Obama and Bush Undercover Tapes: My First in a Series

Dude, Not My Car!!

The government has always tried to stick their hands in all of our pockets. But I have a problem when they start to tell me what type of car I can drive and what I can do with it. There needs to be a line drawn where we the people actually get to enjoy some freedoms. I love my muscle cars; they are a part of Americana. There is nothing like feeling horsepower and imaging the many after-market parts that I can add to my car.

The rumble, the looks, the ladies, and the smile on my children’s faces are all a part of that wonderful Sunday drive. But once again, big brother wants to eliminate the Sunday drive and force me to purchase a minivan. If a person can afford the insurance, the gas, and is willing to pay the gas guzzler tax, then they should be able to enjoy all of the horsepower they want.

I understand the concern, and yes we may be running out of oil and it might be in my lifetime. But there are other logical decisions that can be made in order to conserve some of our oil resources. We need to turn our attention to other issues rather than put more pressure on the citizens. There is a lot at stake if the government continues to try and regulate the muscle car industry.

There will be many small and large companies that will have to close up shop and fire their employees. There will be fewer shipments of products and fewer services needed as far as installation of new pipes and body kits. We are turning into a country with a longer list of what you can not do compared to what we can do.

I mean, really the only thing that is American to me they want to try to take away. I am not a big fan of baseball, or apple pie- I prefer pumpkin pie- it taste a lot better… especially if made by my grandmother. The one thing that defines America to me is the muscle car, not a Honda with a 4cylinder, a good ole Mustang 5.0 rumbling at the stop light. The sound of the exhaust and the feeling of taking off when the light turn green; there is nothing like it.

November is right around the corner and there is a real need for all of us to be informed and make sure that we vote to keep our freedoms. We can not continue to vote by party lines because as we have seen in recent months and the past 10 years I do not think that any of these people can get their act together and make a difference. The backroom deals continue, the lies are told with a straight face, and lives are still lost for something that we can not identify.

This is not some made up story, this is a real issue. If you have a sports car or just enjoy being surprised at what part of history might be rumbling down the street, make sure you help us car lovers out and get involved in the fight for our rights to drive muscle cars. If you want to see our country lose 32 Billion dollars a year, and more of our history in the junkyard then pay no attention at all. But if you do care, then feel free to sign up with SEMA Action Network or (SAN) www.semasan.com. Oh yeah this is for you bike lovers too- they have grouped us all in one category.

Don’t Ask, But I Will Tell

The don’t ask, don’t tell policy in the military is something that needs to be eliminated immediately. No matter what an individual’s sexual preference may be they should have the right to fight for this country. Religion must be separated from the policies that we all must live by. The fact remains that many inside the military want this policy repealed and eliminated. And living in a country that is dependent solely on the freedom of religion should also include those that do not believe in religion.

But the don’t ask, don’t tell policy is an issue that should stand alone and not be included in military spending. This is why our government is failing the people. Our government continues to clump other policies inside one bill. Why is the Dream Act included in a vote about military spending and policies? The Dream Act is a nightmare for American citizens and the illegal immigrants that are supported by this act.

The Dream Act offers illegal students the opportunity to become American citizens if they join the military or attend College. What is this? Some benefit for parents breaking the law? Where are the benefits for the American citizens that have broken the law? Is there some special law for children whose parents are murders or drug users and currently in jail? And why do we always have to do some backroom deal to address issues that are vitally important in our society? I thought that we were going to be more transparent. If you call clumping everything in one vote transparent then maybe the talks of one term are becoming more evident.

Just yesterday I saw a park full of illegal immigrants looking for work. It had been a while since I have seen images like this. I mean, it is not their fault that Americans would rather pay for cheaper labor. And the fact remains that corporations will always look for a way to make a profit. Should we allow this illegal behavior to continue and be supported? I mean, these illegal aliens were standing two blocks away from the Court House while police officers are waiting to give people speeding tickets; people who are already paying enough taxes to support a small militia. They could round these individuals up, run a background check, take some fingerprints, and input them in the national database. But this would take to much work in the Texas heat.

The Dream Act makes it mandatory for illegal alien students to attend college or join the military. This is proof that our government sees citizens, legal or illegal, as tools to do their dirty work. They would rather build a larger army and create more debt with college loans then help the citizens that have done everything right to become a citizen. This is worse then when republican president Ronal Regan, waged war on drugs and then gave millions of illegal aliens amnesty.

Why do we need of 159 Billion dollars for two wars and one was officially called completed? 159 Billion dollars could do a lot of work in fixing failing schools, decrease the violence in some communities, and create opportunities for individuals that really need it. But no, our government would rather play war games in the mountains, stop people with different sexual preferences from joining the military, and spread Western Philosophies around the world even if the are proven to be failures.

