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Hello Folks. Just stopping by to extend Holiday Greetings, and inform that I'm still alive and kickin', doing OK. I do check things out here occasionally, hoping to find something that captivates my interest, (avoiding the verbal diarrhea of black unity's main proponent), grateful for the Pepto Bismo Kenneth always provides with his insightful observations. My cynicism, as usual, prevails and I remain indifferent about the "what-black-folks-need-to-do" litany. In my opinion, black folks are ironically becoming enslaved by racism, aided and abetted by a vocal minority sending the message that unless African Americans are absolved and excused of all wrong doing and rewarded and compensated by being disproportionately represented in every field of endeavor, the debt of slavery will never be paid. But there's a world of difference between this black narrative and reality because, as everybody agrees, there is so much diversity among people of color that no one group can speak for all. I also agree with Troy who often suggests that class is really what categorizes. The politics of Liberalism and Conservatism are what polarize. in spite of everything, I remain a moderate Trump-hatin-Democrat. One reason I am not really upset about the direction toward which the lbgtq movement is taking Society is because unless everybody is everything, there will be no equality. The coming generations will adjust. They are the future. What say you, Del? Back to my cave.

@richardmurray I'd have to create a report to get the answer to your question. If I had to guess I'd say the number of new members was about the same or slightly down. I do know that the number of visits to the forums is higher in 2022 than it was in 2021. But the issue is not really new members -- we have plenty of those. It is the lack of posting those new members. Welcome @Rick, who signed up Xmas eve.

This is true only when the individual believes it is to be true. We determine when we are successful; the rest of the world can embrace it or not... but it is cool when the world does embrace your definition of success 🙂 Me too. I seek out judgment, but I find judgment, as you suggested, is more about the judger than the judged. @Cynique it is always a pleasure to read your words.

Systemic racism is a powerful force and lots of white individuals help keep it in place. I think we agree on that. However we shouldn't see racism as monolithic. American history is replete with examples of whites who opposed racism and worked with blacks to secure justice and equality. Think about the collective and individual progress we have made since the 1960s. White people doing the right thing including those activists and politicians who fought the system are numerous and important. I would go as far to say that present controversies over cancel culture, critical race theory, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and wokeness are as much disputes among whites themselves as between blacks and whites.

I have noticed that the twenty somethings date a person not a gender. The thing I think about the most is legitimacy and credentials. White people live in a different world as do men and women , or another group. And that does seem to be the nature of things. There is a pecking order and there is one chicken that gets pecked by all the other chickens. I think success is a chimera or it is something that we can't attain rather others confer it on us. I also have been thinking about the metrics that we use to gauge other people. I feel that is a prison that is difficult to break free totally. I saw a movie called American Pimp. To be successful is to make money literally off a women's back, give her only clothes, food and shelter. Yet not build any wealth but to be a conspicuous consumer. I am trying not to judge other people, even criticism comes easily when it is about other's deficiency instead of your own. My father said different ethnics groups control or run certain areas of life in New York City. The Irish police it, the Italians have the Mafia, the News have the Diamond District and the Blacks enjoy it. I think it's important to know what game you're in and what your time is in that game. And while I hope you find 5he answers you seek. I am glad that you are not yet bored with life. I have been experimenting with time and magic. I believe in order to be free you have to have freedom of thought. Which I think requires immersion in fields that are foreign to your natal culture or field before turning 30 or so. I am bored with life but I am interested in the nature of time and people.