Black Intellectual Union

2011 IS a GOOD Year!

2011-06-18T02:20:00.003-05:00

No matter what....Life is Good! In 2011 we must continue to tell ourselves that no matter how bleak it looks (gentrification, poor schools, rampant crime, foreclosures).....if you can breathe there is still a chance at shooting for the stars! If the ancestors could endure the untold hellish voyage over the sea...and we sit many generations later in a space and place where we can vote, and carry our OWN totes, and drive our OWN vehicles, read our OWN books, and in some instances work for our OWN selves...then LIFE IS GOOD!

One Barrier at a Time...Go Steelers!!

2009-02-01T23:36:00.004-06:00

Ok, I never thought I would root for anyone other than the Bears. But if only for the night...I placed my bets on the Pittsburgh Steelers. THERE IS NOTHING THAT BLACK PEOPLE CANNOT DO WHEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY. Hats off to Coach Mike Tomlin, Mr. Rooney, and the Steelers players.

Coach Mike Tomlin--2nd Black man to win the SuperBowl

Coach Tony Dungy--1st Black man to win the SuperBowl

President Barack Obama--1st Black man to become President of the United States

My Country Tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty...

2009-01-27T19:04:00.006-06:00

These pictures speak volumes.

I still have to pinch myself.

Beautiful Song, Beautiful Time, America the Beautiful!!!!

2009-01-20T00:22:00.006-06:00

Even though America is not without problems, America is truly a beautiful, and remarkable place!!!!

It is a place where a little Black girl like me could go to school, and receive a good education and get a good job and escape poverty. It is a place where not too long ago my grandmother had to serve as a cook and a domestic for the rich white folks because of the time she was born in.....but such a fate never was reserved for me. My grandparents dared not drink at a "white" water fountain....but I can eat & drink with my white counterparts on a daily basis if I so choose.

America is continually making strides for the better. We are far from perfect. But when you get right down to it...America is a Beautiful place that is filled with Beautiful people who are constantly evolving and moving closer to a more perfect union (sometimes with little hiccups and setbacks along that path).

Please enjoy the song above! God Bless America! God Bless our new President and his family!

"Yes Suh, Massa" Says Jesse White!!

2009-01-06T21:07:00.001-06:00

In the words of Harriet Tubman, "I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”

Mr. White I think that you have tumbled a little too long. You have forgotten, and forsaken YOUR community. We will not forget come election time. You should probably go ahead and retire and save yourself the embarrassment. If you truly count yourself as a friend to Senator Roland Burris (as you stated on WVON AM1690, wvon.com), then I would hate to see his enemies.

How dare you make yourself a part of the equation in the seating of Senator Roland Burris. YOU ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW. He has been legally appointed a Senator by Governor Blagojevich...END OF STORY!

If we were living during chattel slavery times, I swear you would be the one to and "hip" Massa to the plans of the slave revolt.

YOU NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND REALIZE WHO YOU REALLY ARE....A CONFUSED NEGRO!

Democrats You are on Notice!!!!!!!

2009-01-06T02:33:00.000-06:00

Democrats..........I want to see you try it. Just go ahead and try not to seat the honorable junior Senator from Illinois, Mr. Roland Burris. Especially in this time of feel good rhetoric promoting change and hope.

Mr. Burris is a good, honorable, well-qualified, former public servant with a stellar reputation.

Trust me, you have awakened a sleeping giant. No we (Black People) did not elect President-elect Obama all by ourselves. But we DAMN SURE played a role in his election and helped push him over the top. In Senator Obama's election to the US Senate, we (Black People) DAMN SURE played a big role in electing him locally.

We now know that we have the power to say, YES WE CAN make a difference in an election.

I advise the leadership of the Democratic party not to discount and overlook a HUGE part of their base....the African American community. If you feel that we are expendable, just try not seating Roland Burris. YOU WILL HAVE A RUDE AWAKENING!!

Ignorance is Bliss

2008-10-09T15:39:00.000-05:00

"Just look at his bloodline" says one lady in the crowd while referring to Barack Obama.

I have never heard such a response about a presidential candidate in all of my days. But then again, there has never been a Black nominee of a major party with the real potential to become the President of the United States.

I have never heard a presidential nominee referred to as a Terrorist before.

I know that this is America, and that we indeed are all entitled to our opinions under the Constitution. But as I watched the folks on this video, I must say that I was taken back to a time and place that my ancestors must've dreaded. A time when Black people had to make sure that they said yessuh and no suh, and endured being called Aunt and Uncle by their captors, their tormentors. A time when their families could be broken up at master's whim. A time when master came into the slave quarters and made sure that the Beautiful ebony complexion Africans brought with us from the motherland quickly faded to "so light could almost pass for white", cafe au lait, pecan, reddish brown....and all of the other hues that now 400 years later make up the color palette of the African American.

