The Watchman

About 15 years ago I was a Chaplain for the Chicago Police.  I am honored to be a Reverend, ordained to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, there is a difference in the titles Chaplain and Reverend. I am not required to preach beyond the Christian faith, nor give consideration to any scripture other than that which is in the Holy Bible as Reverend. In addition, as Rev. Dr.Catherine M. Gross I am more likely to be found giving a message in a church, albeit one’s pulpit is where he or she pitches it. The audience is captive, and pursuant to the ideals  of one faith.

Usually a Chaplain is an ordained minister of God, but is able to preach to any faith or denomination. As such, it take more study, more focus, tolerance, and acceptance of others than that which is required of those who teach and preach in different religions.  Chaplains are more often affiliated with a workplace, thus the need to service a multitude. Scriptures are taken from the Holy Book of the congregation with whom you communicate. These  must reverberate the faith in which you are stabilized. A Chaplainship compels you to see that the religion is like a language. For the most part, albeit the language is different, the interpretation is the same.

My job as a Chaplain for the Chicago Police Department was to preach comfort to the friends and families of fallen police officers including those who have transitioned after retirement. The Chaplain is on call and performs a Wake service, no matter what faith the officer may be of. A Wake service is a ceremony that is performed before the funeral service. They are quite different. In the case of the CPD it is a necessary kindness. Families and friends of police officers live in a state of stress, if you will. The fact is, their loved one puts his or her life on the line on a daily basis.

Sadly, we hear of corrupt policemen on the news, but those who are honest and fair rarely are given any recognition. I came to understand that grief has no denomination, just as love and joy do not. Religion is organized instruction from men who have selected and interpreted what they feel is most important from scripture. That's what makes a denomination. However, love is an element of the heart, and grief is an element of the soul. One’s calling has nothing to do with the fundamentals of religion. It is essential that a Chaplain understands that. Roman 12:1-5 is a powerful message. We are one,not connected by religion, but by the renewing of our minds.

“1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

Many of the officers I performed services for were actually called to be guardians. They had been servicemen, then policemen, and may have ultimately become security guards. Nevertheless no matter how you shake it they were guardians. Their lives were spent guarding and protecting the lives of others. Personally. I believe that this world is a training ground for your assignment in heaven. The men I have described will no doubt become guardian angels. They were warriors and watchmen of men and often journeyed without the acknowledgement of others.

There are many others who have also been called to be watchmen. The bible says that certain watchmen are prophets. These prophets are not like the major or even minor prophets. They are people who are called by God to warn his people of things to come. These prophets also foretell of love faith and hope. As with all true prophets, the major message is for us to seek change for the love of God. Their message is never limited to just one  race or religion or gender.  It is to people who have ears to hear and eyes to see. These are people with the same conviction. Also the message is always within the word of God.  God speaks through them, and God’s word is unchanging.

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“God charges this group to watch for the safety of the city and its citizens. These special servants understand the dangers of the present world. They see the dark clouds gathering on the world’s horizon and are moved to proclaim a warning message to all who will hear.” (The Role of a Watchman, Part 2/Darris McNeely)

It is possible that we have all known one of God’s special servants. Watchmen that see us...but whom we rarely see. For the most part, they look like us and perhaps even sound like us. They invite us into their world of life and hope, and we still don’t recognize who they are. Of one thing you can be sure, they are memorable  and they make an actual difference in the lives of their followers. Watchmen who are prophetic special servants of God often offer change as well as protection, so they naturally have followers.

“ChristianAnswers.net describes prophets as "the immediate organs of God for the communication of his mind and will to men. The foretelling of future events was not a necessary but only an incidental part of the prophetic office. The great task assigned to the prophets whom God raised up among the people was ‘to correct moral and religious abuses, to proclaim the great moral and religious truths which are connected with the character of God, and which lie at the foundation of his Foundation of government.. I think in over-simplistic terms, you could say a prophet is a truth teller”. (Crosswalk:Do Prophets Still Exist Today?/Julie Ferwerda)

Watchmen are Prophets who are Special Servants of God. They exist in every faith, race and gender. According In Acts 2:17-18, says, "In the last days, God said, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.'"From the dispensation of grace through Christ Jesus,we have been in "the last days" The gift of prophecy yet endures. The book of Acts has a lot to say about the prophets of today

