DUCK BITCH!!

Just when you thought his approval ratings couldn't get any lower. George Bush has once again defied convention. As a matter of fact, today as I type this, his approval ratings are so low, that they've fell to shoe level. He has taken Lame Duckness to an all time low.

I don't know if you guys have seen, read or even heard. But the other day in a surprise visit to Baghdad, an irate Iraqi reporter threw some size 10 Stacy Adams at our beloved commander in chief. I guess thats what you get for a surprise visit. Maybe next time he would call ahead.

But hey, when you've thrown an entire country into turmoil, through military destruction, and lost of lives, all on a LIE, I don't think you can announce your visit ahead of time. He better be lucky he got a shoe tossed at his ass instead of an IED strategically placed at the podium. That would have been ugly. As much as I dislike this man, I'm happy to see a shoe tossed instead of a bomb or something like that.

My only wish was that the shoe thrower to be more accurate. Yup, I wish he had hit him in the face, but instead he missed. Though he intended to hit him, he was off target. I guess that's what you get for not throwing something heavy like steel toe boots or maybe some army issued Timberlands.

The thing that struck me as I watched the clip of this episode over and over as I rolled with fits of laughter, is that there was no secret service. Remember when Reagan got shot? There were like 400 secret servicemen around him at the time. Hell, one of them even took a bullet for the man. But George Bush? Depending on how you're looking at it, no such luck.

To me, it would seem that there would have been at least one brave white secret service dude (I'm sorry, but the brothas aren't that loyal) who would have dove in front of the shoe. If not that, he would have at least scooped up the president and whisked him away to safety. But yet, none of that happened. Instead, our Idiot In Chief was allowed to continue speaking. He even took this embarrassment and turned it into a comedy routine. I really would have liked to see what he would have had to say if that pissed off Iraqi decided to bare his ass and "moon" him on national TV.

Memo to the secret service: Umm, failure to do your job under the presidency of Barack Obama the likes of this shoe incident could possibly lead to loss of employment.

Its been reported that the Iraqi shoe assassin, had been recently arrested and tortured. See how that torture shit can come back to haunt you Mr. Bush? I'm also pretty sure that he wasn't too happy that his relatives had been killed as a result of the occupation either. For that, I guess our president can say that the surge worked. If it didn't, lord knows it wouldn't have been a shoe thrown. It could have been worse.

It may have been a rock. Those Iraqi's are known to be the shit when it comes to throwing rocks at tanks. I'm pretty sure as experienced as they are with the ethnic infighting, they wouldn't have missed. However, I'm glad that it was a shoe, and that Bush is alive today so that I can laugh at his ass. Its better to laugh at him after all of this instead of the country being thrust into mourning. Having to hear people talk about how GREAT he was would make me puke.

I gotta give him credit though, he has some quick reflexes. Did you see how fast he ducked, and avoided being hit? I could be wrong, but I think he picked up that "Matrix" move and added it to his repertoire after Hurricane Katrina, just in case one of those angry Negroes got brave. I don't know, but I know somebody needs to nominate that Iraqi reporter as Time Magazine Man of The Year. Just like my fat ass, I can't help but to think that somewhere in hell, there's a guy with a thick mustache, dressed in military style gear who is laughing his ass off right now.

QUESTION: IS OBAMA BLACK LIKE YOU?

Umm, I need you to do me a favor. Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask you for money or anything like that. What I am asking is real simple. I'd like you to read the following post. Its a post from a person in my blogroll in the blogosphere outside of this social network. I'd like you to read it and leave me a comment telling me how you feel about what he said. This is a blog written by another Black man who in my opinion (inspite of what I think of this blog entry) is pretty sharp.

In the last 6mths, I've come to know some pretty intelligent bloggers with different views. Some of them I can identify with, and some of them miss the mark from time to time. Lets be honest, we'll never always agree, and we're not supposed to. In my book, if we all agreed as bloggers we'd never learn anything from each other. Its just sad that some bloggers are sensitive, and take offense to the posting of opposing opinions on what they write. But as you know, I love a good debate. So having said that, read this following blog post and tell me what you think. All sections that are bold were done by me, and not the author. These are the just some of the things I take issue with....

AIN'T BLACK LIKE ME!

