Indiana's "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA)

Indiana's "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA)

Indiana's "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" is just one more way religion tries to infiltrate our Government.

Thomas Jefferson said "Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society."

I agree, it is essential to keep religion OUT of Our Government. In the USA we have Freedom Of Religion which means that each person can choose IF they want to have a religion or not, and if they do, which one, without fear of discrimination for their choices.

If we were meant to have ONE religion forced on us, we could have stayed in England and still been dictated to by the Church of England. For those who mistakenly want to insist that USA is a "Christian Nation", you need to go back and re-read your history. This law is already a HUGE FAILURE and I predict it will be political suicide for Gov. pence, and deservedly so, because now everyone hates Indiana.

If the churches insist on meddling in politics, they should be TAXED.

I wish our republican friends would be half as eager to pass a JOBS Bill as they are to pass unnecessary religious laws.

A vast MAJORITY of Voters WANT EQUAL Human Rights, Fair Elections, Fair WAGES and Fair TAXES for EVERYONE, Affordable Health Care, Alternative Energy, Wall St. AND Corporate regulation, Student Debt Relief, and End to Wars, or at least reduction in military spending.

WE NEED JOBS but republicans never want to focus on relevant issues that voters want addressed. This is exactly the reason why President Obama was elected TWICE by a HUGE Margin. republicans will never win another national election as long as they continue to focus on what THEY want rather than what voters want.

republicants need to come into the 21st century, and they especially need to STOP trying to prevent anyone from voting. Voting Rights are Civil Rights and are the very fabric of our nation. It is UN-American for ANYONE to try to prevent others from voting.

LOVE AND APPRECIATION TO VIETNAM VETERANS

A Tribute to the ones I've Known

I've always loved and had great respect for all our Veterans, but I have a Special soft spot in my heart for Vietnam Veterans.  If I had been a boy, I'd have likely been there. I lost friends and family members over there, and those who returned were never the same.

When our troops returned from Vietnam, they were not always treated with the level of respect they deserved, and many, even some who were disabled, were treated very badly.

I am glad that we now have more respect for our military, because that is the very least that they deserve. God Bless every man or woman who has ever served our country in any capacity.  We can never really repay them and their families for all the daily sacrifices they have made.

The Vietnam Veterans I've known were scattered among my school mates, neighbors, friends, and relatives.  I'm fairly certain there are many others besides the ones listed here, but I've lost touch with some of them over the years. If I have forgotten or overlooked anyone, it is an oversight.  I would never intentionally omit anyone's name, as every one of them deserves to be honored.

Whenever the deceased veterans have not had a Memorial Page, I have attempted to create one for them. IF anyone finds errors, or has important information to add to pages I created, I hope you will contact me and let me know.

Vietnam Veterans I have known:

(I mostly know what branch of service they served in,

but sadly, I don't know the rank of many of them)

Died in War:

Cpl. William R "Billy" Adams, US Army

Brother to my Aunt by Marriage

Billy is featured on three different pages:

Billy Adams Memorial Page

Another Memorial Page for Billy Adams

Billy Adams on the Virtual Wall

Spec 4 - E4 Mark Stephen Bundy, US Army

Close friend of my husband and attended same high school,

also shared mutual friends.

Mark is featured on two different pages:

Memorial Page for Spec 4-E4 Mark Stephen Bundy

Spec 4 -E4 Mark Stephen Bundy on the Virtual Wall

Pfc William E. "Billy" Tolliver, US Army

Schoolmate at same High School.

Pfc William E. Tolliver

Please also read my earlier Blog about Billy:

Previous Blog about Billy Tolliver

Discharged from War, then Died Later in Life:

PVT2 E. Bruce Adams, US Army

Was engaged to marry my sister, good friend,

many shared friends.

PVT2 Earl Bruce Adams

SP5 Hiram Rodney Baker, US Army

Brother of my classmate Ann Baker

SP5 Hiram Rodney Baker Memorial Page

William R. "Bill" Bond, USMC

Friend, Attended same High School, had Mutual Friends

William R. "Bill" Bond Memorial Page

Major Dr. Dodd E. Edington, US Army

Friend of my family and also my family dentist.

We had mutual cousins on different sides of the family

Major Dodd E. Edington, DDS, Memorial Page

Sgt. Gregory W. Hawkins  (USMC)

Dear Friend and School mate

(Brother of SGT/E-5 Robert Hawkins, USMC)

Sgt. Gregory W. Hawkins, Memorial Page

Donald Eugene Nicholson, Sr., US Army

Graduated with my brother Jimmie

Donald Eugene Nicholson, Sr. Memorial Page

Dennis P. O'Brien, USN

A very good friend to me and also my brother Jon.

