current events

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Talkin to Black People

As the Political landscape on the Democratic Party shifts in this Presidential cycle to the South, and more specific, higher concentration of Black voters, you hear all the Media pundits and broadcast journalists talk about how much Clinton and Sanders are pandering to the needs of the community. Trying to make their case at being the best champion for the causes of Black people. It’s amazing to me to hear Hillary Clinton and her surrogates talk about her like she’s been the bastion of hope for Black Americans.

Again, I’m not saying she wouldn’t do a good job, but lets not forget that it was her husband, and also her to a large degree with her support, that put into place these sorry ass laws that disproportionally target the Black community in the war on drugs. How many young black men are in jail for minor drug charges, while so many White American are running around laughing at the justice system.

I’m not saying that Bernie Sanders has all the answers, but he is a man who has been abdicating for reform of the prison system, along with President Obama, before Secretary Clinton got on the band wagon. I heard John Lewis and other prominent leaders in Congress of the Black Community talk about how dedicated and fervent a partner Hillary and Bill Clinton have been to the community. While I do agree that they’ve done many good works for the community, I can’t forget the drug policies and the Defense of Marriage Act signed by Bill during his time as president.

I want America to hear me well, this courting of the Black vote is only because they’re about to hit the states that Black folks live in the most and have a say so in the electoral process. It has been funny watching Hillary Clinton pander to the record of President Obama; while I’ve also enjoyed Bernie Sanders try to cling to Obama and also speak to the young people who feel outrage at the current political structure.

We must realize though, that we marginalize our impact every election cycle, because we don’t truly leverage our power enough by voting. We don’t seem to be engaged truly in the process and therefore, Republicans dismiss our vote and some Democrats just put it in the automatic column when they run, because that’s who we typically vote for a vast majority of the time.

I’m a liberal Democrat and I don’t believe that the current Republican party has a damn to offer me as a Black man. They’re policies are antiquated and out dated. They are still wanting the rich to benefit more than the Middle Class. They don’t want gays to have equal rights and they still want to suppress the Black vote if possible.

We must put pressure on the Democratic Party to push for our needs. To use our power to get the Black agenda forwarded. We, just like the Latino community and the Gay community have the numbers to affect change. But, we just don’t use it enough to let the world know just how serous we are. Damn it’s time we show the world just how much of a player we are in this process.

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The Ties that Bind

I came across this article on my google stories, written by a former Spelman College student that addresses one of the more unfortunate, but true dynamics across America and also on the campuses of HBCU’s and that’s sexual assault. She skirted around talking about the assaults that happened against the LGBTQ community and squarely focused on the assaults happening against the women Spelman College, by their Morehouse brethren.

This is a truly hard hitting topic because as anyone who knows me knows, I’m a proud Morehouse Man. I give a lot of credit for my development and my style to walking the halls at 830 Westview Drive. While this is not the first story to talk about the issue, I think it is one of the more intriguing because it has very vivid details of accounts of multiple women of Spelman. They span different decades and have stories that are very chilling to the ear.

Before I get deeper into the story and the issues I have with it, especially the title of the story, let me first say that I in no way condone the things mentioned in this article and I certainly am not an advocate for violence of any kind and I’m not an apologist for my fellow Morehouse brothers. Now the article is called “Our Hands Are Tied Because Of This Damn Brother-Sisterhood Thing.” Anita Badejo wrote a very well written article with great facts and details about the issues with sexual misconduct on both campuses by some students at Morehouse College.

She very honestly speaks to the dynamic of insulation and protectionism going on by the Administration at Morehouse and even to some extent at Spelman College. She speaks about how the Title IX offices at both schools were under staffed and not adequately prepared to address the Federal laws and statutes. She speaks at great length about how many student from Spelman reported the incidents to their campus police and had to go to Morehouse Police because the incident happened on the Morehouse property.

She speaks of the poor arbitration process Morehouse use to have, with a investigator who was based out of Massachusetts and not really being thorough enough with one of the reports filed. She talked of students who were coerced to submit statements indicating they wanted an internal investigation and not one performed by local Atlanta PD law enforcement. She talked of the flawed Morehouse Judicial Review panel and how some of the students felt as though they were the ones responsible for the violating acts.

She talks about how some students never came forward and also how one student had another occurrence and refused to come forward because she felt like since her first report went with no real punishment to the student who assaulted her, then why should she file another report. She also argues that part of the problem in HBCU’s across the country, and specifically between Morehouse and Spelman is because so much time and energy is spent by both school to emphasize togetherness and support for each other.

