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  1. 4 points
    People are still scratching their heads over the Jussie Smollett farce after the Chicago Police Department, on the recommendation of a grand jury, leveled 16 charges against Jussie for his alleged crime of falsely claiming to be a victim of a hate crime at the hands of 2 masked Trump supporters, shouting "this is "MAGA country"! So, what had happened was that in its zeal to sanitize its bungling, racist, reputation, Chi-Town's police force conducted a very thorough investigation of the case in an effort to track down Jussie's attackers, only to reach the conclusion backed up by security surveillance cameras and other incriminating evidence, that Jussie had perpetrated a hoax on the city, lying about this incident in an effort draw sympathy to himself and thereby secure a higher salary for his gig on the TV show EMPIRE. Once no credible evidence was found to support jussie's inconsistent and contradictory claims and with the testimony of 2 Nigerian brothers, who reluctantly confessed to aiding and abetting Jussie in staging this hoax, the duped and enraged CPD, led by its black Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, and hot-headed lame duck Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, decided to throw the book at Jussie and bring him to trial in order to erase this blemish on the beleaguered city of Chicago. Elsewhere, the Cook County States Attorney's office, headed by Kim Foxx, a black woman who had earlier recused herself from this case because she was approached by a mutual friend who was a former aide of Michelle Obama's, and who was also acquainted with Jussie's family, and who had asked if Kim could intervene on behalf of Jussie, and get the FBI involved in the proceedings because his family feared Jussie was being framed. Then - out of the blue - without consulting any local law enforcement officials, the States Attorney's office dropped a bomb shell, declaring all charges would be dropped against Jussie and his record expunged with the agreement that he would perform 60 hours of community service, and forfeit the 10% of $100,000 bond he had posted. When all hell broke loose, the States Attorney office explained that their action was an option in "Class 6" felonies, a category that is just one step above a misdemeanor, and something a defendant who has not committed a violent crime and had no previous criminal history is eligible for. They further admitted that their action did not exonerate Jussie of the charges and that he was, indeed, believed to be guilty as charged but that he had been the party in a routine plea bargain negotiated by his attorneys. Subsequently, Jussie, in a brief statement to the press, poured salt on the wounds of the CPD by continuing to insist he was innocent - a performance drawing mixed reviews from the entire country. As the case now stands, with the city in an uproar as everyone takes sides, Chicagoland blacks are mumbling about this being payback for the short 4-year sentence given Jason VanDyke, the white cop who pumped 16 bullets into the back of LaQuan McDonald, an unarmed black teenager walking away from him. The police union is frothing at the mouth, claiming this is an affront to their hardworking boys in blue, and are calling for the head of Kim Foxx, who is now on the hot seat, being criticized from all quarters by those who think that behind the scene, she was instrumental in showing favoritism toward a celebrity. Those in the hood are also angry about all of the money spent on investigating this bogus case, believing it could've been better spent on the unsolved killings of hundreds of black murder victims. Mayor Emanuel agreed and has sent Jussie Smolette a $130,000 bill for services rendered, after telling Trump to "butt out" when 45 publicly referred to this Chicago fiasco as an embarrassment to America that needed to be looked into by the FBI and DOJ. Meanwhile, Jussie has reportedly arrived in Los Angeles, presumably to attend the NAACP Image Award TV show Saturday, where he is a nominee for "best supporting actor in a drama"... You can't make this stuff up, Folks.
  2. 4 points
    @Pioneer1 History, Huh? Lol! My history is filled with black men. My father was black. My first born daughter’s father is black. I know black men well enough to write a book and I’ve written two! BUT critiiquing black men is not my job. Ali played himself in that video clip. He was a straight embarrassment. Now let me help you out here with MY history. I’ve only had 1 marriage. I married 1 blond hair blue-eyed french /german white man who to this day still loves this dark-skinned kinky-hair black woman and the ground she walks on. And he ain’t soft like you like to think about white men. You can’t roll with me and be soft. He would kick anyone’s ass who would dare to step to me , his black stepdaughter (yes he stepped up and raised her like his own) and African/european descent daughters... no matter what they or I wear. And trust, no one dictates what we wear or what we do ... and he’d still defend and protect us for exercising our rights. But then again he’s white in America so maybe that’s privilege lol. Even though we’re no longer married I considered myself lucky for choosing this strong white man as partner. He is the kindest man I know. Ironically, he never tried to control me or the girls...but I guess there was no need. So no, I didn’t choose white supremacy; I chose freedom -and what resulted is a white man who worships us black women...daughters of Africa, with all the respect due us.
  3. 4 points
    i don't know what Mel's response to Pioneer will be when it comes to her ex-husband, but she sure got it right in her assessment of that loud mouth hypocrite Ali, whose choices of women were always examples of those consistent with western standards, - always bragging about them having long pretty hair which was anything but kinky. He also regularly referred to joe Fraizer as a monkey. In his heyday he was typical of misogynisitic chauvinistic men of islam, expecting their women to be totally subservient and obedient to their dumb asses, but in his final years, Ali was a helpless cripple at the mercy of his controlling manipulative 4th wife. Poetic justice. Always the defender of Islam and its shady leaders, one can't help but wonder why Pioneer never became a Black Muslim. They exemplify everything he believes in.
