Online Dating Isn’t the Problem, It’s Just You; the Same As It’s Always Been…

 I’ll admit, I joined Tinder and SoulSwipe as a general social observation, lol, who am I kidding, I joined because at the time I was involved in a toxic situation and I was too chickenshit to cut it loose without having a backup plan or two. I heard that these two had helped some friends out with random romps, some annoying folks, some good conversation, some progressed into serious relationships, so I thought it much to be like real life dating, you never really know who that person you’re conversing with truly is. But anyway, I’m still on Tinder, still on SoulSwipe, no longer for the same reason, I just think it’s funny, and I enjoy the random boost to my self-esteem that I get when someone I find attractive feels the same way about yours truly. Out of town in a different city, I got on these two today wondering if women are just as confused in other places or is it just something in the water in New Orleans. Now that I know that these potential elements of confusion are out of the way, or better said “null and void,” I can say what I have been wanting to for quite some time.

***DISCLAIMER*** I can only look at the profiles of women, so don’t think I’m only picking on the ladies here…

So you joined Tinder and/or SoulSwipe because you’re lonely, too wrapped up in the technology age to actually converse with real people that you find attractive in everyday chance meetings, or you just don’t know what to do. Maybe it was what your girlfriend told you about some guys that she met on there, maybe it was the promise of a few free meals and/or outings. Or maybe, you were excited about the fact that only the people you pre-approved are able to contact you. Whatever your reason was, you joined, and you keep on running into the same losers you did in the real world, but I wonder if you, like most people, fail to ever point the finger at yourself when you fail to get the desired outcome. Allow me to clear up a few things.

#1 Guys are not as dumb as you think we are, especially if it concerns box…

This one is fairly simple, men who are merely looking for sex know that dating and the like is merely a numbers game and they know exactly how to play the numbers game, you “go at necks.” Some guys have figured out that the only way to ensure options is to like every profile they come across and not to even really look at or attempt to find out what a woman is about until they are matched. This is where you meet the guys that come off really perverted, or those that just want to “hook up,” or a majority of the “netflix and chill” contingency comes from. Ladies, do not get mad at these men, because all humans are indeed creatures of habit. This whole rhetoric of directly approaching you with intentions of getting to know you in the biblical sense may seem a bit off to you because you are “not that kind of girl,” but it’s HIS go to because, it has worked! ***Now this is where guys may come off as dumb, but if something works for us one time, we will keep that shit like it’s the secret to immortality!*** It’s kinda like the infamous unsolicited dick pic, it has worked before, that’s why he does it. And if it has not worked, he’s hoping that his bluntness may cause you to do something u might not ordinarily do to the tune of the YOLO craze that happened a few years ago. Don’t cuss him out, tell him you’re flattered that he finds you so attractive, that you’re not interested, and block him; problem solved.

#2 Telling me what you don’t like or are not here for tells me nothing about yourself…

Also, most times it just proves that either you are a liar, overly negative, put out the wrong energy about yourself, or a combination of the three. It is a well proven fact that in most cases when a question is answered before it’s asked, the response is a blatant lie. You telling me what you’re not here for often means that, “I’ll probably fuck you after the first date, but I don’t want you expecting it.” Secondly, never diminish the power of the mind. You have the power to speak things into existence, both positive and negative, the more you focus on the negative, the more of your reality the negative becomes. Finally, yes being politically correct means that we should put our best foot forward, and especially when representing something other than ourselves, but some just don’t give a fuck. Ever wonder why every guy comes at you wanting sex? Because all of your pictures are of you in bikinis, tight dresses, or have tons of cleavage! Yes you have the right to dress any way you choose, and you can demand that a man not make you feel uncomfortable when u dress that way, but you can’t stop him from thinking it.

#3 Stop subscribing to these asinine stereotypes because YOU’RE here, like the rest of us…

The problem with meeting people online or in a majority of social settings is the negative connotations attached to certain things. You know, “girl, you can’t find love in the club, all them niggas in the club only want one thing,” or “girl, you can’t find love on the internet, that’s where all them crazy niggas are.” This one here is also rectified fairly simply. Let’s say that you and 3 of your girls went out just to have a good time. In this particular venue, there are about 300 people, are you seriously willing to bet money that you and your entourage of 4 are the only “normal” people here who aren’t prowling, putting on their manners and fake persona all in the name of finding their next lay? ***well, expect for Kisha, she a lil “off,” but yall go back to the 7^th grade.*** The odds are even stronger with the internet, you are not the only normal person on there either. There are crazies everywhere and there are people who are just not personable, this is not their fault, especially if someone has previously let them get away with it. The real way to effectuate change is to take a bottom up approach, so tell your desperate ass homegirls stop caving in to that fuckery because she’s tired of her drought, and demand more of men before giving up the goods.

#4 If all your pictures are face shots…you’re fat. We get it, we know it, love yourself first, and someone else will follow suit…

SELF EXPLANITORY

#5 Put out the energy you seek…and learn how certain things work…

OMG! How many times have I seen a profile that states: “When you approach me, don’t be basic and just say ‘hey,’ come with something unique and interesting.” Umm, this is quite confusing because all forms of conversation start with a greeting. In fact, don’t we always say “hello” when answering the phone? Interesting dialogue and conversation come from mutual interests and sometimes opposing points of view. However, I cannot take that initiative when your bio is blank or you fell victim to #2. Also, saying “ask me anything,” or any other form of that question means that you are not confident enough in yourself to highlight your good qualities and want me to find them, or even worse, you don’t know these highlights exist. For my final point, realize that these swipe to talk apps are largely based upon physical attraction. And let’s be frank, physical attraction only means that under the right set of circumstances, I’d smash. So if you don’t want me to comment on what attracted me to you, which may be inappropriate given the person with whom you’re corresponding, give me something.

These are just a few things that were on my mind. As with most of my posts, I’m probably just preaching to the choir, but if you agreed with a point or two, then share. I just wanted to put something out in the world that’s been on my mind for a few months. Please stop being coy with your friends, let them know that it isn’t the application that they’re using that’s causing these dreadful results. As I learned before when I worked in IT, 90% of the time, it’s USER ERROR!

***HAPPY SWIPING FOLKS***

The Birth of a Hater

For quite some time, Black Americans have been clamoring for more films that tell our version of history, that showcase events not privy to those outside of the “woke” crowd. Something other than a black man in a dress, a dirty cop, the comedic relief, or something else that focuses on the negative stereotypes that this nation has placed on our great race. In comes Nate Parker’s Birth of a Nation, a film that chronicles the exploits of Nat Turner leading up to the uprising he led in 1831. So, instead of giving Parker a standing ovation for a historical docu-drama that was relevant and right on time, we as a people are busy doing the devil’s work; tearing brother Nate, and his work apart.

I took my son to see some movie, knowing him, it was probably something in the Marvel universe, where we saw a preview for The Birth of a Nation. I had heard that Parker’s film had done tremendously well at Sundance and was picked up by a major film company, but I was enamored to see it on the big screen and coming soon. So I told my child that I would be taking him to see this because I knew that seeing the visual representation of Nat Turner’s story would open the door for a teaching lesson. Turner’s saga was something I was familiar with, and something that I knew I wanted to share with him. And like a kid awaiting Christmas, I anxiously looked forward to the premiere of this film.

As the date became closer and closer, I’ve noticed that criticism against the film started was less about the film and more about the director and starring actor, Mr. Parker. I cannot speak on the specifics of Parker’s case, however, because he was acquitted, I’m going to let him enjoy his freedom. I am not the rest of the general public and others have not been so forgiving. Now, the beautiful representation of Nat Turner on the big screen for others who may not know of his life and actions or to provide a visual to something that has largely been words on a page has turned into Nate Parker vindicating his status as a “rapist,” or how rape fueled one of the most notorious slave revolts in history.

