But those values fly in the face of the recent news story about a JetBlue flight attendant who quit on the job, literally, by sliding down the chute of the airplane after spouting profanity at a passenger he was fed up with.

Now, pop culture America is calling him a hero? For representing the working class? That is not a hero in my books.

It goes back to our general trend in society where people have to always be right and their pride gets in the way. This flight attendant has to realize that he is in a customer service field, and dealing with passengers who are grumpy is part of the job. Sure, it cannot be easy, but neither are hundreds of other jobs out there.

 Other people are not sliding down an escape chute to get away from their work situations. Instead, they work day in and day out to support their families. They are the real heros.  

In ouI am not sure what is worse. His actions, or that he is being called a hero for what he did.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100810/bs_yblog_upshot/rogue-jetblue-flight-attendant-being-hailed-as-a-modern-american-working-class-hero

How about Huckleberry Milkshakes to start off the Week 3 Adventure at Trout Lake, Washington. By the rushing creek. With the breathtaking view of Mt. Adams in the background.Before going off to Missions Camp at Jonah Ministries, where the focus is on the ultimate adventure of life.http://www.campjonah.com/ 

I had heard about Jonah Ministries from the Reavely family. Lauren and Leslie attended the Missions Camp a few years ago and were inspired to form a non-profit organization, H20, http://www.h2obags.com/ after attending the camp. I had written about them in an Oregonian story.

Something about Jonah Ministries seems so simple, so back to basics.  Worship, for example, features no large performing band. Just an acoustic guitar and a singer.

A family run ministry, Jonah Ministries started from the seed of an idea by a Grandmother. Her entire family gave up the lives they formerly lived to help run the year round Christian ministry center, which features theme camps each week, one of which is the Missions camp my twins and their friend Jonas attended. During the 4-day camp, the kids experienced what it is like to be a missionary in a simulated situation. Going through customs and security checks. And getting their bibles taken away from them.

My twins really enjoyed the camp, and already want to return next year. And possibly attend the High Adventure camp held there in two weeks. The drive up there along the Columbia Gorge is amazing and the little town of Trout Lake is quaint. I missed my sunshine boys and I am not sure about the next camp. I want to do adventures with them separate from these camps, and only  getting to drive them to camp, and perhaps put our feet in rushing creeks while sipping hand-dipped milkshakes.

The Red & Black Cafe in Middletown, Connecticut makes it clear that they

Red and Black Cafe in Connecticut

The Red & Black Cafe in Middletown, Connecticut notes on its website that: 

“We pride ourselves for being a cafe that is open to everyone.  To act differently is not simply bad business, it’s just mean. We obviously have a special respect and gratitude for our local officers who helped us through a tragic event.  To be on the receiving end of many angry misguided emails is a bitter irony.”

And, to show their support of the work that police do, they will offer a free cup of coffee to local police officers who stop by. So, here’s another place for police officers to get a cup of coffee.

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/red-and-black-and-blue-in-need-of-dialogue-on-police-relations-guest-column-in-todays-oregonian/

http://www.redblackcafe.com/

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/red_and_black_and_blue_in_need.html

By Cornelia Seigneur

There have been so many interesting developments and comments and ideas over the past 10 days  that my original post, “Where’s a police officer to get a cup of coffee?” went viral. It is amazing the power of the pen in sharing a story. And people are running with it.

Officer Crooker and I spoke today for the first time since we met May 18, and said the support has been amazing, from both Portlanders and beyond. People have donated coffee cards to him and fellow policemen, and he is grateful for the encouragement. He is getting calls from the East Coast to speak of his experience. Everyday folks are striking up conversations with police which they might not have happened in the past. The dialogue. The conversation. That is what I am liking to hear. People have asked me for links to national coverage and other media outlets which have covered the story so I am writing this blog post as a quick reflection. Here are some highlights and links as well as featured comments on my original blog and follow up worth talking about:

 ** An independent film maker made a documentary of his experience dressing as a Police officer and walking into the Red and Black to get coffee. They did not serve him.  It will be featured this Saturday.  You have got to see this clip – I am hoping to do a story on him. SUNDAY June 13 UPDATE – A segment of his experience was on YouTube as you may have seen on this blog post,  but was removed by the creator, so I removed the link.  I am looking to find out why. 

