Civil Religion

Disclaimer: I used this as my intro to one of my final papers. This is MY work.

September 2011 exactly 10 years after the horrendous attack on the World Trade Center, there was a New York Jets football game. They played who we as Americans consider “America’s team” the Dallas Cowboys. It was opening weekend for the National Football League and a very emotional time for the nation; especially the city of New York. A man in a Dallas Cowboys jersey (the away team) refused to stand up for the National Anthem. His reasons were he was a Jehovah’s Witness, but ultimately he did not really need an excuse or reason. We tote this saying “the land of the free” yet when one does something out of the norm and exuberates being free, we chastise them for it. This man was harassed by some Marines behind him for his actions and fellow attendees at the game saw nothing wrong with it. The man in the Cowboys jersey feared for his life and ended up using a taser on the group of men harassing him. Now, how ironic is that? A man sporting the jersey of “America’s team” doesn’t stand up for the national anthem and is harassed by some Marines for exercising his right to not do something, which is what we are told Marines fight for. No matter how free we think we are in America and how individualistic we want to be, everything boils down to a civil religion and obeying those unwritten rules in this country.

America's Education Plan

Sometimes we let our desires cloud our reality. The proof is always there, yet when the truth is too harsh we tend to keep faith in it possibly not being the truth. With each generation of children getting an American (public) education, it seems like the curriculum focuses more on passing tests than educating our future citizens. There are two main arguments that are supported by facts and unfortunately those facts are a poor reflection on our society. The way our government sees it, under-performing schools should be closed down and teachers "punished" for it. They use standardized testing to determine each schools' performance and an educators livelihood hangs in the balance. Is that fair? Not really since there are many factors as to why a certain school may have more students failing than the others and it probably has nothing to do with the actual teachers and their techniques. Maybe the school doesn't have enough school supplies, space, or teachers which is very common in these impoverished neighborhoods all over America that has schools closing at an alarming rate. This burden often falls onto the shoulders of everyone involved in said school, so they need to come up with answers with close to no resources. Well these teachers have to defend themselves for their rent, groceries, and student loan payments depend on it. The very legitimate argument these educators have is that education is not something solely done in the school. Where are the parents, why aren't they doing their part to enforce the basic educational values they received as a child? As a parent I'd be a fool to think that it is anyone else's sole responsibility to teach my child. We live in a world where responsibility is not a common attribute and people only think about the immediate future. Yes Sianna is my spawn, but she is a citizen of this world who will possibly make life decisions that will determine how every single one of us will live in the future. If she becomes a criminal because of the people she is around and my values and life jewels I gave her weren't enough, she may end up making someone who never cared for her welfare a victim who shunned her and it will affect/effect that person's family drastically. Or maybe one of her teachers who really inspired her will have a family member who suffers from some illness and that'll be the impetus behind my daughter becoming that doctor who cures said disease which effects millions of people. I mean those two examples are quite extreme, but exactly how far-fetched are they regarding our society? America's goal isn't our goal, period. The education system and it's standardized tests have been directly linked to studies which determine where prisons are built. States receiving funding to build prisons based on how low their scores are. America's goal is not a nation of educated people with hopes of living the "American Dream." America's goal is a nation of poor people with skill-sets which only allow them to go so far in life and keeps them dependent on the government. Starbucks and McDonalds are a dime a dozen, even more so than churches now. There will always be room for cashiers in this world as long as the citizens of this world don't value education; America banks on that, literally.

I done turned Brooklyn to Manhattan...

