State of the Union…WOW!

I was elated when I got out of class early this evening so that I could have the opportunity to make it home to watch the State of the Union address. Unlike many folks who just started watching it this year, I make every effort to witness this speech every January…regardless of who's in the White House. I originally intended on addressing specific issues that I found with the address itself, but I perused Facebook prior to starting on this offering. After reading many of the posts on people's status update I must say that I'm not only appalled, but disappointed. We have folks making statements like, '…they don't want to respect OUR president…they already had their turn when THEIR president was in office…they just racist cause they don't want to stand up and clap for Obama.' While these status updates and the sentiments that fueled them may not be a big deal to some, I find them majorly offensive and, might I say, trifling. Here we are in 2010 and we're placing ourselves (black folk) in a self imposed segregationist situation. Let me educate you morons who insist on making these types of statements. If you were born in America George Bush (both of them) was YOUR president and when you see them they still carry the title Mr. President. President Obama is every American's president. What really pains me about this crap is two things (1) if someone white had made the statement that he is y'all president and our president was the last one then the National Action Network, NACP, SCLC, ACLU, and a bunch of other initials would be picketing, boycotting, and protesting. (2) Every time you refer to President Obama as Obama, you're disrespecting the man, the office and the title he earned by virtue of winning the election. Call the man President Obama…it's only proper and fitting. George Washington and his advisors toiled with a fitting title for the president of the United States. They toyed with Your Excellence, Your Majesty, and others, but settled on Mr. President. This is a title that is earned for life by simply serving one term. Give him the respect due his office.

On another note, I would be willing to bet a dollar to a dime that all of these short sighted, rabble rousing hooligans who are running around screaming racism and posting this idiocy in their status updates didn't watch any of the State of the Union addresses that Clinton, Bush or Reagan gave. Let me educate you on something. The republicans never stand for a democrat and the democrats never stand and applaud a republican. Besides, what awe inspiring statements are really made in the State of the Union address (including this one)? It's generally a bunch of rhetoric and either promises of what I want to do, reason I didn't do what I said I'd do or like tonight a tongue lashing of the house of congress and senate for not doing more. If you don't know anything about politics, government or and manner in which things are done, please learn something before you open your mouth and exhibit your ignorance. There was even one person making light of the fact that the Supreme Court justices simply sat there and didn't applaud anything. Again, I say…educate yourself. I've not seen the Supreme Court justices react to, applaud or even appear to be listening to any State of the Union address since I started watching them when I was in middle school. While the political machine that we call our government is one that has many cogs and wheels, it has but two major organs, and they are opposed to one another even to the detriment of the greater good. Sometimes being contrary for the sake of being contrary [I believe]. This transpires on both sides of the aisle.

Rather than me taking the time to assess the things that President Obama put forth. Rather than me dissecting the republican response, I'll issue a challenge. I challenge every American who reads these words to get involved, get educated, and don't miss an opportunity to cast an educated vote. Whether for dog catcher or president of the US your voice needs to be heard. Please stop crying racism when it is apparent to Ray Charles and Ronnie Millsap that it isn't. What will happen is when it really is, no one will pay any attention. Just like the boy who cried wolf. So I say this. Do what you need to do to make sure this country remains the best in the world [I believe this to be true] and that we continue to meet and surpass our goals as individuals, members of various organizations, and this country as a whole. Presently the state of our union, from a social perspective, is on life support. We are no further along than we were in 1967. Not because we haven't been educated, but because we're refusing to let go of things that took place in the past and we work to keep the division between the races going. Let it go people…let it go.

It's Just my Opinion, but I'm Not Wrong!!!

Rules? Who Needs Rules?

While watching the news last night I came across a story that caught my interest. I’m not sure if you’re heard it or not, but Taylor Pugh has been embroiled in a very public dispute with the Mesquite ISD for the past three months. His rights have been violated, he’s being stripped of his individuality and his self esteem is being crushed. At least that’s the story that the idiots who are raising him will tell. Taylor is four years old and doesn’t want to cut his hair. Admittedly, I believe that kids ought to be encouraged not to follow the crowd. They ought to be taught not to bow to peer pressure and to forger their own paths. But come on!!! When are people taking things too far? The Mesquite ISD has a dress code in place that’s prevalent in most school districts in America. Boy’s hair must be out of their eyes, no longer than below the earlobes or the collar in the back. It’s not only appropriate, but commonplace for school districts to say that hairstyles, “designed to attract attention to the individual or to disrupt the orderly conduct” aren’t allowed. Not to mention a hairdo likely to get you kissed by another boy…that would start a whole other battle.