** CNN covered the story.http://www.cnn.com/search/?query=red+and+black+cafe+kicks+out+cop&primaryType=mixed&x=27&y=6 

** Fox news covered  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/04/police-officer-asked-leave-portland-coffee-shop/

** The Oregonian has covered various developments of the story,  including this week’s press conference with the red and black trying to explain its anarchist views. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/red_black_cafe_shows_portland.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/red_and_black_and_blue_in_need.htmlnnels

** All the major news channels in Portland have covered it and came out to interview me for the story.

** The Red and Black had a news conference to explain what they believe:

http://southeastportland.katu.com/content/cafe-owner-explains-why-he-booted-cop

http://www.kgw.com/home/Restaurant-that-kicked-out-cop-claims-it-boosted-business-

http://www.koinlocal6.com/mostpopular/story/Cafe-Owners-Support-Anarchists-Deplore-Police/PxSFB2UbW0GzW-yLknbXWQ.cspx

 ** Other local news outlets have written about the incident and/or posted links to the story. 

** Radio programs have made the topic a part of their shows, including national ones. The local ones I was interviewed for include: Paul Linnman, Bob Miller, Mark and Dave, and Victoria Taft.

** AP has picked up the story as has Roseburg news.

As I have been stating all along, my hope in writing my original blog post and consecutive ones is to keep the dialogue open on all sides. I want to move the conversation forward, to educating the public on what the police do as well as to listening to the public’s concerns about misuse of police power. There are obvious strong opinions on both sides, and we need to listen to one another and quit name calling. That is a problem on a blog which allows anonymous comments. I should have asked people to give me their names and cities. I bet they would be more careful as I know I am if people know me.

Since we are getting close to 300 comments from across the country on just the first blog post, it is hard to sift through them for readers. So, I thought I would highlight a few of them, people who have written very interesting notes, and that are moving the dialogue to actual open minded discussion.

One note: Not all vegans hate police. In fact, someone pointed out that the red and black is first and foremost anarchist, second vegan.

Here is a sampling of a few comments that I appreciated:

POLICE OFFICER IN SAN ANTONIO:“…As a vegan of 12 years, I find the story particularly interesting. I live in San Antonio, where there is only one vegetarian restaurant. If they asked me to leave where would I eat?? Fortunately, the staff there is very friendly and I can’t imagine being asked to leave! I go there on duty and off duty and they all know what I do. On particularly busy days, they’ll even pack a lunch for me =)  It’s called Green. If you or your daughter ever find yourselves in San Antonio, the food there is pretty good and they are officer friendly. Of course, the sad truth is that there are officers who are mirror images of this business owner. Officer Crooker was right in that education is the only way to solve the problem. A lot of officer comments have been defensive (“let’s see what happens if they should ever need our services”…) but the only way to start bridging the gap is to educate ourselves also. We should go out of our way to provide everyone with exceptional customer service – especially those who have a negative opinion of us.”

ATS COMMENT: “Both sides have valid points, and I know that this can be a heated discussion. Simple fact is that the guy did have the right to throw the officer out. I disagree with his opinion, and I think that he grossly generalized a group of people, but he does have the right. I also agree that it promotes an atmosphere of misunderstanding to lump this officer in with the bad occurrences that have happened recently and that many people today do not understand just what these officers go through. Also I find many of the comments written here to be very ignorant of the human condition. Corruption and abuse of power is something that this country was built to fight against. It is our duty to be vigilant against power-happy public officials. But to take the shootings and simply cry “we need anarchy” is school-yard mentality. History shows that any time there was anarchy; it wasn’t long before the people BEGGED for a dictatorship. That’s how bad it gets when people realize that they have no security. To think that we don’t need the police is idealistic nonsense and has no place in the universal truths of cause and effect. Get your nose out of the books and see what real life is like. Also, you’re too hateful with some of your comments. If you can’t filter your prejudice, than your point is moot and you should shut up and sit down so the grownups can talk.”

