"Lost Boys"

America Has Lost a Generation of Black Boys By: Phillip Jackson

"There is no longer a need for dire predictions, hand-wringing, or apprehension about losing a generation of Black boys. It is too late. In education, employment, economics, incarceration, health, housing, and parenting, we have lost a generation of young Black men. The question that remains is will we lose the next two or three generations, or possibly every generation of Black boys hereafter to the streets, negative media, gangs, drugs, poor education, unemployment, father absence, crime, violence and death. Most young Black men in the United States don't graduate from high school. Only 35% of Black male students graduated from high school in Chicago and only 26% in New York City, according to a 2006 report by The Sch ott Foundation for Public Education. Only a few Black boys who finish high school actually attend college, and of those few Black boys who enter college, nationally, only 22% of them finish college. Young Black male students have the worst grades, the lowest test scores, and the highest dropout rates of all students in the country. When these young Black men don't succeed in school, they are much more likely to succeed in the nation's criminal justice and penitentiary system. And it was discovered recently that even when a young Black man graduates from a U.S. College, there is a good chance that he is from Africa, the Caribbean or Europe, and not the United States. Black men in prison in America have become as American as apple pie. There are more Black men in prisons and jails in the United States (about 1.1 million) than there are Black men incarcerated in the rest of the world combined. This criminalization process now starts in elementary schools with Black male children as young as six and seven years old being arrested in staggering numbers according to a 2005 report, Education on Lockdown by the Advancement Project.

The rest of the world is watching and following the lead of America. Other countries including England, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil and South Africa are adopting American social policies that encourage the> incarceration and destruction of young Black men. This is leading to a world-wide catastrophe. But still, there is no adequate response from the American or global Black community. Worst of all is the passivity, neglect and disengagement of the Black community concerning the future of our Black boys. We do little while the future lives of Black boys are being destroyed in record numbers. The schools that Black boys a ttend prepare them with skills that will make them obsolete before, and if, they graduate. In a strange and perverse way, the Black community, itself, has started to wage a kind of war against young Black men and has become part of this destructive process. Who are young Black women going to marry? Who is going to build and maintain the economies of Black communities? Who is going to anchor strong families in the Black community? Who will young Black boys emulate as they grow into men? Where is the outrage of the Black> community at the destruction of its Black boys? Where are the plans and the supportive actions to change this? Is this the beginning of the end of the Black people in America? The list of those who have failed young Black men includes our government, our foundations, our schools, our media, our Black churches, our Black leaders, and even o ur parents. Ironically, experts say that the solutions to the problems of young Black men are simple and relatively inexpensive, but they may not be easy, practical or popular. It is not that we lack solutions as much as it is that we lack the will to implement these solutions to save Black boys. It seems that government is willing to pay billions of dollars to lock up young Black men, rather than the millions it would take to prepare them to become viable contributors and alued members of our society.

Please consider these simple goals that can lead to solutions for fixing the problems of young Black men: Short term 1) Teach all Black boys to read at grade level by the third grade and to embrace education. 2) Provide positive role models for Black boys. 3) Create a stable home environment for Black boys that includes contact with their fathers. 4) Ensure that Black boys have a strong spiritual base. 5) Control the negative media influences on Black boys. 6) Teach Black boys to respect all girls and women. Long term 1) Invest as much money in educating Black boys as in locking up Black men. 2) Help connect Black boys to a positive vision of themselves in the future. 3) Create high expectations and help Black boys live into those high expectations. 4) Build a positive peer culture for Black boys. 5) Teach Black boys self-discipline, culture and history. 6) Teach Black boys and the communities in which they live to embrace education and life-long learning. More Facts: 37.7% of Black men in the United States are not working (2006 Joint Economic Committee Study chaired by Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)). 58% of Black boys in the United States do not grad uate from high school (2006 Report from the Schott Foundation for Public Education). Almost 70% of Black children are born into female, single parent households (2000 Census Report). About 1 million Black men in the United States are in prison (U.S. Justice Department). I would add to these: 1. Teach Black boys that about 1 in 1,000,000 (my statistics, not official) are successful in professional sports (i.e. baseball, basketball, football, etc.). 2. Teach Black boys that about 1 in 1,000,000,000 (my stats, not official) are successful in the entertainment industry (i.e. actor, recording Artist, RAPPER, etc.). 3. Teach Black boys that about 1 in 1,000,000,000, 000 (my stats, not official) are successful as a drug dealer.....IF ANY 'If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything.' Life is not always perfect, but when you have it, thank God for it."

Problems followed by some solutions. Now I am encouraged.

Justice?

Rafael Robb is a very smart man. He is a tenured economics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, which is a prestigious Ivy League university right here in the city of brotherly love.

But Rafael Robb is also a very cruel man. Why? Because three days before Christmas, he beat his wife of 16 years to death with a chin up bar as she wrapped Christmas presents.

Why do I tell you about Rafael Robb? Because Monday Mr. Robb pleaded guilty to manslaughter. And what do you think Mr. Robb's sentence was? Take a guess...........

How about four and a half to seven years? Yes folks, if you went for the under go to the head of the class. The man will more than likely spend less than five years in prison for murdering his wife. ( I know I know, O.J. walked after murdering his wife. But O.J. comes from the same class of folks in A-merry-ca that Mr. Robb does, so I am not surprised)

Today I sat in a court room and watched as a young African American man was sentenced to five to eight years in a State Correctional Institute for making terroristic threats. A serious crime to be sure, but it's not murder.

So if you don't think we live in two Americas, read the story about Rafael Robb and tell me what you think.

Another dead black man.

"Pick 'em up, fuck 'em -let-em-lay Where I'm from we see'a fuckin dead body er'yday.."

~~Lil Wayne~~

I hate to do a post like this right now, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't. So fuck it, I am thinking it, so I might as well go ahead and say it.

Sean Taylor was star safety for the Washington Redskins, and he tragically lost his life this morning after being shot in his South Florida home. I won't get into the story, I think everyone reading this is quite familiar with it by now.

It's sad, and if you turn on the news and all the usual media outlets everyone is being respectful by saying all the right things and offering all the proper condolences. But sorry, I just can't go there right now. I am pissed because yet another young black man has lost his life to tragic senseless violence. I am pissed because two little children will be fatherless, a mother has lost her son, and a woman has lost her future husband. Make no mistake, all those white folks who live in Northern Virginia who happen to be a part of "Redskin Nation" could really give a fuck about Sean Taylor and his family. They are losing a great safety for their Skins, and that's the reason for their sorrows. Period.

But for me his death is personal, because Sean Taylor could be one of a couple of hundred young black men who have been slaughtered on the streets of Killadelphia this year alone. Sorry, the only difference between any one of these young men and Sean Taylor is that Sean Taylor could play some serious football, and they could not. They were stuck here on these mean ass streets and thought they couldn't get out. Taylor could, and by all accounts, he fucked that up. Taylor refused to leave the mean streets of Miami behind, and if the reports of him taking a plea after beating down some dude with a gun butt is true, he was embracing that life a lot more than he should have. I heard Michael Wilbon's lament on T.V. tonight (and I am paraphrasing here) that If Jason Campbell (The Skins QB) was shot to death he would have been saddened and surprised. With Taylor, Wilbon said, he was saddened to hear of his death by shooting, but not surprised. There is a reason for that, Sean Taylor was no angel, and by all accounts, quite a few people were telling him to leave his old neighbored and his old running buddies behind. Hey, like my man Robert Lester Marley says; the wages if sin is death (Or was that someone else?), and sometimes you just can't escape your past.

So another dead young black man, killed by another black man. "Oh field how do you know the killer is black, they haven't even caught Taylor's killer yet". Yeah right! This is an open bet to anyone reading this. If you want to take the field up on a bet as to the race of the shooter, send me an e-mail. My favorite charity against yours.

