What Made Me Conservative?

March 1st, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

For Lent, I decided to stop judging myself so harshly. Ask how’s that going for me. Not good, not good at all but I’ll push forward. To make up for my inability to give myself a break, I’ve also massively turned down my XBox Live time. I’m sad about this, just give me a minute.

While I was flipping through the channels yesterday, I passed by Fox and Rush Limbaugh address to CPAC was on. In Rush’s first address to a national audience, I found so many reason’s to cheer. I got a different take for you, as I often do.

I questioned yesterday, when did I become “conservative”? I came to one undeniable truth, I’ve been conservative since the first time my mother gave me an allowance. We were on welfare, I’m talking public housing and food stamps. You know what I’m talking about, the peanut butter with just a picture of a peanut on the front, yeah.

Anyways, every summer when it was time for the ice cream truck to roll around, my mother would give us an allowance. We got $2 a week. Back then, the lady on the corner sold frozen Kool-aid for .25 cent and ice cream cost .50 cent off the truck. With $2 you were ballin.

When I got to the age when I was paying attention, something seperated us from the other little kids in the neighborhood. They went to the ice cream truck with food stamps. My mother refused to let us spend foodstamps on anything. If she didn’t have cash to give us, then she would go to the store and buy us ice cream with the food stamps. If I haven’t said this enough, I miss my Mom.

She was so old school. One summer, we were in the store and I saw this set of books I wanted. Yes, I was such a nerd. I knew better than to ask my mother for them, she didn’t play that. I started to save my $2 a week. I did it quitely. I snuck in the house when the ice cream truck rolled around so no one would pick on me for being the only person without a treat.

One day, I went to count my money and it was missing. I lost my mind crying, another thing my mother didn’t tolerate. She would make you completely stop crying before you told her what was wrong. I told her about my money and she was happy.

Not that it was stolen but that I took initaitive to save. She quickly found out my brother had taken my money and spent every single dime. He got a beating but I still lost all the money I had saved.

I was mad as hell. I had saved and he got to spend, why didn’t I get my money back? My mother told me, shit happens and you have to find a way to get past it. I was pissed. I called my dad and told him what happened. He came huffing and puffing and took me to the store to buy those books.

What’s my point?

All I cared about as a kid was, what was fair? It didn’t matter that my mother was trying to teach me a lesson, it wasn’t fair and I wanted no part in it. My dad riding in on his white horse proved that life was fair.

Until I got older and realized, waiting for someone to ride up on their white horse is frivolous endeavor. Not because it won’t happen, but because you lose the experience letting someone else save you.

My mom was trying to teach me how to get up when I fell down. My dad didn’t teach me anything, except if you cry I’ll bend. Which lesson do you think is more effective now that I’m grown?

One more little story before I tie them all together. My mother had friends of every color. Race never bothered her. For those of you who don’t know, I was adopted, so I didn’t look like the other members of my family. I was lighter and skinnier and stuck out like a sore thumb.

I was often ridiculed. My sister and brother would call be ‘yellow’, ‘red’, and ‘orange’. I hated it. My mother would always pull me aside and ask if I thought I was beautiful. I was an awkward kid. I didn’t think anything about me was beautiful, but my mom made me constantly ask myself what I saw when I looked in the mirror.

Being the typical kid, I just wanted her to make them stop. She would, but not before she made me realize nothing they said changed who I really was. I was high yellow and skinny and that’s how God made me. The rest was irrelevant.

These are the lessons that make me conservative. I thought about all this yesterday as I watched Limbaugh speak. My mother never wanted us to go on welfare, she didn’t even want us to use foodstamps. My mother believed you will get knocked down, it’s only important that you get up. But most importantly, she taught me only you can make yourself a victim.

My mother made me conservative.

You think that’s all, don’t you? Not by a long shot. I moved with my dad when I was 11 or 12 and everything changed. No one checked my homework, made sure I went to school, or gave me a time to come in the house. I did whatever I wanted. All I had to do was keep my grades up.