If there is any day that you'll learn, you gon' learn today. Read a Facebook status about a week ago which inspired this blog post. The person suggested that the faces we as Black people identify with (celebrities) are the ones they send to help destroy us. Sort of how the mafia or mob would send your best friend to kill you, so you'll never see it coming. We've been given poison from the enemy in various forms. The most potent is when it comes with a familiar face. Now I'm an avid NY Knick fan so my allegiance basketball-wise has always been a city thing as far as pride, but don't get it twisted I've liked watching the Brooklyn Nets. In fact the only Knick game I went to this year was against their new rival Nets and I've actually attended 2 Nets games this year. Everyone from Brooklyn no matter how long their residency is proud to be from here; sorry it's just the coolest borough. With that sense of pride comes a price unfortunately. Since there was word of the Nets coming to Brooklyn the whole city has been in a frenzy; new rival, a city divided. What some have failed to realize is that the division does not only fall with one being a fanatic of one of the two teams. See we have a new rivalry in this city and our political friends like to call it "class warfare." Other terms such as gentrification have been tossed around, but simply put it's the same old case of the Haves versus the Have-Nots. The most fucked up thing is that it ultimately boils down to a matter of race and location. Us poor (Black and Brown) people in Brooklyn have been sitting on prime real estate since forever with our easy access to the subway which makes our commute to the luxurious Manhattan a hop, skip, and a jump. Manhattan has become a wealthy European's paradise, so the natives can't keep up with the rising prices to live in the borough. Now moving to the Bronx isn't quite ideal well because there's nothing really there besides a zoo and Yankee Stadium (new and old). The city of NY has not really pumped a whole lot of dollars into revamping that borough, so all efforts have to come from the residents which isn't a whole lot. It's not as industrialized as a Manhattan or has a large enough population as a Brooklyn so it's almost a lost cause in the eyes of the powers that be in this city/state. Manhattanites want to be as close to Manhattan without that Manhattan price. Queens doesn't have enough trains/train stations and NOBODY moves to Staten Island. My Beloved Brooklyn has been gifted and cursed with a new-found desire of people wanting to live here. I mean over the years there has been a spike in residency and rent, but after the new stadium it's had a negative effect on the people. They threw native Brooklyn son Jay-Z all over the face of the Nets before they arrived and We as a whole embraced the new team and stadium never mind the steep cost. Local shops were bought out and demolished, even peoples' homes as well. Still didn't matter, it was a morale boost for the borough. Fast forward to Spring 2013, the Nets have an awesome season and Jay-Z bails out on the team for other endeavors and guess who is stuck holding this expensive ass bag? We were blinded by sports and fame and concerts and fancy new train stations and fucking forgot or didn't care to actually check what the average rent is by Madison Square Garden, this stadiums Big Brother. My wife and I have been passive-aggressively looking for a home to buy in Brooklyn and I swear with each Net win the price jumps another 10 thousand fazules. Damn, (y)our local hero Sean Carter came up in here like our good good long time friend and just whacked us mob style. No prints on the gun and we were the only witness, yet at the same time a victim. We let it happen and now look at the rent in Brooklyn. Look at what these homes cost. Brooklynites cant afford to live here anymore. Look what we let happen to my Beloved Brooklyn. We done turned Brooklyn to Manhattan... Yall gon' learn today, tomorrow, next week, next month, hell HOPEFULLY just any fucking day! Check your ingredients people, Peace!

Who is to blame?

One of my newest favorite songs starts out with Pete Rock uttering the words "These little niggas is crazy..." It's a Styles P record featuring Pharaoh Monch and I ultimately like the record. It reminds me of a barbershop conversation amongst the elders in an urban neighborhood. It also represents the men who've come directly before me, that point out the problem and complain about it approach. The only difference is that my generation of men are glorifying these problems because the very same men who came before us did so. There is absolutely no break in this cycle. Human beings are creatures of habit, so if you teach me how to do something I will learn it and possibly perfect it. Now I'm not here to bash or be critical of rap music, but I would like to address something that hasn't been spoken about; when does it stop? Death and destruction in rap music is about 15-20 years old (on a national/international level), so it is still a baby. I cannot for the life of me understand why this is seen as a form of entertainment. I can understand why there is a need for a Chief Keef to let us know what is going on with young Black males in American ghettos, but I cannot understand why people have a problem with his style of dress or Instagram pictures. I thought the problem was that this young man, like many of his peers, embrace dangerous lifestyles. This concept of leading a potentially deadly life is somewhat ignored and seen as just another "thing." Are We too busy out there getting our own shit and worrying about Me, to realize our lack of doing is causing Our untimely demise as a people? I have a suggestion: Lets stop praying for eachother and start doing for one another OR nah is it easier to think about better thoughts for someone really really hard with your eyes closed while kneeling?
"CHILDREN is all missing the rulebook, these old niggas is hard don't know how to school'em/ Don't know how a herb or a sucker or fool look, don't know how a crack-pack, dope, or the tool look"- Styles P
I'm not sure that they should know what all of those things are, but we sure ain't schooling them with the right schooling. Lets start equipping our children before they're forced to equip themselves with weapons and shoot fellow poor people at home and abroad. Peace!

