Leaderboard

Hi AALBC fam! I was watching this video on YouTube, Comedian Shuler King and Pharaoh Head Part 2. And while I was listening to him drop knowledge, I thought about how much I missed this forum. It is funny how you can go through life and acquire a bunch of skills, knowledge, and still not know how to use them until you add LOVE. I feel like that sometimes, like I ask What's the point? Then, I remembered whenever I lost my balance, my family would fill me up with love, give me that pick-me-up, and I would get energized. But it hit me, there was still something missing. It was the part I felt while listening to Shuler. I remembered when I'd come right back here, get into some battle of wits, and then I'd remember who I am completely. AALBC forum is like drinking from the chaotic and primordial waters of NUN. I'd come here to fight with @Pioneer1 - every time I do, I learn so much about myself, thank you! or see my whimsical self in my twin, @Del @Delanoadmire the wit of @Cynique @aka Contrarian,and I get energized to know how strong and brilliant women can be! I recently wondered if I'd recognize @ProfD if I heard him whispering in a library or lecturing in front of a class. You are such a mystery that I feel like I know you. Just this morning, I sent energy to, @Chevdove so she will finish her book. She is the one who needs to tell the story of African Adam!. I am proud of my alumni @Troy. Dude, you are an inspiration to me! I'm enjoying watching you beat your dreams into submission. @richardmurray you make me crazy with your projects, but please know I enjoy your enthusiasm! @frankster we haven't engaged in debate, but I'm glad you're here. You echo many of my beliefs and remind me to uncover their origins. @harry brown 's commentary through prose and poetry is a great wake-up call... I could probably go on and name many more if I searched through my memory, but I'm about to go skipping back into the world again. Thank you, thank you, each and every one of you, even the ones I missed and didn't list, thank you for sharing your Love!

Got this one last night! I forgot. The photographer owns this copyright. I removed it from my YouTube channel.

Hey Fam! I shared my heartbreak with all of you; now here is my joy! Mom, my twin daughters' father, my oldest daughter, Cheyenne's (my daughter who passed away) childhood bestie, is in the family photo with us. I love her so much, and me sitting next to my oldest twin daughter! My daughter married the love of her life in August, and we all got to share in their transformative weekend celebration. Here's me getting ready for the wedding and checking my rearview . Yes, this is a very current photo!! And that's my gorgeous mom!!! Yep, she's in her 80s!!!

Made it! Today's my 92nd birthday. Don't know whether to laugh or cry. Such is life.

If the NYC mayoral race were a novel, I'd deconstruct its architecture. From one election to the next, the narrative appears to shift away from focused policy debates, instead centering on the influence of religious groups. The major religious factions—Christian nationalists, Muslims, and Jews—each appear to compete for cultural and political dominance within the city. Amid this religious competition, the African diaspora in the U.S.—a powerful and often underestimated voting bloc—continues to be overlooked and taken for granted by both the candidates and the dominant religious groups. It sometimes seems as though these competing religious groups neglect the African diaspora’s influence. Ironically, the roots of these religions trace back to African science-based spirituality, yet this connection receives little attention in political or religious discourse. This dynamic played out in Election 2024: Christian nationalists—including evangelists, southern Baptists, and likely Catholics—rallied strongly behind DJT. Media and external influencers shifted the conversation away from local policy and toward polarizing international issues, like the U.S. stance on Israel and Palestine, further affecting how voters chose among domestic candidates. When reviewing 2025 election results, I noticed Mamdani was not the only Muslim elected, which raises the question of whether heightened coverage of Gaza led to greater sympathy and increased Muslim representation—a trend potentially extending into the midterms. Don’t misunderstand—I bear a grudge against all religions. Religious study should bring wisdom, spirituality, and growth, yet it often has the opposite effect. Religions lead to violence instead of joy and peace. Add patriarchy, and it’s chaos. Returning to the story's structure: Is this a narrative of democratic socialism rising in the heart of Wall Street? Consider Manhattan—the FINANCIAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD—and its boroughs. Is the city that never sleeps really ready to move from capitalism to social ownership? Notably, NYC is the largest property owner according to Curbed.com, and the mayor administers these assets. Perhaps social ownership is the underlying story arc behind recent shifts. So, in this story—call it Project 2025 (S)—the central figure is a young millennial poised to challenge the reigning power and reclaim Manhattan for the people. Behind the scenes, religious struggle, human trafficking disguised as immigration reform, and pervasive surveillance set the chaotic stage for change in the city. Meet the Muslim and Arab Americans who won in US local elections Jews vote for Andrew Cuomo over Zohran Mamdani in NYC mayoral race | The Jerusalem Post "In addition to the Jewish vote, Mamdani lost the Catholic vote by a significant margin: 53% supported Cuomo and 14% backed Sliwa, against 33% for Mamdani. A decisive 75% of voters with no religious affiliation supported Mamdani." Here's a past look at Manhattan when DJT began buying up NY property in the early 70s(?) a look back at Palestinians, Israel, Libya, etc.

