The Wild Wild West? The slaying of Sean Bell

I often wonder how in the Wild Wild West the “gun slingers” got away with shooting people in broad daylight. I wonder how they got away with shooting people in close range in front of others and faced no repercussions or disciplinary action. It was a time of lawlessness in a land of laws. The town Sheriff over looked the crimes of “the good ole’ boys” and allowed things to go on from those individuals that were clearly unlawful. It was a time where order in our country was not consistent and laws were not upheld equally. It was a time when many murders took place in the name of justice. It was a time long ago, or was it?

In New York on last Saturday, a young man was slain in “Wild Wild West” fashion. Police reportedly shot over 50 rounds at Sean Bell and two others, the morning before Bell was to be married outside of a strip club in the Jamaica section of Queens. The men were at a bachelor party. Why did the undercover police unleash an arsenal of over 50 rounds on these young men? According to CNN news, the police began to fire after the young man’s car rammed into the undercover policeman’s unmarked vehicle. There are three question that need to be answered…

Why would the police shoot so many rounds at unarmed men?

How could the men have know they were police if they were undercover?

Was proper procedure followed?

This is clearly, on the surface, another case of excessive force used against minorities by police. Although all the facts are not yet known in the case, the case brings about a lot of speculation concerning the amount of rounds that were used. Houses nearby were shot as well as a local train station. Why did the undercover police shoot with so much force without regard for innocent bystanders and a bus driving by when dealing with unarmed men? It is also clear based on reports that these men were not given proper warnings before the shots were fired.

New York Mayor Bloomberg said concerning the incident, “It is to me unacceptable or inexplicable how you can have 50-odd shots fired.” He said this after he met with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and community leaders according to CNN News. When all the facts are gathered, we will know the full story, but based on current information this was a complete injustice.

A young man, Sean Bell, was killed on the morning before his wedding in an execution style slaying by those who were sworn to protect and serve. Now a fiancee will never have the husband she dreamed of and two children are forced to grow up without their father. Dr. King once said that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is an injustice when looking at the current information surrounding the case.

Perseverance and determination lead to victory…

You hear stories of greatness in the clutches of adversity and myths about the hero that saves the world with tremendous odds against him. You hear stories of the “underdog” that enters into a challenge that seems impossible to win. You hear stories of tremendous triumph about people and teams that won not because of simple ability, but because of heart. You hear the stories, but we rarely get to see them. There is no greater place to see these stories than in college football. On Friday, we saw one of those stories.

For the past six years, my Alma mater has lost to our arch enemy, The University of Texas. We ended that six years of pain on yesterday. They may have a championship from last year, but we took their spirit and their hopes of going to a comparable bowl game on Friday. That’s right, I am talking about “The Home of the Twelfth Man,” the greatest school in the state of Texas, and the one team that can cause The University of Texas to have a bad season even though it is a winning season. I am talking about The Texas A&M University Aggies!!!

 

There are those people that may say devoting a blog to your college team is stupid…to them I say it is about more than just the Aggies, it is about the heart and spirit of winners, that happen to be Aggies! For at least the next year, we will savor this victory and constantly remind last years national champions that trophies do not make you a champion alone, you must also have continued perseverance and determination to walk into the palace of victory.

Why should you be thankful?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and often in the middle of the propaganda and anticipation of “black Friday,” we have a tendency to forget about the simple things that we should and need to be thankful for. Turkey and pies spread on the table, family and friends around you, traveling “home” and bringing the newest girlfriend or boyfriend home for the holidays is tradition in America. We eat until our stomachs are about to burst, laugh until we are about to cry and go out as if we are children again with no obligations. Are we really thankful as a country though?

Based on US Census Bureau data, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America including 12.9 million children. Americans waste almost 100 billion pounds of food each year. In 2004 the number of requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of 14 percent based on a 27 city study conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors. The study also noted that 20 percent of requests for emergency food assistance were unmet in the same year. According to the Bread for the World Institute, 3.5 percent of U.S. households experience hunger. Some of these individuals skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for a whole day. In addition, 9.6 million people, including 3 million children, live in these homes. I can go on and on with statistics about poverty and hunger in America in contrast to the amount of food that we waste on a daily basis. Are we thankful?

I raise this question because I want all Americans to think, while they are eating with their families tomorrow, about the numerous people in this country of abundance that will go without at the same moment. I want Americans to think about how blessed they are to be able to have meals, and I want Americans to think about reaching a hand out to help another person that normally would not be able to have a meal on Thanksgiving to eat good for a day. If you are thankful, show how much by taking the abundance the Creator has given you and sharing it. Reach out a hand to someone in need. In my opinion, thankfulness is not about just what you have…it is about what you have to share!

