Why I Do What I Do: Knowledge=Power

The Remedy for the Spread of Fake News? History Teachers

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Women Across Nation March on Washington:

Go On Girl, Get Down With Yo Bad Self

Damn, I must say there are truly some nasty ass, bold ass, bad ass bitches that walk amongst you, and please believe me when I tell you that’s a compliment and mean it in a good way.   I’m honored to say I marched with a whole lotta them yesterday, in solidarity, putting up a united front, against hatred and petty meanness.

Personally, I did it for the three sisters, five nieces, 2 moms, and more aunts than I could shake a stick at,

(which, they don’t like having done to them…I know, I’m just as surprised as the rest of you about this one too),

whom I call my own, for all my friends, and all my students, present or future, who identify as being a member of the opposite sex.

Every last one of you who partook of yesterdays festivities, of which there’s more than a few of you, an estimated 2.9 million to be exact, or exact*ish, making it the largest protest in United States history…you all deserve to take a bow, or a curtsy, or give yourselves a bit round of applause.  Better yet, pat yourselves on the back and I’ll applaud for you.

Record Breaking Protest

I wonder how that one ranks in the hierarchy of the Donalds neverending pissing contest…Anybody else think maybe he’s compensating for something?

He’s always talking himself and his numbers up, and how he’s the best and blah blah blah, I’ve heard it all before only done better, by someone with an actual personality, that how I got my sham-wow and this piece of shit blender,  so with all disrespect, save it for another late night infomercial alright Donald?

Except, this time, he actually delivered as promised, adding his name did mean something, something big, potentially flirting with greatness.

Let’s Make Shit Great Again

To see that many people come together to make such a statement, so loudly had to be felt by him.  There’s no way he didn’t hear us, didn’t see us, doesn’t fear us.  For once, adding his name was all it took to do something amazing; though I find it more than a little ironic, that the just add trump recipe he keeps mentioning is actually for an anti-Trump and pro women rally, and I hear he’s not too fond of them, and we all know how fond he is of himself.  Jokes on you good sir,….didn’t see that on coming did ya Donald?

It’s gotta sting, more than just a little to know the only thing people are confident in his ability to do is to eventually make a mess of shit.  It’s only a matter of time before he does something dumb, and puts himself, his position, as well as our standing in the eyes of the rest of the world at jeopardy.  We’re already the laughing-stock of the rest of the world, but at least yesterday stands as a beacon, offering hope, though just a glimmer, not all of us have gone off the deep end.

Let Us Break Down These Artificial Walls Which Divide Us:

Seriously though folks, if you were one of the women who put the pussy grabbin, bad hair havin, non diaper changing, duck face makin, sorry excuse for a human on notice, Bravo, well played. [golf clap], judging by their alternative facts routine the next day, I don’t think they were ready for, or expecting all of that.

[golf clap]judging by their alternative facts routine the next day, I don’t think they were ready for, or expecting all of that.

Judging by their alternative facts routine the next day, I don’t think they were ready for, or expecting all’a’dat .

The overall solidarity between movements on the day of the protest, was super encouraging, we need more of that!

We don’t want more walls built up between us, carefully separating the “us”, from the “them”, the “haves”, from the “have nots”, we will not see a return to nativist beliefs, turning our backs on the “American tradition”, which is one disproportionally shaped by people who did not originally call this land their home, I believe they’re called immigrants, no?

We don’t want any more gated communities, exclusive members-only clubs, any more racism, and sexism, and hatred, or private yachts and most importantly, and folks, this is the one of which we should constantly be reminding ourselves, and everyone else of;  For these next 4 years, his ass, works for us, not the other way around and if he doesn’t shape up, it’s going to be yet another example of the universe’s cruel sense of humor (I kinda like it), when the nation says to him, “you’re fired”.

Isn’t it ironic?  Dontcha think?

So hats off to all you bold beautiful bitches out there, and I use that word endearingly…and to all you fellow down ass, forward thinking fellers, Y chromosoners down for the cause, and willing to stand in solidarity; enjoy what was a momentous achievement.  Shit, bask in it, you earned it, though only do so momentarily, for the hard work of changing this world into one that is”more round, less ugly, and more just”, to quote Paulo Friere, begins now, lest we lose this momentum.