You are a very kind and sweet person @Mel Hopkins with the ability to find the beauty in everyone. Thank YOU!

As my 92nd birthday approaches on August 18th, I have drifted into a reflective mood. At this point in my journey I'm experiencing a need to look back and reflect, even as I wonder if I'll make it to August 18th, considering how much my health has deteriorated during the past few months, a situation that renders me as ready as I'll ever be to blow this pop stand. This ol world is currently so screwed up and, imo, on a collision with what I think will be changes so drastic that I will be out of my element. So, whatever. All the points of view and personal philosophies of those who regularly post here, especially as it pertains to the black condition, have inspired me to put myself in perspective and share my thoughts when it comes to where I fit on the black spectrum. Bear with me because this is probably my swan song, and I may ramble. Hopefully, however, something learned about the caliber of my blackness wiil be enlightening when it comes to examining the multi-faceted nature of black America. I have always described myself as a "hybrid" descendant of slaves. That's my tribe. And it's a HoHum passive one. According to Ancestry.com, my blood lines include Irish, German, Native American and, last but not least, African by way of the Sierra Leone region of Nigeria. I do not consider the Atlantic Ocean my homeland because my ancestors obviously reached and landed in America, and were transported to the North Carolina location of what had been one of the country's most prolific slave markets. And the rest is my history. My genesis begins in the territory that originally belonged to the native American tribes like the Osage one which my paternal Grandmother was descended from. . Both my paternal and maternal great grand parents were born into slavery, the women folk, typically raped by their white slave masters... My forebears have always identified themselves as colored, negro, black, depending on the era, and I have never strayed from or had any desire to identify myself as anything other than a non white person who has no delusions about the treachery and guile of the ruthless men who established the White Power Structure that controls the globe. The most negroid thing about me is my hair, having once had an abundant, bushy crop which lent itself very well to an afro style which I affected during the 1960s when I felt compelled to establish my "negritude", (a popular term back in those days.) And, when it came to the civil rights movement, although I was not an activist out there demonstrating in the streets, in my own personal way via the Op/Ed pages of 2 of Chicago's major newspapers, I was very supportive of those courageous enough to put their lives on the line to secure equality for all. I consider myself, for want of a better term, a "soul sista", very comfortable in my skin, having no great affinity for Interacting on a regular basis with Caucasian Americans. I am a product of the middleclass black bougeoise values that I was raised with, having no illusions about the superficial materialistic aspects of this designation. Paradoxically and inexplicably, I harbor a great revulsion for right-wing conservative black Republicans, and I despise Donald Trump and his Maggots! I was born in 1933 and grew up in the small town suburb of Chicago where my parents settled in 1922 as part of the first wave of the Great Migration of Negroes leaving the south, seeking a better life up north and, uniquely, even in those pre- civil rights years, I always resided in mixed neighborhoods, always attended integrated schools and, as part of the great Civil Service work force, always held jobs working side-by-side with white co-workers. So, my mutated homo sapien "cousins" are no strangers to me. I neither like nor dislike them, opting to just judge them on an individual basis, always keeping my guard up. My politics are a reflection of my core personsality. I am a Moderate Liberal, not a militant radical progressive because I'm too cynical to take seriously these erratic types with self-serving agendas. I have never been ambitious because I'm lazy and don't like too much responsiblity or anything difficult or demanding, just content to do enough to get by. I am not proud to confess that I have gone through life, avoiding anything that required great effort on my part. I am lazy and unmotivated, only good and creative at things that interest me. I do, however, lean toward the aesthetic, profound spititual things in life and this includes liberty and justice for all. I have lived through the terms of 15 presidents and can honestly say that the administration of whomever was in office never greatly impacted on my personal day- to-day life. I've managed without even trying, to stay under the radar and - get by. I retired from the US Post Office in 1992 after 30 years of service so I have been retired longer than I worked, collecting a substantial pension replete with COLA raises, receiving money every month for doing nothing other than waking up every morning. If a problem exists when it comes to my black status it stems from my objectivity coupled with an affinity for the whole truth, 2 traits lacking in "gung ho" black chauvanists. This has led me to "divorce" on the grounds of incompatibility, the black race as it exists in the judgment of those who seek to mold it exclusively in their personal image, focusing on what in my judgment, amounts to merely chasing their tails when it comes to effectiveness. So, It is what it is, and I am what I am, - someone who will leave this earth, strong in my conviction that I am as authentically black as the most passionate chest beater. I close by acknowledging that, black is beautifully bountiful but - there are 2 sides to every coin. And so it goes...

