Take Care of Yourselves...

Evil flourishes when good men do nothing (Photo: TheGrio.com)

Every time I try to write some dazzling piece about how angry I am or how unfair this is to the families of Alton Sterling and Philande Castille or how something needs to be done, I find myself getting distracted.  If you read this blog regularly, you know I'm not one to shy away from any topic but this week I am not only at a loss for words, I am at a loss for strength, I am at a loss for meaning, I am at a loss for anything resembling the solar furnace of anger that the response to these killings deserves.  Instead, I find myself playing a video game on my cell phone or watching a YouTube video or watching the scenery outside my office or thinking about my upcoming date with my wife. Anything to not have to think about how the fuck this could have happened again.  And again, the usual sides take up the usual positions, each living in their own little echo chamber, spouting the same talking points over and over again like a broken 45 that keeps playing the same half a lyric until you you want to take the entire stereo system and toss it out of your 3rd story window and smile with child like delight as its broken and mangled frame brings the promise of blissful silence.  Except we know that silence will never come.  Not as long as every time something like this happens we rely on cultural conditioning instead of critical thinking to produce solutions.  I grew more and more frustrated with myself for not having the discipline to simply do what I need to do and stop pussyfooting around until I realized that it's not a lack of discipline stopping me.  

I'm self medicating.  

I've heard many in the activist community, talk radio hosts, other writers, and friends of mine sum up their feelings about this week, and 2016 in general, in one word.  "Enough."  Ironically, I realize now that there are some people who avoid the news for this very reason.  I used to chastise them for not wanting to pay attention.  I looked down on them for sticking their heads in the sand like an ostrich and leave themselves just as vulnerable for their lack of knowledge.

"Just because you don't want to hear it and don't want to deal with it doesn't mean it won't affect you!"

After the gut punch of these back to back senseless murders, I empathize a little more, now. They reached their breaking point years ago and for some of them it physically hurts to watch it happen over and over and over and over and over again with no recourse, no plan of action to stop it, no power to change it, and no direction to escape it.  Who in their right mind would be eager to watch the savage deaths of men that could easily be your son, nephew, brother, uncle, cousin, or father?  So, like so many others, I've unconsciously taken steps to either guard my heart or at least try to balance some of the emotional damage with false senses of video game victory, which ironically is what the results of our labor feel like in real life. False victory. The majority of officers who violate the rights of Black Americans go unpunished.  Most white criminals are treated as moral individuals with momentary lapses in judgement that need to be understood rather than vilified as poster children for their race's immorality like their black counterparts.  It's tempting just to shut it off, walk out of the room and make it all go away.  Unfortunately, if we do that, we only give ourselves a false sense of security at best and a disadvantage on the issues that matter the most at the worst.

  

I guess the point of all this rambling is that I've come to an unexpected consequence of being "woke." Battle fatigue.  It really does take a team of people willing to lift each other up to continue the fight, to speak out, to protest, and to demand change because the cause is bigger than anyone of us and its impossible to fight this battle alone.  To the people who have chosen to stand in that gap and position themselves as part that team, thank you.  Writing this blog weekly, I have a newfound respect for people who do this every day.  To the folks that read this blog who put up with my bloviating, sometimes holier-than-thou, writing, I thank you. This space is intended to inform my readers on things they may have missed as well as provide a place for me to download the thoughts I cannot verbally express.  If you choose to follow in the footsteps of activists, remember that all that fire, passion, and energy can burn you out more quickly than you'd like and taking care of yourself and your mental health is priority number 1.  

Facebook Video Shows Another Officer Involved Shooting in Minnesota

VIDEO: Roseville, Minnesota Officer Involved Shooting

In the wake of the horrifying Alton Sterling videos, a new video posted to a now deactivated Facebook account shows the aftermath of another officer involved shooting, this time in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.  According to the video, the incident began when the couple was pulled over, for a broken tail light.  The victim then told police that he was licensed to carry a weapon and that it was currently on him.  According to his girlfriend, who recorded the video, the victim was complying with police commands, reaching for his license and registration, informed the officer that he was doing so, but was still shot 4 times.  The unidentified Minnesota patrolman seemed to blame the bleeding victim for his injuries, repeatedly yelling that he "told him not to reach."  Officers then took the girlfriend, who was still recording, into custody where her emotions got the best of her and had to be comforted by her daughter, who looked to be no more than 10 years old and witnessed everything.  Condition of the victim and the names of the officers involved is still unknown at this time.

Will update this post as more information becomes available...

Update...the victim, who unfortunately died of his injuries, has been identified by a relative as Philando Castile, 32, an employee of the St. Paul school system.