  4. 4 points
    O black woman, do you know who you are? It is you for whom the birds sing when the dawn opens itself for inspection. It is the glow in your eyes that the stars imitate when they sparkle. It is the color of your flava that makes the rainbow dull in comparison, and it is via your beauty that we can physically witness God’s artistry.-Gibran-• O black woman, do you know who you are? You are the secret that only reveals itself when a man is truly ready to experience the joy of having his dream transformed into reality. You are God’s private blessing to men who know what to do within the point between birth and death. To dwell within the kingdom of YOU is where heaven begins. -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who you are? You are both the starting point and the finish line for everything I could ever aspire to be. You are a force of nature that has broken my shackles so that I can walk freely. You have erased my doubts so that I can think clearly. You have repaired my broken wings so that I can soar beside you. -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who you are? You are the magic that awes the universe, the splendor that amazes the earth, and the glory that makes men heart beat with pride when they attempt to possess u. -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who you are? You are the beautiful gift that God left on the doorstep of my heart. You are that special moment in time when nothing else matters but most importantly, you are YOU! Unmistakably YOU! -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who you are? You are the sunshine that lights my life from within. You are the fire that warms every fiber of my being and that illuminates my path so that I am never afraid of the darkness. -Gibran- • O black woman, did u know that when I stare in the skies the stars spell your name? I feel your touch in the wind and I see your face in the clouds. And when I stand under the shadow of your smile, I find shelter from the storm. -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who you are? You are that warm safe place where all roads lead at the end of a day when I have slayed all my dragons and find that all of my strength comes from you. You melt on my life and I become complete. -Gibran- • O black woman, do you know who u are? You are chocolate, dipped in mystery, a specially-designed flava whose smile is brighter than the rainbow. -Gibran-
  5. 4 points
    @NubianFellowOK, we cool. 😗 @DelI was a wife, but i aint never worn one. 🤤
  6. 4 points
    @Mel HopkinsThe phrase "commune with the universe" was one commonly heard back in the hey day of the new age movement back in the 1960s, and it's one i've always used because, as you have illustrated, it so accurately describes what i frequently do. My experience with the latest lunar eclipse was rather weird and i've hesitated to reveal it because it's so surreal. But - I was checking the skies through my window all evening during the night of the impending eclipse. Because it was so bitterly cold, and because there was sporadic cloud cover, i didn't go outside, planning to do so when the eclipse began. While biding my time, i apparently dozed off in the chair i was curled up in. At some point later i found myself in a state of drowsy awareness, thinking how glad i was that i'd gotten to see the progress of the eclipse. Then i sat up fully awake but confused, realizing that i had never gone out side...or had I??? Later when pictures of the eclipse were shown on TV weather reports, what i saw, was what i had seen - in my mind's eye... 🌕🌘🌗🌒🌚 There will be another lunar eclipse of a blood moon in 2021. I hope i see it; one way or another.
  7. 4 points
    INSPIRATION . . . Inspiration to Better Health My Inspiration: Allyson Felix It amazes me when I watch her run and sometimes I think back to the time when Flo Jo was the champion and this young lady was only about three (3) years old at the time! And, she wasn’t even born when, in 1985 the East German relay team set a record that she and her teammates broke in 2012. In fact, Allyson was born about a month later. IMO, she doesn’t even look like she would be a sprinter! And then when I was reading her biography, I saw this statement, LOL: I don't have a sprinter's body. Allyson Felix Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/allyson_felix There is something about Allyson Felix that really inspires me to want to do better for myself. Running has never been my sport, but it still ranks pretty high in my quest to physical fitness. However, due to my past job injury, I may have to seek other ways to be physically fit such as swimming. Nevertheless, track events give me the motivation. In fact, I have many other favorites in this sport such as Carmelita Jeter and Pocket Rocket (ie. Shelley Ann Frazier-Pryce) from Jamaica and more. IMO, this is the true Beauty Pageant. And for today, Ms. Felix is ‘Doves’ Beauty of the Day’! There are many videos of her go into a full sprint, but a 2007 video would be one of my favorites. WOW—Powerful! What Spirit! Mind Blowing! She is so fast that the slow-motion playback really captures her power. So, at the 6:14 minute mark in this video, would be at the point to watch Felix go full throttle. ___________________________________________________ Try to think of working out and healthy eating as a lifestyle. Rather than go on a diet or try a crazy exercise routine, try making them something ou do every day. Allyson Felix Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/allyson_felix 6:14 minute point-- SLOW MOTION https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1AKeinJ4qU
  8. 4 points
    TROY, DISCUSSION & RESPECT I have an inquiry about this community, but firstly, I want to say this: I want to just say, thank you Troy for having and maintaining this site, a site that I have been able to come to and learn and also share. I have a lot of respect for you for what you are doing. I love to engage in a scholarly debate on topics that I think revolve around the African American Community and topics that affect me, but I do not want to be insulting or disrespectful to anyone whether African American or not. I hope to obtain confirmations on certain topics of my interest and also learn new things. I could not even imagine what it takes to manage such a community, but I thank you for allowing me to be here in the little time that I have been so far. But now, I have an inquiry based on the tone that I am sensing due to some of the recent postings and debating that has been going on in some of the threads. I think that European Americans come from a background where they have conflicted violently amongst each other and the World Wars may be a marker for this, but what I wonder though, is that are people of African descent pre-conditioned or inherently different from other cultures in our well-known type of Black-vs-Black hatred meted out towards each other. Does the idea of ‘respect’ become impossible to do when we attempt to communicate and discuss issues that we feel may be important? Are we conditioned to feel that we must dominate and control each other’s thoughts and beliefs? What if another Black person disagrees with another stance, does this kind of disagreement warrant a slight or personal insult aimed to strike down, demean, bully and control? When a person has been dealt a personal attack on their character then, how should they respond in a community designed for discussion and debate? As for me, I come to this community to share and to gain other perspectives, but should I disagree, I am making a statement now, that I am going to ‘check myself’. There are some topics that are controversial but that should not mean that there is intent to harm. If I have offended someone wrongfully and it is brought to my attention, then I will try to make amends because I believe that this Discussion Community should not be used for the purpose of insulting another person. Some topics start out ‘intense’ but then humor is added in such a way that the interchange becomes a sharing experience. My coming here is not to attempt to control anyone or demean anyone who does not agree with me by dealing out personal insults or striking down someone’s humanity, freedom of speech or religious beliefs or whatever. If I write, for example, that I like psychedelic leaders, and then another poster states in response ‘that psychedelic leaders are freaks and practice beastiality’, well then, I might initially believe this is a personal attack, even after seeing valid references. Nevertheless, I am still going to try to receive it as criticism, but if there is truly no personal attack intended, then would it be so impossible to at least offer a respectful statement as an act of peaceful interchange? I want to share my beliefs and my research in hopes that I can gain or win someone over to what I have concluded but I have no intentions of hating or disrespecting anyone because of not agreeing with me. I hope that, at least, my input will be read and considered. But Troy, if I sense the urging to back off and leave this community that you have set up, then I will. I have much respect for the brilliance that so many Black African Americans and other people can bring to the table. But Hey!--If I am considered to stupid and ignorant to be respected too or to be given at least, the benefit of the doubt, and have my input weighed in on topics, I will refrain. Again, thank you Troy, for your genius.
  9. 4 points
    I do my best to focus on the idea- if I’ve veered from this aspect in debate charge it to my head - not my heart.
  10. 4 points
    Thank you for posting. I believe tat it's fine to attack and idea but not the person. I have been guilty of that more than once. I publicly apologised and felt quite contrite. It's great to be passionate however when it becomes aggressive, that's problematic. I don't think unity is possible amongst Black people. And I have used the dynamics that play out here as an example. I have been angered and saddened by the vindictiveness of of statements made to make a point. The Dove is an appropriate moniker. I have said you are so nice that I can't argue with you. I have also tried to change my debating style. Some perceptions of me are so ridiculous that I don't respond. And recently there seems to be an agitation or irritation that members display. Usually it towards one person. I want to do less of that venomous personal attack. It creates a negative vibe. At times I have found it so frustrating that I have gone on hiatus, or have not responded to statements.
