I Don’t Believe Chrisette Michele Is Bridging Anything But She Should Be Planting A Flag

“My heart is broken for our country, for the hopes of our children, for the fights of those who came before us.

I cry at the thought that Black History, American History might be in vain.

This country has had great moments. God has shined His light upon us.

Today, I hope that Great Moments begin in peaceful & progressive conversation. I am willing to be a bridge. I don’t mind “These Stones”, if they allow me to be a voice for the voiceless.

I am here.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end, the day we become silent about what matters,”.

I am here, representing you, because this is what matters.”

– Chrisette Michele

That was the open letter to fans and Black people in general. There’s no denying that Michele’s words are sincere, it’s the recent past of Trump that makes any  Black  person that even remotely  seems to be hearing him out look a like “coon”.

Let’s get beyond the whole “bridge” talk and get into that fact Chrisette Michele will be performing at Trump’s inauguration. What will she wear? What will she sing? Protesting from the sidelines mean nothing, the media will spin whatever happens  into something they can control. If Michele uses this opportunity to do something significant no one would know anyway. She could fire a  subtle shot letting the Trump administration know that Black  people are watching and want, demand  and deserve respect. Do I think she will just take the money and sing whatever Trump and his family wants, this is me thinking that Trump has no idea about Chrisette Michele’s catalog and just needed a Black female face to show up. The fact that she accepted the invite there isn’t the issue, what happens with the opportunity is. I’m all for a Beyoncé Superbowl Halftime controversy, that overshadows the night. Do I think this will happen? Not at all but I also don’t think her career is over. Fans will be mad for awhile and then move on. Trump is Trump, he has four years to either show his true colors or keep up the ignorance, that is unless it isn’t an act. People will have forgotten about this by the summer unless some diva wants to beef with her over Twitter and bring it up. We as Black people have to wait and see what happens the next day or Monday.

This week’s Documentaries To Check Out

The Art Of Organized Noize

First off I have to shout out the Flavor Unit, who I haven’t heard from in years for putting this together. I know when i speak on pre Crunk South music ie Atlanta the production of Organized Noize is the highlight. The documentary explores the beginnings of one the most unique crew in Hip Hop. They were the Bomb Squad of the south. This a must to check out for those into Hip Hop and good music.

Dawg Fight

I didn’t see the Kimbo Da Da fight but I’ve wacthed this documentary three times. The third time was the when it hit me how it reminded me of the stories mandingo fighting slave owners put together. The plus side is that brothers were using hands and not guns to settle whatever. The story of course is as much about Da Da 50000 as much as it is the backyard fighting the fighters featured.

Mitt

The documentary follows Mitt Romney on the campaign trail in 2012. This in depth look shows the Mitt Romney that could have defeated Obama but being a politician and following the traditional political angle Mitt lost.

EPA Stands For Environmental Protection Agency

I’ve watched more than my share of campaign ads against the EPA leading up to Tuesday that I had no choice but to realize that people in Kentucky watching and listening to these ads like the “real” people in the ads have no idea what EPA Stands for. I’m sure if someone explained to people what the EPA does then there would be a real conversation to be had. It’s easy to slam the EPA when you have no real clue how the EPA actually work or what it is that they do. With that being people do hate the EPA and yet complain about what is and how isn’t helping anyone.

It just makes me mad because I watched campaign ads from Kentucky and the whole topic is about how bad the EPA is and how great coal mining is. With all the technology we have in the world why does it feel like mining is something that still deserves to be barbaric? Doctors perform surgeries with smaller more effective tools and don’t have to literally open you up to do so. Why isn’t it anyone’s obligation to make mining safe? I’ve went on before about all the things the EPA watches over and to put it blunt, it’s OSHA for our country. It makes sure America is safe from water to air to environmental regulations. How that is a bad thing is something I just can’t understand.

How Far Right Is Too Far

You know when you think people can’t stoop any lower than they’ve already stooped?  Well The GOP primary candidates have shown there are levels that are lower than people know and they’re willing to go there. Cruz, Jindal, Huckabee and supposedly Carson have agreed to speak at some conference next month. No big deal right? Wrong , well depending on your views on gays. The conference is organized by some far,far far right wing nut job named Kevin Swanson no relation to Ron Swanson.

