Real talk, Real people

The "alleged" coming of snow, sleet and rain killed this week's podcast with high school students talking about Black History Month.  Of course, it barely snowed. But we wanted to give you an idea of the podcasts we are working on.

A white teacher cast two black kids as slaves in a read-aloud class play called “A Triangle of Trade.” The purpose was to give students a look at the atrocities of the slave trade. Carmen Parker, who is black, and her husband, who is white, are the parents of one of the kids. They called out the teacher and school for cultural insensitivity.

The teacher was placed on leave but both parents along with others have called for the teacher to be reinstated and not be made a scapegoat. The real problem is the lack of black teachers.

Three years ago, I wrote in a column - https://www.nhregister.com/columnists/article/James-Walker-Responsibility-I-am-not-your-baby-11312756.php "Responsibility? I am not your baby daddy" --  that “I have never seen so many children being abused, living in misery or so many irresponsible parents.”

And it just seems to be getting worse for these kids. Since that column appeared, the abuse of children has become downright shocking and staggering.

Parents are not only killing their kids, but in some cases, are doing so in spectacular fashion, as if to make a statement to the world.

We need to do more. 

My latest column about the abuse of children: https://www.middletownpress.com/middletown/article/James-Walker-Parenting-Mandatory-classes-are-15005842.php

Case closed - or is it?

The yellow tape has been removed, the street swept clean and the latest body has been buried. In some cases, the prosecution has rested its case, the person who pulled the trigger is put behind bars and police have moved on.

But for victims left behind after gun violence, the case is never really closed. Long after it strikes its intended victim, a bullet’s trajectory just keeps on going and buries itself in the memories it leaves behind -- and each new bullet adds a new victim and a new memory.

And those memories and the post-traumatic stress disorder that develops and grips victims in their wake are what this column is all about.

It's Christmastime and hundreds of volunteers are out in force. My Sunday column in Hearst Connecticut newspapers is a salute to volunteers. We talk to 3 people about why they put in the hours to help other people. 

***Our first attempt to record an interview with the call-in feature resulted in cell phone audio issues. We decided to put the interview up, despite its problems.  

During the Bridgeport primary mayoral race, a black candidate was accused of not being black enough. But how black is black enough?

We have added a call-in feature that will begin to take listeners calls. Here are the details

Pardon our appearance -- so to speak -- as we are temporarily under construction to add a new call-in feature to make "Real talk, Real people" a better experience for listeners and allow more people to weigh in on topics. Listen for details.