For those who regularly read this blog you may have noticed I haven’t been posting in a while. There’s a really good reason for it. On Friday, May 2nd, my second son was born. Mom and big brother are well. Now it’s just a matter of adjusting to his schedule and getting myself back on track. I have some posts in draft mode that I need to finish up so be on the lookout for those and another podcast.
I’m a Leap Year Baby, so I only get to celebrate every four years, which means I got to do it big when it comes around. I made a pledge to stay away from my computer for a 24 hour period. No blogging, no internet, no e-mail, etc. I can count on one hand the times I’ve had to do that and most of the time it was for reasons beyond my control.
Shout out to all the Pisces out there. If you really want to show a brotha some love, check out this link or just leave a comment. Hey I ain’t too proud to beg.
Did ya miss me?
I guess every now and then something like this has to happen. I haven’t been able to blog this past week because both of my computers were acting up this week. My desktop is working fine now, but the laptop is still down. Because I’m always on one, I forget how much I rely on computers to get things done. I’m glad at least one is working.
I was watching the CNN Democratic debate last night and it was something to see an African-American and a woman fighting to become the presidential candidate. No matter who wins it, history will be made. The question was asked about the both of them being on the same ticket and as politicians do, they walked around the question and didn’t answer it. Change in America is needed and I hope they can move this country in a better direction. Only time will tell.
I also watched Broken Government: Health Care Critical Condition. I should have recorded it and watched it later because the stories were all too familiar. I know the media tends to dramatize everything, but there is a problem with our health care system. If you are middle-class, you are one illness away from being in the poor house. This happened to my family. My dad brought in the main portion of the income, but when he had a stroke, the entire household suffered. The medical bills were high and my mom did everything she could to make ends meet. You don’t get much help as a middle-class family and social security can only go so far. This was about twenty years ago and things still aren’t much better. This is a big issue that needs to be fixed soon.
Having been through that is one of the reasons I started this blog. I want to inform people of programs and services that they can use to get help. Why should I keep what I’ve learned to myself when others may be able to benefit from it?
I grew up listening to Bill Cosby. My dad had almost every album he put out and I remember sitting around the record player with my younger brother laughing at his comedy routine. I grew up on Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids, the stories of him and his brother Russell and Buck, Buck. As a teen I watched Cosby Show and a Different World. And even as an adult, I watch Little Bill with my son. So I can honestly say, I had high expectations for the book Come On People and knew there would be a lesson for everyone who read it.
I have to admit, while reading it I received a lot of mixed messages. You can tell they were trying to get their point across without offending too many people. It was definitely a toned down version of Cosby’s usual rants about the black community and I feel a lot of what they wrote was common sense. But along with the criticism, they gave a lot of advice on things we can do to improve our lives and lives of those around us. The book included topics on parenting, health, finances, community involvement and personal responsibility.
The first chapter covers the topic of the black male (or lack thereof) and offers advice on some of the things we can do as men to benefit our families and the community. I thought this was a great way to start the book because I think the role and concept of a real black man has been skewed. They ask the question, “What’s going on with black men?” and encourage men to build on the legacy of the those in the past. They ask men to re-dedicate themselves to the family and rebuild relationships that may have gone bad in an effort to be with their kids.
I was also glad to see some advice in the book for ex-offenders. Those who are looking to change have a hard time after they are release and there is a word for them in various chapters of the book. No one in the book was free from criticism, but everyone received some advice. Black men, woman and kids can get something out of the book, but you really have to take it as constructive criticism. There’s a lot in this book to take in, so I thought I’d list the topic of each chapter. Each chapter has different subtopics that touch on different things we face as a people.
Chapter 1: What’s Going On with Black Men?