I do believe that Barack Obama is going to be our first Black President. But God knows I fear for his safety, when we have idiots such as the ones who are clinging to McCain--Palin and spouting off utter foolishness.

All I can do is go back to what my ancestors did in times such as these.....PRAYER AND AGITATION. You see not only were the slaves praying, there were some who sought out the underground railroad....some who smiled and took master's mean acts, but quietly took extra food and sustenance for their families.

We need to lift Obama and his family up in prayer. But we also must go to the polls like never before and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sean Hannity: A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

2008-10-08T22:06:00.000-05:00

There is no hope for some people.

Sean Hannity gets a shot of his own medicine from Robert Gibbs. Go Robert!!!!!! Sean Hannity is not a true journalist....he is more of a hate-spewer. It takes a strong person with a backbone to stand up to Sean Hannity and his abrasive, rapid-fire tactics.

Hats off to you, Robert!!!

Message to Sarah Palin--Folksy is Big Cities Too, Like Chicago

2008-10-05T02:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Governor Palin--I think...no I'm sure that you have been briefed that certain code words like Joe Six Pack, and Hockey Moms, and "You Betcha" appeal to a certain slice of the American electorate....specifically (esp. Joe Six Pack) Poor White Trash. In your attempt to be folksy and appeal to the average couch potato....you left out a major portion of the electorate.

The real folksy people are in big cities across the midwest, like my home town of Chicago, IL. Which just happens to be the home town of Sen. Barack Obama. We are folksy people who believe in hard work, beer (Yes, Beer), deep-dish pizza, and fun...sometimes "simple", sometimes "sophisticated" fun.

We are the folks who are just trying to make ends meet and not lose our houses, and watching our 401Ks go down the tubes, and struggling to pay medical bills. Just so you know it takes a lot more than a wink and a smile to fool folks from Chicago or many of the other electorate.

We are folks like Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues who are on a "Mission from God" trying to make ends meet, and have some fun too! And although we may not have all the answers, it helps if we have a politician or Vice Presidential candidate who can at least articulate our collective pain into an intelligible plea/mantra/goal.

All I can say to you, woman to woman....read a book, learn English, and pray that Alaska re-elects you as Governor.

Because the true folksy people all across this great land will be on a "Mission from God" to make sure that you and that hot-tempered McCain do not make it into the White House.

That would be a political romper room.

Pennies in Your Pocket...This is What John McCain Wants You to Have!!

2008-09-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

Barack stand tall. Continue to tell the truth. Stick to the issues. The people will not be fooled this time!!! WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE!!!

"Give me liberty or give me death"!
(Patrick Henry, 1775)
This is a profound statement that still resonates centuries later. Today, we might add give me liberty or freedom from high gas costs. Give me liberty from spiralling food costs. Give me liberty from a unrighteous war (Iraq). Give me liberty from foreclosure or possible foreclosure on my home. Give me liberty from job loss. Give me liberty from my job moving overseas. Give me liberty from not having healthcare or high co-pays. Give me liberty from a failing school system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are the types of things that Americans care about...

McCain-Palin will soon learn that lipstick and empty rhetoric are the least of America's problems.

Harriet Tubman's Words Are Appropriate on a Number of Levels

2008-08-27T10:41:00.000-05:00

If I could have convinced more slaves that they were slaves, I could have freed thousands more.
--Harriet Tubman

The video above is an example of the slave mentality in full effect. You see when the slaves were initially freed, they did not know where to go or how to begin anew. They were lost. The woman in the video is lost. She doesn't even realize she is a slave, that she has been hoodwinked.

I wonder if she would have made such a fuss over Shirley Chisholm (a true New Yorker, a Congresswoman, and the 1st Black female to run for President).

Sen. Hillary Clinton gave an excellent speech on Aug. 26, 2008 at the Democratic National Convention. She used a very effective quote from Harriet Tubman throughout her speech. In her speech, she mentioned the following: her accomplishments in her presidential run, her love of country and the great citizens she has come to know while running for president; she outlined why McCain is a bad choice; and she appealed to her supporters that the presidential race is not about her, but about the people of this great country; finally, it was a clarion call to her supporters to unify behind Sen. Barack Obama.

My only fear is that this excellent speech comes to late. Up until she gave this great speech last night, nasty, unhealthy, contentious feelings had been fanned and allowed to fester.

However, as the old saying says, "Time marches on".

I do not think that Hillary or Bill Clinton will ever be able to redeem their legacy amongst Black folk who truly know better.

For the record, Sen. Barack Obama has said kind words and been gracious to Sen. Clinton throughout this whole campaign....the same can not be said of Sen. Clinton.

Wake up people. There is a change a-comin'.

Barack Obama '08

Bernie Mac R.I.P.