Let’s be clear, I saw The Birth of a Nation, I enjoyed it, and I looked at it from a historical standpoint, an entertainment standpoint, and I do not regret taking my ten year old to see it. Am I terribly upset that Parker’s story focused on a romance between Nat and Cherry despite there being a lack of evidence that Nat Turner was even married in the first place? Not at all. I know enough about slavery to know that marriages often went undocumented for fear of families being separated or retribution for the actions of the patriarch being taken out on family members. With that being said, I know that I would be out of my mind for wondering why Nat Turner didn’t mention Cherry at one point in his confession. But why would he, so she could meet a similar fate? What I did not see was the rape of Cherry being the catalyst for Nat Turner’s rebellion. I did see it as a contributing factor, but I think it was the treatment of slaves on other plantations and the lies that Nat was being directed to tell through the gospel was his motivation to take change by force.

Do I think that this movie has marginalized black women who have been victims of sexual assault 

and silenced them by giving the impression that unless a man takes up their cause, they have no hope of becoming vindicated? Another resounding “no!” I am not, nor have I ever been married, but I do know that if a woman close to me was raped and I knew the perpetrator, it would be difficult for me to sit by idly and do nothing. I am one of the biggest supporters of black girl magic, and do not believe that women cannot take up arms to support a cause or themselves without the help of a man. Furthermore, neither should you. The film was a beautiful story that needed to be told, despite your feelings about Nate Parker or the topic of rape within the film. If you feel that strongly and don’t want to put money in Parker’s pocket, then go get the bootleg…

Up Like Trump...

"...look what you done done...now you done fucked up..." - Rae Sremmurd "Up Like Trump"

I'm smiling from ear to ear while writing this post because one of the things I get a kick out of is "ignorant" rappers displaying a fundamental knowledge of how the world works and correctly predicting the future. It's amazing how I've gone from finding Donald Trump as a refreshing answer to American politics to a vermin that must be eradicated. In the event that he does become the next President of these United States, I'll be quoting the previously mentioned lyrics. 

Like most people who follow American politics, I initially found "The Donald" to be a refreshing change of pace from the Bipartisan system that plagues the functionality of our government. The same system that finds Republicans and Democrats alike acting like spoiled children who refuse to compromise with respect to their differing opinions. Their "all or nothing" rhetoric destroys the checks and balances system the founders intended to have when a legislature that has a majority party affiliation that is not the same as the President's refuses to let ANYTHING that doesn't fit their agenda go through. Recently, we've seen these disagreements and inability to compromise between the two parties result in government shut downs and most recently the intention to block President Obama's nomination of a Supreme Court justice to replace Anthony Scalia. I thought Trump would be a refreshing change of pace as he's wealthy enough to run his own campaign without having to push the agenda of his financial supporters, but he's just a microcosm of what American society has become. The exponential growth in popularity of social media and reality TV has given the Average Joe a microphone and an audience. The problem is that most of these idiots should not have their thoughts mainstreamed to a large audience and Donald Trump is one of those idiots. 

Donald Trump has shown that the entire political system is a complete joke. During debates, Trump rarely discusses policy, but amuses his audience with personal attacks on his competition, arrogant self promotion and dick jokes. Yes, you heard me correctly, dick jokes! He's allowed the undercover racists and bigots to remove their masks as he speaks for and directly to them. In addition, like most racists and bigots, quotes the Constitution but ignores it for those in opposition to his position. Trump encourages his supporters to respond to his protestors with violence by offering to bail out and provide to legal fees to those who respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence. What's worse is that the more offensive his opinions have become, the more his popularity increases. 

This upcoming election cycle is no different than the others before President Obama, I'm going to vote because my people have fought and died for the right to vote, but I'm forced to pick between the lesser of two evils, which scares me even more. *sigh* God save the union!

The "Formation" of Capitalist BS

*Confession* I debated whether or not to write this post several times as not to incur the wrath of the "Beyhive," as they are more dangerous than Wu-Tang's "Killa Bees," but some of yall need to realize how stupid yall sound defending someone who doesn't devote a single moment in their day to you and is only about making their own pockets fatter and their own publicity.

This week, Beyonce released the video for her newest joint Formation, and she performed it for the Super Bowl dressed in garb that was an homage to Michael Jackson and/or the Black Panther Party, depending on who you ask. The video itself is a conglomerate of issues that affect the Black Community from #BlackLivesMatter to #HandsUpDontShoot and even #Katrina, but pardon me if i don't see that connection with the lyrics of the song...until the end...

"You know you that bitch when you cause all this conversation.."


This country was built upon the principles of capitalism and Bey does nothing to shy away from the effects of a capitalist society when she considers episodes of her receiving that "good joog" warranting a trip to Red Lobster or a trip to the mall to buy Jordans. And that's where the lyrics in Formation lose me. Yes, I like noes with Jackson 5 nostrils, yes I like baby hair with baby hair and afros, and firmly believe that if you see something you want you should go get it and not be dependent upon someone giving it to you. However, my life's ambition is not to slay. (This is something that may also confuse wypipo who may take the word "slay" and the Black Panther homage as a call to actually kill in the name of Black Pride.)

I can also do without the division that this song causes..."My daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana, you mix that negro with that creole, make a Texas Bama." *Sigh* and here comes the BS. First of all, Bey, your momma is from Galveston, HER people are from Louisiana, (New Iberia, in fact, NOT New Orleans), but we'll touch on that later. The problem with these lyrics is the distinction between Negro/Creole which has been going on since the days of slavery. This prevents this song from being a black empowerment joint because it has that infamous distinction of a creole not considering themselves to be black. This is another thing that derails our equality agenda; how can we hope to be equals when we make many distinctions about our own status. FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME, CREOLE IS A CULTURE, NOT A RACE, AND WHEN THERE IS A BOX ON THE CENSUS FOR CREOLE THEN WE CAN ADDRESS THE DIFFERENCES! Beyonce, like a lot of Black folk who relocated to Texas and California are quick to throw out their Creole heritage as a means of displaying that they are better than those who are just simply negro. (*Side note* I am Creole myself, but I am a proud BLACK AMERICAN!)

Now, for the part that is going to have the "Beyhive" at my neck, the gimmickyness (if that's a word) of the video. My personal feelings about Beyonce is that she has always, yes, since the days of Destiny's Child, done too much. She wants to display the image of being a bad chick or a boss chick but has this "look at me, look at me" attitude like she craves the attention. A true baddie doesn't have to display this mindset because all eyes are always on her no matter what she does. How gimmicky Formation is reminds me of Get Me Bodied where Bey steals common place New Orleans dances and gives them different names. That's no different than the cultural appropriation that Wypipo have been doing for centuries. Yes Beyonce, you have Louisiana roots, but is Katrina really your story? And if it is indeed your story then why wait 10 years to tell it? The "Beyhive" will argue that she was not in a position to speak on it at the time and wasn't in the position to sacrifice her career at the time but Kanye did it, and he (quite frankly) didn't really give a fuck because he felt it was appropriate to do given the circumstances. Speaking out against injustices shouldn't be restricted to when it is convenient to do so and the "Beyhive" should be ashamed of itself for giving Queen Bey that pass, but those are mindless peons. In addition, an article was recently published displaying that Formation was not filmed in New Orleans and the "Beyhive" has responded by accusing the paper of lying. Yes, Beyonce recently filmed a video in New Orleans, but it was NOT Formation, get that in your head!

Yes, Formation, is a good song that does get one's head nodding and displays a (mostly) positive message for young black women, but it IS NOT, and SHOULD NOT be the voice of the #BlackLivesMatter movement...

The South Shall Rise Again...

Or not...

Yesterday the New Orleans city council voted by an overwhelming 6-1 margin to declare 4 Confederate monuments a nuisance and make way for their removal. 