  11. 4 points
    Well, certain of you conveniently ignore what i said about the book written about King by his closest confidante, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, in which many of the rumors were confirmed. i, myself, saw a play about 10 years ago based on King's affair with a young women, which if it hadn't been accurate could've been the subject of a suit by his heirs. And it never was. I don't profess to know about any homosexual activity. When you seek the truth, it is not always what we want to hear, especially if it is about our heroes. Pioneer also seems to completely disregard how JFK's involvement with Marilyn Monroe was sensationalized, to the extent of even advancing the idea that that he was involved in her death, which his accusers say was murder, not suicide. As for King, as far as i am concerned, his greatest asset was that he was not self-aggrandizing. it was never about him when it came to the movement, it was about his urging black folks to keep their eyes on the prize. Or did he originally seek leadership. He was chosen for it because of the obvious qualifications he displayed as a relatively unknown preacher. What he did in private was not something i was ever eager to cast stones about. Since his wife seemed OK with it, and he was doing a good job of advancing the black cause, i gave him a pass. His legacy speaks for itself because it involves his being instrumental in the passage of civil rights legislation. Some historians say that had he not been assassinated, his star would've faded as the days of civil disobedience fell from favor. As it was, his death made him a martyr. The same with Malcom X. So be it. About the term, "illegitimate", it had to originate somewhere, and it makes sense that that place was in courts of law where it is routinely used.
  12. 4 points
    The last i head, this is supposed to be a free country. And black people above all, are constantly striving to exercise their freedom. Because blacks are not all of one mind, some blacks have a problem when it comes to freedom of appearance. They are luke warm about diversity and want to dictate, judge, and criticize the choices of certain other blacks who resist the herd mentality of black brain washing that can be as restraining as white control. These Afro-centric vigilants, awash in their patented rhetoric, have taken on the role of deciding how black women, in particular, are obligated to look, and they are perfectly comfortable with imposing their standards, totally resistant to change because they are mired in the swamp of the past. They drone on and on about how deceived those are who don't accept their standards, mistaking the indifference of those they wish to reform, attributing it to ignorance, thinking they have to educate them about the hazards of European standards. It never occurs to them that what they are preaching is a stagnant gospel, and the are obviously unable to appreciate the idea that individuals are free to exercise a choice when it comes to how they want to present themselves to the wide world of reality. The same crowd frets about colorism which is, indeed, an unforgiving fact of life and, as such, subjects some people to unfair and insensitive rejection. This being the case, it is then nobody's damn business if some choose to get their color out of a jar, an innocuous procedure that is in a category with plastic surgery, liposuction, contact lenses, wigs, teeth braces, eyebrow-arching, acryllic nails, and gym work-outs. Ahh but the au naturelle nazis remain a constant voice of condemnation and when not disapproving of independent black women, they devote their time to harboring suspicions about ongoing secret conspiracies existing to do - what? Keep blacks down? Whoooo what a great revelation! Enough to make blacks sacrifice what little enjoyment they derive from life in order to concentrate on worrying about something they are not supposed to be aware of. Them. Discrimination is also a fact of life. Obese people, for instance, are discriminated against, so losing weight is a choice some make. Racial discrimination is something that is a constant challenge, one that involves ingenuity to circumvent. This cruel world does not adjust to the individual. The individual is charged with the task of adjusting to it, of carving his own path and going which ever way she wants. For black people this can call for tuning out the "Greek chorus" chanting the same ol message of revering Africa, the great land mass which doesn't give a damn about its American diaspora, and can hardly sustain it own people, prompting many to immigrate to this country and enjoy the fruits of the civil rights struggle they played no part in. Of course these are controversial concepts that will go in one ear and out the other of those who don't think outside the box. Those who'd much rather stay in a comfort zone free of critical thinking and just go along with the same ol litany of cliches that black have been mouthing for years in an effort to bolster their morale, huddled in the night of yesterday, reluctant to wake up to a new dawn where a person weighs his options and thinks for herself. This mind-set is not really revolutionary. Great numbers of blacks have already made the decision to do their own thing not even aware of how they have liberated themselves from the dictates of others, all the while supporting the common cause of racial injustice. And so it goes.
  13. 4 points
  14. 4 points
    @Troy, I didn't agree with everything you wrote in the full comment where I pulled this quote from but I put a "like" on it because it was thoughtful. As for the quote, I hear a lot of people say and write this sentiment. I wonder, however, why some believe that it's up to someone outside of us to provide for OUR emotional and physical needs. Biologically, I understand the need to procreate with more than one person - women have been doing it since females began mating with males... but sex for pleasure has nothing to do with variety... (and no, I'm not speaking from ignorance - I've had my fair share of sex partners and lovers). And variety definitely has nothing to do with satisfying an individual's emotional needs. When I hear this, I know that the person has not matured to the level necessary to engage in a fulfilling relationship with another person. Our parents choose to provide for our physical and emotional needs and if they do their job right - we learn how to engage in loving relationships with others. We can have successful relationships without expecting others to do the job of our parents. Maybe that's why polyandry, polygamy, and polyamory appeal to so many "first world" citizens. We've been raised to believe others are supposed to do our heavy lifting whether it be physical, emotional, financial or spiritual. I can testify while we may thrive in a nurturing community - the aforementioned is an inside job.
  15. 4 points
    K2 I've deleted a portion of your comment for the reason previously discussed. Again the rule applies only to this to this conversation. Cynique makes a good point if the barbs witty and clever AND written in jest it is all good -- indeed desirable. And the fact she stopped reading the posts was what I was afraid of happening. If she is not reading them why would someone, who is new, read them? @Chevdove, waded through the morass and made some excellent contributions only to inquire why did the conversation go south? Her question was part of the motivation for this discussion Mel, K2 as far as a vote down button. I'm sure that would not have any effect. Indeed Pioneer does not even use the like feature. Generally, if I disagree with something I express that disagreement with words. But I'll check to see if the software has a dislike or down vote options. You can currently block a posters comments, allowing you to completely ignore another poster. That approach is pretty heavy handed, but it has been used by some. Well, I look forward to more comments.
