I Must Admit…It’s True

I haven’t taken the time to sit down to leave a few words in quite a while. It’s unfortunate that I had to be angered to compose this piece. Teddy makes a great point in this quote. Since my early years, I’ve been a student of the politics of the day. I’ll never forget the surprise on the face of Jerry Hickman as I was describing the layers of government in civics class (and correcting the textbook on at least one occasion). I believe that, while it isn’t perfect, we have the greatest governmental machine in the world. We allow, to a certain extent, the people to choose their leaders, their laws and their fate. No other country in the world allows as many freedoms as are allowed in the United States of America. So my next position will bring pause to some of you. I personally believe we have too many freedoms in this country and, to a certain extent, we allow the people to be involved in too much that they’re uninformed about.


This quote says a great deal, especially when you reflect on those you know who either were vehemently opposed to President Barack Obama and couldn’t tell you why, or those who were staunch supporters and couldn’t tell you what his platform was. I mean I literally heard a woman argue that she didn’t like the president because he sat under the pastorate of Jeremiah Wright and had to know he was racist. She then said her issue was that he was a Muslim and didn’t back down from either when exposed to the contrast between the two, adding that he was an atheist because his father was one. So I guess that made him an Islamic Christian atheist. On the other hand I spoke to a woman who was upwards of 45 years old who admitted that it was her first time voting when the president ran in 2008. She went on to admit that she was only voting for him because she wanted to see a black man as president in her lifetime. I went on to tell her she was dishonoring the lives of those who dies for her to have the right to vote. I am of the mindset that neither of these people deserves the right to vote as they aren’t exercising the spirit of the vote in choosing whoever is best for their community and best for the position they are running.

I was one that argued against the statement that folks were opposed to our current president due to the hue of his epithelial coat. I was living with the notion that we are more intelligent, as a country, than that. However, with the compilation of events dating back to 2007, I must admit…it’s true. We’ve had folks oppose a president in the past and manage to still do what needs to be done for the country. We’ve had members of the senate and congress who didn’t agree with the president and put it aside to make sure the country’s best interest was first. We’ve had men and women in uniform not agree with the commander in chief but still carry out the orders presented to them. However, folks calling the president a liar on national television, governors verbally chastising a grown man in public (complete with the wagging finger) and now because he won reelection, utilizing the primary system set forth in this great country of ours (no supreme court intervention required), you have students burning effigies, signs and causing disturbances on college campuses and secession petitions being filed by some residents of the state of Texas (and over a dozen other states). With over 40,000 Texans signing this petition, I must admit…it’s true. This isn’t even scratching the surface on all of the other disgraceful antics displayed by members of the media, celebrities, sons of presidential opponents, etc that went unmentioned. On this day, I’m convinced that a great deal of the tom foolery allowed to go on with regard to the disrespect shown to the man sitting in the office of president of the United States is due to the his ancestral origin, I must admit…it’s true. When has it been allowed for a school to choose to not display the picture of the sitting president? When has it, or should it be, allowed for someone to lynch an effigy of a sitting president? At no time in American history have we seen a president, sitting or otherwise, disrespected at the level this one has. I, for one, am ashamed that we as a country cannot come together and do what needs to be done because some folks don’t want to follow someone that doesn’t look like them. I’m not saying everyone against him is against him because he’s black (that would be foolish and irresponsible), but I will say there is a contingent that’s making a noise that is wearing a brand new pair of these shoes and yes, they fit nicely, I must admit…it’s true. There are some who may be offended by this as there are others who think the same way but won’t say it.

Let’s be clear, I’m sick of folks thumping the racism card on the table every 10 seconds. I’m normally the last to make a claim of this nature (those who know me know this to be true)but in this case, I must admit…it’s true. It pains me to make this assertion in this case, but if you don’t see it the perhaps you need to take off the rose colored glasses. We, as a country, as a society, and as a people (American people) need to reexamine our relationships, our outlooks and reassess our allegiances. Do we really love our country, or are we for or against a particular person (or party)? Let’s all work together to stand firm for America, regardless of who sits as commander in chief. Respect the office, the man is just there for four more years.

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

Nah, I’m Good, Just Chillin

In recent weeks I’ve been reading about the death of a young man walking down the street in a safe gated community in Florida. I read how his presence was so imposing and his actions so threatening (with Skittles and iced tea) that he lost his life as a result of his heinous actions and intimidating presence. In the wake of the loss of his life, there’s been outrage, uproar, national outcry and finally an FBI probe. It’s been a while since I posted (life happens), but this one really pulled me back into reality. It’s one thing to get pulled over for DWB, as another friend of mine experienced recently in his Porsche, but this kid was walking while black. Too often, as a community, we’ve postured ourselves in a laid back, chilling position and not gotten involved. We look at the news, comment on how horrible something is, then we lean back and chill again. As long as we remain in chill mode nothing will change…then it could happen to you.
What took place here is an indicator of several other issues. You see this man, moved to this ‘gated community’ to put his family in a place for greater opportunities…because he’s made a few dollars and wanted something better for them. He didn’t want his kids growing up in ‘the hood.’ Sadly, as we saw when Tiger won the Master for his first time, when OJ got acquitted and countless other examples that could be mentioned, your race is still your race regardless of status, zip code, friends, or elected office. This kid lost his life, not because he was a hooligan, miscreant or even a ‘wanna be’ thug [from the mean streets of a gated community], but because an overzealous, idiotic bigoted moron decided it was his way to get 15 minutes of fame. It’s ludicrous that Zimmerman is still walking the streets, even laughable that he’s still breathing. What he did was at the worst murder, in the least man slaughter. They may be able to argue that he didn’t premeditate it so it wasn’t murder, but it was definitely the senseless loss of life for foolishness and he ought to be brought to justice for the life he took.
I’ve heard some argue about the law that was enacted in Florida recently about being able to shoot someone if you feel in fear of your life. However, this is not in any way in play here. There’s no way any defense attorney can argue that this idiot was in fear of his life especially since he was following the kid even after he was told by the 911 dispatcher . I’m personally in favor of a law of this sort due to the times I’ve seen, read and heard of folks being sued by someone they shot who had threatened them, harmed them, etc. We can’t throw out the baby with the bathwater in these types of cases. What needs to be established is whether or not there was an imminent, actual threat to this idiot’s life by Trayvon Martin…the child has was following…the child he was told the police would handle…the child that was screaming for help immediately prior to being shot to death…the child whose only weapons were Skittles and iced tea. Zimmerman needs to be arrested; charged and sentenced…Trayvon’s family deserves that justice...as soon as possible.

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