Poem "How Do I Prefer My Racism"

Hello all,

Well, here's the poem as promised:

First of all
I don’t prefer racism
Just another schism
We use in a capitalistic system
Don’t like glass ceilings or rectangular prism
In this rat race chase for bread
Ignorance is force-fed by mouth
So knowledge has to serve as tic-tacs in the south
Where you forced to live fast
Get high and die faster
Some 400 years later
And we still serving master
But maybe that’s prejudice
Maybe then one doesn’t consider the evidence
Of MLKs or H. Rapp Brown’s
Or when they burned the church down
I never forget history
Remember knowledge is tic-tacs
But memories are Listerine
Don’t want to eat what bigots feed me
So serve my portions equally
Eracism
I want to see fears disappear
Shot off into the stratosphere
Towards the final frontier
Not to interact with another alien race
Maybe the time in space
Will serve to dissipate the hate
That’s how I quote en quote prefer
I prefer dreams not be deferred
By those that would rather see us in Madagascar
Or even by chasing cars or material stars
I want to see us as humans do our very best
But even now I digress
The question was:
How do I prefer my racism?
I prefer it
Consistently nonexistent
Persistent in deliverance
Conquered and detained
Not even water on the brain
Where it can seep into a sub-conscious
Knock you unconscious
And you wake up believing such a disease can be a constant
Fighting over melanin content
With evil intent
Time not so well spent
Instead
When I eat meat and bread
I’d rather not be served dirty looks
From waiters, patrons, and cooks
Go read a book
--Love is the remedy--


Take care folks,
The Good Doctor

Oh yeah, those of you looking for the Tiger blog will see it on tomorrow. Take care all.

Love for the People

Hello all,

Hey guys, here's the first Sunday post from BLOG, and it's going to be a huge one. I wanted to give a quick shoutout to a good friend, and also wanted to answer a comment left on our BLOG site.

First, the shoutout. My good friend Chronobull as you see in the upcoming IM conversation, serves as a 'barometer' to the site, and always gives input on how he feels the site is going. 'Preciate ya Chrono. Well, here's a little of the conversation we had about the last blog:

chronobull: i think you were kinda overstating the significance of the kings of comedy
The Good Doctor: when i posted the initial question, i thought so, but felt obliged not to throw the topic away entirely
The Good Doctor: so i chained it with others who do the same thing
The Good Doctor: i should've put more examples of those who do so...namely, the hip-hop industry
The Good Doctor: i tried to take a positive endeavor and show how it could've been more powerful. dig?
chronobull: yeah
chronobull: 50 cent would've been a good example.
The Good Doctor: it's amazing how we think alike. honest confession here
The Good Doctor: i wanted you to respond because i knew how you'd feel
chronobull: you know, on the one hand its positive to see a black man doing such big things in various ventures in different branches of the entertainment world, but who has absolutely zero sense of a responsibilty to better the community

Now, for the comment. I'll actually go ahead and post the comment here in its entirety...it was a response to last week's 'Kings of Comedy' blog. And heeeeeeeeeere we gooooooooooo:


Ashleyfamu said...

So, on a change of subject, something's come to my attention in this great city of New York that made me want to address this blog. My question: How do you prefer your racism? Covert, under-the-table, cutting-the-eyes, clutching-the-purse when you walk by discrimination...or in-your-face, what-you-doing-here, blatant racism?

I thought living in the South would be the biggest challenge for a black person. But no, that's where we get the first kind of racism that I mentioned. I never had to look racism in the face...just kinda glimpsed it out the corner of my eye. Then, not only did I move north, to a big city (the biggest in the states?), but I also moved into the professional world, and the difference is as plain as paint on the walls. And not just from whites or against blacks. A few exhibits, if I may:

Exhibit A - Saturday night, mixer for professional students in the neighborhood of my ivy league university. Black bouncer. A group of 3 whites walk up, he asks, "Oh, are you with the law school? Go right in, party's in the back." Then a group of 3 blacks and a mexican walk up, directly followed by another group of 4 whites. The bouncers tells the group of blacks, "hold on a sec" and asks the whites behind them "oh, hey, you're with the law school right? Go right in, party's in the back." Did I mention that the 3 blacks and the mexican are enrolled in law school?

