Engaging Urban School Reform

There are many critics out there who misdirect the public's attention regarding the cause of school reform. These critics direct the public to think that a plethora of people and organizations are responsible for the state of America's educations system today. Politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list are not responsible for the events that lead to failing test scores, school closings, and the emerging trend of privatized education. That is not to say that they, too, are not apart of the problem. However, they are not the originating source. The  truth of the matter that is not being discussed with the public can be obtained with the yes or now answer to the following two questions:

1. Generally speaking, is education (the process of learning, retaining, and demonstrating knowledge) a priority in every home of students across the country?
2. Generally speaking, is every parent who is involved with their child, truly able to assist their child in pursuing and appreciating the education they receive?

The answer to these questions, unfortunately, are "no." Of course, there are individuals who are the exception: there are parents who do instill the notion that education is a priority in the home over other things, such as entertainment, materialism, etc. and these same parents explain the value of education their child. But this is not happening in every home; this is a truth that you should not deny.

The conversation about the advantages that some households have over others in reference to money and ethnicity can continue ad nauseam. Get off that narrative! Continuing to play the role of the victim is precisely what lead to school closings in the first place! This mindset allows for politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list to take advantage of you. Stop blaming others for your weakness and your unwillingness to admit your part in this debacle. It is only after you admit responsibility for your actions (or in this case, lack of action) that you can begin to truly address and resolve the mess that you created.

In case you have not realized it, there is a war going on...an education war! Those who do not prioritize education will be without it. Those who are not involved with assisting their child in pursuing and appreciating their education will be left to complain about what to do with their child when the doors of the neighborhood school are permanently closed.

Unfortunately...this is already happening.

However, things are not as bleak as they appear. War-like times call for war-like measures. Besides admitting guilt for taking the system for granting and expecting someone else to do what you should have done yourself, you need to completely and totally change your mindset. You must do whatever is necessary to ensure that your child's rights to receive a quality education is not infringed upon. That may mean that you have to make sacrifices; more than you are already making. This is the nature of parenthood, and therefore, must be done. Do not continue to listen to the critics out there who continue to tell you. They are not the ones who are directly effected--you are. Work on two things to achieve the results you are looking for:

1. Take the time to reflect on what you can do as an individual. Remember that your battle is an individual one. Join groups and organizations to help your cause, but do not solely rely on them to achieve the results you are looking for. That kind of thinking leads you right back to where you started. Come up with a series of plans that demand accountability on the part of all those involved. Just as you had to become accountable for your actions, so do they.

2. Stay informed and communicate with others. If the mayor, chancellor, or any other politician is making certain decisions that you don't agree with, make sure that your voice is heard. Also make sure that others know what is happening, too. If you think that it takes a village to raise a child, then the village needs to stay concerned about, and always be aware of the status of the war.

The fight for your child's education should not have started when the announcement came that school doors were permanently closing. But now, hopefully, you are ready to engage the problem known as school reform. There will be many battles to fight. Remember, anything worth having is worth fighting for, and trust me, the right to a robust and rewarding education is truly worth fighting for.

Weak Points and Strong Points

It's been a long time since I've put up a post. I apologize for that. Life is an art form, and with that said, I needn't go into detail about how life introduces you to things that either knock you off your course or aid you in fulfilling your goals. My life is a combination of both, as is most people. But enough talk about me and let's get on with discussing this art form we call life.

I only mentioned something about my personal life to elaborate further on the topic of this blog entry: one's weak points and strong points. It is irresponsible of anyone to deny the fact that they have areas of weakness, and it is just as irresponsible for anyone to exaggerate their strong points. Life is all about becoming aware of one's own weak and strong points and knowing how these either hinder or assist one's ability to think and act in the world. No one needs to be reminded of the fact that life is not perfect. Life often throws us curveballs and brings us moments of sadness, inadequacy, fear, and loneliness but, at the same time, it presents us with opportunities to learn, grow, mature, and rise to face the obstacles that may be on our path. I specifically want to address weak and strong points as it relates to one of my favorite films of 2012: Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained.

I am fully aware that this film came out over 4 months ago and that my contribution to the dialogue about this film is late--and possibly repetitive--but I will not let that stop me! I will make my comment brief and I hope that I give you a thought to think about. Just like Django, we are all slaves to something or someone in this world. This is not debatable--this is a true statement that you may not like to (or want to) admit, but it is nevertheless true. It is an unfortunate position to be in; we live in this world and because it is intricately designed, we are participants in religious and political movements, philosophies, and/or ideologies that are already functioning the minute we are born. Our parents, teachers, politicians, family members, and friends all try to sell us a bill of goods and it is up to us to either adopt or reject those goods. The invisible chains we wear everyday are just as iron-clad as the metal chains of slavery; they may not resemble metal in the slightest and you may not think that you are helping someone else profit off of actions, but you will have to think again. Every person is different and I cannot elaborate on every person's set of chains (or more than one). But they are there, they are real, and we are constantly trip over them.

