Ain't This Some Crap?

December 28th, Sunday... I just read a short piece that flipped my brain! (I feel concussed...) A high school basketball team was disallowed to participate in a basketball tourney because they wore "I Can't Breathe" t-shirts! Now, I did hear this last night on a sports talk radio program but I was half asleep. I thought I heard the commentator take the position that a high school student should not have a political stance because he/she is under aged. Okay, what am I not getting?

This is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave? A Constitution does exist, no? Is there such a thing as "freedom of speech?" I'm confused... Regardless of the fact that there seems to be some civil rights infractions; Not to mention the killing(s) of Black men for various reasons... I mean high school students should not take A STAND BECAUSE THEY ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL?

If the future of America is on the backs of the youth of our nation, why should they not take a stand? No civil disobedience has taken place. The very freedom that has been taken advantage of by those who are doing the judging is being made a mockery of, in my opinion. But, I have to understand that an opinion is a judgment as well and maybe mine does not count(?)! Maybe their opinion should not count either but... Oh, I get it. They are running the tournament! You cannot play because (WE) say you can't! And, why be threatened by a t-shirt? Maybe no one should play because they are simply out of breath?

Some Shit I Will Never Forget!

March 9th, Saturday... Living in America is a challenge! There are so many obstacles  to overcome, it blows the mind! Housing is bad. Making decent money is hard. Jobs are scarce.People are cranky. There is a gun problem....A gang problem. Education is inadequate. People are frustrated! And then there is the biggy... RACISM!!!In the land of freedom (allegedly) racism plays a big role in the demise of the fabric of American society. There is no getting around it. It affects everyone! (Even the ones in denial.)
I will never forget my first encounter with racism. It was a very cold and snowy morning on January 30, 1951. It was approximitly 3 a.m. I was the tender age of 3 seconds old when a white, Jewish doctor smacked me on my ass! (That shit hurt!) My mother did not (could not) defend me. She was too busy complaining about her back hurting. I was dangling upside down, being held by my feet like a captured slave. I was hungry and hurting. I felt like I passed through a tight tunnel... searching for FREEDOM! (Harriett, where were you when I needed you?) Ever since then, it has been down hill for me.
I don't know what other people's walk of life is like, but if it is anything like mine, they are in for a rough time. If only a little compassion could be exercised. If only people could be mindful of the fact that we need each other to make things better... Ahhh... What the hell am I thinking? This is America!

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

October 21st, Friday... I hate poverty! I'm from the Groucho Marks School. "I don't want to join any club that would have me as a member!" The problem is that I'm poor and I am in the poverty club but not by my choice! If it were left up to me, I'd be RICH!
Anyway, I owe(d) big cheese on my cell phone bill but I paid 2/3's of it yesterday. Apparently that means nothing because the poor are treated as though they have NO DIGNITY! Not only do I not have any service, I also have a bill collector calling me for the other third of the cheddar. She took me to task about when and how I would pay the rest of the money. First of all, if I had it to pay I would have paid it. I had been paying it on time... Now she is riding my ass about the rest. Secondly, I have no service!
I get it! When you're poor, you are scum. Screw your circumstance... Fuck your situation. Who should be concerned that your "American Dream" is an all American nightmare?
As soon as I can get out of my cell phone contract, I'm not talking anymore! Hell, it costs to talk in America. Who would have thought that "freedom of speech" was so damn expensive?

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

April 13th, Monday/ DAMN! The Obamas are really messing up! A week or two ago, the First Lady put her hands on the Queen of England. OMG! How dare she? The audacity of that woman! Now, in an unrelated trip, the President has bowed down to the King of Saudi Arabia. DAMN! What the...
Are these people crazy? Don't they respect the arrogance that goes along with the job? Haven't they read the President and First Lady Handbook(s)? When America is in a crisis, the President's testicles are supposed to swell up like watermelons (pun intended)and he is supposed to spray other world leaders with presidential mumbo-jumbo while he tries to undo what has been done by the other president, who has sprayed other world leaders with his presidential mumbo-jumbo!
The President's bowing has been described as a sign of weakness as opposed to being a gesture of respect, according to what has been reported. So, now what are we to believe? The election of a black man was a mistake because he has defied protocol? Next thing you know, he will be criticized for putting a basketball court in the White House. Hell, he is already receiving fire from the animal rights people because he did not adopt a recycled dog from the pound. Not that that is a bad thing but why can't he have a new dog? It's funny... When did it become a criticism for a president to choose the dog he wanted?
Get in line folks. The president is Black, he is new, and he is not what you are used to. So get used to it already!