Bitter Daze

Get a clue people

2009-07-24T15:12:00.005-04:00

Get a clue people.

I was just reading about what happened to Heny Louis Gates Aka Skip Gates. And I really think that it’s funny that people still don’t understand how race plays a small role in this. The officer was just doing his job, but he didn't have to arrest the man. HLG had just come home from China…First off do you even know how long that flight is. So naturally he’s probably in a un-rested bad mood. Now put yourself in his shoes. You just come home and your front door is jacked up. So what do you do? Go around back and you come in that way. But your nosey neighbors call the cops because they see suspicious action.

But all you trying to do is get into your house. Seriously this reads like an old Dave Chappelle joke. So you’re in your house resting from a long flight and here comes a cop asking you if you live there and if you are alone in the house and if the house is yours. Man you just got back from China and you’re tired and now you gotta deal with a cop asking you questions talking about do you live here? WTF? Of course he was gonna be a little upset. His front door is jacked up and he’s gotta fix that and now he’s got to explain himself to this cop? Hell I’d be a little pissed off to.

Now ya see this whole thing is shocking cause it’s HLG. If this was Cornel West or Michael Eric Dyson; I would be more inclined to see why they got arrested cause those brothas can get a little loud. But this is HLG…I mean this guy is so calm and non-threatening that it’s shocking to me that he would be considered disorderly. If you’ve seen his documentaries or read his books you would have a better understanding of what I’m saying…that being said this arrest could be good for him in terms of book sales.

Now I see both sides to this. The cop was just doing his job. He’s conditioned to think a certain way. Asking a man if anyone else is inside his house when you get a call on a reported break in is a fair question to ask. From his perspective there could have been someone in the house that HLG didn't know about. But I also see HLG side of things. I’m tired just getting home I gotta get my front door fixed and now I got to deal with this cop.

But I digress. And then what added gasoline to the fire was someone asking ole 44 (Obama) what he thought of the arrest. And the president backed his boy up. And white America is shocked by this? If y’all had any doubts about 44 being black. All doubt was removed when he used that moment to remind white folks of black people’s history with the police. See I got NO problem with the president having his boy’s back. He had every right to say what he said. And if people listen to the whole comment there’s nothing out of the ordinary that was said.

The question that burns within each black person when they hear of this kind of crap is: If they can do that to an accomplished scholar like HLG then what the f*ck are my chances? The best case scenario is that charges get dropped and you get held for a few hours. The worst case scenario is ya get shot like Oscar Grant.

Happy New Year...Are you still there???

2009-01-09T07:24:00.008-05:00

It’s been a long time…And first off I’d like to say HI HATERS! I told you so. Obama is our new president. And that’s all I got…Nothing more to say. This year I’ve decided to have a little more fun…Assisting me in this endeavor will be a friend, she is currently living aboard and does not want her real name out there so I will just call her…Cassie aka Sassy Cassie. Cassie is a strong beautiful opinionated woman of color who has traveled the world. We’ve known each other for many years and I always get a kick out of her unique world view. By the way she’s from Canada. I threw a couple of topics at her to not only get a rise out of her but to give you a taste of her unique world view. I hope you enjoy.

The random sample of topics included the following subjects:

Fake Boobs
Black Chicks who dye their hair blond
Chicks that did porn and want to sing
Sex In the City is it a myth?
Girls with Pink Hair who have baby voices are they faking?
Black chicks who wear their hair natural who date white men.

Cassie in classic form responded as follows:

Re: Fake Boobs she had this to say:
"Don’t care as long as they appear natural. Do the rest of us a favor though and please stop flaunting them in the female locker room at the gym. Big breasted women can spot fake tatas anywhere, especially when you lay down since fakes stay up an don’t slide to the side and kiss your armpits. We can also see the scarring. Most importantly, flaunt them around the wrong woman and she is likely to stick a pin in your new found confidence and cause it to leak out like the silicone in your breasts."

Re: Black Chicks who dye their hair blonde:
"It’s actually getting tired. If you’re in show business or the beauty industry, it’s understandable. It is not acceptable however if you can’t keep up the hair, make-up and wardrobe of such a demanding colour. If you can’t afford the maintenance, STOP! Ill groomed black blondes look washed out and dirty and yellow straw never really blends well with black hamburger meat."

Re: Chicks that Did porn and now want to sing:
Irrelevant because no one knows who they are. Just trying to marry a rich singer and need to get their foot in the door. Actually feel sorry for these pathetic sperm receptacles.

