On the Road: Destination: Tacoma Dome-Tacoma Washington

It is One day before July 4th, and as I come to Tacoma to attend the Jehovah Witness Christian Convention, having been invited to attend by a Real Change reader, I am very surprised as to how the Jehovah Witnesses did not have security check points like most Christian Conventions do. but then again this is Tacoma Washington and this city appears to be far safer than seattle appears to be.
but for a one day convention. I have to say that I was rather amazed by their way of operating. they never asked for an offering, but they did have donation booths available for anyone to drop off a donation. the Jahovah Witnesses will be seen practically in every city and state across america, and even countries around the world, they are in fact what you would call missionaries, they do operate world wide to spread the word of god. having grown as a baptist first and then later becoming a pentecostal christian, and now apart of the universal church of god in christ, I can clearly see that things are done differently. I have met various members of the kingdom hall of the Jehovah Witnesses. they appeared to be straight forward people.
but I had often wondered how do they stay in operation. I learned that they pull together, when things get tough, and I began to wonder why can't other churches of various denominations do this. when I go into a kingdom Hall the congregations are seated wall to wall, and I keep wondering what are they doing that other denominations are not doing. even though I have alot to learn about the Jehovah Witnesses, I keep thinking maybe, just maybe there are things that can be learned from them. and the one thing is how do they keep their congregations full. what are they doing to draw people in. what are they saying. what is their message?

The Shame and Embarassment of it all--By August H Mallory

We call ourselves fellow americans, but we have this strange habit of not communicating in an effective way what so ever. in communities, we always say please join us in our clubs and churches and schools and colleges and what have you.
but what i have discovered is that only a select few are truly accepted and only a select few are truly considered a true part of our society. I look at the poor, the down and out, the homeless if you will, I look at how they are rejected and ignored and turned away from needed services, I watch how case management acts as if they are willing to work with the poor and then stab a knife in their back, this goes on quite a bit. I have experienced where people say that they are your friends but only to avoid me when they are around more affluent people.
america can be a hard place to live in. especially when you are an african american male. many time you are rejected amongst your own people. there is conflict in your families, in your communities, black on black crime is forever present. we don't raise our children to be honest in many ways. the only recreation we know of is basketball and football. `or we are talking about how mainstream america (white america) treats us. but we don't look at how we as african americans treat one another.
we don't look at how we pull one another down, we hinder each other from succeeding in everyway possible. we are like a barrel of crabs, when we see one reaching for the top we will pull that person right back down with us. our motto is if I cannot move ahead neither should you. and that a crying shame. the the shame and embarassment of it all. I am your friend' but I will kill you' I am your friend, but I will take from you. I am your friend but you embarass me, I am ashamed to be seen with you, because of the way you dress or look. or because you are too fat or you are too skinny, or you are too dark in skin tone. I don't trust you because you talk like a white person. I don't like you because you act as though you want sex from me. I don't like you because you look too weak for me. your body doesn't look right to me. orb you are too short to be with me. these are the many things that many men in the african american community has to put up with. which is total discrimination of every kind. we don't how we as african americans discriminate towards one another. african americans really need to wake up.