  16. 4 points
    Lexus' Genius Product Placement in Marvel's Black Panther Movie Highlights Growing Influence of African Americans' Buying Power ROCKVILLE, Md., March 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- African Americans continue to have a supersized influence on the U.S. economy. By 2020 African Americans are projected to have a buying power of $1.5 trillion with a cumulative growth of 16% and a compound annual growth rate of 3% from 2015-2020, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the report African-Americans: Demographic and Consumer Spending Trends, 10th Edition. Skeptics about the cohort's financial clout have to look no further than the recent success of the 2018 blockbuster Marvel superhero movie Black Panther, which has enjoyed record shattering returns and which to date has grossed more than $900 million globally. The film was a surefire success almost from its creative inception and official announcement four years ago as the news sent a simmering excitement through a black community starved for more minority representation in comic book movies. While Disney's Marvel Studios cheered the film's success, so too did car maker Lexus. Movie goers got a look at Lexus' new luxury LC coupe which is featured prominently in a major chase scene through the streets of South Korea. The scene marked two years of collaboration between Lexus and Marvel Studios. Packaged Facts' research revealed that product placement in movies and television shows resonates with African-American consumers. For example, black consumers are more likely to remember the brand name product characters use in a movie and try products they have never tried before that they have seen in a movie. Seeing a product used in a movie is also more likely to reassure black consumers that the product is a good one. Furthermore, when African-American consumers are online or in a store and see a brand name product they recognize from a movie, they are more likely to buy it than its competitor. Car manufacturers featuring their vehicles in comic book movies isn't anything new. However, as AutoNews.com states in an article, Lexus' multicultural marketing agency, Walton Isaacson, openly admits that the idea to for collaboration and product placement in Black Panther represented an opportunity to link the car maker with a cultural event. In addition to the product placement in film, Lexus leading up to the Black Panther release commissioned an original graphic novel, Black Panther: Soul of a Machine, featuring the LC 500 and a Lexus takumimaster craftsman as heroes. And don't forget the Black Panther-themed Super Bowl ad for Lexus. In the end it proved to be a shrewd strategy for Lexus. AutoNews.com reveals that there was "an explosion" of ad impressions across TV, social media, and in theater due to the film and the product tie-in. Further, in the week following Black Panther's domestic premiere on February 16, online searches for Lexus at shopping site Autotrader were up 15% from the previous week. Likewise, Autotrader revealed that online traffic for the LC 500 specifically was up 10%. It's impossible to say how many of these searches were performed by African Americans, However, based on Packaged Facts' previously referenced research on the impact of product placement on African Americans combined with the fact that Lexus is already popular with minority consumers, it's fair to deduce at least a portion of the searches were by black shoppers. Packaged Facts' data also revealed that African Americans are among the biggest car buyers in America. Between 2012 and 2015 spending by African-American consumers on new cars and trucks increased from $13 billion to $20 billion. Further, the 51% increase in spending by black households on new automotive vehicles significantly outpaced the 27% increase registered by other households. But it's not just new cars that get lots of love. Spending by African-Americans on used cars and trucks grew more than twice as fast as comparable expenditures by other consumers. About the Report African-Americans: Demographic and Consumer Spending Trends, 10th Edition analyzes recent consumer spending and demographic trends for the African-American population in the United States. View additional information about the report, including purchase options, the abstract, table of contents, and related reports at Packaged Facts' website: https://www.packagedfacts.com/African-Americans-Demographic-10293172/. About Packaged Facts Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, consumer packaged goods, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. For more essential insights from Packaged Facts be sure to follow us on Twitter and Google+. For infographics, tables, charts and other visuals, follow Packaged Facts on Pinterest. Please link any media references to our reports or data to https://www.packagedfacts.com/. Press Contact: Daniel Granderson 240.747.3000 dgranderson@marketresearch.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lexus-genius-product-placement-in-marvels-black-panther-movie-highlights-growing-influence-of-african-americans-buying-power-300611592.html SOURCE Packaged Facts
  17. 4 points
    Supporting this movie is first and foremost putting money in the hands of the white film industry. None of the prosperity spawned by a fantasy movie based on comic book characters is going to trickle down to blacks. Since the country where it takes place is Africa, not America and since the people in it, with the superficial exception of having similar skin tones, do not come across as black Americans, then what redeeming value does it really have? This movie should be labeled for what it is. A money-making escapist film which, while entertaining, has no relevance when it comes to reality.
  18. 4 points
    I think the link is unconscious. It doesn't reside in space and is also outside of time. Like the creator/creators. So underneath I believe we are linked with everything in this universe. The sum of which is the ultimate. Since this link is not physical yes we are dreaming. It could be that Numbers are considered a universal in a way language is not. Although I don't think this has to be true. It could just be another symbolic subset of our type of thinking. The mind doesn't reside in space and is also outside of time. Like the creator/creators. So underneath I believe we are linked with everything in this universe. The sum of which is the ultimate. Since this link is not physical, our existence is akin to dreaming. Numbers are considered a universal in a way language is not. Although I don't think this has to be true. It could just be another symbolic subset of our type of thinking.
  19. 4 points
    My apologies @Mel HopkinsBeing insulting or condescending is no way to have a discussion or even an argument. Mea Culpa
  20. 4 points
    The character KIllmonger was written with some depth. While this is good, it is not at all unusual. A good villiams is always developed in such a way as to help the reader, or the theater goers ,understand the characters motivation. I liked Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, he was a complete monster but we go to know him -- that and the character was brilliantly portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. I also like the character Khan in Star Trek and many others. But there are great Black character, villains or anti-heros that were just as compelling -- pretty much all of the gangster from The Wire would qualify. One thing that puzzles me about the love affair with The Black Panther film is how crazy we we are over this flick. Wakanda is something some white boys at Marvel made up. Now Black people are talking about this movie uplifting the Black race and it "telling our story." This reactions just tells me how collectively desperate we are for positive images of ourselves... it really is rather pathetic when you think about it...
  21. 4 points
    You all bring so much passion and fire to your posts! I appreciate ALL of your words and look forward to seeing many more thought provoking posts such as the ones I've read. I really do mean it when I say I appreciate ALL thoughts, not just some. Watching the opposition between ideas sharpens me and makes me even more desirous to fall back and detach from views that could be debated all day long. Bottom line, 99% of what we know we get from methods we cannot personally confirm. It's a sad truth. But it is what it is. I lay wait like a lion in the bushes for new information to guide us to truths. Stay lively and keep bringing the fire! Thanks for having me here!