Dennis P. O'Brien, Memorial Page

Sgt. Charles Roy Owens,USAF

Graduated with me.

Sgt. Charles Roy Owens, Memorial Page

Sgt. Ernest J Portlow, USAF

He was my friend on Twitter. 

Wish I could have met him in person.

I was 83 days older than him.

Sgt. Ernest J. Portlow, Memorial Page 

John E. Rowe, US Army

Grew up in the same block, attended same school.

John E. Rowe, Memorial Page

Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger Warren Silvers, USN

Close Friend and Neighbor.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger W. Silvers Memorial Page

Roger Silvers and Tom Silvers were Brothers. 

Thomas Lee Silvers, USN

Close Friend and Neighbor, graduated with me.

Thomas Lee Silvers, Memorial Page

Cpl. Gregory T. "Gig" Srygler, USMC

Shared Mutual Friends

Cpl. Gregory T. "Gig" Srygler, Memorial Page

Timothy J. Stapp, USN

Attended same High School.

Obituary, Timothy J. Stapp

SN David W. Thompson, USN

Attended same High School.

SN David W. Thompson Memorial Page

Winton Dale Turner, USMC

Friend, neighbor and Attended same High School.

Winton Dale Turner, Memorial Page

Kenton L. Watson, US Army

Attended same High School, shared mutual friends.

Kenton L. "Kent" Watson Memorial Page

Ronnie Gene Blackburn, Sr.

School mate who grew up down the street from me 

Ronnie Gene Blackburn, Sr. Memorial Page

STILL LIVING--"The East Boys"

"The East Boys", Alan, Edward, Steve and Timothy were sons of Frank East who joined the Navy with my Dad in WWII. We and our families remained friends all our lives.

Alan East, USN

Edward East, USN

Steve East, USN

Timothy East, USN

STILL LIVING:

John W. Claypool, US Army

Friend of my daughter and our family

Ellis R. "Hawk" Hawkins, US Army

Graduated with my brother Jimmie

SGT/E-5 Robert Hawkins, USMC

(Brother of Sgt. Gregory W. Hawkins, USMC)

Attended same High School, shared mutual friends.

Lonnie Ray Jones, US Army

Married my Friend and Classmate.

Master Sgt. Cameron Morran, US Army

My third cousin

Daniel Robert Walls, USN

Graduated with my brother Jimmie

Some I didn't know personally, but knew something about:

Sgt. Jerry Dean Martin, US Army 

(Probably my distant cousin)

Sgt. Jerry Dean Martin

Richard Claye Ramsey, USN

(Father of a friend of my deceased daughter)

Richard Claye Ramsey, Memorial Page

Lt. Col. Calvin Jones "Cal" Jeffries, USAF

(May be distantly related to me;

 Found while searching genealogy)

Lt. Col. Calvin Jones "Cal" Jeffries, Memorial Page

Lawrence County, Indiana Vietnam War Memorial

http://www.ingenweb.org/inlawrence/inmemory.htm

_________________________________________________________

Even though he was not a Vietnam Veteran, I have to mention My Dad, 

Harvey Price Jeffries (1925-1986). He is the one who impressed upon me the value of our veterans and taught me to respect, love and admire those who serve our country. 

Daddy was a Disabled Veteran from WWII; He enlisted in the U.S. Navy July 16, 1942, when he was just 17 years, one month and 9 days old, and participated in the landing at Normandy Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944, one day before his nineteenth birthday). He was discharged from the Navy in March, 1945.

His unit, the 1st US Naval Beach Battalion are now called "The (original) Beach Boys".  Here is a link to their page:

http://www.1stbeachbattalion.org/beach_boys.htm

Link to My Dad's Memorial Page:

Harvey P. Jeffries, c. 1941 

Champaign-Urbana IL

U.S. Navy Signal School

Harvey Price Jeffries Memorial Page
June 7, 1925 - October 19, 1986

Harvey Price Jeffries Memorial Page 

_________________________________________________________

Be PROUD of Our Limestone Heritage!

Our local Limestone industry has contributed to local, state, and national history and economy, as well as to cultural, architectural, archeological, and geological studies. Few communities can claim such a unique distinction. We should all be proud of the work that is done here, and especially proud of the skill of our limestone workers. I am distressed that the skill, scope and sheer volume of work done by our local stone workers is highly underestimated here in our area.

