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“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
BRUCE AUSTIN
APR 22, 1953 – AUG 13, 2024
THE 2024 OLYMPICS
By Bobby Eugene Mills
e Olympic Athletic International Games were birthed in Greece. Traditionally, Olympics Games occur every four years in di erent nation-states. e 2024 games were held in Paris, France, the city of love. e 2028 games will be hosted by America, in Los Angeles, California, the city of Angels. e 2028 Olympic Games promise to be an extraordinary event, showcasing America’s identity as a vibrant, multicultural democracy. ey will re ect the values inscribed on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your
tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I li my lamp beside the golden door.” America let’s be spiritually clear concerning the meaning and importance of the Olympic Games. e Olympics is a nation-state event, not a host city event. Los Angeles re ects the universal democratic values of American democracy.
For a er all, America is a nation- Olympics on pg. 3
Bruce Austin passed away peacefully on August 13, 2024. Bruce was known for his unwavering kindness and generosity. His passion for his job as Special Assistant at Harris County Precinct One and dedication to his family will be remembered. He will be remembered fondly by family and friends for his warm heart and gentle spirit.
HAROLD EDWARD REED
MAR 28, 1932 – AUG 12, 2024
By: Reed Family
A visitation for Harold will be held Monday, August 19, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:25 AM at Payne Chapel AME Church, 2701 Lee St, Houston, TX 77026. A funeral service will occur Monday, August 19, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 2701 Lee St, Houston, TX 77026. A committal service with military honors will be held on Monday, August 19, 2024, from 2:15 PM to 2:30 PM at Houston National Cemetery, located at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038.
A Revival of God Consciousness
Bobby Mills, Ph.D.
THE DEVIL’S PROTEGES
America, on November 5th, 2024, let’s close the book on the wilds of the devil and his proteges, the MAGA Trumpism Cult. No doubt about it, Trump’s governing policies are about Trump, and boldly against multi-cultural democracy. Of course, what else should we expect from a man that cheated his own brother, and his brother’s children, a twenty- rst century Cain and Abel syndrome. Trump has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female (E. Jean Carroll) and ned 83.3 million dollars for character
defamation. Additionally, Trump has been ordered to pay over 440,000,000 million dollars to the State of New York for nancial tax and property over evaluation fraud. Moreover, Trump has been convicted of (34) counts of nancial business fraud for paying a Porn-Star hush money to in uence the 2016 Presidential election. Judas was called the Son of Perdition for his betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Trump in conjunction with the devilish architects of the (2025) Project must be called
Proteges on pg. 4
“We Africans in America have been socially engineered to reject our past, and far too many of us live in a state of suspended animation. We deny the historical realities confronting us daily. Too many of us mistakenly believe that the past has no bearing on the present and is unrelated to the future. Thus, we have been conditioned to live our lives disconnected from cultural values, principles, and ideals - essential for peaceful living.”
- Anthony T. Browder
state set on a spiritual hill as beacon of lights of multi-cultural democracy that shine ever so brightly as symbols of freedom and justice for all.
The Paris Olympics was a magnificent cultural event that demonstrated that individuals could come from around the world, boldly compete in athletic games in peace, harmony, sportsmanship, and human dignity. In fact, the city of love, Paris, set a new standard for how the Olympics should be managed. The events were thrilling, and chilling from beginning to end. American athletes were cheering for each other despite partisan ungodly politics at home, because January 6th, 2021, almost destroyed constitutional democratic order in American society. Therefore, we should never forget that God has blessed America to become one of the greatest nationstates in the history of humankind technologically, scientifically, and culturally because of our adherence to freewill thinking, and our benevolence towards the world, despite a few leaders with exclusionary mentalities, which in turn, has caused great pain and suffering for all. America is a nation-state of immigrants and diverse cultures. The multicultural diversity of America is our strength and should be on full display as the melting
pot of the world in the 2028 Olympics. For example, in music, art, dance, and theatrics displaying the diversity of America’s culture as the melting-pot of the world community. Sameness creates stagnation. Diversity creates ideas, and better ideas. Thank you, Lord. The purpose of the Olympics is athletic competitions and disciplinary excellence in various sport disciplines. No doubt about it, professional sports require self-discipline, professional training, and hard work through self-sacrifices to just be able to participate (compete), not win a medal, even though winning is a great part of the Olympics. The key to success in any professional field of athletic endeavor is hard work and self-discipline, because: “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). America, starting now, let’s not talk about it, let’s be about working on the 2028 Olympic games now, and let the entire world know who we truly are despite Cultural Di erences. Hallelujah!
