Photography exhibit displays shades of humanity

Angelica Dass has an exhibit on display this summer in Houston at The Health Museum called Humanae: Work in Progress. I had the privilege to interview her earlier this month while the exhibit was being installed. It’s a collection of 250 head and shoulder photographs of people of all different skin tones and races. The background of each photo is a Pantone color matched to their skin color. The purpose of the photography project is to show that we are more alike than our skin color would indicate. When you look at humans across the color spectrum you begin to appreciate that pigmentation – something that has divided mankind for centuries – actually makes us more alike than dissimilar.
She made the comment that although she is considered black her skin color is brown. I am white, but my skin color can range from a pale tan to a deep reddish brown depending on how much sun I get. One of the points of Dass’s project is that we define ourselves by five basic colors – red, yellow, black, white and brown – but we are all proverbial shades of gray.
Despite our color, all humans have an innate need to love and be loved. We all have the desire to succeed in life and live comfortably. We all want peace and prosperity.
When astronauts went to the moon, the biggest thing they discovered was the Earth. They learned that all life as we know it exists in a thin sliver of atmosphere around this small planet in a remote area of our galaxy. This is all we have. It’s all we get. It is up to all human beings to share and care for this world or we will be left with nothing.
Unfortunately, humans are cruel, selfish beings who don’t like to share. We consume, segregate and dominate to our own detriment. The love, peace and prosperity that we all desire are born out of selfishness. We want them for ourselves and not necessarily for others. It’s why mankind has a history of wars, holocausts, slavery and even the division of the land and seas into geopolitical regions, countries and states.
If you take an overly simplistic view of the history of the United States, white men arrived here, cut bonds with their homeland, imported and enslaved the black man, nearly eradicated the native red man, and battled and bartered with the brown man for what he could not take. We had to fight a bloody war to free the black man, only to segregate him. Now we want to build a wall to keep the brown man out.
Like I said, that is overly simplistic and it uses the colors that Dass is working so hard to eliminate from our discourse on humanity, but it makes the point that historically we see ourselves as beings of color and not different shades of the same beings.
Color, of course, is the most obvious thing that we see that separates us. Genetics, ethnicity, religion and language obviously play a factor. As much as we are alike, we are also different. It is our unwillingness to accept our differences that leads to so much hate, distrust and warfare. This is how we get the Adolph Hitlers, Pol Pots and Osama bin Ladens of this world.
Here in Fort Bend County, we are part of one of the most diverse communities in the world. We have a very healthy mix of races, nationalities, ethnicities, colors, etc. Although this is still far from being a racial utopia, we are leaders in this country and set the example for tolerance.
That being said, I still live cautiously in this mix. I am a white, conservative, Christian, American male and that makes me the prime target for so much hate in society. Historically, we see ourselves as the hero in the white hat or red cape who swoops in to fight evil and serve as the world’s police. We built the greatest country and the greatest economy the world has ever known. Regretfully, some would say we did so by perpetrating the greatest genocide in history and by oppressing minorities and women. While it’s hard to argue with that, it does continue today, not by whites in America but by Arabs in the Middle East, blacks in Africa and dictators in South America and Asia.
As an individual, there is little I can do to change racial perceptions. As the editor of the Fort Bend Star I try very carefully to avoid publicizing things of a racist nature. That can be a very difficult task. I usually apply what I call the White Litmus Test. If someone sends me a press release saying they belong to black this, Hispanic that or Asian the other thing, I substitute white in place of the ethnicity. If being a member of a white organization would create an outcry of racism then the same applies for any other race.
For example, one of our state legislators was recently elected to a position with the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. I’m sure that’s a high honor and a big deal. If a legislator had been elected to a position with the Texas Legislative White Caucus, however, there would have been no end to the howls of protestation. Therefore, it didn’t run.
One of the grayer areas I struggle with is cultural festivals and holidays. Everything from St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo to Chinese New Year, Oktoberfest and even Mardi Gras has the potential to carry racial overtones. I embrace these much more because of their inclusive, celebratory nature. They help us to understand and appreciate different cultures. We need more of that.
I highly doubt we will see the end of racism for generations, if ever. That doesn’t mean we should quit striving for it. I have discovered that some of my best and closest friends have skin color very different from mine. I’m fine with that. In fact, I embrace it. We are all made in the image of God no matter what color we are. That is a beautiful thing and probably the most profound takeaway for me after meeting Dass and seeing her exhibit at The Health Museum.
I encourage you to make a visit and check it out for yourself. Then please share your thoughts with us.