Re: Sex in the City:
I can’t be fair to Sex and the City. When I was going through my divorce and was actually on my own, making money, travelling and having promiscuous sex, I thought it was the best show in the world. Now that I’ve grown up, I can’t even stomach to look at it because it reminds me of how stupid young, independent, smart women are and the lengths they will go to for a man’s attention. I think it’s should be viewed as a guilty pleasure or a safe escape for women who’ve never lived in New York or are independent. However, if you can identify with every character at a point in time in your life, move on. It’s an endless merry go round that is never going to stop. Know when to get off.

Re: Girls with Pink hair:
I don’t’ get the pink hair thing. I don’t think they’re faking. I think they are gullible and some fabu gay hairdresser has convinced them that this is the “new blonde” and they bought into it like the emperor’s new clothes. It’s all about being accepted. Again, if you’re in the entertainment or beauty business, fine. If not, the response above.

Re: Black chicks who have naturals who date white men:
Some of these women are extremely hypocritical. I have nothing against interracial dating or marriage but think you need to ask yourself this one question as a black woman: If a white guy is only interested in me because of my afro, dark skin and big lips, perhaps he has some xenophobic, domineering fantasies, like Thomas Jefferson? Just because he wants to f*&k you doesn’t mean he’s not racist. I am so sick of these girls walking around with the afro t-shirts and the souls sister image when at the end of the day you only feel better about your hair when a white man validates it as an acceptable beauty standard, not you. In other words, the fact that the white guy likes it supposedly makes it better and silently gives the black man the finger. At the end of the day, some of these so-called soul sisters are with white men because they want to get back at the black men who rejected them. Straight, curly, blond, pink or nappy, self hatred is still alive and well!

Catching up.

2008-09-08T17:06:00.002-04:00

I’ve been away from this for a couple of weeks and I’ve got some catching up to do. I’ve got a few things to get off my chest so let’s just get started with the randomness.

I got a problem with this new show Sons of Anarchy. It’s on the FX channel and it’s basically a story about a motorcycle club (gang). Right off the bat I have a problem with this show because it reflects a double standard that is pervasive throughout our culture.

If this show was about the Crips or the Bloods people would be up in arms. I know it’s just a TV show and I don’t have to watch it but still there’s something about this show that just bugs me. Where is the outrage from the trailer park coalition?

The tale of two conventions.

I saw both conventions. The Democrats didn’t attack enough and the Republicans lacked substance. The ticket is set: Obama-Biden and McCain-Palin. Either way history will be made in November. There’s just one quote that sticks in my craw that I’d like to vent about: "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." Maybe it’s my urban values or my urban upbringing but I don’t get what’s so damn funny about being a community organizer. In an interview with Newsweek Obama’s former boss had this to say “I think it shows how much people from the wealthy and privileged sectors have dominated community life.” I could not agree more with that sentiment. Anyone who comes out of an Ivy League college and decides to do “community work” must be commended simply for the fact that they have chosen to help people who have less rather than maintaining the status quo.

For years my mother was some what of a community organizer. As TA (tenant association) president she looked out for the rights of the other tenants in our housing development. When a tenant had a problem whether it be a flood, repairs, or a boiler issue my mother was the one who made the call to management to make sure that tenant received the proper assistance they needed. So to say that a community organizer doesn’t have responsibilities is not only an ignorant statement but it’s an insult to anyone who works from a grass roots level to help people who fall between the cracks left by the government. It’s the community organizers who the local politicians call when they need votes it’s the community organizers who eventually become politicians. And if I’m not mistaken didn’t Mrs. Palin get her start on the PTA? And isn’t the PTA a community organization?

By the way I love the way teenage moms are getting love from the GOP. Who knew that all it took was for the VP’s daughter to get knocked up. I guess it’s ok cause Bristol plans on marrying Levi Johnson. Apparently Bristol hasn’t read Levi's MySpace page which stated: “I don’t want kids.”

*As of last week his MySpace page was taken down. Guess he changed his mind?

Barack Obama Hecklers : My Take On It

2008-08-16T00:21:00.001-04:00

Saul Williams - Telegram

2008-08-15T23:27:00.009-04:00

Obama Heckled on African American Issues

2008-08-15T23:18:00.001-04:00

In the interest of fairness I am posting this clip.

Mind the Gap.

2008-07-16T22:15:00.000-04:00

I’m pretty much fed up at this point. First Jesse Jackson leaves his mike on and gets caught talking about how he wants to cut Obama’s nuts off. Then Phil Gramm calls America a nation of whiners. Then we have the cover of the New Yorker. And then I read this.

But let’s look at the context of what Jesse may have been caught saying. “Obama’s talking down to N*ggaz.” But aren’t N*ggaz the ones who are being irresponsible.