The only difference between us and Django is that Django knows how to free himself from his chains. For us, it is a lot harder, for the world is a lot more complicated than the world of 1863. The first step, however, to freeing ourselves from our chains is to admit that they are there. This takes a lot of reflection--not just of yourself but also of the world around you. This awakening is definitely a test of your weak points and strong points. It will either help you understand that the world you think exists is actually a lie or it will only solidify your initial perspective about your position in the world, and cause you to reject anything that opposes your perspective. For those of you who begin to see that the bill of goods you have been sold is not immaculate, you are becoming stronger. You slowly become aware that the bill of goods you were sold helps make you weak and this is no longer acceptable. Now, you will begin to feel your chains loosen and become less restricting.

From here, you must embark on a long journey; not necessarily a physical journey, but a journey nevertheless. The  journey you begin will steer you in many directions, as it will test you to really think about all the things you think you know, believe, and have faith in. This journey is not for the faint at heart--again, it is only for those who want to free themselves from the chains that bind them. Everyone's journey varies but there is one common factor: there will be at least one person who will want to keep you in your chains. That is what the character of Stephen represents in Django Unchained. And the world is full of Stephens and they come is various shapes, sizes, and colors. You two may have to duke it out with each other a couple of times before one of you is victorious. The question, however, is simple: are you willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious and free yourself from chains that you know are holding you back and keeping you in a limited place (physically or psychologically)?

YOU are the only one who can answer that question. YOU can either control the situation or YOU can let the situation control YOU. I don't advocate for weakness. I advocate for transforming weakness into strength. This brings about true happiness and freedom. Don't continue to make the mistake and think that you are free. How do you expect to create a work of art out of your life if your chains continue to trip you up? Be better. Be wiser. Be stronger!

How to Prevent the Killing of Another Trayvon Martin

A day after the Trayvon Martin hoodie rally is over, a question that is on my mind is what will happen next? After so many hundreds of people band together to show solidarity in acknowledging that the death of Trayvon Martin is an atrocity, what will those people do next? What else will they do to help ensure that justice is reached?

Probably just talk.

A few of them may hold on to their anger about the situation a little bit longer. They may even sign the petition. But the majority are just going to post pictures of themselves wearing a hoodie on Facebook, take pictures with their friends of them all wearing hoodies, or contribute to the water cooler conversation about how they were in the march when they get back to work or school Monday.

This will, unfortunately, end up being another situation like that of Troy Davis. You remember, Troy Davis, the black man that was executed a few months back. Don't you remember hearing how outraged people were the week of his execution? Didn't you see people listen to the radio or watch the news when  the execution became official? And what happened after that?

Absolutely nothing-just more talk.

My point is this-where is action? Where are the families taking the law into their hands and making people accountable? I had not heard about the New Black Libertarian Militia suggested to make a citizens arrest of Trayvon Martin's killer but is that not a good idea? I can see how it may be considered "messy" by some, but could it still not be done? It is going to be messy, regardless of who takes the initiative to do it, but it still must be done! No one should complain that the killer is not behind bars when people who have the power to make that happen won't do anything. If the person who threw flour on Kim Kardashian can elicit a citizens arrest, why can no one arrest this killer?

Fear. The answer, unfortunately, is fear. I take that back-its fear and laziness. People are more concerned that they will suffer some kind of way and less concerned with doing the right thing. People are also invested in a system that has people take care of situations like this so that they will not have to be involved. This is what buying into the dream of the Civil Rights movement in the United States has brought black people-another dream. It's a dream that we have better jobs, better houses, and a better education. We sold ourselves short. In exchange for this dream, black people gave the system closer access to them. It is easier now to harass people-they want to be harassed in exchange for the job. They'll put up with it as long as they're getting paid. It is easier now to imprison black people-black people want the things they we tell them they can't have. We'll convince them they can work hard for it but at the same time, we'll make it hard for them to get and they will get frustrated and try to find an illegal way to get it (and we've created the law which makes it illegal, too). We'll take them out of the fields and put them into our offices where we can still make a profit off of them and take advantage of their labor but as long as they get some trinkets here and there (a paycheck every two weeks), they will be none the wiser.

What am I getting at? Stop aiding the system. It does not do anything except keep you on a short leash. Don't ask for accountability-make people accountable. Don't expect someone else to do something that you are more than able to do yourself. Maybe I am not going to buy a plane ticket to Florida and conduct a citizens arrest of Trayvon Martin's killer but maybe I am planting seeds of wisdom to make whomever reads this see the prison that they live in for what it is-a prison-and convince them to take some action to break out of it. Your action against the system may prevent the killing of another Trayvon Martin.

