Memorial Day

Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifices. But for Iraq none of those sacrifices should have ever been...

Those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Try counting how many age 18-25 have died. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

This is kind of strange but, trying to analyze the fact that these young men and women voluntarily serve in the military, and those who argue that they know what they are getting into when the sign up, that they are voluntarily signing their death certificates. I have a hard time accepting this premise. There are so many factors at play. From joining to get that so called free education, to joining to get out of the hood and gain a skill, to being enticed by the signing bonus. Whatever the case may be that led them to joining, it is unarguable that a great majority of these kids are latino (some without citizenship), black and poor white kids from rural America.

Walk with me further. These kids are at the time of enlistment, at the bottom of the pole, (despite those who are joining to get an education or a craft to rise in class). So with that said, maybe it's justifiable for our country to use these low on the totem pole individuals to carry out its will, regardless of whether the cause is just or not. This would therefore justify the Bushes and Cheneys (the elite) to use this class of serfs to do their work and have no remorse as to the pain their deaths may cause, because they are beneath them and that is their role, to die for their country, just or unjust. So why should we be saddened when we hear that another young person has died in Iraq. They are doing what serfs do. Why should we allow their death to interfere with out enjoyment of life. Didn't they (this administration) tell us a long time ago to go shopping, enjoy life and continue to do the things we would normally be doing? It's no sweat off of our brows, right? Let the serfs do their thing and leave the pain to those serfs and their family.

Damn, maybe I have been looking at this thing the wrong way the entire time?

Doin What It Do

Got a chance to hang with the crew. It's really good to see everyone still moving forward, considering where we started. Sitting in class back in the day daydreaming and telling stories about what we gonna have and what we gonna do when we get older. We still have a ways to go, but we're still on the path. Let's see, Dee the "Comedian", J-Fo, Spike and C-Loc. Is that not the universal brotha pose, didn't nobody have to tell us to throw up the deuces. We almost lost our lives when Dee flying the darn plane in the dark tried to land it on top of our heads.

I got a chance to peep out Erykah Badu last night. She is one talented sista. I dunno if I prefer concerts out here or in the south. Not knocking Diego, but concerts in the south seem so much more soulful. I think I was probably one of a handful of black folk at the show. The majority were white and latino, oh and a Korean dude wit dreadlocks, YES, dreadlocks. Had the nerve to be kind of long too. It wasn't working though, it just looked like a nappy mess, I wanted to take a pic but, anyway. Maybe I'm just hating. Anyway, it was like Badu was jamming but the two latino chicks next to me were killing my flow. You know how at majority black shows, folks sing along (in rhythm) and everyone is vibing. Well, that aint how it went down. Then, Badu was trying to get the soul clap going, yea....forget it. Nonetheless it was kool, getting a chance to see her perform, Badu is tight no doubt.

Had to end this wit a little flow from Badu...Enjoy.

Ok damn, I couldn't resist...

Blank Check

So the Dems caved in and will give Bushevik billions more without any time tables. For a brief moment I thought perhaps the Dems would show some backbone. But you know, when you have built the biggest U.S. Embassy in the world in Iraq and several permanent bases, that tells you right there, we aint going anywhere. As as the deaths of soldiers mount each day, its almost as if someone is saying to the military and their loved ones, suck the deaths up, that's what they signed up for. This is what the those men and women are going through over there, http://movies.crooksandliars.com/PBS-Deadly-Search.wmv

Anyone up for a Draft? I aint talking N.B.A. either.

I'll let Keith Olbermann end this one... http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Play/17635/1/Countdown-SC-IraqCompromise.wmv/

Transitions

After that last post, a brotha is lookin for a lil humor. That video below is still a little troubling. Hard to transition into anything else.