Window Pain

The world through my window isn't dark. Bright though, it may not be, yet I can still see things a bit clearer. In efforts to maintain my sanity and remain true to myself, the greater good I sought. Those dark skies became light, and the shadows and things that went bump caused less of a fright. I sought out the good and the bad faded on its own, Not to black just to the background. And the space created left room for endless possibilities. The world through my window hadn't always been fair. There were days when no sun shined and the abyss came in and took its hold. I made the choice to reclaim what's mine. My life my dreams my aspirations. No jealousy or hatred or room for negation. No simple minded people with one track minds. But a willingness to go farther that can be defined. I adjusted my lens and focus and zoomed. Imaginations should run wild, shit we've been to the moon. With constraint and a goal and a plan in hand
I retrained my brain, (oh yes, you can)
Societies fallacies and over saturation of the "truth", mean nothing unless you let it, lets take a look at it the youth. The fragile and weak and easily lead a stray, it saddens my heart to think of raising kids any where near this way.
But when you have a chance to observe those things now taken for granted.
Like love and loyalty and fidelity and standards. It should bring comfort to know that all is not lost. The story of your ancestors and the fights that they fought. Was not totally in vain
Many of us will never know their pain
Or the true meaning of struggle. Everyday struggle.

New Message Alert!

I always bash watching the news. I guess it's because I honestly don't believe America as a whole is smart enough to decipher the messages being put into the airwaves. The Boston bomb suspect is going to be treated as an enemy combatant in his case. Now I'm going assume that everyone doesn't actually know what that means, lets just say he wont have the same rights as George Zimmerman in his case. Now this alleged bomber is being treated as such because of his RADICAL THOUGHTS i.e. his involvement with ISLAM and trips to CHECHNYA and RUSSIA. So is you dong praise capital G, and your passport has a potential enemy stamp on it, you're a radical. You will never hear of this alleged bomb suspect again. They are also labeling him a RADICAL because this is being treated as a mass murder. I don't know exactly how many people have to be killed at once for a crime to be labeled a mass murder, but if killing multiple people at one time revokes your rights as a criminal and you're a radical then why is James Holmes not an enemy combatant. Yeah the Aurora shooter. What about attempting to kill more than one person, shouldn't intent play a part in the matter? Why weren't the Sean Bell shooters being treated as such. Is it because these people were American citizens who were victims, why we treat this alleged bomb suspect as a radical/enemy combatant? Is this a tactic they see fit as one that will prove effective, sort of to scare people into NOT killing people? Why aren't people who murder Black American citizens treated as enemy combatants? Why are we allowing those in law enforcement to make up the rules while playing the game? This guy is going to disappear and you guys are going to forget about this Boston bombing until the 1 year anniversary, just like 9/11, Aurora, Sean Bell, Diallo, Troy Davis, Trayvon, Oak Creek Wisconsin (Sihk Temple Shooting), Newtown, etc & etc... Check your ingredients y'all, PEACE!

God Bless You

Yo I watched the Bible's television series and I can't lie... I think if you believe any of that shit is true you might be un-smart. You may not be pro-intelligence. First off, that was the first time I've learned any stories wholeheartedly in the Bible and oh my L. Ron Hubbard that shit is violent. That shit helped me understand why the Crusades was popping and why America (Christian Country) feels like guns and violence is the key to ANYTHING. Possibly the most violent TV series I've seen all year, and I watch "The Walking Dead" weekly. What scares me is that a lot of the Bible was left out in the television series, so exactly who the fuck does the History Channel think they're talking to and why would they hide the truth? I mean I know why, I hope others ask why. Secondly, I've spoken to many scholars and just avid Bible readers and their was lots of sexual activity left out of the Bible television series. Ummm what's up with that hot shit? This is pretty much lying to people like myself who are ignorant to the Bible's teachings and stories. No, I don't care to read the fucking Bible, but it made an awesome television show for Sundays being that football season is over and "Game Of Thrones" just came back last week. With all the sex, violence, and hallucinations (come on son, speaking to a burning bush) the Bible seems like it was a frat party or rock & roll concert. Ultimately, the Bible made the best comic to television series of all time in my opinion. Bra-vo King James, Bra-vo (or whomever wrote that shit).

You Need Peace of Mind, Here's a Piece of Mine

I get it, I'm not gotten. People don't get me, I'm fine with that. My understandings of the world and life aren't what we'd consider the norm, yet for one to understand those two differently than myself comes across to me as a misunderstanding of what it means to understand. 1+1=2 is what we're taught. The easiest math problem we could possibly learn as a child. In the workings of this world we occupy, not too many examples prove this as truth. Of course if Johnny has 1 apple and he picks another one out of the tree, he then has 2 and I totally get that. If Johnny and Jane meet and become fond of one another and later on become a couple, they are now 1. It's not 2 individuals in a relationship, well that's what we're taught. Maybe that's the reason why marriage has such a high divorce rate, the lack of the 1? So then if we use simple math and figure that 1+1 doesn't always need to equal 2, then maybe our perspective on life would change. In fact 1+1+1+1+1+1=1 at times, especially when it matters the most. A collective of individuals working for one cause with the same ideals become one movement. Who manipulated these numbers to make us look at eachother as math problems on a daily basis? Why are we seeing eachother with dollar signs in our eyes? Why are we nothing but statistics to one another? Why do we need a number figure to make something truth when 1 out of any amount of people being the total opposite can logically offset a stereotype and prove it as a total falsehood? I guess it's just easier to misunderstand what understanding all of what I said is... Rabbit Run.