I would like to wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

Is the word “Nigga” ever appropriate?

I have often wondered what would happen if a white comedian used the word “nigga” in a stand-up comedy routine or simply in public. I even raised the question in a blog entry. Black comics, black rappers and many others in the black community utilize the word, in their opinion, as simply slang. These individuals claim the word is not offensive when “used correctly.” Who determines when it is appropriate? Should the word be used under any circumstances? In a recent stand-up routine, “Krammer” from Seinfeld (Michael Richards) confronted audience hecklers, that happened to be black, by freely utilizing the word.

He is receiving a lot of criticism for this. He apologized for “losing his temper” and said he did not intend for it to happen. From watching the tape however, I believe that he intended to say exactly what he said. Is he a racist for using this word though? Does this one recent outbreak determine his whole perception of blacks? If the heckler was white, would there have been an equally insulting response? If this was a black comedian that utilized the word “cracker” to address a white heckler in the audience, would there be outrage over it?

Although I do not agree with Richards response to the heckler, I do not condone the heckler. When people pay to see a comedian, they do not want to hear audience members interrupting. I also think that people should be equally offended by the black audience member’s usage of the word “cracker” to refer to Richards. Is he a racist? The use of both words is offensive. I find Richards public usage of the word no less offensive than I do when comedians such as Kat Williams repeatedly use the word to refer to black people. I find Richards usage of the word no less offensive than when someone refers to a white person as a “cracker.”

Richards was completely out of line and his usage of this word so freely clearly expresses his comfort level with saying it. I do not believe, unlike many others, that using the word automatically puts him in the category of racist though. Many people have utilized racist slurs before, some will not admit it, and yet they do not define themselves as racist. Is it racist simply because it came out of the mouth of a white person? Does it become less racist when it flows out of the mouth of a black person? Why is “nigga” offensive and “cracker” isn’t?

What is my point? We have all been guilty of using racial slurs to refer to others in moments of anger. When a asian person cuts you off on the freeway, or a middle eastern person raises gas prices, or when a hispanic person has not learned to speak english, or when a black person is talking loud in public…Are people offended because he used the word, or because he was stupid enough to say it in public? Richards did not just use the word either, he also made racially motivated sensitive statements that were derogatory.

If you are offended by Richards usage of the word however, you need to be equally conscious and offended by your own. Is “nigga” or any other racial slur ever appropriate?

Re-instating the draft: Smart strategy or future problem

In the 1960s, the only thing more threatening and disturbing than the Civil Rights struggles and the war in Vietnam was the possibility any male in America over the age of 18 could be sent off to fight in that war. The protests over the Vietnam war were routed in two things:

1. People did not understand why we were over there

2. Young people that had nothing to do with the political battle that was the Vietnam war were sent to die for something they didn’t understand

The draft was one of the most controversial issues surrounding that war. Supporters of the draft said it was every Americans patriotic duty and opponents of the war said it was contrary to freedom to force someone into battle. The Iraq war has caused the debate over the draft to become an issue again. The arguments on both sides are compelling and they may surprise you. Could a draft be reinstated? Will it be bad for the country? During the 2004 presidential campaign, the draft became an important issue in the race for the white house. It was even used as a tool to get voters to the polls in this ad:

If the Iraq war continues, will this be our new reality?

Congressman Charles Rangel of New York is calling for the draft to be reinstated, but for a very different reason than increasing the number of soldiers in Iraq. Rangel believes that the only way to prevent another war like this one from happening is to put the children of Congressmen and women at risk of being drafted. Simply put, he wants the draft reinstated as a political tool. Personally, I believe this strategy is flawed. Many people on capitol hill will still not be affected by a draft because of their corrupt connections. A draft will only hurt more of the people that have been victims of this war. It is devastating to lose a child that chose to go to war, but it is even more devastating to lose a child that was forced into war.

Other congressional officials are calling for the draft to be reinstated because they believe the military shortage is a threat to national security. The Iraq war in general is a threat to national security however, because the longer we are over there, the more it will deplete our military and our resources. The draft will be a bad choice for America, even if the intentions behind it are good. Once the draft is reinstated, there is no clear way to control who it affects. Congressman Rangel is trying to start a campaign for the draft for political reasons, but my concern is the social ramifications of such actions. We must not, under any circumstances, reinstate the draft or the above commercial will be our reality for years to come.

Can a memorial change a nation…is the state of race relations in America better?

