Porsche Foxx, known for her quote, "Let your haters be your motivators!" is still a very vibrant part of the Atlanta social community. Today, on her Facebook page, she asked a rather question that became a "hot topic" right away...
Foxx asks, "What are some things that women should stop doing in public?"
My response: "Today's woman could put aside a lot of "bad habits" which tend to take away from her natural beauty. Talking loudly on the phone, cursing in public, and spanking or yelling at children are the first things that will cause me to take pause and envision how poor a mate she must truly be. In my line of work, I am a very public person and, if a woman has no concern as to what image she projects publicly, then I wonder wonder if she cares enough to know HOW to act in a professional setting."
But, then again, this is just ONE Man's Opinion...What is yours?
The beautiful and talented Lilakoi Moon (Lisa Bonet) posed a very good question on her Facebook page. It reads, "Do you all believe in what you don't know won't hurt you? Do you
believe in going in your lover's cell
phone behind their backs? I never understood why people do that. What do
you all think?"
My response was:
I
am just very cautious about which curiosities I pursue.
I do believe that what you DON'T
know will kill you in today's society. Medical history,
family illnesses, pressures of work, and all relationships outside of
our own are some things that we need to discuss and understand before we
can consider "falling in love".
Do you have a long-term plan? What are your goals? My cousin once told me that I take people on an interview, instead of a first date. I said, in return, "Shouldn't we all?" I have to like you before I can love you. And, I'd rather know everything up front as opposed to finding things out the wrong time.
I was looking on Facebook and saw a photograph of President Obama from 2008 as it was posted by ForAmerica. The caption beneath it read, "Looks like the President has a new dance move! What should he call it?" If you would like to read the responses, the link is provided here.
Needless to say, I was both shocked and appalled. The responses were so negative and racially charged that I found myself compelled to respond. Rather than excite the same ignorance on my site, I simply want to share my response.
After reading about 100 of the 5,308 negative comments, I wrote the following:
I read these comments and
laughed at just how idiotic people are. It amazes me
I'm just a good ol' country boy at heart and I come from a place in time when Sunday was actually a day of worship. I had different sets of clothes that were designated for school, play, and church. And, unless you were trying to get in trouble, you never got one set of clothing confused with another.
The churches of my childhood all looked the same. When you walked in, there was a clear view of the pastor and the altar. There were ushers in place and a second podium placed on the floor from which any secondary, non-ordained people could speak. There was a respect and reverence given to every portion of the sanctuary and - if you were fortunate - there would be a bake sale or a hot meal being sold after church. But, even then, you couldn't just eat any place you wanted to while in the church - only in designated areas.
I am a literal person; sometimes, a little too literal. I believe in fully understanding the entire scope of a definition of a word so that I might begin to see the whole meaning of a statement. To define myself, I would say, "I'm a wordsmith."
It is because of my ongoing love affair with words that I often win in debates and lose in matters of the heart. Even my horoscope defines my astrological sign as being a "forward thinking humanitarian who is in touch with reality, but seemingly detached from any true love." Ah, but that is another subject to explore. For now, let's continue with my love of words. My fascination with word placement and word choice allows me to easily draw a tangent in any conversation; deviating from one point to another and weaving a tapestry of thought beneath actions and reactions.
You see, in order to win a debate, you must be able to mentally dissect the words that your opponent uses to prove their arguments and then use those very same words to disprove their foundation of thought. You must be capable of finding fault in the smallest stream of logic within the argument and use it as a basis to undermine their entire basis of reasoning. You must be able to determine not only that there is a crack in the pavement, but you must be able to also understand where it originated and envision the gradual demise of an entire boardwalk. Basically, you must be able to destroy your opponent's arguments from within.
I was forwarded a link as a joke yesterday and, sadly enough, I found nothing funny about it.
In the first video link below, a parent is outraged after he reads his daughter's "sexting" messages and he decides to react in a manner that, for the moment, will cause his daughter to rethink her actions. Sexting, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the sending of inappropriate texts which are sexual in nature. That could include description of sexual acts, revealing photographs, or highly suggestive language.
I actually applaud the father for having the sense to ban or limit the daughter's access to socializing. In today's society, we often leave reprimand to the school system, other people and even television. This father is taking an active role in curtailing his daughter's activity and will, hopefully, reinforce this measure with continued monitoring and limited access to certain friends.
My question to parents is this: "Who teaches sexual responsibility to your children?"
Please take a moment and listen to the rantings of this young man (in the video link below).
I found this video online and was skeptical about adding it to my blog site, but some of the points he makes are valid ones. This video is not unique. There are countless others which echo this young man's sentiment. I must warn you; however, that there is flagrant use of the "n word", so, if you are easily offended, simply skip the video and read my commentary. I would greatly appreciate your comments.
