You Can Be Both

My cousins are bi-racial. Their mother was Japanese, and their father was Black. They were raised in Compton, California. When their father passed the family stepped in to help in raising them, as their mother was directly from Japan new to the country and had few relatives to turn to for help. Family being family, grandparents, aunts and uncles made sure they were aware of their Black roots and identity. At the same time my aunt made sure they knew of their Japanese heritage as well. I can remember visiting as a child from Northern California during the summer and how I couldn’t wait to eat at Aunt Teddy’s. At some point during the summer, she would always cook my favorite dish. Sukiyaki. She insisted I pronounce it correctly. I would also visit with Mama & Papa, their grandparents where I got the best down home Louisiana cooking in the world. As adults, my cousins traveled to Japan to meet their relatives there and spend time in the country of their mother’s birth. Did I mention they were raised in Compton? You can be both.

Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California and raised in predominately Black West Berkeley. After her parents separated, she speaks of spending time with her Jamaican father and his family in Palo Alto where he was an Economics professor at Stanford University. She and her sister also traveled to Jamaica with him.  She wrote of how her mother, a cancer researcher who immigrated from India to pursue and complete her Ph.D., thought it was important that in a country that would see them as Black she and her sister grow into proud Black women. Her mother would regularly take the family to an African-American church where they sang in the children’s choir. At the same time, she introduced them to Hinduism and Indian cooking and the culture. Kamala Harris attended Howard University a HBCU and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha, a Black Sorority. You can be both.

This nonsense of  Kamala Harris suddenly turning Black is ridiculous. Because she has done things publicly to embrace her Indian culture, the dumb ass Orange Clown convicted felon stated that he didn’t know she was Black until recently when she turned Black. I’d be interested to know how you turn Black or if anyone has experienced this phenom. This has led to a conversation in conservative and some Black spaces to question her ethnicity and they are now pushing the narrative that Kamala chooses to be Black or Indian when it’s convenient for her. This is common for those who can’t understand a person can identify as more than one race. It also shows a lack of intelligence and a very obvious tactic to turn Black voters against her with the assumption that she’s not really Black. This so-called controversy is just another Republican racist dog whistle. They may as well call her a half-breed. These are the same failed tactics they used against Obama. He’s not Black, his mother was White. He’s not a citizen, we demand to see his birth certificate. It’s all about the Demon Other strategies with these people.

Kamala Harris is a highly educated, extremely accomplished woman and this is some serious bullshit from the Bloaty Orange convicted rapist. It’s an attempt to distract from the issues facing the next President. Issues and problems for which he has zero solutions. Rather than discuss what his plans and policies will be for the country going forward, he instead creates a non-existent crisis, because he ain’t got shit to say. When did the Orange Stain become the authority on Black authenticity? He’s not and Black people should not give a damn about his opinion on the subject. By the way, don’t get me started on the one drop rule. For those who don’t know, this was a Jim Crow era definition which stated if you had one drop of Black blood in you, yo ass was Black. In spite of this and other racist assertions I want to be clear because I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before but, you can be both. 

Cautious Hope

We're screwed. This was my first thought when Biden dropped out of the Presidential race. I thought there was no way today's America would elect a woman and definitely not a Black woman as President. In contrast to the energy generated by Hilary Clinton's drive for President in 2016, today's political climate is openly and blatantly sexist and racist. Thank you, Don the Orange Con. The convicted felon has made it acceptable for racist and misogynists to be explicitly direct in their bigoted opposition by promoting White Fear. He has convinced them that all of their problems are because of diversity and the “colored people”.

But I gotta say in the past few days people have become motivated and energized and they're trying to prove me wrong. To date, Vice President Kamala Harris had raised over 100 million dollars in donations, including 81 million dollars in the first 24 hours after President Joe Biden announced his exit from the race. And the momentum appears to be growing.

