Garrett’s Passport

On July 6th, sometime after one o’clock in the afternoon, a plane left JFK Airport bound for Germany.  A young man of sixteen years, named Garrett, was not on-board,  although he was supposed to be.  His classmates were on a journey that would last about a month, going to Germany on an established exchange program, each of them assigned to stay with a well-chosen German family and to absorb all the culture and sights they could.  No one could possibly know the effects of such a trip on young minds and hearts.  But for Garrett, it was something for which he had prepared, and the effects might well have been life-altering or at least life-enhancing, for him. 
His mother, Betsy, tells us a bit about Garrett’s background and some decisions she and her husband made as parents.  You need to hear what she has to say:

“Throughout the past 16 years, I have had to make hard, uncertain decisions that ultimately ended up being steps into my son’s future.  One of the most important decisions that Garrett’s father and I ever made was that one of us would always be home with him; that he would not be raised in day care, but rather by us, with our values and our sense of humanity.  That decision was not only the easiest but also the hardest one I have ever had to make.  I knew it would not be easy with both of us being ‘blue collar’ but vowed to make it work the best we could.  When Garrett’s father suddenly passed away in 2006, I had to revisit that decision.  Many thoughts raced through my head, including how I would pay the bills, buy his clothes for school, do any special events and even how to buy Christmas presents. 

The answer came when I looked at my son.  At 7 years-old, he was the most loving, compassionate, honest, well-natured and forgiving person I knew.  He was smart, curious, passionate about learning in school and in life, and in his short life had taught me more about being human than any other force ever has.  I suddenly realized that I had a hand in that!  I made the choices that brought him here, to be this person, to be made up of who I wish to be.  So, I continued to stay home with him, giving up many things along the way, including many of the things others consider ‘staples’ in the life of parenthood.

Believe me when I say, it hasn’t been easy.  On an average monthly budget of $550, I have never been able to own my home, have a closet full of clothes, pay all my bills every month without help from outside sources, own a cell phone, have cable or be able to afford a vehicle.  So obviously I never found it necessary to spend the money on a driver’s license when it was much needed elsewhere.  A couple of years ago, when my sister was diagnosed with MS, I decided to spend the money for a driver’s permit so I could help her when needed.  (How could she know that driver’s permit would be a source of difficulty when it came time to obtain a passport for Garrett’s trip to Germany?).

This trip to Germany had been on Garrett’s radar for over a year.  He and his mother had begun thinking about it in April of 2014. They knew that one of the prerequisites for going was being a host family themselves when it came time for the German students to come to the United States as part of this exchange program.  The Program itself has been in existence for 30 years, and was funded by the German government in order to build relationships between U.S. and German students and families.  However, Betsy knew that her circumstances – poor, no vehicle for travel, living in a small town with one convenience store and no other teens in the area -- were not conducive for offering the best sort of experience to a German exchange student.  She explained her misgivings about being a sponsoring family to two of his teachers, and got the following response:

“In my opinion, Garrett is on top of the ’to go’ list.  He is exactly the type of student I want to take and who would benefit the most.  I will absolutely try my best to take Garrett.  He is one of the nicest and most dedicated students I have had this year.  This would be such a great opportunity for him.  Mrs. Smith (his other teacher) and I agree on this.”

Those same two German language teachers helped Garrett enroll in the German American Partnership Program (GAAP).  But there was still a major obstacle to be overcome.  For the past year, Betsy and her mother had been saving what they could and even collecting cans and bottles in an attempt to raise a goodly portion of what was needed to fund the trip.  The cost would amount to over $3,000, and with just a few months time in which to raise that kind of money. Betsy realized she just could not do it.  Again she wrote to his teachers, and again got an unexpected, but much appreciated response:

“I hope that Garrett has told you by now that he has the option to go to Germany on the exchange trip this summer.  I’m very excited that I have enough funds to provide Garrett with a full scholarship.”

Incredibly excited and proud, Betsy and Garrett went to the Tompkins County Courthouse in Ithaca, NY and applied for his passport, because as a minor, a parent had to be the applicant on his behalf.  The clerk they encountered was helpful in working with them to prepare the necessary documents and forms.  Feeling everything was in order, the clerk suggested that Betsy pay an extra fee of $60 to have the passport “expedited” which would supposedly put it on a fast track and at the end of the process would include overnight delivery to their home.  The clerk also suggested that they should indicate a date of July 1st for delivery since any later would run into the July 4th holiday.  And so, thinking everything that was necessary had been done and submitted as required, Betsy and Garrett spent the next week and more talking and planning, looking forward to the incredible life-changing experience that would shortly come his way.  Or, so they thought.

One day shy of three weeks later, an email arrived from the National Passport Center in Sterling Virginia indicating that the only form of official photo identification Betsy had – that driver learner’s permit from the State of New York-- was deemed “insufficient for passport purposes.”  She would have to submit another form of ID from a list of options given her in that email.  Only one of the options was viable:  a non-driver’s ID from NY State, but, as she soon learned, she would have to give up her learner’s permit in order to obtain it.  Betsy did not hesitate, she went to the DMV with Garrett’s Big Brother Bob and they turned in the learner’s permit and applied for the non-driver’s ID with photo.
To tell the rest of the story, we need to switch to a timeline that traces the next 18 days that were filled with false information, confusion, frustration and a web of words, rules and government red tape that left this family feeling cold, angry, lost and hopeless.  They were at the mercy of a bureaucracy that gave them the impression they were unworthy, insignificant and basically unheard and unimportant.   We go back to May 27th and proceed from there:

MAY 27 2015         Betsy received e-mail from German teacher stating that Garrett was given a full scholarship to enable him to join his sophomore class on a trip to Germany

MAY 29 2015
    Garrett and his mother went to the Tompkins County courthouse to apply for his passport. His application was looked over by the clerk, documents were taken and copied and they were told with it being expedited it would arrive in 3 weeks.
    Two checks were written. One for $140, which included an expediting fee of $60. The other for $33 to the county clerk’s office.

