Witt's End

When we talk about systemic issues of racism there is a lot of explaining away. Mostly individually. Let's break some of them down. Blacks killed by cops, more whites are killed. The fact that more blacks are incarcerated, they commit more crimes. The fact blacks and Hispanics are more likely to receive non-lethal violence, they commit more crimes. Blacks pulled over more often, must speed more. When blacks aren't pulled over as often at night, crickets. Blacks are on more likely to be arrested on marijuana charges while usage is almost equal, that's explained by the neighborhood they live in. The fact blacks serve on average 19% more than whites for the same crimes with the same record, we need to dig deeper. That's just the law enforcement. I have studies for all of these we can look at. Some are more locality focused, some are nationwide. All have been "debunked" individually by people usually speaking about how the black community is poorer or missing fath

Deaths come in waves. They never seem to be alone. It's hard to see vets your age go. Especially at 30. It's not time to die yet. It's not time to end a life. But it seems to happen their own hands all too often. I'm watching a wave occur. It hurts the same every damn time. I'm sick of death. I know I've said more than a few times that I am done watching people die. I mean that. There is more than a bit of irony to make that kind of declaration from the hall of hospice unit. But I think it's okay to make a clear distinction between those who lived life, and are just fading away now that a body has run it's race, and someone ending that race prematurely themselves. Please don't join the ranks of the latter. Call 1-800-273-8255 or text  741741  at the very least. Reach out to a friend or trusted loved one. Please. Drop me a line if you need to. People are here. People are present. Don't slip away on us.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt 5:48 Christ’s commission is in effect. Always. And it exists with the expectation that we’ll fall short. Hence all he did in this ministry. The call to come to him. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28 That was his call. Yes we were to be perfect but if we are heavy laden he will lift the load. He will lift us up. This is the man who called us to purity and dined with sinners. I think that juxtaposition is what we should be yearning for in our own life. I mean that. Let's think about the entire purpose of his life on earth. It was to perform an atonement so that we can repent and return to him. The whole point of the atonement is that we can change and be better. That call, that service. It's the entire point of his existence and it's one that we need to remember daily. I’m afraid that purity tests are dest

6/10/2020 I can’t seem to write the song I’m trying to sing. My throat catches My pen doesn’t seem to want to work Things are rushing inside in ways I can’t explain I just can’t get them out I can’t even tell what they are There’s no bridge No melody Just snippets of words Phrases And a couple notes that can’t find the rhythm. It’s overwhelming It’s wearing me down So much inside of me And I can’t seem to write the song I’m trying to sing. 6/10/2020 Hurting Anger Never seems to end Life is that way I suppose. Peace Love Joy Happen too Embrace what you can when you can.

I don't want to see change necessitated by more body bags. That goes for protesters and police alike. Nor do I want to see any hate continue. A large part of that is due to my faith. As this has been going on I've turned to look at things I've been taught, words that have instructed and comforted me in times of trial. And I'm trying to apply them to myself. Two talks came to mind. One right before each other. One on forgiveness and the other on repentance. Both about changing. Both from the same man at the end of his life. James E Faust was a man who had a quiet serenity that has always touched me. My grandfather spent some time as missionary in Salt Lake City. He found himself walking the same route as President Faust on a regular basis. Getting to know him fairly well. Their mannerisms and patterns of speech were often similar. Reflected on these two men's legacy I can't help but be humbled. Now right before Faust died he gave a talk in General Confe

Politics don’t belong in church services. I mean that plain and simple. Differences in policy abound in my faith. More than people realize. I’m finding myself realizing more and more how secular differences have driven people from church. Have caused people to question their faith over secular decisions. So let me say it again one more time. Politics don’t belong in church services. Now I’ll admit that being home for church during this quarantine has been oddly peaceful. Because I don’t feel like Sunday school is going to degrade in a political discussion. One where one type of politics is righteous and the other is evil.  See I truly believe secular politics can’t be defined as evil as a whole. That there are good people on each side of the political spectrum holding down the line and checking the other side. Many people assume that due to the church’s stance on abortion, families, personal responsibility etc lead us all to be conservative.  That’s true to a p

6/4/2020 Futility Doesn't have to equal insanity. Sometimes we try when the sense of failure is highest. When the possibility of success is nil. We try, We strive, We push, if we can, We defy. We're human, that's why. 6/4/2020 Boogeyman- Fear Unsubstantiated Always seems So real. Fearing the Darkness for the nothing. We fill it With the worst. Never knowing What good, it may hold. In the stillness, You may lose Your sight for a moment. Yet light always Chases away instantaneously. Hearing only sharpens with time to fill in for your eyes, In the Dark. You can trust It Always. There are no footsteps stalking your Sleep. Only a racing Heartbeat. Louder than ever Before, Making your Mind Make the Man, You're most afraid of. Listen for a Moment, Just to listen, You'll realize He was never there.

I don't have any eloquent epiphanies to solve the issues facing our nation. I wish I did. At this point I've talked a lot to a lot of people about this. I don't know what else to add to the broad conversation. But something has been tearing at me over the past couple of days. I feel like it's time to address it. This may just be a selfish attempt at some form of catharsis. But I hope it helps someone. Anyone. I’m afraid in the intensity of the time we’re becoming desensitized to human loss and pain. Cases of disease and their deaths are laid out on tables and graphs. We pour over statistical analysis of crimes, actions, and incarcerations as we compare it to population numbers. We’re so intent on our position that we are losing connections. We’ve lost all grounding in our race to make a point. To win a conflict. We need to recognize grievances or we going to lose people. We need to recognize goodness in truly good individuals in all aspects of this. Or we are going