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I've been trying to ignore Republican presidential candidate, Ben Carson, in the hope that he would go away, once people discerned that he's more suited to be a cult leader rather than a world one. No such luck. I underestimated the vindictiveness of those who hate the Media and love the Bible. I learned a lesson about blind faith and arrogant science and how they neutralize each other, leaving the truth in limbo, and conflict in command. I personally reject everything Carson represents: his fanatical Evangelical beliefs, his right-wing Conservative politics, his blatant racial naivete and his anti-feminism, but I am discovering how presumptuous I was to think my sentiments mattered. I concede that the media is not perfect and, yes, I've become impatient with political correctness, but the idea that Ben Carson is an effective anti-dote for these irritants does not square with me. I am not mesmerized by his soft-spoken manner or his surgical feats. Because he does not raise his voice, does not mean that what he murmurs has credibility. Because he has deft hands, does not mean that he has a nimble intellect. The more his squinting eyes and forked tongue possess his persona and reinforce his whining victimization, the more convinced I am that this man is not fit to be the President of the United States. Ben Carson and his inexperience might be a man who appeals to the fed-up people, but that's what troubles me. The petulant, fed-up people whom he appeals to have lost their appetite for tolerance, miffed because they cannot impose their narrow-minded beliefs on others. We need a unifier, not someone who promotes the divisiveness of religion. Most of all, we need a qualified person who is knowledgeable about world affairs and domestic economics, not an amateur with a Messianic Complex. And, as a black person, there is no way in hell that I could vote for a negro who declared that black people have been doing well over the past 150 years, grateful for what they have, and should not be stirred up and encouraged to demonstrate for equality. Meekly accepting second-class status is apparently what would make Uncle Ben grin and shuffle, while not rocking the boat. IMO, Ben Carson is a wanna-be whose Tea Party I don't want to be invited to, and he leaves me no choice but to throw my loyalty to a woman candidate. I'll take a super bitch over a subdued bozo!

My post was an opinion piece. I'd be interested in hearing an opinion from someone who supports Carson. Another interesting thought is what if Trump and Sanders decided to team up on an Independent ticket, promising that, together, they could fix America, what would happen??? If there was some give and take on each other's part, - who knows???

Hello everyone! I'm JonRenee', author of Poetic Lyric Verse 1 A contemporary style of poetry with narrative poems with an infusion of songwriting lyrics! Check out my "About The Author Page" on Amazon.com/author/jonrenee Thanks for your time and support! The Color of Love.docx

That book club has a nice looking little site and they are using Amazon Associates. Book clubs have to do a better job of connecting the dots. All they are missing is Adsense, but I'm sure you'll remind them of that or maybe they are reading this and will push forward turning their site into a hub for dialogue. That's why I offered to pay for that domain. I know doggone well, if you do that for multiple authors that will be a serious expense. It's definitely a good idea though.. I have to do the same as you. I have a number of sites I started for people who just couldn't get it started and I don't want to pay for those either. There should be an option in the hosting service to bill another person after signing up. I can't wait for you to read my latest book. I have a chapter titled "Get Your Ass Off of Social Media Like That" . You can tell what that will deal with. This new book is my I'm fed up with it all book. Here is the page: http://www.cbpublish.com/cbp-online-shop/f-k-speeches-inspiration-where-do-i-get-the-money-to-start/

This is the repost of my poem. Thanks Troy! Life’s Candle I saw a candle lit today, long and strong created from clay. Hot molten wax, no life in sight, cooled to perfection and shaped just right. Strong and slender, the wick took form, the flame its beginning, a new thing is born. A new breath inhaled, the candle—it cries. An old breath exhaled, the candle—it dies. The success of the flame is the endurance of man, it flickers and flutters, so grand does it stand. While melting and bending, it fears the wind’s gust. Life is a mystery with no one to trust. The burning of the wick shows a life endured. The melting of the wax shows a death assured. No air to breathe, the candle cease to be— the flame gone out, I turn to Thee. Shirley G. Perry-Church, 1993

I agree about engaging each other, that is a loss. I don't agree on the focus on video. I'm using a white board in my videos and they are more like lectures where you can take notes. I think it's all in the way you look at how the content is presented. I've got an average viewing time of 3-4 minutes which is longer than many people will stay and read my site. That's a good thing. Consider this, our culture's addiction to video stems from books. Most successful tv shows/movies were either books or graphic novels so the focus on video and images is actually keeping the book industry afloat in some instances. It's all about perspective. I'm sure you could say for "other" books not for Black books, but I'm looking at the overall industry of video not just youtube vids. YouTube is an excellent place for content and I think the idea of focusing on the perceived loss of brain cells, is the wrong way to approach this. Had I launched a YouTube when I ran my CCB sports site, I'd probably still be running that website. It was a huge mistake on my part. All of the content you have on books is perfect fodder for a video show. The more content you have the more it shows up in search and it enhances the site and creates another option for selling ads and marketing.

