TheWiseOldFart

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Our Founding Fathers left the country of their origin for numerous reasons. However, the primary reason was far simpler than what is contained in the volumes written by historians. It comes down to one issue: human rights. Everything they accomplished at the Constitutional Convention between 1787 and 1789 was focused on the individual. The country belongs to the people. They choose their leaders who are nothing more than public servants. Their creation of a ‘check and balance system,’ three branches with equal but separate powers, would prevent what is happening today. There was never going to be king of the United States of America, or any other form of autocrat. However, one unconstitutional and immoral action by six corrupt members of the Supreme Court voided their intent. Our government is in chaos, totally out of control. Sadly, the men and women we elected to serve and protect us have become our enemies. If they are not working for us, they are worki...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1950’s and 1960’s was interesting. When I was very young, I, my mother, and my younger brother lived in an area of West Los Angeles which was predominately white. It is fair to say that until I was in my junior year of high school, I was surrounded by and lived in an atmosphere of white privilege. The only time I came in contact with anyone my age who was non-white was in the local parks, and later when I joined a baseball team in a predominately Black area of Venice. I never thought about it then, but playing sports gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with different races, most of whom had a different color of skin than my own. Until my junior year in high school, 1962, and at the age of 16, I attended Catholic schools. At the end of my sophomore year, I was playing varsity basketball in a mostly Catholic summer league. I was certain to be a starting guard the following year. In late summer, I attended an event at St. B...