 FROM S. WELLS:  “The conversation here for Portlanders is what do you stand for?  Do you stand for  acceptance, diversity,  justice, kindness, and all the other phrases that come to mind when thinking about a progressive, modern city which is known as being “different”…or  better yet “weird”?  Do we want to be weird because we discriminate, are mean spirited,  hateful, and do not embrace all peoples, or do we want to be different because we epitomize acceptance…no matter who or what you are?    
My personal opinion of most policeman…and I have lived in many large and small cities, have traveled extensively, is that most are your friends.  Of course that is the way I approach everyone,  no matter how they are dressed, what color they are, what profession they have, or what nationality.  I don’t just talk the talk of non-discrimination, I actually live it.    That’s what I loved about Portland…we are committed to the practice of what we preach in the area of diversity.  Hopefully, this will instill in everyone a new perspective on that commitment.

By Cornelia Seigneur

During an interview this past week regarding my blog post, “Where’s a Police Officer to get a cup of Coffee?” I was asked whether I knew what the red and black stood for before going there for lunch Tuesday May 18 with my daughter. I had briefly gone to their website which said it is “safe and welcoming to all.” Yes, I knew it was a bit radical, but my daughter and I like adventure and we were open to what we thought would simply be an interesting indie vegan eating experience with  my vegetarian daughter.   

My daughter at the red and black

 I initially heard about the red and  black because I was working on a story for The Oregonian on Matt Mikalatos, the author of Imaginary Jesus, a fast paced hilarious story examining pre-conceived notions of Jesus Christ, which begins at none other than the vegan red and black café (in my published final edition published June 6, I just note that the story is set in a local café ). http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2010/06/vancouver-based_christian_auth.html

 Interestingly, Mikalatos sets his story http://imaginaryjesus.blogspot.com/ at the red and black  to show how a certain segment of Portland is, and my experience there, having an officer kicked out while I was I was quietly speaking with him May 18, kind of legitimizes Mikalatos’ opening setting of his book.  Mikalatos is a missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ and has spoken to people in an open and honest way about Jesus for 10 plus years. He listens to people and hopes his book will be a vehicle to an open dialogue about Jesus, with believers and atheists, and anyone who would like to talk.

Since this week of craziness regarding my May 22 blog post on my experience, which went viral only after I posted it on Facebook May 29, I have been asked if I will go back to the red and black. Honestly, I would be afraid. I really do not think I would be welcome. And I too would be asked to leave. And I hate rejection. I really would not go back either, to be honest, as the food was, as I noted, not very tasteful,which I have not focused on. I was just trying to bring light to the dishonoring of a human being. 

I will note that someone created a “Ban the red and black café” Facebook page started, which people at church today told me has  thousands of followers, and while I appreciate their efforts to support police, I really just to remain positive. To say thank you. To raise awareness of how hard it must be to not be respected by some of the very citizens you are trying to protect. I would like to keep this positive. On the morning of my interview with Paul Linnman on 1190, http://www.1190kex.com/pages/morning_update.html my husband said to think about a way to support the police in a positive way. So, that is why we for now ceated the “Blue Ribbon Campaign-Police Deserve a Cup of Coffee” Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Ribbon-Campaign-Police-Deserve-a-Cup-of-Coffee/109371342442292#!/pages/Blue-Ribbon-Campaign-Police-Deserve-a-Cup-of-Coffee/109371342442292?ref=ts . And, I am meeting with police public relations to see what we can do as a whole to show the overwhelming support.

Most importantly, as I have said over and over, I really just want to continue this  dialogue and conversation. Just as Matt Mikalatos is trying to do with his book, Imaginary Jesus, the very reason I even set foot at the red and black in the first place.

