Republicans have had and yet he still can’t maintain more than a 25% backing on a consistent basis.  It’s almost like the votes think he’s the best out of what they have to choose from but…they don’t really like him.  He’s flip flopped on a lot of issues and also can’t really take the republican stance against Obama Care…or the Affordable Healthcare Act which is the healthcare initiative instituted by President Obama last year.  Why you ask? Because he signed a healthcare bill in Massachusetts while he was governor that  many say the Affordable Healthcare Act was modeled off of.  In addition, just today Romney was grilled in the must have state of New Hampshire when he approached a Veteran intending to discuss his service in Vietnam.  Unbeknownst to Romney that veteran was gay and sitting at the table with his husband.   With camera’s on the veteran repeatedly asked Romney about his stance on Gay marriage and if he would repeal the New Hampshire same sex marriage laws that allowed him to marry his long time love……Wow…who is assistant…..he should be fired.  You should definitely know a little more about the person you are about to talk to with the cameras rolling.  The very final factor that may or may not be a big deal is that Romney is Mormon. Historically,  we have never had a Mormon president.  To liberal votes this would probably not matter much, however, he is running for the Republican ticket and those tea partyers can be a tough crowd.

Newt Gingrich – Right now he is the only other viable candidate,  although to me he seems to be just riding a wave of republican unstableness (is that a word???).  Gingrich has been around a long time.  He was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, he’s been and author and a political consultant.  During the election he has come under fire for $1.6 million dollars he earned as a consultant to Freddie Mac.  Freddie Mac of course failed during the 2010 housing crisis and had to be bailed out by the government…yet Gingrich profited.  Another possible issue for Gingrich is he has two prior marriages and his current wife was the result of an admitted affair while he was married to his second wife.  Republican voters especially tea party citizens tend to be very conservative when it comes to marital vows.  He also lacks the financial backing that Romney has.  I think he has an interesting strategy though.  Today he took part in a Lincoln/Douglas style debate with Huntsman which I now think was tactical.  Huntsman and Gingrich didn’t debate anything. They agreed on everything…with Huntsman being a long shot this gave Gingrich a vast opportunity to throw all his view out in the open unopposed since he didn’t invite Romney to the debate.  I think he and Huntsman found a platform to promote themselves without opposition by disguising their love fest for one another as a “debate”.  That’s not playing nice…. I like it!

Huntsman well…who knows.  The little known Ohio Governor doesn’t seem to have much support from the Republican Party since he promoted support for civil unions of same sex couples in the state as well as supporting in state tuition for illegal immigrants.  I mean…I like him already, but I’m not Republican so I think that is the problem. 

Bachman – Just doesn’t have the support.  The Republican Party doesn’t recognize her as a viable candidate with the capabilities to beat President Obama.  She is inexperienced and from what I saw at the last debate doesn’t answer many questions…not that any of them do. 

Finally…Herman Cain – This spectacle of a candidate had me perplexed from the very beginning.  Outrageous to say the least his far right stance appealed to tea party voters but almost seemed completely staged to me.  Yet somehow he had the tea party peeps attention and had a following.  Sex scandals eventually took down his campaign which brought much entertainment to the campaign but in the end too much embarrassment and turmoil for his wife and his family and he had to bow out of the race…at that point…no one was watching anyway.  Sex scandals apparently make for good TV, but don’t win presidency nominations. 

I’m backing Obama all the way, but I can’t keep my eyes and ears off this Repulican campain. 

OCCUPY WALL STREET!!!!! But then what???

For months now as I have been roaming my house doing chores with the TV on, I’ve heard the sound bites and news clips depicting vivid scenes of scores of protesters in the streets worldwide and how arrests on Wall Street are being made daily due to protestors camping out and flooding the streets of New York with signs, chants and thousands of people. Honestly…I’ve just been looking the other way. It was one of those things you think will just go away in a couple days and there is no need to research or discover what is going on.  At least I’d hoped it was because I really had no clue what it was all about. 

But two days ago I got a text from my sister in law regarding a New York Judge’s ruling and interpretation of the 1^st amendment which basically states that the 1^st amendment does not afford you the right to camp out overnight in protest and thus the tent communities the Occupy members were living in were shut down.  The first thing that went through my head when I read the text was flashbacks of First Amendment class  in law school and reading case after case on content neutral, content based, time place and manner tests and obscenity, but the second thing that went through my mind was…Is this still going on???

I’m sure by the above paragraph you thought this was going to be a blog on legal limits on your First Amendment rights which I would LOVE to write you 18 pages on…but alas,  I don’t have the time or energy for that today, so stay with me…you are spared. However, apparently the movement IS still going on. Sooooooooo I did some reading this morning about Occupy and understand a little more of it now. Basically…the people are mad.   I like the slogan “We are the 99%” which illustrates economic inequality; specifically the growing disparity between the upper class or the  1% of the population that has and controls much of the wealth in this country and the middle/lower classes in America or the 99% that is left that doesn’t control much individually.  Furthermore I understand the anger and frustration with greed, undue corporate influence in politics/business transactions and corruption.  But what I can’t figure out is what specific resolution and/or demands the organizers and participants of the Occupy movement want?