I do support my troops, but they did not make the call to fight a war that the Soviets could not even win. I do not think that all illegals should be shipped out and sent back but rather documented and order to stand in line to become citizens, and their children should also have to do the same, no matter if they were born here or not. But I am not in support of creating a program that benefits the children of people that have broken the law. We have to change and not believe in one party over another. Our values should lead us not religion, not sexual preferences, and no way should corporations continue to run politics.

Democrats and Republicans need to be ashamed of themselves right now. I am upset with the government and the certain policies that are being put in place. I have said this before, and I will say it again- they are the puppets and the real leaders have not been shown. Question why we still fight over who sleeps with whom and really- if you are that caught up in another individual’s sex life then yours must be lacking.

Military spending, don’t ask, don’t tell, and the Dream Act are three different issues, and there is no reason they should all be treated as one. I say thank you to anyone that wants to fight for this country, but I also want say that the average citizen needs to fight as well for our government to stop talking and get something done- and now. 

Jungle Fever- Redux

I was standing outside of Wal-Mart smoking on a cancer stick and a young black gentleman walked up to me mumbling something. I could not understand what he was saying through his thick southern accent. As he walked closer we shook hands and I was almost blinded by the gold teeth that filled the top row of his mouth.


Before he went into the store he stated “man do you see all these white chicks? They are hot. I want one of these.” I agreed with him with a smile and thought to myself “what the hell did he just say?” Believe me, this dude looked like he was in a candy store- eyes wide open and drooling. This was one of those times that I was glad that I separated from my wife for a second and let her get the sandwiches.  If she was there I would have never had the best laugh of the day.

I won’t lie, for a second I felt like I pulled off mission impossible. But then, after thinking about all of the work that it takes to make an interracial marriage work, the cloud of doom slowly started to float above.

Is this the mentality that people take when it comes to marriage?  Are we trying to find someone to be with based solely upon color? I have dated all types of women and ethnicity was not the first trait that I based my preference. Being in a multicultural marriage is not for the weak of heart and those that continue to believe that racism has been eliminated are sorely mistaken.

But by all means, if you are ready to be treated like a second-hand citizen, be scrutinized by black women and white men, confuse all the children in the world- even yours, and live on the edge of sanity at times, then go for it!  But be prepared to adapt to all types of settings and know that it takes a strong couple with thick skin to deal with these issues.

I do not think that it is a coincidence that African American studies and Women studies are placed next to each other in the book store. It is like they have all of the minorities in one place. I mean blacks, gays, lesbians, and feminists can all huddle up in one section of the book store and exchange stories of oppression and frustration. Imagine that bumper sicker on the back of a car.  Of course, there is also a book in that section on why black men marry white women… written by a black woman. Hmmm.

But this confusion and mass hysteria is not only for the couple but the in-laws as well. Like the time I walked into Subway with my in-laws and it looked like a Klan was having a field trip.  I was used to it by now, but my mother in-law looked at me and we smiled. She knew that these people were confused and upset. I wonder what they were thinking. I just wanted to tell them that these people adopted me or better yet- “do not worry, there are still a few white women left for you”.

The challenges are huge. I mean, imagine shopping for an anniversary card. Do I pick the two white hands or the black hands? Why is it that every doll my daughter has looks like Dora? Or what do I say when other kids walk up to her speaking Spanish?  But there are so many benefits as well. We strategically send each other into certain places to get things done. For example if I need to go into a store in a black neighborhood guess who is going in? Or if we need directions on how to get out of the middle of nowhere it is her turn.

There have been so many times that I have heard people say they are searching for a “white girl” or I only date “black men”. There is nothing wrong with having preferences in a mate, but to only target specific races doesn’t seem right.

I did not search out for my wife on a web-site, or go to a club that was only filled with white women. It was a chance encounter that included great conversations and a few laughs that have led to years of love and raising a family. It did take some getting use to being the only black person in the room, but when it is all said and done we are all people. Love is something that should not be dependent on color or status because at the end of the day, we all are going to have to want to make it work for a marriage of any kind to succeed.   

There are still times that I feel rather angry at the way that I am treated and when people feel as if because I am married to a white woman that I am different from other black males. That is not the case. Sometimes I feel as if it has excluded me from my own community. When the black jokes start flying like June bugs it gets rather old and takes a suit of steel and a whole lot of love to make it through the night. I still feel as if I am Public Enemy No. 1 and that at any moment the blame will be pointed in my direction. 

I think multicultural children are some of the most beautiful children in the world. A message that we should all intertwine and marry in this world as this will slowly erase some of the racism and tension that we face.