Full details in the Minneapolis Star Tribune

If You Want Something Done Right...Just Thought You Should Know 7/1/16

Dumervil decided to take matters into his own hands (Photo: TMZ.com)

LB Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore Ravens Gives Back

Athletes giving to charity in the face of tragedy is nothing new, but when it comes to his ancestral island of Haiti, Ravens Linebacker Elvis Dumervil isn't taking any chances.  The NFL star partnered with New Story Charity to personally oversee the construction of 58 new homes in Bercy, Haiti, a small rural village 14 miles north of the capital, Port-au-

Prince

.  Dumervil's presence isn't a publicity stunt or a photo-op either.  After a massive earthquake devastated the already impoverished nation in January 2010, Dumervil was among the first to call for donations only to see that money either squandered or stolen by charities like Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti, The Red Cross, and US Government agencies like USAID.  Less than half of the estimated $13 billion dollars donated to the relief effort actually reached the people who needed it the most and that wasn't a mistake Dumervil wanted to repeat. 

"I don't know how much was actually given to those people, but not all of it," Dumervil said. "Now I'm in a position with my own capital resources to negotiate with certain people and make sure that I can put action to my words and start doing things from my standpoint before asking people for money and help for the cause." -- Jason Hensley, Elvis Dumervil, Ravens' No. 58, building 58 homes for Haiti earthquake victims, ESPN.com

 He and New Story completed 24 of the 58 homes this weekend and hope to build at least 250.  The Baltimore Sun also reports that Dumervil is encouraging his teammates and colleagues from across the NFL to join the cause.  Haiti can use all the help it can get.  Amnesty international estimates that 85,000 people are still homeless as a result of the 2010 earthquake.  The National Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings in the country and a symbol of national pride since 1920, was destroyed by the earthquake and its ruins sat for more than 3 years before it was finally demolished in the fall of 2012.  The Earthquake was just one of the many disasters to have hit the country this century.  In 2004 Hurricane Jeanne swept over Hispanola.  While the more prosperous (and therefore more prepared) Dominican Republic suffered relatively light damage, the storm overwhelmed Haiti's infrastructure, causing massive flooding and mudslides.  Over 3,000 people were killed and more than 250,000 were left homeless.  In the immediate aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, the worst cholera outbreak in recent memory ran through the makeshift relief shelters and soon spread nation wide.  Even worse, the U.N., the people most responsible for helping Haiti get back on its feet, may have actually been the ones to unwittingly infect the populace.

Help make Haiti Great Again

Why does it matter?

Clearly, not everyone has the capital to push forward projects like this nor does everyone have the inclination to revisit their roots of poverty and struggle but when moments like this happen and a vehicle is created to help those who need it the most, it must be acknowledged and supported by people like you and me for it to do the most good.  People who gave their hard earned money to the charities I mentioned above will obviously be skeptical but New Story and Mission Hope Church have been doing this without publicity and fanfare for years with a proven track record of accomplishment. The addition of an advocate like Dumervil can only mean good things for organizations who have been already doing so much with relatively little support. 

What Can I Do About it?

You don't have to be an expatriate Haitian or a 1st generation born abroad to have compassion for Haiti.  I'm not Haitian nor do I have any ties to its diaspora but I am a West Indian and a member of the larger African diaspora and watching how much this country has been disrespected, abused, and ridiculed despite the fact that they were the first country to cast off the yoke of colonialism and slavery I almost feel obligated to give back.  I realize some people will see that as a reason not to give but they aren't who this appeal is for.  Elvis has opened a door.  It's up to us to walk through.

You can contact, donate, and/or read about Mission of Hope and New Story Charity through the links below.

https://www.newstorycharity.org/

http://www.mohhaiti.org/

...Til Next Week!

Brexit, Black Republicans, and Faith: Just Thought You Should Know 6/24/16

I love and appreciate you Pastor, but I think you're wrong.

What do you do when your spiritual leader's politics are not congruent with your own?  This week as we mark the anniversary of the Emanuel AME Church massacre, I find myself at a special crossroads. My pastor, Rev. A.R. Bernard Sr., pastor of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY, revealed this week that he is part of an "evangelical advisory committee" for the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump.  Pastor Bernard and 19 other evangelical leaders, including the ultraconservative former Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, met with Trump on Wednesday in New York, at his request, to discuss various matters of faith and policy before a larger meeting with over 1,000 church leaders.  While not giving his explicit endorsement (it was not required by the Trump campaign to sit on the board surprisingly) Pastor Bernard says he came away from the meeting "impressed" with Trump's sincerity and seemingly dismissed some of Trump's verbal flip flops as him being merely "inarticulate."  He appeared on several news talk shows including Roland Martin on NewsOne , Fox & Friends, and his weekly guest spot on Sirius XM  to explain his position but, and I say this respectfully, I personally find that position troubling.

