Where is this "Gangster" Chicago-Style Politics I keep hearing about?

Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever!!

~ Michael Corleone

Senator Joe “Benedict Arnold” Lieberman, has screwed the Democrats again. Apparently they like it because they keep letting him do it. Lieberman gave the Democrats a middle finger with his decision to back a Republican filibuster on a government option health care bill. The Democrats shouldn’t be surprised because everyone else saw this coming a mile away. This is one of the reasons I left the Democratic Party. They are weak and don’t have the gonads to stand up for their beliefs. They sway in the wind waiting for public opinion to help make their decisions. They should have told Lieberman to kick rocks a long time ago. In the movie “The Godfather”, the Corleone Family handled their enemies with the swiftness. They didn’t sit around hoping people would come around to their way of thinking. They handled their BIZNESS!!! Now I’m not suggesting killing anyone because of course that is against the law. But sometimes you gotta know when to put people in check. The Democrats had a chance to strip Lieberman's Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental chairmanship. It would have been only right because of how he worked against President Obama in the 2008 election. But with word coming down from President Obama to let bygones be bygones, Lieberman skated away. This was the same guy that was once the Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate in 2000. After the Democrats lost in 2000………..oops…….were robbed in 2000, it is as if Lieberman has become a different man. Even the Democrats can’t explain this “New Joe Lieberman.” Either way the Democrats deserve everything they are getting from him. And no I don't feel sorry for them. They should have paid attention to the Corleones. They knew how to handle BIZNESS!!!

Every Hero has a Nemesis, and guess who has one?????

Captain America had the Red Skull, Sherlock Holmes had Professor Moriarty and MSNbc has Fox News. And now I have a detractor. I’ve heard him on radio but never met him in person. I know he lives in the Atlanta area and is a black man (sometimes your own cut the deepest). I knew of his existence before our 1st run in because he was in an internet street fight (long story folks – we realize now that we should have sold tickets). A few weeks after that is when we first were introduced. I was guest blogging and minding my own business and BAM!!! Dude came out of nowhere and sucker punched me.


Oh my bad, I didn’t tell you his name. He goes by Constructive Feedback. Well like I said, he came out of nowhere with this black intellectual mumbo jumbo. Apparently he didn’t like what I said in my post. Don’t get me wrong because I don’t mind debate. I’m not the kind of blogger that expects people to agree with me. On my blog roll list I have numerous bloggers of different beliefs. They go from Liberal to Conservative, Pro Black to Kumbaya, Feminists, Pro-Gay, Not so much Pro-Gay. As you can see I don’t mind hearing all sides of a debate……if it is intelligent. So after I re-grouped and left my response I thought that would be it. Well he came back and went on and on and on and on and on. Have you ever tried arguing with a toilet seat? Okay, so now you know why I left it alone and went on my merry way.


Fast forward to this past weekend. I left a comment on my Frat Brothers guest post and a day later all hell broke loose. Constructive Feedback strikes again!!! My Frat Brother told me that he stopped by the comments section of his guest post. This time he was trying to slap everyone around that made comments. I would have laughed it off like I did last time but he got my attention. He left some smart comment in response to my comment. It was something like “I have to remind myself that these Negroes have a college education.” Oh really!!! It’s like that now?? This is the part in the movie where I take my gloves off. I’ve read this dudes blogs (yes, multiple blogs –i.e. like one is just not enough), his comments on other peoples blogs (yes, he is spreading his gospel throughout the black blogosphere), and I have even heard him on blog talk radio (it was an absolute mess – imagine Grady from "Sanford and Son" discussing Foreign Policy on "Meet the Press").


With all that being said……I’m not impressed. All I see is a slick huckster trying to make a name for himself. Another college educated Negro, that thinks he knows the ills of blacks because he read the Autobiography of Malcolm X and wore a Dashiki around campus. Feedback would like for you to believe that the only threat against black folks is mainly by black folks. He rails against Gangbangers, Drug Dealers, Black Politicians and I even think he hates black kittens. I find it odd that he never calls racism into question. Like it is some far fetched concept made up by Wood Elves. He feels that everyone should share his beliefs and God forbid if you don’t (FYI - don’t ever say anything bad about Clarence Thomas). He has the nastiest attitude and attempts to label and belittle you.