This guy has issues with girl scouts… Girl scouts. Some how girl scouts promotes being a lesbian. Not sure where that idea comes from and I’m sure if I took the time to listen to his reasoning I’d laugh my ass off, I may walk away from it completely disturbed. Even the Frozen movie is under attack for endorsing the lesbian lifestyle. I can only wonder if he watches Once Upon A Time and is the reason the show side stepped the love triangle of Milan and the sleeping beauty chick. Swanson is totally on some anti gay movement which is fine, but once you start talking about killing people you’ve crossed a line. How does a pastor even begin to have those kinds of conversations with anyone?  We all dislike something and or something about a person or people, having prejudices is one of the worst aspects of being human. With that said it takes a special kind of hatred to openly plot mass murder. Swanson wants to stone gay to death.

The problem isn’t Swanson or those who follow his every word but the republican presidential candidates that are cool with showing up at some function put together by Swanson. How much does acceptance really mean when men who have aspersions of being president are content with alienating a population of people who lives have been openly threatened by the organizer of an event they’re a part of. Is all of this to say gays have no rights, and not be allowed to roam freely in America without wondering if someone will follow through on threats made by Swanson? Each candidate has to know that the talk will focus on being anti gay. So far it feels like the only hate group that can’t get republicans to come to a get together are the Klan. It’s one thing to attempt to misdirect people with The Tea Party, now thanks to the high pole numbers Trump is receiving being hateful is acceptable. Hispanics being beaten, the imaginary war blacks are raging against cops and pastor who think gays should be stoned to death. All of these are views and actions approved by republicans who are running for president. Nothing is more upsetting and scarier than knowing the leader of the best country in the world is willing to openly turn his back against citizens who don’t look like him or agree with his views. Even W.Bush and Reagan played the game while using coded words, no the keep it 100, no PC rule is in play. It would be nice if republicans flocked to groups that didn’t harbor hatred and were about truly making this country great again.

Jeb Was Supposed To Be The Smart Bush

“people should work longer hours”

– Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush made himself look completely out of touch with the common American after that comment. After that comment Bush then tried to expand on the comment to put things in context. The problem is Bush still looks out of place because jobs aren’t just giving full time work out to employees, some jobs have cut back their hours over the years. So even if people were willing to work more than forty hours the place of employment will not allow them to. This all goes back to not blaming the employees but challenge the employers. The wage debate will always be there, if you shift the focus to hours, guaranteed forty hours you may be able to downplay the not wanting to go the living wage route. Even then it all comes to down to pay. There are people in households where two or more people work full time jobs and making ends meet still are a major task. Some people work a full time and part time job and barley stay afloat. Even good paying jobs are quick to cut hours because the pay is so good, all of that evens things out. The part time hours and high pay balances out things for a decent paying job and full time hours. If what Jeb said is the thinking within The GOP the party is in trouble.

Immigrants Will Not Destroy The GOP, What They Stand For Will

Pat Buchanan, the great pessimist, believes that the generations to come from immigrants, meaning diversity, will be the end of The Grand Old Party. What he fails to see is that the average person is conservative at heart. It’s the work hard and be independent mind set that may keep people of color in the party to begin with. No one thinks government handouts are good, to have a fair and balanced pay scale to live is something you’d think everyone is for. Where the Republicans mess up at is the continuation of white washing the party by playing on racism and by pandering to that closed minded factions. Republicans are open about their racism and have been since Obama took office, those immigrants of color who outnumber white or what is considered white immigrants will and have seen that as a target on them as well as African Americans. If the last two Presidential elections haven’t taught them anything one would thing third times the charm next year. It seems the more middle ground Republicans are now going further right to please the base which doesn’t connect with the country as a whole, and looking to have people of color and women saying those same extreme right views do not make them the message more mainstream.

I get the gay thing, some Americans are still against that. I get abortion and welfare. I get being tough on Immigration. It’s the flat out racism I get lost on as well as the need to not want to raise the federal minimum wage or address why school are being closed and prisons are being built. The second and third generation immigrants will have a better understanding of US politics and grasp the code words and see past the smoke screen and that will sway their parents and grandparents votes. The country is becoming a diverse place and the more The Grand Old Party tries to keep it old money country club white and convince the working class and poor white people they have nothing in common with working class and poor people of color the party will dwindle sooner than later. People look to support themselves and their family and hope their children will benefit. Watching politicians from The GOP whore themselves out to billionaries and closed minded Christians doesn’t appeal to everyone. The GOP has to cut the strings of their puppet masters and truly rely on the people who vote. If they find that even ground where it’s not over extreme they can easily get undecided voters as well as a few Democratic voters. To say immigration will kill The GOP and not look at what the party has become is sad. Maybe one of the Republican candidates will step up during the primaries and appeal to those in the middle and that will spread throughout the party and change things. If not the party will see a Democrat in the White House for another four to eight years.