Chapter 2: It Takes a Community
Chapter 3: We All Start Out as Children
Chapter 4: Teach Your Children Well
Chapter 5: The Media You Deserve
Chapter 6: Healthy Hearts and Minds
Chapter 7: The High Price of Violence
Chapter 8: From Poverty to Prosperity
My overall opinion is that Come On People gives the same general message as every other book I’ve read regarding the black community. It’s going to be up to us to make a change in what happens in our community. Dr. Cosby tends to get a lot of flack for what he says. But sometimes we need to hear the tough words. I’m sure this book will catch a lot of criticism, but if he didn’t care about our community, I’m sure he could just sit on his mounds of money relaxing on the beach. Many may not agree with their methods in how the message is presented, but Drs. Cosby and Poussaint have gotten people to talk about the issues. While this book may not apply to the majority of people who read it, I hope it does move us to get out there and make a difference where we can. It’s going to be up to us to take what’s said here and us it to help empower others.
I’ve provided some links below, if you would like to read a few chapters from the book. If you’ve read it, then I’d like to know how you feel. If not, then it’s a book worthy of adding to your collection. I’ll be giving some additional comments of Come On People on the next podcast.
http://treasures.billcosby.com/pdf/ComeonPeople-pg77-88.pdf
http://treasures.billcosby.com/pdf/ComeonPeople-pg124-132.pdf
http://treasures.billcosby.com/pdf/ComeonPeople-pg168-174.pdf
In keeping with full disclosure, I did want to let everyone know the reason for this review was because I received a copy from Team Cosby. The only requirements were that I read and post an open and honest review in a month’s time. You can rest assured that I did just as they asked.
Today is World AIDS Day, which reminds us of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world’s health. In preparing this post I wanted to gather as much information as I could because AIDS is a serious epidemic in the black and international community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Of all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, HIV and AIDS have hit African Americans the hardest. The reasons are not directly related to race or ethnicity, but rather to some of the barriers faced by many African Americans. These barriers can include poverty (being poor), sexually transmitted diseases, and stigma (negative attitudes, beliefs, and actions directed at people living with HIV/AIDS or directed at people who do things that might put them at risk for HIV).
When we look at HIV/AIDS by race and ethnicity, we see that African Americans have
- More illness. Even though blacks (including African Americans) account for about 13% of the US population, they account for about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS.
- Shorter survival times. Blacks with AIDS often don’t live as long as people of other races and ethnic groups with AIDS. This is due to the barriers mentioned above.
- More deaths. For African Americans and other blacks, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death.
As alarming as these statistics may be, early detection through testing is the best way to control this disease that kills millions of people around the world. I’ve heard people say, “If I have it, I don’t want to know”. To them, I urge to change their mindset. Don’t be selfish. Take the test and take control. Be responsible because you’re not just putting your life on the line. You’re also affecting the lives of everyone who you’ve had unprotected sex with. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can get help.
If you don’t know where to go for testing, you can use you cell phone to text message your zip code to 566948 or visit www.hivtest.org.
You have the power to control this. The ball is in your court. All you have to do is shoot. Please take the time to review the links I’ve provided. It’s some important information and you might learn something that will save your or someone else’s life. Let’s spread the word and take control.
The Basics on HIV Infection and AIDS
Rapid HIV Testing Podcast (1 minute)
HIV Transmission: Questions and Answers
HIV/AIDS among African Americans - Fact Sheet
by Darrell Holmes
The black athlete has held an unenviable place in Sports Americana. He is both respected and feared. Respected for his prowess and showmanship, no one can turn the conventional into the spectacular like him. Feared because his physical stature is only surpassed by the wily passion for competition housed in his eyes. It’s not co-incidence that sports that advertise the Black athlete are also the most profitable. And while America’s love affair with it’s “trophy buck” remains intact, there is no hesitation about periodically reminding him of his place in society.
The recent situations with Adam Jones, Mike Vick, Odell Thurman, etc. are very much of their own doing. Some of them haven’t been formally convicted of any crime, BUT ain’t nobody stupid. A lotta times where there’s smoke there’s fiyah, and these brothers haven’t done the best job of showing they’re candidates for Man o’ the Year.
CONVERSELY, anyone else think it’s ironic that every major villain in sports right now is Black? If it wasn’t for a corrupt, White NBA ref trapped in a gambling scandal, sports radio shows would still be denigrating NBA players for on-court violence, hip hop culture, and all things Ron Artest. Barry Bonds has had every shred of his life nitpicked apart as the media vultures devour his corpse. Michael Vick and Pacman Jones have both shown the ability to be amazingly stupid on their own accord. Still, the witch hunt for Black male pariahs to poster all over your local evening news is hitting an all new high. It almost reminds me of how they used to show the most crazed “colored” folk during on-site interviews when tragic events would happen. Only now the ante is upped because they bringing the po-po’s AND the feds with.