By Cornelia Seigneur

I have had  19,000 visits onto my website from 56 countries/territories of the world in the past week. From New Zealand and South Korea and Ireland and Mexico and South Africa and Sudan.  Even a reader from Iraq. The traffic shut down my website for a while.

Who would have dreamed?  Interestingly, I have always found stat counters depressing because I never had a lot of visitors, but something told me this May 18 Red and Black Blog post story could turn big when I began getting many comments on my post and when the media began calling; so I had my web guy add a stat counter, which I thought I already had. I am so glad I did because it is fun to know where visitors come from.

My website was so overloaded with “hits” to find my original blog post, “Where’s a Police Officer to Get a Cup of Coffee?” that the server had gone down several times the past two days. I had to upgrade to the next level yesterday (which will cost me), and still there were issues with people being able to find my site and leave comments for a while today. My web guy is a genius.  

I am just so amazed how this story has gone national and international. The interest and cultural dialogue that this has created astounds me. And that was the reason I wrote, to begin a conversation and to share my story and to show another side of police which is not as often seen in the media.

I have received phone calls and emails and Facebook comments from people saying they saw the story on Fox, CNN, The Oregonian, Channel 6 and 8 and 2, and 12. And they heard my interviews on the radio with Paul Linnman and Bob Miller and Victoria Taft. Someone said that Rush even spoke of this red and black café issue.

What my hope has been for writing this, and continues to be, is an open and honest dialogue. There are police tensions in this city and across this country. There is a divide.  Comments on my blog regarding this topic include total support for the police to how dare I even one good thing. I have had comments from both sides that I have not been able to approve as they are just name calling and foul language. That is what I was trying to avoid, name calling.

Bottom line though. How hard a job must be when the very ones you are trying to protect kick you out of a café? And, say they’d do it again, but this time sans serving coffee. To that end, someone started a Boycott the Red and Black Café page and I know they are well meaning, but I have an idea to move this on to a different level that is positive. Give attention to those doing the work. Move the conversation toward the original reason for my post — to show that there many, many, many people who honor Police.

So, in my attempt to keep things positive, I have launched a “Blue Ribbon Campaign-Police Deserve a Cup of Coffee” on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Ribbon-Campaign-Police-Deserve-a-Cup-of-Coffee/109371342442292?ref=ts#!/pages/Blue-Ribbon-Campaign-Police-Deserve-a-Cup-of-Coffee/109371342442292

Launching this on Facebook makes sense, since that is how my blog went viral. I posted it May 22, but did not link it on my Facebook till May 29, a week ago, and that is when the comments started pouring in. My husband was brainstorming about a way to show support before I was to be interviewed on the Paul Linnman radio show, and  the thought of the Blue Ribbon for the Men and Women in Blue came up. I will meet with the Police next week regarding other ideas (but there are issues that get sticky). So, for now, the idea is to join the Facebook page and TIE A BLUE RIBBON ON YOUR CAR REVIEW MIRROR inside your car or on your antenna. I need to find Blue Ribbons. . . This Facebook Page is a start and a way to move this dialogue in a new, positive direction.

 When I asked the original question, regarding where a policeman can get a cup of coffee, I noted that there was a café a few blocks away called Palio Dessert House which my daughter and I visited after our red and black situation. And police are welcome there – which I made sure to ask.

Well, a blog reader sent me a photo today of a police at that Palio café!

 Wow fun. This is an example of what I am speaking about, about when I say I want to keep this positive.

Keep sending in those photos, and I will post them on the Blue Ribbon Campaign- Police Deserve a Cup of Coffee Facebook Page.

