Earlier this month, the Electronic Village presented ‘The Arte y Pico Award‘ to this blog. I’m definitely honored because the Villager has one of the top black blogs out there and it is a testament to what online activism should entail. If you search my blog you will find a number of references to his site. He’s also one of the workshop presenters at the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta this weekend.

Here are the rules of the Arte y Pico Award:

• You have to pick 5 blogs that deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
• Each awardee has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
• Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
• Each award winner should provide a link to the Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award

Here are five (5) blogs, in no particular order, that I think show Creativity, Fabulous Design, Interesting Material or Contribute to the blogging community:

1. Black In Business - JD is one of the first bloggers I’ve gotten to meet in person. His blog is full of good advice for business owners and he’s open and honest about his views regarding our society. I’m always interested in seeing what he’ll post next. A good guy and a good site.
2. Vanessa: Unplugged - Vanessa (I always want to call her V) has a blog that is very well written and designed. Her topics are right on point and most of the time we have the same views on things. I admire people who can write because it’s something I’ve been working on for a while. Another thing that got me hooked on her site was her commitment last year to blog every day for a year. That’s not easy to do!
3. Dallas South Blog - Shawn is a fellow Aggie, but that’s not why I selected his site. If you want to know what’s happening in South Dallas, this is the blog for you. This is another site that is well-written and he stays on top of the issues that black people need to be concerned about. Even if you don’t live in Dallas, his blog is one you should definitely check out. He will be an attendee at the Blogging While Brown Conference.
4. Black Web 2.0 - I like all things technology. This is one of the sites where I go to get my tech news fix when the need arises. Technology changes daily and there’s always something new to blog about. Angela and Markus are good at staying on top of the newest tech news and gadgets. When you visit the site you have to check out their podcast. They’ve gotten some really good interviews with some major players in the technology industry. They will also be presenting a workshop at the Blogging While Brown Conference.
5. Geeky Cyber Mom - Geeks are cool and so is this website. Anyone who carries a 4-port USB hub in their purse is alright with me. I “e-met” the Geeky Cyber Mom on Twitter. Her blog is fun to read and very informative. She also manages another blog and podcast called Tales of a Single Parent which is equally as good.

So this is my list of bloggers that deserve the award. I have more I’d like to add, but the award only calls for five. Visit their blog and let me know what you think. Thanks again to the Villager for choosing lil ol’ me.

This is a blurry photo (they won’t let you use a flash) of the United States Constitution. On my trip to Washington DC I made this visit a priority because the last time I’d seen it, I was about five years old. This document and is its amendments are what governs our country and as an American citizen, it’s up to us to make sure it’s properly followed. But how many of us have taken the time to read what it says?

Sure, when it was written, we (black people) weren’t included in “We the People”. We had no input on what it said and we had to fight so these same laws would also apply to us. But today, the wording in the Constitution does apply to us and it’s up to us to have at least a general understanding of what’s in it. So when you get a chance, browse through it. Those before us sacrificed a lot and we owe it to them to make sure we know our rights.

And yes, I will be reading through it also.

What is Photo Phenish?

Why Reverend Jesse why? So you really want to castrate the guy? Now that’s gangsta.

I respect the fact that Jackson has paved the way for Obama to be in the position he’s in, but this comment shows how fake people can be. But this isn’t this what American politics is all about? I’m sure Jesse’s not the only one who feels this way. He just got caught slippin’.

I’ve posted before how much I hate to see people say something they really believe and then apologize when the public questions their motives. If he disagrees with Obama on a certain issue, then he needs to stick by it. All he’s done is given the media another distraction to take away from the real issues. I’m glad to see they squashed it. Talk about an uncomfortable situation. Jesse you just lost your cabinet seat.

Here’s a link to a video on CNN showing Jesse trying to explain his comment. I didn’t buy it. The Youtube video below shows the actual comment.

