I Am The Center Of The Universe

This Sista said to me tonight...
"Why you walk like that?"

"Like what?" I asked.

"You KNOW!" she said.
"Like you are really feeling yourself"

I hear it often. And I am figuring that for a so-called:

mean
judgmental
arrogant
intimidating
overwhelming
closed-minded know-it-all

I'm prety daggone approachable, these days... Must be, cuz in the last couple of weeks, I have met some really excellent Sistas.

Like... out of nowhere.

And, as anybody who knows me knows.... No matter how entranced I may be, how impressed, how enthusiatic...

I fall out of like in an instant.

Yet I digress.

I learn so much about myself from other people, and their interpretations of me. And not that I trust, nor believe them, but it does help me to understand how I am seen.

I can remember being in middle school, and asking, "Why don't girls like me?" Right?

And then around 10th-11th grade, looking myself in the mirror and asking, "Why do girls like me?"

And at some point, between then and now, I went from questioning it, to expecting it. "Why shouldn't they?"

This does tie in.... I found myself in a conversation with this Sista, just a few days ago... And less than 10 minutes after we first met eyes... We are Philosophizing.

And somehow... I end up telling her My Theory, which I likely have not shared with too many of my friends. Just because it seems obvious, to me.

Anyways... so you know how you learned in elementary school, and you learned that we live on earth, and the earth revolves around the sun, and the sun is nothing but one insignificant ball of gas in an infinite universe filled with a thousand million other suns doing the same thing?

I think this is bullshit.

("This n-word is crazy")

But it's true.

I believe that the sun revolves around the earth.

I believe that the sun revolves around me.

Jabir believes that the sun revolves around him.

I am not insignificant.

I am not minute.

I am not powerless.

I am not without purpose.

I am not without meaning.

This earth, the skies, the sun and the stars were made for ME by my GOD.

If for nothing more than my own enjoyment. To gaze and wonder.

To reflect.

To worship the God who Created all of this....

For me.

And I never realized how foreign a thought this was.

How uncommon, in my friends, my people, my family...

I never really understood that so many people think that they are part of some cosmic accident.

A Big Bang.

Emerged from a primordial soup, one step evolved from monkeys, apes and gorillas.

I never really understood this.... until this wide-eyed stranger took me by the hand, and sat me down next to her.

 And she said, "Talk to me."

I stared at her, nearly at a loss for words.

"Say things," she encouraged. "Tell me more"

I have two favorite people. Jamese and Patrice. Both dear friends of mine.

And I know I have said to both of them, from to time, "Be like me."

And this is what I was getting at.

You are EVERYTHING. You are the WORLD. GOD Created you with purpose, you are uniquely talented, gifted, intelligent, beautiful... as a woman, and as a human being.

People will always recognize that, even when you may not.

Don't get flattered when someone is caught up in your gravity. To resist would cause them great pain.

You are the sun.

No....

You are bigger, brighter... with more power... and more potential.

After all... the sun is revolving around YOU.

Nevermind

I mentioned in a previous blog, that I was going to support and endorse Kanye West after his Katrina comments, "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" (GBDCABP) I did as I said. I went out, bought his old album and his new one.

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW:

After listening to his albums, from end to end, I must return to my original opinion that Kanye West is one of the most annoying, overrated rhymesayers I have ever had the displeasure of listening to.

This kat has benefited from rapping in a vacuum. Hip-Hop is on life support, so of course, compared to a Paul Wall or a Lil Flip or a Nelly, this dude looks like Jesus on the mic.

But he sucks.

And I am of the opinion that Kanye West is the epitome of a Suburban Rapper. He makes rap for white folks. College kids.

And I don't care who agrees.

Most people think Al-Qaeda did 9/11, so pubic opinion is less than meaningless.

Other than that, I'm gonna see Cornel West tonight... Woo Hoo

Kanye West - My New Favorite Rapper!

So.... I started watching TV again when Katrina started moving towards Louisana.

MSNBC had a benefit concert for the American Red Cross tonight.
I tuned in as I am a major Wynton Marsalis fan (did you know I have played trumpet with that man).

So, like any benefit, they have celebrities and musicians, and they appeal directly to the audience by pre-written scripts.

