I made the mistake of joining my wife to watch a new CBS drama, titled "The Red Line". The story line allegedly revolves around what happens when a white police man shoots and kills a black man n a store. There are several sub plots. One being the fact that the black man shot, was a gay man in a relationship with a white man. Yes, the TV industry continues to push gay relationships out for us to view. The scenes often have scenes where same sex partners are kissing or engaging in sexual acts that can be shown on TV. This was the case in the "Red Line" on Sunday. A scene of two male characters kissing was prominently displayed.
The past 5 years have featured a number of shows that felt obliged to show the sex life of the characters as an important feature to display visually. The scenes are not necessary to the plot. So why are they being shown? Do producers and executives really believe that the mass public wants to see same sex relationships on TV with partners kissing and having sex? Do they believe our youth need to see these images on TV shows? If it were up to me I would cancel our cable TV subscription and invest that money in a certificate of deposit and earn at least 2% interest per quarter.
I understand we are going through an entertainment phase where TV shows are going to have numerous scenes and plots involving homosexual characters. I just choose not to watch them. People do what people want to do. There are several places in the Bible where it specifically says that God did not intend for people to have homosexual relationships. I know some people say they were born Gay, but many people are making a conscious decision to lead a gay lifestyle only because they can. We do not need television to put the idea into the mind of people, especially our youth. People are well equipped already to make bad decisions on our own.
Enough is enough. I told my wife I was tired of seeing these gay lifestyle TV shows. She can watch them by herself. I pray Hollywood reverses this entertainment trend and gets us back to showing images that depict how God wanted us to behave. Or is that too hard to do?
Monday, May 13, 2019
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Mother's Day from an African American Perspective
Mother's Day. A day to honor mothers of the present. It's also a time to remember and honor the mothers of the past. For me it's especially a time to think about and reflect on those African American and African mothers of the past in my family.
The African mothers. Imagine that first expression on their faces as they gave birth to their children. Compare that expression to the facial expression when told that slave traders had taken that child, now much older away from Africa into enslavement. They would never see that child again.
The early years of African American mothers in these United States of America was not a joyous time. The years when black people were enslaved in the United States meant that the child of an enslaved black woman could and many times was taken away and sold into slavery far away from the mother. That black mother never had the opportunity to watch that child develop. That mother did not have time to nurture that child into adulthood. She lost contact with that child, forever.
We should never forget what those mothers went through emotionally seeing their children snatched away from them. So as you look your mother in the eye and give her a kiss and hug, sometime today think about those original African mothers, and African American mothers whose mother hood was ruined by the American institution of slavery.
The African mothers. Imagine that first expression on their faces as they gave birth to their children. Compare that expression to the facial expression when told that slave traders had taken that child, now much older away from Africa into enslavement. They would never see that child again.
The early years of African American mothers in these United States of America was not a joyous time. The years when black people were enslaved in the United States meant that the child of an enslaved black woman could and many times was taken away and sold into slavery far away from the mother. That black mother never had the opportunity to watch that child develop. That mother did not have time to nurture that child into adulthood. She lost contact with that child, forever.
We should never forget what those mothers went through emotionally seeing their children snatched away from them. So as you look your mother in the eye and give her a kiss and hug, sometime today think about those original African mothers, and African American mothers whose mother hood was ruined by the American institution of slavery.
Friday, May 10, 2019
When Your Advice is Not Desired - Move on
After many attempts to offer help to family members and to offer my time in volunteer activities, I have come to the conclusion that it is better to have people approach me for help. My initiatives to offer help to family members were often met with silence and no response. I think people truly believe they do not need help or that they did not value my offer or felt I could not help them. Such is life. I recall when I was young I rarely sought help also. It must be in our human make up to think that we can solve all of our own problems.
I have learned that the experiences of others and the knowledge of others can benefit me. I know I do not know everything about life to be able to address all of my concerns. Having someone to turn to for advice, whether it be a friend or mentor is a bonus. As a black male I often find myself with no one who looks like me to turn to. So I continue making decisions by myself..
Instead of pouting about my inability to be of use to someone else, I have decided to move on and just enjoy life to its fullest. Maybe in my adventures I will come across someone who will seek my advice. Reaching out to organizations or specific family members is no longer on my agenda. It it is meant to be they will find me. Until then.....my life continues.
