Last week the news of Astronaut Lisa Nowak's dramatic cross-country drive and confrontation with an Air Force Captain raised many questions in people's minds. The headlines wondered what makes a successful, well-trained, competent individual do something so bizarre? Responses have run the gamut. A Florida restaurant where Lisa Nowak often dined held a fund-raiser on her behalf. That's how deep the sympathies have run.

I'm glad that Lisa Nowak is receiving support. I'm also glad that the law enforcement and legal systems were engaged to protect.

But I wonder if underneath this there is a double-standard? How many people who live in poverty bear mental strains and stresses and yet no consideration is given for this as the source for their behavior? Would a person of another social status (and white folk) automatically receive the benefit of the doubt? If a poor, black man with pepper spray, a BB-gun, a new steel mallet, knife and rubber tubing had confronted a person with whom he had a personal difficulty would the questions be the same?

I realize this pastor is "meddling." Sometimes it's my job! But what I'm really interested in is your perceptions about this. It's important for me to check in with the community. What do you think?

In this February month of black history in 2007 and on the traditional birthday of Abraham Lincoln how far have we come?

Please respond to blogs@bethel-ucc.org and include double-standard in the subject line.

The Pastor asks: How far have we come since the time of Lincoln when it comes to double standards.

I can say with equal fervor that we have come far and we have not come far enough.

Let us take the now infamous Imus/Rutgers matter. Here is a man that did not know the women on this Rutgers team personally but he felt he could make a comment that is offensive, and derogatory and certainly a racist slur, over the radio, and somehow everything was going to be business as usual. I am not black but I do feel a sense of indignation when garbage like that comes out over a radio. The first words out of my mouth was How Dare He? One of the members on that team is a Valedictorian and one lady has the ability to play 4 musical instruments, qualities I admire, but this is neither here nor there. A man, known for being a shock jock, well I would say he did a good job of shocking us all, announcing over the radio waves, a comment about the members of this team, having "nappy hair and being Hos", but remember he did not even know them. But this time it was different, people reacted, and he did not get away with it, and for us that is the good news. Sponsors pulled their ads, and he lost his job. During the time of Lincoln I doubt there would be the amount of attention as this has generated in the past several days. We are further than Lincoln's time here.

But, there is always a but, I say there is room for improvement. If you look around, we are still the

Society of skinny, rich, and beautiful. You can never have too much of any these traits. I mention these

three because when you are looking for a job, you are not judged on your skills alone. Most things can

be learned. You are judged on how you look and that falls in the skinny/beautiful categories. One agent I work with every time he has sent me out on an interview, tells me how to dress. Think about that statement. He tells me how to dress. He has only seen me in suits, appropriate ones, nonetheless. Does he tell

men that too? I have friends that are chunky, some even grossly overweight and they are brilliant at their

jobs and employed. Were they to lose their jobs tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind that if there

was someone weighing less and having less qualities, they would be hired in a heartbeat. We have not

come far in this area. I am unemployed but I have not lost my brain. I know how to dress, but

where did I put my mirror? - Penny G