Sophisticated Ignorance

For the first time EVER, work destroys my life.

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:50:10 -0400

I had plans to go see the advance screening of Place Beyond the Pines with Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper tomorrow…

Then I get an email regarding a webinar about concussions. It’s for doctors, sports therapists and whatnot. But since I’m helping develop a program to test for concussions in youth athletes, guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow night?

-____-

Gotta grind though.

AAAAAAND The webinar has locked me out and It’s too late to go to the screening.

Fuck it man, I’m going to the gym.

America is killing its people. It’s robbing them blindly without a care in the world....

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 17:01:22 -0500

America is killing its people. It’s robbing them blindly without a care in the world. I’m not talking about racism or classism. Capitalism is a disease. The “rat race” that most Americans run through on a daily basis makes them work harder to achieve success at work to get paid more to buy more things.

Through radio, television, movies, print and [especially & increasingly] online Americans are targeted for advertisements for things they don’t even need.

Sure, iPods and BMWs are nice. Do we—as people—need the newest version as soon as it comes out? No. Keeping up with the Joneses has completely replaced connecting to other people. Humanity is becoming disconnected with each other and as connected as they can be to things.

For all the help that technology can bring to one’s life, there is a line that is often crossed where help turns to obsession. People prefer posts on Facebook rather than interaction. [Honestly, now that we have Facebook, do you even remember your friends’ birthdays?]

It’s nice to have nice things. I enjoy my Xbox, iPhone and TV. But even in appreciating those things, you can’t forget about the bigger picture—Humanity as a whole. Islam has this concept of the Ummah, or the collective community of Islamic believers. [Not to be a blasphemer or offend anyone, but] Let’s take this concept and expand it to the whole of humanity. Do you shun your mother for a Lexus?

It is human to have desires. Corporations slyly play on these desires to make you think you need things. Every year, companies spend billions to perfect their marketing pitch. In 2011, companies spent $464 billion to get people to buy their products/services. And this is while people are on the streets starving. ~~I guess since those people can’t afford cars and shit, they don’t matter.~~

Before a commercial ever airs, it is played privately before a group of individuals comprised of that specific ad’s target demographic. This ensures that every diamond ring commercial has that “Awwww…” factor with women. It keeps guys’ eyes glued to the car commercial with tits and ass. You know it’s a good commercial when you don’t realize you’re being pulled to buy that thing.

As much of a shame that is, nothing is more shameful thank how they’re targeting our children. Kids are being sold to with each episode of Spongebob and with each online game they play. Disney is the only company whose audience isn’t attacked with ads for bedazzlers or slip-n-slides…because Disney keeps their promotions in-house. Meaning on the Disney Channel, you don’t see ads for anything other than Disney shows/movies/theme parks.

This has basically been modus operandi since I was younger. What has changed is the exposure time kids have with ads. Don’t quote me on this, but the ratio of actual show time to commercial time has shifted slowly but surely over the years. It gets worse the closer you get to the end of the show. “Didn’t it just come back from commercial?!”

There are horror stories of parents receiving their phone bill from the month and being prison raped by charges racked up by their unknowing children in games. Developers have gotten so slick as to disguise a microtransaction in a game as something that seems like a fantasy. But that business model is here to stay as the gaming industry looks for new ways to cash out.

At the time of this writing, I was cruising at an altitude of 10-20,000 ft. over Florida returning from a Caribbean cruise. The thought crossed my mind as I was jetskiing over clear blue Bahamian waters [/humblebrag], “How much different would the world be if people spent their money creating memories and stockpiling experiences rather than shoes, cars and clothes?”

Why do we continually give our money to corporations that value a bottom line rather than our health? McDonalds continues to sell death at an alarming rate. Obesity and high blood pressure plague America, but not only do we clamor to accept their corn byproduct passed off as beef, but the FDA looks the other way. If I frequented fast food restaurants, I’d be concerned about the UK’s Horse Meat Scandal.

My generation has forked over so much money to Apple that they have the economy of a small country. Not because they were helping people, but because of hype. Steve Jobs was the master of creating an event over the smallest thing. Planned Obsolescence. That’s how they can sell you a phone and within months have you back in line for that same phone but with a front facing camera…and again within a matter of months awaiting another model with a new bell or whistle.

I find it completely ironic that Apple’s most recent “innovation” is Siri, a robotic assistant/personality that you can talk to and will answer…Isn’t that what friends are for? Even while disconnected from humanity, we’re steady trying to connect to something.

A Look in the Mirror

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:55:13 -0500

You’re feeling yourself aren’t you? You’ve hit a little stride and have completely forgotten from where you came and from who you’ve grown. Just as a snake sheds its skin, a person sometimes grows bigger than what they’re used to and has to shed parts of themselves that aren’t likely to benefit them in the future.

Like the kid who wants to make the Varsity basketball team one year and doesn’t make the cut. It doesn’t make sense to him. In his mind, he was the best player on the court. How could they not pick him? What could they see that he couldn’t? The key here is “Is it something he couldn’t see or wouldn’t see?”

So the kid works and works and toils and grinds until the next tryout comes. The kid makes the team. He goes on to play ball for North Carolina and eventually wins 6 championships with the Chicago Bulls.

Every sports fan in the world knows the story of Michael Jordan. When it’s all said and done, MJ will go down as the best player of the modern era. [Bill Russell, the legendary Celtic has 8 rings for anyone going off of championships alone.] He wasn’t the best just by showing up. He was the best because he made himself the best.

It wasn’t easy. Jordan was playing in an era where many players that we now consider legends were also vying for championships. How did he get six when many got none?

He had the drive. You don’t get to the top of the food chain by being a slouch. You’ve got to set goals for where you want to be and how you want to get there. Proper Prior Preparation Prevent Piss Poor Performance. Make plans on what you’ll need and even plan ahead for random setbacks.

Growing is something that is necessary for everyone to obtain goals. I play video games [much to the behest of my significant other]. Each stage has a boss who is tougher than all of the other bad guys. In good games, the only way you can beat the boss is by utilizing a skill or technique that you just so happened to discover during that stage. With each stage, the foes get harder to beat. You cannot advance unless you “level up.”

He had a great coach. By the time I started really getting into basketball, Phil Jackson was the head coach of the Los Angeles ~~Losers~~ Lakers. While I won’t knock Phil for taste, it was with this organization that he won 4 more championships. That’s 10 for those keeping count. One more than Celtic great Red Auerbach, making Jackson literally “The Greatest NBA Coach of All Time.” During games, Phil would see plays that the opposing squad would run and how his players would respond. From there, he would make adjustments. His players would execute these adjustments and, as is the case with his teams up until his last year with the Lakers, win rings.

Sometimes your skills and expertise can only carry you so far. Traits that may have benefited you for years may begin to betray you at one point in your life. A choice begs to be made. Do you carry on doing what you’ve always done to get by and not make it? Or do you make the necessary adjustments to succeed? Sure, you’ve gotten through triumphs, tragedies and trials with your current playbook. But familiarity breeds complacency. If you want to make it to the promised land [your goals], you have to come with something that is fresh and new. Remember, to get what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done.

He had great teammates. Jordan alone wouldn’t have been able to lift his team to glory once, let alone for 2 separate three-peats. Look at Lebron in Cleveland and Derrick Rose right now. He had Scottie Pippen along for the ride. Dennis Rodman contributed to his ‘96-‘98 championship run. Along with those Hall of Famers, thee were also Horace Grant, Bill Paxon, Steve Kerr and others. These players all had roles to play. Jordan couldn’t play all 5 positions on the floor. He had to rely on others’ abilities and strengths to be effective enough to win. Through their perspective, they could either set up MJ for a nice play or take the shot themselves. 5 sets of eyes can see way more than one.

