Views from Point Breeze

The sports world is abuzz today because Jason Collins announced that he was gay.  It was reported that he was the first openly gay current player to come out.  I would have to disagree with that statement.  First of all, Jason Collins is an unsigned free agent.  Currently, he is on no one's roster.  He received a slew of congratulatory calls from the President and others.  Kobe Bryant, who was fined for making homophobic statements, tweeted.  Chris Broussard, of ESPN, condemned him to hell for immoral behavior.  I definitely disagree with his statements but I reiterate, Jason Collins is not signed to any team and is therefore openly gay, but not currently an NBA player. I remember when John Ameche announced that he was gay.  He was living in London at the time and it was a safe decision.  Recently, Will Sheridan, who played for Villanova, came out as gay.  He had a real informative interview on ESPN and I applaud him for his honesty.  As a father of two children I have to be pre

I am in a quandary on this blog.  I understand the influence of religion on some people's lives.  As a Christian, I try everyday to live up to the ideals of a God fearing person.  I am not perfect and it is a struggle to always keep the Gospel in the forefront of my life.  I definitely focus on the improvement that living a principled life can bring.  My difficulty is understanding the need for Islamic militants to take out frustration and anger on Americans. We got hit hard on 9-11.  Almost 3000 people lost their lives and many more had their lives disrupted because of this tragedy.  It was discovered that Osama Bin Laden had organized this act of terror to punish the United States for crimes against Islam.  The Saudis, Yemenis and other bombers all held a strict allegiance to Islam.  I am wondering where in the Quran it calls for murdering innocent civilians?  The World Trade Center was the site of two attacks by terrorists.  Numerous other attacks have been carried out or foi

I watched with horror at the injured victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.  Before the pictures could be cropped, a man in a wheelchair had both of his feet blown off.  All one could see were his bones protruding below his knees.  What a terrible way to end what was one of the most historic days in Boston history.  Patriot's Day (or Patriots' Day) commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, which were fought near Boston in 1775. Patriot's Day is annually held on the third Monday of April.  It is a state holiday in Massachusetts and there are many festive events to celebrate our independence from British rule. The Red Sox game begins at 11:00 AM.  Restaurants probably have drink and food specials.  One of the greatest draws of all is the Boston Marathon though.  The following facts explain the impact of the Marathon: The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in Greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts . It is always held on Patri

Some people, including myself, longed for the warmer weather of spring.  Even though it was not a particularly snowy winter, it was cold for long periods of time.  I couldn't wait to dust off my clubs and begin some spring cleaning projects.  Apparently, teenagers in Philadelphia had other ideas.  According to published reports, approximately 200 teenagers joined in a brawl in Center City yesterday.  This flash mob was spurred on by a fight between two teen aged girls.  On the corner of 16th & Manton Street yesterday, a street fight turned into a brawl that led to ten police cars and undercover officers showing up.  In Kensington, a young lady was shot and killed during a brawl there.  What in the name of Seasonal Affective Disorder is going on here? We have had horrific instances of flash mobs in Philadelphia before.   In 2010, the New York Times reported on the following episode: In a Feb. 16 melee, 150 teenagers spilled out of the Gallery shopping mall east of City Hall

I shudder to think that we might become like Mexico.  I say that because first journalists were the target of the lawless factions that rule parts of that country.  If you reported a crime or a murder, then you became a victim.  Even Internet reports were subject to retribution.  Then police officers were the targets for the ire of the cartels.  The officers, in many situations, have now become part of the criminal element.  It is better to stay alive and be slightly crooked than to the letter of the law and dead.  It's hard to believe I just wrote that but I live here in the United States.  In Colorado, a prison Warden was murdered approximately two months ago.  It was discovered that he might have been targeted by a white supremacist prison gang.  In Texas, two district attorneys were recently murdered.  It is speculated that the same supremacist gang might be responsible for the awful murders.  In the second murder, the DA's wife was also killed.  Prosecutors, defense att