The “N” Word

She is what she is, and from what I can gather she is fine with that. Poor Paula Dean- she is losing it all because of a word- or so they say. I will never allow a word, no matter how derogatory, take me to the edge of insanity. Of course there is a double standard about the use of the word- but not really. I guess that I am lucky because I can use both words. Yeah that’s right I can say “nigger” and “nigga”.
 

I find it rather funny that the racists who use the word did not even develop the word rather incorporated the word into their vocabulary from the Spaniards and Portuguese. At least create your own racial slur- or have the ability to understand that Negro simply means black. But then some decided that they wanted to turn it into slang and something derogatory a.k.a. Nigger. That was the past- now let’s move forward to today’s use of the word. As the Urban dictionary puts it, a nigger is a person that is “ignorant, ill mannered, or low-class people, without regard to their ethnicity.” That definition might suggest that you, reading this blog, could be classified as a nigger. 

The world has had different meanings for a variety of words. And like any word- has to be understood in the context that it is used. For example, I feel gay today. Well, in today’s terms that would mean that I may like the same sex. But in the past it was a simple way to say someone may be excited, alive, or having high spirits. Now the word has a derogatory meaning simply because society is dependent on some label to define themselves- as not being a part of the world but rather exclude themselves to some high horse that they ride through society with their moral standards, but forget that they are not living within those morals standards.

When I hear old Negro people, and old white people, complaining about my culture’s use of the word- I am confused. Very confused. Because most of the old people are cashing in on the use of these words, in movies, films, and even literature. If we can be brutally honest as we should be, instead of forcing the political correctness in our veins, we might be able to achieve something. 

Instead of just pointing to the use of the word- why don’t we take the time to talk about the society that has made the use of these words acceptable? Of course some rich white lady is going to be thrown under the bus because of her slip-up or personal feelings- but should she?   This is America. You have the right to be racist, use racist language, project your old fashioned values on people that do not believe them, and even tell me that Jesus is white and has long hair and blue eyes. But the last time I met a person name Jesus he was Latino. I guess they didn’t want to adopt Spanish names, but they could take their words. 

So when the white guy that lived across the street from me in Texas suggested that I spoke elegantly- I knew what he meant- I was not a nigger and- welcome to the neighborhood. When one of my employers told me that I was different than the rest because I showed up on time- I knew what that meant- that I was not a nigger. When I show up to the studio and hang out with fellow musicians- (you call them rappers)- and they say “what up, nigga”- I know what they mean- what’s up family- 

I have an extensive understanding of language and the use of it. I can even prove that Ebonics is a language, just like Paula Dean proved Southern is a language- “I is what I is”, sort of familiar to the structure of Ebonics. So while we all throw our two cents in to the argument- I want to know how the term slave in the bible turned to meaning “capture all the Negros- and beat them with whips because God said you could”.

This use of this word is just an example of how screwed up we are. We often let things evolve and then move on, but then we want to act like hoarders and hold on to old thoughts and philosophies. The word “nigger!!” coming out the mouth of a white person running towards you with a burning cross and a sheet to hide his fear of being known as a bigot- is vastly different than a rapper saying “these niggas is crazy on these streets”. 

If you don’t like the term then don’t use it. If you are a racist and use it, then pay the price- what every society feels you should pay for your thoughts. Thought crimes- we are in 1984.  If you like hip-hop music, and don’t mind the word, then keep the Beats by Dre in your ear and tell the world to go and fuck themselves- cause yeah, one minute I am chilling with my niggas, and the next I am debating with those that feel the need to think that I am an nigger-   

If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today...

If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today. It is a shame to see a company like Verizon forced to hand over tons of data. What happened to Big Business sticking it to the Government? Like not paying taxes, hiring illegals- and shipping jobs overseas?

 Yeah, fuck you America- (in my Big Business voice).

Nope- they did a 360 degree turn on this one. According to Obama back in 2007, our civil liberties were the most important thing on his agenda. I am against these sorts of actions happening in our country for several reasons.

One, I believe in the people, but I do not think that a majority of people are informed enough to understand how important all this information is and what can be done with it.

And secondly, I do not trust our government.  They have a history of abusing power.   

Maybe we should all have thought about it before we accepted the internet into our homes- nothing but a military technology packaged up for civilians.

I’m not against all this because I have “something to hide”- But rather, because this is the opposite of freedom.  People are in an uproar over keeping their guns and repealing health care- but why the fuck aren’t they screaming to get rid of the PATRIOT ACT.

Why is collecting data so important for our government? Because the government can use this data to do a lot of things they shouldn’t do.  For example, they can gather information to identify and track certain groups of individuals that might share the same belief.  Maybe…. Track their location using GPS data, and their calls, and where they gather.  Doesn’t sound too bad if you are thinking “terrorist”, right?  But replace “terrorist” with something else- anything.  Replace it with “Civil rights activist” or “Jew” or “Someone who doesn’t think like us”.  Scary?