We are all so caught up in the tragic death of a famous football player, that unfortunately the real story will be lost again. We will be talking about all of Taylor's athletic attributes, what his loss will mean for the Redskins, and possibly the actual details of the shooting. But we won't be talking about the way society and a race of people have abandoned an entire generation of young black men. Young men who are killing each other in record numbers without remorse. Whether their chosen victim happens to be an NFL star, or just another rival on a North Philly street corner.

RUDY GIULIANI'S GAY LOVER COMES OUT AND SAYS RUDY LEFT HIS FIRST WIFE BECAUSE OF HIM.

"Field that shit isn't true you are making it up. How could you just make up some shit like that about a presidential candidate from 'the grand old party'?"

Yeah maybe I am making it up, and maybe I just heard it somewhere. What's the big deal? Why is it any different from what the "D" student and scumbag with the Fedora is doing? Oh, maybe you folks missed this little gem from Matt Drudge today, but I didn't.

Here is a guy (Drudge) who gets over 3 million unique hits on his site a month, reached a billion hits in 2002, and who is supposed to be the gold standard for Internet journalist in America, basically throwing mud at a major candidate and hoping it sticks. Make no mistake folks, this is not some blogger from around the way. Time Magazine actually voted him as one of America's 100 most influential people, and ABC news says the guy "sets the tone for national political debate" for crying out loud. Yet he puts it out there on his web site (The Drudge Report), that Hillary is having an affair with her "beautiful personal assistant, Huma Abedin.

But Drudge is slick, he puts out his mud on the ice Queen by using an article from the British paper, "The Times of London". This lying scumbag calls himself an independent populist, but anyone with half of a brain knows that he is nothing more than a rethuglican hack. --I bet he is cooking up something on Obama right now-- And sorry, I can't let shit like that slide. And if Hillary wasn't so busy trying to be all things to all people she wouldn't either. Unless, of course, the shit is true; and if that was the case, she would have my vote for sure. (Kitty, if you are lurking, sorry)

OK Matt, so you were right about Monica's dress, and you were responsible for exposing Bill Clinton. That was your first sin. Because no one really gave a fuck that Slick Willie was getting a BJ in the White House as long as we had money in our pockets, the Justice Department was actually prosecuting hate crimes, and mothers weren't losing their sons half way around the world to keep him in power. But I seriously digress.

So back to Rudy. Yes, the field might be stretching that headline a little. But it's not being done with malice, the field is just putting down what he has heard from a source or two. "Ahhh field, name one". The name escapes me right now but as soon as I remember I will let you know.

A conservative jumps on Barack.

Shelby Steele happens to be one of the few black conservatives that I admire or even take the time to listen to. I think his book, "The Content Of Our Character" , is an American classic. And when some of my people slammed him in the past, I defended him. Having said that, I can't help but be amused at his latest musings about Barack Obama.

Steele, who is anti affirmative action, actually argues that Obama will never win the democratic nomination for president; because, as he puts it, Obama is caught between pleasing black folks and whitey. Steele argues that "Obama has adopted a mask to appease white A-merry-ca's fear of being thought of as racist by offering them the opportunity to embrace a non threatening black". OK no news there. The field and like minded people have been saying this all along. It's just that it seems kind of strange coming from a black conservative. A man who argues that everything in A-merry-ca should be based on a color blind construct. Whatever happened to being judged by the content of ones character and not the color of ones skin? Isn't Mr. Steele now arguing that Obama's race is in fact an issue with most A-merry-cans? And shouldn't Steele take Obama for who he says he is, and not try to create some type of racial ulterior motive to Obama's persona?

“He needs a self. There’s no self there. I think it comes from a lifetime of being bound up and playing one side, and another side, and never feeling that he had the right to be his own man,” ... “This is the tragedy, certainly, of the black intellectual class in America. They don’t think they have the right to be individuals, so they’re all just predictable, victim-focused, old line. It’s a generation that’s failed to really take us further. Obama is a part of that. There’s nobody there.”

Shelby, I hate to break it to you, but you could be easily talking about yourself. The only difference is, instead of being "victim focused", you and others of your ilk seem to focus on blaming the victim and finding ways to make yourselves palpable to those in the majority. Which, ironically, is the exact same thing you are accusing Obama of doing.

Steele also argues that blacks in America typically wear one of two “masks”: He goes on to say that they are either challengers or bargainers. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are challengers: Such blacks assume whites are racist until they prove otherwise. Bargainers, on the other hand, make a deal with whites by not rubbing their faces in a history of racism — think of Louis Armstrong or Oprah" he says. What is this Shelby, a new twist on the old house Negro field Negro dichotomy among us black folks? If this is the case, you might want to add Shelby Steele and all your conservative brothers and sisters to the list of "Bargainers", or should I say house Negroes? I mean honestly, what's the difference? You call Obama a bargainer? Pot, meet kettle.

I heard George Will on one of these Sunday talk shows declare; if Obama wins the presidency it will put Sharpton and Jessie out of business. In your dreams Mr. Will. Electing a black man to be president won't change the heart of the millions of bigots in this country. In fact, it will only serve to harden it. And Reverend Inc. will probably be busier than ever. Civil rights is not a business Mr. Will, and Barak isn't some CEO you can put in charge to do away with the problems that make our civil rights hard to come by.

But on one point I will agree with Steele. Obama will never win by trying to appeal to the conscience of the well meaning white folks among us, or to the white A-merry-cans fear of being thought of as racist. Besides, if he does win, and white A-merry-cans can use his victory to excuse racism, what would be the point? We would still be the same fucked up country we were before he got elected. The only difference is that our country would be led by one of us. Or, well, a half one of us.

*****Hat tip to my man over at African American Political Pundit for turning me on to this story.

Who will televise the revolution?

Remember that old Gil Scott Heron hit, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"? It was made about 36 years ago when there was only three television stations and a handful of radio stations in A-merry-ca. I always wondered about that; if there was a revolution going on, who would have the balls to show it? Gil Scott was telling us that the revolution will not be televised, but the truth is it, given the nature of A-merry-ca, there is no way in hell that revolution was going to be televised in the first place.

Now with the explosion of all types of new communications outlets such as cable television, the Internet, and satellite radio, one has to wonder if Gil Scott's scenario of a revolution possibly being televised isn't more plausible. Sadly, I think it would be just as implausible today as it was when Gil Scott Heron was exploring the question in his powerful rap.

The truth of the matter is this; today, no one in the main stream media would be willing to televise a revolution. Not in this day and age. First they would have to acknowledge that there was one, ( A revolution) and I really don't think they would want to do that. Too bloody, too uncomfortable, and the imagery would be way too powerful. We know FAKE NEWS wouldn't televise it, because a revolution would be opposing the government in power, and FAKE NEWS is the propaganda arm of the frat boy's administration. We know it wouldn't be televised on BET, because a revolution doesn't involve booty shaking, and we wouldn't see a revolution in one of those crass ghetto fabulous reality shows now would we. It wouldn't be televised on HBO or Showtime either, because they don't deal in real time events. Maybe a year or two down the road they would televise a documentary or do a mini series about the revolution, but not while it was happening. Newspapers? Nope; too slow. By the time they went to print the revolution would probably be over.

And then there is radio. I suppose radio stations could televise the revolution. But you have to worry about them too, because honestly, only a few groups own all the radio stations in this country, and I am sure they have agendas that are contrary to any revolutionary manifesto. "But field what about all the black radio stations and talk show hosts"? Nope, that wouldn't work either, because these cats are basically buffoons and modern day minstrels who simply do their massa's bidding. They would be talking about bullshit and telling jokes, not televising the revolution.