The movement demonstrates how passionate people in large numbers can command attention and convey a message. Usually, this method can obtain results; however, I am unclear as to what result the citizens partaking in the protest are seeking.  In other words, what would end the movement?   I’m hoping one of my readers can clarify it for me.  Is it not true that normally with a protest there is a demand and when that demand is met, the protest ends?  For two months now the Occupy participants have stormed the streets of many countries.  They are occupying the roads, boulevards and paths of New York City, San Francisco, Dallas, Kuala Lampur, Zurich and a number of other countries worldwide, but that’s all they are doing….occupying them. Well….and chanting complaints. 

This makes me wonder how many of the participants even fully understand the protest themselves and how many are merely sheep following a crowd.  Surely, someone passionate about an issue could organize a rational solution to the problem that if met, either in whole or in part, could appease the masses and end the movement.  I’m not sure if that sentence should end with a period or a question mark.  Perhaps disseminating the message that people are unhappy with the economic inequities as depicted above is all that participants are trying to accomplish.  I say that because I just see no clear demands.  If that is the case then I wonder how long it will continue seeing as no specific action can end it. 

I love protests regardless of whether or not I agree with the issue, because they illustrate and put into action Freedom of Speech and the people’s right to peacefully assemble, both of which are notions at the very core of this countries foundation.  Many people fought/fight for that right and some have given their lives so while slightly off topic, I don’t want anyone to forget that. 

For now it seems without any specific demands the Occupy movement will likely continue to grow and draw supporters, some of which I presume will likely just see a mob moving down the street and join in, but supporters none the less.  Perhaps over time as the message is heard even louder a demand or solution will be realized and proposed or maybe without campsites and winter approaching the importance of standing up for financial equality will get outweighed by the impending harsh weather and will in turn die.  God I can be so cynical….

Either way, a worldwide message against the state of the current economy has been heard.  What began as a grass roots crusade overseas had snowballed into a worldwide spectacle at the very least drawing people’s attention even though it has yet to spark a resolution or a solution to the issues and problems it raises.   

 I guess now that I’ve read all these articles I’ll stay tuned. J

Coat Hanger Abortion Returns: Mississippi puts Ripples in the Settled Waters of Roe v. Wade

       It’s 1956 and a 17 year old girl sits on her bed feeling sick to her stomach.  She feels ill for two reasons.  One because she had unprotected intercourse two months earlier and has not had her period since. She has been throwing up for weeks and she knows she is pregnant.  Secondly she feels ill because she is nervous.  She has a coat hanger clutched tightly in her trembling left hand.  She is afraid.  What she doesn’t comprehend is the danger of what she is about to do.  Abortions are illegal, but she doesn’t care.  There is no other option.  She can’t afford a child nor is she ready to be a mother much less a single mother. The shame it would bring her family and the community backlash is too much to bear.  So many thoughts are racing through her head.    She knows what she is going to do.  She inserts the curved edge of the coat hanger into her as far as it will go and she yells out in pain. It’s almost unbearable. She screams louder as the coat hanger scrapes her insides and they begin to bleed.  Finally it pierces the fetal sack in her uterus.  Fluids rush out of her and her stomach begins cramping uncontrollably.  She lies on the ground now in a pool of her own fluids and blood.  Paralyzed by pain she weeps believing her nightmare is over.  As the hours pass the bleeding does not.  The coat hanger has caused infection and internal bleeding neither of which this young girl knows of.  Time goes on and the pain increases.  She feels weak now but she can’t tell anyone.  She thinks she just needs rest and pain medication but she has still been unable to move from that spot on the floor.  She feels even weaker and can barely keep her eyes open and for the second time in a matter of hours, life leaves her body.  Her corpse lies on the floor next to the pool of blood and the coat hanger.  A young life lost. If only there had been a better way. 

Do I have your attention yet? This was a scene that played out over and over again when young women found themselves with an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.  They were left with almost no alternative to having the baby.  It remained that way until the landmark Supreme Court decision in the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized clinical abortion.   My own grandmother has recounted stories of women she knew in the past living through similar scenes.  The look in her eyes when she talked about it….it was a look I have difficulty describing. It was as if the fear and pain of those 1950’s days were so etched into her memory that they seemed as though they were only yesterday.   She spoke about how degrading it felt to live in a world where men dominated and made decisions about women’s bodies.  She was so thankful that the nation had progressed and those days were only memories.  Since the holding in Roe v. Wade, the law has settled and our current abortion laws, though always controversial, are set and in place.  Women can legally obtain an abortion through a physician in a clinical setting if they so choose.  It has been that way for almost 40 years.  Though no procedure is ever 100% safe, the clinical abortions in today’s world are very routine, clean and for the most part safe. 

Mississippi threatens to send its citizens back to the days of coat hanger abortions.  On the ballot and up for vote is Proposition 26 which sets out to grant “personhood” to every human being from the moment of conception.    One with personhood is thereby considered a person with all the rights afforded in full.   While the words of the proposition itself seem mild its implications are vast. Perhaps more vast than it’s authors intended…but perhaps not.  If the Mississippi voters pass Prop 26 it would effectively prohibit abortion in that state. Anyone who takes part in an abortion could then be prosecuted for murder.  Additionally, the law would aim to prohibit certain birth control methods that destroy a fetus such as the morning after pill and a variety of other contraceptives.

This makes total sense.  I mean total sense from a state that is one of the poorest in the country with a high rate of teenage pregnancy and a skyrocketing number of STD transmissions.  Oh and don’t forget their glowing reputation on human rights………oh wait….

