Be Positive, Stay Positive, Vote Positive

No one is greater or lesser than anyone else. Respect yourself foremost. Respect your neighbors. And respect leaders who will allow you to freely think for yourself, permit you to make your own decisions and control your own destiny. Be positive, stay positive. Vote positive. Some leaders make attempts to suppress and silence certain groups, while other leaders, true leaders, respect all voices. Vote for your freedoms. Vote for our future. Vote for your rights. I proudly support and stand with Kamala. – Randolph Randy Camp (Thanks Bessie for the photo)

Monica: Being Heard

‘MONICA’ is the fifth story within my collection of twelve short stories. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 I knew I had to go to work to help fight this backward-minded decision from the highest court. During my childhood I would see the Slave Auction Block fixated on the corner of Charles and William Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia. As I grew older I would often wonder how many of my family ancestors were sold like an animal while being publicly displayed on that auction block. Imagine being unable to say anything about your own fate while others are making decisions about you. To me, I think overturning Roe v. Wade is too close to slavery. No one should be unjustly controlling you. When anyone takes your freedoms away you don’t have to be a Black person to understand how hurtful this is. Everyone, regardless of race or gender, can feel how fundamentally wrong this is on so many levels. Certain laws created by a selected few do not make them right. Your voice is your most powerful tool. It’s time to stand and be heard. Please Vote to regain and to maintain your freedoms. Let them hear you. – Randolph Randy Camp More at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp Note: The Slave Auction Block was relocated to the Fredericksburg Area Museum in the fall of 2020.

Youth Homelessness in America: 2024

It's 2024 and Teen Homelessness is still a pressing issue in America. At this very moment, some place in America, a young person is alone, hungry and homeless. The stats on youth homelessness isn't getting any better. Being more aware of this issue, spreading the word and getting involved are helpful things that we all can do. I'm honored to contribute to Justine Pedrosa's project Teen Homelessness https://prezi.com/gcen4hk_twcv/teen-homelessness/

Let The People Read, Let The Teachers Teach!

A child reading is a wonderful thing. I love how books have a way of opening up a person's world. Now that summer is here, many libraries and school districts are promoting their Summer Reading Programs. It's great to see the growing popularity of neighborhood book exchanges and Little Free Libraries, especially in areas around the country where book banning has become a hot topic issue. Teachers and librarians are professional and very skilled at what they do. When I was coming up, and way before all of this widespread book banning began to make the headlines, teachers and librarians simply would not allow certain books on the shelf if they thought that it wasn't appropriate. Some of these current book banning laws are an insult to our professional, dedicated teachers and librarians. Regardless of whatever, we should all be promoting and encouraging everyone to read, especially our children. Personally, I think that some politicians and lawmakers are taking the lazy approach when they approve an all-out book ban policy on certain books. Instead, the more wiser and more professional approach should be supporting policies that creates options and allow people to make choices. It's great when our elected officials and school districts create space and sections of the public library or the school library to have and proudly display a 'banned books' area. No matter what, we shouldn't be in the business of taking away books, but instead, we should be more involved in providing a greater number of books that promotes different viewpoints and cultures. This is the greatness of our devoted teachers and librarians. For years, these dedicated teachers and librarians have been allowing their students to make their own choices by having engaged discussions about what options are available. Let the teachers teach! Let the people read! One of the goals of the school system is to prepare our kids for the real world. If we take certain books away from our kids are we really preparing them for the real world? - Randolph Randy Camp (Photo: Grandson Noah and me) Side Note: Sadly but true, some of these current book banning laws in America are historically rooted in racism and bigotry. Once there was a time in America whereby there were laws on the books that made it illegal to teach slaves how to read or write. Also, Native American Boarding Schools tried to strip American Indian Tribes of their native language by way of assimilation. Racism and bigotry shows itself in the most unsuspecting places sometimes. It comes in all shapes and sizes. I'm a proud military veteran, but even I have seen and have personally experienced racism and bigotry while serving in the US Air Force. It's 2024 now, and the more I keep hearing about these current book banning laws here in America, the more I keep encouraging everyone, especially young kids, to read, read, read! - Randolph R. Camp