Which leads me to the bloggers with their blogs and all their pod casts. Surely they would blog about the revolution. I mean what better way to reach the people and mobilize a revolution than a bunch of the people themselves blogging about it in real time. Sorry, not them either. Unfortunately some of these bloggers out here are no different or better than the folks in the traditional media. For instance, some of these bloggers in blogdom would not touch the revolution if conservatives weren't involved. Some wouldn't want anything to do with it if they didn't feel women were properly represented. And some of the larger Wal Mart blogs wouldn't want anything to do with the revolution unless their issues were being addressed, or their leaders were the ones in the forefront of the movement.

I guess it's safe to say that even if a revolution was going on today it wouldn't be televised. This is in spite of all the modern day mediums at our disposal to televise it through. I wonder if Gil Scott Heron could have seen back in 1971 that even 36 years later, the revolution still would not be televised?

So if there is a revolution going on or about to start, how do you tell the like minded people who would be willing to participate, about it? How do you go about televising a revolution in 2007? How do the people that the revolution would benefit even know that it's there? They won't. And that's the whole point isn't it; because you can't have a revolution by yourself.

"The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people. You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl. The revolution will not go better with Coke. The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver's seat. "

You are right Gil, but not for the reasons you think. Because unless there is a sponsor to pay for it; the revolution really won't be televised. That is because here in A-merry-ca we are all about ratings, and no one wants to watch a revolution.

Ready to shop?

Today is "Black Friday" in A-merry-ca. And in case you are visiting from another planet and think it's a day when A-mery-cans go to an NBA game, or it's an extra day that was created for black people because February only has 28, it's not. "Black Friday" is a day when A-merry-cans lose their natural minds while shopping to save a few dollars.

Mrs. Field wanted to get the field out shopping this morning, but I would rather spend the day locked in a room full of black republicans than set foot in a mall or a box store today.

Whose idea was this anyway? The day after stuffing yourself with Turkey, you get up at five in the morning, run to a store, and wait in line to save $30 on a freaking T.V. set. Only in A-merry-ca. Just what we need, another day dedicated to shopping, and crass commercialism. This dumb ass day has card companies written all over it. I bet we will be seeing a section of the card store dedicated to "Black Friday" soon. "Happy Black Friday", Happy Shopping Day" "May All Your Shopping Days Be Happy Ones". Give me a break!

"Black Friday", of course, might not sell like all the other phony ass made up holidays that's been sold to us. That's because A-merry-cans don't like that word, "black", too much. A-merry-cans usually associate the word black with bad things, so I am not sure if the retailers and card companies will want to keep that name. They might want to consider calling it "Retail Give Day" or some shit like that. That way A-merry-cans can shop until their hearts content without the stigma of that word, black, being associated with it.

Still, whatever they call it, it won't stop A-merry-cans from shopping. A-merry-cans love to shop, and any excuse to shop for them is always welcome. --- And we wonder why we owe all those other countries so much money-- Credit crisis my ass. As long as we can save a few bucks on that "play- station", who cares?

Before Mrs. Field left to play "extreme fighting" shopper's edition, she told me to keep my cell phone on and with me at all times; just in case she happens to find something at the store that I might like. My phone will be on, but it won't make a difference. Mrs. Field like other A-merry-cans will be caught up in the shopping frenzy known as "Black Friday", and the only thing that could possibly stop her is an act of God.

ENJOY YOUR TURKEY!

When there is no more racism in America.

When suffering in countries like Darfur and Bangladesh becomes a thing of the past.

When justice in A-merry-ca becomes equal for everyone.

When the military industrial complex and the oil and energy cabal is no more.

When the meek truly inherits the earth.

When George Bush and his band of thieves leave office.

When the field Negro finds Lark Voorhies.

Then and only then will there be something to be happy about.

Until then, have a good "Turkey Day"!

I got an e-mail from a young buck

after my previous post about Biggie. And the young head basically called me out and told me that I was fronting. He said that I didn't know shit about hip hop, and I didn't really listen to it.

So this morning while I am listening to "Game" and dancehall legend Junior Reid on my I-pod, I had this great idea. Just for the little knuckle head that challenged me, I will interpret the lyrics from Game's "One Blood" for him verse by verse. Here goes:

"I'm Doctor's Advocate nigga Dre shot ya Brought me back from the dead that's why they call him the doctor The Aftermath don't drop them That's why 50 ain't rockin' with him no more it's ok I get it poppin' Whole club rockin'Like a '64 impala Drink chris, throw it up Call the shit hydrolic Then piss in the cup Call the shit hypnotic I bleed Compton Spit crack and shit chronic And you new niggaz ain't shit But new niggaz bathin' ape shoe niggaz I'm talkin to you nigga Bouncin' in da '64 throwin up West Side man Sellin' another 5 million albums Yes I am Fresh like damn This nigga did it again A hundred thousand on his neck L.A. above the brim Inside the lambo in the shotgun with Snoop What would the muthaphukkin West Coast be without one crip and {one Blood}[Chorus] "

TRANSLATION:

I really like Dr. Dre and I advocate for his record label. My career was really down but Dr. Dre basically rescued it. Just because Fifty Cents isn't with that label anymore it's still OK I can more than carry my own. I will rock the entire club like a 1964 Chevy Impala that uses Hydraulics to bounce up and down. I like to drink very expensive champagne and just throw it in the air, and just pee it out. I really love my hometown of Compton, and I really get off on the things I do there like spit out crack cocaine and relieve myself after smoking lots and lots of ganja I don't really like you new artist with Fifties crew, the Gorilla Unit. I am very happy on the West Coast, I sold five million albums, and I am very clean and well put together. I have a very expensive chain around my neck, and I wear a Los Angeles Dodgers cap while riding in a Lamborghini sports car with fellow L.A. rapper, Snoop Doggy Dog. L.A. just wouldn't be L.A. without the crips and the bloods riding together.

"I'm from the West side of the '64 Impala Where niggaz say "Where you from" we'll never say holla Bandanna on the right side Gun on the left side Niggaz in New York know how to throw up the West side Word to Eazy I'm so ill believe me I made room for Jeezy But the rest of you niggaz better be glad you breathin All I need is one reason I'm the kingand Dre said the West coast need me I don't know why you niggaz keep tryin' me Everybody knows I'm the heir to the Aftermath dynasty And I ain't gotta make shit for the club What DJ gonna turn down the 38 snub You 38 and you still rappin ughh I'm 26 nigga so is the dubs On the '07 Hummer Hop out with no bodyguards When the chronic smoke clear all you see is {one Blood}[Chorus]I ain't got no beef with 50 no beef with Ja What's beef when you gettin head in the 6-tray And the double game chainI keep 'em on display Black T-shirt so all you see is the A Turn on the TV and all you see is the A Niggaz better make a dance and try to get radio play Keep on snappin' your fingers I ain't going away I don't regret what I spitcuz I know what I say And niggaz keep talkin about me they don't know when to stop I got the Louis Vuitton belt buckle holdin the glock No beam no silencer I know when to pop Wait til Lil Jon come on and left off a shot I have the number one billboard spot Niggaz stepped on my fingersand I climb right back to the top I'm BIG, I'm Cube, I'm Nas, I'm Pac This aint shit but a warnin til my album drop"

TRANSLATION:

I'm from Los Angeles where we like to ride in old Chevy's, where it's so territorial that we don't just say hi we want to know where you are from. It's so violent here that we keep our guns on our side, because we have our gang colors with us at all times in the form of a handkerchief. It's so deep out here that people in New York know about all the drama that goes on out West. But I am a very good rapper, and I swear on the grave of another famous West Coast rapper that I will allow just a few other rappers to rise to the top with me. And I hope all you other rappers stop provoking me, because it won't take much to make me really mad. And unlike Fifty Cent, I don't have to make music for the club to become famous, all I have to do is put a gun to the DJ's head and force him to play my songs. Fifty Cent is 38 and too old to be rapping, I am only 26 just like the rims on my vehicle. I have a 2007 Hummer and when I go to the clubs I don't even need body guards, I just smoke a lot of ganja.