Winning over baseball fans one strike at a time

I hated baseball.
I really did.
As a youngster growing up in rural Colorado, we did not have a major league team to follow. This was long before the Colorado Rockies came along. My parents got my younger brothers and me to play little league baseball. We mostly had fun, but I had a hard time getting into the game. I liked getting my turn to bat, but I hated taking to the field. I have very poor eye-hand coordination, so I never once caught a ball. I have weak arm strength, so I couldn’t throw well. I won’t even bother to mention my blazing speed (meaning I usually burned out before I reached my destination).
Whenever we divided for teams in any sport, either in school for PE or at home in the neighborhood, not only was I the kid who got picked last, but team captains would often barter other players if the other team would agree to take me. Yeah, that’s how I rolled.
Not only did I hate baseball, but I hated all sports, especially football. My dad was a big Broncos fan, as was everyone else in our community. In those days the Denver Broncos were the only show in town. The first time I actually watched the Broncos play was Jan. 15, 1978, when they lost Super Bowl XII to those dastardly Cowboys. I got caught up in the Super Bowl hype and wanted to see what it was all about. I have been a Broncos fan and a Cowboys hater ever since.
A year and a half later a new football coach arrived at Faith Baptist School, where I was attending junior high. Being the biggest kid in the eighth grade, he made me join the junior high team. We played six-man flag football. I learned as a lineman that I didn’t have to worry about handling the ball. I could just go out and hit people and have fun. All of a sudden I was an instant football fan. I couldn’t get enough of it. I went on to play football at Niwot High School and even joined the track and swimming teams.
Still, I didn’t care about baseball.
It wasn’t until 30 years ago when I graduated college and moved to Minnesota that I got my first real taste of professional baseball. My now former in-laws took me to see the Minnesota Twins play the Oakland A’s on Aug. 9, 1987. The Twins won 7-5 and went on to win the World Series that year. Just as I had 10 years earlier with the Broncos, I got caught up in the excitement of the Twins’ run through the Series and became not only a Twins fan, but finally a baseball fan.
By the time the Twins won their second (and last) World Series in 1991, I had moved to North Carolina. It was from there in 1993 that I watched as the Colorado Rockies were birthed. Three years and a broken marriage later, I was back in Colorado and as one of my jobs between journalism jobs, I worked as a ticket taker for the Rockies. They quickly rose to become my favorite baseball team. In 2005, however, I moved to Texas. Three years later we moved to the Houston area. I’ve been to several Astros games, mostly as a photographer. I’ve become an Astros fan, but they are far from being to me what the Rockies are.
There is one team, however, that I’ve come to love more than any other team in professional baseball. Six years ago the Sugar Land Skeeters started playing ball in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. We took our family to the inaugural game. For the first four years we went on average to about a half-dozen games a season. Last year, however, was the proverbial game-changer.
As the editor of the Fort Bend Star, I was able to assign myself to cover a lot of Skeeters baseball. Because the newspaper has season tickets, I’ve been able to take my family to a lot of games. Actually, last year I took my wife to a lot of games. We dragged our two teenage boys kicking a screaming. They, like their father before them, are not sports fans. At least that’s what they claim.
As a member of the Skeeters press corps, I had an insiders perspective on their championship season last year. As I got to know some of the players, front office staff, game day crew and fellow fans, I found myself feeling like a part of the Skeeters family. We all feel that way. It’s kind of like being in an episode of “Cheers” where everybody knows your name. We really feel liked and appreciated whenever we’re at Constellation Field.
Part of that hospitality comes from Manager Gary Gaetti. He is the only manager the Skeeters have had. He was also on that Minnesota Twins team in 1987 that won me over to baseball. (As a side note, he hit a solo home run in that first game I attended.) I consider it a huge honor to call him my friend. I have a deep respect for him and what he has accomplished in his baseball career. He is a great judge of character and skill and knows what it takes to win.
Having been a press photographer, ticket taker and fan at several levels of baseball, I can honestly tell you that the most fun and best times I’ve had with the sport have been at Constellation Field. The Skeeters organization is the best when it comes to hospitality and providing a great fan experience.
Now, at this point I have to shift gears and share a proud father moment I experienced a couple weeks ago. Colton, my youngest son, got his braces off and chose for his retainer the color of blue. Embedded on the retainer is a Denver Broncos logo! In addition to that, I’ve noticed that my boys have quit trying to beg off of going to Skeeters games. In fact, I’ve spied them looking up from their phones and actually getting into the action on the field. There may be hope yet to win over these kids who once claimed to hate baseball. Why not? It worked for their old man.
Let’s go Skeeters!