Trump presents one of more uncomfortable tables for the Christian conservative movement to come to in recent politics. It’s not only his personal story that poses problems, filled as it is with unscrupulous business practices, two tumultuous divorces, and prior liberal leanings on topics like abortion. It’s his current policy portfolio, too. The two immovable pillars of Trump’s presidential campaign are opposition to undocumented immigrants and a fierce rejection of refugees from the Middle East. Those happen to be two of the occasional break points between the religious right and the Republican Party.  -- Trump's New Evangelical Advisors Neither Love Him Nor Hate Him.  They Just Want Him To Listen, Sam Stein, Huffington Post 6/22/2016

Pastor's argument on SiriusXM (unfortunately I can't post the link but it's 6/24/16 edition of "The Armstrong Williams Show" On Demand if you subscribe to XM) is that the neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have done anything for the African-American community so maybe something different is required.  Disappointingly, I heard the usual talking point trotted out to explain why Pastor Bernard, as a card carrying Republican, would be open to a candidate who has spent most of his public life living in opposition to the very values he lives by as a man of faith.

"He's not your typical Republican."

He also made the argument that evangelicals must make character compromises sometimes for candidates who do not have the sterling family record of a Barack Obama, who is still as scandal free as the day he was the elected.  To be fair, he doesn't explicitly defend Trump's most outrageous ideas, like banning Muslims from entering the United States, but he walked a fine enough line with his words to avoid outright condemning Trump for anything.  He didn't hesitate, however, to criticize Hillary Clinton for her husband's infamous "3 strikes" legislation that sent black incarceration rates soaring and on Roland Martin's show, bring up Bill Clinton's infidelity as a moral measuring stick to contrast Trump.  Both are notorious womanizers but neither of those points, in my opinion, can be tied to Mrs. Clinton since she wasn't even a politician in 1994 when 3 strikes became law and penalizing her candidacy for the sexual sins of her husband is wrong.  There are plenty of other, more legitimate criticisms, like the debacle in Beghazi during her tenure as Secretary of State, the e-mail scandal that won't go away, lying about coming under sniper fire in Yugoslavia, voting to go to war in Iraq as a Senator in 2002, and using racism in her campaign against Barack Obama in 2008. 

Look a Sniper! (Photo: Washingtonpost.com)

Neutrality is something Pastor doesn't believe in.  He likened it to being dead in the opening monologue to his radio show this week, but I'm not sure if Pastor realized not only the level of backlash he would receive, but how even granting an audience with Trump, a man who tried to openly sway the black vote earlier in this campaign by meeting with 100 black pastors and failing miserably to get their endorsement, would influence his congregation.  To reiterate, Pastor has not given Mr. Trump his endorsement but there are people who would vote for a cactus if their pastor stood next to one.  Conversely, mistrust of the church is at an all time high and while I'm sure he sits on that advisory board to preach a prophetic word to a potential president, Pastor's party affiliation (R), Trump's track record, his fellow pastors doing things like buying jets at their congregation's expense, and covering up immoral scandals, have even the most devout believers questioning the motives of their leaders.  Does that mean he shouldn't have met with Trump?  If you asked me yesterday I'd have told you he should have slammed the door in his face.  Today?  I can understand why you would want to be at the table in the unlikely event he does become President.  Being an advocate for issues specific to people of color is essential in the halls of power where we are too often forgotten about or subject to laws that are based on stereotypes, not reality.  It probably just disgusts me that it might be Trump's table in November.

Trump retweeted falsehoods like this repeatedly during the primary

Trump is loathed by most people of color and except for the few he finds useful to further his own agenda, the feeling seems mutual.  All of his African American outreach efforts up to now have come across as pandering rather than actual engagement.  Changing that was Pastor's stated goal for attending.  However, Trump's pattern of behavior suggests that not only will he ignore what these Men of God have to say but he'll use this meeting as a wink and a nod to evangelicals across the country without having to actually change anything about himself, his policies, or his politics.  For the latest examples just look to his statements about the Orlando night club shooting, where he made sure to take credit for "being right" before he offered any condolences to the victim's families.  Yesterday, he held an hour long press conference, praising the success of Brexit while touring his golf course, as a win for Britain because it mirrored his own plan for the United States.  Brexit, or British Exit, if you weren't aware, is a referendum in which the UK voted to leave the European Union.  Their decision to leave the organization after 43 years, unfortunately, was driven largely by opposition to the EU's immigration policy of accepting Syrian refugees and the short term economic pain will be excruciating for the working class Brits who voted for it.  We saw a small taste of that economic pain yesterday when the British Pound crashed post vote, instantly wiping out years of national wealth.  Long term, Britain has an even tougher road ahead as the current Prime Minister, David Cameron, immediately announced his resignation effective this October.  His successor could possibly being the bigoted former mayor of London Boris Johnson who was a leader in the campaign to leave and is literally the British version of Trump.  Also, they're now directly competing with the EU for foreign trade agreements and their young adults will now require visas to work anywhere else in Europe which will ultimately cost them even more jobs, likely sending their economy into a deep recession.  There is evidence to suggest that most voters didn't truly understand what they were even voting for as the Washington Post reported that the most Googled phrase in England yesterday was "What is the EU?"  Maybe it is  a preview of what will happen if Trump is elected. Anti-intellectualism at its finest, folks.  Are we going to allow racism to rob us of our future too?