So, what did I do with no one pushing me forward, I stood still. I made all the wrong choices and with each mistake, my father was there to bail me out. No questions asked, no long drawn out speeches about what I did wrong; just complaints about how he had to miss time at work to deal with me.

Now, my boys, they kept me quite conservative as well. I was trying to think of a single situation where Obama’s plan of government would fly on street level, and it does. Except by fly, I mean bullets wheezing through the air looking for a target. Imagine telling the top drug man on your block, he has to re-distribute his wealth.

Think about it. Imagine another crime family telling Scarface, you make to much money, you have to give us some. The street level dealer can’t make it without you. What would happen to the street level dealer? (I’m going to make up a story like that soon, I got some other points to add.)

He wouldn’t get a dime and if by some chance Scarface would’ve given him the money, nobody would’ve liked Al Pacino anymore. He would be soft and un-gangsta. The only respectable way to get Scarface’s money would be to take him out.

If we applied the same principles to real life, instead of complaining for the top to give up some of what they have, we would go and take it from them. I’m not talking about killing rich people. I’m talking about creating the businesses and technologies to take their place at the top.

Instead we stand back and hate on what they have. When did we become haters? When did we start hating the players and not the game. What’s even worse, we invented it and still can’t live up to it.

I know I get off subject, but the truths are still there. No one member of your group is going to pay for everybody no matter how much money they have and they shouldn’t have to . And you know your boys, would they continue to hang out with you if they always had to pay your way? Would you keep floating someone you know doesn’t even try?

No, but you expect the Government to.

The streets made me conservative.

Most importantly, above my mother and every friend I’ve ever known, God had made me Conservative.

All things are possible through the Lord that strengthens me. Not through Barack Obama, the Democratic Party, and the United States Government. God said we should only worship one Savoir and to beware of false idols. They will come claiming to have all the answers, all you have to do is follow.

I choose to follow God. When everything in my heart tells me that something is wrong, I trust it. When I pray for guidance and these are the words I type, they are not from me alone. I won’t let my heart be troubled by those who criticise and judge me for always, and I do mean always, stepping out on faith.

Faith that God has his hands on us and this to shall pass, as long as we are willing to stand up and give him praise.

In these trying days, are we putting more faith in a Man, than in the Lord. If only Barack can save us, then where is God’s part in all this? I know the politically correct thing is to separate church and state, but I have a problem with people that can do that. I can’t cut off my belief in God for anything. I can question his word but never just place it on the back burner.

Is this the ultimate step in taking God out of our society? We are a nation that prays and worships. When did we start praying to Obama, Pelosi, and Reid instead of the God for help with our mortgage, children, and everything else? When did we establish false ideals it was O.K. to worship?

God made me conservative

I purposely didn’t point out the one time in my life when I was liberal. I mentioned it, but I didn’t bring notice to it. Can you pick it out?

Bingo. When I let my dad solve all my problems for me. It was the unhappiest time in my life. Want to know why? When I should have been planning for college, I didn’t have a care in the world. When I should’ve been building a network of close friends, all my friends were being arrested or killed. When I should have been dreaming about a bright future, I was failing to prepare for any future at all.

Why? My dad was there to ride up on his white horse when ever I needed him. I don’t have to worry about college, my day will take care of it. He always has. It took me 7 years to go back to school and it wasn’t because my dad made it happen.

It came when I lost my mom and realized all the lessons she had taught me made strong enough to make it. It doesn’t matter if Bush or Obama is in office. I’ll be O.k because I’m not afraid to fail. Even though I hate failure with the passion of a thousand burning moons, I know I can get back up. I’ve done it a hundred times.

I guess I could say, Life has made me Conservative

We Are A Nation Of Cowards And Are Not Ashamed

February 26th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

The First Black Attorney General Eric Holder stood in front of reporters and called America, “a nation of cowards” when it comes to talking about race.

Rarely do I agree any Democrat but I’m half-way there on this one. I’d make a few changes though. He could’ve said, “We are a nation of cowards when it comes to being broke.” I’d agree. Or he should have said, “We are a nation of cowards hiding behind victimization,” when it comes to race.

