Willie Lynch came up with the idea years ago.  We must separate slaves from one another.  We can use age, skin lightness or darkness, gender, position, and any other qualification that would cause slaves to bicker amongst themselves.  For the last 200 years we have willingly played this game, judging each other on what we see or hear.

What’s more sickening?  I now see this behavior on the side of Blacks opposed to Big Government.  Every one has a story or reason they don’t trust the Democratic Party, yet we still have no trust for each other.

I’m tired of playing by someone else’s rules and accomplishing nothing.  So we’re stepping off the politically correct and stepping into fighting words.

Black Elites- I don’t really care what political party you belong too.  I’m talking about those black people who hold their degrees, experience, and title like a badge of superiority.  The blacks who think they are the exception, not the rule.   The intellectuals, privileged, and those grandfathered in from the Civil Rights age who know how to solve the problems of the black community, if only we’d follow them.

Black Conservatives- Who believe race isn’t a issue anymore.  The Afro-Conservative Vanessa coined the phase, “the Carlton Banks Syndrome”.  Those who have never had to experience poverty and strife.  Their parents are middle-class to rich and they are not ashamed about it.  They grew up around proper dictation and learned at a young age how to manage a checkbook, so they are well prepared for the world, whatever it may bring.

Black Nationalist-  The Farakhans of the movement.  They believe blacks should run and control their own neighborhoods and financial systems because the system is so screwed against them.  It’s not, “You can do it”, it’s more, “You have to do it because the white man will tear you down if you don’t.”  They believe in “Black Power” but spend most of their time talking about “White Superiority”.

Black Libertarians-  The “your fist must stop at my nose” crowd.  These people don’t care how many times you try to bring up race, they only focus on the times it personally affects them.  “I take care of me and mines and shouldn’t have to stand up for anyone else.” 

Then there’s ME.  I talk in Black and White all the time and very rarely does it have anything to do with race.  It’s because I have eyes and a true focus.  I am not an elite who thinks I know all the answers. I’m one part Conservative, one part Nationalist, and one part Libertarian.  There is one distictive part of me that is missing from this equation and our political conversation, I’m one part Hood.

I’m not influenced by the Elites who would tell me “if we just do this, we could solve all our problems”.  Bullshit.  If it were that easy, it would’ve been done by now.   History is filled with brilliant men and women who understood they could solve problems if they started small and let the people build upon their seeds. You can stand on the top of the mountain handing out fish but you will find me in the lake giving instruction.

I’m not influenced by Conservatives who think we walk in a color blind society.  You know why people don’t believe you?  They see in color.  Hell, even in black and white you can tell the difference between the races.  Does this mean they are racist?  No.  It means they are politically incorrect and I love them for it.  I am Black and not afraid to say it.  I know that there are racist white and black people, I just don’t care.  If  you are my friend, that’s all I see.  If you are my enemy, that is what reflects in my mind.  If I’ve never met you, I hold my judgement. 

I’m not influenced by Nationalist who think the world rotates on color.  How are you any different from Klansmen who think being White some how makes you special?  Race is not the major issue facing us today and it’s time we change the subject.  If there isn’t a single situation between a white person and black person where you think the black person is in the wrong, something is wrong with you.  How can you teach empowerment and victimization at the same time?

I’m not influenced by Libertarians who think we can realistically undo 100 years race baiting, social engineering, and government dependence in one fell swoop.   I know there are still some black people alive who remember the sounds of the dogs barking and the sting of their bite.  I know there are still some black people who remember the force of the water sprouting from hoses aimed by armed government officials.  These feelings and memories can’t be overlooked or easily forgotten.

So what does influence me?  People.  Regular everyday people who are mixed with a little Nationalism and Conservatism.  People who consider themselves Elites but want to live in a Libertarian world.  You know, the people we all claim we want to help but we spend so much time arguing and differing ourselves from one another we totally forget they exist.  Yup, those people.

They want to live the Elite life.  They want prosperity and positions of power but they don’t want to walk around with sticks up their……you know.  They want parties, committees, and fundraisers where people aren’t so politically correct they refuse to serve fried chicken.  They want the big house and nice car but I guarantee you Hip Hop will still fill the airwaves.

They want Conservatism.  Fathers want their daughters to graduate High School still a Virgin.  Mother’s want their sons to know how to treat a lady.  Grandparents want to see their family unit still in tact on their deathbeds.  Teenage boys want to live under a supply and demand economy, just with access to a better product.  And most of us have no problem thanking God for the Good moments or falling to our knees praying for help in times of strife. 

They wholeheartedly support Nationalism.  They want to see black owned stores and businesses in their communities.  Barack Obama is proof they want to see people who look like them achieve great things.  They lose interest when the conversation is focused on what someone else is doing.  It’s not “this is how you can start a business”, it’s ”this is how you beat the cracker at his own game”.  We don’t like games and are not going to invest time, effort, or investment  in them, period. 

