Monthly Archives: May 2015

Local Politics

Two, seven, ten, eleven, hut; rather – I mean, vote!

All Denver voters who have a team still in the game are tense as the final seconds of the game tick down.  The May 5, 2015 winners are still ahead and although some of the fans of both teams have already left the arena – some because the game appeared so out of reach for the opponent to possibly make a comeback before the final minutes ticked from the clock and others who had conceded the win to the apposing team because they felt that it was too late for their team to come back and win, the diehard fans have remained to the bitter…or sweet end.

Those fans who left hear a sudden roar from the crowd so make a u-turn and try to reenter the arena but it is too late; the gate attendants refuse to let them back in: they have squandered their chance to be a part of this great moment.  The goal line teams for the defense and offense are in.  Sean Bradley is under center for the offense and Stacy Gilmore has called out the defensive signal for the defense.

It is forth down and the stage is set as the final seconds continue to tick off of the clock.  This is it; this is the ballgame.  One team will win and one will go home empty-handed to lick their wounds until they earn the next opportunity to compete for this coveted prize.  Will it be a running play or will they attempt a quick pass?  Sean Bradley commences to call the count.

Twooooo, sevennnnn, tennnnn, elevennnnn, hut!  It’s a run!  Bodies come together in one massive heap as the runner tries to carry the ball off tackle.  The officials rush in and begin to pull bodies from the pile to determine if the ball crossed the goal line.  They finally reach the running back and discover the position of the ball.  An official steps back to give the official call.  As the crow holds its collective breath the official signals…

I call upon voters in Denver districts two, seven, ten and eleven to realize that the election is still ongoing so we need to make sure that our follow-through is adequate.  In order for that to be the case, we can only complete our civic duty by voting in the runoff election on June 2nd.  Once we have voted we can relax until the next election.

Although there are only seven (7) voting days left before the polls close for good on this election there is still plenty of time for you to cast your ballot.  Keep this in mind as you contemplate what you want for your community, what you want it to look like in the foreseeable future and who you believe can best lead it in the effort to reach that goal.

Since I live in District 11 I especially want to leave those in our community with the message to keep working because we are not there yet!  To all of those who still have candidates in the race that they are supporting I say always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Assure ahead of time that you know where you can either vote or drop off your ballot and then be sure to vote on or before June 2nd.

Eulus Dennis

Local Politics

Just an attention grabber…Or maybe the real deal

I met Stacie Gilmore for the first time last night.  I think that it was sometime between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.  More often than not I am sitting in our computer room either writing an article for my blog or checking out the latest political news; but this time, my wife had arrived there just ahead of me.

As a result, I was headed downstairs to watch the hockey game when my doorbell rang.  When I answered the door there was a woman standing there with a big smile on her face that extended her hand and said “hi, I’m Stacie Gilmore.”  From there she began to spout a lot of things about how she loves our community, the things she had done since becoming a part of it and how she wanted to see it thrive and grow in the future.

She was a vibrant woman with much to say and who I found to be easy to listen to and she sounded so sincere about what she wanted to do if elected to be District 11’s City Councilperson.  Even if I did not hold a special interest in politics and was not an avid follower of it I would not have found her conversation boring.  She seemed so frank and enthusiastic about what she was saying that I quickly became engrossed in what she had to say.

As I listened and sized her up, I tried to figure out who this woman really was.  I’m well aware, as I am sure that you are, that most politicians will say whatever it takes when they are in essence in an interview seeking to be hired or stumping to retain their popularity in order to place them in the best position possible for reelection so that they can retain their job.  However, Stacie Gilmore is not yet a politician; at least, not officially.  And even if she is successful in her maiden venture to become one by winning the June 2nd runoff election to become the District 11 councilperson my gut feeling is that she will remain dedicated to those whom she will represent and to the betterment of the District.

I held her captive at my door for so long that her husband, Scott, finally showed up at my door to subtly and politely encourage her to move on.  After politely speaking to me he turned to Ms. Gilmore: “We’ve got an election to win” he said.  I held both of them captive for a little longer – probably much longer than I should have under the circumstances, before releasing them to complete their campaign efforts before it was dark.

Stacie Gilmore’s decision to run for City Council in Denver’s District 11 and her vision for the District is a microcosm of the phenomenon that is currently taking place all around America.  Women have long been underrepresented in American government.  Now it seem that not only are more of them stepping forward and presenting themselves as viable political candidates seeking to play a more active role in politics from the very top level to the lowest level of government in this country, but they are also demonstrating that they are ready and very capable of handling leadership roles at every level.

