Friday, March 29, 2013
The Dorner File
The man hunt for Christopher Dorner has ended. Although there are many out there who are relieved, a lot of questions still remain for those of us who want the truth and not just "answers." You can count me as one among them. For those of you who feel like I do and want the truth, I am writing this blog for the purpose of what I hope at the very least will open the eyes of the masses and encourage them to dig deeper in order to get the facts instead of taking whatever the media or the LAPD feeds you on the matter. Before I get started, I want to make it clear that I DO NOT SUPPORT THE ACTIONS OF KILLING ANYONE IN THE MANNER THAT DORNER DID. That is not what this blog is about. Also, I did not right this for the purpose of bad mouthing police officers across this country either. This blog is intended to address one thing and one thing only: "The corruption of the LAPD and any Police departments that fall into that category as well as to inspire the masses to look deeper into the case of Christopher Dorner in order to uncover the truth." That being said, now we can move forward.
When this story first broke, I was immediately reminded of the movie "The Negotiator" starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. This case had all of the developments of a police officer turned (fugitive) taking desperate measures to clear his name against a corrupt police department that wanted to use Jackson's character as a "scapegoat" for their interdepartmental crimes and corruption. In that movie Jackson was the victim trying to clear his name of the false accusations against him brought on by his peers. The story has a happy ending as Jackson not only does that, but also exposes his accusers for the murderers that they were. Not so the case for Dorner. When I read the lengthy manifesto we are told that he wrote, I didn't jump to conclusions like it seems many others have when both the LAPD and the media began their campaigns of demonizing him.
Although this story has shocked a lot of people, it's not the 1st time we have seen something of this magnitude rock the nation before. While most of the (news watchers) in this country look at men like Dorner as a "deranged killer" I, as well as those of us with conscious minds see him as a man who had been pushed beyond his limits, and had lost all faith in our so called "justice system." How so you ask? Simple. As I mentioned above, we have seen acts like this before. The case of Colin Ferguson is just one of many examples. Ferguson was convicted in 1993 for killing 6 people on a NYC commuter train and wounding 19 others. When his case went to trial, his lawyers tried to show that he was temporarily insane while being driven to kill after dealing with racial abuse he suffered at his job and from the insurance company that was assigned to a worker's compensation claim he had pending against his former employer. The story of Nat Turner is another incident among many in which African Americans have acted out of rage in retaliation to racial oppression.
In Dorner's case, the former LAPD officer tried to expose the racial injustice orchestrated by members of his department, but instead of seeing justice served, was punished for it. After exhausting his attempts at trying to go through the proper channels in pursuit of justice, Dorner set out for revenge towards those who he says ruined his life and destroyed his career. We are told before he commenced war against the LAPD, Dorner mailed a CD to Anderson Cooper of CNN. He was also quoted as saying "I never lied" in reference to his accusations regarding the racial injustice and police brutality within the LAPD. He is accused of killing 4 people. One of the victims was Michelle Quan, the daughter of former police chief Randall Quan. After these murders a series of events happened leading up to the final showdown in an abandoned cabin that was burned down with Dorner inside..Or so we're told. When looking for the official report on this event, quite frankly we are led on a wild goose chase with conflicting stories coming from both the media and the LAPD. For starters, Dorner's wallet was reported "found twice" in two different places. It was reported 1st by Fox News that it was found near the Mexican border: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/12/fugitive-ex-cop-christopher-dorner-reportedly-may-have-had-help-fleeing-to/ It was reported found again according to USA Today in which it somehow mysteriously survives the burning cabin next to Dorner's "charred remains": http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/12/christopher-dorner-ex-cop-los-angeles-mexico/1912553/ Is it just me, or do any of you smell a rat? I know it is a hard concept to swallow for many Americans in this country to believe their Government or the media would mislead them in any way, shape or form. The validity of that topic is an entirely different matter for another time.
When it comes to the subject of racism, it seems that most of (Not all) White America still has the perception that it doesn't exist anymore because according to them: "Things are not the way they were in the 40s and 50s." To the contrary, racism is just as alive and kicking today as it was 60 years ago. People of color might not be getting "burned to the stake" or "hanging from trees," but it is still here nonetheless. To see it at it's ugliest you need look no further than through corrupt institutions like the LAPD. You can see it in the so called "Justice system" as far as how it works for George Zimmerman, but not for Marissa Alexander and Trayvon Martin. You can see it in how it worked for every last one of the white officers who beat the snot out of Rodney King, but not for former LAPD and deceased officer Kevin Gaines from the Rampart scandal. You can see how it worked for the Muni officers who murdered Kenneth Harding over a two dollar bus fair, but not for the family members of Harding himself. And you can see how it worked for BART police officer Johannes Mehserle, but not for Oscar Grant, the unarmed, handcuffed African American young man he shot and killed on NYE. These are the stories that the majority of white Americans don't identify with when it comes to the pain, and frustration associated with racial persecution that many African Americans in this country still face "daily." Frustration from crimes committed against people of color by members of the same "justice system" that Dorner was trying to expose. Contrary to popular belief, racism didn't "die the moment Obama took the oval office." More importantly, Christopher Dorner was not some "deranged black man" who just "woke up one morning and decided to kill a bunch of cops" either. In Dorner's case, what we see are the results of a man who's faith in the justice system completely broke down after he tried to do the right thing and contrary to seeing justice served, instead was punished for it.
