by James Melson | Nov 3, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
The statue “March to Freedom” in Franklin, TN honors the legacy of the US Colored Troops in the Civil War Recently a new statue was unveiled near the county courthouse in Franklin, TN. It is called “March to Freedom” and honors the contributions of Black soldiers who...
by James Melson | Oct 27, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
Thirty five years ago this week on October 27, President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. It established huge disparities in the sentences for crimes involving crack cocaine vs. powder cocaine even though there was no evidence of differences in the...
by James Melson | Oct 20, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
Eugenics refers to the now discredited “science” of improving humanity through selective reproduction based on “breeding out” undesirable traits often based on “intelligence” and “race.” This pseudo-science is most often associated with the horrific atrocities of the...
by James Melson | Oct 13, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
Native American Children at the Carlisle Indian Boarding School in Carlisle, PA Two events from this week prompted the title “The Long Chain of Racism.” Monday was the national holiday Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It falls on the same day as the previous holiday that most...
by James Melson | Oct 6, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
Last Thursday, September 30, was the first observance of a new national holiday in Canada – The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to reflect on the history of injustice and oppression of Indigenous people who were the victims and survivors...
by James Melson | Sep 29, 2021 | 2021, Weekly Reflection
Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King, Jr. The new Ken Burns four part documentary on Muhammad Ali aired on many PBS stations last week. It provided insightful information and context about the life and influence of a boxer who became known simply as “The Greatest.” Yet...