My point is that since the inception of this website I have always encouraged everyone to vote.  Further, I have encouraged them to always exercise their right to vote and not in just Presidential elections.  So it would be hypocritical and I would be remiss if I failed to mention the importance of this local election in District 11; the District in which I live.

Elections like the runoff election that will take place on June 2nd are extremely important.  We get to decide at what basically amounts to the entry-level of politics, who we feel is best qualified to represent us, do the most to make our neighborhoods the best that they can be, encourage improvement in our neighborhood schools and help to foster  business growth, foster the growth of well-paying jobs and affordable housing.  Not only are elections like these the springboard for many of those who land at the state and federal levels of our government as Representatives, Senators and Presidents but what they do at these various levels many times ultimately trickle back down to have an impact on us.

As a resident of Montbello for almost 35 years, I am aware of many of Ms. Gilmore’s accomplishments and contributions to the District 11 community.  With her knowledge of our community, past contributions to it and the time that she has lived in Montbello she is well aware of all of its nuances.  Anyone who lives or has lived in the Montbello Green Valley Ranch Community for a substantial period of time knows that the ‘time’ connection is an intricate part of one’s ability to sort through the fodder and reach the real issues in order to form workable coalitions that will be beneficial in the nurture and growth of our District.

Ms. Gilmore has proven that she can cause those in District 11 with diverse agendas and interests to coalesce around issues that will be mutually beneficial to them.  She is without doubt qualified to serve as our City Councilperson and based on her longstanding presence as a resident in District 11 and her contributions to it she is the person who can and will best serve those of us who live here.

Just in case that you missed the last debate between the two June 2nd runoff election candidates, in the event that you might be interested in watching it you can click here to check it out.  And finally I want to leave you with the following very important message which is: always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics

American Communities Need The Police

With all of the problems that are surfacing in police departments throughout America, it is fair to say that police are under siege and will continue to be until these problems are solved.  They are not only under siege by communities in states like San Francisco, Florida, South Carolina, Maryland, Missouri and Ohio but it seems that all of America is a participant.

America and all of the exasperated communities where these problems are rampant are demanding answers and a solution to what, at least, appears to be a systemic problem with America’s policing of its citizens.  This problem involves police brutality and excessive use of both non-lethal and lethal force by police against people of color and especially against African American males.

Our communities need the police.  Too many clean police officers are suffering because of the things that the few dirty police officers do.  However, the suffering that these clean cops are left to endure is not brought on solely by an angry and unfair public; these clean cops are also partially responsible for it because of what they have thus far refused to do.  They have a responsibility to expose these rogue groups of dirty cops in police departments around the country but they continually shirk this responsibility.

It does not matter whether they avoid exposing their fellow police officers because of the so called ‘Blue Code’ or out of fear of reprisal by them.  The fact is that they refuse to expose these officers: they keep silent when they witness police brutality and excessive use of force and are fully aware that misleading or false reports are regularly being filed.

Is this situation a tangled web for clean police officers and are they right to be fearful should they bear witness to the truth?  The answer is probably yes because many times this ‘dirty cop’ virus has already invaded the highest levels of the department increasing the likelihood that those in the chain of command that ultimately lead down to the lowest level police officer on the street are also tainted.

This presents a dangerous situation for clean police officers, which can make it hard for them to do the right thing.  But police officers are placed in dangerous situations every day that they put on their uniform and that danger does not end with their shift.  The only way that they are going to even have a chance to rid themselves of dirty cops and make police departments throughout the country the law enforcement bastions that they should be; and ones that represent the places of honor and service to America that they should be, is to rid them of those cops who view honor and service as nothing more than mere words.

It is understandable that most police officers choose to fraternize mainly with other police officers; the nature of their job tends to skew them in that direction.  This does not have to stop in order for them to do their part to foster trust between police and the communities that they serve and protect.  There will still be anger and animosity that at times exist between police and civilians but the trust level and desire to assist the police in better and more effectively doing their job will be there.  It cannot help but to thrive and grow!  I believe that even a reasonable angry citizen who has had a bad experience with the police, if they believe that that police officer treated them fairly and was simply trying to do their job, will – overall, still stand in support of that police officer.

