Views from Point Breeze

One of the benefits for citizens today is video on demand.  It was usually a situation where one had no defense except a lawyer if someone had an interaction with a police officer.   In this situation, a woman was attending a Puerto Rican day parade in Philadelphia this past weekend.  Some individuals were throwing water or silly spray in the vicinity of police officers.  Rather than issuing a warning or arresting someone legally, the police officer in question punched a woman in the face hard enough to draw blood.  The woman was actually knocked to the ground by the force of the punch.  I have a hard time believing that this is standard police procedure before arresting someone. Police Commissioner Ramsey has indicated that he was disturbed by the video.  Another high ranking officer, Richard Ross, indicated that it was shocking.  The officer in question had some brutality complaints lodged against him.  None were substantiated and t...

A Republican judge relaxed the requirement for all registered voters to have State issued ID in the upcoming election.  There had been a number of outreach efforts arranged by State Representatives like Harold James of the 18th District.  I attended a Rally sponsored by State Senator Anthony Williams and was interviewed by Channel 10's Monique Braxton.  I did not think that the Republicans were going to relent on this requirement. The basis for implementing the law is unclear.  Instances of voter fraud were few and far between in national and local elections.  Republicans here utilized a quick legislative ploy that was signed into law by Governor Tom Corbett.  In fact the poster child for legislative abuse was John Perzel.  He utilized state workers and software to track voting patterns and get out the vote efforts.  He denied wrongdoing until he was indicted.  Jane Orie was a Republican judge from Allegheny county who was also indicted fo...

I have been a die hard NFL fan for almost 40 years.  As another season begins, my enthusiasm is somewhat tempered by the continuing struggles of former players who try to adjust to life after the game.  A Super Bowl win by the Eagles might relieve all of my misgivings but I truly feel sorry for the players that I emulated from various teams while enjoying the game.  Andre Waters, Dave Duerson and Junior Seau were warriors while playing the game.  They are all dead.  Mike Webster, a former All Pro center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died at 50.  There a number of other players like Ray Easterling and Ted Johnson who might not have name recognition, but suffer the effects of concussions. Some of the most enjoyable times of my life have been spent preparing for and participating in football parties.  When Donovan McNabb was at the top of his game, we thought we had a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl.  We would work on preparing dishes and rot...

An  police officer was recently murdered in Philadelphia.  The perpetrators were young African American males who stalked the officer as he was trying to make it home after completing an overnight shift.  The police have executed a search warrant for one of the perpetrators involved in the crime. I wonder what his outlook must be right now.  He is nineteen years old and facing a long litany of charges.  Both of the men involved have previous involvement with the law.  The police officer was a Church Deacon in the very neighborhood in which he was slain. There have been numerous instances recently which illustrate the plight that many of our African American males face.  On a subway train, someone noticed a man with a rifle protruding from his bag.  The person quickly alerted the authorities and a tragedy was averted.  A police officer just shot a person who tried to drive away from a traffic stop. Numerous incidents involving gunshots and ...

There is a situation unfolding in Philadelphia right now that should be a cause of concern for any potential Developers.  The building trade unions are making a project being built with no public dollars, a nightmare.  It is the usual players because they maintain the status quo so well.  Pat Gillespie, who recently praised the Mayor for signing a project labor agreement that has yet to be implemented, has been on the scene for years.  In fact, one never hears of his position never being up for election.  He has been President of the Building Trades Council for years and will retire with the crown.  Fred Cozenza, who sits on an Economic Inclusion Committee at the University of Pennsylvania, shows his true colors on picket lines.  The real players, the guys picketing the job site at 12th & Wood Streets, are non-minority trades persons that probably do not live in the city. The statistics published by the Developers based on their workforce partic...

I am sitting in a Quality Inn in Mobile, AL.  The fact that I am in Alabama at all reflects the journeys that one must take in life.  I am in my second week of training for Boyd Brothers Trucking.  My Trainer, David Ford, is from Ozark, AL.  I arrived on Sunday after a 27 hour bus ride from Philadelphia.  I got picked up in Dothan, AL and on my first road trip I landed here in Montgomery.  An article in the local newspaper recounted how this city was a point of entry for slaves entering into the United States.  I was leery of the reputation of the 40's, 50's and 60's for racism and lynchings.  In spite of my misgivings, I am enjoying myself. It was a peaceful ride down here.  I stopped in Richmond, VA, Fayetteville, NC, Walterboro, SC, Savannah, GA, Jackonsville, FL and Tallahasse, FL.  It was a hectic time but I am focused on completing my training in 5 weeks.  My Trainer is a smooth brother who seems well suited for the job....

I attended a Homegoing Service for Donna Cristina Coleman on Saturday, June 16th, 2012.  She was born into the Sutton Family on January 16th, 1968.  She was the youngest child in a family of five children that I affectionately refer to as my Brothers and Sisters.  Between the Sutton's, Wallace's, Taylor's, Bell's and Beattie's there were at least 35 children.  When we went to fireworks on the Parkway or cookouts in the park, we would have a tribe of children and parents.  I think Donna was the baby of us all.  She passed away too soon on June 11th, 2012. We all attended St. Rita's Elementary School.  It is now closed as are many of the Catholic schools in South, Southwest and West Philly.  It provided a nurturing place for many of us who have become lifelong friends.  It is located on Carlisle and Ellsworth Street.  We used to play on the 'little street' until I was at least in 6th or 7th grade.  The memories of handball, buck bu...