The fact that the Donald is close enough to the Presidency that the man I look to for a spiritual perspective felt the need to grant him an audience is nauseating.  It's as if people expect Donald Trump to morph into a respectable presidential candidate when he's shown again and again and again and again exactly who he is.  It's the crux of his appeal.  I understand the desire for change.  I understand that there are millions of people angry with the direction this country is going right now.  I felt it when I pulled the lever for President Barack Obama in 2008.  More specifically, I understand that the Clinton's track record when it comes to black folks is spotty at best and the "lesser of two evils" thought process we usually use to decide is tougher than ever before.  I'm not sure what the solution is, but I know Trump's policies would be disastrous for the country economically, socially, and politically.  Starting a trade war by taxing imports, building a wall along the Mexican border, and trying to extort payments from our allies will not bring the secure manufacturing jobs of the past back to our shores.  Globalization, as the UK will find out, is something you can't turn back the clock on.  Attempting to do so, instead of preparing for the economy you actually live in, is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face.  Ironically, this is when I would listen to Pastor to see what his views were but after this week, I realize that maybe the bigotry and isolationism is exactly what the people want.  Maybe the dream of a multi-cultural society is just that.  A dream.  Maybe, I really just need to pray for God's will to be done, ensure me and my family are OK and stop placing my faith in anything or anyone other than Him. 

...Til next week.

Resurrection of "The Land"

Queen James.

Man Child.

Flopper.

Complainer.

Choke Artist.

Scared of the Spotlight.

Joey Crawford's favorite player.

Bitch ass Nigga.


LeBron James has been called everything on this list, and some that aren't fit to retype here, for years. Long before Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame speech immortalized him (again), LeBron's tears were the gold standard of professional failure.  It wasn't as widespread as MJs meme (another way his haters can say he doesn't measure up to His Airness) but every time James' teams were eliminated in the Finals, the memes came.

At least he can say this meme is something he started before MJ...

"The Decision," no matter how much he tried to downplay it, was the worst decision of his career.  It  turned the local-kid-does-good narrative into that arrogant ex-best friend you loathe because he ditched you for cooler friends in high school.

"He took the easy path!"

"Michael would never join Magic!"

"Miami bought their Championship!  They didn't build it the 'right way'!"

And there goes Cleveland's economy

Clearly not prepared the level of vitriol he received, some of it outright racist, James tried to turn the tables on his critics and embrace the villain role.  Unfortunately, instead of thriving on the hate like Reggie Miller once did, he buckled, his play suffered, and there was much joy in Whoville when the over-hyped 2011 Miami Heat fell flat on their faces, losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 6 games. James eventually did win championships in Miami but they both seemed hollow.  His first title came in a lockout-shortened season against an upstart (a nice word for inexperienced) Oklahoma City Thunder squad. Arguably, he only won his second because Ray Allen decided to take his talents to South Beach too.  The 2014 Finals, a rematch with San Antonio, would be an absolute disaster.  It seemed as if  even Father Time joined the ranks of LeBron haters as he battled cramps (no seriously), a diminished Dwayne Wade, and Ray Allen's shot leaving him at the worst possible time (9-22 on 3pt in the series). The formerly "ancient" Spurs exposed the Heat's inability to replenish their roster with young talent. LeBron decided falling in 5 games to a team they'd barely beaten the year before was writing Shakespearean sonnets on the Heat's locker room walls.  If he wanted to leave a lasting legacy, it wasn't going happen in Miami.

Announcing your return to Cleveland while wearing a Miami Championship ring?  Oh LeBron, you never learn.

By some miracle, Dan Gilbert and LeBron James decided to try again.  James knew he owed Cleveland (the people not the franchise) for putting them through hell both on and off the court. Never has one man been so instrumental in the revitalizing of a city's troubled economy as LeBron has been to Cleveland, which is why this relationship between player and city is so special.  He's more than just a sports figure in Ohio, a responsibility he now seems to understand and embrace.  He realizes what he'd done and was going to put everything he could into making amends.  However, they say you can't truly go home again, and while most Cavs fans embraced the return of Akron's prodigal son, many Cleveland fans still carried the sour taste of his exodus in their mouths.  Many still weren't convinced that he would stick around this time either, considering he only signed a 2-year contract that expires after this season.  Nevertheless, the Cavs front office picked up right where they left off with James, allowing him to once gain have input on personnel, forcing the trade that sent  Andrew Wiggins to Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Love.


