Obama on Martin Trayvon case and racial issues in USA

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us/in-wake-of-zimmerman-verdict-obama-makes-extensive-statement-on-race-in-america.html?nl=afternoonupdate&emc=edit_au_20130719&_r=0

How a black man should hold his stature so as not to make others draw their guns in fear?

As Charles Blow wrote in the Times, “So what do I tell my boys now? At what precise pace should a black man walk to avoid suspicion?” One needs to understand the prevailing legal winds in a given state:
Read this piece please: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2013/07/what-should-trayvon-martin-have-done.html

Sisyphus

The feet that tread into a newer world,

Urged on, prodded and intuitive,

the very prompts of necessity.

The paths earlier beaten,

Mixed bearings for retreat,

blasé and satiety in curiosity’s belly.

As humans we need to learn,

We may be held back by systems,

but this is no reason not to try.

Thomas Rogers Muyunga Mukasa shares; Peacefulness from welcoming God in our midst; God comes first for peace to hold fast

Two words have led me to contemplate the aspect of welcoming God in our lives. The words are peace and Emmanuel.  In welcoming another King, the Magi were visited by the angel of the Lord who accorded them safe passage to and fro their own homes. Herod on the other hand did not welcome the King born among Jews and with his evil mind killed all children below two years! God is both a host and guest in our hearts. We have to accord God appropriate welcome, do what He commands us to do and that way live or lead a peaceful life. This fact was the bulk of all the interactions between God and Humans from Genesis to present day.

Moses, one of the greatest prophets drew a chart on our relations and co-existence with God. In Deuteronomy 29 and 30, one meets five crucial points we as humans will have to follow to have peace enduring in our midst: acknowledge God’s presence; belief in God by divesting all manner of doubt about God; practicing God’s commandments especially that of love; heeding to God’s word and; turning to God with whole of our heart and soul.

Fast forward to the New Testament, we meet Luke in 10: 5-16 showing to us what would make peace endure in our midst when Jesus sent out the 72. We see that peace on inhabitants is possible but we also see the repercussions awaiting non-admittance. God comes first if we want peace to hold fast. Nothing will prevail before God is allowed to take control.

In Joshua 6:5, Jericho one of the most solidly fortified of cities fell, its walls crumbled when they denied entrance to the Jews. A blast of the ram’s horns tore down the walls that were so impregnable! In Joshua 8: 18 we see Joshua accepting to go by God’s advice in warfare and this gets him victory at Ai.

In Genesis 18: 10-15 we see that God comes to us always with good news. Sarah learns of her possibility for child-birth but scorns the news. This did not please God. Sarah went on to give birth indeed. In Genesis 18: 16-19 Abraham welcomed God in his life and we see in subsequent passages God acknowledging Abraham and rewarded for his steadfastness to God. In receiving God, we need to be appropriate and conduct ourselves in good stead. In Genesis 19: 1-17 Sodom and Gomorrah were some of the cities where God’s chosen prophets preached. Abraham learnt of their destruction and put in effort to warn and plead for them. But the Sodomites and Gommorahites were busy with bodily enjoyments including gangs that disturbed the peace of neighborhoods. In this passage one reads about what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah as a result of treating Lot’s guests unwelcomingly.

   

In the 21^st Century, we have everything that points to God’s existence. What we have not learnt so well is ourselves. We are so busy getting adept at knowing so many things but ourselves. In his small pocket book, Raymond F. Dlugos, PhD (Finding God in Anger, fear, sadness and shame. 2008), shows us how we can Welcome God in our life through understanding our own emotions and taming them to listen to God. Anger, fear, sadness, shame, violence, despair, separateness by standards of living, racially-biased prejudices and pride hold us as individuals in the chains that in turn make us fail to welcome God.  Acts of mercy, humility, trust, compassion, gratitude and a profound awareness of humanity we share with the rest of the world hold us fast to values that in turn make for deeper peace. In a situation Okaying a band-wagon hubris and peer pressure, we are called upon to first and foremost hold individuals to account for their actions. Thus is peace among us and with us (Emmanuel).

The America of my dreams and the Reality America

Animals in the residential homes:

I know of homes in Uganda where pigs, cats, chicken, ducks and rabbits sleep where humans are sleeping. This is discouraged by public health and the solution is to have a separate house for them. In America, I visited a friend whose attic is occupied by pythons. Another of my friends lives with her cats and dogs which sleep in her bed or anywhere, even on the dining table. The animals eat from the same plate!

Work:

The minimum wage, opportunities for engaging in a form of productive work are numerous and the industry is in need of workers. So, here I was thinking that as soon as I get to America I would walk to any work place and get a job! No! Between my dream and reality lay; work authorization and status issues (whether one is a green-card holder, citizen or alien). The industry would not even give me a second glance.

Navigation, assimilation and integration:

I thought it would be easy for one to make friends and get by. Between my dream and reality lay: the physical distance between a location where a need could be addressed; the differences in priorities that all humans have unless they have planned things through and; the exotic social/infra- structural systems.

One answer and many questions:

Once one sets foot in America all the ideas one had earlier evaporate and the questions start being posed by the mind in quick succession. In a country that Lincoln referred to as the ‘last best hope of Earth’ one realises the call to engage in efforts to improve on life, community and country. There is no relaxing, there is no giving in.

