Evangelist ET just sent me a heart warming article which can be found HERE. I hope that you read every word of it, as it’s worth it.

Check this out:

On Friday, Alexander proudly swapped his high school’s red uniform tie for a striped red and gold one — the ritual at Englewood’s Urban Prep Academy for Young Men that signifies a student has been accepted into college.

As the Roseland resident and 12 others tied their knots, Chicago’s only public all-male, all-African-American high school fulfilled its mission: 100 percent of its first senior class had been accepted to four-year colleges.

That is just a small sample of what is 100% possible in every community and particularly in black communities since we have such a huge drop out rate amongst black males who end up in jail, selling drugs, or dead.

Even more stunning is this statistic about the students when they initially enrolled in that school:

Only 4 percent of this year’s senior class read at grade level as freshmen, said Tim King, the school’s founder and CEO.

“There were those who told me that you can’t defy the data,” King said. “Black boys are killed. Black boys drop out of high school. Black boys go to jail. Black boys don’t go to college. Black boys don’t graduate from college.

“They were wrong,” he said.

This can be replicated. We don’t have to have illiterate criminal thugs roaming our streets. How about we find out the formula in that Chicago school and simply replicate?

SOURCE

Photo source user name is My New Wintercoat, found  HERE

We really don’t need an official black history month (in my opinion). I simply hope that these young folks are doing their own research and learning about themselves on a daily basis. These pitiful beings who walk around with their pants hanging off their butts are a disgrace to strong slaves who came before them.

For a view of a strong black man, check this out:

As you can imagine, I get a great deal of email. 99% of the email that makes requests of me are from people who don’t bother to introduce themselves or say anything kind. They just jump right in, telling me what they want me to do or to post on their behalf.

I recently received a terrific Obama poster. The problem is that the man sending it did not bother to tell me who he was or anything about himself. And he ignored me when I sent him a return email, asking him to introduce himself. Talented man but I did not post his poster due to his lack of manners.

Are manners out of style?

Good news! There is hope. I received an email today, which is as follows:

My name is Jarrett Mathis and I was born, raised, and still live in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, NY.

I recently completed a documentary which I hope will have a positive influence on black youth. You can view the entire film on my website www.empoweringourselvesnow.com

If you like the website, I would really appreciate it if you could post a short trailer for the documentary on your blog:

Youtube

Thank you for your consideration,

First of all, my husband is also from Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. And I brag to you all all the time about what a kind, gentle and loving man he is.

People often have negative stereotypes about Bed-Sty but look again at the very polite note above.

As a direct result of Jarrett’s manners and because of the hard work he is doing on behalf of youth, I grant him his request!

Below is a summary of what his documentary is about:

The focus of this documentary is to deter black boys and girls from using the n-word as a term of endearment, however, the overall goal is to empower and uplift black youth. This project achieves this objective in three specific ways. First, the workshop, which is the primary focus of the film, contains important aspects of black history that is often lost on our youth. Molefi Kete Asante, a noted black philosopher and professor, asserts that “If African American children were taught to be fully aware of the struggles of our African forebears they would find a renewed sense of purpose and vision in their own lives.”1 Along with this statement, I believe that if black youth fully understood the hardships that their ancestors went through, then they would have the courage and strength to know that they can survive anything. Additionally, if they fully comprehended the way their ancestors were disrespected and dehumanized, they would be less likely to denigrate, harm, or kill another black person. Overall, a greater understanding of their history would allow black youth a greater sense of who they are as a people in the world today.

SOURCE

I generally don’t watch Tyler Perry’s stuff because I really have a problem with a man running around in drag making black women look crazy.

My husband told me this evening to check out “Why did I get married”. He thought it was funny. Perhaps because I’m not a Tyler fan, I was annoyed by it. [hopefully my husband won't see this entry. LOL!]

I think I now realize what is going on with Tyler Perry. He has never seen a model of a normal black family. He apparently has no idea what a happy, stable family looks like.

That entire movie was just dysfunctional drama and insanity. Contrary to Perry’s belief, there ARE normal black people in this country. There are blacks who are happy and fulfilled. There are black women who are not loud and obnoxious.

I like to point people in the direction of our president, Barack Obama. That’s a stable, functional black family. I grew up around stable families. I come from a stable family.

The women in the movie were devils. The men were dogs. Devils and dogs. Oh, and of course the religious fanatic who went overboard and was sooooooooo heavenly that she was not much earthly good.