But I digress.

It is incumbent upon Barack Obama to close the racial gap. But if he can’t is it his fault?

There are a lot of white people who want to stay in Iraq. There are a lot of white people who are not comfortable with a black man becoming president no matter what. There are white people who like Barack Obama but do believe in his message. My overall point is that there are too many variables at play here for Obama to actually close the racial gap in this country. His message of unity has put a magnifying glass on fault line that is race in America, making us more conscious of it, and making some of us resentful that he’s indirectly brought the problem to light.

In my humble opinion it is not Obama’s job to improve race relations. The responsibility falls at the feet of the people. I for one am not going to fool myself into believing that just because a black man can become president means that racism is over. It is a huge step, but that does not erase the vile legacy of racism in this country. Now the average white person reading this is probably asking himself well then WHAT WILL? WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT THEN?

I want white people to understand that it is not that simple. I would like white people to acknowledge that the issue is far more complex than they would like to admit. White people’s idea of racism and what is racist is a far cry from what black people feel is racist.

But vote Obama in the fall anyway. It’s a step in the right direction.

Are you offended?

2008-07-14T13:01:00.002-04:00

Does this picture offend you?

2008-07-02T21:01:00.008-04:00

Last week I was gonna talk about this then this happened, then I got sidetracked. Which brings me to this week’s post.

Is it me or is McCain making a lot of mistakes? Grover Norquist a McCain supporter was quoted recently by saying Barack Obama is John Kerry with a tan.

And this week Now John Wesley Clarke has officially screwed himself out of getting the veep slot on the Democrats ticket. He challenged McCain's qualifications and then said "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."

This election cycle people are going to be very creative in the ways they make the other one look bad. Obama at the end of the day is a politican and if he can out smart the Clintons then he can surely outsmart the GOP.

But when you say something as stupid as Obama is John Kerry with a tan it really forces you to see how creative these McCain supporters can be.

Are we ready?

2008-06-18T22:37:00.002-04:00

From the beginning of Barack Obama’s campaign the question of “Is white America ready for a black president?” But let me ask a question that has not been asked my many.

Is Black America ready for a black president?

Tavis Smiley on his June 13th show posed two questions I would like to discuss here:

On his June 13th show Tavis Smiley posed the question “Having some body that has to race transcend and has to pivot on race does that mean we are really ready?”

The way he poses this question leads me to believe that he would rather see a candidate like Jesse Jackson who runs an unapologetically “black” campaign and win. In my estimation Mr. Smiley doesn’t see the big picture. When a man runs for president of the United States he’s got to have an appeal that crosses all boundaries. Everyone knows Obama is a black man. Obama reminding white people that he’s black will only serve to marginalize him.

What does black America gain by getting behind somebody who has to jump through hoops just to get in office?

Once again I find it very noteworthy in the way he posses this question. Being that Tavis was an avid Hillary supporter his question is revealing in the way he sees the scope of things. Are we to believe that Black America would gain more if Hillary was the nominee? What is to be gained? Mr. Smiley poses a hard question. One can only speculate about what’s to be gained for all black and white. I do not think black Americans will get any special treatment if Obama becomes the president. I can tell you what we will loose though; we will loose the ability to make the excuses we’ve been making for decades.

We will now have to step up while staying vigilant. It’s going to be hard as hell to convince white people racism still exists with a black man as president but only a fool would think that a black president would end racism in America.

Now what???

2008-06-07T12:55:00.000-04:00

It happened. Obama won the nomination and as of today Hillary Clinton has suspended her campaign.

Now comes the hard part, winning the White House in November. America will be put to the test these next five months we will truly find out how far we’ve come as a nation.

I don’t use this term lightly but I am very happy that Obama has the opportunity to run. It’s a long time coming and it’s not going to be easy but I know in my heart it is possible.

Now that I’ve gotten that positive stuff out of the way I would like to take this time to get some things off my chest.

I really didn’t know what to think of Chris Matthews and Tom Brokaw getting misty eyed Tuesday night. It just felt weird to see them get emotional about the prospect of a black man becoming president of the United States. In one way I felt as if they were patting themselves on the back as if to say, “Look how far we’ve come people see racism is dying.” But that’s how I felt in the moment. As the thought of Obama becoming president sunk in I realized that my first reaction may not have been on point. Maybe just maybe these men were being sincere.

These past few days I’ve come to realize the depth of how whites and blacks view race in this country. In the majority of white people’s minds racism is a dead issue. But to a majority of black people in America it’s still an issue that permeates our daily lives.