SOCIETY
U.S. MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT RATES 2 TO 4 TIMES HIGHER
By Phil Helsel and Courtney Kube
e number of sexual assaults in the U.S. military is likely two to four times higher than government estimates, according to a new study out of Brown University.
e study, completed by the Costs of War Project at Brown University’s Watson Institute, compared Defense Department data on sexual assaults with data that was not from the DOD to estimate sexual assault gures in the military since 2001.
“During and beyond the 20 years of the post9/11 wars, independent data suggest that actual sexual assault prevalence is two to four times higher than DoD estimations — 75,569 cases in 2021 and 73,695 cases in 2023,” the authors wrote in the report, which was released Wednesday.
Defense Department gures estimate that there were approximately 35,900 cases in 2021 and around 29,000 military personnel assaulted in 2023, the study said.
e Brown report said that independent studies show higher estimates of the number of active-duty service members experiencing sexual assault, and it compared those studies with Defense Department numbers.
“ is report highlights a middle range
— two to four times higher than DoD estimates — as likely providing the most accurate numbers,” it said.
A Defense Department spokesperson said it would “be inappropriate to comment on the methodology of studies not conducted by the Department.”
“ e department continues our sustained progress to build strong command climates and prevent sexual assault, assist sexual assault survivors with recovery, and hold alleged o enders appropriately accountable,” the spokesperson added. “Sexual violence will not be tolerated, condoned, or ignored within our ranks. Everything we are doing in this space is focused on helping us make lasting, meaningful change.”
Among those
mentioned in the report is Vanessa Guillén, a soldier at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos), Texas, who had reported sexual harassment at the base and who o cials say was later killed by another soldier, Spc. Aaron Robinson.
Guillén’s April 2020 killing sparked calls for military reform and, in 2022, Congress passed the “I Am Vanessa Guillén Act” that changed the way the military handles sexual abuse-related investigations and allegations.
Another soldier at Fort Hood, Elder Fernandes, died by suicide in 2020 after experiencing what the Army said was “abusive sexual contact.”
e Costs of War Project report comes a year a er a Pentagon report found that reports of sexual assault at the nation’s three military academies rose
more than 18% from 2021 to 2022, hitting a new high.
A 2021 Congressional Research Service report said there was some evidence that a majority of sexual o enses in the military are not being reported.
e I am Vanessa Guillén Act removed military commanders from the equation when it comes to sexual assault investigations and puts the investigation in the hands of independent prosecutors.
e Costs of War Project report calls that change “the largest change to the UCMJ since the military created its own legal system in 1950,” referring to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
ON RACIAL JUSTICE & CIVIL RIGHTS
THE DEMOCRATS’ PLATFORM
actments of the state legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law † are hostile in character, subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.
THE REPUBLICANS’ PLATFORM
humanity and a burning shame to our country and age; and we call upon Congress to take prompt and e cient measures for the total and nal suppression of that execrable tra c. ††
had no rights. at infamous decision by the Court announced that African Americans “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his bene t.” Not only did Democrats a rm their support for this decision with this plank in their platform but they even distributed copies of the Dred Scott decision along with their platform to a rm their belief that it was proper to have slavery and to hold African Americans in bondage.
