This is really cool. Nurses along with other front line workers are true superheroes. They deserve a place of honor in our world these days.
Category Archives: Heroes
True Superheroes — The Tony Burgess Blog
Bob Dorough School House Rock Creator Dead At 94
Bob Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018)
On April 23, 2018, at the age of 94, musician Bob Dorough passed away. Dorough was a predominately Jazz musician who played with Miles Davis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Lenny Bruce and others.
However, he’s best known for Multiplication Rock which evolved into Schoolhouse Rock. These were a series of cartoon videos that got children to learn by putting math, science, and civics to music. The series ran from 1973-1985. It came back in the 90’s and went to home video from 2002-2009. It started when Bob was asked to make a song about learning with music. That song would be “Three is a Magic Number.”
From Three is a Magic Number came Conjunction Junction, I’m Just a Bill, Elementary My Dear Electricity, Electricity and so many others.
What Schoolhouse Rock song or songs stood out to you?
Mine were Verb because of the black community and black family aspect and Little Twelve Toes due to my interest in science fiction.
One Year Anniversary of the Dallas, Texas Ambush
Bullets do not discriminate.
Grief does not discriminate.
On July 5, 2016, Alton Sterling was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile was killed in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Both were killed by police officers. Protests organized across America.
On July 7, 2016, people organized a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas, Texas. At the end of the protest in Dallas, gunshots ranged out. Five Dallas police officers lost their lives. Nine other officers and two civilians were injured.
The Dallas Police Officers who lost their lives were;
Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, age 48. He joined the department in 2002.
Sgt. Michael Smith, 55, had been with the department since 1989.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Officer Brent Thompson, 43, had been with the department since 2009. Thompson was the first DART officer to be killed in the line of duty since the department’s inception in 1989.
Officer Michael Krol, 40, had been on the force for 8 years.
Officer Patricio “Patrick” Zamarripa, 32, who had been with the department since 2011.
Micah Xavier Johnson was found to be the person who fired upon the group of protesters and police officers. Johnson was an Army veteran who reportedly was angry over the police shootings of black men. Micah Xavier Johnson was killed after police deployed a bomb-carrying robot. Read the rest of this entry
The Face Of Evil … Jeremy Joseph Christian
On Friday, 35-year-old Jeremy Joseph Christian, of north Portland, Oregon, boarded a light rail MAX train in Northeast Portland. He apparently had a chip on his shoulder and, for no discernable reason, began berating two women, one of whom was wearing a hijab. He began ranting and shouting, telling them to “Get off the bus, and get out of the country because you don’t pay taxes here”. Fearing that his rants were escalating, at least three other passengers acted to try to calm Mr. Christian and protect the two women. Two of the three men are now dead, the third is in the hospital being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, and Mr. Christian is being held without bond in police custody on two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of intimidation in the second degree and one count of possession of a restricted weapon…
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Desmond Doss and Hacksaw Ridge – Evidence of Faith
I love movies. When it comes to war movies, I’m seen many and some I really liked, but never want to watch again. Saving Private Ryan is one such movie.
When I heard of the Academy Award nominations for 2017, there were movies that caught my attention. Hacksaw Ridge was one such movie. It is categorized as a war movie, directed by Mel Gibson. In other movies he directed, Gibson likes to show the horror of reality. In The Passion, he showed spurting blood from the hands of Jesus as the nails were driven in. In Braveheart, Gibson did not shy away from showing the use of swords to cut off the legs of horses ridden by the English army. It brought their soldiers to the ground, making combat more equal.
A war movie directed by Gibson would have to be brutally bloody. However, the war itself is not the main theme in Hacksaw Ridge. The main theme is a man – a real man, a Pacifist, and his struggle to serve in the Army as a combat medic while staying committed to his faith.
I rented Hacksaw Ridge through On Demand and I watched. I watched again, and again. Desmond Doss captivated me. As a Pacifist, he was misunderstood. I can relate to that.
On April 1, 1942, Desmond Doss joined the United States Army. It was just after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Desmond wanted to serve his country – the United States, saving lives. He was 23-years old; a skinny native of Virginia with a southern drawl. In Desmond’s mind, God said, “If you love me, you won’t kill.”
When he voluntarily enlisted, he was assured that he would be assigned to a medic company and because of his Seventh Day Adventist belief in Saturday being the Sabbath, he was told that belief would be honored.
Instead, Desmond was assigned to an infantry rifle company. His commanding officers wanted to get rid of him. They intimidated him, and assigned him to extra duties. They even tried to court martial him for refusing a direct order to carry a rifle. But, they failed to toss him out, and he refused to leave.
His fellow soldiers ostracized and bullied him. Because he refused to touch a gun, they called him a coward. Desmond believed in the Golden Rule and never held a grudge. When the men got blisters on their feet, Desmond had a way of healing them. When they fainted from heat stroke, he was at their side with his own canteen. Read the rest of this entry
Personal Tribute To The Greatest – Muhammad Ali
Then known as Cassius Clay, he competed in the 1960 Olympics and came home with a Gold Medal. However, I first remember paying him attention during his second fight with Sonny Liston. I lived in Chicago then, and there were stories about people who went to the theater to watch the fight live. It was an extra-long line waiting outside, and people were still waiting to buy tickets when the fight started.