Exhibit B: young mexican woman (mentioned in A) enters the law school bldg of said school wearing a jersey and basketball shorts around same time as some members of the majority race. White Doorman swiftly approaches her -walks past any other students - and asks "do you have any business in the LAW SCHOOL"??

Exhibit C: young well-dressed black male is walking toward residence hall of said law school. Doorman is standing a bit down the street, outside. doorman promptly begins following man down the street and then into the building to demand what business he had at the building (sound familiar).

What is a young black person trying to make it supposed to do? How do we deal with the discrimination around us? How would you deal? And how do you prefer your racism?

--------My response----------

Well Ashleyfamu,

Concerning how I ‘prefer my racism’, I’m conjuring up a prose statement that is aptly titled “How I Prefer My Racism”. Thanks for the motivation, love. At any rate, let’s talk about the situation at hand:

I understand where you’re coming from, being a full-time sportswriter, or, should I say in a field where minorities are prevalent. It appears that certain genres, jobs, and even locations are discriminately associated with certain races. This is unfortunate, because what happens, as shown in your Exhibit A, even people within their own race can be so blinded.

Now to your questions. You asked the following:

What is a young black person trying to make it supposed to do?
How do we deal with the discrimination around us?
How would you deal?
And how do you prefer your racism?

Well, let’s go straight down.

What is a young black person trying to make it supposed to do?

Well, being a young black person myself (turned 22 as of July), I believe a young black person should focus on making it, and not focus so much on racial injustices that we’ve seen can be broken in the past. The truth is that we as humans are divided and separated over for the most part, the melanin content that determines our skin pigmentation.

Acts 17:24-26 says that (24) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; (25) Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

I say that to say we are ultimately members of one race, and that is the human race.

Now, what I’ve done there is what young black people, no, let’s say people don’t often do. They don’t often break down their situation, nor do they research it to find out the intricacies, and thus the solutions to a problem. That’s what I would recommend; I recommend sitting down and thinking about solutions to problems, and looking and understanding dynamics so that if you don’t agree with them, you can certainly change them.

How do we deal with the discrimination around us?

I associate discrimination with ignorance. And I feel in turn that the cure for ignorance is knowledge, and with knowledge, wisdom. The truth is that non-minorities understand the dynamics of race, it’s just that they choose to use that knowledge for unholy applications, and what many would call oppression. That’s the no. 1 way to deal with it, is empowering oneself with knowledge. Now the more militant readers are mad because I’ve played passive with the first two questions, well, up to this point. WE KNOW that being passive doesn’t always work, and more or less makes you susceptible to getting your head bust, let’s be real. This is why opposing discrimination head-on is also a viable tactic; Exhibits B and C were situations where such a theory would be applicable. At times, discrimination is allowed and continued because we excuse the ignorance of others. Direct application of knowledge in this situation may prevent future outburst of racial uncomfortability. In other words, pull their card :-)

How would you deal?

Well, being a sportswriter in the lovely state of South Carolina (I can hear the snickers now), I understand that some simply don’t understand that minorities are gifted in more areas other than athletics and dance. Surely history has provided examples time and time again, however, such references aren’t mentioned as much as they should be in educational settings, and the lack of such makes minorities and non-minorities ignorant alike. How I deal is simply being aware of the fact that I am one of a gifted group of people that was blessed with the power of building pyramids, of helping to build America, and helping to sustain time-lasting traditions and being able to overcome any obstacle with the power of the mind. This knowledge will allow me to approach fields, go into venues that people feel I shouldn’t be.

