I had to give a shout out to this brotha because he is the perfect person to get into blogging. You’ve heard him before on the podcast and I’m sure he’ll continue to bring the real in his blog. I can honestly say, he’s never at a loss for words and that’s what makes him a fun guy to hang around. Real talk is what you’ll get when you enter his realm and I’m sure he’d be glad to get the same from you.
You can find him blogging on the websites below. TheGoodDoctor is now in. Hope you enjoy.
This has to be the best swimming relay I’ve ever seen and I’m glad they chose Cullen Jones to be on the team. I first read about Cullen in an article at Black Gives Back. I was just reading through her blog and happened upon the article, which was good timing because I had just started my three year-old in swim lessons a couple of weeks before. My wife and I thought it would be a good idea because we wanted him to be comfortable around the water. Being a Pieces, I love the water and I want to be able to take my kids to the pool without having to worry about them being fearful of it.
According to an article in the LA Times (and Black Give Back), nearly 60% of African American children don’t know how to swim and the rate of accidental drowning deaths is nearly three times higher for minorities ages 5 to 14 than it is for whites. I’m hoping as more people learn about Cullen and his accomplishments these numbers will decrease. There are a number of organizations who specialize in helping kids learn to swim. You can find more information on the YMCA website.
Today as I cruised the mean streets of H-town, I came across a new drink called…”Drank”. Surprisingly, this isn’t a joke. It’s billed as a “relaxation” drink on the opposite end of the spectrum from the coffees, waters, and energy drinks everyone else is peddling. I’ve never been one to knock anyone else’s hustle, but advertising is some of the most ridiculous collection of garbage I’ve ever seen. The drink is produced by Innovative Beverage Group who incorporate such messages as “Slow Your Roll with Drank” and even a mock warning label that cautions “This beverage…may cause one to lean”. I initially felt insulted then I recalled a scene from Spike Lee’s Bamboozled where the movie spoofs such drinks with an advertisement from “Da Bomb malt liquor”. Unfortunately, such questionable concoctions targeted towards the African-American community have been around for years going as far back as Schlitz malt liquor ( a cartoon bull chasing Black folks around a picnic?!) all the way to Lil’ Jon’s Crunk Juice in more recent years. And how could we forget Nate Dogg singing the gospel about St. Ide’s.
I realized that there’s no reason for me to feel embarrassed because I don’t perpetuate or represent these stereotypes. As long as there’s someone to buy it I doubt that these “drinks” will ever go away. If anything, I’m probably doing more to promote “Drank” than detract from it. It speaks to a bigger ill for our whole society that if we put the appropriate makeup on any old pig then the appropriate consumer will buy it. Drink Crunk Juice to get you going, Diet Coke to keep you going, and Drank to calm you down. Maybe Chingy will come out with a new line of pacemakers to help regulate your heartrate after years of taking in liquid uppers and downers.
Now that all of the candidate’s speeches are over, I’d like to take you back in time. The day is August 3rd in the year 2000 and we’re at the Republican National Convention. A younger, spunkier Gov. George W. Bush is at the podium giving his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination for the President of the United States of America.
As a teaser, I wanted to share with you a clip highlighting the hypocrisy I eluded to in my post yesterday. As we come up on the last eight years of Bush’s term I ask that you take the time to read the full speech. It’s interesting to see how history actually played out and play close attention to the promises he delivered on.
Governor Bush delivers remarks at the Republican National Convention
Mr. Chairman — Mr. Chairman, delegates and my fellow citizens, I proudly accept your nomination.
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you. Thank you for this honor.
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you for this honor. Together, we will renew America’s purpose.
Our founders first defined that purpose here in Philadelphia. Ben Franklin was here, Thomas Jefferson and, of course, George Washington, or, as his friends, called him, George W.
I am proud to have Dick Cheney by my side.
He is a man — he is a man of integrity and sound judgment who has proven that public service can be noble service.
American will be proud to have a leader of such character to succeed Al Gore as vice president of the United States.
I’m grateful for Senator John McCain. I appreciate so very much his speech two nights ago. I appreciate his friendship. I love his spirit for America. And I want to thank the other candidates who sought this office, as well. Their convictions have strengthened our party.
There’s been a lot of debate over Sarah Palin and whether she can “do it all” as a Vice Presidential mom. It’s become a hot topic over the last couple of days, but it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. My wife works and she has had this same discussion with other moms many times. Being the soft-spoken, politically-correct Democrat that I am, I tend to keep my mouth shut regarding the subject. But I do have my own opinion and after seeing Sarah’s speech I was inspired to write this little post.
Being raised in a Christian household, I was taught the Bible has the answer to any situation you can face. While it may not always give you the exact answer, through prayer and studying there’s enough to get you on the right path.
Here’s a post from gotquestions.org regarding women in the workplace. I heard a similar response in a family ministry Bible study my wife and I attended a couple of years ago:
Interested in following the coverage of the Democratic National Convention from a blogger of color’s perspective? Check out the widget on the right sidebar. I’ll have it up this whole week. It will make keeping up with the credentialed blogs a little easier.
I heard about this on the radio and wanted to post it, but I couldn’t remember the details. Just so happens a friend of mine works with AIDS Foundation Houston and sent me the link. The testing started yesterday, but there are other days and places you can go to get tested and a ticket. I’ve posted before about AIDS in the black community and it’s a problem that can be controlled.
