In 2019 The Detroit News recognized Pastor Barry Randolf as one of the 10 Michiganians of the Year because of his efforts to bring people out of poverty. Recently The Detroit News had an article about the work he is doing with healing circles at his church for victims of violence. As a result of this article, I reached out to Pastor Randolf to offer my assistance to his parishioners by sharing the story of Leah’s mother’s murder over 48 years ago and how it has impacted Leah and I since then.
Today Pastor Randolf called me, and we talked for over 30 minutes about the struggles his parishioners are having coping with the violence that has happened to their family members. It was a very rewarding conversation and we agreed that Leah and I can help his parishioners by sharing our story.
After this conversation, I was really excited for few minutes until Leah told me about the mass shooting today in Nashville at a private elementary school where 3 students and three adults were murdered by a female shooter in her mid-20’s. Motive is unknown at this point.
As usual after hearing about another mass shooting, my mood changed to frustration and anger. I get tired of the feelings. I get tired of the tolerance. I get tired of the loss of life. I get tired of the flashbacks. How can we live in a society where the number one cause of death for children 18 and under is gun violence?
Today Pastor Randolf and I were asking each other what will it take? How much is enough? When will our politicians put more importance on children’s and human’s life over gun rights. I look forward to working with Pastor Randolf. If we can help one family, or we can save one life, it will be worth the effort. More to come on this new endeavor.
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My faith in our governor and state legislature continues to take a beating especially after reading an article from Sunday’s Detroit News by Chad Livengood. Here are the key points.
A $20 million grant awarded to a nonexistent business organization in this year’s state budget exposes yet another glaring hole in Michigan’s law governing the lobbying of state officials for taxpayer cash.
Politically connected Oakland County businesswoman Fay Beydoun and Okemos businessman Shariff Hussein apparently didn’t bother to register to lobby when they sought financial support from then-House Speaker Jason Wentworth and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration for a vague “international business accelerator” program that got tucked into the state budget on June 30. Beydoun and Hussein’s ability to secure four years of funding all at once for a program with no track record — the entity wasn’t even incorporated when lawmakers approved the money — underscores just how broken the Michigan Legislature’s appropriations process is.
By the way, House Speaker Wentworth denies that he was the legislature who sponsored this, even though his name was listed as the sponsor on the request for funding. If there was transparency we would not have this problem.
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Although the B1G didn’t fair to well in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, the men’s hockey teams more than made up for it with 4 of the final eight hockey teams left being from the B1G. Minnesota, Michigan, PSU, and OSU all advanced to the elite 8 and Minnesota and Michigan advanced to the Frozen Four. See my Orchid of the Day.
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Women’s basketball in Michigan is losing one of its pillars of strength as MSU women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant resigned earlier this month. Merchant, 53, announced a few weeks ago that, “with a heavy heart,” she is stepping down after 16 seasons as head women’s basketball coach at Michigan State. She cited health concerns. Merchant has been sidelined since late January, when she suffered an undisclosed medical incident that led to a single-car accident.
At Michigan State, Merchant won two Big Ten championships and made 10 NCAA Tournaments. She was Big Ten coach of the year in 2011 and had a record of 327-186 with the Spartans.
Merchant, a Traverse City native, first burst onto the scene as head coach at Eastern Michigan for nine years, making one NCAA Tournament, before she was hired by Michigan State. She will be missed.
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I was saddened to hear about the death of actor Lance Reddick who died last week. At 60 he was much too young. He was an actor who I loved to watch. He posture, his fitness, his bald head, his unique voice were consistent traits no matter what his role. I loved him in his roles in Fringe, Bosch, and especially The Wire. He was one of those actors who if he was in it, it was worth watching.
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Quote of the Day: “We host these healing circles because there’s so much undiagnosed pain in Detroit, and a lot of people can’t afford a counselor. We have all these people experiencing this pain. What do you do with it?” Pastor Barry Randolf.
Orchid of the Day: Michigan’s hockey team is headed back to the Frozen Four for a second straight season and an NCAA-record 27th time.
Onion of the Day: The shooter in Nashville and the politicians who continue to put gun rights over human life through their inaction.
Question of the Day: What will it take to say enough is enough?
Video of the Day: Soul Shine by the Allman Brothers
I liked your comments about the Governor. She definitely is politically motivated to move ahead in politics. The elimination of the “right to work” state will damage Michigan. Take a look at the stats before and review the aftermath of businesses, industries moving to other states. When I was with an economic development committee in Indiana, we loved the fact that Michigan was not a right to work state. We collected several companies who moved to the Ft. Wayne, In. market due to Michigan’s outdated and intrusive “union” status. Everybody has a right to make choices but this is not a wise one.
Doug,
I always appreciate your insight. I do not understand the loyalty many democrat politicians have to unions. I believe recent studies show that the rank and file do not vote in the manner that union money is spent by the leaders at the top of the union. I guess it is all about the money.
Biggs