That being said, this proposition makes no sense at all, on so many levels.    Making abortions illegal will not stop them from happening.  History has taught us that.  Hundreds of thousands of women died from coat hanger abortions and other types of self inflicted methods in this country. Women continue to die in other nations that do not allow clinical abortions to be performed.  Taking away the right for a woman to have the choice to abort her fetus by a medical doctor in a clinical setting is throwing her into the 1950’s bedroom or back ally.   While Mississippi citizens can travel to another state to obtain an abortion there will certainly be those who cannot afford to.  And those are the ones who we decide to force into parenthood.  Great idea….correct??? INCORRECT.  These women will either have children they did not want and cannot afford or they will perform a dangerous self inflicted abortion.

  One proponent for the “Yes on 26” movement stated that it is about fighting for the rights of the unborn.  That is one of the oddest statements I have ever heard.  Perhaps she would also like to fight for the rights of the dead?  This theory makes no sense to me.  One who is not born does not know one is not born. We do not recall the womb.  Further, what consequence then for those fetuses that do not make it due to miscarriage.  Should the mother then be prosecuted for manslaughter?  Will the district attorney’s of Mississippi spend their days investigating every ended pregnancy? I can back many movements..the rights of children, the rights of minorities, the rights of women, but the rights of the unborn?  Seems farfetched.

To illustrate competing principals, proponents argue that when a pregnant woman is murdered the murderer is tried for the murder of two people no matter how far along the woman is.  They argue that if the woman had gone to get an abortion the very same day she would have been free to do so and that categorizing the fetus as a person in one instance and not in the other is an inequity.  I think the answer to this quandary as to why there is conflicting law on the matter  lies more in the reason for the creation of the laws than in how they are interpreted and carried out.  Murder is the #1 killer of pregnant women.  What that means…if a woman is pregnant and dies there is a high chance she was murdered.  In order to dissuade would be murderers, lawmakers upped the charge from regular murder to capital murder carrying with it the possibility of life in prison or death.  The intention was to protect the mother not the fetus.  Abortion laws also protect the mother by allowing her to choose motherhood and if she chooses to abort her fetus providing her with a clinically safe and sterile environment to do so with a licensed physician. 

Further, this is an example of Government overstepping its boundaries.  I never lived in the 1970’s and never had to know anyone that had a coat hanger abortion.  By chance I was born in the 80’s and I never had to live through that.  For my entire life the right to have a clinical abortion has been in place.  Even thinking about someone deciding that I do not have a choice to decide what will happen in my body or in my life infuriates me.  I think that anger is a result of two things.  The first, that while I don’t know anyone who lived through a coat hanger abortion, I do know women that have gone through a clinical one.  I have felt the emotion they have felt. I have held their hands in the waiting room and I understand the decision.  These women are not bad people. They did not make an irrational or sporadic decision.  They knew what was good in their own lives.  This is the rule not the exception. Secondly my anger is sparked by my own ignorance in regards to the effects of outlawing abortion.  I know the stories like the one above, but I don’t know what it is like to not have the choice over my own body. To attempt to comprehend the fear the women who lived pre 1973 must have felt makes me angry.  I’m sad they endured it.  To think that someone somewhere believes they should make it law that a woman cannot decide is unfathomable to me. 

The last problem I have with this proposition is that it is far too vague.  Its effects would make it illegal to dispose of any fertilized egg including those used for invitro-fertilization even when protocol calls for their disposition.  Does this action warrant a murder charge? Also there is no exception in the proposition for anyone that is the victim of rape or incest.   I cannot support that.

While for now the effects of this law will only be felt within the confines of good ole Mississippi the appeals will likely reach the Supreme Court of the United States.  Once there, the Court will either embrace the “Personhood” take on abortion and in turn effect the abortion laws throughout the entire country by outlawing it OR the Court’s holding could backfire in the face of those pushing Prop 26 and give a stronger precedent by upholding Roe v. Wade and adding strength to it. 

This has been one of the most difficult blogs I’ve ever had to write because I feel so strongly about the issue.  I have attempted to display my points without seeming like a rambling fool.   I hope I succeeded.  Bottom line…your body, you decide.

Dad’s Old Belt – My Strong Feelings on Spanking in 2011

Judge William Adams of Aransas County is facing the nation today or actually, more accurately, he is not facing the nation today.  He called in sick citing personal issues after a video of him beating his teenage daughter with a belt went viral.  Seven years ago his daughter got in trouble for using the internet.  As a result Judge Adams chose to discipline her by taking a belt and hitting her with it over and over again. 

Watching the video made my stomach cramp, my skin crawl, my blood boil and my head spin. Only in the name of discipline can one strike another human being without consequence. Imagine if you will that Judge Adams was angry at a teenage neighbor who broke a vase in his home. Could he at his own discretion begin whipping that child with a belt? Or what if an adult was visiting and the two disagreed during a discussion? Then would Judge Adams be justified in hitting that neighbor? Or how about a stranger who litters on the Judge’s property? Is he deserving of good old fashion whooping? In all these instances striking someone would be illegal and would warrant assault charges. Why then do we accept that it is okay to attack a child with a switch, or a belt, or a spoon? What makes it so much different if they share our own blood? Is that not counter intuitive?