On my blog I give everyone the business!!! I jump on Black Democratic Politicians and White Conservative Republicans alike. I don’t pull punches or play up one political party. So when Feedback labeled me a liberal, I had to give him the side-eye. It just goes to prove that Feedback doesn’t know his Arse from a Hole in the Ground.


Well I’m here to say that this “Fake Black Nationalist” skit is old. How do you expect black folks to take you seriously when you talk down to them? That is not how you engage people in an intelligent conversation….even this “college educated Negro knows that!!” Feedback is full of more crap than a Xmas Turkey. He questioned a fellow blogger’s credibility and called him everything but a child of God. So why does he continue to visit his blog? Why would you call someone a fraud but still read their work??? Feedback is an attention getter. He is the guy in college that lies about how much sex he has. Or maybe he is the clown that comes into town to let you know the circus is coming. At times I can't tell which one.


During our first encounter, Feedback belittled my Fraternity for our work in the community. He attempted to give a back handed compliment. If a person truly cares about the plight of their people, they would be into consensus building. They would tear their people down in order to prove a point. That just isn’t cool. Learning how to listen to opposing views is a true sign of a man. Any cat can sit in his underoos and type away on his keyboard. But can they engage in real conversation that has meaning? Until you can figure out what you want to be, do me a favor. Get off my back!!!!

Trying to put the Latino Genie back in the hotel shampoo bottle.

A white hotel owner in New Mexico wants his Latino workers to use “Anglicized” names on the job. Larry Whitten, the hotel owner, has been in the hotel business for a minute so maybe he knows what he is doing. Or does he? Whitten was concerned that his employees might start speaking Spanish so he told them to only speak English in his presence. Whitten had said that “people calling from all over America don’t know the Spanish Accents or the Spanish culture or Spanish anything.” He also said that his employees were hostile and some called him “the white (N) word.”


SIDE NOTE - If someone knows Mr. Whitten, can they ask him what exactly is a “white N word?”


The hotel (which is probably in actuality a motel – ha ha, just jokes…) is located in Taos, New Mexico. Just like everyone else outside of New Mexico I’ve never heard of the place. Actress Julia Roberts has a ranch there (if anyone was interested). If you look at any pictures of the city on line, it looks like the set of a western movie. I was actually waiting to see a stage coach in front of city hall. Apparently it is a hip vacation spot for skiers and people that enjoy wine. Who Knew????


I wonder what would have happened if Whitten took over a hotel in downtown Detroit. Would he tell Keisha to change her name to Karen? Would he tell his black employees to stop speaking in Ebonics? People don’t speak English in America anymore!!! Look at all the ads geared toward Latinos. Look at all the businesses that cater to Latinos. America has been playing a dirty game. They have turned a blind eye to our southern borders to let in cheap labor. They realized that illegal aliens were walking around with wads of cash so the banks started drawing them in. They realized that they could pay them less or even off the books. So now a hotel owner in the sticks wants English only as his businesses official language. Right…….


I’m going to keep saying this:


In case anyone hasn’t notice, Latino’s have joined the ranks of America’s favorite whipping boy. There is an anti-Latino backlash because basically there are too many of them (don’t believe me…ask Lou Dobbs). It was alright when they were picking up trash and cutting grass. Now they want the false “America Dream” and that’s when the problems begin. Does Whitten have the right to make an English only rule? Yes he does. His problem was that he didn’t survey his present situation. He didn’t look at what he was working with before he opened his mouth. Who do you think is the most likely candidate for hotel work in Taos, New Mexico? It’s not black folks with a less than 1 percent population. And it sure as hell ain’t white folks (not in mass) washing sheets and making up beds. Whitten better learn the motto “work with watcha got”. Everywhere I go know I see Latino’s speaking in Spanish. It’s too late to stop them from speaking Spanish. Might I suggest Rossetta Stone?