She points out how often Men of Morehouse are pumped and primed to believe that they are the elite and should always be protected as such. She speaks to tension that exists between the schools for the female student to support their male brothers and not “tarnish” the reputation of Morehouse. All of these points are very valid and I don’t take much exception to any of this. There have been many things that the shield of Morehouse has been able to protect the school from, and this controversy is not an exception.

Now, given all the credit I’ve given to this article, let me also go back and address a couple things she said that I don’t particularly care for. You know what I find interesting is that her opening sentence mentions the elite historically black women’s college of Spelman, but you don’t offer the same homage to Morehouse. I understand she’s writing from her point of view but damn like are you that jaded?

I freely admit that some Men of Morehouse are too egotistical but I absolutely feel that a majority of the women of Spelman are very self-centered and because mommy or daddy have money they feel they are entitled. There is also this feeling that because they are who they are, they’re immune to basic etiquette. They wear some very provocative and revealing clothing to class and around the AU Center.

I think we sometimes need to have the conversation as to whether or not all of these issues are just Morehouse issues or whether Spelman needs to a better job bringing some of their rhetoric down as well. I think we really need to have the discussion openly and honestly about what the boundaries are and how we should address the issues in between the HBCU schools that are suppose to be two of the crown jewels.

Maybe they also need to think before they just go to their “friends” house or room that goes to Morehouse. Maybe instead of always going to their dorm room, they should meet outside and sit and talk. Maybe there needs to be some accountability and thought to what they’re doing. From every one of the accounts in the article there was nothing so pressing about the need to see their friends that they had to go into their room and lay on their bed.

Again, I’m not saying that because you lay in the bed with your friend, that they should violate you, but you also have to know that people will have other motives besides what you may necessarily think they might. I’m a little taken aback that while Anita was dishing her truth she didn’t take her own fellow Spelmanites to task for not using a little better judgment. Any time I’ve needed to talk to friends or they needed to talk to me, they didn’t come in my place and get in my bed to talk. We sat in the living room and talked or we went out and talked outside somewhere.

Yes, I think that everyone needs to think about what could have been done differently in these types of situations to truly evaluate if they’re complicit in what happened. Sorry, I don’t really give a damn if anyone doesn’t like what I said because I feel like in some ways it’s very true. Let’s be real about the whole deal. The only folks who really know what goes on is the folks who were involved in the situation. The accounts from the article indicate that a couple of the guys did disregard No responses to their advances. But, also how many of them just didn’t say anything?

If you want to have the dialog that’s truly put it all on the table. It’s the only way to effectively handle this situation. If you want to know more take a read of the article and I’m happy to discuss any opinions that are felt.

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Groundhogs Day Part 2

If you’ve been reading my blogs you have been very aware of the fact that I’ve been very critical of the Clinton campaign, and today I offer no relent. As it is also clearly know, I’m a Democrat and a liberal, but I’m also not very satisfied with either candidate in our side, nor any candidate on the Republican side. But, I have to say that this crony bull shit of Hillary and company is really tired. This is a flashback to 2008 when she was in trouble against President Obama and call her husband and family into the fray.

Now this time around, former President Clinton is calling Senator Sanders supporters sexist. What the fuck is that? I mean let’s get real Hillary and Bill. Now she brings Chelsea into the scene and she wants to try to appeal to young women, who really have no connection to her. Chelsea has also been on the attack against Senator Sanders and I say it’s now time to stop the hands off of Chelsea business and treat her just like the rest of the surrogates that the candidate have. Grill them and force them to answer some tough questions.

I understand that Secretary Clinton is afraid again, because she still can’t connect with regular folks and young women around early nominating states don’t really care for her message. But can you please come into the 21st century and stop getting your husband to do your bidding for you. I mean I’m all for the family support and being in the family business, but one thing I do give the Idiot family credit for, is that their support of Jeb has been just that. You don’t see them out smearing any of the other candidates. They are truly just supporting Jeb.

I, for one, am excited about getting all of these older, stately folks off of the Presidential platform and allow for some of the younger candidates who are ready to jump into the fray and make new roads for this country. I know that in the next cycle or two we will have a chance to see the great young stars of both parties. For now, we’re stuck with seeing Hillary continue her anal attempts to call Senator Sanders disingenuous and making it seem like he’s smearing her record.