I don't have a problem with Fifty Cents or Jay Z, what's the use of fighting when you can receive certain sexual pleasures while in your car? And I have two chains that actually display my gang affiliation. I wear a black t -shirt with the Aftermath label on it, and every time you turn on your television all you will see is Atlanta rappers. Other rappers should take a cue from them to try to get their songs to be played on the radio. But then other rappers and people that don't like me keep talking about me and they don't know when to stop. But I am not worried because I keep a nine millimeter fire arm in my designer belt. My firearm doesn't have a silencer or a red light for my aim on it , because I know when to shoot at someone. I usually wait until a loud rapper starts yelling to shoot so that no one can hear the gun shots. I have the number one album again despite some adversity, and I now feel like I am a lot of great rappers all wrapped into one. But this entire song is just a single from my next album, and when my album actually comes out you all will be in some real trouble.

How did I do homey?

***BTW, I want to give some serious props to my girl Alicia Keys for representing for the Yawdies at the AMA Awards show the other night. She had the aforementioned Junior Reid on stage with her, and girlfriend represented with Beenie Man, and Shaka Demus & Pliers as well. Now that's showing the Yawdies some SERIOUS love.

Every Thanksgiving

I think of that joke. You know the one; if the Pilgrims ate cats instead of turkeys....I won't tell the rest of it, because I think it's a sexist joke and "kitty" might be lurking.

I am from Jamaica, so growing up I never really celebrated Thanksgiving (Although there was a brief period in my life when my family lived in Michigan and we did the whole turkey thing I think my parents just wanted to fit in). So now that I am an adult I have a hard time getting into Turkey Day. Yeah I know there is always a football game on, but it's always the Lions for crying out loud! And how more fucked up can you get than the Lions?

A-merry-cans lose their minds over Thanksgiving. This is a great time to be in A-merry-ca . Unless, of course, you happen to be a turkey. If you are a turkey I feel your pain, because this isn't a very good time of the year for you. Unless you happen to be the turkey the President pardons. But that turkey has connections, and he is just one of a million turkeys. Actually this year the frat boy pardoned two turkeys. "Oh field leave Scooter Libby out of this." OK sorry. Besides, I think that was last year. Bottom line, if you are a turkey you are pretty much fucked.

So it's Turkey Day; you stuff your face, shoot the breeze with family members, and the next thing you know, you are off into dreamland. (There is something in turkey that actually makes you sleepy. It's true!) Mrs. Field gets really pissed at me every year around this time because she wants to enjoy Turkey Day (Mrs. Field is A-merry-can). Me, I never understood what all the hype was about. I mean honestly, what are we celebrating? Tricking some poor Indians? I bet those 20 black people that came over to Jamestown with the rest of the Pilgrims didn't eat any damn turkey. Chicken maybe, but no turkey. And now that I think about it, why can't we eat chicken instead of turkey for Thanksgiving?

So anyway, when we go to the grocery store it's always a big production with Mrs. Field. She has to get "Butterball" turkey (Like it makes a difference) . And depending on how many people we are having over, she has to make sure the turkey's weight is just right (You can't have a 20 pound turkey for just two people I guess). And everything around the turkey has to be perfect as well (Mrs. Field doesn't use stuffing because she is from Louisiana). The right types of seasoning, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, whip cream, potatoes for the potato salad, dirty rice, ground beef...........you know what; maybe this whole Thanksgiving thing ain't so bad after all.

Shit, since it's already a holiday I might as well make the best of it. And fuck the Lions, I will be sleeping by half time anyway.

"SUICIDAL THOUGHTS"

Earlier tonight I was prepping for a case, and while reading the Pennsylvania Criminal Code and going over my notes, I found myself listening to some Biggie Smalls (Yes my old ass listens to Biggie).

Usually I can work with music in the background and it doesn't bother me. But then this one song came on and...well I stopped working and started listening to it. I have heard the song before and I always kind of liked it. But tonight, for some reason, I found myself paying attention to the lyrics.

"[RING, RING]('Hello? Aw shit, nigga. What the fuck time is it, man? Oh god damn. Nigga do you know what time it is? Aw shit, what the fuck's goin' on? You alright? Aw, nigga what the fuck is wrong wit you?')

When I die, fuck it I wanna go to hell Cause I'm a piece of shit, it ain't hard to fuckin' tell It don't make sense, goin' to heaven wit the goodie-goodies Dressed in white, I like black Tims and black hoodies God will probably have me on some real strict shit No sleepin' all day, no gettin my dick licked Hangin' with the goodie-goodies loungin' in paradise Fuck that shit, I wanna tote guns and shoot dice All my life I been considered as the worst Lyin' to my mother, even stealin' out her purse Crime after crime, from drugs to extortion I know my mother wished she got a fuckin' abortion She don't even love me like she did when I was younger Suckin' on her chest just to stop my fuckin' hunger I wonder if I died, would tears come to her eyes?Forgive me for my disrespect, forgive me for my lies My babies' mothers 8 months, her little sister's 2 Who's to blame for both of them ('naw nigga, not you')I swear to God I just want to slit my wrists and end this bullshit Throw the Magnum to my head, threaten to pull shit And squeeze, until the bed's, completely red I'm glad I'm dead, a worthless fuckin' buddah head The stress is buildin' up, I can't,I can't believe suicide's on my fuckin' mind I want to leave, I swear to God I feel like death is fuckin' callin' me Naw you wouldn't understand ('nigga, talk to me please')You see its kinda like the crack did to Pookie, in New Jack Except when I cross over, there ain't no comin' back Should I die on the train track, like Remo in Beat street People at the funeral frontin' like they miss me My baby momma kissed me but she glad I'm gone She knew me and her sista had somethin' goin' on I reach my peak, I can't speak,call my nigga Chic, tell him that my will is weak. I'm sick of niggas lyin', I'm sick of bitches hawkin',matter of fact, I'm sick of talkin'. [BANG]"

~~Notorious B.I.G.~~

Damn! A suicide note for an entire generation.

Sometimes it pays to just listen.

Barack and the field Negroes.

I recently read an interesting article from Seke Ballard about Barack Obama, and he had this among other things to say:

"In the Presidential race the Democratic front-runner is a charismatic, bright and well-achieved man who has garnered the tacit support of arguably the most intelligent publication in all of Europe, The Economist, and a substantial number of American voters. Oddly enough, black Americans don’t fall into the mass of supporters itching to cast their ballots for Barack Obama. The most obvious question is why? And, however unfortunate, the most obvious answer is because of the oft-referenced ‘crab mentality’ of blacks. A credible theory that explains crab mentality among blacks points to the division of work during slavery. Generally stated, there was a strong positive correlation between how light a slave was and the likelihood that they would work in the house as maids, butlers and/or cooks - instead of being in the field with darker slaves. Typically, those who worked closer to the owners in the home were privy to better food, clothing, shelter and overall treatment. For this reason, domesticated slaves were often more accommodating to whites and accepting of their subordinate status as blacks in society. The result was a mixture of jealousy and hatred of the so-called "house Negroes" by the so-called 'field Negroes.' "

Seke, you are wrong. The field Negro is not a "crab," and he only envied the house Negro's position because of the physical comfort it brought him. For instance, while his ass was in the house with all its comforts, and the assuage that comes with it; the poor field Negro was out in the fields working his ass off in the burning sun and living in constant pain from either being whipped, or from the pain that hard work brings. There was no envy of the house Negro's looks or his smarts (Although house Negroes today would have you believe that there is). And the field Negro did not envy the house Negro's stake in the house, because the field Negro knew then, and does now, that the house Negro has no greater stake in the house than he does.

