By Larry Stiner Jr. Contributing Writer Do you recall the last time you ventured into a house of worship? Remember how that strong feeling of comfort embraced you as you walked through those church doors, briefly leaving the chaos and danger of everyday life behind you? At ease, you exhaled and allowed your spirit to be swept up by the angelic voices of the robe-wearing choir members as you sought out the perfect seat. Upon the pew, you sat and glanced around to take in the sight of smiling men, women and children all dressed up in their … [Read more...] about Sunday’s Best and a Special Vest
A Familiar Face and a Complex Relationship
By Larry Stiner Jr. The face on that man looks very familiar. And so does his uniform: perfectly matching navy-blue shirt and pants accessorized with a black duty belt upon which a nine millimeter handgun is holstered. The shiny oval-shaped badge on his chest identifies him as an officer working for the Los Angeles Police Department. I’ve seen that face before but can’t quite recall when or where. Had he stopped me in traffic? Had he once confronted a group of friends I happened to be with? Did I see him questioning or arresting someone … [Read more...] about A Familiar Face and a Complex Relationship
Undisputed True Champions
By Larry Stiner, Jr. Contributing Columnist The man who fathered me said I was his champ. He told me I deserved that title because I had stood strong in the boxing ring of life. I had gone toe-to-toe with a challenge that not many others would have willingly accepted. He praised me for becoming the legal guardian of my much younger siblings and for being a stabilizing presence in their lives when legal circumstances made it impossible for him to be. I deflected his compliments and expressed why I felt that he was the real champ. I … [Read more...] about Undisputed True Champions
View Life Through the Windshield
By Larry Stiner Jr. Driving north on Interstate 5 heading from Los Angeles to San Quentin State Prison, the anticipation of visiting my father pushed my thoughts to a quote I had recently heard: Live life through the windshield, not the rearview mirror. I found momentary comfort in those words as I focused on the joy of soon seeing him rather than on my belief that he never should have been incarcerated. Living life through the windshield is a philosophy based upon forward thinking. It encourages one to truly live in the present while … [Read more...] about View Life Through the Windshield
A Story I Knew All Too Well
By Larry Stiner Jr. Recently, I ran into a childhood friend and asked what he’d been up to. “Just came back from another funeral,” he answered. I shook my head, wondering what violent act had cursed our community this time. You see, for many in South Los Angeles, it is more common to hear about death by the gun than by natural causes. “I’m tired of seeing these young brothers buried,” he added before I could ask the details about another inner-city life cut way too short. Actually, I didn’t need to ask. I was sure it was just a … [Read more...] about A Story I Knew All Too Well
The Real Strength Behind Absentee Fathers
Much attention is paid to absentee fathers without affording due consideration and respect for the sacrifices and strong impact of mothers. My eldest son, in this article, pays homage to his mother, the true spirit behind the OG. – Watani Stiner. January of 1948 brought the birth of my parents. In January 1969, gunshots on the U.C.L.A. campus effectively ended their marriage. In January 2005, the children my father produced while in exile arrived in America to live with me as my father’s re-incarceration stretched into years. Now, in … [Read more...] about The Real Strength Behind Absentee Fathers