ProfD

Yep. They would be fire-breathers if they could muster methane. People like that guy are only mad because white privilege has them believing they're not supposed to answer questions from *others*.

Nah. Most Black churches are still being headed by cisgender men. I'd imagine those pastors are perfectly fine with a congregation of dudes who are uninterested in women. Less competition. For those pastors who are switch hitters...there's more variety in the congregation. Gives church retreat a whole new meaning. Blsck churches are busy running a business based on spiritual entertainment. They don't have a whole lot of bandwidth for civil rights issues. i believe Black Christians are fine with Atty. Ben Crump handling the business from a legal perspective.

Brotha Tariq Nasheed nails it perfectly every time in reminding them of fleeing their failed homeland and talking sh8t about AfroAmericans who paved the way for them to be here. As I've mentioned before, I've got quite a few Africans in my family and by extension friends too. Whenever we have those conversations, I use it to educate and erase their ignorance. In the event that I'm not getting through, I'll encourage them to go sat down somewhere. As I've mentioned to Cynique in other threads, I do realize and recognize that Black folks have come a long way. I can look around and see affluence. Black folks are doing very well for themselves. But, as Dr. MLK Jr. said in his speech..."I wouldn't stop there..." especially when there's much to be done when it comes to reparations and dismantling the system of racism white supremacy.

Yep. It works. The beauty of it is no need for argument. Of course, the white folks will eventually get red-faced and hopping mad once exposed.

Black Christians have been mostly silent in these matters since MLK Jr. was assassinated. In sports, they call it making a *business decision* when you refuse to take risk. Black Christians don't want the smoke from the system of racism white supremacy.

Every Black media personality with a platform should be asking those very same questions every day. Force white folks to tell the truth about why they have so many guns. Wait for answer. Sometimes people have to hear raw and uncut what they already know. No confusion.

Nobody can deny that Black folks have a great deal of work to do internally cleaning up our own problems.

That forgiveness of the perpetrators is ridiculous. They don't show any remorse even during the hug.

Gangs, crime and violence existed long before Rap music (Hip-Hop). *Gangsta* Rap music didn't burst onto the scene until around 1992. It was the CNN of gang life in South Central Los Angeles. It's amazing that Hollywood can produce the most violent movies. There's no criticism. It's considered art. John Wick kills more people in 2 hours onscreen than any gang-banger or serial killer does in real life. Nobody complains. OTOH, Black folks make songs about selling drugs and killing folks and going to prison and somehow the music is responsible for what's been happening in the streets for decades before it was created. Nothing forces people to listen to gangsta music. There's no shortage of *good* music being produced at any given time. Funny thing is many folks who may be offended by the lyrics actually dig and bounce to the beats in Gangsta Rap music. Another thought...grab the instrumental version of Hip-Hop music if the words are too offensive. Otherwise, nothing prevents Black folks from changing the conditions reflected in the music.

It's worth a shot (no pun intended). Make them accountable for the sins of their children. Amazing that AR-15s haven't been outright banned in the US. It's not really a weapon used for animal hunting.

Yep. I believe music can bridge gaps in humanity. Musicians seem to get along across all lines once the instruments start talking. IMO, we don't use music enough to bring harmony among people. A new vehicle makes sense if the buyer 1) keeps it for 10 years or longer or 2) makes money using it. Interestingly, manufacturers are charging (no pun intended) a premium on EVs. It seems like any savings in fuel and maintenance costs on EVs are being rolled into the vehicle price. Battery range is definitely a key factor in buyer decisions nowadays. As an old man, I'll probably buy petro until I can no longer drive or they take my driver's license.

The greatest trick of the enemy is turning people against themselves and each other. Black folks have been pitted against each other since slavery..house slaves versus field slaves. Yet, they had one thing in common...ALL of them were slaves. Gang culture represents a very small minority of Black folks. It's mainly confined to inner cities. For example, take the windy city of Chicago. Gangs have been runnimg around since the 1970s. Law enforcement knows everything about them. Just like the white mafia, the reason gangs are allowed to operate is because all types of crime helps to stimulate the economy. Law enforcement, judicial system, medical professionals and countless others depend on dysfunction in order to have a jobs. Otherwise, if there was a desire to do so, law enforcement could wipe out gangs in less than a week across the entire US. Just like any type of cancer, there's no money in the cure. Maintenance of diseases and societal *problems* fuels capitalism. Black folks can solve some of their own *problems*. The question becomes who's willing to put in the work.