Where is the History in Black History Month?

Yesterday was a very strange day. I don't know about you but I felt the presence of a very strange energy in the atmosphere. I don't necessarily think that I can fully describe it but I do know that made me feel as if it was a sign of God's anger, God's sadness, and God wondering, "What the Hell is going on!"


I'm not just saying this because yesterday just so happened to be the day that Whitney Houston died. But her death is an example of the symbolism of the strange energy that seems to be in the air.

But what do I mean?

Whitney Houston was a troubled woman who some say died too young. I am extremely saddened by her death but it's not because of the fact that she died at the young age of 48. She was a troubled woman and, regardless of whether or not some people want to admit it, she was troubled long before her marriage to Bobby Brown. She was bred for disaster.

But what do I mean?

Whitney was groomed to experience failure due to the fact that she subscribed to the wrong kind of faith-the faith of others. She had faith in many things: Jesus, the church, her mother, her cousin Dionne, her voice, Clive Davis, her husband, her daughter, her entourage, her name, her drugs; anything and anyone but in herself. Whitney had what many people were jealous of and would have killed for: natural, God-given talent. Unfortunately, due to the desires of her family to "reach the top," which they instilled in her, Whitney began to walk down a dark and lonely path of selfishness and self-destruction. The walk was long and documented but even Stevie Wonder could see that it was only a matter of time before she reached the end of that road.

Not only am I saddened by Whitney Houston's death, but I am also disturbed. Whitney Houston was thought to have it all: good looks, great talent, money, fame and fortune. Clearly, even Ms. Houston herself couldn't and didn't even see all that she did have. From the outside looking in, at the beginning of her career, she was an idol-so much to the point that she helped to create a wave of female singers in the generation behind hers. But to be that idol and still feel the need to take drugs is a clear indication that something was not quite right. But in her mind and in her heart, she was not happy. There is no telling what she had to endure in order to reach "the top"-that story hasn't been told and maybe it never will. But what has been told: the years of drug abuse, the gradual loss of her magnificent voice-was a well documented spiral of grand proportions. I didn't know Whitney Houston and I could see that she was unhappy. I could see that she was in need of desperate help. I could see that she was living a lie and that she knew it too. The drugs were here release from the fantasy that is called life. She ran away from the chaos to find what she thought was peace. And now, whether accidentally or intentionally, she has reached the ultimate state of peace.

Whitney Houston's tragic story is not the first story ever known to tell the tale of a talented person in the music industry whose life is squandered. My disturbance comes in when I think about the fact that, in the month of Black History Month, Black History seems to be isolated to just the month of February. It is not something that most black people celebrate 365 days a year. It is not something that is truly studied, for both the good, the bad and the ugly. It is just the good news that someone wants to hear about someone doing something that's considered an accomplishment. But what about the history, or mistakes, that people in the past have made? Isn't it important to look at those facts in order to not repeat them? Billie Holiday is a perfect example. She died at the age of 44 in a hospital bed with almost no money to her name. Billie Holiday was a drug addict! She faced the ugly realities of racism and segregation in America and attempted to find an escape from the pain with the use of drugs. Billie Holiday didn't have any role models or mentors to help steer her from following this path. Her life should have set an example for generations to come about the dangers of drugs and the importance of having a strong sense of self. So what the hell happened to Whitney Houston?

No one seemed to teach her about the pitfalls of an industry that uses you and abuses you (especially if you are a woman), instead she was thrown into it for the "fame and fortune".  No one told her that she could still be famous and begin her own record label instead of have to meet the demands and follow the rules  of "the powers that be". No one seemed to instill in her the knowledge of how to love oneself, regardless of the pitfalls that life deals you.

There are definitely people to blame for Whitney Houston's "untimely" death. But if you take a real look to see who is really to blame, you might not like the answer. It's a hard pill to swallow. It might make you angry; you might even deny what you really do see. The History is there for you to see-all you have to do is not be fooled by the drugs that life provides and attempts to cover up what is really real. Let the history speak to you; don't cut it off after February 28 (or 29th this year). Don't limit the history that you experience-go as far back as you possibly can. History will always teach you something at the right time...make sure that you are ready for it! Don't let the death of Whitney Houston be whitewashed as just a sad, isolated event where you only want to focus on the positive things. Look at her whole life and if you look at it long enough, you'll begin to see that her death was a result of incorrect priorities, a wrong placement of values, and a lack of knowledge about avoiding the mistakes of the past in order to insure a sense of peace.