Celebrities included Harry Connick Jr, John Goodman, Glenn Close, Leonardo Dicaprio, Lindsay Lohan, Eriq LaSalle.....

So.... here's what happened....

During one segment, Mike Myers and Kanye West appear for their part.
Mike does his line about how devastating the hurricane was, how deep the waters are....

And then Kanye... If you are watching, you see he is nervous, jittery. He begins speaking a bit too passionately, too excited.  Too fast. And in about 10 seconds.... we realize that this man is not going by the script.

He said, "When you see BLACK PEOPLE, they're looting or stealing, but when it's white people, they are FINDING" (see previous blog)

"You gave them orders to shoot to KILL people who look like me!"

and a line which you know is completely, 100% sincere from the way he is saying it... "I have to talk to my business manager to find out the most that I can give"

The look on Mike Myers' face is unreal... He's trying to stay professional, he's even nodding nervously. Mike then does his next line, "blah blah blah help now"

Back to Kanye.... who says:

"George Bush doesn't care about Black People!"

They cut away from him REAAAAL quick on that, the camera cuts away to Chris Tucker, grinning nervously.


What is so amazing and remarkable about this is this.....

Kanye just released an album, this week right?

He's slated to do Good Morning America, Today, TRL, Tonight Show, etc, all in efforts to promote his album.
The Brotha just jeopardized his entire career in order to make a political statement. Therein lies Integrity. And Passion.

I've only listened to 3 or 4 of his songs in life. I am going out right now to buy his 2 albums. I probably will never open them.

But watch in the next few days to see if this is something that is picked up on. And watch to see how many of these spineless, interchangeable so-called Rappers either move to embrace his actions or condemn them.

You heard it here first.

Bush + FEMA = ?

January 2001: Bush appoints Joe Allbaugh, a crony from Texas, as head of FEMA. Allbaugh has no previous experience in disaster management.

April 2001: Budget Director Mitch Daniels announces the Bush administration's goal of privatizing much of FEMA's work. In May, Allbaugh confirms that FEMA will be downsized: "Many are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into both an oversized entitlement  program...." he said. "Expectations of when the federal government should be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned beyond what is an appropriate level."

2001: FEMA designates a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one of the three "likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing this country."

December 2002: After less than two years at FEMA, Allbaugh announces he is leaving to start up a consulting firm that advises companies seeking to do business in Iraq. He is succeeded by his deputy, Michael Brown, who, like Allbaugh, has no previous experience in disaster management.

March 2003: FEMA is downgraded from a cabinet level position and folded into the Department of Homeland Security. Its mission is refocused on fighting acts of terrorism.

Spring 2003: Under its new organization chart within DHS, FEMA's preparation and planning functions are reassigned to a new Office of Preparedness and Response. FEMA will henceforth focus only on response and recovery.

Summer 2004: FEMA denies Louisiana's pre-disaster mitigation funding requests. Says Jefferson Parish flood zone manager Tom Rodrigue: "You would think we would get maximum consideration.... This is what the grant program called for. We were more than qualified for it."

June 2004: The Army Corps of Engineers budget for levee construction in New Orleans is slashed. Jefferson Parish emergency management chief Walter Maestri comments: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay."

June 2005: Funding for the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is cut by a record $71.2 million. One of the hardest-hit areas is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May 1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes.

August 2005: While New Orleans is undergoing a slow motion catastrophe, Bush mugs for the cameras, cuts a cake for John McCain, plays the guitar for Mark Wills, delivers an address about V-J day, and continues
with his vacation. When he finally gets around to acknowledging the scope of  the unfolding disaster, he delivers only a photo op on Air Force One and a flat, defensive, laundry list speech in the Rose Garden.

White People

First off.... I know many of you, my so-called Black Friends ABSOLUTELY LOVE white people. Are elated to see a new white "soul" singer, feel kindred to the "fly" white guy who listens to Lil John and watches Chappelle's Show.

The one who says, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" like it's new.

Or funny.

Fortunately.... we're not talking about them today....



I haven't watched TV since March... but I have found myself absolutely glued to the progress of Hurricane Katrina, Killer Katrina...
Not so much in Florida, no offense...