There in lies the problem. How can we in the post-Obama world see eye to eye?

Shame on you Liz Trotta

2008-05-28T22:04:00.001-04:00

I feel sorry for this woman. Is this what fair and balanced really means?

It's amazing that stuff like this slips under the radar.

But the thing that bothers me the most about this kind of thing is that deep down everyone fears for Obama's life in one way or another because the last time a leader was this popular with both black and white people he got shot.

This kind of thing is unacceptable and I am surprised there wasn't a bigger uproar.

Thug Fashion Rant.

2008-05-21T20:20:00.000-04:00

This week I am making the conscious decision not to say ANYTHING about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Instead of my usually drivel, I am going to talk about something that I've been dying get off my chest. Now what I'm about to rant about may be considered frivolous by many of you but to me this is a VERY SERIOUS issue. It is one of those things that I find to be the tipping point in what some might call hip hop culture. This thing that haunts me whenever I see it, isn’t chicken bones in the street, it isn’t stretch marks on women wearing tight clothes who have no business in them?

No my friends this thing is far worse than any of that. This thing is what I like to call THUG FASHION FLUBS.

If you live in the hood you should not wear anything to do with NASCAR.
If you live in the hood you should not be wearing anything that sparkles. Stop with the sparkly skulls. WHAT’S WITH THAT?? Thugs don’t sparkle.
If you live in the hood you should not wear ANYTHING THAT IS DAY GLO. That includes AIR FORCE ONES that are BRIGHT GREEN WITH NEON PINK SHOE LACES!

Now don’t get me wrong this is not a homophobic rant. This is more about IMAGE.

YOU CAN’T BE TOUGH AND SPARKLE AT THE SAME TIME!

Sorry but WHO ARE YOU SCARING WEARING THAT SH*T??

I thought keeping it hood was about resiliency in the face of the harsh reality of the urban experience. I thought keeping it hood was about toughness. HOW YOU GONNA BE TOUGH IN SOME PINK AIR FORCE ONES!

And WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT NASCAR JACKET. Do you even know what NASCAR STANDS FOR?? Why are you a walking BILLBOARD???

I’m sorry, maybe it’s my old age or maybe it’s just my GENERAL FASHION SENSE.

Mid-Week Rant 5-14-08

2008-05-14T20:33:00.008-04:00

Can I just get some stuff of my chest....

How many times have you heard or read the following statement:

Clinton's largest margins, were registered among voters at the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. Among white voters without a college degree.

So if you are a white person who makes under $30,000 a year and didn't go to college, chances are you are a Hillary supporter.

What is the elitist media really saying when they keep repeating this stat??

I'll tell ya: Dumb white people like Hillary.

I honestly do not believe that because I would like to think that poor white folk can think for themselves and make their own decisions.

But that's not what I want to talk about today. Today I want to talk about one of my favorite topics. RACE. Wait...Hear me out before you click away and go to another blog.

Obama's foot soldiers encounter name-calling, vandalism, bomb threats

Yes ladies and gentlemen racism is alive and well and white people are finding out day by day that if you volunteer for a black candidate for president the chances of your life being threatened are heightened.

What is this the 60's? Don't these white people know racism is over? This kind of behavior is very disturbing.....Ok if you can't tell I'm being sarcastic.

It's amazing that these incidents are being reported just as the primary season is coming to a close.

You may go now....Wait don't go

2008-05-07T22:19:00.000-04:00

Question: Who does Hillary Clinton have to pay to change the laws of mathematics in order for her to win the Democratic nomination?

Because at this point that’s what it’s going to take for her to win.

Question: If the math is against you, how can you raise money for your campaign?
Answer: Loan the money to yourself!

I love how the media is now calling for her to drop out. I totally disagree. I want Hillary Clinton to stay in this until it is over. Yes it will be a little humiliating for her when she has to tell her supporters that she has to bow out. But a little humble pie is good for the soul.

Last night Obama won North Carolina, and lost in Indiana. I’m very happy about this. But I take nothing for granted. Obama could say something stupid or a crack-head friend could come out the woodwork and then we’d be back to square one.

But I digress. Hillary Clinton needs to stay in this race and the media needs to shut up. Whenever there have been calls for Mrs. Clinton to leave the race it always ends up firing up her base and then it looks like the media is making her the victim and then that sets the stage for another so-called “comeback”.

The math is not on her side. So why is she still in the race? What does she have to prove?

I think it is pride. But in the words of the great Marsellus Wallace, “That's pride fucking with your head. Fuck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps.”

Never truer words spoken in cinema.