Monuments erected to forever immortalize Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and the forgotten Battle of Liberty Place, were the topic of a 6-month tirade that divided the city administration and their constituents. Many reasons have been given for leaving the monuments be, mostly centered around arguments of white privilege which gives one the right the ability to be empathetic to causes but never sympathetic because of the tunnel vision afforded by that benefit. Nothing positive could come from these wastes of public space and tax dollars and the fact that their offensiveness can not be seen ESPECIALLY in post-racial 'Merica speaks to the intelligence possessed by the detractors. In fact, the monuments for Beauregard and Lee showcase the generals in full Confederate regalia, and accordingly, do little to showcase either in a positive light either before or after their service in the Confederate army, only rewarding that particular service. Furthermore, the actions of these men after the conclusion of the war do little, in my opinion, to rectify the travesties they committed in the name of the Confederacy.

Beauregard, reluctant to seek amnesty for his war crimes, was finally restored full citizenship in 1876. His post-war life saw him as a railroad executive who even invented a cable-powered predecessor to modern day streetcars. He was the supervisor of the Louisiana Lottery until it was disbanded and subsequently elected as the commissioner of public works in New Orleans, two positions he was granted undoubtedly by Confederate supporters.

Davis, a former slave owner, held a position within an insurance company, was offered to be the first president of what is now Texas A&M (he declined), did not publicly express his views but was known by close associates to remark that blacks were inferior and that secession was constitutional. His citizenship was restored in 1978.

Lee thought that slavery was an act of God and that it would end when God himself was ready for it to conclude. He served as the president of what is now Washington & Lee University, where he punished students who engaged in violence towards blacks with expulsion. However, Lee also wanted to have blacks deported from Virginia and thought they lacked the intelligence to effectively utilize the right to vote (possibly why he was such a supporter of education for blacks.)

What troubled me most about these proceedings is the commentary of many of the citizens of New Orleans, some of which I'll respond to in this post:

"Removal of the monuments effectively rewrites history" 
No the removal of the monuments do not rewrite history. The Civil War did occur, it WAS indeed over states' rights, particularly the right to designate other persons as property and who could and could not vote, and there is nothing we can do to change that. But to honor these "veterans," and I use that term loosely, for a plight that was defeated does not further any interests of the nation as a whole. They belong in their proper context, in a museum, or if you want to ultimately "show your respect," do so at their final resting place. Take that into consideration, complimented with a quote from the paper when Lee circle was dedicated; "We cannot ignore the fact that the secession has been stigmatized as treason and that the purest and bravest men in the South have been denounced as guilty of shameful crime...by every appliance of literature and art, we must show to all coming ages that with us, at least, there dwells no sense of guilt." Or add the text of the Battle of Liberty Place memorial; "McEnery and Penny having been elected governor and lieutenant-governor by the white people, were duly installed by this overthrow of carpetbag government, ousting the usurpers, Governor Kellogg (white) and Lieutenant-Governor Antoine (colored). United States troops took over the state government and reinstated the usurpers but the national election of November 1876 recognized white supremacy in the South and gave us our state. What am I missing here? Even if someone is using this as an attempt to re-write history, is this history that need be acknowledged from that standpoint? Are you guys proud of this one? You feel comfortable to let people know that you allegedly once felt this way?

"I support the monuments because I am a direct descendant of a Confederate soldier" 
My response to this one is chronicled in Years Later...A Few Months After; these states seceded from the union, they should have been tried as traitors and hung just as many of the slaves in the South were for much less. Their colors and flag are those of hatred, inequality, and more importantly, that of a loser. Acknowledge your family, yes, but realize that your family was a warped, demented individual who either firmly believed in or blindly followed thoughts that no civilized human being should have. I remarked just this week that white privilege enables 'Merica to pretend that the important figures of the Confederacy failed to be prosecuted for reasons other than as a goodwill gesture to the South and because they were white.

"This does nothing to change the real problems of New Orleans; crime, dilapidated roadways, etc."
Hence why they were considered as "nuisances ," go research what that means. The mere presence of these monuments divide us and keep us away from the real problems, lets be done with them and get on to more important things. These statues invoke horrible feelings in a particular demographic and you are allowed to not think about these things when you casually ignore their presence because white privilege affords you the ability to do so.

"These monuments have become integral to New Orleans infrastructure and have remained in place for decades, why the rush to change them now?"
Honestly, because we never thought we would be able to. Conventional thinking would fail to see why such monuments commemorating such times would even be constructed. The shooting in South Carolina was the catalyst to start the dialogue that maybe, just maybe, if we can eliminate the reverence to these people, maybe we can eliminate their line of thinking. Seeing the references to the Confederacy be removed from official South Carolina insignia taught us that such things are possible, and maybe eliminated some of those who were allowed the ability to ignore the message presented because it did not affect them.

New Orleans has long been regarded as the city that care forgot, but the actions of yesterday took us in a step toward regaining that care. However with a federal suit being filed hours after the council's decision to bar the removal of these monuments, the cause of the South may never die...

All of Black Man's Problems...(written 11/17/15)

All of the black man's modern day problems stem from his inability to be white...

Many of my contemporaries and I agree that in the grand scheme of things, integration has harmed us more as a people than it has helped us. Don't get me wrong, integration did open up a world of opportunities for our people, but instead of using those opportunities to better ourselves, we messed up when we squandered those opportunities in an attempt to be white. Take a look at the historical record, most if not all native people are community-based. Conversely, the people who settled this nation, as well as those who financed these trips, were out for individual gain, not the betterment of their own people. Hell, these new settlers ignored the land claims of the native peoples and their way of life, taking the land as their own and forcing their own culture and way of life on them despite the natives surviving in those areas for several millennia before. And if that wasn't enough, this nation was built on the backs of people who either had no interest in it, or were against the administration of this new culture that was so different than their own, a debt that still has not been paid in full.

As progressive payments to that debt were made via the civil rights movement, Black America again became fixated with wanting to be white, and now it's beginning to trickle down to our children. Am I the only one who remembers the days where we looked at white children and often remarked, "white kids are crazy?" You know the ones who were seen in department stores on leashes, the ones who not only cussed around their parents but at their parents, and still only received time out. Many of us received the thrashing of a lifetime for making faces about things that we disagreed with let alone verbally expressing our disagreement. Follow that up with modern advances to medicine and this (in my opinion) fictitious "disease" of ADHD and now we are convinced that it's best for our kids to make them medicated zombies because that's what white folks are doing. I've recently become privy to an interesting point, that most if not all of the youth or young adults that have indulged in mass shootings in or outside of school were prescribed some sort of ADHD medicine. Let that sink in for a minute...

Now, in 2015, in the midst of the #blacklivesmatter movement, the media is portraying that the aggressive police tactics in the black community would stop if black children had more respect for authority. In addition, many inner-city teachers are complaining about how out of control children are. It doesn't take rocket science to figure this out, children have no respect for authority because they don't get whippings anymore. We are involuntarily feeding our children back into the modern day slavery system that is American prisons. I'll admit, I grew up not trusting law enforcement and not liking teachers who told me what to do, but I knew that if a cop brought me home, with or without handcuffs, I had to call my parents from jail, or if a teacher wrote or called my house, that I'd be in for it. And that's what kept me in line. Today's children are not stupid, they realize that in instances where they may engage in inappropriate behavior, that they are not subject to the punishment that we or our parents were and in turn they don't care. Time-out or a stern talking to are nothing in comparison to a good ole fashioned tanning of the hide. But with White America always wanting to get in someone else's business, not for the betterment of community; but to push their own selfish agenda, you can't even discipline your kids without abuse allegations. So now White America wants us to believe that Sgt. Slam in South Carolina was within his rights to throw that little girl from her desk because she was disrespectful of authority, but that's a problem that they started. White children have not been traditionally the most respectful of authority but because of white privilege their childish antics of youth are dismissed as just that. Our children aren't afforded that privilege. At the end of it all one thing remains clear, as much as we try to get what White America has, we still will never be white enough for a lot of it, so I urge you, discipline your kids, before the police have to!

Why?

