One Man’s Opinion

September 18, 2014

Domestic Violence in the NFL
by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

One of the major issues right now is the Ray and Janay Rice spectacle. The NFL suspended Ray Rice for two games before looking at the tape of what happened inside the elevator. After looking at the tape, they suspended him indefinitely.
Janay says in spite of him kicking and spitting on her, that the NFL treated her husband disrespectfully. For she is the one who made her husband knock her out and drag her out of the elevator. It’s amazing to me how women can let men mistreat them and then say it is their fault.
My concern is whether or not the NFL should take the responsibility of being judge and jury. I would rather the court system decide Ray Rice’s fate. In the event he is found guilty by the courts, then the NFL should take disciplinary action.
Now they want to terminate Roger Goodell because he didn’t make the decision to fire Ray Rice for life without hearing from the courts. For the record, I state emphatically, I know no reason why a man should punch a woman, kick her, and spit on her, even if she had a pistol in his face. He might have to hit her, but not kick her.
Another reason the NFL can suspend you is for whipping your children. Here again, this is an issue for the domestic court system. I think it’s wrong to whip a four-year-old until he bleeds. I recall when I was a kid in school, every Friday, there was a spelling competition. If you mis-spelled a word, a teacher or student gave you five licks with a strap. I got many of those licks. The upside of this is if you pronounce it correctly, I can spell it. Teachers could whip students then and if I went home to tell on the teacher, my grandmother would whip me again.
I realize that times have changed and some people can take whipping too far, but my grandmother raised seven children; they all finished college and none have been involved in domestic violence or illegal matters. In other words, those seven children worked with discipline, were taught to respect other people’s property and did not turn out too badly.
Back to the NFL, my guess would be there will be all kinds of rules and regulations to make sure their brand gets protected and still make billions and billions of dollars. This PR nightmare happening today will last another two-three weeks.

The City’s Land Bank Program

The City of Birmingham has established a land bank program that can really make an impact on the growth and development of the City. They can go into a community and find buildings and property that they can condemn, tear down, give to the neighbors next door, sell the property or develop it.
Sometimes when people pay x-number of dollars for a piece of property, the first thing they want to do is sell if for a profit or try to make their money back and end up with nothing. A friend of mine purchased a piece of property on Graymont Avenue for $10,000, tried to sell it for $40,000. He had an offer for $30,000 and refused it. Today, the value of the property is less than $5,000 because the roof fell through to the inside. This was a piece of property that could send the owner to court; the courts will make him tear the building down at a cost of $8,000. When buying and selling property, you’ve got to know when to hold it, know when to fold it, and in some instances, take a loss before you lose it all.
We need to tear everything down in the City that is deteriorating and make use of the land. This organization will serve a meaningful purpose as the City moves forward.

Donald Trump is a Dummy

Donald Trump is one of those persons that I can never understand how he makes money and continues to make money. He’s one of the most controversial figures in New York and the last statement he made is the dumbest I have ever heard. He said: “If Barack Obama resigns from the Presidency, I will let him play free on my many golf courses,” in response to the fact that the President was turned away from a tee-time on Labor Day.
Not only is it stupid, it’s disrespectful to the office of the President. Both white and Black people should be criticizing Donald Trump for this statement. He has consistently made derogatory remarks about the President and anyone connected to the President who happens to be someone of color.

New Evidence in the Michael Brown Shooting

Two contractors doing construction work were about 50 feet away from Darren Wilson when he opened fire. Shocked at what they saw, they described an unarmed teenager with his hands up in the air as he was gunned down by a police officer.
“The cop didn’t say get on the ground. He just kept shooting.”
The construction workers said they don’t live in Ferguson and don’t know the Brown family, but their account squares with accounts from several other witnesses. A grand jury is hearing the case and will determine whether Wilson will face any charges.

