There are a lot of discussion about Philip Anthony Mitchell. I heard of him for months before, but one YouTube video from the Atlanta Journal Constitution with a commentary from a black woman journalist inspired me to discuss about him. He is part of the new generation of megachurch pastors who want to deemphasize race, because he wants to preach the Gospel to all people (unlike many pastors from back in the day who wanted to use overt political and social activism in getting change done in American society). What is the truth about Pastor Mitchell? The truth is more nuisance. First, I will mention what I agree with Pastor Mitchell on, and later I will mention what I disagree with him on. Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell is right that the Gospel should be presented by Christians, because the Lord Jesus Christ explicitly said to his followers to spread the Gospel to all creation before his ascension into Heaven. That is non-negotiable. That command from Jesus Christ is an edict for all believers. Therefore, Mitchell is correct on that point. He is right that human beings should repent and be better human beings. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. He is right that we shouldn't be ashamed of being Christians and inspire hope for the human race. What he is in error is to place one standard on Democrats and another standard on Republicans including Donald Trump (in him saying that Republican coordinated states are strongholds of godliness and those states governed by Democrats are filled with ungodliness when many GOP dominated states are using voter suppression policies and doing nothing to handle environmental racism) when both major parties have imperfections. No one political party on Earth has a monopoly on morality historically. Therefore, we should never worship Trump as Trump anti-DEI policies, anti-environmental policies, his tax breaks for the super-rich, and him trying to promote racist Confederate memorial (funded by our taxpayer dollars) are acts that are anti-Christ. Pastor Mitchell refuses to condemn the bad policies of Trump which a lot of megachurch pastors do. They believe in a colorblind ethic, but we have every God given right to both preach the Gospel and confront systematic racism, ecological oppression, and all injustices in the world without shying away from political controversies. The NT says to show the truth in season and out of season, not to be politically neutral when MAGA has fired over 600,000 black women (when Pastor Mitchell refuses to talk about). Therefore, Pastor Mitchell is not wrong in all things that he is talking about. He is right on a list of issues, but he fails to see that God is not colorblind as God created all colors.
Seeing and acknowledging color is not evil. Confronting racism in the church is not evil, because doing that will only strengthen the church to allow it to grow. Celebrating black culture is not evil. What is evil is to discriminate or hate a person based upon color or background. What is evil is ICE in many cases going too far in oppressing many immigrants including American citizens. What is evil is about Trump calling black people low IQ if we disagree with his views. Therefore, consistency matters. Democrats and Republicans should be held to the same standard without MAGA worship (as some Christian nationalists believe in). That is why we have a separation of church and state. God is color respectful as we should be in fighting the evils of racism, imperialism, sexism, and economic exploitation that plagues this planet of Earth. So, Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell isn't wrong on everything that he has to so say (and I think he sincerely believes in God), but I don't agree with him on other issues which promotes a form of Christian Nationalism, even if Pastor Mitchell doesn't agree with that view.
I found out that Delois Yvonne Satchell Reid is my 4th cousin. She was born on April 18,1947 at Northampton County, Virginia. She married Frank Charles Reid (b. 1945) on December 6, 1963, at Eastville, Virginia. Her sister is my late 4th cousin Mary Ellen Harmon (1941-2026). She was called "Marelln." She lived to be 84 years old and passed away on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at her residence. She was surrounded by family. She was born on August 13, 1941, and she graduated from Northampton Public High School in Machipongo. She moved to Westbury, Long Island, New York during the early 1970s. She was about worshiping God, teaching her children to be kind, respect others, and work hard. She was the secretary at the department of Social Services. She took Certified Nursing Aide courses and worked at Broadlawn Nursing Home in Amityville, Long Island until she moved back to Virginia. She worked at Heritage Hall and then Shore Memorial Hospital in Virginia. She was the president of the Missionary Board at African Baptist Church in Cheriton, Virginia under the leadership of the late Charles F. Mapp. She worked as a missionary and was a Deaconess in the early 2000s. She has the children of Sandra Harmon Williams (her husband is Robert) of Nassawadox, Virginia, Sylvia Harmon of Nassawadox, Virginia, and Timothy Reese Harmon of Brooklyn, New York City. Her grandchildren are Ashley Portier, Justin Elting, Johnny, Devion, Nasir and Ivyonna Bundick. Jordan and Carmelo Harmon. Her Great grandchildren are Carter, Zayne and Kade Elting. Kali Michelle, Jamari, Kaylie and Royalty Bundick. Her sisters are Evelyn Weeks (Thomas) Delois Reid (Frank) and Robin Baker (Calvin); Nieces; Cynthia Davis (Kevin), Karen Reid; Nephews Anthony Reid (Elsie), Gary Reid(deceased), Donald Baker (Shannon), Darrell Baker (Tonya). Bonus Babies Desireé and De’Asia Kellam, Chimaya Parker. She has a host of cousins.