It’s funny really, how people respond to minorities at golf clubs. Despite the overwhelming success of Eldrick “Tiger” Woods (who gets some blog love this week), minorities are somewhat still viewed as nothing more than an annoyance on a golf course, or rather, someone to carry your clubs. I’m not a racist by any stretch, friends, I’m only responding to what I see. Golf clubs are clearly not the only groups seeing non-minority status, of all the staff writers at my newspaper, I am the lone African-American, this in 2005.

Long story short, the best way I deal is by breaking down the doors in places where people feel I don’t belong. I deal by representing, no, over-representing, making my presence known in a positive manner, not only to show that I belong just like anyone else, but understanding that I’m an ambassador, one who’s blazing a trail because there will be more like me that’s “coming to dinner” like Sidney Poitier*.

Love you all,
The Good Doctor

Oh yeah, the poem "How I Prefer My Racism" will be out this week, and this week's blog on Tiger Woods will post on tomorrow.

*Poitier, not only a groundbreaking actor, also was in the movie called "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner", a movie about a black man dating a white woman who meets her parents. Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher fans may find similarities in their movie "Guess Who". Take care friends.

Response to What Happened to the Kings?

Hello all,

The question, made in reference to the Original Kings of Comedy tour, and why the four didn’t come together for a second tour:

Do you feel that prominent black entertainers should have a vested interest in their own community? Should prominent black entertainers disregard responsibilities to their own communities for the pursuit of commercial gain?

As I said yesterday, the significant gain of the tour wasn’t so much about monetary success; rather, it was about the issues brought up and the collective interest of a community inspired by the unprecedented endeavor.

Well, let’s look at the four and life after the Kings. Harvey and Hughley. have had moderate success: Harvey finished up his self-titled sitcom in 2002, followed by a career laden with BET MC work, while Hughley’s TV show fizzled out after a few seasons. D.L.’s starting up a new show on Comedy Central, Weekends at the D.L., that’s supposed to compete with Jon Stewart’s the Daily Show. Don’t think that’s happening folks…at any rate…

The Kings’ tour served as a launchpad for Cedric and Bernie Mac. Cedric’s rise seemed logical, being the most family-friendly of the four, Cedric’s antics seemed destined for TV and movie fame. The brash Bernie Mac’s success, however, was surprising for a guy who was most known for Def Comedy Jam acts, being Moesha’s uncle and playing Dollar Bill in “The Players Club”. Mac enjoyed a sitcom, as well as a number of movie roles, most recently playing alongside Punk’d star Ashton Kutcher in “Guess Who”, and Ced’s “Eddie” role in the Barbershop movies set him in a new echelon of actors.

The heart of the matter, however, is the attitudes of black entertainers. What happens to a lot of entertainers is that they become what we call ‘commercial’, meaning that their pursuit of money makes them 21st century editions of Steppin’ Fetchit, or makes them irresponsible primadonnas. I tend to use the term in reference to those who associate upward mobility with suburban life, looking to entertain the TRL group as opposed to the 106th and Park group, under the pretense that there is more money in those circles. That may be true, but it doesn't take away from the disappointment of seeing the BET Awards look like it's run by 5-year olds in comparison to MTV award shows, or seeing Cedric perform at venues like Florida State but not want to go to neighboring Florida A&M.

This is what hurts so much about the Kings not coming back for a second tour, what hurts when Mos Def and Talib Kweli don’t combine wonder twin powers and become Black Star again. It’s a flagrant disrespect to those who don’t respect the power of the Black dollar, those who don’t understand that, for better or for worse, we spend FAR MORE than any other race group. When the Kings don’t come back for a second tour, it’s invariably more painful then when Bill O’Reilly can make enough negative comments about hip-hop to make Pepsi cut Ludacris from their advertisement endeavors.

Well, in closing, I’d like to say there’s one person who didn’t forsake community, or the collective interest. It’s producer Spike Lee, (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490/), whose work has had ‘the collective interest’ in mind for almost two decades now. So everybody do the right thing out there. Love you all,

The Good Doctor

What Happened to the Kings?