Let’s deal with one at a time

Race

I think about the Stars that grace the Billboard charts, Magazines, and television, and we are represented. Not always in the best light, will the real hip-hop please stand up, but we are there. Now, we even have a black face in the White House.

All that means nothing. We can’t have a civilized conversation amongst ourselves without turning it into something ugly. How can we have the conversation on a National level?

When I bring up “black issues”, I’m assaulted because I don’t place blame elsewhere. Even if I give every concession that “the white man” is the cause and root of all our problems, I can never get passed that. Yes, that evil man did it, but what do we do next.

“We make them pay.”

O.K. while we are waiting on them to pay, because it’ll never happen, what do we do in the mean time.

“We make sure everyone knows that they are responsible.”

O.K. but what do we do to better ourselves in the mean time. Why is our entire existence based on what “they” do or don’t do. Don’t we get to make some choices instead of waiting on “them”?

As individuals, most of us have made a choice. We work, raise our families, and handle the stress of it all with pain grimaced through a smile. Life isn’t always fair, but we keep going. But as a collective, we have stopped moving forward. We are patiently waiting for some invisible “white person” to say they are sorry and some how “pouf” away our problems.

Problems we have created waiting. And that’s the problem. We allowed criminals to run our streets with no accountability. We don’t let snitches in and out of our communities. If we stuck together with the same strength towards gangs and dealers, we could police our own streets.

Isn’t that what we crave. To be the big man on the block. How come the big man never wants to create jobs with health care and retirement? And if these are the things missing in our communities, why don’t we give acceptance to the richer people who do?

Why would I give praise to a “white person”? Who says they are white. Russell Simmons, Oprah, Blah Blah Blah I could go on and on, but it would be fruitless. Why?

Because they are surrounded by people afraid to call them on it. A black rapper come out publicly for McCain, career suicide. Yet, AFTER the election Scarface came out and said he voted for McCain, nice and quiet like. Those who disagree with Obama, fear the backlash of a collective of black people stuck and stagnate. The collective is the mob and no one wants to be on the wrong side.

Then you have white people without a racist bone in their body to afraid to stand up. A black politicain can come out and race bait at his choosing but a white politician better watch his words.

We are such a Nation of Cowards

If you think race was bad, Income level is even worse

All my people who have ever been broke and made it out, our time is coming. We all want to look back and remember how good or bad our childhood was. If you were broke, whether it was good or bad, you learned a few tricks of the trade.

You know how to turn one chicken into three dinners and that experience is invaluable. The cowardice of which I speak won’t come from us. It will come from those who had everything handed to them on a silver tray, those that got it the easy way and don’t know how to maintain it, and those who wanted to take short cuts to get to their destination faster.

They will be the ones finding it hard to get assistance because they stomped on so many people along the way. They will waste time worrying about what they lost and not what they still have. They are the one’s clamouring to spend now because they don’t want to suffer.

They are cowards. Being broke isn’t fun, but it is manageable. It takes strength to realize what is necessary and what is not. If I don’t want my daughter to worry about college, I can’t buy a new dress now. How trifling would I be if I bought a new dress in hopes of meeting a rich man to pay for college for her?

Not only trifling, I would be a coward. And through all this, my daughter would be watching. How could I explain?

They say this financial crisis will change the face of Governments all over the world. Once we were the people willing to sacrifice ourselves for our country. Now we will sacrifice our country for ourselves. Is that not the very definition of Coward.

Rhianna and Chris Brown: Why You Should Re-evaluate Situation

February 26th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

Quick story before I get to the point.

I had this friend and she liked when her boyfriend beat her. I’m not joking or making light of the situation. On more than one occasion I got into it with her significant other. I finally had to realize, that was her. It never stopped me from yelling at him though.

If she was stupid enough to let you do it, Fine. But if you aren’t Man enough to stop, then you have a serious problem. You will never convince a woman in that kind of love to leave, if she doesn’t already want to.

But you can make a dude mad enough to test you and see if he gets the same results. It works majority of the time and the dude gets to see what it’s like on the other side of the beat down. Beyond that, the situation is out of your control.