I’m Guest Blogging over at The Intersection of Madness & Reality.

The Subject: Black People are working off old paradigms in a 21st Century World. Enjoy!!!!

Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK Present Duck Sauce

Shaking your tail feather with white folks in a burning house.

“I fear, I am integrating my people into a burning house.”

~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr


Dr. King said the above statement to Harry Belafonte in a conversation they had before his death. Belafonte startled at the statement said to him “What should we do?” Dr. King told him that we “Become the firemen, Let us not stand by and let the house burn.”

On the flip side of that, you have a speech by Malcolm X. It was entitled “The House Negro and the Field Negro.” He spoke about how the House Negro loved the Master more than he loved himself. And that if the Masters house caught on fire, the House Negro would try to put the fire out. On the other hand you have the Field Negro. The Field Negro hated the master and despised his very existence. If the Master’s house were to catch on fire, the Field Negro would pray for a strong wind to come along.

Here you have two black thoughts that are on opposite sides of the spectrum. The feelings are as true today as they were when both these statements were proclaimed in the mid 60’s.


Urban Fiction author Teri Woods is suing a nightclub called Greenhouse for $1 Billion Dollars due to a claim of racism. Apparently she arranged a party at this club in the New York City section of SoHo to celebrate her new book. The lawsuit claims that her guests were denied entrance into the club because of their race. There are also text messages from the doorman to the club owner expressing a need to keep people out based on appearances. One text read “I couldn’t let in 300lb girls.” How she got a hold of text messages from the doorman to the club owner is still hazy to me. Woods was planning on doing it up big time at the club with her 175person guest list. But it turned into a night of disappointment for the New York Times best selling author. When she rolled up to the club she saw her black guests standing outside, while her white guests were let in. One of the plaintiffs in the case, Kashan Robinson, was listed as being the sister to rapper Queen Pen. Errrrrrrrrrrr….pump the breaks. Yes!! You heard me. This was actually listed on BlackVoices.com website. Someone actually took the time to research that tidbit of insignificant information. I hope Ms. Robinson wasn’t at the club yelling that in order to get in. That would be the equivalent of me saying I’m related to Father MC in order to get into a party. I’m not related to him but you get the point.


What makes this interesting is that some of the comments to the story were mixed. Many comments were in favor of Woods suing the club and others blamed Woods for the incident. The comments blaming Woods expressed the sentiment that black folks shouldn’t be chasing after white folks approval. And if we want to enjoy ourselves, we should support our own clubs or better yet build them. I remember black owned clubs I use to frequent back in the day. Places that weren’t very well lit and had only one entrance. It could only have been God that kept me alive when I went to those places. Some of the shadiest characters in America can be found in those clubs. I hate to racially profile folks but even Helen Keller would know a Thug if she could see one. Not all black owned clubs are death traps. You have real nice ones that are perfectly safe to frequent. But even in cities where blacks have large numbers, we don’t have ownership in half of the clubs.


For all that have been paying attention to our current situation - *News Flash*. Black folks, we have already been integrated into a burning house. The house was on fire when they started busing black children to white schools and it has been burning brightly ever since. It’s too late to go back now homie!!! People should be allowed to attend any club that they want to. We can’t be mad at other blacks because they want to party uptown. Now if Woods went to a Klan picnic there would be a problem. It’s all about freedom of choice folks. I personally don’t hang out that often so I don’t get turned away from clubs. Most of the time when I go to a club I know that I’m getting in. But things might be a tad bit different in New York.