Hello all,

I’m sure everyone remembers the Original Kings of Comedy, the stand-up concert movie featuring four prominent comics, namely, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac. Made in 2000, the comedy hit with the tagline “We Got Jokes” received nationwide laughs, but also dropped statements of racial relevance that made people sit up and think about real racial issues that are still prevalent in this country.

The reason why I’m presenting this topic today is because I, like others, wondered why the four never got together to do a second tour. I mean, certainly, the movie/tour didn’t suffer financial setback, and even found a prominent director to work on the actual film, one Sheldon Jackson Lee (Spike Lee, to all you homebodies). The Kings of Comedy tour, according to horizonmag.com, was the highest-grossing comedy tour in U.S. History.

That being said, a logical reason for the four not coming together for a second tour was the pursuit of expounding on the tour’s success. Logical, but in looking at the filmographies of the four (thanks IMDB.com), it seems that the success they’ve enjoyed is limited in comparison to the success of the tour. You’re welcome to check it out for yourself:

(in order of appearance *smile*, Harvey, Hughley, the Entertainer, Mac)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0367724/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0401018/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0147825/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005170/

I wanted to open up this question for conversation, and of course a next-day response:

Do you feel that prominent black entertainers should have a vested interest in their own community? Should prominent black entertainers disregard responsibilities to their own communities for the pursuit of commercial gain?

The heart of my actual discussion isn’t so much about the four not being responsible as far as actual contributions; certainly, the four are recognized and readily available for events such as the BET awards, and also give money to charity. Still, I want to look at why they didn’t do a second tour, and the significance of the first tour. Certainly, the significant gain of the tour wasn’t so much about monetary success; rather, it was about the issues brought up and the collective interest of a community inspired by the unprecedented endeavor. Love you all and see you tomorrow,

The Good Doctor

Show your love for the B.L.O.G. by posting comments here, or by leaving e-mails at blackloveonegrowth@yahoo.com. Anonymous comments aren’t appreciated here; leave a name so we know whom you are. Thanks and I love you all.

Response to What is (Y)Our Motivation?

Hey everybody,

I'm really sorry for not posting the blog on time. In the immediate future, I'm going to post topics by noon on Sunday, and post responses by noon on Monday. So there, that rectifies that situation...now to the blog, and the response to:

What is (Y)Our Motivation?

The question presented to everyone in our last blog was:

Is it faith, is it money, or is it just maintaining that sustains us? In essence, what is your motivation? And do you feel that your motivation is morally sound?

Speaking for myself, I feel the pressure of having faith, having money, and maintaining both to keep me going. In turn, the day-by-day hustle and bustle of trying to make it weighs on my desire to live like Christ, by saying that, I mean to have a relationship with Him on a daily basis. That being said, my ultimate desire and motivation is to live like Christ, because through Christ all things are possible. It's amazing how often I forget this when presented with obstacles and adversaries, knowing full well that God's will be done at all times. When I'm able to sit down and evaluate situations, however, it is ultimately this belief that stabilizes my whole being, and takes care of all those aspects.

That being said, it seems that we as Americans are misguided in our direction, our motivation, because it seems that we are all being lead on one big rat race, the huge paper chase. So often we are told to pursue things that will help us to gain more money as opposed to pursuing our dreams, and we are lesser people for it. What I'm saying is that in the pursuit of money, and ultimately more money, contentment is lost. As a result, we see useless wars being fought, and the rising of gas prices on almost a daily basis, because the world around us is greedy.

It's funny that we say in the pledge "one nation under God, indivisible", but yet we are one of the most divided, heathen countries on the planet. I'm looking at the news now and I see the state of affairs in Crawford, Texas...watching anti-war rallies, and watching those who support the war make their case with shotguns. Watching all who carry on in Crawford become pawns and ultimately ignorant to what's really going on. I was talking to my father, and he made a valid point: "Son, the truth is, those people protest because they don't understand what real war is." Not to say my father's in support of the war, he just understands the dynamic. He goes on to say that "if they started bombing in Texas, they'd be looking for revenge."