One of them most racist actions of the Trump administration is its plan to return a Confederate memorial to Arlington National Cemetery. The Confederacy was made up of a group of traitors who wanted to maintain slavery forever as cited in their own constitutions and their leaders. No taxpayer money should fund sending a Confederate memorial on federal grounds at Arlington National Cemetery. The statue was unveiled in 1914. It is a racist statue too. It shows a bronze woman with olive leaves standing on a 32-foot pedestal and was designed to represent the American South. Some of the figures also on the statue include a black woman depicted in a racist, sexist fashion as "Mammy" holding what is said to be the child of a white officer and an enslaved man following his owner to war. Such a statue has no place on hallowed grounds like the Arlington National Cemetery. Anyone defending this policy is a racist or a traitor. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supports this plan proving that he is a racist again. Opposing the Confederacy has nothing to do with erasing American history. Ironically, Trump and Hegseth want to erase American history that deals with America's true history of slavery, black activism against white racism, and the heroic Americans who stood up against slavery, racism, fascism, and other evils in our society. The statue was named after Confederate traitor and solider Moses Ezekiel. This act from Trump is similar to allowing Nazi soldier statues on Jewish cemeteries.
Golf grew by 1900 in the world society. Golf became an international sport as it appeared at the Paris Olympic Games in 1904. Later, it disappeared from the Olympic program for more than a century. Golf spread in America and Scotland plus England. There was the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland being created in 1901. It helped organize professional golf. By 1913, 20 year old American amateur Francis Ouimet defeated British stars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the U.S. Open. His victory helped to popularize golf in America. By 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA of America) was formed. The first GPA Championship was held in 1916 too. The U.S. Open resumed after interruptions caused by World War I in 1919. By the 1920s and 1930s, golf grown its major championships and international stars. There were new courses, clubs, equipment improvements, and increased newspaper coverage. The first Ryder Cub was created among teams in America and Great Britain in 1927. The competition later expanded to Ireland and all of continental Europe. In the 1920s and 1930s, Bobby Jones became one of golf's most celebrated amateurs, winning many major championships. By 1930, Jones achieved the historic single calendar-year Grand Slam of his era by winning the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, The Open Championship, and the Amateur Championship. In 1934, there was the inaugural Masters Torunament being help at Augusta National Golf Club. Early golf legends were Harry Vardon, James Braid, and J. H. Taylor—the celebrated British “Great Triumvirate”—dominated major championships. American stars such as Walter Travis also emerged.
Bobby Jones became one of golf's greatest amateur champions, winning major titles while maintaining an amateur status. Walter Hagen helped establish the professional golfer as a major sporting personality. His success and charisma elevated the standing of professionals. Gene Sarazen emerged as another leading American champion. The defining achievement of the decade came in 1930, when Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, the U.S. Amateur, and the British Amateur in the same calendar year. This extraordinary feat became known as the Grand Slam of his era.
