If GOD Is Willing And Da Creek Don't Rise

Shout out to Spike Lee for giving me something to write about. I have been in writers limbo for a while. Last night while watching his documentary on what Katrina did to the gulf and the governments response, it infuriated me . Once again politics took over and non-sense out weighed common sense. Why were faulty barriers built? Why didn't people step up and claim responsibility. Why is it five years later and that part of our country is still in shambles? Homes destroyed, people dead, and families displaced. The government has failed to do what it was set up to do and that is work for the people. Big business and back room deals prevailed. Katrina brought out the best and worst of our society. It showed that we are strong and will work to over come the worst situations. It also showed that we will use any means to manipulate people and make a buck. The human spirit is powerful but so is greed. Have you ever wondered what happens to the money you donate to help people? You make you donation and you sit back and say "I did my part". You call your friends and co-workers and ask about what they are doing to help. Bottom line is for all you know your donation is going to someone who doesn't need it. You put it in the hands of those you view as responsible and expect them to ration it out accordingly but then you see a documentary like If GOD Is Willing.... and you wake up. Jay Z rapped "sure I ponied up a mill but I didn't give my time/ so in reality I didn't give a dime or a damn/ i just put my money in the hands of the same people who left my people stranded". He did what most did and that's the reality of the situation.

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/if-god-is-willing-and-da-creek-dont-rise/index.html?cmpid=ABC489#/documentaries/if-god-is-willing-and-da-creek-dont-rise/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVgYqRX3_XY

Obama looking out for black farmers. More to come.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/18/AR2010021805893.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Dungy: Greatest ever?

I read an article on Former Indianapolis Coach Tony Dungy called Higher Calling: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=100128/TonyDungy. For some reason it made me look at Tony Dungy even closer. Allow me to indulge you on my thoughts of Mr. Dungy. As a coach he has 1 Super Bowl victory. More than most. I would also argue that the 2002 Tampa Bay Superbowl ring that John Gruden sports belongs to to Tony since he put that team together. Also, if Jim Caldwell wins with the Colts this Sunday then I will gladly pay the postage to send his ring to Tony myself. So that's 3 rings. Pretty good huh. Also adding he is the only black Super Bowl winning coach in history. Funny isn't it? Only one black head coach to win the Super Bowl with a league that is 90% black. Another thought for another blog. Tony has since retired and moved on to broadcasting. Most ex-pro players and coaches only do this as a part time job until the next big payday comes. Not Tony, as he has turned down multiple offers to be a front office executive for a team and a coach. Either of which would probably make him the highest paid at his position. Some how he has transformed himself as a man with all the answers (much like myself). Most notably with his impact on Commissioner Roger Goddell's decision to reinstate Micheal Vick into the NFL. I don't think Vick head a chance without Tony Dungy vouching for him. In a sport as a I mentioned before that is predominately black but the faces of the sport are always white, Dungy gives us a sound voice and opinion. He speaks out against injustices such as the lack of black head coaches at top schools in college. He mentors college athletes like LaGarrett Blount when it seemed the whole world had painted him out as a thug and thrown him to the way side. To me Tony is a throw back. He represents a time when black sports figures cared about more than how there sneakers sold. Thanks Jordan. He reminds me of Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and Muhammad Ali. Guys who spoke about how they felt regardless of how unsettling it made white America. Hes Johnnie Cochran without a law degree. He defends us int he court of public opinion...and wins. He represents a well rounded black man. They say he is "christian" but like most religions Christians can be judgemental and he seems the least bit that. I admire those who can preach to me but don't sound preachy. He can relate to anyone of any background or color just the same. He is the image of a strong, smart, loving black man. Most of us don't have that at home and in most cases mainstream society doesn't show it on TV or in the movies. For all of those things (and many more) I view him as the greatest football coach ever. He doesn't yell, scream, or curse like a Bill Parcells but you hear him just as clear and even better...YOU LISTEN.

For details on him just check out his bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Dungy

McDonalds and Hip Hop

Go to http://www.365black.com/365black/ads.jsp to view the new McDonald's rap video.

Last night I was watching the tube and maybe I'm just late or maybe it just didn't bother me until now but when did Micky D's turn hip hop? I'm sure no one on the board of directors resembles Russell Simmons and last I checked Ronald McDonald had white skin and red hair. Now he might rock a bush but he damn sure ain't a brotha. Lets look at the facts shall we. The majority of Americans are over weight. Some school systems have even taken gym off the curriculum. We already know black kids don't get very nutritious meals for a variety of reasons. Also, a lot of black people are over weight. We don't like to admit it but it's true. We suffer from strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure like no other. We love food that isn't healthy. Hell, I love a full rack of ribs. I eat McDonald's about 5 times a year. I ate it a lot more as a kid and can't really stand it that much these days. It's quick, cheap,a and now hip hop? Really? I don't know if these commercials are airing in lets say Ohio like they are hear int he DC metropolitan area but I'm a tad offended. As if there aren't already enough ways for blacks to harm there bodies now Ronald Reagan...I mean McDonald is trying to give us other avenue. You know, if crack and HIV doesn't work have a big mac snack wrap. Maybe I'm being a little over sensitive but damn do I really need some black chick with kinky hair rapping "up early in the morning thought my day would be wack/ until I, turned on the TV and heard breakfast is back". Why not just turn an old negro spiritual hymn into a commercial. Just another part of our culture that is being used by corporate giants to mock us and destroy us...and that's the reality of the situation.