The human condition is fragile and more than that cyclical. To address a child’s wrongdoing and react with violence only leads to continued violence. Children become what they know. Corporal punishment in the home such as beating a child with a belt is no longer an acceptable form of discipline. I am not naïve enough to think it no longer happens and of course I know that many children are still punished by whippings with belts. What I am saying is that children have rights and they need people who can speak for them. I wish child abuse charges would be brought against the judge and in turn that would cause him to lose his job, but the reality of it is that is not likely. To prosecute each individual that has spanked a child in all practicality is impossible. At best this experience will set an example.

As a family lawyer I know the courts are cracking down on corporal punishment in the home. The days of the 1960’s are long gone. So much has changed in regards to civil rights, minority rights, women’s rights and everyone’s overall constitutional rights why is it that when it comes to children’s rights the law has been slow to change? I am happy that I have witnessed Harris County Judges limit and take away visitation and custody rights if corporal punishment has been used in the home. I think a strong stand against assaulting children should be taken.

I grew up in a time when beatings were acceptable. I remember the terror in my heart as a child listening to the crack of the belt and hearing it hit the skin of my brother’s backside. I have never heard of any action taken by a child that I thought justifiably warranted getting spanked with a belt. Moreover I think the people my age who do use belts, switches, cords or spoons to spank were spanked themselves and have become a part of the cycle.

Watch the video…what good came from that beating? Would you ever want to see yourself in this video?  Think about that the next time you are at your boiling point.  Is it you that is out of control or your child? Is the irreputable emotional harm and the violence you are embedding into your child’s phychological growth worth the red marks and bruises you are choosing to use as a means to an end?

NBA Locked Out But Basketball Lives

For the second time this year Owner’s and Players are running a muck and making a mockery of professional athletics.  It seems as if it is Deja Vu.  While the NFL finally got it together and is in full swing (sidenote: GO TEXANS), it seems that the same financial disagreements that plagued football earlier this year have seeped into the NBA.  The owners have locked the players out and have already cancelled all preseason games.  In fact if a deal is not reached tomorrow David Stern has threatened to cancel some regular season games.  It’s decision time and unfortunately game cancellations seem inevitable. 

You see football players had to work it out quickly with their owners.  The cost of a lock out season was just too great. A year of NFL is 25% of the average player’s career.  That is too much for most players to lose.  NBA careers tend to be longer and the salaries are also much higher.  I feel like the players probably want to work it out and start the season on time, but in reality, they can hold out much longer than NFL players.  I predict that if the NBA plays this year at all it won’t be until late November or early December.  The reasons are numerous but basically it’s because you can’t stop basketball like you can stop football. 

 The younger players will definitely feel the pinch if the season doesn’t start and paychecks aren’t paid, but they have an option. Overseas teams will shell out decent money to these young stars to spend the season abroad.  The money is not the same as NBA money, but it will allow them to pay their bills while negotiations continue. 

Older players who have made much more money during their careers can afford to sit it out at home and relax with an extended offseason.  Street basketball games and pickup games have spawned sensational fan support and created a lot of internet buzz. In all honesty it’s hard to look at the players as money hungry when they are suiting up and playing nationwide for free.  This week while Davis Stern calls off part of the regular season, Miami’s big three, Lebron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade will host a charity game in California through The Drew League.  This game is bringing out big names in the sport.  Nike is supporting the players that endorse its products by printing warm ups with the slogan “Basketball Never Stops” on them. I gotta say, I agree.   

In addition to The Drew League UCLA is the place to be. NBA pick up games are being played consistently in the gym of the Bruins with the only caveat being that at least one UCLA player must be on each team. 

Superstars are popping up at neighborhood parks, private gyms, charity events and college practices all risking their health and careers…just to hoop.  I even read an article recently that tossed around the idea of a renegade basketball league.  Just starting over.  Same teams, same cities, new owners and new league.  Wouldn’t that be slap in the face to the NBA. While highly unlikely it just goes to show you that no matter what the Owner’s think they can do to the players they have to realize that this isn’t the NFL.  The NBA players have a lot more leverage and the Owners need them.   

I hate that the NBA is locket out, but we still have college which is much more competitive anyway and I look forward to watching the pick up games and the charity events.  It’s still good basketball.  No matter what, there will always be good basketball. 

Check some of the pickup games at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUrPznMtSE

Employment Resources for People with Criminal Records (Felony and Misdemeanor)

As an attorney you can imagine that I am privy to some very interesting conversations and questions.  While I always keep every inquiry regarding any legal topic completely confidential, there are some common threads and concerns that pertain to many of the queries that are thrown my way.  One of these is the difficulty people experience when trying to overcome past discretions or mistakes.  I am asked over and over by family members and friends of young people who have committed crimes about what steps they can take toward making a fresh start.  The main concern I hear is that people with criminal backgrounds who wish to turn their life around struggle to find employment and sometimes end up as repeat offenders. 