Back when I was a young child in the 1950's, most of the men in my town worked in the stone industry. About once a year, the stone workers would line up at the end of their long hard workday at the Union Hall for Quarry & Mill Workers in Oolitic, covered in stone dust, waiting to vote on whether or not to strike for better wages and/or working conditions.

The line would be a couple of blocks long, and they would look like a row of Pillsbury Dough Boys. I have never seen such a sight, before or since, and I wish I had a photograph of them at that time. I am thankful that I can still remember those lines so vividly and wish I could paint a picture of them.

Limestone workers often are required to work outside in the most extreme weather, heat and cold alike. My former brother-in-law, Jim Leach working in an open-ended mill in the dead of winter. One particularly cold day, he went into a shed to warm up by a heater. After he thawed his clothes out a bit, he felt a wetness, and discovered that his thighs were cracked open and bleeding from the cold water from his grinder (called a "stone bug") freezing on his legs. Even enclosed mills are very cold in winter and of course stifling hot in summer.

Stone work requires a great degree of skill that must be learned under the direction of experienced stone workers. I am very proud of the stone workers I personally know, and even more proud of those within my own family.

Both of my Grandfathers, Leston R. Hillenburg and Harvey G. Jeffries worked in the Quarries. I would probably not be here had not my Dad's family, including several of my Great Uncles moved here from Kentucky, specifically to work in the limestone industry. I would guess that the majority of Lawrence County residents have at least one ancestor who worked in the stone industry, and some had entire families worked in the mills and/or quarries. Many still do.

In 1925 one of my Maternal Great Grandfathers, James Robert Arthur died just one month before his 46th birthday, from injuries he had received in an accident at McMillan Quarry in Peerless two weeks earlier.

In 1926, one of my Dad's cousins, Elmer Stanley Jeffries, died at age 11 from head injuries he received while playing on a grout pile in Dark Hollow Quarry two days earlier.

In 1930, one of my Dad's Uncles, Jesse S. Owen also died at age 39 from injuries he received in an accident at Dark Hollow Quarry that same morning.

Another one of my Maternal Great Grandfathers, David M. Hillenburg, died at age 70 as a retired quarry worker, and my cousin, Glenn Jeffries retired from the Quarries.

These are just the family members that I know worked in the stone industry, but there are probably other stone workers in my family. I would guess that the majority of people in Lawrence County are descended from stone workers.

I've compiled a list of about fifty-six immigrant families who came here to work in our limestone industry, from at least eight different countries, and these are just the families that I personally know about; I'm sure there were many more. Since the late nineteenth century, Lawrence County, Indiana has been a little Micro-Melting Pot of race, religion, and national country of origin.

We are so fortunate to live in an area that has such exceptional stone workmanship. There are stone quarries and mills in several other states, but none can compare to ours here in Lawrence and Monroe Counties. The quality of our local limestone is superior.

For several months, I had the privilege of working in the office of a small stone company and later I worked in the office of another small stone company on a temporary job. I was shocked to discover how closely connected I was to so many people in the local stone industry. Nearly every person who came into those offices was someone I'd known my entire life.

We are surrounded by limestone in our daily travels; we walk on limestone sidewalks and patios, we drive on gravel roads, we pass by intricate stone carvings in local cemeteries and on our buildings, and we often see stacks of mill blocks in roadside grout piles, as well as blocks of stone being transported on trucks.

All too often these sights just fade into the local landscape, and we fail to see the beauty and craftsmanship of it all.  We should all be proud that we have shipped our local limestone to countries all over the world. Just the local stone sculptures in our local cemeteries alone are famous throughout the globe.

We take our stone industry too much for granted and rarely stop to consider that many talented people from this area really have "Built a Nation" with our stone. Our local limestone has been used for bridges, tunnels, buildings, railroad beds and many prominent buildings, including thirty-five of all fifty state capitol buildings; Also, the Pentagon, the Washington National Cathedral, most of all the buildings in the Federal Triangle, The Empire State Building, Yankee Stadium, the Chicago Tribune Tower and countless others were built from our local limestone.

The next time you're exposed to one of these sights, please stop and take a really good look at what you see, and thank all the stone workers that you know for making us proud of their skills and artistry.

e-mail MsRock4Ever@comcast.net

Joyce Jeffries On Google+
https://plus.google.com/u/0/110051358394673854859/about

@MsRock4Ever on Twitter  https://twitter.com/MsRock4Ever 

The Pain That Does Not Diminish

I wrote this November 19, 1992; it was published in our local newspaper,
The Times Mail, Bedford, Indiana.
 