In life, you have people on your team that can see things about you that you may not be able to. Being around these people may even bring the best out of you. While typing this up, I’ve been watching Man on Fire. In this film, Denzel starts out as a mean old curmudgeon. Through interacting with a young girl and her family, he evolves into caring and loving individual. The girl was able to see and eventually bring out traits that Washington’s character, Creasey, wasn’t able to see for himself. Because of this evolution, the audience was treated to quite an intense display of affection of the girl.

Evolution is a part of nature. Giraffe’s evolved in order to reach the foliage. Chameleons developed the ability to blend into their surroundings to protect themselves from predators. A young boy evolved into a young man in order to experience feelings he never felt and go places he couldn’t imagine at the urging of a deserving woman. Trust me. I know firsthand how resistant a person can be with removing themselves from their comfort zone. It’s something that I might not have been able to see the worth in at first. The benefits pay off though.

When I look into the mirror at the person I am today, I’m not admiring myself. I’m admiring the fact that I could be living a life of lesser quality than I am today. Everything that I have, I have worked for. That work ethic wasn’t something I was born with, I decided to develop it. It all started with a thought. Change is a slow process and I am still changing and developing myself into the person I deserve to be.

If I can, I know you can do it.

PoliTRICKs As Usual...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:04:33 -0500

If you’re anything like me, you’re eagerly anticipating November 7th. The day after the election. I like to think of myself as a pretty educated voter. Even with that, I find myself tired of this election cycle’s news items being shoved down my throat at every turn as many people around the country may be. The danger of being an uneducated voter has increased tremendously.

The political game was changed into the current beast it is in 2010 with the United State Supreme Court ruling on the Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission. The court decided that…

it was unconstitutional to ban free speech through the limitation of independent communications by corporations, associations, and unions, i.e. that corporations and labor unions may spend their own money to support or oppose political candidates through independent communications like television advertisements.

Meaning, corporations like Marriott (where one of the candidates resided on the Board of Directors) could funnel their money in support of their favored candidate. This is the reason that battleground states are being gangbanged by political ads. There is no limit to the money that is being funneled through Super PACs in order to use ads that play on people’s emotions/livelihoods/prejudices in order to gain an edge for their guy.

Money can only bring you so far. Also a major factor in ads targeting voters this year are LIES. Yes, we all expect politicians to lie to us, but within the past year the lies have been more blatant and bold. Whether it be:

And how could we all forget Paul Ryan’s speech during the RNC which was a House of Lies [No disrespect to the Showtime show].

Even with all of the lies, the truth should shine through. It should shine through all of the attempts to block people—who you don’t think will vote for you—from voting, whether that be through voter ID laws, limiting early voting dates, and companies with ties to Bain owning voting machines. At face value these attempts seem to block all voters equally. But when you come to understand that Democrats take advantage of early voting more and are more likely not to have valid ID, it seems as if Republicans are looking for an edge. The voting machine thing…that’s plain cheating.

Then, there’s the elephant in the room…

[Howard] and others freely talked about a looming race war if Obama was re-elected. The KKK and other groups call it “the storm.”

“Oh, it’s going to happen. And I fear it. … And it ain’t just me. … If he gets four more years, Barack Obama will ruin this country. And white people will be in concentration camps, and if you don’t think that white people [can] be in concentration camps, [you] are sadly mistaken.”

-Source

Let me start with a fact. In 2000, there were around 600 white supremacist groups in existence in the country. As of last year, there were 1,018. How much of a factor do you think a Black president had to do with that? Nevermind the fact that his wife is constantly disrespected. Nevermind the fact that Obama is called the “Welfare President” even though there are almost as many white people (38.8%) on welfare as there are blacks (39.8%). People are hanging effigies of this man like that’s alright! Post racial, my ass. We’re not that far removed from times where people were actually hung for being black. Emmett Till was murdered in 1955. James Byrd was drug behind a truck in 1998.

Many people will use the political system to hide the fact that they’re racist or at least extremely prejudiced. People are still claiming that Obama wasn’t born in America. People are still claiming that the President is Muslim. Donald Trump tried to corral the President of the United States into proving he was qualified to get into Harvard Law School. [Personally, I’m hoping Trump takes Stephen Colbert up on his offer.] The phrase that has been spoken time after time during this election, “Let’s Take This Country Back!” has racial overtones more than political ones. Take it back from who? Doesn’t the country still belong to it’s citizens?

There’s a tumblr called White People Saying The N-Word. [Let that sink in for a minute.] A good portion of this blog consists of tweets and Facebook posts calling the Leader of the Free World a nigger.

Then we have the candidates…

When it comes to Mitt Romney, these things do not make sense to me.

As of yet we have heard no real details about how Mitt plans to execute his tax plans. It doesn’t take an expert to realize that if a candidate is hazy about something up until Election Day, it’s because they know you’re not gonna go for it.
This guy panders so hard, junkies who ask people for cash should study him. Where ever the party leans, Mitt leans. He was for abortion in MA. Now, he’s against it unless it’s rape, incest or endangering the mother’s life. And I think that the only reason these exceptions exist is due to Republicans getting their collective dick caught in their zipper and not because they care about women.
~~Ayn Rand~~ Paul Ryan wants to turn Medicare into a voucher program during which seniors would receive a fixed subsidy. If costs go up, those seniors would be forced to foot the bill, but since they’re probably not working, there’s no telling where that money is expected to come from.
This guy is the champion of COMPANIES. “Corporations are people too, my friend.” When was the last time a corporation had to explain to their kids why they had to make concessions at Christmas time. Never saw a corporation starve or get foreclosed on. What makes you think that if he’s looking out for Chase, Marriott & Bank of America now that it’ll suddenly change tomorrow?

And to be fair, it isn’t that rosy on the other side of the ballot.

Four years ago, I voted for a guy who promised to be the exact opposite of what I’d seen from the President for the last eight years. What I got was someone somewhere in the middle of the road. I can appreciate his efforts to provide healthcare to everyone. I can appreciate the fact that he wishes to help out the middle class and seems to actually care.

What I can’t appreciate are robot planes blowing up houses full of people to get one person. The way the debate is skewed is, “Would you rather we send people over to potentially die?” It’s a catch-22. I come from a military family so asking someone just like me to be okay with their father risking his life to execute a mission is hard. But I also can’t gel with someone innocently being at the wrong place at the wrong time and there not even being a second thought about all of the collateral damage.

Secondly, this campaign has been in full swing for a minute. Other than enlisting Jay-Z to perform with him in Ohio, how has Obama reached out to the black voters? He didn’t show up to the NAACP Convention; he sent Joe. Even Mitt had time to show up to the convention [although he did so to even further polarize the political scene.] Dude’s been in all through the midwest and swing states. I guess since we’re your base and you expect us to vote for you regardless, you don’t have to directly address the community? Calling into the Tom Joyner Morning Show doesn’t directly count. [I’m literally laughing that that article is called “The Big Chief Calls Home”]. I’m not expecting Obama to be “our” president, but I am expecting for him to address problems unique to our community.

I guess that’s why I voted for him again. Call me a glutton for punishment if you’d like. I’d like to think that I’m investing in the future. Not just for myself but for everyone. There’s a three-year-old in my life that I want to be able to enjoy life to the fullest. I want her to be able to get a great education and not be forced to settle for a subpar educational system because of where she lives. I want her to be able to make her own mind about what she does with her body and not be treated like a second class citizen because she doesn’t have a Y chromosome.

People are out braving the cold rain in my city to cast their votes. People in New York and New Jersey are voting despite not having power or not having a home anymore. This is important. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. It’s easy to be cynical about politics and not vote. But if you don’t vote and things go to shit, you’re effectively advocating that. Advocating hate. Advocating fear. Advocating division. I can’t be part of that.

I guess what I’m trying to say is…go vote.

Gettin' Grown [Happy 25th]

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:03:39 -0400

Today is my 25th Birthday.

