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(Manhattan Beach, CA – January 18, 2023) – At this year’s Independent Book Publishers Association’s annual conference, IBPA Publishing University, the conference will explore the theme of what it means to “Navigate, Innovate, Elevate” within the independent book publishing industry. The theme is a meaningful reference to IBPA’s 40th anniversary, which the association is celebrating in 2023, and its role in the past four decades advocating for, and helping independent book publishers to build long term, successful businesses. With this theme in mind, IBPA is excited to announce that one of the three keynote presentations at the conference taking place May 4-6 in San Diego, CA, will feature a panel of highly respected industry leaders whose publishing businesses have spanned decades and have overcome every type of challenges along the way. The keynote panel “Legends of Black Independent Publishing: Learning from the Best” will invite onto the stage: Dr. Haki Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press Foundation; W. Paul Coates, founder of Black Classic Press; Kassahun Checole, founder of Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press; and Wade Hudson and Cheryl Hudson, founders of Just Us Books. The panel will be moderated by Troy Johnson, founder of the African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com). With a combined industry experience of 150+ years, these publishers will answer the question, “What do you do when your community is under-served, under-represented, and under-published?” You serve, represent, and publish! The complete conference agenda can be viewed at https://www.publishinguniversity.org/schedule. In addition, registration is now open for IBPA Publishing University ### To moderate this panel is truly an honor. When I first sat down to start AALBC, in 1997, all of these businesses were firmly established, but I did not know anything about them. I soon learned about all of them and their significant impact on Black books and by extension our culture. If you are a book publisher, you really need to attend IBPA Publishing University It is not often you'll get these icons in the same room.

greg consistently does this one thing and it confirmed my suspicion early on that he's a white nationalist in a digital blackface. greg writes white with an uppercase "W" and Black with a lowercase "b." Black people wrote Black in uppercase long before it appeared in the AP style guide. So, if this were a game of poker, that would be his tell.

I hope (and believe) this generation of boys can figure this out for themselves. Because too many generations in the past have brainwashed them into thinking they are good for nothing. Those who don't know their strengths aren't necessarily physical will always fail themselves, the Black community, and ultimately society. Custodial mothers, fathers, and even two-parent households who are wise enough to know what we don't know have reached out for help from those in the know. (not opinion-givers) And we have educated our children, especially boys, to know physical strength isn't enough in a society that requires intellect and problem-solving. Those children are our communities' success stories. Still, civilization requires Hypermasculinity coupled with hyperintellectuality in battle. And as history shows, it can occur in any sex when necessary and as needed. Sankofa. If you don't know your history, go back and retrieve it. Check out Nyabinghi. We, as a species, adapt to our environment for survival. It doesn't require anyone's approval. Those who don't adapt perish. The last woman Dahomey warrior died in 1979. According to historical records, Dahomey's army fought against colonization until 1892, that was about 200+ years of women and men fighting off European colonization. When the French colonized them, they made sure to subjugate women. Because subjugating women is an Anglo thing. Because - No Nation Can Rise Higher Than Its Women.

Recently an article was published on the Oprah Magazine website, “119 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature.” While I was not attributed as a source of the list, I know I was because my bookstore list contains at least one bookstore that is not a bookstore . But the list was widely copied so who knows where they sourced the info (including my rouge “bookstore”). Unlike many of the other sites which used the list, Oprah Mag at least included AALBC as a store, so I’m good. Oprah Magazine also created another article, "12 Authors Share Their Favorite Black-Owned Bookstores." This is was an really cool thing to do too! One of the 12 authors, Mitchell Jackson, even cited AALBC.com as his favorite bookstore! But here’s is the thing, and it is a big deal, when mentioning the author’s books, the Oprah Magazine did not send readers to a single Black-owned store. Instead they linked to a white-owned business (bookshop.org), for the book sales — missing a tremendous opportunity to direct those sales to Black-owned bookstores’ websites! It is fine to say how much you support indie booksellers, but the biggest thing supporters of Black-owned bookstores can do is to send book buyer to our stores and websites. Far too many “supporters” send book buyers link to Amazon, and now increasingly, to Bookshop, while voicing support of Black owned bookstores (read more on why linking to Bookshop.org does not support Black-owned Bookstores). Several authors have told me that they don't want to show favoritism for one Black independent over another. However these authors easily show favoritism by linking to Amazon or Bookshop. In 2020 no one needs to be told they can buy a book from Amazon, and Bookshop gets free promotion that really was intended for Black-owned stores If you want to support Black-owned bookstores, stop promoting Amazon and promote a Black-owned bookstores instead! I know most supporters of Black-owned bookstores simply don’t know this, and this is why I'm writing the message. I didn’t know either; While I've been selling books, on the web for almost 23 years, most of that time I was selling books as an Amazon affiliate. Despite my advocacy for Black owned bookstores, I was completely unaware of how my affiliation with Amazon was undermining independent booksellers. Once I started selling books directly, boycotting Amazon just made common sense. However replacing Amazon with Bookshop is only a marginally better solution. Amazon pays affiliates 4% and Bookshop pays 10%, far less that what an indie bookseller would make on a sale. You have to actively support Black-owned stores if you believe they are important. The idea that Amazon has the best prices is often not true, so that argument no longer holds. Often books sales on Amazon are actually fulfilled by third parties anyway, so Amazon is not really adding any value. Indeed, they are reducing value by acting as an intermediary who make money on every transaction with zero risk. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) used to tout an solution called Indiebound.org which allowed supporters of indie bookstores to provide book links without showing "favoritism" to any particular bookseller or linking to Amazon. For example, if someone wanted to provide a buy to Mitchell S. Jackson's book, Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family they could use a link like this: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501131707. Once the book buyer reached the indiebound site they could enter a zip code, say my local zip code 33647, and a list of local booksellers would be shown. Indiebound would send readers to local indie bookseller sites to complete the sale. It seems like the ABA is pushing the Bookshop solution which is a mistake in my opinion, but again I advocate for independence. Reliance on Bookshop or Amazon to process our book orders and take most of the profit, is the opposite of Independence. Clearly Amazon wants us to be dependent upon them. I doubt Bookshop is any different. Now I understand that some brick and mortar booksellers are unable to sell books on the web and the pandemic has only made things worse by closing some — not all — physical stores. But imagine if the Black independent booksellers, who can handle the sales, got the business that we are sending to Bookshop. Support Black-Owned Booksellers.

AALBC. Was. Created. In. 1998. ..25. Years. Of. Troy. Bringing. Black,Books. By. Black. Authors.....Poetry. ,And. Black. News, ,Culture ,,Discussions. .....Congratulations 25 years......Church. ,Sunday. The. Black. Christians. Will. Go. To. Church. Helping. The,Snake. Preachers. Pay. For. Their. New. Cars. ..Amazing........

