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August 18, 2011 at 6:54pm
[photo of sheldon]
By sheldon
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Privacy In A Relationship……

   

 

          I was sitting down having a discussion with some young and older people. While we were talking a question came up about “is it alright for your significant other to go through your phone, email, Facebook and etc.” It’s funny about the different responses to this question. And it got me thinking about my past and present relationships and has this ever affected me and the answer is” yes.”I know when I was younger it would have never been a time that I thought it was appropriate to check my girlfriends phone, email, and etc. Until one day the tables were turned and I had a feeling about her cheating. I really just wanted to know if what I felt was true.  And there I did the unthinkable and went through the phone. Surely I found what I was looking for. After that I wasn’t satisfied I wanted more and more information. I wanted to know everyone my girlfriend was talking to and emailing. After a while it became out of control and I lost control of what trust truly is.

Some people say that when you are married for 20 or 30 years it is not about you anymore and if you are truly committed to a person “what is the big deal about them checking up on you from time to time”. Something I had to realize is that I wasn’t committed to that person. I just didn’t want to be made a fool of. But one thing I know in life is something’s you have to take a chance on and what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. So as I continue to grow and mature as a person and everything that I do in life I give it my best and constantly remind myself you can never control someone else actions, only your own…..

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Featured Post
August 18, 2011 at 11:56am
[photo of Keantre Malone]
By Keantre Malone
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Eating TV Dinners During Racial Zoo-Keeping

On top of America’s legacy of racism there’s nothing more upsetting than the absence of guilt, from the racists of course. Not even the first sentence describes the severity of our situation, especially when there are tv shows, Bait Car for instance, that broadcast the hatred of Black youth. Every time I’ve watched Bait Car, a reality series that shadows police in their bait care operations, I’ve witnessed the perversion of innocence through successful set-ups. The living room screen reveals to us a sorry moment: this is a point in time in which we see injustices against us and we won’t even scratch a finger across our foreheads, at least that’s a “startin’ sumthin’” gesture.

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Featured Post
August 17, 2011 at 12:00pm
[photo of tamara]
By tamara
@tamaracg
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Topics: ,

The Help

This weekend, I saw the much criticized/acclaimed movie The Help. I had planned to keep this a secret, to never tell a soul, and pretend this never happened. But, I wanted to have an opinion about the movie so I bought a ticket to The Smurfs and saw The Help instead (I wanted to see it, but not support it). I refrained from reading any reviews, or any synopses of the book or the film. I wanted to go in with an open mind, and an open heart. But I couldn’t.

Something just wasn’t right. From the moment I first saw the preview, to the moment I walked past the movie poster on my way into the theater. I knew that something wasn’t right. I have slowly begun to build defenses against the biased, narrow and sometimes problematic ways Black women are portrayed in the media but I wasn’t ready for this.

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Featured Post
August 17, 2011 at 8:09am
[photo of Jonathan]
By Jonathan
@jonathanlykes
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A Political Soundtrack

“Musicians Don’t’ Die, They Decompose.”

The power of music is a secret to no one. You can find the manifestations of this power everywhere. Just observe the impulse you get when you hear a strong base in the background of a new track, or the tired feeling you get when listening to something slow and melodic, or the passion felt through an A’Capella group. There is no doubting the roots of music and the ability it has to impact your mood/emotions.

What is even more fascinating is seeing the power of music extended and connected to political movements. In South Africa music is the backbone of social mobilization. And it is a powerful backbone; one that brings people together, gives hope, inspires, and creates an artistic expression that simply cannot be articulated outside of a musical context.

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Featured Post
August 16, 2011 at 12:33pm
[photo of Asha]
By Asha
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“Please Describe Your Background”

When I’m asked “What are you?” a question which my slight racial ambiguity warrants on almost a daily basis, I say black. So I check black on my college app. Then sometimes (most times actually), the question is followed by “Yeah, but what else?” and sometimes “She’s Cuban!” “She’s Puerto Rican.” “She’s Italian.” from eavesdroppers. No, I’m actually not. Thanks, but I have my racial identity figured out.. I don’t really like to be the object of twenty questions.