I watched as they finally dedicated the King Memorial in Washington D.C. and I had mixed emotions. It is an amazing feat to have a monument dedicated to an African American in Washington, but is the America he dreamed of the America that we live in today? How many people are still working towards the goals and mission of his life? What is the current state of race relations in America? Dr. King once said the following:

“There are three basic attitudes that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations. And the first attitude that can be taken is that of extreme optimism. Now the extreme optimist would argue that we have come a long, long way in the area of race relations. He would point proudly to the marvelous strides that have been made in the area of civil rights over the last few decades. From this he would conclude that the problem is just about solved, and that we can sit comfortably by the wayside and wait on the coming of the inevitable.

The second attitude that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations is that of extreme pessimism. The extreme pessimist would argue that we have made only minor strides in the area of race relations. He would argue that the rhythmic beat of the deep rumblings of discontent that we hear from the Southland today is indicative of the fact that we have created more problems than we have solved. He would say that we are retrogressing instead of progressing. He might even turn to the realms of an orthodox theology and argue that hovering over every man is the tragic taint of original sin and that at bottom human nature can not be changed. He might even turn to the realms of modern psychology and seek to show the determinative effects of habit structures and the inflexibility of certain attitudes that once become molded in one’s being. From all of this he would conclude that there can be no progress in the area of race relations.

Now you will notice that the extreme optimist and the extreme pessimist have at least one thing in common: they both agree that we must sit down and do nothing in the area of race relations. The extreme optimist says do nothing because integration is inevitable. The extreme pessimist says do nothing because integration is impossible. But there is a third position that is another attitude that can be taken, and it is what I would like to call the realistic position. The realist in the area of race relations seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites while avoiding the extremes of both. So the realist would agree with the optimist that we have come a long, long way. But, he would go on to balance that by agreeing with the pessimist that we have a long, long way to go. And it is this basic theme that I would like to set forth this evening. We have come a long, long way but we have a long, long way to go.”

I have to wonder if the state of race relations in America has created more optimistic people or more pessimistic people. I have to wonder if the state of race relations is America is very different from the America that Dr. King spoke of in this speech. American race relations has not changed dramatically since the 1960s in my opinion. The plight of African Americans has increased, but the state of race relations is actually not very different from the 60s.

The perspective of unity that Dr. King spoke of consisted of races harmoniously interacting in every aspect of American society. Unfortunately, in today’s society there are pockets of harmonious race relations in some suburban neighborhoods, but overall America is still very segregated. If you visit any major city in this country, you will always find the “white,” “black,” hispanic,” “asian,” “middle eastern” and “jewish” community. In these repetitive communities, individuals still tend to socialize with “their own.” Sunday mornings are the most segregated days in this country. High schools, pre-schools, and private schools are still very segregated. Business owners of different races rarely do business with each other. People of color in America are still not given equal opportunities for contracts. Predominately white Colleges and Universities still do not have viable programs in place to attract and retain students of color.

What is the current state of race relations in America? We can drink from any fountain and walk into any clothing store. We can live in “diverse” neighborhoods and work in the same offices. We have the opportunity to vote equally and travel throughout the country, but America has an even bigger race problem now than ever before. “Hidden” racism is the worst kind. Many people of all races are unwilling to work with others. The perception of progress is often worse than the reality of struggle. Racial profiling is still a dominant problem in major American cities. Afirmative action programs are still needed and there have been few strides in the areas of elected people of color in Congress. Are we the America that King envisioned?

I take the third view that Dr. King suggested…”we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.” American has painted the picture of social equality, but still fails to exude the harmony of integration. We are a “melting pot” where the ingredients still have not mixed creating a meal that is not ready to serve. Are we living in the America that Dr. King envisioned? Can a memorial change a nation?

The cost to “have it first”…

I was walking into a local Best Buy store in Houston today and I noticed a line out front with tents and camps set up. It was a little bit chilly outside, so I wondered what these individuals could possibly be waiting out there for. In efforts to fulfill my curiosity I asked the store clerk. The answer was astonishing! Adults that should be with their families or participating in more productive endeavors were waiting outside for the release of the PlayStation 3 game console. Apparently the store was getting a limited number of the systems in and they were going to be given out on a first come basis. These adults were waiting for a game system…that costs $600. Has the marketing and pricing of these products gotten out of hand? Is this system that good?

As I tried not to look at the individuals with confusion for their dedication to a game system, I pondered all of the things that I could do with $600.00. This amount of money can pay rent, buy cars, computers, and lots of other furniture and electronics. This amount of money can purchase a great vacation. And yes America, this kind of money can purchase a game system with no games included. Sony apparently has marketed their product well if the line is any indication of the potential sales that will occur on Friday. Is this PlayStation 3 really worth $600.00? Will it live up to the apparent hype?

