Wishful Thinkin'

Wishful Thinkin'


The below exchange may be funny and a little far fetched, but listen to this. We all have heard of laws and bills proposed and passed through our state and federal legistlatures and some of the laws are enough to make you want to hurt somebody. You get pissed and you are the one grasping for straws to get the bills stopped. Let me give you an example: Last week, it was reported on a radio station that one California representative wants to tax people who buy low gas mileage SUVs $2500 more when they purchase the vehicles and in turn rebate the same $2500 to folks who buy hybrids. So if you happen to have a large family and refuse to go the mini-van route, and instead they choose to buy a SUV..The state is going to hit you up for 2500 hunny and pass it to the nimrod who just bought a hybrid via rebate. Its bills like that and statements made by these people that makes you wonder where and how did these people get elected...want more: Another California representative in a so called effort to curb kiddie porn limited the number of kiddie porn to 25...meaning sick azz pedophile gets to have 25 pieces of kiddie porn. When ridiculed about it by another legistlator, he changed it to 15. I guess none will be out of the question...had enough how about this: Last month another California legistlator proposed changing the textbooks our children use in school to include the sexual orientation and preferences of the characters, fiction or non-fiction. In other words, our heros in history will be hit with the presumption that he or she was gay or a lesbian.

So after hearing all this and bullbleep about the amnesty for illegal aliens. I thought of a situation where we get angry and pull off the biggest coup in American history. We recall each and every elected official, I don't give a damn if they are republican or democrat!

So here it is, California Senator Barbara Boxer is informed that she has been recalled....

Imagine wit' me Senator Boxer Told that she has been recalled
Senator Boxer: I think that this president has failed at every aspect of his presidential terms...we were lied to about wmd's and now he is spying on the American people...I
- Aide walks in and whispers in her ear.. I? what? what in heavens are you talking about? what?! what?!

Journalist: Senator Boxer are you okay? You look ill.

Boxer: Could you give me a few minutes? Are you sure this isn't some right wing blogger mess? Aide nods yes., just as the journalist's cell phone goes off..

Journalist: Leftstein. what? are you serious? when? oh my gawd, this has to be a first..Yeah, I'm sitting right in front of her. Oh she knows, she was just informed by her aide. okay..okay..thanks...wow! Sen- excuse me Ms. Boxer, I assume you already know that the citizens of the state of California has recalled you and your colleague Ms. Feinstein and other elected officials in your home state of California. Any knowledge of why this happened and did you know that a petition was started.

Boxer: (looking pale) ahhh, ahhh, I I knew that there was some petition going around seeking a statewide recall, but I dismissed it, because I felt that they were a bunch of right wing nuts looking to cause trouble.

Journalist: They needed a helluva lot of signatures to get this passed...according to my sources, they not only got the signatures, but appeared that everyone in the state, whether they were liberal or conservative signed it, why do you think that is?

Boxer: I I don't know, I served my state. I gave my state my all and I was doing what was in the best interest of my home state.

Journalist: But everyone practically signed the petition..they basically fired you, why?
Boxer: I don't know why..

Journalist: You don't know why? Excuse me...(gets up to retrieve a copy of the petition) my apologies. I just want to get an explanation as to how you and other elected officials, which seem to now have spreaded to other states, are in this position. According to the petition, the people of the state of California has a no confidence in its elected officials..it states that those elected to serve in its state legistlature and federal legistlature have succombed to special interests and not listening to the voices of the people...One of the issues is illegal immigration.

Boxer: whoa, wait I told them I supported a reformed immigration bill and that I support any immigrant wishing to be a citizen...

Journalist: But ma'am, they are talking about illegal immigrants...You do know the difference between illegal immigrant to legal immigrants..

Boxer: Why of course I do...don't be stupid..

Journalist: May I ask what your definition is between the two, then.

Boxer: huh?

Journalist: definition. what is your definition between the two?

Boxer: Look, I stood in Capital Hill fighting for the rights of immigrants to have rights afforded to them, like you and I get..

Journalist: Wait...I'm an immigrant from...lets say, Spain..and I come here, wanting to be a citizen of this great country...wait here me out...I go to the federal building, fill out my application and pay my fees. I learn english and do everything that is required. I have to wait some time but my dream of being an American is around the corner...exactly what right are you fighting for?

Boxer: well I must admit that the time it takes for one to become an American citizen is lengthy, but after 9/11 -

Journalist: whoa! wait it took that long before 9/11

Boxer: Yes I know, but -

Journalist: wait a minute, you supported the illegal alien marches.

