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!!!

Segregation in the church? Who ever heard?

Some may have issue with the question itself. Some may say that even asking this question undermines the integrity of the black church by insinuating that something is ‘wrong’ with this stalwart fixture in the community for many years. Some would venture to say that had it not been for the church in the black community some of us would not be here now.
Let’s not get it twisted; I grew up in the church. I grew up in many churches across the southern portion of Louisiana; from Merryville, to Sulphur, to Westlake, to Oakdale and Rayne, not to mention DeRidder. However, I still must ask the question, “What’s wrong with the black church?” I dare not belabor the point any longer, I have toiled with this topic since reading an article from CNN entitled, “Why many Americans prefer their Sundays segregated” After reading this article I was not only confused, but angered, especially by some of the responses some Christians gave to this reporter. I must ask myself, What God are some people serving? What scriptures are they reading?
Yes, we all know that there are different types of praise and worship. That’s what makes the world go round. Even within one congregation, you’ll find various genres of religious themed music, so this isn’t the issue. However, when you have people who make statements like, ‘That’s the one day I want to go somewhere and not feel racism.” What? What kind of world does he live in? The Love of Christ knows no color, creed, or national origin. So, if we are to live out the true meaning of the title Christian [translated means Christ-like], then we ought not have respect of person either. Whether you are black, brown, green or purple the only thing that ought to matter is your love for the God I serve. If we were all uncomfortable with something that goes on with life, which we are, then there would be no reason to go to church. Let me elucidate:
I could feel as though that is the one day I don’t want to have some one break into my car – every Sunday someone’s car is robgbed or vandalized while the owner is in their respective place of worship. Some wome may want that to be the one dya that no one is ogling their breasts and undressing them with their eyes – NOT!!!! I don’t even need to discuss this one. The list could go on for days. However, this is crap. There will be no white and black heaven. There won’t be anyone having to enter through the back . No one will have favor over another.
As Christians, we ought to do all we can to eliminate ‘Holy Prejudice’…one God, one Faith and one Baptism. If this be the case, then we all need to reevaluate who we are and what we are doing. All I’m saying is racial makeup ought not be the basis of setting up or serving in a church. Jesus spent time with the adulterous woman at the well, who was a racial minority in her region; he told of the story of the good Samaritan who was a racial outcast of the region; I could cite example after example from His teachings that are contrary to what we are practicing as Christians. No more of this segregation in the name of Jesus.

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

Who's She Trying to Fool?

We've all seen and heard all there is to see and hear with regard to the Democratic Party’s selection process and how they are STILL dealing with two presidential hopefuls. I have a question for "the other candidate"...Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. She sat in the smoke-filled rooms several years ago as a decisions maker with the Democratic Party and aided them in putting together a process that would assist the party in choosing their nominee for the election in November against whomever the republicans chose as their sacrificial lamb. However, since this race began and she wound up in the role of the underdog, she has done all that she can to circumvent the very process she helped construct. This last gaffe is just one in a series of blunders, screw-up’s and mistakes that she has committed that have driven people away from her and embittered those who are sticking with her. Even some of her most staunch supporters are most likely sitting in the audience as she makes her pseeches whispering to one another and asking the qieston, "Can she really win?" or "How's she going to pull this off?"
She has done everything from have her husband state that black people only voted for Barack Obama because he's black to releasing photos of him in an African garb to fuel the rumors of his religious beliefs. Many have forgiven her of these. Then she had imaginary sniper fire in Bosnia that she irresponsibly took her daughter into on a good will trip to the country. [Yeah right] Many forgave her if this as well. However, I cannot and shall not overlook the statement that she made on several occasions that came out this past Friday. She basically stated that she's waiting around to see if Barack gets assassinated, like Bobby Kennedy did. The she'll become the nominee of the party. No matter how you spin, twist, or turn it, that's what she implied. Then after being called on it she simply states, "...if this offended the Kennedy family, that wasn't my intention." Not even saying I apologize, I'm sorry, or anything else that would indicate that she was even remorseful that she made the inference toward the senator.
Now, to take attention away from that 'Slick Willie' is out on the stump reiterating what Hillary has been stating for the last few weeks. She can win in November against McCain. She is ahead in polls; she has more white people voting for her...blah, blah, blah. All of these accusations, inferences, innuendo and crap is going to cause a major issue in this country come November. Many, like me have stated emphatically, that they would have no problem voting for Hillary should she become the nominee of the party. Even after careful scrutiny, the platforms of Obama and Clinton don’t have much difference between them. However, their tactics are where the differentiation comes in. This race has shown exactly how they will and would react in time of crisis. She pulls out all the stops and gets down and dirty, even underhanded while not seeing reality. He keeps a cool head and calculates his next move in accordance with what he believes his opponent’s shall be. Which do you want running this country at this time next year? Should she gain the favor of the party and become the nominee against the votes of the people, I would hate to waste a vote on Nader, but I would have to. I couldn't have someone like that as my leader.
Hillary is on a path to assure that McCain will be our next president. She’s giving directives to her supporters not to vote for Obama should he win the nomination of the party. She’s ostracizing those who support him referring to them as turncoats and Benedict Arnold (i.e. Richards); she’s doing all she can to tear the party apart using the victim card and inferring that she’s not getting the same press, respect, or treatment because she’s a woman. What’s next? Will they accuse the ‘Obama people’ of being racist? That brings up another question. Why is it when I watched the news the other night when they were talking about the race and referenced Clinton’s ‘camp’ and Obama’s ‘people?’ Hmmm…I guess I’ll close with that.