The Way I See It

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

by Hollis Wormsby, Jr.
Elephant Story Offers Lesson on How to Reduce Violence
Some years ago there was an elephant preserve in Kenya that had grown too large, and in the eyes of those charged with overseeing the herd was in need of being divided. Without giving much thought to the situation it was decided that a group of most of the older males along with a few females for mating purposes would be moved to another location. And that the younger males would be left behind with older females and a few young females so that mating would at least be slowed.
Up until this point there had been no trouble out of the elephants whatsoever, and they and the people in the nearby village peacefully co-existed as neighbors. Not long after all of the older males were removed the villagers began to have problems with the young male elephants. The young males had begun to leave their preserve and storm through the village, damaging crops that were desperately needed for survival. As the problems continued to get worse the villagers and the preserve managers desperately sought out solutions. Some suggested building a wall strong enough to hold the males, but this was not feasible. Others suggested moving the males further from the village, but this also was not feasible, where would they move them, where they would not be a problem. Finally some began to suggest that troublesome males be executed. Does any of this sound familiar in a different context?
Well, at this point an elder of the village with at least a little common sense suggested that maybe if they brought some of the older males back it would help solve the problem. The villagers were skeptical but given that the only other choice was to begin actually killing the young males they decided they would give it a shot, and some of the older males were brought back to the preserve. As soon as the elder males returned the young males’ behavior changed, as they once again fell in line behind their elders and followed their behavioral guidance.
We have spent a lot of time in the past weeks talking about violence from some of our young men and what can be done to stop it. I believe there are parallels between what we are seeing with our young men and what the village was seeing with the young elephants, and the solution is probably the same; we have got to get these young men under the guidance and mentorship of grown men. There are other parallels as well, as in what do commenters say should be done with out of control Black youth, that’s right kill all the thugs, just like the villagers wanted to kill all the young elephants.
We must approach this problem along two parallel tracks. First of all we have to address the reasons so many of our young men do not have male influences in their lives, as in too many single parent homes, and too many children being born into situations where no one really cares about them and makes them a priority. And then secondly we have to reach out into our challenged communities and touch one child at a time. If we know the family is not doing the right thing then someone must do the right thing on behalf of the children.
Or at least that’s the way I see it.
Over the next few weeks I would like to highlight organizations that work with our youth. If you know of an organization that is doing good work with our youth and would like to see them receive some recognition, just forward me their information, either on Facebook or by the email address listed below, and for the next few weeks I will use this space to recognize their efforts and to share their insights on how they think we can make progress in reducing the violence in our community.
(Do you have a question or comment on this column? Look me up on Facebook/HollisWormsby or email me at hjwormsby@aol.com.