Boxer: I supported the immigrant marches

Journalist: Why would you support legal immigrants if they are doing the right thing. It's the illegals who are looking for rights..they're illegal and they marched for rights they don't deserve. You don't know the differences do you?

Boxer: I was looking out for all immigrants!!

Journalist: wait one moment please...all immigrants? Do you think its fair to legal immigrants to see illegals get a free pass to citizenship?

Boxer: It's not a free pass, it's opening the door of our country to those with no opportunity..It's opening the door to those seeking a better life for themselves and their families..Is that not the American dream?

Journalist: Your constituents disagree...Do you know Gil Cedillo?

Boxer: Yes, Gil is a good friend of mine

Journalist: Have you spoken with State Senator Cedillo about his repeated efforts to give illegals drivers licenses? Better yet, do you support his efforts?

Boxer: Gil is trying to save the lives of our citizens by providing "undocument newcomers," licenses so they can safely drive on our roads.

Journalist: undocument newcomers? wouldn't our citizens be safer if these "undocumented newcomers" aren't allowed in the country and in turn allowed to have licenses..

Boxer: (aggraviated) what do you suppose we do with these people..send them back?

Journalist: Do you agree with the recall?

Boxer: Obviously I don't..I need to get with my people and see if we can apologize for not listening and hopefully regain their trust of the public.

Journalist: and if they don't put you back in office how do you want to be remembered?

Boxer: Well I fought the good fight...I fought for the small people who had no voice..I stood up to the right wing groups and neo conservative types who wanted to impede on everyone rights. I fought and I voted for tougher penalties on crime. I fought for education and minority and women's rights. I fought to have judges who will preserve Roe v. Wade.

Journalist: She is now fighting for her political career and most assuredly her legacy will be muddied by this, what seems to be a national coup of Americans taking America back...Thank you Senator Boxer and good luck...

More Bonds

In case you did not hear about it..Barry Bonds hit his 715th homerun over the weekend. The reason why I said, in case you did not hear about it, is because it was not reported. With the exception of ESPN, no one else said jack. Oh we heard about Albert Pujois getting his 25th homer. We heard about the close race at the Daytona 500. We heard that Ricky Williams attended his first full practice in the Canadian football league. But when it came to Bonds, nothin'. Bonds is the second man to reach 715 homers all time. Well if you want to be unofficial, he is the third man to reach that milestone. Ironically, all of the men who have reached that plateau, are black. Gibson (962), Aaron (756) and now Bonds (715) have out hit, White "America's Greatest Segregated" ball player and out performed their "greatest segregated" ball players in DiMaggio, Cobb and other most revered white ball players.

You know, I can get with the excuse of ridiculing Bonds for his behavior with the media. Bonds may be closed to the media, but where in the constitution does it say, the media or baseball fans has the right to pry and prod into the lives of its athletes. Todays media is the equivalent to the National Enquirer. Todays news on athletes is based on what an athlete does in his personal time, does he shake after he pees or does he make a sound when doing number two. What type of women he accompanies or what he eats and oh yeah, he's a ball player. And then you take Bonds, this man has grown up around the game, he's father was a helluva player and by the way, his god-father happened to hit 660 homeruns and is part of the top ten all time on the homerun list, Willie Mays. Mays is to black folk as DiMaggio is to Whites. When you compare the two, in my biased opinion, Mays is better, because he played in a league that finally excepted him non- equally. He played with whites, which means he faced all competitors. I don't think the same can be said about DiMaggio for all of his career.

So why all the ventriol towards Bonds? One, he is linked to an investigation involving BALCO and its owner Victor Conte. Bonds, truthfully under oath before a grand jury, said he unknowingly took the cream called flaxiseed. To this date, Bonds has not tested positive for any type of steroid use. To this date, the fact that Bonds name came up with the BALCO investigation left open for many of the media and fans, who claim they are purist, to believe in pure speculation.

Sports talk radio hosts, like Jim Rome uses the word, allegedly, loosely. Meaning that he used steroids based off a book by two beat reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle (no mention about the two authors being investigated as to who leaked grand jury testimony), although Bonds has not failed a drug test. And please don't tell me that this man is not given a cup to pee in after his seven homeruns this season or his twelve last season. To put it simply, Bonds is being crucified and ridiculed because of one thing. 714 homeruns. This isn't about Aaron, just like it wasn't about Mays, when Bonds pushed passed him. Baseball celebrated that feat, and it will celebrate it when and if Bonds chooses to chase Aaron.