They support Libertarianism more than you know.  They don’t want government to have the right to interfere in their homes.  They don’t want government telling them how to discipline their children.  They don’t want Government influencing their ability to say Merry Christmas or prevent their sons from keeping score in a football game.  They get pissed off after they spend three years paying off a car and still having to pay property tax.  They crave limited government but are assimilated into government dependence.

So, do we each gather our groups, go to our corners, and come out swinging at each other when the bell rings?  I think I know the answer but we’ll see in Part 2.  I think I’ll give this article a little time to fester before I go any further.

My daughter is now into reading anything she can get her hands on.  Her favorite books are: If you give a mouse a cookie…, If you give a moose a muffin…..  You know the books I’m talking about.  Well, I’ve decided to add my own to the title list.  Hope you enjoy.

If you GIVE an underachiever a handout……

…..He’ll never ask where you got it

And if you attempt to tell him…….

……It won’t matter because he feels entitled

If you question his entitled status…….

…..Be prepared to get called out of your name

If you counter with facts…….

……Don’t be surprised they fall on deaf ears

Once you’re too mad to argue……

……Expect a nice session of BLAME GAME

Challange the rules of Blame Game……

……And all of a sudden the underachiever pulls Get Out Of Jail Free card

So, you question the difference…….

…….Pointing out Government Provides Both

The underachiever grows silent…….

……Until you bring up JOBS

Then the Underachiever stikes a mighty blow

……And while you’re tired from working two weeks with no day off

The UnderAchiever

…..Gets another Handout

Yesterday, while I was doing research and watching news simultaneously, I got hit with a revelation. We’d better make sure we know who we are following.

Since Obama’s inauguration, we’ve seen a huge switch from protecting our nation as a whole, to looking out for those that fail. Does this comfort you? With Taliban forces 60 miles from Pakistani Nukes, North Korea and Iran getting closer to missile capability, and budget cuts aimed directly at national defense, do you get flashbacks of 9/11?

There goes those Republicans again, creating fear where none exists, throwing around the word terrorist like there is really someone out to get us, and protecting the very people that cause international situations by using their enhanced interrogation tactics.

I got a dirty little secret for you, the interrogation tactics worked. They were instrumental in keeping us safe for the last eight years. Maybe that’s the source of present complacency. We haven’t been attacked, so why not attack the policies in place if they give up political sway?

The simple answer, go ahead. Attack, attack, attack. That is until Pelosi is caught in a lie, that she knew the tactics were in full use and was complacent in stopping them when the threat appeared “Real”.

Let me link this into something I was reading this weekend, How a gang starts!

First, there has to be a desire or need for protection. This applies to everyone from Hitler to the Bloods and Crips. You must have followers and most of the time these people are the disenfranchised, so all you have to do is make a promise.

Before I go any further I must mention, most groups are started with the best of intentions. They have founders who really believe in fixing a problem. This is evident in the actual work used to put these groups together. Planning, meeting, and community outreach are always the first acts.

Next are the splinter cells, participants in the group who agree with destination but disagree with path to get there. Most black gangs were started in a non-violent fashion. They were set to the teaching of Dr. King and the awakened Malcolm X. They believed we had to stand up for our own communities if we were to change the effects of America’s dark past.

But the splinter groups thought the only way to combat the violence and inequality was to counter with violence. That would show how serious the situation was. It’s wasn’t about our ability to stand on our own, it was about showing people the power we had with guns by our sides.

Now, the average black person had to decide which side to take, the non-violent, slow progression toward equality or instant gratification garnered from “Niggas with guns”. Most people chose the non-violent, slow progression but they silently cheered and respected those with the guns.

Now, the one’s with the guns start getting antsy. How can they still not take us seriously, even though we’re standing here fully armed? They didn’t understand the difference between respect and fear. They didn’t understand the U.S. government wasn’t worried because they had more guns and people to use those guns, not to mention the laws of the land that gave them true power.

I don’t argue about how drugs got into our communities. If you like conspiracies, then I’ll give you government put drugs in black community. If you don’t do conspiracies and you still think the government did it, then I’ll give you that, too. My question always is, Why did they stay in the black community?

Bingo, the one’s with the guns. Upset about the government not taking them seriously and supported by the people in the neighborhood who were tired of suffering, they started talking C.R.E.A.M. If they don’t respect the guns, then we’ll make them respect the money.

The original founders of the “gang” now have a problem. They are trying to build something strong that couldn’t be broken; job training programs, economic industry, and community safety. They wanted to develop the next chapter in the success story of Blacks in America, yet we don’t remember any of their names.