These parents a testament to my belief that people ought to have to go through a training class and get licensed to have kids. Initially I thought this was some over-permissive, wimpy parents who just wanted to let him do what he wanted to do.; then they panned the camera over and showed the dad, mom and some other moron they brought to the school with them. They looked like a punk rock band threw up. Pierced eyes, lips, noses, and those huge quarter sized holes in their ears. Then it became apparent to me what it was. Not over-permissive parents, but parents who are crazy as hell and think the world ought to bend to their taste and desires rather than deal with the society in which we live.

These morons argued that their son is an individual and he wanted to keep his hair long. I bet he wants to eat Cocoa Puffs for dinner every night and never take a shower or change clothes. HE’S 4 YEARS OLD!!! It’s time out for these parents who want to be friends with their kids. Your kids should not be your friends!!! If you raise a child throughout their life and not once have they uttered the words, “I Hate you”, “I’ll be glad when I can move out of here”, “Why was I even born into this family?” or something of this sort then you haven’t done your job as a parent. You can’t effectively parent and never have your child disagree with you. By the way, for those of you that are worried because you’ve never heard your child say any of these…it’s okay; that may just mean that you’ve instilled enough fear in them that they have better sense than to let you hear it [don’t claim it if it’s not for you].

In all seriousness, they are interrupting more than just this kid’s education. I have issue with the district providing private one on one tutoring for this kid since November. They should have sent him home and told his parents to keep him there until they could comply with the district’s policy. By giving him this treatment they are taking resources away from the kids whose parents assured that they were in compliance with the rules. Aside from that they’re teaching him that he can pick and choose which rules he wants to follow in life. School is there for more than the education that is taught from the books. There are the social skills, playing well with others, boundaries, respect for authority oh yea, and following rules.

Newsflash Mr. Pugh and Ms. Taylor…if you don’t want your kid following the rules in the public schools you can send him to private school or home school him, your choice. No matter where you go in society, or what you do there are rules that need to be followed. These idiots need to learn the difference between being stupid and supporting your kid. While they finally braided his hair to comply with the school district’s rules [after saying his scalp would bleed if they did], he looks even more like a girl with the French braids than he did with the hair long. Who wants to sign this petition to require a license before becoming a parent?

It’s just my opinion, but I’m not wrong!

Apologize? For real? For What?

For a very long time there have been double standards in this society and I’ve said before, like I’ll say now, it’s preposterous to hold someone else to a standard that we won’t meet. In the most recent example of gross ignorance and foolishness, Harry Reid was subjected to the ire of those who cried foul over a comment he made. Certainly some have ‘given him a pass’ due to his voting history and political legacy. However, why is a pass necessary? Ok, for those who aren’t familiar with what I’m saying, in a conversation he was having Reid was asked about the likelihood of [then senator] Obama becoming president of the US. His response, in part, was, ‘…a good chance of winning acceptance among white voters because he was a "light skinned" African-American who had "no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." Many f9lks have issue with him making this statement for a veritable cornucopia of reasons. Let’s look at some of them.

First, some folks say this is a racist statement because Reid says that Obama is light skinnded (you know that’s how some of y’all say it). Then there are those who have issue with him saying that he’s trying to win acceptance among white voters. Others have issue with him saying that he had no ‘negro dialect’ [unless he wanted to have one]. Still others are miffed because he used the word negro. The list goes on, one idiotic reason to be angry after another. Not to mention the fuel being poured on the fires by the republican party relegating this statement to the statements made by Trent Lott back in the day.

To judge a person’s racial feelings/stance based on one statement is even more moronic than actually being a racist. For white folk, they have to walk on eggshells around black folks. They don’t want to call us the wrong thing…some black folk like to be called African American…others Negro…others Black…other Afro-American…still others call each other Nigger/Niggah/Nigga/Nicca and think it’s ok. Hell, they make one wrong statement and they’re labeled a racist. Just dumb as hell! We need to stop having such thin skin and look at the whole situation before making rash, emotional decisions and judgments. Why is it okay for a hip hop performer to use the word nigger (or any derivative thereof) in a song, but black folks look at a white person sideways if they’re singing a song and they don’t skip that word. Man, DAMN YOU!!! If they like the song and they want to sing along then they have just as much right to do so as you do. The issue ain’t with them winging along with a song, it’s with the word being in the song in the first place. I’m one of those black folks who will correct you in a heartbeat (regardless of race) if I’m called nigger (or any derivative thereof) or African/Afro American. The reasons behind my feelings about the label nigger go without saying. On the other hand, I’m an American who happens to be black (or negro). I believe I’m perpetrating when I call myself African American like someone who purports to be a Sigma and hasn’t crossed the burning sands. Why, you ask? I believe if you can’t name a person in your family that actually lived in Africa (or even visited the continent) you have no business claiming the country. Especially if you count back three generations and all were born in the US. Omini, Martin, and Barack Obama are all African Americans because they were born in America, but their fathers were born in Africa [mothers as well-except Obama]. Besides, when I traced my family history, my lineage is Portuguese on one side and Haitian on the other [hence the last name with French implications]. Too many folks have bled, sweat and cried for me to have the right to call myself an American. I disrespect their struggle when I insist on diluting that with anything else.