Blah! Having said that, when the news broke of Chris Brown’s alleged abuse of Rhianna, every where I looked was judgement and ridicule. Before the pictures of Rhianna were released, it was fun and games to talk about the situation. Talk show host laughing, fans criticizing, nothing but judgement.

When the pictures of Rhianna’s swollen face appear, then it’s outrage. More judgement and criticism.

We all live in glass houses. We should not be throwing stones. Not just because Jesus said, “Judge not lest ye be judged”, let’s try you miss the whole point on the conversation.

In our culture on Sex and Money, these are good conversations to have. I’m sorry it had to come at the expense of two of Hip-Hop’s up-and-coming stars, but they caused the situation. All we can do is learn from it.

A Few Lessons You Might Want To Take

We all wish for money and fame. Do we really understand the cost? Now, we are free to make mistakes with only the scrutiny of those around us. How well would you hold up if the whole world was watching?

Our Little Girls. Our precious females coming up thinking all they have to do is freak the right Musician, sports stars, or any other man with money and they will be set. Once you give control to these men, especially when you don’t have the power to match theirs: KUDOS BEYONCE, they control every thing. Why not make your own money, first.

Instead of judgement, we should all be encouraging Brown to get help. The sympathy will pour for Rhianna, I have no problem with that. But there are so many men to afraid to grow up and learn a better way to deal with women. We have a reality show about everything else, why not how to break the cycle of domestic violence that focuses on the Men. (Men being a relative term)

There is a lesson missing. Well, not so much missing as hidden by the public’s watchful eye. This will definitely cost Chris Brown. I will find it hard for him to write songs to women when they know he likes to hit females. But the majority of cowards that find comfort in beating their significant others, don’t have anything to lose. That’s why they do it.

This teaches them nothing. I’m sure they are cheering, “that’s how you handle a bitch”. I know because I’ve been around them. I’ve challenged them. I’m talking around the Thanksgiving Day Turkey.

We throw so much criticism towards Chris Brown and not the act itself. It’s O.K. to hit a female, we just didn’t expect it from Chris Brown.

I just made a promise for Lent and I’m not going to break it so soon. I personally know 6 men that beat every woman they get. I also know wonderful Men that have stepped in and offered beat downs to those same men. I have been hit by two men, one of them my brother, and both times I gave as good as I got.

And both times I pointed out the cowardice. My brother apologized and promised to never put his hands on me again, but it doesn’t stop him from putting his hands on his current girlfriend. The irony, I had to beg my apologetic brother to stop hitting the second dude that put his hands on me.

Yet, I still call him a coward every time I see the bruised face of another woman. I tell my daughter, in front of him, about the kind of man he is. She challenges him to fight every time she sees him. In addition to my annoying voice, he gets it from the face and actions of his neice. And that’s all I can do.

We need that on a massive scale. We can’t get it from Movies, songs, or any other pop culture. But we can get it from the people behind the culture. Stars are regular people, with regular problems. Learn from their mistakes.

Instead of hurling judgement, use this rectify a serious problem. While we continue to work on women and their value system, we can not allow the opportunity to pass to call out the men who see no problem in Brown’s action. The one’s that thought it was so funny before the pictures and especially the one’s who thought it was even funnier when the pictures came out.

Where is their judgement?

Knowing Your Faults, Maybe Accepting Them: Giving Up For Lent

February 26th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

I’m going to make this short and sweet.

Every year around this time, I’m forced to re-evaluate myself. My mother maybe gone, God rest her Soul, but her words stick with me. “You can’t constantly look back, you have to more forward, but every once in a while turn around and see what you have left behind you. ”

Now, that was just a paraphrase. Her speech would involve more cursing and strict talk. I miss my Mom.

Easter is fast approaching, Spring in close pursuit, and the chance for ultimate rebirth and renewal is charging upon us. What better time to pick something about your self to work on?

I was thinking about what to give up for Lent. Before I started writing this blog, I was content on giving up Video Games. I just finished Fable 2, more on that to come, and I would’ve been content to wait 40 days and nights before I picked up the controller again.