I know that there are a lot of people out there who will read this and say: "How can you defend a man like Dorner? "What about the families that have been affected by this!" Let me answer first by saying I am sensitive to the suffering, and loss of life that has taken place from this latest tragedy. Again, as I said at the beginning of this blog that I don't support the actions Dorner carried out in any way. You will never get me to say that I agree with killing anyone in this manner. However, I do understand why he did what he did. Furthermore, I don't believe in responding to acts of violence like this by exercising blind rage at the people who commit the crimes. I pride myself on analyzing what drives a person to do something like this in the 1st place. I believe that by identifying the problem in any situation puts you over 50% of the way to finding a solution to that particular problem. In truth, Christopher Dorner is not the problem here. The problem is the "system" that failed him. That same system failed the family members of the victims. It has also failed you.
Although this case is considered "closed" from the moment the cabin supposedly containing Dorner's "charred remains" were "discovered," too many questions are still left unanswered surrounding this case. Like what was the real reason a bounty of 1 million dollars (With a loop hole in it) placed on Dorner's head? I say "real reason" because when was the last time you have ever seen a bounty of this amount placed on anyone's head in this country? Ask yourself why was this man not even given the option of a fair trial when we have seen others like Timothy McVeigh and James Holmes commit crimes that were far worse given as much? Furthermore, why was the DVD that Dorner mailed to Anderson Cooper of CNN not covered or it's contents revealed to the public? I have my own theories to all of these questions. For starters, I don't think we will ever get the real details of that DVD, especially if it does exonerate Dorner and implicates the LAPD in any way. If the contents of it are ever released, we will get nothing but the "edited" version of it. Those of you who say: "If Dorner had surrendered he would've had his day in court" are looking at this case through rose-colored glasses. Dorner was a dead man the moment he declared war on the LAPD. Organizations like the FBI, CIA, and LAPD don't offer "1 million dollar bounties" for criminals they want to "capture" for "future trial dates." They only offer rewards like that for fugitives they want silenced. That is what leads me to believe that Christopher Dorner had some serious, incriminating information against his former employers. Information that every US citizen who wants to see police corruption and racism come to an end should demand to be made public and justice served to the people who were victims to it.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Mental illness. Do "They" Know the Difference Between Right and Wrong?
In the wake of the tragedies of the Colorado shootings that occurred at the midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" last Friday, I felt the need to write a blog on the subject in what I hope will shed light on the importance of identifying mental illness in order to address the dangers that can stem from it. When things like this happen, I like to read the comments in order to get the viewpoints of the masses. Whenever there is a murder like the ones we just witnessed in CO., one thing is very clear to me with the responses that a lot of people have made: Most are driven by emotional anger and fear. James Holmes was a "normal" person according to his neighbors. We can all agree that what he did was not "normal."
At 24 years of age, a college student pursuing his PHD in neuroscience, on paper he seemed to be destined for a promising career as a scientist. That is until he dropped out. Those who knew him said that he didn't give them anything that would suggest that Holmes suffered with any sort of mental issues. That means he wasn't on anyone's radar. Jackie Mitchell, a local resident who claims he drinks with Holmes on Tuesday nights at a bar not far from his home said that "Holmes gave no sign of being distressed or violent." One report from Yahoo News read: Experts say it's possible Holmes had an underlying mental illness that was triggered by the stress of failure. "All of those things could actually make dormant schizophrenia come out, and come out relatively quickly," said Marisa Randazzo, a psychologist who studies targeted violence.
With emotions running high in light of the tragedy of what transpired at the midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, CO, what gets lost in translation is the finding the real answer in how to properly address incidents like this. If you travel throughout the blogosphere and read the comments left by the masses, as far a solution to the problem you won't see a difference between the mentality of the commenters and Holmes himself. People want to see this man get everything from going to the Electric chair to death by firing squad. While that approach might appease the angry, and hurt, it won't solve the problem. This country has a long history of all kinds of psychotic individuals who have done some of the most heinous acts against mankind we have ever seen or heard of. What's scary, is that there is probably another 10-15 "James Holmes," "Jeffrey Dahmers," and "Ted Bundys" out there who haven't "snapped" yet. Sending people like Holmes to the electric chair or jail won't stop the other mentally disturbed individuals who are still out there. Educating ourselves on how to properly identify and address mental illness before it gets out of hand in those who suffer from it will.
The events of july 20th, 2012 didn't have to happen. The deaths of 12 people inside a CO movie theater could have been avoided if this approach had been taken long before the escalation of events had a chance to occur. I know it's hard for people to have any sympathy for a man like Holmes, but when you are dealing with someone who has a mental imbalance such as he does, what you have to realize is that people who suffer from mental chemical imbalances are no different than children. They don't know the difference between right and wrong. That's why they feel no remorse for their crimes of murder. Once we get to a level of understanding that, we can move forward much quicker to finding a solution to making sure crimes like what we witnessed never happen again.
At 24 years of age, a college student pursuing his PHD in neuroscience, on paper he seemed to be destined for a promising career as a scientist. That is until he dropped out. Those who knew him said that he didn't give them anything that would suggest that Holmes suffered with any sort of mental issues. That means he wasn't on anyone's radar. Jackie Mitchell, a local resident who claims he drinks with Holmes on Tuesday nights at a bar not far from his home said that "Holmes gave no sign of being distressed or violent." One report from Yahoo News read: Experts say it's possible Holmes had an underlying mental illness that was triggered by the stress of failure. "All of those things could actually make dormant schizophrenia come out, and come out relatively quickly," said Marisa Randazzo, a psychologist who studies targeted violence.