But when it first started heading to New Orleans. A city so rich with culture, so full of sin. A gumbo of cultures, overwhelming with violence, and poverty.

The images have been hard on my heart, and I think hard for many of us to just.... watch.

Harder still, it has been for me to witness the blatant racism in the coverage of this terrible tragedy.

Overwhelmingly; white people... are the victims. They are shown as stoic survivors, family oriented, their tales of survival deserving of empathy.

Overwhelmingly... Black Folk are shown as something else.

I refuse to prove this point to you.


The looting has become a popular image. 2 minutes of tape looped into a continuous image, showing those dark savages, STEALING! How dare they???

The poorest of the poor they are. Even without the addition of a natural disaster, these are people who are living in conditions that many, most of us could not even begin to fathom. Yes... in "America"

We are expected to all together come to a consensus. We are to be outraged. To condemn these savage darkies, these primative beasts who wander lawlessly in packs, stealing! Any of those "just left of far-right wing" anchors on "America's News Network" asking, "Isn't THIS the worst thing you have ever seen?"

"What can we do? Can we shoot them?" is the general tone.

And this is , of course.... because white people do not steal.

From Slavery onward, a standard was established.. You will never ever ever hear of Slavery being referred to as the "stealing" of 30 million Africans forcibly.

White people don't steal.

They FIND.

If you don't believe me.... Let the man tell you for himself.
Read his own captions.

Stealing

Finding


One picture becomes a story of survival... another, of lechery.


So.... just remember...

Paris Hilton thinks you are a "stupid nigger"

And the rest of them do, too.

Questioning 9/11

Here are some very basic facts about 9/11 that you have been convinced to not think about.

World Trade Center Towers

• Jet fuel does not burn hot enough to melt steel.
• Footage shows explosives were placed in both towers before the attack to cause the towers to disintegrate into dust.
• The towers fell exactly into their footprint, taking the past of most resistance in about 10 seconds, the same amount of time it takes an object to fall that distance in a vacuum.
• The towers tossed massive steel beams 200 feet in each direction, too far to be explained by a gravity collapse.
• Survivors and firefighters report explosions at the BASE of the WTC towers at the same time as the planes hit it - how did Osama do this?
• Pools of molten metal were found 7 stories under the towers 6 weeks after the attack. It takes 5000+ degrees Fahrenheit to turn steel into liquid. Where did this energy come from?
• The top of the south tower began to collapse sideways, then righted itself, falling into it's footprint. This is impossible with only gravity working to collapse the tower.

Building 7

• It was a 47 story, steel-framed building that disintegrated later in the day, also from explosives. It was not hit by any planes. How did Osama pull this one off?
• The 23rd floor was the Mayor’s "Emergency Command Center," a reinforced bunker which had its own air and water supply. (Could this have been the command center for destroying the towers?)

Pentagon

• How does a 65 ton Boeing 767 with a 125 foot wingspan fit through a 16 foot hole in the side of the Pentagon leaving virtually no wreckage?
• There is no evidence of a Boeing 767, seats, wings, engines, luggage or the dead passengers at the Pentagon.
• The Pentagon security video suggests a missile explosion rather than a jet fuel explosion.

The Planes

• The planes that hit the WTC towers, from viewing the footage in slow motion, do not appear to be passenger jets. They have extra equipment and no windows.
• What is the explosive flash on the side of the towers just before the planes penetrate the buildings?
• With Flight 93, the reported flight of the "Lets Roll" hero's, wreckage was strewn 8 miles from the crash sight when this plane was reported to be "ditched" in Pennsylvania. How is that possible?
• At least 8 of the reported 19 "hijackers" are still alive.
  
• There are no Arab names on ANY of the passenger lists for the 4 hijacked flights.
• Cellular phone calls are impossible in flight above 8000 feet as cell phones have low power and cell towers point downwards.

Stolen Sperm (You Can't Make This Up!)

July 25, 2005 -- A Brooklyn man who claims his estranged wife forged his name to get hold of his frozen sperm and used it to conceive a daughter has been ordered to pay child support — and has filed a multimillion-dollar suit for reimbursement.

The lawyer for the unwitting dad, LIRR engineer Deon Francois, says New York University's famed fertility clinic should be responsible for the little girl's expenses through college.