17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled

24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Acts 317-18,24-25

So you see, we stand in the midst of prophets today.  Just because a person predicts the future does not make them a prophet. That which he teaches and or predicts must be directly in line with the word of God. In addition there can be no prejudice in the message. For instance, there are some who saw Hitler as a prophet. Most people would never dare to consider such a thought. A prophet cannot veer from God's divine message. Watchmen are prophetic because God speaks to them. They in turn speak to us

There is a heavy price that a prophet must pay, it’s not all glory. Watchmen, who are prophets are given special assignments. These are sanctified missions, therefore the prophet  must be true, and they must reflect the word of God. In addition, there is an endless list of people who are claimed to be prophets. The bible list several ways to determine whether or not a prophet is true or false. I will be quoting from various Theologians in this article. Following are concepts of Theologists Dr, Veith, Sam Storms, and Edmund Heddle

Professor Walter J Veith, Ph.D:.

The Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Many of these tests can be individually counterfeited, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to false prophets. False prophets can quote Scripture or have some of their prophecies come true, but they can still be false prophets—subtly using every opportunity to lead God's people astray.

A true prophet of God will meet all the Biblical criteria, which can be summarized as follows:

1. A true prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.

2. A true prophet's predictions must come to pass.

3. A true prophet prophesies to edify the Church, counseling and advising in religious matters.

4. A true prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of humankind.

5. The true prophet will speak with authority (Matthew 7:29).

6. The true prophet will bear good fruit.

ive a godly life and the fruits of his labor testify that he was truly a prophet of God.

7. The true prophet, when in vision, will exhibit physical signs.

Theologist Sam Storms says,

“Being a mouthpiece for the word of the Lord was often a dangerous calling. People frequently mocked, rejected, persecuted, and even killed God’s prophets (2 Chron. 36:16; Jer. 11:21; 18:18; 20:2, 7–10). Stephen, the first martyr of the new covenant, pointedly asked, “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?” (Acts 7:52).” (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sam-storms-what-does-scripture-teach-about-office-prophet-gift-prophecy)

According to Edmund Heddle,

“‘As we investigate the numerous ways in which prophets were persecuted we shall find that they divide into (1) rejection of themselves and their message, and (2) physical violence to their persons.

“They were persecuted through ridicule (2 Kings 2:23, Luke 22:64, Jer 20:7); by being told to be quiet (Amos 2:12, 7:13); by unpleasant looks (Jer 1:8,17, 5:3); through accusations and having their message reported back to the authorities (Jer 18:19, 37:13, Amos 7:10, Jer 20:10); by being debarred from attending God's house (Jer 36:5); and by having their prophetic words, both spoken and written, rejected (Isa 30:10, Micah 2:6, Amos 7:12,16, Jer 36:23) “.

Physical violence to their persons took various forms: they were placed in the stocks (Jer 20:2); they were kept in chains (Jer 40:1); they were slapped in the face (1 Kings 22:24); they were imprisoned in cells, dungeons and cisterns (Jer 37:15-16 & 38:6) in some cases just on bread and water (1 Kings 22:27); they were threatened with death (1 Kings 19:1) while others were actually put to death (2 Chron 24:21, Jer 26:20-23).

Others were killed whose names are not recorded. Jesus gives us reason to believe there were many who made the ultimate sacrifice (Luke 11:50-51).

(http://prophecytoday.uk/study/teaching-articles/item/234-persecuted-prophets.html)

There are many more, but here are a few who were killed in the office of Prophet.Manasseh the son of Hezekiah slew Isaiah with a wooden saw; he was buried before the outfall of the waters which Hezekiah concealed by the side of Siloah6.Joel the son of Bethuel (Pethuel), of the tribe of Reuben, died in peace in his own land. Others say that Ahaziah the son of Amaziah smote him with a staff upon his head; and while his life was yet in him, they brought him to his own land7, and after two days he died. Micah the Morasthite (was) of the tribe of Ephraim, and was slain by Joram the son of Ahab. This (prophet) prophesied concerning the destruction of the temple of the Jews, and the abrogation of the Passover on the death of the Messiah. He died in peace, and was buried in Anikâm.Habakkuk (was) of the tribe of Simeon, and from the land of Sûâr (Zoar)3. This (prophet) prophesied concerning the Messiah, that He should come, and abrogate the laws of the Jews. He brought food to Daniel at Babylon by the divine (or, angelic) agency. The Jews stoned him in Jerusalem.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/bb/bb32.htm