This is too much.  That is way too much information for the government to have on its citizens. The common position “I am doing nothing wrong, so who cares if they track me” is nothing more than apathy and ignorance.

I have seen what happens to organizations that stand out and really try to make change-  they get roadblocked. I have seen what happens to individuals like Martin Luther King, and JFK.  Assonated- for their beliefs, their thoughts, and letting people know there is a choice.

We have a choice- here right now. The next few years will be a huge turning point in our lives. Data will become an even bigger business than it is already is and more laws are going to be created to protect and use that data in anyway a company or government sees fit.  

While we sit on these digital soapboxes and share our lives with the world, we are being watched.

I know there are some of you that believe that there will be some revolution- sorry to be real with you- it isn’t coming. WE the People could not overthrow our Government.  

What did our government do with the data that they collected when Russia rang the phone about the Boston Bomber? They dropped the ball- they did not react and allowed a suspected terrorist to conduct a terrorist act.

I understand that we have to sacrifice some of our privacy- things that are not really private. Like when I am walking down the street in front of cameras- attending a sports event- or even shopping at the mall. They can watch me.

But collecting all of this data and storing it “just in case” is not a good reason to take away our rights. To some, this is something that should be done in the name of safety.

But what if freedom of expression became something that was connected to terrorism.  It’s happening all over the world.  Is that acceptable? What if every child was forced to wear a name tag that had a GPS in it? Is that acceptable?

My point is simple- get informed and stay informed. Of course America is safer. But I do not think that it is because personal data has been collected and stored.

And while I am writing this, we just got word that the Government is now tapping into 9 Internet companies. Microsoft, PalTalk, YouTube, AOL, Yahoo, Google, Apple, Skype, and Facebook.  They are providing video, text, audio- pretty much anything you do on your computer.  So now the NSA is all in our shit-

Yeah they know how many guns that you have if you took a picture and placed it online- that little teeny bopper site that you are following- now they have placed you in a category with other people engaging in the same behavior.

There is no reason for these types of actions. I was told once by someone that we were close to tyranny- shit, I think I am staring at it directly in the eyes…

Don’t Stay in the Kitchen

Have you heard these clowns running around talking about the destruction of marriage and the natural selection cycle of the human race on the decline? (http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/05/watch-fox-news-panic-over-female-breadwinners.html)

Simply because some women are forced to be breadwinners due to the absence of a male in the home, and others have chosen to have a career that offers them excellent wages.

Of course, the economic situation in our country has changed the landscape of the workforce. Factories have shut down; construction jobs crept to a halt- and let’s face it, a lot of men do not have the skill sets that are sought after in this current economy.

We all know the way that Fox spun the issue with their news reporting style. They turned the story into the Armageddon of Man. Sort of how Eve is always to blame for the world that we live in. If she would have never eaten that forbidden fruit- Eve put that iPhone down!  Serve me woman!

Since a majority of the population has decided not to take statistics but instead enroll in ballroom dancing, it is easy to see why this story has caused so much controversy. FEAR- if the black unemployment rate was lower I am sure that Obama would have another scandal on his hands.  

There is nothing wrong with a woman being the breadwinner. Just because a woman is making more than a man does not suggest that marriage is under attack. Maybe it suggests that women have adapted to the society they live in and have gained the necessary skills to survive instead of being on Welfare. Maybe we should applaud these women instead of vilifying them.  

Just because a women is making more than her husband should not mean that their son is going to be bound to life in the kitchen watching Sports Center, or How to survive in the wild with a toothpick.

This subject cannot and should not be talked about by people that do not have any experience with the issue. The stats are misleading. It needs to be broken down by several other factors as well. For example how many of these households are educated, how many decided that this was right for them, and finally how many mothers have no other options.

I personally am a part of this new phenomenon (or destruction of so-called marriage). My wife is a business professional. We have two children and have decided that the best way for them to be raised is with one parent at home.

The deciding factor on who was going to stay home, was based on who had the lowest salary.  I am not ashamed to say that I was defeated in this little challenge.  I could have taken a job at the local 7-11 and been forced to work multiple jobs in order to put a roof over our children’s head ten years ago- but WE decided differently.

Did my manhood simply vanish? Nope. I have a beard, I still pee standing up, and I even knocked out a few degrees while I had the time. Our son enjoys so-called “manly” activities- you know- shooting avatars with military style weaponry and farting then evacuating the room. Our daughter wears pink, understands that women can achieve anything they want in life, and is not simply forced to remain barefoot in the kitchen.