I hope that police officers around the country will read this article and sincerely contemplate the message that it is intended to send.  Then, even after they consider the danger that they may expose themselves to by standing up for the truth, they will do it anyway.  I hope that they will decide to be heroes and do the right thing.  Being a hero does not necessarily mean that one is without fear when they perform a heroic act, it means that even if they are afraid they perform it anyway.

Police officers are accustomed to receiving medals for being heroes.  There have likely been many times when they have even received one of these medals for taking a life if it was under the right circumstances or unfortunately, if it was falsely depicted to have been under the right circumstances.  To step up and be a part of ridding police departments of dirty cops would truly warrant a heroes’ medal: it would be a giant step forward for America.

For those of us who are not police officers and especially those who live in some of the previously mentioned communities that have been hit by these unfair policing methods, we must realize that we too have a responsibility to fulfill in order to foster and build trust and cooperation between police and our communities.  When the police are being fair and treating their subject with dignity and respect, we must respect and support them even when in the moment, from our perspective, they are not doing the right thing in detaining and/or arresting that person.

If clean cops will work to rid police departments of dirty cops and the police and community members will do their part to begin to foster and build trust and cooperation, we can solve these problems.

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics

Chief Justice Roberts’ Campaign-Finance Reform Thoughts?

This article was updated on 5/29/2015.  A video link was added.

Is it just me because I don’t really understand the fine points of this campaign-finance stuff or is this jumping-off point referenced by Chief Justice John Roberts to begin to address campaign-finance reform the equivalent of a mirage?  The thing that you desire appears to be there but no matter how far you travel in its direction you never reach it.  And when you become so disoriented that you think that you have reached it (e.g. if the perceived thing is an oasis with water), you end up drinking sand.

The U.S. Supreme court opened the floodgates when it passed Citizens United.  Now, in its effort to repair the damage that this law is doing and perhaps ultimately get things completely under control, the jumping-off point that Chief Justice Roberts alluded to is what they come up with?  It seems to me that this is like opening the floodgates at Hoover Dam and then trying to stem the flow of water with a few sandbags.  It is impossible to accomplish anything at all.

Big business, the big money people and Congress will certainly know how to get around this if Congress decides to even make an effort do anything about it.  Perhaps I am being overly critical but I am frustrated with not having my voice heard and I am confident that there are many others who feel the same way that I do.

Big business and other big money elements have long had their hands in the cookie jar when it comes to our elected officials and the Citizens United ruling gave them even greater leverage over politicians than they already had.  They have paid lobbyist at the local, state and federal levels who persistently demand and receive an audience with these politicians and they use those opportunities to draw attention to issues that big business and big money people support.

Although it is a completely different subject it is a salient issue that also involves everyday Americans so it is appropriate to interject it into this article: the TPP.  According to Senator Elizabeth Warren, about 85% of those who helped to craft the TPP are a part of the big business/big money crowd.  Further, the agreement is clouded by secrecy.

What I find most disconcerting is that almost every Republican – including Senator Mitch McConnell and the extreme rightwing crowd, that has showered him with vitriol from the time that he was first elected are now onboard with him and praising him.  This love fest likely makes a lot of others, both everyday Americans and politicians, a bit uneasy even if they support the President.

That is why senators like Senator Warren, Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders apposed President Obama and were responsible for handing him a defeat on this issue.  They are not trying to destroy him or his legacy; they are working to stand up for middleclass Americans.  I believe that the President understands why witnessing these Republicans suddenly fall in love with him in conjunction with those who crafted the agreement and the secrecy that surrounds it, that many of us are suspicious of it and have much ambivalence about supporting it.  He asked us to trust him on this.  We trust him but under the circumstances perhaps along with his request that we trust him, no matter how painful the task is for him and no matter how senseless he may feel that it is, he (or his team) should try to explain the situation to these dissenting everyday Americans and politicians to help alleviate their fears and gain their support.

Everyday Americans do not have the financial resources available to them that these billionaires and millionaires have so we do not have paid lobbyist.  As a result, our voices either pale in the ears of politicians or go completely unheard because they are drowned out by the loud promises of financial support from the big money elements of our society.  Click the ‘financial resources’ link above then click ‘Can One Billionaire Change 2016 Politics?’ to view an interesting video on Lawrence O’Donnell’s show, ‘The Last Word’, to understand the impact that a single billionaire can have on an election.