Instead, we look toward the men with guns. We praise Huey Newton as a wrongly convicted black man, harassed by the police for being black with a gun and trying to build up his community. I’ll give you all that, but I’ll up you one.

How did he pay for the free food for kids, the bail for those caught with guns, or the funerals of those killed in shot outs with the police? He didn’t start a business that employed people in the community. He didn’t make the community a beacon for other business owners to come and lower unemployment rates. Where did the money come from?

You and I both know the answer, but let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about all the wrong that was done to Huey Newton. What about the people that followed him because they thought it would bring a real change into their lives. Why is no one willing to talk about them?

The women who were told they could only date and marry other Black Panthers. The men who had to carry out acts against their own people to keep Huey Newton’s name clean. The mother’s and father’s becoming hooked on the drugs used to pay for Huey Newton’s free food program.

If you don’t want to talk about them, let’s talk about what Mr. Newton himself accomplished. He robbed and stole to get an education. If you’re going to praise him, taunt that. He knew he violated the law, so he learned as much as he could about the law. He was smart enough to know he had to play by the rules of the game.

Enough about one person in particular, that’s how you start to lose the big picture. Now, if you like Huey Newton you’re mad and if you don’t you’re still paying attention. And that’s where we lose the fight.

So, now I ask a deep question. Are our entitlements worth the only jobs in the ghetto encompass drug dealer, pimp, whores, and the “other” hustler? Are entitlements worth an uninspired downgraded education that leads straight to those jobs? Are we to continue accepting what ever is given to us, no matter the consequence?

Yeah, it sounds good. How can he be bad if he gives children food? How can he be wrong for empowering people to know their rights? How can he be bad for bringing people together to fight for a common goal?

I’ll let you ponder those questions, while thinking about this. What legacy did that period of time leave us with? Is that why the baddest dude on the block in an uneducated, pistol toting drug dealer? Instead of the Dr. King type leading us towards legislation in the halls of Congress.

That’s right, back to the point. Here we are again, this time, we’re starting a nation wide gang. The people at the very top started with good intentions. It would be great to give everyone healthcare, pay for everyone to go to college, and alleviate every bit of stress on the American People.

But here’s that nagging question. How do you pay for it? And just like every gang has realized, when you don’t sell a product, you can’t make any money. So what product is the government selling?

Some would say; GM, Chrysler, and all the banks. Other’s would say, “My child’s future wages”. And that’s the point where we lose. Because now we’re talking about C.E.O. compensation and taxes. Instead of focusing on the legacy we’re leaving behind.

Popularity and good intentions are one thing but the aftermath of the storm is something totally different. What gang, from Hitler to the Bloods and Crips, didn’t revert to violence? It is impossible to hold on to power when you are robbing the very people you’re supposed to be protecting. And along the way, the people who agree with your destination but not your path, get caught in all the mess.

And here we are, fighting over whether it’s O.K. to get information from terrorist, dare I say, “By any means necessary”, instead of paying attention to what the people at the top are really doing. Will it be to late before we wake-up and realize, just like selling drugs to parents to pay for their childrens’ food is ridiculous and really self serving, so is buying the wish list now and having your children pay for it later?

That’s a “Real” Man Made Disaster. Just look at Any Hood Near You.

A little story for you.

Once upon a time, a family bought their dream home. Life was good. They had enough room to get a dog, the father had a putting green in the backyard, and the mother could host grand parties in the dining room. They loved their new home.

Over time, the family started living outside their means. The house was no longer enough. The father wanted a full 18 hole golf course, the mother needed classier china, and the kids decided they wanted a cat instead of a dog.

The families dream began to crumble eventually leading to a divorce. The mother fought for the house and won, but she soon discovered the financial situation was a lot worse than she thought. To escape her worries, she went out with the girls for a night on the town.

The mother meets a charming man. She tells him of her plight, and he man shows real interest. Then he offers his hand out to her and promised that he could help change the tide of her life. The woman, so desperate for change, took his hand with very little after thought.

She introduced him to the kids and after promising the boy a scooter and the girl a pony, they were instantly in love. So, she asked him to move in.

The very day he moves in, the man starts complaining about the financial situation. Your ex-husband didn’t know how to keep a balanced checkbook because of him, I’m going to have to hire some one to sort out the finances. My man spent 5 years in jail for laundering money, he’ll know how to clean up the accounts.

The mother had her reservations but the smooth, charming man was still there. And while he was there, she felt safe and secure. She gave her checkbook and statements to him.

The man found that both kids had trust funds. So he decided to borrow against the funds. The mother’s reservations got heavier from this move. The charming man stroked her hair and looked her dead in the eyes and told her to trust him. And she did.

