Going in Circles

I mentioned in my last post that their are many programs built for us by us (no fubu lmao) that our own people don't take advantage of. I found this increasingly true when I did Supplied for Success, Beyond Today, Inc's first event. A simple school drive to donate backpacks full of the school supplies to less fortunate kids. I want to say that Supplied for Success was a success as you can see here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyond-TodayInc/393687023474 and Y.O.U.R Community center was instrumental in helping me partner with West Education Center in D.C. to get these supplies into that hands of their students. The end product was great but getting there was a struggle. We contacted countless schools by email,mail,and phone through out Baltimore, P.G County, and D.C. We also reached out to several churches. No luck with any of that. We were told to just drop it off (yeah so it can just sit in some broom closet). We were told by many administrations that they would have to check with someone else. We were told that they have already partnered with another organization (as if more than one is a bad thing). In most cases we never spoke to the "decision maker" and when we did we found that these leaders were really not in the lead. These people really were not chiefs but really just Indians dressed to play the part. I dare not mention which schools and churches were unwilling to work with us for a greater good because maybe they will see the error in their ways and work on being better. The lack of leadership and partnership is disgusting. We have more than one problem in our community therefor it requires many working partnerships to reach a common goal. In this particular situation those in charge drag their feet and while they keep moving at a snail like pace its the kids who get stuck. If you have someone willing to help it is your duty to take advantage of it. Just because I'm not your frat brother, I don't attend your church, or we didn't grow up together doesn't mean we shouldn't share a circle. It appears to me by not letting an outsider in you just keep going in circles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gveKzSOalRY&feature=channel.

20/20 Doesn't always mean you can see everything!

I was listening to the Russ Parr Show this morning and he spoke about blacks not taking full advantage of the resources in America like foreigners do. He acknowledge that racism exist and their are things in place to hold us back but we shouldn't use that as an excuse. I kind of agree. I totally agree that their are things such as grants, scholarships, even programs created for us by us (no fubu lmao) to build up our community we don't seek out. What Russ failed to mention is how much our government helps immigrants. Some come here without formal education, yet they get degrees rather quickly. They come here without credit yet receive funds to start businesses. Hell, even some come here without a pot to piss in yet in just a short time have automatic flushing toilets! Make no mistake this has little to do with an immigrant. By all means take advantage of the opportunities given to you. The issue is with our country and a system that was designed to keep blacks behind. I think you can view how rapidly the Hispanic population has grown and how much power they are gaining. The people who created this system and the ones who maintain it have spent all their time focusing on us (blacks) that they left the back door open and a whole lot of people crept in. Washington, Jefferson, and Adams didn't view other races as a threat on American soil when they were building...well actually we (blacks) were building, and they (European Whites) were stealing form the Indians. Other races come to America without having to deal with the 500 year old elephant in the room called slavery. They also don't deal with underfunded schools, imprisoned fathers, and mothers who are left to pick up the pieces of shattered dreams. They also don't have to deal with their leaders being assassinated (MX &MLK) or even their sports hero's being targeted by he media (Vick,Kobe,Tiger,OJ). The paint hasn't even dried on the images from the Jim Crow era. Now when "opportunity" is discussed we must dissect it accordingly because we just don't compete with whites. In a lot of companies diversity doesn't mean more blacks it means more Asians and Hispanics. Don't be fooled by a companies "diversity initiative". If they operate in areas the serve a large number of blacks why is the board of directors always made up of men that look like the father from different strokes? This isn't diversity. I'm not blind to the fact that we have a lot of self inflicted hard. We must improve our standard and way of life. We (blacks) must do better TOGETHER but it seems like were stuck between a rock and a hard place. White America (the rock) who refuses to acknowledge as a whole, that this system holds us back, and foreigners/immigrants (the hard place) who don't understand why we struggle and feel the way we do.

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.