When I say, Don’t Mess With Texas I mean it. Yesterday I read an article on the Dallas Morning News Website covering the increase in concealed handgun licenses in Texas. With the increase in crime and changes in laws regarding individual gun rights there was an almost 5 percent increase in first-time and renewed gun licenses over the first six months of 2007. The concern over personal protection is rising and over the past couple of months this is the most talk I’ve ever heard about gun ownership. I also want you to check out my post about the open carry debate and how it’s picked up steam with over 18,000 people signing an electronic petition to urge lawmakers to make this an option for gun owners.

I’m interested to see where this all goes. I personally think it will make the local authorities job harder, but at the same time as Americans we have the right to protect ourselves. Where do you draw the line when it comes to protection of yourself or personal property? If a group of black men or even a group of Middle Eastern people (all U.S. citizens) were walking around the mall open carrying legally acquired handguns would people view things differently? Only time will tell.

Guns may be allowed at Texas colleges

On the way to and from work, I listen to a lot of talk radio. I love my music stations, but sometimes I get tired of hearing the same songs over and over. In listening to talk radio hosts, some liberal and some conservative, I’ve noticed something as they talk on topics dealing with race. On the more liberal stations, you can tell they are trying to be PC, so they use the term African-American. While most of the conservative stations use a mix of black or African-American.

I’ve heard friends and family make comments about their preferred “race title”, so I wanted to ask you. Do like being called black or African-American? I ask because some people I know really have an issue with white people calling them black. Even on college and job applications, they put African-American/Black as a selection. For those reading this who aren’t black, which term do you use the most? Do you switch between the two based on who you’re talking with?

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, I try to remain politically correct while getting my point across. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. And sometimes I just have to say what’s on my heart and forget those who might be offended. So, just so you know I prefer the term black over African-American. While my ancestors may be from Africa, I am not. I’m a black person born on the south side of America. I’m proud to be black because we are the builders of this country and our history is one of strength and overcoming obstacles. When it comes down to it, I’m just a human being who happens to be black. I love who I am and I use the history of my ancestors to inspire me to create my own page in American History.

Let’s stop getting upset up over terms and titles when it comes to race. I know a lot of people who cringe at Dave Chappelle’s comic relief, but I think it’s on the lighter side of pure genius. Sometimes we can be too uptight when it comes to discussing race in this country. Check out one of my favorite clips.

For those who watched the Cosby Show, I’m sure you remember Bill getting excited over his favorite cowboy hero Colt Kirby. The Wild, Wild West was a time when you could walk around with your gun on your hip and challenge anyone who offended you to a duel at high noon. Times have changed, but the discussion around the right to carry a gun around in public has not.

I was listening to a local talk radio show and they were discussing the issue of allowing Texans to open carry in public places. This means people, other than police officers, would be able to walk around town with a gun on their hip in plain sight. Their argument was that it would be a deterrent of crime and would allow them to protect themselves if the need arose. One such proponent of open carry policy are the folks at opencarry.org. They are making a big push here in Texas (and around the country) to get the governor and legislature to allow open carry in public. I’m interested in seeing how it goes.

While I do believe every American citizen has the right to bear arms, I have some reservations about open carry. While it might make criminals think twice, it will in my opinion just force them to work a little harder in getting what they want. And imagine me and five of my boys walking around the Galleria (an upscale mall) open carrying our legally acquired handguns. If you think people are already on edge, this will just make things worse. Sure the local hoodlum will not think twice about harming you, but there are other things we can do to curb crime. I like the element of surprise. Concealed handguns allow you to keep that.

What do you think? If you live in a state where open carry is legal, how many people actually participate in their right to do so? Would we be making law enforcement’s job harder?

I was listening to a talk radio show this morning and they were discussing possible vice president possibilities for both candidates. One of those combinations was an Obama/Colin Powell ticket. When I heard them say, that I thought it would be interesting to see something like this play out. But one of the hosts on the radio show made a good point. He said he felt while America has come a long way, two African-Americans on a ticket would not win. I thought race and racism was still too big of an issue for them to win.