Sleep To The Slaughter

Ever since I've been opining via the internet there has been one concise theme no matter the approach I take; noone likes to really know they're being fooled, and most of the time it's by their own free will. Simple things like one doing research have now become a task for super-humans with the ability to NOT be lazy. Every new fight/struggle/cause/issue/WHATEVER in this world (well especially the U.S. of A) have really been just popular trends to "care" about. Nobody cared about Troy Davis. Nobody cared about Trayvon Martin. Nobody cared about Joe Kony. Nobody cared about Aurora, Colorado. Nobody cared about Newtown, Conneticut. Nobody cared about Christopher Dorner. Nobody cared about gun control. Nobody cared about Libya. No, you people care about making bitches bow down and defending the right to do so. You care about being the president's side-chick, and how she is "empowering." You care about "housewives" with nannies, who drink wine all day, party all night, and disrespect their family with their outrageous behavior fist-fighting and all kinds of bullshit on natoinal television. You care about wanting to put as much salt as you can in your GMO ass food. You care about drinking 139 ounce drinks in the movie theaters out of foam cups. You care about yelling WORLDSTAR and recording savage behavior instead of perhaps preventing an act of violence. You care about blasting your Beats By Dre on maximum volume with bullshit like "dont stop pop that pussy" in your ear at the gym and using that as motivation to get your ass fatter so a REAL NIGGER can pour some champagne and money on you Memorial Day weekend in Miami, Florida. One thing I can say about MYSELF is that I keep it concise. Views may be swayed, perspectives may be modified by new information, but my stance on what I deem important and sacred are always the same. The subject matter in which I choose to elaborate on is always an effort on my behalf to make a better me and Us. I try to discuss shit that we all should care about, but then the media gets bored and starts making you care about bullshit that scares you. This illusion of "freedom" and "free will" to do as you please has got all of you cats out here asleep. You don't give a fuck about equality, you don't even care about your own quality of life. Miss me with the gay-marriage support and bust it open for a real nigger like you're used to doing. The minute this topic gets boring again, it'll be something else which will be the total opposite of equality you'll fall for. Check Your Ingredients...

Worms

Can't judge a worm by fish standards. Can't judge a fish by a bear's standard. Can't judge a bear by a rifle's standard. Those people who shoot rifles like to put people in catergories which further seperate, yet bring certain folk together. My culinary background makes me evaluate certain peeps cooking skills on a whole nother level, but it doesn't make me judge their character in the least bit. See we have to level the playing field here, and until we do so suck my dick. Now I do not mean that in any sexual way at all, but I do so mean that ever so sensual because it's offensive. See I've been offended my whole life being tested like an experiment monkey with these fucking standardized tests which may or may not punt me into the right playing field of life. Can you imagine being 6 years old and not making the cut for an elite program in an elementary school because you didn't pass a test by a point or two and the opposite of passing is being a 6 year old in a classroom with less teachers and no textbooks? Or nah you're cool with that? Nobody wants to open up that can of worms, because we'd then have to seriously discuss how we evaluate EVERYTHING on a life scale. My African mind wouldn't do well in a Euro-centric society, so when you tell me it's about ME ME ME eye won't understand because my DNA is telling me WE US THEM. Nevermind, bow down bitches... PEACE!

Celebrating Celebrities

Yeah the title is a little redundant but please let me explain. There seems to be this pandemic in the world we live in where the idolization of famous human beings isn't enough, we've gone to the extreme. Some are mutilating their bodies to pay homage, some are even altering their own body to mimic these people. I have no problem with admiring people from afar or near, but we're now at a point where what was once seen as obsessive and/or deranged, is now damn near the bare minimum. I remember getting into a scuffle in a bar a while back (well I got sucker punched and the guy ran) over a LeBron James debate on whether he'd come to the New York Knicks or not. I've been in countless disagreements with people over the years where the situation almost became a physical altercation. Now I know I can be a jerk and I know how to say things to get under people's skin, but plenty of times the person's rage comes from an emotional place that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual argument we were having. They took what I said personal solely because what I said disagreed with their perspective of said person, the celebrity. Never have I had a disagreement with someone about something pertinent to Our own welfare and it became so heated that I thought we'd come to blows. I mean I can debate/argue all day about the state of Black America with anyone, but the minute I don't agree with Beyonce telling young women to bow down to her and refering to them as bitches I face opposition filled with determination and rage. You guys are all fans of the wrong shit. I like all forms of entertainment as the next person, but I'd be a fool to think that my admiration for a person's skill-set is an excuse to celebrate them to the point where I'd place them before my/Our best interests. It takes too much energy to explain to me why your personal opinion of someone is better than the next person's. Why not focus that passion on your community and people, or nah? By the way, my position on the LBJ fiasco was that he would never play in NYC because he has too many endorsements. They'd tax the shit out of him and it'd make no sense to have a max deal. The other guys perspective was "NAH YO, LBJ wanna come to NYC to be an inspiration to the kids." I explained to him that what he was saying was ideal, but don't hold your breath because I doubt it happens. I guess he didn't understand what "don't hold your breath" meant and when I sat down he reached around and punched me in the eye. I gathered myself and saw a No. 23 Cleveland Cavs LeBron James jersey running out the bar. So yeah... Peace!