I have found a few websites geared at helping individuals in need of employment as well as agencies that will give job training in some cases housing and job placement.  Additionally i have a list of employers that I received from the IV-D courts in Harris County who have been known to hire individuals with a prior record.  I have not checked these companies individually and do not know if they will lead to any actual job placement but it is a place to start. 
Here are the lists of agencies and what they aim to do:

Project Re-Connect – This is an organization located outside of Dallas, Texas.  It is a comprehensive outreach program intended to assist non-violent offenders from state or federal prison, who are on parole, with the transitioning process back into society.   The core modules of the Project Reconnect program concentrate on providing pre and post assistance in following areas:  employment, housing, education, recovery support and community service. This project aims to have an ex offender self-sufficient within a maximum 24-month period. The contact information for this program is as follows:

Project Reconnect – Offender Reentry Initiative      
2922 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.                                         
Dallas, Texas 75215                                                               
(214) 670-0184                                                                      
Fax (214) 428-4722                                                               

Project Reconect Houston Program
2828 Fish Trap Road
Dallas, Texas 75212
(214) 671-0695

(Services offered to non-violent offenders on parole)

Greater Urban League Dallas – Project Victory – This is a re-entry program that seeks to assist formerly incarcerated people with integrating back into society.  Components of the program include employment and employment retention, reduced recidivism and increased earnings, housing, mentoring, anger management and financial literacy training, computer training, job placement, GED preparation and mental health an substance abuse counseling.

Goodwill Industries Houston – This Organization is available in Dallas as well and provides instruction in soft skills, like resume writing, interview techniques, and workplace responsibilities. Basic computer skills and basic accounting as well as finance techniques are also skills that are taught. Job training for employment at Jiffy Lube is also available.

Contact:                                                                Contact:
Goodwill Industries of Houston                              Goodwill Industries of Dallas
2030 Westheimer                                                  2800 North Hampton Road

Houston, TX 77098                                              Dallas, Texas 75112
713-699-6311                                                     214-638-2800
713-529-5302 fax                                               214-638-7926 fax
Web Site: www.goodwillhouston.org                    Website: www.goodwilldallas.org

Project RIO

Project RIO is program that branches off of the Texas Workforce Commission as well as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), the Windham School District and the Texas Youth Commission (TYC). The project affords its constituents a connection between education, training as well as a link between employment during incarceration with employment, training and education after discharge. Services are provided to program participants both pre-and post-release. It works by developing an individualized treatment plan to identify a career path for the prisoner or released party which will assist in guiding them with post incarceration decisions.

Before the person is released, an evaluation is performed to evaluate the necessities of the prisoner and support in the selection and assignment in Windham, College, TDCJ and TYC programs. This process is a multi-step method that contains information gathering, goal-setting, program placement and self-assessment.

RIO participants participate in job search workshops that emphasize basic skills such as completing a work application, writing a resume and participating in a mock interview. The most important part of the TWC Project RIO program is obtaining employment quickly after release.

Contact:
Project RIO Staff
Texas Workforce Commission
101 E. 15th St., Room 506T
Austin, TX 78778
800-453-8140
Web Site: www.tdcj.state.tx.us

Here is a place in Azle, Texas:

Green Light Ministries is a 2-year “Brother to Brother” program that houses previously incarcerated men and supports then with finding employment, job training, and life skills programs. Food, clothing, and shelter are provided and support group training and mentoring.

In addition to all these places if you or someone you know is just seeking help out of a bad situation the following agencies may be able to help.

Angels Recovery House: This is a Dallas based company that aims to offer a safe living place for men and women who have nowhere else to go and need to escape from dangerous situation, i.e., domestic violence, drugs, alcohol, sexual abuse, poverty.  To contact them you can call 214-498-8510.

Texas Criminal Custice Coalition Re-Entry Guide
TCJC offers an extensive guide to resources that focus on adult re-entry throughout Texas, however, they do not provide any services directly. Some of the community organizations provide housing, employment and community health services, among others things.  There website for more information regarding these services is below.

Contact:
Web Site: www.criminaljusticecoalition.org/tools_for_re_entry/adult_services

Additionally, if you have friends or family in other states needing information on programs like these www.2ndchance4felons.com is a wonderful resource for residents in all 50 states.  If you would like these lists emailed to you please contact me at nottebartd@yahoo.com and I’ll send them to you!

Houston Area Companies that May Hire Prior Offeders:

Dallas Area Companies that may hire Prior Offenders:

Here are companies in the Dallas Area:

1.       Tom Thumb (Go To Local Store & Fill Out Application)

2.       Albertsons (Will Hire Recent Felons)

3.       Walmart (Go To Local Store & Fill Out Application)

4.       Dollar Tree

5.       Omni Direct Cable Company

6.       Tlc Rentals

    740 West Mockingbird Lane
    Dallas, Tx 75247-6010
    (214) 634-1100

7.       Dal-Tile 

   214-398-1411 

   Must Be 7 Yrs Since Conviction

   Www.Daltile.Com

8.       Owen’s Sausage

9.       Fed Ex

10.    Outcome Outsourcing
   614 S. Edmonds Lane, Suite 202                                
   Lewisville, Texas 75067                                                                

11.    Greyhound 
   Greyhound P.O.Box 660362 Dallas,Tx 75266-0362

13.    Sam’s Club

14.    Dallas Rapid Transit  (Conviction Must Be 5 Yrs Old)                                                                        

15.    Dell  ( Conviction Must Be 7 Yrs Old)

17.    Dunkin Donut 

18.    Mcdonald’s    

19.    Dr.Pepper

20.    Verizon

21.    Blue Bell Ice Cream

22.    Mega Motors  

23.    Texas Instruments

24.    Luby’s

25.    Allen Foods 

  (Fort Worth) Must Be 3 Years Old)  

26.    Janitorial Work   

   (No Felonies In The Last 10 Years) Apply In Person At 15058 Beltway Addison, 75001
   No Phone Calls Please

   Or You Can Email Nmcclellan@Calgar-Ent.Com    

27.    X-Site Marketing

   Email Resumes To Xsitemarketinghr@Gmail.Com

   Must Be 7 Years Old

28.    City Of Dallas Sanitation Services
   3112 Canton Street, Suite 200
   Dallas, Texas 75226-1687
   Phone: (214) 670-3555
   Fax: (214) 670-3670

29.    Kroger’s

30.    Sonic’s Drive In

31.    Jack In The Box

32.    Memco Roofers 972-556-1867

33.    Encore  Www.Encoreps.Com  (Will Hire Recently Released Felons)

34.    Telemarketers 214-351-4664

35.    Salvation Army

   Www.Salvationarmyusa.Org

36.    Warehouse Packaging  972-256-4104

   No Felonies In The Last 3 Yrs.