Of course, it didn’t take long for the racist and sexist attacks to start. She’s been called the DEI Vice-President and accused of sleeping her way to the top. It’s clear they don’t have anything combative except passive aggressive bigotry and chauvinism. Her credentials are solid. Howard University grad, law degree from UC San Francisco, 7 years as District Attorney for the city of San Francisco, 6 years as Attorney General for the State of California, 4 years as U.S. Senator for California and 4 years as U.S. Vice-President. DEI hire? Give me a break.

So, at this point I’m hopeful but still cautious. I hope the enthusiastic momentum holds, but I’ve been alive in this country long enough to know how racists thrive and feed on a challenge. Like I said before, Cheetolini Trump has changed the country from the Obama era when White America gleefully participated in his quest for the presidency…well some of White America. Today the country is completely polarized and The MAGA cult has a firm grip on the political landscape. If not the entirety of the landscape, at least enough of it so that their voices are heard.

As a former prosecutor, I’m sure Kamala can handle herself as she has an excellent legal mind. The Orange Con won’t be the first convicted felon she has had to confront or in this case, debate. In fact, Jabba the Trump knows he will get pulverized in a debate and he’s already trying to switch the one scheduled for September from ABC to the more MAGA friendly Fox News. If she’s such an unqualified DEI hire, he should mop the floor with her, right? I’m sure he’ll find a reason to avoid it altogether.

Here's the thing. You either want a twice impeached convicted felon, a business fraud, a pathological liar, an uncaring narcissist or you don't. It really is that simple. I remain optimistic but I know reality. The reality is that it won’t be easy for Vice-President Harris to win. She won’t win by attempting to convince White Supremacists who don’t foresee the end of Democracy under the Orange Stain. Anyone who votes for the Reality Show con man is either an idiot a racist or both. Vice-President Harris should focus her campaign on energizing and continuing to motivate those who recognize where the country is headed and instead are determined to continue as a democratic republic.

 

Just A Few Thoughts

It’s been a while and although I haven’t had time to write, my brain is getting overloaded with thoughts and I’m afraid of an explosion…so.

·         I really hate when Republicans attack Democrats as the original party of racist hate, citing segregation and Jim Crow laws initialized by Democrats in the south as proof. All of this is true, but don't play dumb. They need to stop pretending like they don't know about the Republican Southern Strategy initiated by Nixon to lure Democrats to the Republican party after LBJ’s support of civil rights alienated the southern Dixiecrats. Cynical Republican racists welcomed their votes with open arms into the party for the rich and the stupid. They know very well that evil dead racists like Jessie Helms and Strom Thurmond left the Democratic Party for the Republicans. They know that Confederate treason flags are not welcome at Democratic Party functions but are shamelessly flown by their fellow, treasonous Republican voters. Stop playing stupid.

·         I feel like the “this makes us feel bad” crowd is really just telling on themselves. They want to rewrite history and leave out details of America’s founding. You know, like that whole slavery thing, because it may make White people feel bad. If the truth about slavery makes you feel guilt rather than empathy or desire to make things better, then yeah, you're probably already a bigot. White-washing history benefits no one. Nobody’s saying that you’re responsible for the racist shit your ancestors did, but you are responsible for educating yourself, so you don’t repeat what they did.

·         In  2022, Ron DeSantis signed the "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida which banned talk of sexual orientation and gender identity in public school classrooms up to 3^rd grade, later amended to 12^th grade. This opened the door for other states and jurisdictions to pass similar laws. Here’s the thing. If as a kid I read a story about Little Jimmy’s Adventures which presented the story of Jimmy, his mom and dad having a fun filled day at the zoo, it would never occur to me to ponder his parents sex life or what they did in bed. That would be sick and perverted right? So, what makes people think that when a child reads or is read the same story, except this time Jimmy has two dads or two moms, which a lot of kids today have, that it’s somehow not age appropriate. The idea of the sexual activity of Jimmy’s parents would never occur to me as a child. Age appropriateness is just a buzzword. If when you see two gay people and your initial response is to muse about what they do in bed, perhaps you have the problem. And by the way, marriage has always been and still is about two consenting adults agreeing to share their lives and responsibilities with each other. Nothing’s changed.