By no means am I underestimating white power or it's destructive impact. And we know how large numbers of whites can be galvanized by racist appeals, But the monolithic notion of white unity is a fallacy. Talking and thinking about whites as a unified group ignores whites' self-perception as individuals. It also fails to take class and gender inequality into consideration. More importantly, it disempowers black people fighting for positive social change by focusing on some kind of unattainable " black unity" to counter racism and economic injustice. Because white people are so numerous and relatively well off in most ways as a group compared to black people it's easy to think they are constantly motivated by some sense of racial consciousness. Of course, discrimination against us makes it seem that way. But whites think of themselves as individuals first and foremost. They come together only to the extent that certain individuals see mutual benefit in doing so. They compete and they conflict in all kinds of ways and whiteness is never a consideration unless or until black people come along. However not all whites are racist, nor have they ever supported it. White people do things for each other out of moral consideration or self-interest not whiteness. But it's important to recognize economic inequality and the class divide. Rich white capitalists past and present have often exploited and undermined all workers regardless of race. So radical and reform minded whites have fought to tame Capitalism or Socialists have called for its abolition. By reforming the socioeconomic system (think - center left liberalism) through the New Deal America became a better place mainly for white working people. None of this excludes male domination and sexism against women. White men felt justified as men denying women regardless of color the right to vote or do anything else in society until women mostly whites fought for social change. Even in that endeavor race complicated things. Black men and women fighting against racism also challenged gender inequality. But many white women fighting sexism past, and present are racist too. The challenge is for black people who oppose racism, sexism, and economic injustice to build mass support for social change among other blacks and non-blacks. It is important to recognize that black people differ among themselves too. Some oppose activist struggle for change. They believe in adaptation or accommodation. There are wealthy blacks who don't want the economy changed. Other blacks believe in male domination over women black or white. Black people have all kinds of views. We are Black Nationalists, Socialists, Conservatives, Moderates, Democrats, and Republicans. Some of us think improvement is collective while others are individualist. Ultimately unity in some monolithic sense is not possible.

'Discharged from hospital to recuperate at home after a bout with covid flu. That was no fun. Interesting hospital experience, however. Tended by a flurry of nurses, many of whom were effusive gay men, along with Hispanic cha-chas, misled by my Spanish first name. Indian and Asian doctors, of course. Sistas shuffling round, tellin' me, "you gonna be OK, momma." A very interesting pecking order at this state of the art medical center right around the corner from where I live. Prognosis is OK, all things considered which means my age is a factor. Whatever. If anybody watched the Girot Awards on CBS last night, as black folk, we should've been encouraged! Hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving. 90 is a lot of months away but, I'm tryin to hang in. Luv ya all! Jeeze, this really came out big!

In another thread @Mzuri wrote: Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all and your families!!! And stay safe everybody. 2022 is going to be GREAT! Whatever one chooses to celebrate or not, I hope that everyone is having a safe and happy holiday season. Looking for 2022 to be a better and brighter year for everyone.

When @Pioneer1 mentioned taking a break in that thread, I asked him to return ASAP. As far as forum participation goes, there seems to be folks who enjoy reading it based on the view numbers. Maybe they're enlightened and/or entertained by the regular contributors. I joined because of the ongoing dialog between @Pioneer1, @Cynique, @Troy, @Mzuri, @Delano @Chevdove, @daniellegfny to name a few. I know folks get tired of reading some of the same ole rhetoric or grievance or whatever. But, the conversations are still interesting and entertaining in proportion to participant perspectives. I'm enjoying my arm chair around here. So, even if I'm one hand clapping, I'll keep bringing up topics, adding my 2 cent narrative and looking forward to reading everyone else too. Come on back to those I mentioned above and anyone lurking. The forum can be as lively as we make it.

Here in the US, folks are mainly divided into two camps politically...Democrat or Republican (GOP). On the surface it looks like the two parties have different platforms (liberal or conservative). Yet, they share the same ideology which is the maintenance of white supremacy. Both parties are juggling balls i.e. platform issues. While folks are pre-occupied with the balls in the air, they're not watching the sleight of hand tricks happening below. i've never been under the illusion that either party has ever given a d8mn about the peple. Both parties make decisions based on what's good for business. That is the business of maintaining white supremacy. Regardless of who occupies the White House, they are two sides of the same coin. Follow the money. POTUS PJB (Papa Joe Biden) is the flip side of the same coin once occupied by Agent Orange. Different agenda. Same paymasters.

Cynique writes, "Tell all of my AALBC 'frienenemies' I said, "stay well." I know we all (at least I have) have been jonesing to read something from Cynique about the passing scene: “Welcome to 2020! I always knew things would catch up with this country, but I never imagined that I would be around to see it. Unlike some, however, i don't believe a conspiracy theory is at work via the new world order; the inevitable has just come to pass. I don't think the USA will ever be the same after this pandemic, and the shit is really gonna hit the fan come election time. But, whatever. I'll be doing good to even be around in November. So far, i haven't exhibited any corona symptoms and like everybody else, I'm social distancing myself on voluntary quarantine. If the virus doesn't get me, my intense loathing for Trump might bring me down. I.DESPISE.HIM. I can't believe how the Universe has put him in place as a leader during this time of crises. But with his luck, he might just emerge smelling like a rose when this new flu proves to be much ado about nothing and that the real disaster was our overreaction to it. Me and my cynicism do find the way the media is handling it to be a bit much. Yet, I have mixed emotions. In addition to the radiation being emitted by cell phone towers being the origin of the virus, another one of the theories out there on FaceBook is that if your ears are ringing, you are getting signals from unseen forces about to take over Earth, and my ears are really picking up a lot of static! Oh, well, i always did think I was an alien. And the bizarre supernatural activity that continues to occur within the walls of my bedroom in the middle of the night are very unnerving... “

Hello All, No, I'm not dead yet! Just happened to come across this thread because every once in a while i check out this site and VOILA! this time I see this headline. So, yes, I am alive! Well? Not so much. I'm tired and burdened with impatience over not being able to figure LIFE out. Too much for me. And the eventuality of the Cyber world is very scary. In the physical world it's like i'm suspended in a surreal supernatural limbo of para-normalcy. Like I'm shifting between 2 parallel universes. Too weird to go into.. My grandson's dog is my now my faithful companion, a mixed-breed mutt who is a canine version of me. We hang out together, both of us being too lazy to exert ourselves very much. I think he can read my mind. i look into his big soulful eyes, and i swear, it's like there's a human in there somewhere. If it wasn't for my Smart Phone and my TV i would just be a vegetable because i have no interest in pursuing wholesome senior citizen activities or in being a doting grandmother to a bunch of krazy Milllenials and GenZers. My kids are so old they, bore me, too, and FaceBook is the same ol, same ol. I haven't gotten my Covid shot yet, but will probably get around to it soon. Still take walks around the neighborhood, weather permitting, and still go out at night and commune with the Universe and confide in the Moon. Still hate right-wing Retrumpicans and all of the lies they are trying to convert into the truth. Still sick of niggas killin' each other. Chicago has become a combat zone, kids gettin' caught in gang cross fire, road rage drive-bys,car-jackings and police chases. So disheartening. I continue to be intrigued by quantum theories especially a new field of speculation called Biocentrism which proposes, among other things, that human consciousness imagined the universe into existence because unless something is seen it doesn't exist. Whatever. Trying to hang on for my 88th birthday on August 18th. After that all bets are off. Nobody asked for an update but there was this blank space here, so thought I'd fill it.

