You A Coward

Permit me, a overly Caucasian miss to adapt as best as I can the speech pattern of the inner city to address some of its youth.

*clears throat*

Whatever you done think about yourself, one thing is true, you ain't as hard as you think you is. This game y'all playing called "Knockout" tells me you a coward and weak. You ain't doin nothin but sucker punchin. That right there makes you the sucker. Yeah, I said it. I hear y'all sayin the reason you play this so called game cuz you bored. That makes you weak. You don't use the brain God done gave you. There so much to do in the world, but you don't try any of it because it takes hard work. Ain't no one holdin you down but you, boo.

*shakes head*

I don't think I came close. I am just too darn white.

You live in America. We are all born equal. Just some of us have to work harder to obtain greatness. I refuse to take 'boredom' as an excuse. How can you be bored? Boredom is caused by a small brain. A brain that refuses to grow. There is always something out there to learn, to explore, to conquer. Learn how to play the drums. Learn how to write computer code. Volunteer at a VA home and learn about history & war from someone who lived it. Spend time with your family. Boring I know, but there will be times that they will be the only ones in the world that have your back. 

Yes, I'm calling you out. I've read my history. I know the struggles that black people have had in the last 150 years. Not that I've had them happen to be personally. History has told me that a man by the name of Frederick Douglass was born a slave and die with a name & a voice. His life wasn't easy, he wasn't considered human as a slave. That didn't stop him. What's stopping you?

The Art of Tipping for Church Goers

It breaks my heart to see in the news that people who go church on Sundays (maybe even on Wednesday) leave notes on their bills stating ridiculous reasons why they didn't leave a tip. The latest one, had to do with a former Marine who happened to be gay. This infuriates me to no end. I despise bad tippers in the first place. To not leave a tip because of some 'moral' code? That's just wrong.

Here are the pro tip for tipping:

If you go to a restaurant to eat and there is a server that takes your order and brings you said order. You tip them.

Hard concept, I know. 

Now, I'm not 100% sure that the family in this story goes to church or not. If they do, they need to get right with God. I'm not a great theologian by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know that God judges us by our hearts. If we, as Christians, continue to short change people like this, it will do two things. 1) Show that we thinks more of a lawful nature than we do people. (Read Jesus' lifeline once. Which did he care about more?) 2) It closes any door we might have had to share the gift of salvation that we are commanded to do. Why would I want to follow a God who's followers treat me like scum? 

I know I will be attacked for my faith. I was warned about it. Its in the Bible and everything! I want to be attacked because I don't follow the rules of the world, not because I treated someone as a 'less than'. Every time I hear that's how people believe Christians act, it breaks my heart. Jesus came for the broken, for the sick, for the 'less thans'. We are to be like Jesus. I treat people how I want to be treated. 

So I guess what I'm trying to say here, if you are Christian and you go out to the world, check the plank in your eye before you go after the speck of dust in someone else's eye.

12 Years After

This past July I had the chance to visit the 9/11 Memorial in NYC. I saw the pools. Don't get me wrong, they were nice, but they didn't tell a story. Close by the memorial site is Engine 10. Engine 10 were the first responders. They are literally in throwing distance of were the towers stood. Outside of Engine 10, a man shows up every day to make sure that people know the what really happened that day. He witnessed it. He doesn't get paid to do this. He does it because he truly wants everyone that walks through to NEVER FORGET. 

I'm not a big picture taker, but I took two pictures outside of Engine 10 because they struck a cord with me. 

This is the beginning of a wooden mural that runs on the side of Engine 10. The sadness, the exhaustion, the dedication are all capture in this one piece of the mural.

I took this one because pictures of the faces speak louder to me than names on a memorial. Looking into the eyes of those who sacrificed all to help their fellow man bring me to tears than any man made pool.

After Engine 10, I had a chance to visit the 9/11 museum. They have a TV towards the back that plays people personal stories of that day. One father lost both of his sons that day. One was a firefighter, the other a police officer. The father is sad, but not to the point of hate that his sons died. (Time might have played a part in that). When he speaks of them, he speaks more from the perspective of pride. He was happy that his sons were selfless when it came to saving people. 

I leave with two more pictures. Both are from the memorial. The first is a piece of World Trade Center steel. You can see how twisted the steel became.

The second one, the New York skyline sculpted from WTC steel. 

I hope and pray that we never forget how on September 11, 2001, and the days that followed, we as Americans came together and show a unity that we quickly throw away at times. 

Hand Over Your Man Card

The shooting death of Chris Lane and the beating death of the Delbert Belton  (World War II vet) this week done by "bored" male teenagers got me thinking about some things in this culture.

#1 ~ When I was bored as a teenager, my friends and I would play basketball or football. Sometimes, when we were alone, we would listen music or watch TV. Most scandalous of all, if we got bored, we got jobs. The nerve of of us, I know.

#2 ~ I grew up in a rural/redneck type culture. If you fought someone, it was one on one. That was the man way of fighting. If you ganged up on someone, you were considered a coward. Don't get me wrong, your friends would be there at the fight, but would only step in to save you if you were losing.

Now, that you're more on my wavelength, I can continue with my thought. If you need a buddy to help you beat up an 88 year old man, YOU ARE NOT A MAN. 

Hand over your man card.

If you need two of your 'homies' (I'm not using the other word) to help you shoot a man. YOU ARE NOT A MAN.

Hand over your man card.

If you do either one of these despicable things, no matter what the group around you says, YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT A MAN!!

Hand over your man card NOW!

