Come Correct or Stay Home or go Elsewhere...

but not to Morehouse College. The Historically Black College has banned urban gear from students on campus. No not NorthFace jackets, I'm talking about grills (fronts), saggy/baggy pants that expose underwear, and a concise list of other fashion backward stylings that our children think is cool to wear. Frankly, I agree, not because I despise the way our children present themselves at times, but this is Morehouse. If they institute a uniform policy, students would have to conform or go elsewhere. This is nothing new or unheard of. The uproar over what is worn on "free" time is irrelevant as well, especially if that free time is spent in any campus building or on campus grounds. One might think that this "culture" would not have even invaded the hallowed halls of such a historically rich college, but they obviously have. What you decide ully so.to wear when you graduate, or as you enter the corporate world IS your business, what you wear on the same ground that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. walked on is Morehouse's business, and rightf

Carrot, Egg or Coffee?

Carrot, Egg or Coffee?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft.She then asked her to take an egg and break it.

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked. "What's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff?

Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

How do you handle Adversity? ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?


AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Don't tell GOD how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your GOD is!

I Never Promised...

you I wouldn't take a hard look at what we do wrong too...

Jon Stewart hits the nail on the head by pointing out the morality of DC Mayor Marion Barry. see the video here:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Gaywatch - Marion Barry
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Reverse Discrimination...maybe, but probably not.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case invloving what has been labeled reverse discrimination. In an effort to 'level' the playing field, Some companies and municipalities have become gun-shy about issuing promotions to desertving (white)individuals in order to avoid either the appearance of discrimination, or lawsuits by minorities. Oddly in the case presented, I believe the City of New Haven acted imprudently. They had every right to promote the number one position from the test. Performance based exams are the crux of equality. The problem of discrimnation in hiring practice has the best chance of disappearing when performanced based tests are used, but New Haven takes it a step further. They have to "see you" and hear you speak. It is this part of the "test" that presents the opportunity for discrimnation. Two people, one black, one white, can give the exact same answers, word for word, and be perceived differently. It is FACT that even the most liberal among us, including some blacks as well, harbor hidden racist attitudes towards minorities. Until that FACT changes, we are doomed to trying to legislate fairness. It is through legislation of fairness that a cyclical unfairness becomes self-perpetuating.

Before my brothers and sisters drop their jaws in disbelief, please understand that the goal is not to promote black over all as some form of retribution or restitution. Our goal should always be an equal opportunity based on fair practice and merit. We don't want to use laws to prove we are just as good or better than our white counterparts. The 'system' has made it that way. So until the underlying attitudes that shape our percptions are either changed or completely removed from the process, for some, the law will be the only chance for fairness. As for whites that find themselves on the downside of this equation, make it your business to point out and correct issues of discrimination that regularly take place in oother parts of the department. Nepitism continues to prevail throughout many companies and municipalities. It is a cycle that can only be broken from the inside.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/scotus_firefighters_lawsuit

A guilty verdict does NOT mean justice

Some of my more militant brothers are celebrating the conviction of former police officer Raphael Lora for manslaughter in the death of Fermin Arzu.

The account, according to the only survivor, went something like this. Mr. Lora heard a crash outside his home. Though off duty, rather than go to assist the driver, he armed himself and proceeded to ask for the license of Mr. Arzu. He goes so far as to admit that Mr. Arzu was in a drunken stupor. For whatever reason, Mr. Arzu did not comply, according to Mr. Lora, and proceeded to drive off. Mr. Lora claims his arm was in the window and that he sought to protect the rest of the neighborhood from this drunk driver, so he shot Mr. Arzu... in the back... as he fled...in the back....did I say in the back?

Well, the police have a tactic they often use to escape the scrutiny of their "peers". They choose a bench trial as is their legal right. In a bench trial the judge is the only jury member...logically, if a judge sees criminals all day long, and understands the difficulties police have to deal with, not to mention the fact that they are painfully aware of how plea deals and technicalities often skew justice towards the undeserving, then surely that judge will be more lenient/understanding towards a officer of the courts. NOT THIS TIME, Bronx Supreme Court Judge Margaret Clancy applied the law, and fairly adjudicated the case. Of course the police are not happy. Of course the family of Mr. Arzu is not exactly on cloud nine, they stated no verdict can bring back their father.