And I hope she now has a sense of peace. She went through a hell of a lot (unnecessarily) to get it.

Using Your Energy Wisely

Tomorrow will be January 1, 2012 and the countdown for the end of the world will begin. Some people will spend each day worrying as if it will be their last and try to use some of their time to perform acts of kindness. Others will be completely selfish and will engage in acts that will only satisfy their needs and forgo common sense or reason. In all seriousness, if 2012 ends up being your last year on earth, how should you act, behave and belief? Will thoughts of 'would of', 'could of' and 'should of' monopolize most of your thoughts and affect your "future"? Will your fear of the world coming to an end influence however many days you have left on this earth?

Maybe, just maybe, it would be a better idea to use your energy wisely. Living your days like they are going to be your last is not a bad idea. When you put your mind into that perspective, you might appreciate the people and the things in your life that should matter most. You might seek out experiences that give you a sense of peace and tranquility. You might work harder to accomplish all the goals you set for yourself. Or, you may find a sense of purpose in the world that you did not have in the past because you took life for granted or did not take life seriously.

You don't have to believe in a higher power or go to church every Sunday to adopt this new perspective on life. It's just an adjustment-not a simple one but it does take small steps. When you make this change, you must understand that you are beginning you use your energy wisely. You are thinking about your next move before you make it. You are being more thoughtful when it comes to how you act around other people and less concerned with the nonsense that surrounds you. Life becomes more precious. The world becomes more precious.

Illusion and Reality: What You Should Really Be Thankful For

Illusion: The Pilgrims and Indians were "friends".
Reality: The Pilgrims and their descendants took away the land, killed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of their "friends" in order to create the foundation of the American Dream.

Illusion: Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal".
Reality: Indians, Africans, and any other person of color was forced to become Anglicized, discriminated against in their homes, jobs and various other aspects of everyday living, humiliated and dehumanized for hundreds of years.

Illusion: Slavery ended with the victory of the Union over the Confederacy along with Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Reality: Slavery still exists in the United States. Slavery is a global epidemic. Slavery does not look like it use to-it has taken many forms so that it is unrecognizable for the willingly ignorant, sleeping majority. Slavery takes place in your home when you are being forced to pay outrages prices for your rent and mortgages. Slavery takes place when you are harassed on your job in addition to having to work outrages hours for a minimum pay that you have to turn around and pay your monthly expenses with. Slavery takes place when you are being bombarded left and right with advertisements to buy, buy, buy (mostly things that you don't need) which helps to make someone else's pockets richer. Slavery takes place when the 1% control the 99% and the 99% are the ones who allow for it to happen.

It's time to transform yourself from one of the willingly ignorant to willingly educated and proactive. It's time to shatter the illusions of yesterday and take a good look at the reality that's right in front of your eyes. Yes, the reality is harsh, more gritty, more...real. It's not as comforting as the illusion-and it's not suppose to be. The purpose of the illusion is to keep the 99% under control; to keep the 99% into feeding the illusion so that the 1% can remain in power. This needs to be flipped upside down and turned inside out!

It's time to realize that life is simple-it's the complexities that are created by man (the 1%) that make life more complicated and take away from the simple truths of life. There are certain truths that we should all be thankful for: the ability to breath, family, friends, purpose, help out our fellow man and protect our environment. These may sound so simple-cliché even, but it is these simple truths that some "civilized" civilizations are backing away from-even forgetting. This reality is becoming more and more an illusion when you think about it. When you read stories about how shoppers step over a dead body in order to continue their Black Friday shopping, you wonder. When you read stories about prominent, adult men sexually abusing little boys across the country for decades, you wonder. When you read stories about mothers or fathers kidnapping and killing their own children or other family members, you wonder. When you read stories about "reality" TV stars as if they are news and that their lives are more important than other, unheard stories of people who are starving, homeless, jobless, and abused, you wonder.

Or don't you?

I know I do.

Transferring Energy: the Problem with the 99%

Yes, I said it-there is a problem with the 99%. No, I take that back-the 99% are the problem. Yes, that's much better. That makes more sense. Everyone I hear and everything that I read discussing the financial problems of the 99% don't ever mention what the 99% were doing before their problems occurred. That's because they didn't have any. Yes, they may have had problems with getting a flat tire, missing the bus to get to school on time, or turing in a bill to their creditors late. But they were ok with these problems. They were ok with supporting the system that put them into debt. They were ok with contributing to a system that wanted to put them into debt. But now, the system has backfired on them. The system that they taught was so stable is collapsing on them.

Now they want to complain about it.

Now they want to march and protest.

Now they want to "occupy".