Yvette Bova the unsung Hero--By August H Mallory

As I begin this Story I want everyone to know that this is a story of a true and dedicated champion who has dedicated her life to the field of bodybuiling. she is none other than Yvette Bova. a veteran of the military. an a highly educated women in the sports and fitness Industry. I have come to Yvette only through the Internet, but I guess these days the Internet is how people come to know one another. I have found out in recent years many fitness professionals have gone another route to gain recognition for themselves. many have gone off into the world of Adult Entertainment, thousands upon thousands of women have ventured off into this line of work. but the mystery remains as to why women venture off into the wporld of pornography. after doing much research, people want to be recognized and known the world over. they want to make a name for themselves. and for many women, the world of pornography gives many women that needed edge.
wether it is in adult films or working in strip or nude clubs. these type of jobs do offer a very attractive amount of pay. and a lavish lifestyle. but as i look at Yvette i have to ask myself, she is well known to many, why get involved with adult films. I have been in contact with former bodybuilding competitor Rosemary Jennings and she once told me that the reasons many women retire or leave the sport of bodybuilding is because of the lack of support and the matter of being short changed when it comes to being paid. for competing in bodybuilding events. maybe this could be the reason why Yvette has retired from competitive bodybuilding. I am not one to bring race into a certain matter. but could it be that women of color are far less recognized than white women. personally I think so. but I will save that argument for the experts.
but Yvette has proven a far better competitor than most women her age, or of those who are younger. I will continue to support Yvette as a bodybuilder and fitness professional. because this is what I want to recognize her for. as for the Adult films I am not exactly the greatest fan of this. but there is the saying that sex sells. we live in a society more focused on what is morally wrong than morally right. I do want Yvette to know I do understand, however there are other ways that you could make a name for yourself. maybe become a physical education instructor or if you wanted to become a hollywood star. there are many mainstream producers to talk to. but if pornography is your thing, then that's your thing, after all you are an Adult.

The many struggles of an african american male--By August H Mallory

I write this story not just for myself, but for the many african maerican men who has had to face the prejudice and discrimination handed down to them from a very ruthless corrupt system of government and in our society. african american men are the biggest targets of violence in america. we face hatred and violence even by our own people. and for many years I have often wondered why. I learned later on in life why we as african americans in general are hated by each other. I learned about a letter that was written by a plantation owner in the 18th century known as william lynch. in his letter william gives details as to how his plan of oppression and control. will turn african americans against one another.
it is now 400 hundred years later and everything that william lynch predicted in his letter has come to pass. african americans are now killing one another at record levels. american society makes it hard for many african american men to obtain employment, therefore their only option to survival is the drug trade. and involvement in prostituion, we now live in the 21st Century and although things have changed somewhat there is still many problems. and african americans are still at risk of being left behind. as I travel across america, I still see that many, many african american men do not have employment. homelessness is still at a record high for african american men. therefore we are turning to violent crime. and this means assaults and rapes of our own people, we are taking out our anger out on our own people instead of the system that put us in this situation. we are killing each other. taking and stealing and shooting each other. in the african american community we talk about getting involved with churches and sunday school, and we try to get our children involved but this barely has any impact on our children. african american children are still growing up with hate and violence inside of them. there are more african american men with a history of violence than any ethnic group in america. and the prison incarceration rate is far higher than any ethnic group in america. we have a hardtime maintaining employment' the very reason we are not taught disipline, we are not taught how to be committed to a certain cause. the william lynch letter is the main reason today that african americans both men and womenm are having to struggle in society.

Sometimes I say woe By Jeffrey Mcneil

Sometimes I say woe it's me, how does a good guy like me go through all of this drama, then I see what has happened in haiti, I guess that they would like to have my problems. I am grateful. and I come down stairs to my head

A Friend Named Christine--By August H Mallory

Last year I met a very special person by the name of Christine, a very smart, intelligent and savvy young woman, who is by far the best fitness Instructor that i have ever come across.
having only met over the Internet. I feel that we have created a very special relationship. and even though I have been taken off of her friend's link I am sure it was nothing personal. somethings often need to be re-evaluated before they can continue on. and i do understand this. I have viewed her many photographs and she is a very beautiful young woman. as we come into the year 2010 I do hope that things will last through out the entire decade. in another ten years it will be the year 2020 i do hope that our estranged friendship will strengthen over time.
as I am very confident that it will. I do want Christine to know that I am here for her.

maybe it could be that I am not much of a conversationalist, and to some people this can be a real turn off. well' this is a new day and age. it's hard to change old ways,
but you are who you are. and it's the nature of the beast they say. but even though I am very hurt by the estranged friendship between Christine and myself, I will give her some space. maybe this is what she wants, and i will allow this. Christine' please understand that what ever led to our sudden failure of communication, I do apologize,