With emotions running high in light of the tragedy of what transpired at the midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, CO, what gets lost in translation is the finding the real answer in how to properly address incidents like this. If you travel throughout the blogosphere and read the comments left by the masses, as far a solution to the problem you won't see a difference between the mentality of the commenters and Holmes himself. People want to see this man get everything from going to the Electric chair to death by firing squad. While that approach might appease the angry, and hurt, it won't solve the problem. This country has a long history of all kinds of psychotic individuals who have done some of the most heinous acts against mankind we have ever seen or heard of. What's scary, is that there is probably another 10-15 "James Holmes," "Jeffrey Dahmers," and "Ted Bundys" out there who haven't "snapped" yet. Sending people like Holmes to the electric chair or jail won't stop the other mentally disturbed individuals who are still out there. Educating ourselves on how to properly identify and address mental illness before it gets out of hand in those who suffer from it will.
The events of july 20th, 2012 didn't have to happen. The deaths of 12 people inside a CO movie theater could have been avoided if this approach had been taken long before the escalation of events had a chance to occur. I know it's hard for people to have any sympathy for a man like Holmes, but when you are dealing with someone who has a mental imbalance such as he does, what you have to realize is that people who suffer from mental chemical imbalances are no different than children. They don't know the difference between right and wrong. That's why they feel no remorse for their crimes of murder. Once we get to a level of understanding that, we can move forward much quicker to finding a solution to making sure crimes like what we witnessed never happen again.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Kill Your Religion. Live Your Spirituality
Religion has always been a subject that is very touchy with most people. Regardless of what religion a person chooses to practice, all (Christianity included) have a belief system that preaches a: "My God is bigger than your God" philosophy. When I was a Christian, I served in one of the largest churches in my home town. That all changed the day I realized that the men and women occupying the leadership positions where I attended cared more about their personal "titles" than they did about their personal relationships with the people they were supposed to be helping. That was a painful experience but nevertheless one that would force me to embark on a journey that would ultimately bring me face to face with the truth that I had been seeking all along.
When I became a Christian, I did it for many of the same reasons why many of you have whether you realize it or not. I became a Christian not because I knew it was the truth, but because it is a belief system that was passed on to me by my parents. Christianity is the dominant religion of America. Or at least it has been for a very long time. That reality plays a big role in why many people become Christians. The flipside of that is if you lived in a 3rd world country like Iraq, many of you would be a Muslim for the same reason you are a Christian. Islam is the dominant religion for that region. Like us, Mid-easterns become muslims, again not because they know for a fact that it is the "true religion," but because it is a belief system passed on to them by there parents or family member as well. It would be no different if you lived in China where Buddha is the dominant religion for the Asian culture.
I realized these things when I left the church and started studying the history of religion. I did this because I got tired of being approached by members of many of these institutions with each individually claiming that "We are the only ones who have the truth." I wanted to know what it was that the 1st nations people on this planet believed and taught about the things of God. What I found out was life changing. My eyes are now open in ways that they have never been before. What the religious world doesn't teach you is that there is a difference between being "religious" and being spiritual. The history of our ancestors is not one based on a religion. In those days there was no such thing as a Christian, muslim, or Jehovah's Witness. There was no such thing as "church." Church in those days was not a building you go to and give 10% of your hard earned money to a pastor for a "building fund." Church was a way of life. Our ancestors believed in living in ways using a device that all of us are born with but, for many of us has become an after thought. It's called common sense. It is good for a man to be a good husband to his wife. It is good for a man to be a good father to his children. It is good for a man to be a good friend to his neighbor. All of these things should come natural. They should feel natural. Unfortunately, society as a whole has lost it's moral compass and chooses to live in ways that are unnatural.
I am no longer a Christian because in realizing the difference between religion and spirituality, I can not be both. In order to give birth to one, you must lay down the other. So I have laid down my religion in order to give birth to my spirituality. I am not trying to step on anyone's toes with this information. I only want to give you something that will set you free if you choose to use it. This world doesn't need religion any more than it needs Democrats and Republicans. For those of you who don't know I'll let you in on a little secret. There is no such thing as a Democrat or a Republican. In this world there are only two types of people that exist: The "haves" and the "have nots." The "haves" are responsible for 90% of the hell you and I go through. Not a fictitious figure with a pitchfork, tail, and pointed ears you've been taught to call "the devil." The other 10% is from us not taking the initiative to recognize the power we have within ourselves.
When we take a look at religion truthfully, we all see it for what it really is. It is a system that by design does nothing but separate us all from one another. Religion has been the reason why we go to war. It has torn families apart, broken friendships, and ended marriages. If religion was everything it is toted up to be, this world would have a different face than the one it has now. There is a church, mosque, kingdom hall, temple, or some type of religious institution on every corner of every city in this country. If that was "the way," we would have all been "saved" a long time ago. Too many of us spend entirely too much time trying to give birth to a religion, which causes us to miss the point of being exactly what we were born to be. One people.
When I became a Christian, I did it for many of the same reasons why many of you have whether you realize it or not. I became a Christian not because I knew it was the truth, but because it is a belief system that was passed on to me by my parents. Christianity is the dominant religion of America. Or at least it has been for a very long time. That reality plays a big role in why many people become Christians. The flipside of that is if you lived in a 3rd world country like Iraq, many of you would be a Muslim for the same reason you are a Christian. Islam is the dominant religion for that region. Like us, Mid-easterns become muslims, again not because they know for a fact that it is the "true religion," but because it is a belief system passed on to them by there parents or family member as well. It would be no different if you lived in China where Buddha is the dominant religion for the Asian culture.