Damn. It’s crazy how quickly time flies. The concept of time completely changes as soon as the structure provided by grade school is no longer there. Once the ball is in your court, the clock starts ticking. Moments that you thought took place a year ago were actually 5. Younger siblings grow with or without you looking. Without noticing it, you grow. You change.

In my mind, I’m not too far removed from the kid that I used to be. The kid that shut out the world’s ills with a thick book or by blasting music. The kid who was satisfied with himself no matter the situation. My…how things have changed.

It’s not that I’m dissatisfied with myself these days. I’m unsure of myself. I’m at the crossroads right now. Decisions I’m on the verge of making could change the course of my life dramatically. I guess its the vanity in me to think that no one at any point of their life had to make decisions. As much as I may forget, I am not alone. Fear of failing is strong as a mug though.

Cause I wanna be free, completely free
Lord won’t you please come and save me
I wanna be free, totally free
I’m not gon’ let this world worry me

Goodie Mob [Free]

But fuck that. If no one else, who can I rely on to get things done right? Myself. Growing have doesn’t mean changing who you are as a person; it can make you better without having to sacrifice what makes you you.

I used to have the prevailing thought that I might not have been able envision myself making it to this age. After thinking about it, I realize that I just didn’t see what I was supposed to be doing at that time. It’s my destiny. My decisions shape it and it is mine to make. I have to believe that anything I’m doing with my heart in and good intentions, God will bless as long as I have faith in Him as well as myself.

Hey, Lord I know I’m not here to stay
But thanks for wakin’ me up today
Prepare me for what may come my way

Say, young man, there’s no need to cry
Because I know you will get by
Look your destiny in the eye

Everyday my heart burns to try
You got to walk before you learn to fly
And we all got to earn to die

Cee-Lo [Gettin’ Grown]

I can’t act as if I don’t make mistakes. There were times where I was participating in wildness. I was fortunate enough that I got out of it however it may have been. People have had my back through thick and thin. While I may inquire about and respect their opinions, decisions I make are my own. [Being objective, at times I’ve had difficulties assessing what decision someone else should make without knowing all of the factors, brevity of the differing potential decisions, having some sort of personal bias, etc.] Its up to me to weigh the various factors that ultimately will dictate my future.

The ability to get back up and on the right track is key. It won’t be a cakewalk to get where I want to be. The only thing I do to avoid feeling like I’m in over my head is to take it step by step. Like fighting inertia on the hamster wheel, my decision to stop merely “running the race” was the first step to pursuing something more.

All I can ensure is that if I want to achieve something, I’m going to go for it. I know myself better than anyone in the world. Confidence in one’s abilities is a gift that comes from being able to see your potential work toward it. I have to realize that, even through missteps, I’ve kept trucking. Why would that stop now? Through the highs and lows of the life I’ve lived, I ironed out the life I want to live.

Resolved. I shouldn’t doubt myself because through all of the static and interference, I know what I can do and will base my decisions upon such information.

I may just be figuratively rambling at myself in the mirror though.

I got this here.

Big K.R.I.T. [I Got This]

Sophisticated Ignorance: Revisiting Justice

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:05 -0400

rebelradio:

911: Are you following him?

Zimmerman: Yeah.

911: Ok. We don’t need you to do that.

With the release of the 911 tapes from the night of Feb. 26, it has become apparent to those listening to the chilling audio that George Zimmerman was aggressively pursuing Trayvon Martin the night he killed him.

Only through the filter of following the law to the “T” could one come to the conclusion that George Zimmerman could possibly get off scott-free for taking the life of a young man.

The actual law in question is Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Stating that citizens have the right to shoot if they feel that they’re in danger, it gives a broad spectrum under what it constitutes as self-defense. On today’s “Starting Point” with Soledad O’Brien, CNN Senior Analyst Jeffery Toobin said that the law makes it so that “if you’re hit with a fist, you can reply with a gun.”

My question is, how can someone who pursued another individual consequently causing a confrontation then claim that they felt that they were in danger? Is the color of a man’s skin as dangerous as the loaded gun Zimmerman was carrying? Let’s not forget that Zimmerman got out of his car to confront Trayvon, who was mere feet from his destination: home.

For now, let’s take the racial aspect out of the situation. A young man was killed after being pursued for doing nothing but walking home. Fight or no fight, a boy was killed. That’s enough grounds to at least hold someone in custody until an investigation either clears their name or proves them to be at fault for the death.

Not only was Zimmerman allowed to return home that night, he wasn’t even tested for drug or alcohol usage that night. Some experts even state that they can hear Zimmerman slurring words on the 911 tape where he called in to report a “suspicious person.” The drug/alcohol test is routinely done during a homicide investigation.

Does that scream racism? No. Not by a long shot. What it shows is a gross negligence on the part of the Sanford Police Department. When you also factor in an account of a witness claiming that when they described Trayvon screaming for help, an officer of the law corrected them and told them that they heard Zimmerman asking for assistance.

Feeling like the police are protecting Zimmerman rather than thoroughly trying to provide justice for Trayvon. That’s part of the reason his parents have asked the FBI to step in. The other part has everything to do with race.

In the Black community, there’s the long standing feeling that the police are not acting in our best interests. This cannot always be true. But…the times where they’re genuinely trying to help solve crimes that happen in our neighborhoods are continuously outweighed by situations where murders go unsolved or even go on without a proper investigation.

Add to that the fact that racial profiling exists. A disproportionate stake in the prison population. Black people in certain areas and the police have the same relationship as citizens of occupied countries and the occupying Army have. This has inspired the “Stop Snitchin’” campaign which is presented as a community solving its own problems but is actually a vehicle that perpetuates crime not being reported out of fear. [More on this later.]

And then the media…

Mediaite’s Frances Martel says:

Several reasons exist for the divide in black and white media regarding how they approach this story. For one, the reasons for Martin’s death necessitate an understanding of racism that only black people—particularly black men—fully understand. As a white Latina, I can say, without a doubt, that no one looks at my skin (or my name, for that matter) and feels fear. I can understand bringing that out in people for immutable traits— I know what it’s like to forget I’m in a rural place and speak Spanish, prompting bad service at a store or “this town is going to Hell” comments from locals. I know what it’s like to see your dad stopped by a cop for having a mustache. But, for the most part, no one knows I’m not “the right kind” of white without an extra clue. People like me don’t have to deal with “it,” usually. Given that my family barged into the American history narrative almost a decade after the Civil Rights Act passed, they likely could have avoided dealing with it had they been here, too.

Trayvon Martin, like so many “suspicious-looking” young black males with similar fates, did not have that luxury. No one can hide his or her skin color and, in the context of vigilante violence, the false threat of black skin is a uniquely black male problem. That doesn’t mean that those who have not experienced it cannot see why it is so obviously troublesome, nor does it exonerate non-black people from the responsibility of demanding a more just legal system that sends a clear enough message that murders like Martin’s are so unacceptable that they will, for the most part, go away. That lack of joint responsibility may be the single most troubling part of this story.

When Caylee Anthony disappeared, Nancy Grace almost single-handedly decided for us that this was America’s Problem. For a good year, this was America’s Problem. This was America’s Problem despite the fact that, by the time Caylee’s mother was arrested and acquitted, there really wasn’t anything anyone could do about it. Black media leaders had to cover Casey Anthony’s trial, too. And Joran Van Der Sloot’s. And Amanda Knox‘s. The lack of reciprocity, particularly in cases with black victims, is stark and needs to be addressed.

When I wrote my final paper in my Journalism Methods & Theory class, it was about racism. I came to find out that some whites don’t see something as racist unless it is outright so. I challenge Caucasian people everywhere to this: Instead of seeing racism as just a person calling a black guy a “nigger,” realize that there is also a systematic approach as well. Look out the neighborhoods, schools, services [or lack thereof], or job options that we have available to us. Know that if they’re lacking, its not because we chose to live in crime-ridden areas or places where the school are failing their students. Know that its like that for a reason. As much as there is overt racism, there are also covert manifestations of racism.