When the money arrived, the woman was excited. She knew she could pay off her debt and start fresh with the charming man. But the man had other plans. He told the mother, you still have a lot of problems with this house. Your ex-husband didn’t properly maintain the gutters, so I’m going to have to hire someone to come and fix them. Your ex-husband didn’t buy energy saving appliances, that’s why the electric bill is so high. I’ve got to replace them all.

And the list continued on. Every problem blamed on her ex and every solution putting her further in debt. But the woman had put all her faith into the charming man, what could she do?

The next day, the man drove home in a brand new car. He had a scooter for the boy, a pony for the girl, and a new china set for the Mom. The mother was so happy, she didn’t even ask how he paid for it.

The man said, let’s throw a party and invite the most prominent people in the city. The mom insisted on keeping her closet friends on the list and the man decided to invite her ex-husbands rivals. The woman once again had her reservations but let his will be done.

The night of the party, the man gave a speech apologizing for the mother’s ex-husbands’ “arrogance” for not inviting many of the guest before now. The mother was shocked. She knew her ex-husband wasn’t perfect, but he had made a lot of good decision too.

But, she held her tongue. She couldn’t embarrass her man in front of everybody. Then they started making their rounds.

They met Sheriff Iran. The mother pointed out that he was planning on letting prisoners out of jail even though they were convicted of crimes. The man chatted him up anyways.

They met Mr. North. The mother pointed out he was planning to tear down the Orphanage, even though the entire city had raised enough money to keep it open. During the conversation, the man actually got the call that the building was being destroyed. He said nothing.

Then they met Mr. Saudi. The mother pointed out he owns the appliance store that sold them the inefficient appliances that cost so much to replace. The man actually bowed before him. Now, the woman was starting to get really pissed.

After the party, the man tells the woman he was talking to a few of the guest and they were trying to put together utopia. Where every household was governed by the exact same rules, since all of them were going through financial difficulties. Every household would pool their money together and decide how to distribute it out.

The woman said are you crazy. You and I are supposed to be the head of this household. No matter what the benefits, I refuse to relinquish that power. The woman was finally starting to get it. This man didn’t know what he was doing. He was paying everyone else to come up with ideas for him, which in the long run, only ended up costing them more.

So the mother started the conversation. The bills are due, how are we going to pay them? The man said, I’ll just open another credit account under each of the kids. It should tide us over until all the plans we’ve put into motion pan out.

“What in the hell you mean open another credit account for my kids?” the mother screamed.

“How do you think I got the boy the scooter, the girl the pony, and you the china set? You weren’t complaining while I was giving you gifts.”

“That’s because I didn’t know where you were getting the money.”

“Don’t blame me. Your ex-husband got you in this mess. I’m trying to get you out.”

“My ex-husband may have left me broke, but you’re leaving me AND MY CHILDREN destitute. I wanted something different, but not this.”

————————————————————————————-

Sound familiar? I thought it might. It’s basically what I’ve missed over the last week of not blogging.

Now the story would be funny, if it weren’t true. If the American People weren’t the Mother, Barack Obama wasn’t the father, and the future of our country was focused on the children’s line of credit.

Back in the day, that was the most trifling thing to do in the Ghetto. I remember, on more than one occasion, the mothers of my neighborhood gathering to discourage damning children into a legacy of debt. They looked down upon gambling your child’s future.

Now we’ve got the U.S. government deciding their future is less important than our current pain. I mean we still have a house, even if it’s not perfect. Bush may have left the economy in shambles, though there is enough blame to go around, but where will the current economic plan leave us.

Yeah, we got the pony but long term can we afford to shelter and feed it. Yeah, we got the scooter but what good is it without the helmet, gloves, lessons, and the ability to maintain if an accident does occur. What about the hidden cost?

If while reading the story you thought the mother was stupid, don’t be so quick to judge. It was our reflection staring us in the face. Faith is amazing, when it is in God or yourself. It becomes something different when you put it in a charming man. Especially, if it goes against everything you believe in.

The Cast

Sheriff Iran: While Obama was talking about nuclear disarmament, Iran was celebrating Nuke Day.

Mr. Saudi: Saudi Arabia is important for it’s oil. The same oil Obama wants to tax to the sky. Why the bow?

Mr. North: North Korea launched a missle even though the entire world was against it and even pulled together to help the North Korean people with aid for not testing missles. I’ve yet to hear Obama even mention this.

Each House Repair: Another Bail out for GM and Chrysler. This time to see if they should go into bankruptcy or not. Shouldn’t that have been the first question you asked before you started handing out the money.

The pony, the scooter, the china: All the things we were promised, that we thought we couldn’t live without. OR All the smoke a mirrors the government is putting up focusing on Rush Limbaugh and other conservative radio show host and journalist. You pick.

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.

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?