† e attempts by the “state legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law” (refer to the note about this law on previous page) refer to what were called “Personal Liberty Laws” passed by Northern anti-slavery states. ese laws provided that if an individual was accused of being a slave, he could have the bene t of an attorney, the right of habeas corpus, and a jury. ey also prohibited state o cials from assissting in the return of any fugitive slave. Each of these legal protections were direct a ronts to the atrocious federal law.
e Fugitive Slave Law, passed by the Democratic Congress, had been designed to assist slave owners. For example, under that law a $10 fee was paid to a federal o cial who ruled that a black was a runaway slave but only $5 was paid if he ruled that the black was free. Not surprisingly in the decade following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, 332 individuals were ruled to be runaway slaves but only 11 free. Furthermore, under the Fugivite Slave Law, federal marshals were authorized to impress any citizen into hunting for a slave, thereby making every citizen – even anti-slavery citizens – assist in sending escaped slaves back into slavery. e “Personal Liberty Laws” about which the Democratic platform here complains were an attempt by Northern states to protect the constitutional rights of African Americans.
out of any state, and on January 1, 1808 – in accordance with the constitutional provision – Congress completely banned the slave trade. In the 1857 Dred Scott decision, the U. S. Supreme Court – disregarding the constitutionally-authorized ban – declared that Congress could not interfere with slavery or prohibit it in any territory, thereby “reopening the African slave trade [through] perversions of judicial power.”
†† Republicans won the election of 1860 and, in accordance with this plank in their platform, they begin to take action to end slavery. For example, in 1862, they passed a federal law prohibiting slavery in the federal territories – a direct a ront to the 1857 Dred Scott decision in which the U. S. Supreme Court had forbidden Congress from ending slavery in any territory. In 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation – another act directly refuting the Supreme Court decision. e Republican Congress had indeed begun pursuing measures for the “total and nal suppression of that execrable tra c.”
the father of American Autocracy, because they desire to destroy (250) years of America’s Godly struggle to become a multicultural democracy. Trump in conjunction with his MAGA Cult followers are obsessed with the right to bear arms (Second Amendment), and at the same time, America has the most sophisticated militaristic defense deterrence system on planet earth. Question: what is the objective(s) of Trump’s MAGA Cult doctrinal platform? Is it to internally militarize American society?
Is it to bully other nation-states to do his bidding, because America can annihilate them? Is it that Trump simply desires that the world pay tribute to him as King Trump? If so, someone please tell Trump: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7). More importantly, “ e earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof;” (Psalm 24:1). America, there is nothing new under the sun, and this has been tried many times before. For example, Hitler, Mussolini, and the Emperor of Japan failed, because: “what is a man pro ted, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16: 26).
God has truly blessed America. It is unfortunate that (73+) million Americans have the same ungodly beliefs as those of Donald J. Trump. What a shame! Hence, this battle must be won at the ballot box on November 5th, 2024. America, we have spiritually been at this crossroads before, e Civil War. Sadly, nothing was lost (hurt), but Americans, no foreign enemies. What a shame! us, it has wisely been said that individuals learn from the mistakes of the past. Unfortunately, there are always fools who make a mockery out of sin, but we all know that: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14: 34). e First Amendment is not a license to tell lies. e MAGA Cult Platform and the (2025) Project are based upon lies to the nth degree, because the desire is to destroy multi-cultural democracy and institute White Privilege Autocracy. However, sane-minded Godfearing Whites should not desire the destruction of multi-cultural democracy, even though America has its socioeconomic shortcomings. America let’s not go back to the 1619 Project, but instead let’s spiritually embrace God’s will as expressed in the Two Great Commandments as well as the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution.
AFSCME’S SAUNDERS ON HARRIS’ VP PICK:
By Lon Walls
WASHINGTON, DC – American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders released the following statement a er Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate:
“Tim Walz personi es what public service is all about: Doing for others and never leaving anyone behind. He learned these values while serving in the National Guard, and he lived them as a teacher and football coach in Mankato, Minnesota. He has always been the rst to lend a helping hand in his community, and today, this is how he governs – empowering worker voices and defending those who have made public service a career.”