I realized these things when I left the church and started studying the history of religion. I did this because I got tired of being approached by members of many of these institutions with each individually claiming that "We are the only ones who have the truth." I wanted to know what it was that the 1st nations people on this planet believed and taught about the things of God. What I found out was life changing. My eyes are now open in ways that they have never been before. What the religious world doesn't teach you is that there is a difference between being "religious" and being spiritual. The history of our ancestors is not one based on a religion. In those days there was no such thing as a Christian, muslim, or Jehovah's Witness. There was no such thing as "church." Church in those days was not a building you go to and give 10% of your hard earned money to a pastor for a "building fund." Church was a way of life. Our ancestors believed in living in ways using a device that all of us are born with but, for many of us has become an after thought. It's called common sense. It is good for a man to be a good husband to his wife. It is good for a man to be a good father to his children. It is good for a man to be a good friend to his neighbor. All of these things should come natural. They should feel natural. Unfortunately, society as a whole has lost it's moral compass and chooses to live in ways that are unnatural.
I am no longer a Christian because in realizing the difference between religion and spirituality, I can not be both. In order to give birth to one, you must lay down the other. So I have laid down my religion in order to give birth to my spirituality. I am not trying to step on anyone's toes with this information. I only want to give you something that will set you free if you choose to use it. This world doesn't need religion any more than it needs Democrats and Republicans. For those of you who don't know I'll let you in on a little secret. There is no such thing as a Democrat or a Republican. In this world there are only two types of people that exist: The "haves" and the "have nots." The "haves" are responsible for 90% of the hell you and I go through. Not a fictitious figure with a pitchfork, tail, and pointed ears you've been taught to call "the devil." The other 10% is from us not taking the initiative to recognize the power we have within ourselves.
When we take a look at religion truthfully, we all see it for what it really is. It is a system that by design does nothing but separate us all from one another. Religion has been the reason why we go to war. It has torn families apart, broken friendships, and ended marriages. If religion was everything it is toted up to be, this world would have a different face than the one it has now. There is a church, mosque, kingdom hall, temple, or some type of religious institution on every corner of every city in this country. If that was "the way," we would have all been "saved" a long time ago. Too many of us spend entirely too much time trying to give birth to a religion, which causes us to miss the point of being exactly what we were born to be. One people.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Cleveland: "And the Saga Continues"
"I asked Lebron if I could borrow a dollar, and he gave me 75 cents. He didn't have a 4th quarter." With the Miami Heat loss to the Mavs and the residents of "The Mistake by the Lake" who have been waiting to pounce like a pack of rabid dogs on Lebron James you knew these were coming. It's almost inconceivable that at one point in time this man was ever loved at all in a city that not even a year ago had no problem crowning him as "King James." Honestly, I have never seen anything like this in all of sports. I am an avid sports fan with a healthy passion (Key words "healthy passion") for the game of football. I am not what you would call a "fanatic." That would be what we are all seeing now coming out of the city of Cleveland where many of it's residents are still crying over the "decision" of Lebron James leaving them for greener pastures in south beach. I have been following this story for quite a while now and have to say I find it comical, asinine, inappropriate, and just flat out ridiculous how not only the residents of Cleveland are acting, but even more so from people at the top like Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, and governor of Ohio John Kasich. This drama has the makings of the worst kind of reality show gone wrong in the worst way. A way in which all parties involved are looking like quite frankly, "Jackasses." Lebron could have made his departure in a much less dramatic way than the highly publicized "Decision." Even still, at some point the Cleveland faithful and their playing the part of the "bitter ex wife" has to come to an end and learn how to move forward. Their continued reactions to an event that happened over 6 months ago has gone to borderline racism in the worst way.
After watching the close of 2011 finals, before I went to any of the Cleveland sites to see their reactions, I knew there would be one. To see Cavs fans celebrating as if they had won a championship at James' "expense" brought chuckles to my face as I'm sure it did to many in the rest of the civilized world who couldn't care less whether James ended up in South Beach or South Dakoda. Think about this for a second. As a Cavs fan you are willing to let ONE person drive you to such an extreme that you would not only go through the motions of burning his jersey and shedding tears at his departure, but you take a personal vendetta to root for every team that James' new team faces? Do you have any idea how much of a joke you look like by wearing Dallas Mavericks jerseys (as if they are now your big brother) hoping they can beat up on Lebron for you? Then again, I can understand your need to want to ride the coat tail of another team. It's probably the only way your pathetic city will ever experience what it feels like to win a championship. Here is some irony for you though. Oh Cleveland, while you are busy "celebrating" in the streets for a trophy that isn't even yours, the man you love to hate is sound asleep in his comfortable bed counting 20%...And not giving any of you moronic fanatics a second thought. Amazing how you are willing to let one individual have that much power over your miserable lives. The sad part about all of this for you is the fact that none of your immature antics will ever bring James back to Cleveland. Translation? GET OVER IT.
The tweet from disgruntled owner Dan Gilbert was nothing short of the idiotic sentiments of an owner who still has an "I lost my runaway slave" mentality which were right in line with the criticism he lauded upon James within seconds of his "decision." Here is his quote on Twitter: "Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."
Well Dan I hate to bust your bubble but you've already been proven wrong on that one. The Celtics Big 3 won it the 1st year they were together so apparently there are "shortcuts." Even if there weren't, many would do what James did (if not in the manner he did it) in a heart beat before they would stay in a syberian organization with an immature, short-sighted owner like you who has absolutely no clue on how to build a championship team.