Well, Unkel Ruckus, Obama wasn't an untested politician. He ran for Congress once, and was a U.S. Senator before being elected to the Presidency (twice). His policies may be controversial but they were in the context of a global awareness; not in the sphere of theocratic myths. Moreover, voting for him could be regarded as a teachable moment for people who think Obama was a bad president; don't make the same mistake twice by electing another clueless black president which is what Carson would be.

Hi Troy, here you go again. I just visited this website. I am all over this. Thanks to you, I am knocking on a lot of doors. I am busy, busy, busy. My hubby writes inspirational quotes on strips of paper to me every morning and leaves them on the computer. He is always there for me when I get a little downhearted. I would like to share some with you, our members, and guests: "The only thing that stands between a person and what he or she wants in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it possible." --Author unknown "Dear Past, thank you for your lessons. Dear Future, I'm ready. Dear God, thank You for giving me another chance." --Author unknown "Make mistakes, take chances, be silly, be imperfect, trust yourself, and follow your heart." --Author unknown "If you want to reach the stars, you must learn to stand on your toes." --Shirley Perry-Church God bless your efforts! .

Hi, Troy and thanks for the accolades, advice, and adding my book to your upcoming website . I will repost my poem as suggested shortly. Hi CDBurns, my ISBN was generated via CreateSpace. They have several distribution opportunities at which you can pick and choose. Right now it's exclusive to amazon and amazon uk for the next 6-8 weeks and then available to all offline and online distributors, including B&N. As far as libraries, I've opted out of libraries but can always go back and select it as another outlet when I'm ready. I figure I will wait until my book gets a little older and going into my second book. The Color of Love My heart is open. I am fully receptive. I am ready for what could be, Between you and me. The good vs. the bad. The happy vs. the sad. The joy vs. the pain. The craziness of the insane. I know you seen me naked… But not naked spiritually. I’m willing to bare all. No matter how big, No matter how small. I’m ready to weather the storm. Together we can defeat. No matter what may come our way, Whether hatred or deceit. To captivate the world. To overlook our flaws. To grow together, Whether we walk or some days crawl. Or standing over the cliffs of life. Breaking each other’s stumble, Breaking each other’s fall. Together we are a team. We don’t give up. We don’t quit. Remembering our roots, Humbling us at the seams. Our Grandmother’s words, Quilted in our dreams. Love has become us. Like the sun that shines… “The Color of Love.” Over everything, Over everyone, Regardless of our past, Regardless of our short comings. The light is our guide, Without it we would die. From God we can’t hide, Punishing our pride. Setting a perfect imperfect example Adored by the Angels up high.

I can dig you wanting to maintain your privacy, wc edwards. People who want to share every aspect of their life and appearance, hang out on FaceBook, not discussion forums. Your book mobile idea has possibilities. But I wonder whether there is anything that will turn non readers into readers. I've always suspected that readers are born not made. Reading is a personality trait. All children are exposed to the stimuli of words in books but by 4th grade, the wheat is separated from the chaff. Some anthropologists have even suggested that there is an element, who if not taught to read, would teach themselves to do so. Those who can read, do; those who can't, don't. Those who can read with comprehension gravitate toward books; those who just recognize words, don't. The argument is made that the way to stimulate an interest in reading among young people is to supply them with matter to which they can relate. Hopefully that will be the gateway to reading books. But, just reading what you relate to does not expand your mind, it limits it. Curiosity about a broad specturm of subjects is what defines the good reader. And curiosity is also a personality trait. IMO I'm long past being in my mid-fifties and I am disillusioned about the future of the black underclass and its non reading kids. Its members seem trapped in a visual culture that perpetuates itself. What's troubling is that it's a "ratchet" culture that they revel in. They love the bling and the drama and the violence, and they breed indiscriminately. The fact that they are emulalting the cult of celebrity is even more discouraging. I've reached the point where I've given up. This world is beyond reform. It is evolving to a point where reform may be regression. My day has passed.