Amid the turmoil that has exploded on the campus of the University of Missouri this week, I was inspired to turn back to my blog to vent about these conditions and the slow response of the university in addressing these issues. The most shocking part of this and similar instances at institutions of higher education is that they are considered by faculty, administration, students, and alumni alike to be nothing new. If this is nothing new, then why do we as a people continue to subject ourselves to these atrocities? The message this week was clear, that if the pockets of these universities become affected, then there is no other option than to effectuate some sort of real change, not something for the media or something to appease protesters, something real; why is that so hard to gain?

Why is it that blacks continue to push "black friday" movements and the like where the black dollar is spent in the black community but we fail to push for the best and the brightest both intellectually and athletically to support HBCUs by simply attending?

It has been said that the civil rights movement can take a page from the LGBT movement and adopt the slogan that "tolerance is not acceptance." Until we can truly be accepted at PWIs then why should we spend our money there?

Why do we continue to attend these institutions hoping that things are going to be better when not much has changed since integration was forced upon many of these schools?

Why do those of us who have attended PWIs feel the need to firmly defend these schools when other blacks inquire as to the reasoning behind not attending an HBCU?

If most of the schools that are a part of the BCS and College Football Playoffs have rosters where a majority of the players are minorities, why is the SWAC/MEAC Challenge not the real national championship?

Why do we continue to force ourselves in places we are not (truly) wanted?

I smell, I smell, I smell...

Rest in Paradise Sandra Bland, my sister in Greekdom, my “Indy,” my beautiful black sister.

There are times in life when being respectful of authority is a decision made without question and others where authority must be questioned because it doesn’t come from an impartial place. I wasn’t going to comment on the Sandra Bland situation because I didn’t have all the facts, however, after seeing the dash cam footage of Bland’s encounter with police, I am up in arms. There is commentary on the video that is typical of these types of incidents; “if she would have just complied with the officer’s instruction, then this could have all been avoided.” My follow-up question is simply, who decides when it is appropriate to comply with directives, and when they deserve to be challenged? For instance, what made it appropriate to challenge the authority of the British Crown in the establishment of this nation, or what made it appropriate to challenge the secession of the Confederate States of America to preserve the union?  

Let’s be clear about a few things; I do not know if the trooper in question had a valid reason to pull Sandra over, I do not know if there were any underlying factors that brought reasonable suspicion up to probable cause such to substantiate any arrest and/or detention, and I do not know how Sandra Bland met her unforeseen demise, but I do know that the circumstances that placed her in jail were totally uncalled for! Those who happen to come across my blog and are not faithful readers may be unprepared for what I am about to say, however, I don’t have much of a filter on here so I’m just going to let it fly.

SANDRA BLAND WAS RIGHT; THE TROOPER WAS INDEED A PUSSY.

Allow me to further elaborate on this point. While the word pussy is considered by society as vulgar terminology for a woman’s genitalia, it is also defined as “a cowardly man or boy,” a definition that I feel needs the following addition; “because he acts as a woman/girl.” I have never understood why law enforcement officers ask “is something wrong?” during a traffic stop. Despite the initial infraction which gave rise to the stop, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what would be wrong with someone who is receiving a traffic citation. The person stopped could be running late for work, worried about finding the monetary funds to pay for any fines associated with their traffic violation, the inconvenience of having to take off work to contest a ticket, the resulting increase that such a violation may have on their insurance premium, it’s a variety of things. Taking all that to consideration reminds me of interactions within relationships where women ask “is something wrong,” when they know damn good and well that something is wrong, and probably have an idea of what it is. So when the man verbalizes what is wrong and why it’s affecting his demeanor, the incident immediately becomes a conflict. The same thing happened here, the trooper asked what’s wrong, and Bland simply gave him a piece of her mind, despite the tone she used, she did not disrespect the officer in my opinion, but this probably incited the officer because he, like most bad cops, thought that this woman should be pleasant and accommodating to anything he asks because he wears a badge. Mind you, this is not calling the trooper in question a racist, or saying that all cops are bad, but simply that he was on a power trip and should heed to advice that my father and prophytes have given, respect is not simply given based upon one’s status but earned by their actions.

As a fellow smoker, I too, light up when pulled over by law enforcement, to keep my emotions in check and remain in a calm place despite what particular kind of person I am dealing with in the course of my detention. (Notice I said person, not law enforcement officer, because I’ll come back to this point later.) So long as Sandra did not intentionally exhale her smoke in the trooper’s face, which can be considered an assault, he had no reason to ask her to put out her cigarette. Her refusal to do so was considered as a challenge to his authority, and because he was a pussy, he had to assert his authority even though he had no right to do so. Yes, he did have the right to ask her to step out of the vehicle but he must give a reason, be it for a search of the passenger compartment, or to effectuate a lawful arrest, something he indeed failed to do. Also, I question any officer who has a problem with lawfully being filmed, what exactly are you trying to hide? I think the unnecessary use of force in this case based upon a situation where the law enforcement officer should have been the bigger man and showed the greater form of restraint as he SHOULD HAVE been trained to do, was beyond uncalled for.

Armed with this evidence that Sandra Bland had no reason to be in the cell that she would spend her last few hours on this earth, it’s hard not to question the circumstances surrounding her “apparent suicide.” This young lady seemed to have her life in order, was headed back to her old undergraduate stomping ground for a new position, now I could be wrong, but this doesn’t seem like the type of person that would be a suicide risk. And as with most occurrences where police overstep their boundaries, the victim is vilified faster than they can be buried. We are now being told that Bland “was not a model person” being stopped. Why is that? Because she questioned unreasonable requests? Because she knew her rights? Despite Bland’s tone, the trooper had all responsibility to deescalate the situation, something he failed at doing. This new evidence does nothing to answer how Bland met her untimely demise, but it does throw out a bunch more questions. And if this is the kind of behavior that one can expect from law enforcement in Waller county, then can we say without a doubt that other pussy troopers didn’t play a hand in her death?

We should never rush to group all law enforcement officers in the same category because they are people first, their badges come second. Yet, this officer in the Sandra Bland case was a shitty person; a pussy. Had he taken his vow to PROTECT AND SERVE seriously, this situation would have never arisen to the level that it did and hopefully Sandra would still be with us. Rest on sister, we will find the truth!!!

Years Later...A Few Months After

"History is written by the victors." - Winston Churchill

The American Civil War ended 150 years ago, and again we are discussing the display of the Confederate Battle Flag being memorialized in state flags, particularly in South Carolina and Mississippi in addition to landmarks of Confederate generals here in New Orleans. Why this discussion is ongoing and not subject to an executive order of some sort is largely beyond me, however, I think I'm pleased by this dialogue. I have said once before that thought leads to dialogue and dialogue in turn leads to action. Even still, references to the Confederacy belong in museums and not anywhere close to any building representing the people of the United Sates and it's beyond time we rectify this. Right-wing politicians and their respective media outlets, yes, you FoxNews, will have you to believe that racism is dead and any problems that African Americans  have when it comes down to equality is largely their own doing as evidenced by the nation's black president. Supporters of references to the Confederacy on public property cite to history for the reason why such an abomination is allowed to continue. Sights such as these will cause one to think that the South won the war and as with most things, we seem to be sitting by idly when recent history has dictated that ideas aiming for the equal treatment of African Americans are only a good idea when they come from whites. These are the things we have to answer for when looked upon from other countries or even African Americans from the North; why do blacks in the South subject themselves to this kind of treatment? But again, unless one of their own starts the fight, it's never really given the discussion that will ultimately lead to action and for that reason alone, this dialogue is good. However, why are we having this discussion years later and a few months after? 