@Troy I can't remember disagreeing with @Cynique @Chevdove or @zaji in any way that would cause me to want to express that disagreement. I may have a different opinion about something but their presentation allows for me to consider their perspective. I've even found myself doing some research and keeping an open mind for more information to possibly advance the discussion. But I don't disagree with them. Even if you can find where I said "I disagree" know that I misspoke. I believe most women are socialized to have a perspective that is built on a foundation of evidence. Unfortunately, here in America women are often dismissed as NOT having knowledge about a topic. Even In your thread about instagram - you decided I didn't have knowledge of world wide web and its commercial activities. You didn't even ask me, first. But that's the world women live in - so when we express an opinion or subjective observation, trust most of us have a mountain of evidence to back it up. I don't bet on stuff. Aside: I used to bet on horses but racing horses is cruel and inhumane so I don't do it anymore. I would absolutely miss Cynique if she leaves the board - but I saw that in my email and I had to stop what I was doing to respond to this thread. I really appreciate you @Cynique ! You add the je ne sais quoi to this forum that allows so many of us to think and consider your words, experiences and thoughts. You are a magus and beautiful philosopher!

Thank You! And thank you for sharing! I hope to write more. Kim gave a great interview. Yes -I kind of new she was close because we knew the same alumni. She was in. the band and graphics major when they had to typeset advertisements and articles lol. So much has changed

Slavery is more like the heart of capitalism

Men and women will typically disagree along the lines we see here. I tended to agree with Prof and Pioneer for most of my adult life, but we were reared in America and are from the same generation. As a kid, if I cried while getting whipped my mother would whip me longer and tell me that she'd give me something to cry about. My mother also told me if someone hit you you better hit them back, harder -- I don't care how much bigger they are than you. She was old school, and she raised me in a way people raised boys back then -- Don't let anyone one punk you, and you better not let me see you cry. Buy today's standards that might be considered child abuse . But it is how men were raised. My own children (girls) have never been in a fight. I don't think anyone my age (especially men) escaped childhood without being in several fights or even catching a real beatdown. This is why Will Smith's slapping of Chris Rock actually angered me -- and I usually could care less about the shit celebrities do. What Will did to Chris was a profoundly offensive -- bitching slapping a man in public. My gut instinct would have been kick Will's ass or die trying. Today I the best reaction was exactly what Chris did. I imagine if Chris started weeping that would have been acceptable, by today's standards, too. Chris is from my generation so I know his reaction and composure took a lot of heart. I know some men considered Chris weak, but I disagree. Today we live in a different world; we have little need for "real" men. Todays "warriors" drop bombs from drones they control with a joy stick from some trailer out west. What few real gladiators we have now can play football or box, but these sports are being frowned upon because too many men are getting hurt. Men are indeed different from women. I do feel that the culture is trying make men and women that same. I think this is wrong. We should use our resources to understand those differences rather than making believe none exist. One simple and easily observable difference is that men are stronger than women. Of course there are some women who are stronger than some men, but on average men are physically stronger. This fact makes a difference in how men and women behave and the roles they might place in a culture. In 2022 technology has rendered the need for physical strength obsolete, but this change is brand new compared to he 100's of thousands or years humans have been on earth. Our genetics and attitudes will not change over night. Maybe it is technology that has "pussified" men. Maybe some men see women exerting equal rights as a treat. Maybe some men do not like effeminate, gay, or any aspect of manhood that does not conform to the traditional standard of manhood elevated in any way. Men are different than women and those difference should be explored and understood in the context of a modern society rather trying to make men the same a women. Men will always reject that -- even if they can not articulate, or understand, exactly why. Women, on the other hand, don't seem to mind making men the same as women. This may be another manifestation of our differences. More likely women see these changes as getting the same benefits, rights, opportunities men get, something they deserve.

@GregSMH You are so dense and dumb - the total captive of your one-track mind. The "superior race" headline is a play-on-words pun referring to a sporting event (race) which because the members of one team ran faster than its opponents, their team proved to be the best (superior) one by coming in first. Your stupidity apparently extends to your eyesight, making you unable to see that 2 of the runners on the team that won the race were "white". Once again your lack of critical thinkin skills makes you mentally inferior and just plain stupid.

I claim it all, with neither shame nor judgement.

I think "Greg" is a troll tag team made up of a 1 white racist and 1 black fool. These 2 alternate with their scripted comments which sometimes overlap, and one is a little dumber than the other.

Field & Track Women—Hairstyles I just want to reflect on something else today because I am weary of all of depressing media hype about mass shootings and killing Black people. So, I want to share something about spectator about spectator sports, and something that I like to watch that inspires me to be active and set goals for getting better physical, mental and emotional health. The competition has begun! A few days ago, the recent track and field meets have showed up on my channel and I am amazed at these awesome and powerful beauties. And at first glance, it may not seem to be the main focus, however recently, what seems obvious to me would be the significant differences in the hairstyles displayed of some of the top Black female athletes from the recent past. Is this a brief trend? In the past few widely internationally broadcasted events, some athletes on the starting lineup were pictured with flamboyant and brightly colored or long, blonde, and bone-straight hairstyles. Obviously, it was done so to make a statement just as in the past some athletes donned unique and ‘signature’ uniforms and I am reminded of the late and incredible Flo Jo. But so far, in the few competitions that have occurred recently no one has started the line up as in the past events. My all-time favorite Track and field Olympian, Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, whose other devotion, her hair salon back in Jamaica, stepped out recently with on the field with a lovely dark and braided hairstyle. Shelley-Ann Frase-Pryce No matter though, she looks adorable and so elegant in whatever style she has worn, IMO. Another ‘new’ world favorite athlete, Elaine Thompson-Herah has seemingly burst onto the world scene out of nowhere and now has become a household name for many. She steps onto the field with the most lovely and classy type hairstyles recently but, for me it’s her glow and her smile that shows her beauty. Elaine Thompson-Herah And to my surprise, our own American athlete stepped out with a beautiful appearance, Sha’Carri Richardson. She already wins hands down on being a beauty anyway though, but she also came back on the field with a blast. Richardson came in second behind Thompson-Herah in one of her races. Sha'Carri Richardson These recent and awesome women of the track and field today, have inspired me to contemplate and do more research history about how Black African women have had to deal with so much controversy over our hair. And what new stories I have found! But as for now, due to so much talent today and the new winners, it gives me great inspiration to add some more new favorites to my list and to share. Some of these athletes have consistently dominated their race so well, that it can be expected that they will be celebrated for a long time. Like Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce who has become a legend of all times, however, there are some new wonders. Of course, my other all-time past favorite also competed recently, Allyson Felix, and it was said that this would be her last time. But now, there are a few more lovely superwomen to cheer on such as that pretty girl, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the lovely Swiss’ Mujinga Kambundji, Jamaica’s doll Shericka Jackson, our lovely New Jersey lady Athing Mu and the smart beauty who just dominated her race, Gabby Thomas and more. Ironically for me too, would be that although the past hairstyles have been eye-catching, what seems more amazing would be the age of some of these athletes who have dominated and won the foot race. This has given me the most inspiration to believe that I can get up and do something healthier to combat my health problems today. In my middle age though, I sometimes look back in time when I was younger and imagine myself sprinting that fast, but at the end of my dream I always have this re-occurring imagery of me coming through the finish line with a complete horrendous falling to the ground with a horrible horse-like uncontrollable breathing and inevitably ankle-rolling into a blundering crash with my arms flinging wildly and hitting the ground first with one knee and then enduring a complete earth-smacking, elbow-knee roll, covering a large area before finally coming to a miserable end. This fear sort of reminds me of a time when, as a gymnast, my coach believed that I was a sprinter and so, she one day abruptly surprised me and moved the springboard far away from the horse and told me to sprint into my vault. I panicked. I was so angry at her and imagined that I was going to crash into that horse and kill myself. I pulled if off successfully to my shock and surprise. But now, I have also considered being inspired by an older group of athletes who run the marathon too. Nevertheless, the older track and field stars deserves the glory that they have earned! Allyson Felix not only gave birth, but she stepped onto the field at the age of 36. And incredibly all of the women trailed far behind the Jamaican wonder Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce who stepped up to the challenge at the age of 35 and after she also gave birth recently. But now, I have a new favorite that stepped onto the field at the age of 29 and some sports experts believe that she stands to improve her time. This amazing PEARL recently came in close behind her American teammate, Sha’Carri Richardson and in another recent race, she stayed in second place behind Fraser-Pryce until the last moment, Jenna Frandini. When I think about this beauty, I think about Delano who also has some pearls in his life. Jenna Frandini replaced Richardson in the Tokyo 4X 100m relay and led our U.S. team to claim the silver. Recently, Frandini clocked in at 10.75 in a 100m race. It’s impossible not to watch her run over and over and over again and not spring up as she approaches the finish line. Like Elaine Thompson-Herah, it seems as if Jenna Frandini might become another household name. So I would love to share some brief clips and videos of my inspirations. At 35, Jamaica's Fraser-Pryce holds off deep field of Americans in Prefontaine 200m | NBC Sports 210,578 views May 28, 2022 https://youtu.be/nfbJeOCU0pc 2015 Beijing Olympics—Allyson Felix, Jenna Frandini, Jasmine Todd and English Gardner take the Silver! Jenna Frandini & Gabby Thomas in the Tokyo 4x 100 relay—Silver June 4, 2022 – Jenna Frandini Jenna Frandini 2015 100m Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Still Dominating At 35-Years-Old