Disney and Marvel want your kids to cuss

I took my family to see “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” last week and came away with the same frustration I’ve felt from the last few Disney/Marvel movies I’ve seen.
It was a good movie brought down by bad language. It’s extremely disappointing that Disney and Marvel have developed such vile potty mouths. It is infuriating that they openly advocate for the unfiltered use of bad words. Make no mistake about it, Disney – that bastion of wholesome goodness and family values – openly advocates for children to use swear words. You heard that right; the House of Mouse wants your children to cuss.
If you don’t believe me, consider these examples. First, a little background. Disney owns Marvel Studios. Marvel Studios is the movie-making branch of the company that publishes comic books of superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor, and that group of intergalactic misfits known as the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Please keep in mind that children are the primary audience for Marvel and Disney. These companies have tremendous cultural influence in America and around the world. They are helping to shape the minds and attitudes of the next generation of global leaders.
When Marvel began putting out movies based on its popular line of superheroes in the 1990s, one would only hear an occasional swear word in the movies. Now that Disney owns the studio and has ramped up production of these comic book flicks, it has progressively gotten darker and dirtier with their scripts.
It finally reached the point in 2015 in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” when Disney and Marvel engaged in open mockery of oral integrity. Early in the film, Iron Man clips the side of the building and lets slip a swear word. Captain America cautions, “language,” meaning that they should keep it clean on the communication channels. A few moments later Iron Man comes back and says, “No one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said ‘language’?” It then becomes a running joke throughout the rest of the movie and reaches a point near the end where Captain America himself blurts out an obscenity.
Flash forward two years and several films and we have the second “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie, which has upped the volume on bad language. The movie is rife with foul language. It’s used as if it were just a normal part of everyday conversation. To further make my case that Disney/Marvel encourages cussing, we have the scene in the new movie where Rocket and Groot are welcoming Yondu to the team. All Groot (a walking, talking tree) is capable of saying is “I am Groot.” Rocket (a talking raccoon) does most of the translation. When Yondu asks Rocket what Groot said, Rocket says, “Welcome to the frickin’ Guardians of the Galaxy, only he didn’t say ‘frickin’.’” He then turns to Groot and tells him they need to work on his language skills. The implication is that Groot – who is a toddler in this movie – needs to loosen his tongue a bit.
Granted, the word “frickin’” isn’t a swear word, but it is clearly meant as a substitute for one. It’s actually one of the few times real swear words weren’t just blurted out in the movie.
This is evidence that Disney and Marvel have a clear and open agenda to encourage and teach children to swear.
On a side note, the main characters in Guardians engaged in a conversation about male genitalia and cross-species mating. It did almost nothing to move the plot forward and was completely inappropriate for a young audience. It’s just further evidence of how low Disney and Marvel have stooped.
Now I may be an old, prude, fuddy-duddy, but I can’t imagine I’m the only one who has a problem with this. Disney has (or had) a reputation for good, clean, wholesome fun and family values. Walt Disney built his empire on a reputation of integrity. Image was everything. I can only imagine how he would feel if he came back today to see what has become of his life’s work.
When you think of Disney movies you usually think of cartoons and live-action comedies that you would be comfortable taking your grandmother or a 4-year-old to see. You don’t expect to see movies with content that would make a sailor blush. Marvel, DC and other comic book companies have been making R-rated movies for years, but Marvel has been pushing the envelope recently with releases like “Deadpool” and “Logan” (I have not seen either) that are targeted toward an audience not even old enough to see them. Even though they are not Disney films, Disney still bears guilt by association.
In all fairness, I could say much the same thing about DC comics and recent adaptations of Batman and Superman. DC, however, is not owned by Disney. Although Warner Bros., which distributes the movies, never had a saintly reputation to uphold, I still find their superhero movies to be equally disappointing and inappropriate for their target audience.
Getting back to Disney, further evidence of its descent into the dark side can be found in its own homegrown “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. The first movie was really enjoyable, but each progressive film has gotten worse. I don’t have high hopes for the new one due out later this month.
OK, so there you have it. Maybe I’m just an old prude who’s out of touch with modern society. I’d rather see myself as a guardian of this galaxy, one who is willing to stand up and speak out when something goes this hideously wrong. If you agree with me, let Disney hear your voice. You can write to them at: The Walt Disney Company, Attn: Walt Disney Pictures, 500 South Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521. You can also write them online at www.waltdisneystudios.com/contact.