@aka Contrarian, thanks for contributing your perspective, thoughts, opinions, zingers and insults, etc., to this coffeeshop on the internet that is AALBC. I always enjoy the exchange of perspectives regardless of whether we agree or not. That goes for each every one of you who contributes regularly. Of course, the coffeeshop would be incomplete without the hilarity that ensues from virtual dust-ups. Regardless of age, each and every last one of us is getting closer to the finish line than starting a new race.

Thank you, Pioneer. Yes, she's my daughter, my baby girl. She loved it here. She told me before she passed away. She also lived life - she was courageous. She was on a mission, and by the turnout at her Celebration, she touched a lot of folks with her light and life. One of her high school classmates learned of her passing and came from Seattle to Cincinnati to say fare well. He told us that when he was friendless, Cheyenne became his first friend. Cheyenne wanted to be treated by traditional medicine - and she was. However, she had to push her initial health caregiver even to test her when she told them of her symptoms. Cheyenne didn't take "no" for an answer. It was after the treatment that she realized that the treatments were inadequate - more for money and destabilizing than curing. This is what she wanted everyone to know. What I learned during her experience, as@ProfD alluded to is that many pharmaceuticals could heal and possibly even cure, but those treatments are reserved for the wealthy. Two days before Cheyenne suffered seizures, the doctors prescribed a therapy that could reach her brain, but they had to wait for her insurance provider to approve it. They did the same day she transitioned. Oddly enough, they could have prescribed the medicine before her brain surgery. - My daughter and I are not separated. The part of her who is eternal is still with me. I don't remember the skills to engage with her as I did when she was here in the flesh. I do, however, remember how my ancestors processed the transitioning of our loved ones, and it is a lot different from how Western civilization deals with the death of the body. So, while I miss her physical incarnation, her soul is boundless. I made this post because I want us to think about our health care—especially as Black people, we must reach back to our ancestral ways to maintain our health. Despite my daughter's paternity—she got her mtDNA from me—mitochondrial DNA, which comes from the mother to its offspring. The mtDNA houses ATP, also known as the God cell, that gives us life and our cells' energy. The medical establishment knows this even though lay people don't. As Prof D said, cancer has been around for millennia, we must remember the ways of our ancestors to survive.

For anybody who is curious as to why I no longer use my original user name on this forum, why I, who was once known as "Cynique", am now known as "aka Contrarian", this is the explanation. I have been contributing to this discussion forum off and on for over 20 years. Back in the day, as a retiree who was an aspiring author, its "African American Literary Book Club" title drew me to this site. And having always considered myself to be somewhat of an "iconoclast", I decided I wanted my avatar to reflect my personality, so I came up with what was a combination of "cynical" and "unique". And the "Cynique" moniker was born, replete with a somewhat devil's advocate persona; always skeptical and a tad sarcastic, - (something which contributed to my ongoing feud with the notorious Kola Boof, a semi-famous drama queen). Otherwise, with a few innocuous exceptions, over the years, I formed several cherished friendships with people I encountered here and with whom I still keep in touch with on FaceBook. Anyway, with the passage of time, while others came and went, I remained a long standing member of AALBC, and Troy rewarded my loyalty by naming this site "Cynique's Corner". As more time passed, however, I eventually became burnt out and, contrary to the insinuations of some people, I voluntarily decided to go on hiatus, subsequently telling Troy he could drop the "Cynique's Corner title; which he did. With the passage of more time, I finally decided to check back in, but I couldn't log on because I'd forgotten my pass word. When I tried to log on with a new password word, I was unsuccessful, the reason given by the computer being that somebody already had that user name. The fact that the "somebody" was me made things more entangled, and after I contacted Troy, he assigned me a special password to use. That, along with adopting a different user name, enabled me to log back on to the discussion forum, at which time I explained that "aka Contrarian" was the poster formerly known as "Cynique". Obviously, the word "contrarian" preserves the cynical essence I originally wanted to convey. Only one person ever found this to be a problem. Whatever. As Shakespeare once said: "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." It is what it is... And, don't be surprised if that "one person" chimes in with a stream of pictures along with references to flowers and bees and wasps and Cynique this and Dolemita that, yada,yada,yada. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Well, today is the American holiday where folks gather with family and friends in food, fun and fellowship. Eat, drink and enjoy however you so choose. I know the history behind *holidays* but I do not skip them for the aforementioned reasons. I use holidays as a time to further build and connect with my tribe. Every several years, my birthday happens to fall on Thanksgiving Day. When that happens, I don't have to cook anything for the family dinner. I'll pull up, eat, enjoy my folks and watch football games. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Nature putting on a show via the northern lights, reminding Earth to not sweat the small stuff.