2008-08-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Chicago's Own Beloved Son

God Bless you Bernie Mac!! I was hoping and praying that you would pull through. Apparently, God needs you to come home and spread your loving, laughing spirit up above. Though I did not know you personally, I always admired you and your work. You gave America another view of the Black family with your tv show, one that made us seem real and human and flawed and dignified and funny all at the same time. I LOVE YOU FOR THAT! Of course, you will always be remembered as one of the best comedians ever!! God Rest Your Soul!

I urge everyone to find out about sarcoidosis. My brother suffers from it, Bernie Mac suffered from it. Hopefully, a cure can be found for it. Below is a link explaining more about the disease.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/sarc/sar_whatis.html

Can't No Program Help That!!

2008-07-13T21:34:00.001-05:00

Look in the Mirror

Over the last several days I have listened to talk radio as I normally do....and two dominant themes were out and about on the airwaves.

Number One--Black people need to take responsibility for their actions and particularly Black fathers.

Number Two--Black people need help, programs and a agenda set forth by the government to help us.

If I hear one more person say that we need a MF'ing program, and government help to stop the violence and utter foolishnesses that is going on in every major city in America in the Black Community then I am gonna F'ing puke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1st Problem) Black people have been hoodwinked into thinking that somebody, maybe White Folks want to save us. The other common mantra for some reason seems to be that someone owes Black people something (Other Blacks or Whites).

2nd Problem) Black people have been lulled into thinking that mediocrity/stupidity/whoreishness is Cool!! Don't believe me.....Just look at the boys, and sad ass men walking down the street showing their asses in their underwear with their pants hanging to their knees. Ok, there is a new "I Love New York" series that will be starting soon (trust me whore like tendencies will be front and center). If I hear that Lil' Wayne...half-mumbling...half-drugged out excuse for a rapper one more 'gin....I am just gonna shoot the radio. Every other little Black girl on the street is wearing her clothes 3x too small.

3rd Problem) Everyone wants to pop out a baby. And no one wants to raise them. Or they just plain don't know how. Yes, Black men should be fathers and raise and support their children. But you know what folks, Black women need to stop pop, pop, popping babies out that they do not want to raise, don't want to be bothered with, and will mostly subject their children to utter foolishness, drama, and negative values. Women hold a lot of responsibility because babies, the last time I checked can only be carried and birthed by a woman. There are a gazillion products on the market that can prevent pregnancy.

Now I know you are thinking that not all Black folks are like this. YES...VERY TRUE!!! However, we cannot deny that this segment of our society exists.

I do believe that there is a role for government in our community. But no government program can regulate what happens in a person's heart. No government program can mandate that a mother/father love their children and try to raise them in a manner that is beneficial. No government program can knock the crack pipe out of someone's hand.

All of those Black folks coming from the South to the North during the Great Migration during the 50s and 60s didn't have government programs. What they had was love for themselves, a mission to establish a better life for their children, a sense of community, and a affinity for shopping with & doing business with other Black people.

If we want to solve the problems in the Black community, then the best thing we can do people is LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!! The answer is not locked away in some lofty tower, the answer begins with us standing up, being accountable, and passing along pearls for the next generation.

Jesse, Jesse!!

2008-07-10T23:57:00.000-05:00

We Fall Down But We Get Up (in the words of Donnie McClurkin)

Yes, Jesse was wrong!! Yes, Jesse should have realized that he was in the lion's den (aka Fox News studio, Sean Hannity's satanic lair). Yes, Jesse should have realized that any mic is susceptible to being a open mic when he is around! But guess what people...we are all human! Should Jesse feel apologetic for what he said about my boy Barack....Yes! And, I will tell you why. Because Barack told the truth.

Black men need to be more accountable in the lives of their children. Barack was not just saying some lofty speech from an ivory tower, because guess what people his father left him. He grew up in a family where his mother received food stamps!! Sen. Obama is no stranger to strugglin'. There are many Black boys who grow into young Black men who grow into older Black men who share the same story. It is not like he went in front of a white audience and castigated Black men. When I was a little girl, my grandma used to say to me if I can't tell you the truth then who can....meaning, we should always be able to be truthful when talking amongst family. Barack Obama is part of my family. I do not care that his father & his direct lineage was fortunate enough to miss getting on massa's slave boats to the Americas. If you have any African blood running through your veins, we share a kinship like none other. To my white brothers and sisters, we too share a bond....we belong to the much larger human family, the only problem is a great deal of my kindred white brothers and sisters refuse to acknowledge my presence. I am the dreaded stepdaughter, stepsister the "black sheep" that you do not have a real use for.

I stumbled upon some old Sesame Street footage with Jesse Jackson Sr. in it. Aaaahh...how refreshing. Times were much simpler then. And words went so much farther into the depths of the human psyche. I like this footage, particularly because it reminds me of the Jesse who makes Blacks proud...the Jesse who is unabashedly Black and proud, the encouraging Jesse, the Jesse who is filled with hope. Jesse stumbled with this recent Fox News studio gaffe, but he will get up again. And, I believe with a renewed sense of hope that the Black struggle and the fight to make that struggle be recognized and solutions found is ongoing even when Sen. Obama becomes President of the United States of America.