I have learned that the experiences of others and the knowledge of others can benefit me. I know I do not know everything about life to be able to address all of my concerns. Having someone to turn to for advice, whether it be a friend or mentor is a bonus. As a black male I often find myself with no one who looks like me to turn to. So I continue making decisions by myself..
Instead of pouting about my inability to be of use to someone else, I have decided to move on and just enjoy life to its fullest. Maybe in my adventures I will come across someone who will seek my advice. Reaching out to organizations or specific family members is no longer on my agenda. It it is meant to be they will find me. Until then.....my life continues.
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Black Fathers Generational Differences
I realized two days ago that there are some significant generational differences between black fathers of today and the period when I was raising my 2 sons. I made the mistake of posting a viewpoint on a social media outlet about a scenario I was encountering as a father. The comments I received back were very argumentative, judgmental and disrespectful. I could tell that they were comments of fathers who were likely at least 15 to 20 years my junior.
It is my belief that the values of these black fathers are not the same as the values that I learned and tried to apply as a father. These fathers seemed to support t!he disrespectful antics of their grown adult children as being allowable because the kids are now grown. Their viewpoint seemed to be that once a child reaches the adult hood age a parent does not have a right to give that adult child any more advice or opinions! For them parent hood ends when the child becomes an adult.
I did not know parents were allowed to wipe their hands of their children's behavior once they turned 18 or 21. It seems like today's generation believes parents only have limited rights to speak up and that time period covers only 18 to 21 years old.
My point to these dysfunctional fathers was that if we as parents have information or opinions that can help, don't feel you can't talk to your children just because they are grown. Especially in the area of finances if the child can learn from good or bad financial decisions you make.
After that incident I voluntarily left the social media platform I had been interacting with and left all the social media groups I had signed into. I was looking for like minded people or people who wanted to dialogue thoughtfully about an issue. I found neither of those on social media. I just hope the majority of black fathers do not have the opinions and values I read that day!
It is my belief that the values of these black fathers are not the same as the values that I learned and tried to apply as a father. These fathers seemed to support t!he disrespectful antics of their grown adult children as being allowable because the kids are now grown. Their viewpoint seemed to be that once a child reaches the adult hood age a parent does not have a right to give that adult child any more advice or opinions! For them parent hood ends when the child becomes an adult.
I did not know parents were allowed to wipe their hands of their children's behavior once they turned 18 or 21. It seems like today's generation believes parents only have limited rights to speak up and that time period covers only 18 to 21 years old.
My point to these dysfunctional fathers was that if we as parents have information or opinions that can help, don't feel you can't talk to your children just because they are grown. Especially in the area of finances if the child can learn from good or bad financial decisions you make.
After that incident I voluntarily left the social media platform I had been interacting with and left all the social media groups I had signed into. I was looking for like minded people or people who wanted to dialogue thoughtfully about an issue. I found neither of those on social media. I just hope the majority of black fathers do not have the opinions and values I read that day!
Friday, April 26, 2019
Black Families - Find the truth
Some black families still suffer from the ravages of the American institution of slavery that was legal in these United States up until 1865. An organized method to transition black people from being enslaved to being independent, educated, and economically free was never put into place. Individual families continue to try to find a way out of poverty, disorganization, and chaos. Many of the new generation of black people do not know where we came from and what those before them went through so that they can enjoy the life they have now. So they embrace lifestyles that European Americans push out to them as being normal. Society tries hard to push God out of your life and human choices as a replacement. Understand that there is a God. Next, learn your family history.
Monday, April 8, 2019
The Man Made "Immigration Crisis"
The United States of America. The self proclaimed bastion of Freedom and Opportunity. The same country where European Americans massively immigrated to a land hundreds of years ago then inhabited by Native Americans. Native Americans did not have a formal "immigration policy" designed to keep European Americans from becoming settlers. No wall was built on the East coast to ward off the European newcomers. There may have been forced attempts to keep European Americans from becoming "citizens" in the "new" land. But for the most part European Americans were free to enter what was to become the United States of America.
That entry soon turned into a massive takeover of lands previously claimed by Native Americans. Native Americans were uprooted, forced off their property, and diseases spread by European Americans that resulted in numerous deaths to the Native American population. The triple threat of disease, political trickery, and forced removal effectively cleared the way for European Americans to take over what had been Native American territory.