This is where race comes in and besides Bonds, only two men have encountered such public hatred. Roger Maris when he clipped Ruths single season record for homeruns. That feat was hit with an asterik and caused Maris to breakdown physically. Maris up until McGwire and Sosa did not get the recogniton he deserved for his personal feat. Problem with the recognition for Maris, is that he is dead and was not able to hear the cheers himself, get the exclusive interviews or his take on McGwire's use of steroids. Next man to get the "Ruth Treatment" was Henry Aaron. Aaron if you recall received death threats and hate mail. He had to hire bodyguards for his family. Why? because white folk who call themselves purists, did not like the fact that a black man was going to surpass their favorite "segregated" ball player. I imagine that this messed with grandpa's psychi, he remembered the game when Ruth played, along with Gehring and other white ball players, who got over by not facing a group of men of color. I bet grandpa, had to two events in baseball, he says changed the game for the worse. Blacks brought into the major leagues and when free agency was set. Jackie Robinson, was chosen by the Dodgers to be the first black man to break the color barrier in the major leagues. Nevermind the fact that black athletes represented this country in the Olympics and brought home gold, Nevermind the fact that black men were boxing champions and represented this country despite its bigotry and never mind the fact that black men like whites gave their life for this country. None of the accomplishments and sacrifices blacks and black athletes gave to this country were recognized while they were living . And now the media and so called baseball purists, whose life depends on the purity and innocence of a damn game, wants to bury a man who played the hand he was dealt. Did he have choices? absolutely. Did he do the right thing for himself and his career? probably. Should we care what he does to his body? no, it ain't our business.

So please save the litany of bullbleep excuses of why Bonds deserves an asteriks and needs to be run out of the game. I get so tired of hearing white sports talk hosts and their callers bitchin' about what they think is pure and what they want to believe. Hell I want to believe this country has gotten over its racist ways, but when I see a country divided on an alleged rape of black woman on a Duke University campus, and read about something that never reached national airwaves in regard to the wrongful arrest of 39 or so blacks in Tulia, Texas in 1999. And now you want to me believe that the ignoring and allegations of steroid use is the only reason why Barry Bonds is getting this disrespect. He is a seven time MVP, He has stolen over 500 bases with 500 homers and a host of other honors by playing this game. And all the game and it's fans is giving to this man, who has reached a plateau done by two others. Is the cold shoulder and hope that he goes away.

Meanwhile, with the same sentiment and disdain for baseball and it's purist fans. I'm glad that finally the guy who was number two can be finally laid to rest and not mentioned until someone else passes him and his asterik filled career out of our lips.

Unsportsmanlike?

I don't know what to say about the attached story coming out from Connecticut. It's the wussin' of America in its plainest form. I can't even come up with a good monologue for this story and, and the bad thing about this is there are some people, not only in Connecticut who support this wussin' of this country's favorite sport.

Just read the story...

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5639036?GT1=8192

Quote from Earl Ofari Hutchinson

"It's not just scandal that hurts black officials, it's the race card that hurts too. In far too many cases, blacks accused of wrongdoing reflexively deflect, dodge, and muddy the charges, and accusations against them, and even their guilt, by screaming racism. They strongly imply that racist prosecutors unfairly target them. They then promptly wrap themselves in the martyr's cloak of persecuted civil rights fighters. " Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Weapon Used For The Purpose

Here is a story, we probably won't hear about. A boy saved his family from an intruder, by shooting the man with his father's gun. In a city such as Miami, where homicides go unsolved and like other homicides, senseless. Props to the young man and the paper for publishing a story of a weapon used for the right purpose...


HOLLYWOOD
Intruder shot by teen with two guns
A 15-year-old shot an intruder who broke into his family's Hollywood home early Saturday morning.

BY JENNIFER LEBOVICH
jlebovich@MiamiHerald.com
CANDACE WEST/MIAMI HERALD STAFF
FAMILY'S HERO: Javaris Granger, 15, used a gun to protect his family.
More photos