The bizarre saga began in 1997 when Francois and his wife, Chaamel, married. Five years later, unable to conceive, the couple consulted experts at NYU, and Deon provided a sperm sample in July 2002.

But the marriage hit the rocks, and Deon left Chaamel in April 2003.

Deon's lawyer, John James, said that according to the NYU contract, the frozen sperm should have been destroyed when his client stopped paying storage fees.

"Personally, I think that NYU should pay the child support and put this child through college," he said.

In court papers, Deon, 34, claims that Chaamel, 36, paid the storage fees until December 2003, when she forged his name on a release, had it notarized and underwent the first of two in-vitro fertilizations.

The following August, Deon visited his wife and said he was shocked to see her pregnant.

"I said, 'So who are you pregnant from?' " he recalled. "She said, 'It's yours.' I said, 'Don't tell me you went to the clinic and did what I think you did.' "

The girl, Nazair, was born Nov. 24, 2004, and Francois said Chaamel immediately hit him up for support.

In court papers, Chaamel, an art teacher and truancy officer at Brooklyn's Wingate HS, denies deceiving Deon.

"For years, we have collectively attempted to conceive a child with the assistance of a fertility clinic," she said in an affidavit.

"He knew full well that I was continuing with our joint efforts."

Deon is seeking $9 million from NYU, his wife and the notary whose seal appears next to Deon's "signature."

The notary, Howard Biren, says in court papers that Chaamel stole his seal.

Francois says he has not asked that criminal charges be filed in connection with the alleged forgery; NYU declined to comment and it's not clear whether the school or the notary is seeking Chaamel's prosecution.

The latest chapter in the bizarre saga took place last Thursday, when Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Sarah Krauss, who is hearing their divorce case, refused to lower his $400 weekly child-support payments for Nazair, who is now 8 months old.

Francois says he's seen the little girl only twice and is heartbroken about being excluded from her life.

"I wanted to be there," the 34-year-old dad said. "I wanted to be in the delivery room. I wanted to raise that child. I want to be there for that child."

Steven Gildin, a lawyer for Chaamel, said the judge's decision on child support was easy.

"It is completely irrelevant as to how this child was conceived, whether it's through intercourse or through a fertility clinic," said Gildin. "If you don't protect the child, what becomes of the child, who is the most innocent person in this scenario?"

I Must Apologize

I figure I gotta say it if nobody else will.

You are going to hell if you support or defend this man.

If you give him your time or money.

Again... if he had been raping little white girls, there would be no need to convince people that this is evil incarnate.

Because... we all worship white folk.

When brown people die, we shrug.
Even when it's in our own communities.

When white people die anywhere in the world.... Even when the chickens come home to roost, it's a tragedy, a travesty, we need moments of silence and congressional inquiries. Bumper stickers and catch phrases.

I remain baffled and mystified that the devil so willingly can seduce.

But if he can keep singing, I can keep typing. This will not get old.

Girl on R. Kelly Video was 14 Chicago Sun-Times
July 21, 2005

 Roman Polanski, meet R. Kelly.

Chicago- The girl in the alleged R. Kelly sex video was only 14 years old when it was made, the girl's best friend testified Wednesday.

"It was the summer after eighth grade," said the witness, who is now 21. She grew up in Forest Park near the girl from the video, and the two have been friends "since I was in the third grade," she said.

Kelly, the 38-year-old R&B superstar, was charged three years ago with 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself engaging in various sex acts with the underage girl he referred to as his "Goddaughter" on his "TP2.com" album.

No trial date has been set, as Kelly's lawyers and prosecutors wrestle over issues such as when the tape was made -- which factors into the age of the then-allegedly underage girl, who will be 21 in September.

The girl's best friend became the first witness in the lead-up to the case. Wednesday's hearing was an attempt by Kelly's lawyers -- he had four in court with him -- to try to narrow the 51-month window during which prosecutors say the tape was made.

The witness leaned forward, her hands clasped between her knees, wearing a white camisole and short, teased hair, and said she could tell her friend was 14 years old in the video in part because of the hairstyle sported by her friend.

'Could have been a little before'

"It was kind of a mullet, short on the top, long in the back," she said. "I was probably like 14 when I got my hair cut like that."