JUNE 18 2015
    Betsy received an e-mail from National Passport Center in Sterling VA stating, “The learner’s permit of the consenting parent is not sufficient identification for passport purposes.” Garrett’s mother called the number listed (1-877 number) in the e-mail and spoke with ‘Rich’ (whereabouts unknown). Explained that other than her learner’s permit the only other forms of identification she owned were her birth certificate, social security card and NYS benefit card (which included her photo). Rich responded that he would have to send an e-mail to a supervisor (location unknown) stating the issue and informing that person of the other forms of I.D. that could be submitted. Betsy was told that she would receive an e-mail or phone call from someone either Monday or Tuesday if anything further would be required and that if she did not hear from anyone by Tuesday to feel free to call back.

June 22 2015
    Betsy called back to see if there was any update on Garrett’s passport. Spoke with “Virginia” (location unknown) who told her to “sit back and wait for a call.” When asked if she could tell which supervisor would be handling the email that Rich had sent on the 18th she replied:, “there are so many supervisors” and “there is no way to tell which supervisor would be handling it” and “anyway there is no contact information for the supervisors.” Betsy then asked if she could be transferred to someone who might know who received the email as she was desperate to get the situation resolved. ‘Virginia’ said she would transfer her call to “a supervisor.” After a long wait, from 10:48 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., the transfer call was finally answered…by another customer service representative. A woman named Robyn informed Betsy that she could “see that Richard had put in an urgent request to call” back.  Unfortunately, Robyn said there was no way for the mother to call the passport center in New Hampshire herself; that the people in New Hampshire would have to call her.

JUNE 22 2015
    After realizing that there was just one alternative left which was to apply for a Non-Driver’s Permit with photo, Betsy called the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles office asking  how long it would take a state Non-Driver ID card to be received, and was told 3 weeks. When Betsy explained why it was needed much faster, she was again told 3 weeks. Feeling she had no other choice on that matter, she thanked the clerk and hung up.

JUNE 24 2015
    Garrett’s Big Brother for the last 9 years (from the Big Brother-Big Sister program) who does much business with the DMV, found out that Betsy could apply and have expedited a state NDID card with the consequence of having to cancel her learner’s  permit.  She and Big Brother went  immediately to the local DMV office, cancelled the learner’s permit, applied for the NDID and paid another fee of $10.  They were given a 1-800 number to call to have it expedited and called minutes after leaving the DMV after paying the estimated $20 fee for that. When she returned home, Betsy called the National Passport Center (location unknown) informing them that she had applied for a state-issued NDID.  She was told when it came through to fax it to:
FAX #     (603) 422 0009 (area code indicates this was a number in New Hampshire)
ATTN: E F  DESK
REF #   268788414        

JUNE 26 2015
  Betsy’s new NDID card arrived by UPS. Having been  told there were no email addresses for the National Passport Center, she immediately scanned the front and back of the new I.D. card, and emailed it to Big Brother Bob who wasted no time in faxing  the copies and a cover letter to the National Passport Center. Just a little over an hour later, Betsy called the passport center again and was informed that the fax had been received and was being processed. If anything more was needed they would call her.

JULY 3 2015
    Betsy received a phone call from “Georgiana” at the National Passport Center (unknown location). Georgiana had called to ask if Betsy still planned to send in a copy of her NDID, so that Garrett’s passport could be processed. Betsy’s heart sank and she started to cry, then asked: “what do you mean? I was told last Friday that my I.D. had been received and was being processed.”  Betsy then explained that she had called the 1-800 number and was told that unless she heard from them, the application would be processed and Garrett’s passport would be sent out in time for him to make his trip. The mother was even told that when someone pays to have their passport expedited, the passport center does their best to get it to them in time.
Georgiana explained that the mother “was outright lied to.”  In fact when she called that 1-800 number, the clerks there only receive calls and have no access to any faxes or paperwork. Further, that call center “would have no way of knowing” if any information was ever received. Georgiana also made sure to tell Betsy several times that normally she would not have even received a follow-up call because the passport center was actually closed that day but that she herself and a few others had offered to come in only to return phone calls. She then asked if Betsy would like to speak to a supervisor regarding Garrett’s application. Although they both knew it would not help him to get his passport in time for his trip, Betsy agreed to have someone call her back.

JULY 3 2015
    Received a call from “Kristin,” a supervisor at the National Passport Center (location unknown, presumably Portsmouth NH).   She stated the same things that Georgiana had indicated: that Garrett would not be able to receive his passport in time for his flight on July 6th. That they did not receive any fax of a Non-driver ID. That the call center she had been calling was in Michigan where they had no way of knowing if a fax had even come in because such  information goes to New Hampshire. Betsy was also informed that the address in Virginia is only a mail hub.
When Betsy asked why the NYS Driver’s Learner Permit was not sufficient proof of identification, Kristin kept repeating, “Because we don’t accept it.” That was the only answer she would give, none as to WHY it was not acceptable. As to WHY no one could have called Betsy before the last day to receive mail, she again gave the same answer Georgiana had given:  that usually no one is even there today; they were just making a courtesy call and even though it was too late for Garrett to go on his trip “might as well go ahead and send in the copy of the non-driver I.D.”  After all “you did pay for his passport you might as well have it,” which made it seem like some sort of consolation prize.
She then gave out a direct number for the supervisors’ office (again a New Hampshire area code) in case Betsy had any further questions (603) 422-0304 and an email address (NPCEF@state.gov) so the NDID copy could be sent directly to them for processing on Monday July 6th when the office (New Hampshire presumably) would reopen.
Keep in mind that all the time previously, the mother had continuously been told that there was NO direct way to contact the supervisors. That the only way to get in touch with them was to call the call center and have one of the agents email them and then wait for them to either call her back or email her.

July 7 2015
    Garrett received his passport this morning.  But it was too late.  The plane for Germany left the day before!
It took 5 everyday people, two staff in Senator Gillibrand’s office, one fax, numerous phone calls and emails, $203, 5 weeks and 4 days for Garrett to receive his “expedited” passport.