By: FreeMan Press

I waited and I told you I would wait before I commented on Barack Obama. I knew if I came out right after the election you wouldn’t be so open minded you would probably think I was shitting on him. So since we are about a month into the president elects pre-presidency maybe just maybe you can look at things differently. I still know some of you are celebrating another BLACK FIRST and as you get ready to go to the Inauguration so you can cry with your folk and say I was there, let me pull your ear to this…….

Barack ain’t Black Like Me! Barack is the son of a African Father and White Mother. He doesn’t share slavery with me, he doesn’t share civil rights with me, he doesn’t share his family migrating from the south with me, he doesn’t share the family structure like me, he doesn’t share the history of anger and frustration with me, he doesn’t even have the same blood from my ancestors in his veins. Just because he happens to have my color I guess I’m supposed to jump in the air like the masses have finally accepted my race. I know I’m pissing some of you off but keep reading! How many Blacks do you know who grew up in Kansas? How many blacks do you know who have been raised only by whites?

I look at Obama from my own experiences of people who are mixed race and don’t know where they fit in. Like usual Black Folks accept our own without conditions and in this case I believe Barack noticed that and felt comfortable. If you see Barack during his younger days you notice he had a Afro, played Bball and from reading his book seemed to feel he was of two worlds. I’m confident until he met other Black people everyone wondered what the hell his name meant, but most Blacks we know someone with a Arabic name or a African name so we probably let it go. He has white parents so I’m sure he cannot go as far as most Blacks go with the white people issue and really nor should he that’s really not his fight.

Barack is the son of a immigrant African and a White Woman from Kansas. He is truly African-American and not to be confused with the way our people like to confuse themselves with these dumb ass titles. We have to understand that just because someone has the same color as us doesn’t mean he truly understands us. If you ever look at most Fiji, Panamanian, and even Ghanian people they are within our Black color hue range. Now our brain lets us know these people might not share in our history but when this fact is brought up about Barack it’s seen as not worth talking about.

The only redeeming value I see in Barack is that his color didn’t let him blend in. I think his wanting to belong led him to the Black Church with Jeremiah Wright. First I’m sure he felt accepted and second I’m sure through his interactions he got the history that was never told to him his whole life. Then since he married Michelle he had to truly take on and understand her families point of view on the world. Also, since he has kids and those kids are considered to be African American. Finally, I believe Barack Obama chose to be associated with Blacks as this is the area he chose to work and we are the race he chose to marry into. I know you have met other people who don’t see themselves as Black and have done a lot to keep themseleves separate.

Solution: I bring all this up to say we as Blacks shouldn’t expect Barack to see the world the way we see, experience and live. Most of your life is shaped between the ages of 5-18 and if you look at Barack it has no similarity to mine or most African Americans who were brought here by slavery. He is pretty much adopted African-American and the most I believe we can hope for is that he has been on the bad side of racism but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t really get it because he doesn’t share our history. So on January 20th when all of you start crying and boo hooing and making a holiday out of the swearing in of someone who happens to look like me remember he ain’t Black Like Me!

Now before you guys start making a issue out of him being bi-racial that’s not what I am saying here at all. Most if not all Blacks from Slavery are mixed race too as it is in my family. So please don’t tell me Tiger Woods is the same because he is not his father was a Black Vietnam War Vet and you can tell Tiger has a true understanding from first hand knowledge. Also, just because you are raised by white parents doesn’t make you lesser of a Black person as I know people first hand whose white parents really tried to make sure their black kid knew they were black. This is really about someone who doesn’t even share not one blood of our history being idolized as if he is one of us.

===================================================================

Now, I think those of you who know me, can pretty much run it back to me what I think of this post. Am I right? Yup, you guys know that I do not agree with what this guy had to say on this. And you people probably already know that I have, and plan to continue holding Obama accountable as a politician. Because him and I share the same skin color, I do not plan on giving him a pass. I'm sure that if you've been reading my blogs you know that by now.

I'm also sure that you're aware of my passion for racial issues, topics or discussions. Having said that: am I wrong to challenge this man's opinion? Am I wrong (based on what he presented) to say that this guy is full of shit? If you click the link provided or embeded in the title of his blog, you can see my response. Matter of fact, you can see the intellectual asswhoopin I put on his ass. Damn I love me. But seriously, I wanted to post this to see what you guys think.

