2 Sided

     Take any two people regardless of race, age, religion, etc. and if they accidentally touch a hot iron or stove. What do you think they’d do? There are severe illnesses that affect the feeling in your extremities. But if both were considered normal, relatively healthy, human beings would one feel the pain from the heat, more or less due to their ethnicity. No. I am sure they both would undoubtedly agree that it was a rather unpleasant experience. Think about people from northern states like Minnesota and Michigan. Temperatures in the single digits aren't uncommon to them. But if they have a 50 degree day in February,  they'd put on shorts and sandals due to unseasonbly warm temperatures. Whereas people in South Florida exposed to those same temperatures would probably freak out because they are usually warmer. Why such a drastic difference in feelings? They come from two totally different environments. One is more tropical the other is more frigid. Proving our sense of normalcy isn't always the same. Based on what we've been exposed to majority of the time our interpretations of a particular variable, in this case temperature, can be viewed markedly different. I know its cliché,  but the phrase perception is reality is confirmed by this premise. We are all a products of our environment.  But like a chameleon we can change to blend in. So why is it so difficult for us as humans, especially Americans to coexist?
     We all have witnessed some of our loved ones go on to glory. No matter how it occurs it's always painful. It could be health related like cancer or heart disease, a car accident, or something malicious such as murder. Either way it's painful for those left behind to lose someone they whom they knew and loved.
     Some Americans are too rigid in their thoughts and opinions. Sure there are some issues that we may be unequivocally passionate about. I despise women and child abusers. But some people continue to lack objectivity, empathy, and overall self awareness in regards to how others in a different demographic or socioeconomic group might perceive the same thing. Issues like welfare assistance,  and  legalization of marijuana come to mind.
    I'm not dismissing the fact that groups like #blacklivesmatter aren't needed. They are.  I concur wholeheartedly that the way cops interact with us needs to change. Under no circumstances should a cop who kills an unarmed citizen who wasn't a legitimate threat to them, to still be able to get a job in law enforcement again, but it happens. Our lives are valuable too. But the results of Philando Castill's (black man killed by a Hispanic cop)death by an officer and Justine Damond's(white woman killed by a black Muslim cop) death by an officer in the same area only years apart, netted a far different result for each victim and the scary, incompetent, cops that killed them. The outcry for police protection was far less prevalent for one over the other as well as the pay outs for the families. Why? Was the prosecutor that much better? Blacklivesmatter is needed.
     #Blacklivesmatter also needs to address the issue of black lives, caring about black lives too. Control what we can control. This starts at home. If you see someone that looks like you and you call them a brother treat them like one. Jealousy and envy are the works of the devil. The fact is we just can't highlight incompetent cops and turn a blind eye to the black on black crime going on in America too. Everybody can't rhyme like Jay Z.  Shooting another man for stepping on your Jordans is foolish, but that's the world we live in. People competing to see who's the top thug, who has the most women, money,  clothes, and who has the fliest ride. I believe rectifying these issues will help us with some of these other societal problems. They need to put more of an emphasis on showing love to your neighbor. Having such an unstable footing in black communities makes it that more difficult to combat injustices that go against us. The animalistic approach we sometimes have towards one another leads to innocent people being judged unfairly.
    Lastly, why I don't have a flattering opinion about abortion. I recognize that God is the ultimate judge. So who am I to judge. Yet some are so vocal about this issue and use Christianity as a way to condemn those who have abortions calling it murder.  What if it was a situation where a mom could endanger her life by having the child, or if she was raped? Yet some of these very same people find ways to justify killings of unarmed people by cops and want to be cops over things as small as parking in a handicap spot. Why the difference? It's possible to feel mournful for an unborn child. I get it, but for people who were already established and were apart of, or even had their own families it is a much more meaningful loss for their loved ones. An unborn fetus hasn't created memories and hasn't had a chance to impact others with the exception of the mom they were carried by. No person, including me is above reproach. Modern day society allows us to be more expressive than ever,  but if somebody dares to push against the old guard, they are hit with ridicule. I can't give you the most poignant explanation, but is this God's best for us to always be at odds? I don't think so. Differences of opinion are natural,  but it shouldn't cause  such a toxic environment. I believe we all desire a blessed and prosperous livelihood. One were our families are safe and we can live our lives in a harmonious fashion. Let's put differences aside and work towards that common goal.