Her friend got the haircut about the same time, she testified.

The witness added that it could have been earlier than the summer of 1999 that her friend appeared in the video.

"It could have been a little before, 'cause we got that haircut before in the eighth grade," she said.

Kelly, dressed in an olive green suit, his hair neatly braided, watched without expression as the 21-year-old testified.

Though she did not mention it on the stand Wednesday, court papers indicate the witness spent time with her best friend and Kelly starting the summer after sixth grade, with the three hanging out at Hoops Gym, Kelly's Trax Studio and Kelly's former home in the 1000 block of West George, where the video allegedly was made in the basement hot tub room.

The witness said her friend told her she was not the girl on the video.

Prosecutors on Wednesday trimmed the 51-month window during which they say the video was made down to the 33 months between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000.

That is still too big a window for R. Kelly to defend with alibis, his attorneys argued.

Judge Vincent Gaughan seemed to agree, appearing to threaten to throw out the case if prosecutors could not narrow the time frame.

"Nobody wants to let a monster go free," Gaughan said. "But nobody wants to convict an innocent individual."

Gaughan praised the two prosecutors on the case, Shauna Boliker and Robert Heilingoetter, but noted they were not the initial prosecutors; that seven of the initial 21 counts had been dismissed, and that a musician such as Kelly, who is frequently out of town touring, is entitled to a more reasonable time window to defend.

"If this is the best you can do, I will make a ruling accordingly," Gaughan warned the prosecutors.

Another possible clue to the tape's timing: A new-release music video show heard on the tape features "Let's have a Party Tonight" by the Backstreet Boys and "Too Much" by the Spice Girls, which were hits in late 1998/early 1999. An ad can also be heard for "The Money Store," which closed in 2000.

Two other witnesses also testified Wednesday that the girl appeared to them to be 14 or 15.

Gaughan continued the hearing to next week to give Kelly's main attorney, Ed Genson, time to put prosecutors' other witnesses on the stand.

Those other friends and family of the girl have told prosecutors she appears to be 14 or 15 on the tape. One girl said she was part of an overnight party at Kelly's house on West George Street.

Meanwhile, Kelly's latest album remains the number one seller in the country for the second week in a row. "TP.3 Reloaded," with the sex-filled single "Trapped in the Closet," has sold 635,000 copies.

The Absolute Truth (R Kelly & Others)

I read this on a messageboard:

Does anyone know why R. Kelly can sell 500,000 records when he is on tape having sex and peeing on the face of a minor? Because the minor doesn't have a name like Kate Faber or Elizabeth Smart. No one in the media cares about a black 14 year old girl even if there is proof on a tape. They care more about a 19 year old white woman, with the semen of another man dripping out of her hours after leaving Kobe, than a 14 year old black girl. If that was a white girl in the R. Kelly video, he would have been hung by now, especially as a black man. With a white girl on that tape, Nancy Grace of CNN would make sure of it. She crucified Kobe and Michael OFF NO EVIDENCE. Imagine what she would have done with a tape. R. Kelly would not be singing about Closets for sure and he sure as hell would have been on trial by now.

Whether or not we like to admit it... as Black people, we are both the victims and the perpetrators of the worst form of violence against our women.
A lethal combination of racism and misogyny.

How many women do you know who have been raped, molested, or the victim of sexual violence?

Our continued support of this man, and of ALL of those like him, is a slap in the face to those who paved the way for us to stand with dignity. There was a time, go figure, when the Black Man was actually the PROTECTOR of the Black Woman. Now.... the role of predator has become quite acceptable.

Now, in perhaps a final act of perversion, those who hate our women, our mothers, our Sistas the most, are the most lusted after in our community.

I had this conversation with a friend of mine over IMs a few weeks ago.... I hope she doesn't mind me using her IM name.