At this point in my article I am going to focus just on you my friend. Let's analyze your fault with all of this. Aside from your distasteful ranting what did you do the entire time you had James? You did exactly what owners who are selling out their arenas every night do: Sat back and collected the money. You took no initiative to surround your precious money pot player with talent that would have brought a championship to your city. You were comfortable in your situation. Comfortable because your prize horse was bringing in business so you and your family could take lavish vacations around the world and live the good life. Now that the horse has gone to run for someone else, you want to blame him for never giving you a blue ribbon. You had opportunities to build a championship roster. Instead of given James players like Amare stoudemare, you gave him the likes of Antwon Jamison. Instead of going after players like Chris Paul, you went after the likes of Dante West. You had the same opportunities Miami did. Free agency or not, you could have pulled off blockbuster trades/given up 1st round draft picks/cash but you went the bargain basement route. You had 7 years to get it right. You didn't and now you are paying for it. Instead of crying like a bitch at every given moment you should take a good, long, hard look in the mirror my friend. You should set an example of an owner who is truly dedicated to providing a winning team for his city by 1st apologizing to the fans for your failure in all of this. Be a man and own up to your mistakes instead of wasting your time blaming your "runaway horse." Until you do that, your city will always be remembered by the words of Jaokim Noah: "What's so good about Cleveland? I've never heard anyone say: (I'm going to Cleveland for vacation)."
After watching the close of 2011 finals, before I went to any of the Cleveland sites to see their reactions, I knew there would be one. To see Cavs fans celebrating as if they had won a championship at James' "expense" brought chuckles to my face as I'm sure it did to many in the rest of the civilized world who couldn't care less whether James ended up in South Beach or South Dakoda. Think about this for a second. As a Cavs fan you are willing to let ONE person drive you to such an extreme that you would not only go through the motions of burning his jersey and shedding tears at his departure, but you take a personal vendetta to root for every team that James' new team faces? Do you have any idea how much of a joke you look like by wearing Dallas Mavericks jerseys (as if they are now your big brother) hoping they can beat up on Lebron for you? Then again, I can understand your need to want to ride the coat tail of another team. It's probably the only way your pathetic city will ever experience what it feels like to win a championship. Here is some irony for you though. Oh Cleveland, while you are busy "celebrating" in the streets for a trophy that isn't even yours, the man you love to hate is sound asleep in his comfortable bed counting 20%...And not giving any of you moronic fanatics a second thought. Amazing how you are willing to let one individual have that much power over your miserable lives. The sad part about all of this for you is the fact that none of your immature antics will ever bring James back to Cleveland. Translation? GET OVER IT.
The tweet from disgruntled owner Dan Gilbert was nothing short of the idiotic sentiments of an owner who still has an "I lost my runaway slave" mentality which were right in line with the criticism he lauded upon James within seconds of his "decision." Here is his quote on Twitter: "Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."
Well Dan I hate to bust your bubble but you've already been proven wrong on that one. The Celtics Big 3 won it the 1st year they were together so apparently there are "shortcuts." Even if there weren't, many would do what James did (if not in the manner he did it) in a heart beat before they would stay in a syberian organization with an immature, short-sighted owner like you who has absolutely no clue on how to build a championship team.
At this point in my article I am going to focus just on you my friend. Let's analyze your fault with all of this. Aside from your distasteful ranting what did you do the entire time you had James? You did exactly what owners who are selling out their arenas every night do: Sat back and collected the money. You took no initiative to surround your precious money pot player with talent that would have brought a championship to your city. You were comfortable in your situation. Comfortable because your prize horse was bringing in business so you and your family could take lavish vacations around the world and live the good life. Now that the horse has gone to run for someone else, you want to blame him for never giving you a blue ribbon. You had opportunities to build a championship roster. Instead of given James players like Amare stoudemare, you gave him the likes of Antwon Jamison. Instead of going after players like Chris Paul, you went after the likes of Dante West. You had the same opportunities Miami did. Free agency or not, you could have pulled off blockbuster trades/given up 1st round draft picks/cash but you went the bargain basement route. You had 7 years to get it right. You didn't and now you are paying for it. Instead of crying like a bitch at every given moment you should take a good, long, hard look in the mirror my friend. You should set an example of an owner who is truly dedicated to providing a winning team for his city by 1st apologizing to the fans for your failure in all of this. Be a man and own up to your mistakes instead of wasting your time blaming your "runaway horse." Until you do that, your city will always be remembered by the words of Jaokim Noah: "What's so good about Cleveland? I've never heard anyone say: (I'm going to Cleveland for vacation)."
World leaders? Or World Criminals?
The world as we know it is changing right before our eyes. Yet many of us fail to recognize the differences between how things were and how things are now. Whenever the discussion of “America” comes up, most people want to associate the country with one word: “Freedom.” Freedom is word that those who are advocates for the “Land of the Free” and “Home of the Brave” use due to the perception they have from comparing the US to other parts of the world who don’t have “our freedoms.” When Barak Obama took the oval office, I was happy to be a part of what I thought would be a historical event. Even though I went against my better judgment by allowing myself to participate in supporting a system that was never designed to work for the people, I voted for him because I had the same hopes as everyone one else in America who are starved for the emergence of a true leader. It’s what we all want no matter where you live. In less than 3 years of time served as our commander in Chief, I am sorry to say that my convictions and preconceived notions are correct. Obama is the puppet I thought he would be and following in the footsteps of his predecessors. I know what I just said will make a lot of people who still want to hope in him upset, but I have to be real with this. So do many of you.