Personally, I'm not into the defending of Barack Obama business, but somehow I can't help but to check people on the ignorant shit they say about him, or the stuff they say on the discussion of race, and race relations. And just because you're Black doesn't make you an authority on the reality of race, racism, or race relations. Trust me, I've read some of the most ignorant stuff about race from Blacks as I have Whites. And me being me, I spare no moment or opportunity to attempt to set shit straight.

The author of this blog and myself have been going back and forth on this for a few days now. The funny thing about our exchange, is that he responded to me thinking I was a White man! He felt that by him being Black and me being White, that I was wrong or was unable to understand racism or the Black experience. I thought that was interesting. Maybe I'm wrong, but unlike him, and many other Blacks I've encountered, I do believe Whites understand racism. They may not experience it as a minority would, but they damn sure understand it or else they wouldn't dish it out. Am I wrong? For my own sanity, I'd like to know what you think. Matter of fact, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you click the provided link and leave a comment or share your thoughts over there as you would here. Is Barack Obama a different type of Black person? How does an African American not share the same bloodline of anyone directly from the African continent?

link: AIN'T BLACK LIKE ME!

DAMN DUDE, DO YOU LOVE WHITE PEOPLE THAT MUCH?

With the year drawing to a close, and as we tend to reflect and look back on the year. I think in doing so, its only right for me to present the "House Negro Of The Year" award. Considering that there are a few days left to the year, its only appropriate that I announce this years recipient right now. I seriously doubt that any Black person can out do this guy even with a few weeks to go in 2008.

Now, in light of the decision last week for Clarence Thomas to call for a meeting to discuss Obama's citizenship, and subsequent eligibility for the highest office in the land. I'm sure some of you may see him fit for this years award. Oh yeah, in case you didn't know or forgot, Clarence Thomas is Black; don't let his Uncle Tom-ish ways fool you into thinking differently. However, Clarence Thomas is currently the holder of the Lifetime Achievement Award in my book. And thus, makes him ineligible for any future awards. Lets be honest, he's in the "House Negro Hall Of Fame".

This years recipient is none other than Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson. If you don't know him, he can be found on pretty much any Fox News program playing the part of the "Slave Catcher". From the first time I heard him speak over a year ago, this guy amazed me. Oh yeah, he's pretty damn good. He said that White people posses a false sense of White guilt. He even went as far as to say that the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were/are racist. And that White people are falsely accused of being racist. As a matter of fact, he was so good at playing his position I gave him the award last year for saying that Blacks were more racist than whites, and we Black people should stop it. Huh? Yeah, just on that, he got the award. But this year, he outdid himself.

Check it out...

Seriously, you have to watch this...

Now, this year was kind of a tough to call. There have been many instances of Negroes showing out which would make them worthy of this much prestigious award. That dude James T. Harris comes to mind. You guys remember him? Yeah, the guy who begged John McCain to take to Obama in his debate? Yeah, I wrote about him a few months ago, and yes he made me ashamed to be a Black man. But thanking White people for slavery, and saying that it was God's way of helping Black people...

and you're a preacher...??

You are definitely "House Negro Of The Year" material.

Matter of fact, this man has raised the bar. I seriously doubt there is anything anyone Black can say to top that as obvious self hate. Soulja Boy the rapper said something similar, but hey, he's a young man, and a pretty dumb one at that. Thats the shit I would expect from him. After all, he had idiots singing along to his garbage and Super Soaking Hoes nationwide. So yeah, thankfully to our slave masters, we are able to have Bling and Spinners on our cars. Hell, I'd take a beating or having my foot cut off like Kunta Kinte just to have that Bling son!

I promise you, sometimes, I wish we could have a race trade kinda like they do in professional sports. If I had it my way, I'd trade Jesse Lee Peterson just so we could get O.J. Simpson back. Sure O.J. probably killed a White woman and got away with it, but at least he wasn't running around saying stupid shit like this guy. I mean all he did after he got off the first time was screw White women and play golf. Nothing wrong with that. Most successful Black men do that shit everyday; we're used to that by now.