This discussion is unnecessary because history shows us that those who win can indeed put whatever spin on the events as they choose...but the South lost. We have seen Native Americans pick up and fight for the abolition of Native American sports mascots, but how many schools still call their teams rebels? The "stars and bars" only represent the history of those who would like to see slavery occur again, it cannot be anything more. These states seceded from the union, they should have been tried as traitors and hung just as many of the slaves in the South were for much less. If you as a person choose to fly that flag, you have a constitutional right to do so, but it cannot be allowed in places that belong to the public. It is the flag of hatred, inequality, and more importantly, that of a loser. As The Daily Picayunne of New Orleans wrote in 1884 "We cannot ignore the fact that the secession has been stigmatized as treason and that the purest and bravest men in the South have been denounced as guilty of shameful crime...by every appliance of literature and art, we must show to all coming ages that with us, at least, there dwells no sense of guilt." This is what the Confederate flag still flying in any form on state buildings represents, the unapologetic attitude behind a cause that  failed. Also be sure to include that none of these state flags had Confederate symbolism anywhere on them before 1861, so how was this even allowed?

It is time to kill the illusions of grandeur that the South will rise again and that the plight of the men who fought on the side of the Conferderacy was an honorable one. They were traitors to the republic and they should be acknowledged by history as such. In regards to monuments dedicated to the Confederacy, Wynton Marsalis asked "does that space represent who we were, who we are, or who we aim to be?" It is indeed who we were, but it cannot represent who we are or who we aim to be, and for that reason alone, these displays only belong in museums...

If You Did it, Say You Did it...

One of the problems that I have with the world that we live in is the lack of accountability. Every time something occurs that is contrary to our own expected outcome, it must be someone else’s fault, because it can’t be that of our own. The previously mentioned logic is one of the main reasons why I support any derivative of “stop snitching” campaigns because I would rather be a part of a society where people are noble enough to be accountable and accepting of the punishments related to their actions as opposed to relying on the work of snitches. As I stated in a discussion with a friend earlier this week; if you are afraid of the consequences of your actions, then maybe you should think twice before you do it. Maybe that’s why I don’t have a criminal record, but I digress.

Yesterday, a Fulton County Superior Court Judge sentenced eight of ten former Atlanta public school employees charged with racketeering and other lesser-included offenses. I have seen a variety of postings on Facebook regarding how this is a tirade of justice and another example of the system “holding us down” especially when there have been instances of teachers who were charged with statutory rape that have seen far less jail time.  (I have admitted to being wrong about the racial implications of these statutory rape cases after reading a CBS article detailing about 40 such instances where none of those particular defendants meted a punishment nearly equal to that received by Ethel Anderson.) As I have been known to do in my posting I will describe the parameters that enables me to think the way that I do.

The defendants in this case have been charged with racketeering, a crime loosely described as the activities associated with fraudulently offering a service to solve a problem. So while others may argue that this was mainly teachers who cared about their jobs enough to cheat the system and did nothing more than offer answers and change responses can have several seats. These employees did this as part of a criminal conspiracy in order to keep their jobs as well as financial compensation. The actions committed within this conspiracy show the fault in trying to rectify a problem that has been going on too long; the question of whether public schools and their teachers are failing our children, or whether parents themselves are failing their own offspring. I won’t touch on other analyses where people question test taking skills or the purpose of judging education based upon standardized tests because in life one is readily defined by their ability to perform under pressure as well as various assessments, besides, this rhetoric for education has been in place much before we acknowledged things such as ADHD and test taking deficiencies.

YES, America is in a tremendous need of education reform, but this was not the proper means to accomplish these ends, and if you are unwilling to display any regret, remorse, or responsibility for you actions, in my opinion you deserve all seven of those years in prison, if not more.

Meanwhile, in "Post-Racial America"...

Today as I logged on to one of my various avenues of social media consumption, I encountered a video of members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon chanting on a bus "there'll never be no niggers in SAE." This sparked another call to a social action movement similar to what the black Greek community did in response to VH-1's "Sorority Sisters." Well, readers, I didn't take part in that first movement, and I didn't take part in this new one either, but I will commend the University of Oklahoma and the administration of SAE for their swift response to this incident in closing the chapter at Oklahoma and suspending the members of the chapter while promising a potentially stricter response after an investigation. The reason why I didn't take part in this movement is because despite what present day media will tell you; we are not living in a post-racial America. *Plies voice* "Ain't no post-racial America, bih!"

I've commented before (quite possibly in another posting) that I would much rather a blatant racist than the ones who continue to push a system that was only made for their benefit and refuse to acknowledge that it was. Yeah, the Klu Klux Klan isn't parading around with the prominence that it once was but just because the white hoods have been turned in for badges, suits, and political

Office...*Plies voice* "Ain't no post-racial

America, bih!"

But let's not be fooled here, why should we commend the actions of the University for doing what they were supposed to do? Did they really mean it? I mean, LSU refused to prohibit the flying of the purple and gold variation of the confederate flag, but they quickly distanced themselves from it, because that's what they were supposed to do.   What if that's how they really felt? You can't afford to be the Klu Klux Klan in this day and age without being labeled. You can't afford to have the major constituency of an athletics program worth hundreds of millions angry at you. You can't afford to belittle an institution that turns black brothers and sisters against their own and who's affiliation with makes them superior than the ones who went to Langston. 

This past week's episode showed us that racial problem in America is one that even the likes of Oliva Pope cannot fix, but are we really surprised that racists still exist 50 years after Selma? Ain't no post-racial America, bih!

So This is the Kappa of My Dreams?

"Alpha, Beta, Gamma, wooooahhh, Delta, Epsilon...Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iooooooota...Kappa Alpha Psi til the day I diiiiieeee..."

Singing these exact words still resonate with a great feeling of pride throughout all of my body, and like most greeks, I hate to see my fraternity put in a bad-light. However a self-imposed instance of negative publicity is always worse than a media-exaggerated perceived one. After the non-indictments of law enforcement personnel directly involved with the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner that seem to have no justification beyond race, I am amazed me the silence of the black greek organizations that encompass the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Don't get me wrong, the NPHC did issue a statement after the non-indictment in Ferguson, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Delta Sigma Theta have recently spoken up now that protests have escalated due to the non-indictment in Staten Island. Well, that should be enough, right?

For me, it simply isn't...

I did not pledge the NPHC, AKA, or DST, so I shouldn't be bothered with the contention expressed by any of these organizations, but I am. The NPHC has said that they will continue to fight for the rights of black and brown people through peaceful protest and policy implementation. That should be enough, right?

Well that was grand! What did AKA and DST follow that up with?

Much of the same message, EXCEPT, these ladies cautioned their members NOT to wear any letters or insignia to these protests. You mean to tell me, letters that one worked hard to wear they can't wear to a protest putting their organization in a positive light for what may very well prove to be the civil rights struggle of our generation? Spare me the rhetoric regarding violent acts that may be associated with the organization because if we were doing a much better job of safeguarding the prestige of our organization members would know that in letters you are representing something much larger than yourself. (But that's another argument for another post)

Yet, Kappa Alpha Psi is still silent...

THEN TODAY HAPPENED...in fact, right when I was writing this piece.

I posted a rant that inspired this posting to my Facebook page, and in the course of criticizing Kappa and the rest of the NPHC I was encountered with two posts that allowed me to become further enraged with Kappa. The first, a post from a good friend of mine, was the following:

Of course, posting something like this he would happen to be an Alpha, but either way it denounces the whole sentiment of not wearing your letters to participate in these demonstrations. However, it still falls short of the level of involvement I'd like to see from our organizations and the statement that I feel should be made in light of these circumstances. Shout out to Alpha Phi Alpha. 

But what did make me proud to be a greek was that same friend posting a letter from Zeta Phi Beta in which the ladies of Zeta have taken a stand and are using these incidents as a platform to launch a new social action directive in 2015.

But my beloved Kappa is still silent...

How is it that a black greek letter organization founded on the campus of a predominately white institution is quiet. I would spout off a certain incident that makes me feel like Kappa should be at the forefront of such matters but Nupes should know what I'm talking about. I'm just upset at the lack of response from what I always thought to be the talented tenth of our people.