Was it sexist when Mrs. Clinton defended her husband by trying to destroy the women who accused her husband of having affairs with them? And those who accused him of sexual abuse? See it’s very convenient to try to call someone else out because they point out the facts of your life, you know, you taking money from Wall Street big wigs to “deliver speeches”. Maybe a little more honesty would be helpful, but you know that’s too much like right.

I’ll be voting this year, but I’m not really hyped about either of these two candidates. I just hope of Hillary does become President, she truly helps the regular people continue to get a step ahead, like this President has done.

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Halftime Delight

Let me say that I watched the football game last night and not just for the Halftime show. While it was pretty interesting, it was also extremely boring and lacking that flare, al la last year’s down to the wire Championship game. This year was all about Beyoncé and Bruno Mars stealing the show from Cold Play and delivering a pretty interesting show.

I must say that I don’t know how many artists could introduce new music on the day before the Superbowl, perform it live in front of millions and have the world buzzing about her and her performance. I was also extremely impressed with Bruno Mars and how much of a showman he is. He took his song and made it even more catchier than previous versions.

His then artful mixing with Queen Bee on a crossover beat of Bruno and Beyoncé’s music was really pretty cool. To see him really let his guard down and enjoy the playful back and forth battle with Beyoncé and her crew was cool. The part that made no sense, honestly, was Cold Play. Reading a review by the New York Times was pretty spot on. The stage was colorful, the stands were very florescent and even the musicians and band players were colorful, but artists were very muted with a very little color.

My honest opinion was that we should have had a Superbowl show featuring solely Bruno and Beyoncé. I think it would have a one hell of a show to see them together on stage. Maybe in a few years if both folks are still at the top of the charts, the NFL should think about putting them on together.

Say what you want about how she dresses and all the other things, the truth is nobody right now can put on a damn show like she can. Bruno serving as her partner in crime would be one hell of a deal. So to the NFL I say lets make it happen.

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Flipping Your Way to the White House

As the Presidential Political season continues to heat up my critical eye for what’s happening continues to perk up. I’ve been watching the coverage of both candidates for the Democratic nomination for President since Monday’s Iowa Caucuses and I’m really kinda annoyed that the mainstream media still want to call Bernie Sanders a fringe candidate. Let me honestly say that I am a little nervous about how his policies would fit into today’s American political system, but I also honestly believe that much like all other Presidents before him, he will realize that everything he wants is unrealistic and being a longtime Senator in D.C. he will find a way to make good deals.

Secretary Clinton continues to be portrayed as the rational candidate. The only one whose ideas make sense and are practical in Washington D.C. We see the media elite continue to spin that Hillary is being vilified for her male-like qualities on the campaign trail and her unfair treatment at the hands of her male counterparts. We hear her bitching about Sanders saying “inappropriate” things, the truth is Bernie is calling her on her flip flopping antics and positions, which to me is totally valid. This race is now about who can the most Progressive, Centrist Liberal in tone and style.

While she still has the cloud of secrecy surrounding her and her email controversy, Hillary is still running away with currently with this nomination process. We are watching what happens when you have the most money to spend, the most influence and the ability to distort your record the best. I will give Hillary credit, she was the first to try to get Universal Healthcare and she has been a strong proponent for the Black Community, but she is a very rich elitist who is in the pockets of those on Wall Street. I understand that to some degree it’s needed, but can you really say you’re for the people when your biggest backers are those who are against raising up the people?

I guess it just continues to show what money can buy. People, friends, cars, homes, and elections. I like Hillary Clinton for her persistence and her ability to go toe to toe with the men, but her antics are garbage and she really is a phony to me. But, hey I prefer a Democrat in the White House as oppose to any of them asses on the other side of the aisle.

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Ignorance Ain’t Always Bliss

 

In my last blog I talked about the debate about the Academy Awards and the fight within some of the elite of Black Hollywood over whether to boycott the Awards show or not. One of the most recent voices to speak is Stacey Dash decided to open her mouth and say that we don’t need anything for Black people, we should just assimilate to the White established awards and push for our people to be included. I want to ask Stacey: How has that worked the over the past 50 years or so?

I was listening to V-103 this morning and Ryan Cameron said it best, “If we don’t what our history is, how the statements that we do?” Ms. Dash, do you know Black history? We need to stop saying that we don’t need organizations, television stations, awards shows and other things for our people. We do need these things because the White society that controls the mainstream awards and programs aren’t very reticent to invite us in. This is what I mean by Black people getting a lil bit too much of the White man’s money and forgetting that we needed these platforms.