Gang Violence

So this show "The Bible" is like a fucking super number 1 hit ratings-wise show on television. Now me being the "heathen" I am, youd think I would stray away from such a show. WRONG! This is my SHIT! Like this is the ultimate fucking soap opera/comic book/drama on television in ever. Yes my dude, in EVER! I've never read the Bible because when I did at a young age I was on some "damn Marvel comics ain't even entertaining, what is this bullshit" type of shwag (yes shwag). As an adult I'm on some "yall people live your fucking lives according to this bullshit doctrine with no evidence type of shwag" shwag? Why do we need pieces of paper with undocumented documents by undocumented folks to tell us we should love one another and not kill eachother? What is wrong with you fucking people? My neighbor had a falling out with her child's father and his mother and it became physical, I called the police. Before I dialed 911 there was no epiphany like "what would Jesus do" or "I'm a Christian/Muslim/Quaker/whatever, so let me call the law." It was more of a "Uhhhhhhhh I have sisters and he might have a weapon so let me call po-9 because I don't want to put myself in such a position and end up losing." Losing being dying... That was my part though, I looked out. My good deed I did without hesitation and it didn't make me feel good about doing it. I felt awful because the cops came and another Black man who doesn't know how to express himself put his hands on a pregnant woman, carrying his child, got into an argument with his mother and I had to call police officers to handle the situation, because if I myself did so I'd possibly risk bodily harm. What does the Bible say about that? Before you even begin to answer, re-evaluate this scenario and put yourself into my shoes as a Muslim, Atheist, or Buddhist. After that, take your Christian views and apply to the situation. See, we all in the same gang yall... Peace

Zone is frozen you sweating? Woooooo

Listen I get it, the NYPD ain't SHIT. I get everyone's stance and feelings on the NYPD as a the enforcers of the law, sometimes the abusers of it as well. To condemn every single police officer walking this Earth would be ignorant of me, because that'd be the equivalent of judging a whole race of people by the actions of a few. So I'm torn because I get stopped for I.D. knowing it's only because I'm Black, but if there is a child molester or murderer living on my floor I'm most definitely calling 9-1-1. So I'm going to visit this FROZEN ZONE shit going on in my BELOVED Flatbush, Brooklyn. This is the neighborhood of Brooklyn which has made me who I am today. I was driving down Snyder Avenue around 7pm with my wife and child and I see about 4 cops on horses, police trucks, and countless "walk-foots" (cops on the beat) in a concentrated area. It sort of looked like they were being briefed or gearing up for something. I then realized this is around the area where a riot took place earlier in the week. I most definitely make a mental note of it and already know the police are preparing themselves for something, perhaps another "peaceful" vigil for the young man Kimani Gray who was murdered by police. I fall asleep waiting on the Knicks to play, wake up around 2:15am and I see a whole lot of Facebook posts about a "Frozen Zone" and words like "MARTIAL LAW" are on every other posts, with a couple of "fuck the pigs/NYPD." So immediately the jerk/asshole in me wants to look at this situation objectively, because I find it to be a fucking super power to be able to understand both spectrums of any situation. Now when you motherfucking President Obama supporters were out there drinking that Fist-Bump knuckle juice, he hit Us over the head with a NEW & IMPROVED Patriot Act. See New Yorkers instead of being outraged by such a gesture, you were out here trying to declare your freedom to drink a fucking BIG SLAM PEPSI because it made you feel like you were FREE. The rest of the nation was bickering about whether or not "God" should be in the classroom OR gun laws which quite honestly do not effect us until they basically take away ALL guns. So I don't want to hear SHIT about martial law because we BEEN HERE! What's so crazy is that you people need to be personally punched in the face to know that when you get punched in the face it actually hurts. If this fucking frozen-zone was in a town with population 3400 people nobody would give a flying fuck, but since it hits home directly (in a part of town which isn't even all that safe) you want to cry about martial law. What a lot of my fellow Brooklynites, New Yorkers, American residents DO NOT know is that the police have been in that neighborhood on every corner in squad cars from 4pm-10pm (roughly) because a young woman was raped and people were being robbed at gunpoint, some even shot. The police aren't enforcing these frozen-zone rules in areas which scream "WE ARE SAFE HERE AT DAY OR NIGHT." Church Ave is not a safe street to walk down after a certain time of night, and the fucking people who live in that neighborhood can tell you this. I've witnessed some of the most violent shit on Church Avenue and I've served in IRAQ. Furthermore, lets not get besides ourselves because WE as citizens cannot/refuse to police ourselves! This is the same community that will watch a Black kid kill another Black kid and put the victim on a t-shirt, wall, or throw a party in the kids name or dedicate a basketball tournament for them AND say "free my nigga _______" who fucking murdered him. The minute a White cop kills a Black kid we're robbing fucking Rite Aid where our grandmother buys her meds from to stay alive and break the windows on the B35 bus we use to get to work & school. For those of you reading this and thinking to yourself "well that ain't me out there rioting and blah blah blah..." Well guess what, you let them. We didn't self-check that in OUR community so now somebody else has to. I don't give a fuck, freeze every zone. If you think I'm full of shit, I DARE all of these criminals out there to NOT commit a crime this weekend. PEACE!