I was offended at first, but after thinking about it for a while, it made some sense. I have to admit, as a kid I thought I never would get the chance to see someone of color be a serious contender in a presidential race. It’s sad that I would think that, but it was the reality of how I viewed this country. I realized racism was real (my birth certificate shows ‘Negro’ as my race) and I knew that while I could rise above it, a glass ceiling was there waiting for me. But after seeing history in the making, you better believe I’m going to make sure my sons have a different frame of thinking than I did.

Can two very qualified African-Americans win the White House? Obama’s weakness is foreign policy and Powell has the experience needed to offset what Obama lacks. Would America vote for an “all black” ticket? Who knows. Obama is smart enough to choose someone who will help him reach his goal. This is not an easy task, so let’s hope he choses right. America’s watching.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell Thinking Of Voting For Obama

How to Pick a Vice President

I’m sure most of you have seen Oprah’s interview with Thomas Beatie, the world’s first pregnant man. I watched it with my wife so that I could form my own opinion of the matter so I wouldn’t be accused of pre-judging them. Even though Beatie is legally considered a man, I have a hard time hearing people calling her/him the first pregnant man. Now the definition of a man is subject to your interpretation, one thing holds true. Scientifically, a man has different chromosomes than a woman. You can change the outside as much as you want, but in my opinion the Beatie is a woman in a man’s clothing.

As a man, it’s offensive to hear people call her a man. It just doesn’t seem right and really does bother me. I consider myself to be a pretty open-minded person, but in this case I don’t feel I can make the stretch. But it’s her body and she has a right to do whatever she pleases. Just don’t make me feel as if I’m in the wrong for not feeling otherwise. Cause if your momma call you Clay, I’m gonna call you Clay.

A man cannot have a baby. Plain and simple. When people can show me one who hasn’t been altered in any way, then I’ll change my mind on the subject. Read the article below and let me know what you think.

Pregnant Man: Transgender Husband Becomes Pregnant Dad

by darrell.holmes

It’s even more fun when it comes to fruition. I know Barack hasn’t won the election yet. Still, it’s an amazing accomplishment for an African-American to win a major party’s candidacy for the general election. It becomes even more amazing when you consider Lil’ Jimmy Crow is only 50 years ago. I’m sure you’ve already heard that this election season has had record-breaking turnout around the country.

I have to admit that I’m elated by some of the comments that have surfaced from the candidates during this particularly soiled campaign run. Some comments rooted out what many of us presumed were archaic thoughts and beliefs when in fact they are just a part of the neo-recycling movement. There were things said that some people thought they’d never heard X candidate say about another group of people. As always, there’ve been several casualties of this war with many clergymen (along with their reputations) suffering from crossfire. Sometimes it’s better to just support the frontline that fire shots. Despite all the sideshows, Barack stands now as the presumed Democratic Party nominee for this Fall. None of us are certain of what the future holds but I hope that whatever remains will be an election based on the candidates and the issues that face our country. If, in the process, some old feelings find themselves recycled to the surface then hopefully it serves to father discussion that breeds real change and some healing. Maybe everything will look like the 5:55 mark on this Youtube clip from The Boondocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkobjj-uPSw

According to a Proclamation by the President of the United States of America made last year, the month of June is Black Music Month (I wonder what G.W. has on his iPod). This is a time where we recognize the outstanding contributions that African-American singers, composers, and musicians have made to our country, and we express our appreciation for the extraordinary music that has enriched our Nation.

I was watching VH1 Soul this weekend and they have some special programming this month highlighting the accomplishments of musical greats like Sam Cooke and Ray Charles. Black people have made major contributions to the music industry and the VH1 programming was very informational. Music plays an important role in black history and the sacrifices made by those before us should be honored.

If you have any other Black Music Month activities, you’d like to share feel free to post them in the comments.

History of Black Music Trivia Quiz