When it comes to something I don't know, I'll admit it if asked a question that I either don't know and/or cannot find the answer. Otherwise, I enjoy a good discussion and will give my opinion regardless of my knowledge or ignorance especially if I can find humor in it.

Greg, You do know this is a literature website?... Despite your low opinion of black people, you know we learned how to read, right? And guess what? Over here, we read A LOT! So let me gift you this article - - https://wapo.st/3HQOf9L Dude may have given out some checks, but the lion's share of forgivable loans, $6.6 Billion and counting, went to white folks.

@KENNETH Abortion has always been a luke warm issue in the black community because an unplanned pregnancy that results in bringing a baby into an unstable environment is something that dates back to slavery days, and is an experience imprinted on the black psyche, which instinctively adjusts to adverse situations. So having a baby is something many black females just take in their stride... Society doesn't seem to care about this. Nor is there any concern emanating from the conservative ranks of latter day slave masters masquerading as pro-lifers about the plight of such children. There is, however, a tendency among certain blacks to be lax in critical thinking when it comes to this issue. The situation isn't exclusively about abortion; it's about control. Those with the authority to make a woman have a baby, can also force her to not have a baby. The only person who has the right to exercise control over a woman's body is the woman, herself! Black people should be very leery about laws that intrude on an individual's personal choices. These insidious bans can be a gateway to enforcing other restrictions.

I wish the 'right-to-lifers" would be willing to exert the same energy and passion to preserving the lives of those who have actually been born. Support for quality universal health care would be a good start. To answer your question directly, anything that is bad for American people in general is almost always worse for Black people in particular. That said, this decision transcends race. It effects everyone.

Regardless of how the media tried to criminalize the victim, George Floyd did not deserve to be murdered. While George Floyd may not have set out to become a martyr, his murder put a bullseye on American police brutality. In fact, I think George Floyd's execution date should be another federal holiday to commemorate all of our brothas and sistas wrongfully murdered by race soldiers.

True - but it helps folks like us to not carry them. They need to be left in their hell...they don't need us to remain there with them. (Aside: Someone killed my loved one and I forgave him on day one. And when I look back I think about my loved one and all the beauty he brought into the world)

Well, in the case of President Obama, "a brother" was more than good enough. Obama's father is a black man who met the President's mother in college when both were studying Russian. But President Obama is married to a black woman he met on the job (White Shoe Law firm) "When Barry Met Michelle." There is a pattern, and it's called access. We rarely leave our comfort zone to find a mate. Judge Brown Jackson met her husband when they were in school (Harvard). A mutual friend set Madame Vice President up on a blind date with her future husband (former Partner at a multinational law firm). They married when she was 50 or already in her 50s. If there's something to gripe about, it's how they all run together like some badass wolfpack. Btw, betcha didn't know the Late Senator John McCain's daughter-in-law is a black woman. McCain's son met his wife in the military.