Yes, drama must appear in movies; otherwise they will be boring. But in the scheme of things I’d rather see a good plot, some stable black families and some twists filled with drama.

There is a scene in the movie that shows a brother on the phone warning a friend that his wife actually cooked for him. He alerted the friend that if he died, the wife did it. That scene appeared lifted directly from a scene that I once saw on the Martin comedy when Martin thought that Gina was trying to kill him.

As I said, perhaps Tyler is doing the best he can do. But his best is not good enough for me.

In spite of the fact that there is actually a negative group of “crabs in a barrel” trying to bring down Soledad’s series—-which has not even aired yet, I would like to go on record to say that I applaud this sister for her efforts.

She not only is showing the negative but she is showing positive aspects of the black community as well as possible solutions to issues we are having.  I for one appreciate the attention we are receiving, as we are a broken group trying to go on the mend.

So Soledad, I support you and what you are accomplishing wholeheartedly!

PRESS HERE

Malia and Sasha Obama are having the time of their lives as they travel the world this summer with the President, their father. 

Memories are being created and I applaud the move that the Obamas made to take the girls with them. What an education!

And again, black children need to see this. They need to see that there is life outside of their city, their state, their town.

White folks take their children abroad with them all the time. The Clintons took Chelsea all over the world and that’s a good thing.

One of the reasons I will not allow or entertain attacks on the Obama family here is because I know that the only reason they are being attacked is because they are black.  There is a group of mentally disturbed black folks out here who don’t want to see other blacks do well.  They hate themselves. And there are some whites who are offended that a black family is in the White House.

For me, there is nothing but pride. And as I look at the Obama girls, I see future Ivy Leaguers—girls who will receive top educations and do great things in life.

Ohhhhhh, I so want that for  ALL black children, that they will be well educated, exposed to great cultural experiences and travel—-and that they will grow up in homes headed by MALE FATHERS and FEMALE MOTHERS.

I’ll end by saying that the haters are making a big deal about a child name Malia wearing a peace tee shirt. That’s their mental problem, not mine so I won’t even allow their quotes on this blog.  My only comment is, Obamas, keep on doing what you are doing because you do it well!

I have what I believe is some great news to report. Keep in mind that I’m a conservative so my more liberal and moderate readers might very well disagree with me.

Check this out:

The U.S. Supreme Court sided Monday with white firefighters in a workplace discrimination lawsuit, a divisive case over the role race should play in job advancement.

The Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling backs firefighters in a reverse discrimination case.

That’s some of the best news ever for blacks, and I’ll tell you why. White folks are sick of us and they view themselves as carrying us. They want us off their sickly and desperate backs by any means necessary—quick and in a hurry.

White folks are suffering in many arenas. They are graduating from Ivy League schools and finding themselves unable to get a job because employers cannot afford to pay them their worth. They are being fired. Many are losing their homes. The last thing they want to hear is a problem that a black person is having and I actually understand that.

Yes, slavery set us back. Yes, Jim Crow devastated us. We had no control over those issues. But let me tell you what we do control. We control the here and now.

I took my black behind to school — Baltimore City schools no doubt. Received an outstanding education and chose to go to college. I went to college and took out student loans as well as grants and scholarships. Earned my B.S. degree. Took a year off and worked and returned to college on a fellowship. Earned my Masters of Science degree.

Had to pass a national examination in my field of study in order to practice. I took it, passed it and was certified and licensed. Had I not passed that national exam, I would never have been certified.

I’m proud to say that I passed that examination based on intellect and the knowledge that I gained via attending classes and studying. No allowances were made based on me being black. Either I knew the information or I did not.

Black folks are smart. We don’t need crutches. In fact, those crutches make us look stupid. Every time a black person achieves, it is said, “Oh affirmative action got him/her in”. Yeah, right!

Well, let us get rid of all forms of affirmative action, shall we?

In the split 5-4 vote, a majority of the justices ruled that the city of New Haven, Connecticut, improperly threw out the results of promotional exams that officials said left too few minorities qualified.
One Latino and no African-American firefighters qualified for promotion based on the exam; the city subsequently decided not to certify the results and issued no promotions.

A group of 20 mostly white firefighters sued, claiming reverse discrimination.

Time to sink or swim, black folks! Whitie is having his own issues and he is sick of black folks. Those middle class white firefighters need their promotions and they earned them. Why should the black folks who did not study—or who don’t have the knowledge, move ahead of those who did study? Besides, would you want a person who does not have the knowledge showing up at your door to deal with a fire? I’d rather have someone with skill and knowledge.