Last time I checked, Kappa had an objective to inspire service in the public interest...but maybe I'm just dreaming...

How Frivolous?

 “It is pitiable that frantic efforts must be made at critical times to get law-makers in some States even to listen to the respectful presentation of the black man’s side of a current controversy. Daily the Negro is coming more and more to look upon law and justice, not as protecting safeguards, but as sources of humiliation and oppression. The laws are made by men who have little interest in him; they are executed by men who have absolutely no motive for treating the black people with courtesy or consideration; and, finally the accused law-breaker is tried, not by his peers, but too often by men who would rather punish ten innocent Negroes than let one guilty one escape.” – W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903

But it’s 2014…           

2014!

111 years later ant this statement is just as true now as it was then. I thought the death of Trayvon Martin and its resulting legal saga would shed light onto a situation that has been plaguing the American society ever since the first slave was brought over, but it hasn’t. In fact, things have only gotten worse since the rhetoric held by both black and white Americans “well…the President is black” has taken a foothold into the American thought pattern. The perception of the black man is just flawed. Take Barack Obama for example, he is questioned at every turn, often called a tyrant, a dictator, a monarch while the people that he is associated with fail to make up a majority of the minority. This makes the argument that his election was their doing a totally frivolous one.

We as blacks are quick to say that sagging pants and baggy clothing is the undoing of years of civil rights struggles and leads to our children and our black men being taken less seriously, but I have seen grunge, emo, and children at school in pajamas fortunately avoiding harassment. PAJAMAS? Yep, pajamas! As a kid I was always taught to look my best, to not look thrown together, like I come from something, but what was this for, to avoid harassment/prejudice that was going to come anyway? I’ve been in elevators with white women who held on to their purse for dear life despite the fact that she was surrounded by four well dressed black men engaging in the practice of law in a Texas county courthouse. I’ve been scolded for wanting to wear suits with sneakers in the legal practice when I’ve seen lawyers who wear jeans, cowboy boots, and oversized belt buckles DURING TRIAL. I was told that in order to be taken serious as an attorney I would have to cut my dreadlocks when I’ve seen others who have hair just as long (albeit a different color and texture). MLK wore a suit and he was still shot in the face, so please miss me with that. All MLK’s dream focused on was to look at people with the benefit of the doubt on an individual basis, nothing more, but it seems like that thought was a totally frivolous one.

There’s a serious problem when we have to look for the law to be executed in the way that it was supposed to from its inception. I never thought I would see the day when I, a black man, rooted for the prosecution to merely do their job and secure a conviction or an indictment (with the latter being much less difficult), and not do defense counsel’s job for them. Hell, the next time I’m in trial, can I get one of these oh so nice prosecutors to do my job for me, or is that also frivolous?

Yet, what isn’t frivolous is the status of the black man in America. I know what Eric Garner and Mike Brown were guilty of being; big Negroes. I hold police to a higher standard because their profession demands it. You are allowed to legally carry a gun and are supposed to protect and serve the public at large. Are you allowed to be scared? Sure. Are you allowed to make bad decisions? Ehh, that’s human nature. But for you to be killed during the administration of a use of force that was made illegal by your police department and not even being forced to stand trial is mind blowing to me. 1L year of law school teaches us that you take your victim as they are, so stop with the claim that Garner’s weight contributed to his untimely demise, THE FOREARM AROUND HIS NECK DID. Mike Brown was ultimately killed because he was jaywalking, if he did punch Darren Wilson, did that give Wilson the right to shoot him? I thought that all this was supposed to be ironed out in a court of law, and that defenses didn’t come into consideration until AFTER the grand jury phase, or maybe my knowledge of the law is frivolous. I just want people to realize where the frustrations of these protestors come from and that our anger isn’t frivolous.

What happens after these travesties occur? We try to demonstrate without being considered revolutionaries (but that’s exactly what George Washington did) and we try to make our frustrations known without being considered angry. We try to peaceably assemble and are still considered a threat on that requires rifles and military vehicles to keep in check, (refer to the picture above). And then what happens next? Here comes Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who (if history is correct) would have had a bullet in both their heads if they were EVER taken as a serious threat. Now I’m not an advocate for violence but there must be anarchy to appreciate control, it’s kind of like a ying/yang thing. And something needs to be done. I do not have all the answers but I am beginning to become angry enough to search for them. I was sent a text this AM that read “please find a way to use your education and profession to incite change in this country,” and I DON’T think that’s a frivolous request.

This is the society that we yearn to belong to, the one that has given us the following rules, have allowed for the trivial exploitation of white privilege in the hashtag #CrimingWhileWhite, and still won’t concede the rights “guaranteed” to us by the U.S. Constitution.…which begs the question; do black lives really matter, or is that thought too a frivolous one?

Parents Should Be Role Models

The above commercial, while 11 years old, is profoundly relevant in today's world, especially in the wake of Ray Rice's indefinite suspension from the National Football League. I have long been of the opinion that just because someone is wealthy does not make them a good person, as we have seen in the instances of Richie Incognito, Donald Sterling, Bruce Levinson, Danny Ferry, Chris Brown, Kobe Bryant, even Michael Vick (although I still don't really see the crime in fighting dogs especially when boxing/MMA are such a popular sports). So now, enters Ray Rice, whose widely publicized incident with his wife, Janay, initially resulted in a two-game suspension from the league and now his release from the Baltimore Ravens and the NFL at large.

Initially, I was cautious about writing a post about this at the risk of sounding like a "woman-beater" or insensitive to the plight of women but I just have to share my thoughts on this occurrence. My first reaction when the story broke was honestly; "what did she do?" I share much of the same sentiments as Chris Rock when it comes down to domestic violence,

 HOWEVER, I do feel that much of the investigations when it comes down to incidents of domestic violence are largely one-sided. (And before yall throw me under the bus along with Ray Rice, be advised that I think men who go upside the heads of women and children based upon their own personal issues or as some sort of control/power struggle type of deal with no form of adequate provocation deserve to be burned at the stake. Yet, I also believe that if you raise your hands to ANYONE without fear of being hit back, you are living in a fantasy world!) And because of that particular thought pattern, I wasn't disgusted by Ray Rice for putting his hands on her, I was disgusted by him treating her like a rag doll. This, the woman that you have decided that you want to spend the rest of your life with is knocked out on the floor of an elevator and you choose to drag her on the ground and have her ass cheeks on display for anyone who walks by. Naw, my dude, that's not how you treat your queen. Hell at least try to pick her up and pretend like she's inebriated, take her back to the room, and give her the apologetic treatment that Jody made famous in Baby Boy (I'm KIDDING). Now, with that being said, I looked at this issue from all sides, as I often do, but as I was reminded yesterday in an episode of House of Cards; "I am a lawyer, I assume nothing, but the court of public opinion does not have a law degree."