A Requiem for Sean Bell

2008-04-30T21:05:00.003-04:00

Perspective is defined as the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.

After the Sean Bell shooting I was able to gain some perspective. Let me share it with you.

Sean Bell was intoxicated when he hit the minivan that the undercover cops were in. This by no means justifies Mr. Bell and his friends getting shot at fifty plus times. This fact gives me perspective.

Mr. Bell was arrested (but never convicted) of dealing drugs and gun possession. This fact also gives me perspective.

At the time of the shooting neither Mr. Bell nor anyone in his party had a weapon. This fact also gives me perspective.

I mentioned those two facts because they were taken into consideration when the judge handed down the acquittal last week. Whether he cares to admit it or not Bell’s past was taken into consideration.

What I’ve learned from this case is that people who support the cops feel that Bell’s past is relevant to his creditability. Basically in some people’s minds all the cops did was kill another drug dealer. On the other hand people who see past the surface see that the cops used excessive force in that situation.

My POV is as follows. I feel that the cops did use excessive force. I feel that the cops should serve some kind of time for man-slaughter. Now I’m not saying the cops should be locked up for life but they should serve some kind of time.

But here’s what I see in the BIG PICTURE. If you are a man (or woman) of color and a police officer kills you, the chance of that officer being punished for that crime are SLIM to NIL. That basically means that ex-cons or anyone with an arrest record has fewer rights in a court of law than a person who doesn't have a criminal record, based on creditability alone. Now please by no means do I think this is fair. I am just stating what I’ve observed.

So what is the lesson here? The lesson is that young black men (and women) need to keep their records clean because if they don’t their lives can be snuffed out without a single thought by the same people we pay to protect us.

My Final Thought.

The day of the verdict I had one of the best conversations when an 11 year old kid in a book store. We were in the comic book section and I was explaining how Captain America didn't know at first that Winter Solider was really Bucky and various comic book geek stuff. After I left the store I was filled with a bittersweet feeling. At first I was kind of taken back that I was able to talk to a kid and I wondered if that was how conversations would go if I was to have a son. Then I thought about all the things I would have to explain to him and then I started to think of Mr. Bell.

How does a parent explain to their child the cops can kill an unarmed man and not be punished? Is this the kind of world I want to bring a child into?

Still here.

2008-04-23T22:03:00.002-04:00

After the results of last night's PA Democratic Primary I have come to realize that Hillary Clinton would be an ideal choice for the VP slot. Maybe she can raise some money to get out of debt now that she's won PA.

By the way why is it that Obama was able to raise more money than Hillary after losing Ohio and tying in Texas? Hmmmm...

Now I know some of you are saying. But wait Doc, she's won all the BIG states? Who decides what a BIG STATE is? How do you think the people in S. Carolina, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Mississippi, Louisiana, Minnesota and Kansas (just to name a few) feel that the media and Hillary Clinton think their states AREN'T CONSIDERED BIG.

Big is another word the media is using for industrial. See Obama has won a lot of states that the Democrats gave up on during the last election cycle. Last time around it was all about RED STATES vs. BLUE STATES. Now it’s about BIG vs. LITTLE.

But what this really is about is the Electoral College. Hillary has won in the states in where the Electoral College vote is HIGH. In theory you can win the presidency by just winning only 15 states? How unfair would it be if you won all the other states but your EC count didn't match up? This whole system needs an enema.

Speaking of systems…….There are a lot of children that are going to be put in through the system because they were born to people who felt it was their religious duty to be separated from the outside world. How cool was it that a black woman from Colorado was the one who dropped dime on these fools. Heh just leave it to a sista to pull salt in the game huh? I feel sorry people but I cannot help but to draw a similarity between these people and the Taliban. The only difference is the women in the Texas Mormon cult wear prairie dresses and the women under the Taliban wear burqas. It amazes me how we sit in judgment of other people’s religions but yet we have the SAME SH*T going on under our noses.

Sometimes the hypocrisy is enough to make me vomit.

Did someone say bitter?

2008-04-16T21:06:00.003-04:00

So let me get this right? April 6th Obama was in San Francisco and made the following comment:

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and no thing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

And then everyone took what he said out of context. So am I to believe that people in small towns and some cities across this country aren't bitter because the factories have shut down and there are no jobs because they've been outsourced?

At best his words may have been harsh. What word should he have used? Angry? Disenchanted? Unhappy?

Can we cut the bullshit for just once? Who wouldn't be bitter about there being NO JOBS in their community?

But let’s get to the last part. “-they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

If that statement came out of Rush Limbaugh’s mouth would it have been taken out of context?