·         Trumpsters never question whether Trump is guilty or not but instead attack the DOJ, Jack Smith, talk about democrats weaponizing the system and deflect with Hunter Biden. He himself offers no defense but instead attempts to delay the process, harasses judges, District Attorneys, jurors, and the justice system in general. If he were as innocent as he claims, you would think he’d be rushing to get to trial to prove it.

·         Obama must be so jealous of Trump. The Marmalade Don has a huge lead in both indictments and impeachments. Obama had eight whole years and couldn't manage to get impeached or indicted even once. What a loser.

·         How did I miss when white people started knowing what Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted? They love to selectively quote him as if he were some hero to them. But let's be clear, not everyone cried when he died. There were those who hated and despised him. Those who preached from the pulpit that he was evil, going to hell, and that segregation was ordained by God. He was labeled a communist and a traitor. So, I can't help but be amused when these same people now try to use his words against us. My favorite is when they quote a portion of his "I Have A Dream" speech.  "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." In their revisionist history, he was some Kumbaya folk hero who only wanted his kids to be known for their character. This quote has been used over and over again in opposition to civil rights. They use it to imply that we should ignore systemic racism and economic inequality. Because, you know, for them it doesn't exist. They believe we live in some post racial society where everyone has equal access, and no one is denied or discriminated against because of race. After all, we elected a Black President, didn’t we? Yeah, right, the result of which led to the election of racist President Dumb Ass.

·         The price of gasoline is not controlled by the President but instead by the oil companies which are posting record profits. The stock market isn't controlled by the president either, but the feds raising the interest rate to slow inflation, doesn't help. The present administration has generated more jobs than Orange Foolius ever did and has done more for infrastructure and the everyday American as well. He has passed the Cares Act, Chips Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure and unemployment is at a multi-decade low. Republicans spend their time complaining and covering for Trump. They’ve had the house for almost three years and no legislation has been passed. They have no platform or ideas other than the projection of hatred. Joe Biden has done a more than credible job as President than the Mango Mussolini could have ever hoped to. The talks of ageism and asking him to step aside are baseless and an obvious attempt to help Benedict Donald by the people who elected an entertainer con-man as President.

 

Sweet Home Alabama

 

Not sure if you heard about the Alabama Slamma, but last weekend a bunch of shirtless flip flop wearing rednecks decided to jump a Black man…in broad daylight…in Montgomery, Alabama...in full view of a bunch of Black folks.  So, prior to the ass whooping these fools should have seen coming, a riverboat was attempting to dock in their reserved space which was wrongly occupied. They had waited for almost an hour, so the Co-Captain who happened to be a Black man took to the task of informing a group of drunk and apparently suicidal white boys that they were in their spot and needed to move. Now I know we’ve all experienced the frustration of getting to work or home and someone is in your spot. You really want to just blow their shit up and you damn sure wouldn’t wait for an hour while they refuse to move. But the brother was calm. He asked them to move so that he could dock but was met with white privilege resistance and was told Fuck that nigger and Kiss my ass motherfucker. Just like to point out here that white people use the hard “R” and say motherfucker while Black people properly pronounce it muthafucka…same with nigga.  Anyway, the brother remained composed and proceeded to unhook the offender’s boat from the dock at which point the aforementioned Good Ole Boys decided to rush and jump him.

There were at least six of these Hillbillies who had him on the ground punching, kicking and even one white woman stomping him. Now, I don’t know if the act of this brother throwing his hat into the air was a signal for help but there was a Black woman who could clearly be heard stating, “Y’all help that brother!” which alerted the Oh Hell No forces to his aid. It was like her voice was the Bat Signal summoning the Beatdown Crew. It was at this point that the Black Justice League showed up including Scuba Gooding, Jr. who dove in from the riverboat and swam to the dock to heroically aid in saving his friend.