Grab some tea, turn down the music.... because this convo is realer than real:

poeticslam: Okay.... Ludacris is officially a gay
lockdsistah: a gay, huh?
poeticslam: The video he shot in Afrika
poeticslam: "Pimpin' All Over The World"
lockdsistah: oh, you just now seeing that...it would have been so beautiful IF the lyrics weren't
poeticslam: Features the Afrocentric hook... "Sing it hoes"
lockdsistah: riiiight....
lockdsistah: sing it hoes is in the song?
lockdsistah: NO...A GAYER one is Kanye Wests Blood Diamonds.  i thought he was going to drop some knowledge on the diamond trade in Sierra Leone...but it's about his record label...but THE VIDEO is little kids farmin these blood diamonds
lockdsistah: I was DISAPPOINTED...that COULD have been something, but he went the nigga route
lockdsistah: oh well
poeticslam: Yeah... artists ca$hing in on "Consciousness"
poeticslam: I don't even count Kanye because he is actually a bunghole impaling homo
poeticslam: Luda had a 2nd chance
lockdsistah: wow@bunghole impaling homo...strong words
lockdsistah: I think he's trying...Luda IS trying...
poeticslam: Trying is failing
poeticslam: If you put it out, and made money on it... you failed
poeticslam: I am close to cursing
poeticslam: "Sing it hoes"Y
lockdsistah: Does he REALLy say that...sing it hoes?
lockdsistah: I've only heard the song a couple of times
poeticslam: He really does
lockdsistah: *smh*
poeticslam: Your buddy
poeticslam: I'll BRB, prayer time
lockdsistah: Oh! Lil Kim going to jail
poeticslam: Only for a year.... but it's a start
lockdsistah: she was quoted to saying that she was a god fearing christian...and she's going to the connecticut jail to be closer to her mother...from the woman who made "hardcore"
lockdsistah: My post on imgrown about the topic...
lockdsistah: She said she was a God-Fearing Christian...did she REALLY say that? Did she expect anybody to BELIEVE that...
And she's going to a Connecticut jail to be "closer to her Momma"...
All that from the woman with the album "Hardcore" under her...uh...belt...

I used to be scared of the dick, now I throw lips to the shit. Handle it like a real bitch. Heather Hunter, Janet Jackme- take it in the buns...yeah, that's what's up...

God is FASHO' rockin out to that one....

Trip thing is- I can come VERBATIM with alot of her raunchy joints. That's how much I listened to this GARBAGE as a shorty. Surprised I ain't going to jail.

This ain't her first offense. Her first offense was tellin' lil black girls that its not only OKAY, but exceptable to be a NASSY hoe. She should have went to jail T
lockdsistah: This ain't her first offense. Her first offense was tellin' lil black girls that its not only OKAY, but exceptable to be a NASSY hoe. She should have went to jail THEN.

Lock her up!