This Is Why I Can't Rock With You Cats

About one month ago there was (allegedly) a savage running around Los Angeles County murking police officers and their family members. Being that we as humans love to flock to a movement because we're groomed to never want to be an outsider, a lot of my fellow Man agreed with the actions of this supposed cop killer because he was rebelling against the LAPD. I'm not about to explain to you why you cannot hate a whole group of people because of the actions of individuals, but if you don't understand that then please remove yourself from this blog. So now we have this Rambo-esque cat on the run shooting people and now the citizens are getting shot at because the LAPD is scared to death and shooting to kill anyone who resembles this alleged murderer. The police department is looking incompetent because they cannot find this one guy, so other federal agencies get involved to find this one guy. This one guy is just way too elusive for all these federal agents so the idea of using DRONES  to hunt down U.S. citizens is introduced. See the use of DRONES to hunt down the "enemy," noone has a problem with because this is all done to "protect us" citizens from terrorists a fucking continent away. No matter how inhumane this practice may seem, the force-feeding of never forgetting 9/11 eventually makes it's way into our sub-conscious and we justify this bullshit. So now that we have painted a picture a domestic terrorist (whom some have agreed with and supported, even arguing how the shooting of innocent people is okay although they themselves wouldn't do it because it's wrong) the DRONES are not out of the question, because we're scared to death as a whole. They find this man in a cabin and there is no mention of whether or not the DRONES were the reason why. I mean at this point it probably doesn't matter because we caught the guy, but for some reason there will be no trial because they actually burned this man to death. There was and still is no uproar about this man getting burned alive and I want to assume there are a couple of reasons why. First is the obvious which is the suspect was Black/African-American. Second, Scandal is on T.V. and nobody has time to be worried about themselves and fellow citizens. Lastly, I don't think everyone is smart enough to decipher what actually was wrong with this whole situation and what made it bogus. Oh yeah, New York City residents just spotted another DRONE flying over the city; the second one in a couple of days. Enjoy the Pope Madness and March Madness, I'll be over here paying attention... Peace.

All aboard!!

Currently on the Amtrak Acela Express heading to Philly. Why?? Cuz I have an interview with a company that can change me life as I know it.

Seems drastic to most I'm sure to travel this far for a job but guess what, and a career is what I'm after and I'm not special enough to have it simply dropped in my lap. But sometimes when you put it out there, up there, pray, wish, hope whatever it is that you do...sometimes, and most sometimes, the universe talks back. Are you listening??

So I choose not ignore the jobs that add time to my commute and would rquire me to get up an hour earlier. And I read the postings for OT and even OC. And as I sit on this train I realize that my motivations for doing this, right now, are bigger than me. I'm thinking about kids to come, and education systems, and health and emergency care and opportunities and lack of limitations that my concrete jungle in the middle of a mad/crowded/consuming city sometimes restricts.