Now here is the cautionary portion of this sordid mess. A guilty verdict, does not mean justice. We, the public, cannot determine justice until sentencing. Many cases have been won at trial only to be given a sentence so trivial as to liken a murder to stealing a candy bar. While we should never celebrate the downfall of anyone, we should be reassured each time a proper punishment, suiting the crime, is meted out. This is what tells us the system that still treats us unfairly is not totally corrupt. Wait for the sentence in this case...with any luck, justice may very well be served after all.

This one hurts...

I am not generally known as a sensitive person. In my blogs, I often express anger, frustration, bewilderment, and sadness. Often I am moved to pray for those involved, and occaisionally I am moved to shed a tear. This is such a story that has moved me.

N.Y. Daily News - A Brooklyn-raised Marine sergeant and his new bride were tortured and killed execution-style in their California home - allegedly by four other Marines under his command.

Sgt. Jan Pawel Pietrzak, who was raised in Bensonhurst, and his wife, Quiana, were found bound and gagged in the ransacked house, each shot in the head.

Pietrzak’s mother, Henryka Pietrzak-Varga, said she had prepared herself “for the possibility that my son could die in Iraq.”

“But to die like this, in their own home?” she told The News. “They were good kids. They didn’t deserve to die like this.”

Investigators said the motive for murder was “financial gain.” Neither mother believes that.

A spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office would not comment on reports that Pietrzak was killed by his own men.

Detectives also did not divulge what the accused Marines were looking for, but the suspects were tied to the crime by items found in their homes and on the military base.

A mechanic who worked on helicopters, Pietrzak, 24, met his wife three years ago at a party for Marines being deployed to Iraq.

Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak, 26, who worked for the county’s Black Infant Care Center, was reluctant to date a Marine. But Pietrzak wooed her, and they were married in August.

“They were in love,” her mother-in-law said. “It didn’t matter to them that they had different skin colors.”

The bride wore her favorite white Converse sneakers, and she was still in the process of writing thank-you cards when she was killed.

On Oct. 15, deputies were dispatched to the Pietrzak home in Winchester, an exurb of San Diego, when the Marine did not show up for work.

When they arrived, the deputies found the Pietrzaks in the living room and evidence that the robbers had tried to cover their tracks by torching the house.

Charged with murder and other crimes are Pvt. Emrys John, 18, of Maryland; Lance Cpl. Tyrone Miller, 20, of North Carolina; Pvt. Kevin Darnell Cox, 20, of Tennessee, and Pvt. Kesuan Sykes, 21, of California.

Lawyers for the men could not be reached for comment.



Everyone has an opinion, and we all offer them, often without being asked. I don't need all the facts to see that this was much more than a robbery. While the details may be short right now, before this story is over, we will likely hear facts that will turn our stomachs. We have a right to be angry about the treatment Black people often recieve. we have a right to be outraged when one of our innocent men, women, or children is gunned down senslessly by overzealous police. We have a right to march, to speak out, to vote and to let our voices be heard whether collectively or individually. We do not have a right to exact revenge or to manifest our displeasure with violence.

Which facet of Tammy Bruce do you hear?

Is it racist? is it jealous (catty)? or is it just plain trashy?

In her stint as a replcement for Laura Ingram's conservative radio show, she stooped so low as to refer to the First Lady of the United Stetes of America as trash. Now to me, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but for some reason, and I prefer correction here, there has never in the history of the American Presidency been such viscious attacks against the First Lady. It is unheard of... No one attacked Laura, no one attacked Barbara, no one attacked Nancy, and even when a few didn't agree with Hillary, it was never like this. So lets put our thinking caps on and think about what is different about Michelle Obama, that makes it okay to visiously attack her on a public forum...I got it! Its because she is taller than the rest...right?

listen to her outrageous comments here

Police Given an Open Season Pass to Kill Innocent Blacks

This is going to anger you. This is going to get you riled up. This may even prompt you to action. When did it become okay to murder our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, and what makes them think they can get away with it? Here is a sample of some recent cases, most are well known, and links are provided if you wish to dig deeper. They are presented chronologically;

In June of 2006, in Atlanta, GA, 92 year-old Kathryn Johnston was shot dead in the apartment she occupied for 17 years. Police using an illegally obtained no-knock warrant burst through her door dressed in fatigues. As they were breaking in, she fired a single warning shot into the air, to no avail. After they entered, shot her, left her without care to bleed to death on the floor, they began to plant marijuana in her basement to 'justify' the shooting. see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston

The three officers involved were later convicted of a slew of charges, the worst mansklaughter, and including falsifying the initial warrant request, lying to investigators, and civil rights violations. The maximum sentence any of the three will serve is 10 years...less time off for good behavior.