When we take a look at our current president, what are the differences between what he’s doing and what Bush and those who preceded him have done? Truman gave us the atomic bombing of Japan, the cold war with the Soviet Union, the Marshall Plan, and the Korean War. Eisenhower continued the Cold War with the Soviet Union. LBJ gave us Vietnam. Reagan gave us the cold war of Libya. Bush Sr gave us the persian Gulf War I with Iraq. Clinton gave us NAFTA and the gulf war. Bush Jr gave us Persian Gulf War II with Iraq and dubbed it the so called “War on Terrorism.” Now, Obama is carrying out the unfinished business of that war and we are seeing America’s true agenda played out on center stage in Libya. The propaganda machine tells us that “We must intervene to help The rebels” yet I can’t help but notice a common thread between Libya and Iraq: Natural resources. The US has left a trail of commonality regarding “who” it helps and who it turns a blind eye to. When Katrina hit it took 5 days before the Government responded to send aid to the residents of New Orleans. When a Tsunami hit Sir Lanka that same government was there in less than a day. It took 5 days for them to respond to a community of people who live in their own back yard, but went across the globe in less than a day to help a country that isn’t even on the radar… What does Sir Lanka have that New Orleans doesn’t? Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West and South East Asia. It is also rich in natural resources that in part has earned it the nickname: The Pearl of The Indian Ocean.
A lot of what I am discussing is foreign to the masses, but nevertheless it is very real. The news is one of the most damaging tools to the mind when it comes to searching for the truth. I mentioned the propaganda machine (the media) earlier to bring light to this fact. He that has the power to control the media, has the power to control the minds of the masses. We have seen this scenario played out before us many times. From the demonizing of sports figures like Michael Vick, to the Hollywood blackballing of Actors like Danny Glover for no other reason than for having an affiliation with world figures who don’t “share the same political interests of America.” As a citizen you have to ask yourself, where do we go from here? It’s a terribly rude awakening when you realize that “The 1st black President is no different than the 43 white ones who preceded him.” Barak Obama works for a system that was never designed to benefit any of us to begin with. A system that when not advertizing war, drives 90% of everything else we see in our society with sex. We see it in Music videos, and commercials. We hear it on the radio and see it on the movie screens. They have even taken a childhood classic in “Little Red Riding Hood” and turned it into a sex flick where Little Red apparently has the hots for the Wolf now. Absolutely pathetic.
That same system provides beer for you on one hand but tells you “don’t drink and drive” with the other. The same system that tells you not to commit adultery is the same system that gave you “Sex and the City.” The same system that gave you organizations like “Planned Parenthood” is the same system that refuses to advocate examples of how a man should properly love a woman. That same system never has much to say about men like Tony Dungy, but if you’re a jackass like Charlie Sheen they’ll put you on the front page of every newspaper across the country. Sorry people but I’m extremely tired of the BS. It’s time for us to stop supporting and making excuses for a system that has never supported us and uses us as excuses for it’s problems. Obama is not the “Messiah” we all were waiting for. No. That person has come many times. You can see him/her whenever you look in the mirror. You are the one you are waiting for. Instead of crying “why me?” I have a better question: Why not you.…? The sooner you resolve the riddle to that puzzle, the sooner you will see “change…”
When we take a look at our current president, what are the differences between what he’s doing and what Bush and those who preceded him have done? Truman gave us the atomic bombing of Japan, the cold war with the Soviet Union, the Marshall Plan, and the Korean War. Eisenhower continued the Cold War with the Soviet Union. LBJ gave us Vietnam. Reagan gave us the cold war of Libya. Bush Sr gave us the persian Gulf War I with Iraq. Clinton gave us NAFTA and the gulf war. Bush Jr gave us Persian Gulf War II with Iraq and dubbed it the so called “War on Terrorism.” Now, Obama is carrying out the unfinished business of that war and we are seeing America’s true agenda played out on center stage in Libya. The propaganda machine tells us that “We must intervene to help The rebels” yet I can’t help but notice a common thread between Libya and Iraq: Natural resources. The US has left a trail of commonality regarding “who” it helps and who it turns a blind eye to. When Katrina hit it took 5 days before the Government responded to send aid to the residents of New Orleans. When a Tsunami hit Sir Lanka that same government was there in less than a day. It took 5 days for them to respond to a community of people who live in their own back yard, but went across the globe in less than a day to help a country that isn’t even on the radar… What does Sir Lanka have that New Orleans doesn’t? Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West and South East Asia. It is also rich in natural resources that in part has earned it the nickname: The Pearl of The Indian Ocean.
A lot of what I am discussing is foreign to the masses, but nevertheless it is very real. The news is one of the most damaging tools to the mind when it comes to searching for the truth. I mentioned the propaganda machine (the media) earlier to bring light to this fact. He that has the power to control the media, has the power to control the minds of the masses. We have seen this scenario played out before us many times. From the demonizing of sports figures like Michael Vick, to the Hollywood blackballing of Actors like Danny Glover for no other reason than for having an affiliation with world figures who don’t “share the same political interests of America.” As a citizen you have to ask yourself, where do we go from here? It’s a terribly rude awakening when you realize that “The 1st black President is no different than the 43 white ones who preceded him.” Barak Obama works for a system that was never designed to benefit any of us to begin with. A system that when not advertizing war, drives 90% of everything else we see in our society with sex. We see it in Music videos, and commercials. We hear it on the radio and see it on the movie screens. They have even taken a childhood classic in “Little Red Riding Hood” and turned it into a sex flick where Little Red apparently has the hots for the Wolf now. Absolutely pathetic.