I say all of those things because in the pursuit of money, and the pursuit for what we feel is justice, we are terribly selfish. All willing to step over anyone for our greater good...but let me clean this up because I didn't mean for this to bring anyone down today, I just want to know your motivation.

Let's talk about St. Matthew. In the sixth chapter, he's speaking on what our motivation should be, or at least as people of God, or 'one nation under God', as it's so eloquently put in the pledge. It says to seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and everything will be added unto us. That's a very powerful thing, and something that keeps me at peace, friends.

Now, how did T.I. get himself into the blog, you ask? Because of his motivation. True, like Ma$e, and like some of us do, he calls out God, in fact, saying in the song "If God with me, who can be against me?", a valid point made by the rapper from Atlanta. The fruits of his motivation though, are found in the lyrics of the song, which are basically the upkeep of his Grand Hustle label, and his dying need to maintain his street credibility, to make sure that he is respected.

Basically, I dropped T.I.'s chorus to "Motivation" to serve as a contrast to Matthew, and to serve as a comparison to our own pursuits. Whatever should serve to drive us in this life shouldn't be so much about making money sometimes, so much about lining our pockets. I've seen those with gobs of money suffer the most indignity and embarrassment (namely, the Jackson family), and I see so many friends and brothers fall off in their pursuit for something so temporarily substantial as money. You know what a beautiful thing would be? To see strong numbers of people being to follow their dreams, to begin to really become serious about being one nation under God. Then, I believe, we would see a more fruitful country, a country that doesn't inspire the ire of so many foreign entities. Moreover, I feel that in such pursuits, we would find a little more peace of mind. Not saying that we shouldn't work, no, no, don't get it twisted, I'm merely saying don't let it be your guiding force. Concerning my motivation for the site, I need nothing more than my living on this Earth, and looking at what's wrong with things around me, and wanting to speak out on behalf of change. I love you all and that's something that won't change. Take care and continue to be blessed.

The Good Doctor

What Is (Y)Our Motivation?

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
--Matthew 6:21

Motivation
------ fakin' only gonna inspire (Motivation)
All yo hatin' is fuel to my fire (It's motivation)
------ plottin' on the crown soft droppin' (It's motivation)
Hey but I ain't slowin' down and I ain't stoppin' (Motivation)
Now ----- don't stop my show (Motivation)
You ain't know I don't stop, I go (It's motivation)
Sucka ------ can't make me suffer
Just make me stronger and make me tougher (It's motivation)
--Chorus from T.I.’s ‘Motivation’

Hello all,

Wow, now there’s a controversial way to start out a blog!! I’m sure the lot of you will leave comments wondering how I could start out a blog with a Biblical scripture, as well as a hook from a popular rap song. Well, it’s funny that I would open up today’s blog as such, because our motivation, or motivating factors that drive us vary from the moral to the downright obscene at times…and today, that amongst other things dealing with motivation are going to precede today’s blog topic, that of course will be addressed on tomorrow.

First things first, I suppose I should tell you all what motivates me, and what motivates me to do this site. Cynics will say that those very ideas were presented in posts one and two, but forget ya’ll. I’m never ashamed to say that this site is ultimately directed by my faith in Christ, and that he died for us. This site is also directed by a desire to be relevant, to present topics that deal with real-world issues. Some associate real-world issues with the war in Iraq, high gas prices, lack of education, etc. At times, however, our personal lives, and this site in turn will address more personal matters, such as what motivates us, and other topics of more social/personal concern. (And we’ll do our best here to not conjure images of past Geraldo or Ricki Lake.) At any rate, because of our desire to be relevant, as well as versatile, we’ll be addressing general, world-based topics, as well as things that might hit a little closer to home. So keep us in your favorite places, no doubt.

