Dear Facebook Users

Good day Gentlemen, I have a bone to pick with many of the users on FB..  First let me say that social media is more about being social.. However many facebook users it seems wish to live their entire lives in social media forums

I cannot tell you how many birth-to-abortion relationship status’ I’ve seen on Facebook. One minute he or she is gushing all over their new boo… a few weeks later videos about hurt, pain, cheating, etc. show up…  One minute your friends are congratulating you... the next minute.. dead silence..... My personal feeling is that if a relationship is important and if you view love as sacred. Your responsibility to that relationship must be to protect… honor… and viewed as sacred… there is no need to be on front street w/ your relationship.. For one, if you have a good man/woman and you put on blast EVERYTHING… what will eventually happen after the break up, one of your “friends” will go after him/her…There are even people who deem it a requirement that you link your facebook page when you start dating them... huh???? if you know where you live in someones heart... there's no need to link facebook pages!!!!

Second, Facebook Celebrities.. I’ve seen people who deem themselves internet celebrities… meaning, they’re constantly screaming about their haters, how much money they get, etc…. The real truth is, most are nobody’s … most will never do or be anything significant… and to be quite honest, if most didn’t say a word on facebook they’d be deemed reasonably intelligent. Instead they say things that make you shake your head in disgust and you hide their status updates..... How is it possible to have haters when you’re a nobody??? And you’ll go to the grave mired in your own self aggrandizement…. Truth is people who have money, wealth, or status never speak on it….

Third, Lack of judgment, discernment… ever have your friends list poached… you friend someone and they friend everyone you’re friends with… you ever make a comment on a celebrity site and all of a sudden you have 50 friend request… You ever have people that are not of your caliber, education, or character friend you  then you read what they say and it’s pure ignorance, unreadable, poor grammar…  Ever have people comment on something that has nothing to do with them, but they’ve always got something to say..  I’m sorry that I touched a nerve, but a hit dog is always going to holler…  and when you take things personal on facebook, you are that hit dog… Just sit down and shut up... if it doesn't have anything to do with you, and your name wasn't mentioned... there's no need for you to comment...

Fourth, Angry people… I’m convinced that there are far too many angry people who spend their day on facebook venting their frustration to everyone…. They seek those to console them or affirm their feeling… THOSE PEOPLE ARE ENABLERS!!!!!!  I’ve said for some time that “its called self esteem for a reason….. and it begins with self… and your esteem has NOTHING to do with me”… I’m willing and open to dialogue with anyone about any range of issues from music, to politics, to religion and social issues.. I never take it personal… and I never de-friend someone who might say something offensive… NOW, I have had people de-friend me… But, is that my problem or their??? most times I don’t even notice, which means they were insignificant in the big picture… I cannot allow other people to have power over me, but it seems I have a way of taking power from others…. Why else would

Fifth, eHarmony…… My god would people stop using facebook as their dating portal… you’re really screwing it up for everyone else…  If you don’t have the social grace to meet people in real life, don’t hide behind a keyboard. There are too many people fronting who they really are…. Internet diva/faux fashionista…. Your azz is broke as hell…. Internet thug, pimp, playa…. Only thing you playing with is yourself…  the newly engaged, betrothed or planning wedding… ummmm clearly you’re more concerned about the wedding day… and not the day after… or the one after that…

The fact of the matter is Gentlemen, use social media how you best see fit for your life. Understand however, you may not wish to let everyone into your world. You may not want to front your whole life on the internet or pretend to be something you’re not… Facebook is social media… have fun with it… there’s no need to go in on people or get offended by what’s said…  and most of all… Have fun…

Editor - DNYC

Editorial - The Day HOPE died..

Rewind, 2008 inauguration.. A nation proud of a historic event. A people often oppressed encouraged by hope… The first Black President…

Dear Presiden Barak Obama… This is my open letter to you, and to all who might support you in 2012. We all understand that you ascended to power in the midst of a deep recession. We thank God that you were the person who’s hand was at the wheel so that the recession didn’t turn into depression.

HOWEVER, while bailing out Wall St was critical to America’s financial health. Some of those companies needed to fail. In a capitalist society no organization, no company is too large to fail. Analogous to if 200 hostages are on a plane and 3000 are in a building … you shoot down the plane. Sacrificing 200 vs allowing those 200 plus an additional 3000 to die. The goal is to not make is worse than it could have been.