I usually start off with a personal story. You know a little look back on my existence to validate my thinking but today I find it hard. See, I was a little prude as a teenager. I thought the worst thing that could happen to me involved having a child. All my friends had kids, even my little sister, and I saw their struggles.

Abortion. I have always believed that a woman has a right to choose. I know if I had gotten pregnant as a teenager, I probably wouldn’t have kept the child. Looking back, I probably wouldn’t have told my mother because she would have made me keep it. It’s all speculation now. Could I really have done it? I guess we’ll never know.

But abortions as stimulus I find perplexing. Until I took a little time to think about it.

Former President George W Bush started us down the path to socialism. (O.K. real fast let me say this. Isn’t it funny how as soon as you bring up Socialism, the Democrats don’t refute it, they only call out Bush as the starting point. Didn’t we all learn as kids, just because one person does something doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. I’m just saying.)

And President Obama is picking up right where he left off. But what does abortion have to do with Socialism? I’m glad you asked.

See, a Socialist society depends on the rich taking care of the poor. What happens when the number of poor people outweigh the pocketbooks of the rich? The society fails. People in government are not stupid. They might believe in Socialism but they know it has to be managed. Meaning they have to be able to control the number of new births, especially in the poorer communities.

The rich are easily controlled when it comes to childbirth. Most rich people got that way because they understand how to manage their money. They know they won’t stay rich having 8 kids in a Socialist society. With excessive tax rates and lack of any real tax relief, most will forgo having more than one or two kids.

But the poor people. That’s a whole different story. They have struggled their whole lives and the added burden of multiple children doesn’t seem to slow them down. You can’t preach self responsibility because the people will start to realize they don’t need the government, the government needs them. So, instead make it cool and easy to get an abortion.

But first they have to convince you that it is not only a Constitutionally provided right but that it also should have no stigma placed upon it.

Now, I’m going to stand up for my sista’s of every race and creed on this one. No one has the right to judge you. If you made the decision that you thought was best for you, I applaud. Taking care of a child is a serious job and if you’re not ready for it, no one should have the ability to force it upon you.

Now, having said that. You don’t have the right to then turn around and place the guilt you feel at the feet of other Americans. Just because it was the right choice for you, doesn’t make it the right choice for every other person. You can’t demand respect for your choices if you don’t give that same respect to choices made by others. Simple. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Now, having said that. Both sides of this issues need to put a hold on proving they are right and look at the effects this could have on our communities. Everybody can agree that Communism is not the best form of government. The only difference between Communism and Socialism is religion.

China has no problem convincing it’s people that abortion is O.k. Hell, they demand it. They even allow for the killing or mass deportation of children to control it’s population. They don’t have a God to answer to, only a government. Is that what we want for America?

I know, I’m taking it too far. I’m trying to turn basic contraception into a fight for our nation’s identity. Or am I the only one willing to point it out. By our own admission, we are at the low end of the totem pole. So who are the real targets of these free abortions?

That’s where Nancy Pelosi comes in. In her press conference, she stated the true intent of adding government funding for abortions to the stimulus bill. Abortions will cut the cost of entitlements at the state level, therefore cutting the federal governments matching of such entitlements. Basically, it’s not about a woman’s right to choose, it’s about the government starting to control how many kids come from which neighborhoods.

Am I taking it too far again, or am I once again the only person that will say it. We rail because every corner in our neighborhoods have a liquor store. What will we say when everyone of our neighborhoods has free abortion day? Or instead of offering food stamps and public housing, they mandate you already have to many kids to be cared for under our current system, so you have to terminate your pregnancy to continue to get benefits.

They wouldn’t do that. Yeah, right. Just look how the system is currently set up. If you get a job, they immediately terminate your benefits. This is the price you pay for allowing government to make decisions that should be left up to the men and women who take care of their children.

Every woman should have the right to choose, but don’t fight so hard for that right that you unintentionally give it up. At 17, you didn’t want a child. But at 25, you no longer have the right to decide because the population of your town has already met the maximum allowed by the state. So now, you are forced into abortion.

Nothing comes for free. Even the Democrats know there is a price to pay for socialism. They just don’t tell you in the future it might include your right to choose. Not whether you want to terminate a child but whether you have the right to keep it.

Yesterday, I took the President Elects advice and committed myself to a day of service. It did not turn out as I plan, which is always the case. I’ll tell you more about that tomorrow. I still have to wrap my brain around the enormous generosity of the American people, even in the hard economics we are currently facing.

Yesterday was special for another reason. I got to tell my daughter the complete history of the Martin Luther King Jr. legacy. Not just the version that was taught to me.

I told my daughter that the liberals hated Dr. King. They thought he was the most dangerous man in the United States of America. A man that only preached non-violence was placed on thewatch list of all major government entities.