Well, wc, I'm certainly not into Christianity or religion, myself, and would agree that much of it is a "cobbling together" of fables and myths. Which is why biblical charcters patterned after gods makes such good comic book superheroes. They lend themselves to simple morality stories where good triumphs over evil. Moreover, comic book dialogue is quick and simple and a painless way to introduce locked up black males to reading as a means of acquiring knowledge. These illustrated magazines could also serve as a gateway to books. The burgeoning popularity of animated movies seem to reinforce the idea that cartoons that don't tax their brains too much are a relaxing form of entertainment for the masses. As has been said, nobody would ever go broke underestimating the taste of the American public. I was a great fan of "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy but in retrospect when I view these movies on TV reruns, I find them a tad ludicrous. Why, I don't know. Golub was certainly amusing; false and trixy. When Boromir is playing out his death scene in the arms of Aragon, he pays homage to Aragon as his king and expresses a kinship with him as the leader who will save "our people". I always viewed that subliminal statement with a jaundiced eye. It was not so much the context of the story as it was in the life and times of the author, Tolkien. I am much more into "Game of Thrones" with its exquisitely evil villains and sensually-correct heroes and damsels. Who needs a wide-eyed Hobbit named Frodo when you can have a horny dwarf named Tyrion. Love was never truer than when it involves incestuous twins, leaders never more disposable than when they are indiscriminately slain, not to mention fire-breathing dragons with idle time on their hands, all of which contribute to the multi-faceted plot of this saga about power hungry people seeking to rule supreme. Life imitating art. I reviewed a book a couple of years ago entitled "The Savion Sequence" written by D. Amari Jackson. This book was reminiscent of Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" but with an Afro-centric slant. The whole premise of its story was that the original Egyptians were black. Now, if we could just convince the present day Arabs calling themselves Egyptians of this. Black people may not be esteemed but they are ubiquitous. I understand there are black Mexicans as well as black Koreans. These minorites are well-kept secrets existing under the radar in these countries, leading second class lives. Can we assume since the first humans were the Blacks of Mother Africa, and all the other races were mutations of the Negorid stock that, like rebellious children, have forsaken their parents, dismissing them as being out of touch... I don't guess I need to tell you that in the course of your stream of conscious dissertations you come across as conflicted about not only your racial indentity but your racial affinity. To call you an elitist would not be an insult in my book. But, as such, you do leave yourself open to frustration because the average person is not sophisticated enough to understand the dynamics of your angst or the importance of your goals.

Hi, Cynique and Troy--wanted to reply to each post individually but couldn't find the way to do it. So Cynique first. Yes, I've heard that some of the slaves were Moors, Muslim Moors and could read and write. I've got a book on Spain with Medieval paintings that depict these African Muslims. I remember this awful snobbish but smart critic (when it comes to wordplay) John Simon being so ignorant about casting a black in the role of Othello. He thought Moors were only Arabs and a black man shouldn't be cast. That and his awful rabid dislike and demeaning of Barbara Streisand (he considers her terribly ugly) are two things I remember most about him. I didn't even know there were blacks in Irag until a few months ago. It maybe the Arab world's biggest secret? I'm agnostic, I must tell you, very skeptical, not quite an atheist however. Chick comics is also an interesting use of the comic strip method. Of course the art was pretty basic in some of them. Without fuss or fanfare, Chick will always turn up somewhere. On the bus on an empty seat, in thriftstore's used books, I have a few of them, there are a great way to communicate basic facts, history or ideas--these little pamphlets. Well, I wish your son luck in his good works and efforts to inspire people, though I think prisoners need to read not just the Bible. There is an interesting mix of paganism and Christianity in Africa that's very strange to me. A Jewish author wrote an interesting book showing how much of the Old Testament Bible is really Egyptian mythology and history. Hi, Troy, I once went to an Afrocentic meeting, only one time I'm sorry to say--I don't know if you know the gentlemen that ran a black store down here in Broward County--I think a Mr. Harrison, a nice, fine gentleman, on Broward Blvd? I'm too much of an individualist for group think-- to be part of any culture it may be necessary to have a group mind set to have a certain level of unity and strength but that's not for me. I did find the ceremony or moment to acknowledge our ancestors very moving. I think I pissed him off though when he held a library event to discuss some Afrocentric matters and I contradicted him with an opposing view. He used Caesar’s claim that the Druids or Northern Europeans practiced cannibalism, if I'm not misrepresenting what he said, it might be a decade now since, and I quoted a Roman saying that Northern Europeans were inferior to Romans because they lived in the cold regions and the Romans lived in an ideal climate and so were superior. I said if the Romans could denigrate other whites they were attempting to subjugate why should we take Caesar’s word for it. Maybe it was Roman propaganda, wasn't it the same way the colonists described natives of Africa and America. I used go to his bookstore looking for the latest Ivan Van Sertima books. I felt sorry that i might've offended him or embarrassed him in front of the white librarian and a friend of mine. It was just three people, the white Librarian, me, my friend a black woman. Nobody else showed up. That's the thing, the people that should've showed up didn't. I don't think I saw many young people at the meeting where we started out by remembering the ancestors. Well, as you say, maybe now that these are harder times people might join in more. It was many, many years ago. I read Stolen Legacy but I don't believe that it was theft but that the Ancient Greeks probably were influenced and inspired by the Ancient Egyptians. I guess I'll always be an outsider to whites and blacks. I'm very analytical and that perhaps makes me overly critical. I'm a contradictory person. I do believe the ancient astronaut theory is a refusal on the part of some whites impressed by these achievements to acknowledge the earliest ancient Egyptians were blacks or a mixture of blacks and Semites. I got interested in the Sumerians for a book I was writing. And it bothered me that nobody mainstream noticed that "Blackheaded" made no sense. Given new genetic data on when whites became whites, it's more likely that the earliest peoples were blacks of some sort. I don't believe the Ancient Egyptians were perfect people but flawed as all human beings are. You're very right about the tribalism in Africa. There is a great deal of irony in the tragedy of Africa today. It being the birth place of humanity. Sure, some of it is the fault of colonialism/imperialism past and present but the other half is human nature or our baser natures. Well, I hope I've not offended you, too much.