Met up with one of my old classmates and kicked it. We ended up at the Comedy Store in La Jolla. It was open mic night and one of our mutual friends was performing. Dude had told us earlier in the day that it was gonna be a good show tonight, so I was kind of looking forward to it. However, I knew we were in trouble when we arrived to find about 12 folk in the audience. Half of which were fok waiting to perform. Not wanting to leave our friend hanging, we sat on down, but I was like dude we gots to bounce if this is lame. So the comedians started performing and it was awful, I could hear the crickets chirping after their lame lines. There was one chick in the audience though that laughing loud and at every stale routine, but I think she was on that purple so......

So our guy gets on stage, we tried to get hype for him, until he decided he wanted to point us out. So I ducked low, didn't even want him to see the bored look on my face. He was actually had the best performance of the night, though it was not the Def Jam. I give all those folk props for even having the courage ot walk on the stage, I would not even attempt to walk on stage, hell, I aint funny anyway.

The biggest laugh of the night did not occur in the club, as we left the comedy club, each of us silent as we walked to our cars, upon reaching the cars, we looked at each other and bust out laughing, blaming each other for not getting the heck out of there after the first stale comedian left the stage.

I started warming up for round two today.

No lie, if I still lived here I would be one Bus pushin brotha......no lie either that or Huffy....member those?

F@#$ Honor Killings

I am kind of behind in the news, but tonight while catching up I caught something that filled my heart with anger. Not gonna lie, I had tears in my eyes as I watched it. If you are faint at heart don't view the following.

It's a f_____g shame that in 2007, some folk are still living in the stone ages, literally. A seventeen year old Kurdish woman accused of associating with a guy outside of her sect was stoned to death by members of her family and others in her ethnic group. Not only is the shit senseless and f_____h barbaric, to see these tricks howling and f_____g riled up, trying to record the shit with their cell phone like they were at a some f_____g basketball game makes me want to pull a Rambo on their azzes.

I don't really give a fart if at some time back in the day, stoning was the "in thing" for such conduct unbecoming of a woman. But if I am not mistaken ( I did some reading) back then there were some rules to stoning, there must be three witnesses to testify that both parties in fact violated, if the proof was weak and it is determined the witnesses were lying then the witnesses got dealt with. Either way, this young lady did not stand a chance. Point is, come out of the f_____g cave mf's, that type of rule of law is no more. Exercise some restraint, lets see, put the woman's thing out on the curb, disown her from the family, kick her out of the sect, call her a ho a few times and get the f__k over it, or you know what, cowboy up with that honor shit and let God handle it.

No one deserves to leave this earth like that. No one. May God have mercy on the young woman. As for the many b_____s that kicked and stone her, DIE SLOW MF.

Bounced

So I figured I needed some rejuvenation, some re-energizing and re-focusing before I get back in study mode. What better place to do that? London, England, or maybe Rome, Italy? Ooooh wait, yes, Negril, Jamaica. Now that is the business. But then reality kicked me in the shin, well ok, that and the fact that my checking account was on low. So I had to limit myself to somewhere close.........so lets see now........

Decided to go visit the fam in Daygo. I would do one of those Bush/Cheney surprise trips to Iraq, not telling anyone that I was coming, just hopping on a plane, jumping in a car, and pulling up in the driveway.

The plan worked out well. Time to relax.

Last week I had a chance to meet someone who I think has played a part in black history. Though I do not personally agree with his politics, I can't disregard the impact he has had on black folk. His organization has reformed many and in some cases totally rehabilitated others. To some he is worthy of praise and to others much criticism. I am speaking of Minister Louis Farrakhan. He was in town to speak to a local congregation. He was looking for a low key place to watch the De La Hoya v. Merriwether fight. I just happened to be in that quiet place he was searching for. He was very very cordial and soft spoken. Not exactly what I would have expected, but I was able to chat with him on some issues as if he was one of the boys.

I enjoyed seeing all of those white ladies in show up in force at City Hall to protest crime in their neighborhood. I like the fact that when they get fed up, they unite and ride out to the powers that be demanding action. Now, I am waiting on the hood to get pissed off and unite, either that or take back their neighborhoods. Naw, that aint gonna happen cause we don't snitch or act when we see ish. Speaking of.....