Is this a common occurrence in major metropolitan cities? Have you ever been turned away from a club because of racism? I’m just asking………

If Black Girls could fly in Balloons

Friday’s far fetched story of “Balloon Boy” flying around the state of Colorado made for great television. The boy even had a cool name – Falcon. It could have only been better if he was named Hawk (shout out to Avery Brooks!!). We are now finding out that Falcon’s family did this for a publicity stunt. Apparently they wanted to be on a television show and they wanted to show the producers that they are an “interesting, quirky, made for television type” family. The Manson Family could be described the same way but unfortunately for them all they could manage was some cold blooded killings. We could blame the network channel TLC for this whole “How can I get my family on TV” Syndrome but that would be too easy. Besides who is truly at fault – the family on shows like “18 Kids and Counting” or the audience that watches them?


The Media Circus behind last Friday’s great balloon chase once again highlighted a glaring case of Media Bias. If you don’t believe me ask Mitrice Richardson, oh wait you can’t because she is still missing. Minorities, particularly black women, don’t stand a chance when it comes to getting media coverage when they go missing. It’s even harder getting accurate statistics on missing minority children. Was 2005 the last time that missing minority children were actually counted? In 2005, the Federal Bureau of Investigations listed girls as being the highest number of missing children at 58%. Out of that number, black girls made up a whopping 33%. Keep in mind the Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans and others still need to be included in the percentages. With such high numbers one would naturally assume that missing black girls would get more air time. But that’s not feasible in a country where blacks make up 12% of the overall population. I get the fact that it’s a numbers game but it still doesn’t make it fair.


Balloon Boy owned all of the media last Friday. We watched him eating pizza, blowing chunks and even admitting that he was part of a phony scam. Balloon Boy owned the internet as well. He was the Friday talk of Twitter and Facebook. And now it is Monday and we are still talking about him (me included). I wonder what would of happened if Tamika Huston received this type of press? We will never know so all we can do is speculate with “what if’s”. The Mainstream Media knows they have been accused of media bias but they have successfully claimed denial. While they celebrate their ignorance in bliss, young black girls are disappearing like elephants in a Houdini trick. If it wasn’t for black bloggers, we would never know of the names and faces of the missing. Until the media can be fair in their coverage, black bloggers will have to continue giving a voice to the voiceless. Because the bloggers have to let black girls and boys know that someone is listening. And that someone cares.

JCSU Homecoming 2009 - Un-Official 3 day Holiday designated by Citizen Ojo

The blog will be back open for business next week!!!

Searching for Whitopia - An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America by Rich Benjamin

The following Book Review has been sponsored by FSB Associates

The glow of Barack Obama’s historic election cannot obscure the racial and economic segregation that still vexing America. Obama’s presidency has actually raised the stakes in a battle royale between two versions of America: one hat is broadly comfortable with diversity yet residentially segregated (Obama Nation), and one that does not mind a little ethnic food or a few mariachi dancers-as long as these trends do not overwhelm a white dominant culture (Whitopia).

~ Rich Benjamin




When I first saw the title of this book I was psyched about reading it. I am always curious about race relations in America because I believe we skirt around the issues. After reading this book my views have been validated. This book was fascinating and disturbing all at the same time. Who knew there was a nation of white folks that have decided to check out of America to live their concept of Utopia? Mr. Benjamin travels to cities and counties where whites are in the 90% and above majority. And the residents are extremely happy with being in the majority (to the point of being joyful even). Benjamin surprisingly weaves his way through the maze of Whitopia with such ease you keep forgetting that he is black. He lives in these communities for months at a time and converses with their members. The most amazing thing about the politicians, white separatists, and other community members is how human they appear. They are not the red faced angry white males that have a rope in one hand and a shot gun in the other. But regular American’s that long for the “days of old.” Benjamin also gives a thorough analysis of the forces that have led to the formation of these communities. But for every Ying there must be a Yang. So for Benjamin to discuss Whitopia, he must discuss the opposite end of the spectrum – “The Projects”. Benjamin doesn’t pull any punches on minority issues but he doesn’t purposely beat blacks and Latinos up. This book should challenge us as individuals to take a deep look at ourselves. Our Presidents always campaign on uniting the country. If they are serious, they are going to have to work a lot harder.

