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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Respect Black: Mental Illness

Too many black people tend to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the very real problem of mental illness within the Black community.  I know from personal experience, the complete havoc and trauma that can be inflicted on the lives of the person suffering from the disorder and the people that love them.  Even after diagnosis there can be so much to deal with because many times there has been so much damage done emotionally that it takes a very long time to get back to a point where they and you can begin again.   I applaud Brandon Marshall for addressing this issue and I hope that his coming forward with his personal story helps those that are suffering in silence.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Leaders, Lead!

I haven't always agreed with everything, in regards to, how things have been getting done or what still has not been done in Washington since President Obama took office.  But I am in absolute agreement with what he says here. Stop treating these heinous and duplicitous elected officials and corporations as if they are the wronged and injured parties in this country.  THEY ARE NOT.  Enough is enough!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Negating Black: A Horrible Legacy

Of all the things to choose to pass down to future generations...

"Beautiful Girl" Photo Courtesy of Google
Black American's have a very indifferent relationship and history with this day of celebration. Most of my youth is filled with memories of meeting up at my grandmother's house to do the standard BBQ family affair.  Not once do I ever remember anyone ever discussing the fact that we were "celebrating" a day that at it's inception didn't actually include us.  Our history here seems to have always been intertwined with the notion that we should always participate in all things considered "American" regardless of whether it willingly or even favorably represented or included us in a seemingly futile attempt to prove that we are true/real Americans.

No wonder there are so many Black people in the news these days making a choice to lessen or completely disavow the fact that they (like a lot of the African Diaspora around the world) are descended from Africans that were enslaved in this independent America by Europeans. Enslavement isn't the only history that Black Americans can embrace from our African ancestral culture. Most Black African descendants today are from many different cultures around the world. The unfortunate thing that connects us all is the fact that in all of our varied locations-- the African culture is the one that is selected to be diminished for those that embrace a shame that rightfully belongs to a European ancestry.

America is the land of opportunity, uncertainty and contradiction. Black people have been universally relegated to feeling ashamed for being victimized and then expected to appreciate and pledge allegiance to their oppressors creations without question.

The subliminal and overt expectations for Black people to devalue and disassociate ourselves from our ancestors likeness and heritage in our mangled American struggle for true independence in order to fit into a whitened society is used to keep us off balance and on the defensive. It is not necessary to disassociate and it is actually imperative that we don't if we are truly to participate in this independence that we have been "celebrating" for so many years.