It is a hard battle and one that some are not willing to fight. I have many friends that are in interracial marriages and right now I would like to applaud them all because we are changing the world one family at a time. Thanks to the last presidential election our children have a role model that they can look up to that is more than a movie star or an athlete. Who is, by the way, interracial.   

And to the young brother that I ran into at the store today, I hope you find the right person no matter what color they are. Oh, and to the black woman who wrote that book on why I, a black man, married my white wife- can you call me before you profit on your lack of information on the subject? Thanks.

Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangster

I never knew that I was a gangster; I was surprised when theses accusations were tossed my way. Politically motivated, a scholar, father and a husband sound more appropriate. It would be rather hard to play soccer outside with my daughter while I was dodging bullets. It would be rather hard to concentrate on my school work while I was constantly looking over my shoulder watching out for the rival gang member to attack me.

I mean, we all know that I live in one the roughest neighborhoods in the world- with the constant howling of coyotes and acres of farmland that surround my small town. This really offers me the best opportunity to recruit little kids and teach them how to do a drive-by. I’m such a hard gangster that I picked my children’s school based upon the merits of the district. Would a gangster be able to write and talk about society in a manner like this?

I have spoken out against the gangster mentality that has plagued our society. I have made a conscious decision due to role models like my father and mother to do something with my life and raise my family in the most respectful and honorable way that I can. I have taught my children about accountability, the importance of an education, and the importance of love and kindness.

But accusations like these are often misdirected due to the ignorance and sometimes racist insecurities of certain individuals. Those that have no connection to the real world but would rather believe the images they have seen on the 100 hours of television they are subjected to on a weekly basis.

But this is a problem with society- we never take the time to know anyone, but rather judge them by the way they dress. People should be judged on their actions. People often spend so much time worrying about other individuals that they do not take the time to look at themselves and understand how they can improve their own lives. There is always room for improvement. Are we all where we want to be in our lives? Is there more that we can do for one another and support one another in a world that is often filled with so much evil that goals seem impossible?

I have lost friends to the streets. They should still be here today. I have seen friends locked up for most of their teenage years. Poverty has increased in America; men and women are dying across the earth fighting for our freedom. There is so much more to focus on instead of passing lies and false accusations. These actions can be connected to the term “Hater”, but I would rather take it deeper than that, and deal with the fact that we have rather sick people that feel the need to lie to make them selves feel better by always talking about others.

God truly does work in mysterious ways. As soon as I started writing this blog there was a knock on the door. It was a delivery of the pictures of me and my wife walking across the stage accepting our diplomas. A reminder that I am not a gangster, that I am striving to do more with my life and I am surrounded by some of the greatest neighbors and friends that a man could ask for.

Being a gangster is not what young men strive for. It is a social and economic issue that has plagued America. Some of these young men and women do not have a chance or opportunity to become better citizens. Some of these children come from broken homes and are surrounded in conditions that I can not even imagine to be subjected to. There are other gangsters out there as well. There are gangsters that bottle water and sell it to the people, pollute our air, and control the media with negatives images of all aspects of our society only in search of profits.

This is a warning for me and all the others that just so happen to wear a pair of jeans and a baseball cap. We are gangsters! We should not and can not be trusted! We live for the excitement of war and killing our own people. While we send our children to school, attend college, and are there for our friends in the darkest moments, we are planning the next drive-by and waiting to sell drugs to our people.

To all of those that think they are surrounded by gangsters and feel the need to lock themselves in their homes with cameras and motion detectors- while you are at it add some bars on the windows and pad the walls of your home, because you are the real nutcases out there. Not those that have better things to worry about than the dog and pony show in their own front yard. The Devil approaches with a smile and spreads lies while he is stabbing you in the back with his pitchfork.

I will see you all later. It is time for me to jump in the low-low, throw on my baseball cap, and do a drive-by with my AK-47 and hoodlum children. I think there are a couple of cows that have been talking mess about me and my boys and I think that it is time for some pay back… gangster style.

Angry Black Man Syndrome (ABMS)

I have been told many times that I am an angry black man. But those that know me understand that this is not anger but passion. I am cut from a different cloth. There have been many that have told me “You are the whitest black man that I know”. I laugh and think to myself you really do not have a clue about who I really am. Is there a certain way that a black man should talk and dress? I mean, I do wear a belt and search for the correct size jeans.

I am often embarrassed when I see black men with their jeans down to their knees, staring at their Underroos with Sponge Bob Square Paints and the Wonder Twins. Yes I am frustrated when the hottest song on the radio is telling me that I should be single for the night. I mean come on; there is nothing wrong with arguing with your mate and then having hot passionate make-up sex.

