Tale of 2 America’s: Separate and Unequal

America is falling apart and is reverting to what it always was: two nations inside of one. A frightening prospective but not unexpected given the lack of leadership in Washington; both party’s included as well as each branch of government. Maybe unbeknownst to the President also, given that he is asking people to fight on his behalf yet forgetting that it is hard for people to fight when they are hungry or homeless.

Once the call of this nation was separate but equal, a statement that cannot be validated even by simple algebra. Unfortunately in today’s parlance, all indicators reveal the overt reality that as a nation, we are separate and unequal – a lucid fact visible in black and white. If this divide is not mended, there will be hell on the avenues across this great nation.

Although we excel in some things, as a people, African Americans comprise 13% of Americans but only 4% of U.S. physicians, 3.2% of Lawyers, and less than 1% of architects but 69% of NFL, 80% of NBA and 98% of all rappers. The infant mortality rate of African Americans is 13.4 deaths per 1,000 live births compared to 5.5 and 5.7 for Hispanics and whites accordingly. Just 12 % of AA fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading, compared with 38 percent of white boys, and only 12 % of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math, compared with 44 percent of white boys.

What is real is that we are our worse enemy and that the American oligarchical powers have used this to their advantage. A new report has just been released confirming that as Africa Americans we watch more TV than any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S. according to figures released on March 30, 2011. Moreover, Based on data collected in November 2010, African Americans used their TVs an average of 7 hours, 12 minutes each day — above the U.S. average of 5 hours, 11 minutes. Yet still, the disparities across the board are due to systemic practices of racism that elected leaders, regardless of race and political affiliation ignore as well.

Between 2003 and 2007, African American mothers had infant mortality rates at least twice as high as white mothers and AA children ages 17 and under were nearly 50 percent more likely to be without private or government health insurance than white children and that AA children ages 18 and under were three times more likely to live in single-parent households than white children. Nearly two-thirds of all AA children lived in a single–parent household and were twice as likely as white children to live in a household where no parent had full-time or year-round employment. Just one-third of AA children had a parent with a high school diploma, 24 % had a parent with at least some college experience, and less than 15 % had a parent who held a bachelor’s degree. These figures are not from the Ante-bellum south or during Jim Crow, but from the past few years and are just some of the reasons why one out of every three AA children lives in poverty compared with one out of every ten white children.

We are poor, jobless and in pain yet the nation’s first African American President and his political party ignore our desperate pleas as equally as the Republicans. Although Obama has proposed a job plan, it is difficult to see, unless targeted in urban areas and toward African American businesses, how this will aid in reducing the massive rate of unemployment we face.

For example, the dramatic difference with respect to access to capital. According to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau data, the median level of net worth among blacks is $6,200, eleven times lower than whites. Evidence shows that at startup, black entrepreneurs experience higher loan denial and tend to pay higher interest rates than white-owned businesses. Moreover, white-owned businesses have more than $80,000 of initial capital on average compared to black-owned businesses have less than $30,000 startup capital.

Regardless of the systemic constraints, we also must face the truth of aiding in our own demise and allowing these two nations within one to exist. From education to the correctional system this is observable. More than two-thirds of African American male dropouts are expected to serve time in state or federal prison. It would be idiotic to overlook the impact that arrests and incarceration have on African American families and communities. Since the 1990s, nearly one in three African-American men aged 20-29 were under criminal justice supervision, while more than two out of five had been incarcerated. Making African American males being incarcerated (4,618 per 100,000) 6 times more likely to be held in custody than white males: resulting in an estimated 1,559,200 children had a father in prison at midyear 2007; almost half (46%) were children of black fathers.Something is wrong with this America, the segment that has basically forgotten the sacrifices others made decades before them in order for them to be complacent, for they believe that they have theirs and that is all that matters.

But this is not reality. Today’s African American youth watch TV around 6 hours a day compared to 3 hours to whites and are exposed 6 hours more in total to all media when compared to white youth Even worse is that reading newspapers or books is basically none existence for African American youth, with whites and Asians reading way more each day, especially books, which if data is accurate, African American read on average 11 minutes a day and 33 minutes in total in terms of all print media.