Now you are right that the "domesticated slave" or the house Negro is more accepting of his subordinate role in society. And this, I submit to you, is another reason the field Negro takes issue with him. The field Negro sees the potential the house Negro has and he is disappointed because the house Negro is not maximizing it and using it to his (or his races) advantage.

Which brings me back to Mr. Obama. I don't think field Negroes see him as a house Negro, because we know that his heart is in the right place. --And the crap about him being born in another country and therefore he cannot share the African American experience, is just bull shit rethuglican talking points being used to divide and torpedo his campaign--- But to be honest, Obama isn't moving us either, and his campaign isn't gaining traction in the fields. In truth, Obama will never get mass appeal until he starts appealing to the field Negro. But he is afraid, because he mistakenly believes that by trying to appeal the field Negro he will alienate "charlie".

"...the field Negroes, once again, have been sippin’ on their Haterade®. They've established this unreasonable idea of blackness that punishes balanced and long-term political perspective that is rightfully not militantly pro-black and opportunistic. However, paradoxically, this same critical group of people rewards reverends with perms, over-sized egos and rhetoric that could put Mother Goose to shame. Just as during slavery, a person’s blackness is being called into question for largely invalid reasons. The result is an unfortunate illustration of how blacks continue to perpetuate their own mental enslavement. My advice: if you happen to be a field Negro, take a step back and analyze exactly why you don’t support Obama."

Wrong again Seke, "Haterade" is a drink I know nothing about; and I think most other field Negroes feel the same way. You should know better, but I will tell you anyway: we do not reward Reverend Inc. for anything, although we do appreciate what they try to do at times. And with all due respect, or minds are quite free.

Finally, we are not cool towards Barack because he isn't black enough. We are cool on him because he doesn't seem genuine enough, and he fucks up every time he has a chance to show us that he is. Memo to Barak: If you can't put away the "ice Queen" with a royal bitch slap, how can you expect to deal with these rethuglicans out here and the rest of red state A-merry-ca? Folks that would have the field Negro back in the fields quicker than you can say Mississippi. Yes, a "balanced and long- term political perspective" is fine if you are teaching a political science class, but out here in this fucked up environment known as A-merry-ca, we just don't have time to wait for all of that to happen.

"My advice: if you happen to be a field Negro, take a step back and analyze exactly why you don't support Obama."

............OK, self analysis done, and I think I just gave it to you.

VNTY PL8

So this morning the field is driving into his plantation and cooling his heels on Roosevelt Boulevard. The traffic wasn't bad for a rush hour, and the field is making pretty good time. Then the field notices a female driving an older model C class Mercedes in front of him. Inexplicably, the field finds himself looking at the car's license plate which says: 5 3 QT. So OK, the driver of this car is telling the field that she is a 5 3 QT. Mmmm, the field speeds up cause the field is curious now. Hey, just because the field is on a diet doesn't mean he can't look at the menu.

So the field pulls up next to the car and gets a look at the 5 3 QT..... ..folks, it's like this; unless you look like Halle Berry, there is no way you should have a vanity plate that says 5 3 QT. Hell, I don't think Halle Berry herself would have a vanity plate that says 5 3 QT. But some folks are just conceited like that. And quite frankly, when you have vanity plates that declare that you are pretty, sexy, hunky or whatever, it would be good if there was some truth to what you are declaring to the world. In a nutshell; unless you can back that shit up, you shouldn't be putting it on your car.

Honestly, there really isn't anything to like about vanity plates, and the field has seen more than enough for two fucking life times. I am not a fan of the state of Texas, but I have to give them their props because they have less vanity plates than any other state in the union. The shit affects the field in a personal way too, because the field has friends from the rock with plates that say shit like JCAN GUY, and JAH LUV. Then there are the field's lawyer friends who feel a need to put shit like ESQ after their initials on their plate. One criminal lawyer colleague actually has NOT GLTY on his whip. And of course there are the famous vanity plates that the field has only seen in books. The very fast cars with shit like COP B8, HI OFCR, or L8 4 WRK. The perverts with shit like 4NIC8N, LCK ME, and GOT MILF. And even though the field must admit that PMS 24-7 and H8N TRFC are kind of cool, this vanity plate shit is seriously out of control now.

Here in Philly the field sees more than his share of PHLYRS, GO EGLS, AND SXRS type plates. And then there are the 5 3 QT's of the world with the plates that say shit like SXY LDY, BRN SGR, and HUNK. These people are all over the streets in and around Philly and they are crying out for attention.

5 3 QT is in the field's rear view now. And the field just can't help but think; just what the fuck was she thinking? Still, the field is thinking to himself~~~~~ FLD NGRO, mmm, not bad~~~

RACISM PLUS DUMB NEGRO EQUALS TRAGEDY

OK I must admit that this case has me torn. On one hand I am thinking that it was racism why this Northern California prosecutor chose to charge this young man with first degree murder under the rarely used "Provocative Acts Doctrine." On the other hand I am thinking; Renato, just what the fuck were you thinking when you broke into that man's home with your friends?

Your ignorant ass actions set into motion an act that cost two of your friends their lives, and now you are on the verge of losing your freedom; and if the good folks of California have their way, maybe your life as well.

But please don't think I am letting Mister homeowner off the hook either. Yes, he has a right to defend his home, but he doesn't have a right to shoot two fleeing individuals in the back. Had I been the DA I would have charged his ass with at the very least, voluntary manslaughter. But we know how that works; small county, every one knows each other, no one wants to upset the order of things. Heck I am sure the DA was a friend of Mr. Homeowner, or maybe even a family member.

But back to these three Negroes who thought they could live out their own "American Gangster" fantasy and live to brag about it. Sorry fellows, this is the real world. You just don't go all gangster up into someones crib and not expect there to be consequences.

So good luck with this latest racial dust up NAACP. Yes I am sure race played a role in the DA's decision to charge old Renato. (What, you think if it was three white boys who ran up in that house and two of them got shot to death the DA would charge the third one with murder?)

But I swear the shit must be so hard for you all sometimes. Especially since there just ain't no more folks like Rosa Parks left out here.

I know you have heard of Megan Williams but

I bet you have never heard of Asia Adams. If you haven't it's not your fault. Because when she was murdered three years ago in her Germantown home, it didn't make national headlines, and there wasn't a cadre of bloggers focusing on her brutal and tragic death and calling for the equal and proper treatment of black women. No marches, no wall to wall commentary, and no moral outrage from all the usual suspects.

What happened to Asia Adams that November night in her home made even Philly hardened homicide detectives squirm in court on Tuesday.

I his opening statement, Prosecutor Carlos Vega said that two men grabbed Adams and threw her into a chair in the basement of her Germantown home. Vega then said that Adams watched the two men as they took a shovel and "whaled" it across her face. Then, he said, they took a knife and cut her throat. "In order to kill her they had to do it more than once. They had to saw it from ear to ear to break the skin and the muscle. What pain she must have felt when it happened." Vega went on. "During the basement beating Adams was naked from her waist down." According to Vega this was done to humiliate her. There is more. After murdering Adams, the two men then took her money and her ATM card and made numerous withdrawals. The next morning the men returned to her house and carried her body to a second floor bedroom, threw her on the bed, and started a fire.

Asia Adams didn't deserve to go out like this. She was a bright beautiful student at West Chester University with a promising future ahead of her. By all accounts she was the perfect daughter and student. Her alleged killer was a former boyfriend who took exception to Asia moving on with her life and doing the things that would make us all so proud of her.