That same system provides beer for you on one hand but tells you “don’t drink and drive” with the other. The same system that tells you not to commit adultery is the same system that gave you “Sex and the City.” The same system that gave you organizations like “Planned Parenthood” is the same system that refuses to advocate examples of how a man should properly love a woman. That same system never has much to say about men like Tony Dungy, but if you’re a jackass like Charlie Sheen they’ll put you on the front page of every newspaper across the country. Sorry people but I’m extremely tired of the BS. It’s time for us to stop supporting and making excuses for a system that has never supported us and uses us as excuses for it’s problems. Obama is not the “Messiah” we all were waiting for. No. That person has come many times. You can see him/her whenever you look in the mirror. You are the one you are waiting for. Instead of crying “why me?” I have a better question: Why not you.…? The sooner you resolve the riddle to that puzzle, the sooner you will see “change…”
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Definition of a Hypocrite
At one point the NFL had a player who was by far the most dynamic athlete at his position the world has ever seen. All across America people in every city could be seen wearing his patented #7 jersey. At the height of his career he signed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history. Life was good. Just as fast as he signed his name on the dotted line, one act of irresponsibility completely turned his world upside down. With charges of running an underground dog fighting ring facing him, Micheal Vick was on his way back to the world he had worked so hard to escape. But like so many athletes today who make it into the elite world of sports and entertainment, Vick was cursed with the burden of choosing between his new life and his old friends.
I remember when the media began it’s campaign of relentlessly shredding his life to pieces. Vick’s face could be seen on the front page of every news paper. Then Peta jumped on board to throw more gasoline on the fire by showing images of dogs that were mauled from fights they were in. Kids were shown on TV wearing T-shirts saying: “I hate Micheal Vick.” While this media storm raged I couldn’t help wondering to myself if I had been a foreigner to this country, had never heard of the sport of dog-fighting, and was introduced to it by landing in the middle of this frenzy I would have thought that Mickeal Vick “invented” the sport, when in actuality dog-fighting has been an on-going sport in this country for over 200 years. I am not an advocate for it but can’t help wondering one question. Why the big fuss about it now? Nobody cried about it from the time of it’s existence before so why the big fuss over it now?
It is amazing to me the things that some people in this country will stand up for and the things that they will blatantly ignore. While the media bombardment continued I saw a Fox News article online underneath a story on the impending Vick trial in fine print about an ex KKK member who was on trial for kid-napping, torturing, and chaining two 19 year old African American boys to a jeep engine. He then dumped them alive into the Mississippi river where they both drowned. The irony behind this story is the fact that this horrific crime took place on May 2, 1964. Yet the men responsible for the crime were not brought to justice (Or at least the incentive to bring them to justice was not seriously expressed) until 2007. How hard did the authorities look for them? One can not help but get the impression that America cares more about the lives of dogs than it does about the lives of people.
“We never want to see Mickeal Vick in an NFL uniform again!” Peta wasted no time to jump into the spotlight. This was just the opportunity they needed to bring themselves more publicity. This organization claims to love animals, yet is responsible for sending more dogs to the kennel yearly than Vick’s entire operation could send in 4 lifetimes. To call it hypocrisy would actually be a compliment to the deed as the word just wouldn’t give the impact of how ridiculous this organization is. Yet they have the audacity to condemn another human being for something they have been doing from the time of their existence. Some people may argue that putting an animal to sleep is not the same thing as dog fighting. My answer to that is; Who made you God & gave you the right to decide which animals deserve to live and which ones deserve to die? Here’s more irony for you. In this country you can hunt deer, fish, bears, and moose for mere sport. You can stuff them, tac them on your wall for decoration, and have your own TV show while doing it! America will even pay you to watch you do it. But God forbid you hurt a damn dog! All hell breaks loose the moment you do. I will let you all in on a little well kept secret. Dog-fighting is illegal in this country for the exact same reason selling drugs and prostitution is. Anytime you make money in this country in ways that the US government can’t get their filthy, greasy hands on it they call it “illegal.” That is the true definition of Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
I remember when the media began it’s campaign of relentlessly shredding his life to pieces. Vick’s face could be seen on the front page of every news paper. Then Peta jumped on board to throw more gasoline on the fire by showing images of dogs that were mauled from fights they were in. Kids were shown on TV wearing T-shirts saying: “I hate Micheal Vick.” While this media storm raged I couldn’t help wondering to myself if I had been a foreigner to this country, had never heard of the sport of dog-fighting, and was introduced to it by landing in the middle of this frenzy I would have thought that Mickeal Vick “invented” the sport, when in actuality dog-fighting has been an on-going sport in this country for over 200 years. I am not an advocate for it but can’t help wondering one question. Why the big fuss about it now? Nobody cried about it from the time of it’s existence before so why the big fuss over it now?
It is amazing to me the things that some people in this country will stand up for and the things that they will blatantly ignore. While the media bombardment continued I saw a Fox News article online underneath a story on the impending Vick trial in fine print about an ex KKK member who was on trial for kid-napping, torturing, and chaining two 19 year old African American boys to a jeep engine. He then dumped them alive into the Mississippi river where they both drowned. The irony behind this story is the fact that this horrific crime took place on May 2, 1964. Yet the men responsible for the crime were not brought to justice (Or at least the incentive to bring them to justice was not seriously expressed) until 2007. How hard did the authorities look for them? One can not help but get the impression that America cares more about the lives of dogs than it does about the lives of people.