Whether it is real or just perceived, this kind of favored treatment generates fear, anger and distrust among those who are not among the chosen ones.  It likely translates into what we are seeing now with the TPP and is the catalyst of the problems that President Obama is experiencing in getting the TPP passed.

I have struggled ever since the Supreme Court made its Citizens United ruling to find anything that will help me to better understand why it ruled as it did and I continue to struggle even now.  It is obviously an understatement to say that those who made this ruling are lawyers, while I am not, and they understand all of the fine points that demanded a favorable ruling while I do not.

I try and will continue to do so, to believe that this decision had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with law.  But then I think; why should the few rule the many?  Why should a few billionaires and millionaires have the power to run America and determine her future and which path she will take to get there while all other Americans stand on the sideline and watch?  There must be a reasonable nexus that will allow me to reconcile these thoughts and the favorable Citizens United ruling which, up to this point, I have just not been able to comprehend.

I believe that big money and politics make terrible bedfellows.  It is almost impossible to decipher and rule out quid-pro-quo, let alone the appearance of quid-pro-quo, when it comes to politicians and their relationships with big business and other big money people.  That is why we need election reform that will take big money out of the equation.

Big business and other big money should have their fair say in how America is run just like everyone else but they should not have a greater say than anyone else; especially the single voice of the majority!  The problem right now seems to be that the voices of big business and other big money are being heard to a greater extent and to the detriment of everyday Americans.

Until election reform occurs and big money is no longer driving the election process, I will continue to struggle to make sense of the Citizens United ruling.  And should this by a lot of hard work or some miracle happen, I still might not be able to understand the ruling but at least it should provide me with some much needed help in my effort to understand it.  Even if it doesn’t help me to finally achieve the reconciliation, the issue would likely be rendered moot anyway because the removal of big money from the election process would go a long way toward leveling the playing field between it and the everyday American.

But for now I will accept things as they are while I continue to use the power of my vote in an effort to change them.  I recommend that you do the same.  In the meantime, do not become so frustrated with the system that you cease to participate in it because that will do more harm than good: always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis

Local Politics

Our Community Voice June 2|By Stacie Gilmore

Our community has a very important decision to make on June 2nd.  Who will be the next District 11 City Councilperson?  Who will truly serve all of our residents, businesses, and interests in our district? Who is running to represent the people first and foremost?

I love our community!  I have lived and worked in our community for almost 20 years. As a working Mom, with deep roots in serving our youth and families, I will be 100% committed to serving full time on city council. It will be my first and only priority professionally.  I fully embrace and champion each of our community’s nuances, from the history and pride of Montbello, including Parkfield to the future growth and opportunity of Green Valley Ranch and High Point, along with Denver International Airport. I am proud that my family lives in Montbello and my husband, Scott and I are raising our children in such a diverse and vibrant community.

My optimism is endless for our families, children, seniors, and business. For almost 20 years, I have been a proactive force in my community and through founding and leading the nonprofit, Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK). Through ELK we have invested more than $5.25 million into our community through youth and family based education, and career development programming.  Most recently we secured $250,000 to start the restoration work on the 5.5 acres of land off Albrook Drive by Denver Health Medical to create a 4.5 acre open space and build a 6,000 sq. ft education center to serve our youth, families, and seniors through ongoing programming.  We deserve the best in District 11 and we must have a city councilperson who has a strong history of work in the community.  There is much work to be done, from addressing community safety, improving our quality of life, infrastructure, and economic growth and development.

The next city councilperson must value all people in our district and not marginalize anyone. I have spent my life addressing and leading conversations around institutional racism and oppression, power and privilege, and facilitating our youth learning how to communicate about race, stereotypes and bias. I want to be a unifying influence for our community and I am prepared for this commitment to serve as our next city councilperson.  I will honor your trust in me, by being accountable, responsive, and protecting our citizens and business interests, our community pride, but also pushing us to explore, discuss, and grow so that we may become the best District 11 ever!

Through my commitment, transparency, and passion to truly serve and protect our community, I will put quality of life and improvement of opportunities back at the top of the list for District 11. I urge you to thoroughly research and think about what qualities you want in our next District 11 City Council person. Voting is one of our great powers in our democracy and I want to make sure your voice is heard on June 2nd for District 11.