Where was all this enthusiasm before? Simple-it didn't exist. It didn't exist because they were ok with the status quo. But the status quo was flawed. It didn't just happen overnight. The status quo of overworking the lower class to support the bank account of the upper class. The status quo of abusing and ignoring the rights of the majority to support the whims of the minority. The status quo of marginalizing those who create the wealth to support those who will steal the income of the working class.

Well, when I put it that way, I hope you are asking the same questions that I have been asking myself: how can 1% lead 99%? How can the minority rule over the majority? How does that work?

The only answer I can come up with is that the 99% created the problem, not the 1%. The 1% can only take advantage of the 99% if they are allowed to. The 1% cannot be held responsible for the lack of action of the 99%. Who is really at fault here?

It's time to wake up to the truth of the matter: the 99% are responsible for the mess that the world exists in today. The 99% are the ones who don't take action until after they have been negatively affected. They are working hard while the 1% are working smarter. While the 99% are working, the 1% is plotting and scheming of ways to take advantage of the 99%. And the 99% are too busy caught up in things that really don't exist and as a result, they are not paying attention. The 1% do what they do because they are allowed to do it-they aren't stopped and they know this. They know that they will get away with their plotting and scheming because the average person, the 99%, is not going to stop them, and if they attempt to do so, it'll be too late.

It's time to to wake up and start a new routine. Now is the time to start transferring our energy and focus on what's real. Real things like positive relationships between men and women, parents and children, employee and employer. Real things like taking care of our health and our environment. Real things like nourishing our spirit and expanding our knowledge.

But maybe you'd rather continue to point fingers at what other people aren't doing. And maybe you're too afraid to look in the mirror to see what it is that you're not doing. Whatever the case may be,  don't forget that you weren't told that you are apart of the problem and that you need to do something to become apart of the solution. Transfer your energy and become apart of the growing 1% of the people who are genuinely out there to help people and set things right. Transfer your energy from complaining and blaming into growing a backbone and taking action.

Damn Columbus Day

"Columbus Day was not a day to ignore-because Columbus discovered America and he is responsible for the United States having Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day."

"Columbus didn't discover America and the Native Americans were living there first."

 "Native Americans were living there and lived off the land, however Columbus found America and made it so that people in Europe could go and settle the land and created America to be what is is today. And at Thanksgiving, the 2 cultures became friends!"


Now multiply this thought by millions of Americans who believe this myth; mix this myth up in a pot, add genocide, greed and massive exploitation and you will get is what is now known as Columbus Day.

Damn that!

I'd rather wake up to a world where I know truth versus fantasy than be caught up in a lie that has been perpetuated for hundreds of years. And the stories about Columbus are just bad-really bad-so bad a caveman could do better!

Forgive this person, Native American ancestors, who knows not what they are talking about. This person clearly does not know the fact that friends don't kill their other friends and exploit those who are left over in order to build up their empire and their reputation at the expense of others. This person clearly doesn't know the fact that the government of the United States has never kept a treaty between it and any Native American nation. This person clearly doesn't know that the facts...period. Forgive this person, Native American ancestors and all other people who believe the perpetuated myth. They are only concerned about their lives and not the lives that it cost for them to have what they now enjoy. While they spend their day off from their jobs supporting big corporations and being thankful for the blessings of their lives, they do not think about the diseases that were spread to you and killed you. They do not think about your family being devastated by famine and war when the Europeans forced you out of your  homes. They do not think about your nations being exiled into reservations to rot and disappear.

What do the Native Americans have to be thankful for? What did Columbus do for them? If you want to talk about Columbus Day, let's be honest and look at all the facts before we come out of our mouths with so idiotic lie that only should make sense to a 2 year old. Columbus (and all of those who supported and financed Columbus's expedition to the Caribbean, which is where he really landed!) made Europe rich and destroyed the Native American people. Columbus made Europe rich and created slavery with African people. Columbus made Europe rich and now Europe's financial system is falling apart at the seems.

Was it worth it, Christopher Columbus?
And is it worth it to still believe this lie?

Have a Backbone! (AKA: Tactical Disposition)

Many of you readers seem to understand the importance of being aware of your surroundings. And you have realized that there is more than one type of awareness. There's the kind that makes you see that the world is not the way that is should be; there's the kind that makes you see that the so-called staples or fixtures of our culture cannot sustain our current state of existence; there's a kind that makes you question why things are the way that they are; and there's a kind that make you question why it seems to be that there are only a few people who are actually awake and aware of the same things that you are. Can anyone tell me why this is? 

This is just my opinion but it seems to me that a lot of people are happy being asleep. It's easier and it's definitely a hell of a lot safer. It's more convenient to be concerned with me, my and mine. It's better to believe that the problems of the world that don't affect you individually will simply go away or be solved "one day". You have overcome; you can take care of your securing your luxuries and it's all good.