She never gave up on her dream despite overwhelming odds

Sandy Snyder was like most high school students. She graduated with good grades and went on to college.
College, however, didn’t work out so well for her. After some struggles, she dropped out. She married her high school sweetheart and followed him as he joined the Navy and moved cross-country. As newlyweds they had their share of difficulties. Military life was new to both of them and it was stressful on their marriage and their relationship. They had a baby boy, but her husband’s deployments meant Sandy spent a lot of time being a single parent.
As much as she strove to be a loving mother and dutiful wife, he changed, becoming abusive. It came to the point that Sandy’s father had to come and rescue her and her baby. Away from the abuse and safely settled in a small town in Kansas, Sandy went back to school. Now divorced and struggling as a single parent, she worked at a job and went to school, earning a nursing certificate. Seeking a better life for her and her son, she moved back to Colorado’s Front Range to be close to her family.
She got a job in the insurance industry and continued to live as a single mother in a small apartment. Life was good but not always easy. At church, she joined a Sunday school class for single parents. There she met a slightly older single dad who was living with his parents and raising a little girl. They dated a short time and decided to get married.
Sandy never gave up on her dream of earning her bachelor’s degree and registered for classes that fall. They set their wedding date in late December during her Christmas break from school. A few weeks into school, however, the stress of life got to Sandy and she dropped out again. They kept their wedding date since everything was already in motion. They were wed two weeks before the calendar struck 2000.
Her new husband had a very good but low-paying job. They bought a trailer home and began the task of blending their new family. His daughter had to bounce back and forth between families but he eventually adopted her son. They struggled mightily in the first couple of years, adding two more baby boys to the mix and moving into a new house. They started a business on the side, operating it out of their garage.
Still not giving up on her dream, Sandy enrolled in classes online at the same college her husband graduated from 20 years earlier. This time she stuck with it. She continued to take classes, parent 3.5 children and give support as her husband failed at the side job, which took them into bankruptcy and foreclosure. They moved from Colorado to Amarillo to start over. New jobs, new friends, new church and a fresh start were what they needed.
Sandy finally finished her degree and graduated from Adams State College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. They moved to the Houston area in December of 2008 and started life over once again. Sandy got a job in the medical field and her husband bounced around, trying to keep afloat in a rapidly changing career field. A few years later with a renewed desire and new goals, Sandy returned to school. With two kids grown and gone and two more in high school and junior high, she dove headlong back into the books. She worked full time during the day and took classes at night. She changed jobs along the way and began working and going to school in Houston’s medical center.
The commute and hours were long and brutal, but Sandy was undaunted with a renewed desire to change the world. Her studies even took her overseas to learn about Sweden’s healthcare system. She continually discusses intricate details of the American healthcare system with the doctors she works with and applies what she learns from them to her studies. She has become a voracious consumer of medical administrative knowledge.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am now very proud and exceedingly happy to announce that my wife, the beautiful and talented Sandy Southern, will graduate from Texas Women’s University on Mother’s Day with her master’s degree in healthcare administration!
Baby, you’ve come a long way, overcome many failures and seemingly impossible challenges, worked hard and fought against incredible odds to accomplish this. You never cease to amaze me! I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us as we embark on this new chapter of life. You’ve earned this and proven that you have what it takes to change the world. Now let’s get out there and let the world see what you can do!