Please cast your vote in support of my candidacy for District 11 City Council. I am number one on the ballot, and first when it comes to experience, commitment and the resolute belief that we can get what we deserve in District 11. If you would like any more information please visit my website at www.votestaciegilmore.com or check out my Facebook page at Vote for Stacie Gilmore.

Local Politics

Denver City Council June 2nd Runoff

Although the May 5, 2015 election in Denver is over, not all candidates have finished the race.  Since I am a strong advocate of everyone’s need to value and respect the franchise and exercise their right to vote, I want to remind voters that our responsibility during this election cycle has not yet been completely fulfilled.

On June 2nd there will be a runoff election to elect those candidates who did not receive over 50% of the vote during the May 5th election.  For those who are not already aware that voter turnout is usually higher for a regular election than it is for a runoff election, especially when a major political candidate is not on the ballot for the runoff election, you may now consider yourselves officially informed that turnout is higher for a regular election.

Even if the turnout during a regular election is low it will likely be substantially lower during a runoff election.  It is unfortunate that many of us shun our civic duty because we fail to realize the value that we receive through our vote and its potential to help many others who we might not even know or because we feel that the value we receive from casting it is outweighed by the time and effort that we expend in order to cast it.

At any other time outside of them opting not to vote, if one were to ask these same people to help someone in need they would be more than happy to do so.  That is because altruism is a basic part of most peoples’ social construct and the personal reward for philanthropy is more obvious and usually more quickly attained than it is for a ballot that we cast.

It is very likely that an outsized segment of those who vote in special elections and runoff elections are avid members of a political party’s partisan base.  It does not matter whether it is because these avid voters believe more strongly that their vote will actually have an impact on the outcome of the election or if it is simply because they have a deeper interest in politics than other voters who may find voting to be just a necessary imposition.  The bottom line is that they will likely have a major impact on the election and might even be the ones that ultimately decide who the winners will be.

I want to specifically address the runoff in District 11 between Stacie Gilmore and Sean Bradley because this is the District in which I live.  Ms. Gilmore mentioned in the article that she wrote and I posted to this website that she has lived in the Montbello Green Valley Ranch community for almost 20 years.  Anyone who has lived in this District for a substantial period of time knows that nuances that can at times become not so subtle and be divisive exist between the Montbello and Green Valley Ranch populace.

In order to properly represent constituents in District 11, the successful city council candidate must be able to effectively work in the best interest of both Montbello and Green Valley Ranch residents.  In order to do this that council member must be able to find common ground for constituents during times of controversy.  In order to find true common ground it will be important for that council member to be intimately familiar with those previously mentioned Montbello Green Valley Ranch nuances.  This will be beneficial to them in articulating a solution that will be more likely to be accepted by both sides.

Because Stacie Gilmore has lived in this District for a long period of time and is familiar with these nuances, it gives her an advantage over relatively new-comer Sean Bradley.  Since there is little doubt that the June 2nd turnout will be lower than that of the May 5th election turnout and it will be largely composed of partisan base voters, if both camps are still canvassing neighborhoods, they will most likely focus their main efforts on the avid base constituents so don’t be surprised if they knock on your door.

Regardless of which candidate you support and whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent; be sure to vote.  It is an intricate part of our civic duty, there are plenty of available polling places, the time and effort that it will take to reach them will be minimal, it will be well worth our time and ultimately will provide an added value to our respective community.

Finally, always remember, your vote is the most important one of all, unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Keep The Pressure On America’s Justice System

Now is not the time to take the pressure off of America’s justice system.  The appearance of the responsible officials and our politicians finally beginning to make an effort to actually try to address the problem is not enough.  We have seen this act far too many times before already.  Officials and politicians from the local level all the way up to the White House who are responsible for assuring liberty and justice for all have not been doing their jobs.

Too many innocent, unarmed people – especially young Black men – have died and many who were justifiably arrested, whether the charge was a misdemeanor or a felony, have been unnecessarily brutalized by the arresting police officers and incarcerated for excessive periods of time.  Those in authority have winked at this problem while too many of the rest of us have just accepted it and turned our heads the other way out of sheer frustration.

We have come to believe that this is just the way that it is and accept the status quo because we feel that there is absolutely nothing that we can do about it.  Too many Americans have died or otherwise been abused by our justice system because they have little or no money, which means they have no power.  Our justice system is skewed toward those with money and power and although most Americans realize that this is a problem and talk openly about it, again, we accept it because we have come to believe that this is just the way that it is and there is nothing that we can do about it.