(bad link removed) Throughout the history of the internet, Messageboards have been one of the foundational tools people have used to connect with like-minded individuals on the web from all over the world. They have stood the test time, predating the AOL Craze, Myspace, and lasting into what we know as the current generation of Social Media with Powerhouses like Facebook and Twitter. The ability for Online-Forums to last so long is the need for people to have meaningful discussions with a form of depth and anonymity that other forms of Social Media cannot not provide. While the heydey of forums can be considered to be over, the continual prominence of several large messageboard that cover all niches of life speak to their importance even in today’s climate. One of the world’s largest and most active websites ‘Reddit’ is a Messageboard. Several prominent forums like Boxden, BlackHairCair, and Kanyetothe.com, have thousands of active members who readily contribute often controversial opinions to different takes on Social Events in Urban Culture. Forum’s still have a unique ability to unite groups of people and provide a depth of information and discussion not often found on certain subjects. One thing that is lacking, are large and prominent Black-Owned Forums. It is even quite hard to find a time in the history of the internet when a true black forum could be considered one of the Top even in the niche of Black Websites. If we take a look at the largest ‘Urban’ (and I call it this instead of ‘Black’ sites for a reason) like the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph, and add in a few others like Lipstick Alley, The Coli, and Topix African-American Forum, we can go as far as to say that the majority of these sites are owned by non-black entities. That’s why we want to provide a list of the best True Black Forums on the internet, ones that are really Black-Owned, and that facilitate positive discussions and representations of the Black Community Honorable Mention – The Black Board Community Forum (bad link removed) bad link removed Did you think we wouldn’t mention ourselves? The newest forum out of all the ones mentioned, it could be argued that it deserves a place near the top of this list. But to be fair-and-balanced (since we are writing this article after all) we will leave it off the official standings. The Black Board opened in early 2016 and has already established itself quickly as one of the best places on the internet where Black People can discuss a variety of issues under a Black-Owned Umbrella. The Black Board focuses on general discussion on News and Social Issues, and also on everyday experiences in Life. The owner of the website is active in the local and national Black Activism community and partners with a variety of other Black Websites and Media Content Creators. They also have a great form of community currency that encourages interactions. # 5: Black Visions (bad link removed) bad link removed Black Visions is one of the oldest sites on this list. They describe themselves as “ your go-to place to experience news, information, entertainment, and political discussion with black people from all around the globe. Post your thoughts on a modern, efficient bulletin board software system, with a full suite of text editing, emotes, pictures, and videos. Connect with your black brothers and sisters everywhere at any time, with our message board.” Black Visions focuses on more serious discussions, often on political topics. They also feature a system of closed membership that vets potential members. This allows them to closely control the quality of discussions and enforce anti-Black trolling. 4: Cocoa Lounge ((bad link removed)) (bad link removed) The Cocoa Lounge is a O.G. on this list. Around for over a decade, it has managed to remain at the forefront of Black Forums and maintain, while many other sites have come and gone. The Cocoa Lounge specializes in discussions that involve Black Literature, Poetry, Spirituality, Current Events, and Celebrities. While not as active as some of the other sites on this list it has years of an incredible backlog of great discussions due to it being a mainstay for such a long time. The Cocoa Lounge has more than earned it’s spot in this conversation. 3: SomaliSpot.com (www.somalispot.com) somalispot.com SomaliSpot is technically the newest forum officially on this list, but they are by far the most active. They broke out of long established messageboard SomaliNet just a few years ago and already have appeared to supplant that site as the Premiere discussion forum for the Somali People on the internet. A general discussion board that focuses on conversations going on in Somali Culture, the site as already proven to have a influential reach, with discussions there going viral and even spilling over into News Stories that effect real life situations, going as far as Elected Public Officials. This site also may be the most controversial on here as well because of some of these situations, but there is no denying SomaliSpot and it’s Owner appear to have etched their mark in The Online World of The Somali People in a short time, which deserves respect on it’s own. 2: AALBC (https://aalbc.com/) aalbc.com AALBC is unique in this list because they specifically focus on African-American Books & Literature. This also gives them their strength, as you will be hard pressed to find a forum with more mature discussions from a Black userbase on the internet. Also focusing on Cultural and Racial Discussions, AALBC puts a spotlight on journalists and writers in the Black Community, with a dedicated owner who is respected in the field and also covers events that he features on the site. AALBC is about educating and networking, and the importance of that work in the Black Community gives them their well-deserved spot as #2 on this list. 1: Destee (www.destee.com) destee.com The Granddaddy (Grandmother) of all Black Forums, past or present, on the internet. There was absolutely no question that Destee would perch itself at the very top of this list. Around for almost 20 years, Destee.com is the trailblazer for all Black Forums on the web. The namesake of the forum’s owner (Sister Destee, one the most respected Black figures online) Destee is the number one place on the web for no-nonsense, 100% pro-black, discussions. The greatness of Destee lies not just in it’s ability to stand the test of time, but also by without hesitation eliminating any negative conversations or members that wish to harm the black community. Although heavily moderated, and not as active as other sites on this list, Destee has more than earned it’s spot as the leader of Black Forums, period. We look forward to 20 more years of seeing Destee remain one of the Best Places online Period for Black People!

@Pioneer1 are you still out there? It is not the same around here without your incorrigible self Please don’t tell us you got Covid… It was almost like good old days a few weeks ago with @ProfD joining and @Cynique making a surprise appearance., of course @Delano and @Mzuri and others coming to make things interesting…

What the general public is unaware of and needs to come to terms with is that there is no room for information which cannot be proven in the world of historical research. History is a science. And for those who conduct historical research seriously and treat it as a science, gather historical documents, news articles, journals, court cases, diaries, letters, and reference sources all of which their conclusions are based. It is this method which I used for determining the character of Christopher Columbus and charging him with crimes against the Indian people of the West Indies. This article is the product of records which will clearly point out, that from the very beginning Columbus purpose was not mere exploration or trade, but conquest and exploitation of the Indian tribes of the West Indies. African American students who are studying this article will be informed that the Indian people who Columbus oppressed, had physical features very similar if not identical to theirs. This enlightening piece of information grants the student a personal connection to this article and gives sound reasons for not glorifying Columbus. The following statements are from Columbus journal October 13 1492 with him giving his description the Arawak Indians who inhabited most of the islands in the Caribbean and what his vile intentions were. “Their hair is coarse almost like the hair of a horse’s tail and short. Their eyes are large and very beautiful. They are not black, but the color of the inhabitants of Canaries. The word Canary was a code word communicated among authorities of the Spanish empire. The word Canary was defined as the extermination of the native people of those islands. Later as we shall see the definition of Canary materialized in the violent actions of Columbus. He later went on say .” I showed them some pieces of gold which I have; I cannot not fail with the aid of our Lord to find the place where it comes.” Michele de Cuneo wrote about accompanying Columbus on his 1494 expedition into the interior of Haiti: “ After we had rested for several days in our settlement, it seemed to the Lord Admiral that it was time to put his desire to search for gold, which was the main reason he had started on so a great voyage full of so many dangers.” At dawn the next day Columbus sailed to probably what is known today as the Bahamas Island. He ended his description with these sinister words, “I would conquer the whole of them with fifty men and govern them as I pleased.” Columbus onslaught of the natives of the Caribbean Islands was also reinforced by the Spanish monarchy. There was an urgent need for slaves for mining and agriculture to sustain the colony. Slave labor supplied the Spanish crown with revenues which had a devastating affect among St. Croix and the Virgin Islands. Columbus had obtained two concessions from the Spanish monarchs, one which he would later regret was to allow criminals to be released from prisons to go to the colonies. A Spanish slave system was now put in place which would dominate the Caribbean Islands for centuries. The Repartimientos, a system for granting allotments of land and the Island natives to Spanish settlers. By 1505 the need for slave labor had become such a natural dependence, that slave raiding the Bahamas had become a profession and the first Negro slaves by and large were brought not from Africa but from the population already in Spain and in the Atlantic sugar islands brining important skills with them. Keep in mind that Columbus acted independently to exploit the native population without the instruction of the Spanish administration. The following are statements from Columbus letter of March 1493. “ On the thirty-third day after I departed from the Canary Islands;(code word meaning prime for extermination), I came to the Indian sea, where I found islands inhabited by men without number, of all which I took possession for our most fortunate king, with proclaiming heralds and flying standards , no one objecting. Yet I especially took possession of a certain, large town in a very convenient location, and adapted to all kinds of gain and commerce, to which we give the name of Lord of the Nativity.” Without any regard for the natives Columbus constructed a fort confining the natives,(a prison) and a military force for defense in the event the natives would rebel. “ And should wish to hurt those who remain in the fort, they would not be able, because they lack weapons, they go naked and are too cowardly. For that reason those who said fort are least able to resist easily this whole island, without any imminent danger to themselves, so long as they do not transgress the regulations and command we gave.” Students should ask themselves what would be the purpose for Columbus with placing the inhabitants of the Caribbean Islands in lock up? A group of people who were non- threating and never imposed any danger to Columbus or his naval forces. According to the historian James W. Loewen, on Haiti the Indians were forced to mine gold for the Spanish settlers. Another stomach-turning aspect of the slave trade was sexual. Columbus was rewarding his lieutenants with women to rape. For Spaniards sex slaves came in abundance in the form of gifts. Moral crimes of rape, forced slavery, prison confinement, and theft all add up to the undeniable fact that Christopher Columbus was a notorious criminal. After reading this article students should come to terms that Columbus is not a national hero, nor a role model. Cherishing Columbus is a characteristic of myth not reality. Worst of all Columbus left a legacy of genocide and a history of bloody horrors. By: Herbert Addison Burns Reference Sources: 1.Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the indies: by Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan 2. Conquest of Eden 1493-1515: by Michael Paiewonsky 3. Lies My Teacher Told Me: James W. Loewen 4. The Journal of Christopher Columbus: Translated by Cecil Jane www.onlineafricanamericanhistory.weebly.com