“As governor, he took on billion-dollar corporations to ban private prisons in Minnesota, keeping pro t motives out of the justice system while protecting the jobs of AFSCME corrections o cers. He went on to
“Gov. Walz shows what our communities can look like when we lead with empathy. He is a labor champion who will take pro-worker values with him to the White House. Together with Kamala Harris, they will defend our freedoms — to care for our families, to have a voice announced her
pass legislation guaranteeing free breakfast and lunch for young students statewide, giving AFSCME school employees the tools they need to keep kids energized and ready to learn. Walz did all this for Minnesota’s communities while getting state workers a historic contract with across-the-board raises.”
on the job, to thrive. We look forward mobilizing the full strength of our union to ensure that this dynamic ticket wins on November 5.” ###
AFSCME’s 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in communities across the nation, serving in hundreds of di erent occupations — from nurses to corrections ofcers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and freedom and opportunity for all working families.
President, Lee Saunders
LOCAL
THE STORMS BEFORE THE STORMS: THE AFTERMATH
By Travis McGee
My condolences for any lives lost and my sympathy for the entire city of Houston for enduring another nightmare. Just one month into the ricane Season and Houston has experienced two major storms thus far, Derecho and Beryl. However, the preparation for past and present storms remains the same even though the categories of the storms may change the preparation or should I say the lack of remains the same. Houston has had 2 major tests in less than 2 months and have unked both of them pretty bad. I’m not saying we can stop God’s Work, but I am saying we can prepare for it. Are we really Houston Strong or should Houston infrastructures and Hurricane preparation be stronger from past and present experiences?
e preparation has to be proactive 365/24/7 before, a er, and during hurricane season even though hurricane season is from son is from June to November (6 months the preparation has to be year around.
e people of Houston are resilient, but they really don’t have much choice. We e People are strong and Houston is just very fortunate that the people are nally
starting to question the preparation of our local government and main electricity provider CenterPoint. If CenterPoint provides electricity for 2.6 million in the Houston area and over 2 million were without lights, that’s a horrible stat considering Houston is the energy capital of the world but can’t keep its own lights on. As a matter of fact, Houston is ranked #2 behind Los Angeles for being the least prepared city in the U.S. I’m sure if you ask any Houstonian, they’d say they’d rather be comfortable at their own home with AC, water and ice being produced by the utilities they pay for monthly. Rain, sleet snow or Hurricane, they still have to pay bills and taxes.
Houston hasn’t been a “Clutch City” since the 1994-95 Houston
Rockets you know when they had the “DREAM” winning back-to-back championships but, since then we have been experiencing storms before the storms that has been absolute nightmares mainly due to lack of preparation on all levels of our government and CenterPoint.
When we say “Houston Strong” are we referring to the survival mode people are forced to be in every time it oods or It is hurricane season since both happen every year. Or are we referring to the mental, physical, psychological, nancial and long-term e ects it has on We the People? e only things that have been consistent are the Ice and Water Free for All’s, but this can’t be the compromise for days or weeks without electricity and sometimes not even access to your home.
be the compromise for days or weeks without electricity and sometimes not even access to your home. Houston is not strong;
the more strain on the already prehistoric infrastructure whether drainage or energy. Our city has to prepare for hurricane season the same way it prepares for events coming to our city whether it’s the Superbowl, World Series, the World Cup, All Stars, or even local events like the rodeo.