I guess she forgot that when she was having guest roles on BET’s The Game and collecting checks from the network. Or maybe, she just wants to ignore the network since she’s had roles on major motion picture studios. I much rather we use this moment to come together and show the American public that we can put on a show just as good as the Academy Awards. Let’s not forget we have the Image Awards and the NAACP Awards to recognize our people for their outstanding performances.

Maybe we could spend some time promoting these types of shows and using the talent and time of our folks in Hollywood to make these Awards rival the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards. I guess if all of these founders of HBCU’s had followed Stacey Dash’s opinion we wouldn’t have Morehouse College and Spelman College. There would be no Hampton or Howard University. We wouldn’t have had Morris Brown College or FAMU, Bethune Cookman or Southern University. There may have never been a coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling State University. The Aggies of North Carolina A & T wouldn’t be here and there would be no Honda Battle of the Bands here in Atlanta at the Dome.

I’m sorry Ms. Dash this is one time where your thoughts may have been well intended, but the reality is BET, TV One, and all the Black owned and operated businesses and educational institutions are needed and damn it I’m proud to support them and to have attended one of the finest institutions in America.. Morehouse College.

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The White Debate

So the Academy Awards nominations came out and now for the second year in a row there aren’t any Black Actors or Actresses nominated and the outrage has begun. Not like the normal window dressing though this time. Now we have A List Hollywood celebs who have decided to Boycott this event and the shows host, Chris Rock, has been extremely critical of the folks who nominate the nominees yearly. That protest has led to a couple of personal battles that have erupted beneath the surface that makes all this very interesting, but it also calls attention to one of the fundamental problems with the Black Community.

As Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett-Smith make public their intent to skip the awards show, the later doing so in a very social media plea to Black America to unite together to force change. Meanwhile, Janet Hubert, the former Aunt Vivian on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, came out and delivered a scathing rebuke of Jada and Will, who hadn’t said anything yet. She indicated that their disgust of the snub by the Academy was nothing and that there were more important prejudicial issues going on in society that really needed public rallying.

She indicated that Will declined to use his power as star of their hit t.v. show to negotiate raises for all those involved with the show, mind you this was a 20 something year old actor who was now in unfamiliar territory. This was a kid who knew nothing about that type of power and was a young kid trying to grow up. She also mentioned that the Smith’s could have used their money and production company to further more Black careers, than just using their company to produce themselves, their friends and family members.

She raped Will and Jada over the coals and made it seem as though she was still very bitter because Will didn’t take up arms with her more than 20 years ago. While I don’t disagree with her base principle, I do think that maybe it could have been done a little better as to not be as messy and distracting from a truly valid point.. Hollywood is still really white.

Why is that one, it takes for us to have these type of events before we come together as a people to revolt against the machine? Two, why is it that once we do try to take a stand, rather than band together and form the most powerful army we can, we instead beat each other up and then bitch about shit from 20 years ago. I’m sorry Janet, get yo tight draws out your ass and shut the fuck up. I’m sorry bicker when the shit is done, but right now damn it, it’s time to band together. But that’s where White people have us beat, we can’t stop fighting each other to get what we want. They know how to turn us against each other without even trying.

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To Honor King

Yesterday we paid honor to a man who stood for the cause of Colored People. We stopped to pay tribute who gave his life to further the advancement of Black People. We paused to look back at the path that we’ve traveled to get to where we are today. All of the blood shed, the tears cried, the humility taken, the beatings and murders administered. We are a people that have been belittled in this country since the beginning of time. We have been counted as 3/5 of a person and less than equal for generations on end.

Back in the 1960’s it was the March for Civil Rights. Trying to get equal rights for African Americans and Women. Trying to desegregate the South and make it legal for all races of people to attend the same schools. It was to protect Black lives and advance America as a nation. Today, we see the Black Lives Matter movement and it’s based upon similar principles. To remind the world that Black Lives Matter just as much as White and Latino lives.

We are living in a time where Police abuse and Judicial prejudice are on the rise. We are living in a time where we are comfortable electing a egotistical asshole to be President of the United States, over pragmatic approaches of Kasich or possibly Marco Rubio. We are living in a time when Supreme Court Justices are wanting to strike down Affirmative Action and want to gut the rights of American Unions. We are watching as many corporations are recording record profits and refusing to reinvest that in their people with raises in pay, but rather giving the money to those same CEO’s that already make millions of dollars a year.