Kansas Wants Control How Welfare Recipients Spend Their Money

Gov. Sam Brownback is set to sign House Bill 2258 sometime this week. That bill is nothing more than control budgeting and spending for those on welfare. I personally have nothing against the premise of saying those needing government assistance shouldn’t be out trying to live it up as if the money they’re spending is from their own earned income. I agree that people on welfare shouldn’t be out getting nails and hair done, going on family trips out of town on the governments dime but movie nights seem to be over doing it. To tell people how to spend the money that is given to them sounds ridiculous but then comes the human reaction. If I give someone in need some money to help them get by and they go out to the club or they buy Jordans or something you feel like they abused your generosity. True people can spend the money given to them however they want but now there will be restrictions.

Just from being out and about I can see how monitoring people wasn’t a hard sell to legislation once someone thought this idea up. We as citizens get informed when politicians funds for trips and just about anything not government related, how are we willing to dismiss those on welfare abusing government funds. In Missouri Republicans are looking to ban steak and seafood purchases from food stamp recipients. I do agree there should be some limits on food purchases too, steak and seafood isn’t the problem. Snack or junk food is the problem, obesity can easily be linked to economics, poor people have poor eating habits. Why not limited the snack food purchases, encourage more Fruit and Vegetable purchases? I know it will never happen but even strike a deal with organic food stores to accept EBT if they don’t already to help those on food stamp eat healthy. If you’re willing to ban steaks and seafood because you feel someone is “living it up” off of the government why not ensure they eat healthy. While putting a hold on theme parks, tattoo and nail places encourage gym memberships? The money spent on hair, nails and a few tattoos could go towards a gym membership easy. If government is sticking their noses in business of people and trying to control what they can and can’t do with the money point them to being healthy. Of course that will not be the case. What will be the case is government going old school and doing house check ins again. If you’re up in arms about food and personal spending you’d have to want to make sure they really need the money. Kansas is opening that door and to be honest if that is what it takes to make people feel they need to get off of welfare and get a job, I’m all for it.

I’m Wasting My Vote In A Winless Election

 

Election Day is today and the only thing I want to see is how bad of a margin The Democrats will have lost by. I’m not seeing anything that indicates there are close races out there somewhere. You have to really admire and applaud The Republicans for the skill it takes to dissect President Obama and focus on one or three bad things but never acknowledge the positive those things have done. Yeah The Republicans overlooked the actual candidate in the mid term elections and attacked Obama by way of the guilty by association method. That’s not a problem, it isn’t something that’s new at all. What is new is the lack of defense by The Democrats. All any Democrat had to do was go down the list of the things that have gotten better since Obama has been in office and have independent sites attached so people can look those facts up on their campaign ads. The Republicans have moved away from the killing “Obamacare” talk to now wanting tweak it. that’s admitting it is working but not wanting to say it. You have John Boehner saying Bush “Even Putin is smart enough to know that Bush would have punched him in the nose in about 10 seconds!” What The Republicans won’t ever let their base know is how much Obama has come off looking more conservative and tough than The Republicans. The Republicans look tough going against Obama for the sake of their base. It’s sad so many Republicans are willing to play along with such hatred to keep a job. Now there are some there are completely on board with the Obama hate and may really hate Obama, but someone it is what has made these last six years hell.

That knowledge is what has Democrats defenseless, there is nothing that they can do to grab votes from those who aren’t willing to see or hear the facts. If I was part of the Democratic think tank Id bring up the flaws of The Republicans. First off they walked off on the job… Just took their ball and went home. You focus on that because there is nothing brave about walking out on your job, especially when that job involves America. I thought it was sad for not just Democrats but the news media to allow Ted Cruz speak on how he played his part of the lock out/walk off for about two million people who supported him and his movement. To say those two million people spoke for the whole state of Texas was insane and if someone like that can walk around without taking a hit there is problem. I could find two million people in any major city in Texas and not one person brought that logic up. The fact that the real world doesn’t work in the manner where you can walk off on your job and keep it should be addressed by the Democrats. Yes, we all hate things that happen at our jobs but we don’t walk off unless we know we have somewhere to go that will generate income. Republicans voters love talking loud about who is financing the Democrats, corporate ties exposed and Hollywood connections. The Republicans are selling, no offering the country to two guys. The whole party is following the direction of two men and Democrats don’t bring that up and to be honest the Republican base doesn’t care, it’s better than Obama in their minds.