It is perhaps fair to say that this is not a tragedy of major proportions.  Perhaps Garrett will get another chance at a trip to Germany.  And, after all, the State Department does indicate that it might take 5-6 weeks from application to actual receipt of a passport.  And, maybe, if more pressure had been applied at the right moments and on the right people, the passport might have been delivered on-time.  All well and good for you to say.   I cannot let it go as easily because my own brother is Garrett’s Big Brother, and I know the investment it takes to raise or to mentor a child to be all that he or she can be; to walk in the right paths and ultimately contribute something meaningful to life and to humanity.  That is difficult enough with the teamwork of two parents; it is at least doubled in difficulty when a single Mom has to do so on her own with some use of outside resources.

But maybe -- just maybe-- there are some important points worthy of further consideration.   It is my contention that we should not easily dismiss this case because we cannot know what might have been produced by this one experience.  We cannot know what might have been contributed to others because of the vision opened by this trip.  We cannot know what potential may have been thwarted by not expediting this passport on time.  So, please: read the rest of the story!

Garett's Passport, Part 2

Garrett’s mother, Betsy, raises some interesting issues of disadvantage, potential and good faith in her telling of this story.  Listen to her words once again:

“Government and its agencies can change lives, protect, guide and create opportunities that otherwise could not be possible.  Government can be a place of wonder, achievement, strength and unity.”

“The thing is that maybe most do not realize that those of us in my position do not have much time to care about government because generally most of us are in a place economically or socially where political affairs or the affairs of government agencies do not take much precedence in our lives.  Straight out: we’re poor; our voices are not heard and our lives are just not important enough because we do not hold the money, status or clout to really make a difference.”

“When situations like this happen, we are helpless for lack of knowing the ‘right people,’ hiring a lawyer, or being able to raise monies needed to make things happen as swiftly as we need them to.  Instead, we are left to rely on good faith, on people doing their jobs and on basic human decency.  All of which usually fail for us.  When it comes to asking for help from places like the National Passport Center, our lives are just not important.”

Perhaps some very poignant words in a letter from Garrett's German teacher are also worth careful consideration at this point, especially by those willing to easily dismiss this incident.

“I am Garrett’s German teacher and one of the two teachers who helped Garrett enroll in the German American Partnership Program (GAAP) exchange program. 
When my German teacher colleague talked about a candidate who might earn a scholarship to go on the almost 4 week trip Garrett’s name was the first and only student discussed.  He is a stellar example of a student who deserves this award. You will never find a more likeable, kind, considerate, polite, helpful student. 

Garrett stands out!  He does not complain or blame others.  He accepts responsibility and does so with a thankful demeanor.  So, if you put his success in German together with a personality that is so rare these day, he should have been on the trip to Germany which is now in its second week.

I have known Garrett for 4 years and have taught him German for 3 of the four years.  He had his doubts about German when I had him in 7th and 8th grade.   There were times when I had to nudge him a bit to study and come in for extra help.  He succeeded and passed the 8th grade proficiency exam.   

I now have Garrett in my honors Level 3 German class.  Let me repeat:  HONORS LEVEL 3!   This is a huge leap!  The honors level students go on to AP German and earn college credit.  Garrett was a wonderful student and as committed to success as they come. He is a serious student and an ambassador for our country (emphasis is mine). 

To hear the news that his expedited passport was somehow mishandled was an outrage to me.  How could this happen?  Everything had been done right at our end here.  There should be no excuse!  For liability reasons, Garrett could not fly on a later flight.   
I hope you can do some good in making sure that those in the passport office realize that they are dealing with young folks too.  Their hopes and dreams are dependent on all doing an excellent job.  Mistakes cause incredible disappointment, not only for the student but for all who care as well.   

Since my usual inclination is to leave my readers with some suggestions for possible actions or some thoughts for solutions to problems, here are a few such considerations that grow out of this incident  (all of which were sent in a letter to the White House which issued an inadequate perfunctory reply).

• Investigate National Passport Center offices involved to determine what they did in this case, and whether they have failed to issue other passports as a result of neglect or of policies that put certain groups at a disadvantage. We also need to know why they hid the identities of supervisors; particularly if they were told to do so. 
• Order all departmental and unit supervisors to stop hiding from the public.  Make their contact information public. 
• Every office within government that serves the public directly should have a person who acts as a Citizen Advocate or Ombudsman whose contact information is always available and who should not be hired by, or beholden to, the office or department in which they serve, and should not be Public Relations officers whose main duties seem to be to protect their agencies.  Perhaps the Inspector General’s Office should be renamed to reflect a more dynamic mission on behalf of the People, such as Office of Citizen Advocate. 
• Information given out to consumers must be accurate and effective.  Wrong phone numbers, inadequate information and lack of information are inexcusable.  Moreover, the sending of faxes to another office in another state other than where the application is being processed is the epitome of  inefficiency.  We have too many mailing centers, fax centers, and phone hubs that are disconnected from main offices - this extends across the bureaucracy.
• Communication and instructional training must begin at the local level where the passport application process is begun.  The local county Court worker who worked on the application in this particular case did not have the necessary information to know that the mother's NYS Learner's Driving permit was not acceptable as proof of identity.  Electronic communication within government across departments and jurisdictions must be brought up to a standard that will eliminate this lack of knowledge.
• Internal evaluations must be organized to maximize Mission fulfillment and public service.  Every department and unit should have to annually assess its internal operations against published Mission and Purpose statements.  It should be required that such evaluations involve complaints from the public and past complainants should be invited to attend such evaluations to air complaints thoroughly.
• Regulations regarding passport application requirements need a thorough review.

(1) Is it the purpose of the State Department to facilitate the granting of passports, or is it their purpose to restrict the application process so that it is difficult for certain "undesirables" to obtain passports?  My response is that ID requirements for a passport are too restrictive, and may be the result of a “law and order” mentality attempting to prevent a minuscule number of  people from leaving this country for illegitimate (perhaps illegal) reasons.  It is not the business of government agencies charged with serving the public welfare to act as policemen, nor to restrict or disadvantage the majority of people in an attempt to restrain a small cadre of miscreants.  