  22. 4 points
    I'm gonna go, grab a glass of wine, plop myself in front of a big screen and watch this video Good night y'all
  23. 4 points
    @Mel Hopkins Yes!!! I have had far too many "coincidences" for it to be only a coincidence when I tap into folks. I dreamed a rather frightening dream 12 years ago. I have found that I tap into numerous aspects of my abilities, in dreams, clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, etc. In the dream, I was losing my teeth. I learned from my grandmother about what this dream means, but never took much stock in it. I figured it was foolishness, old wives' tales, whatever. So I went about my life not thinking about such nonsense. Typically in the dream, one tooth falls out. In my dream, all my teeth were coming out. This was strange to me given that at 50 years old, I've never had a cavity. Ever. I was terrified and woke in a frenzy. Given that I've had other strange occurrences, some dream related some not, which i always shared after an incident happened, I decided this time I would tell someone about it in advance. I called up a friend and told him about the dream. I then sent myself an email, typing out the entire dream. Although I wasn't fully on board, it was unnerving this time around because it was the third time I dreamed of teeth coming out and someone died shortly after. So by this third dream, I was virtually converted. The first two dreams, only a single tooth came out. This was on a Sunday. My father called me on Wednesday to tell me that my 16 year old sister, with no illness, no previous medical conditions, collapsed during outdoor gym and died on the spot. Throughout my life, I've had numerous things like that happen. I would say something to someone and they would tell me they were just thinking that. Knowing who was calling when my phone rang...before caller ID. Now, with caller ID, sometimes knowing who I will soon get a call from. Thinking about someone heavily for a day or two, someone whom I hadn't spoken to in over a year, then they call me. My lover saying something that I was thinking, but we'd never discussed. So many stories. Too many. I agree on how THE ONE MIND expands and how we seek peace. THAT is the crux of how I see it, at the end of it all. When we return to one mind, seeing each other's thoughts, we return to peace. Nothing in me panics when I imagine sharing one thought with numerous people, or not so much a single thought, but a connection to all thoughts. In Deep Space Nine, there is a being called a Changeling. This Changeling comes from what could be called a sea, or ocean. The ocean is all the Changelings together in their original form, knowing every thought and experience of every Changeling that has gone into the world to form as a "solid" to experience what it is like to be a bird, or human, or object. That is how I view The ONE. The Changelings individuate to learn, then come together to share and be at peace.
  24. 4 points
    Looks like twins, Mel and Del, will have to broadened the kinship between them that I recognized earlier. I am now about to induct zaji into your family and declare the 3 of you to be triplets. Your souls are not strangers. And, to my eyes, all of your words resonate with a familiarity of unknown origin. And check out Troy! Expounding with the expertise honed by his technological background, grooving on the same new age wave length with us, sharing some deep thoughts!
  25. 4 points
    I love Octavia Butler's Mind of My Mind because her characters use telepathy in an interesting way. I have believed for some time that it was possible we once only used telepathy, and verbal language has been a degeneration away from our purer state of communicating. Basically, something ruined us. Maybe processed food, bad air, bad water, or a disaster on Earth, dunno. Just some thoughts/ideas I play with. @Cynique I learned not too long ago that effect is the proper word when writing effect change. I went through several grammar websites. Effect change means to "bring about" change. Specifically, bring about a different state of affairs. So yes, it was deliberate. I want to bring about change....change the state of affairs in this world. @Delano I'm glad it's not odd to you! I have had a couple writer friends tell me it is strange since I love to write! LOL. But that is the nature of communication. There are some things one cannot get folks to understand. No amount of words anyone told me over the course of my life could get me to TRULY understand the pain that is child birth. I was told it is horrible, it hurts like hell, it's the worst pain ever. But hearing all of that STILL didn't instill in me an understanding. It would have required telepathy for me to understand them prior to having my own child. When I had my own children, THEN I understood. LOL. So it is with many things I want to get folks to understand. I am fully aware that they won't, because they do not understand the way I think. I believe I think in 7 dimensions. LOL. How do I explain some of the off the beaten path ideas I have to people who have the ability to think in 7 dimensions, but have been trained by this world (all of us were) to think in only 2 or 3 dimensions. I believe we ALL have the ability, but so many are stuck on following the status quo and repeating what talking heads say, and the news says, that they can never escape the trap of their dimension. This is why i tossed my television in the trash over 10 years ago. I saw what it was doing to me...keeping me stuck in a single dimension. When I got rid of it, my learning increased 1,000 fold. I began to see things differently, I dreamed differently, colors looked different. Everything changed for me by the single act of not letting something else think for me, speak for me and provide me with images of the world. Images that always remain the same across all news sources. New questions were never asked. I began to know more about the world than those who watched television. LOL. I also began to realize what I needed to know, what was important, rather than what the television told me was important, and I needed to know about the world by its reports. Anyhoo, I ramble again. But yeah, again, glad you don't think it's odd.
  26. 4 points
    Everyone is right based on the question. Agreement or disagreement is irrelevant. Everyone can see different problems and not see others because of perspectives and experience. I prefer to be Johnny Ideaseed. Talking about whether race is a relevant topic isnt all that important to me. "Indians are red Niggers" - Ghost Dog. Does your concept of race matter to your oppression , your oppressor or even fellow poster more than their own? Is there a solution to the problem. Yes but because of heterogeneity the solution is probably more individualistic than socialistic. It is interesting that Zaji agreeing with Pioneer has a different reaction than when I did the same. Fascinating. Also you (plural) can say and believe whatever you want. It is eaier to side with Cynique Mel Pioneer or Troy in the main since there's a ideological basis that is consistent. Zaji is writer and the group is interesting material. Juat some observations or are some of them conclusions. I am not certain. Sincerely, Doubtful Delano aka not having very strong convictions or pronouncements. And like i have done earlier I will watch from the sidelines.
  27. 4 points
    Hi Everyone -- thanks for engaging in this conversation. And thanks, Troy, for kicking it off. I'm the publisher for The Mantle. I came up with the headline and the mailing that Troy distributed. For me, the use of "shithole" (or a censored version, like "sh*thole") was a way of co-opting the unfortunate (SAD!) phrase uttered by the president. It was an attempt to take control of the conversation by using the president's own words against him. One of the replies Troy received to the mailing said as much: Just this morning I received an email from a friend who lives in Haiti, who referred to the island as "my shithole country" with a mix of irony and pride. The journalist and iconoclast Chris Hedges used the phrase repeatedly in his piece, "No Telescope Needed to Find a 'Shithole Country,'" to recount the many misguided American policies toward Latin American in the past 50 years, and to declare that the U.S. is the real shithole in this dialogue. Weeks later the phrase continues to be used on Twitter to describe all kinds of political arguments and claptraps. Elsewhere, the women's movement has made a similar play in turning Trump's words against him by proudly proclaiming "pussy grabs back," in protest to his sexual abuse. Anyone who opened the email and read the content beyond the subject line would see the anger I felt in having to even write such a message: All of that said, this was a piece of marketing. The headline was deliberately provocative. I'm a book publisher, not a charity. I need to sell books so my writers can earn money to keep doing what they love, and so I can continue to bring emerging and under-heard voices to the American public. And if it takes a shitty headline to get your attention, I'll use it as thoughtfully as I can. Peace.
