They Need to Quit

As I read the Dallas Morning News I see this image with the following story. I laugh in my mind about all of the Black people that want to call themselves Republicans, and I then look up the website for this company Republican Market.com and saw these:





At this point I become a bit enraged. Hopefully by now you know me well enough to know that my rage is not directed at a bunch of ignorant rednecks. My rage is with the Dallas Morning News. I am disappointed that a newspaper that calls themselves an endorser of Senator Obama desires to fan the flame of Black-White hatred. I have absolutely no problem with them covering the "black house" button, but is there a reason they did not cover the button that is misogynistic, or the one that would offend Hispanics, or the one that makes fun of fat people, or the one that basically says anyone that does not vote Republican is not a true American?????

Instead of trying to continue this unrelenting banter about racism towards Blacks, lets take a look at all of the issues that illustrate the type of attitudes in the Republican party that show lack of respect for Women, Blacks, Hispanics, and basically anyone that has a differing opinion.

As we have heard over an over again about the 18 million people that voted for Senator Clinton I would think they would take issue with the dozens of buttons slamming her, or maybe this large group of women voters would have issue seeing a woman with a strong personality being labeled as a "B". Or maybe the 51% of Americans that did not vote Republican may take issue with being told they are not REAL Americans.

I am just disappointed with the Dallas Morning News, Obama's message has been to actually dig into the root of the issue, not just to try to find the best sound bite to incite some emotion. Read more!

Daily Observations, Pt III

Third edition of this series. This one is simply called:

"Where did they come from?"

So I went to the local theatre in my neighborhood to see "The Happening" the latest movie by M Night Shyamalan. I try to refrain from doing movie reviews on the blog so I will simply say I thought it was pretty good. I like it, if you like his other movies you would like this one, if not you will probably not like it. It is an anti-Hollywood movie, not conforming to any of the typical cliches and plot lines of your typical movies.

When we entered the theatre there were almost no seats left. So we went back out to get tickets to another show. My wife was set on going to see Sex and the City, and as we walked to the customer service desk to exchange the tickets I must have had quite the look of despair; because the manager says to us, "You may just as well wait for the later show because Sex and the City is so long that it will end about the same time anyway." This guy is my HERO, this guy gets my nomination for the "Band of Brothers" award for 2008.

So we get our tickets to the later show and this is where I get my 2 observations for this blog:

The 1st, since we have an hour wait before the next movie begins we hop across the street to a restaurant and hit the bar, so we can grab a drink and I can catch the highlights from the US OPEN! As we are sitting at the bar a girl walks in and asks me, "Is she (the bartender) taking a long time to get orders?" I tell her not too long, and why do you ask. She says, "Well I was watching a movie and I went out to get popcorn and I thought why not just go grab a couple of shots before I go back in." As you can imagine that was a little tough to absorb so I had her repeat it to me again. She did, and then she placed the order. The bartender asked her if she wanted the same thing she got earlier? She nodded, got the drinks, paid for them,,downed them back to back almost all in one motion and she was out!!! Everybody at the bar was in a buzz, laughing and discussing what we all just saw. The bartender hears all of the discussion and says, "Yep, she came in right before the movie and ordered the same thing." Something tells me she was not done drinking that night. If alcoholics go to AA this girl needs to go to AAAAAA.

The 2nd, when we got to the theatre still laughing at the story above (but only slightly as technically we had just done the same thing, only more tastefully). There was a theatre filled with Black people. Keep in mind the demographics of Blacks in my neighborhood is so small that on a bar chart you would not be able to even read what percent we make up because it is so small. So seeing Black folks at the movies is pretty rare. Seeing a lot of Black people at the movies is very rare, and seeing them in a M Night Shyamalan movie is even more confusing. Down right shocking! I couldn't figure out if there was some attraction or rapport that he (Shyamalan) has built up among Blacks with his movies? I mean I can't say I have ever discussed one of his movies with another Black person.

I asked a friend about it, and he says he would not have called that one? Maybe it was just because there was just nothing else out that WE wanted to see at the theatre??? Read more!

Daily Observations, Pt II

This is the second edition of this series we will call this one:

"Just Trying to Eat"

I stopped by a local fast food chain early Saturday morning to pick up some breakfast after coming from the barber shop. When I pulled up the drive-thru the line was wrapped around the building so I parked and went in.

As I am walking up to the door past all of the big, nice, new Pickups and SUV's (one of which was my own so I am jabbing myself too) you could not help but notice a hoop-d parked right at the entrance. This car was in dire need of paint, it had no front bumper, major damage on the left front passenger side, and the back bumper was hanging. Inside the car was a middle-aged White woman that appeared to be styling her hair as if she was coming in for an interview.

So I went in and placed my order, and shortly after she entered, she had a noticeable limp, and the little bit of styling she was tyring to do in the car appeared not to have helped much at all. She walked up to the counter and asked to speak to the manager. I was assuming she was inquiring about a job, but she started in with this crazy story about what had happened to her the night before, and how she did not get all of the food that she had ordered, and she had called numerous times to talk to someone about it. It was more than obvious a fabrication, and the manager asked if she had her receipt. Of course she was unable to find it.

At this point between the fact that they were very busy, and he probably really didn't care he went ahead and gave her what she asked for without argument.