In the words of Sen. Obama...YES WE CAN!!!! Yes we can elect him to the highest office in the land, and yes we can and will continue to fight for the rights of Black people.

Happy Birthday Brother Malcolm!!

2008-05-19T13:55:00.000-05:00

Birthdays are a time for celebration and reflection. Today, is Malcolm X's birthday, and as such is a time for both.

I remember when I first learned of Brother Malcolm. I must've been in about the 5th or 6th grade. I went to the library, and was blessed to pick up the Autobiography of Malcolm X to read. The book made a profound impact on me. I learned about transformation, redemption, purpose, love of self, love of being Black, and viewing the world in a bigger context than just my little block in the ghetto.

Africans throughout the diaspora should pause and reflect on Brother Malcolm's contributions to our collective struggle, and his willingness to STAND, to not comprimise, to be militant, and to speak up and shout if you will to the world that circumstances must change for Africans & African descendants throughout the world! But even more so, we should all be moved to ACT! Malcolm X was not just about talk, he was about action. He understood the power of organization and moved to establish an organization in the final stages of his life, the Organization for Afro-American Unity.

If we are to survive as Africans & African descended people--we must stop looking at the world from the "me" perspective, and start to embrace the "we" perspective. A collective consciousness is once again necessary to aid in thrusting us forward. Yes, we have "evolved" (if you want to call it that) to the point that the doctor & lawyer do not live on the same street as the janitor and the maid, to not having to shop solely with other Blacks, to going to integrated schools...but we have devolved to the point where we do not see any common bonds with those who look just like us. It has become too easy for a Black to commit a crime against another Black...for Black people to think it is OK not to shop with other Black people. If we do not have any faith and love in ourselves, why should anyone else! How sad!

Brother Malcolm said it best, "There can be no black-white unity until there is first some black unity.... We cannot think of uniting with others, until after we have first united among ourselves. We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves".

Totally Not Flattering...Downright Offensive!!

2008-05-16T13:13:00.000-05:00

I don't know how Oprah feels about this, but methinks the Artist, Daniel Edwards has taken being a dog lover a little too far. The artist was supposedly trying to capture how Oprah's dogs' deaths must be weighing heavily on her. This statue is called "Memories of Sophie and Gracie: A Puppies' Memorial".

Question: Can y'all tell me when was the last time that any of you have seen a white women depicted (immortalized) in a statue with some damn dogs on top of her head??? And looking tired as hell (like she needs to go back and work in the fields somewhere), with bags as big as the Mississippi River with hair that looks like it should be part of McDonald's golden arches??

Now I am truly a dog lover, but it looks to me like this Artist just might be trying to convey something else. The dogs are placed above Mizz Oprah. Are the dogs supposed to be better, higher on the food chain, a much more valued member of society than this super-accomplished, ultra-rich Black women?

I'm just sayin.....what really is Daniel Edwards trying to convey???? Me thinks this might be a little suspect.

Absolute Power Corrupts, Absolutely!!

2008-05-15T13:39:00.000-05:00

Can Power Be Too Concentrated??

In today's Chicago Sun-Times, Michael Sneed reported that U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush is sick and may soon be retiring his post, and that on a short list of successors is 7th Ward Alderman Sandi Jackson.

Alderman Sandi Jackson is the wife of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and the daughter-in-law of Jesse Jackson, Sr., and the sister-in-law to Jonathan and Yusef Jackson (lucrative Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship owners).

All I am saying is....Black people...wake up....stop looking for a (Saviour) Leader. Trust me there have been only a few leaders in recent history that were truly for the people. I mean gave their heart and soul, and lives. A few that immediately come to mind are Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman.

There is nothing wrong with acquiring wealth, but when it seems that you become better at that under the guise of working for the people....something just might be suspect.

Remember this....follow the money.
And absolute power truly does corrupt absolutely.

Chicago Tribune Article: Jackson contacts cultivated beer deal
http://www.solargeneral.com/ja/blackcivilrights/JesseShakedownJacksonGetsBeerDistributorshipforSon.htm

Sa-Ra Breaks it Down for Obama!!

2008-05-15T13:06:00.000-05:00

Over the Top....But Ya Gotta Love it!!

I happened upon this today. I love it, and thought I would share it with all of you who are looking for CHANGE!!

Progress??

2008-05-12T14:32:00.000-05:00

HOW DO WE DEFINE PROGRESS??

Chicago's summers are hot. And the outfits that the young (dare I say) ladies will be wearing will be even hotter. The loss of clothing has already started and pre-teenage, and teenage innocence is being lost all around. The above song & visual popped in my head. I'd seen it awhile back. Black people have come a long way in this country. Yes, indeed!! But, and it is a big BUT (no pun intended).....at what cost? We have gone from being dictated to about how to & what to wear (among other things)...to not wearing anything. We have gone from respecting ourselves, and our communities....to having no respect. Of course there have always been exceptions, but something has been lost along the way.