This comment stood out to me on the Orlando Sentinel’s storyon the situation.

Sorry, Darryl, you’re publishing to the unwashed mass on this forum. They don’t understand. They won’t understand. They can’t understand.

History provides no bearing for the unwashed, therefore history has no bearing on cultural development of any nationality, society, or race. Your examples are merely opening of old wounds which bear not in the least on today’s world events.

It is sad, but ignorance is the root of racism, and we’re still awash in both - ignorance and racism.

Frankly, publishing your premise - a premise forwarded by a black journalist - should have been a wonderful opportunity for white citizens to delve into your even deeper understanding of the black community, but that was not to be. Truly regretful.

The truth; it is simply much easier for us white folks to shirk any responsibility, move right on down the same road, doing the same old same old, all the while expecting different results. Forget black slavery, forget all of history, forget white inhumanity regarding our treatment of blacks in this, the Land of The Free. The Emancipation Proclamation seems to have set us white folks free as well.

Certainly the negative noise level found on this forum is not indicative of the general readership of the Sentinel. In that light, you will have reached many whom understand what you intended. I did and I thank you you for it.

GingerTop gets it.

As for other comments about “Where was the outrage when …. happened?” It’s like this. If the community stands idle while George Zimmerman sits free, they’d be condoning his actions. If nothing is said about the unjust killing of a young man, it’d be like a starter pistol to those who have been searching for a reason to kill our already endangered male population.

I’ve got younger cousins that are in the same age group as Trayvon. Lord willing, I’m going to raise a young black man one day. I don’t want them to have the same fear of being at the wrong place at the wrong time that I have; thinking that if I’m leaving work or home at an inopportune time that I could “fit a description.” In order to change the situation, you have to speak up at some time. The time is now.

On Justice

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:00:05 -0400

When 17-year-old Travyon Martin decided to make a quick run to 7/11, he asked his little brother what he wanted from the store. His brother told him that he wanted Skittles. Who would have fathomed that this would be the last exchange that the pair would have?

While returning home from the store, Martin was spotted by a resident in his father’s gated community in Sanford, Fl. 911 was called an alerted to a suspicious person by George Zimmerman, leader of the neighborhood watch. By the time the police arrived to the scene, the teenager was dead from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

This incident occurred on February 26th. To date, Zimmerman has not been charged with the murder of the teen. “Lack of evidence,” is the official reasoning that the Sanford Police Department has given as to why Zimmerman, the only other person involved in the situation, hasn’t been charged.

Why?

Zimmerman called the police when he saw a suspicious person in the gated community. We’re not going to avoid the 600-pound elephant in the room. Zimmerman thought Trayvon Martin was suspicious because he was a black teenager walking around after dark. Why would Martin not think he could walk to the store and back home without being questioned? His father lived there.

Global Grind, who spoke to the family’s lawyer, Ben Crump feared that Zimmerman would be allowed to walk by claiming self-defense despite likely going against police orders

Crump said the family was concerned that police might decide to consider the shooting as self defense, and that police have ignored the family’s request for a copy of the original 911 call, which they think will shed light on the incidents.

Family spokesman Ryan Julison said:

“If the 911 protocol across the country held to form here, they told him not to get involved. He disobeyed that order.”

Its being reported that there was an altercation. When you have an overzealous Neighborhood Watch captain [for all intensive purposes, he can be imagined as the aggressive rent-a-cop at the mall] and a young man who believes he’s in no way wrong for walking to the store.

Any way you look at the situation, Zimmerman was wrong. Wrong for assuming that a black man was out of place in his community. Wrong for calling the police. Wrong for not following the instruction that the police likely gave him. Wrong for confronting the kid. Wrong for getting into a fight with him. And definitely wrong for shooting him in the chest.

This can’t simply swept under the rug. A young man is dead because of this guy’s actions. To do anything but charge the man with murder is perpetuating the thought that a black man’s life is expendable. What kind of message is that to send to young men every where? What kind of message is that to send to young Chad Martin? For him to know that his brother just went to grab an Arizona & some skittles and ended up dead and the man who killed him is potentially getting off scot-free?

Rest in Peace, Trayvon Martin. We will not let this go.

On The Religious Persecution of Muslims

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:02:06 -0500

The reason that the pioneers of this country set out from England was to establish settlements free from the King and Church of England’s scrutiny over their religious beliefs. Its a shame that at a time that presidential candidates are claiming to be more like their forefathers, they’re acting more like the old country’s king. The Crustades continue…

It recently came to light that the NYPD used money given to them by the Obama & Bush administration to monitor Muslim communities in the northeast. Yes, that means that a city police department went outside of their jurisdiction to keep tabs on people solely because of their religious background. O.o

How can actions by the police department be applauded by NYC’s Mayor Bloomberg? Sure, it was horrible that the 9/11 attacks occurred and that the devastation has changed the lives of New Yorkers forever. Does that mean that from now on, all people of Muslim faith or Middle Eastern descent should be tracked due to the actions of extremists?

I — like every other American who was old enough to grasp the brevity of the attacks— remember where I was on that fateful day. Here we are 9 years later and I, personally, feel like many injustices have [and are] been/been carried out instead of actively pursuing the factions that were actually behind what happened. An entire religion is not to blame.

Add to the fact that recently, after Qurans were burned in Afghanistan by American soldiers, people took to the streets to protest. Unfortunately, the protests have turned violent. Military leaders have all but shirked taking responsibility for the gaffe and tried to frame the protesters as violent people.

If we’ve learned anything from the 2005 incident where a Danish newspaper included an illustration of the prophet Muhammed among its political cartoons, it’s Muslims do not play when it comes to their religion.

Violent mobs took to the streets in the Middle East. A Somali man even broke into the cartoonist’s house in Denmark with an ax

The fact that the Taliban is trying to capitalize on the incident to incite even more anger at America isn’t surprising. It’s not like we have a great track record with the Afghan people. We’ve been occupying their country for 10 years much to their dismay. It doesn’t take much to piss them off and we went for the all-time high score.

When President Obama apologized to Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai for the incident, he was criticized. I’m going to hold off on my thoughts about anyone attempting to chomp off the leader of the free world for another peace [Politricks as Usual], but there has to be something said about the people vying to the chance to ~~lose~~ test their political mettle against Barack Obama in this year’s presidential election.

To claim that because the act wasn’t deliberate, it doesn’t deserve be apologized for, Rick Santorum, you prove to the American people that if we elect you, it’ll be like putting a feeder fish into a shark tank. For Newt Gingrich to call Obama an appeaser—when realistically, [along with strides for peace,] he’s continued the previous administration’s practices for pissing off the Middle East [Attack of the Drones, anyone?]—is straight pandering for anything to attack the president on.

Kirsten Powers does a great job of taking the GOP to task for their attacks.

Back to New York. While followers of the Islamic faith were marching in the streets against the Danish newspapers in 2005, The mosque attenders here that the NYPD were secretly keeping tabs on were calling for peaceful boycotts.

“They’re viewing Muslims like they’re crazy. They’re terrorists. They all must be fanatics,” said Abdul Akbar Mohammed, the imam for the past eight years at the Masjid Imam Ali K. Muslim in Newark. “That’s not right.”

To be fair, acts of terrorism across the world have been carried out by Christians of caucasian descent for hundreds of years. When does that investigation begin?

On Faith...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:24:12 -0500

Sometimes you just don’t have a logical explanation for things. A lot of people want to attribute some occurrences to to chance. However, if you examine some things, even down to the molecular level, you couldn’t find a “real” explanation for it.

Why is it so hard to believe that a higher power has some influence over our lives? In my mind, I ask how could you not believe? My purpose here is not preach or convert atheists into believers but to provide my thoughts on faith—a testimony, if you will.

