Gays and The Civil Rights Movement

First things first. Let me say that I believe gay people should have the right to marry anyone they want, they should be able to enjoy the tax benefits of marriage, be able to choose the better medical benefit package that works out for them.  They shouldn't be denied a place to stay based on their relationship status, and I feel that anybody who feels that a certain group of people should be denied these things must have some deep seated issues they need to work out.

That being said, here's the scoop.

Gay people need to stop bastardizing the Civil Rights Movement. Stop hiding behind the Negro spirituals, and using Dr Martin Luther King's legacy to support their agenda.

I can hear the anger and vitriol right now, so let me state my case:
Gay people have the luxury to hide their sexuality if they want to. In some cases, no one knows they're gay until they open their mouth. Granted there are some cases where a person can tell if another person is gay, and someone may be nosy enough to ask. In that situation it is pure speculation, and hearsay. Even if someone is gay or not, that doesn't make it mine or anyone else's business.  I can't hide the fact that I'm Black when I walk around town.  Making a decision to come out of the closet and tell my parents that I'm Black is not going to make them disown me. I can't tell my best friend that I'm Black, and have her hug me, and tell me that she still loves me anyway, or lose her friendship because of her stance about my sudden Blackness. In fact, she's most likely to laugh at me, and say I was stoopid for that.

Don't get me wrong, it is dangerous to be gay right now. People can end up losing their jobs once the employer finds out that the employee is gay.  Matthew Shepard was killed in Wyoming (The Equality State, no less) for being gay.  The gay person doesn't lose these privileges until someone finds out they are gay. Many successful people were gay all throughout history, and that didn't stop them from gaining success. Black people wouldn't get hired, or were forced to take low paying jobs, or got paid less than other workers who held the same job title  and were being killed based on their skin color alone even if there was a hint of Black blood present in their lineage.  Sure, no one wants to hide who they are regardless of who they are. I get it. Love is universal and should be between two consenting adults. Again, let gay people do the activities that other straight people could do, plain and simple, but they need to stop equating their struggle to that of Black people because they want to have sex whomever they want to. Blacks were killed and denied for just for existing even when they were having sex with their own race and not bothering anybody. Nobody was burning down the homes of two men or two women living in a place of residence. They would get treated as room mates and left alone. Black families had their homes burned down because they had the audacity of living in the area while being Black at the same time.

Hey, at least a gay person has the option to decide if they want to let the world know if they are gay or not. I guess that's what it really means to come "out of the closet". I can't go in my closet and say, "Hmm, I'm finna be Japanese today, Mexican tomorrow, and White the day after that. If I were to come out of the closet (if I were gay for real), and I decided to date outside my race, I would still get flack just for being Black in an interracial relationship.Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit.

And for god's sake, let gay people adopt kids if they want too and stop using that sorry, stale argument by saying that it messes up the child if they have two mothers or two fathers. What? All of these fucked up people that came out of straight families don't exist? All of these serial killers, rapists and child molesters aren't real?  I wonder how  many of them had straight, or so called "normal" parents.  Go somewhere with that "having two parents of the same sex could turn a child gay" mess.  I guess straight families could never, ever produce a gay child, because the straight family is the best environment a kid could ever ask for.  Where did gay people come from then? Did they just drop out of the sky?  Did aliens come down and probe them in their sleep with some sort of  gay inducing technology?! Is gayness the result of a genetic mutation or something like that?! < Some folks have got to be crazy if they think this kind of stuff is true. And get the fuck outta here with that 'sanctity of marriage' bullshit. People need to stop acting like they don't know that marriage was considered a business transaction back in the day, and that people who married for love were classified as stupid.  Why do people think parents of the bride to be would ask, "What does he do for a living?" They wanted to insure that the daughter would be taken care of and that the children would be in a seemingly secure environment.

And fuck Westbro Baptist Church.  That is all.

N!ggA vs N!ggER --Aw Lawd! Not This Again :(

I usually don't follow anything sports related at all, but this ended up in my feed. The wide receiver for the Eagles by the name of Riley Cooper was at a concert and he said "I'd fight every n*gger here" while being on camera.  Apparently he was upset because the Black security guard would not let him go backstage. Check the clip and notice how he was called out by emphasizing the e-r at the end of 'n*gger'.