37.    Bi-Lingual Warehouse   972-494-6269 

   Non-Climate Control Really Hot At This Time

38.    Car Haulers

   Please Contact Ellis @ (866)327-3748 Ext. 5089. Please Leave Name And Contact Info Must
   Not Have Any Felonies, Dui Or Dwi Convictions In The Past 7 Years         

39.    F.A.M Solutions

   Send Your Resume To Fam.Solutions@Yahoo.Com

   No Felonies Within The Last 7 Years

40.    Forklift Operators

   Call Ray 972-255-7150

   Must Not Have A Felony Within The Past 10 Years

41.    Airtran Airways

  Http://Www.Airtran.Com/Jobs/Employment_Opportunities.Aspx

  No Felony Convictions In 10 Years

42.    Janitorial Work

  3712 Arapaho Rd. Addision,Tx 75001

  Felony Must Be 10 Years Old

43.    Bekins A-1 Movers, Inc

   Toll-Free: 1-877-421-9152
   Direct-Line: 1-877-821-8783
   E-Mail: Ralianello@Bekinsa1.Com

   No Felony Convictions Within The Past 5 Years

44.    Adeeco 972-316-3200

45.    Hvac Service Techs

   817-341-5133

   Will Review Non Violent Or Adjudicated Felonies Over 5 Years Old

46.    Stick/Tig Welders

   972-717-9080

   No Felonies In The Last 10 Years

47.    Pts 

   Www.Ptstravelers.Com Or 1-800-819-0251

   No Felonies In The Past 7 Years

   Must Be Willing To Be A Coast-To-Coast Traveler Diesel Equipment Ex; Hydraulic And Track   
   Cranes A Must. Dozers, Excavators, Fork-Lifts, Volvo Loader, Cat Sky Track (Lull), We Also 
   Have A 953 Cat Loader That Has Been Converted To A Cummins And Is Permissible For 
   Underground

48.    Elite Business Network   Www.Elitebusinessnetworkllc.Com 

49.    Farmer’s Insurance (Felony Must Be 10 Years Old)

50.    Dfw All Stars                                                     

   (469) 865-2640

51.    Pepsi

52.    At&T

53.    Frito Lay

54.    Minyard’s

55.    Mary Kay

56.    Janitorial Work

Staffing Agencies That Accept Felons

1.       Integris Staffing Solution , 817-251-1303, ( Felonies On Case By Case Basis)

2.       Spherion Staffing , 301 N Collins St Arlington, 76011 (817) 461-5005

3.       Staffworks Employment, Park Central I, 7616 Lbj Freeway, # 525, Dallas,75251

4.       Sterling Personnel Grand Prairie/Irving, Tx 972-550-7444

5.       Bpi 214-348-2444

6.       Cornerstone Staffing 817-491-2299

7.       Link Staffing Locations – Dallas, Texas , 10875 Plano Rd Ste.#103, 75238, (972) 840-1199,      
         (972) 271-9963 (Fax), Www.Linkstaffing.Com

8.       Ameri-Temps, 1625 N.Story Rd. Irving, Tx 972-721-9675

9.       SOS Staffing, 5068 W, Plano Pkwy, #300, 75093, 469-467-1193

10.     Express Employment Professionals, Please Visit www.expresspros.com/Us/

11.     Apple Staffing Services, http://www.applestaffing.com/, 972-259-5566

12.     PDQ Temporaries, Ask for Sylvia Farris

• North Arlington Office, 711 East Lamar #212, Arlington, 76011, 817-459-0479
• Dallas Office, 2435 W.  Northwest Hwy, #109, Garland, 75041, 972-926-0939
• Oak Cliff Office, 2807 S. Westmoreland, Dallas, 75233, 214-623-8190
• Lewisville Office, 2305 South Hwy 121 #136, Lewisville, 75067, 972-316-2560
• Mansfield Office, 702 Hunters Row Court, Mansfield, 76063, 817-477-1049

     13.     Next Temps, 972-926-5551
     14.     Kelly Services, 972-501-9517
     15.     Staff Force, 972-353-2304

Trucking Companies That Hire Felons In The Dfw Area

1.     Melton Truck Lines  Www.Meltontruck.Com/

2.     Covenant Transportation Www.Covenanttransport.Com/

3.     Wse / Mct Transportation   Call 877-973-5327

4.     Crst Van Expedited  Www.Crstexpedited.Com

5.     Knight Transportation Www.Knighttrans.Com

6.     Chief Carriers  Www.Chiefcarriers.Com/

7.     Southern Freight, Inc Www.Southernfreight.Com

8.     Ffe Transportation Services, Inc Www.Ffex.Net

9.     Greatwide Truckload Management Www.Greatwide.Com

10.   National Carriers Www.Nationalcarriers.Net

11.   Prodrivers Www.Prodrivers.Com

12.  Towne Air Freight, Inc Www.Towneair.Com

13.  Stevens Transport Www.Stevenstransport.Com

14.  C.R. England   Www.Crengland.Com/Truckingjobs                          

15.  Raider Express 2400 Cold Springs Rd., Fort Worth, Tx 76106

16. All Freight Systems, Inc                                          

a.     Vince Toll-Free At: 1-866-974-4956 Ext. 1203.                  