 

Whether You’ll Openly Admit it or Not This Dude Will Be Missed By All

Regardless of whether or not you voted the opposing party into office (no judgment, well not too much anyway, ok, you got me, maybe just a smidge), it’ll be tough to deny the great presence Obama leaves some pretty tough shoes for the President-“elect” to fill right away too.  had that will now be void.  His successor typically tries to fill said void

Just so long as he doesn’t attempt to fill the void left by Obama’s exit and lack of presence with more of his own…his presence is what I’m referring to in this case.  It would just be nice to hear the void be filled with “goodness” and words like honey instead of the vitriol or venom we’ve grown accustomed to him spewing at us.  Nothing more than (white noise I guess you’d call it…though I wouldn’t call it much of anything, late for dinner, a monkey’s uncle, or rumpelstilskin,, nor would I touch you with a 10ft pole.  Something about it’s just, just grimy, trust me.  h

I’m just including his farewell address here because who knows how long it will take Donald Trump to prepare and get ready for me personally, dd

I’m just including his Farewell speech here for my readers, if I still have any at least, because he truly will be missed….and who knows when we’ll see someone class up the office the way that he did.  I’m unwilling to accept that 8 years of progress is now going to go up in smoke as a reign of blatant greed takes over.  I hope my worries are as unfounded as they are unsettling.

think-progress: Baltimore To Pay Freddie Gray’s Family $6.4…

think-progress:

Baltimore To Pay Freddie Gray’s Family $6.4 Million In Wrongful Death Settlement

The family of slain teenager Freddie Gray have agreed to a $6.4 million wrongful death settlement
with the City of Baltimore nearly five months after Gray died of severe
spinal injuries he sustained while riding in the back of a police
vehicle.

It’s sad when it’s the taxpayers footing the bill instead of the officers involved (in particular) or what has become a hyper – militarized police force (in general) which has been allowed to run rampant and with impunity.

Even sadder that no amount of reparation will ever bring Freddie Gray back to his loved ones anymore than it will add or subtract years to the man wrongfully convicted who has x years of an unjust sentence imposed on him against his will by an unjust system;

-Protect and serve my ass.

Protect who?

Protect what?

Shit is busted, broken and bankrupt I say; how’s that for broken windows?

It’s time we all did something about it. Who gives a fuck what color you are or aren’t. Shit has got to stop. Period end of point. Enough is enough

Erica Garner daughter of Eric Garner

 

Kudos to her for stepping up and speaking out. 

 

Source: www.youtube.com

I like what I’ve been seeing from this younger generation of organizers and activists since relatively early on into the #Ferguson and #Garner protests.  I just hope they can keep it up and make it into something more than just "protests"

 Hoping for that day to come where nobody is forced to take to the streets, or pick up a mic in an effort to raise awareness to injustices, or to mourn lost loved one’s, but we’re not there yet.

See on Scoop.it – Making a Difference

Watch the 2015 State of the Union – Truthdig

Watch the 2015 State of the Union – Truthdig.

Happy Belated Birthday Dr King & Happy MLK Day Everyone Else

Better Late Than Never: A Birth Worth Celebrating.

The Birthday Boy: The late great Dr King Speaking of Late, Here I am waiting t ill his Holiday only to its kinda crazy that really happened

Hey, better late than never right?

On the 15th of January of 1929 MLK jr was born into this world.  He would grow up to become one of the most influential people ever born.  His lifetime left a fingerprint on the very fabric of society makeup and composition of this nation in a major and compelling way.  The fingerprint of his lifetime will be felt and seen, and may even pop up in the extremely rare instance that it’s needed. world, into this world ., easily one of the most influential figures in my own personal growth and development journey and that of so many others was born.

Who knows where this nation would be, were he still here if he were with us still today; would the protests and the #BlackLivesMatter or #BlackBrunch  #EricGarner and #Ferguson campaigns would still be going on?.

 

Tragedy Strikes @ The Lorraine Motel Memphis, TN-April 4, 1968

A Great Leader Is Taken From Us Far Too Soon.

Dr. King’s life, his wisdom, and his leadership were stripped from us that fateful day, April 1968, robbing us of what surely would have been a calming voice of reason, drowning out the angry din of the turbulent times that lie behind us, and those that lay ahead.  His moral judgement serving as a nautical star, always guiding us towards that promised land, the one he dreamed of; where all men are created equal and judged only by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

It Is His Day After All

In honor of his birthday,  his name day and his me-mo-ray(that’s memory for the illiterates amongst you), I shared some of his stuff below, beginning with speech about that dream his name came to become synonymous with.