Another Viewpoint: The Other Side of the Story

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock you are probably aware of the most recent NBA owner who made a racially insensitive and questionably racist statement via email to fellow co-owners about their Black fans. The owner I am speaking of is Bruce Levenson, Atlanta Hawks Controlling Owner, who has decided to voluntarily sell his controlling interest in the team after self-reporting the email that many people find offensive. When you read the email I want you to keep an open mind and truly think about the context in which the email may have been written and then decide if the email was racist or was it about what is best for the failing franchise that ranks #27 out of 30 NBA teams according to Forbes Magazine in value, with a $425M valuation.
In his communication with fellow co-owners he shares that he was grappling with low attendance at Hawks games and needed to attract more season ticket holders and corporate sponsors.
Email (summary) reads…
I start looking around our arena during games and noticed the following:
•   It’s 70% Black
   •   The cheerleaders are Black
   •   The music is hip-hop
   •   At the bars its 90% Black
   •   There are few fathers and sons at the games
My theory is that the Black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent Black fans to build a significant season ticket base. Please don’t get me wrong, there was nothing going on in the arena back then. I never felt uncomfortable, but I think southern whites simply are not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they are in the minority.
After self-reporting this email Levenson said that he sent an unintentional and hurtful message that the Hawks white fans are more important than Black fans. He said he chose to step down and be proactive in bringing this out, because he didn’t want to put his family through a public scandal and he didn’t feel that he could be the owner of the Hawks of a majority Black city after the email.
According to the 2010 Census the City of Atlanta is 54 percent Black, 38.4 percent white, and 7.6 percent other. Statistics also show that the Atlanta Hawks currently ranks #28 out of 30 NBA teams in home ticket sales. As a business owner I know that if you are in business, you’re in business to make money. If you are not making money in your business, it is called a hobby. Let’s look at the Hawks, Levenson, and the context in which he may have been making his point.
Businesses spend millions of dollars a year on African-American and Hispanic marketing, marketing to women, marketing to men over 50, etc., you get my point. Businesses market to various demographics for the purpose of increasing market share. In order to attract these markets marketing campaigns must be put in place that appeal to those demographics. Sprite features many NBA stars with a hip hop theme in commercials. Many technology companies feature hip hop artist to promote their product. This is done to attract minority consumers.
Is it wrong for the owner of the Hawks to have a conversation about increasing market share or attendance from a demographic that is needed to increase revenue? Is it wrong to think about what can be done to be more inclusive of white southern people in an effort to sell more tickets when you consistently rank at the bottom of the league in ticket sales? Is it wrong to add some white cheerleaders to the squad, play more diverse music in the arena for more people to feel comfortable and better relate to the Hawks experience? Before we are quick to judge and scream racism, look closely at what was said. Levenson didn’t say he had a problem with Black people because all money is green. I am sure if he was selling out every night with Pacific Islanders in attendance, he would be just fine en route to the bank. He may have been simply speaking business strategy to increase ticket sales from southern whites, keep his African-American base, and make the environment more inclusive. If he could create an experience where everyone could comfortably coexist, he wins.
Put the shoe on the other foot. Let’s take NASCAR for example. Why is African-American attendance at NASCAR at a dismal low? I have attended a NASCAR race and I could easily see how African-Americans could feel excluded in the racing culture. No, I don’t listen to country music; no, I don’t wear cowboy hats and boots; no, I don’t drive a Chevrolet. My point is I am sure that NASCAR has had many conversations about how to add more diversity to NASCAR. Dr. Jesse J. Lewis and Gwen DeRu have worked with them for years to bring more Black people to racing. They have to continue to make it more inclusive by incorporating things that minorities can relate to. Yes, Levenson did a poor job in choosing his words and yes he was definitely on the insensitive side, but racism may be a stretch if you think it was done in the name of business. You decide….
Mahari A. McTier

A Quest to Know God

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

CHOICES
When we think about being selective, we can see so many wrong choices we have made. When we analyze what we selected, many times we are most disappointed in the choice we made. One thing for sure, if you have chosen Jesus, there is nothing in the world any greater. He is the world’s greatest and only deliverer, and there is none else. He will aid you in being the world’s best in every area on your daily journey, if you choose Him.
Everyone has to make a choice. The Lord has given everyone an opportunity. Although, worldly people do not know Jesus, do not believe “Satan” is their enemy. I deeply desire that your choice be the Saviour of the world, who lights up every soul who comes to Him. Those who will choose Him, He will give each one an eternal place in His kingdom. In [Joshua 24:15], he said, “Choose you this day whom you will serve, but for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The world is becoming so conglomerate with simplified worship services. Young people worship God in a most unsacred way, in the House of God. God is a Holy God, and they that worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth, “this is what Jesus said.” You must give your life to Jesus, and live for Him, in order to get into His kingdom, because His Kingdom is for the pure in Heart. Give Jesus your heart/life, and He will make something grand out of you. AMEN!
www.thealmightyeyes.com

See You at the Pole “NEVER STOP PRAYING”

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – See You at the Pole 2014 “NEVER STOP PRAYING,” the Annual Global Day of Student Prayer, is Wednesday, September 24. All around the globe, in every time zone, millions of students will gather around their school’s flagpole for a time of prayer for the 24th Annual See You at the Pole (SYATP). SYATP is a student-initiated, student-organized and student-led event.
Before school, tens of thousands of students locally will join together at their school’s flagpole in prayer for their friends, families, school, city, state and nation. This year’s SYATP emphasis is “NEVER STOP PRAYING,” taken from Ephesians 6:18 in the Bible.
“This year’s theme message encourages us to put on the full armor of God, stand strong in Him, and be His representatives to share the Good News of the Gospel,” said First Priority Greater Birmingham Executive Director Matt Wilson. “This year at See You at the Pole, we would like to encourage communities to converge together and take part in one of the largest prayer movements in our nation. Pray for our students, schools, nation and world. Ask God to reveal who He is to you and your community. Pray, seek and turn to God.”