It is my hope that we collectively begin to remember our struggles, our history, and our pride. A long time ago, we had pride even in shameful situations (slavery, Jim Crow, denial of the right to vote, etc...). Pride and self-respect allowed us to fight back (Nat Turner), serve our country(Colin Powell), run for President (Shirley Chisholm), start are own businesses (Madame C.J. Walker), and shop with Black businesses (i.e., The Black WallStreet in the 1920s in Tulsa, OK).

PLEASE let this brilliant song by Oscar Brown, Jr. (Bid 'Em In) be an illustration of why we as Black women and teenagers should want to wear clothes, and try to avoid looking like we are ready for the auction block.

Estelle...What a Breath of Fresh Air!!

2008-05-09T15:50:00.000-05:00

What a REFRESHING New Sound!!

You gotta hear this song!
It just makes me wanna dance...and dance...and dance. Enjoy!

Hillary's Done!! Stick a Fork in Her!!

2008-05-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hillary's Done!!! Stick a Fork in Her!

The whole world knows it now...the Democratic Nominee by all accounts will be Sen. Barack Obama. Boy, did he have a great show of support last night. He won by 14 points in North Carolina. THANK YOU NORTH CAROLINA!! And, by all accounts he went toe to toe w/Sen. Clinton in Indiana. Though Sen. Obama hasn't been formerly crowned...it is only a matter of time. I believe he is the voice that can help to unify our country, and the world. A voice of healing, reconciliation and yes change. McCain here we the people come!!

Kudos to you Sen. Obama, and your lovely family!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

No Justice, No Peace

2008-04-25T13:13:00.000-05:00

Sean Bell
R.I.P.

Though the verdict came today, I guess I should've already known the outcome. It is 2008 and a Black person still has no rights which the white man or woman is bound to respect (read the Dred Scott Decision excerpt below). Our lives are meaningless. We are truly as Ralph Ellison so eloquently wrote about, the "Invisible Man". So what if we are shot down under a barrage of bullets for NO GOOD REASON!! So what if a man's children are left fatherless because he is Black and simply walking to his car, and not doing anything to bother the police--who CHOOSE to SHOOT HIM DOWN!!! I do not care that 2 of the 3 officers were Black (I have no sympathy for them). The message coming from the police, the judges, and the American body politic is that Black life does not matter--we face a systemic, multi-level problem. It is a sad day when a Black person can look at another Black person, and think that their life is expendable.

We must SCREAM that Black life does matter...that all life does matter.
Remember people (and I am a dog lover)......even Michael Vick (who I feel made stupid decisions) is serving hard time for killing dogs. Is a human life or should I say a Black human life worth less than that of a dog?????

Excerpt taken from the 1857 Dred Scott Decision by the Supreme Court:
The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement [people of Aftican ancestry] compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them.

For All You WWE Fans Out There

2008-04-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

Can you smellllllll what Barack is Cookkkkkiiiinnnggg??!!

Cacklin' Witch!

2008-04-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

Ok, I couldn't resist....when I saw this I almost fell off of my chair! What a witch...well the more appropriate term might be...B&^%$#. I CANNOT STAND this woman and her antics!!!!

Hey doesn't she sound a little like the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz...

Dust Your Shoulders Off!!

2008-04-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

Go ahead, Barack dust your shoulders off. When I saw the video footage of Barack talking about the whacked out debate that he participated in w/Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, I immediately thought of JayZ's song, "Dirt off Your Shoulder". Once again, the media must think that the American people are just pure idiots. For 45 minutes, Stephanopoulos & Gibson pounded & hounded Barack about old news, about matters of ill consequence. It was to put it simply a debate about nothing. You would think that the media was in some type of contest to see who could get into the Guiness Book of World Records first by asking Barack for the umpteenth time about Rev. Wright, about Farrakhan, about Bill Ayers, about a flag lapel pin, about a "bitter"comment.

Can we get to the real issues? Can we talk about the record rate of foreclosures? The high unemployment rate? Our soldiers dying for what reason in Iraq? That everything we buy in America is made somewhere else? That people are living in cities w/urban terrorists, and no one is trying to stop the violence?

You would think that as highly paid as Stephanopoulos and Gibson are, that they could each come up with a least a few original, and well thought out questions. Someone please gimme a break. Elementary school children probably could have asked better questions!!!

Yes, Barack did right to knock the dirt off of his shoulders. Believe me there were plenty of dirty, dumb tired scare tactics that Stephanopoulos & Gibson threw at Barack. But guess what, all of the dirt fell off of Barack and settled right on them, and that woman, Hillary Clinton.