Maxine Chandler thought she would faint in the wee hours of Saturday when she heard a knock at her door and opened it, only to have a man lunge toward her.
She slammed the door shut and watched the 6-foot-tall man banging a bicycle against the front of her house -- repeatedly hitting the window and the door.
Chandler's screaming and crying roused her 15-year-old son, Javaris Granger, who came to see what was wrong.
Javaris went to his mother's bedroom and loaded the two handguns his father keeps for protection in the home in the 700 block of South 61st Avenue. The family also called 911.
The man -- later identified by police as Keil Jumper -- kicked the door off its hinges and barged into the home about 3:30 a.m. Jumper, 22, lives on the Seminoles' reservation near Hollywood.
Javaris, who is 5-foot-6 and weighs about 125 pounds, took cover behind a wall, armed with a gun in each hand. One of the guns was a .38 caliber, but family members said Tuesday night they were unsure about the other gun.
''He was going crazy,'' Javaris said. ``I shot one time to let him know he had to leave. The dude didn't leave. He was looking at my eyes, trying to get closer.''
The gun in Javaris' right hand jammed, and he fired with the gun in his left, sending Jumper running from the single-story home. Javaris thought his shots missed the man, simply scaring him off.
''I was real scared. . . . When I was shooting, my main focus was protecting my mom and family,'' Javaris said.
Police found Jumper lying on the ground a few houses away, shot multiple times and bleeding from his wounds, said Hollywood police Capt. Tony Rode.
Jumper was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where he was in serious condition Tuesday night.
''Preliminary investigation suggests it was a justifiable shooting, and the 15-year-old won't be charged,'' Rode said.
Police said the family did not know Jumper. Records show Jumper has served time in prison for cocaine possession, criminal mischief and throwing a deadly projectile into a home.
He was arrested Feb. 19 for battery and larceny and again on March 28 for larceny.
On Friday, the day before he allegedly broke into the Chandler home, Jumper was arrested by Seminole police for assault on an officer and resisting an officer.
Jumper is expected to face felony burglary charges once he is discharged from the hospital, Rode said.
Javaris protected the 11 other family members in the house -- including four children under age two, Chandler said.
''We didn't want to hurt anyone, but we had to do what we had to do,'' Chandler said. ``When he got in here he had to shoot him.''
Chandler's husband had gone to the hospital to check on a co-worker and rushed home after getting his wife's frantic phone calls. ''I'm just glad my family is OK,'' said Lyndon Chandler, Maxine's husband. ``Listening to the screaming was terrifying.''
The silver 20-inch bicycle that Jumper used left tread marks on the front door, under a wreath adorned with a wooden American flag. The family is still shaken.
''I keep visualizing his face in the window with the bike over his head,'' said Javaris' cousin, T'ontea Lopez. Now, when Lopez goes to make a bottle for her son at night, she ducks down on her way to the kitchen.
``If my cousin wasn't here, we would have been so scared. He saved us.''

Depressed Feeling....

DEPRESSED FEELING

I kinda bummed today. Last night the Clippers lost to the Phoenix Suns in game 7 of the NBA Playoffs. Now, I realize I'm talking about the Clippers , but this year's team was kinda of special. They had a respectable winning season, something we haven't seen out of this organization since 1994. They made it to second round of the playoffs to face a team that no one gave them a chance to beat, let alone push to game 7. To be honest, I was proud of this team and would be proud to don their jerseys. Elton Brand is a star! Sam Cassell, who I used to call E.T. was a huge catalyst of why this team performed the way it did. And who can leave out the fact that this team, had a coach who knew how to win and get players who want to win..Top this with the organization finally putting some money on this team and getting the results teams, with the exception of the Knicks, get..wins and playoff appearances. I only hope the owner, realizes that he can be a star owner along with Jerry Buss (Lakers). Donald Sterling was quoted as replying to a reporter that, his goal is to win a championship...Well, it your world Donald...All you gotta do is re-sign Cassell, and keep that team together.

You know after watching these guys, one can only wonder if Kobe would have signed with this team. Would I have this depressed feeling. I doubt it. I would probably feel the same way I did when the Lakers lost to Phoenix.

Oh well...Can't wait until August...

Props to the Clips for a wonderful season, you set the mark anything less is unacceptable.

Execute or Quit

One of my attorneys at work today, told me about a story that was in the L.A. Times aka Liberal All The Times. The story was about the "Marlboro Man." No, not the one who died of lung cancer and was plastered on every cigarette billboard in any given city. No, this new icon was the marine, whose picture was taken with a cigarette in his mouth. When the picture was first seen, folks took it two ways, and deciding on your position of the war. A picture of a young marine, with camoflage paint on his face and a cigarette in his mouth, right after a short battle would have you reaching for one of your favorite WWII movies.