b.     No – Dui, Dwi Or Felony Convictions In The Past 5 Years

17. Mason And Dixon Intermodal, Inc  888-476-0782

18. Cdl Truckstop –  Brodie At 612-424-6324

19. Firstfleet, Inc                                           

a.     800-819-0905                                                 

b.     No Felony Convictions Within Past 10 Years.

20. Bancroft And Sons Transportation Llc                          

a.     1-888-352-5220 Ext 165 Or 162

b.     No Felony Convictions In Last Ten (10) Years

21.Kmk Enterprises Inc                                         

a.     Becky – Human Resource/Recruiting Director
8208 E Hwy 66
El Reno, Ok 73036
Phone: 1-405-262-2877 Ext 305

22 Rigar International Inc Www.Rigar–International.Com

23 Louisiana Transport Call Today! 888.480.6176

24 Cdn Logistics, Inc Www.Gocdn.Com

25. Pgt Trucking Inc Www.Pgttrucking.Com

26. Jbs Carriers Www.Jbscarriers.Com

27.  Dillon Transport, Inc Phone:                                   

a.     1-866-959-3834   

b.     Www.Dillontransport.Com                                               

28. Bekins A 1 Movers, Inc

a.     Www.Bekins.Com

29. Contractor Hiring Team Drivers Or Drivers To Run Team, 855-264-0858 (Class A License) 
(Felony Must Be 5 Years Old)

Here Are Companies in the El Paso Area

1.     American Federation Of State County Municipal Employees
(915) 532-1515
3120 Gateway Blvd E

2.     International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 351
(915) 771-0224
1200 Golden Key Cir

3.     Autoflug Safety Systems
(915) 778-8300
28 Concord St

4.     Industrial Technical & Professional Employees District No 1 E
(915) 881-0700
6070 Gateway Blvd E

5.     American Federation Of State County Municipal Employees
(915) 532-1515
3120 Gateway Blvd E

6.     Industrial Technical & Professional Employees District No 1 E
(915) 881-0700
6070 Gateway Blvd E

7.     International Union Of Operating Engineers Local No 953
(915) 778-2371
1420 Geronimo Dr

8.     Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No 49
(915) 778-9763
6944 Commerce Ave

If the print on this list is too small or you woul like a hard copy please email me at nottebartd@yahoo.com

thanks! 

Casey Anthony v. Amanda Knox – Two Countries, One Bill of Rights and the Difference Between Freedom and Imprisonment

Globally there is an overwhelming inequity when comparing the percentage of men who commit murder against the percentage of women.  I don’t know a scientific reason for this nor do I lose much sleep pondering why this imbalance exists.   Even with that being said, when a male is arrested, tried and convicted of murder, absent some twisted fact or irregularity, the case tends to go relatively unnoticed.  In a world of 6 billion people, murders happen so frequently that even this most heinous crime becomes anaesthetized.  But once in a while there is a murder so out of our socialized norms that it catches our attention.  Once in a while a murder case so bizarre and unexpected occurs and even though the details are gruesome and stomach churning we are captivated. 

In recent years two cases have been comprised of such horrific and inexplicable facts with such unlikely suspects that they have catapulted into the spotlight of media attention.  Two horrific murders occur with two female suspects.  Both attractive women, both in their 20’s, neither having any prior criminal records and now they are both arrested for murder.  One, a single mother accused of murdering her 2-year old daughter then hiding the body and lying to police and the other a foreign exchange student suspected of  sexually assaulting and stabbing her British roommate to death in some kind of drug ring/orgy gone bad/love triangle in Perugia, Italy.  The irregularity of the accused coupled with the shameless and licentious facts of their respective cases proved to be tabloid gold making both Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony household names. The outcomes of these trials have been highly controversial and have left millions questioning the actual justice derived from their respective countries judicial systems. Both verdicts seem unjust given the facts and procedures taken in each trial and the question everyone keeps asking is how can this happen?

Amanda Knox was a beautiful, youthful, American student from a well off family in Seattle. She was studying abroad in Perugia, Italy sharing a residence with 3 other girls. On November 2, 2007 her life changed forever.  Her roommate, Meredith Kercher was found lying in a pool of blood at the girls home.  Kercher had been stabbed multiple times.  Her wounds were the result of an inexperienced murderer.  The cuts did not sever any major arteries which resulted in Kercher agonizing for at least ten minutes before finally bleeding to death on the floor of her room.  The media and police immediately suspected Knox without providing much explanation and the media took hold of the story.  There was no evidence found that could put Knox in the room at the time of the murder.  DNA collected was inconclusive.  We would later discover that forensic experts acknowledge the little DNA that was collected failed to reach minimum international standards for what is acceptable. Knox, her boyfriend and a third person were immediately arrested for the murder.  After days and days of questioning Knox confessed to the murder of Kercher and then immediately recanted.  Knox was interrogated for long hours.  She claims that for days they questioned her without an attorney present and she was physically assaulted by her interrogators and deprived of food and water.  She was charged with the murder and has spent three years in prison while going through her trial where she was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 26-years behind bars. 