The equality that King and Malcolm and others fought and died for is being stripped away slowly but surely. States tightening up the their Voter ID requirements. States trying to suppress the Colored vote by redistricting us into smaller, more marginalized districts. Whites realizing that their majority is steadily shrinking doing everything within their power to make sure their Might is on display. We are existing at a time when those around the country have no respect for our first Black President and First Lady if they don’t agree with their politics.

The honest truth is we should all be our Brothers Keeper. White and Black, Asian and Jewish. All people inbetween need to be aware that if we don’t protect each other and watch out for each other we will be left alone. I think one of the biggest lessons that we learned from this movement is the power of togetherness. When we can bind together in the face of tremendous odds and overcome. Please people I don’t care what side of the spectrum you sit on, if you really care about your country then you will take offense to the vitriol and disdain in our politics. You will oppose the injustices and inequalities we have in this country and work together to a solution.

It’s really sad that Dr. King’s speech is still applicable to todays time. Yes, we have come a ways from the old days of Jim Crow and all of that. But if you take a hard look we are still in so many ways trapped in the 1960’s. We’re still fighting for freedom and the hate that exists needs to end. We are one America and one People. Let’s show the world just how great America can truly be.

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Bernice Said It Best..

I was listening to a snippet of Bernice King’s speech yesterday from Dr. King’s service and she said something that was spot on, and if you’ve been reading my blog it’s been the underlying tone of all my writing about this particular subject.. If we don’t wake up and fast we will end up with a Reality TV star who knows nothing about running a nation being the President of the United States. We will have someone who is using the most powerful nation in the free world as another “Project” and “Toy” for him to play with.

I was watching as Sarah Palin endorsed him today for President and I must tell you that I’m just a little bit perplexed as to why she is up there stumbling over her words to endorse Mr. Trump. She says that she is anti-establishment, and I must give her credit, she has been steadfast in the Tea party movement. But, please lets not forget she was the V.P. pick for John McCain when he ran in 2008. Ummm.. that’s the biggest Establishment candidate in Republicans circles that you can have.

She tried to articulate that Trump would “Fire” people, a line from his former television show, as a means to restore American Might in the world. I’m sorry is a television show or the fuckin’ race for President of the United States. I’ve absolutely had enough of the media peddling this man for the past year plus now. I agree that some of the other candidates vying for President aren’t the most charismatic, but they are all far more qualified for the title of President than Trump.

This is probably one of the most important elections that we’ve had since 2008 we elected Barack Obama President. This is a chance to cement the legacy of Obama and have a President who will continue to forward the Progressive agenda, or turn back to a party that really wants to separate classes and make sure states rights and Big Business are supreme to the best interest of the country as a whole.  Seeing Palin up there stammering through her words and trying to make the case for Trump makes me further know just how critical this election will be.

America please wake up and realize that we need to take a long look at all of the candidates running for President, we need to make the best informed decision possible.

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Another Blow

As it’s no secret that I am an avid supporter of President Barack Obama, I must say that the news this morning that we got four American back from Iran in exchange for six of theirs, I must say that I thought to myself..Damn it he did it again. With a smile I have to think how much swag Barack Obama must be walking around with these days.

As I sit and have conversations with folks who say that he’s out of touch because his final State of the Union address was not a doom and gloom speech, I try to remind them that if he used that speech for that he would have been vilified. There is no doubt that there is significant work to do domestically and abroad. But, lets also be very clear, President Obama has made some gutsy moves and quite a few of them have paid off big time.

Now I know that a lot of Republicans and uptight Conservatives won’t see it that way. They will find a way to skew it so that he doesn’t get the credit that he and his Secretary of State deserve. They will find a way to make sure that they continue to focus on the things that Obama hasn’t done, but you know that’s just par for the course for this President. He has had to live in a bubble where his accomplishments are diminished because most of the White elitist that operate in Washington D.C. and in the media don’t really that man to succeed, nor have a legacy that withstands the test of time.

It has been great to watch this man navigate through all the bull shit to continue to deliver monumental moments like this and others in his Foreign Policy agenda. I don’t agree with all the choices he’s made as Commander in Chief, but I can see how his efforts and policies have helped to make this country better. He is using Diplomacy first to engage the world before using American military might. But as he said in his address, if anyone thinks that he isn’t strong on Foreign Policy ask Osama Bin Laden and some of the other terrorist leaders.

That’s right you can’t, because they’re dead. So as another awesome headline hit the television and print media today, I think we have to be so mindful that while Republican Presidential candidates distort his record, just look at all his accomplishments with an unbiased eye and you will see he is on a roll. Keep givin’ em hell Obama!