On New Years Day, 2009 Bay Area Rapid Transit police had stoppped a train due to a fight on the platform. As they tried to sort out the incident, they detained some of the people who appeared to be invloved, for questioning. Among those detained was
Oscar Grant a 22 year-old, father of a 4 year-old daughter, who worked as a butcher. While most of this was happening, many people on the train were using cell phones to document what they felt may have been ill treatment of the detainees. These same phones recorded the fatal shot from Officer Johannes Mershle's gun.

Johannes Mershle has been charged with murder, an extremely rare charge for any law enforcement officer for a line of duty killing. A charge prompted not by the outrage or even the overwhelming evidence. The charge largely stems from the fact that the officer to date still refuses to explain why he shot Oscar Grant.


Most recently, on February 20th, while enjoying the presence of his children and grand children, 73 year old, retired electric utility worker, Bernard Munroe, was killed in the doorway of his home. See - http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-race-shootings-webmar13,0,7686526.story Though there are conflicting reports, the police presence that day was a routine patrol, and for apparently no good reason, moments after engaging some of the people on the street, Mr. Munroe was shot and denied medical attention until he died. The one consstency of the story is that it is well known that Mr. Munroe maintained a firearm on his porch at all times. Witnesses state they saw the police remove the firearm from its usual place and put it next to the body of Mr. Munroe. See - http://www.ktbs.com/news/Investigators-re-enact-Homer-police-shooting-as-part-of-investigation-27496/

As if the entire incident were not tragic enough, the police Chief, Russell Mills, highlights the racial insensitivity and profiling that mirrors the actions of his officers. It is statements like these that support the level of tension and mistrust between the opolice and the citizens of Homer. During an interview, he made the following chilling statement on the heals of the words, "Thats how it should be" as he responded to the complaints by the NAACP about the harrassing stops and searches; "If I see three or four young black men walking down the street, I have to stop them and check their names," said Mills, who is white. "I want them to be afraid every time they see the police that they might get arrested. We're not out there trying to abuse and harass people—we're trying to protect the law-abiding citizens locked behind their doors in fear."

I read an interesting part of this story that jumped out at me and prompted this rage against these injustices. Rather than paraphrase, I have taken an excerpt directly from the article. The horror is not that such a thing can exist, the horro is if you really think about it; there is NO WAY to correct it. That can only mean, more of our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, dead for no good reason.

"All the anecdotal information demonstrates that African Americans are the most frequent victims of zealous, inappropriate police activity that often winds up in a shooting," said Reggie Shuford, a senior attorney with the racial justice program at the American Civil Liberties Union. "It's a shoot first, ask questions later approach to policing."

The evidence is not merely anecdotal. The most recent national analysis from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that blacks and Hispanics were nearly three times as likely as whites to be searched by police—and blacks were almost four times as likely as whites to be subjected to the use of force.

Psychologists are stepping up research into the implicit, unconscious racial biases that may be driving such statistics and affecting police behavior.

"If in fact police have implicit biases—if they automatically associate blacks with crime—then that would be relevant to an officer in a split-second, shoot-or-don't-shoot situation," said Lorie Fridell, a criminology professor at the University of South Florida who is creating a new anti-bias police training program with funding from the Justice Department. "Is the officer more inclined to believe he sees a gun in the hand of a black person, rather than a cell phone? I think that is possible."

American Violet - based on a true story

If you haven't heard that title yet or if you haven't seen the trailers...get ready! This will literally turn your stomach. To think that this sort of thing happens in a so-called civilized society, within the same legal system we all depend on to keep us safe from the criminal element...its simply outrageous.