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

Not now...not in 2008!

I was recently sent a copy of a letter that was printed in the Ft Worth Star-Telegram this past weekend (30 March 2008). The letter angered me, confused me, and then left me feeling sorry for its author. A scan of the letter is posted here for your perusal, but you can also go to the newspaper's website to read it along with others on the same topic at: http://www.star-telegram.com/244/story/551415.html

As I read the letter that Richard sent in to the paper, I was taken aback by the level of ignorance that was displayed. I even fired off an email to several friends in expression of this ire. After sleeping on it, I've come to the conclusion that this man is a victim. He's a victim of his own stupidity and the media images that he's chosen to take as the gospel. We all know that the media can twist the truth, or share certain aspects of the truth in order to shape our view of what we see. Don't believe me? Try something as simple as watching the local news this evening. See how the FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC affiliates report the same stories. Mostly the same information, but pay attention to the verbiage and the emphasis. They did it back in the day to Malcolm X, they did it a few years ago to John Kerry, and they're doing it right now in this presidential race.

As it pertains to the stereotypes about blacks [men particularly], I encourage you to seek out and watch Janks Morton's documentary "What Black Men Think". Once you sift through the negro conservative rhetoric and the Robert Townsend "Hollywood Shuffle" level production, there are some truths in there that can open your eyes. Overall, my personal feelings are that letter is an exhibition of the idiocy of some people, even today in 2008. How we still have that splinter of society that has been hoodwinked and bamboozled by the media's images of a sector of society. The author of this letter obviously doesn't know that the ratio of black men going to college (relative to population) is higher than that of white men of their legion. He obviously doesn't know that of the 40 million poor and underprivileged in this country, 26 million look like him. It's an unfortunate truth that when the news reports anything about the poor, those receiving public assistance, etc they inevitably show stock [or real] footage of people of color [black or brown]. The purpose of this is for the poor whites to feel as though they have more in common with the wealthy and give black and brown the mindset of identification with the poor. This is no more an accident than it is that every time they put out their lists of beautiful people there are less than 10% people pf color. Try this when you get the chance - go to Target or Wal-Mart and look in the toy section; count the ratio of white dolls to dolls of color [ANY color]. This is all by design. Give us the mindset that our woman aren't beautiful, our plight is to be poor and that we are disenfranchised in the country of our birth. They even have us, still today, separating ourselves from our country. No other group gives themselves a name that separates them from America. We have to be African American, while they are white, hispanic, or asian.

This letter, while it should raise the ire of many blacks, it should also open our eyes. Yes, he's an idiot of epic proportions, but I shan't leave us out of the fray. Why, you ask? Because in every lie, there is some level of truth; unfortunately, we still have that contingent of niggers that give black people a bad name. On that same token there is a contingent of white bread crackers (like this imbecile) that make all white people look bad. I could get angry and say, "You can’t expect too much from someone whose mother is also their sister and their father is also their grandfather." However, I won't stoop to that level…whether it is true or not.

Sadly there are too many who buy into this type of crap. Unfortunately, many of those that do are people of color. Therefore, the objective has been reached, the disillusionment of a generation, they won’t expect anything more of themselves because society expects nothing of them. They believe the lie that there are more black men in prison than college, that black men don’t graduate high school, that they can only aspire to be a pro ball player or a drug dealer. That any job that doesn’t afford them the luxury cars (Maybach, Bentley, Benz, etc.) isn’t success. They believe the hype that all black people have bad credit, go everywhere late, we're supposed to be po (not poor) and that our men don’t marry their baby mommas or pay child support. They believe this crap. Until we, as a people, stand up and prove this wrong, they’ll keep believing this crap.

You see, there are several tragedies that this letter to the Ft Worth Star-Telegram brings to light. Not only is it a tragedy that this idiot was stupid enough to audibalize this moronic attempt at profundity; it is also a tragedy that this 'supposedly' reputable media outlet was irresponsible enough to print it; but the biggest tragedy is that there is some modicum of what he said that is true. That’s what really angers me. If we, as a people, were in a place where we could indisputably say that none of what this idiot says is true, then I’d be happy. To a certain extent, everything he said is untrue, relative to the proportion of the blacks that are guilty of these transgressions. However, we can each readily name at least one person who is guilty of each of the line items he accused us of. This being the case, there are far too many of them out there that need to change. Yes, we need to be mad as hell about this letter and the lunacy of the assertions made in it. We also need to retrieve the perpetrators of the actions he’s accusing us of and collectively whip them into shape individually and corporately to make everything he said a lie. Then and only then, might we rid ourselves of this niggardly activity and thus, shed the auspicious title of always being the trifling, rabble-rousing, boisterous, ignorant fools that we’ve been called.

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