None of us knows what God has wrought. It would be interesting to find that many of the murders that have been committed in the street were committed against Watchmen. We simply call it gang violence and forget about it. What about peer pressure? Children who are bullied? Children who go to church may be prime targets. On the city streets they could easily be perceived as goody two shoes or just plain punks. For all we know these may have been young watchmen. Frankly this is only speculation. The point is, the treatment of prophets has never changed, so many murders that may seem to have been gang related may have been the sacrifice of a Watchman. It’s worth pondering.

What Do You Do if You Honestly Don't Like Someone? Part 2 Forgiveness?! Seriously?!

Yes.We're going to talk about forgiving others. The ting about forgiveness is you have to identify the problem. You must think about why it is a problem for you as well. For instance, perhaps the person does something that aggravated you in the past. The past is over, you've moved on, but the feeling is still there. The feeling is simply buried Ah...but nightmare of nightmare this person has come and unearth what you buried years ago. Nothing is left now, but the skeleton. However, we are not going to stuff it in a closet. We are going to set our-self free. You can only do that by forgiving. Lets get something straight right now. This is not about religion, this is not a sermon...this is just a tried and true technique. Forgiveness is therapeutic. There is actually "Forgiveness Therapy". According to Dr. Ryan However, there are four points to forgiving someone. I agree on each point, but right now we will start with point "B". We'll get to the rest later

The effective attempts tend to share four common elements.

• A. Express the emotion  
• B.  Understand why  

We began by recognising the feeling, and we have expressed the emotion. Now we are going to dig a little deeper. It is incredibly is important to know why we feel the way we do. Look at it like this; if you ate something that turned your stomach you simply wouldn't eat it again. However, if it'd anger, it is possible to find it irresistible. There are people who are inclined to stay in abusive relationships, however only you can say how heavily this weighs on you. As far as abusive relationships there are two main reasons people stay in them.

First, it is financial. It may be a spouse, or it may be your boss. You can be stuck in a job you want to leave for various reasons, the main one is money...maybe medical insurance. So, until you can leave you have to find away to function where you are. I know, its not very pleasant but it's true.

Second, you may think you can change the person. If we are truthful to ourselves, we have to confess that  in every day life, we can only change ourselves. Maya Angelou famously said " “When someone shows you who they are believe them; the first time.”  That is true. The only person you can change is yourself. You can't even change your children, they are in training, and that is very different. You do have to write out what makes you so angry about this person. That will take you to the action part.

Here's the action part. I want you to pray. Hold on now! You really have something to believe in. You believe in anger, why not believe in freedom from anger? I don't care what or who you believe in. It can be God on high, or it can be a doorknob. The point is believe in something and pray. This is not a "holy" prayer so to speak. That is, you would not hear it in a house of worship. In this prayer you are going to express your anger to God. That means you are going to pray just what you feel it is okay to spew anger and even say what you want to do to this person. Scream and shout, shake you fist and stomp your feet. Do what ever it takes Shocking right? 

Remember this is not the kind of prayer we have been told about, neither is this God as has been described to you. This is your God and your prayer. It is therapeutic. It will probably take more than one time. Don't worry about being "churchy", just say what it is. Say what you feel like saying, whatever that may be. There is one stipulation though. You must ask for the feeling to be removed. That's the art of forgiveness. Trust me, you are going to feel better. Praying usually is done on your knees. You don't have to do that though. Perhaps it seems submissive. 

Think about this though. Submissive imply's it's a mission. Guess what? Everything is a mission. It can be an ad-mission, a trans-mission, an o-mission, or a sub-mission. Whatever that mission may be you own it. No one can make you submit to anything. If it it is a mission you own it! So, if you want to get on your knees then do it fearlessly. If you will feel better another way do it. It is your mission so you have to complete it yourself. You are in control. I like that to tell you the truth! Keep doing it as long as you need to. All you are doing is expressing you anger, and you are believing in something other that how this person makes you feel.  Ready? Okay lets get started. 