If they do reach the point of completing High school and attending college, the nationwide graduation rate for African Americans is 42 %, most of which are females. As of five years ago, fewer than 8 % of young African American males graduated from college compared to 17% of white males in the same age group. What does this mean? It means that "The 4.5 million African American men ages 15 to 29 represent 14% of the U.S. male population of that age and
12% of all African Americans in the U.S. Their high rates of death, incarceration, and unemployment, and relatively low levels of college graduation rates raise concerns for African American families and the nation’s economy."

Yes America used to be a tale of two nations, black and white and separate but equal. Now this has returned however this time these two places are substantially unequal. Yes Obama wants us to get to marching, but he is missing the big social picture. People cannot march when sick and hungry. And they will not if the president is not open equally to hearing their pain. Instead they will be stealing copper from air conditioners and telephone poles, forming flash mobs and robbing stores and driving truck through beauty supply stores and stealing natural Indian hair.This is the new America and once people really get hungry, there will be hell to pay.

helmet to helmet - humbug

America has been increasingly falling down the global ladder of intellectual sophistication and astuteness. From our schools to our politics, this is a self evident truth. No more real is this observation than the aforementioned is what is observed in the world of Professional sports.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love sports, but I must admit, it is more than apparent that from the new proposed rule changes in professional basketball to the attempt to change the contact ethos in football, that these organizations are run by imbeciles who do not have any knowledge or understanding of science math, physics or physiology, or worse, that they themselves ma have skipped a few too many classes while in school or had the old noggin cracked one too many times.

I state this for two reasons albeit the latter will be my main focus. In summary, you cannot legislate obviate natural occurrences via technical fouls (as in the case of emotions and fouls in the NBA) or the mechanics of physics or physiology (as in the case of the NFL with respect to helmet to helmet contact).

It appears unbeknownst to those in professional football any knowledge of the Potassium Argon Theory of Bilateral symmetry. This defines why the human body of Homo sapiens sapiens is the way it is, or in other words why what we have on one side is on the other as well as why we walk up right, lead with our head and walk on our feet. Yes, Homo sapiens sapiens, which translated means “man wise wise”. But you cannot tell these from idiots who think they can make rules that are contra to human anatomy, physiology or the natural laws of physics.

As a creature with bilateral symmetry, the fact is that man, when using his complete body as a projectile, will always leads from his head, for force originates from acceleration from our feet in relation to the ground and gravity. This is proven factual from the entire known math in the world as postulated from Euclid, to Pythagoras to Einstein. Since perpendicularity originates with the understanding of right triangles, when mass and force are added, we end up with corresponding positions with motion – these are called vectors. Vectors are mathematical objects best explained by physics; however I will attempt to simplify it for the commoner.

A vector is characterized by a direction in space like a Safety on a football field hey are They begin at an Origin “O” which is a starting point like the feet of a Safety on the field. It leads from that initial origin “O” to another point “P” in space. “P” is the end point. This is why vectors are symbolized by an arrow, because al force from an origin is targeted to the end point f the head just as an arrow from the string of a bow. All vectors eventually intersect the target plane (Ball Carrier) and are called projections. Projections end up translating all of the force obtained by the mass of the particles push from the ground to an end point (Ball carrier).

This is why we have the concepts of momentum, energy and elasticity – since the velocity of a particle in motion has direction and magnitude. Plainly stated, the momentum of a particle with velocity and mass is a vector. The elasticity of these resulting forces acting between colliding particles (ball players) is reinforced in Newton’s laws of mechanics. Otherwise we would have inelastic impact, or where the two particles hit each other and stick together.

The point is if men play football in our gravity and they start on the ground, and project with mass and acceleration, it is both physically and mathematically impossible for the human body not to lead with the opposite end where the energy transfer started (the head). No matter what we do, humans by anatomy and symmetry will always lead from the head whether it is walking forward or standing up. The only way to change this I football is if you allow folks to drop kick each other because all the rules in the world they come up will never refute the laws of mechanics.

Label me Cow

Point of order: 1] Its football season, a moment of silence

2] just finished jamming that Bootsy Collins “I’d rather be with you” and Ahmad Jamal "Misdemeanor".

So, for the record, I don’t hate McCain, I just think he dying. As well don’t hate Obama; he has just reducing questions to the general than toward the specific. Neither of them deal with the realities in America outside of being topical. They don’t see it seems, what is going on, or how we are loosing our country to outside global interest and that WE THE PEOPLE are loosing out daily in this ground war. Maybe I am wrong, but from not talking about China and the steel industry while in Pennsylvania to the foreclosures in Georgia when speaking of economics, I don’t hear specified answers from either. Case in point.

