I Wonder if the AARP Shares Her Views

I haven’t posted in a minute, but felt compelled to after posting and reading a few other posts from others on an article on the Sporting News this morning. This past weekend there was a rally hosted in downtown Dallas by Mayor Mike Rawlings. He’s basically declaring war on domestic violence; He had the likes of Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Brandon Carr and other local celebs touting the mantra that a man who hit s a woman is not a man. This particular article was about the participation of Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver who was arrested for domestic violence last year when he was accused of hitting his mother. Sadly, most of those who posted had nothing positive or even remotely supportive to say about the rally or his participation in it. While I was disappointed in their views, I was taken aback and totally offended by the remarks left by one poster. Cindy Betris, who works for AARP (according to her profile), said “I’m done with domestic abuse? please that’s like a brother saying he done with fried chicken. never going to happen.” I didn’t make this up? She posted it, with her employer’s name listed right beside hers [see screenshot].

After I seethed for a few minutes, I asked myself a question, “I wonder if the AARP knows she feels this way about black people? I wonder if they might feel the same way?” I further pontificated, “I might be wrong, I may have misinterpreted what she said.” So, being who I am, I clicked through and went to her FB profile. There I found other statements that solidified my suspicions; she has no respect or regard for black people…men in particular. There I found several other disparaging remarks, like “How bout them Cowboys bunch of monkeys” this remark was left on the article about the death of a Cowboys practice team player after a drunk driving accident.

It was followed by her love for Hollywood films and remakes where she described who would star in several movies, including, “…despite Gary Coleman dying last year they will dig up his body and spray paint it white to play the role of “Jack”". Then I found, “his blackass shouldn’t have even been in the game, cousins should have started.” This referencing RGIII and his ability to play in a recent Redskins game. Followed by, “Got to love black on white testicles crime.” Referencing the kick to the groin of Matt Shaub by Ndamukong Suh in a game last season.

She even referenced how blacks helped determine when spring will come with the revelation, “the black panther saw its own shadow, 4 more years of darkness.” This was posted on Nov 7, 2012 after the reelection of President Barack Obama. I do believe that people have the right to have their own views and share them as they please. I believe that we ought not infringe on the rights and beliefs of others. I personally believe that if I have something negative to say about someone or something that I can, and often do, say it when I choose to and how I choose to. However, when you post defamatory comments, racist remarks, ignorant statements and asinine anecdotes on the world wide web and your employer’s name is listed beside your name you are, in my opinion, representing that employer whether deliberately or not, and they need to let everyone who’s seen your remarks, comments, statements and been subjected to your anecdotal antics know where they stand on your feelings, rants and rights. I’m not trying to disparage the AARP, I look forward to being a member in the future. However if they share the views of their employee, and I hope they don’t, I may have to seek membership elsewhere. Perhaps some of the readers of this posting might want to ask the AARP the same questions. I’m just saying.

If you want send her a friend request (or read the original postings in their entirety) you can find her at www.facebook.com/cindy.betris I’m sure she’ll be glad to add you to the 20 friends she presently has.

It’s What SHE Posted, I’m Not Wrong!!!

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.

My Prom Date…NOT!

I just read an article about a high school in Mississippi that cancelled their prom rather than allow an openly gay couple attend and have one of them wear a tux and play the role of a man. This 18 year old young lady had a girlfriend who was a sophomore at the same high school where she attended and they have an openly gay relationship inclusive kissing, making out, etc and have no reason to hide their affection for one another. After reading the article and watching the story on one of the news channels I found it very strange that no one was addressing several glaring issues that I saw as I learned of it.

As one of my coworkers and I discussed this situation when she brought it to my attention, we both said the same thing. "There's more to this than meets the eye." The news story said that she'd asked the school if she could bring her girlfriend to the prom as her date. What school has students clearing their dates through the administration prior to bringing them to the prom? The mere fact that she asked says that both she feels that what she wanted to do was wrong and she needed to get permission to do so. Or she had a desire to cause a stir and controversy by presenting this issue for consideration. As soon as I found that the ACLU was involved I made the statement that they'd probably put her up to this just to grab some headlines.

Then I read people making statements like, "…what's next; outlawing interracial dating at the prom?" I'm so sick of folks comparing ethnicity to sexual PREFERENCE. I don't care if you're gay, straight, bisexual or trisexual; do what you do. But stop trying to drag me into your battles because of my skin color. Let's clarify something here. If you're homosexual (LGBT or whatever you want to be called this week) and you walk into a room no one knows, or needs to know, your sexual preference. They won't know unless you CHOOSE to make it known. When I walk into a room, everyone with the sense of sight knows I'm a black man whether I say it or not, whether I want them to know or not. My point is this, heterosexuals don't run around throwing up in other folks faces that they're heterosexual, I'd venture to say that a lot of homosexuals don't either. However, should you choose to, deal with what comes with the revelation you share.