14 years ago that were supposed to be used speci cally for infrastructure and drainage only.
e Energy Capital of the world should be “Houston Strong” by now with all the tests we have had thus far, but in order to be “Houston Strong, the preparation can’t be “Consistently Weak.” e Public Utility Commission and Texas legislators oversees ERCOT and ERCOT oversees CenterPoint, however the city does have original jurisdiction over rates, operations, and services.
lot. e more concrete, the more water searching for places to go and the newer construction,
Most damage since Hurricane Ike was caused by fallen trees so why are we still planting them vs. cutting and maintaining the ones we already have. Keep in mind Beyrl was considered a CAT 1 depending on who you ask, so if the preparation don’t get better anything over a CAT 1, we should expect to be without power for a month or longer. Where are all these
Houston is fed up. Turn Around Don’t Drown can’t be the only plan for pre storm prep and water and ice free for all’s can’t be the only plan for post storm prep. e plan has to be a proactive plan that includes the infrastructures, drainage, tree cutting, unclogging drains, escape routes, cooling centers, and etc. however all tax funded facilities should be cooling centers/safe havens for the people of City of Houston and Harris County. Houston is still trying to increase its density through housing with ordinances like Chapter 42 which decreases the minimum lot size to build on, this allows developers to build multiple structures on one lot. e more concrete, tion,
Where are all these infrastructure dollars we were hearing about during election time or the “Rebuild Houston” aka Drainage Fee monies we voted on
e PUC can override the CITY’S decisions related to the operations of CenterPoint, but the CITY needs to give them something to think about or something to override.
EXTRA to give We the
IF everybody does something, everything will get done.
In order for Houston to be an EXTRAordinary City ey have to do EXTRA to give We the People a peace of mind. IF everybody does something, everything will get done.
MARKETPLACE
Notice to Proposers Request for Proposal will be received by Lone Star College for:
• RFP #956 – Printing Services –Small Projects. Electronic submittals due by 2:00PM, Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
• WebEx pre-proposal meeting: Friday, August 23, 2024, 10:00AM; callin number 1-408-792-6300, Meeting #2630 827 6203
• Contact: janet.bradley@lonestar.edu or (832)813-6299.
• Must Register to Bid: http://wwwappsdstc.lonestar.edu/istar/supplier.htm . If registered, please ensure your registration is up to date. For assistance with the on-line registration process, contact MC-vendors@ lonestar.edu.
Notice to Proposers Request for Proposal will be received by Lone Star College for:
• RFP #955 – Outreach and Recruitment Support. Electronic submittals due by 2:00PM, Monday, August 26, 2024.
• WebEx pre-proposal meeting: ursday, August 15, 2024, 10:00AM; call-in number 1-408-792-6300, Meeting #2632 377 2220
• Contact: janet.bradley@lonestar.edu or (832)813-6299.
• Must Register to Bid: http://wwwappsdstc.lonestar.edu/istar/supplier.htm . If registered, please ensure your registration is up to date. For assistance with the on-line registration process, contact MC-vendors@ lonestar.edu.
LEGAL NOTICE
e Houston Independent School District Purchasing Services Department located at 4400 West 18th Street, Houston, TX 77092 is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) via the District’s electronic bidding portal. Proposers may login to view speci cations and submit their responses at the following link https:// houstonisd.ionwave.net/Login.aspx until 2:00 p.m. (CST) Tuesday, September 10, 2024, for the following solicitations:
• RFP 24-05-02 (Light Fleet Vehicle Painting, Body Repair Services, Accessories, Towing and Related Products & Services)
• RFP 24-05-03 (Bus and Heavy Vehicle Painting, Body Repair Services, Accessories, Towing and Related Products & Services)
A pre-proposal conference via Microso Teams will be held in conjunction with this RFP. Information regarding dates, times, and instructions to receive a link to join the meeting can be located within the electronic bidding portal under the “Event Details” tab speci c to this solicitation.
GREAT EDUCAT RS THE HEART OF LEARNING STARTS WITH
Nominate a deserving teacher, principal, counselor, early childhood learning center, school board or school district.
Created in 2002, the H‑E‑B Excellence in Education Awards was designed to honor and thank outstanding public school professionals. Through this program, H‑E‑B awards over $700,000 annually to deserving educators who go the extra mile to serve their students and communities.
To submit a nomination or application, go to heb.com/nominate.