Economy and solid companies:

America is the magical and economical Aladdin’s land! The reality is that business, social and military might has had some hiccups in America as a result of one arm not performing well. I had to go through a book by Jim Collins from Good to Great, to know some of the five insidious problems that bring about crashes and recessions.

Reality and hubris born of having come to America:

All form of change will begin with changing my attitude towards earning respect, the dollar and reputation. The hubris of having come to America that my people may have is not enough and it should not get to my head!

Healthcare and other pillars that will make USA the most sustainably richest country; making the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) work for me

A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. James Madison, 1822.

Three aspects rushed through my mind before I penned this article: The song ‘material girl’ by Madonna; the song ‘Alien in New York’ by the Fugees (I think so) and; the quote from the new testament by Jesus Christ ‘and again I say unto you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.’ Matthew 19:24. My mind rushed straight to a situation in which I envisioned an ailing immigrant who is at the door steps of a clinic in any town in USA. I come from Africa originally and I the health care system from my former country is very different from that of USA. I happened to have read a book by Simon Johnson and James Kwak: White House Burning; The founding fathers, our national debt and why it matters to you, 2012, Pantheon Books, New York. In that book they put forward some ideas that USA (that is the people) need to look into in order to beat the recession (where many people lost jobs) from the 1990s to around 2004. They talk of tax cuts as incentive to boost a larger middle class; they talk of social security contributions by many; they talk of a universal health insurance plan that will set level payment rates for services and medications; reduce on national defense spending; transition from fossil fuels toward new energy sources; they talk of limiting size of financial institutions and their risk taking ventures; they talk of government directly sponsoring such small programs like education grants, housing and welfare, agriculture subsidy; they talked of reduction of tax expenditures and tax holidays; they talk of encouraging people to consume less, save money and borrow at low interests. I happened to go through eligibility criteria to get insured in USA and know about acceptance that was short lived, denial because I was not in ‘status’, acceptance again when my level of stay in USA was established and finally confirmation that I am an insured person in USA. All these aspects were communicated to me and a form was attached to my communication to be filled if I was contesting any decision. I did write back to have my names spelt correctly! I also managed to know about the appointment system of my nearest clinic and accessed the system that works on health needs of immigrants (immunization, physical check-ups, tooth, eye, ear and skin care). I am yet to get authorization to join a city-based gymnasium once my physician approves and signs a certain filled form. My first day of walking-in, is still on mind. I walked into a freshly scented building of glass and humming sounds of distant lifts (oh, sorry elevators) and in the lobby a receptionist called for me. She directed me to a corridor where there was another lobby of the ‘walk-in’ clinic. This particular health facility has 6 clinics with almost 50 medical doctors of different specialties as well as attending health workers. A receptionist nurse handled me and took my vitals. He told me to wait for one hour as they schedule an appointment to see my physician. I was told it was good I walked in before 8.30 a.m otherwise I was to wait for a day before I saw a physician because the numbers of patients is large now. So many of us are uninsured (I was still uninsured before 2013). Actually there are so many Americans who are uninsured. My physician finally saw me, the laboratory and x-rays were done and the prescriptions cost me USD 8. I had with me all my results on a CD! I also had a file and a Family Health Center ID number generated for me. I looked at the medication I was given at the pharmacy, it was to last me a month with chances of three refills! My insurance and the pharmacy discount program ensured I get these services to the fullest. I was also asked to book for dental care. That evening a call from the Dental care department got me working on details to that effect. I have since had a thorough dental check up and care as I write this. My next appointments are scheduled as follows: next immunization for Hepatitis is in August; dental in August and; physical check-ups with my physician on September. All I have to do is plan ahead and have these appointments in mind. I can call ahead and cancel/reschedule appointments. I am the kind of person who is cautious about my life. I shall make sure I fulfil my appointments. I am an alien in USA, but living in a country where life is respected it is easier for me to go through the doors of the health facilities now after getting my insurance card!

Financial and social integration literacy for a new immigrant in USA: testing the meaning of happiness and independence in American communities

You have settled in, I would say, almost in a cosy way. USA that is meeting you on the streets, television, radio, buses, buildings, restaurants and rubbing you in form of human bodies and language is far from what you dreamt of back in say, Africa, Haiti, China, Japan, Korea, India, Bhutan or El-Salvador!

There are social systems in place that you need to familiarise yourself with: the ones that immediately come to mind are; health care, education, social services, habitation and transportation. Are you familiar with the road that leads to the nearest hospital? Are you able to negotiate your way through emergency clinics or rooms? Do you have a phone number where you can be contacted? Are you well immunised? When did you last check for say, HIV? Are you a child below 19 years? As a child below that age, do you have parents? Do you go to school? Are you a mother? Are you a father? Are you eligible to join say, the military services of the USA? Have you tried all avenues to see where you fit? Are you able to travel around or are you tied down on one street fearing you may get lost?

Get to know something about America’s politics, get to study and complete a level of qualification ( invest time, be persistent and patient), take time to explore and grow spiritually, find out how the immediate community can help you as well as how you help it. Can you/ are you authorised to work? Find out how or what you can do get work authorization. In doing this you will be improving on financial and social integration. You need to think along those lines. This is America!