The City Of Dallas, 979 The Beat, MLK Jr. Family Clinic, Dwaine Caraway and Rickey Smiley are teaming up to Fight the spread of the HIV Virus in the Dallas Metroplex. Over the Next five weeks we will get information out to the public on Free HIV Testing sites across the Dallas Metroplex and it’s our collective goal to get 3000 people tested. On September 14, 2008 at Dallas City Hall a “HIP HOP for HIV” Concert will be held at Dallas City Hall and all of the people that took the test during the testing drive will receive a free ticket to attend. THIS WILL BE A TICKET THAT MONEY CANNOT BUY!
To get a free ticket just take a “free - confidential” Hiv Test Monday through Friday at any of our testing sites listed below or at our four jumbo sites. After completing the test you will get one free ticket to the concert while supplies last. You can test this week at following locations. It’s the Hip Hop for Hiv Awareness concert brought to you by 97.9 the Beat, Your interactive Hip Hop Station!
HIP HOP for HIV Concert Artist Line Up September 14, 2008
Bun B
Mike Jones
David Banner
Pleasure P
Young Berg
Day 26
Trap Squad Cartel
Prime Time Click
The 1st Annual Hip Hop for Hiv Awareness Concert…..
Dallas has the highest percentage of HIV positive
people in the state..So Stop playin’…
It’s time to get serious and get tested!
Know Your Status!
This is the ticket money can’t buy!
For the past couple of days, I’ve been pretty drained and didn’t feel like blogging. I’m tired of politics and there’s nothing in the news that interested me. Until now. I saw this commercial linked on the NPR News & Notes website and had to blog about it.
Bill O’Reilly had Mr. T on his show to defend his Snickers commercial. Some people in the gay community thought it was offensive and it was pulled in Snickers’ Great Britain market. I’m not a big fan of Bill, but Mr. T is the man and I hate to see his name dragged through the mud. I grew up on the A-Team and he was tough guy who kept people in check. From the shows and interviews I’ve seen him on, he seems like a nice guy. If anything attack the Snickers marketing team for putting this together.
The million dollar question is, as a society have we become too sensitive when it comes to issues of race, sexuality, gender, etc? I’ve been watching this whole PC movement unfold and I don’t know if it makes things better or worse. Anything you say can be twisted and construed to mean something completely different than it was intended. Mr. T was obviously concerned about what people thought because he really didn’t mean anything by it. All he was only doing his job. I got ya back T!
What do you think? This is probably one of the funniest interviews I’ve ever seen.
The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado August 25-28, 2008. Over the past couple of years blogging has taken off as a newer form of news media. The beauty of blogging is that you get all types of opinions from people with varying life experiences and point of views. You’re able to get something beyond the corporation-sponsored news articles and at times you get the story the big boys overlook.
This year over 100 bloggers were invited to be credentialed bloggers of the DNC. Of that number I believe seven are black bloggers. When I attended the the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to meet three of the seven in person (I already knew Shawn). In talking with Shawn, there are costs for the trip and they have to cover all expenses. If they worked for a major news company it would be all good, but this is coming straight out the pocket.
History is being made at this convention and I want someone who can relate to the black experience covering it. If you visit their blogs which I’ve listed below, you’ll see they are definitely qualified. So check them out and if you like what you see, send a couple of bucks their way. I haven’t done it yet cause I’m waitin’ on my check, but (in my best pastoral voice) I am putting my ??? dollars into the collection plate. Not the kind that jingles, but the one that folds. Holla.
I guess all this talk about hope is inspiring all types of people. Richard Barrett, a 65 year-old democratic white nationalist hopes Obama’s win over John McCain will spur a racial backlash, giving their groups a boost. With an Obama win, he feels white people will realize they’re losing power and will “…rise up as they’ve never risen up before”. Really?
This is the type of stuff that pisses me off. I have no problem with people being proud of who God made them to be. Hell, I’m black and I’m proud to be black. But what’s the deal with this whole losing power talk. Obama’s race for the White House is not about power (although political conservative talk show hosts would have you thinking otherwise). Do white people really feel like they are “losing power”? I’d be curious to hear from someone who did. Obama from the beginning tried to not make his running about race, but as we all know race matters. When you live in a melting pot of immigrants, the topic is bound to be discussed sooner or later.
While we’re on the topic of race, I was bothered by the group who got up and heckled Obama about what he’d do for black communities. If Obama wins the presidency, he’s not going to be the saviour for all black people and communities. That’s not the job of a President. His job is to do what’s best for America as a whole. If that includes getting more jobs or funding for lower income communities, then so be it. But it’s going to take the black people in and out of those communities to come together to make a difference. The Civil Rights Act didn’t become law because a group of politicians thought it was the right thing to do. It became a law because black people got fed up.
I had to give a shout out to this brotha because he is the perfect person to get into blogging. You’ve heard him before on the podcast and I’m sure he’ll continue to bring the real in his blog. I can honestly say, he’s never at a loss for words and that’s what makes him a fun guy to hang around. Real talk is what you’ll get when you enter his realm and I’m sure he’d be glad to get the same from you.