(2) In this particular case, it may come down to a simple change in rules:  allow a picture ID from more sources to be sufficient for passport application.  In particular: a driver learner's permit with photo from a state government agency should never have been deemed "insufficient for passport purposes."  Perhaps an Executive Order could quickly change that Rule.

(3) Moreover, it should be the job of a government agency that serves our citizens to facilitate each client's need, circumstances, request or complaint in the most expeditious manner, unless doing so would constitute a clear and present danger to the United States.  It should be the clearly defined function of policies and rules to facilitate and accommodate instead of to restrict and disadvantage the requests of ordinary law-abiding citizens.  The pertinent question here is whether there are cohorts of citizens who are being put at a distinct disadvantage in obtaining a passport or other governmental services?

I cannot help but think that each of us, and all of us together, have lost something valuable because of this one incident (and every time government fails to measure up to its potential).  Let me be quite clear:  governmental or private  investment in one child’s potential is worth the trouble of acting beyond one’s normal routine!  All it would have taken is for one government worker to have pin-pointed this application and invested some extra time to see it through so that a young ambassador named Garrett could have been on that plane to Germany that left JFK sometime after 1:00 p.m. on July 6, 2015!

Flag Removed: one more Detour?

It's just amazing how easily many Americans are distracted from real issues.  As a society, we sometimes have a hard time focusing on the heart of an issue even when it stares us down and flies directly into our field of vision; into our very faces. Such a detour was just taken in South Carolina, and it has served to direct our attention away from the main issues.

Perhaps it is instructive to note a few examples from our history of other diversions from primary issues:

Real Issue: Challenges that Communist theory imposed on Capitalist theory and practices
Sidetrack: Investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950's into communist sympathizers within the government, the entertainment business, and the army.

Real Issue: Does Saddam Hussein and his regime pose a real military threat to the United States?Sidetracks: Weapons of mass destruction, nuclear fission material from Africa and attacks upon his own people used as propaganda

Real Issue: Right to Vote granted to all citizens
Sidetracks: Voter fraud (practically non-existent), voter IDs restricted to certain types, subtle voter suppression (closing of certain election offices, last-minute change in poll locations, changing hours of openings to inconvenient times, closing of bathrooms at polling places, etc.)

Real Issue: Gun violence is causing deaths and injury for innocent children and adults at a rapid pace.
Sidetracks: More guns in hands of more citizens will curb gun violence; Right-to-carry concealed guns in any circumstances for protection; 2nd Amendment rights must remain unrestricted in case government powers attack their own citizens; Mental health care is the key to reducing gun violence by a few disturbed individuals

These are but a few of the distractions from real issues that have been perpetrated and perpetuated by political prevaricators. And still, too many citizens are willing to be bamboozled over and over with not even a whimper of protest or just plain truth-telling about the detours around real societal issues. It shouldn't be any surprise, then, that here we are at a familiar juncture: the substitution of a secondary issue for the real issue of white racism.

As reported by Reuters, few politicians acknowledged the source of the S.C. tragedy, except for Hillary Clinton who spoke out in favor of actions beyond sympathy:

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidates steered clear on Thursday of addressing the role gun rights and racial tensions may have played in a deadly mass shooting in South Carolina as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton called for the United States to face what she called the "hard truths" underpinning the tragedy."

Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina also decided to act, signing a bill that calls for the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from the grounds of the State Capitol, as a gesture of remorse and "renewal" and perhaps as a way to memorialize the nine African American Christians killed by a young man, Dylann Roof, connected to a white supremacist philosophy and activism. (For more on the history and reactions to this symbol, consult: http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/22/416548613/the-complicated-political-history-of-the-confederate-flag)

As a symbolic gesture (removing a symbol of slavery and racial hatred), it may have broad appeal and some validity, and should receive a modicum of attention and praise. But, as a solution to the issue of race enmity and control perpetuated by a white power structure that has institutionalized racial denigration, it must be seen primarily as a diversion from the real issue of racism that has been eating away at our democratic ideals and system of government for over 240 years.

How does the removal of the Confederate battle flag change the fact of the more than double unemployment rate among Black citizens as opposed to white citizens? Or, how does such a gesture change other equally important anomalies in the state of South Carolina:

• How does that gesture change the voter ID restrictions imposed by South Carolina to affect (mostly Democrat) voters who happen to be African American?
• How does the flag's removal have any affect on the inadequate schools that African American children are attending in most of our cities? 
• How does that gesture change the fact that over 50% of African Americans (mostly working poor) are living below the federal poverty level?
• How does it change the fact that South Carolina is one of a shrinking number of states that still incarcerates children (disproportionately Black) in secure detention centers for status offenses before their cases are even heard in court? Research shows that incarcerating children — even for very short periods of time — increases the likelihood they will have further involvement in the juvenile justice and adult prison system.
• How does it change the fact that only 8% of the businesses in Charleston are Black-owned when the percentage of African Americans in that city's population is 25.4%?
• How does it change the fact that people of color are still (for the most part) able to live only in areas that are not known for racial diversity? 
• How does it affect the millions of South Carolina residents, including persons of color disproportionately, who have need of adequate health insurance and adequate health care?
• How does the symbolic removal of the flag affect the new Jim Crow system: the out-of-proportion incarceration of men of color (supposedly for drug use or selling), and the lesser disproportionate sentences for similar crimes of white persons (cocaine use or sales in particular)?
• How does the flag gesture change the unwarranted profiling of Black persons codified in S.C. law in 2005: "SECTION 5. Article 48, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding: Section 56-5-6560.  (A) Any time a motor vehicle is stopped by a state or local law enforcement officer without a citation being issued or an arrest being made, the officer who initiated the stop must complete a data collection form... that must include information regarding the age, gender, and race or ethnicity of the driver of the vehicle."

