Have I Been Cursed With Common Sense?

Millions More Movement of ONE !!

2005-10-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

I attended the Million More Movement March at the National Mall today with my best friend Bobby. The weather was beautiful, the number of people who turned out was outstanding, and overall I felt very motivated about our struggle as African-Americans. It was a great day to stand up and scream BLACK RAGE !!!!!!!

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UNTIL I saw Lil' Kim's new album being BOOTLEGGED at the vendor fair!!!

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After recovering from that shock, it got me thinking: will we ever rise above our current position as long as we hold onto our thug and hustler mentalities? Shockingly, I'm not personal friends with Ms. Kimberly Jones, however I was outraged to see at an event that's meant to foster unity and empowerment among Black people, that we would dare undermine the success, to whatever extent, of one of our own. You would have thought that Mrs. White gave me a shout-out in the album credits. And being the person that I am, it got me looking at bit closer at the event in its entirety.

Although my overall mood was excitable, I could not help but notice that a good portion of the crowd was not at all moved about the TRUE intentions of the march. I don't know how to articulate it, but it seemed that people were there because they were obligated as Black people. You know, kind of like going to the family reunion when you really could be doing something more exciting and meaningful. Or like going to the fair only to get funnel cake. People kind of strolled around, getting various products from illegal vendors, catching up on old time with friends, and rockin' their newly acquired labels. At times, people spoke with emotion and got us to clap and say Amen, but overall the mood was not one of empowerment, more like cultural obligation. I continued to be somewhat annoyed by the "Bush doesn't like us" speeches with no plans for action. During my time there, one speaker, Susan Taylor, did move me and gave action plans for us, but as I feared, no one really listened. I left the event troubled but still optimistic. Even after discovering that Keith Boykin, speaking on behalf of the National Black Justice Coalition, was silenced by the event's organizers, I am still optimistic that someday we will get our shit together. I encourage everyone to read about that tragedy, but I'd like to offer my own comments on the matter.

The idea of a forum for African-Americans to constructively declare their outrage at our government for years of structural disenfranchisement is WONDERFUL and lies at the core of the American value system; or so everyone likes to say. However, some key things needs to happen:

One, the National of Islam does not need to be the primary organizer. I have nothing against them, however you lose the message because we're caught up by our feelings about the messager. Most Black people are not Muslim, and some don't agree with their practices and tactics. And quite honestly, a lot of white people fear them and do not like to be called devils. Really, who would like to be called that, its so 60's. I applaud their work, but if we are to move forward then some groups and individuals, should take a backseat to help the overall struggle.

Two, everyone needs to be included. If we remain caught up by our differences and opinions about groups of people that are subsets of our own community, WE WILL NEVER GO ANYWHERE. The simple fact that Rev. Willie Wilson remained the Executive Director of the event, after recently blaming the rise lesbianism for the problems of the black community, clearly shows black gay and lesbians that our people don't care about us even though we experience the same struggles as Blacks in America. We need to stop being silent about homosexuality and start embracing gay and lesbians as an integral part of our community and families. You might as well be the people who structurally oppress us for whatever reasons they have. We have to stop letting the slave masters determine who's in the house and who's in the field. Its very clear from the Same-Sex marriage issue that America hates gays; we get it. I can't help but wonder when will that spotlight will return to us. I don't remember the time when it Black people were fully accepted into society. The struggle for rights is universal and we seem not to grasp that; i got it.

Finally, it seems like we need someone to lead us and tell us how we can make things happen for ourselves. We have so many people right now that have the ability, however, we need someone that does not have anything to lose. Its my own opinion, that the individuals who led the Civil Rights movement at that time had nothing to lose, because a lot of people didn't have anything to begin with. I can't imagine how it must have been to be denied simple rights and privileges that we take for granted today. But now, so many leaders have a lot to lose if they step on that ledge and don't have the backing of our people and those who support equality and opportunity for all. I'm too young to have been apart of that movement, however I'm sure it was a troublesome, exciting, and uplifting time for us and we certainly need some of that today.

With that said, I'm beginning my Millions More Movement of ONE !! By doing small things, hopefully I can enact change. By not allowing people to marginalize me and my voice, hopefully I can enact change. By being informed about things that affect us all, hopefully I can enact change. And by keeping my values and self intact, I can enact change.

Been Interrupted...

2005-09-09T10:54:00.000-04:00

Its been a while since I've had the energy to actually express what's going on in my head. I've been simply drained from all the events happening around me and in my life. Work has been stressful, I've been preparing to go home to visit family, then came back sick, and finally being a witness to the awful tragedy occurring to our people in New Orleans, Mississippi, and Alabama. Its been a hell of a couple of weeks.