Faith is sometimes not definitely knowing something will happen, but believing that it will. That may be hard for many people to do: giving up having complete control over a situation. But really, outside of your actions, what situation do you have complete control over? You can’t control circumstances. You can’t control people. [Which is why they say you shouldn’t put your faith into other people, as they’re sure to let you down, but I believe that you should believe in people until they give you reason not to. A person can do much better knowing that someone believes in them than not. Have faith in your kids. They will prosper in school. Have faith in your loved ones. That phone call will come.]

What you can control is your thinking. You might not know how you can make it to payday at the end of the week with an empty tank. All you can do is think positively and ask for help some how. There is as much a chance you will somehow receive a blessing and get a little closer to your goal as there is that you’ll run out of gas and be stuck. And even if that were to happen, there still may be something in the works so that you won’t miss work. That’s why there’s the saying that, He might not come when you want him to, but he’s always right on time.

A month after I graduated college, I was in a rough place. I had a degree; no job. When it came time for my rent to be paid, I had most of it due to my former boss doing me a favor [Something completely out of her character and an instance where I see that He worked through someone around me.]. I was exactly $100 short. I had already asked for an extension and the due date was coming up. Each day I woke up racking my brain as to how I was going to be able to stay in my apartment.

One day I was on my way downtown to hang out and something told me to check my mail. I was 23 and lived alone, nothing came in the mail except for bills and junk ads. For whatever reason I went to check the mail. In it was a card from the neighbors of my grandparents. When I went home, I waved and spoke, but we were never particularly close. The card by itself was an awesome gesture. The $100 bill that fell out of it as I opened it was a blessing.

I had never been a religious person coming up. I barely went to church. I felt like when I prayed for something and it didn’t happen, that was just cause not to do so anymore. As I got older, this behavior continued. Believing that I was in control of my life. I never took the time to think about all of the times I drove around the city in the pouring rain with no windshield wipers and actually made it home. I never took the time to think of the times that my friends and I were too drunk to be driving home from a party but made it. I lived in a rough neighborhood for a while and literally saw shootouts and people’s homes be broken into but was kept safe from that.

When you think of the world we’re living in today where people are so desperate for money or clout that they’ll rob, steal and kill without a second though, every day that you’re breathing is a gift. Anything could happen at any moment. Personally, I’d rather live as if there is a God than not and die and realize I was wrong.

The song below is indicative of how deep this thought resonates through not only me, but other people who might not be in the best of places in their life—yet. And it’s dope music. What else could you ask for?

Why I Think It is Important To Go Out & Support "Red Tails"

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:16:42 -0500

“This is not a story about victims. This is a story about heroes.”

With those words, George Lucas simplifies his thoughts on his upcoming action flick, Red Tails. With that, any Hollywood studio would have jumped aboard. Lucas’ storied Star Wars franchise has amassed billions. Then with Indiana Jones, he cemented himself as a force in the movie industry. Somehow, Lucas (along with Steven Spielberg) got Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull greenlit, alien conspiracies & unbelievable nuclear survival tactics included. With that he was not expecting a challenge getting a movie he’s spent 20+ years developing.

A challenge is exactly what he got. No studio would touch his dramatization of the saga of the Tuskegee Airmen. It was deemed too risky. From a bottomline standpoint, one could agree. In an era where no movie is not a sequel or rehash of another idea, a movie starring a nearly all black cast is not only daring, it’s asking to flop. Below, Lucas explains his problems with major studios which led him to spend more than $50 million of his own money on the endeavor:

Where I stand on the issue is simple. I believe that we, as a community, need to support this film. I’m tired of the only look that Black men get in movies these days is as the Step-N-Fetch sidekick or Guard #3 [Except for Denzel Washington & Will Smith]. Supporting this movie will do wonders for the actors who play the men who risked their lives for the betterment of the country. In addition to Cuba Gooding, Jr [in his first non-straight-to-DVD role in a minute] and Terrence Howard, the cast includes Nate Parker (The Great Debaters), Ne-Yo (?!?), Method Man, Tristan Wilds (The Wire) and more.

Hollywood studios are convinced that the only way to get a Black crowd out is to put out religion-based romantic comedies where there are no strong male roles [Save for Daddy’s Little Girls]. In every Tyler Perry movie, the main character is a black woman who has been done wrong by a man in the past and eventually finds another.

Lucas himself realizes the risk he’s putting not only himself through, but the entire community of Black filmmakers.

Last week, Lucas told USA Today that he was worried that if Red Tails was a failure, it could have negative repercussions for black filmmakers. “I realize that by accident I’ve now put the black film community at risk [with Red Tails, whose $58 million budget far exceeds typical all-black productions],” he said. “I’m saying, if this doesn’t work, there’s a good chance you’ll stay where you are for quite a while. It’ll be harder for you guys to break out of that [lower-budget] mold. But if I can break through with this movie, then hopefully there will be someone else out there saying let’s make a prequel and sequel, and soon you have more Tyler Perrys out there.”

source

The only way that we can change this perception is to go out and support this effort. Not bootlegging it. Not waiting until it’s at the $1 theater and see it.The only other openings this weekend are another sequel and a spy movie. Make the right choice and you’ll do everyone a favor as I’m sure as all moviegoers of every race are tired of seeing the same idea re-hashed and reused a million times. How many sequels of Alvin & The Chipmunks can you stand to see released?

On Legacy...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:43:25 -0500

The above song and video from Linkin Park (off of their 2007 album, Minutes to Midnight) ask the question “What am I leaving when I’m done here?” A great question to ask yourself at times. If your life was to abruptly end, what legacy would you leave behind?

A legacy has special meaning to everyone. As a part of what should be widely accepted across the board should include how you raise your children. How you taught them to act and behave and the morals and/or beliefs you bestowed upon them.

Personally, I believe a legacy to be the impact a person makes and leaves on the world. Forged while they’re still alive, legacy can’t really be determined until the twilight of one’s life…if they survive that long.

[“They say they never really miss you until you’re dead or you’re gone. On that note, I’m leaving after this song.” - Jay-Z.]

What do I want my legacy to be? One in which generations after my demise [be it natural or brought about by man], the people remember me fondly. No disrespect to the elders to whom this statement may apply but, I don’t want anyone to build a park in my name and then forget who I am or for what I stand for.

What do I stand for? Peace, equality, tolerance, education and love. It is these things that I wish to teach people to strive for more than material wealth or possessions. Those things lead to greed & unhappiness. [Sure, everyone wants a big house and car, but that shouldn’t be an ever consuming thought.] To only dream of and want to obtain flashy objects is like stringing a carrot in front of your face and chasing after it. You’ll run yourself ragged trying to get it and once you do, will it be enough? What is there to push yourself for after that? An even bigger house?

People sometimes get so caught up on on obtaining possessions or maintaining their level of comfort. Days fly by when you’re not being mindful. Before you know it, instead of planting a seed to be sown for years after you’re gone, you’ve been duped into chasing things that have no worth.

This is all fine and dandy until you’re on your deathbed with a head full of regrets.

Drake & Rick Ross’s motto might be “You Only Live Once,” but if you live right, your impact will extend way beyond your life.

On The Occupy Movement

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:09:14 -0500

In grade school, it is routinely taught that the nation that we inhabit today came about after citizens of the —then British colonies rose up against their oppressors in England. Being taxed ridiculously without representation that reflected their views, the colonists rebelled and the rest was truly history.

What, then, will history have to say about this era’s protests? Will the Occupy Wall Street movement be seen as a flash in the pan moment or as something that changed the political landscape? Before we can discuss OWS’s impact, we first have to define it—a task much easier said than done.

On the OccupyWallSt.org [a site claiming to be the unofficial de facto resource to the movement] about page, it states:

Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #ows is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations. The movement is inspired by popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, and aims to fight back against the richest 1% of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future.

As descriptive as the definition may be, it doesn’t come close to narrowing down the numerous reasons people have for occupying their cities.