As I wrote the first title and erased it, I realized the immaturaty of vowing not to play the video game. Is that the main source of conflict in me? No, so maybe I should take this time to do some thing a bit more fruitful. You know, something that will have results that last me a lifetime.

In my self anaylsis, I realized that’s my major downfall. I take an action. Then instead on immediately taking another, with careful planning, I judge the first. Which is not that bad. Except the spotlight of my mind is bright and far reaching. Nothing could live up to that kind of scrutiny.

For 40 days and 40 nights, I will not critize myself.

I believe you have to look at yourself for happiness because looking elsewhere will lead to nothing but disappointment. You also have to trust yourself enough to believe that all your prayers and hard work will guide your path.

The problem comes with people who have made so many mistakes and learned from them. I have made so many mistakes. <-(Place 200% emphasis on that line) I’ve even repeated the same mistakes multiple times. Hell! I’ve created new mistakes trying to stay away from the old ones.

Mistakes are neccesary, but at what cost?

I’m not going to answer that question. Why? Because I would break my promise.

Instead, I’ll offer this. Prepare yourself. This could be one bumpy ride.

———————————————————————————

I encourage every body to try making a minor sacrifice during this time of Lent. I don’t care if your not Christian or you don’t believe in God. It matters not. Make up a new name for it and roll on.

Make sure to take the time and think about what ails your life.

If you are in financial debt, lock down the credit cards and only use cash.

If you over eat, elimate all snacking. (you don’t have to stop eating regular food. Small steps.)

If you are in a shaky relationship, start a serious dialoge and no response is a definate response.

If you are a addict, give up the places you go not the vice itself.

If you are a death and damnation Christian, walk amonst those who live in hell.

If you are a non-believer, talk to Me.

If you are broke, try to find beauty is something with no cost.

If you are rich, search for the great responsibility held in your wealth.

If you are just plain unhappy, Smile. Just fake it and Smile.

More importantly, add my vow on top. Don’t look back for 40 days and 40 nights. Then, we can all look back and pray we have learned a lesson to last a life time.

Gold, Chavez, Obama, Socialism, & The Pulse of America: I’m Just Saying

February 21st, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

I got a bit of a shock yesterday. I met a man that blew my mind. Let me paint a picture for you.

6’3, about 200 chiseled lbs., mouth lined with gold teeth, black hat, black coat, black pants, black Timberlands, and even black gloves on his hands. I tried to imagine the number of tattoos under his clothing but lost track in my own imagination.

After introductions, the first word out of his mouth, Barack Obama. If I wrote every time I talked to a black person about why I didn’t vote for Obama, that’s all that would be on this blog. So you know some thing surreal happened.

He says, “It’s like the dumb following the blind.”

I shut up and let the man speak. I had my own pre-concieved notion and since I obviously was wrong, I owed him a certain amount of respect.

He told me how his grandmother owned three acres of land. She was in a retirement home now, so no one farms on the land any more. He said the Government had came and tried to buy the land from his family. Him and his siblings said no and now get harassed by cops and officials who try to find fault on the property.

The more he talked, the more I started to get the notion he was a conspiracy theorist. He questioned why Obama’s new limo is called “the beast”. (Like mark of the Beast) He also brought up some things about the number 13. He was starting to lose my attention when he said some thing else I wasn’t expecting.

He said, “At least Chavez was smart enough to start Socialism when his country had stockpiles of money. Our government is so backwards, they want to start giving away stuff when the coffers are already dry.”

He said, ” I want to give my daughter the world, I feel she deserves it, but if I rob, steal, or kill to get it, all I do is devalue her worth, because I devalue mine.”

Knowledge nuggets dropped at my feet.

While I was still trying to wrap my head around his previous thought, he had moved on. Now he was talking about the value of Gold. He said the smartest thing any of us could do was buy as much Gold, Silver, Platinum, or any other precious metal and stockpile it.

He questioned the numerous commercials you see on T.V., Gold for Cash. He pointed out, “They want you to send in gold, that will only grow in value, for the American Dollar that loses value every day.”