Other important developments included: The Masters Tournament was established at Augusta National Golf Club, which Jones helped create. The inaugural Masters took place in 1934. The Great Depression reduced spending on leisure and affected golf clubs and tournament finances. Professional golfers gained visibility, but the sport remained expensive and inaccessible to much of the population. Equipment and course design continued to evolve, laying the foundations for modern competitive golf. The decade established the Masters as a major annual event and cemented Jones's place among the sport's defining figures. World War II interrupted golf's international schedule. The Masters and U.S. Open were suspended during parts of the war, and the Ryder Cup was not held from 1939 until 1947. After the war: Golf tournaments gradually resumed, and clubs rebuilt their activities. Ben Hogan emerged as a technically exceptional player whose disciplined swing influenced generations. Sam Snead became one of the era's most successful and enduring champions. The professional game benefited from growing postwar prosperity, particularly in the United States. The 1940s were a bridge between golf's prewar traditions and the more commercial, media-driven sport that followed. The 1950s brought a major change: golf began reaching audiences far beyond the people who played it. Arnold Palmer became a charismatic star, attracting fans with his aggressive style and approachable personality. His supporters became known as “Arnie's Army.” Ben Hogan won major championships after surviving a near-fatal car accident in 1949, becoming a symbol of determination and technical excellence. Babe Didrikson Zaharias helped popularize women's professional golf and was a dominant figure in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), founded in 1950. Television broadcasts made major tournaments more accessible, turning leading golfers into household names. Golf participation grew alongside the expansion of suburban communities and public recreational facilities. Golf was increasingly becoming a spectator sport as well as a leisure activity. Television also set the stage for the enormous commercial growth of later decades.
By the 1960s, Jack Nicklaus emerged as Palmer's great rival. His power, strategic thinking, and consistency made him one of the most successful golfers in history. Gary Player of South Africa became a major international champion, helping demonstrate that elite golf was no longer confined to Britain and the United States. Arnold Palmer continued to draw huge audiences, creating a celebrated rivalry among Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player. Professional golf benefited from greater television coverage, sponsorships, and prize money. Women's professional golf continued to develop, although women received far less coverage and financial support than men. The decade helped establish golf's modern celebrity culture, with rivalries and personalities becoming as important to the public as tournament results.
During the 1970s, Golf expanded internationally and underwent significant changes in equipment and professional organization. Jack Nicklaus continued to dominate, winning major championships and extending his record-setting career. Tom Watson became one of the leading players of the decade. Seve Ballesteros rose from Spain, bringing creativity, imagination, and a distinctive short game to international competition. In 1979, the Ryder Cup began including players from continental Europe, rather than limiting the British and Irish side to players from those nations. This helped make the competition far more balanced and globally compelling. The PGA Perimeter-weighted irons, improved club designs, and emerging graphite shafts began changing how equipment was made and used. The professional game was becoming more international, while equipment innovation gradually altered the skills and strategies required to compete.
The 1980s saw golf become a more prominent global entertainment business. Seve Ballesteros inspired a new generation of European golfers and helped establish Europe's Ryder Cup identity. Greg Norman of Australia became one of the sport's most recognizable international stars. Nancy Lopez remained an influential figure in women's golf, helping attract attention to the LPGA. Satellite television and improved broadcasting technology brought tournaments to audiences across continents. Golf equipment manufacturers invested heavily in marketing, and sponsorships became central to professional tournaments. The Ryder Cup became particularly compelling as Europe developed into a formidable rival to the United States. Golf was no longer primarily a contest between two national traditions; it was increasingly a global sport.
The 1990s were one of the most influential decades in modern golf. Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters by 12 strokes at age 21, setting a tournament record for the winning margin and becoming the youngest champion in Masters history. Woods brought unprecedented attention to golf, attracting younger and more diverse audiences. Annika Sörenstam emerged as one of the defining players in women's golf, beginning a career that would help raise the LPGA's international profile. Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, and other international players strengthened golf's increasingly global character. Metal woods, especially titanium drivers, and multilayer golf balls helped improve distance and performance. The Ryder Cup became a major international sporting spectacle, with European victories demonstrating the strength of the expanded team. Tiger Woods's arrival was especially significant: he combined exceptional athleticism, technical precision, mental discipline, and global marketing appeal. His influence extended well beyond tournament results, affecting participation, sponsorships, and golf's public image.