Another writer echoes these sentiments when writing on this same topic (Juan Cole article dated June 23, 2015):

"Governor Nikki Haley announced on Monday that she would attempt to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the statehouse, recognizing the pain it causes the one-third of the state who are African-Americans (about a quarter of whites also don’t care if it is up or not.)

This step is a welcome one... But it is only a symbolic measure and South Carolina’s 4.8 million residents can only achieve greater racial harmony and civil rights through practical steps. Among the most pressing of these steps:

Congressional districts in the state should not be drawn by the legislature, elected on a partisan basis, but by an impartial panel. Nearly a third of the population there is African-American or mixed, but it is not proportionally represented in politics because of gerrymandering. Six of the seven US representatives are white Republicans.

South Carolina should expand Medicaid as part of Obamacare. 178,000 people there have gotten caught in the coverage gap, and they are likely disproportionately African-American. South Carolina health statistics are Third World, and the state needs to address this problem. Instead, the spiteful South Carolina legislature tried to nullify Obamacare.

Some 22 counties are low-education, with 25 percent or more residents having less than High School. African-Americans are disproportionately disadvantaged educationally. The state needs more funding for high schools. 
The welfare of all South Carolinians would increase with these steps."

In my opinion, this gesture of removal of confederate flags will not be a catalyst for improving race relations and resolving institutional racism any more effectively than some other past symbolic gestures:

affirmative action
Republican Party members of color in leadership roles, especially former chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele
statues of Martin Luther King, Jr.
the election of a Black man as President of the United States

We are dealing here primarily with a gesture that may have some substance as a memorial to the nine South Carolina victims, but is nonetheless a detour and diversion from the real issues at hand in regard to institutionalized racism. We hear that this gesture will help to improve race relations. It may seem that way, and improvements in individual relationships and understanding between Black and White are not to be dismissed. But, it will take more than removal of a flag to increase meaningful relationships between the races, or to undertake the arduous task of undermining and opposing racial discrimination that is embedded in many of our institutions and their policies. For instance, we must:

• have face-to-face discussion and debate; engage and listen to the voices of minorities
• elect more African-Americans to office (although the number of black public officials has increased dramatically since the 1960s, Blacks make up only a few percentage points of the one-half million elected public offices in the United States)
• through businesses and labor unions, offer training, jobs and leadership opportunities to African-Americans
• remove barriers to employment, entrepreneurship, home and business ownership, education, training, healthy lifestyles, adequate housing and increase opportunities for success in all these areas
• demand equal justice and safety
• demand widespread Community Review Boards to monitor police brutality, harassment and unwarranted arrest of African-Americans (mainly young men)
• provide vista-widening opportunities for poor people and minorities to expand their goals and their horizons, especially for Black children and young people
• volunteer in agencies, locations, institutions, centers, and programs that also engage African-Americans
• encourage the establishment of pre-K education as well as after school activities for all children
• support community centers in urban communities
• encourage the roles of mentors, advocates, navigators, and champions in every possible instance where one-to-one encouragement and caring support is needed (and desired)

This is just a partial list of activities and institutional reforms that might be productive for creating real relationships and common cause for white people and people of color. But this list can claim no particular grandeur in terms of overcoming pervading obstacles and barriers of institutional racism. That is a subject that has been dealt with before in my Blog postings (particularly Jan. 16, 2014, Feb. 17, 2014 and June 22, 2015). However, none of these postings can satisfy completely because the subjects of racism and poverty go to the heart of who we are as a people, what we are as a democracy, and why we are here to begin with as human beings.

Let us look again at the very basic roots of institutionalized racism so that we can begin to realize the long-lasting commitment that it will take to combat these institutionalized demons.

The Very Basic Roots of Institutionalized Racism:

1. Slavery & Jim Crow. Laws and customs embedded in our Constitution where Black slaves are seen as less than full persons and slavery is protected
2. Language and symbols. "Black" is bad, evil, morbid. 
3. Profiling and Stereotyping. "Black" as equivalent to ignorance, irresponsibility, inferiority, dependency, criminality. Aboriginal or ape-like.
4. Racial Superiority. The belief that White people are inherently superior to black people; a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
5. Racial Control. To maintain a superior society controlled by Whites, restrictions and limits are placed on those felt to be inferior to prevent "them" from ever gaining control of society's functions or institutions.

In light of these fundamental catalysts, we might better understand some dictionary definitions, beginning with Wikipedia:

"Institutional racism is the differential access to the goods, services, and opportunities of society. When the differential access becomes integral to institutions, it becomes common practice, making it difficult to rectify. Eventually, this racism dominates public bodies, private corporations, public and private universities, and is reinforced by the actions of conformists and newcomers."

"Institutional racism is distinguished from racial bigotry by the existence of institutional systemic policies, practices and economic and political structures which place minority racial and ethnic groups at a disadvantage in relation to an institution’s racial or ethnic majority.

• One example is public school budgets (including local levies and bonds) and the quality of teachers, which in the U.S. are often correlated with property values: rich neighborhoods are more likely to be more 'white' and to have better teachers and more money for education, even in public schools.
• Restrictive housing contracts and bank lending policies have also been listed as forms of institutional racism.
• Racial Profiling by security guards and police, use of stereotyped racial caricatures,
• The under- and mis-representation of certain racial groups in the mass media, 
• Race-based barriers to gainful employment and professional advancement.
• Differential access to goods, services, and opportunities of society can be included within the term institutional racism, such as unpaved streets and roads, inherited socio-economic disadvantage, and "standardized" tests (each ethnic group prepared for it differently; many are poorly prepared).
• The actual lack of services and goods and resources that are afforded to white persons and communities: large grocery and department stores, adequate child care, adequate job opportunities, internet access, an adequate transportation system, adequate health care, etc.

Victory over institutional racism cannot be won without a persistent dogged approach to the factors that lie at the roots of these problems. There are no easy solutions, but at the same time, there is no time to waste either. We cannot put off the solutions and the efforts until some magical time when people will be more receptive or conditions more perfect for change. The time for action is now. Speak out and act out at every opportunity to expose institutional racism and personal bigotry.   