Life Story

2008-04-18T10:48:00.000-05:00

Ok, people...I was touched this morning. There are still people in the world who care. People who believe that every life has meaning. Jill Leovy, a reporter for the LA Times is one of those people. She started and maintained a blog for a year chronicling the murders that took place in Los Angeles, CA in 2007. I applaud her efforts. One of her reasons for starting her blog, The Homicide Report, was because all too often there were murders that did not get reported in the mainstream media. And she wanted to put a face on people's pain.

I can wholeheartedly relate to this. When I was a kid my grandma always bought 2 newspapers, the Chicago Sun-Times (a mainstream newspaper), and the Chicago Defender (the Black newspaper). I mention this because you would have thought by comparing the two newspapers that there were two different Chicagos. Homicides, crimes, and celebrations that were reported in the Chicago Defender for the most part did not make it onto the Chicago Sun-Times' pages. If we truly wanted to get a pulse for the goings on in the Black neighborhood, you had to look at the Chicago Defender or listen to WVON (the Black radio station). Other than that, you would have thought that Black life didn't matter.

When you get a chance, check out the blog that Jill Leovy started. It is a sobering reminder that each life counts, and that we as a society need to do more to stop the violence. Here's the link.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/homicidereport/

Warrior King!!

2008-04-10T13:21:00.000-05:00

Well the dust has settled on the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The politicians have given homage, the news stations have run special programs, and the masses (some more, some less) have reflected on the life of Dr. King. As usual, the word Dream was used all too often, and the full story of the man was not told.

My grandma still has a picture of Dr. King on her wall right beside Jesus. When I look at those two pictures side by side, the word ACTION pops out at me. You see, Dr. King was ACTION-oriented, Jesus was as well. They both took their message to the people. They both worked for change. It is amazing to me how the dominant class and the media LOVE to portray and reduce Dr. King to being the dreamer, the good orator, the agreeable & placid Negro. Yes, Dr. King did possess some of those qualities. But what stands out the most is the fact that he was a agitator, a strategist, a Do-er, a Warrior. Yes, a Warrior!! He along with thousands others marched into the battlefields of the American consciousness by taking ACTION (there goes that word again).

People--Now is the time for us to take ACTION once again. In our homes, in our communities, in our neighborhoods. If we want to save our children, guess what the government has no vested interest in doing it. We need to invest in our children, so that we get a good return on our investment. If we want to see more Black-owned businesses in our communities, well guess what, we need to patronize the ones we have and also start businesses, and train our children to be the next generation of business leaders. If we want crime to stop in our neighborhoods, then we need to turn the BoBo's and the Shenaenae's who are committing the crimes into the police.

Start showing your warrior spirit today!

New Meaning to "Hot Buttered Soul"

2008-04-07T12:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, I don't know how I stumbled upon this. But as I was cruising through cyberspace today, I found a recording artist that gives new meaning to the term, "Hot Buttered Soul"! Her name is Measha Brueggergosman. The Sistah is Bad! I never thought I would like Opera, but she "puts her foot in it". You gotta take a listen!!! I have been listening to her tracks all morning, and will be going to the music store to pickup at least one of her albums. I am including links to her webpages below. Whatever the genre, a good singer is a good singer!! Again, take a listen people. We definitely need to hear more about this sistah's work.

http://en.measha.com/index.php

http://www.myspace.com/meashabrueggergosman

Whatever Happened to Tough Parents?

2008-04-06T22:46:00.000-05:00

I was out tonight between 8-9pm riding in the car. It is 60+ degrees in Chicago today, a prescription for disaster in some neighborhoods. All around I see teenagers walking. Mostly in packs. And what I found to be quite odd was that a great deal of them were girls. All of them with clothes too tight. Then there were the young men who were out...it is amazing to me how they have mastered the art of "mean-mugging". I mean you drive by them, and they look at you like they automatically have a "beef" with you.

Maybe I'm getting old. I remember when I was a teenager, I had to have all of my time accounted for. Just wandering round the streets, uh unh, my grandma was not havin' it. I couldn't wear clothes that were too tight. And I'd better address all of the grown folk as Ms. or Mr. Now that is not to say that I didn't do a little dirt. But for the most part I knew that I had to at least "portray" a certain image.

Parents need to be parents! Parents need to be tough! Kids behave how they are allowed to behave. At this point in time, 21 Chicago Public School students have been murdered. I think I am correct in stating that they were all a result of Black-on-Black violence. According to Carlos Sadovi, in a Feb. 25, 2008 Chicago Tribune article, "Nearly half of Chicago public school 9th graders who started high school in the last seven years have dropped out without earning a high school diploma". We have a serious problem!!

Children should not be roaming the streets freely at night. In reality they need to be doing something constructive, whether it is homework, reading a book, or engaging in a constructive hobby. As my grandma used to say, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop, baby".

If parents don't choose to engage their children, then the streets are all too willing! Even though we are in a recession, and their is great job loss all around the country...I can think of one position that is in great demand everywhere. Tough Parents Wanted! The signs are everywhere, on the streets, in the juvenile detention centers, in the schools, at PTA. Just look around, you are in demand.

