Starting Your Dreams Later In Life and Embracing the Detour

Jenee Darden speaking at Creative Mornings I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but that's because of my job. I'm working as a reporter covering Oakland and I host an arts segment on the radio where I get to interview amazing artists from around the Bay Area. Plus I'm publicizing my book  and building my speaking career!  You know what's funny? I thought this would all happen by the time I was 27-30.  Nope. That wasn't God's plan for me. I'm finally beginning to do the things I've wanted to do and I'm almost 40 years old. Some people reading this who are 40 will say 40 is still young. But some younger people reading may think 40 is nearly ancient. But I'm writing this post for those who like me, thought their career and personal dreams would come true much early in life. I'm here to tell you not to give up.  You know, death inspires life. A number of my relatives and friends have passed away, ranging in

Welcome to Our Post-Racial Society

Hey Boys and Girls. Welcome to our post-racial America. That's right kids, no racial hatred in this land of the Red, White & Blue. The President is black so all that Civil Rights, Jim Crow stuff is behind us. The pot has truly melted. And did I mention here in the U.S. you can see flying pink elephants sitting on clouds eating cheesecake? We'll get to that later. Let's start our post-racial tour in the Nation's Capital at the Holocaust Memorial Museum...

The shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC made me sick.
James von Brunn, 88, allegedly had so much hate in his heart that he decided to wake up this morning and kill. I guess it was a double joy for the alleged neo-Nazi who shot a black guard at a museum honoring Jewish history.
Two things really made me angry about this story. Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, 39, was just doing his job. He was trying to make a living just like the many Americans lucky to have a job in this economy. He probably didn't even feel like going to work today just like most of us. And somebody stole his life. For what? Because he was black? Because he was there?

The second reason why I'm angry is because of our legal system. Von Brunn has a serious criminal history. According to CNN, in 1981 he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve. Von Brunn "angered by what he called the 'treacherous and unconstitutional' acts of the Federal Reserve... entered the central bank's Washington headquarters armed with a pistol, a shotgun, a knife, and a mock bomb, according to court records. He claimed to be a photographer who wanted to shoot pictures of the boardroom, and bolted up the stairs when security guards told him to wait." [source: CNN] He served six years for this crime.

WHY WASN'T THIS REPEAT OFFENDER LOCKED UP?! This man was bold and crazy enough to go to a bank in with weapons, a bomb threat and try to kidnap federal officials. Yet, he's been walking the American streets for 20+ years. There are people facing harder time for using crack and this dude only got six years. It doesn't make any sense. I wonder if he was sending a message to President Obama who just returned from touring a former Nazi concentration camp in Europe. I wonder if seeing a black U.S. President condemning the Holocaust was so much for his hate-filled soul that he just had to kill. Doesn't matter now. Von Brunn will probably be spending the rest of the life he has left in jail if convicted. I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to be in jail at 88. At least he's still living. I wish I could say the same for Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. But why am I sad? We live in a post-racial society. Remember?


Photos:
1. NY Times
2 & 3-CNN

Comments

  1. Mr. James Von Brunn was able to escape a long prison term because there are two sides to the legal system; the white laws, and the laws for everybody else. We continue to live in a racist society and that will not change just because our president is black. It reminds me of the Barbie Bandits who got little or no jail time (for robbing banks) because they were white blondes. They were just out having a little fun, and no one got hurt, so let's just give them a pass. White males will also continue to be given a pass card because excuses are always made for them whenever they commit crimes, especially against Jews or people of color. This case will end up like all the other cases. He will probably plead insanity, and he will be hauled off to a nut house for a few years; then his attorney will say he's been rehabilitated, and he is no longer a threat to society, and he'll be released. Let's face it, even if he does get out and kill again, white people will have nothing to fear. It will be another negro, or a Jew, and their lives apparently don't equate to those of whites or so they believe.

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