So after watching the debate I’ve come to a conclusion. Barack Obama has been vetted enough by the press. They dug up people he’s been loosely associated with, they havegone on about him not wearing a flag pin, they have criticized his pastor and the church he’s a member of and through all of this I have realized one thing.

NONE OF THESE THINGS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS VARIOUS POSITIONS ON THE ISSUES.

Question: When Hillary calls Obama an elitist is that code for Uppity Negro?

Random thoughts

2008-04-09T21:35:00.006-04:00

I just finished watching Randy Pausch's Last Lecture (the condensed version).

I found it to be very inspiring. For some reason it made me think of the late Bill Hicks. On Feb. 26 1994 Bill died of pancreatic cancer. Bill in some ways did what Dr. Pausch with an album titled Arizona Bay. Which is an absolute classic. In some ways that album was his last lecture. Check it out when you have the time. Bill Hicks in my opinion is probably in the top five on my list of the greatest comics of all time. He was truly a visionary and WAY ahead of his time.

Question: Is America ready to have a black first lady?

In my humble opinion, I don't think America knows what's in store for them if Michelle Obama becomes first lady. Let me explain. Michelle Obama is a black woman, please note I did not say African-American I said BLACK. Yes people there is a difference.

If you've read her senior thesis you would understand what I mean. Let's just say that she is not one to be f*cked with and I hope the Washington press core understands that she will cut a muthaf*cka that steps out of line.

Our Story....

2008-04-02T21:28:00.006-04:00

What if I told you a story about a white girl who grew up in the hood, ran with gangs and dealt drugs, all while in the care of a black foster mother. Now what if I told you this same girl wrote a book?

Here's the catch. It's all a lie. Margaret B. Jones aka Margaret (Peggy) Seltzer is the author of 'Love and Consequences' a critically acclaimed memoir about girl being raised in a black foster home in South-Central Los Angeles and following her black foster brothers into the gang life.

When I first heard about this story I could not help but to be offended. But then I started to read a little more about Ms. Seltzer. She admits that though this isn't her story, many of the details in the book were based on the experiences of close friends she had met over the years while working to reduce gang violence in Los Angeles.

So this begs a few questions. Who gets to tell "our story"? And why is it more marketable when it comes from a white person?

Let's start with the first question. I believe that anyone is capable relaying their perspective on various peoples. But I do think there is a line and Ms. Seltzer crossed that line. It's one thing to relay a perspective but it's another to fake the funk. If Ms. Seltzer wrote a book about her experiences in South Central as an volunteer trying to end gang violence it probably would have been a decent book. But instead she choose to fabricate a memoir while painting herself as an urban female Tarzan if you will.

She probably knew that it would sell better. Which leads me to my second question. Why is it more marketable when it comes from a white person?

The same reason why Tarzan movies where popular back in the day. The concept that no matter what environment you are thrown into you know that you will overcome and rise above it is a popular one in the mainstream...To put it simply: White people like the idea of being dominant no matter what environment they are thrown into.

I know that sounds little bit harsh to some of the white people who may stop by here to check in but, hear me out.

It's an entertaining concept when (what Bell Hooks calls) the "other" is able to rise above their socioeconomic strata especially when it's a person who doesn't fit the stereotype. I'm sure if I made up a memoir about my life as a gang-banger who eventually gets accepted into Harvard the mainstream would eat it up.

Hmmmmm. I better get crackin.

Thanks Sinbad.

2008-03-26T21:26:00.004-04:00

Thank you Sinbad for coming forward with the truth about what happened in Bosnia. So it turns out there was no snipers. So where is the outrage? Last week Obama was judged on the words of his pastor yet this week Hillary is not being judged on the words that came out of her very own mouth. If Hillary can lie about this, what else is she capable of lying about? It's not the lie that bothers me as much as the way she brushes this off.

So it turns out that those pledged delegates are not necessarily pledged. A delegate can change his or her mind at the time of the convention. Am I the only one who thinks that this system is a tad bit flawed? So am I to assume that Hillary’s plan is to plant the seed of dissent in the hearts of the Obama delegates? Is it just me or does Hillary Clinton wants to win this nomination at all costs even if it means that she destroys the party in the process?

I’m full of questions today. Have ya noticed?

Ya know how people were complementing the grace Hillary showed last week when she kept her mouth shut about Rev. Wright? Well I guess that’s over. “You know, you don’t choose your family, but you choose what church you want to attend.” Very sly Mrs. Clinton, very sly indeed.