Who would ever think that people in Lake Tahoe and California would be devastated by the raging fires that seem to be unstoppable? It is reported that at least 15,000 fire fighters are working day and night to extinguish the deadly Caldor fire. There is no question that these brave fire fighters must have gas mask to protect themselves from smoke inhalation. But how many people know including these fire fighters that a Black inventor invented the gas mask which operates according to the same principles as the gas mask use today. This inventor's name is Garrett Morgan. He invented the gas mask during his day it was known as a smoke helmet to fight fires. The purpose of the helmet was to allow the wearer to enter a room filled with noxious gas, fumes, or smoke for the purpose of saving human life and property. And this is the same purpose of gas mask use today by fire fighters. Today’s gas mask is known as an air-purifying respirator which is standard equipment used around the globe. So the similarities between today's gas mask and Morgan's smoke helmet match. Morgan discovered that no matter how dense an environment is pure air is always located near the floor or ground. Given this fact, Morgan’s gas mask was engineered to access pure air from the ground or floor. The ability to breathe pure air in a noxious gas environment whether through accessibility or purification the goals are exact. Not to mention the saving of human lives. The gas mask is the largest prevention of deaths when attempting to extinguish a fire. Some 50–80% of fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation injuries, including burns to the respiratory system. It is safe to say that Morgan's smoke helmet which fire stations have modeled the principles of its operation, is responsible for saving thousands of lives. With the raging fires in Nevada and California I haven’t heard of any report extending credit for Garrett Morgan’s gas mask. The safety and welfare of our society humbling given through a safety device by a Black inventor has been repeatedly ignored. This lack of consideration is a reflection of the past. Garrett Morgan was directly involved with saving lives of underground workers after an underground explosion in Cleveland, Ohio. The mayor at that time at an awards ceremony did not even recognize Morgan for his outstanding achievement of bravery along with major newspapers. The lesson to be learned is that we should always give reverence to those who are in some way instrumental with the saving of human lives. If not, this heartless action adds doubt to our humanity. By Herbert Addison Burns Reference Sources Citizen Advocate, “A Great Hero Rewarded”, 1916 NY Times, ”To Save Lake Tahoe, They Spared No Expense” 2021

Good afternoon, Everybody. Thank you all for taking the time to read what I wrote about my weird experiences and then giving me your feed back, which i found interesting and thought provoking. Before i return to this subject, let me assure you that seizing this opportunity to talk about myself on the assumption that you really give a damn about what's going on in my life is not my intent. I am simply an old lady rambling, the way old ladies tend to do and, in the course of further reviewing my peculiar experiences, i've narrowed down what i believe was the time-line of their origin. In 2008, I began experiencing dizzy spells and after consulting with a doctor and undergoing some tests, I was advised to have a heart by-pass operation because my arteries were clogged and my brain was not getting enough oxygen; hence the dizzy spells. It was during my recuperation from this operation, that I believe these psychic phenomena began to occur. Since i was widowed in 2006, i was living alone, and had gradually begun to shut myself off from the rest of the house, eventually turning what was my husband's den into a sanctuary. That's where I was introduced to the seductive comfort of a recliner. Having always been a night owl, the "wee small hours of the morning" began to find me curled up in this den, a spectator to the supernatural. When i moved in with my daughter, this sanctuary was replicated in the room I occupy at her house. By-pass surgery requires the patient being very closely-monitored while under aesthesia and this includes being hooked up to machines doing the work of your heart and your brain. Which is to say, i think my brain took on a life of its own while the cardiologist was replacing the clogged arteries of my heart, and the hallucinations I began to experience are the result of this. (It's possible that there are studies out there revealing that what i experience is not so rare among people who have undergone similar surgeries.) Another of my suspicions is that there are parallel universes and that i shift between them enabled by my re-wired brain. Who knows??? Whatever is going on, is something I have learned to live with... When i ventured out last night after a rain storm, looking up at the full moon in the cleared-up sky, i spotted Venus. It was back in its summer solstice position, twinkling at me... @Troy: I totally relate to your explanation about "nobody knowing nothing". What we call the "universe" can't be reduced to or defined in words. and can only be relegated to the "WOO" realm where the answer to every question exists, just waiting to be discerned, needing only to be channeled into human consciousness. As far as Aliens and UFOs are concerned, I have an open mind, and still am not sure I don't share DNA with beings who evolved from life forms that were transported to Earth via asteroids and comets. @Del: Lately, clocks and calendars have come to have little meaning to me because my life is now pretty much one day just merging into another, with the sun and the moon being my only guide lines, and I wouldn't dispute those who say time doesn't exist. Therefore, i can't answer your specific questions about what dates and what hours these odd things happened to me but, yes, when the tingling sensation overtakes me it does travel up my spine and spread out. I also found your references to creative brainstorms being preceded by experiences akin to LSD trips very interesting. i've heard that before. So, i am kinda hoping i will have a great revelation soon! @pioneer: If the Universe is preparing me for the hereafter, it sure is giving me a long trial period since this craziness has been going on for over 10 years. @Chevdov: Thanks for your vote of confidence! I'm done. See ya!

We are all aware of the mainstream media's negative narrative about black men. We are constantly bombarded with stories of high incarceration rates, black on black violence, deadbeat dads and of course police brutality. From the outside looking in it appears that black men are destined for failure and there is nothing that can be done to change the implied negative trajectory that black men are on. But is the media's narrative true? Are black men really an endangered species? I believe the answer is an emphatic no and I have made it my life's to work to support and empower black men to overcome the negative stereotypes and to create extraordinary lives. In order for black men to succeed the first thing they must do is understand how societal conditioning contributes to creating a negative mindset and attitude about what it means to be a black man. Too many black men feel hopeless and powerless as a result of the constant barrage of negative images and stories coming not only from the white biased media but also from the black media that definitely contributes to the negative narratives about what it means to be black. So what can be done to support black men in overcoming the multiplicity of challenges they face on a daily basis? How can we help change the mindset of black men and empower them to know they have unlimited potential and the future is extremely bright for those who are willing to put forth the effort? I believe the key to resolving a large percentage of challenges facing black them is to support them in changing their own inner narrative about themselves. The good book says; "be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Herein lies the key to transforming black men's lives. We must be willing to encourage black men to examine the internal negative beliefs and perceptions they have about themselves. We must engage them in a dialog about what they believe, how they feel and what they think about being black. Too many times their inner dialog about themselves is so negative they have no choice other than to act out that negative internal dialog. Therefore it is incumbent upon us to change their inner dialog by providing resources that support them in changing their negative mindset and attitude. This can be accomplished through things like workshops and seminars, reading books, listening to audio programs and creating support groups that provide safe spaces for them to speak openly about the highs and lows, joys and pain of being a black man. When we help them change their inner dialog about themselves it will give them a sense of optimism and hope for the future which will then encourage them to develop a positive mindset and attitude that will keep them from falling victim to negative media generated narratives about who they are. It is definitely possible for any black man to live an extraordinary life. We are all capable of creating inner peace, dynamic health, great relationships and financial abundance. To do so, a black man must be willing to take 100% responsibility for his life turning out the way he wants it to. The only way to do this is through changing his inner narrative about himself and recognizing that he has the capacity to do anything he sets his mind to.