So what was the reason for having this young man, who became a overnight military icon, to be featured in the front of the paper. Forgive me, but anything that the times puts in the front page and having to do with the military raises two red flags and a couple of balloons. I get suspicious, because this paper is not glossed by me as Liberal All the Times, for nothing. It's losing its circulation and the main reason for that is because the paper, like the NY Times and the Washington Post are known for being...liberal. And thus the story, was made for liberals who are against the war and now the young former marine, whose face was a military icon, is now the face of soldiers and marines who are sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress. The marine on the attached story is back at home in Kentucky and collecting military pay for his mental injuries.

Now before you hit the story and read about this young man, let me give you my take. One, I do believe that each and every man or woman who has witnessed death and have seen the effects of mortar rounds, machine gun fire and bodies burned in their cars or dismembered bodies, need to talk to someone. I know, because I seen it. I witnessed it and seen Iraqi soldiers who were forced to stay in their defensive position, get mortally wounded and die. I've seen some of them die, while holding pictures of their wife and children. So I feel what this young man is feeling, I understand and know exactly where he is coming from. And I'm not alone in seeing death nor am I alone in seeing someone suffer from PTSD. You're witnessing the mental breakdown of a person who you thought was strong like an oak. I don't know what's worse. I guess the best way to explain it is this way:

When I was kid, growing up in Long Beach, we used to play a bunch of sports, depending on the season. During football season, we played football and during basketball season, we played basketball and so on. When we played, we used to play other streets, and since we all attended the same schools we pretty much knew everyone and instead of having the reputation of being a street with a bunch of thugs...We took honor in having the reputation of being the street, who had the best game...Our street was known for being ballers...in football, basketball and baseball. Now I'm not going to say we never lost, but we won more than we lost. We had a diverse team, we had Mexicans, we had whites and blacks and all we wanted to do was represent our street. One of our players was named Bryan. He was tall, skinny and had good hands. You can throw the ball to Bryan and hell just count it as a touchdown. We played touch football in the street and Bryan would dive on the asphalt to make a spectacular grab, and was elusive in making Barry Sanders like moves. Like all things, we got older and started attending high school, and some of us took our competiveness to high school sports and so did Bryan. As a matter of fact, some of us had the reputation of being good players, before we got to high school and the coaches could not wait to get us in. Deep down inside, I think Bryan could not wait to get on a high school football field on Friday nights, and he would have, but something happened.

Something happened to Bryan that shook him up, froze him and the tall leaping boy was never the same. Like our marine, something happened to him, that changed his life and for Bryan, I knew what happened. You see, Bryan was a star playing street football. You couldn't rattle him, talking smack...But you damn sure could, if he saw you knock the mess out of someone on the field. He couldn't take seeing someone like me, hit somebody so hard that the ooo's and ahhh's sounds from the stands drowned out the owww sound from receivers who dared venture into my area of operation. In essence, what Bryan saw and experienced made him quit. He couldn't get the last hit he either received or saw out of his mind. Thus, Bryan never dived for a pass and he pulled up in the middle or quit on his route, when he knew for sure that if he caught the pass for a first down, he alone was going to pay for it. Bryan chose to quit and not execute. Every since then, noone wanted to hear about how much game Bryan had. He became the focus of ridicule and eventually bullied by peers, who he thought were his friends. And this is what happened to this young marine, a superstar at home who joined the marines. This young man hollered and screamed with his fellow marines. Trained and trained for this very situation. This young man was probably a expert in firing his weapon (M-16A2), but the very first time of being under fire, and rightfully afraid, this young man instinctively executed to survive...but quit in his mind.

I was going to criticize him for his stance on the war and then turning around to help recruit people to join and eventually go to war themselves. It didn't make sense to criticize the war and then assist in sending someone else to go. I was going to criticize him for using his condition as a reason for some of his breakdowns....I was, but then I thought about Bryan.


Article: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-marlboro19may19,1,939700.story?page=1&track=crosspromo&coll=la-headlines-nation

Let's Call It A Banana....

"I don't care what you call it, you can call it a banana if you want too." That is what Sen. John McCain said yesterday, while debating the senate's so called immigration reform bill. When some republican members where saying that the reform bill amounts to amnesty. No matter how they put frosting on top of it or re-word the actual meaning. It's amnesty. One republican senator even said so, "Our constitution says, anyone who willingly breaks our immigration laws and what is being proposed, to the amount of allowing a path to citizenship, is amnesty." I agree, but apparently McCain thinks it's a banana. Which is alright with me. Just as long as we can call his anticipated run for the white house, comedy.