Influence of corporations over democratically elected politicians.
Financial policies that favor the rich over the working class.
A disappearing middle class.
Jobs disappearing overseas.
Corrosion of the American Dream…

There are countless more reasons. Here are 14.

The reasons that people have to participate in the movement aren’t too far removed from problems that common Americans experience each day. Protesters, taking the moniker, “The 99%”, after the idea that the Nation’s Top 1% of is enjoying an income disparity that turns our country into the “haves” & “have-nots.”

The unfortunate part is that people would rather stick to political lines drawn in the sand than stand with people. For some reason, people who live in this country view neighbors as lazy hippies rather than people with an actual gripe. [I guess as long as you’re in line for a Black Friday sale, you’re seen as productive.]

“Occupy a Job” would be the anti-protest slogan that dissidents would rally around. [I’m sure that not all 8.6% of the country that falls under the definition of an unemployed individual invest in tye-dye shirts and sandals to wear year-round.] In Chicago, McDonalds applications were dumped on protesters from the Chicago Board of Trade building.

What can the movement do to maximize impact?

As time has passed, the public’s opinion of the Occupy movement has swayed. It may have swayed due to circumstances in their life opening their eyes to inequity in the country. Or due to media on a protest in their city, it may have swayed against the camps.

In Atlanta, protesters occupying ~~Woodruff~~ Troy Davis Park were evicted by Mayor Kasim Reed after planning a concert with no security plan which could have endangered concertgoers and citizens alike. After the media circulated the amount of money that the protest was supposedly causing the city, it was game over…

But the group rebounded. First setting up shop in a homeless shelter, then actually taking to the streets. Occupy Atlanta is credited with saving a vet’s home from being foreclosed. [Which I had not heard about in the media at all. Then again, major media outlets are owned by the same people being identified as the 1%ers. Time has caught flack about highlighting protests all over the world except in the U.S. & though they named the Protester as the Person of the Year, they did everything they could to keep it from being seen as a nod to the OWS movement.]

Stop sitting around with no clear mission. Make your point be known. Counteract people’s bad image of you with acting on behalf of people. Instead of muddying up a tradition, create one of selflessness or unity.

Occupy homes to protest predatory lending. Occupy soup lines so that no one has to go hungry. Occupy ~~Georgia State~~ universities to protest increasing tuition. Stand against policies that see more black men go to jail than college. Become a movement that people of all backgrounds, creeds, colors and religions can flock to and feel like they’re working toward a goal.

For everything the movement is [be it a conversation piece or a nice quote], it can be much more [a proposal or a step forward].

In V for Vendetta, a central story arch reaches a climax when the citizens of London, tired of abuse by the authorities and being lied to by officials they elected come together to march on Parliament to watch the old guard literally be blown away.

One day, people around the country will grow tired of seeing brutality carried [Yes, I want you to watch this one specifically] out by the police [who are protecting and serving who, exactly?] and grow angry. Not at the differences between themselves and the abused, but at the oppressor and stand united.

Who’s to say that history won’t look back at us one day marvel over what we did?

On Potential

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:31:09 -0500

Long ago in a place called the Bronx, Sonny told C, “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.”

More than just a line from a movie [A Bronx Tale for the uninitiated], the quote speaks volumes about people who bare witness to those who fail to capitalize upon their God given gifts.

Everybody isn’t going to have a wicked jumpshot or the ability to flip syllables and verbs quicker than others roll herb. What comes naturally to you may be something you don’t even view as a gift. Too many people look over their own talents because they don’t know how to harness them or how that skill will help them ascend to new heights.

If you can cook, imagine all of the places that cooking can take you. Many world-renown chef’s had to start somewhere. [A problem in the black community is that many talents that people have aren’t seen as their ticket because there aren’t many, sometimes any, black people in that profession who they can look up to.]

Its regrettable any time that there is an able-bodied individual who has the means before them to accomplish great things but squander opportunities and possibilities by resting on their laurels. The thought of being comfortable in situations that you want to change is self-destruction.

Never rest. Though it may be a marathon, life is still a race in which you cannot stop running until you’re clear ahead of the competition. The competition is not other individuals, but obstacles and situations that would weigh you down and make achieving your goals more difficult.

The toughest obstacles to get over are self-imposed. Your mind is a strong weapon, whether it be used by you or against you. If the problem is a problem of motivation, all you have to do is imagine how bad your situation could be if you did nothing. Inactivity is as destructive as going the wrong way down a one-way street.

Motivation is different for everyone. For some, it could be envisioning success. For others, it may be the opposite. Some people have to think about the worst possible situation they could be in to kick their asses into gear. Whatever it takes to drive you, do it.

Pictures of family, goals, affirmations should be posted where you can see them every day. Speak positively about what you want to accomplish.

More than everything, don’t let yourself stop until the race is won.

On The Importance of Family on Christmas

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:05:00 -0500

“Before I say anything, I just want to start off by saying…”

Merry Christmas!

On days like today, it’s easy to get lost in the materialism that seems to be inseparable from the holiday. Within my lifetime, the amount of money spent pushing Christmas as an excuse to buy things rather than the holiday commemorating the birth of Christ has increased tremendously.

Traditionally, “Christmas time” begun the moment you loosened your belt at the dinner table on Thanksgiving. [Is that just me? If so, don’t judge me. I like to eat.] Over the past couple of years, corporations have begin their Christmas marketing campaigns earlier in the year. This is done to combat the poor spending habits that Americans have adopted due to the downturn of the economy. [Which makes sense. When it comes to paying my rent or buying some product, I’m going to choose a roof over my head every time.] I first heard the rumblings of Christmas right after Halloween in the form of a Target commercial. Its gotten to the point where Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority has chosen to apologize to its citizens compaining about the advertising blitz.

The blitz is evolving, it seems. More money is being spent on interactive media, which in turn gears what products and services are being shoved down your throat.

“What we are seeing is marketers having to react quickly to difficult economic conditions at critical buying times, with little room for manoeuvre in terms of additional budget spend. Where they can, they are turning to media that can create a personal level of engagement and measurable purchase intent, quickly,” says Gary Cole, commercial director at O2 Media. source

Especially now that people are having to choose between indulging in extreme gift giving and paying bills, the focus should be turned to sentiment and family rather than keeping up the the Joneses or high-tech gadgets.

James G. Carrier comments:

Complaints about the materialism of the American Christmas spring from [the] dual nature of the gifts given… The thing given at Christmas is a material object, usually a commodity bought in a crowded, garishly decorated store. But it is also a vehicle of affection that expresses private sentiment within a relationship that is personal and probably familial. Complaints about materialism typically point out that we pay too much attention to the vehicle and too little to the sentiments and relationships it is supposed to express. Thus, these complaints are one way of expressing a tension within the thing that is given. On the one hand it is a commodity purchased for money in an impersonal transaction, and on the other it is a gift given to express affection in a personal relationship

Create memories with your loved ones that will last long after those batteries die or those new shoes aren’t in style. For most people, just being around all of their family evokes emotion—negative or positive. Hold on to those people and those experiences for they’re not promised. Don’t take your family for granted.

I’ll be the first to admit to my being family-oriented or having to work on the holiday [and not having the chance to make fun of my sister or watch any of the games with my Gran’dad & younger cousin.] influenced this piece. Regardless of the fact, I encourage people to make the best of what they have.

Whenever you start complaining about your uncle getting drunk & lecturing everyone under the age of thirty or how your aunt gives you sweatsuits every year, think about those who don’t have anyone to spread joy to. Think about the kids who can only hope to have someone wake them up, let alone to do so to open presents.

If you have a big, small, close, distant, traditional, non-traditional, functional, dysfunctional, whatever kind of family, be grateful for who is there and what you all do. Its these interactions that shape you and could be a source for some of your own hang-ups. [I inherit my stubbornness from the past 2 generations of my family…on both sides.]