When is Enough, Enough

Once again,  on our nation's birthday, there was a senseless killing of a citizen by the hands of a law enforcement officer. To say this matter is getting old is like a flood victim saying that they are tired of seeing rain and wondering if the sun will shine again. It is very disparaging seeing another family on national television having to fight back tears over something so heinous and avoidable. Every time we get the same story. The cop feared for their life, the perpetrator reached for their  weapon,  etc. When upon video surveillance or other video it appears that the person has been subdued and no longer a threat to the officer.
    I get it, their lives are precious too. But just like on my job if I make an egregious error I am punished, or at worst, terminated. Most of the time these cops get a slap on the wrist. Those acts without any serious consequences for the officers involved has lead to chaos and   social unrest amongst many citizens in this country.
    America is the greatest country on this earth , land of the free and home of the brave, but it appears that comes with certain requirements. Some of which some folks will never comply with due to their pigmentation. The rules are different, anyone who says otherwise is being delusional. Watch the general response to the lady whose child fell into the Gorilla enclosure and the family in Orlando at the Disney Resort whose child was killed by a gator. Both were examples of poor parenting,  one was crucified and the other was seen as more of a sympathy figure , granted, the child was killed by the gator. While the kid that fell in the Gorilla  enclosure was only roughed up a little. But the vitriol spilled towards one over the other was not close. It just baffles me that in 2016 we still have these issues with equality.  We live in a country where a 12 year kid can't play with a BB gun in a park and a man can't shop in a Walmart with a toy weapon across his body because of his pigmentation. This is sad but true.
      How can this madness end ? 1st we must examine ourselves for what we are doing wrong. Boys in the Hood is not just a John Singleton movie, but it is real life for some people here in the US. In Chicago even with the extra patrols, five people were shot to death and 61 others were wounded between 3 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Tuesday of the 4th of the July 4th weekend, according to statistics kept by the Chicago Tribune. That's not by cops people. That's by your own people. Black on black murders are more prevalent than cop killings of black men,  and I believe to some degree this plays a part into cops believing black men are all killers. In order to fix this epidemic we must hold ourselves accountable. I'm being honest with you, there are certain places in Houston,  TX  you won't find me at after a certain time and I'm a black man.  The problem is that some of these kids are being reared to be the Drug Lord instead of a Pharmacist. A crook instead of a lawyer. A gangster instead of a boxer. They have the belief there's no way out except by the ways of criminal activity  when with God all things are possible. But this endless cycle of futility feeds into the belief that black men are menaces to society and that no good comes from them. So cops taking out black men whether justifiably or not, is always a positive result in their eyes. Just like an 8 point deer they are wild game. Only they get toe tagged.
     How else can we justify Dylan Roof killing 9 churchgoers at a bible study and being taken to Burger King by authorities knowing he was armed and just murdered 9 church members during their weekly  bible study. All the while Tamir Rice and John Crawford got killed on the spot for just posessing toy BB guns. 
     This is supposed to be a land of equality. From recent accounts it's not. See https://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/here-are-8-white-people-who-pointed-guns-at-police-officers-and-didnt-get-killed. Let it be known that there have been situations where cops have been killed and they do have right to protect themselves but the recurring theme is that they use far more restraint when dealing with non-blacks. It appears that those lives matter unlike those of blacks. Hence the reason for #blacklivesmatter.