I have been pulled over by the cops and racially profiled. I have tried my hardest to let some of the comments that I have heard pass right by like a speeding train and then move on with my life. But the more I heard these comments and evaluated the constant racial tension around me, I knew that it was time to do more with my life and use my talents as a writer to reach the world.

So, you can call me angry if I won’t stand for people not living up to their potential and crying poor me all the time. The excuses are old. The truth is just that the truth. There are some that will never understand the cultural differences and accept that there needs to be real conversation and an agenda developed to combat this racial tension. No matter where I have lived there has always been someone or something that has reminded me that before I am an American, I am black.

When I lived in California I was at my brother-in-laws weeding reception and his father-in-law asked me if I was from Oakland. I looked at him and his fuzzy blonde afro and replied no, I am from Pacifica California. I thought to myself “sorry for the disappointment and welcome to the family”, while his son was standing upside down drinking from a keg. Now explain that to the kids in Oakland!

Or better yet, the day that I moved into my first house and my new neighbor called her husband in fear because I was standing outside instructing the movers were to put my furniture. I can just imagine the conversation over the phone “honey you need to come home now, there is a black man outside his own house I think he is going to rob me and the alarm has not been set-up yet”.

But don’t worry; I get the same type of reaction from black people. Like, when I am standing outside smoking a cigarette and they ask for one and refuse to take one because it is not menthol. Or when we engage in a conversation and they are shocked and say “you speak proper”. I am sorry my house is not filled with Kool-Aid packets and my kids do not run around the neighborhood out of control.

I am not angry at the world and I have friends of all races. Any day around my home I can be the minority and the next the majority. That is the beauty of living in America. I might be a little louder than the next guy, or say something controversial, but why not? I mean, sometimes there are things that need to be addressed.

I do not see the world simply as black and white, but there are issues that can be directly tied to racism and a society that has not addressed the past. I see a bright future for our country. I see little children of all races playing together and eating lunch together at the same table. But as adults we have a responsibility to make it a better place, so these children will not grow up and be upset and understand that race is something that is important.

It was hard enough to explain to my son when he was a kindergartener that it was alright for a black man to marry a white woman. After his first week of kindergarten he came home confused and stated that he thought that a black man and a white woman should not be married. I thought that I would not have a conversation like this until he was at least a teenager. So for those to say that the world has totally moved forward and it is over- think again, because this mindset was taught to a child by their parents.

Even today Obama has tapped into his passion to express his concerns on the current struggles of our economy. They called it the new approach. But I guess since I am not the president and I am not wearing a suit and tie my approach is called anger.

Choose Ebonics! The DEA Did!

Two weeks ago while watching the “make people dumb machine”, better know as the television, I noticed an interesting story scrolling on the bottom of the screen. In a short incomplete sentence the words “DEA looking for Ebonics translators” passed by with an alarming speed. I was waiting for every news channel in the world to take this story and run with it. But I was not surprised at all when there was no major coverage of the issue. This story did not have the Dr. Laura type drama that is needed to discuss the issue of racism and address the issues of the third world America that is often hidden away from the rest of the world.

The DEA was in fact, looking to employ individuals that understood Ebonics so they could analyze wire taps and close in on major drug empires that are destroying the lives of citizens in the black community. They needed translators for areas like Florida, Louisiana, and California. But the fact that the DEA is in need of translators for Ebonics should be shocking and disturbing. Is the African American community really in that bad of shape that they do not even speak English anymore? For a moment of hope I thought, maybe they are smart enough to know the DEA is listening to their conversations and have created a code to communicate… But the skeptic in me knew better.

Today’s Ebonics is no longer the dialect that was used by slaves while speaking on the planation- a dialect that was known as “Black English”. Ebonics has become a feeble offspring, spawned from the devolution of its predecessor. This is the way the children in the ghetto have learned to speak before they step foot into the hallways of an understaffed, underfunded school.

Ebonics was a cop-out from the start. Ebonics was nothing more than an excuse for a failing school system and the lack of parents being involved in raising their children properly. I will admit even I have some problems trying to understand my African American friend’s posts on social networking sites. I often have to read them twice before I can even try and figure out what they are trying to say.

But this issue points directly to the problem that America has had since after the Civil Rights Movement. The lack of leaders, role models, and people that care for the future are the real issues. Our role models focus on material wealth and ghetto fabulous ideals. The street life has been glorified in movies, music, fashion, and sports and the damage that has been done at times seems as if it is almost irreversible. Where is the outrage? Where are Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton now? They tend to steer away from issues that may be too controversial and lack the promise of profits and increased publicity.