A friend and I were talking about M-A-dollar sign-E last night, that’s right, Rap’s Mister Rogers Ma$e. Most of you recall that Ma$e, nee Mason Betha, took a hiatus from rap to take up the ministry, actually going on to lead a nondenominational congregation called S.A.N.E. Church in Atlanta, where he serves as head pastor.

Ma$e’s return to hip-hop/rap was interesting enough, and his return single ‘Welcome Back’ inspired hip-hop and contemporary gospel enthusiasts alike. It seemed at the time that Ma$e’s intention to bridge the gap between the two forms of music was a genuine goal of his. In talking to this friend, and through research of my own, it seems that Ma$e is in talks with joining G-Unit, certainly a group that represents anti-Christian ideals such as materialism and violence. My viewpoint on what may be Betha’s decision to join G-Unit isn’t a judgmental one; rather, I’m simply asking whether his motivation is to advance the kingdom of God or to advance the lining of his pockets.

Ultimately, I feel that everyone’s motivation is to be fruitful, to be successful. The measures of that success, and how we strive for that success is the question I present to everyone today:

Is it faith, is it money, or is it just maintaining that sustains us? In essence, what is your motivation? And do you feel that your motivation is morally sound?

Again, I’ll post a response to this topic on tomorrow. In addition, I’ll post what I feel our motivation is, rather has been presented to us as African-Americans, and as Americans. In fact, I feel that it is such misguided motivation that has African-Americans, no, Americans, in such precarious straits. Oh yeah, and maybe I’ll get to why I started out the blog with St. Matthew, and T.I., of all people. I love you all and can’t wait to hear from you, and for you all to see my response. Take care and be blessed.

The Good Doctor

Thanks to Christianitytoday.com and ChristianMusic.com for information on Mason Betha. Show your love for the B.L.O.G. by posting comments here, or by leaving e-mails at blackloveonegrowth@yahoo.com. Anonymous comments aren’t appreciated here, leave a name so we know whom you are. Thanks and I love you all.

Response to Polar Opposites...

In the last post (8/8/05), this question was posed:

Does the solution for racial equality and racial upbringing fall on the singularity of one man’s dream/goal, or is that solution found in the fusion, or combining of key concepts from each man’s ideals?

Personally, I feel that such a solution depends on the fusion or combining of key concepts from multiple sets of ideals.

Gaining multiple views is something that coincides with any major endeavor that involves the uplifting of people. For one, incorporating everyone is powerful simply because it shows that everyone has a vested interest in that endeavor, and that major issues aren’t pending on one person or a few people’s manpower. Aside from that, because of biases that exist with every one of us, it is important to not have the fate of a race or group of people invariably affected by a single person’s bias.

It is important to understand, however, that it is important while fusing or combining key concepts that everyone has the SAME GOAL IN MIND. It is fruitless to combine or fuse ideas if the same goal isn’t in mind. Now, let’s address the ‘polar opposites’ directly…

Concerning WEB and BTW, much progress could’ve been made in the combining of focusing on hard work and financial structuring, while also understanding the importance of being treated equal in the pursuit of such monetary gain. This conflict also opens the classic debate of idealism vs. realism, focusing on the importance of following your ambitions, dreams, and what you want society to be like against the realistic aspect of not being able to follow such aspirations because of the need to be secure financially (or, like most of us, just trying to make it from check to check)

In the case of MLK and Malcolm, the latter during his later stages of life saw the importance of not driving a resistance with hate; after his return from the Mecca, X opened an invitation with all civil rights leaders legitimately wanting to work towards that cause. Had such an invitation been issued earlier in the civil rights movement, there is no telling how many more advancements may have been made in that period of time.