Don't worry. I'll keep it safe. There's a chance that you can earn it back. There are rules. Things like getting a job, staying out of trouble, wearing your pants OVER your pants. 

Good luck!

My #SGS13 Review

First of all, I want to thank Stacy Mott, Teri Christoph, and the rest of the Smart Girls for putting on a wonderful conference. I know there was probably a lot of bumps behind the scenes, but you all made it look smooth. Also, thank you for the extras you had this year. I hope we can do gun ranges more often! 

This was my second Smart Girl Summit and it won't be my last. I met so many inspiring and powerful women in 2012 that I had to come to the 2013 one. One of the things that I loved, was that this was a first conference for a good percentage of the women that attended. Another thing that I liked about this year, the bloggers were in the same room as the speakers. Makes it easier to talk to my friends. The food, mainly, the banquet dinner. You can't leave with an empty stomach. Steak & asparagus? Yes, please! 

One of my favorite highlights of the weekend, happened during the Q&A portion of the panel about "Minority Outreach". A star was born! Her name: Cecilia Johnson. Remember that name. She is from Kansas City and heads a group of "Hood Cons". As much as I would love to say she's shy, I can't. Keep an eye out for her. I have a feeling this weekend was just a launching pad for her.

The other highlight, The Sausage Cookie Showdown. I was asked to bring a couple dozen to the summit by the one they are named after. Little did I know, someone else was going to bring their own cookies. Mine were your run of the mill type chocolate maple sausage cookie. (I'm told they tasted like devil's food cake) His were called 'gourmet' sausage cookie. He used chorizo and cayenne pepper. (They had a bit of a kick) 

I learn more every year about activism, politics, and how big of an impact each one of us can have. I can't wait for SGS14. They never disappoint. I love the speakers. I love the panels. So full of information and they're willing to share and to help. This will be an annual conference for me.

Presidents Say The Darnedest Things!

How well do you know the US Presidents? Here are 20 quotes to quiz you. 
For true trivia lovers, get a pen & paper and grade yourselves 

1. There are plenty of recommendations on how to get out of trouble cheaply and fast. Most of them come down to this: Deny your responsibility. 

2. Social equality is not a subject to be legislated upon, nor shall I ask that anything be done to advance the social status of the colored man.

3. I have not been able to think out any solution to the terrible problem offered by the presence of the Negro on this continent... he is here and can neither be killed nor driven away.

4. Negroes are excited by a freedom they don't understand and are not equipped to handle the demands and privileges of citizenship.

5. May God save the country, for it is evident that the people will not.

6. I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.

7. If the American people don't love me, their descendants will.

8. Three things ruin a man: power, money, and women.

9. In the matter of Chinese and Japanese coolie immigration, I stand for the national policy of exclusion... We cannot make a homogeneous population of people who not blend with the Caucasian race.

10. If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

11. Thanks for the poncho. (upon given the national flag of a country he was visiting)

12. Unemployment insurance is a pre-paid vacation plan for freeloaders.

13.  I think that's self-evident, but not true.

14. Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

15. Let me give you a little serious political advice. One single word. Puppies. Worth the points.

16. If being a conservative means turning back the clock; denying problems that exist, then I'm no conservative.

17. I'm not interested in the suburbs. The suburbs bore me.

POTUS Last Words 

18. That's very obvious.

19. Is it the Fourth? I resign my spirit to God, my daughter to my country.

20. I have tried so hard to do right.


Let's see how well you did...

ANSWERS:

1. Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
2. Ulysses S. Grant (R)
3. Theodore Roosevelt (R)
4. Woodrow Wilson (D)
5. Millard Fillmore (Whig)
6. Abraham Lincoln (R)
7. Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
8. Harry S Truman (D)
9. Woodrow Wilson (D)
10. Abraham Lincoln (R)
11. Bill Clinton (D)
12. Ronald Reagan (R)
13. Bill Clinton (D)
14. John F. Kennedy (D)
15. George H. W. Bush (R)
16. Richard Nixon (R)
17. Barack Obama (D)
18. John F. Kennedy (D)
19. Thomas Jefferson (DR)
20. Grover Cleveland (D)

If you got all 20 right, let me know! I'll figure out some prize.
If you had 15 or more, well done. Your history teacher would be proud.
If you had 10 - 14, be proud. You are smarter than most Americans.
If you got 4-9, you paid attention to internet memes!
The rest of you, can I interest you in some exciting products from Amway?

Thoughts of the Weekend

Last night, after watching the Zimmerman verdict read live on air, then reading Twitter for the responses. Wow. It was definitely eye opening. Crowds of people blood thirsty. Threats of killing innocent ruled the interwebs.

I saw tweets about killing all the whites in America. A few others saying they were going to shoot Mexicans. HUH?

I don't think these people even followed the case. They only heard the headlines that mainstream media wanted them to hear. They made it all about race. Showed Martin in the most angelic light they could. (In reality, no teenager is angel. Sorry, facts are facts on that one)

Zimmerman didn't kill Martin because he was black. Nor did he follow him because of his skin color. This all started because someone was somewhere they didn't belong at night acting suspicious. 

Back to my original thought, this weekend, I have been called & accused of being racist (amongst other things). Do I see race? Yes, I'm human. To say otherwise makes you a liar. Do I judge you because of your race? No. The only time I'm concerned about the color of your skin is if its blue. That's usually an indication of not enough oxygen in your blood & you need medical attention STAT!

I have also found that most people who call racism are the most racist of them all.

That's it. That is all I wanted to say. You want more, too bad. Its Sunday, my day of rest. God bless you all.