A British bank and investment firm has managed to buy a group of tenements buildings in East Harlem, New York. Now I have not heard either talk or mention this, not even in the topical sense of protecting America for Americans (which would be mandatory based on what I have read of both candidates’ economic agendas, if they are to work.

Now, not only is most of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac owned by Japan, Belgium and some selected Arab countries, Eastern and central Europe is getting in on the land grab. Dawnay, Day, the London-based investment bank, has dropped about £250 million on homes in Harlem, New York. Why, because they know that gentrification in America Urban areas is big loot, a cash cow. Not just a few building I add, but a few square miles north of 100th Street. This private bank, even opened a well staffed office in downtown Manhattan, under the name of Dawnay, Day US Real Estate Management.

We talking about more than 1000 acquisition in East Harlem in 47 buildings from the North side of Central Park from East 100th Street and East 120th Street. But I cant be mad at them, if I had Pounds, against the historical lows in the dollar.

But back to the front runners, they don’t even mention this kind of stuff yet they claim to focus on and target the grass root common man. These places, like here with the foreclosures, anywhere from 40 to 50% live below the national median income annually. And how do they get folks out after they buy the properties, they raise the rent, to $1000 per square foot and evict folk. They will talk about helping Fannie mae and Freddie Mac, as I said, but when it comes to regular folks, no mention, just the middle class. And just think, Harlem used to be a middle class community. A few years from now, middle wont be able to afford it anymore. And it seems on the surface that McCain or Obama don’t even know, for I do hope and believe they care. So you can call it what you want, and suggest you label me cow, cause yep, I got beef.

running into a brick wall

Now back to our regular scheduled programming. I had a homeboy that used to play defensive back with the Washington Redskins and Eagles. When he finished playing football in college, right before the draft, he came home. At one of my infamous party’s, we exchanged dap and talked. He spoke about the interviews he had with several NFL teams prior to the draft. He said he told them all “if you pay me enough, I will run into Brick wall." Now my Boy Barry hit hard, was Memphis Buck, and fast – all 6’2”, 220 pounds of him. He led the NFL in interceptions as a rookie and had 2 interceptions during the Skins Super Bowl win over Denver when Doug Williams was the MVP. I say this as a metaphor regarding the future as it may come to fruition in November.

Most of you all know that Dr. Ron Paul was my first choice for the Presidency, followed closely by Senator Obama. But since it seemed as if folks didn’t ascribe to my position, I’m going with Obama in the title game. However, many folks are s caught up on the primaries and his nemeses that we seem to be missing the bigger picture. A few weeks ago I asked why Black folk seem to vote hook, line and sinker for the democrats. Now, I feel that if things don’t go as most expect, there maybe a form of whiplash from African American voters.

The cynicism will rise extremely quickly if the democratic primary allows for the race between HilBill and Barak Obama to be decided by a bunch of elites Super delegates. As it stands now, with this inclusive of what has happened with the democratic primaries in Florida and Michigan, shit may really hit the fan. I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me if all this sit ends up in court. Not to mention that the three co-chairs of the DNC Credentials Committee: Alexis Herman, James Roosevelt, Jr. and Aliseo Roques-Arroyo, all served in the Clinton Administration. I just wonder how serving and working for her husband for 8 years may influence how they cast their super delegate votes.

On the other side of the aisle, Obama is already talking about November – a November where he most likely will be in the title game against John McCain. Although both democratic candidates say they are the best to face McCain, the truth is Obama has the best chance. Hillary says she can, but it would be easy for her to get beat down if she did face him in the general election. First, there are zillions in the GOP who hate her husband and her as well. Most folks would use the Clinton’s as a rallying cry to motivate a stagnant party, even if many conservatives feel that McCain isn’t conservative enough for them. Add to the fire that pundits like Rush Limbaugh recently said he would help raise money for Senator Hillary Clinton in order to unify the GOP.

Obama to me would be a stiff challenge for the GOP although some, like the ultra conservative New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corps. Empire endorsed Obama in the New York primary, feel that it will be easier to defeat him. Why, well it brings us back to the feeling that hard liners hope that the race card, and the assumption that many still would not select an African American to be the President of the United States, as their player card.