Hell, I'd even take Michael Richards for Jesse Lee Peterson. Never mind his now infamous racist meltdown on stage, at least we know where he stands, and we can claim him as just another ignorant White dude, or somebody for us to beatup and punch in the face once a week. At least he's a comedian, but umm, having Jesse Lee Peterson as a part of my race just isn't cool anymore. Just when we're proud to have a Black President for the first time in American History, we have clowns like him to be accomplices to the system of White Supremacy.

I love White people...

God know I do...

But not as much as this Negro....

QUESTION: If we could have a race trade, who would you offer up for whom, and why? Sorry White people, but Black athletes are not up for grabs. You guys already own them.

KEEP YA HEAD UP SON

The other day I was talking to my dude up in Indiana. I found out that a good friend of mine is doing a bid (that means prison time for you ebonically challenged folks) for trafficking. Yeah that means drugs dumbass. Without putting all his business out there, he basically was driving his vehicle inappropriately, out of state and was pulled over.

In the car with him was a whole lot of "shit" he was transporting back to Indiana. Sad thing is dude had just graduated from college finally after years of sacrifice. Tragic? Yes. But if *prison is a place to reflect on your mistakes, not plot how to make new ones...maybe there's a good ending in store for him. I’ve never been to prison but if it’s anything like the week I was in jail back in 2001 for driving on a suspended license, then I’m sure he’s uncomfortable.

Yeah, going to jail on Christmas night that year was definitely not in my plans. Surprisingly, the cell I was in had two people and a box filled with Christmas care packages. I thought it was cool that some organization looked out for the people on lock down around Christmas time. I was especially happy that the three of us in that cell/pod was able to eat up all the goodies before the cell was filled to capacity the next morning. I guess the police was busy that night as they are each holiday season.

Much like the hospital, jail is a lonely place where those on the outside forget about you. It’s got to be nice to get a card or something thoughtful from someone on the outside, to help keep your spirits up. The problem is that I’ve walked through Hallmark a few times and there’s no…
”I Heard you got locked up card.”

I thought about sending him some money. But Its not like there are any weekend bus trips to the local mall. I can’t send him CD’s of some of the hottest shit on the streets because prisoners can break the CD’s and use the sharp edges as knives. My dude suggested that I put the CD’s on cassette. I’m guessing I’ll have to do that but I’m pretty sure you can mold plastic into a weapon too. He's big into music so that's a thought.

Oh well, he’s in prison for a while so I guess I have some time to think about it. Hopefully by the time he gets out I'll be rich and I can give him a job. He damn sure won’t be my limo driver. Maybe I should send him some Rough Rider condoms...

*There are an estimated 905,600 African-American inmates in prisons and state and local jails. In several states, incarceration rates for blacks were more than 10 times the rate of whites.

DECK THE HALLS AND BREAK MY BALLS

Sometimes I wish I could be like a bear or a squirrel and just sleep the entire winter so that I can miss the holidays and the hypocrisy of it. Its been estimated that "Black Friday" this year saw an increase in holiday shopping spending. On that day alone its estimated that $10.3 million dollars was spent, and that's not counting the weekend sales, or even "Cyber Monday". So much for it being a bad economy with, increased foreclosures, high unemployment and skimpy dime bags of weed.

I mean, people lose their freakin minds at this time of year! Forget WWE wrestling, if you wanna see some bloodshed, wake up about 3am and find a line of idiots waiting to make purchases the day after Thanksgiving. Its even better if its real cold...the colder it is, the more aggressive the consumers are. Yeah, just don't try cutting the line in front of anybody or else you'll be the recipient of a serious beatdown. People take this Christmas shopping thing seriously.

I've always had a sincere problem with people who equate price tags to happiness. Or, "If you don't get me something nice then it must mean you don't like me". The biggest mistake people make during the holiday's is assuming that everyone around them has the same level of "Give-a-Fuck" that they have. I like the holidays but I get sick of running around the mall for 5 days straight trying to find the "perfect" gift for someone.

This is why God invented Gift Cards. I don't have to stand in a store wondering if this shirt will fit you. Or keeping up with the receipt so you can take back something I know you're not going to like. I love gift cards. They're all I'll ever ask for. I don't even care what store. Hell if you know a stripper that offers gift cards please grab me one.