Sadly, I can only agree with portions of his social rant. I understand his
separation of the term from the identification of a culture,
but the term "nigger" is often used to identify behavioral traits which
exists as no more than tom foolery in every culture. I can neither
embrace or erase the term as it is somehow become ingrained in the African American culture, but not in my own day to day dialogue.
When the slanderous term was introduced to our culture in the 1700s, it was used as a way of demeaning someone and making them feel as if they were no longer a part of a social class. Negroes were strong, proud tribes people who reveled in their culture, knew their heritage, and likened themselves to kings and queens. To change their mindset, slave owners looked down upon them and (while they were forced to perform menial tasks, chained, beaten, or raped) they were called "niggers" repeatedly. This forced a separation in the mindset of what a true Negro is versus the actions of a nigger.
The harvest season is here and, along with it, many of the nation's farmers have found themselves a little light on labor. Because of the new immigration laws and their effect on the willingness of illegal immigrants to come forth for "honest work", we may see an increase in our grocery tab because fewer products will make it to the shelf.
This is a situation that we, as Americans, have gotten ourselves into. It is not breaking news that farmers and construction companies across the nation have spent millions on "cheap labor". They were aware that they were crippling the American economy by cutting corners and saving costs as opposed to hiring American citizens at minimum wage. Now, because we have decided to deal with an ongoing issue, we will see the immediate effects of our own greed.
Georgia's governor, Nathan Deal, has proposed that parolees fill the void. This is a great way to have people who need a job to also do something that will help to keep the rising cost of food down. Although the idea has not "gone over well" with many voters in the area, it is a way that we can begin to resolve our own issues and lower the high rate of unemployment here as well.
After listening to the many parallels in this speech, it is obvious that President Barack Obama is on the campaign trail. Strategically, he used points of interest that would resonate with the 50,000 attendees and the millions of worldwide listeners who heard this speech during the MLK Dedication ceremony. Full of the same determination that he shared with the world over four years ago, President Obama spoke on a dual platform; weaving his policies and his current struggle into the life teachings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The only sad part of this occasion was the obvious absence of media attention. I found myself with a group of friends hovered around the radio because there was minimal television coverage of this great day and this great speech. Applauding at poignant points and shaking our heads in unison at others, we all wondered why we felt like it was 1960 all over again as we had to envision what the masses saw while we were huddled in silence.
Fifty years may have passed, but the obvious lack of attention placed on this momentous day - and the blatant disregard for our nations President - only brought back dark images of the days when civil rights were challenged and human rights were fought for. In one of the most memorable points of his speech, President Obama states that change took time and the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. never lost focus. He saw a nation brimming with potential - if only it would live up to the very principles that it speaks of in its Constitution.
Today, the struggle is still the same. The fight has moved from the streets and into the corporate boardrooms. The lines which separate us are no longer just black and white, but also brown and yellow and blue and red. I encourage you to take twenty minutes out of your day and listen to the words and identify the struggle.
But, then again, this is only ONE Man's Opinion... Yours could be very different...
Never in the history of these United States has a President been so ridiculed and scrutinized. It seems that no proposed "change we can believe in" can ease its way through both the House and the Senate.
Although, congress was elected to represent the voice of the people, it appears that personal bickering has trumped the purpose of voting on matters that will help America (as a whole) to rebound from a recession. The constant filibustering and public arguments has created a wave of negativity that has crossed the globe.
I stumbled across an article that caused me to shake my head and wonder how the world views America now. We were once a land to be marveled; but now, we appear as divided a country as we were in the pre-Civil war era. We, as Americans, have done such a great job of trying to publicly correct and humiliate our own President, that we have opened the doors of ridicule to the entire world.
When I ran across this article, I was appalled by the imagery and blatant racism, but still, I could point the finger of blame back to our own Congress.
But, then again, this is just ONE Man's Opinion...What is yours?
I wake up each morning and watch the news as I get dressed and prepared to go into my day. This morning, I was shocked to hear the news of the killing of a "lone wolf terrorist", Al-Awlaki, by drones that successfully tracked and destroyed his two-truck convoy in Yemen. Before I could react with a sigh of relief, a reporter came on who questioned the killing of this former-American citizen who was due his day in court.
Ron Paul, a politician who seemed infuriated by the actions of our military, called into question the constitutional violations of this American traitor. He went on to say that he would like the President to be responsible for the "rewriting of American laws" as it should have been easy to capture this terrorist and bring them to justice. Although Ron Paul's views on foreign policy has been questioned and he insists on calling other GOP candidates racist, he has become a candidate for the 2012 Presidential election.
The wave of support that Ron Paul will garner will only serve as "fuel for the fire" as many more find reasons to voice their public disapproval of President Obama in the upcoming 2012 election. Shaking my head, I wondered how we could take such a proud moment for our military forces and turn it into cause for debate or use it as a wedge to drive a meaningless point of division between two parties. I just hope this election year passes quickly and the attacks on our country (from within) come to an end so that we can finally focus on the real war that is being fought...