The Megan Williams story is a sad one, and so is what happened in Dunbar Village. But as someone who knows quite a few stories similar to the one I just told you, I have to wonder what it is that makes a story news worthy? Why are some stories worth our outrage and our righteous indignation, and some like Asia Adams....well, we never even hear about?

If you have the answers I wish you would tell us. It's too late for Asia now, but for the rest of us out here who have heard far too many of these stories and looked into the eyes of too many of these alleged killers, we want to know. Because we understand that all the marching and writing in the world won't change the mindset that causes a killer to take the life of another human being. It's deeper than that. And sadly, there are killers out here among us who will take another life tonight. Another like Asia Adams, and the next poor innocent victim who doesn't have a name yet.

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

This story hurts on a bunch of levels.

First, I like Kanye West, because he is a young brother who chooses to speak his mind and he has some skills. So I feel for him and what he must be going through with the tragic loss of his mother. I know they were close and my man must be feeling some serious hurt right about now.

The second part of this story that bothers me is the alleged incompetence of the plastic surgeon who operated on Donda West (Kanye's Mother). Why? Because he was a brother that's why, and whenever a black professional fucks up it bothers me on a personal and on a professional level.

Lord knows we have enough problems with even our own people coming to us because they always think the white man's water is colder and his grass is greener. And we damn sure aren't going to get the white clients until someone fucks up their case and then we have to clean it up. "Oh field, a woman just died a tragic death, can't you just leave race out of it?" Ahh No!

This brother's mug is already all over television and on the news as the man who allegedly fucked up Kanye's Mom. TMZ is all over this, and Larry King did a whole show on it earlier.

Memo to black professionals out here: Make sure that your shit is above reproach. You cannot afford to do a half ass job when you are out here making a living. You are already starting on the twenty and not the fifty yard line, so please work harder and smarter when you are out here doing what people pay you to do.

I don't even want to get into what went wrong with Dr. Wests surgery, because I am not a Doctor and I don't pretend to know about such things. All I know is that she was a seemingly healthy woman who decided she wanted a nip and tuck job, and now she is dead.

So my heart goes out to the West family. And to the brother who allegedly fucked up; my heart goes out to you as well. Because when Kanye is done with your ass, I guarantee you that you will wish you had become a veterinarian.

As long as YOU understand me it's cool.

I read an interesting post over at my man plezWorld's site (Thanks for the kind words fam. I am not worthy), and reading it made me think of something that I have been wanting to talk about for awhile now.

There is no doubt that there are certain people out here blogging who have great technical skills and grammatical superiority when it comes to writing. People like "woozie" and "lisa" are perfect examples of this. I know, for instance, that it pains "woozie" to come to my site and read some of my postings because I take such liberties with the proper grammatical way of doing things. (He calls me the "grammar Jew". My Jewish friends please send your e-mails directly to "woozie")

Personally, I have never been a great writer, my strength comes from saying what's on my mind, and trying to convey it to the reader in a way that makes it easy for them understand. I am a lawyer, but not a corporate one. My days are spent in a court rooms speaking to Judges, jurors, or other lawyers and court officials. I don't write fancy briefs or memorandums of law for partners or clients. I argue the law to common folks and I try to make it as plain and simple as possible. Which is how I approach writing on this blog. In law school I was all moot court and not law review for those of you who know about such things. Mrs. Field, who is a great writer, won't even read my postings because it drives her absolutely nuts. My sister is a Fulbright scholar, and I am sure it's a struggle for her to read my blog as well. Hell, I even make up words when it suits me, and people who read this site on a regular basis are quite familiar with some of those words by now.

Now apparently there is this web service that rates the level of reading and writing on a particular site based on a formula which I don't quite understand. (David Sullivan said that a 15 year old girl's blog got a college rating) I think they call it the "blog readability test", and it rates the level of intelligence that it takes to read a particular blog. (They gave me a post graduate rating). Now I would think that the less level of education it takes to read a particular blog the better. If my blog, for instance, was rated with an Elementary School or Junior High level, that would be a good thing, because then it would mean that everyone who came here could pretty much pick up what I am trying to put down. If I was rated on a genius level, then I am not sure how many people---other than the woozie's of the world---would understand what I was trying to say, or would even care.

Still, you should go here and check it out, and see where your site rates. I suspect that people like woozie, Mrs. Field, and all the other great grammatical hounds would have a blog where it calls for a higher level of education to read it. But you never know, because I am not sure what these folks use as their criteria for judging. If I make up a word like A-merry-ca, or poli-trick-ster for instance, would it throw off the program and cause them to say it takes a higher level of education to read my blog? Or if I use simple words like cat, dog, and rat, would it have an opposite effect on my rating?

Bottom line, I read all sorts of blogs (Just look at my blog roll) and I enjoy damn near everyone of them. To me, if someone takes the time to put their thoughts down on a web site or to comment on someones site their words are worth reading. Even if I don't necessarily agree with them. And I have said this before, but it's worth repeating: I will link everyone who links me. (I would link a lot more but I just don't have the space) So if you have me linked and you don't see your site on my blog roll, shoot me an e-mail and I will have your site right up there.

At the end of the day it's all about linking , creating a larger community, and making the information that's out there available to everyone on the Internet. Knowledge is power, no matter how you get it, or no matter how hard it is to comprehend it when someone is giving it to you.

A couple of things.

I never like to blog about real personal shit, but since none of these people read my blog I have to share it.

It's like this, I have this partner who is having some serious "spider web sex" (his words, I guess it means she has him hooked) with this jump off. So Friday evening he leaves a message on my cell phone and tells me not to answer my calls for the rest of the evening. He doesn't want me to answer because he told his wife that he is hanging out with me, and he doesn't want me talking to her by accident. The nerve of this mother fucker, I can't answer my cell phone because he wants to spend the evening playing Michael Douglas with his jump off.

But I am still torn with this shit. Who wants to contribute to the downfall of yet another black family? On the other hand, my man and I go back a little, and lord knows I don't want to make the shit any harder for him at home.

Hey, I have been there, but as Bernie Mac says, that was a "long long long time ago". And I am sure there are many of us (men and women) who used to, or are still doing that same juggling act now. But I am too old for that shit, and so is he.
My man is supposed to be me calling today with a story, but I swear I don't even want to hear it.
I just hope I won't see his wife any time soon. I am just not as good at lying as I used to be.


****************^^^^^^^^^^^^^******************^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*************

Now on to a separate issue I want to share with you all.

It seems that I attract more than a normal amount of white supremacist and racist to my site. (I think it has something to do with my handle, and the fact that when they google words like Negro, and nigger, my site pops up) These cretins always end up e-mailing me or trying to engage me via comments on this site. They like to make threats and tell me what the will and will not do to me when they come to my hometown or if they ever meet me wherever.


Here is the deal my racist friends; if you do come to my hometown, and I find out who you are, I will have your ignorant asses arrested. Because you are not worth losing my career or my freedom over. And I think I will be doing the public a favor by getting your type off the street. Ten years ago if you stepped to me with the bullshit, your bodies could have been found burning in the trunk of a car in South West Philly somewhere. But this is the kinder gentler field; so rather than coming down to your level, or entertain your ignorance, I will just let the authorities do their job.


But please keep coming to the fields (I will never ban you, that's not my style). I think we all need to know that you are out there, and what you are capable of.


Oh, and if you happen to see me at any event or function (in or out of Philadelphia), please feel free to approach me. You can tell me everything you have been saying via e-mail and comments to my face.

Can you niggers hold it just a little longer?

How many of you black folks reading this have had this experience? You are away from home, you want to use the bathroom, and when you ask the proprietor of the particular establishment for the rest room key, they tell you that it (the rest room) is out of order. I see you laughing, but you all know that shit happened to you, don't even front like it didn't.