Truth is he will be a visible difference versus McCain. First he will represent a strong generational difference, which McCain cannot challenge. Second, he will be a strong contradiction to McCain stance on the war in comparison to Clinton, who voted to support the war effort. Not to mention McCain sees us being in Iraq for another 100 years.

So what’s next? Well Hillary is already sending her daughter around to meet with the younger super delegates. For example, she recently had breakfast with Jason Rae who is a super delegate since he is a member of the Democratic National Committee from Wisconsin.

But the aforementioned is not the issue, it is the super delegates, who will the side with and what them three big wig Democratic Credential Committee folks will do. This has been a break out years for the democrats. It seems that they have been able to motivate young voters as well as pick up independent voters who have historically voted republican. However, if Obama has a slim lead nationally, but ends up loosing via the super delegates, it may end up back firing on them. Especially among African American and young voters, who may be so disappointed, that the party that says it stands for unity may loose a major segment of its membership. Its ok for my boy Barry to say he will run into a brick wall if they pay him enough, but I don’t think the democrats can survive running into a brick wall that may turn folks off from the voting and election process.

in the oral tradition

To often, we take our pleasures for granted. See me, I’m a fan of sports. Since it is football season, I am more concerned about it as well as the fledgling NCAA basketball season more than other miscellaneous pleasurable pursuits. I learned of my direct love via my male family members. I learned not only of the love for the sport, but also history. They told me about the Satchel Page's, the Rube Foster's and the Curt Floods. I was unaware of these folks, and they had seen them before the era of television and were aided by radio. Jus as I tell my son about the Jack Tatum’s, the Lew Alcindor’s and the Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam’s. And Like I was, he too ca only visualize what I am trying to explain since he had not grown up seeing them Albeit he may have archival film footage courtesy of ESPN to help him, he still will never understand their greatness as I did unless I take the time to tell him.

One such figure that I was told of but never saw was Bill Willis. Willis was the first African American to ever start in the National Football League. A player with the Cleveland Browns, he was the one to open up the NFL and break down the color barrier. He played with the Browns from 1946 to 1953 and his record was enough for him to be elected into the pro football Hall of Fame in 1977. Willis also played/started both offense and defense for the Legendary Paul Brown.

While at Ohio State, he had his No. 99 jersey retired at halftime of the Wisconsin-Ohio State game. He was also Ohio States first Black football all American where he opened a many holes and blocked for the Buckeye’s 1944 Heisman Trophy winner Les Horvath. He also participated in track and field some five years after Jesse Owens attended the institution.

Yep I’m glad for listening to my folks and his break throughs, or else we would still be looking a football with a lot of slow ass men who likely would not hit as hard and/or talk shit on the field. And moreover, ‘m glad I listened to my elders and the stories the told. I guess it will be up to us to keep telling the stories in the oral tradition and then some, so these can be captured in His-story books and history. He was 86 years old so no telling what his eyes say or his spirit experienced.

A few of my favorite things

Was cold again this weekend in Georgia. Another reason why it would not surprise me if it snowed again in April. Was in the bed and it had dawned on me that this was good cuddling weather. But since that wasn’t possible, I sat there with little momma, who had just woken up talking “ Eat, eat, eat up.”

But the night was not as bad as I thought. I landed on the ABC Family channel, an outcome that could have only occurred as a function of their being no more college basketball and four months before the first NFL game. But I was pleasantly surprised. The sound of Music was on. It reminded me of how we took city buses on a field trip from my elementary school in Memphis to go and see it at the Malco Theater. What I remember most about it other than the fact I was out of school was the fat as crib the Captain had and the sound track. Yep, it had the fat sound track.

Now I was looking at it in m bed, with my little princess eating rib eye steak. It was so rewarding, her sitting under my arm, loving each song as I did. Even standing up and holding m hand, dancing with the music. It is without question a timeless classic and one of the best love stories I would ever desire to show to a kid. Not to mention the Mack lines. Like when the Captain asked Frauline why she came back and hinted that he would have hoped that he was one of the reasons or that she missed him. That’s when he snuck slim off in the greenhouse and said “you can’t marry someone if you are n love with someone else – pure merciful.

They used to make some classic movies back in the day. Wonder if they will ever get around to making more classics today?