Electric Purgatory: Fate of the Black Rocker

Electric Purgatory is a documentary that examines the struggles of black rock musicians and the industry's ambivalence towards them. Documentary directed by Raymond Gayle

Weaves & Extensions – Tax them Mr. President!!!!

I hate weaves and extensions!!! Yeah I said it and I’m not taking it back. I know I’m probably in the minority because of my opinion but I’m not backing down. My dislike of weave/extensions happened when I was making out with a girl back in the day (it was a little more than making out but my mama reads this blog). Let’s just say I went to grab her hair and I ended up with a fist full of hair. It wasn’t even her real hair!!! If she was going bald because of nuclear fallout then it would be okay. But the nukes were miles down the road (none of your business where I was) and we were in a safe distance. After that night of ecstasy, I hated weaves/extensions with a passion.


A woman came into work this week showing off her weave like it was a brand new car. Other women of numerous colors stood around her marveling at her accomplishment. Did she bring the Crips and the Bloods together??....Nope! She was wearing weave. Why were they congratulating her for that!! It’s not like she is promoting world peace!

For that weave to have happened 3 things took place.

1. Right now in some stable there is a naked horse that can’t swat flies because their hair is missing. The Black Stallion would never have showed up on our shores if he knew this was going to happen.

2. There is a dead woman as bald as a beaver lying in a grave some place. Now she has to walk around Heaven with a skull cap on. Or walk around Hell with the hot wind blowing on her brains.

3. Some company in India is making synthetic hair out of God knows what. No Comment!!!


There is another girl on the job that wears weave like Russell Simmons wears sneakers. The weirdest thing – when she wears weave her hair is well kept – when she’s not wearing weave she looks like she was fighting killer owls with her hair. What?? How is this possible? Why would you come out in public with your hair looking like “The Little’s” were hiding out in your head? The only time you want to groom yourself is when your hair is down to your butt? Unacceptable!!! Hasn’t she heard of Hawaiian Silky Herbal?? I’m tired of this foolishness and it’s time for a change.


I have a solution for improving our economy that is based on the weave trade. We should tax weaves/extensions to help improve our economy. Women of all races wear these fakes and they should be taxed for it. With the extra money that we receive from the taxes we can build roads, schools and put lights on the highways. I’m talking about the nice lights that are controlled by the sun and not the bulbs you screw in. The fake hair industry is making tons of money so why not cut in on the action? As we have learned from the Tyra Banks (I’m going to show my real hair now) to Joy Bryant (I’m never going to show my real hair ever) saga – women are not going to put down weaves. I always knew Tyra was wearing weave. I figured the only thing real on her was her forehead. Now we are going to see how bad women want to wear fake hair. If they want it bad enough they will be taxed at 35%. Yes, 35% on the purchase price. Time for the Government to come in and take over!!! Put Rep. Maxine Waters on the case…..oops….um well…ah….we’ll find someone to get cracking on this.


I know you might be thinking that there will be some negatives because of this. Sure there will be people buying low quality weaves in back alleys illegally. There will be people sneaking weaves through customs at the airport. People try to get over on the IRS all the time. So we will create a special weaves/extensions unit to make sure people aren’t getting over. The bumps will eventually be worked out but this will turn out to be a good thing. Maybe naturals will start being more acceptable now? Besides there still will be relaxers and such. America, I believe in this plan and I am going to save this country one hair follicle at a time.

When the piss hits the fan!!! Kells can’t read? Say it ain’t so Pied Piper!!!!!

The mastermind of such musical hits as “Real Talk,” “Trapped in the Closet,” “Down Low,” and “Half on a baby” recently made an admission at the Midwest Music Festival in Chicago. He said that he suffers from illiteracy and barely made it through school. R Kelly said at the music festival, “the only reason I graduated from grammar school is because I had a great jump shot.” Oh no!!! Really? After everything that Robert Sylvester Kelly has been through, he pulls this one out of his wave cap? I thought he was going to go away after he beat his Child Pornography case but he didn’t. Did he change his songs up to promote a more positive image…..NOPE! As a matter of fact, his songs were even raunchier after the trial. I don’t know what to make of this revelation because this guy is full of surprises. We only know one thing about this new admission - that he had the same educational level as the girls he was peeing on.