Because McCain's run for the White House is going to be funny and downright gut wretching. He is going to have every republican supporter on the ground rollin', laughing their behinds off. And rightfully so, remember it was McCain who turned traitor and came up with some bullbleep deal to allow some of Bush's judicial nominees to be confirmed. Instead of siding with his side of the aisle, McCain gave the democrats, the inch that turned into a mile, length of power. McCain started what we now see as the democrats actually running things and not the republicans.

So yeah, McCain wants to be president. He must be cawrazy, to think that supporters of the republican party will forget about that stunt and a litany list of others, that comes close to being called Judas.

McCain wants to call the allowing 10-12 million illegals to become citizens, a banana...Okay, giving illegals bananas is wrong and still a slap in the face of those who are waiting to become citizens. Bananas may sound good, but you can't give it away...

got it...comedian.

Being Positive....

Lately on other blogs or websites I visited in the past few days. I have been getting a bunch of questions in regard to my last entry titled "What Happened To Us." I have to admit on other sites the reviews were good, but then there are some that were kinda critical. And that's okay, it least it starts some type of dialogue among us folk to discuss what really happened to us, as black men.

One of the critiques suggested that I was too negative and the writer recalled that I have never posted anything positive in regard to blacks. I argued that it wasn't true, pointing out that huge numbers of blacks owning their businesses, home ownership is up, we are attending colleges, we are starring in more Hollywood roles that don't require a pimp suit or maid outfit, and a whole abundance of accomplishments that would not have happened twenty or thirty years ago. I mean that's why I argue that affirmative action has done what it was supposed to do. We've gotten better. We can vote without fear of having some stupid grandfather test administered. I can't recall entering a building marked with "colored only" signs. Nor do I recall going to a segregated school. I believe we have some work within our own communities, that we have to straighten out and I support organizations one hundred percent who take on the task of improving the lives of those less fortunate. Some may not believe me, but whole heartedly I do.

I believe with all the accomplishments, we gained...We, as black folk can do anything for future generations to come.....

Lets continue overcoming....

Enough Already!!

You know I've come to a conclusion that things I don't want to see on my favorite television shows are going to be seen. Maybe, maybe it's my own prejudice or somethings I find really repulsive or like snakes, I can't watch and with choices, I won't watch. Which brings me to this, The Sopranos is on it's last season and it's going out like a wiseguy turning evidence on his friends. It looks like the series is a big rat. And I for one am not impressed, but like a bad painting that gets my attention...I can't turn away. I keep looking and hoping that something comes out of this series that will make me miss it when it signs off in a couple of weeks. I haven't seen it nor are my hopes of seeing it are in the near future. Oh! there have been times when I just wanted to turn to something different, look at syndicated showings of "Law and Order." But it's "The Sopranos." This show was sweeping the nation and earning notoriety as whats good on television. As of the past four shows, it's been a dud. A real resounding dud.

Now the title of this post is "Enough Already" and here's what I mean by it.

When Brokeback Mtn., came out, I already knew I was not going to see the movie. One, I don't care to see a love story with two men as the lovers. Two, it's a chick flick. Guys like me don't dig chick flicks, and if you were to ask me what cable channel is the lifetime channel, I would probably tell you I don't have the lifetime channel or any other chick channel on cable. I stopped watching Oprah, exactly one day, she left Forsythe County. I can't name one person, check that, that's not exactly true, I can't name all of the women on the view, except now I know there are, two supposed to be comediannes on the show. Figuring which one is straight is like trying to figure out which one was Siskel and who was Ebert. But as I digress, The Sopranos introduced to us a gay mafioso member, named Vito. We didn't know he was gay, until Meadow Soprano's boyfriend happened to catch Vito playing the flute, if you will, on a security guard. Okay, okay the shock value was that, shocking. Vito a big overweight italian made member was sure to be found out and soon be joining Big Pooh-Cee in the Atlantic. I knew it would happen, I just don't know why it's taking so long to whack Vito. As a matter of fact, Vito was discovered and fled to Vermont, where he meets a gay firefighter. And this is where, my enough already comes to play, my prejudice and whatever adjective you want to add. I get the fact that Vito is gay. I can even get the implication that the fireman is gay. And believe it or not, I can get the implication that the two had sex, without seeing the actual beginnings. What I don't need to see is the beginnings of a gay relationship, where one of them takes the role of the woman and the other the man. Nahhh, dats cool, I'll pass.

So now "The Sopranos" have turned into HBO's version of Brokeback Mtn., starring Vito and his fireman lover. None of the questions of what happened when the show was last on has been asnwered. We get bits and pieces of what happened to Johnny Sacks. We know that Uncle June is senile and his playing the role of being a senile was not a ploy on his part.