People on the street started selling tickets to those in line so they could get inside. What the people outside did not know was that the people selling tickets had already seen the fight. Ali knocked Liston out in the first round.
The second time that I paid careful attention to Ali was when I was taken to a restaurant on the South Side of Chicago. Turned out it was owned and operated by Muslims. I enjoyed the food, and was given more of a surprise when Ali walked into the restaurant. I was so nervous meeting the Champ that my hands were shaking. Read the rest of this entry
Police Officer Comforts Autistic Teen
In general, when the media reports cops who do something kind, it’s towards animals. It’s not often, or often enough, that we read stories about law enforcement doing something kind for people. So, I thought I’d share this uplifting story. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department posted the story on their Facebook page on May 13, 2016.
Officer Tim Purdy is with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina Police Department. An unnamed teen student had left school and may have been suicidal. The teen has a history of violent behavior due to a neuro-development disorder.
According to Yahoo news, when Officer Purdy spotted the student, he approached him, sat with him on the concrete and tried to connect with him. At one point, Purdy even made the teen laugh. Read the rest of this entry
Julian Bond, civil rights leader and former NAACP chairman, dies at 75
May he rest in peace.
CNN Screenshot: Julian Bond died Saturday night after a brief illness in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
CNN
Julian Bond, a civil rights leader and former board chairman of the NAACP, has died. He was 75.
Bond died Saturday night after a brief illness in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which he served as founding president in the 1970s.
The Tennessee native was on the forefront of the 1960s civil rights movement, and was among activists who protested for equal rights for African-Americans.
“With Julian’s passing, the country has lost one of its most passionate and eloquent voices for the cause of justice,” said Morris Dees, co-founder of the SPLU, a legal advocacy group that specializes in civil rights.
Bond’s civil rights activism went beyond the United States.
In 1985, police arrested him outside the South African Embassy, where he was protesting against apartheid, the…
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Man Being Booked Saved Officer’s Life
In September 2015, Jamal Rutledge was being booked on charges of violation of probation for criminal mischief and burglary. Officer Franklin Foulks of the Fort Lauderdale Police was doing the booking when he suddenly collapsed. Being handcuffed behind his back, the only thing that Jamal could do was yell for help and kick the door to alert nearby officers.
Jamal Rutledge (center) and three Fort Lauderdale Police Officers are being commended for saving another officer’s life.
Sergeant Todd Bunin heard Jamal’s cries for help. He saw Officer Foulks clenching his chest. Bunin notified police dispatch to send help. Officers Robert Norvis and Raymond Ketchmark overheard Bunin’s radio transmissions and immediately responded to assist. Norvis removed Foulks’ police gear and cut off his shirt. Ketchmark got a nearby Automated External Defibrillator to stimulate Officer Foulks’ heart.
Fire rescue arrived and transported Foulks to Broward Health Medical Center.
NBC Miami reports;
“ Fort Lauderdale Police say that the attending medical staff noted that the immediate actions by Rutledge, along with the quick response by nearby officers, saved Foulks’ life.”
Rutledge, Bunin and Ketchmark and Norvis will be honored publicly on Januray 21st at 6 p.m. at the next Fort Lauderdale Commission Meeting. Read the rest of this entry
Happy Veterans Day – 2014
Veterans Day is an official United States holiday that honors people who have served in the armed forces. It coincides with the holidays celebrated in other parts of the world that mark the end of hostilities of World War I.
To honor our veterans and active duty personnel, some restaurants provide free meals. Some of these Veterans Day free meals are nationwide but some are only at participating locations.
The below is a partial list of restaurants honoring our veterans and those on active duty. Read the rest of this entry
New California Gun Law the First of Its Kind in the U.S.
Good job, Richard Martinez and Peter Rodger.
You might remember the names, or they might sound familiar. In May 2014, Christopher Martinez was killed by Elliot Roger in a spree that took the lives of 6 others and wounded 13. Family members of Isla Vista killer, Elliot Rodger, had reported their concerns to Santa Barbara law enforcement after the 22-year-old posted videos of himself threatening violence online. In response, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies visited Rodger’s apartment just three weeks before the murders and performed a police procedure known as a “welfare check.” The deputies found Elliot to be polite and amenable.
The deputies did not know then that Elliot legally owned three handguns, nor had they viewed the threatening videos that Elliot made.
Richard Martinez, Christopher’s dad, was very vocal about gun violence, saying:
“Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris’ right to live? When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say stop this madness? We should say to ourselves, not one more.”
3-Year Old Saves Elderly Man Locked Inside Car
68-year old Bob King was at Vestal Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee last Saturday. His wife went inside the church and took the car keys with her.