Pulling back the curtain on the Wizard.

Multimillionaire health care entrepreneur Rick Scott has been at the center of the aggressive campaign to derail health care reform in Washington DC. He has met with lawmakers, coordinated conference calls with conservative activists, written op eds on the evils of socialized medicine, starred in a nationwide ad campaign, and founded the anti-reform group Conservatives for Patients Rights. But little attention has been paid to the business model at Scott's own for-profit health care company, Solantic, which profits off of the uninsured. As a new Investigative Fund probe by Tristram Korten shows, without masses of uninsured people dependent on the ER for their care, Scott doesn't have a client base.


Korten's article, "Rick Scott Profits off the Uninsured," the first installment of a two-part investigation into Rick Scott and Solantic, was supported by the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute.


In the second installment, Korten finds evidence of pressure at Solantic not to hire "fat people," people with accents, or anyone who does not appear "mainstream."





Citizens, what do you think? Is this a legitimate case of right-wing trickery or part of the liberal smear campaign against the right?

Article: The Future of "Miscegenation" in America

How Will Barack Obama Fill Out His Census Form?: The Future of "Miscegenation" in America

By Rich Benjamin,

The President says publicly that he is "African-American."But will he check "black" or "two or more races" on his 2010 Census form?


My parents, two dark-skinned blacks, married in 1967, a year when miscegenation -- interracial marriage, cohabitation or sex -- was a criminal offense in sixteen states. But now, like the Obamas, my family descends from and lives across three continents and about a dozen nations. My cousins, nieces, and nephews have complexions reminiscent of a Ben & Jerry's menu ranging from Karamel Sutra to Chocolate Fudge Brownie.


Given America's growing and intermixed minority populations, controversy broils about how Uncle Sam categorizes, then counts, ethnicity and race (more vociferously from minorities than from whites). Black civil rights advocates strong-arm those with traces of African ancestry to identify as "black," so as not to dilute blacks' 2010 census numbers and future political power. Defining and counting mixed-race people in America has historically been riddled with conceptual and practical challenges.


Now as much as ever. President Obama says publicly that he is "African-American." But will he check "black" or "two or more races" on his 2010 Census form?
Over the past three decades, the Census Bureau has documented a growing number of children living in mixed-race families. In 1970, the number of children living in mixed-race families totaled 460,000. That number more than doubled to 996,070 in 1980. And it doubled again to almost 2 million in 1990. In 1990, children in mixed-race households accounted for 4 percent of all children in American homes. And in 2000, 2.4 percent of census respondents were multiracial; they ticked "two or more races" on their forms.


Admittedly, scores of Americans will brag they have another race's blood coursing through their veins. Just listen. Black people will mention that they have Native American lineage. ("That's why my hair is good.") Mustering all the nonchalance available, white people will note having "some Latino blood." (Everyone knows that white person who claims having one-thirtieth of Latino or Native American lineage, especially when affirmative action goodies are in play.) Historians contend that a plethora of Americans have some degree of multi-ethnic lineage dating from centuries back.


The ephemeral lure of multi-racial pedigree notwithstanding, the number and percentage of Americans who credibly qualify as multi-racial -- the direct biological progeny of mixed-race parentage or grand-parentage -- is comparatively small: 6.1 million people in 2006, or roughly 2 percent of the population.
The media attention devoted to multi-racial populations and issues exceeds what seems warranted, at least based on sheer numbers. From the fascination afforded to Tiger Woods' "Cablinasian" character, to a growing cultural and political multiracial identity movement, to our President's much lauded social dexterity "between" races, we seem headed for an era of multi-racial mania. Mixed-race status is consolidating its cachet and earning media validation like never before.