Chuck Norris signed on to appear at Comicpalooza and then this happened

This will probably be the only time in the history of mankind that you will ever see the words “Chuck Norris” and “lame” used in the same sentence.
That’s because Norris, the famed action hero, is coming to Houston’s Comicpalooza comic con next weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Unfortunately, he headlines one of the lamest guest lineups in Comicpalooza’s history. (Notice I did not put his name and that word in the same sentence. I don’t mind living dangerously, but I’m not that stupid!)
It actually breaks my heart to say anything remotely negative about Comicpalooza because I consider myself to be one of its biggest supporters. I’ve attended, volunteered at and/or covered nearly every one of the annual conventions since 2009. Over the years they’ve brought in some incredible guests and the show has risen to become not only the largest pop culture event in Texas, but also one of the biggest comic cons in the nation.
That’s why it’s disappointing that the guest lineup is so anemic. Apparently having Norris on board has scared off the cream of the A-list crowd. I know where they went and I’ll share that with you in a moment. In the meantime, please allow me to introduce the list of actors who are brave enough to share the marquee with Norris.
That list includes Anthony Mackie, who plays the Falcon in the Captain America and Avengers franchises; Pom Klementieff, who stars as Mantis in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2;” Mary McDonnell from “Battlestar Galactica,” “Dances With Wolves,” and “Independence Day;” Robert Englund from “Nightmare on Elm Street;” Judge Reinhold from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” and “Gremlins;” Jon Bernthal of “The Punisher,” and “The Walking Dead;” Charlie Cox of “Daredevil;” Mike Colter, who plays Luke Cage; and Finn Jones, who plays Iron Fist.
There is a long list of other celebrity guests, artist, writers and various other performers. It should be noted that Norris and Mackie are there Saturday only. The show runs from Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 14 (Mother’s Day). Many of the top celebrities are only there Saturday and Sunday. Normally Comicpalooza is held on Memorial Day weekend, but it got bumped this year due to a scheduling conflict with the GRB.
At the time of this writing, Comicpalooza is busy announcing some late additions to the lineup, but so far no one that I would consider blockbuster material. I hope that changes, as Comicpalooza is notorious for make some fantastic late announcements. I really hope that happens here. Consider that “Star Wars” is 40 and we are between the releases of two “Star Wars” movies and so far there are no representatives from a galaxy far, far away. We are also celebrating 50 years of “Star Trek,” yet no actors from any incarnation of the televisions shows and movies have beamed aboard.
We also have major comic book movies coming out this year, including “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Wonder Woman,” “Justice League,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” With the exception of Klementieff in “Guardians,” none of these films are represented. I think it’s safe to say in that regard that the current Comicpalooza lineup is seriously lacking.
So, where did all the A-listers go?
They’re going to San Antonio for the Alamo City Comic Con on May 26-28 (Memorial Day weekend). Among the many celebs already announced are Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” Saturday only), Val Kilmer (“Batman Forever,” “Top Gun,” “Tombstone”), Dolph Lundgren and Carl Weathers (Rocky movies), Sean Astin (“Lord of the Rings,” “Goonies,” Friday only), Corey Feldman (“Goonies”), Ke Huy Quan (“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”), Lou Diamond Phillips (“Young Guns,” “La Bamba”), comedians Pauly Shore and Rob Schneider, and John Ratzenberger and George Wendt from “Cheers.”
But wait! There’s more: In addition to having Bautista, who stars in both “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, Alamo City Comic Con offers up “Star Wars” stars Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine) and Ratzenberger (“Empire Strikes Back”) and from “Star Trek” we get Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy). Granted, most of these actors are only there Saturday and Sunday, but honestly, how many people from here are going to take Friday off to make the three-hour trip to San Antonio when you can get a better fan experience over the weekend?
Alamo City has many other guests that I’ve not mentioned here and, like Comicpalooza, I anticipate more announcements as show time draws closer.
I still find it ironic that the “Justice League,” “Wonder Woman,” “Spider-Man” and “Thor” movies are all going unrepresented at both conventions. That’s not to mention the latest “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Alien,” “Transformers” and “Planet of the Apes” movies. I’m seeing a lot of missed potential here. I understand there are a lot of complexities to booking celebrities, but still, it could be better.
Perhaps – and this is purely speculation on my part – the fear of having Norris in town is enough to scare away some of these superhero superstars. No matter what the case, at least it’s safe to say that the lineups for both Comicpalooza and Alamo City Comic Con are far better that Space City Comic Con, which apparently suffered its demise last year in a roiling sea of Anarchy.