Not bashing where I'm from, it's made me who I am. But I can't do paycheck to paycheck just to maintain my independence and I just don't see living in moms basement with hubby and child as a permanent way to go. (In between gigs, Unexpected lay off, Saving for a house cool months tops though). And many front like its the best thing ever, but depending on what you want in/from life, there are downsides to this big city living that will forever stand in your way. And the lights and buildings do nothing for me any more. I crave peaceful, serene, quiet when it should be, and civility amongst neighbors, as equal equal opportunity as it can get and decency.

My decisions today will without a doubt affect my life 1, 5, 10 years from now. And as for the uncontrollable I pray you be gentle. And the controllable, I'mma tighten my grip. No tattoos or hair styles or cynicism or negativity are gonna keep me from doing me. I got plans. Shit to do. Moves to make. Trees to shake. Never was one did the fortune and game. But comfort and security go a long way as well and my unforseeable children will want for naught! And if they take longer come, I can live knowing that whenever they do, I'm ready.

Live for today but always have your mind on tomorrow.

It's always tomorrow, never yesterday.

Next stop. 30th street Philly.

#wishmeluck
#ordontimblessed

Black Culture

I had a conversation with someone about a remark a professor once made which I seen as her being sneaky, trying to sneak-diss Black people. We were discussing some American religions and one that came up was the celebration of Independence Day. She then started to bring up some of the traditional celebratory things we do as a culture and shit like BBQing, fireworks, and drinking ice cold beer came up. No harm there until she blurted out "and you guys watermelon." Now I caught that light jab from this old stanking ass Jewish woman, but the rest of the class didn't seem to see anything wrong with it. I didn't open my mouth because just MAYBE she wasn't trying to be snarky and genuinely thought that all Black people ate watermelon on Independence Day, but being that the class was 90% African (like from Africa) and West Indian they didn't see anything wrong with her comment at all. See I'm West Indian myself, so I never understood the beef with watermelon comments until I lived in the southern part of America and realized it was somewhat of a racial stereotype. I mean I don't eat watermelon and the only people I saw eating watermelon was the people who I knew were raised in Black American households which wasn't many of my friends. Back to the person I had this discussion with, their perspective was that eating watermelon and chicken actually IS Black culture in America. Now the professor made the comment abut a week ago and now I'm not even offended by it anymore. When I look at Black culture in America it embodies every fucking stereotype that is out there, some by choice some are forced but they are present. I mean we cannot be the people who are on welfare the most we're like 15% of this country, but per capita we are the most represented. Per capita we've the highest dropout rates in high school and the lowest SAT scores, not solely our fault but this is a stereotype we don't seem to mind proving right. Per capita we've spat out the most single-mothers from our community, but that's not solely to sex mis-education because we have to factor in the unfair treatment of Black males in the judicial system via absurd jail sentences or law enforcement simply shooting us dead in the street. When I drive through White neighborhoods I dont see Kennedy, Crown, Kansas, American, etc... Fried Chicken, KFC, Churchs, or Popeyes on every other corner so I mean is it safe to say Black people like chicken like a motherfucker? Someone is going to misunderstand this blog and feel as if I'm hating my own people, but when I sit back and evaluate Black culture in America all I see is Eurocentric idealogies forced upon us being carried out and exercised. All the plans they had for us are working out for Them, not Us. We embraced everything they gave us and will fight tooth and nail to keep those oppressive practices thriving in our culture. I've never seen a Black Jesus in a White person's home, but a Black person will be quick to tell me it doesn't matter what race Jesus is with a White Jesus on their wall. Not trying to get too into the religious aspect of it, but that was just an example of Black culture embracing what we was given. I know that people eat chitterlings in the southern region of America still, but the ones I encounter are only the Black people. Not to say there aren't any White people who do, but the history of that nasty ass food comes from... Go look it up. So listen we like fried chicken and watermelon, but I'm also smart enough to know that every and anyone can and does enjoy those two foods. For it to be a stereotype, sure why not. It's moreso an American thing than a racial thing, but let's not act like Black people dont like chicken and watermelon. All the other stereotypes I mentioned, unfortunately we do represent them well and it's a fucking shame because of actually discrediting these as stupid assumptions about Us as a people by doing the total opposite, we'd rather excuse and explain them without a plan of action. Just a thought yall... Peace!

Stop Di Bloodclot Crying

I'm sick and tired of your fucking crying about inflation. When you complain about what you ain't got time for, yet will shake that ass to a rapper telling you what he got time and money for you look fucking crazy. Why are all the hit songs about shit we cannot afford as regular citizens? Why are we entertained by unrealistic notions? There used to be a time in this country when if shit didn't go the way we wanted, the people showed their ass and marched and/or even burned some shit down; what happened to that mindset? Where did the "fighting against the man" mentality go? Why are we so passive with all the outrageous shit that goes on in this country? I mean this is pre-molly so don't start blaming the youth of today, who are probably more rebellious than my parents' generation. Who dropped the ball here? Where did this complacent attitude come from? Another subway hike in NYC? No worries, we're going to pay it right? Right? Riiiiiiiiight, herbs...