First Priority will once again coordinate our state’s efforts through:
•   Awareness – print, web, TV and radio;
•   Students gathering at their school’s flagpole on the morning of September 24, to pray for their school, teachers, classmates, community and our nation; and
•   Community rallies planned by local First Priority adult and student volunteers. Rallies will be held on the evening of September 24.

See You at the Pole is a student-initiated, student-led movement that started in 1990. It originated with one youth group, meeting at night at several schools in the community during a weekend retreat. SYATP brings students to their school flagpoles to intercede for their leaders, schools and families, asking God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campuses and countries. First Priority estimates 25,000-30,000 students across the Greater-Birmingham area will participate in SYATP this year.

See you at the Poll Rallies:
The following rallies will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21:

• North Shelby Area Rally – The Amazing Race will be held at Veterans Park Main Pavilion in Hoover at 4 p.m. There will be games, prizes and awards for winners. Contact Debi DeBoer at 205.871.8886 or debi@gofirstpriority.com for more information.

• South Shelby Area Rally at Liberty Baptist Church, 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea, AL, 35043, at 6 p.m. Contact Debi DeBoer at 205.871.8886 or debi@gofirstpriority.com for more information.

All of the following rallies will be held on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 24:

• North Jefferson Area Rally will be held at Corner High School Football Field at 6:30 p.m. John David Crowe Band will lead worship and Andy Heis will be the speaker. Contact Justin Oden at justinoden@gmail.com for more information.

• West Jefferson Area Rally will be held at Pleasant Grove First Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. Billy Smith Band will lead worship and Cliff Stanly with Christ City Church will be the guest speaker. Contact Michael Wallace at 205-213-0076 or mikewallace@mail.com for more information.

• St. Clair County and Leeds Community-wide Rally at Moody High School, 714 High School Drive, Moody, AL, 35004, from 6:30-8 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Cedar Grove Baptist Church Praise Band will lead worship and Word of Life’s Brent Finchum will be the guest speaker. There will be giveaways, games, fun and fellowship. Contact Ashlee Lambert at 205.871.8886 or ashlee@gofirstpriority.com for more information.

• Pell City Area Rally at Pell City First United Methodist Church, 2200 3rd Ave. North, Pell City, AL, 35125, from 6:15-8 p.m. Justin Tesenair Band will lead worship and Dr. Michael Barber will be the guest speaker. Contact Benny Bowman at 205.871.8886 or benny@gofirstpriority.com for more information.