How can an individual be productive in a society whey they can not speak the English language? Is it alright to accept failure? The Drug War is nothing but a military mission against the people of America being conducted by the police and the criminal systems. The funding for the Drug War is ten times as high as the funds spent on educating our children. But we chose to fill our prisons with users instead of dealers. Prisons have become corporations and the DEA is an extension of that company. A division publicly funded and employed by the people that is supposed to protect the people.

The drug war is a war against the people; a way to keep police officers employed, maintain a steady stream of criminals that would be better off in a rehabilitation center, and not a jail cell that keeps this vicious cycle in motion. The DEA is part of the problem, not the solution. We often scream about our tax dollars being wasted but we avoid the real issues. The African American community should be ashamed that we let our children continuously fall behind in school and not demand more.

We have an obligation to the children to create a society that offers every citizen a chance to live their dreams. But we are sending mixed messages to our children. A message that is so deeply rooted in our society that the DEA feels as if they have to stoop to the level of criminals in order to decode wire taps. And where would this qualified candidate for this position be located? Would this job be filled by a drug dealer? Would this job be offered to a “snitch” that has been turned into state’s evidence? Or would this open up new opportunities for individuals that are already serving time in prison? I can imagine a whole floor of inmates listening to wiretaps, for minimum wage.

Shows like the “Wire” offered Americans an insight in to a world that many never knew was out there. Yes this series could be seen as glorifying life in the ghetto, but that would only be to those with a 5^th grade education. The Wire offered us the opportunity to understand the life from both sides. The passion that real detectives have for saving lives, or the fact that a young black African American male’s life means nothing at all when they are involved in the world of drugs. Sometimes this life may be the only option they have when they have an education that could not even secure them a job at McDonalds.

This is a challenge to all of us. How can America be about the people when “WE” the people can not even understand one another and communicate? Fathers, pull up your pants, turn off that rap music, and decided to live life right because your children are watching. Mothers, put your child first instead of living your life searching for the right man. Malcolm X., Martin Luther King Jr., and J.F.K lost their lives so that we could live a better life. Stop using slang, and teaching your children the wrong things in life like having to have the latest Air Jordan’s and doing the latest dance on television. The blame is not just on the DEA, but the black community as well for dropping the ball after the dream was almost a reality.

Education: The New Sexy

What if Education was the new sexy? What if the smartest women in the world were on the cover of Maxim Magazine? Would this change the attitude of the youth and their willingness to accept the fact that an education is what separates the “haves” and the “have-nots”? But that is not the case. Most young men and women would rather worry about their appearance and how popular they are instead of their GPA.

America, we have a huge problem in education. We are falling behind and the statistics are mind-blowing. I understand that there is a huge gap between young black males that are graduating compared to their white counterparts. I wanted to discuss just that issue alone, but I think it is deeper than that. I think that we now live in a society that is dependent on the lack of an education to separate individuals. America’s educational structure is archaic and can not meet the demands of the global marketplace.

Education should be the new sexy. Education needs to be more important than your friend count on Facebook. With our advances in technology you would imagine a country that would have some of the smartest students in the world. You would image a country with the fastest internet in the world. But this is not the case.

The funny thing is, this is all part of the plan. A capitalistic society is not fair- it is dependent on the weak and the uneducated in order to keep the power in the hands that be. And it’s not easy to keep up.

Two weeks ago the wife and I purchased enough materials to educate a small village in Africa. And most of these materials will not be used by my children, but others in the class as well. I never knew of a child that went through 8 bottles of glue in a year, and that is per child- which means we bought 16 bottles! Not only am I paying taxes yearly for the school but I am supposed to be involved in fundraisers and a whole host of other activities. I know that some teachers work their tails off to educate their students, and some even spend their own money to purchase class materials.

There needs to be a change in the systems. Tax dollars need to be distributed evenly throughout the state. Every child should have access to an outstanding education no matter if they live in the ghetto or the suburbs. The standards should be the same, the teachers should have the same drive, and the curriculum should meet the needs of today’s world- not the 50’s.

Parents, both black and white, need to play a role in the education of their children. It is a shame when an athlete is praised in the community with greater exuberance than an honor roll student. There should be a parade for the smart kids; they should be introduced during half-time at the homecoming game. But instead they are often the brunt of jokes and made fun of in movies. The importance of an education is often overlooked by plastic upgrades and the newest digital device and often overshadowed by how fast a child can run, or how cute they look with pom-poms.

Let us as parents and grandparents make education the new sport, the new popularity contest. Let us make being smart the new sexy. There is nothing sexier than spending time with the wife, and a nightcap of intellectual conversation.