The woman looked relieved.... The 2 things I found interesting in this observation:

1) The fact that I am in a neighborhood where the average household income is above average, a parking lot full of expensive cars, and this woman would rather come in here and tell this crazy story rather than ask for money so that she can get some food to eat. This is our society, your odds are better making up a lie to the restaurant manager than asking your fellow neighbors for money to buy some food.

2) The fact that her order was filled was a testament to the difference in service that you get in more affluent areas. Just in an effort not to cause a scene he gave her what she wanted and sent her on her way. In the neighborhood I grew up in, or the one I moved from a couple of years ago, there is no chance they would have gave her that food. They would have made a point to cause a scene and publicly embarrass this woman over $3 worth of food........ Read more!

What is a MAN 2 do?

One of my good running buddies is having some deep marital problems. To the point that they have now separated and he has moved out and got his own place.

It was to the point where even I (Mr. pro-marriage) had to say you 2 are so fixated on how great life would be apart it is virtually inevitable at this point that you separate for a while. Of course the look my boy had in his eyes could tell you, if she wanted to keep him at all she best not to let him move out.

So now he is OUT. I stopped by his house last week, he already has it set up, 2 bedroom townhome on the side of town where all of the beautiful people live, 5 minutes form work. He has both bedrooms furnished, got his wi-fi and cable hooked up, got a plasma screen hanging on the wall. I mean the house is fully furnished and he even has it setup nice for the weekends when he has his 2 girls. This by no means appeared to be a temporary arrangement.

So when I asked how things were going between him and the wife (since there was obviously no need to ask how he was doing), he said everything was great!! He said they talk to work out the bills, he gets to pick up the girls and keeps them regularly everything was all good, but not in a getting back together way.

So later that week after sitting through his wife and her friends (of which my wife is one) having yet another "he aint sh*t rap session." My wife is like, what you described doesn't fit my expectation. Well, she was right! The bottom fell out real fast on the Bachelor. The next time I talked to him he tells me that his wife will not let him see the girls and is not responding to his calls....

I say to him that she must have asked him for some money and he refused to pay. Man, the dude blew up on me! He was like, Oh she told you that! Well did she tell you she forged one of my checks that came to the house too.....

OK, always cool I look at him and say you know damn well I have not talked to your wife. Ya'll are predictable dude, ya'll don't have a patent on dysfunction. It always comes down to the dollar. I tell him wives sign checks for husbands all the time, it's no big deal when you are together.

Then I went Dr. Laura, all that aside here is what you need to do. First get a PO BOX and get your business straight. Next, you guys need to settle on what you are going to pay her to support the children and the household. None of that I'll buy them what they need when I come get them. You need to set an agreed upon amount and you need to get that money together immediately and regularly. You need to record every penny you give her and ever dollar you spend on the children and to support the household, and I mean tangible records not quoting amounts from the top of your head.

Lastly, if you are not going to make any attempt whatsoever to mend your relationship then you need to file for divorce. Not just be out here running around having a good old time. As of now you still have a wife and 2 kids, and 2 households to support since you moved out..

He argued a bit, but I was not up for much debate, as I am not trying to be a marriage counselor. I don't need to be convinced. Then of course we went back to my favorite subject, S-P-O-R-T-S!I left feeling blessed that I was on the outside looking in at this situation.

I haven't heard from him since? Read more!

We have been Enlightened!

As a Delegate representing my Senate District and Precinct in Tarrant County I traveled to Austin to vote my support for Barack Obama for President for the 4th of what will ultimately be 5 times (Primary election, Precinct Convention, District Convention, State Convention, and of course the General Election in November).

When asked what made this one of my most memorable experiences I can name more than a few. To see thousands of people excited about our candidates not only for President, but for Congress and other state and local elections as well. To meet and hear speeches from well known Democrats mayors, state representatives and senators, and even nationally recognized figures like Chelsea Clinton and Tim Kaine Governor of Virginia who may very well be our next Vice President. To see friends and family most of which I had no idea would be attending. To see almost 30-40% of the attendees were Black people excited about Obama and getting involved in the political process.

Let it be said Black people in Texas and across this country have been ENLIGHTENED. Even deeper than what Obama has accomplished. You could feel the impact of Blacks in every aspect of the convention. When I watched Texas become a laughing stock because of the kaos and dysfunction of the Precinct Conventions I thought this process needed to be abolished immediately, but after going all the way to the State Convention I now understand this is the way we get people involved in the process.

The convention is where candidates are selected, it is where the party rules are written. If you ever wondered how it is that the Democratic Platform has seemed to go astray from the fundamental beliefs of Black people. It is easy to understand, we have not been participants in the development of the platform. Black people united at the Convention and we now have a number of Black people on every Committee that sets policies and makes decisions on behalf of the Democratic Party in Texas. We voted out people that have been doing the jobs forever that have ignored our issues, and have watched the party reach an almost dismal state to the point we barely had a gubernatorial candidate in 2006.

It really makes you sick to the stomach to think that we have not had a voice in this process for many years now. Many say this is all about Obama and we'll be lucky to see 1/2 as many people as we did this year at future conventions. That is undeniably true, but that is still twice as many than we have ever had in past years! This year we set forth a new generation of leaders for the Democratic Party in Texas!!! Read more!