I wish I had thought to bring popcorn to view this ass whoopin because it was epic.  And to be clear the Crew was not discriminatory; it wasn’t just men. There was one Black woman who had her purse on one arm and was knocking out foolishness with the other. When dude hit Mee-Maw with that chair I thought, “so this is how God intended for me to go, laughing myself to death”. By the way, folding chairs are now considered a lethal weapon in the state of Alabama, and you’ll need a permit to carry.  Seriously though, you know this is the only thing in the entire video FOX News will focus on. At this point the Hee Haw Squad found they were outnumbered and retreated. The police showed up to disperse the crowd but found the I Got Your Back Squad had already taken care of it. And thank God for the video because if not for it, every single Black person involved would be in jail by now.

A few lessons learned here but most notably, never bring bare knuckles to a chair fight. This is what happens when entitled hate filled cowards think their white privilege puts them in charge. Their assumption of whiteness over others didn’t work for them this time and they fucked around and found out. All they had to do was move the damn boat.

The Real Ex-Presidents of Cellblock D

He could have admitted defeat and ridden off into the sunset. He had already pulled off the greatest Con in American history by getting himself elected President. Unfortunately for him, his ego is the size of Chris Christie's ass, and his narcissism does not allow for defeat. So now the orange dumbass finds himself indicted yet again. Because he is who he is, a vain self-absorbed egotistical asshole, he felt entitled to defraud the US Government and its people. He felt entitled  to spread ridiculous lies and conspiracies to overturn the will of the people. Of course he did. His whole life he's never been held accountable. Wielding his privileged arrogance as a weapon, he’s gotten away with fraudulent scams and rip-offs including fake universities and sham charities.

It’s interesting that rather than address the charges detailed in the indictment, Republicans instead choose to label the allegations against him as politically motivated while ignoring the fact that all of the witnesses against him are Republicans…not a single Democrat. If you want to get technical, it was Republicans who indicted Trump. They also can’t defend him without mentioning Hunter Biden and once again Hilary Clinton’s emails. Not a single one of the charges is politically motivated. In fact, he announced his presidential run in an attempt to avoid prosecution he knew was coming. He broke the law, and his stupid orange ass admits it every time he appears on FOX News or any other conservative network. He can’t help himself. This man lost the election legally and he knows it. But he also knows his supporters. They choose to believe any and everything he says and continue to willingly donate their welfare checks to his campaign.

It’s also funny that his supporters claim the charges are a violation of his first amendment rights as according to them, it’s not unlawful to lie about election results. They actually said that on FOX News…sheesh. Dumbass is not being charged for what he said but for what he did, including attempting to pressure his Vice-President and state legislatures with fake electors to influence the election outcome.  If they were going to arrest him for lying, they would be about 70 years or more behind.

Trump’s lawyers are insisting on a change of venue as they are sure Trump can’t get a fair trial in D.C. Let me translate that for you, D.C. is too damn Black. One of his lawyers has suggested West Virginia as according to him, it is much more diverse. Yeah, I laughed out loud myself as I typed that one. Trials are held in the municipality where the infraction occurred. That’s not news. If he wanted an all white, redneck, Trump ass kissing jury, he should have moved the White House to Mississippi before he started crimeing. And I can't help but enjoy the irony of Trump’s racist ass now having to face an African-American female judge for this case. As a condition of his release, she warned him about intimidation of witnesses and made him verbally answer yes that he understood. Of course, we all know that at some point the orange man will violate the terms of his release and tweet, (or is it Xeet) negative threatening comments about witnesses and the judge. It will be interesting to see how the judge handles it. I’m sure she’ll be professional but in her head she’ll be saying “I told you what would happen if you showed  your Cheeto bitch ass in my court again”.

Perhaps Trumps intention all along was to create his next reality show...from prison.