 And, here is a link on a current story about a police officer saving a life at a local eatery.

http://www.kgw.com/video/featured-videos/Off-duty-officer-saves-a-life-at-local-eatery-95662429.html

Also, in Saturday’s Oregonian’s editorial was nicely written –

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/post_66.html

Note: here  is the Fox story – http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/04/police-officer-asked-leave-portland-coffee-shop/#content  The reporter tried looking for my phone number. 

 http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/red-and-black-and-blue-in-need-of-dialogue-on-police-relations-guest-column-in-todays-oregonian/

6-23-10 UPDATE: Gathering Blue Ribbon Stories: http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/gathering-blue-ribbon-stories/

By Cornelia Seigneur

When I blogged about the experience I had at a local café in Portland where my daughter and I were having a quiet conversation with a Portland Police officer before we were interrupted by the café owner, who asked the police officer to leave, I never dreamed that the response would be so passionate or so numerous — to be honest, I don’t receive a lot of comments on my blog. I suppose I have not written about such an emotional issue before. I surely did not intend any controversy or to bash an establishment. I merely wanted to share my story. (I had actually gone to the Red and Black out of curiosity as I was working on a story for The Oregonian about Matt Mikalatos, the author of the book Imaginary Jesus,   http://imaginaryjesus.com/   whose story is set at the Red and Black.)

I just had to write about it.

I write because that is how I process life. I write because I have to put my heart on paper. I write because I like to share stories. I write to bring light to the world. I write to share good things people are doing. And, as a believer, I write for justice.

I write because I have to write. It is what I do. It is who I am.

As I read through the comments, I am amazed at the amount of support that the Police enjoys in this city. I am intrigued with the many articulate thought provoking comments people made about the good that the police do. I was moved by the comments from the families of Police, Fire or EMT who serve tirelessly without a lot of fanfare or recognition.

I think of the comments from supporters of the decision of the café to ask the police officer to leave its establishment. I was surprised at how volatile people were toward the Police in general, and not just Portland Police. One comment implied that I had not taken the time to find out what the café owner believed and why they felt “unsafe” with the officer there. I did speak at length with the café co-owner, and we just did not get very far as he spoke of this notion how, in the case of a robbery, he would call his friends rather than the police. What does that look like practically, I wondered?

One reader commented that I was simply a white, suburbanite who has no idea what it is like in North Portland. And I answer that the very point of what I was trying to talk to the police officer at the café about, was our Sudan refugee friends who lived in North Portland, one of whom – a 14 year old — the Police saved.

As I spoke with the café owner, I really never got a direct answer as to why he personally felt unsafe with a police officer in his establishment. 

Bottom line, I think especially of the policeman I met at the red and black, Officer James Crooker, a human being who should be treated with respect and honor, like all human beings. I think of how humiliating it must have been to be asked to leave a café for no other reason than your profession. It was pure and simple discrimination. Yet, he handled it with such class and dignity. I was sad for him. My point was not to start a dialogue of whether people felt Police was necessary in America, but instead to simply ask why was a police officer asked to leave a café?

I wanted the police officer to know that so many people support what they do to try to keep the rest of us safe. He kept talking about the importance of education. What the officer wants is to start a dialogue in this city, to talk reasonably about issues, to let them know he will always respond with kindness to people even if they are unkind. He is there to do his job.

What I did not want to happen in my original blog post was for it to become a place for meanness and finger pointing and name calling. I just wanted to share my story, to bring light to what happened. There were several blog comments that I just did not want to publish as they used profanity and speculation and labeling. From both sides of the issue.

My hope is the same as what the officer hopes for — open conversation, honest dialogue, without name calling. For justice on all sides.

Exactly the reason why I write.

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/where%e2%80%99s-a-portland-police-officer-to-get-a-cup-of-coffee/

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/blue-ribbon-campaign-police-deserve-a-cup-of-coffee-facebook-page/

http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/news/topstories/story/Cafe-Owners-Support-Anarchists-Deplore-Police/PxSFB2UbW0GzW-yLknbXWQ.cspx?rss=2442

By Cornelia Seigneur

My daughter and I were looking forward to a nice lunch at the Red and Black, a vegan cafe in southeast Portland, two days before she was to return to school in Germany. Having a vegetarian daughter makes for great eating adventures. I had heard about the southeast Portland establishment as it was the opening scene in the book Imaginary Jesus, written by Matt Mikalatos, whom I am writing a story about for the Oregonian newspaper ( http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2010/06/vancouver-based_christian_auth.html)

My daughter at the red and black with me May 18

We ordered, we got our food and spoke of life and love and God and how things are going and how interesting the interior of this place is. I so wanted one of our last outings together before she was to return to Germany to be memorable.