My 2 cents

lockdsistah: This is after a couple people posted that "Martha Stewart only got 5 months for lying".
poeticslam: Yeah.... EXACTLY!
poeticslam: I don't believe in defending Martha Stewart, she should have gotten years, too
poeticslam: I love that "This is not her first offense"
poeticslam: That is SO on point
lockdsistah: yeah...and I used to LOVE lil' kim...she was REAL to me.  Sucks what young minds think up
poeticslam: Don't it???
poeticslam: Nobody could tell you nothing
poeticslam: People "love" her cuz she's black, or ghetto, or famous
poeticslam: Loyalty.....
lockdsistah: Also because she was seen as an "answer" to what the boys were putting out.  She was the "comeback".  But in reality, we went from a man calling us hoes to ourselves calling us hoes...
lockdsistah: stupid stupid stupid...
poeticslam: mmmm hmmmm
poeticslam: A lesson nobody can make anybody learn
poeticslam: The true solution would have been to destroy those men
poeticslam: Systematically
lockdsistah: But I have learned that black women are easy ass followers, and not alot of them use the sense that the good lord gave them.
lockdsistah: but I must reevlatuate, because it goes deeper than that
poeticslam: It does
poeticslam: MUCH deeper
poeticslam: It's a victim's mentality
lockdsistah: A mentality that women place on their shoulders and wear like a fur coat
poeticslam: If you don't look at a victim as a victim, then you just call her stupid or destructive
lockdsistah: proudly, and for the world to see...
poeticslam: What we have now is the result of mass-misogyny AND racism... PLUS our own internal hatred of ourselves and our women
lockdsistah: it's a prepetual cycle of destruction.  Black women don't know which way is up anymore.
poeticslam: Yep
poeticslam: Nor do men
poeticslam: Men call you bitch and hoe.... and the response is "They can do it, so we can too"
lockdsistah: yeah...how ass backwards is that?
poeticslam: Only if you see it as a victim's mentality can you sympathize
lockdsistah: I have a hard time with sympathy...you know that
poeticslam: Yeah.... I have been writing on that also
lockdsistah: on your own sypathy prollums, or mine?
lockdsistah: sympathy
poeticslam: No.... the need for sympathy. Even for what we can't understand
poeticslam: Those of us who aren't of a mentality tend to condemn those who aren't with us
lockdsistah: Oh, yeah...It is always seen as "it's their fault"...that's how I think.  I always say "Get your shit together, I got mine together, what the FUCK is stopping you from getting YOURS together"
poeticslam: We talked about this before
lockdsistah: yeas we have
poeticslam: And it's a big deal I think
lockdsistah: yes .it is...
poeticslam: You in your situation have been given more....
poeticslam: There are people with two parents.... free rides, etc
poeticslam: Who turn out to accomplish nothing
poeticslam: Miserable people
lockdsistah: I struggled and thank god for my struggle...people who don't know darkness cannot appreciate the light...
poeticslam: That is the MOST true
poeticslam: And how could you?
poeticslam: If you have never been hungry... how likely is it you will appreciate each meal?
lockdsistah: exactly
lockdsistah: HEy...did you know that trapped in the closet is supposed to be a 30 PART SERIES *passes out on the floor*
poeticslam: Hey... did you know Negroes are the most easily manipulated peoples since Nazi germans?
poeticslam: I've never heard the song....
poeticslam: Never seen the video
lockdsistah: you dont wanna
lockdsistah: dont wanna
lockdsistah: We need to post this convo on a blog
poeticslam: LockdSlam's thoughts
lockdsistah: mmmhmmmm  PoeticSistah
lockdsistah: or some such

How Much Do You Love God?

It's fairly obvious, I hope to most of us..... that the world is in bad shape.

To man, Satan is an avowed enemy who has been jealous of us from our creation. His entire goal, his purpose, is to keep us off of the Path of Righteousness. In Islam, it's called "Sirat Al-Mustaqeem" The Straight Path.

Satan appeals to everybody differently. What he uses to tempt me to slip is not the same as what he uses against you. What is similar, is that always, he appeals to our appetites. This is true and consistent from The Garden.

Satan has no powers other than suggestion. Deception. He can't control us, he can't make us do things, his ability to whisper in our ears, in a voice sounding like our own, has proven to be more than enough for most.

Which brings me to this question?

How much do you, my reader, my friend, truly love God?

It's fairly common to find people who wear their religious beliefs. The popularity of "Jesus is the Homeboy" trucker caps and tees is astounding.
Check your bulletins.... how often do you see the "If you love God and you're not ashamed send this to everybody you know" message?

Rappers with million dollar crosses.

The bottom line is this:
Love of God translates to one thing. Obedience.

God has very clearly given Rules and Laws to man. He has given us Holy Books and Prophets. As people who believe in God, should not our behavior, our thoughts, our intentions, our actions, our diets, our dress, our relationships, our work ethic, and every aspect of our lives be a reflection of this?

Anybody disagree?

So.... the definition of a hypocrite: loosely, somebody who says they believe in one thing, but whose actions indicate somethin' else.

For example:

A so-called vegetarian who eats baby back ribs ("but only on holidays")

A so-called health nut who smokes
A so-called PRO-BLACK PRO-AFRIKA Brotha or Sista who exclusively dates white folks.

You can dig it.

I guess what I am saying is this. I don't think this is new news to anybody. But if you call yourself a man or woman of God, and there are areas where you fall short of how God has clearly dictated for you to live, specifically speaking on sex, drugs and alcohol.... do you ever ask yourself why?

It is a great harm, not only to yourself.... but we are walking commercials for our respective religions. If you fall short, ESPECIALLY on the above mentioned threesome, keep that ish to yourself. Don't brag on your sins. Don't broadcast them. It is harmful to your own soul, and to the cause which you claim to believe in.

The easiest is way to judge a person is not by what he says, but what he does.

You will be judged on your behavior, not your affiliation.