If you are the person that I just mentioned, then let me let you know right here and now that you are a selfish and sorry excuse for a human being. If you're offended-good (and you should be)! How can you not see that the world as we know it is crumbling apart at the seems and sit there and not do anything! Are you so tuned into reality TV that the real reality passes you by? Are you too concerned with the NFL and NBA lockout that you can't see that many of the established systems that are in place are crumbling right before your eyes? What the hell is the matter with you?

Life is the only game that you should truly be concerned about; not just your own life but the lives of others. You are apart of a community much bigger than your close circle of family members or the neighborhood that you live in. You are apart of a country that, regardless of race, gender or religion that is not for you and is and was designed with the idea of having you fail. I am not exaggerating! 

We are at war! If there are people out there who can get sentenced to death even when there is no proof of guilt, then the system is broken! If there are people out there who are entitled to certain rights are getting screwed over by major corporations, then the system is not in their (and your) favor! If there are people out there who are hardworking getting harassed on their jobs and then getting let go and refused their unemployment, then the system is corrupt! This list goes on and on. Can't you see this happening around you? Can't you? And if you can't, then why can't you? What are you doing?

Really, what are you doing? What is more important than making sure that you are living in a country where its citizen's rights are protected? What are you doing that's more important than assisting the people around you in making sure that their basic needs are met? Are you that selfish that you can't concern yourself with their troubles. Wouldn't you want someone to help you if you were in their position?

Remember when I asked you to think about how you could engage yourself in warfare? I asked you to think about the world around you to see if there was something that you could do to help fix it. By helping to be the solution to a problem, you are engaging in warfare. Whether it is volunteering at a soup kitchen on a regular basis, donating food to the homeless, mentoring a child that needs guidance and support, you are combating the war that's currently going on. These are just some ideas. You could take it a little bit further by not banking with banks who insist on charging a fee just to use their product. You could refuse to buy gas at a gas station that was responsible with contaminating the environment and spend millions of dollars trying to keep this fact out of the news. 

All you need to do is begin with one. Find one position that doesn't just affect you and take a stand. Get some fire in you and fight for truth and justice! Grow a backbone and don't waiver in your fight to accomplish something that benefits mankind on a grand scale. If you don't know where to start, all you have to do is take a look at the stories that the news stations aren't covering and start asking yourself some questions. 

This may sound cliche to you but you really can make a difference. If everyone thought that one person could make a difference, wouldn't we would be in a better position than we are right now? I won't lie and say it will be easy but the goal is to help make it easier for someone who is a prisoner of war. Remember, you don't have to be a soldier in an army to help save lives. Do what you can right in your own neighborhood, in your own state and in your own country. 

Do the right thing for mankind; this is the second step to engaging in war and helping to solve the problem or problems that lie before you. 

Attack by Stratagem: Troy Davis and What Black People Lack

*WARNING: The following content may be offensive to those who read it; if this is the case, please comment. I welcome it, I encourage it and I am eager to receive it.*

I have to change the course of my discourse for this posting. I didn't want to do it at first because it delays what I intended to write. This is inconvenient in a way, too, because I feel like I am about to "say" things that people already know. And unfortunately, I have to specifically address black people because I have a bone to pick with the collective. 

Just in case you've been out of the loop of what's currently important in black news, innocent inmate Troy Davis was executed yesterday evening at 11:08 pm. Yes, you read that right...innocent inmate. The witnesses of his trial recanted their testimony, no evidence links him to his "crime" and yet, the Supreme Court refused to stay Davis' execution. News and other media outlets are asking black people to react to this atrocious crime that has been committed by the United States government, such as: How can this be? How can an innocent man still suffer from the ultimate penalty of guilt in the United States? Black people are remarking that we live in the year 2011 We have a black president now. Everything is all good-we are not living in the days of segregation. We have better jobs and better opportunities than other blacks before us and will be able to leave more to our descendants. 

But here in lies the problem.

What are you leaving for our descendants, black people? My observations do not seem to equate to your perspective. I see that debt, malice and hatred, avarice and a deficiency in a collective pride are the only things that are being passed from one generation to the next. You can't really say that my observation is too far fetched, can you? You mean to tell me that you don't see that we are accumulating more and more debt because we are trying too hard to be like white people or because we are trying too hard to putting on airs? You can't see that we as a collective are quick to sell each other out or not even care about our fellow black man or woman because we are too concerned with our own individual well being? You can't see that we are more and more concerned with materialism and less and less with morality and truly taking care of our individual and collective emotional, physical and spiritual well being? Can't you see it?

This is not to say that these generalizations apply to everyone-that would be a truly ignorant thing to say. However, the majority do ruin it for the minority; its the majority that people use to stereotype, its the majority that are seen the most and its the majority that slow down the upward progression of the the entire collective.