Lets back up for a minute and examine the situation closely:

He was at a concert

He wanted to go backstage and was upset because the Black security guard (who was doing his job, by the way) wouldn't let him go. 

Sure, many people will look at the video and say, "Oh, he's just drunk..bla bla bla...", but let's look at what's going to come out of this situation.

I anticipate a whole lot of people who are going to say things like "Well, Black people say it all the time in their music and around each other, so why can I say it?"  The rebuttal usually goes something like this: That word was used to demean and dehumanize Black people for centuries. That word was accompanied by lynchings, rape, shooting, and various other methods of legalized torture inflicted upon Blacks for many years. For Blacks to take the word and use it themselves while denying the usage for any other races was supposed to be a symbol of power. This is followed up by: Well if you didn't want anyone else to say it, you shouldn't have brought it back. That word would have been forgotten and never would have seen the light of day <<<GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE WITH THAT BULLSHIT!  Here's why:  That word is spoken in many many households. I'm not saying that it is spoken in every household, whether Black, White, or in between, but I'm speaking overall and in general.  That word was not said in my household growing up regardless of whether there was an e-r or an a at the end of it. My family members (immediate and non immediate)  have never talked to each other like that. We don't even curse around each other. So for someone to tell me that Black people say it all the time in their homes and everywhere else is generalized trash. We are not a monolithic people, where if you see one group of Black people doing something, then you must safely assume that all of us are doing it. <<Using that logic, I could safely say that all Whites must be Klansmen, because I've seen the documentaries.  I could sit up here and say that Johnny Rebel, David Allen Coe, Ted Nugent and Rush Limbaugh are their culture and that all White people are like that. But guess what? I'd get accused as racist and narrow minded if I actually believed that, now wouldn't I? 

Anyway, here comes the next rebuttal: "I can say anything I want and if I want to say that word, then I should be able to because of Freedom of Speech".  Well, go ahead and say it then. Just make sure it's done in the blackest cities and streets in The States and see what happens. I bet they won't do it. They'll just stick to saying it around the only Black person at the party, or or in a classroom setting, or behind closed doors, or one on one with the Black person, or once they feel they know them well enough and feel "comfortable" around them, or if they are "approachable" looking, or blasting it out of their vehicles because they claim to like rap music, or while hiding behind an online profile, or drunk, or ...ok, I'll stop now. ;) 

Can I Touch Your Hair? << 0_o

In case you haven't figured it out yet. I am Black. I am also a woman. I also have natural hair that I keep in dreadlocked ( locked, or loc-ed) form.  There have been many many times where I have had people ask me if they could touch my hair. Each time, I politely decline the invitation, and they ask me why. Some have even gone so far as to put their hands in my hair anyway, while ignoring my response. Since I live in The States, I have had to cultivate (I think that's the correct word) a system of action when this situation occurs. I usually make my escape, and I get away if they ask me. There have been instances where I have been unfortunate enough to end up in their grasp. All the while, I try to remain polite and get away from them as fast as I can, but here's what I really want to say:

Are you serious?! What gives you the right to go up to a random person, and touch their hair after they say no? Weren't you taught that people have a 2 foot bubble of personal space that is not meant to be violated?  Didn't your parents tell you to keep your hands and feet to yourself when you were tiny? Just because you are curious doesn't mean your grown ass has the right to revert to a two year old because you weren't instantly gratified the way you saw fit. I bet if I asked you the same thing and got offended from your response you'd think I was crazy. You would probably lose your mind  and think I was rude and unrefined if I went ahead and touched your hair without permission. I could imagine all of the hurt and anger you'd  have for me, and maybe you'd might go so far as to call the police if you saw fit.   Either that, or you'd refer to me as aggressive,ghetto, or uppity, when in reality, I don't think anybody should allow themselves to be violated in any way regardless of who they are.  Excuse the fuck outta me for wanting to maintain my dignity while desiring to exercise basic human rights. And you have the nerve to turn around and talk that "Do unto others as others will do unto you," bullshit?!<< Get The Fuck Outta Here.

Yes, it's OPEN SEASON on Black men . (and Blacks in general)

I really have nothing much to say about this video, except the commentary is absolutely correct. If you don't feel that way after watching the entire video and  giving it a full listen, then obviously you really haven't been paying attention to anything that's been going on or what I've been saying on this blog.  And if that's the case, why are you even here?!  Anyway, here's the video:

The Zimmerman Verdict Was NOT About Race- Oh Really?