The democrats are distancing themselves from Obama and if they had any sense they’d stop with the games and justsay what we all know. He’s black, it was fine theory to have a Black President but he isn’t just going to lay down and let Republicans walk all over him so for that we will go against him. They’re going against him in public, behind closed doors it isn’t so bad. The Democrats have been strong on many things that you normally see from The Republicans and not one Democratic candidate put that out there. I’m voting for anyone Democrat and if I happen to see a third party candidate I’ll vote for that person. Today is just a bad day for The Democrats.

Reading Between The Lines On Grimes

 

It’s almost that time to vote and I’ve learned two things.

1. John Boehner is going to win Ohio hands down, I have yet to see or hear an ad from his opponent. I don’t even know who the person s but to be honest as long as I see a D by his or her name they have my vote.

2. Alison Grimes is running for Senate in Kentucky

That’s all I know of Grimes, there’s no real voting record, no real scandal with government funds, no real off hand comment by her or a close associate or family member. Nope, none of that is the issues with Grimes. What Grimes suffer from is the theory of the Obama effect. I personally thought that Obama will hurt Democrats talk was just something talking heads said, I was wrong. Mitch McConnell “attack ads” are nothing more than The GOP insinuating Grimes is a yes man for Obama. The ads attack Obama and by way of saying Grimes is with him, so a vote for Grimes is a vote for Obama. The hate for Obama is o high that to show a politician smiling with Obama could cot you an election. McConnell’s doesn’t need to know anything about Grimes, the republican voters don’t need to know anything about Grimes, they know via “attack ads” that she has went to events where Obama was and the Democrats are funding her campaign, yeah that is a weird attack seeing how a party should back their candidate. While Grimes is going after McConnell for what he’s done or haven’t done for the state. Comparing the two I’d go with Grimes. For one she’s younger and we need younger people because these old politicians stopped caring a long time ago. The McConnell ads speaking on how great he is look like the ads for John Boehner. All you see are old white people. You can’t move a country forward when you’re still focused on old people who are still stuck in their old ways. Those McConnell ads where he is surrounded by old people and that cool and the attack ads showing Grimes by much younger people which are negative is saying much more than maybe even McConnell’s people thought about. Going after Obama is fine but it doesn’t prove Grimes will be a terrible senator for Kentucky. I wish there was a debate to watch and see how much McConnell would speak more on Obama than Grimes.

Hillary Doesn’t Relate To The Middle Class, Good For Her

 

 

I’m confused how the “Dead Broke” comment has become some bad thing. Somehow the media and the political world wants people to be believe Hillary is out touch with the average American, middle class Americans. She’s not wrong for her comment and shouldn’t have to explain it either, as far back as I can remember in my lifetime Hillary Clinton has been in the world of politics. Her idea of dead broke and all that happened to her “homes” are what you’d expect if I’m not wrong., right? No Presidents’ post life is normal compared to the average persons’ life, that would include financial and living arrangement. Then you the fact Hillary became a Senator right after her stint as First Lady, did two terms as a Senator and then became in 2009. I didn’t get into whatever happened in Arkansas in the 80‘s. Can the average Middle class person even relate to such a life? Hillary Clinton by no fault of her own has become a career politician.

Politicians want so desperately to be viewed as the average American but they can’t be, not if you’ve become a career politician. If you’ve ran for a political seat and have never held one before, yes the middle class route is easier for you to attempt to walk. Dave Brat can talk that “I’m just like you” talk, not Hillary Clinton, I’m surprised no one has put this fact out there to put an end to the “Dead Broke” controversy. Was it the right choice of words? Not at all. Did anyone really think their version of “Dead Broke” would look like that of someone who had to move in with family because they loss their home and job? I’m sure if that was to happen to a former President, any former President, you’d wonder how did a former President become so broke that he and his wife are living with relatives. It would be hard to process. Hillary falls under the Former Presidents Act thanks to Bill Clinton. Then there is whatever Bill gets or used to get for being a former Governor. Does this make her claim of “Dead Broke” more ridiculous? In Context not at all, they’ve grown accustom to a certain comfort level and that was no longer the case for them. My personal idea of “Dead Broke” isn’t the same as someone who has been evicted and has been in a shelter. Broke to me is not having spending money, I have money to take care of bills, I have money saved but nothing to just spoil myself. I’m sure people understand that and understood what Hilary was talking about. How that comment became some button issue when there still needs to be something done with minimum wage and border security is beyond me. It’s been about two months this comment is still something people are forced to listen to. I may be wrong but the comment isn’t that big of a deal to people.