How does this all connect to the Troy Davis execution? Don't worry, I haven't gone off on a tangent. I haven't forgotten his senseless death. I haven't forgotten that many, many people yesterday were concerned over whether or not people called and e-mailed radio stations and other social mediums to communicate their anger and frustration with this whole ordeal. I haven't forgotten how I've heard the name Troy Davis multiple times over the past 2 weeks or so when hearing about his case. But what about next week, next month or a year from today. I know I will remember-what about you?

Will you remember the anger you felt when you heard about Troy Davis? Will you even remember whether you talked about his case with your family members and friends? Will you remember what action you took when you found out about this horrible injustice......

Wait a minute, I think I skipped a beat. Did you do anything? Did you do anything to try to call attention to the horrible injustice of Troy Davis' execution? Did you even get angry when you heard the news?

Let's wake up here, black people! Let's examine the events leading up to the Troy Davis case. Troy Davis was in prison for 10+ years, right? YES. Did his story make national news once it was determined that his trial was irrelevant? NO. Did more and more black people start jumping on the bandwagon within the past 2 weeks to try and "save" Troy Davis? YES. Did black people call attention to the rules and regulations that made it possible for the state of Georgia to wrongful hold Troy Davis in prison prior to these past 2 weeks? NO. Is Troy Davis the only victim of this atrocious legal system? NO. Have there been any type of nationwide petition that attempts to eradicate those who are in position of power out of office? NO. Are organizations that "stand up" and represent the needs of the black community continuously working on alleviating the community of wrongful laws and penalties that are affecting them the most? NO. Is there anyone who you know that are asking these types of questions and calling it to the attention of others? Are there? I'm guessing, well...NO!

Let's wake up here, black people! We need to finally admit the fact that we have not overcome and we shall not overcome unless we start being honest with ourselves. We shall not overcome until we create our own destiny and stop letting others determine for us. We shall not overcome until we unite together and devise a strategy on how to be proactive, rather than reactive to the problems that affect our people (which will lead to many more). I know that I don't know all of the answers but I do have one that can help to avoid there being another Troy Davis. Black people are lacking strength: strength of unity, strength of thought and strength of heart. We cannot continue to use the same methods of petitioning, complaining (and honestly the lack of effective complaining) that we have in the past. Those methods aren't working. And why should they? We are asking the corrupt and arrogant to correct their mistakes and right their wrongs. What motivation do they have to do that? Because you're asking them (nicely)? Because after you've asked, you complain amongst your friends and end your pursuit of justice. And then the next person comes along and the process repeats all over again. And again. And again.

Let's wake up here, black people! When are we going to see what's right in front of us? When are we going to get the fire that we need to change our ways? When are we going to adjust our methods with the times? How long do you think it will take? How many more Troy Davises will have to die?

Waging War...It Hurts (Part 1)

You would think that this concept is simple, right? That it makes so much sense that everyone should understand, right?

Wrong!

War, and therefore warfare, takes much more than the ordinary person is willing to accept. There are, to put it simply, three aspects of war that must be understood in order to participate in it (and don't think for a second that you, reader, are immune to war-you're not, however, we'll get into that a little bit later). First comes the Spiritual level, next comes the Mental level, and last, but not least, comes the Physical level. This order is crucial-make no mistake! I'm willing to argue this point until I'm proven otherwise, but for now, just go along with me to understand my rationale.

But first, we must go make to the earlier statement that was mentioned because I think it needs to be repeated: YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO WAR. Just because you are not an enlisted solider doesn't mean that you are not at war. Just because you are a faithful practitioner of a religion doesn't mean that aren't engaged in warfare. You exist in this world. You are obligated to follow the laws of your city, state, and/or country because you are its citizen. You are undermined by a hierarchy are laws (from the mundane laws of your job to the monthly laws of your rent and car payment) that you are vaguely intimate with and are not able to fully articulate their rationale with great detail. You must, therefore, understand that in some way (voluntarily or not) you are in war and more often than not, you are unaware of its existence. 

So your homework tonight (if you choose to complete it) is to think about as many ways as you can of how you are engaged in warfare. Hopefully, you will begin to realize how much of a tangled web you are caught in. And if you think about it a little deeper, you will realize that you're not alone. And maybe, just maybe, you'll come up with some questions about why you (and we) exist in this condition (or state of being) and you'll have some possible solutions to ending the war. 

After all, war is meant to be fought, right?