  28. 4 points
    The following quote was from the article, “How Google may be jeopardizing African-American literature websites”; which was published yesterday on the The Outline website: Ouch! The author of the article, wrote what I thought was an important article on a subject that has gotten virtually no coverage outside of what I have written, so despite the scathing critique, that I've shared above, I'm glad the article was written. However, the paragraph, quoted above, was over the top. The site does not look like it was developed in the late 1990's indeed none of the technologies the site deployed were available in the 1990. Now I'd accept the site looks like something from late 2000's which is why I'm engaged in a website upgrade. The site is sprawing and has well over 15,000 pages, but that is stated as if it is a disadvantage and opposed to being an good thing. With the exception of the sites homepages (homepage, and other main section pages), the typical page on the site is not busy-- certainly not as busy as many other content websites. I plan to residesign all of the main pages because they are busy, but the vast majority of pages on the site are fine, in my opinion, and I will not me change their design as part of this upgrade. I actually pride myself on the internal linking of web pages. I think it is a benefit of the site, and how the web is designed to work. I will not cut out internal linking of pages--that is a strange comment to make especially when using the word "zillions." It is just hyperbolic. I agree the menu is has more links that it should and I already know how I'm going to address that issue and it will also simplify how the site is organized to visitors. I do sell books directly (drop shipped by Ingram) and also though Amazon, B&N, and other affiliate programs — AALBC.com is not just an Amazon affiliate site. I also send readers to the author’s website or to the publishes website. All of the buy links for Black Classic Press and Just Us Book send readers to the publishers websites. How I sell books depends upon the book. I’m actually growing the direct to author/publisher websites to combat Amazon’s dominance. Finally, the majority of book descriptions are the same ones most booksellers use; they are provided by the publisher. If the writer looked or was familiar with how book sites typically work she'd know this. B&N, Amazon, Google, and I often use the same book descriptions. If any keyword stuffing is done, it is done by the publisher, in the copy they provide to booksellers. But keyword stuffing on the publisher’s part seems unlikely. I have never engaged in in keyword stuffing (the practice of using specific word in copy, more than you would normally to rank better in search). I did ask to author to provide me with an example of this to better understand how she came with this idea. Other than book descriptions, Kam's articles are the only "syndicated" content that AALBC has ever used, and I actually had to stop using Kam's articles because of Google penalties (I know one publisher of Kam's content who deleted almost 2,000 of Kam's articles. i refused to remove content that I have paid for and that was published legitimately -- I don't care what Google says). ALL the rest of AALBC.com content, articles, lists, reviews, etc is unique. So while I do not say that Kam's film reviews are syndicated, they are such a small portion of AALBC.com, to use this as a critique for the site overall is extreme. At the end of the day, Google is indeed using it's dominance in search to redirect traffic from book websites to their own book store and content they have copied from Wikipedia, Goodreads and other websites. This has prevented many website from succeeding, hobbled the efforts of the sites that remain (including AALBC.com), and have essentially prevented any new one from launching -- which is the point of the article. The issue is much larger than AALBC.com or any individual site, so despite the factually inaccurate smackdown of AALBC.com the fundamental issues raised in the article needs to be addressed and are worthy of broader attention, something I think the article will help accomplish. I thanked the author of the article, Adrianne Jeffries, for bringing additional attention to this issue. Of course I pointed out the issues I had with her critique of the site .
  29. 4 points
    I don't understand heterosexual males or females who are so upset about males or females who are gay. What difference does it make to you who someone loves? Also, how does a black person not see that condemnation of gays involves the same dynamic patterns as racism? It never made sense to me. My brotherfriend, Alan, is gone now, but I miss him every day. He would have been another male in our son's life-- joining my life partner, my life partner's brother, and another gay brotherfriend--who was a sterling example of a kind, loving, intelligent African American man. Alan, a gay black man, was a director/actor/writer who was in my life for a few brief years. He encouraged me to collaborate with him on writing a play based on Ida B. Wells's autobiography. We had both read it as part of a black book club, focusing on reading books about African American History, that we had co-founded. Alan had given me comments on an early draft and was about to start writing his revisions when he contracted AIDS. He was in the first group of people to get mowed down by this disease in the '80s. He died on Christmas day at the age of 36. I stopped working on the play as I grieved his death, but I received the message that I must get back to work and finish the play. Twenty-three drafts later, I did that and dedicated the play to him. "In Pursuit of Justice: A One-Woman Play about Ida B. Wells," ultimately won four AUDELCO awards. My life was enriched by knowing Alan and having him as a friend.
  30. 4 points
    Not necessarily in the order given, the following books are the most valuable information, I think, because of the real world issues they discuss or their metaphorical message(s) by both Black and White authors. Souls of Black Folk Up From Slavery The Fire Next Time Sharing Wisdom Metamorphosis The Great Gatsby To Kill a Mocking Bird If Americans Knew Critical Issues in Policing The Republic
  31. 4 points
    There are so many............ These aren't in any particular order of importance and I'm sure there are some that SHOULD be included in the top 10 that I'm not thinking of right now but here are 10 just off the top: Message To The Black Man (The Honorable Elijah Muhammad) Up From Slavery (Booker T. Washington) The Phantom Tollbooth Black Labor White Wealth (Claud Anderson) Mein Kampf (Adolph Hitler) The Bible The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Alex Haily) Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill) Time Machine (H.G. Wells) Life After Life (Dr Raymond Moody) It's been years since I've read them and I don't have the best memory in the world to remember every detail of them, but I do remember how much I got caught up reading these book and just thinking about them still brings comfort to this day.
  32. 4 points
    Thank you @Troy for your thoughtful words. I appreciate that we can all have slightly varying opinions yet stay respectful. I've worked with children aging out of foster care so can appreciate @Mel Hopkins work with at-risk children. I can also appreciate the wisdom and life experience of our elders and retirees such as @Cynique. And much appreciation for @Delano and "keeping it reel." Wishing you all a great day!
  33. 4 points
    @Cynique who knows maybe Nubianfellow has it point. Maybe it's the black woman's hair that is the key to black people's success.. My friends call my family the hair bear bunch because we have very long hair that grows from our roots... (see my profile pic - yep that's mine) So, maybe because we don't have weaves it allows us to communicate with directly to the Universe from which all our blessings flow you know god gave it to us for a reason. ...And it makes us super smart so we don't have ever worry about being in the bottom 20% of those poverty-stricken folks. We don't need weaves, because we love showing off our beautiful locks, because, well who doesn't love our hair. By the way loving your hair, automatically translates into us loving ourselves because hair is the major key.. And, of course we attract men who are not deadbeat dads. Because of our flowing Rapunzel-like locks we attract the men who have the most money, best character and family adhesiveness ... As for the men who feel it's ok to lie down create babies and flee the scene. Well, we all know they got that way because of some weave-wearing black woman - who didn't cheer them on when they did something you know, mediocre.... I just can't.