Pathological Lying is a Symptom of Psychopathy and Antisocial, Narcissistic, and Histrionic Personality Disorders

" "Patholgical lying is a stand-alone disorder as well as a symptom of other disorders such as psychopathy and antisocial, narcissistic, and histrionic personality disorders, but people Who are pathological liars may not possess characteristics of the other disorders. Excessive lying is a common symptom of several disorders"
mehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathological_lyingntal

One problem with this type of disorder is it's like a drug. Look at it like that. Because there is an emotional aspect to pathological lying then hormones are involved. That's what makes it like a drug. As with any drug that is being abused, you begin to need more and more of it to get the original effect. With a pathological liar, if the lie does not cause the needed result, you have to take more. Whatever it is that caused the original effect will be administered with more intensity. The thing about lies is the listener and the liar are both involved. Part of the thrill for the liar is seeing the response of the listener.

For instance, rejection can cause a depressed type of feeling. You will begin to think "why even try?" This is no big deal. Even the grammar school bully knows about the effects of rejection. If you label the person, (nerd) and reject the person enough, it will cause self hate. The rejected kid always longs to sit at the cool kids table but is never allowed. The cool kid (bully to some degree) is charged up by the response of the rejected person. They get their hormonal fix if you will.

However, the cool kid can't get the desired effect if people cease to want to sit at his/her table. That means the tactic must become more intense, the lies must become greater. Who knows? One day that person is lying and rejecting people from a lunch room table, the next thing you know is the lies have become greater and the person is now rejecting people from an entire country....all to get the original effect. The lunch room table, or lunch room counter are no longer enough.

So, lying has physical effects that accompany it. Police have known this forever. The polygraph or lie detector has been around for many, many decades. 'The instrument typically used to conduct polygraph tests consists of a physiological recorder that assesses three indicators of autonomic arousal: heart rate/blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity. Most examiners today use computerized recording systems. Rate and depth of respiration are measured by pneumographs wrapped around a subject's chest. Cardiovascular activity is assessed by a blood pressure cuff. Skin conductivity (called the galvanic skin or electrodermal response) is measured through electrodes attached to a subject's fingertips'.
http://www.apa.org/research/action/polygraph.aspx

Lie detectors are not always right, but they are right enough to determine changes in the body via the thought or memory of something. On a personal note, I think the thrill is based on getting away with the crime. It's what makes the criminal return to the scene of the crime. They want to do it again, and feel that rush again. For the most part that will not happen. You consider what the result can be.

Okay, I've been talking a lot of yang. The bottom line is knowing how this can affect our lives, and how to strategically survive the expected negativism. Now, the matter being faced can go from losing your home, to losing your native sacred burial grounds. It's a mortgage one day it's a treaty the next. Women fought hard to get out of the kitchen. The got high profile jobs and have been standing tall. Their employers grabbed their hands and enthusiastically shook them in agreement, now it is possible that someone will grab her by the pu _ _y, and enthusiastically do other things.

Perhaps you are someone trying to find refuge from a tyranical dictator in your country. You seek it in a country, with a manipulative leader who is reopening private prisons for legal slavery. There are a myriad of other not so good things. Go figure. In all cases...it is needed that we all stand up and fight. Do you lift your hand and shout power to the people! or do you shout Heil Trump? is important. It says to whom you will submit. No doubt you can lift your hands to God and shout, shout shout. What you need to realise when you lift your hand, it signifies the you are ready for action, you are standing for change.