The Vietnam war brought new meaning to the term “human sacrifice”. It has been called “an American experiment in Southeast Asia”, and has touched most of our lives.

Those who died there were victims, but we who still live were also victims. As we watched thousands being led to their slaughter, we could only feel helpless and frustrated.

Many people lost sons, fathers, husbands, sweethearts, brothers or friends. The Vietnamese people, as a group, were also victims; They not only stood by and watched their young men die, as we did, but they also saw countless scores of infants, toddlers, school children, elderly men and women, entire families, and even entire villages being destroyed, We can only imagine their horror and pain at losing their possessions, their heritage, their hopes, and their dreams. Each of us lost something in that war. There is no way to count the millions of people worldwide who still suffer daily for that useless, devastating war.

Those who were “disabled” (for lack of a more suitable term) will never escape the agonies they saw and endured. They are locked into a nightmare that will not end in their lifetime. Some scars are not visible, or even physical. Men who have been taught for about twenty years of their lives to value the sanctity of life cannot suddenly be “programmed” and licensed to kill without experiencing inner conflict, let alone lifelong guilt at the confusion, turmoil, and horror that resulted from the killing.

No one could listen to Tom Clay’s recording “The Victors” in its entirety without weeping; Clay recites the name, age, and circumstance of innocent people who have died in various wars as “Taps” is softly played in the background. A large majority of the people who were killed in Vietnam were civilian casualties, whose ages ranged from a few months old to persons in their nineties or even older. These people were “in­nocent bystanders” who just happened to be in the wrong place at the time. They could have just as easily have been you or me. Individuals have no control over the atrocities that their governments choose to commit.

The world has paid a high and painful price to stroke the egos of a few politically mad men, who were not worthy of such human sacrifice in all the various forms.

To hear even casual mention of that war or anything related to it rubs the wound in my heart raw again. The heart of humanity still bleeds from the pain of that war.

Joyce Marie Jeffries (Leach)

Twitter is highly discriminatory

 ‎Tuesday, ‎April ‎15, ‎2014  8:18pm  EDT

MY Twitter Profile:

@MsRock4Ever
Humanitarian, Social Activist, Yellow Dog Democrat;
Equal Rights for ALL! LOVE President Obama,
also music, books, Native America, & British Isles;
Bedford, Indiana  

https://plus.google.com/u/0/110051358394673854859/about

My Twitter Avatar

My Twitter Background Image:

(Norman Rockwell's "Do Unto Others")

On Wednesday, ‎April ‎09, ‎2014, at  6:22pm EDt, 

I had 9,689 Followers on Twitter, 

but I was suspended shortly thereafter.

I was on Twitter for over two years and never had a problem until November of 2012,

then suddenly and since then,  I was getting suspended almost regularly every month.

As far as I can tell, this was my 17th Suspension in 16 months. 

I find this very strange, BECAUSE I have NEVER changed my actions and behavior on Twitter  since the first day I joined. Yet, for two years I NEVER was suspended but since then I get suspended ALL THE TIME.

Between Wednesday, ‎April ‎09, ‎2014 and today (Tuesday, ‎April ‎15, ‎2014  12:20pm EDT) I had submitted THREE appeals to Twitter, but I STILL had received NO reply from Twitter, 

so I Submitted my 4th Appeal for my 17th suspension Via Online Form on Tuesday, ‎April ‎15, ‎2014  AT 12:20pm EDT.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is what I said on my FOURTH Appeal:
Tuesday, ‎April ‎15, ‎2014  12:20pm  EDT
4th Appeal for 17th suspension 

Submitted Via Online Form
https://support.twitter.com/forms/general?subtopic=suspended

My account was suspended on Wednesday, ‎April ‎09, ‎2014. 
At that time, I had 9,689 followers.
98% of my tweets are Favorited and/or Re-Tweeted.

It has been six days since my suspension, 

and I've sent three appeals to Twitter BUT 

I STILL have had NO reply from you.

To my knowledge, I have never broken any Twitter Rules.
I only follow people who follow me and/or who have similar interests to mine.
I don't use profanity, nor do I post pornography. I don't solicit for money or sex, or make death threats, I don't harass others and/or try to get them suspended, yet many people who do any or all of those vile things do NOT get suspended.