I am finding words and numbers allow me to access the unconscious mind of the Querent and for myself i use omens and clock time Yes just be open and don't have set beliefs or feelings. Just allow the information to speak to you. One of the ways is to just doodle or write down the words that pop into your mind.

Thank you! That is one of the most classic and fabulous wedding celebrations that I have ever seen! Oh My Gosh! I don't know how many times I have watched this. @Mel Hopkins I can't imagine how happy you must feel! Your daughter and her husband are so incredibly beautiful. Again, you look amazing. LOL! Okay... @Pioneer1 Come on! But you are right on one count, that wedding look like a movie; As if it was straight out of Hollywood.

"He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool."

Yes. I voted. Dystopian executioner. For me, it's not about skin color, I just appreciate beautiful men, spiritually and physically, no matter what color or culture. However, as a Black women, I cannot help but to be drawn to beautiful men of African descent especially.

Suddenly I've drifted into a crazy zone. I have nothing but time on my hands, and I live around the clock, only sleeping when I'm sleepy, only eating when I'm hungry, suspended in limbo. My Samsung smart phone is my ever present companion and it's like there's a connection between my fingers and its keyboard and I have a compulsion to just write long dissertations or crazy vignettes, my words and thoughts feeding on each other like i'm overtaken by a rogue AI entity that compels me to write about things I didn't know I knew, - like my subconcious mind is on overdrive. Like now. Fortunately, I'm not immobile nor in dire health. But I do tire easily, and like to curl up on my recliner, where i still set aside time to do patternless crossword puzzles that seem to work themselves and play Bridge on line with computerized robots - who seem to becoming more human by the day... Family relationships are normal, but there's this other world that I drift in and out of and when I sleep I have vivid dreams about all those who have gone ahead. In a recent one it seemed like my husband had hooked up with an old girlfriend. Why do I find this funny??? Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining, not lonely nor depressed, just curious about this weird state I'm caught up in. I still sometimes sneak out at night and look up at the stars... Now i'm about to gear up for my daily walk up and down the driveway. Stay tuned, - or tune out if you have better things to do than read the ramblings of a crazy ol lady. Hoping some winning POWERBALLnumbers will pop into my head. Nothing like a billion dollars to calm your impulses.

Computed by whom? NASA? Or the aliens who launched it and subsequently turned it green for "GO"!

IMO, you have reached the zenith of life. We should all be so fortunate to get there. Relative good health is a bonus in the zenith of life. There is no shortage of posts that we express how much we enjoy your input here. I certainly look forward to and get a kick out of your ramblings. Keep posting as long as time allows..

Sista @Mel Hopkins, it's always great whenever you decide to plop into your chair in the proverbial coffeehouse that is AALBC. Always appreciate your contribution to the discussion. I don't work in academia or the ministry but if/whenever you run across a 6 foot, well dressed, nice watch wearing, bald-headed Black man pontificating about anything in a lecture hall or pulpit or playing the piano, that could be your brotha from another mutha.

