Too Many Blacks Fail To See The Big Picture

Photo Courtesy of Google

This post is inspired by a comment that was left on a previous post I did on white privilege.  

Anonymous wrote:

I understand not giving in to the white world, I truly do, but let us not ignore the complete and utter reality of black communities in America. After five years in Brooklyn, it is very disturbing watching the overwhelming majority of behavior by American blacks, and to ignore that behavior will not help anyone. What people, black and white, fail to acknowledge is that a large majority of blacks in America are simply sociopaths that act less than most animals act. Literally watching people walk their dogs, the dogs behave better than most. Islanders are COMPLETELY ashamed of American blacks, but nobody listens to them. Blacks from Africa driving cabs won't even consider picking up a black. There seems to be a certain age group of blacks in this country that should literally be thrown away, along with their parents, who are the immediate culprit. So keep on talking about white this and that, and watch your people slip further and further into the cracks. Or, start taking responsibility for your children and taking control of your lives. It starts with education. It ends with education. I'm not saying forget about what happened in your history, that is not excusable, but wallowing in pity won't change anything. 

My response:

Foolish Enemy who commented as anonymous. A person like you perpetuates the problem within a society that LOVES to continually endorse white privilege.

What people, black and white, fail to acknowledge is that a large majority of blacks in America are simply sociopaths that act less than most animals act.

Really? As opposed to the sociopathic white privilege individuals that would kill in order to preserve "rights" gained through murder, oppressive behaviors and laws!

Islanders are COMPLETELY ashamed of American blacks, but nobody listens to them.

That is a quite interesting concept considering the fact that black Islanders and black Africans should have gratitude for black American's fight to gain access to rights and privileges (you currently enjoy in the U.S.) that were denied to us (black Americans) for centuries by your beloved white privilege. Why exactly are you here in America with us lowly black Americans and not in your island homeland fighting for the same thing black Americans died for here?

So keep on talking about white this and that, and watch your people slip further and further into the cracks.

You make me laugh... loudly. I am going to give you a clue since you don't seem to understand the blatantly obvious! In this world that we currently live in, white privilege doesn't see a difference between black American, black Islander or black African. They only see BLAAAACK and that black that they see, they see as a negative!

So until people that think like you realize this fact we all will sink or swim together in the waters that were polluted by obviously self loathing insecure white privilege endorsing people like them and you!!!

We are basically FIVE centuries deep into an insidious propaganda campaign designed by the United States of America at it's inception, to devalue and destroy black people as a whole.  That insidious propaganda campaign has rooted into the fabric of too many minds in a way that has unfortunately caused even black people to see themselves through the white racist lens that perpetrated the devaluing of us in the first place.

There is intrinsically more damage done to black people when WE are not united and fail to realize the challenges, deception and destruction that we are all presented with when we don't readily acknowledge the fact that WE STILL HAVE NOT OVERCOME!

The Best Education In America Is Still For the Wealthy and Segregated

It is all over the web today and in the "mainstream" media that Kelley Williams-Bolar, a single Ohio mother, was sentenced to ten days in jail and three years probation for fraud and theft because she sent her children to a school that was not zoned for her living area in an underprivileged and under-served neighborhood!

I am not saying that people should break laws that are in place but I am saying that it is time for some education laws to be changed!  The judge in this case failed epically.

Williams-Bolar alleged she was being singled out.
"I don't think they wanted money?" Williams-Bolar said. "They wanted me to be an example."

Cosgrove confirmed the viewpoint.
"I felt that some punishment or deterrent was needed for other individuals who might think to defraud the various school districts," Cosgrove said.

The American educational system is a fraud!  Judge Patricia Cosgrove could have brought emphasis to the disparity in education based on residency instead of using the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar as an example to deter other parents from resorting to falsifying a residency to obtain a better education for their children.  Judge Cosgrove has ruled that access to a great education for your child in America means having the right zip code.