It was 91 degrees outside that day. King told ABC News that they had trouble with the door of the car since purchasing it. He couldn’t get the door open to get out, and without the keys, he could neither start the car to turn on the air conditioning. King has undergone numerous cancer treatments suffered from two strokes in the past six months. Read the rest of this entry
Two Dads Meet – Peter Rodger and Richard Martinez
Richard Martinez and Peter Rodger
Peter Rodger’s son, Elliot, went on a shooting spree, taking the lives of 6 people on May 24, 2014. Elliot wrote angry pieces and taped YouTube videos talking about violence, murder, and his hatred of blonde White women for rejecting him. Among those Elliot killed was 20-year old Christopher Martinez.
Christopher’s dad, Richard, was very vocal about gun violence. Read the rest of this entry
Your Life Is No Longer Your Own (Tissues Required)
You were right. I needed tissues.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
Read an amazing account of incredible sacrifice during World War 2 involving simple towns people.
Around this time each year, Memorial Day, I am reminded of a story that I once heard. Though the exactness of it I cannot confirm, I am assured its basis is quite factual, and its message definitely deserves to be retold.
The story is of a man, Andrew, who was known all his life for selfless sacrifice and good works. He always stood in defense of the defenseless, and toiled without tiring, standing up for the downtrodden and underprivileged. As he grew old, and people tried to honor him for his well-lived life of service, he was reluctant to accept the praise and attention that his community desired to heap upon him. It was then, for the first time, that he told a story that had burned deep in his heart and…
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Man Who Saved Abandoned Newborn Baby Gets Invited To Her High School Graduation 18 Years Later
This is great!! Thanks for sharing it.
A 911 call was made in Gibson County, Illinois, on a November morning in 1995 about a child who had been left under a pine tree at a cemetery…
Police and firefighters rushed to the reported scene, but found nothing.
Local firefighter Charlie Heflin decided to look in a different cemetery.
He didn’t find anything there either, and had already began walking back to his car when he had a hunch to check one more spot.
Heflin told WFIE:
“I heard a little whimper when I got close to the tree. I dug down inside this real huge pine tree and found her.”
The baby girl was on the verge of death, covered in blood and leaves in the freezing weather. Her umbilical cord was still attached.
“I handed her off to the paramedics and I didn’t see her since.”
The child was adopted five days later by Bonnie and Greg…
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Not Just A Character In A Movie
“I’ve never seen an alien. Have you ever seen an alien?”
The character, Mick Canales, had lost both of his legs. He believed that he could no longer be a soldier, which was something he had been all of his adult life. He didn’t want to cooperate in physical therapy. He was abrupt and rude. Then something happened. His physical therapist was told to get off the mountain because aliens had landed. The earth was under attack.
“I’ve never seen an alien. Have you ever seen an alien? With that line by Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales, I realized that the character was returning to the soldier he thought that he could no longer be.
The movie is Battleship. I like science fiction movies and years ago when my son was in junior high, we played the game. I wanted to see the movie without knowing its plot nor who was starring. It had to be my kind of movie.
When the character of Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales was introduced, I thought it could not be special effects. The actor had to be a real amputee and not just a real amputee, but also a military man. At the end when the credits rolled, I watched for the name of the actor. His real name is Gregory D. Gadson. Well, it’s more than that. He is actually Colonel Gregory D. Gadson. Read the rest of this entry
Love Conquers All – Waiting A Decade For The Court’s Decision
In 2013, a federal Judge cited the Loving case in his ruling when striking down Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. The Loving case has become the foundation in which other courts are striking down bans against same-sex marriage. How did it come about?
Loving — The last name is so appropriate.
Mildred and Richard Loving
In 1957, Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter married. They met and lived in Central Point, Virginia, but married in Washington, D.C. because in Virginia, it was illegal to marry a person of another race. Richard, White, and Mildred, “colored,” fell in love at first sight.
At about 4 a.m. one morning, the local police came to their house and arrested them. It wasn’t just the law against interracial marriage that the police was going to arrest the Lovings for violating. They were hoping to catch them in the act of making love, because there was also law against interracial sex.
Mildred showed the police their marriage certificate, but that marriage certificate became evidence for the criminal charge of “cohabiting as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth.”
On January 6, 1959, the Loving’s pled guilty. The law they were charged with 
violating was passed in Virginia in 1924. It was the Act for the Preservation of Racial Integrity. That law set forth that any trace of nonwhite ancestry (the infamous “one drop” rule) defined someone as ineligible to marry anyone defined as white.
The court found the Loving’s guilty and sentenced each to one year in prison, but suspended sentencing for 25 years if they moved out of Virginia.
They moved to Washington, D.C. and could only return to Virginia separately, not together, to see their families. The Loving’s were unhappy in D.C. and in 1964, Mildred wrote to Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He referred her to the ACLU. Two attorneys with no prior experience, but believers in equality and the constitution, went to work.
In preparation for tomorrow ….. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration!
Thanks so much Horty for your fantastic work!
~~January 18, 2014~~
More than 45 years after his death and 50 years after his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr.‘s stirring words and writings remain as relevant and inspiring today as they were when he lived.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.
Born Michael King, his father changed his name in honor of German reformer Martin Luther. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King led an…
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We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 