In short, American Violet is a movie based on the real life situation that faced a single mother in a small town in Texas. Her name, along with 26 others was given to police by an informant facing charges himself. All but one (allegedly, there was a single white defendant, but to date, his/her name has not been made public)of the defendants named were black. I would love to tell the story, but watch the trailer for a better depiction of what happened in the year 2000. Come back after you've viewed the trailer....I promise you there is more. See - http://americanviolet.com/

Truly a sad way to provide entertainment. I watched the trailer and became intrigued when the trailer mentioned that it was based on a true story. After some hunting I came across the story upon which it is based. Hear the story from the people who lived it and continue to live it today - (click on Chapter 2 the entire story is there) See - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/plea/view/

That this could take place, and these people, people like District Attorney John Paschall is STILL the District Attorney in Hearne Texas. The end result, a lawsuit won by the young woman who held her ground and the other 14 defendants that did not plea might seem as though some measure of justice had been met. But those that plead guilty, and even some that were released continue to suffer the consequences of that fateful day.

This happened, this is recent, its not the first time (research shows a similar incident in a neighboring town involving 45 defendants from a period just prior to the 2000 arrests and nothing is preventing this from happening again. The laws may have been addressed but the laws were never the problem... Here is yet another situation where we need to educate ourselves and know enough of the law to stand on the side of right until you prevail. Never admit to anything you haven't done, always remember the police are allowed to lie in order to obtain a conviction, and you can never go home if you tell their version of the truth.

School Vouchers; Good idea or Accountability Escape

The debate has obviously not ended... Roland Martin, of who I am a huge fan, is wrong on this one. In his recent commentary posted to his CNN blog, he chides the president for not giving some the opportunity to send their kids to a private school the way the president does. He references the new spending bill which effectively kills the voucher program for Washington schools.

Now before I go on, of course I believe that every child is entitled to the best education they can receive, and that if it is a public school education, that it should be just as valuable as private schools. That said, to say that the only way to get a good education is in private school is wrong. To say that private school education, simply by virtue of being privately funded is always superior to public school education is equally wrong. Lastly to say that it is impossible to receive a quality public school education is equally wrong. Mr. Martin does NOT say these things, he implies them, and through ignorance most believe them. The truth is none are true and all are true.

There are so many factors that make up the education of a child, that can go so far as to make the learning institution irrelevant. A child that wants to learn, can learn under adverse conditions, and sometimes due to those conditions be better prepared than a more 'coddled' child. My personal issue with private school is that it is, before anything else, a business. Businesses have a single driver-make money. The education business does not do well if students fail, so in my opinion, that becomes a hidden factor in the assessment of each student.

I believe that having a private school voucher program opens the door to many issues. Even if by the fairest lottery, the system of distribution is inherently unfair. There will be some student or family, truly deserving, that will be disappointed. By effectively stating to our public school system that no matter how well they perform, they will still never be better than private school is a travesty. It not only calls the system a failure, but it gives no encouragement nor incentive to better itself. The problems with public schools has been the same since I was in school - bureaucracy. The red tape, the layers upon layers of administration. The rules, the unions, and all the other things that simply get in the way of opening the mind of a child to the world.

Take the money intended for vouchers, I know its not much,and put into the public school system. And as you do that, hold our teachers and administrators to a higher standard, call them to the importance of the task at hand. Everyone, regardless of whatever school they attended remembers the one teacher that made learning interesting or fun. That teacher had no special gift, the talent he/she used is called caring. That where it starts. President Obama is right on track...get rid of vouchers, give merit pay to top performers. Hold the schools accountable for doing the job we hired them to do. You would not be happy with your roofer if he got the job 50% done....and gave up on the rest.

link to Roland Martin Commentary - http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/11/martin.vouchers/index.html

The Girl Who SILENCED THE WORLD at the UN for 6 MINUTES

This video was posted by a facebook friend. It deserves the time it takes to view it. Please share the video and your resources with oyhers.

A BLACK WOMAN

By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?" And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands." The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands!”? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish. But I won't," the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days." The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish. "Will she be able to think?” asked the angel. The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate." The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman’s cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one." "That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!" "What's the tear for?" the angel asked. The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride." The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing." And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends Women have vital things to say and everything to give....... HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.