Mid-January 2017 Interim Reflections

In the two and a half years since my first Reflections on Life, this is the first time I am sending out a mid-month addendum.

Criminal justice is one of my top public policy priorities for 2017. It is getting increasing coverage across our nation and nowhere more deeply than in the City of Baltimore.  Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh has made it one of his top priorities for the current Maryland legislative session, which commenced last week in Annapolis.  This message contains two important notices re this priority and how it affects all of our society, not simply those in the criminal system.

Sunday, January 22 @ 2pm in the Oliver Carriage House at 5410 Leaf Treader Way off of Vantage Point Road in Town Center, Columbia 21044.

Please attend the “launching” of the January 2017 criminal justice edition of the Little Patuxent Review, a literary collection of poetry, essays, fiction, art, and interviews

I wrote in my December Reflections that I have agreed to serve as a member of the board of this publication, despite my vow that I would not accept any such positions when I “retired” from public office two years ago. After several months, I am clear that my decision was a good one.

The program will include readings of portions of the Review’s entries by the authors.

I hope to see you there.  I am certain you will find it enlightening and most likely quite troubling as well. 

We cannot successfully address the many injustices in our nation unless we address our failures in the criminal justice area.

Saturday, January 28, 9am, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 333 Dubois Road, Annapolis 21401, Attorney General Brian Frosh will speak on the major issues coming up in the legislative session, including social, economic, and environmental justice.  Criminal justice is of course included.  He is one of the best informed and most passionate elected people in our nation on this subject.

I am gratified to have the opportunity to introduce Brian at this event.  He is very much in demand across the state now that the legislative session is upon us.

We would love to see you there.

If you have any questions about either of these events, please contact me in response to this message or on my mobile phone @ 410-302-8011.

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The following quote from recently deceased poet and composer, Leonard Cohen, is as hopeful as any I have come upon.  It has been a favorite of mine for some time, and I was so happy to see it included in Congressman John Sarbanes New Year message.

“Ring the bells that still can ring.  Forget your perfect offering.

There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

May we welcome the light shining through that crack and dedicate our lives to having it spread until is casts a glow on all.

(Just a reminder that all of my past Reflections on Life are available on my blog: lizbobocolumbia.blogspot.com.)