Crime Investigator.

Red 

Yolanda McClary, crime investigator and star of the show Cold Justice. (2018) 

I'll be honest. I was stunned by Yolanda McClary's beauty, and the depth in her eyes. When she spoke her keen intelligence, and the straightforwardness of her character got to me. Then I paid attention to the details...- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 2/3/19 

Yolanda McClary, crime investigator investigating a crime scene on an episode of Cold Justice in August 2015.

9/11, Bullshit and Denial.

I have the talent and the eye of a good photographer, but when I was coming up as a child it was impolite to take pictures traveling and living in various countries. Americans were intrusive. After the Korean war and the other wars waged by the mid-20th century, people were weary of American intrusion passing itself as diplomacy. So, I learned to interpret the visual with sound and words over the length of my decades.  In short, I studied. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories (9/10/18) 

Gangsta chicks like this are a version of masculinity that submits to crude male belief in the dominance of the dick over pussy. It is a self-inflicted wound from deep wounds to the soul,and it is at the crux of the ideology of survival within poverty all across this country. - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 9/11/18 

Chola in her 'Charley Brown'!

Vatos Locos.

Organized gangs are more representative of the soul of America. How are they ignored on September 11, 2018? Easily. As long as we cling to the myth of America we don't see the country as it is to others victimized by our ways of life! What am I thinking of making such a statement?

First of all, I am not caught up in the whining and impish patriotism fluttering about 17 years after those men crashed planes into buildings in New York city, Pennsylvania and D.C., where I was during the attack. Second, I was keenly aware of what these attacks meant beyond the terror of the moment. I saw the opening in a paradigm to change the world, and our worldview to usher in peace on that day within a few hours. There were others, but as the weeks became months it was apparent the chance for peace wasn't going to occur. War-like people have to engage their soul with killing.

It is impossible for white Americans, in particular, to move beyond the immature impulse to remain within the initial stage of shock and disbelief. Seventeen years later, and white Americans still behave in the emotional state immediately after a violent attack. Third thing that stands out is remembering how intently the coverage about the loss of white lives dominated coverage of the event for a long time, and the lack of historical reference to give a proper perspective to the event. To this day, the world silently breaths in contempt for the melodrama of September 11 remembrance events.

I know I do.

How does the chief among predatory forces illicit pity from other countries whose citizens still smart after what we have done to them?


Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
9/11/18

American Hustle: Crime

Amy Adams as Sidney Prosser in American Hustle (2013).

Directed by David O'Russe this was an exceptional script

she composed a character to be studied, and cared about.

Directed by David  O'Russe, Amy Adams, as Sidney Prosser, in "American Hustle" composed a character to study, and care about in the study of human contradictions women can embody, and men can support, in a belief that will eventually haunt them! How is dependent upon circumstance and personal paths taken... - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 6/4/18

Amy Adams in American Hustle. 2013.

Race, Rage, Revenge

Chicago Code BLUE

Four Black people kidnapped a handicapped white man, who could not protect himself and tortured him, beat him and filmed the assault. The country is in an uproar. When two Black girls names and faces showed up on the news as two of the perpetrators my mouth dropped in astonishment first because they were Black, and at the same time the horror of them being women was shattering.

Brittany Covington (who filmed the felony assault) and her older sister Tanisha Covington and friends were all officially charged with the following: Hill was charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, robbery, residential burglary; Cooper was charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and residential burglary; Brittany Covington was charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and residential burglary; Tanishia Covington was charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. These are someone's children and grandchildren.

When I look at this I see the reflection of the country. I see what we taught them and what we applaud: violence and taking from others. It is how the West was won and the East was taken: blood, and murder, deception and aggression. When it is our Colored daughters it speaks against and points to what ails not only the soul of the country, but what ails the souls of Black folks!

But, the country is full of contradictions and erratic behavior and white people clamoring for a chance to ring these Colored girls up on charges of a hate crime. It is a hate crime, but the clamor for it puzzles me as much as it did when white Americans clamored for President Obama to say the words: radical terrorism. It was odd. It didn't feel comfortable and it was hard to measure why placing a name upon something was more important than solving a problem, or probing into why something is what it is and so forth.

I will not sign a petition to make this crime a hate crime. It will solve nothing, It is only suppressing an urge for killing the girls that many want to do. Part of the outrage is at the misunderstanding of self, and the individuals left alone in this society. Miseducated children become something in life we are all terrified of and being an American means pretending that what is staring us in the face isn't really there. Why there is surprise that children will be cruel in reverse enrages our young people because they keenly feel abandoned into a system of education that excluded the vital parts of their development. If they aren't surprised at the large numbers of killers and sadists and sexual deviants we graduate each year from high school why are we?

If I do anything, and I will, I will do better at what I am doing in the development of children and young adults in my part of this country: the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Why'd I say that? I opened up a shit storm of reaction from white men!

Jeff Mayhugh  out of his mouth said, "Going to jail for them would be like going to a family reunion. Now they get to spend time with their momma." "gaz chamber please." another said. "Hang um! In the Gas chamber!" "kill them and their families."

"Set them on fire while we all sit around with popcorn and watch!" a married mother of two small children named Anna put out into cyberspace.

"Typical hoodrat trash." another said. In the midst of this one white man said, "This is a horrible thing.. don't make it worse buy going off the handle.. these people will be brought to justice.. don't take things to far... Hold the Liberal PC police to it.."

Things got dicey when a James Kerstetter got involved reacting to my thoughts beginning with 'I will not sign a petition...' He said, "Of course you won't. It's a hate crime and that fucking trash is getting charged with it too."

"James. OK." I replied. "You obviously didn't read or understand what my reasoning is. Can't go far with this discussion."