Yes, the NFL could have requested the tape from the casino as a form of damage control to know what they were up against in trying to make their future actions "ok" from a PR standpoint; but ultimately what would that solve? Yes, we know that Ray hit Janay, but talking about it and actually seeing it are two different things, as the NFL should have noted and taken into accord regarding their own investigation. The release of the footage depicting the actual blows was damaging to both the NFL and Ray Rice but it still gives us nothing regarding the "provocation" (or lack thereof) regarding what drove Mr. Rice to his deplorable actions. Some reports state that Mrs. Rice spat on him, (*Chris Rock voice* now I'm not saying he should have killed her, but I understand) while others state that Ray was the spitter. But again, the video that we all saw from TMZ offers no indication to what went on before the couple entered the elevator, although Janay is seen striking Ray en route to the elevator)

Now here is where my "insensitivity" may come into place, the dreaded double standards that are prevalent in society. Double standards start off in our youth where its acceptable for boys to literally do everything that walks while women are supposed to retain their purity for marriage or at bare minimum someone special. I say; "to hell with all that!" As a firm believer in equality across financial, cultural, racial, sexuality and gender barriers, I feel like double standards should be eliminated from society. If we throw out the double standard of "men shouldn't hit women," and look at this from a purely natural standpoint, the viewpoint that most men share in result to altercations with other men should be widely held around the world. I'm only 5'5", 180 lbs, if I got into it with a guy 6'3" 265lbs, I know for a fact that if I hit him 8/10 times, he's going to return the strike. SOOOOOOO, if I don't want him to hit me, I shouldn't hit him, follow me? Why can't that same logic be applied to women? (While I commend Jay-Z for knowing his financial worth and extending restraint, I think Solange deserved to get cold-cocked) They want to be considered as equals so why should I be expected to turn the other cheek just because she lost control of her emotions and allowed that loss of control to extend to her hands and/or feet. From a legal standpoint, so long as I don't escalate the initial force used or have my hands considered to be a lethal weapon, in the case of boxers and masters of various forms of martial arts, I am afforded the right to defend myself. I often ask women I date if they feel like I would hit them and the response is always similar, "I don't put anything past anyone, and while I feel that you wouldn't put your hands on me unnecessarily, I don't plan on putting myself in a situation where you would have to question whether or not you should." That statement reminds me of a post I saw on instagram yesterday; "Is a man a bitch for hitting a woman, or is he a bitch for allowing himself to get beat up by one?" It's all about respect, people! As a woman, if you don't hit me, I can honestly say that I will NEVER hit you!

Today, Janay Rice issued a statement where she asked for people to let her and her husband deal with their own family issues, and I couldn't agree with her more. It's not my job to judge anyone nor their marriage or relationship, so I'm not going to be like the court of public opinion and speculate as to what this move is based on, but there are a number of possible factors:

1, Janay Rice knows for a fact that this is not the first time that this has happened nor is it the last time that it will happen, she suffers from battered woman's syndrome, and needs help.

2, Janay Rice knows that this incident has the potential to damage the earning ability of her husband and doesn't want to sacrifice the lifestyle that she is accustomed to living or the well-being of their daughter. In addition, she may fear any possible retribution if Ray considers this to be her fault.

3, Janay Rice accepts fault for the altercations (however minor) and feels Ray's response was warranted.

4, Janay Rice, is EXTREMELY Christ-like and has chose to forgive her husband, move on from this embarrassing incident, and we should all do the same.

Despite Janay's motivation, we should all keep in mind that athletes are not role models. They are entertainers, and because of that we should not hold them to a higher standard once they make it. Let's face it, most of the time, the only time in which these athletes are held to a higher standard is when it comes down to on the field production, most of their mistakes off the field of play are taken care of for them or swept away like it never happened. If you're going to hold them to that standard of accountability, then that should start at an early age (that's what youth coaches, like myself, SHOULD be teaching their players). I'll be praying for the Rice family, but honestly, I've got better things to do that worry about a millionaire and his wife's inability to keep their hands to themselves.

In summary, the PSA from this incident should state as follows; athletes are not role models, and PEOPLE should keep their hands to themselves!

I Believe the Children are Our Future...

There was a time when democracy meant to serve the best interests of the general community, but these times have since passed. The song “The Greatest Love of All,” initially recorded by George Benson and further popularized by Whitney Houston, began with the lyrics; “I believe the children are our future, teach them well, and let them lead the way,” however, modern times have seen this statement not apply to all children. There has been a gap in education since the inception of this “great” nation and while the Supreme Court decisions Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education, have made tremendous steps to remedy this problem, all things education, unfortunately, are not created equal. Furthermore, the government of Louisiana, at both the state and municipal levels does not seem interested in increasing the state’s rank of 49/50 in education. If we truly desire to teach children well and let them lead the way, then it is up to us, the citizens of Louisiana, to do so.The governor of the State of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, has not been looking out for the best interests of the children in our state.

Although Jindal tends to state that he is for the children and higher education standards in the state, his actions prove otherwise. Initially, Jindal started a voucher program that allowed students in low-income areas to attend private schools that offered a more competitive curriculum and boasted of higher educational standards than many of the state’s public schools. However, educational reform throughout the state seemed to be something that was far on the back end of his policy regarding education. How exactly is no child to be left behind when the head of the State considers sending a select number of students to better schools when the general education standard throughout the state is in dire need of repair? Jindal’s actions seem to cover up the actual problem and focus on a quick fix that would not help the general public, only a select few. And when solutions only account for a percentage of the whole, how can it be ensured that the selection process is one of honesty and integrity, or only one designed to further the educational divide benefitting only people who think as the governor does or are firm supporters of his policies? It seems like Jindal cannot be depended upon to help our children.

The end of my tenure at Benjamin Franklin Senior Magnet High School here in New Orleans, saw the nationally recognized magnet school title be done away with in favor of a new city-wide access system. This system, while designed to affect not only Franklin but the four other magnet high schools in the city, increased the average student’s chances of receiving a better public school education, yet did little to prepare students for the rigors of a magnet school curriculum. This, in my opinion, did little to address the real issue. It wasn’t that students weren’t presented with the opportunity to receive a magnet school education or that the test was unfairly biased, but that these students weren’t adequately prepared for such a curriculum. While I thought the best solution was to improve the middle and junior high schools that fed the public high school population of New Orleans, I knew that results would not come instantaneously. I’ll also admit that the city-wide access solution was the easiest solution in the name of being “fair,” it did little for the actual issue. Yes, bottom-up approaches require much more time and effort than a quick fix, but aren’t our children worth it?

There was the time when the Louisiana Legislation and Jindal established the Tucker Commission to remediate the Louisiana higher education system, which only served to further the education divide. According to the Tucker Commission, having universities in the same city that offer the same degrees is a waste of money. The Commission planned to downgrade many universities within the state to junior colleges, community colleges or trade schools that give out two-year Associate Degrees as opposed to four-year Bachelor Degrees. The Tucker Commission told us that they were merely trying to help out Louisiana college students by lowering the costs for enrollment at these schools and the colleges by improving their attrition rates. However, there is always the fine print, and the fine print is where these politicians get you. The State of Louisiana reportedly has 30,000 graduates combined yearly from its institutes of higher education while only having the employment field to accommodate only 13,000. In addition there are another 11,000 jobs that go unapplied for. Most of these college graduates leave Louisiana because they consider themselves too good for those 11,000 jobs I have mentioned. So instead of trying to promote opportunities that would increase the job market, the state of Louisiana would rather that its higher learning centers produce the people who can hold these positions. If education reform were left to these people, gone would be the times where we tell children they can be anything they want to be, but they can only be what is available to be.

In closing, the efforts of the educational reformists who have started the charter school movement here in New Orleans must be commended. These people have taken it upon themselves to improve the conditions inside the classroom and give our children what so many have failed to do; a chance to improve their situation and dictate their future endeavors. Leaving our children’s future up to the government and democracy would be disastrous to say the least. How can we expect today’s children to become tomorrow’s leaders if the children themselves do not know which way is up. Again, the actions of these reformists should be commended and we should do all we can to help them, our children and their future, as well as ours, depends on it.

#IfIWereGunnedDown

Jordan Davis was disrespectful of authoritative figures.

(killed at a gas station over an altercation involving loud music, unarmed)

Trayvon Martin was suspended from school, fought, and smoked weed.

(killed coming home from a 7-11, unarmed)

Remisha McBride was a drunk.

(killed asking for assistance from a vehicular accident, unarmed)

Mike Brown fought the police.

(killed while “resisting arrest,” unarmed)

Andy Lopez smoked weed.

(killed while walking up the street with a toy gun, unarmed)

Noel Palanco drove erratically.

(killed while “reaching for something under the seat,” unarmed)

Ramarley Graham flushed weed down the toilet.

(killed after police kicked in the door of his residence after avoiding a NYC stop and frisk, shot in back, unarmed)

Kimani Gray was a gangbanger.