I found this news story that took place in Springfield Mo.  Apparently the Klan is looking for people to start a neighborhood watch program. They have taken to handing out fliers that contain a phone number for people to call in case their neighborhood isn't safe.  What does that mean exactly? What criteria are they looking for in order to decide who is suspicious or not? The video says that they will look at anyone who looks suspicious even if they are White.  Call me a pessimistic Pete, but I hardly think they would do such a thing. Their goal is to get the chance to hunt down anybody who doesn't look like them, point blank (no pun intended).  I guess people really thought everything was fine. If everything is so fine and dandy, why do we still  have the KKK? People are going to say, "Well, the Black Panthers exist...bla...bla..bla..".  Well, the Black Panthers were started up to directly counter the police brutality based on race that existed and continue to exist. In fact, they started out giving (that's right, giving) free breakfast to poor kids in Oakland California. That was until Lyndon B Johnson saw them as a threat,so he created several programs to undermine the leadership of the Black Panther Party, which included surveillance, using undercover agents, harassment and various other tactics to break them apart. And to add to the last straw, crack was introduced to the neighborhoods, and it was GAME OVER for the Panthers.  But wait, the Klan doesn't exist like they used to. They have changed their mission, and they actually want all people of different races to exist. They are for diversity. Which is why they want everyone separated. It's why they speak so much hate for other races of people, it's why they have such an online presence. It's why several hate threads like r/niggers (which could be found on reddit), and forums like niggermania.com, stormfront.org, and chimpout have existed for so long and allowed to have such a huge following. People say things like "We've sooo gotten over all of that race stuff. What's wrong with you? Why can't you people just 'get over it' already?"  <<Get The Fuck Outta Here with that bullshit. I will when you will, plain and simple.

It's Okay to Call The Police on a Black Person For Existing In This Country (click on the first two sentences to see the link)

Roy Middleton was returning home from work early Saturday morning, when he stopped by the car he and his mother share to grab some cigarettes.A neighbor who didn't recognize Middleton phoned the local sheriff's office to report a possible burglary.

Let me get this straight. A 'neighbor' called the police on Roy Middleton because he didn't recognize him. I guess if the neighbor had taken the time to get to know his neighbors, he wouldn't have had a man (who was doing no wrong) shot  by police. I guess if the Black person had left a note or knocked on the neighbors door to let him know that he was going to get some cigarettes, then he wouldn't have gotten shot. Maybe he should have called the police department to let them know that he was about to go outside and get his cigarettes. Maybe, just maybe he should have had on business attire, with an American flag on his person, his social security card, his birth certificate, a deed to his house, and a current utility bill to prove place of domicile was indeed where he actually lived, I guess he would have avoided getting shot. Then again, he would have still looked suspicious because of the business suit. Maybe he should have been wearing a bright neon colored outfit so that everyone could see him. Then again, he would have been mistaken for an escaped convict or a convicted felon. Maybe he should have kept all of his neighbor's phone numbers as to alert the neighborhood so they know when he is coming or going.

I know people will read this and think I'm over reacting. I'm okay with people thinking that and here's why. I used to work for a lawn care company and I went through neighborhoods and knocked on doors while selling lawn care services. My uniform consisted of a khaki colored polo with an embroidered company logo on the right breast, khaki shorts, tennis shoes, an aluminium clipboard which contained fliers (some of which were fixed to the outside of the clipboard for easy access), a pen, and applications. I carried a bright orange and black square foot measuring tool, and a yellow walkie talkie fixed to my shorts so I could communicate with the home office while I was on the field. Your so called average person would see someone wearing and carrying all of that and think, "Oh that's a salesperson who works for a lawn care service. They are not harmful." Well, that was certainly not the case. I had been tailed by not one, but 2 police cars in almost every neighborhood I went to. I had been pulled over while walking, I had my plates ran, and I had been asked to show ID on several occasions.

I guess the logic behind this would be , "Well, you should have had a better job." << Get The Fuck Outta Here With That Bullshit.

Bill Cosby- I'm Going In

Every so often, I come across this quote from Bill Cosby:

Timeline Photos

BILL HAS GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN... 

They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English. 