INDEPENDENCE DAY (and one largely overlooked fact)

Independence Day!  For most people, this Day probably means fireworks, family picnics, parades, and perhaps a passing nod to the armed forces of this country who have fought, at certain times, to maintain our independence and freedom.  For others, it may go a bit deeper into the historical and philosophical underpinnings of our representative democracy.  It may even be a somewhat sobering reminder to others that this nation was born out of rebellion and a revolutionary war of independence against a very strong nation that maintained rather strict control over its colonies.   What I want to do today, however, is to call attention to the all-but-forgotten fact that our nation has at its very roots a history of protest, rebellion, and revolutionary activism.  Somehow we tend to ignore our inheritance of public protest and redress of grievances, even though our country was founded upon such activism.

A brief look at an historical timeline reminds us of a few events, occurrences and concepts that led up to our War of Independence, but which may not have clearly resonated with the bulk of our citizenry (taken from several sources: http://www.revolutionary-war.net/revolutionary-war-timeline.html; http://www.historyisfun.org; http://www.americanhistory.about.com/od/americanhistorytimelines/a/Events-Leading-to-Revolution-Timeline.htm )

1763

• February 10 - The Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War although it lasted from 1754-1763).  The financially draining war combined with the increased military presence for protection will be the impetus for many future taxes and actions of the British government against the colonies.
• October 7 - The Proclamation of 1763 is signed forbidding settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. This area was to be set aside and governed as Indian territory.   Settlers lodge objections on being forced to move out.

1764

• April 5 - Grenville Acts pass Parliament. These include a number of acts aimed at raising revenue to pay for the French and Indian War debts along with the cost of administering the new territories granted at the end of the war.  The most objectionable part was the Sugar Act, known in England as the American Revenue Act. It increased duties on items ranging from sugar to coffee to textiles.

• April 19 - The Currency Act passes parliament, prohibiting the colonies from issuing legal tender paper money.
• May 24 - Boston town meeting protesting the Grenville measures. James Otis first discusses the complaint of taxation without representation and calls for the colonies to unite.
• June 12-13 - Massachusetts House of Representatives creates a Committee of Correspondence to communicate with the other colonies about their grievances.
• August - Boston merchants begin a policy of nonimportation of British luxury goods as a form of protest against the British economic policies. This later spreads to other colonies.

1765

• March 22 - The Stamp Act passes parliament. It is the first direct tax on the colonies. The purpose of the tax is to help pay for the British military stationed in America. This act is met with greater resistance and the cry against taxation without representation increases.
• March 24 - The Quartering Act goes into effect in the colonies which requires residents to provide housing for British troops stationed in America.  This shows up in the American Constitution as a protest against citizens being made to quarter troops (militia) in their homes and extends further to the older concept of common law that a man’s home “is his castle.”
• May 29 - Patrick Henry begins the discussion of the Virginia Resolutions asserting that only Virginia has the right to tax itself. The House of Burgesses adopt some of his less radical statements including the right to self-government.
• July - Sons of Liberty organizations are founded in towns across the colonies in order to fight against the stamp agents, often with outright violence.
• October 7-25 - Stamp Act Congress meets in New York City. It includes representatives from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina. Petitions against the Stamp Act are created to be delivered to King George III.
• November 1 - The Stamp Act goes into effect and all business is basically stopped as colonists refuse to use the stamps.

1766

• February 13 - Benjamin Franklin testifies before Parliament about the Stamp Act and warns that if the military is used to enforce it, this could lead to open rebellion.
• March 18 - The Stamp Act is repealed. However, the Declaratory Act is passed which gives the British government the power to legislate any laws of the colonies without restriction.
• December 15 - The New York Assembly continues to fight against the Quartering Act, refusing to allocate any funds for housing the soldiers. The crown suspends their legislature on December 19th.

1767

• June 29 - Townshend Acts pass parliament introducing a number of external taxes including duties on items like paper, glass and tea. Additional infrastructure is set up to ensure enforcement in America.
• October 28 - Boston decides to reinstate nonimportation of British goods in response to the Townshend Acts.
• December 2 - John Dickinson publishes Letters ‘From a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies’ explaining the issues with British actions to tax the colonies. It is highly influential.

1768

• February 11 - Samuel Adams sends a letter with the approval of the Massachusetts Assembly arguing against the Townshend Acts. It is later protested by the British government.
• April - An increasing number of legislative assemblies support Samuel Adam's letter.
• June - After a confrontation over Customs violations, John Hancock's ship Liberty is seized in Boston. Customs officials are threatened with violence and escape to Castle William in Boston Harbor. They send out a request for help from British troops.
• September 28 - British warships arrive to help support the customs officials in Boston Harbor.
• October 1 - Two British regiments arrive in Boston to maintain order and enforce customs laws.

1769

• March - A growing number of key merchants support nonimportation of goods listed in the Townshend Acts.
• May 7 - George Washington presents nonimportation resolutions to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Proclamations are sent out from Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee to King George III.
• May 18 - After the Virginia House of Burgesses is dissolved, the delegates including George Washington meet at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg to endorse the nonimportation agreement.

1770

• March 5 - Boston Massacre occurs killing five colonists and injuring six. This is used as a propaganda piece against the British military.
• April 12 - English crown partially repeals the Townshend Acts except for the duties on tea.

1771

• July - Virginia becomes the last colony to abandon the nonimportation pact after the repeal of the Townshend Acts.

1772

• June 9 - The British customs vessel Gaspee is attacked off the coast of Rhode Island. The men are set ashore and the boat is burned.
• September 2 - The English crown offers a reward for the capture of those who burnt the Gaspee. The offenders are to be sent to England for trial which upsets many colonists as it violates self-rule.
• November 2 - A Boston town meeting led by Samuel Adams results in a 21-member committee of correspondence to coordinate with other Massachusetts towns against the threat to self-rule.