Now what we didn't know is what happened after we left (Remember that old Saturday Night Live skit with Eddie Murphy on the bus?). Seems those bathrooms were for white folks only all along. We now know this because of one disgruntled employee who apparently saw the practice of Jim Crow first hand. Turns out at this Georgia Pacific Truck scaling station, a white worker puts out the old OUT OF ORDER sign on the rest room door whenever he sees one of us running to relieve ourselves. One poor trucker, Donald Jones, said he had to relieve himself in the bushes. ---Gee, I sure hope you didn't need toilet paper there Mr. Jones.

But I want to thank former Georgia Pacific worker, Lisa Woods, for exposing what we black folks have suspected all along. Now unfortunately for her, she has been fired by Georgia Pacific. They say she was "justly terminated" and her termination had nothing to do with the fact that she exposed the company's Jim Crow practices at this particular scaling station.

Yeah right! It's more like the nigger opened her mouth and now we are going to be forced to let them all use our bathroom. Yep, I would say that's a pretty good reason to fire somebody in A-merry-ca.

NEGRO PLEASE!

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Yesterday on The View, the female chick chat show, the actor/comedian Damon Wayans talking about the Don Imus situation. WAYANS: It's freedom of speech. What happened to that? What happened to expressing yourself? At least I know where he stands.BEHAR: Yeah.WAYANS: And you know what? When he called them that, he called them nappy headed hos, I went, wow, he's right. (laughter) BEHAR: They're not hos. They're very smart girls.WAYANS: No, you see, we say that. I'm saying black people can say that about each other.BEHAR: These girls are not hos. They're highly respected sports girls. WAYANS: Listen, listen. It's a joke. You know what? Black people at home laughing right now. White people are sitting there going, "That's not right," you know? (laughter) This is -- it's all cultural. It's cultural.RUSH: I'll bet he's right about that. I'll bet black people were laughing themselves silly about this whole thing. "Look at how the white people are going nuts over the -- (laughing) here's why we can say it's true." He was right. Later on Whoopi Goldberg said, "You're a single guy, but you said you're having a hard time settling down with a woman. I don't believe that. What are you talking about?" WAYANS: Women today, most women I run into, don't want to do the fundamentals. They don't cook … BEHAR: The fundamentals.SHEPHERD: Damon!WAYANS: It's a joke trying to get a woman to cook.WALTERS: Why don't you cook?WAYANS: Why don't I cook? ALL: Yeah!WAYANS: Because I make the money so she can make something to cook. (screeching audience)RUSH: Okay, this is funny, this is great stuff, but, do you realize, he says this, there was not a peep. They're laughing about it. They're having a grand old time. Nobody was offended and so forth. You let somebody else go on that show and say these exact same things and their career might be over. Here are all these babes, they're laughing, there's Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar laughing and having a wonderful, wonderful time.

END TRANSCRIPT

Damon, I am not at home laughing now, and I wasn't laughing then.

If I ever watch one of your films or productions again I hope someone slaps me upside my head.

The fact that Rush Limp-boy used your dumb ass as an example to excuse racism should make you take a serious look at yourself. But I don't think you will, because you are just too content being another happy well paid Negro in A-mery-ca.

I couldn't make this shit up: Please buy the book.

I was kicking it with an old colleague today and we were exchanging war stories about life on the domestic relations front. He was amazed that I have been able to hang in there for so long, and do the job that I do. All that anger, all that hostility, and all that emotional baggage people bring to the table day in and day out. So fam wanted to know when the book was coming out.


Later on in the day I found myself thinking; what if there was a book, what would I write about?

Would I write about the 28 year old grandmother who appeared and demanded that the court act more responsibly in finding the defendant in her case? Would I write about the half brother and half sister who appeared as parents in a case, and didn't know that they were related until their son was born? A son, by the way, who is on SSI for obvious reasons . Apparently, their father had laid his seed all over the city, and they had never found out about each other until it was too late. I could also dedicate a page or two to the gentleman who fathered six children by six different women, (Five of them receiving cash assistance from the state) and still found time to hit on some of the female workers in our court. Yeah my man was funny.


Then I could dedicate an entire chapter to all the defendants out here who are paying support for children that more than likely aren't theirs. How do I know? Let's just say that when a plaintiff comes in on three different cases and all three of the defendants are excluded as the father after they opt for a DNA test, but a fourth defendant doesn't take the test and starts paying support. It's a pretty good chance that contestant number four might not be the father either. Then I could write about the ones who actually take the test, are excluded, but they are ordered to pay support anyway because they had held themselves out as the father to begin with. (Hey, "the law can be an ass" what can I tell you?)


I would dedicate another chapter to female defendants (Kitty feel free to comment after this post) and how hard it is to get them to pay child support. "I carried that child for nine months, I will be damned if I am going to pay support to a no good father who wasn't in his life for the first few years." In that same chapter, I would talk about the differences between sisters and white women. A sister will always be willing to come down on the child support order if the brother will just agree to spend more time with the child. Not a white woman, she will come to court with two lawyers if she has to get every penny that she thinks is owed to her. Now to be fair, this might be an economic phenomenon. Because I have seen wealthier sisters do the same thing. It seems that the poorer the litigants the more they are willing to come to a compromise and have outside agreements with each other. Which is somewhat ironic, because you would think the folks that needed the money the most would be willing to fight harder for every penny that's owed to them.


Finally, I think I would close the book by writing about all the wonderful grandparents (particularly grandmothers) who are holding it down out here, and who are increasingly becoming custodial parents of their own grand children. Most of these children were abandoned because their parents were either on drugs, in jail, or were just incapable of holding it down. Grandparents, by the way, make very good plaintiffs. They always cooperate with the court, and you can tell they always have the child's best interest at heart. Hey considering what the body of the book will be like, it will be important to end it on a positive note.


Now if I can just find a publisher and a way to promote this bad boy. Hey is Oprah still in South Africa?

Sorry Dennis, you are no Russell Crowe.

Dennis Kucinich has never really moved me one way or the other. Honestly, other than the fact that he was mayor of Cleveland at 31, he has a very young wife, some big ass ears; and he claims he saw a UFO once, I don't know too much about the guy.

But Dennis Kucinich did something on the house floor today that was fucking heroic! He called for the impeachment of our Vice President, Dick Cheney. That act alone should get him a congressional medal of honor, and at least come consideration for our vote for the Presidency of the United States.

"Vice President Richard B. Cheney by such conduct is guilty of am impeachable offense warranting removal from office." What conduct is he talking about? Well, how about lying about a case for war and manipulating intelligence to get us into it? Unfortunately for us, and for our boy Dennis, Cheney is more like Denzel Washington's charecter (Frank Lucas) in "American Gangster", than the VP of the greatest power on earth. And he is probably...no correct that; he is just as ruthless.

Of course, as is always the case in Washington, things don't always go as they should. We can always impeach a guy for getting his whistle wet, but we don't even want a debate on whether to impeach a guy who got over 3,800 young men killed by lying through his teeth, and manipulating a clueless cowboy.

It seems Kucinich's own dumb-ocratic party voted down his resolution and tried their damnedest not to have a debate on the subject at all. Who wants to talk about impeaching our Vice President when the country is at war?( Well apparently over half of the A-merry-can people. And people wonder why congresses approval rating is even lower than the frat boys) So the weasels on the dumb-ocratic side voted to stifle a floor debate on the subject. And then, in typical sick twisted Washington fashion, the rethuglicans (120 of them) actually voted with some of the dumb-ocrats to force a floor debate. It seems they wanted to embarrass the dumb-ocrats with a one hour floor debate on the subject. In their own twisted thinking, this little act would show A-merry-ca that the the dumb-ocrats are beholden to the radical left wing side of their party, and thus cause them (The Democrats) to lose votes.