Pastor Lorenzo Glenn of Macdeonia Baptist Church stood before the bench and also addressed the judge before sentencing. He, too, asked for leniency, saying his own church has a mentoring program well suited for probation in lieu of prison time.

Glenn told the judge that he has known Williams-Bolar for more than 20 years and was ''overwhelmed'' by the news of her convictions Saturday night.

''This is a serious matter, but by all means,'' Glenn said, ''it was done to help her children.''

The effort put into prosecuting the case, Glenn added, ''is just sad. When I see all the media here today, you'd think it was a serial killing.''

Newly elected Governor Kasich might want to consider taking a look at this case because it is really isn't the best publicity for the state of Ohio.

Education, employment and residence in America are controlled by the privileged in our society and still utilized as a way of determining someone's worth.  There is no worthwhile reason why any child living in America shouldn't have the same opportunities for a great education.  Should there have been acknowledgment that the way in which Mrs. Bolar tried to attain a better education for her children by breaking school residency laws was wrong? Yes.  But in no way should she have been sentenced in the manner that she was because now the judge has taken away her ability to attain her degree in teaching which would have provided a better life for her children and herself.  So really what did the judge prove other than the fact that she can judicially steal an education.

Creating an educational system that offers the same quality education to all students no matter where you live is what is necessary in America because property tax based education funding automatically creates a disadvantage for those that live in less privileged areas.  Corporations should also be required to commit to funding better schools as well.  Either we commit to educating all children equally by offering the best in education to all or we all are going to all suffer the repercussions.  Just look at your local news.

Let me not forget to mention the fact that the benevolent(hardly) Copley-Fairlawn school district paid for surveillance of Kelley Williams-Bolar and others to prove that they lived outside the district.  I wonder what that cost?

UPDATE:  Kelley Williams-Bolar has been released after serving one day in jail.

Common Pleas Judge Patricia Cosgrove gave Williams-Bolar credit for one day of time served when she was arrested and jailed on multiple felony charges in November 2009, court records show.

That is great Judge Cosgrove.  Now can all of you intelligent legal minds get together and do something about the felony charges.

2011 Is Here! What Are You Gonna Do With It?

So many times we watch one year go out and another come in and we don't really notice a difference.  It is amazing that with all that we could be doing in life there are a good majority of us that live our lives in a way that can be very static. How sad it is to live a life that is unmoving, unmotivated and unfulfilled. Making the decision to BE can be quite intimidating to those who have not always lived their lives being present in the moment.  We all at some time or another have been that person for whatever reason.  Our purpose... step beyond the fear and be great.

Past
For me the past is for learning and reflection purposes only.  It is easy to get caught up in the past (good or not) in a way that cripples your ability to move forward because a great past can be just a damaging as a bad past.  People will tend to not reach beyond either one out of insecurity, complacency or fear.  It is just not a way to truly live a life that offers something worthwhile to ourselves or to others.

Future
In my opinion we could spend entirely too much time thinking about or worrying about the future. It's perfectly normal to plan for your future but if we do it in a way that doesn't allow for the variables that life WILL add... it can be a deterrent to the present. I don't like stress or drama so for me to be overly preoccupied with what is to come lends itself to a life that I don't function well within.

Present 
I am all about living in the moment.  There was a time that I didn't do that very well.  There was much trial and error but I have accomplished the goal of making NOW the most important part of life for me.  When you have kids there can be a tendency to think that you always have to give them "things" for them to have great lives that are memorable.  I always knew even before my daughter was born that I wanted to be there for her by being present in as many of her memories as possible and that importance meant that my life changed significantly after her birth because I did not do many things that didn't include her.  As a parent there are many changes that may seem like sacrifices to some but in reality there was no other way for me to have the type of present relationship that I wanted to have with her.  Of course there has been the learning curve that includes remembering that I am more than a mother and she is more than a daughter.  We are independent people with personalities, opinions, choices (I get veto... for now) and interests that are all important. 

So for 2011, I plan to continue having more moments that include me continuing to live my life in a way that remains present and invites joy.  I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be good!