The thought wasn’t shocking, yet again the source was.

Then came the ranting and raving when the subject was brought back to his grandmother’s property. He threatened the day the government would tell him and his family they had to share their land because they owned to much. “That would be the day America died and revolution would begin.”

Normally, I would diffuse the situation. Who am I kidding? I would light a rocket under it and send it to cosmic level but in that moment, I understood.

This is the pulse of America right now. A lot of people gave their trust to Obama and are expecting solutions because he was praised as the Messiah, the Savior of all things. Attitudes change when kids are crying because they are hungry or families are stripped of land.

We are a country not afraid to protest. It’s one of the pillars of our foundation. When our words are ignored by those tho think they know better than us, we will not take it lightly. When they impose huge taxes on us while stripping us of our right to bare arms, we will not turn a blind eye. If political censorship or even the hint of such a concept, comes from the White House, I fear for my country.

This goes beyond any label you could put on yourself. Democrats, Republicans, Independents and everything in between will not allow our country to fall without a fight. I’m just saying.

MTV: The Modern Day Star Trek

February 19th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

I am not a Trekkie. I hope I spelled that right. I have never watched Star Wars, don’t care who’s Luke’s father, but never above watching a few episodes with the Borg. Again, I hope I spelled that right.

I had a black friend in high school that was all about Star Trek. I occasionnally listen to music outside of the accepted spectrum, so I don’t judge. One day, I asked why he liked it so much. I thought it was going to be some long drawn out answer having to do with science.

To my surprise, he said it’s the greatest show for a racial integration. So, now I’m stuck wondering what he’s talking about but not really interested in hearing about Sci-Fi. I bit.

He told me each person was judged by the job they do, not their planet of origin. They all praise different Diety’s, have different moral code, and different culturual values. Yet, they manage to work together to keep the ship in the air.

Watching “G’s to Gents” on MTV yesterday, I thought about my friend, at least about what he had told me. It hit me. MTV is the modern day Star Trek.

No race, ethnicity, or sexual preference is lost on MTV. No social status, age, or preconceived notion is over-looked. Just think about the diversity of the shows.

Does it matter if the kid that want’s to make the basketball team on “Made” is black or white?

No. You want to cheer if they achieve or laugh if they fail.

Does it matter if Rev. Run is black?

No. It matters how he keeps his family together when surrounded by all our social ills.

Does it matter if the brat on “Sweet 16” is gay or straight?

No. You just want to reach through the screen and smack their ungratful………I digress.

The point. When you are talking about real life, only the story matters. Star Trek may have been a show, but the object is to create real life situations in fantasy settings. No one cares about the race of the pilot if the spaceship is about to get crushed by a comet.

And that’s what MTV has realized. We don’t have to target a specific gender, sex, race, or anything else. We have to target problems. Every race and religion has to deal with self-identity, humility, family, money, and every thing in between. Why place any limits on who gets the message we send out?

And that’s the beauty of MTV. It’s more about the issues we all face, and less about the differences between us. We may arrive by different paths but we all wind up in the same place. Instead of a flat picture, you get 3-D and surround sound because you can look at it from so many different views. Now, that’s good T.V.

My Top 5 Shows on MTV

1. America’s Best Dance Crew—Go Beat Freaks

2. Run’s House/Daddy’s Girls

3. G’s to Gents—Who needed help more than Riff-Raff

4. Made

5. Making the Band

*-The “True life” stories are excellent. I just didn’t count them as a show.

*-“T.I.’s Road to redemption”, great show.

*-Sway gives the best interviews

To Kill An American

February 10th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

Written by an Australian Dentist

You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

‘An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan .

The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It’s been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself.

Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

To Blend In or To Stand Out: Does My Choice Make Me?

February 9th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

The same old fight. It’s like I’m the light-skinned well bred negro surrounded by all the thugs and hustlers and I have to prove I’m some how worthy. I’m not going to do it. Instead, I’ll bring the fight to you. That’s what I’m good at.