We cannot sit, be abused and not lift our hands at all. We cannot let someone who believes in evil thrive off our life blood, We are not victims be cause we know that all it takes to kill a vampire is to shed light on who they are. Vampires die in the light, but we are empowered by it We are not victims and we will not surrender to darkness. Civil rights cannot be achieved if we do nothing. Shall we sit in darkness and pretend that nothing is happening? Hell no, we wont go for that. We will not be like a battered women who hides behind glasses. We may have taken a few punches...but we will not hide the brutality we have undergone. No glasses, we are going to let the world see. This is the age of social media ... it's a different day. We will not sit and wait for 2 years, we can't wait,

We begin to campaign for those seats right now. We don't wait until their time is up,we start now to get rid of them. We keep going while the world is watching. Let the light in with truth. We cannot get that seat back from Devos, but we can create a new system and we can let the world know why. We can boycott Devos. Going to be tough on those universities who depend on students who come from other countries. We don't have to buy Amway either.There are several other product the are equal or better

Finally, if God is for us, who can be against us? Do you know what an arc is? It's like an arch, like a bended rainbow. The arc of truth will curve in our direction,like Michael. The Arcangel Michael is in every book of God, every faith that exists. Michael allows us to unite. His arc bends toward all of us. Despite our religions. As we prepare to fight ...and we really must do that I want to leave you with a little bit of who Michael is.

'Michael means - "Who is like God", "Like unto God", "Who is like the Divine"

"The first Angel created by God, Michael is the leader of all the Archangels and is in charge of protection, courage, strength, truth and integrity. Michael protects us physically, emotionally and psychically. He also oversees the lightworker's life purpose. His chief function is to rid the earth and its inhabitants of the toxins associated with fear. Michael carries a flaming sword that he uses to cut through etheric cords and protects us from Satan and negative entities. When he's around you may see sparkles or flashes of bright blue or purple light. Call on Michael if you find yourself under psychic attack or if you feel you lack commitment, motivation and dedication to your beliefs, courage, direction, energy, vitality, self-esteem, worthiness. Michael helps us to realize our life's purpose and he's invaluable to lightworkers helping with protection, space clearing and spirit releasement.

'Michael conquered the fallen Angel Satan, was in the Garden of Eden to teach Adam how to farm and care for his family, spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and in 1950 he was canonized as Saint Michael, "the patron of Police Officers," because he helps with heroic deeds and bravery. Michael also has an incredible knack for fixing electrical and mechanical devices, including computers and automobiles. If your automobile breaks down, call on Michael.

'Michael helps us to follow our truth without compromising our integrity and helps us to find our true natures and to be faithful to who we really are. Other times when you may find Michael helpful is when your job is too demanding with impossible deadlines to reach, when you have an addiction, if you're very ill and suffering from a degenerative disease or terminal illness and when you suffer from nightmares'
http://www.angelfocus.com/archangels.htm

What Do You Do if You Honestly Don't Like Someone?

Recently, I confessed on Face Book that there was a person I did not like. After I posted I immeiately felt awful! Realistically, no one wants to hear about what things are unlike-able. Christians go to church to  pray and hear the gospel, fire and brimstone not so much. Gospel means good news, and it is good news that gives us hope. Good news moves us to feelings of love, and love is a life giving force. Those who love often live longer,

Another factor is involved that has good points as well as bad. That factor is honesty.  I thought it was the right thing to do because I discovered that I truly didn't like a person. It was a sudden awareness that I had not been being honest. In being honest I found that I don't have to say bad things about this person ever again. I don't have to destroy the guy! I honestly do not like him, for me that is truth and it is freeing.

Nevertheless, my honesty is not necessarily freeing for others. Let us assume you gain a couple of pounds. Then I come to you and say, "you look fat". Whereas it may be honest, and whereas it may be true, the statement has no virtue. It is trivial, and even mean spirited. Honestly may not always be the best thing. Remember what mama said?  "If you don't have something good to say don't say ,don't say anything at all" That's very true. My beliefs may not be right for you, but love and kindness is right for us all.

Finally, I want to share some things I've found that are solutions to such feelings. It takes honesty, no matter what, and it takes knowing its all about you. I'm gonna follow Michael Jackson, and  start with the woman in the mirror. All this talk preceded a solution because its important to know we have a huge part in making that change. This is not like taking a pill and forgetting about the problem. It's up to us to try. Let's try the  following points. We can take a week on each point, with happy places in between. 