Laying Plans: The Way

So I hear that Virginia, Maryland, DC, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and possibly a few other states felt the 5.9 earthquake that hit the East Coast yesterday. Mass posts were made on social networks to enlighten the world about the event of the day affected them personally or to inquire about their loved ones since not all cell phone lines were working. News reports made brief statements about how buildings were damaged and that schools in the affected areas would be closed due to the need of having to assess any damages as a safety precaution. People huddled outside of their homes and offices to share their experiences with one another and offer their opinions of whether the earthquake is a sign of the second coming or whether its a sign that they are in need of a drink, a day off or getting laid.

Personally, I didn't feel anything. And I feel I should have.

Events like this are rare on the East Coast; I've grown up in this area almost all of my life and I have yet to experience something so "earth shattering" (and yes, I know, the phrase is corny and to some, it may be in bad taste, but whatever-I like it, I am writing it, and it stays!). It is when people experience earth shattering events that they are forced to pause, take a look around them, examine their life and if there's any time to spare, the lives of the people around them. There are some people that are more conscious enough to assess this on a regular basis (which I highly recommend) but I can assure you that this group of people are small in numbers.

It's the majority of people that I'm concerned about; those who live their life without even considering the affects of their choices too deeply until an event, such as the one that occurred yesterday, literally shakes the ground beneath them. They start to panic, display the most amount of fear and look around to be comforted by something or someone they think is, well, stable.

So, in order to fulfill the promise of this blog (and if you don't remember what that was, read the first blog posting), I have a few basic suggestions on how to use this earthquake, or any other natural or unnatural disaster, to help you begin or redesign the plans that you have laid out for yourself:

1. Live a Life Filled with Principles that Can't Be Compromised
Your actions have to have meaning, not just be an end to justify a means. Whether you follow a Western religion or an Eastern religion, you must use what you have been taught to help motivate your actions. If you do not follow any religion, you do have your morals to utilize. Make sure that you choose which principles are the most valuable to you and let them help you navigate through life and the people you encounter. You may be challenged at times to let one or all of your principles go and this is a battle that you will need to engage in-once the first one has been fought and even if you don't win, it will make all the difference later on.

2. Take Care of the Path that You Walk and the People In It
The path that you walk is not in isolation to the rest of the world. Even for those who consider themselves to be free spirits or those who think that they march to the beat of a different drum, we all live on one earth and that earth must be taken care of. I'm not saying that you should drop everything that you are going and become an environmentalist. All I am saying is that there are things that are within the realm of your control that you can do something about and these are not all having to do with physically cleaning the earth (i.e. picking up trash that doesn't belong to you and put it in the trash can its sitting right next to because you're right next to it) or (i.e.  doing right by yourself so you can do right by others: like refusing to be called out of your name by anyone and refusing to act anything like the name that you know that you're not and getting rid of those who are in your life who are not uplifting in any capacity).  *I will talk about this heavy topic later in future posts, so be on the lookout!*


There is no one, right way to live life but there definitely is a wrong way, a way that infringes upon the lives and livelihood of others, abuses the universal rules of honor and respect and condones racist, sexist and philosophical acts of violence. These two suggestions help you to avoid walking down the wrong path and when any event such as an earthquake catches you by surprise or throws you off guard, you have solace in knowing that you really didn't need to feel the ground shake beneath you to put your life into perspective.

The Keys to Success

Have you ever been in this situation or experienced something similar to this before?

You're walking towards your front door. For some reason, you've put your house keys somewhere unknown between the time it took you to close your car door and the time you walk up the sidewalk to your house. But you're carrying so many grocery bags in your hand that have, for some reason, multiplied in numbers from what you originally thought you had. Your cell phone begins to ring and its a call you have been waiting for all day. To top it all off, you have to go use the restroom...and it's urgent. What should you do first? Why does it take you so long to process your thoughts when your objective should be so clear?

The answers may seem simple when you are on the outside looking in but this situation is just an small example of how life seems sometimes: disorganized, chaotic, confusing....the list goes on and on. One thing sometimes turn into another and then another. Time seems to either be on your side or is running away from you like it owes you money. You are either thinking really clearly or you are swimming in a pool that's six degrees away from you declaring yourself insane. You have become your worst enemy.

And that's where the Art of Life comes into play. Life has so many things to offer like adventure, love and excitement. Yet, at the same time, life too, offers so many disadvantages like poverty, corruption and death. This is its beauty and its curse. You are a disease and life is your cure.

This blog's goal is to help you open your eyes to see more than what's right in front of you, which may not be so obvious all the time. This blog's goal is to open your mind to understand that the world around you, which is not always what it seems to be. This blog's goal is to open your soul, which will enable you to love yourself just a little bit more than you already do. This blog's goal is to open your spirit and feed you with information on how you can help yourself, which in turn, will allow you to help someone else.

Don't be afraid to take part in the journey that is called life. Learn about the beauty that it possesses...you'll be glad that you did!