1773

• May 10 - The Tea Act goes into effect, retaining the import tax on tea and giving the East India Company the ability to undersell colonial merchants.
• December 16 - The Boston Tea Party occurs. After months of growing consternation with the Tea Act, a group of Boston activists dressed as Mohawk Indians boarded tea ships anchored in Boston Harbor in order to dump 342 casks of tea into the water.

1774

• February - All colonies except North Carolina and Pennsylvania have created committees of correspondence.
• March 31 - The Coercive Acts pass parliament. One of these is the Boston Port Bill which does not allow any shipping except for military supplies and other approved cargo to go through the port until the customs duties and the cost of the Tea Party are paid for.
• May 13 - General Thomas Gage, the commander of all British forces in the American colonies, arrives in Boston with four regiments of troops.
• May 20 - Additional Coercive Acts are passed. The Quebec Act is termed 'intolerable;’ one part extended the southern boundary of Canada into areas claimed by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Virginia.
• May 26 - Virginia House of Burgesses is dissolved.
• June 2 - A revised and more onerous Quartering Act is passed.
• September 1 - General Gage seizes the Massachusetts Colony's arsenal at Charlestown.
• September 5 to October 26: The First Continental Congress meets with 56 delegates in Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia.
• September 17 - The Suffolk Resolves are issued in Massachusetts urging that the Coercive Acts are unconstitutional.
• October 14 - The First Continental Congress adopts a Declaration and Resolves against the Coercive Acts, the Quebec Acts, the Quartering of troops, and other objectionable British actions. These resolutions mention the rights of the colonists including that of "life, liberty, and property."
• October 20 - A Continental Association is adopted to coordinate nonimportation policies.
• December 14 - Massachusetts militiamen attack the British arsenal at Fort William and Mary in Portsmouth after being warned of a plan to station troops there.

1775

• January 19 - The Declarations and Resolves are presented to parliament.
• February 9 - Massachusetts is declared in a state of rebellion.
• February 27 - Parliament accepts a conciliatory plan, removing many of the taxes and other issues brought up by the colonists.
• March 23 - Patrick Henry gives his famous "Give me liberty or give me death," speech at the Virginia convention.
• March 30 - The crown endorses the New England Restraining Act that does not allow for trade with countries other than England and also bans fishing in the North Atlantic.
• April 14 - General, now Governor, Gage in Massachusetts is ordered to use any force necessary to apply all British acts and to stop any buildup of a colonial militia.
• April 18-19 - Considered by many to be the beginning of the actual American Revolution, the Battles of Lexington and Concord begin with the British heading to destroy a colonial arms depot in Concord Massachusetts.  Two lanterns are lit in the Old North Church steeple to indicate the British are crossing the Charles River, and Paul Revere begins his ride.
• April 19, 1775: Battle of Lexington, won by the British
• April 19, 1775: At the Battle of Concord the Americans introduce the British to guerilla warfare
• April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776: Siege of Boston: 15,000 Minutemen laid siege to Boston from April 19, 1775 until March 17, 1776, when the British troops withdrew.
• May 10, 1775: The Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia and remains in session throughout the war.

1776

• July 4: Signing of the Declaration of Independence

1783

• September 3: The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the War for Independence

1787

• September 15: The United States Constitution is approved by unanimous vote
• September 17: John Hancock and 38 others sign the Constitution

1788

• July 2: The United States Constitution is ratified when New Hampshire becomes the 9th state to approve it.

It is interesting to note the parts of this timeline that I have emphasized by bolded font.  We so often emphasize only independence, freedom, liberty and patriotism of those early days forgetting the elements of protest and rebellion that constituted the basis for a final act of revolution that enabled our independent nation status to be effected by means of our own constitution. It is perhaps disturbing to some who value “law and order” above all else, that protest and rebellion are built into the very fabric of our founding and our history as an independent nation. In fact, some of those early protesters were renowned – especially in England as well as in the colonies – as rebels and revolutionaries but more so as traitors, criminals and “patriots” which had a distinct negative connotation in England. The following quote from Wikipedia sets the stage for what essentially motivated the Patriots.

 “The Patriot faction came to reject taxes imposed by parliament in which the tax-payer was not represented.  "No taxation without representation," was their slogan, referring to the lack of representation in the British parliament. The British countered there was "virtual representation," that is, all members of Parliament represented the interests of all the citizens of the British Empire.

Though some Patriots declared that they were loyal to the king, they believed that the colonial assemblies should control policy relating to the colonies... and be able to run their own affairs."

This concept of direct representation lay at the heart of the vision of Congress: that each representative chosen by the people of a local district would be represented by that elected person.  It was almost equivalent to the idea that people were sending one of their own to represent them so that they would know that their voices and concerns were being heard and acted upon.  The epitome of a representative democracy. 

Equally important was an accompanying concept called “republicanism.”  According to one definition (quoted in Wikipedia), “’Republicanism’ may be distinguished from other forms of democracy as it asserts that people have unalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters. Alexis de Tocqueville warned about the "tyranny of the majority" in a democracy, and advocates of the rights of minorities have warned that the courts needed to protect those rights by reversing efforts by voters to terminate the rights of an unpopular minority.  The term ‘republicanism’ is derived from the term ‘republic’, but the two words have different meanings. A ‘republic’ is a form of government (one without a hereditary ruling class); ‘republicanism’ refers to the values of the citizens in a republic.”

As important as these two concepts were to the colonialists and the Founding Fathers, they are even more important in our modern era where threats to both abound. Unfortunately, it is a Supreme Court and lower federal courts that have attacked both concepts, along with a right-wing Congress, putting our representative democracy in peril, and promoting judgments that put equal and unalienable rights at risk.  I don’t want to dwell too long on this, because I have commented elsewhere on this situation.  Judicial decisions such as:

Citizens United (allowing and promoting a system of bribery by rich individuals and corporations under the guise of free speech granted to corporations as individuals);

 Voting Rights Act  (The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision on June 16, 2013 that key parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 are no longer valid, left it to a divided Congress to revise the law;  specifically, Section 4 -- the formula the federal government uses to determine which states and counties are subject to Pre-clearance and continued oversight -- was struck down as outdated and unworkable)

 Various decisions related to rights such as freedom from unreasonable search & seizure; a man’s home is his castle and equal protection under law are all under siege, as discussed in my last few posts.