a student loan paid, and your student loan is paid and your student loan is paid too... The graduating class of Morehouse College had commencement Keynote Speaker Billionaire Robert F. Smith give them a send off into the real world...but in addition to parting words he will allow these seniors to be debt-free to the tune of $40 million. Wow just wow... CNN Breaking News https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/19/us/morehouse-robert-smith-student-loans-trnd/

@Mel HopkinsThe phrase "commune with the universe" was one commonly heard back in the hey day of the new age movement back in the 1960s, and it's one i've always used because, as you have illustrated, it so accurately describes what i frequently do. My experience with the latest lunar eclipse was rather weird and i've hesitated to reveal it because it's so surreal. But - I was checking the skies through my window all evening during the night of the impending eclipse. Because it was so bitterly cold, and because there was sporadic cloud cover, i didn't go outside, planning to do so when the eclipse began. While biding my time, i apparently dozed off in the chair i was curled up in. At some point later i found myself in a state of drowsy awareness, thinking how glad i was that i'd gotten to see the progress of the eclipse. Then i sat up fully awake but confused, realizing that i had never gone out side...or had I??? Later when pictures of the eclipse were shown on TV weather reports, what i saw, was what i had seen - in my mind's eye... There will be another lunar eclipse of a blood moon in 2021. I hope i see it; one way or another.

I do my best to focus on the idea- if I’ve veered from this aspect in debate charge it to my head - not my heart.

Well, certain of you conveniently ignore what i said about the book written about King by his closest confidante, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, in which many of the rumors were confirmed. i, myself, saw a play about 10 years ago based on King's affair with a young women, which if it hadn't been accurate could've been the subject of a suit by his heirs. And it never was. I don't profess to know about any homosexual activity. When you seek the truth, it is not always what we want to hear, especially if it is about our heroes. Pioneer also seems to completely disregard how JFK's involvement with Marilyn Monroe was sensationalized, to the extent of even advancing the idea that that he was involved in her death, which his accusers say was murder, not suicide. As for King, as far as i am concerned, his greatest asset was that he was not self-aggrandizing. it was never about him when it came to the movement, it was about his urging black folks to keep their eyes on the prize. Or did he originally seek leadership. He was chosen for it because of the obvious qualifications he displayed as a relatively unknown preacher. What he did in private was not something i was ever eager to cast stones about. Since his wife seemed OK with it, and he was doing a good job of advancing the black cause, i gave him a pass. His legacy speaks for itself because it involves his being instrumental in the passage of civil rights legislation. Some historians say that had he not been assassinated, his star would've faded as the days of civil disobedience fell from favor. As it was, his death made him a martyr. The same with Malcom X. So be it. About the term, "illegitimate", it had to originate somewhere, and it makes sense that that place was in courts of law where it is routinely used.

The last i head, this is supposed to be a free country. And black people above all, are constantly striving to exercise their freedom. Because blacks are not all of one mind, some blacks have a problem when it comes to freedom of appearance. They are luke warm about diversity and want to dictate, judge, and criticize the choices of certain other blacks who resist the herd mentality of black brain washing that can be as restraining as white control. These Afro-centric vigilants, awash in their patented rhetoric, have taken on the role of deciding how black women, in particular, are obligated to look, and they are perfectly comfortable with imposing their standards, totally resistant to change because they are mired in the swamp of the past. They drone on and on about how deceived those are who don't accept their standards, mistaking the indifference of those they wish to reform, attributing it to ignorance, thinking they have to educate them about the hazards of European standards. It never occurs to them that what they are preaching is a stagnant gospel, and the are obviously unable to appreciate the idea that individuals are free to exercise a choice when it comes to how they want to present themselves to the wide world of reality. The same crowd frets about colorism which is, indeed, an unforgiving fact of life and, as such, subjects some people to unfair and insensitive rejection. This being the case, it is then nobody's damn business if some choose to get their color out of a jar, an innocuous procedure that is in a category with plastic surgery, liposuction, contact lenses, wigs, teeth braces, eyebrow-arching, acryllic nails, and gym work-outs. Ahh but the au naturelle nazis remain a constant voice of condemnation and when not disapproving of independent black women, they devote their time to harboring suspicions about ongoing secret conspiracies existing to do - what? Keep blacks down? Whoooo what a great revelation! Enough to make blacks sacrifice what little enjoyment they derive from life in order to concentrate on worrying about something they are not supposed to be aware of. Them. Discrimination is also a fact of life. Obese people, for instance, are discriminated against, so losing weight is a choice some make. Racial discrimination is something that is a constant challenge, one that involves ingenuity to circumvent. This cruel world does not adjust to the individual. The individual is charged with the task of adjusting to it, of carving his own path and going which ever way she wants. For black people this can call for tuning out the "Greek chorus" chanting the same ol message of revering Africa, the great land mass which doesn't give a damn about its American diaspora, and can hardly sustain it own people, prompting many to immigrate to this country and enjoy the fruits of the civil rights struggle they played no part in. Of course these are controversial concepts that will go in one ear and out the other of those who don't think outside the box. Those who'd much rather stay in a comfort zone free of critical thinking and just go along with the same ol litany of cliches that black have been mouthing for years in an effort to bolster their morale, huddled in the night of yesterday, reluctant to wake up to a new dawn where a person weighs his options and thinks for herself. This mind-set is not really revolutionary. Great numbers of blacks have already made the decision to do their own thing not even aware of how they have liberated themselves from the dictates of others, all the while supporting the common cause of racial injustice. And so it goes.

K2 I've deleted a portion of your comment for the reason previously discussed. Again the rule applies only to this to this conversation. Cynique makes a good point if the barbs witty and clever AND written in jest it is all good -- indeed desirable. And the fact she stopped reading the posts was what I was afraid of happening. If she is not reading them why would someone, who is new, read them? @Chevdove, waded through the morass and made some excellent contributions only to inquire why did the conversation go south? Her question was part of the motivation for this discussion Mel, K2 as far as a vote down button. I'm sure that would not have any effect. Indeed Pioneer does not even use the like feature. Generally, if I disagree with something I express that disagreement with words. But I'll check to see if the software has a dislike or down vote options. You can currently block a posters comments, allowing you to completely ignore another poster. That approach is pretty heavy handed, but it has been used by some. Well, I look forward to more comments.