European Americans then found themselves with a massive country to build from the ground up. Cities and transportation systems were developed along with all that was needed to support the European American ideas of civilization. Unable or unwilling to do the hard work needed to build the country into their image, European Americans turned to enslaving free people from the continent of Africa. Forced immigration under the name "slavery" was the European American solution.
During those years of forced slavery, fellow free European Americans continued to flow into the United States. Opportunity for European Americans existed and there was no immigration crisis.
Now we move forward some 500 plus years. As the percentage of people with Hispanic heritage grows in the United States comes the news that we have an "immigration crisis". Our safety is now in danger! A wall on the southern border of the United States needs to be built! The purpose of the wall? To keep "those people" out. Even the President of the United States has declared that we have enough immigrants. Time to close the door.
We all know where the decision came from. It is based in an economic/racially charged emotional decision. People who do not look like European Americans are not wanted by a large segment of the population. Forgotten are the open door policies of the past where people looking for opportunity to prosper and lead a "good" life were welcomed with open arms and few restrictions.
We all know that we are in more danger from the people already in the United States. Few of the mass killings that have occurred in the past years are due to a failed immigration policy. Many of the mass killings were done by European American males who suffered from mental instability or who were just filled with hate. Changing the immigration policy will not stem the number of deaths occurring from domestic terrorist acts, no matter what you are told to the contrary.
Politicians and culture haters have created the immigration crisis. Yes, there may be a need to refine the rules of how and when immigrants can enter the United States. This has been done in the past. But, many politicians have turned the faults in the system into an emotional campaign of fear and hate. Playing to the emotions of people continues to be an effective way to garner and develop emotional hate towards an issue.
Maybe in this coming round of Presidential campaign politics, common sense and respect will rise to the top of the pile of human emotions. There is no immigration crisis. There is a need to refine and reconstruct the administrative system of managing entry into the United States.
European Americans know that they gained all of the wealth they have today based on Native Americans not having the same views that European Americans have today towards "immigrants". Is that why immigration raises such a fear in some circles? Do you fear that what happened to the Native Americans may one day happen to you? Is that why the notion of gun control will never happen? People who fear the unthinkable will always want a means to protect themselves having learned from the policies of the past.
Discussion and action on the issue of immigration must occur now.
That entry soon turned into a massive takeover of lands previously claimed by Native Americans. Native Americans were uprooted, forced off their property, and diseases spread by European Americans that resulted in numerous deaths to the Native American population. The triple threat of disease, political trickery, and forced removal effectively cleared the way for European Americans to take over what had been Native American territory.
European Americans then found themselves with a massive country to build from the ground up. Cities and transportation systems were developed along with all that was needed to support the European American ideas of civilization. Unable or unwilling to do the hard work needed to build the country into their image, European Americans turned to enslaving free people from the continent of Africa. Forced immigration under the name "slavery" was the European American solution.
During those years of forced slavery, fellow free European Americans continued to flow into the United States. Opportunity for European Americans existed and there was no immigration crisis.
Now we move forward some 500 plus years. As the percentage of people with Hispanic heritage grows in the United States comes the news that we have an "immigration crisis". Our safety is now in danger! A wall on the southern border of the United States needs to be built! The purpose of the wall? To keep "those people" out. Even the President of the United States has declared that we have enough immigrants. Time to close the door.
We all know where the decision came from. It is based in an economic/racially charged emotional decision. People who do not look like European Americans are not wanted by a large segment of the population. Forgotten are the open door policies of the past where people looking for opportunity to prosper and lead a "good" life were welcomed with open arms and few restrictions.
We all know that we are in more danger from the people already in the United States. Few of the mass killings that have occurred in the past years are due to a failed immigration policy. Many of the mass killings were done by European American males who suffered from mental instability or who were just filled with hate. Changing the immigration policy will not stem the number of deaths occurring from domestic terrorist acts, no matter what you are told to the contrary.
Politicians and culture haters have created the immigration crisis. Yes, there may be a need to refine the rules of how and when immigrants can enter the United States. This has been done in the past. But, many politicians have turned the faults in the system into an emotional campaign of fear and hate. Playing to the emotions of people continues to be an effective way to garner and develop emotional hate towards an issue.