Mr President, you bailed out the few, and sacrificed the many. The economy has been stagnant. Unemployment rose to 10.1% in GA, 18% among African Americans, Fuel prices continue to rise as we head into summer of 2011, and as of 05.01.2011 Five Million Homes are still under foreclosure according to banking analysts.

You campaigned on ending both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet 3yrs into your presidency you’ve not ended those wars and brought troops home. NOR have you or your Justice Dept. under Eric Holder prosecuted ONE person from the previous administration for the torture and loss of America’s moral authority in the world. The young men and women of our military and their families have been stressed for 10yrs, thousands have died, and thousands more maimed... When the only death that should have happened in the last 10yrs was the one of Osama Bin Laden... Personally I would have rather him be brought to justice... that's a mute point now

While healthcare was passed, you made it mandatory for people to purchase health insurance. On the surface this is fine… However it is unconstitutional.. The federal Gov’t cannot force us to buy insurance from US healthcare or BCBS….. The policy imposed no price reduction or controls over premiums, thus allowing health insurance providers to run amuk on middle and low income families

While many of us loathed former president George W. Bush, he gave the average person two stimulus checks in 8yrs….. While your stimulus packages have gone directly to Wall St.. Our economic growth is anemic at best and yes while we are out of technical recession the pain of average people increases daily

Fuel prices increase almost daily and the middle and poor people of this nation are in pain, the domestic and international policy that bush had in place has been continued through your first term, meaning you’ve not separated yourself from the last administration. Where is the HOPE.... What happened to CHANGE???

Perhaps inauguration day 2008 was the day that hope died.  While I would love to give you the opportunity to have a second term…. It seems “we the people” are on the titanic and the only “change” we’ve seen is who’s steering us into the ice berg.

2008 there was so much hope… so much anticipation… so much joy…. It seems now the robber barons on wall street, and those in the military industrial complex have stolen that from us, and while you sit at the seat of power, You seem powerless to do anything for anyone who doesn’t have a Wall Street Address….

Editor - DNYC

Hello Fear!!!

Good Morning Gentlemen, It’s been a while since I’ve posted something to this blog. However, Let me tell you about CD that I had the opportunity to listen to

I’ve never been a Kirk Franklin fan per-se.. I’ve enjoyed a few songs that he’s made over the years, but a fan… Naaahh…  I did have a opportunity to listen to his latest CD titled Hello Fear released on 03.22.2011…

The CD has a number of good tracks, but, the song “hello fear” is the one that moved me.. You see, all of us at some time have been paralyzed by fear. Some of us have overcome that fear, some of us are still paralyzed by it.

Growing up my biggest insecurity or fear was acceptance. Being multi-racial I’ve always identified myself as a black man. However, to my peers I wasn’t black enough as defined by their very narrow understanding of what black was… The issue persist today among dark skin black folk who feel some sense of racial purity as though they’re the gate keepers for everything black? Clearly they do not understand that the African diaspora covers the globe…. Or that less than 10% of African slaves made it to America…  To my latino peers, much of their identity is based on language and because I’m not fluent in Spanish I sat on the outside there as well..  also odd because I cook Spanish food better than some of the so called “pure bloods” there??

To compensate, I played sports through junior high and high school.. Sports are the universal uniter. Everyone cheers for the high school football team, basketball, & baseball team, etc…  Yet when I finally found my place in the world, my family moved and I had to start all over again. I remember the first day In my new school having a group of five percenter’s approach me about eating a ham and cheese sandwich… Then they proceeded to try to teach me todays mathematics … how do you say uncomfortable

When I finally became comfortable, high school was over…. Nevertheless, that quest for and fear of not being accepted persisted. My inherent nature is to be introverted, thus the fear of stepping out on the ledge to make new friends or meet people paralyzed me..  I do take my time in discerning people’s character. As such, I may come off as not being the most open or friendly person. The dichotomy is that loyalty means everything to me and I’m loyal to those in my circle.

Needless to say , whatever your fear.. whatever that thing is that keeps you paralyzed, immobile or freezes you where you stand.. Take a risk.. do something that you’ve never done before. The rewards always seem to outweigh the risk..