My daughter looked up at me and asked “What is a Liberal?”

I responded “most democrats”. Maybe a stroke with a broad brush but it fits.

I thought about going off subject and explaining to her the concept of political parties but this was a moment to teach her a much better lesson. I’m perplexed on how to bring up racial issues to my daughter. If I tell her of the black man’s struggles before she is ready, I could scar her for life. If I wait to long, someone else can get to her before I have the chance.

So, I thought it better to talk to her about the other side on Dr. King’s Dream. We instantly think of Dr. King as a civil rights advocate. But we forget he was a poor rights advocate. See, he realized something we refuse to see. It’s not the color of your skin that holds you back, it’s the lack of money in your pocket.

He realized that most whites that protested against him, were in the same boat as the blacks he stood up for. They to were poor and the thought of having more people to compete against scared them. Put that on top of the words of hate inherited from their parents and you had a recipe for disaster.

Just as when you take a poor black man whose parents have told him nothing about the success he could become, only of the pain they have endured. Then give him little to no opportunity to support his family and what do you get? A recipe for disaster.

By now, my daughter was ready to get away. I use every opportunity to teach her something new. And she hates it. I let her go and found myself watching the Dr. King special. It’s funny the things you don’t pay attention to because you don’t know they are important at the time.

I started yelling at the T.V. It’s one of my favorite pass times. Watching the history channel and yelling at the T.V. Off point. During the last days of Dr. King’s life, he was depressed. Severely depressed. The famous last footage of Dr. King’s birthday was set into place by his followers because Dr. King hadn’t smiled in months.

His “friend” in the White House Democrat Lyndon Johnson had turned on him because he disagreed with America’s role in the Vietnam War. Some of his top black supporters turned on him the moment he went against Democratic Politics. And his practice of non-violence fell on deaf ears to those in the black community.

Then it hit me. We shouldn’t be happy the day a black man gets into office. We should be happy the day a broke man gets into office. Could you imagine? A man with enough character to capture the hearts of the American people without the need for Union support or wealthy donors. A truly broke man with nothing but his morals and values.

Such a responsibility would be great and a real chance at the change we need. See, a broke man would look at the money being spent in Washington and realize it’s being wasted. He would know you don’t get out of debt by going into more debt without their being some consequence. He would say, “We have people losing their homes and you want to pay for wooden arrows”. I have a feeling a lot of bills would get vetoed.

He would remember how he signed papers before reading them and got stuck in a bad loan. So, when Congress demanded fast action on a bill, he would say “No. Fool me once, shame on you.” And Congress would have to fall in line. Oh! How much change would come to our country.

See, the poor man would remember the opportunities he let pass. The jobs he showed up late for, the ones he left early. He would understand job creation means nothing if you can’t capture the soul of the people. What good is it to create thousands of jobs, if a segment of the population is content with letting the government take care of them? He would understand that he needs to make the jobs available but he also has to entice the people who need them most to take them.

Hey! I just got a wonderful idea. Maybe President Obama should have a Broke Czar. He’s created a Czar for everything else. Run the report by the broke Czar with no fear ofrepercussions . Let him get on YouTube and tell the American People this bill is full of stuff we don’t need, without fearing the wrath of NancyPelosi or Harry Reid. That would be change we could believe in.

Or would we ruin it for ourselves? Like those who took advantage of the easy loans but instead of getting something they could afford, they wereBallin while Broke. Or those that blame Former President Bush for their economic troubles. Or parents who complain about their children’s schools, but spend no time working with their children to compensate.

O.K. These are the worse. Take an average High School in an Urban Area. Let’s say the statistics of those who can read at a high school level is 20%. O.K. Yes, the school plays a big part in this but so do the parents. If 80% of the parents don’t know their child can’t read or knows and doesn’t care, why are they spending time complaining about what someone else needs to do. You need to take the time to make sure your child catches up and stop waiting for help to zoom in.

Because you never know what the future holds and Obama may appoint a Poor Czar, let’s all start to get ready for the vetting process. First, we all must make sure we’ve made plenty mistakes of our own in this poor man’s war started by Dr. King over 40 years ago. We must admit to these mistakes and have stiff backbones to learn from them. Next, we have to be unafraid to tell our government what we really think. That means we must pay attention to local elections and hold representatives responsible for the votes they make, no matter the color of their skin orpolitical affiliation.

Most importantly, we all have to remember what it was like to be poor. Remember what it was like when credit wasn’t available to you and you had to pay for things straight out. Remember the pride you felt when you could accomplish this. Maybe that’s what’s lacking. The pride you felt when you worked hard for something, instead of the instant need to want more just because it’s easy to obtain right away.