Queen James.

Man Child.

Flopper.

Complainer.

Choke Artist.

Scared of the Spotlight.

Joey Crawford's favorite player.

Bitch ass Nigga.

Now you officially can add "Legend" to the list.  His performance in the last two NBA Finals (his 5th and 6th consecutive Finals, by the way) ends all doubt about his place among the greats of the game.  The promise of the St. Marys High School phenom that was going to change the game?  Fulfilled.  The debt owed to the city of Cleveland for taking his talents to South Beach?  Paid.  Those crying memes?  Jordan can keep those.  The only crying pictures about LeBron that matter will be these...

From one championship-starved franchise to another, this one's for you Cleveland!  Even if you did use 4 ex-Knicks to do it :) 

Congress Grows a Conscience: Just Thought You Should Know 6/17/16

A filibuster for the ages

While the usual script of public figures "sending thoughts and prayers in difficult times" played out in the aftermath of the horrific murders at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Corey Booker (D-NJ), and other Senate Democrats made a decision we've been waiting years to see. They decided to actually do something.  Murphy led a 14+ hr filibuster,  stopping all Senate business, and refusing to give up the floor until they got a firm commitment from Republicans on gun legislation.  Murphy's state was the site of one of the most horrific shootings in American history...Sandy Hook Elementary.  That day, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, murdered 20 1st and 2nd graders, 6 teachers, and then killed himself before police could bring him to justice.  Murphy made sure to drive that point home...

Why does it matter?

While it's highly unlikely that the biggest piece of legislation Murphy was pushing for (a bill proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would allow the attorney general to ban gun sales to suspected terrorists) would ever pass, cracks are starting to form in that impenetrable wall of "NObama" the GOP has been hiding behind since President Obama's election 7 years ago.  We're reaching a point where the no matter how many campaign dollars the NRA throws at Congress, it can no longer overshadow the rising body count.  Even the most ardent defenders of the 2nd amendment are realizing there is no reason for military grade weapons to be available to the public.  

"Gun owners who occupy the middle ground complain that they are rarely sought out or heard, yet polls show that the majority of gun owners support universal background checks and other controversial limits. President Obama is reportedly considering using his executive authority to impose new ­background-check requirements for high-volume dealers in private sales — and many gun owners may support that." -- Most gun owners support restrictions.  Why aren't their voices heard?, Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 10/09/2015

This is one of those "controversial" topics that's only controversial because of the amount of money that's been spent by lobbyists to make it that way.  Saying "gun legislation doesn't work because it doesn't cover illegal guns" is like saying the ban on murder doesn't work because Chicago is a war zone.  Really? Are we really going to buy the argument that we shouldn't save any lives because we can't save them all?  We're smarter than that.  Well, those of us who won't vote for Trump are...

What can I do about it?

It's not often you see politicians do something that doesn't involve lining their own pockets.  While I have no doubt that some anti-gun lobby(s) see this as an opportunity to further their agenda, its an agenda that makes sense to anyone, including myself, that's lost someone they love to a "bad guy with a gun."

These Senators get the Wanderer's Voice Gold Star for standing up for common sense:

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)
Cory Booker (D-N.J.)
Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)
Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)
Dick Durban (D-Ill.)
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)
Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
Ben Cardin (D- Md.)
Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)
Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
Al Franken (D-Minn.)
Amy Kobluchar (D-Minn.)
Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)
Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
Mark Warner (D-Va.)
Tim Kaine (D-Va.)
Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
Tom Carper (D-Del.)
Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
Martin Heinrich (D- N.M.)
Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)
Angus King (I-Maine)*


If your senator isn't here, you should seriously re-consider if he or she is the right person to represent your interests in Washington or if its you they're representing at all.

...Til Next Week!

Sex, Privilege, and Fairness - Just Thought You Should Know 6/10/16

Brock Turner is the most hated man in America...and deservedly so.