The Debate About Domestic Violence

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

By Angela Moore

Sadly, of late, yet another instance of domestic violence has captured the headlines. Former Baltimore Ravens football professional Ray Rice was recently released from his team and suspended from the NFL after a video surfaced of him beating his now wife in an elevator at a casino back in February 2014. The video was disgusting and disturbing and that is all I shall say about that.
What I shall speak on is the debate which seems to have again reared its ugly head about domestic violence, particularly the lesser informed sides with questions and comments of “why would a woman stay”, “who hit whom first”, “what did she do to provoke that”, or my all-time least favorite “I bet she stayed for the money.” Listen people, and hear me well, all of that makes not a bit of difference when it comes to life and death. Domestic violence is about life and death. It’s not a “cultural” thing. It’s not a “racial” thing. It’s not a “regional” thing. It’s not a “demographically based” thing. It’s not a “certain socioeconomic status” thing. It’s not an “athletes, stars, and politicians only” thing. It’s not a “my daddy did it to my mama so I’ll do it too” thing. It’s not a “she’s feisty so she deserves it” thing. It’s not a “she should have known he was like that” thing. It’s not a “let’s sweep this under the rug or turn on the blind eye” thing. It’s about life and death, be it physical death, emotional death or spiritual death. The ONLY debate about domestic violence should be who offers the
services quicker, closer, more completely and in more confidence to help a woman or any human who has experienced this horrible, horrible dehumanizing act. That is it! Nothing else matters. Point. Blank. Period.
The fact that social media has created an outlet for opinions which can sometimes be based on lack of knowledge, also known as ignorance, frightens me. Having never experienced domestic violence personally I am grateful that that path was not a part of my story, but it is for women I know, love or with whom I have come in contact. Working at Birmingham, Alabama’s YWCA Central Alabama every day encountering women or hearing stories of women who have narrowly escaped with their lives, and some who did not, moves me to act.
Won’t you join me?
Instead of posting the video of another human at her lowest point of humiliation post some resources, encouring words and personal testimonies. Instead of debating about what caused it, talk about what can fix it. Instead of pointing the finger at the woman, know the warning signs and the cycle of violence, get to know her, build a relationship and help her get the heck out of harm’s way. Instead of sitting idly by until the next time something like this captures our attention for a fleeting moment, and it will, partner with agencies like the YWCA Central Alabama or whatever domestic violence services agency exists in your state or country and give money for more resources, advocate for more laws and services, spend time volunteering, donate needed items to shelters and share your own story if there is one to share. If you are a man (or woman) with issues within yourself that you cowardly take out on others, stop it, get help, heal and move on. Call Iyanla if you have to but STOP! If you are a woman (or man) who is the victim of another person’s self-hatred and find yourself in a domestic violence situation, know that you are loved, important, necessary, strong, supported and worth help. Leave with your life in tact and trust us all who care to handle the rest on your behalf.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There is so much to be done that month and in all the months to come to save lives. The good news is, we don’t have to wait until October. Let’s start today by all stoppping just talking about it, debating about it, and wondering about it. Let’s stop domestic violence now. Our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends will hopefully live to thank us.

oAngela Scott Moore has sported many hats in her lifetime. She’s a former broadcast anchor/reporter/producer, a trained motivational speaker, fundraiser and marketing/PR expert. She spent nine years as a pastor’s wife working in full-time ministry before than union ended in divorce. A majority of her time in ministry was spent empowering women and girls. She’s an avid inspirational blogger and also a philanthropic community supporter who has served with more than 25 local and national organizations over her 15+ year professional career. Currently she’s working in the fields of Social Justice and Human Resources and operates the blossoming, full-service events planning venture Amazing Kreations with her business partner, offering media and event planning assistance at low or no cost to small organizations and businesses. Taking lessons learned from each phase of her ever-evolving life, Angela’s now donning the hat of a single woman on a single mission to use spoken and written words to motivate others to “thrive while they survive.”
Contact Angela Scott Moore about speaking engagements at amazingkreations2@gmail.com, follow her blog at www.angelamooreblog.wordpress.com, on twitter at @AngelaMMoore316 or check out her facebook page for people experiencing separation or divorce at I’m More Than What Happened.