My apologies @Mel HopkinsBeing insulting or condescending is no way to have a discussion or even an argument. Mea Culpa

@Mel Hopkins Yes!!! I have had far too many "coincidences" for it to be only a coincidence when I tap into folks. I dreamed a rather frightening dream 12 years ago. I have found that I tap into numerous aspects of my abilities, in dreams, clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, etc. In the dream, I was losing my teeth. I learned from my grandmother about what this dream means, but never took much stock in it. I figured it was foolishness, old wives' tales, whatever. So I went about my life not thinking about such nonsense. Typically in the dream, one tooth falls out. In my dream, all my teeth were coming out. This was strange to me given that at 50 years old, I've never had a cavity. Ever. I was terrified and woke in a frenzy. Given that I've had other strange occurrences, some dream related some not, which i always shared after an incident happened, I decided this time I would tell someone about it in advance. I called up a friend and told him about the dream. I then sent myself an email, typing out the entire dream. Although I wasn't fully on board, it was unnerving this time around because it was the third time I dreamed of teeth coming out and someone died shortly after. So by this third dream, I was virtually converted. The first two dreams, only a single tooth came out. This was on a Sunday. My father called me on Wednesday to tell me that my 16 year old sister, with no illness, no previous medical conditions, collapsed during outdoor gym and died on the spot. Throughout my life, I've had numerous things like that happen. I would say something to someone and they would tell me they were just thinking that. Knowing who was calling when my phone rang...before caller ID. Now, with caller ID, sometimes knowing who I will soon get a call from. Thinking about someone heavily for a day or two, someone whom I hadn't spoken to in over a year, then they call me. My lover saying something that I was thinking, but we'd never discussed. So many stories. Too many. I agree on how THE ONE MIND expands and how we seek peace. THAT is the crux of how I see it, at the end of it all. When we return to one mind, seeing each other's thoughts, we return to peace. Nothing in me panics when I imagine sharing one thought with numerous people, or not so much a single thought, but a connection to all thoughts. In Deep Space Nine, there is a being called a Changeling. This Changeling comes from what could be called a sea, or ocean. The ocean is all the Changelings together in their original form, knowing every thought and experience of every Changeling that has gone into the world to form as a "solid" to experience what it is like to be a bird, or human, or object. That is how I view The ONE. The Changelings individuate to learn, then come together to share and be at peace.

Looks like twins, Mel and Del, will have to broadened the kinship between them that I recognized earlier. I am now about to induct zaji into your family and declare the 3 of you to be triplets. Your souls are not strangers. And, to my eyes, all of your words resonate with a familiarity of unknown origin. And check out Troy! Expounding with the expertise honed by his technological background, grooving on the same new age wave length with us, sharing some deep thoughts!

Hi Everyone -- thanks for engaging in this conversation. And thanks, Troy, for kicking it off. I'm the publisher for The Mantle. I came up with the headline and the mailing that Troy distributed. For me, the use of "shithole" (or a censored version, like "sh*thole") was a way of co-opting the unfortunate (SAD!) phrase uttered by the president. It was an attempt to take control of the conversation by using the president's own words against him. One of the replies Troy received to the mailing said as much: Just this morning I received an email from a friend who lives in Haiti, who referred to the island as "my shithole country" with a mix of irony and pride. The journalist and iconoclast Chris Hedges used the phrase repeatedly in his piece, "No Telescope Needed to Find a 'Shithole Country,'" to recount the many misguided American policies toward Latin American in the past 50 years, and to declare that the U.S. is the real shithole in this dialogue. Weeks later the phrase continues to be used on Twitter to describe all kinds of political arguments and claptraps. Elsewhere, the women's movement has made a similar play in turning Trump's words against him by proudly proclaiming "pussy grabs back," in protest to his sexual abuse. Anyone who opened the email and read the content beyond the subject line would see the anger I felt in having to even write such a message: All of that said, this was a piece of marketing. The headline was deliberately provocative. I'm a book publisher, not a charity. I need to sell books so my writers can earn money to keep doing what they love, and so I can continue to bring emerging and under-heard voices to the American public. And if it takes a shitty headline to get your attention, I'll use it as thoughtfully as I can. Peace.

There are so many............ These aren't in any particular order of importance and I'm sure there are some that SHOULD be included in the top 10 that I'm not thinking of right now but here are 10 just off the top: Message To The Black Man (The Honorable Elijah Muhammad) Up From Slavery (Booker T. Washington) The Phantom Tollbooth Black Labor White Wealth (Claud Anderson) Mein Kampf (Adolph Hitler) The Bible The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Alex Haily) Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill) Time Machine (H.G. Wells) Life After Life (Dr Raymond Moody) It's been years since I've read them and I don't have the best memory in the world to remember every detail of them, but I do remember how much I got caught up reading these book and just thinking about them still brings comfort to this day.

Thank you @Troy for your thoughtful words. I appreciate that we can all have slightly varying opinions yet stay respectful. I've worked with children aging out of foster care so can appreciate @Mel Hopkins work with at-risk children. I can also appreciate the wisdom and life experience of our elders and retirees such as @Cynique. And much appreciation for @Delano and "keeping it reel." Wishing you all a great day!

@Cynique who knows maybe Nubianfellow has it point. Maybe it's the black woman's hair that is the key to black people's success.. My friends call my family the hair bear bunch because we have very long hair that grows from our roots... (see my profile pic - yep that's mine) So, maybe because we don't have weaves it allows us to communicate with directly to the Universe from which all our blessings flow you know god gave it to us for a reason. ...And it makes us super smart so we don't have ever worry about being in the bottom 20% of those poverty-stricken folks. We don't need weaves, because we love showing off our beautiful locks, because, well who doesn't love our hair. By the way loving your hair, automatically translates into us loving ourselves because hair is the major key.. And, of course we attract men who are not deadbeat dads. Because of our flowing Rapunzel-like locks we attract the men who have the most money, best character and family adhesiveness ... As for the men who feel it's ok to lie down create babies and flee the scene. Well, we all know they got that way because of some weave-wearing black woman - who didn't cheer them on when they did something you know, mediocre.... I just can't.

I divorced my ex-husband for being disrespectful, not for an "adulterous" affair. I found out he was having an intimate and sexual relationship with another woman but didn't bother to tell me. If he would have told me he was seeing someone else, it would have given me an opportunity to decide how to proceed. He didn't. His silence took away my choice and also put my life in danger. I believe when you're in an intimate relationship you don't keep secrets from each other. Openness and vulnerability toward each other is the foundation of a great relationship.

It doesn't necessarily follow that monogamy leads to a happy home life. Being polygamous is not the same as cheating. I have known and met people who have open relationships. Otn one instance the adult child was more upset than the partner. What is moral, ethical and good is another debate. I also knew a couple where the woman was a leabian. However that was more of a business situation. Plus she did use sex as a weapon. But he didn't care. I also had a coworker that said certain sex acts her partner should see a prostitute. There's what works and what works for you. They are not always the same. Interesting. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher had an open relationship. But it broke yp when he hid one his lovers. At that point he was cheating. Its not cheating if the other person knows about your lover.