Reflections: Camp Town Road

Never forget where you come from. I certainly won't. Mostly due to the Air Force, I have traveled all over the world. And I even been to Nine Mile, Jamaica (Bob Marley's birthplace). But the place that stays deep within me no matter what is Spotsylvania County, Virginia. This is the place that helped shape me and made me into the person I am today. Ever since I was a little boy, I was always curious about everything. If you grew up anywhere near Fredericksburg or Spotsylvania County, you definitely would've traveled Plank Road. Well, I remember thinking as a kid 'what an odd name for a road.' That curiosity got me digging and turned me into a little research detective. What I learned was that years ago during the days of horse and buggies, they would lay down wooden planks along the dirt road so that the wheels (of the buggies) wouldn't get stuck in the wet mud, especially on the rainy days. Plank Road isn't the only road that sticks out in my mind. The old State Road 715 will be forever engrained in my memory. Long before Camp Town Road was nicely paved, it was a dirt-gravel road lined with lots of honeysuckle bush. This was the old State Road 715, and this is where this little country boy first began to notice things, good and bad. Our house was directly across the road from the Wolfrey family. Although I already had four brothers, it's like I had three more brothers back then because John and Ronald Wolfrey, along with Ronnie Wayne Curtis, were sort of like our brothers too. Us Camp boys didn't have fancy bikes or any expensive toys when we were coming up but both John and Ronald Wolfrey gladly shared whatever nice stuff they had with us Camp boys. My greatest thrill one day was when John and Ronald let us ride their fancy 3-horsepower minibike up and down the long gravel road. I'll never forget that day! That was so much fun! At the far end of the road, Ronnie Wayne lived in a small house with his mother. Ronnie Wayne was like our brother too because he was always looking out for all of us. As a kid I was fascinated with lightning bugs, and I would stay outside sometimes pretty late at night just watching them light up the night sky outside our house. I don't know why I remember Ronnie Wayne's distinctive words and voice when he would be walking by and catch me outside late at night but he would say (in a parental tone) "kinda late for you to be outside, ain't it?" Yep, that was code for 'boy, you betta get yo' butt back inside the house.' By the way, I'm an old man now and I'm still fascinated with lightning bugs (or as some like to call them 'fireflies'). In my book from 2022, Monica A Short Story Collection, the short story 'Heaven' have lightning bugs as central characters. As an adult, I'd visited Spotsylvania County and traveled down Camp Town Road a few times over the years, and about halfway down the road sometimes I would stop and just gaze at the side of the road where a group of honeysuckle vines used to be. You see, that's the spot where I crumbled up a love note and threw it in the bushes one day after getting off the school bus because I was too shy and embarrassed to give it to the girl in my class who I had a crush on during my elementary days. And get this, here it is 2024, and after all these years, the young girl who I had a crush on way back then is today one of my Facebook Friends (I tell ya', life is some'em else, ain't it?) No indeed, I'll never forget where I came from. Whether it's known as State Road 715 or Camp Town Road, I'll always cherish the fond memories from way back then. - Randolph Randy Camp (photo: Ronnie Wayne, his wife Estelle, and me from 2017) Learn more at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Everybody Has A Story

There’s something uniquely special about each one of us. We all have a story. Some of us keep it bottled up, while some of us freely let it out. The manner in which we express ourselves and tell our stories comes in so many different forms, singing, writing, paintings, spoken-word, artwork, crafts, etc. A few days ago at my grandson Noah’s High School graduation party, I had the privilege of chatting with Nancy Gebhart and some of her art student-friends. Y’all should’ve seen their faces light up when they were each telling me their particular favorite style of art. It’s inspiring to see people excited about their passion and connecting with others in their own unique, creative way. My daughter Randie connected with people through her love of books and literacy. For me personally, expressing myself through writing is such a great healer and a much-needed outlet. Indeed, there’s a story in all of us. What’s your story? Let it out. Side Note: Photo (of Nancy Gebhart and her friends) taken on May 26, 2024 next to the Little Free Library (which is dedicated in honor of Dr. Randie Danielle Camp) at Moore Memorial Park in Ames, Iowa. – Randolph Randy Camp

Keep Pressing On: Defeating Self-Doubt

Self-doubt and discouragement can slow us down, even stop us altogether. During our talks, Randie would tell me how searching for the right words would be so daunting at times, especially when she was working on her dissertation. But Randie wouldn’t give up. On page 209, a line from a great book my grandson Noah and Amy Popillion had given me a few months ago made me think of my conversations with Randie. “No need to be afraid of yourself when you write.” That’s the quote and encouraging advice from Steve Zeitlin’s book ‘The Poetry of Everyday Life, Storytelling and The Art of Awareness’. Even though I’m an ‘old man’ now, I still enjoy being a student and that’s why I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m still growing and learning. Life can be very challenging. We all get discouraged but please don’t let it stop you from completing your tasks or goals. – Randolph Randy Camp