Politician Michael Adams asks: "Interesting question: As Bishop Eddie Long continually petitions his parishoners for monies to expand his church after the scandal that rocked the religious community, should he open new churches or work on saving one?" Your thoughts?
Our publisher, Sean C Robinson, replied saying, "Isn't it conceivable to believe that this "building fund" is to help pay off the $25M in lawsuits... I wouldn't contribute a dime until I saw blueprints, pricetags, and estimates on land purchases... That congregation has been lied to before, so they just may continue to be led around by this shepherd as "sheep" for another financial slaughter..."
We realize that this is just ONE Man's Opinion... What is yours?
We have spent over $806 billion dollars on the 10 year war in Iraq, yet the government says we have no money left to fund social security, health care, or education here in the United States. Why?
The problem is we (as citizens) need to derail the political agenda of those who only seek to increase the divide. Our current president is becoming frustrated in an America that is being willfully decieved. I pray he has time to salvage hi...s ideas and put America on track. He is being fought on every side - not because his ideas are bad, but because they do not offer profit to the people already inplace!
The monorail system that he proposed to go from Orlando, FL to Atlanta, GA would have created millions in revenue and put thousands of people back to work in two states that have a 9% unemploment rate. It would have also brought major businesses to lesser known areas along the monorail system and boosted the economic strength of an eastern corridor that needs assistance. Why was it rejected? Republicans can't allow a Democrat to fix an problem they created with such ease. These two red states said NO to an issue that their own Governors knew would employ millions because it would make it harder to defeat this president in the NEXT election...
The health care plan allows for parents to keep their college-bound students on their insurance until they are 26. The largest number of uninsured Americans who drive up the cost of premiums are between the ages of 18 and 26. They are college-bound and unemployed risk takers. Implementing a plan like that would eradicate health care as costs are driven DOWN because of the smaller number of uninsured claims. Small businesses could offer health care to employees at a reduced cost and be reimbursed as well. So, why vote against it? Republicans can't allow a Democrat to fix an problem they created with such ease. It would make it harder to defeat this president in the NEXT election...
Bringing the troops home would make our borders safer from illegal immigration as well as make other countries more responsible for their self-hating war - not to mention an $800B savings, so why vote against it? Republicans can't allow a Democrat to fix an problem they created with such ease. It would make it harder to defeat this president in the NEXT election...
Are you starting to see a pattern? Obama has done nothing wrong. He is thinking of a future where we are a stronger, more self-reliant nation. Some people are afraid to lose control, so they strike fear in the hearts of an unsuspecting public - and they use prejudices and stupidity as their tools of influence.
Obama chose his steps wisely and he didn't run into the ring trying to rewrite every policy at once in the most obvious manner. His politics offered a "back door" approach that cannot be easily seen. As you see above, in none of the up-front plans is there a mentioning of the underlying effect. Only a person who is looking beneath the surface would see this and that is the type of reactionary or cascading change he is trying to implement. If everything he suggested was implemented successfully, there would be no war, no high unemployment, we'd have mass transit, a second industrial revolution, and alternative fuels...
If he had gone in and said too many things up-front, he would have been considered cocky and arrogant. He tried to find allies and put his agenda to work in a roundabout way that would still have the same impact. I applaud him for his tactics in the first term. I believe that, if he is fortunate enough to win a second term, we will all see a very different and much more aggressive Obama... I just pray he will beef up his security...
But, this is just ONE Man's Opinion...What is yours?
Why do banks raise useage fees during a recession? Why did MARTA just raise a monthly fare card from $60 to $95 and stop all service to Clayton County? Why did Starbucks raise the price of my latte but fail to increase the size of the cup? Hmm... I'm starting to think that there is no recession, we are just feeling the immediate impact of corporate inflation.
If large companies want to increase revenues, they may want to endorse the old adage of "drawing more flies with honey". By saying that, I am stating that it would be better to maintain your customer base by offering incentives for loyal customers and perks for new ones. Increasing fees in a dwindling economy only hurts middle and lower class Americans whose incomes are already exhausted.
The panic created by the ripple effect of larger companies increasing fees and reporting losses causes a downward spiral in spending trends. Now, if it costs more for me to access and account for my own money, I will begin to hold on tighter to my income. The overall effect is less spending, less customer loyalty, and a greater recession.
Sad, but we seem to be creating a larger instability by allowing privately held companies that make millions of dollars a day in profit to dictate how we buy and spend. Then, because we refuse t fix the laws which govern and we feel that we have no one else to blame, we point the finger at others and say the recession is their "fault" when (in actuality) it begins and ends in boardrooms across America, not the White House.