Then, I looked outside the window and saw a police officer and hoped I wasn’t illegally parked. I had recently seen cars being towed from the local outdoor food carts on 12th and Hawthorne. But, the police officer was not looking to give out tickets, but instead was looking for a cup of coffee while working the streets, so he thought he would try the Red and bback. 

When he walks in, I say to him that I am glad he did not give me a parking ticket, and he chuckled.

With all the recent disturbing stories regarding the police in Portland, I thought I would try to show my support of the police by just being friendly.

After he got his coffee and was on his way out, my daughter and I, who  were sitting near the door, addressed the police officer again, just to continue our dialogue. I opened the conversation by asking if he comes here a lot, and he said that he had never been there before.

Then I told him that I appreciate the work they do as Portland Police Officers, and I noted that it must be hard with the recent shootings and negative reaction of the public. He was humble, and said that indeed Portland is an interesting place to work; he said it is very hard and trying at times as he deals with murderers and gang members and drug addicts on  a regular basis. People hear about the unfortunate police shootings, but rarely do they hear about the day in and day out reality of Police putting their lives on the line and saving people.

As I was just starting to tell him how I agreed with him, and had a specific example – our friend who lived in North Portland, a 14 year old Sudan-refugee boy, who was shot at by gang members in North Portland and then called Portland Police  who saved him – one of the owners of the cafe came over to us; I figured he was just going to say hello, but instead, what came out of his mouth shocked me. 

He looked directly at the police officer, and said to him, “I don’t feel comfortable with you here, I would like you to leave.”

I am baffled. Here is this human being, who happens to be a police officer, who paid good money for a cup of coffee, talking to my daughter and me, who also paid good money for their (frankly, not very tasteful food), and we witness what is discrimination based upon what someone is wearing and the job he has. And the humiliation of an individual person. This in a place that states on its website that it is: ”safe and welcome” for all. 

As the policeman quietly left, I asked the co-owner what the problem is and he says that he does not feel safe around the Police and that they shoot people. I tell him I am confused by his response to a police officer who is merely trying to get a cup of coffee, and that I know that there have been some unfortunate situations recently involving the Police, but that overall they are here protecting our community day in and day out, and you have to look at all sides of culture. I wondered if he has visited countries where there is no legitimate police force and where there is indeed lawlessness running the town or country. He had no reaction to my question.

And then, I asked him whom he would call if someone came in to rob his establishment, and he said he would call his friends in a community — and that is when I knew we were getting nowhere. I told my daughter we needed to leave and she agreed. She also could not believe what was happening.

Later, I tracked down the police officer to give him my business card, and to tell him how I was sad to see what  happened to him,  and I asked him to call me. I wondered if he has been treated like this before by other establishments in Portland or elsewhere. I told him that I wanted to write about this and that it disturbed me that this could happen. I live in the suburbs where police are very much respected in the community. The police officer told me that they are used to this general attitude from some people in Portland; and he also said he will always be kind to people no matter what.

I thought, wow, here this police officer is trying to protect the very people that hate him. The police officer said to me that part of the problem is education, that the public just does not know what they do all day long, that they put their lives on the line every single day, but what gets on the news is when a police shooting occurs due to someone who fled the scene or did not listen to orders.

Later, when  I spoke with the policeman in greater detail, he said: “I don’t think the public is aware that that is how it is and all you can do is put the best foot forward and be professional and kind. This person (at the cafe) has his personal opinion. Look at his surroundings. He surrounds himself only with people who think the same way. That person will never be treated poorly by me. It is a cultural thing. We are failing ourselves. The public does not know what we deal with every day. Just two days in a row I have dealt with murderers. You also have to understand that the police are unable to combat the info about the public perception of police because what we are allowed to share is confidential information.”