 

 

 

Silver Linings Playbook (Slavery Edition)

Wow, silly ignorant me. It appears that for years I have been taught a false narrative of slavery. I had no idea that slavery was a vocational on the job training program. The state of Florida’s social studies curriculum will now teach students that slaves benefitted from slavery as they learned skills to be used once they were freed. The idea is to teach the "good" side of slavery. Ok, the history of slavery is not a two-sided issue. There was no good side to slavery and it's nonsensical to teach children there was, as if it were some intern program. Are they going to highlight the all-expense paid cruise from Africa and free room and board on the plantation as well? So, what about the generations of slaves beaten, tortured, lynched, and raped who never achieved freedom. What benefits were attained for them?

Ignoring the grotesque institution of slavery and to instead paint it as some upbeat rosy skills training program can only be implemented by those with a white nationalist mentality. By those who wish to rewrite history and paint a picture which doesn’t make white people feel guilty.  If the reality of American history makes you feel guilty, then you have a problem. No one is blaming you for the history and the racist shit your ancestors did, but if you ignore and pretend it didn’t happen, it only helps to continue the systemic racism which resulted directly form slavery. Jim Crow, lynchings, school segregation and redlining. All effects of slavery. Educational inequality, as well as economic inequality, benefits of slavery. They ignore systemic racism and white privilege, both benefits of slavery and say it doesn’t exist. If anyone benefitted post slavery, it was white people as they were allowed to prosper and build generational wealth. Freed slaves were not. Don’t get me started on those reparations. 40 acres and a mule anyone?

What’s really sad is that the history of this country is so filled with evil that white people feel the need to lie about it, so that they feel better. They are of the belief that slavery in America is the history of Black people when in fact it is the history of white people. You know, it's time for them to stop beating around the bush and just pull out the white sheets...at least it would be honest.

 

 

Mom’s Day

Every Mother’s Day for the past 30 plus years I would send my Mom a dozen red roses with a card signed From Your One & Only. I would then call her that morning to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day and each time she would thank me for the roses and laugh and act surprised that I had sent them. I miss that laugh so much. I was not prepared for the day when the roses would no longer be required and I feel selfish because as much as I still want her here with me, I truly believe she and My father are together again…as it should be. Happy Mother’s Day Mom and to all Mother’s.

Dancing In Heaven

When we heard the music

Didn’t matter where we were

Me and the girls came running

To catch a glance

Of the dance of romance

 

I remember the steps

And I was always glad

To be a witness

To the love, you had

 

As you both danced

To “That’s My Song”

What I felt was true

It was love for you two

 

And then we all in chorus

Would giggle and join in

The Barber Clan dance

No audience just kin

 

The joy I felt

Happiness tenfold

A love that matters

Never grows old

 

And now you two

Together once again

Dancing in heaven

To resume the love dance

 

Rest In Peace

Beulah Mae Bryant Barber

 

 

 

 

The White Negro

 

 Larry Elder is the very definition of a Coon. A Republican butt licking, big teeth grinning, tap dancing fool. A Black Face stand in for White Supremacy. On Tuesday Larry Elder could also very likely become the next Governor of California. There’s nothing more that racist denying Republicans love than an African-American willing to sing their praises and agree with their entire bigoted rhetoric and they would love to prove their non-racism by putting him in office.

Because the state of California has dumb ass voting laws, this poor excuse for a Black man could get a little as 15% of the vote to win if less than 50% of the voting public vote no on the recall of Gavin Newsom. Crazy? Yeah, I know. In fact, the state only requires 12% of the electorate to initiate a recall which means it’s easier to become governor of California through a recall election than it is through the normal system. Newsom could get more actual votes denying the recall and still lose based on percentages. California Recall Explained.