I Love You Am I the only one on this forum who has ever met you in person? I’m still kicking myself for not spending more time with you that evening in Chicago almost a decade ago. Even when this picture was taken, you had been participating on the forums for 12 years! I think you’re the only person here who has firsthand knowledge of that guy named Thumper. After more than two decades of participation, here I believe other than myself, you have the longest tenure of any active poster. In my opinion, you have enriched this forum in many ways and more than any other person. You also set the bar high demonstrating what a 90+ year old person can do when it comes to technology, writing, keeping up with pop culture, politics, and despite a little cynicism maintaining a sense of humor. It is hard to imagine how quickly time has flown by and how fleeting life is. Happy birthday!

Listen to these LOVERS of America bitch and moan because also being shuckers and jivers who, between constantly objectifying women, crow about black men being superior to males of other ethnicities, and who are now sulking because their fellow chauvinists can't control their "much-envied" sexual prowess the way certain other black men are able to do, thus providing newsworthy material for the dreaded white media which is controlled by the deep state racist conspirators plotting to demonize black men in order to keep them from acquiring the power they are too inefficient to acquire in the first place. HoHum. Same ol, same ol. What black folks need to do is ,,,.go find a deserted island and start their own country so they can fight amongst themselves without interference from dem bad ol white folks who have no intention of sharing their power with a sub culture of colorists debating who's black and who isn't. Obviously I'm not trying to win a popularity contest here. Since I've turned in my black credentials. I can spew the narrative of my tribe and keep on truckin'. What a wise man who should've said nothing, once let slip: "It is what it is."

Thank you @Pioneer1 . I think only in this country do you need to set aside a day of remembrance for mothers, considering this country's track record of continued abuse. I'm sure you know about the sterilization program this country ran to make sure certain women could not reproduce. Please don't get me started LOL Happy Mother's Day @Cynique @aka Contrarian Joy looks so good on you! You are a radiant beam of LOVE!

Is religion the "opiate of the masses", - or what?

If Jesus did exist, I believe he would've had an appreciation for irony. After all, his Daddy offers free will as an option. But exercising it can get you in a hell of a lot of trouble.

Personal observations can confirm or corroborate facts but it mainly serves as a form of mental masturbation. Statistics provide real data to define and reinforce a position or belief. Well constructed arguments require both statistical data and analysis combined with relevant personal observation. Personal observation on its own doesn't verify or prove anything. Gotta produce receipts i.e. statistical data.

March 13-14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse NASA: March 13-14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse: Telescopic View Released Thursday, January 30, 2025 https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5472 This week, on the evening of March 13 and into the morning of March 14, the moon will slide into Earth’s shadow, creating a wondrous and graceful event: a total lunar eclipse. The whole show, over three hours long, will be visible across almost the entirety of North America, Central America, and most of South America. From western Africa the moon will set while still eclipsed, and in extreme eastern Russia the moon will rise already in eclipse. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/where-and-how-to-see-total-lunar-eclipse-2025-blood-moon _____________________________________________________________________ This is so awesome! Even though there will be other lunar eclipses however, I think this one is extra special because it just so happens to occur in the middle of the month and even more amazing would be that it will happen in the month of March. The month of March is the scientific and universal New Year! March 14, is the scientific and lunar New Year! So if you count from March to September, it confirms this fact because Sept means 'the number seven (7)' and then the root word 'Oct' for the month of October means 'eight (8)' as in octagon. For America and western Calendars, the month of September is the ninth (9th) month, October is the tenth (10th) month and so forth. So for the earth to align with the moon becoming a full moon on the evening of March 13 is significant in how the solar system aligns at times. The vernal equinox will then occur in the third week of March. Eclipses though, are not always easy to see because of the nature of how they tend to pull up the clouds. But hopefully for those who may want to look up and witness this celestial event, the clouds will not gather and block the red moon.

IMO, humans are tribal by nature. In complex societies, people belong to more than one tribe.

Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Lisa Fischer and Valerie Simpson were among those who performed at the funeral service for Roberta Flack. I would like to know what was so important that our beautiful sista Lauryn Hill couldn't finish getting her hair done. Hair appointment aside, the mercurial Ms. Hill still has that voice. The woman can sing effortlessly. Surely, the late Ms. Flack would have approved of Lauryn showing up for her homegoing service. Of course, the great Stevie Wonder did his thing too. The man is a living legend. Deserves his flowers now. Ms. Roberta Flack was an awesome musician, singer and songwriter. She left us with an excellent body of music. RIP our beloved sista. DC for life.