When I got to the point in life when I realized that I really had nothing to lose, I gained more confidence in doing things that were outside of my comfort zone. Having the ability to turn and face my fear was the greatest achievement in my own personal growth..

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

Get over your fear Gentlemen

God Bless
Editor - DNYC

Control+Alternate+Delete

Good Day Gentlemen, Today I want to discuss the re-set of life .... the Alt+Ctl+Del if you will..

First let me say I love the African Diaspora, We are a rich culture and heritage that spans the globe. Our cultural contributions are enumerable in fashion, music, politics, education, science, and mathematics. We seem to have achieved in spite of what others have projected on us.. Call it prejudice, racism, hate, bias, on every level from institutional to social..

However, As great as we are as a people… we are susceptible to the same ideology and group thought, group speak, and herd mentality as others... we decry most what we loathe in ourselves....

Take the tea party.. we assume that they’re all the same b/c they seem to speak in one voice. Their issues are projected to the world as the United States most vital issues. Then they proceed to vote against their interest for politicians who pander to their base instinct and primal need.. Those who they vote for intend on bringing NO jobs to them, Have no intention of making the quality of their lives better... Yet they vote for people who pray on their angst towards others who they feel are “taking over the country” so they create bumper sticker slogans that they’re going to “take the country back”…. From whom???

African Americans do the same thing.. We cheer for the Michael Vicks , Allen Iverson and others who project this thug/hoodlum mentality because they play for our favorite sports team, or because they’re the newly christened savior of the team.. We give them 2nd….3rd… and 4th chances, never really holding them accountable for their actions or the crimes they commit…. YET, the neighborhood dope boy doesn’t get extended that same grace… The rapist doesn’t get a 2nd.. 3rd… or 4th chance… Criminality is Criminality, you cannot justify or rationalize it any other way..

We need a Re-SET… an Alt+CTL+DEL….

We need an ALTERNATE way of thinking. Our thought process has to be challenged, and the herd mentality must be rejected. If you think like a slave on the plantation then you will eventually be a slave on the plantation…. Freedom was an abstract concept for those born into slavery, until someone thought alternately and wanted to run away… Our legacy is filled with the Hatian slave revolt, to Nat Turner, to Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party… Revolutionaries who thought outside of the social paradigm..

We need CONTROL… we need to control our way of thinking, if everyone in your circle thinks the same way you do, and you’re not progressing as a group… it’s time to change your friends. When you sit around griping about gas prices and career stagnation it’s because (among other things) you’re allowing the group to think for you. Many will say, I’m not buying into the peer pressure, but your actions say otherwise…  you vote the same… you go to the same clubs… you enjoy the same movies... shop at the same stores... and live in the same neighborhoods..??? The group is controlling you, you just don’t know it..

We need to DELETE old paradigms that keep us trapped in poverty. One of the biggest social problems that affect the African American community is group thought.  We see urban centers where teachers aren’t valued b/c we don’t value education, Black Colleges and universities have NEVER consistently had alumni financial support. We know every song on Kanye, Wayne, or Diddy/Dirty money CD but our kids don’t know a math equation… Homosexuality is running rampant, women are turning other women out… perhaps due to the lack of available men…. Men are leaving prison and bringing the gay thug lifestyle back to their communities… Our sons have adopted criminality as cool, OR have become male emulations of their mothers… and our daughters have become prostitutes for a purse or a pair of shoes... OR... have rejected men, adopted a gay lifestyle... all because of the hurt inflicted by the father who wasn't there....  HIV/Aids infects more African Americans than any other group…. STOP!!!! PLEASE STOP…. Delete this paradigm… we didn’t have this foolishness 30yrs ago..

It seems that even when we know that God is the only one who can save us, we reject God… I had a conversation in the last few days about people who don’t go to church.. Inherently, I had people rationalizing THEIR CHOICES.. instead of owning the fact that they don’t go b/c someone in the church hurt them and that they don’t want to go…. Don’t be mad at God… People did that to you…and YOU made that choice not to seek God... YOU sought peoples approval... and that's the problem

In the end Gentlemen we need an Alt+Ctl+Del of our entire social paradigm. We need to change the way we think… the way we comport ourselves… and the negative actions that affect others.. We can no longer be the infection that makes our community sick.. and we can no longer stand by and be hypocritical allowing one thing from some, while decrying it in others..

Gentlemen, we must do better.. and it begins with you..

Editor