Coach Bill / Dad, Entrepreneur Special Educator, American Political Scientist, Writer, Musician.

Frederick Douglass, the understated statesman, a colossus of intellect, refined passion, and force of God, was born exactly two hundred years ago, in 1818, straight into slavery. He was separated from his family, even purposefully bereft of the experience of knowing familial bond with his siblings, who for a time lived on the same plantation as him, and treated as less than a commodity. An anomaly of a human being was Frederick, in that he was inwardly driven to learn to read and write before he understood that those two attainments were the beginning of the passage toward his freedoms and liberty. Intellectual freedom, for Frederick-the black American slave, was the first and third bridge to complete freedom. Many had escaped to the ‘North’ on foot, and if fortunate, through the ‘second bridge’ network known as the ‘Underground Railroad.’ It was Frederick Douglass’s increasing ability to read and write; which led to his growing ability to think critically, reflect, observe,...

Serious obstacles are in the way of how Americans approach conversing on a wide range of issues, and great challenges on what kind of leadership represents America have taken a seat in the domain of our governments leadership.  It seems to be that both Republican and Democratic Party congressional leaders can find common ground in matters of care taking for the natural environment and on immigration, if calm and collected congressional leaders can choose to work together for the good of these two issues. The divisive nature of how information is curated and released for public consumption, has played a vehemently divisive role in how the American people relate to any notion that progress can be had. This complex political strategy of how, when, and what kind of news information is released plays out straight as a game of what is known as ‘identity politics’ on multiple stages stifling the organic, natural development of progress on any issue. Chief amongst the curator...

It does not seem to be that being outspoken, non-tribal critical thinkers are valued or rightly understood for what they can offer the local and national community. The established, public school educational order seems to disregard the creation of Americans with these mindsets, and appears to be tilted in favoring the shaping of minds primarily into important specific knowledge focuses (science, technology, education, math).  The creation, valuing and support of open-minded, non-tribal, ideologically free, moral critical thinkers is  one of  the greatest gifts any nation seeking to maintain individual freedom and liberty can give itself, because these protect and defend, not firstly with weapons made of iron, but with the intangible instruments of the mind: common sense, refined executive functions, and intellects crafted to become observant, analytical, fair and balanced in perspective, ever-ready to the questioning and refinement of one’s education.  Edu...