Manns Medium

People often wonder why someone would run for president and often times they say it takes a pretty large helping of arrogance to think that you could be the leader of the free world but I think that it is more than that.  I think it is simply a way for history to either repeat itself or get rewritten.  Repeat itself, when we refuse to learn from the past and get rewritten when we choose to not only learn from the past but change it.  Yes, I think the spirit of a person compels them to run or put themselves out there for public consumption so that we have a chance to demonstrate whether we want a different outcome or not.  I believe that it’s the spirit of a person which pushes them to seek public office and not simply an emotion of arrogance, desire or even duty.  I believe that this man-made body is more controlled by the spirit that dwells within it than many of us know.  The actions we take, the decisions we make and the satisfaction we seek are all...

For many, like me, when I first heard about this group calling itself the Oath Keepers prowling around Ferguson, Missouri my first thought was a group of troublemakers looking for a reason to feel relevant but then later, it occurred to me why they were really there and what it meant to all of us as Americans.  Though their ideas, beliefs and concepts may appear foreign to many of us as I am sure ours appear to them, there is one huge fact that we often overlook. According to the article titled “ Oath Keepers Turn Up at Michael Brown Protests in Ferguson, Missouri ” written by Cassandra Vinograd.  She reports “ The Oath Keepers organization says its members — all former military, police and first responders — pledge to "defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic."  However, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar described their presence as "both unnecessary and inflammatory."  Protesters and police confirmed that a handful of Oath Keepe...

What began as a banner for those who were convinced of the greatness of the south’s way of life to rally, fight and die under has now been reduced to a rally for those who would love to see a nation once divided separated again.  So for the reason for which it was created, those who share its heritage and hold close the primary purpose for its creation should be allowed to fly it and fly it proudly. It should not and never should again fly over Federal, State or local government buildings simply because there are some rightful citizens within this nation, this state and this community who do not care to embrace the results of this flag’s current reduced notation and since this country is bigger than the personal desires of one group, majority should rule as the primary principal of all states of this nation for which it stands. It should not and never again fly over Federal, State or local governmental offices and buildings because of the failure or the ancestors of those ...

It’s becoming increasingly clear that many are focusing too much on symbols to determine the mindset or belief system of another.   While being born and raised in the south and experiencing racism first-hand, I know for a fact that a flag does not represent who you are.   It’s time we all took a step back and take a breath. While it is true that many southern group that promote racism carries around the Confederate Flag and to people born into times as I was, seeing that flag does raise a lot of suspicions, but suspicions does not make for truth.   Many African-Americans, Hispanics and poor Whites know this first hand because it is that same suspicion that gets us followed around the stores when we go shopping.   It’s that same suspicion which causes us to lose out on a good job or an opportunity to advance our lives and the lives of our families.   We know this suspicion oh too well.   The article by Associated Press writer Jeff Barnard titled Ore. bu...