The more I write on the blog, the more I learn. A lot of people won’t leave a comment but will fill my e-mail with some silly mess. Which perplexes me because you can comment anonymously. So, I’m beginning to think I’m changing some minds or at least planting seeds of doubt about the Democratic Party. If you don’t want to be anonymous on my blog then why send your personal e-mail address to me via message.

You want me to reply to you. O.K. I got you. Just tell a sister you might not agree right now, but you’re willing to listen if I can just convince you. And I shall oblige.

Classic High School Story. The kid who wants to do his own thing is bullied by the kids who want him to know his role. I’ve said this a million times. I know my role. You have no jurisdiction telling me what makes me who I am. Period. That’s all, point blank.

My role is to stand out. Not because I choose to, but because that’s what it is. I believe what I believe and for that I catch flack. I got tough skin, I’ll be O.K.

But there comes a time when the same old arguments need to be laid to rest. This is something that’s been eating on my conscience for a while.

1. I’m damned if I do, Damned if I don’t

In trying to find my own voice, I’ve had to do a mental check on who I am. See, I don’t need your assistance dissecting my own cerebral, I do it voluntarily. You should try it. (I’m sorry, I’m in one of my moods.)

I realized, I didn’t fully appreciate how much I learned from being poor and black in America. I lived in a house with no bathroom or running water; being broke could never break my spirit. As long as I got Tupac, Jay-z, Mary J., Rick James, Earth, Wind and Fire; should I continue? It’s O.K. Sprinkle in a couple people that love me and a bank account the reads zero doesn’t matter. My mom made it and I will too.

But that’s not enough. I also want to be educated. Not by the ignorant masses that follow self-interest serving black faces, but by the actions of those who were given nothing and achieved something.

So, I follow Nannie Helen Burroughs 12 rules but speak like an uneducated hip hopper. What color does that make me? I get hit with this from both sides. The older people in my life agree with principles of which I speak. They just wish I would change the phrasing of certain things, you know make it sound more educated. Then my peers hit me with, your a self hater because you think we need to fit in.

I’m laughing at both. Does it matter how I say it, if I’m passionate about it in my heart? Does it even matter to you that Nannie Burroughs was black? Or did I just choose to be a thorn in both their sides because I don’t fit in?

I think the latter. I don’t care if you think I’m ghetto. Dispute me on the facts. The natural me will come out and she isn’t proper and petite and she doesn’t like being handled or put in her place. When, not if, my southern drawl and sometimes improper language comes shining through, that’s me. So complain from both sides, I love being the center of attention.

2. Who Allows You To Fit In

In the full swing of another Awards Season, I thought I would point this out. Am I the only one who doesn’t watch the Movie Awards because they never nominate black movies I think were excellent? I know I’m not the only one.

So, let’s think about this. We all know Hollywood is run by the Left, the Democrats. They are the party of black people right? Why are we still complaining about no black movies getting attention. I mean in the natural progression of things, shouldn’t we have started to garner more awards and accolades?

Gay marriage is the current topic of discussion and so goes their focus. Does this negate great black stories from having a role? Or did they give us one for Hallie and one for Denzel and think we should be satisfied for now?

And this is where you want to fit in? I would think most blacks would be insulted by some of the job creation in the stimulus bill. These jobs were available during the housing boom, they are mostly in construction. They weren’t filled by low income Americans, they were filled by illegal immigrants. Now that the jobs have dried up, the illegals have started returning to Mexico.

What happens when you can’t build another school or fix another road? You are going to go home unemployed just like the illegal immigrants. Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. It’s not ancient history, it’s currently happening.

And this is what you want me to fit into? It’s not encouraging people to start a business, it’s encouraging people to be laborers. I know this had to come from a movie. The white guy ruins the plans of the black character and then offers him a job cleaning out the stables. That what this is. Except the white guy is the Government.

No thank you! If I have to render myself incompetent and needing of government assistance to fit in, you can start sticking post-it notes with “kick me” on my back. I’m looking forward to the first person that tries.