I was on Twitter for over two years without any problems, and I still conduct myself in the same manner, have not changed my behavior.   However, in November, 2012, I was suddenly suspended and have been suspended on an almost regular monthly basis since then, despite numerous complaints and protests about it from many of my followers.
 
I believe this makes 17 Suspensions in 16 months and is bordering on harassment and MAJOR DISCRIMINATION!

I am consistently targeted by a hate group whose primary goal in life seems to be to falsely report me and get me suspended because they disagree with my views. 

            I don't understand why Twitter allows this UNFAIRNESS?!

I just lost my 45 year old (Only Child), daughter, @tkharmonic on March 22 and I need the support of my Twitter Friends at this time.  Please restore my account.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stranger still is the fact that:

Even though Twitter had NOT replied to my first three appeals at all, 

IMMEDIATELY after I sent the FOURTH appeal,

(Actually, ONE Minute later!) I received the following from Twitter:
From: "Twitter Support"
To:  msrock4ever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 12:21:27 PM
Subject: Case# 01391267: Please restore my account -
ref:00DA0000000K0A8.500G000000Ma634:ref
 
Hello,
Your account has been suspended due to multiple or repeat violations of the Twitter Rules: https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311

Thanks,
Twitter Support
http://support.twitter.com
@Support
System Reference: ref:00DA0000000K0A8.500G000000Ma634:ref
______________________________________________________________________
I replied back to Twitter with the following:
From: "Joyce Jeffries MsRock4Ever" msrock4ever@xxxxxxxxxxx

To: "Twitter Support"
Cc: "Jeffries,, Joyce M."
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 2:14:29 PM
Subject: Re: Case# 01391267: Please restore my account - 

ref:00DA0000000K0A8.500G000000Ma634:ref

I have reviewed the Twitter Rules at https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311 multiple times, but I still do not believe I am guilty of any of the offenses mentioned.

However, I do block many people of differing political views and would assume they also block me.
The ONLY times I use the @ feature is to comment to my followers in a discussion and sometimes they reply to me with their followers included, but I can't help that.

Why call it "Social Media" if you are going to restrict discussions among people of similar views?

Not only do I still believe I'm unfairly targeted, but many of my followers agree with me.  As long as you continue to allow me to be targeted by hate groups and punish ME for it, 

I will continue to post essays about how Twitter has discriminated against me on Blogger, 

on Tumblr and on Google Plus.
______________________________________________________________________
Twitter's FINAL reply to me (THIS time):
From: "Twitter Support"
To: msrock4ever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 6:04:12 PM
Subject: Case# 01391267: Please restore my account - 

ref:00DA0000000K0A8.500G000000Ma634:ref

Hello,

Twitter has spam systems that review account behavior and automatically suspend users who appear to be engaging in spam behavior. It looks like a disproportionately large number of users, including ones you followed, @replied, added to your lists or whose tweets you favorited, have chosen to either block your account or report it as spam.

Your account is now unsuspended. Please make sure you review the following help pages:

• The Twitter Rules:
https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311-the-twitter-rules
• Following Limits and Best Practices:

https://support.twitter.com/articles/68916-following-rules-and-best-practices
• Automation Rules and Best Practices: 

https://support.twitter.com/articles/76915-automation-rules-and-best-practices

Please note that It may take an hour or so for your follower and following numbers to return to normal. Further violations may result in permanent suspension.

Thanks,
Twitter Support
http://support.twitter.com
@Support
System Reference: ref:00DA0000000K0A8.500G000000Ma634:ref
______________________________________________________________________

So, I guess that is just Twitter's way of letting me know
that they will still continue to suspend me
whenever the whim strikes them or the Hate Groups who target me.

Freedom of Religion in the United States

The USA was established by people who wanted to escape the oppressiveness and forced religion of the Church of England. Because of that, (and contrary to many popular and limited beliefs),  we do NOT have a "National Religion" in the United States.

The USA is a country in which EVERY U.S. Citizen has the Freedom to CHOOSE whether or not they want to worship, and the right to choose what they believe. NONE of us is bound to any specific religion, and NO ONE has the right to try to force ANY specific religion on other people, because to do so would be to violate the rights of others.

President Obama understands that he is a President of ALL American Citizens, of all races, religions, nationalities, Genders, Ages and also that if he were to prefer any religion over all the others he would NOT be representing ALL the people in this country.