Remember the reason for the season and have a safe and Merry Christmas!

On Passion

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:42:00 -0500

Imagine if Martin didn’t really care about the people. If Michael wouldn’t put his all into his music. What if Jordan didn’t care about practice [PRACTICE?!]? Could you see The Godfather Pt. 2 being made if Al Pacino & Robert De Niro didn’t put their hearts into portraying Michael & Vito Corleone?

Nothing in this world is worth doing if you’re going to do it without concern of its execution. This is the exact reason why the employees at a fast food restaurant manage to get even the simplest orders confused and then turn around and give you an attitude when you correct them. [No diss to those who work these jobs at all.]

Everyone has that one thing that drives them to experience life on a level that is more than merely existing. Some people are [born to dance]. Others may be moved to tell jokes [or try to]. Without that big goal that individuals strive to make reality, the world would be filled with people satisfied with performing menial tasks each day. That’s a world that I never want to live in.

On “Follow Your Dreams,” Killer Mike begins:

The world fears a person with a dream. Because to have a dream gives you the ambition to want to fulfill that dream. And if you live your life fulfilling that dream, you’re going to glow, man. Because there’s a magnificence and a moment that comes when fulfilling your dream that you can’t achieve being a part of someone else’s.

You can tell when a person is passionate about what they’re doing. Usually, they speak with such enthusiasm and fervor about a subject that, even if you aren’t in their person, you can feel them beaming from wherever they may be.

This feeling/mindset doesn’t come from nowhere one day. People work at improving their lives every day until they can put themselves in a position to advance. The aforementioned fast food worker isn’t dreaming of becoming assistant manager of McDonald’s one day, they’re dreaming of platinum records, art gallery openings, traveling the world, or simply leaving the mundane behind.

That dissatisfaction that they possess comes from working harder to make a buck than to live out your dreams. In today’s society [and especially with the economy we’re victims of], more people work jobs just to pay bills, not for upward mobility in that field. Its becoming easier to hold on to one of these jobs and one day looking up and realizing years have gone by and your position hasn’t changed.

It may be difficult for people to imagine, but you have to work for yourself as hard as you work for a check. Don’t let your dreams get too far from being realized.

Other than a passion for things, one can possess a certain passion for another person.

This passion burns deep in a person’s heart when they’re apart from their desire. Much like the wings of a butterfly, a heart can flutter at the mention of a loved one.

What is the difference between affection and passion? I could answer: Affection can fade, but passion is everlasting. Affection can be a kind smile while passion is a glance in which through the receiver’s eyes, a person can see years into the future.

As much devotion as it is self-torture, passion is what keeps plenty of people going through tough times. Passion is pleasure and pain. It makes men & women rise to standards and occasions for the betterment of themselves and their situations. Passion is what keeps people in love after so long or through trials.

Passion also inspires. Many a masterpiece can be traced back to the pursuit of passion. Without passion, there would not be a Taj Mahal and many other works of art would have gone without completing.

This is passion:

[Always.]

What are you passionate about?

On Vulnerability

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:53:15 -0500

As a man, you’re taught that weakness is for suckers and that if you possess a weakness (of any kind) that you should bluff in order to save face. As if we’re going to battle, men have to keep certain airs about themselves. In war, you keep the opposition guessing so that they never notice the kink in your armor. Unfortunately what this social programming doesn’t take into consideration is, the dilemma it places a person in when they show vulnerability of any kind.

For the purposes of today’s text, I’ll highlight a specific scenario: the vulnerability a man shows toward a woman he’s taken a liking to. [Note: I can only speak on a man’s experience. No disrespect to the women ~~folk~~. Although I think the general feeling I’m attempting to describe is universal.]

Its tough enough for a human being to deal with various thoughts and emotions running through their heads when it comes to the opposite sex. For whatever reason, we have it in our minds that there has to be a point where you will understand the other gender’s motivations, wishes and concerns when it comes to romance.

News flash: that moment will never come. The sooner that you realize that, the happier you’ll be.

It doesn’t matter how many relationship books your read. [Usually they’re propaganda only useful for making the self-important author a ton of cash at the cost of women ruining themselves and their relationships by following their every word. See: Steve Harvey] Dr. Phil only knows so much about everything. If you’re one of those people who frame their life after a Tyler Perry play/movie, you need counseling. No singular source is going to give every unique person insight on the mindset of every other person on the planet.

At most, you can only hope to gain insight on one person. What works or goes for them may not work for your ex [or next for that matter]. And that’s only half of the equation. The problem arises when your significant other brings about something that you may not have experience with: emotion.

For too long, both genders have passed down the mindset that men are supposed to always have a tough exterior to combat the softer touch of a woman. To an extent, this is true. I like to think that women make decisions based on emotion. Men, on the other hand are expected to make decisions rationally. That’s not to say that men don’t take their emotions into consideration or that women are irrational [~~actually~~…nevermind].

There may come a point where a man may be venturing in uncharted territory with a female —trying something that he may not be used to. It could be something as minuscule as performing gestures or communicating in a manner that she may like. If said action does not have “favorable” results, it could render that person confused. Both sexes are afraid that their partner will ultimately wake up one day and feel differently about them. It could be a fear based upon the smallest thing; in their mind, they’re convinced.

That’s the beginning of the problem. Who does a man then turn to for clarification? His “boys” may not be on the same level as he is. All they could offer then is a step in the wrong direction. Its at this point where a man is left alone with his thoughts. “Is he doing too much?” “Where did he go wrong?” etc.

Women turn to their girlfriends. These girlfriends may be in relationships and can offer insight on situations [As with any advice, it should be taken with a grain of salt and used accordingly.] Conversely, the friend may be single. Then you should ask yourself, “Am I comfortable taking advice from someone who either doesn’t heed it themselves, or it didn’t work out for?” Friend or not, the old saying, “Misery loves company,” is very applicable in this scenario.

No one wants to play the fool. With lack of communication, what could have been a small molehill can turn into a mountain. The only way one can ensure that they are on the same page as another person is to open up and talk to them. It may seem like a pain, but in comparison to the “L” that you could take after making the situation worse in your mind may be enough to kill any chances you may have stood otherwise.

It’s a general understanding that if you open yourself up to receive love and affection from someone, you could end up on the receiving end of a heartbreak. Like I said before, no one wants that . It’s up to you to decide if the person you’re dealing with is worth the risk.

If they aren’t, cut your losses and split amicably. However, if they’re worth the risk and quite more, it’s up to you to be stronger than the fear and give that person what you’re asking for: love. Don’t be foolhardy though. A person’s smallest tells still tell the story of what they truly desire. Between that and your intuition [Men have it too.], it’s your move. Will your next move be your best move?

I’m not a relationship expert by any means. You really don’t have to take anything I have said into consideration. I just come from a stance where things need to be said to help bridge the gap between the sexes.

As ~~the wise man~~ Jerry Springer always says, “Take care of yourself and each other.”

On "Post Racial America"

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:53:38 -0500

The other day I sat in the food court of a local mall eating Japanese food ~~plotting on how I can rob an armored truck for Christmas~~ minding my own business. I picked a spot fairly close to a Mediterranean stand. I hadn’t looked up from Twitter much but I noticed an older Black nanny sitting a young white boy. [Insert cynical thought correlating The Help to 2011.] She soon walked off to tend to the energetic toddler. I returned to my meal.

About two minutes passed before I looked up again to see a woman searching her bags for something. For whatever reason, I watched as she went over to the counter of the Mediterranean stand and asked if she had placed her phone on the counter. It took about 1.5 seconds before the woman behind the counter shouted, “The black lady must have took it!” This is America.

This is the country in which we think we’re progressive because the newest figurehead leader is black. At the same time, its the place where if a Caucasian family walked past a Black man [however unassuming], the father might draw his daughter a little closer toward him. I know this because it’s happened to me. [For the record, was I going to try and sexually assault the young girl on the sidewalk near Peachtree St.? GTFOH I was too busy trying to get my ass home after class to even notice Sarah Plain and Tall.]