I wouldn't have cancelled the prom if I were an administrator at this school or in this district. Nor would I have entertained the notion of changing the rules that were in place at the school. The young lady had a choice, she made it and she would have had to deal with it. Everyone reading this had at least a couple of groups of girls who went to prom together as a group. They didn't ask anyone for permission to do what they did, this girl was trying to cause a commotion and she should have been left to deal with the quandary she put herself and her girlfriend in. The prom would have and should have gone on without her and her date. I won't even get into the fact that she was 18 and her girlfriend was either 15 or 16. Hmmm…in most states that's illegal. Guess there are some things that are allowed in Mississippi that this girl doesn't have issue with and she's happy to take advantage of.

It's Just My Opinion, But I'm Not Wrong.

Are We Really Mad at the Right People?

The other day I was sent a link to a story on a fraternity party that took place at UC San Diego. When I read the header I got a little angry. It read, “UC San Diego party mocking Black History Month shows racism.” I was angry because again we have someone making fun of black folks and where we’ve come from, all the struggles we had to get where we are, all the lives lost in the civil rights movement to have this kind of garbage take place! In 2010?!?!?! As I read the story, my anger waned a bit, then as I continued to read I got angry again. I wasn’t angry at the silly white folk who had this party. I wasn’t angry at the school for not doing anything about it. I wasn’t angry at the fraternity rep for not acknowledging they’d done anything wrong.

By the last sentence I read I was angry at those who perpetuate the stereotypes they were making fun of. I was incensed about the fact that as I read the depictions I actually know people fit the description they were giving. I grew angry and started thinking about the post I put up last week and how it bothered me to even see people who try their level best t emulate the foolishness and ludicrous chicanery he promotes.

Let me make myself perfectly clear…yes I believe it was insensitive of these college kids to have this party and promote it as though it had something to do with black history month [kind of like the students from Tarleton State did a few years ago for MLK weekend]. I was aggravated at that and more. However, how mad can I be when they were actually emulating, imitating and acting like people I know. It’s not like they had on black face and were doing the chicken George saying we act like that. They were talking about people who make up words [like conversate] and talk loudly like that makes you listen to them more intently. They mocked folks who make it their business to make noises, such as ‘hmmg!’, or smack their lips, and make other angry noises, grunts, and faces. They made sport of the same ignorance that people like me don’t tolerate and try to avoid.

Back in the day I used to get uncomfortable when my white friends would make a statement like, “…you know, you’re not like them.” I’d commence to start acting like I’m ghetto as hell to prove my blackness. Today, I carry statements like that as a badge of honor. THANK YOU for recognizing that I’m not like them! You see, for too long our community has uplifted the negative and looked at the positive as ‘acting white’. We’ve treated folk who use an SAT vocabulary as though something is wrong with them and made fun of the kids who make good grades. I’m here to tell you, it’s not acting white, it’s acting right and it’s high time we realize it.

Stop getting mad at the people who make fun of the people that make you look bad. You need to make fun of they asses too; rather than glorifying and lifting them up. They’re ignorant, slothful, trifling, irresponsible, and whole litany of other terms I shan’t delve into right now. I’ll only get mad at white folk making fun of me and people like me. Chris Rock said it best “…it ain’t the black folk doing all the stupid stuff, robbing, stealing, raping; it’s them niggers. Just making good black folks look bad!” I challenge you to dialogue with the white folks who sponsored this party (or some like them). I would venture to make a bet that they were just ‘having a little fun.’ And no one was supposed to be hurt, insulted, or take offense. I’d even bet that there may have been a couple of brown and black faces in the crowd at the party. We need to stop jumping to condemn every event that takes place as though it’s racism.

This wasn’t racism, it was a case of some dumb college kids making fun of a group of people who can do better, but choose not to so they need to be made fun of. I know somebody is going to be mad at me when they read this, but I really don’t care. Examine the whole scenario and come talk to me afterwards. Besides, if you haven’t already realized it yet by the tagline at the end of every posting…I don’t care if you don’t agree. You want a case of modern day racism, Google Johnson & Wales University in Denver. They just did an interview with some students from there on their local Fox channel. That’s racism…not this garbage. Have a great day.

It’s Just My opinion, but I’m not wrong