Those who feel this way are wrong.  We can and should – no must, do something about it.  We can vote!  We can use the power of our vote to oust those who have become comfortable with the title of politician and refuse to do the job that they were elected to do.  Too many politicians have willingly and openly accepted the fact that many Americans believe that they will lie and do almost anything else to remain in office once they have tasted that power and potential to line their own pockets: and so they use this to their advantage.

I borrow words from the late Dr. Martin Luther King when I say that they do their jobs “in times of comfort and convenience” but become shrinking violets when it comes to doing it in times of “challenge and controversy.”  During these times of challenge and controversy they play politics…and we allow them to get away with it.  While it is true that we have the ability to vote now, with some of the things that are going on in the political world with many politicians working to figure out a way to prevent us from voting, there is no guarantee that we will retain it.

I decided to write this article because of an article I read in the Associated Press dated May 3, 2015.  The article was by Jeffrey Collins and entitled ‘State police won’t release dashcam video of officer shooting.‘  The article reminded me of a time back in the late 1950’s when the police chased my dad (followed would probably be a more appropriate word) home.  At the time, we were living on Arapaho Street in Denver in what was referred to as ‘the projects.’

The story can best be told via an excerpt from my book, ‘Living Between The Line’ and it goes as follows:

Vernon enjoyed nice clothes and good liquor and over the years had become a heavy drinker.  His drinking and driving did not make for a good mix and since Vernon did not have a Driver’s license, this only made matters worse.  As fate would have it Vernon’s drinking and driving without a license ultimately caught up with him.  One day while Matt was still in elementary school and still cruising the neighborhood on his cool scooter with his friend Billy he witnessed a scene that he will never forget.  Matt and Billy had just arrived in front of Matt’s house when they heard the sound of a siren.

Matt and Billy turned their heads in the direction of the sound and to Matt’s amazement there was his dad being chased by the police.  Perhaps it should be said that he was being followed by the police because although the police had their siren on, when they passed by Matt and Billy on the street in front of Matt’s house they were smiling and talking to one another.

Vernon was only traveling about 25 to 30 miles per hour but he refused to stop.  He was signaling for every turn that he made.  The funny thing was that he was not using his turn signals but was giving hand signals.  In this case, he had his arm outside of the window and pointing toward the sky, which meant that he was preparing to make a right turn.

Matt and Billy ran to the corner just in time to see Vernon arrive at the corner at the end of another block and see him once again place his arm outside the window and point toward the sky.  Vernon continued to do this until he reached the parking lot behind his apartment in the projects where he got out of the automobile and the police officers approached him.  Vernon was obviously very drunk!

Bonnie had witnessed this scene from her apartment window and had an idea where Vernon was headed when he passed in front of the apartment so she was at the parking lot waiting when Vernon arrived.  By now, Matt and Billy were in Matt’s back yard watching to see what would happen to Vernon: Matt was afraid because he feared that his dad would go to jail.  Fortunately, as Vernon stood bobbing and weaving in front of the police officers, they only gave him a good long lecture and released him to Bonnie.  Bonnie took him into the house and put him to bed.

Unfortunately, the story in the article that Mr. Jeffrey Collins wrote ended in the death of the 68-year-old driver in the driveway of his own home.  He, like my dad, was drunk.  The police officer who shot him was indicted on criminal charges.  Click on the link to the article above if you would like to read it in the Associated Press.

My point is that equal justice under the law is the right of every American despite the color of their skin and regardless of what law they have broken.  Excessive or unwarranted lethal force by the police must be neither condoned nor tolerated.  Although Grand Juries likely do the best that they can in accordance with the law, there is a fatal flaw in this process that must be addressed and corrected by those officials and politicians who have the power to correct it.

I refuse to believe that the rich and powerful, politicians and those officials who head justice-related institutions from local levels all the way up to national levels do not see what is happening.  I refuse to believe that they are incapable of comprehending how dangerous this road that we are traveling is.

It is my opinion that there is something else that is preventing these obviously intelligent and smart people from attacking this problem and doing the right thing to correct it.  I believe that that ‘something else’ is money and politics.  And until the preponderance of those big money people decide that things can go so terribly wrong if we continue down this same road that it will have a negative impact on their money and as a result force change, or voters step up and force politicians to do the jobs that they were elected to do, we will continue to have this problem.

Eulus Dennis