“We never want to see Mickeal Vick in an NFL uniform again!” Peta wasted no time to jump into the spotlight. This was just the opportunity they needed to bring themselves more publicity. This organization claims to love animals, yet is responsible for sending more dogs to the kennel yearly than Vick’s entire operation could send in 4 lifetimes. To call it hypocrisy would actually be a compliment to the deed as the word just wouldn’t give the impact of how ridiculous this organization is. Yet they have the audacity to condemn another human being for something they have been doing from the time of their existence. Some people may argue that putting an animal to sleep is not the same thing as dog fighting. My answer to that is; Who made you God & gave you the right to decide which animals deserve to live and which ones deserve to die? Here’s more irony for you. In this country you can hunt deer, fish, bears, and moose for mere sport. You can stuff them, tac them on your wall for decoration, and have your own TV show while doing it! America will even pay you to watch you do it. But God forbid you hurt a damn dog! All hell breaks loose the moment you do. I will let you all in on a little well kept secret. Dog-fighting is illegal in this country for the exact same reason selling drugs and prostitution is. Anytime you make money in this country in ways that the US government can’t get their filthy, greasy hands on it they call it “illegal.” That is the true definition of Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
Putting the Role of the Woman Back in 1st Place
She has been ostracized and subsidized from what seems like the very beginning of her existence. Even to the point of being blamed for the "fall of man" from her "disobedience to God for eating of the forbidden tree of knowledge" and enticing her Husband Adam to do the same. It almost seems as though this accusation has set the stage for her to be treated like a second class citizen and being blamed for everything else that goes wrong with the world (even though it is the men who hold the guns and have been responsible for waging war after war from the beginning of time). A closer observation would not only reveal that nothing could be further from the truth, but also the gift of what she really is.
When we look at the cycle of reproduction, we can witness something so marvelous that it never loses its luster no matter how many times we see it: The birth of life. Man may plant the seed, but woman gives birth to life. We witness something in a woman that only she can provide due to her genetic makeup. We witness God at work creating. If heaven is a real place, the gateway to it resides in the womb of a woman. You have to wonder why would a baby cry once it comes out of the warmth and security of it's mother and into the cold world we live in? Even at an early age a child recognizes it is better to be in the womb of it's mother than it is to be in the chaos of the outside world. For a child, the most powerful emotion in the universe is learned from it's mother first. And there is no greater love than the love a mother has for her child. A mother is the 1st person a child learns to cry for. She is the first person we bond with. She is our "1st love."
The world we know today does not project that image of a woman at all. Today, we see her as a sex object in over 80% of the examples our society likes to use her in. From "Victoria Secret" to music videos and the like. From being a queen to being called a bitch (Many of whom have even accepted this title and use it to address one another out of "respect"). She has become a symbol of promiscuity and the face of inequality. All of this done for the purpose of endless promotion to the theory: "It's a man's world." The truth is, the world we live in would not be worth living in without her. She gives meaning to everything we desire in life. She makes a house a home. She makes food a meal. She can make your weakness become your strength. She turns like into love, and has the power to swing that pendulum in any direction she chooses. As men, we have the capacity to be real bastards, and from time to time we are. Even then she has the power to love, forgive and support us still. She has the power to be a wife, spiritual companion, mother, and above all a best friend...and she can give you all of that in one person. If that is not an image of God, I don't know what is. I do know this though. We need to recognize the proper place for women all over the world and never let her fall from that place again. Our world is fallen not because of what is foretold about her, but because of what we have forgotten about her. From man to woman, let today be a day of remembrance of how you are loved, cherished, and appreciated.
When we look at the cycle of reproduction, we can witness something so marvelous that it never loses its luster no matter how many times we see it: The birth of life. Man may plant the seed, but woman gives birth to life. We witness something in a woman that only she can provide due to her genetic makeup. We witness God at work creating. If heaven is a real place, the gateway to it resides in the womb of a woman. You have to wonder why would a baby cry once it comes out of the warmth and security of it's mother and into the cold world we live in? Even at an early age a child recognizes it is better to be in the womb of it's mother than it is to be in the chaos of the outside world. For a child, the most powerful emotion in the universe is learned from it's mother first. And there is no greater love than the love a mother has for her child. A mother is the 1st person a child learns to cry for. She is the first person we bond with. She is our "1st love."
The world we know today does not project that image of a woman at all. Today, we see her as a sex object in over 80% of the examples our society likes to use her in. From "Victoria Secret" to music videos and the like. From being a queen to being called a bitch (Many of whom have even accepted this title and use it to address one another out of "respect"). She has become a symbol of promiscuity and the face of inequality. All of this done for the purpose of endless promotion to the theory: "It's a man's world." The truth is, the world we live in would not be worth living in without her. She gives meaning to everything we desire in life. She makes a house a home. She makes food a meal. She can make your weakness become your strength. She turns like into love, and has the power to swing that pendulum in any direction she chooses. As men, we have the capacity to be real bastards, and from time to time we are. Even then she has the power to love, forgive and support us still. She has the power to be a wife, spiritual companion, mother, and above all a best friend...and she can give you all of that in one person. If that is not an image of God, I don't know what is. I do know this though. We need to recognize the proper place for women all over the world and never let her fall from that place again. Our world is fallen not because of what is foretold about her, but because of what we have forgotten about her. From man to woman, let today be a day of remembrance of how you are loved, cherished, and appreciated.
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