Look, numbers are just that- numbers, but they do not talk, they do not explain every single detail. Numbers are often so skewed in the direction of those in control that their intended audience does not even check the facts but regurgitates the same insane rhetorical hysterical fairytale gibberish. Tow the party line is what they must say in their morning meetings.

If they were really concerned about marriage, then they would have allowed the man to stay in subsidized housing with their families. Instead men were not allowed to stay with their children and family.  If our society really cared about marriage then we would not allow for men to get locked away on silly drug possession charges and denied financial aid to attend college.

If we really want to examine the breakdown of family and marriage we should not be looking at employment statistics only, but education and social issues as well. With a 50% divorce rate- marriage has been under attack for years.    

You want to know what helps the community in situations like these- It’s when men spend time in the community.  Men like me, who have taken this opportunity to spend time at my children’s school. The field trips that I have attended, the Site Council meetings, and the Superintendent / Parents Board, these things help the community.

I have seen so many fathers picking up their children from school, helping them with their homework, and even at the playground with their children during the day.  No longer do they have to wear that shirt with the fake baby in a pouch, now they have a baby in a pouch. 

Marriage and the male role in our society are not being destroyed- they are changing. Of course most men would be scared of this. Men ran everything for a while and look what the hell we turned into. We turned into a society that is so hyped up on violence that video games are nothing but recruiting tools for the military.

Look, without women our silly asses would not be here, history has skewed the role of women so bad that they still have to fight for justice and equality. And now that women have started to shatter that glass ceiling- ditching baking bread in the kitchen for earning bread in the workplace- men are threatened. 

Grab the Stagecoach and Hit the Road

Anytime California representatives suggest a new law addressing gun control, I always hear a handful of California residents proclaiming they are going to pack up and move to Texas.  Many point to the fact that Texas has fewer regulations than California. This may be true- but then I point to reasons for regulations- like the plant that blew up in West Texas, and destroyed a neighborhood, killing several people.  I also point to the fact that they are using money from the Obama Administration to rebuild… and repair their roads.

As a Californian that lived in Texas, I lived it. I lived the isolation of another perspective. I faced racism on a regular basis.  One day, I was standing outside watering my grass and a female neighbor said “Hi Negro neighbor”, in a half- joking, half-serious tone. Now, don’t get me wrong- this is not all of Texas, but this is my experience.

There were days when I was stuck driving behind a pick-up truck covered in “I hate Obama” stickers and a Confederate flag waving in the air.  Yes, this new law to some can be considered a removal of rights. Why should you have to subject yourself to a background check to get bullets?

Well, if you have nothing to hide, then you should have nothing to worry about, correct? Never mind that the Government has just made it mandatory for Google to hand over your data- including the search for how many bullets it will take to kill a deer and religious quotes to be plastered on a Facebook wall directly from the Bible Belt.

A background check for a gun and a background check for bullets is nothing that the law abiding citizen should be afraid of. If you are using the gun to go hunting- killing animals that you fed- or for the intruder that happens to be lurking around every corner, than you are fine.

Shouldn't there be one more layer of protection for our children? I know that those who are worried about this background check live in a bubble. A bubble of Faux News, Rushmouth commentary, and the Sarah Palin Pit-bull and lip stick speech. I wonder if she had any other quotes but couldn't fit them on her hand.

There is a lot to love about Texas. I loved the thunderstorms, the cheap homes, and the spirit of the average Texan. I loved watching the Cowboys and their owner, Jerry Jones build that masterpiece of a Stadium. I even love the slogan “Don’t Mess with Texas”, but… that was started due to the high amount of liter that is often left on the road.

I loved Friday Night Football, even with the Natural Gas oil rig spewing toxic fumes in the air and underground the stadium… and our homes.

And of course, California is not perfect. Houses are expensive, gas is high, and by only speaking one language- I am the minority- and I’m not white. But I do live in the countryside of California. I get to see horses and cows run free, smell the farmland in the summer, and see the seasons change. I hate the traffic and I hate the disparity between the advantaged and disadvantaged. No place is perfect. Not Texas. Not California. Not even the United States.

But we have to understand the point that I have stated may times. We are so fucking divided by religion, economics, race, and political affiliation that we cannot see through the rhetoric. We often say that Freedom is not “free”- as the soldiers return in caskets. But then take away freedoms in every state.

I did find that it was rather odd that Texas had its own Pledge of Allegiance. Personally I believe that this increases the division of that State from other states. But that is fine. You can enjoy the intellectual properties that come from California- and enjoy the natural gas that may be linked to disease and deaths of citizens across the country.

California regulates to save lives- Texas deregulates to make money. California is strapped because of mismanagement and the programs that often help the disadvantaged and maybe offer them an opportunity to climb to middle class status.