  34. 4 points
    Best Wishes,Respect For All The Black -Mothers,Grandmothers,Aunts, On Mothers Day..It Has Been -Said That Black Women .Are The Strength Of,The Black -Community...Extra Respect For Black Mothers Raising Children -Alone And For Black .Mothers Grieving Over their Sons --,Murdered By Nazi Terrorist Police And Street Gangs...I Think --,Cynique Is A Mother And Grandmother..A Perfect Song For -Black Mothers And Girls Is Black Pearl,By Sonny Charles -And,The Checkmates.....
  35. 4 points
  36. 4 points
    I divorced my ex-husband for being disrespectful, not for an "adulterous" affair. I found out he was having an intimate and sexual relationship with another woman but didn't bother to tell me. If he would have told me he was seeing someone else, it would have given me an opportunity to decide how to proceed. He didn't. His silence took away my choice and also put my life in danger. I believe when you're in an intimate relationship you don't keep secrets from each other. Openness and vulnerability toward each other is the foundation of a great relationship.
  37. 4 points
    It doesn't necessarily follow that monogamy leads to a happy home life. Being polygamous is not the same as cheating. I have known and met people who have open relationships. Otn one instance the adult child was more upset than the partner. What is moral, ethical and good is another debate. I also knew a couple where the woman was a leabian. However that was more of a business situation. Plus she did use sex as a weapon. But he didn't care. I also had a coworker that said certain sex acts her partner should see a prostitute. There's what works and what works for you. They are not always the same. Interesting. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher had an open relationship. But it broke yp when he hid one his lovers. At that point he was cheating. Its not cheating if the other person knows about your lover.
  38. 4 points
    Wishing: Troy Cynique Delano And other members of the AALBC family a happy new year................
  39. 4 points
    AALBC.com is continuing to expand. We are just a few months away from providing book printing services. I'm excited about this because this is one of the final pieces needed to becoming a full service publisher. The other great thing is that I'm working with an established Black owned printer who is producing a quality products at competitive prices. I'm setting up the website now (which is slowing up the AALBC.com upgrade, but it is worth the effort). I also plan on publishing great books that agents can't find publishers for, I'm about a year away from this, but there's some great potential here that I can't wait to begin working on.
  40. 3 points
    @NubianFellow I've heard people expose these ideas, but I've never heard it asserted as a actual theory. You know the kind of theory that a scientist has written up in a peer reviewed journal. People like Deepak Chopra says these types of things, but they are not backed up by the science. But it is an interesting idea through. The theories discussed at the quantum level don't apply at the macro level. @Pioneer1 dayum man, i was just asking a question lol! Maybe you believe Adam lived a million years ago. Besides you and Chevdove are talking over my head with this biblical stuff.
  41. 3 points
    Pioneer repeatedly accused me of lying when it came to his position on sex between adult males and young females. This is how it went down: He said "As long as they were above puberty and he didn't physically force himself on them, he's not a monster in my opinion." In another exchange between us, I reminded: "So in your opinion once puberty kicks in a female is fair game for any man seeking sex, no mater what her age is." Later i said to him: YOU are who brought up the subject of puberty being what transforms a female into a sex object. This subject is not only about Elijah Muhammad but about your philosophy in general when it comes to male entitlement". This was his response: "the only thing I said that came remotely close to this is when I said as long as the females are ABOVE puberty then.....(and it's still not necessarily OK if you're already married to someone)....I don't give a damn. Those affairs are between them and his wife, not us." What he calls "lies", i call "implications". Bottom line; he left himself open for my interpretations. When a person tells you his opinion - believe him! Pioneer's confusion about the duration of puberty also didn't help his case. So he and i remain at an impasse - as usual. (1) puberty: the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction: (2) puberty: In humans, puberty occurs at the onset of adolescence, between the ages of about 11 and 14 in girls and 13 and 16 in boys. Pioneer also accused Mel of lying about him.
  42. 3 points
    Cohen too got away with a lot of shit for many years, plus he is not the POTUS. You just don't get rid of the President without due process. This means procecutors will proceed deliberately and carefully -- which means slowly.
  43. 3 points
    @zaji Thank you for your presence!
  44. 3 points
    @Mel Hopkins, I think you dropped the Buddhism bomb. Attachment. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I have found in the past that when I have too much of a stake in the outcome of a conversation, I become too passionate...I want to be right, I want the world to revolve around my views. I am not open to possibility. No matter WHAT I discuss on ANY forum or in person, no matter what I express, I am NOT attached to it, no matter what I say about my feelings on a topic. That is why I do not get upset with anyone who has a different view or experience and eventually go silent when folks cannot consider another view on a topic. I don't want anyone to "take my side" but to just consider ideas. Because at the end of the day, my stance is, we could ALL be wrong about our thoughts/ideas/opinions, even, dare I say, our observations that we define a certain way. Our observations in and of themselves may not be wrong, but our interpretation of what we observe could be 100% wrong. There could be 6 billion separate views of life and existence, and they could ALL be wrong because we have yet, as a human species, to advance to the point of understanding what we THINK we are looking at. So while I enjoy discussions about things and I share what I THINK I know, I am not attached to anything. I leave myself forever open to possibility. Possibility. That is the crux of it. So many are attached to their view of the world and how they've defined their observation that they cannot consider possibility. For example, I've pondered the changes in weather/climate, etc., and have not come away with this doom and gloom that is pushed by the scientific community and something that needs to be fixed. Just like we go through seasons in a year--winter, spring, summer, fall--what IF the planet is merely going through a couple millennia long season? What if what we think is some terrible warming that could destroy everything on Earth is merely the planet's normal shift into Summer that will last for about 2,000 years? I am not saying for sure that is what it is, but because we are so stuck on what we've decided the observation means, we cannot consider other possible reasons for what we are observing that does not include doom and gloom. Love your assessment on attachment. It brought up a lot that I often meditate on. I detach when I see I am communicating with those who are attached to their way of seeing things, or have decided that their conclusions on their observations are the ONLY conclusion that can be derived from an observation or experience. That is why you will rarely if ever hear/read me use the words, "you are wrong" no matter if I think they COULD be. I am more inclined to ask, "Could you be wrong?" If someone said to me they are going to walk off a mountain because gravity doesn't exist, to be frank, unless it is my child, I am not arguing with grown folks who think the way they see is the ONLY way. I'll merely ask them, after a bit of discussion to gauge how they came to their conclusion (can't let them go out without at least speaking on gravity), if they can, to let me know how it goes when they've tried it. Cause at the end of the day, maybe they've developed a way to fly that I am unaware of. So who am I to tell them they are wrong? LOL. :: closing eyes and crossing legs :: I detach myself from my opinions, knowledge, information, facts and beliefs. Ommmmmm. Namaste...