We can’t forget what the last couple years has taught us. Ballin’ While Broke affects everybody. Further confirming the need for a change of battlefield. Since we now have our first African American President, let’s now fight for our first broke President. The new era of struggle in America.

Funny, how Dr. King knew it in the 60’s and we’re just starting to catch on.

I’m going to do my very best to be good.

Someone very close to me is making really bad decisions. In the current economy, jobs are hard to come by. When offered, an excuse for refusal should never be, “I ain’t working for no white man”. Should I have to say any thing else?

You would think not. But I had this conversation. Yesterday. And today, I am perplexed at the extent holding on to racism is ruining our country. The sad part is the perpetrators are not cloaked in white hoods.

They stand on street corners, not caring about the communities they ruin. They preach from pulpits, unaware the field of battle has changed. They represent political parties that push victimization.

I know, all things I’ve said before. Over and over again, I’ll admit. But it still rains true. Yet, I think I missed the point of how much history this romantic embrace with racism is costing us.

You don’t know where you are going if you don’t know where you came from, so let’s take a look back at history. Let’s imagine our current community mentality was present during the Civil War.

Imagine how we would crucify the slaves that wanted to learn to read and write. Think about this the next time you are watching roots and all the hate bubbles to the top. You have replaced the white man in those scenarios. You know the one you hate because he whipped a slave for having a book. Think about that as you bully a nerd in school.

Imagine how we would crucify Harriet Tubman. Who does she think she is? Uppity Negro thinking she better than us. Thinking she has the right to come and go as she pleases, while I’m stuck in these chains. But what about her struggle? What about her sacrifice? And there you are, safe, in your chains, complaining.

Let this seep into your mind when you are complaining about how they “just trying to hold a brother down”. Who is They? You. Did you laugh because the geek at McDonald’s got robbed of his paycheck? (I’m not going to lie, at one time I laughed.) What are we accomplishing by this behavior? I’ll answer that shortly.

Let’s imagine we lived along side, Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Dubois. I won’t even evoke such hate on their memory. Instead, I’ll use my own personal experience. The great thinkers of our history would have been called “Uncle Toms”, “self haters”, or “house slaves”. Think about this as you shout about the accomplishments of those great men, then turn around and throw hate at me for attempting to follow suit.

Should I even bring up Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? You know I am. Imagine, if in the height of the Civil Rights era, our current community values took hold. Imagine, if after the dogs had been sicked on Dr. King, all the black people took to the streets and started destroying their own property. I can’t even write that with a straight face. Dr. Kings whole mission was non violent. Yet, think of the violence that occurs on most streets across the country that bear his name. Should I mention it’s mostly black on black violence?

Why was it impossible to stop slaves from learning? Why did Harriet Tubman continue to risk her life on the underground railroad? Why did Booker T. and W.E.B. demand on thinking for themselves? Why did Dr. King not met violence with violence? And why doesn’t our generation have the backbone of our fore fathers?

I’ll give you a hint. I mentioned the answer some where in this article. Think. Bingo. The battle field has changed. It was once us against them. We had a reason to stand and fight together. Now we destroy each other from the inside out.

We are a weak generation. Racism couldn’t stop great men and women from escaping whips and chains. Racism couldn’t stop enlightened minds from sharing information. Racism couldn’t stop thousands of white and black men and women from marching together for equality. Yet, racism can control us from the grave.

We spend so much time thinking about what was done to us, we forget what we accomplished. Even in the face of racism and hate. Why are we so easily broken when those before were so strong?

Sometimes I hating writing blogs like this. I always come up with more questions than I can provide answers. I feel like this should be easy. I mean, all the hard work has been done. We got everything our ancestors fought and died for and yet here we are. In a state of stagnation. Holding on to victim status like it marks our history more than the great people we talk about every February.

We can talk about how Dr. King died, with no mention of how he lived. We can complain about what we don’t have, when people have made it with much less. We can place blame on former slave owners, while copying their treatment of blacks around us.

Then we self righteously walk around like we control all matters of race. We do. And we get all the pitfalls of holding on to such a stigma.

Do you want respect or pity? I can give full respect to my elders who have actually went through the fire. They have the right to hold their memories and anger. It’s not healthy but it’s their right.

I hold an open mind to those slightly older than me that may have felt the remnants of a changing society. I never said racism doesn’t exist. Some people have been through horrible things because of their color.

I haven’t. Most of my friends haven’t. The person close to me making bad decisions hasn’t. What right do we even have to hold this stigma? We don’t. We can use it as an excuse though.

The person close to me has a lot of valid anger. He’s never met his father. His mother was an addict. And he’s spent the majority of his life feeling abandoned. Yet, when asked why he can’t get his life together, it has something to do with a white man.