Even looking at such a simple thing as the dynamics of a comic book, we see the frustration(s) of Professor X and Magneto looking to advance their group of people with their singular philosophies. Throughout the evolution of the series, we see the 2 work together towards the betterment of mutantkind, and even when the 2 are in duress, they have an internal respect for another, ultimately understanding that the answer to their similar cause may not be with one or the other, but rather with a fusion of key ideals with the both of them.

This brings us now to Mike Dyson and Bill Cosby. What I intend to do with Dyson and Cosby, as opposed to with the other comparisons; I intend to address the pros and cons of each person’s philosophy.

We’ll go with the comedian first. It’s refreshing to see Cosby have a vested interest in civil rights and the ‘black state of affairs’ after keeping a seemingly safe distance from such conversation in the long running series ‘the Cosby show’. It’s even more refreshing to see him touring nationwide to address such issues. What’s disheartening is that Cosby’s views are addressing lower-class blacks; in fact, he addresses very little else. In addressing what I like to call ‘negro-syncracies’, Cosby focuses on conditions of living where there is lower financial circulation, and takes some ill-advised shots at neo-afrocentric names, and the lack of emphasis on education. Cosby should be commended on addressing the lack of emphasis on education, as well as the lack of black representation at the voting booth; however, his limited look at the black community should come with some opposition.

Dyson’s views; more specifically, his book Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has The Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? addresses the lack of accountability for Cosby and those of the same economical class. Dyson, as an intellectual would and should, breaks down and pinpoints, in essence, how those that have more should do more. With this point, Dyson brings up what is a biblical truth; in turn, he calls out himself as well as other black intellectuals like Cornel West. My fault with Dyson is that it is infinitely easier to call out Mr. Cosby in a book as opposed to financing a tour to correct the wrongs of America against African-Americans. In fact, I liken Dyson’s endeavors to that of putting on a pair of shoes and walking. Words, in reference to actions, are like putting on a pair of shoes and the eloquence of those words are like tying those shoes really, REALLY tight. The power of action, or in this case, with the shoe…is actually taking positive steps, simply moving forward.

Now, to bring this back to my original opinion. If the two were to combine key concepts, we would see an intellectual movement that would actually take shape, a tour of prominent black minds and black figures working towards the singular cause of continued civil rights and black movement.

In close, I would like to wish blessings and condolences to journalists and those who aspired in journalistic endeavors during their lifespan. Recent tragedies includes the passing of Peter Jennings, Ebony magazine founder John H. Johnson , and, though his passing was a while ago, a great writer that I look up to even now, Ralph Wiley. Take care you all, and always love,

The Good Doctor

Polar Opposites, Similar Causes

Hello All,

Well, once again I’d like to welcome you all to Black Love One Growth (unless this is the 3rd post for some of you, you guys are at home now). Finally, finally, I’m ready to post the first topic at this illustrious site, that topic being called:

Polar Opposites, Similar Causes

Throughout history, at times two prominent figures will stand for the same cause (in our case, civil rights), but invariably have different means of reaching that goal. Such examples include the ‘conservative’ Booker T. Washington, in comparison with the ‘radical’ W.E.B. DuBois. BTW’s philosophy was one of achieving empowerment through hard work and material gain, focusing on that as a key goal as opposed to direct conflict with the discriminatory system of the day, while WEB focused on opposing that system through activism (DuBois was the founder of the NAACP), and developing educated blacks into what he called the Talented Tenth. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X also served as polar opposites during a time of the civil rights movement. MLK looked to achieve racial equality through a passive, non-violent resistance, while X looked to achieve that same equality through ‘any means necessary’. As far as polar opposites, we’ve seen art imitate this same phenomenon; through Marvel Comics’ X-Men series, we see similarities in the Martin/Malcolm dynamic through Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Magneto, one looking at a peaceful co-existence, while the other looks to establish the superiority of his race.