All colors of races have individuals who are frankly just bad people. A few years back NFL tight end Mark Chmura was caught giving an inappropriate post-prom party for his children’s babysitter. Bill Romanowski is a former NFL’er notorious for antics that would be considered assault off the field ranging from spitting in opponents faces to grinding parts of their bodies with his cleats. Hey, isn’t that the same thing Marcus Vick got chastised for a couple years back? Shawn Kemp is a horrible baby-making machine while Tom Brady spreads his All-American gene all over any model or actress willing to hear his Super Bowl stories. Barry Bonds is a liar that “cheats the game”, but THOUSANDS of MLB players knowingly and willingly took uppers for years with the near endorsement of the owners. Hell, Jason Giambi admitted to using steroids but he was given what amounts to one month of probation in the court of public opinion and has had no major threats of federal prosecution or audits from the IRS.
NOTICE: If you’re young, Black, and gifted know this. My parents always told me that as a person of color you’re going to have to do a little better than your melanin-deficient counterparts. That means that you might have to tell your weed-smoking, dog-fighting cousin he can’t live in your house in Atlanta because he always in trouble and he gone mess everythang up for you, your $130 million contract, and Black folks all over the country.
For those who listened to this last podcast, I mentioned I was going on a business trip to the East Coast. I did and as I type this, I’m on my way back to the crib. I had a lot of fun and my brother-in-law got to go with me. I can honestly say it was an adventure from the very beginning.
Instead of typing it all out, I might talk about it a little on the next podcast. I got to meet up with some family members I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. We traveled through Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Philadelphia and DC. The ride we had was top notch and got us where we needed to go. I’ll post pictures of the places we visited and what we learned in our nation’s capital.
I’ll be back to blogging this week!
On the date of June 7, 1998, James Byrd, Jr. died by decapitation after his head hit a ditch culvert after being dragged by White supremacists in Jasper, TX.
My stomach still turns as I write that statement. It’s astonishing that event happened only nine years ago this past weekend. It’s even more astonishing that this abomination happened a full 135 years after the Emancipation Proclomation, 43 years after Rosa Parks refused to move from her seat in Montgomery, AL, and 35 years after the March on Washington. We are so far removed from those historic events and yet it seems like we’re still up to our eyeballs in the same pile of $#*! and MAN does it stink!
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I’ve really been slacking on the blogging. Having two blogs and the podcast is taking it’s toll on me. I’m going to get back soon, but to get you all through the weekend I wanted to share a post on my site at theojohnson.net. I’m testing out a theory of using child exploitation to drive more traffic to the site. If it works I might use it more when I get in these slumps. Hope you enjoy.
I guess Charles Barkley was right.
Who knew?!
I’ve gotta say I’m a huge hypocrite. I can recall watching my dad watching the Lakers play against the Celtics and thinking how cool Kareem Abdul Jabbar and “Magic” Johnson were. It seemed like they were almost like living cartoon characters. There images were so wholesome and squeaky clean. Then during my teenage years I figuratively idolized Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, Desmond Howard during his years at the U. of Michigan, and Charlie Ward as he stormed towards a dominant campaign for the Heisman Trophy while at Florida St. Each of them to varying degrees noted Christ as their inspiration and personal savior as I began to develop my own individual relationship with Christ. Even when I felt the need for a little “bad boy” inspiration I looked towards Michigan’s Fab 5 for which basketball worldwide can thank for ridding us of those disgusting “get it boy” shorts of the 70’s and 80’s (see John Stockton http://youtube.com/watch?v=nbqdxlZr4_0). Then Charles Barkley came along and ruined it for all of us in 1993 when he proclaimed parents should be role models in a Nike ad. Let’s take a little tour of some of the worst/most shocking athletic indiscretions of the past 14 years since Sir Charles made that commercial and look at athletes in trouble:
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