A Foundation for Living

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

Understanding Suffering

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She hurried to her car only to find out she had locked her keys inside. As she was about to give up, God sent a man who had just got out of prison to open her car with a hanger.
Sometimes in our effort to overcome suffering, help comes from odd places. In the book of James we are told to rejoice under the cross and to ask God for patience in our trials. The book tells us not to attribute our weakness to the lack of strength we receive from Christ but rather to respond to His Word with prayer and meditation and to get to work.
From early times to the present we have been asking why there is so much suffering in the world. As we review the terrible events that happen with the beheading of Christians and the police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, I imagine there was and is untold suffering going on. If God is our maker, why is there so much suffering? If God is love and compassion, why is there so much pain, death and destruction in the world? There does not seem to be satisfactory answers to these questions. But if you understand Jesus you will understand the answer. We suffer because there is no other way to grow spiritually. We suffer because only through suffering can we become aware. And awareness is the key, and believe it or not, there is a reward for suffering when we understand it.
There are two ways of understanding suffering. The first way to understand suffering is to see it as a blessing that brings alertness and awareness. What do I mean? I mean it is only after we suffer that we become truly aware of what we need to do to serve God better. The Bible says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial.” Only those who have suffered and gone beyond the things of this world are able to persevere through suffering. Those who have not grown, they have to learn through greater suffering. Suffering through the same mistakes is learning the hard way. There is no shortcut. That hard way is greater suffering. Don’t protect yourself against suffering; rather on the contrary, move into suffering as fully aware as possible. Take the challenge, encounter it! You will grow through it. Try to transcend it, go beyond it. Become alert when you are in pain. The more alert you are, the more aware.
The second way to understand suffering is to see it as the favor of God. Hebrews 12: 6 says, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” The scriptures say, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” To suffer is to live. Jesus on the cross is a symbol of the final suffering, the absolute suffering, of the peak of suffering. When Jesus was on the cross, at the last moment he wavered a little. The suffering was too much. It was no ordinary suffering, not ordinary bodily pain; it was anguish – not only physical, but deep psychological anguish. And the anguish was this: that suddenly He started feeling, “Am I abandoned by God? Why should this happen to me? I have not done anything wrong. Why should I be crucified? Why this pain? Why this suffering?! And He asked God, “Why?” He questioned. It must have been a very deep moment of anguish, when all the foundations are shaken and even your faith is shaken. The pain was so much – the humiliation of the whole thing. Then suddenly He became aware; at the moment of crucifixion He came to the perfect awareness. At that moment He went from Jesus to Christ– suddenly He took His place in the Trinity. When we understand suffering as a blessing and favor of God we are able to endure it and receive the “crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Like the blessing and favor bestowed upon Jesus, in our moment of greatest despair, God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves and because we love Him, He will see us through anything.

Rationally Thinking!

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

King Solomon lived his life as if the past was irrelevant and the future uncertain. He drank, collected women, gathered possessions, and cultivated knowledge, only to discover in the end that these pursuits
were futile. Near the end of his life, filled with remorse and regret, he articulated a principle that speaks to us down through the ages. The words are simple, but their meaning and application are profound. In Ecclesiastes 12:1, he writes: Remember now thou Creator in the days of your youth.
It was a truth he himself had forgotten somewhere along the way. And why is this admonition so important? Solomon answers this question in the last two verses of the chapter: The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Like Solomon, modern man has also forgotten the wisdom of a will greater than his own. The outcome is what Dr. Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the United States Senate, called, “Destination Sickness”: …the syndrome of man who has arrived and discovered he is nowhere. He has achieved his goals and finds they are not what he had anticipated. He suffers the disillusionments of promises that petered out – the payoff with kickback! He has all the things money can buy and finds decreasing satisfaction in all he has…he is the man who has become a whale of a success downtown and a pathetic failure at home. He’s the big shot with the boys in the office and a big phony with the boys at home. He’s the status symbol in society and a fake with the family. “Destination Sickness” – the illness peculiar to a culture that is affluent and godless.
The first and arguably the most important lesson anyone must learn is that life is inherently moral. There is a divine will to obey. Every human being needs to know that there is an all-powerful, all-seeing, all -holy God who rewards good and punishes evil. We all must learn that (absolute) values exists; that the commandments of God are liberating, not restrictive. That true satisfaction in life is directly proportioned to one’s own obedience to God. In this context, moral boundaries take on a whole new perspective: They become benefits, not burdens. If you are reading my article, I want to think you are a believer. If you would reach beyond your own “self” today and touch a life that you know has been cast down, YOU will start a movement! Darkness will not comprehend you.
Have a great week. Let brotherly love continue.