I also don't consider her a jazz artist. Although that wasn't in the post . It just said music. I have to say on the Jazz side Robert Glasper is amazing. He did a show with a full orchestra on Northern Europe. Also his vocalist Bilal is amazing. The only current female I can think of is H.E.R. vocally Indo like Jazmine Sullivan and Muni Long

And Black America can and will do that on the very same day that Racism no longer exists! People tend to play the cards they're dealt in life. You want Black people to stop playing the "race card"....stop dealing it to them.

Good Afternoon, It's great to be in community with you. My name is Nicole Carr and I'm an Atlanta-based journalist, journalism professor and author of the forthcoming book The Price of Exclusion: The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation (HarperCollins June 2026). This is my first book, and it's taken me on a journey through the archives of our medical schools at home and abroad, as well as family history in Jamaica, the U.S., Canada and Europe. We released the cover on Black Friday, and I'd love for you to check out the description and cover below. If this sounds like a read you'd like, I'd appreciate your support with pre-orders and/or spreading the word. You can shop your favorite Black-owned and independent bookstores through the Bookshop link located here: The Price of Exclusion – HarperCollins Thank you for your consideration and support! Nicole Book Description: From award-winning journalist Nicole Carr comes a landmark narrative revealing the untold history of Black medical professionals who have long fought to heal their communities—while confronting a system built to exclude them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Americans died at nearly twice the rate of their white counterparts—a disparity rooted not only in access to care but in a long history of exclusion, exploitation, and systemic racism. How did we get here, and why, despite generations of Black medical excellence, do these inequities persist? In The Price of Exclusion, journalist Nicole Carr uncovers that history and its urgent consequences, exposing the hidden toll of America’s refusal to value Black doctors and their patients. At the center is the extraordinary life of Carr’s great-grandfather, Dr. Lawrence St. Clair Ferguson, a Jamaican-born physician who served in World War I and attended medical school during the Spanish Flu pandemic. His journey from colonial Jamaica to a racially divided America provides both an intimate family portrait and a sweeping history of how Black physicians persevered despite segregation, erasure, and relentless barriers to practice. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research, Carr resurrects the lives of pioneers who transformed medicine against impossible odds. From America’s first four-year medical school located at a historically Black college in North Carolina to the generations of Black physicians whose contributions were pushed aside by institutions of power, Carr shows how these figures were not only doctors but also advocates and innovators whose work reshaped public health and opened doors for those who followed. Carr also reveals the systemic campaigns that actively disempowered Black doctors, from the American Medical Association’s exclusionary policies to the devastating closures of Black medical schools after the Flexner Report. That legacy fuels today’s shortage of Black medical professionals and the lingering distrust in medicine that continues to cost lives. Bold, moving, and essential, The Price of Exclusion is both a necessary history and a testament to the resilience of Black medical pioneers past and present. At a moment when diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine are under political attack, Carr forces us to reckon with the past while imagining a future where healthcare truly values every single life.

There are Black majority cities in America like Atlanta, Detroit, Baltimore, and even Jackson Mississippi. What if Black politicians at the municipal level began working with wealthy black entrepreneurs to develop and diversity local economies especially disadvantaged neighborhoods ? Think about it. What if we pooled public and private resources to replicate what Geoffrey Canada did with the Harlem Children's Zone in New York City ? After all a good start early in life in a livable environment comes before any kind of academic achievement or entrepreneurial success. Right? Secondly, what if black business people and politicians formed public/private partnerships to seek out new sources of investment like Chinese, Middle Eastern, and West African ? Third, maybe we need real democracy in black politics which means independent thought and action that challenges the Black Democratic Leadership Establishment. I'm not saying move to the Republican Right. But demand more from our so called leaders. If you can't provide viable solutions to problems like crime, violence, poverty, academic failure, and the racial wealth gap then you get voted out. So what's keeping us from doing these things ? 1. We don't live together and aren't forced to work and strive together inspite of our class, political, or status differences the way Jim Crow and DeFacto residential segregation forced us too. 2. Middle and upper income blacks have their own priorities even among individuals that differ from poor and workingclass blacks. Race, blackness, and struggling against racism don't matter as much anymore or in the same way to all black people. 3. Black business and professional people aren't necessarily always concerned with advancing black people collectively. Elected officials and political insiders often benefit themselves and their cronies. And the Black Capitalist is no different from the white one if he's a major player. The Black Capitalist is about maximizing profit. They only help other blacks if there's money to be made. So this is my non expert take on things.

