Leaderboard

Yes @Kalexander2 people are indeed free here in America. This should not be up for discussion. Now, of course, many people, perhaps most, don't exercise their freedom. Freedom as they say is not free. In fact, exercising one's freedom can often be quite difficult. @Delano you mention who else has a forum? Very few do, because it is hard. I could go to Facebook like everyone else and talk there. My life would be much easier. I would not have to worry about the maintenance, cost, or even promotion of this forum. But I would be a slave to Facebook, a true slave as I'd be subjecting myself to their (and their advertisers) behavior modification algorithms. (I thank y'all lately for, exercising your freedom, by helping to make this forum possible.) Most Americans don't have passports and very few have been to more than a few states. I've been to all the states and all the major cities that I wanted to visit. Last month I visited Birmingham AL and Jackson, MS for the first time. This takes time and money. People in many other countries simply don't have the freedom to travel the world they way we can. Freedom is also the freedom not to exercise it, so if people want to spend their time on Facebook and never leave their back yard -- they are free do so. We are slaves only if we choose to be. This has always been case, except when you dont know you are a slave. I feel many authors are slaves to Amazon. Most dont see it and the ones that do are unwilling to take the simple steps to free themselves from the big A's yoke -- mostly because they are afraid of losing money. The desire for money enslaves many of us.

May i inject the idea that freedom is an abstract idea and is also relative in that it involves choices. There are personal freedoms and public freedoms. Tangible ones and intangible ones. Mental ones and physical ones. i am free to think anything i choose; free to express an opinion about any subject. i am free to not believe in or worship "god". i do not revere the American flag and i am free to burn one in public, I am free to choose not to vote. I am free to call another black person a nigger/nigga. i am free to kill a person in self defense. Death and taxes are actually the only restrictions in my life but i can choose to not do things that will endanger my life, and even free to not make enough money to pay taxes. It just depends on what challenges you face in life and what decisions you make in regard to them.

Man @Pioneer1 this is an interesting point. Would it be more accurate to say start with those with nothing to lose? Is there a difference? Too bad they don't let you eat bacon and drink a cold beer every once in a while....

Lol! @Pioneer1 for you Brother I will concede the race debate to you as well. To be clear, that does not mean I agree with you. I understand the are instances were reason, facts, and logic are ineffective. You and Del have helped me learn this lesson, so I sincerely thank you both.

@Delano I already conceded you won, I gave up.

@Chevdove Many leaders with the charisma to attract a followers should not be leaders. The scandalous leaders in the Black church, That @harry brown often laments, the catholic church leadership (for obvious reasons), as well as the current leader of the free world are prime examples. The best leaders have the are usually put in the positions, they did not seek it. In other words, they are seeking to make a positive charge and leadership was thrust upon them. Our culture rewards people with the willingness to do anything for power. Cardi B and Minaj my beat each other in pubic but they top the charts and are world famous.

@Troy Yes, this may be the underlying reason. @Mel Hopkins Whew! You know there are so many times I have witnessed scenes where in the case of a customer complaining about an employee that the management will support their own employee, but not when it comes to a Black woman. And the insensitive comment of the quote you put, shows how pampered Europeans can be and how supremacist they are in their viewpoint, when it comes to Black women. @Troy I don't know..... I don't think you would see White women lynched...and so even though Black men have a jump ahead of women across the board for some things, however, not for all things, even with the right to vote.