Maybe in this coming round of Presidential campaign politics, common sense and respect will rise to the top of the pile of human emotions. There is no immigration crisis. There is a need to refine and reconstruct the administrative system of managing entry into the United States.
European Americans know that they gained all of the wealth they have today based on Native Americans not having the same views that European Americans have today towards "immigrants". Is that why immigration raises such a fear in some circles? Do you fear that what happened to the Native Americans may one day happen to you? Is that why the notion of gun control will never happen? People who fear the unthinkable will always want a means to protect themselves having learned from the policies of the past.
Discussion and action on the issue of immigration must occur now.
Saturday, April 6, 2019
My Annual "Escape from the Worldly News"
It is that time again. The pronouncements on television news shows regarding "Breaking News" has once again gotten on my nerves. It's a reminder that someone somewhere has decided to bombard me with video and audio of events in the world they have decided I need to see and hear about. From among the hundreds of thousands of events occurring in the world, someone has digested those into 13-20 stories I am forcefully being fed. That is if I consent to sit in my chair and allow the TV to bombard me. But, I have chosen not to be bombarded.
I have served notice to my spouse that the only thing I want to know is the weather forecast; if there is an escaped criminal in the area I should be aware of; and if there are any food recalls or other health emergencies. Other wise why do I need some stranger bestowed with a title of importance to tell me what is the latest "news"? If I want to find out the news I'll seek the info from the variety of internet sites and then determine if what they are showing is truly news or just human gossip or human interest stories.
If I don't watch the news what am I truly missing? Apparently not much because each day I survive without hearing about the myriad of ridiculous events, crimes, and misdemeanors happening around me or in the world. Yes, many are tragic stories. But the fact is there is nothing that will change in my life based on most of the stories I see and hear. So why bother to watch the news? Go out and make your own news. But make sure your news has a positive outcome. Don't go out to adversely impact the lives of someone. Do a good deed. Help someone overcome a problem.
Sure you are going to miss out on hearing about the antics of people, and the absurdity of what people can do. Ask yourself what have you lost in not hearing what you already know about the nature of people? We are violent, we suffer from bouts where we can't control our emotions. We use artificial substances for a variety of "pleasures" only because we can. What benefit are you receiving by hearing about the same events day after day after day?
I saw no benefit to the regurgitation of daily non sense especially in the political arena. I don't need to know that another person is running for the office of President of the United States. I only need to read about the viewpoints and ideas of that person when it is time for me to decide who to support.
Save yourself from the "news" that really is not news. It's just drama packaged into 30 minutes because for years that was the forum to tell you what people want you to know. Go for a walk, read a chapter in a book, go to a movie for real pretend drama that is made to entertain you.
Take at least a month off then check back in to see if you really missed "the news".
I have served notice to my spouse that the only thing I want to know is the weather forecast; if there is an escaped criminal in the area I should be aware of; and if there are any food recalls or other health emergencies. Other wise why do I need some stranger bestowed with a title of importance to tell me what is the latest "news"? If I want to find out the news I'll seek the info from the variety of internet sites and then determine if what they are showing is truly news or just human gossip or human interest stories.
If I don't watch the news what am I truly missing? Apparently not much because each day I survive without hearing about the myriad of ridiculous events, crimes, and misdemeanors happening around me or in the world. Yes, many are tragic stories. But the fact is there is nothing that will change in my life based on most of the stories I see and hear. So why bother to watch the news? Go out and make your own news. But make sure your news has a positive outcome. Don't go out to adversely impact the lives of someone. Do a good deed. Help someone overcome a problem.
Sure you are going to miss out on hearing about the antics of people, and the absurdity of what people can do. Ask yourself what have you lost in not hearing what you already know about the nature of people? We are violent, we suffer from bouts where we can't control our emotions. We use artificial substances for a variety of "pleasures" only because we can. What benefit are you receiving by hearing about the same events day after day after day?
I saw no benefit to the regurgitation of daily non sense especially in the political arena. I don't need to know that another person is running for the office of President of the United States. I only need to read about the viewpoints and ideas of that person when it is time for me to decide who to support.
Save yourself from the "news" that really is not news. It's just drama packaged into 30 minutes because for years that was the forum to tell you what people want you to know. Go for a walk, read a chapter in a book, go to a movie for real pretend drama that is made to entertain you.
Take at least a month off then check back in to see if you really missed "the news".
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