@Mel HopkinsGlad to get your input on this subject. I wish Chevdov would also contribute her opinions. Of course arguing with pioneer is an exercise in futility. Meglo-maniac that he is, he wants to make the world over in his image, and he views things through a warped lens. Tsk-tsk.

@Mel HopkinsI apologize for not being more verbal in my response to your latest post. It really is gratifying to see you happy again and I wish you and the newyweds all the best! Everybody looks great!

'Just finished watching the local news to get the latest on the ICE demonstration rockin my town. Things have really escalated. Police from all the surrounding towns on the scene as well as state troopers. iCE agents clubbing and dragging demonstrators who are growing in numbers. Traffic tied up and being re-directed, the Mayor fumimg and saying she wants these goons gone! It's unclear why and how they just showed up and opened a facility and started arresting people! The latest casuality is a fast food Tamale place that has been raided and closed down, its owners taken into custody. UNBELIEVABLE! Oh, well. At least Illinois beat USC in a close game. 24 to 21 Let's go BEARS.

Yep. Charlie Kirk said “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.” Kirk lived and died by his very own words. POTUS OJ has d8mn near hailed him a MAGA hero. Flags lowered to half staff. White folks won't be any more outraged about this killing as they are when it comes to mass shootings and conflicts where they kill each other. Thankfully, the shooter wasn't a Black man. This country would be on the brink of a race war. Let's see how long this situation keeps the news cycle busy before they go back to ICE chasing immigrants and the national guard occupying urban cities.

Well, what's a little "strawman" lapse between friends?

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/09/1209525990/sly-stone-obituary He was an architect of Funk music. He inspired Motown to move in a different direction. He is the reason Miles Davis brought electric instruments into Jazz. His music was a cornerstone of Hip-Hop music. He inspired countless artists and musicians. He was truly a musical pioneer. I'm thankful for everything he brought to music. RIP Mr. Sylvester Stewart better known as Sly Stone.

Obviously, the most accurate definition of race is: "a term that describes what some people believe doesn't exist"

that video was interesting i lived in this apartment building for a month. my apartment was on the other side of the building with a view of table Mountain, which it that flat mountaintop you see in the background I was there in April. The pool was really too cold to ever use. The building on the left is a large mall on par with anything you find in the — Very nice. I would go food shopping there, put my groceries in the shopping cart, Push it all the way to my apartment door leave it in the hallway and someone would come by and bring it back to the supermarket. For some reason I always thought that was the coolest thing The rent was cheaper than a similar apartment you find in any medium sized city in the US, but without the nice view. Most of the people in the building were European For a black community, people live in what is described as “informal” housing or the Khayelitsha township 30 minutes or more drive from Cape Town.

Many think the above expression is a trite cliche or an empty phrase. But I've always found it to be totally adequate because, in and of itself, it stands alone, unchallenged; language at its best, reality captured in pure and simple words, the essence of its message existing between the lines, reminiscent of the old adage about "one picture being worth a thousand words". An esoteric echo, "it is what it is" is what it is: a profound utterance that translates into the ultimate truth. See ya... Mother's Day 2025

The Greeks learned from the Africans, not vice versa/ Kemet Mysteries Schools come from us, as does the tradition of a tiered learning system. Although it is unspoken, the Greek lettering became associated with learning and academia for this reason. Because of the Western attempt to erase all of what we have given civilization, the Divine Nine, keeping with tradition, just went along with the established system of using Greek lettering, is my guess. It's kind of like how we use the Arabic numeral system. I don't know why everyone agreed to use those numbers, but we know Africans were the first to develop maths. ->>> The Lebombo Bone: The Oldest Mathematical Artifact in the World – African Heritage

A report for the month of April claims 177,000 new jobs. Supposedly, gasoline is selling for $1.98/gallon somewhere. Not anywhere I travel. This ties back to @Pioneer1's distrust of statistics.

Nor were you trained in statistics It's obvious to everyone else. Am opinion is never wrong but it can be either uninformed or misinformed. Pioneer has hit the Daily Double.