FROM THE BIBLE

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

by Jerry Kingery

The Shepherd Psalm

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and i will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world an, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this king of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.
Unto thee O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

from Psalms 23-25

For a free Scripture packet, please write From the Bible, BIBLE FOUNDATION, PO Box 908, Newberg, Oregon 97132. Email: bf@bf.org.

Ray Rice Suspension Appealed Double Punishment Called Unfair

Birmingham Times

September 18, 2014

By David Ginsburg
Associated Press

BALTIMORE – The NFL players’ union appealed Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension Tuesday night, saying that he shouldn’t be punished twice for punching his fiancee in a casino elevator. Rice was originally handed a two-game suspension in July under the NFL’s personal conduct policy after he was charged with assault for the Feb. 15 attack.
The Baltimore running back had already served the first game of that suspension when, on Sept. 8, a video surfaced showing Rice punching Janay Palmer, now his wife, in that elevator.
Within hours, the Ravens released Rice and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell extended the suspension to indefinite based on the “new evidence.”
Goodell and the Ravens say they never saw the video before Sept. 8. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that he had sent the video to a league executive.
“This action taken by our union is to protect the due process rights of all NFL players,” the NFL Players Association said in a statement. “The NFLPA appeal is based on supporting facts that reveal a lack of a fair and impartial process, including the role of the office of the commissioner of the NFL. We have asked that a neutral and jointly selected arbitrator hear this case as the commissioner and his staff will be essential witnesses in the proceeding and thus cannot serve as impartial arbitrators.”
The NFLPA said that the collective bargaining agreement requires a hearing date be set within 10 days of the appeal notice. It also said the hearing will require a neutral arbitrator to determine what information was available to the NFL and when it was available.
The union, which had until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to file the appeal, added that under governing labor law, an employee can’t be punished twice for the same action when all of the relevant facts were available to the employer at the time of the first punishment.
“The erratic and illogical system of ad hoc punishments is a paltry substitute for the leadership the NFL desperately needs right now,” National Organization for Women President Terry O’Neill said in a statement. “Roger Goodell must resign, and his successor must be fully committed to real and lasting change.”
Rice can apply for reinstatement when he convinces Goodell that he is “addressing this issue.” Rice has been accepted into a diversion program, which upon completion could lead to the assault charge being dropped.
The NFL said that Goodell never intended to personally hear Rice’s appeal.
The NFL has come under heavy scrutiny for its handling of the Rice situation – and other domestic violence cases – as the league tries to attract female fans to the game. It is an effort that has been scarred by the original two-game suspension, a punishment many women’s organizations deemed too light.
Goodell, in a letter sent to all 32 NFL owners in August, acknowledged that he “didn’t get it right.”
He then announced a new policy, stating that first-time domestic violence offenders would face a six-game suspension, and repeat offenders would be suspended indefinitely.
The policy didn’t apply to Rice, who had already received his penalty.
There is apparently no precedent for the indefinite suspension Rice received after the video surfaced.
With all questions about who knew what and when – The Associated Press has reported the video was sent to NFL offices in April – the league has hired former FBI director Robert Mueller to look into how the NFL sought and handled evidence in the domestic violence case.
Soon after receiving the original suspension, Rice called his actions in the elevator “inexcusable” and apologized publicly to Janay, his mother, his teammates and the Ravens organization.
He also addressed the length of the suspension, which came with a fine of three paychecks totaling more than $500,000.
“I never planned to appeal any kind of punishment,” Rice said on July 31. “So whether it was two games, four games, six games, eight games, I was going to own my actions and be a man about it and take whatever was given to me.”
At that time, he spoke about the damage his reputation received.
“In some people’s eyes, Ray can do no wrong. That’s something I take pride in,” he said. “I know a lot of people out there have lost respect, maybe not like me anymore. But that’s my fault. I have to own that. That’s my battle each day.”
It is a battle he has waged recently out of the public eye. Although he attended a football game at his former high school with his wife last weekend, he has not spoken to the media since his release from the Ravens.

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