     Now where do we go from here?  When celebrities such as Jesse Williams use their platform to make light of such egregious acts, people seem as though they are race baiting. But it says alot to stand up for a cause knowing that you are a rich and successful actor,  who can just live in his fairy tale life and ignore this new age Jim Crow treatment all the while risking his career. It sounds comical. But I am expecting to see a book any day now titled "How to be a Black Man and not get Shot and Killed by Cops, for Dummies".  I'm not being facetious, but this is a major problem. People must be educated on how to respond to interactions with cops. The problem I think a lot of guys have is showing respect to those in authority. They been reared to have disdain for the police for obvious reasons . In retrospect this makes you no better than a bigoted cop or racist. Love your neighbor. That's how we win this battle. There is a certain amount of decorum you can display that can help neutralize your interactions with cops. Have a healthy respect for their position. Realize that some battles aren't worth dieing for. God gives us discernment, we must really apply that principle when confronted with anyone who has a weapon that can seriously hurt or kill you.
       As I mentioned earlier we also must get away from portraying ourselves as hard core, and thug life. Why? I'd rather live in an area where there is harmony and low crime, than one with constant drama and chaos. But there are another set of  issues dealing with that. When you are driving a nice vehicle in a well to do area you are looked upon as if you don't belong. Cops constantly follow you because you can't possibly afford the car you drive and think it must be stolen. Or as a friend of mine told a story of him doing yard work at his own home, and being asked by a fellow neighbor how much he charged to mow his lawn. Thinking all along surely a black man can't afford to live here. But this is modern day America. The same America that stands staunchly behind that 2nd Amendment right to bear arms only to see a cop slaughter an American citizen just because he exercised his right to bear arms. The same America who said if the club goers in Orlando were packing , they would have deterred the killer from murdering so many. Let me ask you? What are those gangs in Chicago using? Guns. Are they stopping any of the gang activity that's going on today. No. What about the shootout in Waco,Texas last year. Very few people mention how out of hand that got. Gang activity is prevalent among people of all ethnicities but only blacks are treated as savages. 
      Cops must not assume all people of a certain demographic are the same. Making assumptions leads to misinterpretation. You must get to know a person before you pass judgement. These cops need to not make such hasty decisions because of what they believe a stereotypical black man is. Most black men I know fall for a lady with a big butt and a smile. But they are also law abiding citizens who are out to just make an honest living like most other people. Not all cops are bad, some give you directions when you're lost, help you get your car out of traffic if you break down, and some do actually help protect you from bad guys. But some assume we are all thugs, we all are killers. How about giving blacks the benefit of a doubt as other ethnic groups? By murdering blacks all you are doing is continuing the cycle of broken homes. Eliminating the father figures who help mold these kids. This is what creates the thug that cops are afraid of. The kids look to the local dope man for direction on how to be a man. 
    Violent retaliation against cops is not the answer either. We must learn to fight in the judicial system. Proverbs 15:18  Reads, A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.  People on both sides of this matter must do a better job of controlling their emotions. Remember cooler heads prevail.
      Yes Blue lives matter, and All lives matter. How about having Black lives matter just as much. God created us all equal. The Vanderbilt football player who raped an unconscious women got 15 years in prison. The Stanford swimmer guilty of the same crime got 3 months because he's not fit for prison. Are you kidding me.  Have you heard of OJ Simpson, Michael Vick, and Jared from Subway they were affluent at the time of their convictions and have and in OJ and Jared's case, are serving time in prison. An even bigger slap in the face was Ricky Jackson who was wrongfully convicted of a murder and was released from prison after serving 39 years receiving a mere 1.3 million dollars. While a popular sideline reporter,  formally of ESPN and now with FOX , Erin Andrews received 52 million dollars  because a man recorded her changing in her hotel room during her time working college football games for ESPN.That really damaged her career. She is now on FOX's number 1 NFL broadcast team. Now you tell me which one was more of an injustice. If all lives mattered there wouldn't be such a huge disparity in regards to issues like these.  We need to PUSH. Pray Until Something Happens. Otherwise these poignant episodes will continue to doom our proud nation. Get it together America.