Mel Yep! That is exactly what the Temple priestesses are reported to have done because they had other goals for civilization. Great point! The ancients knew the power of sex (as well as blood and semen) and employed certain sex rituals to access certain spiritual and political power over society and help maintain stability. You mentioned the temple prostitutes of Egypt earlier. It has been said that the Kemetic King (I don't call them pharaohs) Khufu actually promoted his own DAUGHTER as a prostitute to raise money to build the Great Pyramid of Giza. And it wasn't considered evil or scandalous at the time but a great honor that a woman would be so desired and so many men would spend so much money on her it generated enough to build one of the Wonders of the world. That must have been some baaaaad coochie...lol. But anyway..... It hadn't escaped my observation that when we go from mostly vegetarian Matriarchal/Egalitarian civilization where sex and sexuality was promoted and encouraged....to a Patriarchal one where sex was condemned as a "necessary evil".....that all of a sudden murder and violence is now promoted as "divine". It follows a pattern that Caucasians leave where ever they go. Thanx for the Tutsi video btw.... I work with some Rwandans who are actually Tutsis ((they told me but Rwandans really are not supposed to tell anyone their tribe)) I might show them this video...lol. richardmurray The ancient egalitarianism you speak I know of but the use of technology in negative ways plus the growing complexity of humanity , what i will call the patriarchy, warrants said system to reach an egalitarianism that can exist alongside the modern and future greed. It isn't the only way , but is one way. I might have mentioned this to ProfD a few days ago but we were talking about Scandanavian countries and he mentioned how peaceful and progressive they were as compared to the United States and how they don't spend so much money on their militaries. My point was they can live in that type of peace because the United States is protecting them, however another interesting thing about those Scandinavian nations like Sweden and Finland is that they are MORE egalitarian than the United States. Women have far more power and independence there than they do in other parts of the Western world. I believe the reasons is....even Caucasians know and understand that an egalitarian society where women share the power is inherently BETTER in the long run...and they preserve those societies as ideal. However Sweden and Finland and Norway are very homogeneous and the vast majority of it's citizens are White and so they don't mind allowing their women equal power as long as they know that there are no people (especially men) of color around to pull them away. As Sweden and Denmark begin to bring in more immigrants from the Middle East and Africa....it's going to become more Conservative and the sexism and traditionalism will increase as White men seek more control over their women to keep them from African and Arab men.

I don't think Alicia fits into the Jazz category either. Indeed, I have trouble grouping her in with the other three, but that could be my age talking I voted in the negative, as it is pretty obvious given the females who get the awards and attention, Bey, Doechii, Mehgan, Minjaz, Syza, (pardon any spelling mistakes). A Black man can gain notoriety and acclaim more easily than a sister... I'm not sure why perhaps a smooth brother on the keys appeals to more white people (which is necessary for any real recognition). Speaking of the Brothers on keyboardists. I recently heard a podcast on Stevie Wonder which reminded me of the 4.5 year stretch in which Stevie released 5 GREAT albums. What I failed to realize was that all of these albums were released before Stevie was 27! Music of My Mind — March 3, 1972 Talking Book — October 28, 1972 Innervisions — August 3, 1973 Fulfillingness’ First Finale — July 22, 1974 Songs in the Key of Life — September 28, 1976 I guess a streak like that over a career is impossible... but that was certainly and prodigious and perhaps an unparalleled run.

Wow. I did not know until I read this that Nelly Fuller Jr. has transitioned, and it has been almost a week. I listen to the radio every day. I'm online every day. I talk to conscious Black people most days. Again, this is why sites like this are important. "The feed" simply does not serve us...why because it exists in the context of a system of white supremacy. RIP Mr. Fuller.

Did DEI even HELP us as AfroAmericans? Especially heterosexual Black men? I'm not lamenting the demise of most of these federal "minority" programs because most of them weren't targeted at the people who needed the actual help the most. A large portion if not the majority of most of the so-called "diversity" and "inclusion" programs benefited Caucasians who CLAIMED "minority" status. Most of the so-called "Native Americans" were $5 Pretend-ians with feathers stuck in their blond braids. A large portion were White gays and lesbians who wanted to claim "minority" status. Many Latinos....most of whom are mostly White or half White...were huge beneficiaries of these programs. And when they DID want to hire or include a Black person....it was usually a FEMALE. Many of these corporate firms don't a straight Black dick ANYWHERE NEAR their work space.

Greetings, AALBC Forum Fsmily: Hope you all had a great Chrustmaa and I wish everyone a Happy New Year! Here's to a prosperoua 2025!