1. Recognise that it is not likely that we will like everyone, nor will everyone like us.

I think of what peer pressure was like. The thing was to get to sit at the table with the cool kids. Usually, it rarely happened, and if it did, there was always the problem of fitting in. Most (uncool) kids never really liked the cool kids, they only liked the image they represented. Life would have been better if they had been honest, and confessed, that was not the table for them. They didn't like the cool kids and the cool kids didn't like them. I'm talking through the eyes of a nerdy educator. This has gone on for years.

The thing is, the nerdy kids had to not like who they were. That is the reason they sought to sit with another group. What if they had recognised their own qualities, and built upon whom they were? The situation may have been in reverse. Usually, we like the image. However, we have to start by loving/liking who we are. Once we accept who we are we will understand that everyone will not appreciate us, nor will we appreciate everyone. That is not likely at all!

Upon accepting ourselves, it is easy to respect people even though we don't like them, and they don't like us.It is honest to admit that to yourself. When you are able to admit that you just plain old don't like someone,  you are okay.  You are okay because you have reached a level of honesty most of us will not or cannot admit too. Your life is not dependent upon whether or not you and all people people like each other. That is not logical. You cannot love your neighbour as you love yourself, if you don't first love yourself. So, lets start by finding three things you love about yourself. Don't worry about what anyone thinks.

Remember, what we like about most people is their character. What stings is when they are so opposite to our character, that they become threatening. They challenge who we are. and force us to be stronger. You are also opposite to them as well. It's like cultural clash. Don't worry about it. See it as night and day. Relax, because one cannot exist without the other. The goal is to learn to like yourself more that you dislike that person. More important than anything...do no harm. Do not harm the one you dislike, and do not harm yourself. Let's get moving. What are three things that you like about yourself?

You may comment if you like. Together we can discuss some things within each point. 
The cool thing to remember is "Nobody dies from terminal uniqueness" 

The Breakfast Program

The free breakfast for schoolchildren program was set up in Berkeley, California, in 1968 by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton. It was the first significant community program organized by the Panthers, and perhaps the most well known. By the end of 1969, free breakfast was served in 19 cities, under the sponsorship of the national headquarters and 23 local affiliates. More than 20,000 children received full free breakfast (bread, bacon, eggs, grits) before going to their elementary or junior high school.

Health Clinics

The clinics were called People’s Free Medical Centers (PFMC) and eventually were established in 13 cities across the country, from Cleveland to New Haven, Connecticut; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Los Angeles. Women, according to sociologist Alondra Nelson, were the backbone of the effort —not surprising, considering that approximately 60 percent of Black Panther Party members were female. Some of the clinics were in storefronts, others in trailers or hastily built structures, and most did not last long. But they offered services such as testing for high blood pressure, lead poisoning, tuberculosis and diabetes; cancer detection screenings; physical exams; treatments for colds and flu; and immunization against polio, measles, rubella, and diphtheria. Nelson reports that many of the women and men involved in the PFMCs went on to become credentialed health care professionals.

Youth Institute

The Intercommunal Youth Institute was established in January 1971 by the Black Panther Party. In 1974, the name was changed to Oakland Community School. The Black Panther Party goal was to get children to learn to their highest potential and to strengthen their minds so that one day they would be successful. The school graduated its first class in June 1974. In September 1977, California Gov. Edmund “Jerry” Brown Jr. and the California Legislature gave Oakland Community School a special award for “having set the standard for the highest level of elementary education in the state.”

Seniors Against a Fearful Environment (SAFE)

SAFE, a nonprofit corporation, was started by the Black Panther Party at the request of a group of senior citizens for the purpose of preventing muggings and attacks upon the elderly, particularly when they go out to cash their Social Security or pension checks. Prior to approaching the Black Panther Party, the seniors had gone to the Oakland Police Department to request protection. There the seniors were told that they “should walk close to the curb” in the future, according to a Panther report by David Hilliard, who served as the Party’s chief of staff. The program offered free transportation and escort services to the residents of the Satellite Senior Homes, a residential complex for the elderly in Oakland, California.

People’s Free Ambulance Service

The service provided free, rapid transportation for sick or injured people without time-consuming checks into the patients’ financial status or means. The People’s Free Ambulance Service operated with at least one ambulance on a 24-hour emergency basis, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a nonemergency or convalescent basis, according to Hilliard. People were transported to and from the hospital or doctor’s office in a modern, comfortable ambulance by courteous, efficient and knowledgeable attendants.

