A Difficult Week and Hard Work Ahead

My grand-daughter Cordelia in Utah helped paint this wonderful sign. Yes, they do!
In the aftermath of police brutality in the unwarranted deaths of George Floyd and other Black victims last week, public outrage has erupted throughout the country and world with protests, violence and public and private statements from all corners of society. Such as the following...

"We condemn the actions and inaction of the police officers in Minnesota and we do not tolerate or condone this type of behavior in Palo Alto at any level," "Their actions have had a tremendous impact on all police officers serving communities like Palo Alto all across our great nation." A curfew has been imposed from 8:30 PM to 5 AM for a couple of days to curb any evening violence.

The local director Phillipe Rey, of Adolescent Services, made the following statement: "Many of us have experienced being marginalized, feeling invisible, or threatened with violence because of our various identities. I hope that we all can draw on our own experiences and empathize with the anger, hurt, and frustration being felt nationwide by communities of color (especially black communities)."

"Peaceful events and their necessary calls for change should outshine the acts of violence taking place in several communities," a statement reads.

Melina Abdullah, Los Angeles leader, says "it is not a big police budget that keeps communities safe. What keeps communities safe is good jobs, mental health resources, housing, parks, after-school programs."

A peaceful march in Houston on June 2, 2020

Protesters (masked and social distancing) in Palo Alto

Protesters outside the Capitol in Washington,D.C.

An excerpt from our LDS President Nelson's plea to all of us:

"We join with many throughout this nation and around the world
 who are deeply saddened at recent evidences of racism and a blatant disregard for human life. We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic of freedoms because of the color of his or her skin."

If you have not read Bryan Stevenson's book Just Mercy,or seen the film, I recommend it for everyone. We all deserve justice, mercy and God's grace in this difficult world, and it is up to us to lose our ignorance, blindness, hatred towards any group based on color, race, religion, class. We must make room in our hearts for empathy, understanding, kindness.
We are all racist to some degree, but we can learn by listening better. Please watch the following excellent short video by a young British white woman: "but I'm not racist?" https://youtu.be/NTmNV5KTdDo

I have been listening to an excellent, scholarly history of Reconstruction, white supremacy, and the rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Stony the Road

As with the thorny artichoke, may we learn (especially by listening) to see and 
to discover the worth and value of every person on the earth.

I took the following photos 10 years ago this week while serving a mission in the Dominican Republic. The "rug" I bought from this woman is draped over the chair I sit in every day. It was made of Victoria Secret scraps sent to the DR. These children really make their way into the heart! I hope they have a good future...


I think fondly of my many friends all over the world who are also sharing the challenges of this time. I painted this Quito Ecuador area scene from a photo I took 10+ years ago.

Life goes on. 

Jameson Welch returned from his 2 year mission to South London

High school graduates such as Miranda Wiener (joined by her grandfather Peter Giles and mom Jen) and other friends, social distancing, who came to offer congratulations. No official gatherings allowed with the Covid pandemic

My first trip away from Palo Alto in almost 3 months, was to Napa to get together with my Aunt Julie and cousins Doug and David (and Nancy, not pictured, and their spouses) to share family stories and photos. The drive through California's golden summer hills and green vineyards along winding roads was refreshingly beautiful after so much quarantining (not over yet).

.... and my first trip in a long time to our beautiful Palo Alto Foothills Park. 

We are not far from the Pacific Ocean so sometimes the fog sits on the foothills and rolls in.

Elsie and I helped celebrate Jessie's (right) birthday

June 6, 2020, is the anniversary of the Normandy Landing, the beginning of the liberation of northwestern Europe from Nazi power in WWII. I thank these men who were all part of the Landing. The BBC article link is well worth reading https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/48456573