Post racist era?

When Barack became President so many people (mainly whites) viewed America as being beyond it's ugly past. You know the past that ripped Africans away from there home land. The past that raped, killed, and enslaved our ancestors. The past that wouldn't even allow my grandfather to drink from the same fountain as a white woman. MSNBC host Chris Matthews saying after the recent State of the Union address of Barack "I forgot he was black". I wonder if he said he forgot Bush was white when he spoke. Having a black President doesn't mean blacks now have a voice. He can't possably represent just blacks because if he did he wouldn't be president. I recently had a conversation with someone who raised the point that blacks have more opportunities and that things are equal. Well after our conversation he saw things a little different. I told him about how in my 28 years I have been called nigger by whites as a child. How "black" names such as Shaquita and Rayshawn on resumes get pushed back down to the bottle of the stack. How why I do believe we have more opportunity that our parents and grandparents we have not come far enough. The civil rights movement was just 50 years ago. It takes generations to change the way people think. Basically 50 years doesn't erase the 500 we were set back. Why is it so hard for politicians and those on TV to admit the after effects of Americas greatest crime. The scars of such a horrific time may look healed on our skin but have been passed down in our DNA. An example of this is when we speak of reparations. Congress has said its to hard to trace our roots to pin point who should qualify but I beg to differ. Most states still have records of what slaves came into its harbors. In Maryland head to Annapolis to research ours. But the DNA scar I speak of is that one. White slave masters raping our female ancestors and fathering children. Diluting our heritage so that it would be harder to trace our roots. America is so quick to fight for the rights of others being mistreated around the world but fails to acknowledge its own short comings. In the movie "ALI" Will Smith put it best as he played Mohammed Ali when he said "You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won't even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won't even stand up for my right here at home." Yes we have more black business owners and execs and those in management positions that ever. We also have more blacks in prison, poverty, and uneducated and thats the reality of the situation.

I'm saying, can I hold $20 baby?

Damn this is something that just popped in my mind. I remember it being a Martin episode. Ladies, I ask are yall cool with making more than your man? Shit, I guess I should be asking is would your man be cool with that. I would be. Makes me no never mind as long as you holding me down like I hold you down and that you understand sometimes things may be out of my budget. Like if yall were getting married and you wanted a $10k ring and all he could afford was $2k would you be cool? If you drove a BMW and he drove a Saturn would you be willing to ride shotgun? I mean we live in a society especially in the black world were our sistas will and can make more that the brothas. Black women complete college at a higher rate than men. Also when a company is looking to hire you they are killing to birds with one stone (your a woman and your ethnic). Also how would your family feel, particularly your parents. I mean you making $90k and he making $40k and to them it always seems like you supporting him. Would you expect him to pay for diner most of the time like most women do? You want a good man that will love and support you but that man may not come in the form of a $100 bill but rather a $20 and thats the reality of the situation.

CHILD SUPPORT...THE BIG PAY DAY

I don't know if yall have heard how much Russell Simmons is paying Kimora Lee in child support but I'm going to break it down. He agrees to pay $20k each for his daughters. Pretty steep huh? Well it doesn't stop there. He also has to buy Kimora a car that cost at least $60k and replace it every 3 years annnnnnnnd the buck doesn't stop there. He may only see his kids once every 8 weeks and on random holidays accompanied by at least a nanny and security person. You would think a man paying all that could see his kids whenever he wants. I'm sure hes also paying a huge chunk of loot in alimony to this woman and he gave her baby phat and is letting her run phat farm. Now I bring this up today to show how lopsided and foolish the Judaical system is when it comes to a dads parental rights and what he should provide for his kids. I wouldn't have a problem with the $40k if lets say $30k of it were going into some kind of saving for his daughters for future use. And the car thing is just out of this world. What, is this woman broke? We never know what goes on behind close doors but Russell is always portrayed as a loving father and I have never heard Kimora bad mouth him. Now this man is worth in excess of $400 million but does that mean he should just write his ex a check and let her decide how the money will benefit the children. I think when a man is paying child support a courts should audit the ex-spouses accounts each year to make sure that money is being used appropriately. Its bad enough that these young chicks will do anything for a rapper/athlete a drop once off in her drawers and this is why they do it. Child support should not be you meal ticket or your way out the hood. SAD SAD SAD. And thats the reality of the situation.