I can't even talk the way these people talk: 

Why you ain't, 

Where you is, 

What he drive, 

Where he stay, 

Where he work, 

Who you be... 

And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. 

And then I heard the father talk. 

Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.

In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living. 

People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around. 

The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. 

These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. 

$500 sneakers for what? 

And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.

I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit. 

Where were you when he was 2?

Where were you when he was 12? 

Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol? 

And where is the father? Or who is his father? 

People putting their clothes on backward: 

Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong? 

People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something? 

Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body? 

What part of Africa did this come from?? 

We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa ..... 

I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid. 

I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany , Scotland , England , Ireland , or the Netherlands . The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa . So stop, already! ! ! 

With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap ......... And all of them are in jail. 

Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem. 

We have got to take the neighborhood back. 

People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now. 

We have millionaire football players who cannot read. 

We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job. 

Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. 

We have to start holding each other to a higher standard..

We cannot blame the white people any longer.' 

~Dr.. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed..D. 

WELL SAID, BILL

It's NOT about color...

It's about behavior!!!

By: Diznee

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Every time I see this, I ask myself, "What kind of person would send this? Why do they feel the need to post it?"  Well, instead of ignoring it, I decided I'd go in on the subject. I posted this article and followed up with the following: 

Bill Cosby is right to an extent. He comes from a different era. Sure, it's fine to speak slang, but there is a time and place for it. Surely, a person can not work for a Fortune 500 company and not know how to communicate in a professional manner. No matter how you slice it, no one, and I mean no one in America speaks "proper English", unless they are a tourist from overseas, lol. And as far as naming your child goes, there are some very strange names out there, and unfortunately one must take that into consideration when living in The States, especially if you are Black. A person's name has the potential to make or break them no matter how qualified they are. 

Regarding the comment about "all type of needles (piercing) going through her body, and "What part of Africa did this come from": There are many parts of Africa and various tribes in the world who have piercings and various adornments on their body. I feel some research is in order.

Millionaire football players who can't read: The United States of America has an education system that has been broken for a very looooong time. Couple that with the antiquated idea of the American Dream, which is the idea that anyone can 'make it big' in the country regardless of education, and the results are the highly paid (and often uneducated)athlete , movie star or musician. Never mind that the school athletic departments have been getting funded before anything else, and schools are lauded for their athletic department because it is one of the main money makers for the school. This is why the sport stars are glorified so much that they get paid like that while the person with the PhD can't make enough to feed themselves or their family. This is not a new concept. Like it or not, that IS American Culture in a nutshell. It is why rappers spend so much time writing about riches, sex and material posessions. It is also why people are willing to go into bankruptcy in order to look like they can afford big homes, several cars, boats, RVs, etc. It is the reason why people have six hundred dollar cell phones, and two hundred dollar cable bills, and they are up to their ears in credit card debt. Honestly, I feel that Bill Cosby fails to see the big picture. No one is blaming white people. The stuff he mentioned pertains to American culture. Recently,"reality" TV shows called the following: "16 and Pregnant", "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" have popped up. I watched previews and pieces of the episodes only to be appalled by them. America rewards stupidity. It always has been and always will be, and that goes back to when Bill Cosby was a kid. Shows like Amos 'n' Andy , and I Love Lucy were just a couple of shows that rewarded stupidity during his day.  Don't get me wrong, I was one of the people who watched The Cosby Show and A Different World religiously. I grew up watching Fat Albert, and I am grateful for his contribution but I'm afraid he has selective memory, and will not recognize ALL of America's shortcomings, how they got there, and how long they have been there. His generation and the ones before have FAILED to recognize what could happen, and now the chips have fallen where they lay. However, as time goes by, I think there are some of us who see the problem and are actively working to rectify the situation. But it's a long and lumpy road to hoe. Instead of complaining, one must be solution oriented.

 Regarding the piece written by QuestLove. He is an educated and highly paid musician, but he still can't escape the treatment he received in the article. Chris Rock is a highly paid comedian who has made it known that he only has a GED (it's the alternative to a high school diploma for those who have not completed high school) and NO one, I mean NO one who is white would want to trade places with him, and he's RICH! If I could speak to Bill Cosby, I'd point out both situations described in my post and I'd ask him, "So which one is it Bill"?  With all due respect sir, get the fuck outta here with that mess.