The police officer also said that only so much information gets to the public and that the public needs to be educated that they are on their side. “Every day, police go out there and risk their lives. There is someone out there doing something wrong and we need to be there for the community. Let us get the bad guys here, but it is not as simple; there are  many more factors in what we weigh in whether we want to act here.”

Then, the clincher – he offered to take me in his car for a day or an hour or for whatever time I had, to show me what he does all day long as a Portland Police Officer, if I wanted to write about that experience. I would like to take him up on his offer, but to be honest, I am afraid of what these police officers have to face during regular business hours on the streets of Portland.

And, the public rewards him with asking him to leave a coffee shop.

So, where’s a Portland Police Officer to get a cup of coffee?

Not at a certain “anarchist” (which happens to be vegan) cafe in southeast Portland.

My daughter and I were so distraught by this negative experience, about the way the café treated the Police –when they should be treated with gratitude and respect and honor –  that we went the next day looking for a café with class and dignity for all people, no matter what they are wearing.

We found the Palios Dessert & Espresso Bar in Ladd’s Addition, http://www.palio-in-ladds.com/ and we mentioned the situation we encountered at the Red and Black, and the man behind the counter at Palios said they treat all people equally there.

Okay, we found a place for the police to get a cup of coffee.  And us.

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/red-and-black-and-blue-in-need-of-dialogue-on-police-relations-guest-column-in-todays-oregonian/

 http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/blue-ribbon-campaign-police-deserve-a-cup-of-coffee-facebook-page/

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/part-2-wheres-a-police-officer-to-get-a-cup-of-coffee-and-why-i-write/

http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/now-you-try-going-as-a-police-officer-to-the-red-and-black-as-the-story-continues/

So my 7 year old says to me last night, as he sees my on-going bumpy rash on my hands, “Mom, did the devil make your hands hurt?”

I looked at him a bit confused and my husband said, “Cornelia, he’s asking you a question.”

And he asked it again, then explained his question, “Cause you said the devil hurts you and God makes good things happen.”

Wow, don’t you just love the questions from the mouth of babes.

He didn’t stop there.

“Mom, I don’t get why God just doesn’t go down to hell and kill the devil.”

Another smile. And another, wow. Good question. I encourage the questions and I also tell my children that I am not always able to find the answer in a quick, easy, one sentence statement. But that questions are good.

Augustin is really asking the age –old question of old and what some people say keeps them from following God. You’ll hear people say, “How can a good God allow evil in the world?”  and “How can you say God is good when there is so much suffering in the world?”

It is tough to think about and we need to acknowledge others as they express this statement. As I read various passages in the Bible, I see God being questioned by men and women of faith, and I see doubt expressed and I see people wondering, where is God? And I think of the reality of God giving us freewill and the existence of evil forces and how God did not create robots but He created people with the choice to do good and bad. But, sometimes the questions are still there. I am reminded of King David, who was considered a man after God’s own heart, and yet even he cried out to God in Psalm 22:1- 2—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?…O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest.”

Yet, what I love is how David turns it around to trust in God, speaking truth into the situation. He says in the next verse, “Yet, You are holy. O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel…”

Ultimately, this question of Satan comes down to the reality of

where our struggle has its roots. As we studied Ephesians 6 in my discipleship group with Linda Ebel, we are reminded that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers, against the forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness… (v. 12).

Why doesn’t God just destroy the devil now and does Satan cause my hands to be bad? Good questions and all I can say is, we are in a world that is not perfect and we are not perfect and that is what makes life intesting, that is

what makes our life a story, and one day, as it tells us in the Bible, the devil will be destroyed and one day my hands will be perfect.

But not today. And that is okay. Because it makes me trust God today, and it makes me depend on Him today, and it draws me to my knees. To say, Not my will be done, but thine. Exactly what Jesus told us to say.