Chicago Tribune Article Link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dropout_25feb25,0,1248671.story

Black Through & Through

2008-04-01T05:57:00.000-05:00

Over the years, I have heard people call into question Secretary of State, Condeleeza Rice's Blackness, her Politics, sometimes her overall state of mind. Working for one of the president's with the lowest approval rating in history, George W. Bush, I suppose did not help quell these views much. I admit that at times, I have not thought favorably of Secretary of State Rice. But, the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" is trite but still very true. Secretary of State Rice made some statements on race recently that I thought were very telling (see the link below). I think that she spoke openly and honestly on what can be a tricky subject, especially when Black people are voicing our opinions openly to a larger white audience. She said that America has a "birth defect" from the way that it was formed, and that Black Americans have been loyal patriots to this country even when this country did not reciprocate feelings of community and care to them. And she went on to indicate that Black people have endured tremendous hardships in America due to our race and our tangled history, but we still press on trying to achieve the American dream. Outside of Sen. Obama's speech on race, I think that Secretary of State Rice's comments on race were some of the most candid that I've heard by a Black high-level politician in a long time. There should be no question about Secretary of State Rice's blackness, her embracing her blackness, and her recognition of this country's entire history (some of which is tainted). Black people are not monolithic, we can have differing views (that is what makes America so great). Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice is definitely Black through & through!!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080328/FOREIGN/746301768/1003

People Get Ready, There's a Change A'Coming

2008-03-27T15:47:00.000-05:00

Curtis Mayfield said it best in song, "People get ready, there's a change a'coming". It is time to hold every dollar till it hollers!! We are in a recession, headed towards a depression. There used to be one place where I could splurge...the grocery store. I paid $1.79 during this past Easter week. If I remember correctly, I paid about $1 for eggs during Easter week in 2007. When I go to the grocery store, it is like I am window shopping. I look at the goods, and then decide I can only afford to buy the necessities. Farewell Nestle TollHouse cookies, goodbye potato chips and pop, hello beans, hello rice. Well at least I am forced into having a healthier diet! As I'm sure you've noticed it doesn't stop there, just try to buy a gallon of gas. $3.59/gallon does not leave much room for the casual drive or the vacation road trip.

It is time to SAVE, CUT SPENDING, and PAYOFF DEBT.

I have made a personal decision to look at my expenses (even the smallest ones) with a more watchful eye. I was buying Starbucks, then one day I tried McDonald's premium roast coffee. So far, I save 71 cents a day, which adds up to $3.55/week, which adds up to $14.20/month. Not a whopping amount, but at least it can help finance one of my kid's monthly mutual fund contributions.

The Irony in Dirt

2008-03-26T13:07:00.000-05:00

Last night I was walking to my car, the wind was swirling, and the temperature was roughly 50 degrees (that is good weather for March in Chicago). While I was enjoying the nice weather, all of a sudden something hit me! It was a piece of paper. In fact there were hundreds of pieces of trash flying around. I couldn't help but ponder the irony in trash, of all things.

You see, I was walking in a Black neighborhood, alongside other Black people. And, as I looked around as far as my eye could see there was trash. Trash flying in the air, trash in people's yards, trash on people's front porches. Trash was everywhere. It was one big trash party!

Now I want somebody to tell me how Black people, in particular, go from a group of people whose whole lives were built off of cleaning, and maintaining Massa's property...to a people (though we all know there are many exceptions) who as a whole don't clean or maintain our own properties?

Yes, there is irony even in dirt!

Another Dead Grandmother

2008-03-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday in Chicago, a 70 year old grandmother, Mrs. Maggie Browder, was gunned down. She was in her own house, minding her own business when an idiot decided to ring her bell, and end her life. When will the madness end? This is has got to stop! Mrs. Browder married, worked, raised her children, and tried to make a better life after moving from the South. Sound familiar? My grandmothers both did the same thing. I'm sure yours did too. We as a community must be moved to action!! Black on Black violence should have us all enraged, marching, protesting, and implementing solutions to thwart this growing trend.

Did our foreparents (who moved from the South in the 50s & 60s) in their quest to make a better life for us give us too much of some things, and too little of others?

Right now, the children of today have more than my generation or the generations up to and including Ms. Browder's generation ever had (materially). You've seen the little babies whose teen mothers dress them in the latest Phat farm/Nike/Sean John fashions. Childhood obesity is raging (kids are fatter now than ever)...I can remember eating sandwich spread sandwiches when times were rough.

Mrs. Browder's daughter recently came back to live with her after a stint in rehab. Could she have been the intended target? Unpaid drug debt, maybe? The police are still investigating. From all accounts, this grandmother devoted her life to being a helping hand to her family, and to her community.

All of us know a shaky relative that brings more problems with them than solutions. Some of these individuals are in & out of rehab, jail or just plain troublemakers. We cannot wait for the government or anyone else to come marching into our communities to save us. We are the help that we need!