So, what about this White Negro Larry Elder. This man thinks the struggle of Black people is a myth. He’s part of the pull yourself up by your bootstraps crowd. If you don’t succeed in America, it’s because you’re lazy and lack ambition and there’s no such thing as systemic racism. You know, as long as you don’t talk about racism then it doesn’t exist and if you do talk about it, you’re the real racist. He also promotes reparations for the descendants of former slave owners. Mr. Elder says that because they lost their property at the end of the Civil War, they should be legally compensated. And by property this asshole means slaves. Let me sum this craziness up for you. Because the South lost their bid to retain ownership of our ancestors, this clown thinks the offspring of these same cruel, inhumane, cold-hearted rapists should get paid. Seriously, I did not make this up. You really can’t fix stupid.

Larry Elder is an unqualified and ignorant buffoon. Just like his MAGA hero Trump. His goal is to turn California into Texas and Florida. He wants to strip the state of all Covid mandates and let the ‘Rona run wild and even though the state maintains a Democratic majority his plan is to veto any legislation that would prove contrary to his conservative agenda. By the way I heard standing in front of a speeding train cures Covid.  Also, if Diane Feinstein don’t sit her old decrepit ass down. If something happens to her and she pulls a RBG we’re screwed in the Senate. This clown may get to appoint her replacement and completely upset the Senate majority we’re barely holding on to.

To those who think, “Nah couldn’t happen, there’s no way Liberal California would elect Elder”, let me say this. Clears throat. VOTE DAMN IT! They made it super easy for you. Mark the No box on your ballot and drop it in the damn mailbox. Its postage paid so it won’t cost a thing. Drop it in the mail or a ballot box by Tuesday. If you have not yet done so, get your ass out and vote. Not because Gavin Newsome is an awesome choice but because the alternative is horrific.

Freedumb Of The Ignorant

 

You have every right as an American citizen to remain unvaccinated. You also have a right to be a complete idiot. Look, as a vaccinated person I can still contract the virus but my odds of survival  are astronomically greater. Additionally, I can still pass the Rona on to your unvaccinated dumb ass and kill you off. 

Unfortunately, these Covidiot anti-vaxxers are simpletons. Uninformed idiots who ignore  scientific data in favor of perceived civil rights and ridiculous conspiracy theories. Ill-informed morons who believe vaccinations contain microchips and magnets or that they are creating Covid variants. How about this one, illegal immigrants are causing the infection spikes not the millions of unvaccinated Typhoid Mary dumb asses already here roaming and polluting the country, refusing to wear masks and assaulting flight attendants on planes. These theories are further intensified by social media misinformation and QAnon spouting right-wing pundits. How ironic that these same idiots who rely almost exclusively on the internet for information are completely oblivious to the Googles. A simple Google check will quickly prove any nut job conspiracy theory wrong. Who am I kidding, they’d find a conspiracy in that as well. 

Don’t get me wrong, everyone has the right to make their own decisions regarding their body. Conversely, others have the right to mandate rules and restrictions for your presence in their homes and businesses. When your decisions affect and impact the health of those you come into contact with, you must be held accountable. And to be clear, vaccination mandates are nothing new. Public schools have required proof of vaccination for Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella since I was a child (insert old age joke here) and it’s true that there have always been conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers but until now they were not taken seriously. It’s also true that the United States has always been filled with selfish, self-centered nonsensical people. But where is the line drawn between ignorance and just outright stupidity? Nitwits who refuse a free vaccine instead stupidly follow the advice of the equally uninformed. Seriously, ingesting medication designed for cows and horses? Dafuq??!! 

Honestly, why do we have to even require mandates for people to do the right thing and when did common sense become political? You shouldn’t have to mandate doing the right thing. Some things should be done voluntarily by default. But in the meantime, it’s really simple. . Don’t want to get a vaccine? Keep your ass at home. Don’t want to vaccinate your children so they can go to school? Homeschool them or educate them on The Facebook so that they become as ignorant and dumb as yourself. Don’t want to be vaccinated in order to attend large public events and gatherings? Stay the fuck away. I don't know, maybe the people who are so terrified of wearing masks have shit breath or something.