That’s a very interesting statement. Because if Hillary had a choice do you think she would want Hugh and Tony Rodham for brothers? For those of you who have not taken the time to dig up the dirt on these two please allow me to brief you. Apparently Hugh Rodham received around four hundred thousand dollars for legal services regarding gaining the Presidential pardon of fraudulent businessman Glenn Braswell and the sentence commutation of drug trafficker Carlos Vignali. Vignali was sentenced to fifteen years for shipping cocaine to Minnesota. Tony Rodham in 2002 was in disputes with his former wife over child support payments, with Nicole Boxer saying he had not paid them in six months.

So I can understand why Hillary would say that you can’t choose your family. After reading Carl Bernstein’s article about Hillary’s inability to be open and honest, I’ve come to a conclusion.

Hillary Clinton has a problem being candid. She was ok with Florida and Michigan’s delegates not being seated when she thought she had the nomination wrapped up, but was quick to change her tune when she realized it wasn’t going to be handed to her. But the thing that bothers me the most about her is that she is completely blind to the fact that she is acting like she’s entitled to this nomination. And what bothers me more than that are her supporters who believe she deserves this, as if to say it is her turn. That’s where my problem lies. This is not something that you can just hand to a person. Can someone tell me why she deserves to be president?

Before I go I want to leave y’all with this, when a black man cheats on his wife the best gift he can give her is an 8 carat purple diamond ring, but when a white man cheats on his wife the best gift he can give her is a seat in the US Senate and possibly the Presidency.

Real Talk

2008-03-19T21:08:00.014-04:00

"Real Talk" is a common term used nowadays to underline how serious a person is. Sen. Obama's speech yesterday is a perfect example of "Real Talk". He did an outstanding job of outlining the problem on both sides of the issue.

In hearing and reading over Obama's speech I realized that he does love this country with a passion. I love this country but I don't think I would be able to do what he did yesterday. I would rather give up and tell everyone to go to hell if I was put in that position. Obama showed me that he is willing to stand up for himself and what he believes in and speak from the heart. He faced the issue head on. It was one of the bravest things I've seen a politican do in recent memory.

But was it good enough? The analysis following his speech has been pretty mixed. In my humble opinion it was good enough for the people that actually understand the issue of race in America and, the people who are trying to understand the issue of race. But it was not good enough for those looking for him to apologize for (and denounce) Jeremiah Wright for his sermons. And may I say frankly,

HOW DARE YOU?

How dare you pundits ask this man to renounce his pastor. How dare you (network news media) reduce Rev. Wright's 30+ year career to a bunch of sound bites. How dare you insult Sen. Obama's intelligence by assuming that just because he goes to a church that has a pastor who has radical views that in some way would mean that Sen. Obama would share those views as well? Never in the history of this country has a candidate been under that kind of scrutiny to the point in where his character is in question because of the kind of church he goes to.

Where was this outrage when G.W. was kissing the ass of the racist religious right?

Let it be known I am not a Christian. So please don't think I'm going to go on some religious rant here. I just think that Obama has spent too much time jumping through hoops.

First they said he wasn't black enough. Then they started rumors that he was Muslim. Then Hillary said the media was taking it too easy on him. And all of sudden we are lead to believe that Obama is now TOO BLACK? And ya know what pisses me off the most? When it is all said and done. Some pundit will say "Well ya know the President of United States is just a FIGUREHEAD for the government."

Where you at Andrew Young? Say sumthin. SAY SUMTHIN NUKKA! Is he BLACK ENOUGH FOR YOU NOW MUTHAFCUKA! WELL IS HE? SAY SUMTHIN!

Sorry I got a little flustered there. I just took my meds so I should be alright throughout the duration of this post.

Where was I? Oh yea HOW DARE YOU? When I say "YOU" I mean the pundits who have disected his speech and have learned NOTHING FROM IT.

"The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning."

What part of that don't you people understand?

Like many other bloggers out there I took the liberty of posting Sen. Obama's speech below. It clocks in at 37:10 minutes if you have the time listen to it and judge for yourself.

I love this country but I think Chris Rock said it best when talking about Black people's love/hate feelings for America when he said. "America is like the uncle who molested you as a child but paid for you to go to college."

Thank you and God bless.

Barack Obama: 'A More Perfect Union' (Full Speech)

2008-03-19T21:07:00.001-04:00

Mid-Week Rant

2008-03-12T21:30:00.016-04:00

It's Wednesday and I've already learnt so much. First on Monday I learnt there are drugs in our drinking water. Then Tuesday I find out that New York’s governor like whores.

And now it's Wednesday. Eliot Spitzer has announced he will resign from office.

And in the middle of all that Obama won another primary and Geraldine Ferraro feels that "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

So where do I begin.....I'll start with Ms. Ferraro.