Casey Anthony, like Knox, was young and attractive. She was a single mother living in Florida raising her 2 year old daughter Caylee.  In June of 2008 Caylee’s Grandmother Cindy Anthony called 9-1-1 and reported the toddler missing after repeatedly asking Casey of her granddaughter’s whereabouts. She had not seen the child for over a month.  Cindy told police that Casey’s vehicle smelled as if a dead body had been in it.  For 31 days Casey left the disappearance of her only child unreported. During the investigation photos of Anthony partying at night clubs and hanging out with friends during this 31 day timeframe would surface on the social media website Myspace.  When family began to question the location of Caylee, Casey told authorities she believed her daughter was abducted by a nanny.  In time we would discover this nanny never existed.  As days turned into weeks and then into months,  Anthony’s story changed multiple times. Analysis of her computer hard drive brought to light a Google search for the word chloroform.  Chloroform is a substance once widely used as an anesthetic with the capabilities of knocking an adult unconscious.   Subsequently, chloroform would be found in the trunk of Anthony’s car.  Although Caylee was reported missing in June her toddler body would not be found until December when it was uncovered nearby the Anthony residence.  The area had been previously searched multiple times leaving investigators to conclude that the body had not been there long.  It had been stored elsewhere and dumped.

These stories paint a nightmare of two heinous crimes that would each generate drastically different outcomes.  To the dismay of millions, Knox was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 years in prison and Anthony was acquitted and walks the streets today free to continue her life.  Given all that we know about each of these cases I posit the question… how it is that one person can be convicted on so little evidence and another could walk free with seemingly an insurmountable amount of evidence stacked against her?   To unravel the answer we have to begin with the procedural differences between the countries in which each was tried.

 Alright we are here!! The super nerdy portion of my blog…this gets me so giddy with joy.

As young children we read about the American Revolution, the Boston tea party and the midnight ride of Paul Revere.  In high school we delve further into American History and begin to unwrap the reasoning and the importance the founding fathers put on adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution.  To me these topics are fascinating and admittedly this is a likely result of having a history professor for a father; however, these two cases highlight exactly why the framers of the Constitution felt they needed to include the Bill of Rights as a safeguard to protect certain rights they believed every person was born with.  The great value and protection provided to US Citizens is showcased within the procedural inequities in each of these suspected murderer’s trials. 

To understand how Knox could be convicted on so little evidence that at best was shaky, we must first look to the differences between the United States Criminal Justice System and the Italian Criminal Justice System.  Why there are a vast number of variances 8 key variations are as follows:

1.      Defendants do not have to take an oath to tell the truth

2.      You do not have a guaranteed right to an attorney while being interrogated

3.      The jury is not sequestered prior to deliberations

4.      A jury panel is made up of 6 commoners and 2 judges, one which presides over the trial

5.      Verdicts are not unanimous but by majority

6.      Even after winning a trial the prosecution can appeal for a larger sentence

7.      There are two levels of appeal in the Italian judicial system. At the first level a sentenced can be reduced.  On the second level, which could be two years or more away, it might overturn her conviction.

8.      The same judge presides over the appeal

To the contrary in the United States there are protections set forth in the Bill of Rights designed to shield its citizens from certain injustices that the founding fathers felt most prevalent.  As originally proposed, the Constitution was basically a mechanism for shaping a federal government and included very little in the way of guaranteed individual rights. The framers who opposed ratification insisted that provisions be added to protect individual liberties.  In murder cases the most important protection afforded comes in the form of the 5^th amendment.  Here we can see how Anthony benefits from the United States requirement that she be given “Due Process of Law” which includes an attorney, a unanimous jury verdict, Miranda rights, protections against searches and seizures and other procedural safeguards put in place to prevent unjust outcomes and “unfair” trials.  Many of us take our individual rights for granted and rarely think of them.  Amanda Knox surely thinks of hers now.  Italy does not have the same Due Process safeguards.   That is how a possibly innocent Amanda Knox living in Italy can be imprisoned for 26 years while a probably guilty Casey Anthony goes free. 

From the everyday eyes of citizens like you and me this all seems like an injustice right?  Casey Anthony’s jury got it wrong.  She murdered her daughter. And whether Knox did it or not the procedure taken and the evidence presented does not provide her with an American idea of a “fair” trial.   The fact of the matter remains that while in Italy throwing out dots in the form of circumstantial and uncorroborated evidence is enough to convict, in the United States you must connect those dots as well. I see tabloid pictures of Casey Anthony roaming the streets care free and my stomach churns. But the founding fathers knew this would happen.

William Blackstone is the author of the book Commentaries on the Law of England . It was his brilliant writings and works that the founding fathers used to craft and adopt many of the common laws of America.  Blackstone spoke these words “better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer“ and that is precisely what our laws provide for.  Anthony is likely guilty and she went free.  But she was afforded due process and her right to a trial by jury. There was not enough to convict her under our standards.  Unfair…possibly, but when we look glance across the pond and witness Amanda Knox being held imprisoned in Italy we can see the alternative.