The poster child for every inequality in the book. (Photo: Vice.com)

  I normally shy away from topics that have been talked about ad-nauseam but what's happening with ex-Stanford swim star Brock Turner is something I can't ignore.   He's become the poster child for White privilege, male privilege, class privilege, and jock privilege, all wrapped up in one disgusting package.  I'd be shocked if he didn't commit suicide or at least attempt it in the next few weeks.  It's easy to forget that he's 21, barely an adult, and being scrutinized in the age of social media and the 24 hr news cycle.  If he weren't a coward, I'd almost feel sorry for him...but he is a coward.  No, I take that back.  He's a predator, camouflaged in the persona of the "all-American" swim star at an elite institution.  The kind of guy who's resume cultural conditioning tells us wouldn't need to rape a woman.  I guess that's what he thought too.  What kind of man takes an unconscious woman behind an outside dumpster like some strung out crack addict?  The same kind of man, who tried to convince the jury that his victim's command of the English language was reduced to saying "yes" to him but slurred every other word.  The narrative we are taught as men, that at our core, the ultimate measures of our success boil down to how much money we earn and how many 10s we bag are why men like Brock and his father exist.  It's pervasive, generational, and obviously without consequence. With a father who characterized this as "only 20 mins of action," is it any wonder Brock (and the people who defend him) think this way?  Women aren't people to these kinds of men.  They're goals to be met and challenges to be conquered, existing for the sole purpose of providing pleasure and validation of their masculinity.  Worse, he's protected by a system that allows people like him to take zero responsibility for what they do or the damaged people they leave behind.

"He's special, he has a future." (Ethan Couch after his capture in Mexico)

He has no idea of the psychological damage, the hell, he and his lawyers put this woman through nor do they care.  During the trial, he tried to paint her as a slut to save his own skin.  Using her lack of memory about the incident against her, he directed his lawyer to ask her questions about the most irrelevant topics, like how much she weighed and did she love her boyfriend, just to trip her up and destroy her credibility.  This is the same man that was tackled by two good samaritans after he was literally caught in the act, of digitally penetrating her unmoving body and his defense boiled down to:

She got drunk at a frat party, so she's guilty of being a slut.  She's the real criminal, not me.

The jury, thankfully, saw through it and found him guilty of all 3 counts of sexual assault.  If the "loss of appetite" as detailed in Dan Turner's letter to Judge Persky, loss of his swimming scholarship, loss of his college education, and the loss of his reputation are the only things he suffers from this ordeal then I'd say he still got off lucky.  The anonymous victim's statement to the court, which describes in vivid detail why this isn't a case of a groupie looking for a payday, has gone viral.  If you have a heart, it's a tough read.  She'll have to live with the scars he left both mentally and physically for the rest of her life.   Brock, of course, has yet to formally apologize or show any form of meaningful contrition but hey, why should he?  I mean, 3 felony convictions should be a societal scarlet letter. for most people.  For him?  Daddy will probably end up finding him a job in defense contracting after he serves 3 months for a crime that should carry a sentence of at least six years.  It's mind boggling to think an entire family can have such an utter lack of self-awareness until you realize that cases like this are exactly why they can succeed with their heads in the sand.  Accountability is only for people who can't afford good lawyers.

Why does this matter?

The sentence Brock received shits in the mouth of everyone who's ever fought for an equal and just legal system in the US.  Judge Aaron Persky, the man who thought jail would be too much for poor Brock, is not only a Stanford Alum himself but was captain of the Lacrosse team.  There's no question in my mind that Persky, who built his reputation on prosecuting sex crimes, saw a younger version of himself in Brock.  Stanford man to Stanford man, Elite athlete to elite athlete, Persky probably saw this as his way of "giving back" after he was appointed to his seat by another Stanford Alum, former California Governor Gray Davis. Justice for the victim?  She didn't go to Stanford so...


Soon-to-be-former Judge Persky told every woman who's ever been raped, every person who's ever served time for being falsely accused of rape, and every victim who didn't report their rape, "your pain doesn't matter."  There aren't enough Stanford alums in California to save him when election time rolls around again...assuming he doesn't get recalled before then.

This isn't the way college networking is supposed to work. (Photo abcnews.com)

What can I do about it?

1.  Sign the petition to have Judge Persky removed from the bench.  1 million have already signed as of this post.  This man has made a mockery of the court by shunning the victims he was sworn to protect.

2. Call, e-mail, tweet, or Facebook your local representative (House of Representatives) and Senator and demand they join their colleagues' call for Persky's removal.  

3. Don't dismiss it when a public figure perpetuates rape culture or trivializes women's rights or minimizes anyone's rights.  No one ever held on to their rights by letting other's rights be taken away, especially when it could be yours they come for next.  We need to do everything we can, even if it's little, to make sure we don't inadvertently co-sign any more Brocks by staying silent.


Til next week!

A Requiem for "The Land"

Friends,

We are gathered here today to pay our respects to a once proud organization whose hopes and dreams for their first ever NBA Championship were taken far too soon.  Taken, by 2 acts of savagery so ghastly we can scarcely repeat their names.

Game 1....give me a moment....let me compose myself....so inhumane...

What the hell just happened? (Photo: RollingsStone.com)

and the even more vile...Game 2.

  

Pretty much...(Photo: Getty Images)

But they're still alive...