When pressed, and not offended, I’ll explain that yes, my father is a white, non religious Jew. This often leads to further confusion about the Jewish people as an ethnic group. “Did you have a Bat Mitvzah?” No. “Then you’re not Jewish.” Right, I’m black. “Okay, you’re mixed.” I’m black. “Whatever.”

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Featured Post
August 16, 2011 at 8:00am
[photo of edward]
By edward
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Secession aint gonna end the recession

The old saying goes, “Don’t mess with Texas”. Believe me, I haven’t really messed with Texas since the 1995 Dallas Cowboys team. Although my heart is as big as the state itself, it’s tough for me to stomach the thought of Rick Perry becoming President of the United States. Maybe I’ll try to overlook the fact that Perry refuses to admit that global warming is real. Perhaps, I’ll even not pay attention to the fact that he invited xenophobic musician,  Ted Nugent, to perform at his 2nd inauguration. What I can’t overlook is the fact that same man that wanted to secede from the union now wants represent the entire union.

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Featured Post
August 15, 2011 at 1:44pm
[photo of jasiri x]
By jasiri x
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1-900-Blame a N!&&@, the UK Version

Actually, I’m surprised it took this long for somebody to blame the riots on black people. In the BBC interview with Darcus Howe, a West Indian Writer and Broadcaster, where he attempted to explain the conditions that lead to the beginning of the uprising in Tottenham (including Mark Dugan being shot in the head by police and ballistics proving he didn’t fire a gun at them), he was basically called a rioter by the “idiot” new anchor.

Sadly this isn’t new and I’m sure “historian” David Starkey knows this. Black people have been convenient scapegoats for many of societies ills, even though we’re almost always in the position of least power. I find it ironic and sad that the murders, rapes, and brutality written in the history of countries like England are explained away by these same historians, yet the victims to this very day of oppression and exploitation, are now “gangtas”.

No amount of looting could pay back what England stole from the darker people of the planet and trust me it’s all you’re culture’s fault. Your history shows a people who took whatever they wanted by force. That fact that you now wear suits and dresses and appear civilized cannot erase the blood stains. In fact whatever institution gave David Starkey the title historian should be closed immediately.

Worse of all, many people will take David Starkey’s flawed philosophy and run with it. Why? Cause it’s easy to blame rap or black people and build more prisons, than to deal with a mentality that hoards wealth, access and opportunity and creates the conditions that lead to riots, just ask brilliant political philosopher Paul Mooney.

*Warning this contains extreme language

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyrz_W3PTTsv

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Featured Post
August 15, 2011 at 8:00am
[photo of Summer M.]
By Summer M.
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Topics: , , ,

On Not Seeing ‘The Help’

I did not see The Help this weekend; I also did not read the book. Since I both read and saw The Secret Life of Bees a couple of years ago and am conversationally familiar with The Blind Side, I figured I had earned enough credit to sit this one out. Call it a mental health decision.

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Featured Post
August 12, 2011 at 12:01pm
[photo of Dallas]
By Dallas
@smarteys
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WATCH THE THRONE, And Why Jay-Z and Mitt Romney Have A LOT In Common

Mitt Romney and Jay-Z have a lot in common.

Like Jay-Z, whose widely considered to be the most influential and important figure in Hip Hop today, Mitt Romney is currently the front runner for the Republican Presidential Nomination. In fact, like Jay-Z, he’s been the de facto “front runner” in the race for a while now.

And like Jay-Z, Mitt Romney continues to hold onto this position for no good reason at all. And probably won’t be holding onto it for long.

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Featured Post
August 12, 2011 at 8:50am
[photo of Fallon]
By Fallon
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How Facebook Can Depress You as a Single Black Girl

So, I am discovering how utterly depressing Facebook can be. Yes, I did not stutter. Facebook, touted as the pen-ultimate medium for awkward wall flowers to gain social inclusion and social integration, is depressing. Not depressing in the most clinical sense of depressing, but more depressing in the vein of, “Damn, all my friends (I use the term, friends, loosely because are we really friends If I met you in the club one night and we said lets Facebook) are finding great partners,” as evidenced by their many corny profile pictures of them and their boo hugged up for dear life.

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