Asking for a gift card only frustrates the die-hard Christmas shoppers that much more. These people are DETERMINED to force-feed the true "spirit" of Christmas down your throat by DEMANDING that you specify a gift and not a gift card. Newsflash you Shop-A-Holic Chowder Head, the true spirit of Christmas has nothing to do with $380 shoes or a wish-list. It has something to do with this dude named Jesus (ever heard of him?). Swing by church next Dec. 24th and you might learn a thing or two. He's the one who "allegedly"started this Christmas stuff so give me my damn Gift Card and shut up! Hell, Jesus was born in a barn and had to smell goat shit and sleep on hay, but all you people are concerned with is an Xbox game system.

Personally, I think all Christians should get like a refund check from the church as a gift for Christmas. Instead of presents you'll look forward to that check like a tax refund. I mean after all, your money went towards the work of God in the form of tithes and offerings, and your preacher drives a new Cadillac. And God DID so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son? Since he was so generous, how about a check?!! Besides, no man over 21 years old should have a "Santa Wish-List" anyway. If so, he should be beat unconscious and then revived...and then beat unconscious again. But like everything, you take the good with the bad.

As an independent thinker I see the Pro's & Con's of the Christmas holiday season:

Pros...

1) You get present.

2) You put up color lights on your house so your electric company can benefit.

3) Some people don't act like dicks in the weeks leading up to and after the holiday .

4) It's the best window of probability for someone you don't like to kill themselves .

5) Drunk drivers who get away with it all year get caught.

Cons...

1) Pedophiles dressed as Santa get to feel children up unimpeded at the mall.

2) Gas prices usually peak around Christmas filling the coffers of those Saudi bastard.

3) More people kill themselves on Christmas than any other day in the year.

4) Christmas music on the radio 24-7 is a vicious assault.

5) Being asked what you got for Christmas – That's as intrusive as asking your mom if she ever gave your dad head. Mind your own fuckin business!

Lastly, a message of Christmas is to be good to each other because "it's that time of year" is fucking bullshit. You should be good to others and treat people well throughout the ENTIRE YEAR. If you're only nice to people during the holidays because of Hallmark, then you should have been aborted.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

So our microwave broke the other day. I guess it just got tired of gettin all hot an bothered and everything being over in a matter of seconds like some women. Oh well, I guess we'll have to get a new one. Maybe a new one for Christmas. I know its Jesus' birthday and all, but I think he'd hate to have us go back to the days of having burnt offerings. Or maybe even not be able to eat popcorn.

Speaking of which, my wife made some the other day on the stove. It brought back memories of my childhood. Its amazing the stuff we used to do before technology came around. I mean, now we have computers to access our porn needs. Back in the day, all I had was my mom and dad's porn stash. Sometimes I wish it could be all so simple again. Bump the microwave. Maybe I'll just buy the family a set of Uno cards for Christmas. I bet the teenager in my house would love that. Now all I gotta do is find that remote for my TV and everything would be just fine around here.

O.J. SIMPSON: "I WAS BORN WITH BIG GUMS SUH!"

A friend is one who'll bail you out of jail, but a real friend is a person who'll be sitting next to you in a jail cell laughing with you about how dumb you both were to get there. There are many definitions as to the meaning of true friendship. But this one sticks out in my mind for right now. I have many associates or people that I know, but I have very few friends. I don't know if you've ever sat and tried to re-evaluate your friendships, but I have.

I've categorized the people that are in my world on and offline. Right now I can say that I have one "true friend". His name is Greg, and he's a buddy of mine from college in Indiana. I swear to this day, him and I are like "Bubba" and "Forrest Gump"; there's nothing I would not do for this guy as a friend. I don't know about going to jail together over some dumb shit, but I know we'd talk each other out of even risking it. To this day I consider him my closest friend. Other than my wife, I can tell this dude anything in confidence. And when I tell you that I don't trust too many people, I'm not lying. But this isn't about the people that you distrust its about the ones that you do. Are the people you trust as your friends true friends? Can they be trusted? Before you answer that question, go back to the first sentence of this blog. Now if the people you're evaluating as "friends" would fit the description, then boom...there you have it. See its only when you're in trouble that you find out who your real friends are.

You know kinda like this guy...