And the credit for this thinking comes from whom? Dr. King? Harriet Tubman? Or does it come from the pride of holding on to racism instead of dealing with the real problems that plague our society?

When they write the history of our generation, what will they say? What song will they play to take our children back to the days of old? Other than Barack Obama, who will they say helped advance the position of black people in America? Or will the history books remain blank with our accomplishments? Not because racism still exist. Because we have nothing of value to add.

History tends to repeat itself. I’m just waiting for our generation to stand shoulder to shoulder with those before us. Tick Tock Tick Tock

Here we go again. Another Trillion Dollar Plan to help our economy. Yes. More money, more money. Wait. Aren’t we in debt up to our ears right now. Where are we going to get this money? Who is going to pay it back? I’m not a finance major but I do run a household. I know you don’t get out of debt by creating more debt.

So what will the American People receive from this plan? Let’s take a look.

Infrastructure Repair

I listed this first because it is the only part that makes any sense. With bridges collapsing and levees breaking, we do need to invest in our infrastructure. I hate driving over large bridges, that’s before the threat that it could fall from beneath my car.

But is this something that the government should fix? Yes. Local Government. Why? Because local governments can contract to local businesses, therefore helping the local economy. Taxpayer money goes back to the people who payed in the first place. Plus, more local small business job creation.

That can’t happen.

Only the Government Can Fix This Problem

I think this is one of those, ‘If you say it enough times, it’ll come true’ statements. What does the government actually ever fix? This is what kills me about those who follow President Barack Obama so blindly.

He is nothing more than a politician. Not taking away from any of his achievements or his eloquence, he is still a politician. The lower segment of our population has been complaining about the same problems for decades. It’s hard for a poor man to make it in this world.

So show me a situation where the government made it happen. So me one situation where the government took a poor man and made him into a success. It doesn’t happen. Each person makes a decision on how they want to live their lives. The government may step in and assist but the main burden lays with the person developing the wealth.

We, the American People, develop the wealth of this country. Not the government. If anyone is going to fix this problem, it won’t be someone who has spent their adult lives learning how to phrase a statement properly so you won’t know their true intent.

It will come on the back of hard working Americans, the brains of creative Americans, and the fearlessness and belief of all Americans in the American Dream.

What American Dream?

I’m glad you asked. The ones we are taking away from our children to give us temporary relief right now. See, I was taught that each generation should try and leave this country in a better position than the generation before it. We are failing miserably.

With the election of our first African American President, we will leave the next generation with more acceptance of other races and hopefully religions. But will the large debt we are incurring out shadow this moment when the history books are written?

Will this moment of reverence be nothing more than an asterisk next to the moment the free market died in America? Yes.

During the election, the only thing people thought about was the economy, their money. Why do you think anything will be different in the future? Our children are going to want to create wealth for themselves. Instead, they will be paying higher taxes trying to pay back the Trillions we are spending right now. We are creating the debt that will rob our children of the American Dream. Do you understand? Your child will suffer your mistakes.

No. They will benefit because I am able to work right now.

Fight for a Temporary Job

New Jersey is the highest taxed state in America. Over the last five years, 60% of all job creation came from the state government. I’ll give you a second to think about this. When the government creates all the jobs, the investors in the government, you and me, have higher payrolls.

How long can this last? It’s comes to point where you are paying your own salary or the money runs out and the government has no choice but to have massive layoffs.

What happens when there are no more roads to fix? What happens when there are no more schools that can be turned green?

By then, new industries will have opened.

Are the people that are going to lose those manual jobs qualified for the new jobs that will be available? Just think about the workers at the Auto Plants. Most have family history in Ford or GM. Their mother and father worked there and they are continuing on the tradition. All fine and good.

But what happens when that company fails? The mother and father loses their pension and you lose your job. Now, your stuck with the feeling, ‘what am I going to do next, all I know is cars.’

Are we going to be left with the next generation knowing only manual labor because those are the jobs the government provides?

That should scare the hell out of you. Thinking the government is responsible for providing you with the ability to provide for your family. I’m scared thinking my daughter won’t be able to buy a house because I want to stay in mine right now.

To add insult to injury, think about all the corruption we are hearing about right now. I bet the politicians are all getting their phones checked for wire tapping before the bill is signed. You know that there are people waiting to pay to play with this money. And it only makes sense.

There are thousands of counties in this country. Who will get what money? I’m betting it won’t go to neighborhoods that didn’t raise money for the politician sitting in power. They have people to reward for getting them elected and they will be at the head of the line. We don’t even think of this as corruption anymore. And that’s a shame.

So this Trillion Dollar stimulus will provide the American People with much needed infrastructure improvement, massive debt, numerous temporary jobs, happy politicians, even happier lobbyist, and the death of the American Dream.

One day when our children ask was it worth it, what will we say?