Ocean passages on rolling seas; counting waves to challenge the myth of the set wave, where every seventh swell is the largest of a set of 14 waves. Sometimes, it was the fifth; other times it was the ninth. Whatever the number, there was always a wave that appeared too big, that roared and enveloped you.

“The phrase, “sanctity of life,” is an interesting development in discussions about reimagining policing, and it’s beginning to influence the culture of policing . . . Sanctity of life should be the foundation of de-escalation, use of force, and how we approach all calls for service.”

by James E. Copple In 1960, I was 10 years old and living in the Ruskin Heights suburb of Kansas City, an idyllic community occupied mostly by veterans of World War II and Korea. The houses were all the same, with public parks and well-lit streets, and the neighborhood kids would gather on long summer […]

By James E. Copple I have no idea what kind of patriot quarterback Colin Kaepernick might be, but we know he believes this country has taken a wrong turn on race-relations and that justice-for-all is elusive. Remember that mantra from the ‘60s and ‘70s: My country – love it or leave it? It was the […]

By James E. Copple There are at least 2.3 million compelling stories to be told in the self-perpetuating vicious cycle of institutional incarceration, narratives that attempt to answer: “Why? What happened?” But maybe the better question would ask: “What didn’t happen? What’s missing?” John and Cecelia have a story, and it’s one that traces the […]

By James E. Copple “We, the people,” is a black veteran weeping at the grave of his white brother. The guilt, frustration and trauma he feels for seeing a comrade killed by an IED. Their story was part of a 60 Minutes segment, and the “brother” was a white man from Texas. Their histories were […]