In a dissent read from the bench, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the fairness of the test, which was 60 percent written and 40 percent oral.

“Relying so heavily on pencil-and-paper exams to select firefighters is a dubious practice,” Ginsburg said, calling the majority ruling “troubling.”

“Congress endeavored to promote equal opportunity in fact, and not simply in form. The damage today’s decision does to that objective is untold,” she said.

Oh, please! As usual, I do not agree with Justice Ginsburg. She mentioned pencil and paper exams. Um….are black folks unable in her opinion to read and write? And then she mentioned that 40% of the exam was oral. Again, if you know the answers, SPEAK THE ANSWER. Otherwise, step back.

Black people are intelligent. We are brilliant. Take away the pacifier, force us to be who we are and watch us shine!

SOURCE

The child above represents where ALL blacks have the ability and need to go. Listen to this child.  Not sure who wrote this speech for him but no one could have done a better job of delivering it.

Hat tip to SG

I’m about to head out to Baltimore County, as my sister and I and our spouses are about to take my father out to his  favorite eatery for brunch.

The place is not fancy. It’s much like my father himself. A very plain, down to earth buffet outlet. But whenever any of his six offspring offer to take him to any place that is fancy or expensive, he generally will decline. He likes environments that are free of phony people.

I am a blessed black woman. I grew up in a house with both a mother and a father. Both of my parents are still alive (Thanks to Jesus!) and all of my siblings are alive (Thank You, Lord!).

My father turned 80 in May and so Father’s day is even more meaningful to me now. He has not been perfect, but he has been a real man—a man’s man, and he stood by his wife and six children through thick and thin.

And that brings me to Barack Obama. I cannot understand why some confused black folks dislike this man. My guess is that they hate themselves so much that it offends them that a black man could actually be sitting in the Oval office running things.

President Obama speaks to fathers. He is a good father. He, by his example, shows a troubled black race of people what it means to be a husband who loves his black wife and a father who loves his black children.

Below is a part of an article that President Obama wrote and which appears in Parade Magazine:

As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark this Father’s Day—our first in the White House—with a deep sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change after so many years out on the campaign trail and commuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.

But I observe this Father’s Day not just as a father grateful to be present in my daughters’ lives but also as a son who grew up without a father in my own life. My father left my family when I was 2 years old, and I knew him mainly from the letters he wrote and the stories my family told. And while I was lucky to have two wonderful grandparents who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me, I still felt the weight of his absence throughout my childhood.

As an adult, working as a community organizer and later as a legislator, I would often walk through the streets of Chicago’s South Side and see boys marked by that same absence—boys without supervision or direction or anyone to help them as they struggled to grow into men. I identified with their frustration and disengagement—with their sense of having been let down.

GO HERE to read the rest….and enjoy your Father’s Day!

By the way, if your father is alive and well, why don’t you stop in and brag on your dad! OR if he is with the Lord now, share some good memories.

By:  Lynn

Roland Martin recently interviewd Darryl Strawberry and I hope that everyone takes the time to listen to it.

Darryl Strawberry is/was a natural athlete—he could have played professional basketball but chose baseball.  The fact that he had a choice to play two sports on a professional level says it all.

Yet, back when he was playing, for unknown reasons he threw his athletic life and reputation away by using drugs. It was a horrible circumstance that no one understood. He’d get cleaned up and return to drugs again and again and again.  Frustrating cycle of self-abuse.

I am a huge admirer of Roland Martin. He entered my radar when President Obama was running for president. I respect his wisdom, his calmness and just his “being” as a Christian man.

Mr. Martin is not afraid to take on a topic and I was so happy to see him interview Darryl Strawberry. It shed some light on why Mr. Strawberry was such a tortured soul for so many years.

It boils down to his father. God knew what He was doing, folks. Children need a father—a decent father. Darryl’s father was a raging alcoholic who mentally tormented and threatened his family. It’s hard to grow up under that and to walk away without a blemish.

GO HERE for part of the interview which appears on CNN.

I just pray that black men pull themselves together because our future relies upon them.  Children are adversely affected by the hometraining or lack thereof from their fathers.  There is no escape. Manifestations of poor parenting can occur in childhood and/or adulthood.

We cannot rebuild the broken black community without healed black men taking part.  Let us pray that black men get it together.