Being an Army brat, I’m used to dealing with and respecting different cultures. Often the thought of America being a melting pot is pushed to make the country seem all-inclusive. However, every time a person of color does something not accepted by the majority, race is thrown into the mix. [If you don’t believe me, go to the comments of a story about minorities on your local news website. Anonymity allows people’s racist views to spread like butter.]

This was the case with The Roots’ drummer ?uestlove. After playing Fishbone’s “Lying Ass Bitch” for Michelle Bachmann when she appeared as a guest on the “~~Falling Asleep on~~ Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” the musician was spammed with racial epithets. ?uest shares with Pitchfork:

I’ve seen some really colorful epithets in the past four days, but “nigger fuckhead ghetto stick” is probably the one that takes the cake. I’m still trying to get my head around that one. Blocking 3,500 tea party extremists [on Twitter] in a three day period is no fun…

Why is it that when angry, “nigger” is never too far from being dropped as if it were 1700 and when Black folks are called the word, we’ll cower with fear?

When the Philadelphia Eagles came to play [and eventually lose to] the Atlanta Falcons, I had to be in the building. Not only was it a great game, but the halftime show was star-studded [<3]. Apparently the drinks were flowing all day before kickoff. By the early second quarter, a proud Eagles fan got into a “My Team is Better Than Your Team” contest with a drunken Falcons fan. The Falcons fan, a young white woman eventually singled on QB Michael Vick to berate.

“Vick’s an asshole. He killed all those dogs.” Cool.

“That’s why we replaced him with a hotter quarterback.” Fine.

“You can keep him. He’s a dog killer and a fucking thug prick.” O.o [We’re all aware that “thug” is the oft-substituted word for “nigger” right?]

I wanted to give young “Katie” the benefit of the doubt and blame it on the Bud Light. However, her friends felt the tension growing and escorted their homegirl to another spot in the Dome.

I’m saying all that to say this: The United States of America has come a long way in race relations. Black men are not lynched or murdered for looking at white women. But just because that isn’t the case doesn’t mean that the work is done. In this day and age, Black, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Asian people are still disrespected through “jokes,” threats and social policies that make it impossible to function as equal members of society.

And sure, there are definitely people who exist to be nothing other than a walking, breathing stereotype. But they aren’t representative of an entire culture more than Jerry Sandusky or Rob Blagojevich are of their Anglo-Saxon heritage.

Maybe Big K.R.I.T. framed it best:

By the way, the phone had been in the woman’s purse the entire time.

On Leaving My Job...

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:36:40 -0400

…for another one, of course. I’m not crazy.

Last year, I graduated with a Bachelors in Journalism. Ideally, I would have had an entry level job lined up with the corner office within my grasp. That is not how it turned out. After a brief gig with a school summer camp [during which I lost my faith in the next generation unless there is an across the board revamp of how the school system works with parents to ensure that these kids aren’t just herded through school into a life of worthless jobs], I found myself not working for a month before I landed a job at my soon to be former employer, Motel Chain X.

Over a year later, the job that I took on a whim to be my failsafe against having to move back home was made more challenging by: worthless management teams, inept coworkers, a complete job function switcheroo, working holidays, being underpaid, weather hazards, and various drunk people who gave each night its own memories. Needless to say, it was time for MCX and myself to part ways.

The decision to look for employment elsewhere was hastened after a full out argument between my manager and myself where once she realized that she was in the wrong, she not only refused to apologize, but tried to rationalize her yelling at me at 7 am. I’ll spare the details of said argument, it is being illustrated to further a point to be made later on.

After the argument, an offer came and I accepted. Once the pleasantries [interviews, drug test, background check] were out of the way, I put in my two day notice with no regard to anyone’s feelings other than those I forewarned would be working my shifts.

I’m saying that to say this:

Just because the economy has been run into the ground and jobs are harder to find than four leaf clovers, does not make it acceptable to stay at a job that does not further your situation, provides more burden than relief or where you are constantly disrespected.

I have driven 35+ miles to my job each night for the past year. That’s past other MCX properties [that I wasn’t allowed to interview for because of a completely ridiculous Franchise/Corporate policy]. The amount of money I’ve spent in gas is more than I’ve spent on groceries. I won’t mention the wear and tear on my vehicle.

The fact that I get to to work and get yelled at by drunk people who want 5-star hotel rooms for roach motel prices isn’t important because it’s a part of the job. What is frustrating is that because of where I work, I’m being paid 50% of what someone who is doing my same job anywhere else is being paid.

Don’t let your managers fool you into thinking because they toss you a bone, that you owe them your life. That’s untrue. They try to fill you with the fear of losing your job so that you won’t realize that as the driving force of your occupation, they wouldn’t make money. After they took our benefits from us, they tried to convince us that a co-pay was a great option. -___-

I’m very grateful to have had this job so I can survive. I truly am. But if you think I’m going to pucker up and kiss behinds while everyone is under performing and getting the same “rewards” that I am is nonsense. We’ve got employees that sell weed here, can’t count, never do paperwork, and are generally rude to paying customers but you expect my morale to be high when the problems created by these people have to constantly be fixed by me AND you don’t want to pay me what I’m supposed to get?

Try and tell me that we don’t have any money for a raise, but we just spent a quarter of a million putting marble counters up. Oh, ok.

Don’t settle for a situation just because you might not get something else. Try to. The worst thing that could happen is you stay where you are [which would happen if you didn’t try.] Best case scenario, you get a better gig.

Ultimately, where I’m going, I’m getting paid more, have benefits, and won’t have to rip and run the highway as this place is a LOT closer to the house. That’s a win.

Don’t be satisfied with the minimum. Go for what you know you’re worth. You’ll never be steered wrong.

On Tyrese v. Delaware

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 06:30:54 -0400

The singer, who is a national spokesman for Communities in Schools, had a speaking engagement in a Delaware school when he noticed a liquor store directly across the street. Instead of promoting his new album, Open Invitation, during a scheduled radio interview later in the day, Tyrese got on his soapbox and chastised community leaders for allowing the liquor store so close to the school.

“I transitioned into talking about that because it had just happened, and that’s when they kicked me off the air and banned my music,” Tyrese said.

“Get them cats outta here, man, sellin’ alcohol right across from your kids’ school, homey,” Tyrese said during his radio interview.

Kiss 101.7 owner Tony Quartarone told TMZ that it wasn’t the singer’s message that prompted the ban, but more how Tyrese spoke to the listeners. “Tyrese was not kicked off the air for pointing out that liquor stores should not be located near schools … I totally agree with that. But … he proceeded to downgrade my audience by calling them ‘homeys.’ “

- MTV

Who would have thought that Tyrese, the Twitter Love Guru, would have gotten more promo from this incident than his music? [I am hearing positive things about his album though.] I, for one, have to applaud the man for speaking out on something that obviously hadn’t been talked about by the community which he was visiting.

The incident highlights a problem in which liquor and gun stores litter inner city communities. If left unchecked, it might not be too far fetched to see former students of that school hanging around that liquor store instead of making something of themselves. The fact that it was directly across the street from the school is troubling. The first thing you want these kids to see after they get out of school is the new Four Loko advertisement on the window across the street?

More outrageous than the actor/singer being booted from the radio station is the reason. You kicked the man off the radio because he was calling your listeners “homeys?” That’s demeaning to you? But at 5:34am THIS MORNING, Kiss 101.7 played S&M by Rihanna. -_____- Really? “Homey” is demeaning, but “Whips & chains excite me…” is what? empowering?

I’m not sure if they get funding from any liquor stores, but to go on and ban Tyrese’s music for speaking against a liquor store being near a school is downright crazy. I would put money on the children of the owner, Tony Quartarone, never had to see an ad for malt liquor while going outside for recess.