No, good fellow, what you are experiencing is phantom fandom.  It is a common affliction for people who have recently lost their favorite teams.  You believe there is hope and that there are still meaningful games to be played. Many people who have lost limbs experience this.  Fear not, There are many other pursuits you may enjoy to comfort you in this time of sorrow.


Bruh, Games 3 and 4 are this week. In Cleveland.

I did say "meaningful" in the above response, yes?  Just making sure.  Do not worry, we are here for you to help you past this difficult time.  Use these "games" as an opportunity to reflect on the lives of these brave young men who so heroically sacrificed themselves upon the altar of the Golden State. Many others have come before you who may be able to guide your through the process.  Mourners from Houston, Oklahoma, and, Portland would be good places to start.


Funny, but you're wrong, the Cavs are coming home and we're going to hold serve at the Q!

Tragedy often strikes when we least expect it so I can understand the denial and anger.  However, I'd like to point out that I've already been wrong.  I bet on the Cavaliers to win.  Fool me once...

Just Thought You Should Know 6/3/16

Happy Friday!...or should I say Harambee?  That gorilla's been all over my FB feed and sparked so much "debate" about race, parenting, personal responsibility, and animal rights you'd think a Nobel Prize winning poet laureate had been killed.  Quick!  What's the name of the 4-year-old, his parents, or the zoo keepers who saved him?  If you had to Google it, I hope you realize now why media-driven stories like this are more about riling you up for website clicks than informing you of something important.  Until you can show me there's a trend of American toddlers jumping into gorilla cages due to poor parenting and this incident isn't just an excuse to bash black parents, please step away from the keyboard.

We also saw the premiere of "Roots" this week on the History Channel. It's a remake of the critically acclaimed mini-series from 1977 that depicted, in vivid detail, one African American family's generational struggle for humanity in the face of slavery.  The re-make is even more raw than the original, not making any attempt to soften the portrayals of slave masters nor to minimize the psychological impact on the human beings who were literally treated like talking cattle.  I had to remind myself I was watching a television show when a teenage Kizzy Kinte (played Emyri Crutchfield) nearly drowned her son.  I can't imagine the torture of becoming a mother through rape, nor the superhuman courage it would take to go on, whether you keep the baby or not.  I know there is a strong sentiment among my friends and family that we are so over the "we were slaves" narrative but keep in mind that no other group would let America forget the atrocities they've suffered.  It's also handy to have a visual record when people start to underestimate, undervalue, and marginalize you.  You cannot know where you're going if you don't know where you've been and as unpleasant as it is to watch, it is part of our story.  It should motivate you to do better, not revel in shame.  Cultural conditioning is real.  Now if someone could make a movie about Mansa Musa or Ibn Battuta...

Stockholm Syndrome personified.

Black Wall Street Anniversary
 
Speaking of remembering where you came from, this week marks the 95th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history prior to 9/11...the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921.  Perhaps the biggest example of black suffering being erased from the history books, an entire generation, both white and black, grew up without ever reading that the Greenwood District of Tulsa, OK had once been burned to the ground resulting in the deaths of up to 300 people and costing $26 million ($316 million in today's dollars) in damage. The attack was so horrific that everyone literally decided it'd be easier to forget it even happened.  For 79 years, the only accounts of the massacre were through the memories of its survivors.  It wasn't until 2001 that a state-commissioned report documented the full account of damage, casualites, and the events that lead up to that ugly day.

I could go on and on, the full has never been told...

Why it matters

You know that fantasy world that black "thought leaders", activists, and motivational speakers are always talking about?  A self-sustaining black community with black professionals who understand your culture and your unique needs?  That was Greenwood District.  Black Wall Street was the utopia black intellectuals salivate for today.  Successful financially, black, and completely self-sustaining. Black doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, and of course, pastors, all thrived in a segregation enforced community.  It was everything  you could have asked for in terms of black excellence in a time where the humanity of an African-American was barely acknowledged, let alone their rights as full citizens.  It's a remarkable story that deserves to be told if for no other reason than to prove that excellence is not only possible but has already happened.

What can you do about it?

Remember.  Remember that it wasn't the first time it happened and wouldn't be the last.  Forgiveness and moving on doesn't mean you forget what happened.  It's ok not live in the dark corners of our past but don't be so ready to agree when people start talking about the community with sentences that begin with "This is why we can't get ahead-- (insert some negative behavior that's not exclusive to black folks)"  We've thrived in the most difficult of circumstances, no matter how many times our legs have been cut out from under us.  Never count us out.

 Til next week!