I can't even think straight these days because I can't begin to comprehend how so many people's lives are changing at this time.. I know that I'm blessed and I should take my blessings and run with them, so to speak, but sometimes I can't help to feel that I don't deserve them.. As I press along, with my career, my friends and family, and the happenings of my life it seems wrong that people who don't have the same blessings continue to endure so many hardships. It just doesn't seem fair.

Now don't get me wrong, I know I have worked for everything I've accomplished and had a few situations of my own that I thought I'd never get through, but they seem so insignificant to what people are facing today. I pray that we all will get through this tragedy and continue to do good things in this world...

I've never been one to dwell in my own problems or tragedies. Looking back, I've always removed myself from the situation entirely and then dealt with things my own way much later. It's worked for me because it has allowed me to see situations much more clearly and not react out of pure emotion. However, I can't shake this.. I can't shake the anger I have that people have allowed things there to get out of control. I can't shake the feeling that there are far worse things yet to come. And I can't shake the feeling that nothing about our country will change after this. It's almost depressing...

I need to get my Mariah CDs out of my boxes.. She always makes things seem just a little bit brighter. Until my next post..

Being Cursed Sometimes...

2005-08-18T17:47:00.000-04:00

I HAVE A FILTHY MOUTH.. IF YOU'RE OFFENDED BY MY WORD CHOICE, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD NAVIGATE AWAY. BUT PLEASE KNOW, MY WORD CHOICE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF MY EDUCATIONAL STATUS. I AM AN EDUCATED BROTHA, WITH TWO DEGREES, AND HAVE FOUND THAT "SHIT" AND "FUCK" MORE CLEARLY EXPLAINS MY OPINIONS THAN ANY OTHER CONVOLUTED RHETORIC ONE CAN EMPLOY TO JUST SAY.... SHIT AND FUCK...

Okay now that, that's out the way... LET'S BEGIN !!

Having common sense is a blessing but often times it's a curse. I guess that's why I'm starting this blog to find the answer. I'm coming up on what I consider to be a milestone in my young life, TURNING 25, and now that all the shit we're supposed to do like school (BS Computer Science, IIT. Masters of Information Systems Management, Carnegie Mellon), getting a job (one i'd like to keep so I'll pass on listing it), living on your own (DC resident, I hate surbubia), etc. has already been completed, I guess I'm in search of clarity of what the world and those that dwell within it ARE TRULY ABOUT.

In my short 25 years, I have encountered so many different people: black, latino, white, educated, not-so educated, rich, poor, those that do well for themselves, gay, straight, confused, liberal, conservative, etc., etc., etc.... However, the common thread with the majority of people that I've met is that people seriously lack, GOOD FUCKING COMMON SENSE.

Please stop me here, if i'm just speaking what you already know and you feel that these are the rantings of a young boy. However, I have just becomed appalled at the things people say and do in the world.

For example, I will NEVER understand what BLACK PERSON votes for GEORGE BUSH !!! Or better yet, ANY person of color who can tell me with a straight face that they are Republican... DC has introduced me to this specimen... I don't care if you're rich, educated, or just really really like them, most of them don't have our true interests at heart... MUTHA FUCK his position on same-sex marriage or terrorism (i'll save my opinions about this for a later post), they are doing jack shit about the problems that we have as minorities. Whether or not those two gay dudes down the block from you get married, your children will still live in impoverished neighborhoods, receive a sub-par education, and have a limited set of opportunities place before them... And those two dudes down the street are still going to fuck.... If you know things to be different, please let me know where u live cuz I might need to move... Can we use our common sense, to filter out the SHIT we're fed everyday, and see for what they really are..

I'm learning to appreciate the lessons my father taught me about common sense.. Everytime I did some stupid shit (hindsight is da shyt, ain't it), he always said he thought i didn't have any common sense when I engaged in stupid shit.. I'm beginning to learn what he was trying to express to me in his own way... We all need to take a moment and really think about the shit people and the world bring to us before we act.. Whether or not we make the right choice, lets think about it and make a choice.. Something I learned later, be a fucking adult and deal with consequences of your choice, good and bad...

To end, I have a question that's been bothering me lately.. How can 50 Cent inspire a generation of "hardcore thugs" to ROCK cheerleading tanktops... (you know what i'm talking about).. Everytime I see someone with one on, I feel like recruiting everyone around me and going up to them to say "You BETTA BRING IT !!"