More recently, the polar opposites idea has shown up in recent debates between Michael Eric Dyson, and one William Henry Cosby. Cosby has more recently taken the offensive in talks about the state of black America; looking at the lower class of Afro-Americans and doing nothing short of teeing off; addressing topics such as pop culture, conditions of living, even neo-afrocentrities such as what people name their kids. Cosby says that his strong views are made in love, and are made with the attempt of improving black America. Dyson, and others, see Cosby’s views as nothing short of ‘picking on the little guy’, and ‘attacking the defenseless’. Dyson’s book, Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has The Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? addresses Cosby and what he calls the black afristocracy, namely addressing those blacks of privilege and asking them why aren’t they held accountable for their lack of action in the black community.

Now, the reason for bringing up these polar opposites is to ask this question, which will invariably lead to others, of course…but this is the question that I will post an answer to on tomorrow, and what I would LOVE FOR YOU ALL to comment on:

Does the solution for racial equality and racial upbringing fall on the singularity of one man’s dream/goal, or is that solution found in the fusion, or combining of key concepts from each man’s ideals?

This is what I pose to you, and will answer to the best of my ability in a post on tomorrow. Take care all and always love,

The Good Doctor

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blackloveonegrowth@yahoo.com
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Breaking down the B.L.O.G.

Hello all,

Sorry for posting the blog so late…it’s about 3:20 PM eastern time. As promised, this blog will chronicle the specifics of the site and other little intricacies. First off, I’m going to answer a question that I’ve been asked a number of times in opening up B.L.O.G., and that question is:

What is a blog?

Well, Merriam-Webster Online states that a blog (short for weblog) is a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.

That’s exactly what Black Love One Growth is…it’s an avenue for yours truly (and future moderators) to express ourselves on relevant topics. Concerning the frequency of those topics…they will be posted every week, and addressed during that same period of time. Hopefully I’ll be able to gain 2 or 3 in-depth posts in addition to my weekly post, so that you guys just don’t see my perspective all the time (but that wouldn’t be so bad, ha? :-P). In addition, I’ll also post 1-2 sports reports a week, and a few poems that I write from time to time. Yes, there will be a lot going on in this little space called BLOG.

Another question that was asked was how I came up with the name ‘Black Love, One Growth’.

Concerning the name, my intention was not to create an inclusive atmosphere by implying that this would be a ‘black site’; certainly, that would limit the growth aspect of this website, as well as its relevance. I will say that the bulk of the topics and how they are addressed will be from a black male, meaning that my responses will be true to life in how they are relevant to Afro-Americans, and seen through a black man’s eyes. In addition, I feel that there are a number of problems that can be frequently addressed through such venues as these, and in working out problems with the black community, the newfound knowledge and unity can be used in the uplifting of the human race as a whole. Invariably, there will be a bias, but not so much of one that I won’t be able to see and receive feedback from those of you taking a vested interest in the site. I find that, concerning race relations, as well as other pertinent issues of this day, one of the central problems I find with the average Joe or Jane is that they are terribly misinformed. The power of this site is to give information to those that are willing to hear it, and also to hear feedback so that we know how you feel about the world around you, as well as a buffer to see if what is said on this site is truly of substance and validity. That being said, I invite one and all to the Black Love One Growth website.

For those of you that read the first post, you may recall that it started out with some verses from the 2nd chapter of 2nd Timothy. I was inspired to read this passage in-depth, ironically enough on my 22nd birthday, and on the eve of the development of this site. I find that piece of scripture to be significant because it was one of the last letters Timothy received from his mentor Paul, and the scripture serves as a template and direction to what he would expect and how he should conduct himself as a soldier of Christ. Being a representative of that same faith, I looked at 2 Tim. 2 as a foundation for things to come.

Well, I hope that the aforementioned cleared up a lot for you guys, and I hope to see you guys here on Monday when the first topic is presented and addressed. Always love,

The Good Doctor

P.S. For the person who left the comment about thinking of 100 random facts about myself, I got to 43. Hopefully I’ll come up with another 57 by the end of the week :-)