  45. 3 points
    This is where I think a lot of folks get confused. For example, I don't ignore "gender" constructs; I simply refused to submit to it. In fact, when I hear someone discuss gender, I give them the side-eye and keep it moving. Those who embrace constructs and labels as if it's a badge - tell me all I need to know about their level of engagement.
  46. 3 points
    3. Think Like an Editorial Director - and curate and create News your audience can use. Even if you have one name on your mailing list treat that one person like she represents 1,000 subscribers because she does if we can depend on exponential growth. Sometimes good content could be related to your book's subject matter - especially if you're an expert. Other times you may have to think beyond your book and really know what your customers need. For example, @CDBurns runs a website with the tagline "in-depth sneaker info. http://arch-usa.com/ I haven't sign up for his mailing list but I do follow him and his conversation on disqus. Chris Burns designs,and runs his shoe business but he also has his own publishing arm to the business too. Burns is ahead of the curve. Major Brands are now just realizing that they need a media department. I thought about him when writing this post because just yesterday, he told me about Brooks running shoes and their partnership with Black Girls Run. I'm not a sneaker head but his information appeals to me. This means when I think of sneakers, I remember him. You connecting with your audience through your expertise means they will remember you too.
  47. 3 points
    @Pioneer1, I'm completely unfamiliar with the notion that large communities of poor white people want to be poor Anecdotally, one of the most common conversations I overhear, when in Florida, is white people talking about how hard they work. I was at a book fair the Ft Myers and witnessed a popcorn vendor talking to an ice cream vendor next to her, saying that this was just a part time job. She explained that she had another job and was working 7 days a week. The ice cream vendor was working three part time jobs and was looking for full time work. Neither appeared to be racist. The popcorn lady provided me with friendly service. Of course there are white racists who are poor, but I doubt either group wants to be poor. I believe being racist is a consequence of poverty due to lack of education and scapegoated promoted by manipulative plutocrats like 45. Of course there are middle class racist, but they are probably only one or two generations out of poverty and there are rich racists--who truly believe they are genetically superior, but they are just stupid. Some people understand intuitively, or through life experience, that racism is a flawed belief system. Anyone with a decent education should know this as well. Unfortunately given the state of our education system and our habit of consuming information through social media memes, both poverty and the racism it breeds will probably grow.
  48. 3 points
    I'm devoted to seeking the truth, whether it makes me uncomfortable or not. One truth i have learned early on is that the truth is evasive and that constancy is a marker for the real truth. I've also learned that seeking the truth calls for honesty on the part of the seeker and this creates internal conflict and mixed emotions. The one thing that continues to stump me is whether religious beliefs are true. Now more than ever, because i am daily bombarded with religious memes and prayer requests and testimonies on FaceBook. I don't have a problem accepting that there is a higher intelligence and an almighty force of nature. Whether or not this power can be reduced to being a man who inspired other men to write a book of myth and fables, is something i'm luke warm about . That's because the world shows very little benefit from religion because it is too often at the core of so much conflict, not to mention how much evil thrives. Plus, the bible is so contradictory, alternating between forgiving and punishing, between overlooking some despicable acts and damning others, while portraying god as an egomaniac, condemning the free thinkers that he, himself, has created, relegating them to hell-fire for not accepting Jesus as his son. I do find a little truth in the observation about the only thing being wrong with Christianity , is Christians. Buddhism holds some appeal for me, however, because it more about getting in touch with your inner spirit. Yet, millions are totally invested in religion, afflicted by blind faith. Although i do not consider myself a hard core atheist, leaning more toward Humanism or Pantheism, FaceBook has also introduced me to Atheism, and i must admit, its logic impresses me. I do think its true that most people need something to believe in and to turn to for comfort during a time of need, A simple phrase, like "it's god's will", apparently helps to bring closure for many. I ponder whether it could be true that humans are not only star children but are divine themselves, only needing to discover that what they attribute to a higher source is something they have extricated from their inner power. in seeking the truth, i am a little troubled about what conclusions i've come to about my own race and, in truth, some of these ideas undoubtedly have to do with my being assimilated and brainwashed by white values. But i can truthfully say that i have never had to do a lot of soul searching when it comes to whether or not i would rather be white. My answer is simply no. And that's the truth. I wish i could be a little less discriminating in my compassion. i don't always feel sorry for people who probably deserve sympathy. "This above all, to thine ownself be true", is my mantra.
  49. 3 points
    Well, no need for conjecture, speculation, prediction or ouija board consultation anymore. Trump is the POTUS and there is nothing you can do about it. I won't launch into the rank and file diatribes and rants about his win. But I will say this -America deserves what it voted for. I will not comment about the events that have taken place over the past weeks. They speak for themselves. Half of eligible American voters refused to partake in this past election. That says something. For millions, it was too much of an inconvenience, indifference, apathy or because I don't like either one of the candidates. Fine. This man did not have to win if everyone voted. They left it in the hands of the electoral college. For that, like James Baldwin's book title, "The Price of the Ticket", the future of America in the next four years speaks for itself.....
  50. 3 points
    @Pioneer1 I hear what you're saying, but I beg to differ slightly with your feelings of uselessness when a woman doesn't "need" you, in effect. Even the strongest of women are vulnerable in some manner, just like the most muscular and macho of men can be vulnerable. What you're really saying is that you need to be made to feel "strong" by the woman being weak. With all due respect, for the sake of discussion, that is not a sign of masculine strength. That's kind of a cop out. It's like when brothers say, "Let me be the man." If the man has to ask, then he's exposing that he isn't one. I think men need to feel needed. I get that. But sometimes, what we want is a partner. Ride or die. Not a savior. But I think there's something in the genetic make-up that makes men want to rescue women. A man can "rescue" a woman by being thoughtful - yes, FLOWERS; cooking a meal, massaging her feet. There are so many ways to provide support to a "strong" woman. Asking how her day was and actually listening. Some men are just too insecure to think outside the box. This is no diatribe against you... but to raise the discussion, because you are so thought-provoking....
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