We are a bickering people. I’d love to say it’s a Willie Lynch thing but that’s too easy. It really amounts to desperation and guilt. Desperation for a win. Guilt for never feeling like we’ve done enough. Even with neo-Fascism staring us right in the face, we’re out here bashing each other over fighting tactics. …
What was my biggest takeaway from “American Promise?” You can hate the player but you can’t hate the game. The movie follows two Black boys, Idris and Seun, for 13 years as they navigate a social experiment, which placed them in Dalton, a prestigious, predominantly white school. It was shown to a packed Hollywood Theater …
I had an epiphany today. I need to yell at white people more. That’s where I went wrong in the past. At one point, I was getting speaking engagements and media interviews. The brief frenzy came from an editorial where I called out Lake Oswego for its culture of racism. People loved it and wanted …
If I were publisher, After school programs would fight job training For front page spreads. I’d treat youth mentors like pro athletes. Give every elder a politician’s prestige. Teach history every day Not just as a footnote to holidays. Profiles would pinpoint lessons, Not intoxicate you with charm. More old money education. Less …
Sometimes I think we have a racism reflex? Right becomes left, up becomes down and the sky becomes green just because ignorant bigots are watching. For example, there is no shortage of Black people willing to start defending things like NSA spying and drone strikes anytime someone calls Obama a Muslim, socialist, anti-Christ. Now it’s …
When the Idea of Being Prepared for Court is Controversial Read More »
Sometimes I get so angry I go to black businesses And spend as much as I can afford. I tip 30 instead of 15. Sometimes I get so annoyed I tell my woman how beautiful her curls are. I drool over her complexion. I get so mad I tell her to never lose her …
Lack of Foresight and Bad Examples While enjoying some pizza earlier this week, a friend posed the question, “What was your favorite part of the LO (Lake Oswego) Woodshop class?” The three of us at the table chuckled. If you missed the joke, it’s because we never had such a class. Our education was based …
Awhile back, while attending a lecture by Immortal Technique, someone in the audience asked him about the Seattle WTO protests and what his thoughts were on the necessity of violent tactics in demonstrations. I’ll never forget his response. To paraphrase, he said that anyone can go out in a blaze of glory. What is truly …
No week goes by without someone talking about how negative rap music is destroying the Black community. Apparently, not just are these ignorant rappers not “real,” but they are killing our children’s minds. This line of thought always bothered me. I’d be lying if I said emcees don’t have an influence, especially on impressionable young …
Believe it or Not, Your Least Favorite Artist Really Isn’t Destroying the Community Read More »
This past Sunday I was the guest for an hour on Oregon Voter’s Digest, hosted by Bruce Broussard. I discussed cultural ignorance in education and the role of parenting in helping students thrive in school. Check it out here.