We have forgotten and forsaken God, even though there is a church on every corner in the Black community! We have become engrossed in building bigger and more elaborate edifices, and taking up a building fund, and putting on a big banquets, and have forgotten about funding the soul. Funding the soul with God, with love, with reprimands, with teaching, with time, with a watchful eye. Because we are not funding the souls of our youth, we are suffering from youth who have been raised with insufficient funds. If we all do not take up a cross (i.e., a youngster), and steer them in the right direction, we will continuously have more and more dead grandmothers, mothers, fathers, sons, nieces, nephews.

Mrs. Browder didn't deserve her fate, and we as a people must stop the madness or there will be more dead grandmothers from senseless violence.

America God Shed His Grace on You

2008-03-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

Sen. Obama issued a challenge to all of America in his speech on race. We have the opportunity to move forward, and embrace and shape the future of our great country into a more perfect union. Sen. Obama has been hounded, and besieged by comments that he did not even utter. I find this to be totally ludicrous. His former pastor made comments which the American people have been force-fed in 15 and 30 second soundbites ad infinitum via the news media. Furthermore, anyone who has been to a Black church can tell you that 15 seconds of a sermon can not do you much good! Black preachers are some of the best storytellers there are, and like any story there is an intro, body, and a conclusion. All of these are interwoven to become the finished product or sermon. Taking Rev. Wright's comments out of context only serve to fan the flames of hysteria without allowing for proper analysis.

I have been told by Whites (who were friendly to me) that they have family members who do not like Blacks, and that their family members have made negative comments about Blacks. Did I assume that they felt this way because of their family members' beliefs? No! I think that each person should be judged on his or her merit. And furthermore, who suscribes to everything someone else says. I sure don't!!!

My maternal grandmother (who is still living) remembers living under the Jim Crow laws in the South. She can tell you stories of making sure not to drink from the "White" labeled water fountain, bathroom, etc. Today, does she hate or dislike all whites because of it? No! She directly suffered from the overt racism, and ignorance that were perpetrated during the last century.

We (America) must move beyond scapegoating, and labeling and injustice, and making "mountains out of molehills". We have the power to move the topic of Race forward in a positive manner. What is happening to Sen. Obama right now is an attempt to shift the dialogue from useful, progressive talk to useless, unmeaningful banter.

In the words of a famous political strategist, "It's the economy, Stupid". Let's talk about the rising unemployment rate, jobs going overseas, lack of healthcare, the rising foreclosure rate.

When we begin an open and honest dialogue about these issues, God will surely shed his grace on America!

Shame on You Hillary Clinton!!!

2008-03-12T13:02:00.001-05:00

How dare Hillary Clinton say, "Shame on You, Barack Obama"! She, her surrogates, and her campaign need to be ashamed of the way that they have conducted themselves during this democratic primary season. It is just one loose, assisine statement after another.

Her husband, Bill Clinton kicked it off with his ill-spoken comments about Sen. Obama and implied that his run for the presidency was some sort of fairy tale. This from a man who formerly enjoyed, albeit all too comfortably, an endearing place in the collective Black family. Not to mention comparing Sen. Obama's winning South Carolina to Jesse Jackson winning the state years earlier, and implying that the win boils down to Obama being a "Black" candidate. Bob Johnson attempted to further besmirch Sen. Obama's character by implying that instead of community organizing, Sen. Obama was doing drugs in Chicago. Andrew Young made scurrilous comments by comparing Bill Clinton's sexual prowess to Senator Obama in relationship to sleeping with Black women. Sen. Clinton herself made the statement that both she and John McCain have leadership ability but all Senator Obama has is a speech from 2002.

In their last debate, Sen. Hillary Clinton had no problem pushing the issue of Sen. Obama publicly rejecting and denouncing Minister Louis Farrakhan's endorsement. Support that Senator Obama did not solicit. One of Senator Clinton's most enthusiastic supporters, Gov. Ed Rendell has himself publicly heaped praise upon Minister Louis Farrakhan. Has she denounced and rejected Gov. Rendell's support?

Now the latest smear tactic is Geraldine Ferraro point blank saying that Senator Obama is only where he is because he is Black. Is Ferraro saying that Senator Obama's graduating from Harvard, being a constitutional lawyer, a grassroots organizer, a Senator, and countless other accolades have only occured because he is Black? Is she on drugs? My only possible defense for Ferraro is that she must have some form of dementia. If she is not demented, then her only motivation has to be race-based or racist, there is no other way to explain it! Senator Clinton has not strongly disassociated herself from Ferraro's comments or Ferraro.

Senator Clinton is treading a dangerous road with her scurrilous campaign tactics. One that I fear has already irreparably alienated major segments of the democratic party. If she somehow ends up the democratic nominee, look for a major defection from the democratic party by Blacks. Shame on You, Hillary Clinton!!!