Christianity encompasses less than one third of ALL religions worldwide. IF we were forced to defer to ONE religion, then we would be denying other people of THEIR right to religious freedom, and acting in accord with 17th Century England and the Church of England.

None of us has to agree with any other person's religion but we should respect their right to choose for themselves. NO one else can dictate to any of us what we should believe or whom we should worship. If you would not want other people dictating their religion to you,then don't try to force yours on others.

You don't need to hate other people just because their beliefs differ from yours. In fact, I am appalled at the number of people who claim to be "Christian" but instead of exhibiting the LOVE Of Christ for their fellow man, they HATE them because they are different in some way. This is a huge planet and there is room here for all of us.

I have friends of several different religions (NOT just from different denominations of Christianity) and I have learned much from them. The ONE commonality among the majority of ALL religions on this earth is "The Golden Rule", and most religions believe that we should all treat others as we want to be treated and respect differing beliefs, as long as they don't infringe on our own belief.

Sadly, many people do not know WHAT they believe or WHY they say and think they believe as they do. It is a good idea to study all religions and discover what you innermost belief is, and why you personally believe it, rather than just vaguely adapting to your family or friends' beliefs. 

One cannot honestly defend one's personal religion when they do not know WHAT they believe or WHY they believe it, but each one of us is THE Best person to decide what our own religious belief is, or whether or not we want to believe in any religion at all.  We do NOT want or  "need" our Government to dictate to us WHAT we should believe or what religion we should choose,or even IF we want to "have" a religion.


Everyone should also read  The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/  which reinforces the right of all individuals to have freedom of religion.

The Golden Rule--Skin Color, Respect, Acceptance, Love and Friendship

Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman (Photo by José L Bernabé Tronchoni)

Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman was one of my heroes. He was a great Human Being, Sculptor, Artist, Singer/Songwriter, Teacher of Native American Wisdom. I had deep respect and affection for him (still do!), and I still feel the loss of his passing in December 2007 at the age of 71. He touched the lives of millions of people and gave us inspiration, hope and beauty.

On January 17, (2014) I was watching the video Red Crow says "Goodbye"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa5xwjE4T9k  

I had seen this particular video a few other times and it's always a comfort to me to hear Floyd speak, not only for the wisdom he imparted but also for the quiet quality of his beautiful voice. I really wish I could have met him in person.  

This time, while watching the video, I saw the following comment from Larry Phelps, and it had a large impact on me:

Larry Phelps' December, 2013 Comment on the above YouTube Video:
"We are spiritual beings. Imagine deciding your alliance by the color of your clothes on a given day.....the color of our skin tells us nothing of the spirit within."

I have always felt that same way, so I added my own comment below:
Thank you, Larry!   This is absolutely the best comment I've seen in a long time, and Oh, SO TRUE. Skin color relates to NOTHING ELSE, just like eye color or hair color.

So much ignorance abounds, and those who are prejudiced about skin color ROB themselves of many things. My life has been greatly enriched by making friends with people of all colors, races, creeds and religions.

Anyone who is willing to keep an open mind and heart can learn and gain much, including reaping the love and friendship of fabulous people. We don't all have to look alike or even think alike to love one another. Just treat others the way you want them to treat you and you will be greatly rewarded. It's our differences that make life interesting!
(End of my YouTube Comment).

Upon further reflection, I would like to add  that what I have personally learned by making friends with all kinds of people, from many countries, economic levels, educational levels, nationalities, races and religions is that Human Beings are pretty much the same inside, and as Larry Phelps stated above, it is so true, ".....the color of our skin tells us nothing of the spirit within." Skin Color really is just like Eye Color and/or Hair Color, (Or the color of one's clothing!), BUT.....it is NOT the Spirit, character, personality or "value" of any person, and we ALL Bleed RED!

You can put a cover on a textbook and call it fiction, or vice-versa, but when you open that book it really makes no difference how it's  marketed; only the inner content of the book is of any real value. People are much the same.

The Golden Rule is Universal:  

"Do Unto others as you would have them do unto you"

And, as stated by the Dalai Lama, "There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.".  
I feel the same way!

The Earth is filled with interesting people. Do not limit yourself, love them all, and you will be greatly rewarded and able to expand your knowledge and understanding of many things, most of all, the real meaning of life, which is to learn to know and then love yourself first, then learn to love other people, without the pre-conceived ideas and prejudices that stunt our intellectual and spiritual growth. 

The Spirit of LOVE for all people was written on our hearts by the Creator.
Open yourself to it and your life will be better than ever! Peace and Love to Everyone!