Tiger Woods dominated much of the early 2000s, creating one of the most celebrated periods in golf history. In 2000, Woods won the U.S. Open by 15 strokes, one of the most extraordinary performances in major-championship history. In 2000–2001, he held all four men's professional major titles simultaneously across consecutive seasons, an achievement commonly called the Tiger Slam. It was not a calendar-year Grand Slam. He ultimately won 15 men's major championships, second only to Jack Nicklaus's 18. Women's golf gained new audiences through players such as Annika Sörenstam, while Michelle Wie became a prominent young star. Golf expanded across Asia, particularly South Korea, Japan, and China, with growing participation and professional success. High-definition television, advanced course maintenance, GPS technology, and improved club fitting changed both the spectator experience and everyday play. The decade demonstrated how a single superstar could elevate an entire sport while international competition increasingly challenged the traditional dominance of American and British golfers.
The 2010s brought a new generation of stars and a major milestone for golf's international status. Rory McIlroy became one of the leading players of his generation, winning four men's majors by 2014. Jordan Spieth won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015, joining an elite group of young champions. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and other powerful, athletic players helped make distance and physical preparation increasingly important. In 2016, golf returned to the Olympics at Rio de Janeiro after a 112-year absence. Justin Rose won the men's gold medal, while Inbee Park won the women's gold. Women's golf continued to grow internationally, with South Korean players achieving exceptional success on the LPGA Tour. Data analytics, launch monitors, GPS devices, advanced club fitting, and social media changed how players trained and fans followed tournaments. The decade showed that elite golf had become genuinely international, with champions emerging from Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Golf entered the 2020s amid major disruption and structural change. The COVID-19 pandemic (2020): Many tournaments were postponed or played without spectators. Golf also experienced increased recreational interest as people sought outdoor activities. A new generation of champions: Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and other stars established themselves among the world's best players. LIV Golf launches (2022): Backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, LIV introduced a rival professional circuit featuring substantial prize money, team competitions, and a different tournament format. A divided professional game: Players' moves between LIV Golf and established tours triggered disputes over eligibility, ranking points, contracts, and the future organization of men's professional golf. The PGA Tour and LIV subsequently explored a potential framework for cooperation, but a full unification remained unresolved. The Ryder Cup: Europe defeated the United States in Rome in 2023, reinforcing the competition's importance as one of golf's biggest international sporting events. Olympic success: At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Scottie Scheffler won men's gold, Tommy Fleetwood silver, and Hideki Matsuyama bronze. This period made professional golf more financially competitive than ever, but also raised questions about tradition, player loyalty, commercial interests, and the need for a more unified sport.
Several major events made 2025 an especially memorable year. Rory McIlroy won the Masters, completing the career Grand Slam by winning all four men's professional majors at least once. He became the sixth man to accomplish the feat in the modern era of the four-major Grand Slam. Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship and The Open Championship, reinforcing his position among the era's dominant players. J.J. Spaun won the U.S. Open, securing his first major championship. Europe won the Ryder Cup 15–13 at Bethpage Black in New York, becoming the first visiting team to win the competition since 2012. TGL, an indoor, technology-driven team golf league co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, completed its inaugural season, offering a different way to watch and experience professional golf. McIlroy's Masters victory was particularly significant because the Grand Slam had eluded him for 11 years after his fourth major title in 2014. It was a landmark moment in the history of modern golf.
As of October 2026, golf combines more than a century of competitive tradition with a rapidly changing commercial and technological environment. Professional competition: The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LIV Golf, and major championships remain central to the professional landscape, although the relationships between tours continue to evolve. LIV Golf's financial uncertainty: In September 2026, LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, creating further uncertainty about the future of the rival league. The major championships: The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship remain the four men's majors. In 2026, Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania hosted the PGA Championship. Technology and performance: Launch-monitor data, artificial intelligence-assisted analysis, advanced golf balls, and custom-fitted clubs are increasingly important to elite players and recreational golfers. Women's golf: The LPGA and other women's professional circuits continue to develop international audiences and produce elite champions. Access and sustainability: Golf organizations and course operators face continuing challenges involving affordability, water use, environmental management, and attracting younger players. The sport is still negotiating the balance between preserving its traditions and adapting to new business models, technology, and audience expectations. The future of professional golf will depend in part on whether competing tours can establish a more coherent structure for players and fans.
By Timothy