Everybody by now thinks that Michael Vick is an idiot. You know why they do? Because he was rich. It's not because of his involvement in dog fighting. Again, it's because he was rich. I mean why would a rich guy like him get involved in dog fighting?

The answer is in one word...

FRIENDS!!

I seriously doubt whether he woke up one day and just decided to get involved in dog fighting. I think only after years of involvement with an individual or individuals (i.e. friends) he decided to get involved. I don't know, but I think his boys pitched him off and on for a while, before he got in the game. I'm pretty sure that he thought about it for a long time but eventually he gave in because after all, those were his friends. But were they really?

In my opinion, they were not. Wanna know why I say that? Its simple...when the shit hit the fan, they were the first to flip on him. Yeah that's right! They fuckin snitched! See that's the thing that was lost in that whole fiasco. People were so focused on the crime, race and the wealth of Michael Vick that they've overlooked his friends. Its just like the Duke LaCrosse case. Everybody was focused on the rape victim and more so the white dudes who "allegedly" raped her because she was black. Everybody forgot that we were talking about a stripper, and not once anybody focused on her pimp. Nobody was worried or said shit about him. I'm pretty sure as a result of that "scandal" her pimp lost money with all the heat surrounding her. But like I said, nobody cared about him.

But back to Vick, yeah he went down because of his friends. Could he have chosen better friends? I don't know or do I really care at this point. Hell I don't know where the fuck he came from or his background. So for me to be judgmental like some folks when you don't know the dude is pretty damn dumb! But I sure can talk about it.

There's an old saying...

"There's no loyalty amongst thieves"

I used to be a believer of this in theory but now I have to question it. I mean personally, in the past I chose to do my dirt by my damn self and never got friends involved. If you were involved you were a business associate and not a friend. Maybe I'm wrong, but friends don't make money together. You can watch any mob flick and figure that shit out real quick. And to me, that's where O.J. Simpson went wrong in putting his "posse" together to run up in that hotel room. His silly arrogant ass thought those guys were his friends. Lets be real, its not like he woke up that morning and decided to call his "buddies" and ask them to back him up in bumrushing the hotel room. Nope, they called his dumbass, and he went along with them instead of calling the cops. The bottom line here is the fact that friends and business don't mix.

Well that's unless you're this guy....

Yeah Vick and O.J. Simpson should've had friends like this guy. I mean think about it, Bin Laden has been public enemy number one for years. Uh huh, and where is he? The fuck if I know. But I know that he's not in jail or giving press conferences saying that he found Jesus like Vick did. Nor has he ever stood before a United States judge and sounded the part of a recently caught runaway slave just like O.J. did at his sentencing. I swear I thought that Negro was gonna break into an old Negro spiritual afterwards. Seriously, O.J. surprised me sounding almost like "John Coffee" the magical Negro in the movie "The Green Mile". Shit, I didn't know O.J. still had that much Black in him. But instead Osama is free and doesn't give a fuck. And he can only be that way because of his friends.

Its obvious, his friends are pretty fuckin loyal. If I had friends like Osama has I'd be at the strip club every damn weekend. They'd pay for me to get in and also give me money to tip the girls. Most importantly, my wife would never findout. I mean c'mon people, there aren't that many caves in Afghanistan. I'd say that he has some pretty good friends, and those are the type of friends we all should have. With friends like that, bill collectors, the repo man, and the child support people would never be able to find you. And Michael Vick would be playing football, still fighting dogs, and not finding Jesus. And O.J. Simpson would still be free to be the most hated Black man in America.

RELIGION, RACE & REALITY

Me being of direct Caribbean decent, I've been exposed to African cultural practices not seen by too many African Americans.

Oh yeah, I was born in ....

Trinidad & Tobago....

One of the things I saw as a child living there, was the religious practices of black people, and just how much it had nothing to do with the European concept of religion. I don't know, but this was back in the 70's, and even though there was a strong European influence or existence as far as religion is concerned (Catholicism was and is still big), there was still a very large African influence. This still permeates throughout the Caribbean to this day, unlike the way things are here in America. I wonder why is that? Why is it that as far as African religion, there has been a lasting effect in the Caribbean (and other places outside of America), than it has been here in this country?