This is exactly why the concept of protest and ‘redress of grievances’ is embedded in our history and in our rights and in our Constitution.  The fight to protect and defend the Constitution’s provisions of freedoms and rights is never over.  It is a constant.

So let us on this July 4^th, take a quick look again at what those colonialists did when they sensed the tyranny of Great Britain was endangering their lives, liberty, property and well-being.  They rebelled as all protesters have done throughout our history.

 

1)      First came complaints, some organized some not;  

2)      Meetings of like-minded protestors to gather support on an organized basis quickly followed;

3)      An economic boycott of products and services that affected the power-base was also organized

4)      Certain legislators in both Virginia and Massachusetts sponsored resolutions and rights statements to further the cause;

5)      A Committee of Correspondence was established by the Massachusetts Assembly and soon other colonies follow with their own Committees of Correspondence in order to work together and to unite as many as possible behind the protest movement; in modern parlance, this might be referred to as joint or collaborative effort; a definite step toward building a coalition in support of a cause;

6)      Organizations were formed across the colonies with a common name to identify them and their cause: the Sons of Liberty

7)      Petitions were gathered to make the growing protests known to the King and to Parliament;

8)      One of the most important pursuits is that of public writing –articles, pamphlets, tracts, declarations of rights, newspaper publications and speeches – all were of great value then and continue to be of value now, along with the added factor of the social media on the Internet

9)      The Declaration of Independence grew out of the protest movement and spelled out exactly what the protesters stood for; what their grievances were, and what they proposed to do about it. It is a classic device and one that usually gets an immediate response, often negative, which is what occurred.  “Manifestos” are equivalents in modern protest movements, and usually bring the same response.  They are not necessarily ‘threats’ or ‘coercive’ in nature (although they may be) but are often propaganda devices meant to energize the protesters and to move the establishment;

10)   Next, came a few skirmishes involving protesters and the establishment; they appear to be related to specific events or laws and are intended to focus the public’s attention on the unfairness and injustices that are taking place; the skirmishes are essentially symbolic gestures (not real battles or fights) but, like the Tea Party in Boston Harbor they may have far-reaching effects and outcomes.

11)   Final attempts to resolve grievances by petition, letters, personal visits, requests of Parliament, and numerous explanations of why self-rule would be advantageous to England went unheeded and led to the final step which was a War of Independence.  Unfortunately, that step cannot always be avoided, but modern protests are often more successful because of the bulk of protestors and the ability to instantly communicate, both with the members of a movement, and with the officials in elective and non-elective offices.

Although peaceful protests have been the modern mantra, there may come a time when the combination of attacks upon our system of governing gain such momentum that a revolution will necessarily have to occur.  We cannot forever endure attacks upon voting rights, upon women’s rights to unrestricted health care and equal pay for equal work, upon the rights of unions to organize and bargain collectively.  Nor can we forever endure the attack upon individual rights and civil rights; or upon those who live in poverty or who happen to be part of a minority group.  We cannot have a society in which some states can choose not to obey laws or court orders.  We cannot have some states allowed to pass voter laws that discriminate against certain minorities and groups who may vote for one party over the other. We cannot have representatives of the people who fail to provide legislation that meets their constituent concerns, issues and needs.

 We cannot long endure the take-over of our representatives in the Congress by a relatively small group of rich individuals and corporations that intend for their views to be heard above everyone else’s views.  We cannot endure a Congress unresponsive to ordinary citizens and entirely beholden to a small cabal of rich persons who intend to control all government endeavors for their own aggrandizement and benefit.  We cannot continue to allow control of government to pass from the people to the special interests so that a Plutocracy calls all the shots.  We cannot survive militarization of police forces, nor the usurpation of the rights and opportunities of any minority group, or the lessening of the rights of all of us in order to suppress those who live in poverty or who are members of certain races or creeds or areas of origin.  We certainly cannot survive the unequal application of laws, regulations and allocation of funds based on arbitrarily imposed limitations and restrictions that do not apply to all. Nor can we survive the unwarranted killing of innocent Black men and children by police officers, or the unequal incarceration of Black men who are caught in a disguised War on Drugs; a War that does not include urban and suburban white drug users to anywhere near the same extent.   

We cannot allow our government to be dictated to by religious sects and denominations.  The non-establishment of (national) religion is the primary method by which freedom of religion is maintained.  We cannot allow religious entities or any of their practices or dogmas to dictate our direction.  We make our nation vulnerable to unjust and unethical wars when we ignore the will of the people expressed through their elected representatives and instead give power to the Commander-in-Chief to declare a war upon another nation or people.  We must restore the constitutional standard of Congressional declarations of war.  Notwithstanding that step, we must find a way to limit our warlike attitudes and behaviors.  We cannot continue to survive a bellicosity that demands war as a first response.  Nor can we protect our people and our children if we continue to make the 2^nd Amendment more important and inviolable than all the rest.  We must have common-sense gun violence control laws in order to protect our very existence. We cannot forget our need for comprehensive immigration reform, our need for comprehensive health care reform that builds upon the foundation of the highly successful reforms of ‘Obamacare’ until health care is truly a right (and not just a privilege) available to all our citizens from birth.  

 The list of attacks upon our system, and certain of our people, is endless.  Independence Day is a good time for examination of where we stand.  In my estimation, we stand where our colonial forbearers stood: under a tyranny of establishment power that denies unalienable human rights, defends aristocracy and plutocracy, and promotes policies and Acts that denigrate and oppress its own citizens.  We shall constantly face that dilemma if we do not stand up and declare our refusal to abide by tyrannous acts that are designed to destroy the very independence and freedom that we celebrate today. 

 July 4^th must also be a time to celebrate and to re-capture that spirit of active protest and all-out rebellion that birthed this country and its ideals.