Free Food Program

This program provided free food to Black and other oppressed people. The intent of the Free Food Program was to supplement the groceries of Black and poor people until economic conditions allowed them to purchase good food at reasonable prices, according to Hilliard. The Free Food Program provided two basic services to the community: 1. An ongoing supply of food to meet their daily needs. 2. Periodic mass distributions of food to reach a larger segment of the community than can be serviced from the ongoing supply. The community was provided with bags of fresh food containing items such as eggs, canned fruits and vegetables, chickens, milk, potatoes, rice, bread, cereal and so forth. A minimum of a week’s supply of food was included in each bag.

People’s Free Ambulance Service

The service provided free, rapid transportation for sick or injured people without time-consuming checks into the patients’ financial status or means. The People’s Free Ambulance Service operated with at least one ambulance on a 24-hour emergency basis, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a nonemergency or convalescent basis, according to Hilliard. People were transported to and from the hospital or doctor’s office in a modern, comfortable ambulance by courteous, efficient and knowledgeable attendants.

The Black Student Alliance

Founded in May 1972 when several Black student unions in the Bay Area pulled together with the goal of creating concrete programs on the campus that would unify the student body and Black students with the Black community. In order to make Bay Area colleges better serve and be more responsible to the surrounding poor and oppressed communities, the Black Student Alliance instituted a program for free books and supplies; a free transportation program; child care services; a financial aid program; a food program serving good, nutritious food at reasonable prices; and the initiation of relevant courses along with the demand for better instructors

The Black Panther Newspaper

The paper was the official organ of the Black Panther Party. It was a tabloid-size newspaper that published regularly every week starting in April 1967. It was copyrighted by Huey P. Newton and was 24 pages, distributed nationally. The Black Panther provided news and information about the work of the Black Panther Party chapters throughout the country; news and news analysis of the Black and other oppressed communities in the United States, Africa and around the world; theoretical writings of party ideologists; and general news features on all matters relative to the liberation of humankind from oppression of any kind, according to chief of staff David Hilliard’s summary of Panther programs.

8 Black Panther Party Programs That Were More Empowering Than Federal Government Programs

March 26, 2015 | Posted by Nick Chiles
Tagged With: black panther free ambulance service, black panther free health clinic, black panther newspaper, black panther party programs, black panther youth institute, free breakfast program

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People’s Free Ambulance Service

The service provided free, rapid transportation for sick or injured people without time-consuming checks into the patients’ financial status or means. The People’s Free Ambulance Service operated with at least one ambulance on a 24-hour emergency basis, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a nonemergency or convalescent basis, according to Hilliard. People were transported to and from the hospital or doctor’s office in a modern, comfortable ambulance by courteous, efficient and knowledgeable attendants.

The Black Student Alliance

Founded in May 1972 when several Black student unions in the Bay Area pulled together with the goal of creating concrete programs on the campus that would unify the student body and Black students with the Black community. In order to make Bay Area colleges better serve and be more responsible to the surrounding poor and oppressed communities, the Black Student Alliance instituted a program for free books and supplies; a free transportation program; child care services; a financial aid program; a food program serving good, nutritious food at reasonable prices; and the initiation of relevant courses along with the demand for better instructors.

8 Black Panther Party Programs That Were More Empowering Than Federal Government Programs

March 26, 2015 | Posted by Nick Chiles
Tagged With: black panther free ambulance service, black panther free health clinic, black panther newspaper, black panther party programs, black panther youth institute, free breakfast program

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Pages: 1 2 3 4

The Black Student Alliance

Founded in May 1972 when several Black student unions in the Bay Area pulled together with the goal of creating concrete programs on the campus that would unify the student body and Black students with the Black community. In order to make Bay Area colleges better serve and be more responsible to the surrounding poor and oppressed communities, the Black Student Alliance instituted a program for free books and supplies; a free transportation program; child care services; a financial aid program; a food program serving good, nutritious food at reasonable prices; and the initiation of relevant courses along with the demand for better instructors.