Obviously Dr. King can’t take all the credit for the entire civil rights movement, much as the media among other people would like to just give it to him.  There were people and organizations fighting for the rights of African-Americans long before Dr. King ever got sent to Montgomery, or got the spotlight from the boycotts, but his pre-eminent role as the representative and face of the larger movement as a whole can’t be denied either,

He was merely upholding a tradition kept alive by all those who have fought for equality from the inside like A Philip Randolph who threatened to march on washington if African-Americans weren’t included to begin with.  No more of this playing  game and shit with your crappy ass little weaves or whatever the fuck you put in there. within their tribe or their own mind that we really don’t need to have any one there for it, because it’s just been one like

These Times, They Are A Changin:

From the time the Montgomery Bus Boycott began in 1955 until the his death in 1968 and even beyond; Dr King and the rest of the movement took the battle to the power structure and not vice versa, continuously applying pressure. in well thought out places   In attacking racism and discrimination where it existed and was most vehement; the lunch counters, the bus stops, and the polling place, of the deep south, they not only placed the entire practice of Jim Crow on display,  they put it on trial in the court of public opinion, a battle Jim Crow eventually lost.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr delivering one of his last speeches prior to his being assassinated at the hands of some backwoods simpleton who couldn’t plan his way out of a paper bag.

 

The Civil Rights Movement’s creative use of non violent direct action to frame and challenge the Jim Crow laws of the South met  with violence and repression at the hands of small town police,  members of the KKK, or just your garden variety, small-minded, red neck prick; most of which viewed by Americans across the nation were able to witness ignorance first hand at least once in their life.   Meeting non-violence with extreme violence backfired, leading to increased support for the demonstrators and eventually leading to Jim Crow’s demise with the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

A Job Well Done?  More Like It’s Just Begun, Time For Phase Two:

Let us not forget this little tidbit either,  just before his murder, Dr King had been in the process of expanding his consciousness and understanding and taking riskier opinions than he had previously or at least in public.s .  Rather than basking in the major accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement, especially for African-Americans of  the South, he sought to do even more before he died, and  his last efforts weren’t limited  to the black community either welcoming all people regardless of religion and regardless of creed.  He also came out against the Vietnam War publicly in one of his speeches, something the old Dr King would never have done for fear of rocking the boat.  The Poor Peoples Campaign was open to all people regardless of race or anything like that, but it is probably my favorite speech of his .

Status Report: Where We Stand At Now

 

The Poor People’s campaign The plan was for a large multicultural group of poverty activists to march on the washington memorial plaza whatever and camp out there as a reminder of poverty that Congress wouldn’t be able to ignore it anymore.  Sadly, Dr. King would not see this one through to completion James Earl Ray’s 30.-.06 cut his life short, and for no apparent  reason other than who he is.  At the time of the shooting, Dr. King and his entourage were in the middle of doing something with a document, it looked interesting

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/3816635″>Martin Luther King, Jr: “Mountaintop” speech full length</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user907438″>Filip Goc</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

I think it’s pretty safe to assume everyone else feels the same as me when it comes to whether we feel as though we have to really put in very much effort .get up for anyone  about our sloppy levels of play lately not being acceptable anymore.  Everything has been all out-of-place I’m confident in saying I still don’t recognize the idyllic locale of his dream; guess we’re all still waiting on those two tickets to paradise as it sits now and you better believe this guy desperately is in need of a tan.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Luckily, I’m not the only one whose life the great Dr. King has touched.  We can rest assured that his memory will live on, the light he used to combat darkness will continue to illuminate the way for each of us committed to making this world a better place, a righteous one filled with love.

Only question is, who will join me?

 

Sources Consulted:

Wikipedia: Poor People Campaign

 

Related Goodies

The Passing of Rodney King 

Are We Guilty of Bigotry

Homelessness Isn’t A Crime, It’s A Shame:

What Ever Happened to “Love Thy Neighbor?”

Is it a concept that even still exists in todays increasingly dog eat dog, society?

Or is it a courtesy limited to anyone with a permanent mailing address?

Being homeless isn’t a crime, it’s a shame. Next time you see a homeless person and want to rush to judgement, read this infographic instead.