All of that being said, how many readers of this offering had the same conversation about Pres. Obama’s candidacy, complexion and diction? I know I did. We all know that if he had run with the complexion of Djimon Hounsou and the diction of 50 Cent he wouldn’t have made it to the senate, much less the White House. So what was the real issue with the statement he made? Rather than looking at the statement and trying to figure out if it was racist or not, why not look at it, assess its validity and evaluate it properly. It’s a more damning commentary on the reality of black folks in America than a statement that’s derogatory of black folks. Now, on one hand, I won’t hire anyone to work for me who can’t have a conversation without saying ‘umm’, ‘ya feel me’, and ‘know what I’m sayin’ like they just made a rap video. Therefore I definitely wouldn’t want to have them as president and representing me throughout the world. On the other hand, I believe it’s true that he wouldn’t have been as successful [or not at all] if his mother wasn’t white, therefore making his complexion lighter than had his mother been the same hue as his father. Therefore this gives the inference that the lighter the complexion the better the person. This divisive notion has been implanted in the minds of black America for years (circa Willie Lynch). We have to learn to see past it and for the most part many of us have. However, it does still exist.

We must stop allowing our buttons to be pushed for foolishness. I’m neither republican nor democrat, but I know a sham when I see one. This statement, made in a private conversation (I didn’t even address that part of it) needed no apology, public or private, and is an opinion shared by most. Go back and listen to Pres. Obama’s speech on race, he said the same thing himself. It was blown out of proportion by media outlets looking for a story and the republican party seeking to get Reid out of office and a republican in there. Sen. Reid should have responded to this report like he did in the photo. Followed by the question, “Who gon’ check me boo?’

It’s Just My Opinion, but I’m Not Wrong!!

To fly or not to fly…that is the question

Every since 9-11 people have been beefing about all of the new security measures that are in place at airports throughout the country (the world for that matter). We have to remove shoes, take off coats, hats, and everything else. Last time I traveled I asked the TSA agent for dinner after they were done. While some of these measures are bothersome, they are nonetheless necessary. Over the Christmas holiday season we had another attempt at blowing up an airplane and inflicting American casualties. Fortunately his efforts were thwarted by a combination of his incompetence and the proactive actions of other passengers. Personally I think that fool should have done some research before trying to do anything in the way of terrorism around Detroit. Somebody should have told him…LOL.

A couple of years ago they started using the full body scans in some airports. Some folks in the US got all bothered by it claiming privacy issues, etc. Now, this argument is resurfacing. It’s funny how folks want to have it both ways. They want to be safe and enjoy all the freedom they think they deserve. I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve said in the past, and will say in the future, we have too many freedoms in this country. Stop making that face. You know it’s true! If you don’t you will by the time I’m done. Look…we have to make some concessions to assure that everybody who gets on a plane is able to get off on the other end; plain and simple. All of the safeguards they had in place didn’t find this fool’s panty bomb. However, had he been scanned it would have been detected. I’ve actually seen the picture from one of these machines. There’s nothing obscene or perverted about what you see. They can’t actually ‘see’ any body parts. Think burlesque dancing and you’ll get the picture

I’m sick of some of these liberal, whiny, wanna have it both ways idiots who complain about the security measures put in place, but would be the first one to try and sue if their family member was killed on a plane citing the airline for not protecting their passengers-hence the name of this offering. Either you deal with the safeguards put in place or drive where you want to go. Oh yeah, you can take the train too. Either way it goes, we have folks out there who will try to harm you either because you’re American, because you’re rich, because you’re tall, because you’re fat, or just because it’s Tuesday. Deal with it, shut up and live life.

It’s just my opinion, but I’m not wrong.