Just Thought You Should Know 5/27/16

You can smell the grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.  Humid sea air calls to you as the unrelenting sun beats down on your sunscreen covered back.  The burning sensation of the exposed sand between your toes soon gives way to the cool rush of salty, frothy water that intermittently drowns out the sounds of children's laughter.  Memorial Day weekend is here and for many of us its the beginning of the most wonderful time of year.  Summer!  For the loved ones of our fallen men and women in uniform, however, the weekend is bittersweet.  It's another year without daddy, mommy, an aunt, an uncle, sibling, or a cousin.  Their weekend begins in Arlington National Cemetery or their local graveyard.  Our nation mourns with them as we have for the last 150 years.  In that spirit I paid special attention to one of our more recent fallen veterans, a cult hero who was taken from us far too soon...Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle.
  
Chris Kyle: American Liar?

The late CPO Chris Kyle.

2 years ago, no movie was more politically divisive than the uber patriotic, some would say propaganda film, American Sniper.  If you haven't seen it yet, it's an excellent film and Bradley Cooper's performance is nothing short of superb.  It's tough to remember, however, that it was just that.  A performance.  Like Bill Cosby, we have to learn to separate the man from the character, especially when it's come to light that CPO Kyle falsified part of his military record.  It's not the first time Kyle has been caught in a lie.  His estate had to pay former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura $1.8 million after a jury decided Kyle lied about punching out his fellow SEAL in a bar.  He also didn't kill two carjackers in Texas that were trying to rob him nor did he shoot "looters" at the Superdome after Katrina. This further tarnishes the legacy of a man, that by all legitimate accounts, was already a hero.  160 confirmed enemy kills is Audie Murphy, Massachusetts 54th, Bas Reeves, and Tuskegee Airman levels of bad ass.  The locals called him "The Devil of Ramadi."  These latest revelations will undoubtedly be met with anger by his family, battle buddies, and the countless admirers he's earned through his literary works, American Sniper, American Gun, and the 2014 American Sniper film.  The worst part about this, though, isn't the lying.  It's the fact that the Navy knew and said nothing.

Kyle was warned at least once before American Sniper was published that its description of his medal count was wrong, according to one current Navy officer, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about the case. As Kyle’s American Sniper manuscript was distributed among SEALs, one of his former commanders, who was still on active duty, advised Kyle that his claim of having two Silver Stars was false, and he should correct it before his book was published.

[...]

According to two current Navy officials, inaccurate information about Kyle’s awards is also contained in his separation document, known in the military as a DD214, which usually reflects a veteran’s official service record. Kyle’s DD214 form, which lists two Silver Stars and six Bronze Stars with Valor among his decorations, also differs from the number of Bronze Stars with Valor — five — that Kyle listed in his book.   -- Matthew Cole and Sheelagh McNeill "American Sniper" Chris Kyle Distorted His Military Record, Documents Show, 5/25/2016, TheIntercept.com

Kyle's exploits in Iraq were a great recruiting tool for the Navy.

Why Does It Matter?

To some people it doesn't.  CPO Kyle will always be a hero to the people that loved him and knew him best.  He'll always be a coward to others.  Both are right.  Why?  Because more than anything Kyle was human.  In an increasingly polarized society we seemed to have lost sight of the fact that we can be both incredibly brave and incredibly stupid from time to time.  Kyle's record, the real one, is one any SEAL would be proud of.  His efforts to help his fellow vets both in and out of theater are praiseworthy.  Unfortunately, it also cost him his life.  It doesn't change the fact that his ego may have gotten the best of him after he came  home.  The Navy, however, doesn't get a pass.  Their brass apparently didn't learn anything from watching the Army mishandle PFC Jessica Lynch's and CPL Pat Tillman's tales of bravery with lies.  Trust in your leadership is critical when your leadership may one day order you to take a life or make the ultimate sacrifice yourself.  You must believe that they always have your best interests at heart and that such an order wouldn't be given unless it was absolutely necessary.  Stories like this only serve to erode that trust.  An all volunteer military will not find quality Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, or Marines if outgoing veterans discourage their friends and family from following in their footsteps.  How motivated would you be to do your job if you "knew" your boss would stab you in the back the first chance he/she got?  (Stop rolling your eyes, you get my point.)  Doesn't matter how big the defense budget is if your boots on the ground would rather be smoking and joking than doing their jobs.



What can I do about it?

We can learn to not take everything at face value. We can keep in mind that any public persona is a carefully crafted image designed to hide the very human flaws we all have.  Kyle tried to position himself as a larger than life hero, famously saying he wished he'd "killed more" because he believed he was saving lives with every shot.  He didn't need to.  He was already perfect example of what our military is made of, ordinary Americans who, when put in extraordinary circumstances, step up and do extraordinary things.  To me, Chris Kyle, the flawed person, will always be more impactful than Chris Kyle, the American Sniper.

Also, please consider helping veterans who are still with us by donating to these organizations:

Wounded Warrior Project

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

American Legion
http://www.legion.org/homelessveterans/outreach

Veterans of Foreign Wars
http://www.vfw.org/



Rest In Peace