Now, I have no compassion for the situations of millions of Americans. You are wrong. I know millions of Americans are struggling. But millions of Americans have been struggling. Why start choosing which places are in most desperate need of Assistance? Why not start with the communities that have needed the assistance the longest?

I’ll tell you. They already have most of those communities addicted to assistance. Now they are trying to branch out. Why put money into an area where your vote is assured? Instead, money will go to areas that are currently weak and ripe for government take over. All they need; you to fit in and let them take over.

3. Black People can’t be racist

Racism– The belief the race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to another

I was told that black people can’t be racist because white people have more power. Then today, I get hit with the same comment, this time with Barack Obama in the White House. I should stop there but I won’t.

What is the argument against blacks ability to be racist? We are in fact inferior and racial feelings are justified by our inadequacies? We lack the human character and ability to think we are better than another race? I can’t even believe I had to write that.

Does the comfort of having an excuse make you over look the obvious insult you condemn us to? While complaining of stereo-typing, you clutch on to it for dear life.

Black people are not immune to racism. To say we are, puts us in the inferior position. We are somehow lacking the fortitude to think we are better. I could be a racist, I choose not to be.

I feel cheap having to say that.

4. I Love My Master

Not all slaves hated their masters. Some were willing to die to protect them. Not out of fear, but out of gratitude. Other slaves were beat and their families were split apart, but some masters were good. They gave their slaves nice living quarters, good food, and didn’t mingle in slave affairs. That’s all well and good, but they were still slaves.

They were told where to work, when to procreate, and were still subject to the master’s whim. I’m speaking in generalities here. I think you love your master more.

I don’t want to be subject to Master’s whims. He can give me a nice house, money for food, and a job building schools in a district in which I don’t live. As long as I fit in. As long as I agree that he knows what’s best for me. And since I can come and go as I please, everything is all good.

Since it’s Black History Month, let learn some history.

sharecropper- A tenant farmer who gives a share of crops raised to the landlord in lieu of rent

Was the age of sharecropping any better than slavery? Yes, blacks were able to come and go as they pleased, generally, but most did not own what they worked for. They did the labor and were forced to give a majority of what they made to someone else. Dare I say, like a tax.

And this money wasn’t redistributed back into the community. It lined the pockets of greedy and corrupt men. Does this sound familiar? It should. It’s happening again today. To many individuals have money. Let’s gather it and put it in the hands of Master (the government) and we’ll handle it all.

All I have to say is, where is the money from the first T.A.R.P.? Buying private jets and expensive vacations for the same people that caused the problem? And this is your Master.

I pass. I’ll be the master of my own destiny. You sharecrop away.

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I did it again. I fell into the trap of answering my critics. I’ll give myself a pass this time. It was fun.

Daddy’s Coming Home

February 6th, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

There is no answer to Why

It’s only a question posed

By those

Who choose

To do the wrong thing for the wrong reason

Self-pity should be treated as a season

Allowed to past

With hope Spring will bring answers

to questions unasked

Behind every dark cloud there’s a silver lining, right?

Even though now I have to fight

My own self doubts

My own situation

This undeniable plight

Where I know I’m not wrong

But who’s to say I’m right

I do

Because he had no right

To take so much

11 at the first touch

I could question Why?

The man that gave you life

That fixed a boo-boo once or twice

Who said you’re sugar and spice

And everything nice

I could scream to the sky, WHY

But I won’t

Because my spring will come

I know I’m not the only one

that life has handed buckets of sorrow

But here I am with friends

And strength to borrow

I’m 16 now

And I get to shape my tomorrow

But I need some help

This is no easy task

I have to ask, someone to help me

Get past my past

Why?

Daddy’s coming home

Black History: February 2nd

February 2nd, 2009 | By Sonnie Johnson

Drusilla Dunjee Houston

Writer, Educator & Activist A master at African Studies, she was most famous for her research in the self-published book “The Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire” in 1926.

“Out of anthropology, ethnology, geology, paleontology, archaeology, as well as history, I have dug up an irrefutable arsenal of facts that Harvard or Yale or cowardly scholarship in our race dare not refute. How can a leadership point the forward way that is utterly ignorant of the past?”