But not to be out slicked; the donkey party, led by Steny Hoyer, (D-Md ) voted 218 to 194 to send the motion to John Conyers and the Judiciary Committee. That's not good, because trust me on this one, it will remain there until hell is a very cold place.

Bottom line, there will be no floor debate on impeaching our VP. Because the people we elected to go to Washington and represent our interest are too gutless to do the right thing. As a result, the man who goes hunting with a confederate flag on his hunting lodge door. (See sidebar) The man who went hiding after 911. The man who has secret meetings with big oil companies. And the man who lies every time he opens his mouth, will continue to act like he is above the law, and we won't be able to do a damn thing about it.

Now that's gangsta!

The Dog tour continues.

By all accounts Roy Innis, and his son, Niger, ought to be really wealthy men. Why? Because apparently they are mind readers that's why. They should be in Vegas cleaning up on the poker tables and doing a show which rivals the Incredible Kreskin.

Folks, I really do want to just blog in a normal way about the shit that goes on around me on a daily basis, but in order to do that, I see that I am going to have to turn my television off and tune out the news all together. If my television had been off, I wouldn't have seen Niger Innis (Roy, what kind of fucked up name is that to give a child?) on FOX NOISE talking about his three hour meeting with "Dog The Bounty Hunter", and his father. According to Niger, Dog cried with them and assured them that he wasn't a racist. Of course, Niger and his father believed the Dog, and Niger is now ready to defend Dog against all comers. He told FOX NOISE that Dog had used the "N" word with his black friends, and it was normal in his industry to do so. Yep, good enough for me Niger, I guess old Dog isn't a racist after all.

This is the same Niger Innis who told L.A. Times writer, Richard Fausset, that there are "one hundred knuckle heads out there putting out garbage". But apparently he forgot to look in the mirror. Because only a knuckle head would say the shit that he was spitting on the FRAUD NEWS NETWORK. Now to be honest, Dog may or not be a racist, but since I can't see what's in someones heart or read his mind, I don't know whether he is or not. (Although given what I read from the transcripts of that tape he left on his son's voice mail, I can take a pretty damn good guess.)

Someone really ought to tell the Innis crew that Dog's career is at stake, and he will tell them damn near anything to keep it on track.

But hey, if Niger and Roy thinks that Dog is not a racist good for them. I am sure Dog is glad to have them on board. Although I know that he wishes he could have gotten Reverend Al instead. Anyway, he probably figures that if you can't get to race pimp number one, you can at least go for 1-A.

In cold blood.

The young man you see in this picture---John Lewis---might not be with us much longer. Sadly, there is a pretty good chance he will end up on the receiving end of a police officer's bullet, or he will become the property of the state of Pennsylvania for the rest of his natural life.

You see, the young man in the picture allegedly shot a Philadelphia police officer to death while he was robbing a donut store. And right now there is a massive man-hunt here in Killadelphia to bring him in. The Police Commissioner was all over the television earlier today ominously telling this young man to turn himself in before it's too late. There was also a number of his family members pleading for him do the same. They do it, because they too know what often happens to alleged cop killers in the end.

So I watched the news coverage today, and along with the Commissioner, there was this young man's grandmother, his aunts, his mother, and his neighbors; all pleading for the young man to call them, and to turn himself in to the police. His grandmother was actually crying and pleading with him to call her. She lamented about his life and how he loves to eat, and what a good kid he is. (Aren't they always) Then she spoke about how she had taken him job hunting just days ago, and how he was actually working on his GED after dropping out of high school. (Don't they always)

But this story is sad on so many levels that I don't even know where to begin. On the one hand, there is that poor police officer and his family who lost a father and a husband. Then there is the family of this alleged killer, and the pain they are going to have to go through. (His mother is actually a corrections officer) And finally, there is the three month old child he just fathered, what is going to happen to that little soul ? A child who will more than likely never see her father free or alive again. (Not that she would have seen him that much anyway)

Another thing that bothers me about this story, is that I saw no father, no uncle, or no grandfather pleading with this young man to call home. None! Why is that? Where is this alleged killer's father or male role model in his life? Honestly, I don't even know why I am asking, because I know you all know the answer to that.

This episode bothers me, because I have defended young men like this one before in criminal cases. And I can count the number of times on one hand that there was a father present when I talked to the family of an accused. Every time I think of what this young man allegedly did I shudder. The cold calculating way that he allegedly executed that cop, and the nerve he showed to go back and pick up the cop's service revolver after that unspeakable act. No remorse, no feelings, nothing. Just an empty cold heart cultivated by a life on the streets.

I have grown numb to all the killings now, and I have been in the belly of this beast a time or two. But when someone executes someone who is paid to protect me, it's definitely a cause for me to pause.

I know one thing, if this young man's father is absent, and if he was just another sperm donor who made a deposit and rolled; he deserves the same fate as whatever befalls this young man. Because If he did pull the trigger that killed that cop, they might as well have pulled it together.

A weighty issue.

A comment by one of my trailer park friends on a previous post, and a trip to the mall yesterday, got me thinking about weight this morning.

It started early in my mall trip yesterday, with the crazy ass people playing demolition derby with their cars to get a parking spot closer to the mall entrance. Like it would kill them to park a few feet extra spots away and walk their lazy asses an extra step or two.

Once inside, it really hit me. Us A-merry-cans are huge. And I am not talking about the CDC's definition of proper weight per height distribution on their adult obesity chart. Hell a lot of us would flunk that one. Because unless you happen to have a job in television, or you suffer from some sort of eating disorder, that shit is just not realistic. But the folks I am talking about (and I saw plenty of em) are way off that chart. Folks, let's admit it, here in A-merry-ca, we are some big ass people. I mean some folks don't walk they literally waddle from store to store. They have to take very deep breaths with every two steps, and some of us can't even walk anymore. We ride around in portable electronic wheel chairs to get ourselves from point A to point B. Ever wonder why you see all those handicapped parking places everywhere? It's not because everyone is physically disabled due to the loss of a limb or a vital bodily function; no, it's because they are obese. Most of the handicap stickers this city gives out is because of obesity.

For those of you who have traveled to other countries in places like Europe you will know exactly what I am talking about. You see the difference right away. If you are an A-merry-can man, try buying a Corneliana sports jacket or a Loro Piana suit off the rack. It ain't happening because that bad boy won't fit us, our size just won't let it. For whatever the reason, we are just big folks to begin with, which means that we are not working with much before we get to that crisis point with our weight.

As black folks we really have to watch it. Because right now most of us we are in denial and stats don't lie. Diseases like diabetes and other cardiovascular disorders are causing us to die at a much younger rate than the folks in the majority population, and there is a direct link between obesity and many of these diseases. (And please don't even comment and tell me about all the reasons for our poor diets such as poverty, the lack of access to fresh fruits, and grocery stores in many of the poorer neighborhoods. You would be wasting your time, I know all about that shit) At some point we have to say no to the super sized version of the fries. Maybe we should get the one piece and not the two piece dinner when we hit up the Colonel. Maybe we shouldn't eat that box of "fiddle faddles" right before bed. And maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't go to the all you can eat buffet restaurant. Honestly, the way some of us eat, that's like setting a pedophile loose on an orphanage. I am just keeping it real with you all.

Now there is nothing wrong with being big if you can stay healthy and live as long as the next guy. But reality says that will not happen. The statistics say otherwise, and unless you are an NFL lineman, and your livelihood depends on you being as big as a small sub division; then the risk you take for the potential rewards just isn't worth it to you.

And now, just to show you that I am not being a hypocrite, I am going to eat two pancakes this morning instead of four.