Is race an anachronism in our very near future, presided over by that gregarious mixed-race leader (Oatmeal Cookie Chunk)? If Americans profess their yearning for a post-racial America, why bother to count race? Does the 2010 Census's conception and tally of mixed-race people say anything instructive to the rest of us, the unglamorous mono-racial supermajority?


Another fascinating conundrum lurks. We laud diversity and race-mixing in public, but our actions don't stack up. "Americans Say They Like Diverse Communities -- Election, Census Trends Suggest Otherwise," declares the title of a 2009 study just released by the prestigious Pew Research Center. "Despite most respondents stated preference for 'diversity,'" the study concludes, "American communities have grown more racially, politically, and economically homogeneous in recent decades."

The 2010 Census puts a reality check on our wildest racial statements and dreams.

Project Blakroc

The Black Keys are releasing a rap album on 11/27/09.

No Country for Black Honor Students

Black Chicagoans stand by shaking their heads again after another week of senseless violence. The latest victim, 16 year old honor student Derrion Albert, was said to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that’s what they say about all young black boys that are murdered? This is the third case I have heard about in Chicago where a “good” kid was killed. Young black boys all at random places being killed by other young black boys. Boys getting killed coming out of church or going back and forth to school. Honor students are supposed to be the ones that stand above the fray. These are the students that want something more for themselves. They had plans and were working toward their goals. Now all their parent(s) have are dashed dreams.

What happens to a race when its brightest assets are murdered? What does it mean when our future lawyers, teachers, doctors, architects, engineers, scientists are murdered??? These murderers have decided that they are tired of killing rival gang members or people that they have a beef with. They have decided that everyone is now fair game. Either join them in the genocide or face a beat down or possibly worse. Between jail and getting killed in the streets it’s a wonder why Derrion wanted to study at all. The hopelessness of a race is being displayed on our streets everyday.

But who do we blame for this? It’s easy to throw blame on government as the usual suspect. But are they really to blame for the atrocities that are taking place in our cities?
Sure state and local governments could do a better job with providing employment, education, clean water, quality housing but then what? Providing resources won’t make someone work hard, take care of their property and be an overall better citizen. When the education system is discussed by my local city council they blame everyone but the parents. I guess they don’t want to upset possible voters. We have bad children in our schools because we have bad parents. People assume parenting is like riding a bike. A great deal of parental learning comes by trial and error. The rest naturally comes from the parents (grandparents by this stage). But when Grandma is single and 30 what can she really teach you?

It’s also sad that the only time you see black male honor students are when they’re getting a 2X4 upside their heads. It used to be that you couldn’t find news stories on our best and brightest. But if they are getting snuffed out, then why bother? When I was born, I never knew the males in my race were a dying breed.

I see my fellow black female bloggers’ complaining that black women don’t get a fair shake. That they are treated with disrespect and are devalued. No matter how Russell Simmons tries to spin it, black women are correct in their beliefs. Some black men have not done their jobs when it comes to protecting and providing for their women. Soon black women are going to start making black men their last option. They just don’t have time for black boys to stop killing one another.

I don’t want to make disparaging remarks about all black boys because that is not what this is about. Black boys go off to college every year and graduate becoming young men. They have moderate – highly successful lives without any dealings with prisons or gangs. Then you have the Derrion Alberts 0f our breed. Potential not fully realized because of horrible acts by people that look like their victims. Or maybe the perpetrators should be called animals? That might be disrespectful because farm animals have the common sense not to murder in cold blood. Possibly they could be wild animals? Raised in an animalistic environment that is full of hostility. You know the type I’m talking about. These days even black folks move to the other side of the street when they see young black boys coming. What does it mean when you are afraid of your own race?

This senseless violence has been going on for along time and we sighed – shed a tear and gone on with our business. We have set up memorials and made t-shirts with the faces of the deceased. And someone would always say “it’s just gangs, let them kill themselves.” Well the violence is now spilling over into a collateral damage stage. So the question becomes this – if we can’t save the bad ones and we can’t save the good ones, who can we save?