It seems the writers of this show is going to force feed us, who refused to put down $10.00 or so on Brokeback Mtn., their version of the show. The bad thing is that we're paying the premium cable or satelite prices to see gay acts on a show we like. And the bad thing about it is that like that bad painting, no matter how hard we try to look away.

We can't......

RACIST 101

You know just when you think it's safe to be proud that you're American and everything is cool from So. Cali to Maine. We get the below story about a teacher, who is supposed to be teaching latin of all things, saying something stupid. Literally stupid.

In times like these, when I argue that things are not as bad, as they were, lets say in the 19 freakin' 50' or 60's. It's yahoo's like this that places my arguement as moot. Here we are in 2006, not 1966. And we gotta hear crap coming from this ignorant some of a blip.

Keep you head up neck, the Klan sends it's regards...

Story:

Reading, Writing and Racist...

Reported by J.R. Berry(Cayce)

Inside the walls of Brookland-Cayce High School, you expect students to be treated equally. But a viewer tip led News19 online where a teacher's comments left us asking questions."These sorts of things are going to upset people, but the truth can be very upsetting," said Brookland-Cayce High School teacher Winston McCuen.That truth, at least according to McCuen, is that black people are inferior to whites."Intellectually, yes they are," said McCuen. "This has been confirmed over and over, and this is a generalization. Again, there are some blacks who are more intelligent than individual whites. But as a rule, that is true. I-Q tests prove it over, and over and over."News19's J.R. Berry asked McCuen, "Do you think slavery in America was a good thing? "Yes," said McCuen. "In America there was a rational assessment saying listen, if we give these people freedom right as they are and you have to go back to see how they were, you can't assume they were like us. J.R. asked, "How were they?" "They were coming out of the jungles," said McCuen. "They had been enslaving each other for centuries in Africa, and in terms of being used to rule of law, they knew none of that."

No doubt about it, Winston McCuen has controversial opinions. But do his views make it into the classroom? He teaches Latin at Brookland-Cayce. He told J.R. that most of his students are white.J.R. asked," Is this something that enters your classroom, something you tell your students?" "I'm a Latin teacher, so I'm not teaching politics or history," said McCuen. "I'm just teaching Latin.""We got off subject one day and he mentioned that slavery happened and he mentioned the Vice-President around Andrew Jackson's time, and that's how we got off on slavery," said 9th-grader Candace Carol. The Vice-President she was referring to is John C. Calhoun; someone Winston McCuen admires."John C. Calhoun: the greatest South Carolinian in terms of political understanding and wisdom," said McCuen. "And he argued that the institution of slavery was a positive good, and he called it a great good and it was good."Before talking with us, McCuen posted his views on an internet Web site called "American Renaissance." Most of the comments on the site are aimed at blacks. McCuen's comments are no exception.

For instance, last August, McCuen said, "There is no apology to be made for black slavery in America. Why should today's whites apologize for the wisdom of their ancestors?"J.R. commented to McCuen, "There will be some people that will say those are racist remarks." "They can call them what they will," said McCuen. "But if they call it racist, I just say it's true and you've got to deal with that. I have a responsibility to speak the truth; I believe it is."J.R. asked, "So if you have black students in your class, do you look down on them?" "No, "said McCuen. "I try to do the best I can with every student I've got."J.R. asked, "But you just said they were inferior?" "You try to actualize whatever potential is there," said McCuen.This isn't the first time Winston McCuen has been in the news. In 1999, he was a history teacher at St. Joseph's, a private high school in Greenville. McCuen hung a Confederate flag in his classroom. When parents complained, he was told by school officials to take it down. He didn't, and he was fired."Our board of trustees ran screaming into the night saying 'take it down, take it down,' and I refused to because you need to present different views in the classroom," said McCuen.That was seven years ago. Today, the Emory University graduate is on administrative leave after News19 informed Lexington District Two about his comments. He won't be back next year. But he wasn't coming back anyway because of a certification issue.

Though the district declined an on-camera interview, they did issue the following statement:

"District officials have not seen the video done by WLTX, but we are now aware of certain web sites. The District cannot dictate the personal political views of its employees. The positionsof Dr. McCuen are not the positions of Lexington School District Two.The parents of our district have entrusted us with the education of their children, and wecontinually strive to foster a positive learning environment for all of our students. The District is investigating the matter and will take appropriate action if warranted. Dr. McCuen is currently on administrative leave. For unrelated reasons, he will not be teaching in Lexington School District Two next year."