Ms. Ferraro is under the impression that being black is an advantage in politics. If her son was black he would be in jail right now. If her husband was black he'd be in jail right now. So I'm kind of confused as to where she gets off thinking that being black is some kind of advantage.

One time I was at a bar, just minding my business and as I was enjoying my beer I observed two women talking and enjoying themselves. The first one was kinda cute but very laid back. The second one was loud and obnoxious and just didn't know when to shut up. The second chick in this story reminds me of Ms. Ferraro. She just doesn't know when to shut up, so much so that it kinda makes you wonder why this kinda cute girl (Hillary) is friends with her.

It makes me question her judgement.

Now say Obama just happened to be in the same room with Louis Farrakhan for under two minutes. You just know the media would lose their collective minds over this and he'd be SOL (shit out of luck). But some how this shit with Ms. Ferraro is OK. Maybe I'm just a little sensitive but I just don't understand it.

The following comment is a classic example of what I like to call "WHITE PEOPLE LOGIC." I define White People Logic (WPL) as how white people process things in relation to race and other matters relating to various people of color.

This gave me a headache when I read it:

"Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up," she told the Daily Breeze of Torrance, California. "Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

So in her white mind racism works two ways. And that's where we have the heart of the problem. See racism doesn't work two ways. It only works ONE WAY. Power and prejudice equals racism.

Ms. Ferraro has stepped down from her fundraising position but she still will be raising money for Hillary on the side.

Raising money hmmmmm.....That reminds me. Spitzer.

I heard on the news this morning that Spitzer spent 80K over a period ten years on call girls. 80 grand on pussy? DAMN! Are you kidding me? Was my first reaction. Then I started to be very happy for David Paterson. I've always liked David Paterson. From what I've seen (pardon the pun) of him he's always been a stand up guy. I hope his vision (Ok I'll stop) for New York is a good one.

I feel for Spitzer's daughters. It's the children that suffer most when these things happen. I feel for his wife as well. That being said you just know the wife if gonna get a sweet book deal out of this and probably a Lifetime movie of the week. But all that money can't take away the humiliation and pain that her husband caused, but it's a start.

But you know who's gonna have the sweet deal out of this? The whore. In the next few months she's going to drop her single, get a book deal, and hit the talk show circuit. Did I mention she's only 22. It just seems as though this young girl decided to take a short cut to fame and fortune. America loves a good sex scandal, but what does that say about our society in where we reward bad behavior. Whatever you do, don't buy this whore's single and don't buy this whore's book.

Before I go I'd just like to get something off my chest. This goes out to U.S. House of Representatives. Instead of holding hearings on who's doing steriods in Professional sports. Why don't you take some time and worry about the fucking steriods in our fucking drinking water you assholes!!!!!!

If this shit keeps up at this rate we'll all be batting .350

Don't Panic

2008-03-05T20:55:00.003-05:00

Don't panic. That's what I told myself last night as I watched the primary results. "Just be calm. It's gonna be just fine." Because if I didn't I would have killed my TV.

It's frustrating watching all these people analyzing this process. If this was anyone else they would have dropped out by now. But Hillary Clinton is different. She just keeps on going. History may remember her as the woman who nagged her way into the White House. It's the classic strategy. Just keep talking no matter what. Just keep going.

Obama can't attack her because it will look bad. But he can ask questions. For example, why haven't you made your tax returns available?

Here's the reality. Neither Obama or Clinton will get the pledged delegates needed get the 2025 needed for the nomination. Therefore Superdelegates will decide.

What scares me, is that there is an outside chance they could overturn what the pledged delegates have already voted on and give the nomination to Hillary with the provision that she make Obama her VP. Scary huh? Here's another scenario. They decide that Obama gets the top spot on the ticket but Hillary has to be his VP.

How are they going to convince America they're buddies? It's a tough sell.

But it is better than the alternative. A Clinton/Obama ticket.

If Obama has an ounce of self-respect he will refuse to be Hillary's VP. The idea alone is something that makes me sick to my stomach. Let me make it perfectly clear. I do not hate Hillary Clinton. But I do hate the methods she is using to pursue the nomination. It's one thing to win fair square but it is another to resort to back door politics ala Superdelegates. That's the thing I have a tough time dealing with. It sends the wrong message to my fellow Democrats. How can this be the same party that railed against disenfranchisement in 2000 and be the same party that would strip Michigan and Florida of their delegates?

In the words of Bill Cosby's new book. COME ON PEOPLE!

If by some chance she ends up the nominee. I will probably either not vote or I will be voting McCain.