"Your right running bear. It's a black and white thing. You see black I see white. Just know that my way of thinking just isn't mine. There are a lot of people tired of the reverse racism. Time to defend ours. Try that shit in my neighborhood I dare ya....."

James McMenamy stepped into the fray and said, "Nobody needs your permission to label this a hate crime. A hate crime is a hate crime regardless of class, color, national orgin, religious beliefs, education or any other pathetic excuse of the offender."

This went on for some time until the host pulled it down because it got uglier and uglier. I was sadden by it all because I have been involved in live face to face, fact to fiction conversations with white men in the past over volatile subjects centered around race and regret having them because during it all a sadness overtakes me. There is something in denial and rhetoric that manages to hold their fears in at a check point. Black Americans find it easier to vent rage and require historical retribution or compensation for the evil deeds done upon them by white people.

It only saddens me because of the maturity level I am at. Time was I didn't feel sadness, or give a damn about how deep those emotions came from to frame each participants nightmares. So, if one can change and listen to another does the other one whose ears are closed change, or is the dynamic between the two staring at any hope of resolving the issue at hand? Usually no. But, what would happen if we, on opposite sides of the rage of debate, together sat around a table of food, played games and looked at our families and sought out ways to make our children's lives easier?

Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

Jan. 5, 2017

Artist rendition of young Black womanhood. artist unknown.

Sunday Sermon

"The lack of critical thinking and the tradition of celebrating it in the Black Church, in particular, is as odious to a thinking person of any faith as a pig in slop, but is the back story of many who have decided to leave the church and become atheists.

Sounds kind of simplistic doesn't it?" - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 7/31/16

"When one is void of critical thinking, they will accept lies and fall into the trap of accepting the status quo which will eventually cause them to be defined and confined by their oppressors." - Dr-Sinclair N. Grey III 

POLICE STATES in AMERICA !!



Police brutality by Jamaul Johnson is titled "Change"

"Police brutality is the release of pain into anger that flucuates between sexual tension, the intense feeling of power over another's life one despises and the justification of the community who quietly endorses the notion of law enforcement. That is my view from each side of the equation from citizen to law enforcement officer! In between those two obvious poles is the way Prince Georges county police in Maryland tased my nephew to death after he emerged from a pool." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 6.10.16

 

SPOOKY CHRISTIANS

CRIME SOLUTIONS discussed amongst Christians

the challenge:

“Crime has no zip code. It doesn't care about color, culture, race, religion, or neighborhood. Crime is a sin. We must work together to end it. We must pull our resources together to make this world a safer place to live. We can make a difference.” – Dr. Sinclair Grey III 12.18.12

“ don't believe we can end crime(sin) we can only contain it, We need to Teach the Word Harder and bring Back Bibles into schools and homes, Eliminate TV and be Families again! Justice Belongs to GOD and God Alone.” - Mary Morales

“It's also big business. How does the definition of crime apply to the military industrial complex, and corporations engaged in illegal business with governments?” – Gregory

“Again, We have to Pray and Do our part in Teaching About the Love of Jesus, I don't see how this is a government problem. Its a HUMAN Problem where way too many people don't care and Don't believe in Christ.”.- Mary Morales

“Everything is linked together, Mary. The challenge the good pastor put out, I believe, was focused on how we individually participate in resolving our social ills. Jesus was an on hands person. What are you going to do to make this a better way is the question.” – Gregory

“No it is NOT Mr. Woods, Jesus said give Caesar what belongs to Caesar... and once WE are chosen by God we no longer Belong to this world!!! My Part is to IMPART Love and Help where I can and Speak of Jesus and Win Souls!  May the Peace of God be with Mr. Woods.” – Mary

 “I see. That is good work, Mary.” – Gregory

“So true.” – Jennifer Harding-Williams

“The Great Commission, Matthew 28:16” – Mary

Black woman with a gun

"... give Caesar what belongs to Caesar...?" There isn't a connection between this scripture reference (Matt. 12: 13-17) and the pastor's original challenge. Yours is an interesting, and a disturbing reaction to the challenge of our times. You might be a young woman, Mary, and not aware of the errors, and the historic challenge to the notion of "not being in the world!" You might be unaware of what has happened tragically in countless lives following the adage of being in the world and not of it throughout the centuries the world over! – Gregory

“Mr. Woods, What did Jesus command us to do?” – Mary

‘That is a broad subject, or is it?” – Gregory

“You didn't answer the question.” – Mary

"One of the things Jesus asked people to do was to tell the truth. He asked people to come to him as a child, to develop impeccability, love the Creator, respect and love neighbors, absorb and merge with divine teachings, study the prophets, pray, take care of people. He forced people to re-examine their narrow views on subjects as wide and varied as law, women, forgiveness, prayer, and politics. He interjected into common theology a line of demarcation when it comes to financial responsibility as above stated in Matt. 12:13-17.

He shed new light upon the initiatory tradition of the Hebrew people that was common amongst indigenous peoples. He taught enlightenment with a broad based foundation in traditional deep wisdom teachings from various influences of the Chaldeans, and the Egyptians, for an example. Upon further study Jesus’ life re-examined prophecy and one's relationship to prophesies. There are many things Jesus taught." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 12.18.12

“No. He commanded us to do something as His disciples and you did not answer that... keeper of stories.”

“Mary, this is a good place to stop. Wisdom says to leave well enough alone. Doesn't make sense to pretend lopsided theological discussions, or this conversation originally meant to be about solutions for a specific social problem will not descend into a diatribe. Out of respect for the process of sharing and learning it is best to recognize that the absence of the student is not the place for the teacher to share or teach. These are my words. I am Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories.” 12.19.12

Black woman with a gun.