Sold in America, supported in…is foreign outsourcing good for the country?

I remember a time when I used to call the customer service department for my cell phone company and be invited with a nice voice with a distinctive American dialect. It would always interest me (it was also a tool to keep me from going off on the company representative) to find out where the person was from. I was often calmed by this because I am often angry when I call these companies. It got to the point where I could almost speculate what part of the country they were from. I would hear New York accents, island accents, Texas accents, accents from the Midwest, etc. The accents that used to be refreshing on the other end however, now annoy me. Why do they annoy me? They annoy me because I am no longer hearing the accents of the hard working American, I am hearing the accent of someone from a foreign country that is taking the American’s job. Is foreign outsourcing good for America?

Is it really cheaper to outsource jobs to foreign countries? Why aren’t these jobs being given to American citizens that need work? There is a rising trend in America that is causing our jobs to float across the waters to cheaper laborers in foreign countries. Not only are service jobs headed in this direction, but manufacturing, industrial and IT jobs are crossing the waters as well. I think that it is really hurting our economy. Our economy is not only strengthened by private businesses, but it is equally strengthened by tax paying Americans. When jobs are sent overseas, valuable tax dollars are lost. Corporations do not have to pay employment taxes and other taxes associated with business operations when dealing with their foreign divisions, and the employees are not contributing to the American economy via taxes either.

I like to call this phenomenon organized illegal immigration. It is not a physical form of illegal immigration, but it is a financial form. Illegal immigrants receive the benefits of living in this country without having to contribute to the society and equally employees of America’s major corporations overseas do not contribute to the American economy, but reap the benefits of American free enterprise. Pretty soon only mid-level managers will be in America and entry level and support positions will be maintained overseas if more people do not speak out on this issue.

If this trend continues, most college graduates will find themselves better suited moving overseas to get their first job so they can eventually get promoted back to America!

 

If there is “no fault,” why end it?

I’ve met several men this year that have found themselves in the unfortunate hands and clutches of the destructive American disease of divorce. I’ve also met women that have found themselves in the same similar situations. The interesting fact is these individuals did not want to end their marriages and even recommended counseling and other avenues. The law however, did not protect their desire to “work out” their marriages. The current laws of many states do not protect the sanctity of marriage and actually provide an easy way out…the “no fault” divorce. In many states, there has to be clear evidence of infidelity or abuse before a divorce can be granted. In addition, these states require marital counseling as a condition before a divorce can be granted. There is a disturbing rise in the incidence of divorce petitions, among women in particular though. Why is there such a rise? Analysts believe the “no fault” divorce is the reason for this rise in petitions.

A No-fault divorce is divorce in which the dissolution of a marriage does not require fault of either party to be shown, or, indeed, any evidential proceedings at all. It occurs on petition to the court, typically a family court by either party, without the requirement that the petitioner show fault on the part of the other party. Either party may request, and receive, the dissolution of the marriage, despite the objections of the other party. (definition gathered from Wikipedia.com) What does this mean? As a husband or wife, no matter how hard you fight to protect your marriage, it is pointless if the other spouse has filed such a divorce petition. No fault divorces, once filed, can not be stopped by the spouse that does not want to dissolve the marriage.

In addition, if the spouse that did not want divorce does not respond it can result in a “default judgement.” In plain terms, the spouse that filed the petition can request an unfair division of property and assets and actually win. According to the law, the spouse that did not file the petition must file a response to the petition within a 60 day period or face a potential default judgement. Filing a response can cost on average $700.00 and up. The responding spouse usually has little time to gather finances to file such a response. According to critics of no fault divorces, “the Petitioner has the opportunity to prepare for the battle to follow, while the Respondent often is trying to hold the marriage together.” Simply put, the petitioning spouse can literally plan for months (by changing accounts, phone numbers, etc.) an exit strategy to leave the marriage while the other spouse is unaware. What are the implications of a no fault divorce?

If a spouse is cheating and wants to leave the marriage with the “upper-hand”, they can file a no fault divorce. Whereas a traditional divorce would put them in an unfavorable position, a no fault divorce actually gives the cheating spouse an opportunity to have equal access to property and assets. In addition, an abusive spouse can file a no fault divorce and receive equal access to assets and property. Is this fair to the spouse that is trying to hold the marriage together? Is this a balanced law? According to Wikipedia.com, critics of no fault divorce also say the following:

“An unfaithful wife who becomes pregnant in an affair may end her marriage, take possession of the home, custody of the children, and collect a portion of her husband’s income for years into the future. An abusive husband can file for divorce and force his wife out of the home, close her out of the family finances and close all credit cards and bank accounts at the time when she needs them in order to mount her own legal defense. In neither of these examples does the respondent have any meaningful recourse in an effort to seek reconciliation, hold the family together, and maintain or restore previous, jointly stated vows of commitment.”