No Such Thing As White Jesus

I find it bizarre and kind of fucking stupid how We as Black/African/African-American people will acknowledge (well some of us that are aware) that the FIRST man was an African man, but will cry and do the Harlem Shake in church catching the Holy Ghost because of some White man with long flowing brown hair with a well manicured goatee. I just don't see the logic in it, especially when we can go into the history books (no not your Bible) and figure out what exactly your Bible would be talking about if it were true. What I started to do was give people verbatim what in the Bible can be disputed and discredited but then I'd seem like a Christian hating Atheist. I'm not a Christian hater nor am I an Atheist (for those who think I don't believe in ANYTHING) which is pretty much the premise of this blog post. Who told you that YOUR belief is the right belief, a book that supports YOUR belief? Why can't we consider other beliefs and religions? How come it's Christianity/Judaism or the highway? What about Buddhist? What about Scientologists? Why do we have to be so certain about who or what we praise and thank for waking up instead of being grateful the Sun is doing it's job in nature providing trees with sunlight so we can get some fucking oxygen in our lungs to keep us alive? Why do we have to place a face/race/time on a savior instead of Us fixing what's wrong in society instead of just praying to something/one who may or may not be coming the fuck back to fix man-made troubles that literally kill us? Literally kill us... People are dying over religion y'all... We're savages, I don't give a fuck who you praise. If you're praying for troops to come home unarmed and for them to kill people who share different beliefs than you, you're a savage. If you feel like God hates people who share a different race/gender/sexuality/pay/education level/neighborhood than you, you're a savage. Religious texts are suggestions, nobody's God/Gods wrote them a person did. A person with a certain perspective and/or agenda wrote a pamphlet of guidelines and suggestions he/she felt was proper to instill within the persons dwelling this planet at a certain point and time. We can mix different fabrics of clothing, we'll be fine. A woman does not need to be stoned to death for commiting adultery if she is raped. These primitive ass notions being remixed to fit our society (some of them being the original version of themselvves as well) are bogus as fuck, because they are just tools to divide and conquer. Spread Love not Religion. No Such Thing As White Jesus.

Thank You Marchuary...

Boy was I sick & tired of reading about "respectable" Negro people that this society has deemed safe enough to celebrate in the shortest month of the year. I want to thank all my fellow Black people who unlike me, will no longer celebrate ANY Negro people for the next 365 days. See you guys are motivation, my fuel. The more I see how ignorant you are to Our history, the more I want to learn and spread what I learn to You and Others. See I get upset sometimes when my peers are too busy fawning over celebrity pregnancies, the latest viral sensations, and what the First Lady has on today, but I have to stay focused and realize that those distractions aren't for me. When I say that they aren't for me, it's me simply acknowledging that those are obstacles and weapons of mass destruction being used to deviate my attention from what I should be paying attention to. I cannot lie I'm late to the party, but better woke late than never. This later stage of my life has made others view me different, my new sense of pride has those trained to solely be proud in February think I'm "going too hard" or "practicing reverse racism" (whatever the fuck that is), so I get a lot of backlash when I come off as what you people call militant. I absolutely positively don't fucking care. Listen, you can have your month to celebrate the Negro people of this country who've made strides for the African American community (which are barely even noticed/celebrated), but see I've had enough White history decades ( I'm 30) so pardon my back while I celebrate some Black and African people for the next couple of decades. Peace!

C.U.N.T.S & Oscars...

I seriously Cant Understand Niggas Talking Shit about this bullshit online site "The Onion" calling little Black babies names, when we mock and ridicule Ourselves and say worse shit. Be mad ALL THE TIME. All fucking February I've seen meme after meme and social network post after the other of this self-hate/ridicule of Black History Month (which I can give two shits for) by people who find themselves being appreciative of Chez Whitey giving us the shortest month of the year to celebrate Our tainted history. Like seriously, give me a fucking break and save that outrage for TODAY which marks one year Trayvon Martin has been gunned down while his murderer walks the streets eating good because this savage has been showing up to court heavier and heavier. You want to participate in Their games and awards, you're unfortunately subjected to whatever treatment they feel you deserve. African American/Black actors and actresses still playing the same ol' sambo roles of servants, slaves, and musicians in movies, then HEY you're going to have to deal with Seth McFarlane refering to an established actor like Don Cheadle as a slave who needed to be freed in the parking lot. Get your shit together Black people...