While McCuen's days with Lexington Two are numbered, McCuen says his time in the classroom is far from over."Is that a problem?" said McCuen. "I hope not. "Am I not supposed to make a living because of my views? Or should I just be wiped out or what, and people like me, what do you think?"

3rd Place Icon

In case you've been out and I mean outter space out. You know by now that Barry Bonds is one homerun bash short of surpassing who Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star/ESPN called "segregations best all time homerun hitter," *George Ruth aka Babe Ruth. Bonds at 713 homeruns has been the subject and poster boy of what's wrong with baseball. As a matter of fact, Bonds according to some is the number one problem of baseball. Why? because purists believe that Bonds soiled the game by using growth hormones or steroids. In some baseball fans eyes Bonds is the biggest cheat known to man and according to a list of America's most hated athletes, Bonds is number 2, and coming real shortly Bonds will be number 2 again. This time as the man with the second most homeruns in the history of baseball.

This is where the problems lays, for some. The problem is that the man, Bonds is passing is the most revered ball player of all time. Problem is that this player and his lifelong generations upon generation of fans has to face the breaking of his homerun mark of 714. According to these fans, when Ruth hit his bombs, the game was right. The game was pure.

I've argued and heard enough sportstalk radio to know that a certain number of folks don't want to see 714 passed again. Well like Whitlock, I'm going to celebrate it, because like him I don't care what an athlete puts in his body...Hell if he dies from it..oh well, better him than me. I don't care about a record that is supposed to be tell all and measuring stick for what is right. Personally, I believe Josh Gibson has the most home runs in baseball history, not Ruth. I believe Aaron is in second place and Bonds is about to be in third.

Do you think baseball will honor that list? probably not, because in its mind, the soon to be in third Ruth is the icon that defines baseball. Has to be..a certain group of people don't recognize the leader (Aaron) of this most revered group of homerun hitters.

Last week baseball said that they won't recognize Bonds feat of passing Ruth...Okay then, when Bonds does take over second, The mention of Ruth and his measley knock of 714 should be like him....


Dead.

What Happened To Us?

What Happened To Us?

He looked beaten beyond despair. He looked like the one ounce of hope he had, was all but gone. As the beaten man made a path to the twenty-five cent shuttle bus, dragging his left foot behind. The evidence of his plight was for all to see. He was homeless and for the litany of reasons, beyond anyone who either experimented or stayed away from drugs, he lost his war on drugs and most likely the casualties of his war, was himself and anyone who either loved or cared enough for this man.

Who was he before his first battle? Did he walk down the aisle at Anytown-Anyname High School and receive his high school diploma? Did he go to college and receive a degree? His road. His travel. Only he has to do by himself with the help of his deity.

What happened to him? What happened to him that we, as his fellow men, plug our noses and avoid eye contact with? His stench causes us to shake our heads in disqust, while some of us feel nothing for this man, whose past we don't know. In some cases, we don't want to know nor do we care and in this small point of selfishness, our only comments to this man is, "No - I don't have any change."

Whose responsibility is this man to us? Is it the responsibility of black people to care for its poor and downtrodden? What about whites or hispanics?

For purposes of this discussion, lets talk about our poor black men who are living in our streets, addicted to drugs or alcohol. The man I just described could be the man anyone of us knows. He is someone's father, brother and uncle. He probably had a woman who loved him so much that she cried as she had to let him go or suffer the same despair. He was probably someone's friend, that due to his addictions and the mere strength of not suffering the same affliction, had to cut his best friend loose because he, himself was someone's husband, father, brother or uncle.

Can't you see how great God is that he spared you from the life of this man, whom we plug our noses and don't give the time of the day. I think at times we all forget from whence we came.

What happened to us? What happened to us that we make up twelve percent of the countries population, yet we are fifty percent in our country's jails, fifty percent of us are not graduating from high school, thousands upon thousands of our young black men are dead at the hands of another black man on his way to prison. What happened to us? that we as black men - black people no longer carry the pride of being a working man and a provider? What happened to us? when we don't care about laying down with our black sista's and giving them a death sentence of AIDs or leaving them alone to care for our soon to be angry boys, who will continue the cycle of dying young or dying in prison.

What happened to us, when no one takes us serious? Black africans are coming freely to this country to take advantage of the sacrifices made by our black leaders and like the homeless man I described, They are plugging their noses.

What happened to us?