Is a no fault divorce really lawful? It gives the spouse that wanted to end the marriage the “upper hand” in many cases. It also allows for women and men alike to use trivial excuses to end their marriages. If a spouse gets too angry, or “falls out of love,” or doesn’t like your hairstyle or the clothes that you wear, they can divorce you and literally legally blind side you without you having any access to or knowledge of the petition being filed until they decide. It sounds ridiculous, but this petition type as a whole is ridiculous. Marriage should never be entered into as an option, it must be a commitment. If someone is not there to stay, they should never enter into the union or they will find themselves utilizing such an option as this and equally emotionally injuring the life of the “respondent,” or the spouse that really wanted to be married and work it out.

Even if states are going to allow such proceedings, there needs to be more safeguards in place to protect the spouse that is the respondent. Is a no fault divorce fair? Divorce situations are so sad, you actually have to laugh your way through it…

THE DIVORCE SONG

Independent Voters: The balance in American government

America is the “land of the free,” “home of the brave,” and “one nation under God” that is the example for the world on what a democracy should look like…or is it? We have a system of government that “guarantees” even a vote in a remote Texas town will count…so they say. We have created a balanced government with safe guards in place to ensure no one gains too much power…or have we? We have a two party system that ensures the democratic process will work…don’t we? An American is suppose to vote Democratic or Republic and that is democracy in the eyes of many. Unfortunately, that is not the intent of democracy.

The freedom of democracy must be based in the liberty of the vote and not the alliance with the party. The freedom of democracy is suppose to be more about the election than the campaign. The freedom of democracy is suppose to involve accountability in government. This freedom has a foundation based in the democratic reality that someone in office that is not living up to the job can be voted out. Why isn’t it working then? How did we end up with a Republican house, senate and president. For the past six years, democracy in its simplest form actually failed.

Democracy is literally defined as “a form of government for a nation state, or for an organization in which all the citizens have an equal vote or voice in shaping policy.” Does the current state of government live up to this benchmark? American government was structured to create accountability, but has been reduced in recent years to a competition for power instead of a voice for the people. A two party system is flawed and leaves little room for the true essence of the democratic process to work. In a two party system, there is not a lot of leverage for the voter to align with the candidate of choice. Republicans and Democrats a like are criticised for voting for individuals “on the other side.” It creates an underlying intimidation to “choose sides” instead of opening opportunities to choose the right candidate.

True balance in the American form of democracy can only come from voters that make no alliance and choose to make choices based on the individual. What am I talking about? The most powerful segment of voters in America is the “swing voters,” also know as Independents. They are wooed by both parties in every election because they can literally cause an election to lean one way or the other in favor of either party. The strength and future of democracy rests in the hands of the swing voters. Why are more Americans declaring Independent? An Independent voter capitalizes on one of the greatest aspects of democracy…freedom of choice without intimidation and political peer pressure.

The recent rise of Democratic control over the house and the senate, in my opinion, was a direct result of Independent voters. Many individuals that voted Republican in the past had to vote Democratic for the election results to turn out the way they did. America’s democratic flaw was exposed for six years under an imbalanced Republican majority in every level of Government. Was there balance? No and we have seen the negative results of this type of leadership. The other flaw with the two party system is the philosophy of representation. I believe the original intent of the frame-workers of the constitution was for the party to lose significance and the representation to take precedence was the office was obtained. Simply put, the balance in government now must come from Independent voters. Voters that require complete accountability of both parties. If any candidate is not living up to the creed “government by the people for the people,” they must go.

The only way for Americans to balance the flaws of the two party system is to not put their alliances with either party when it comes to the voting process. What are the effects of Independent voters now? According to Wikipedia.com, approximately 38% of Americans identify as Independents. In addition, according to a September 3, 2006 Washington Post article, A Nation of Free Agents, by Marc Ambinder: “Independent voters comprise about 10 percent of the electorate, but the percentage of persuadable independents has shot up to about 30 percent. In the 27 states that register voters by party, self-declared independents grew from 8 percent of the registered electorate in 1987 to 24 percent in 2004, according to political analyst Rhodes Cook. Consistently, about 30 percent of U.S. voters tell pollsters they don’t belong to a party.”

Independent voters are maintaining the real intent of the democracy and as their influence grows, more balance will return in the democratic process of elections.