If you ask anybody if they believed in voodoo, I think most of them would answer with a resounding no. Most of them have been taught that voodoo is just some bullshit mumbo jumbo. But most of the people who choose to believe voodoo, accepts it as something evil. Well voodoo, or Obeah, as its known in most of the Caribbean (or commonly in Trinidad & Tobago), is deep rooted in Africa, and NO, it is not an evil concept as its been perceived by many. Its a religion like any other religion, but the difference is that it has its roots in Africa. Have you ever wondered why, or how, its considered to be evil as opposed to Christianity? Why is it, that the African influenced religion is considered evil, but Christianity is considered good? Can any of you give me an answer on this?

Check this out....

And here is how it is in most of the caribbean....

And here is how it is in South America....

You might look at all of this as bullshit, or in a negative light. But have you ever given thought to why you look at it that way? You see, that's the thing about religion, everything that's practiced outside of the dominant culture is considered evil. And its no mistake who posses the dominant culture, right? Why is it that way? Why is it that the cultural religious practices of the indigenous people are always replaced, or at best infused with the religious practices and beliefs of the dominant culture? Why do some of you refuse to believe in the power of voodoo, ghosts and bullshit like that, but yet accept the bible, Christianity, and God as he's "marketed" thru Jesus as the way? If man can trace his origin to the continent of Africa, why are the religious practices of African people considered to be evil, and almost taboo? Why are the indigenous people of the world's cultural practices always replaced? Why are these people considered lost or "uncivilized" until Christianity comes ashore?

Answers...?

Anyone..........?

WOULD BARACK LOSE HIS "STREET CRED" WITH YOU?

Ok, so by now you know Barack Obama has to put up or shut up. Yeah, by now you guys are aware that there a few people who are questioning his citizenship, and hence questioning his ability to be sworn in as president of the United States.

Yes, and by now you know that Black America's favorite uncle...Clarence Thomas, is responsible for the review of the case by the Supreme Court in the case of Donofrio vs. Wells. It would appear that for some reason, and no I won't dare say racism, there are people who have a problem with Barack becoming president even in the wake of the fact that his election was mandated obviously by the polls casted on November 4th.

Chances are, none of this will stop him from being sworn in. However, what if it did? What if somehow the Supreme Court, or the Electoral College came up with the idea, or exposed the fact that Obama is not a natural born citizen. How would you respond to that? Would you think its just another form of racism? I really would like you to think about that before you answer. I say that because I know it would be easy to pull the race card and call foul. And yes, I think the whole notion of him having to prove himself to be racist.

But aside from that or the motivation. What if it were true that he wasn't a natural born citizen? Would he lose some credibility with you? Could you honestly say that he was irresponsible in his efforts to become president by hiding that fact, and took your(s) and the public trust for granted? Or would you just chalk it up to the same old racism as usual, and in doing so, give him a pass?

What if...

ARE YOU MY DADDY?

I found this pic over at Brown Man Thinking Hard and I found it, and his blog to be heart warming. When I look at the pic, I can't help but to get a sense of security. Sure I've never hugged Barack Obama, but if I did, I can't help but to think that I'd probably feel just like that little kid in the picture. But then again, me hugging another grown ass man and having warm fuzzy feelings might not be cool with Mrs. RiPPa.

Not just her, but society who is always lurking in the recesses of our minds says its not masculine for a man to hug another man in public, but it is to carry an unregistered gun into a nightclub. I don't know, but maybe its cool, to hug another man behind closed doors just as long as your pastor doesn't see it, but in public, its a no no. I can't help but to think that this stems from a lack of affectionate interaction some boys have with their fathers.

Somehow, I think we're conditioned to think that such displays of affection between two men isn't masculine because of it. Come to think of it, its probably why the whole "gimme five" thing was invented. Yup, and ironically the giving of "dap" is a Black thing, or invented by a Black man. Damn! No wonder. Black men have a way of being absent in the lives of their kids. Now I have to wonder who that man was, and wonder if he had a daddy.

Not only that, but I also have to wonder if this is the reason many of our women run around looking for men to hug them. I dunno, I'm just thinking out loud as usual. The last few days I've been shuffling the 14yr old to the library after school to do some school projects. I have to wonder if I wasn't around or she didn't have a man in her life to represent a father figure...would she grow up feeling the need to hug random dudes in succession all in an attempt to find love?

What do you think?