Homelessness is not a crime, people!  its a shame.

-from Food for Thought

All may take solace

 

Red Rover Red Rover…

Officers regroup as protestors continue marching towards them.It would appear that the police act the same regardless where you are.

 

She’s still fightin!

 

Never too  old to protest.

This picture is actually from a Canadian protest against police brutality and violence that took place several years ago.

 

 

All may take solace in the sure knowledge that with every new revelation, every new government scandal, and every new government lie, a weight is added to God’s Unseen Scale of Justice, tipping this ever-present scale toward the ultimate consequence of eradication. from Food for Thought

U.S. formally ends the war in Afghanistan – CBS News

U.S. formally ends the war in Afghanistan – CBS News.

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The Remedy for the Spread of Fake News? History Teachers

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http://candidobservation.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/silent-at-our-own-risk/ 

A really good Candid Observation that follows the same line of logic and reasoning that I have talked about here in some of my other posts. Please do yourselves a favor and give it a look.

 

 

Resist Racism

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Candid Observations

It amazes and bothers me that we in this country are so reluctant to talk about race and racism.

I spoke this week at an event which I thought would be predominantly white; the sermon was about how we who love God ought to choose God and serve God over racism, sexism, militarism, materialism, homophobia …I didn’t say it, but those things in the list could be, and should be, classified as “sin” since sin is anything that separates us from God.

The audience turned out to be predominantly African-American, and I am more than sure that, while the message resonated with the African-Americans, many of the white people in attendance were probably offended.

Wow.

I know by now that we all see things through different lenses, lenses tinted by our life experiences, but in this, the 21st century, where racism is as ugly and as…

View original post 616 more words

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In Justice (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There’s No Justice for Trayvon in Violence – News – GOOD.

I don’t know why people continue to need to be taught the lessons from the days of “King”.  Rioting, and violence, accomplish nothing especially not making your point for you.  Acting stupid, even if you have just cause to, will only breed more stupidity

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• There’s No Justice for Trayvon in Violence – News – GOOD (sammyscoops.wordpress.com)

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FORT MEADE, Md. — A military judge has refused to dismiss the most serious charge against an Army private accused in the biggest leak of government secrets in U. from Top News http://digg.com/news/business/most_serious_charge_in_wikileaks_case_retained?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fservices.digg.com%2F2.0%2Fstory.getTopNews%3Ftype%3Drss&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=diggapi

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Bear Witness and Take Part:

It’s not your life, it’s life. Life is bigger than you. Life isn’t something that you possess. Its something that you take part in and you witness
-Louis CK

A great quote from one of my favorite comedians.  He’s actually a pretty deep dude, which caught me entirely by surprise.

 

What Is Wrong With The World?

Are we ok? Is it ok (the world)? Is there anything wrong with us, with it?  If so, what is it; any thoughts?  Do you ever take a moment to yourself to stop and ask these very important and meaningful questions?   If not; you’re in luck!

Someone Else Beat You To It:

Don’t beat yourself up over it if you’ve never been lost deep in thought about the meaning of life, or struggled  to find or identify the source for some of those problems.

You’ve been beaten to it by  Bertrand Russell  (1879-1970), a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, social critic and political activist.^[56][57] (Lets just say he wore many hats and leave it at that).

Bertrand Said It Best, But What Next?

I whole heartedly, 100% agree with his observation; I’m just not the type of guy to be ok with leaving it as such; just an observation, or some witty & catchy phrase oft spoken of but never acted on.

There’s a happy medium between knowing you don’t have all the answers and thinking you know none of them, we just have to find it.  There exists a constant give and take to everything.

Sharing our own thoughts and ideas is an importanat aspect of gaining knowledge or wisdom.  It enriches the lives of those around you, offering them a glimpse into your thought process, a glimpse behind the curtains at what it is that makes you tick, that makes you human.

Being open to listening to other people’s thoughts and opinions and striving for  understanding is equally important.  It  helps to make the world a wiser, and more understanding, tolerant and empathetic place.  Sharing your thoughts with others is enriching; to them, to those around them, and don’t forget yourself)

Heres a prime opportunity to empower yourself, and those around you.  Tell us, what you think? w What are your thoughts? others ourselves and each other by making use of that oft neglected moment for reflection to think I mentioned earlier and using it to actually put ourselves out there.