(killed after being observed adjusting his waistband and avoiding a NYC stop and frisk, unarmed)

Earlier today was ablaze with its usual social commentary through the hashtag #IfIWereGunnedDown allowing people to express their thoughts about the Mike Brown killing. Police in Ferguson, MO killed Mike Brown, a recent high school graduate, on August 9, 2014. Preliminary reports said that Mike Brown was accosted after being accused of stealing $1 cigar like the kind commonly used to roll up marijuana with, but I haven’t seen one of those in hours. The most recent story is that Brown was killed after pushing an officer back into the patrol car and reaching for his weapon. As absurd as this sounds, its what Ferguson police are saying happened. The standard of when it is appropriate to use deadly force is a high one for the general public and while it may be even higher for law enforcement officers in certain jurisdictions, one fact remains the same; these officers in question know how to justify when that force is used. And the media does a good job of helping the accused out by justifying the circumstances with facts not readily available or assassinating the character of the victim.

The Trayvon Martin case hurt me, it hurt me deep to my soul, to the point where not only was I faced with the reminder that the young black man is a perceived threat, but how to explain that to my son.  And in the event that you are unluckily perceived as this threat, you may be vilified to make it appear that this world might be better off without you. While I am speaking from the perspective of the black male, this is an issue for all minorities. Previously listed is what they've said about others who were gunned down while unarmed, what would they say about you?

GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT...and sometimes not even then

A few weeks ago, I was in the middle of a debate where a northerner expressed disdain for the South because of the inherent racism that exists here and most blacks who live in the south are basically forcing themselves to be second-class citizens because of the racially charged climate here. Southern blacks should also force themselves to stop blaming their faults on white privilege and racism because neither are seen in the North. My only remark to her; that just because you fail to see racism and/or the existence of white privilege, do they fail to exist. Gone are the days of cross burnings, public hangings and lynchings, and people telling you that you didn't get the job because of the color of your skin. Now we're "overqualified" and have to deal with people like Donald Sterling who only express their disdain for minorities behind closed doors. Personally, I like upfront racists because they are easier to account for and anticipate, however what are we to do when the racists don't know they're racist, have badges and/or guns, and in their own fear believe that our mistrust of them is unjustified? Add to that argument the killings of Amadou Diallo, Johnathan Ferrell, and Darius Simmons, three of many who were unable to have their characters vilified to justify them being gunned down all while unarmed. Most young minority males have had life experiences where they have seen first-hand actions of overzealous officers result in the harassment, injury, incarceration, or death of someone who looks like them and as a result, don't trust police. So when they avoid police because of no-wrong doing, they deserve to be hunted down and shot? They deserve for their bodies to lay out in the street for all to see while police focus more on crowd control than completing their investigatory duties? And those who demand answers deserve to be coralled, tear gassed, and held back by police dogs?

What's worse is that you brainwashed fools are still spouting off that baloney they let MLK speak about when he said we would be judged on the content of our character and that we are progressing towards a society that sees no color. Well guess what, they killed him and when he was gunned down they called him a womanizer. #IfIWereGunnedDown I would only hope I took some of those sons of bitches with me as to earn the title of villan society would attempt to paint me as, mostly because of the color of my skin.

I Just Can't Forget That...

Man, everything seems to be going right in the world until Piyush opens his mouth...For those of you who are unaware who I am speaking of, Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, governor of Louisiana, is the same pundit whose views reached mainstream America in wake of the 2012 Presidential Election but got shitted on for the Republican nod. He seems to criticize the Republican Party a lot so I'm sure if all this is for a 2016 bid to the White House or if someone really enjoys hearing this guy talk. I know the majority of y'all consider Louisiana to be backwoods and hickish, so I'm not sure if y'all even pay attention to Jindal's stupidity. Anyway, his latest rant, an op-Ed, http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=204B316A-BBF4-46A4-81AE-CFD90C1D448C, ran in the wake of the 50 year anniversary of MLK's famous I Have a Dream speech speaks on how America should eliminate the "hyphenated American" (African-American, Asian-American, Latin-American) and become the melting pot of America. Piyush, seems to forget that King was never anti-black, that he just wanted

"His Momma named him Clay, I'ma call him Clay"

people to be judged on who they are, not what they are. And while I admit that I am one in favor of dropping the hyphenations from our names, I feel like its more of a pride thing than it is a crutch on identity. AND that is what King was preaching that just because someone looks or acts differently than you, that shouldn't preclude that person from being declared intelligent, beautiful, or even comparable to yourself.

I got inspired to write this piece from watching The Butler. I personally think its funny how racism becomes out of sight of mind until one is reminded of the days of the South only 50 years ago. While Cecil Gaines developed relationships with most some of the most memorable Presidents in the history of our nation, such was not achieved until they expressed a care of who he was instead of letting what he was define him. Cecil's own acceptance of what was is much like the same attitude Piyush would like us to achieve. The son of Indian immigrants switched to Christianity and was called "Bobby" as a youth and now he wants us to eliminate our own traces to our history. I dont want this to be a comparative piece, but I wonder just how much Piyush would have achieved had he not opted to be called Bobby both socially and formally. Because under that rhetoric, we should just assimilate as much as we can so that us looking differently is of little importance in the grand scheme of things. Am I weird for asking "why?" Because, honestly American society is one that judges, or maybe that's just the human race. Without the definition of race I think society would subject itself to different -isms to judge and ostracize those who aren't the minority. I think all Americans should remember that this country was founded by people who wanted to be different from the masses, but I doubt their intentions were so that their new nation would consist of carbon copies of households as far as the eye can see. Yes, I want you to see me for who I am, not what I am, but when it comes down to how violently you've tried to make me out to be just like you White America, I Just Can't Forget That Shit...

Dear Diary...

Man, its been forever and a day since I've posted and I really need to vent. As usual, its one of those personal posts that I probably should enclose in the password protected contents of my MacBook, but I need to make sure I dont forget it, be able to go back and read it, and who knows, I might just want to share it with someone one day.

About eight years ago, while applying to law school, my personal statement echoed my own sentiment that I could find a poem, song, movie, or television show to verbalize my thoughts, and tonight was one of those nights. My girlfriend of the past 21 months and I have been going through our own set of personal issues and I thought we were making progress until I watched tonight's episode of The Game. In that episode, Malik stepped into his mother's therapy session and the psychiatrist went into Malik's maternal issues that reminded me of my own relationship issues. Malik is afraid to express himself because he's afraid of Tasha acting out in a way that would hurt his feelings because he hurt his mother, and that's the way I feel about my girl. I feel trapped...unable to express myself and my views on things because I'm afraid of how she'll react. And like Malik, the world views me as a strong, independent, well-defined man, but I don't feel like that around my woman, I feel emasculated, that I have to do what she wants and accept what I don't like or I'll lose her. But WHY?

Ive never had too much of a problem finding a woman, and not just scallywags, women that other men would lust over and use as motivation for a late night fap session. Not only that, I'll admit that I know women who are sexier and more attractive than my girl, but I have never experienced someone who loves me THIS much. Only problem is, she loves me more than I do her. So I put up with this shit, because I believe in karma and think that I've probably broken so many hearts in my day that this might be it for the kid. I'm getting older, fatter, and losing hair, nobody would really want me, right? I mean the only issue with our relationship is twitter, which I have used to be my uncensored take on the world, free from judgment, and not really giving a fuck if my followers did judge me. I get yelled at because of the thirsty heauxs, not because Im trying to fuck them, but because I agree with some of their sentiments or because I ridicule them, which I dont really understand. So I dont tweet as regularly as I used to, I no longer blog, I just try to keep a smile on her face, because you know what she deserves it.

But what do I deserve? I deserve to not be questioned, to get my things on track, to find a woman that will help me to achieve the greatness that I know I am capable of. Because like Malik, my goal in life has always been to get out of the hood and make a name for myself but how can I when I feel TRAPPED?