Look, if you live in California and hate the laws then move. Climb in your futuristic stage coach with your loaded guns and head east. There is no place like Texas, like there is no place like California. A matter a fact there is no place as we know, like Earth- so enjoy where the fuck we are. Just remember what they say- the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence.

I like many of the laws in California- I like the diversity in culture. I love the weather, I love the ocean, and I like not being pulled over by a cop and being asked if I am driving my car and where the fuck I work- Maybe my skin tone played a role in my experience. It is kind of hard to not take a racist joke off the lips of a redneck personal without wanting to shove my Nike Airs up his ass.

We should all be Americans, instead of individuals that are restricted by invisible state lines. 

Don’t Simply Blow Away

There comes a time when you must find your purpose. Not the one that is written in any text. Not the one that is counted by pieces of fiber and cotton. A real purpose-we cannot simply exist to follow the footprints in the sand and watch the waves wash them away.

 Our will is that of survival. But in order to survive one must create something that is worthy of that task. Steel crumbles over time. Wood burns to ashes and blows away. But words can lasts forever. Passed down orally, transformed digitally and shared forever.

Finding a cure for a disease will save lives, kindness spreads and knowledge enlightens all those that seek it. As we live in a world that is self- centered- artificial prophets arise for profits. Individuals are indoctrinated and baptized into toxic waters that drown all hopes of love and forgiveness.

Seek a life that is worthy. Not one that is full of judgment and demands the persecuting of others. Try to create something that will remain in this realm forever. Like flying in an X-Wing fighter and destroying the Death Star.

Imagine the possibilities not just success. Success is often only celebrated for a moment. A moment that is quickly covered by another moment- someone else has to shine below the lights, and have their run around the track. 

 Possibilities are endless. The world is in our hands. Our pockets- But who's world are you in?  Is it theirs? Or is it yours? I share mine. So share yours. Your possibilities are endless- mine have just begun. 

OBEY

We are taught to OBEY. No matter what subgroup of the world we decide to become involved with, there are rules. Rules that force us how to think, dress, or simply OBEY. 

Can such obedience be the reason our society is facing failure? Can this obedience only compound the problems we face? Obedience is important because it makes sure that there are no riots in the streets and that those in power remain in power.

As long as the individual OBEYS their party and falls in line, things remain the same. For example, a republican that hugs Obama and thanks him for working together during Sandy is not being obedient. He has challenged the structure and is now a sacrificial lamb for the party. Obedience even if it means failure seems to be the mantra in today's society.

My pants must sag to the ground because I must OBEY the culture.  I must stand in line to have the next Apple product and pledge my obedience. I must listen to a certain type of music in order to fulfill my obedience.   

Are we not capable enough to figure out that obedience has left us dull? It has started wars over the same figure just with a different name. Millions of lives have been erased and vanished because someone chose to OBEY.   

If we speak against the actions of our government and no longer OBEY will we be corralled in trains and sent to some prison camp? There are some that believe that this is so, but they forget that WE THE PEOPLE are the real driving force of this country, not those that we give credence to.

After we have been broken down by 12 years of mandated brainwashing, to only stumble into our first class of college one would think we could break free. But they program us even further. It is not until one becomes a master of their craft that they can break free from the chains of imperialism that still colonizes the mind.

We OBEY the new trends as they are ushered in by the media conglomerates. We OBEY trashy talk shows while we sleep around with so many people that a paternity test is needed. We OBEY social media while we check updates and make posts behind the wheel, putting others’ lives in jeopardy.

But this obedience is destroying us. It is dividing and eliminating free thought. Our free will has already been shackled, but will our ability to decide be lost as well?

Cosmic Bumper Bowl

Don't you wish life was like cosmic bumper bowl? The stars would magically align themselves, and with some uncertainty the pins of destiny would fall. Both hands slightly and gently guided down the lane. Techno soundtrack included. The pins fall and the lasers continue to swirl around the alley.

Destiny, dependent on motion and impact- of course, some other scientific explanation could offer insight. Spin the ball to the left for wealth.  A little over to the right for health.  A well placed ball directly down the lane and more than wealth will fall from the skies, fame and fortune. A strike.

But nope. It's not bumper bowl but rather a bowl of controversy and adversity- water included.
We often swim against the current. Swim away from meaning, away from satisfaction and toward gratification. 

Rented lane, rented shoes, and a borrowed ball. Order a large fries and add a few more particles of salt. Thirst quenched with a coke that needs more carbonation to really be enjoyed. Just staring at your rented shoes, wondering who wore them before you. Knowing the possibility of Lysol killing all 99.9% is acceptable, but that one germ is all that it takes. The germ of doubt. Protected on both sides, but yearning for a life jacket.