New Year for Change ?

         As we have now have stepped over into this New Year. We now get a chance to start anew.  Whether it be your  finances, your health, your relationships, your spirituality, or any other part of your life where change is necessary.  We all should have a drive to improve our stance in life. Change is essential in order to sustain success. If one becomes stagnate they stand still. Think of it as water. If water sits in one spot too long it grows algae, it mildews, and in some instances it becomes foul and develops a bad odor.  That’s a microcosm of how your life can become. You want to lose weight, put down the Popeyes  chicken.  You want to improve in your career, go back to school and increase your education. If you play basketball and you’re a poor free throw shooter,  take more shots or tweak your technique some. Changing bad habits will  help you as you progress thru life. Hopefully you see my point.  But as a society we seem to miss the boat in terms of the way we think about change in certain areas of our existence.
        How many innocent victims have to be murdered by those sworn to protect and serve us before there policies change. Change is very prevalent in my occupation and these new policies are often implemented after an unintended incident has taken place.  There needs to be a town hall discussion with law enforcement officials across this country on how to react in such tense situations.  Shooting to kill shouldn’t be your first reaction. There has to be an alternative.  I do recognize that there’s  a fine line to walk with such a dangerous occupation.  For the record, all cops aren’t bad, in fact there are a lot more good cops than bad ones. Problem is several incidents throughout history (statistics tell us this is true)shows  that they target a certain demographic with a lot more frequency and ferocity. Am I saying that this is not sometimes warranted, no.  But what I am saying is just like every cop is not dirty or has bad intentions.  Every black man or boy is not a criminal or at the very least deserves not to be shot at and possibly killed on site when suspected of a crime. We have to change our our preconceived notions. 
        The bible states,  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm.” (Psalms 37:8).  In some of these incidents the victims felt like they were being harassed and maybe so. But showing your inner strength to diffuse the situation allows you an opportunity to possibly live to see another day.  It doesn’t make you less of a man to handle situations in a calm, non-confrontational manner.  It just means you show control  and that you aren't the menacing, undisciplined person some assume you to be. This is why I was a little turned off by the cops being mad at the St Louis Rams Players hands up game entry and other athletes wearing the I can’t breathe shirts.  These men took a stance that others like them in recent memory have shied away from. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods stayed clear of social issues to protect their bottom line unlike their predecessors such as Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali.  It was refreshing because although they risked turning off some endorsers and fans. They felt this was bigger than them as an individual. It was all about the greater good.  They know that if you strip away the talent they have to entertain the general  public. What are they, but a black man who could easily be viewed as a criminal,  a thug, crook, etc. instead of a hardworking morally strong person. At the same time I applaud Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin for wearing the NYPD caps during their respective team's football games last month.  In light of the recent slayings of 2 NYPD officers by some ignorant dupe thinking he was exorcising revenge for Eric Garner it showed support for those who are doing things the right way.  Two wrongs don't make a right. Our mindsets have to change people.  What did killing those cops do? It only infuriated some of the very cops who were guilty of committing excessive abuse against members of the public.  Think they won’t do it again if they can get away with it after such a malicious act.
         We as members of the public, specifically black men, must change how we deal with authority.  We must not always look to fight.  We must do more to change how we are perceived.  Stop the gang violence, drug dealing, the robbing. It sickens me to see the news and see another black man do some heinous crime. All these guys have done is perpetuate the myth. It makes it rougher on those who are good citizens and impactful members of society.

          Geraldo Rivera was called out for saying that the athletes who criticized cops for all of the recent shootings should wear,  be a better father t-shirts. There is truth to that as well.  But fatherhood is a choice, holding a toy gun and getting shot because of it, or getting strangled to death, not so much. Also the player in question was LeBron James, a married father of 3. It is though, an epidemic of sorts that has lead kids from single parent homes to a life of crime. Several make it thru and become a success such as a LeBron James.  So it’s not a guarantee of failure. Putting the father back in the home goes a long way in maintaining stability in a child’s life. Much like we as children of God must maintain our relationship with our Heavenly father. I can attest to the fact that if you don’t maintain a relationship with him you will have fruitless manifestation in your life. For those that pay child support , thinking that your child support payment is all your kids will ever need from you is ludicrous. They need to spend time with you as the male figure in their life.  1 Timothy 5:8 states , But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. God’s intention is for you to be there for your family. Don't ignore them.

          Just think of how much this country of ours has changed since 1776.  Blacks were kept as slaves, women weren’t allowed to vote.  Now one of the richest and most influential people in this country is  Oprah Winfrey, a black woman.  If not for changing of our beliefs there would be no President Obama, no Oprah,  Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  Diversity and inclusion is paramount when implementing the laws that govern this country. Having different point of views allows us to see issues from different perspectives.  When people reference taking  America back. Taking  America back to where?  The one that enslaved people of color , dismissive of women’s rights, segregated schools. I hope not.  We are all created equal in God’s eyes. Positive change that impacts us has a lasting effect and benefits us all in the long run.  
         Just like the seasons, change is inevitable.  Unless you’re happy with your status in life be proactive and commit to change. Doing nothing guarantees you will get nothing different than you already have.  James 2:17 which says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. “ in other words talk is cheap.  Having faith for changes in your life is null and void without your action.  Ignorance is committing the same act while expecting a different result.  In the words of Mary Mary, “Go Get It”.