Did you see this video? An old guy in Detroit was carjacked while onlookers just stood by while he was pummeled. It was quite pathetic. I know nowadays cats be strapped but, there were at least three or four people just watching while the guy was beat.

Let's see, today I leave you with a reading assignment. http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/05/17/loyalty/

I'm still around. On somewhat of a hiatus. Allowing my creative juices to rejuvenate. It's funny when you get e-mails about nothing new on the blog. I took a week off. Got something up my sleeve. I will jump back in the saddle later in the week. So, the next time u visit, there will be new items of discussion.......in the interim. Do like me and........

Runnin Off

Where shall I start? On an upbeat note or shall I go negative early? Hmm.....I say negative first.

Using my lil sister's favorite quote, (WTF?) is up with these skinny azz white dudes running down the street half azz naked, mid-day, so-called jogging? Yo it's disgusting, put some damn clothes on dude. I swear I am going to start carrying a sack of rocks in my car so the next time I see one, I can unload a few rocks and see how fast the cat can really run.

So you have a few cops robbing suspected drug dealers. Is that really wrong? Perhaps...But say the cop robs the drug dealer of all his cash, he keeps half of the dirty loot and donates the other half to a victim's assistance program. Does that act somehow wash the other hand? Hey, I am just asking?

Memphis Light Gas and Water and Joseph Lee. I am sick of the media coverage, particularly over the arrangements to have his legal fees paid by MLG&W. Some are complaining because it is their tax money paying the $60,000 tab. You know what, get over it. Our tax dollars, oh and our kids, future kids, future kids tax dollars are being wasted in our occupation in Iraq. What is it at now, three hundred billion or more? And you crying bout $60 g's.

You know how you can hear a fresh beat and instantly get to moving your head? No? Dang, ok lets try it, click play...

Hopefully you are with me now. The same way a tight beat can switch your state of mind, so too can eloquent speech. I generally cut C-SPAN on during the morning hours to catch a brief summary of national news. Of late, the discussion topics have been good last minute snore material. However, Friday morning, while attempting to begin that last minute snooze, I heard one hell of an articulate brotha breaking some ish down. My eyes popped wide open and my brain started percolating. I looked for the remote and sat up to be enlightened. The brotha was Princeton's Professor Eddie Gluade Jr. The Morehouse educated brotha was breaking it down on a variety of issues. He put to use one good hour of discussion and left me feeling quite motivated. He basically called out on our generation to be a voice. To be a voice in whatever game you are in. I could not agree more with him. (The following was edited out so as not to offend some at _____). Mr. Glaude has recently released a book, "In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America”. If you would like to view his appearance on C-Span, I got you....you know I did...its an hour long. Pay attention.... rtsp://video.c-span.org/15days/wj050407_glaude.rm . If you don't have Real Player, here is another link, scroll to bottom and click on Eddie Gluade. http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100

Now this is another clip of the Professor and Al Sharton going at it on the issue of those of us who did not march with Martin and did not stand post for Malcolm but who nonetheless can be leaders of this generation. The whole elder leader vs. the young folk crew. Some good stuff.

A lil Bill Maher clip....http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Play/16976/1/RealTime-French.wmv/

Big up's to the spring law graduates at U-M and UTK Law. Yea, even the How High Crew...oops that was so wrong.

Happy Mission Accomplished Day!

Today was the day that four years ago your president was playing Top Gun aboard a Naval Aircraft carrier. On that day he proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq. No, for real he did.

So here we are 3000 deaths later and 20,000 maimed,were still in Iraq. In fact April was one of the deadliest months for US soldiers with over 100 killed. Lord only knows how many Iraqi civilians were killed over the month since Iraq is no longer submitted that data to the United Nations.

I guess someone has benefited from this whole mess, I wonder who?