https://nypost.com/2024/09/07/us-news/georgia-school-shooting-suspect-colt-grays-family-not-white-trash-are-just-regular-people-relative/ Most schools around America just opened a couple weeks ago. It didn't take long for a 14-year old white boy to show up with his AR-15 cutting down 4 people with 9 folks injured. The school resource officer is being hailed as a hero for preventing more loss of life. The shooter and his father are being charged with multiple counts. These same individuals were interviewed by the FBI last year because something this teenager posted raised red flags. FBI let it go. Meanwhile, the father proceeds to buy his troubled son a weapon of destruction and teaches him how to use it. The media ties itself in knots trying to spin away from the dysfunction, death and destruction caused by white folks. It's easy to blame Black suspects and victims for whatever happens to them. Regardless of age, rhe mugshots and criminal records for everyone involved are plastered on TV immediately. Yet, when white folks do dumb sh8t, the media is slow to reveal the names and faces of white assailants. The media is always on code in protecting white folks who kill others until they can't. Then, they'll spill tea with somber. Former POTUS OJ's VP pick and running mate JD Vance called the latest school shooting "a fact of life". Can't make this stuff up. In Michigan, the son, father and mother are imprisoned for the son shooting up the school. Let's see if Georgia can make it stick too. White folks do not want parents held accountable for the deeds of their children. I don't see why not especially if they were responsible for arming them in the 1st place and not getting mental health treatment to prevent the worse from happening....again.

You've lived long enough to earn that right. As time passes by, it becomes clearer that a whole lotta sh8t that we consume ourselves with in life is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Then again, I can also see why we don't tell younger folks that the world is full of BS. It would be selfish to rob them of their life experiences. Same here. Music has been an opiate throughout my life. The more time I spent being musician and playing music reduced keeping my head in books. As a young person, I'd check the maximum number of books out of the library to read them. I'd also read every book, magazine and newspaper laying around too. I'm fairly certain my house would look like a library if my passion for music hadn't consumed me.

Gotcha. You meant lost as the opposite of won. Right. Nor was I implying that you felt or thought such either. Mainly pointing out that group is small in number.

As shown, there are several variables based on viewpoints within the problem that a simple function may not suffice. You didn't lose anyone nor were you voted down. There's no lack of intelligence here but very few regular posters. Extremely small sample size for the exercise.

That's definitely the program being sold and what folks are supposed to believe.

Of course. Some preachers hoop and others are more restrained in their delivery. I thought by now you all have figured out how my comedy works around here. I have to do a better job apparently. Maybe more emoticons. Yep. That Joel Osteen with the million dollar smile and tear-jerking stories flying outta his mouf is raking in money hand over fist. Yet, when the city of Houston had flooding, the same Osteen was like, h8ll naw...you homeless folks can't stay in my joint.

The track record in staying on top of these situations isn't great. Especially after the vigil, t-shirts and funeral.

Many of the learning deficiencies and other labels they attached to children can be charged to an educational system that fails to maintain their interest and enlighten them. Then again, the system is designed to produce certain outcomes. Capitalism thrives on every type of person in the form of white and blue collar workers, unemployed folks and prisoners too.

I believe MTA and other public transit systems are subsidized by government for the service it provides. Transit systems take folks back and forth to work and school and play. While responsible for air pollution themselves, they reduce the number of vehicles emitting carbon. When the public transit system claims to lose money, it's letting government know it needs more of it. The US gives away billions of dollars for everything from financing unwinnable wars in other countries to propping up governments to incentivizing farmers not to grow crops and a whole lot of other stuff. The US military is absolutely the strongest force on the planet. They're responsible for keeping any other country from calling in markers on debt. The game is dirty.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/31/california-slavery-reparations-bills-unraveled-over-gavin-newsom-amendments-00176957 The California reparations bill stalled before making it to a floor vote. A democratic senator introduced the bills. Yet, it's believed the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) may have undermined the bills because they didn't write them. Reads like that n8gga sh8t. Ridiculous if such is the case. Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest obstacles to any Black progress are fellow Black folks. All skin folk aren't kin folk. We know reparations of any kind for Black folks is a long shot. Still, there's no reason to go shooting oneself in the foot. Let the white folks say h8ll naw...get outta here with that reparations stuff. We don't need Black bootlicks and shills and tethers working on behalf of their masters to thwart atonement for America's original sin.

When a man truly figures out what he wants/needs from a woman, he can maximize his life expectancy. If a woman has a problem with her man, it's probably because he's not listening or paying enough attention. There's nothing someone else can do to *fix* it.

Right. The enemy who owns the media would never spend too much time showing their folks taking Ls. The best way to keep Black in fear and afraid is to show them as weak, powerless and defenseless. That makes war a necessary evil. Gotta learn how to defend and protect ourselves at some point.

Unfortunately, it takes an immediate situation for us to get busy: The Alabama riverboat brawl showed that we can stand up for each other and get down. Not often enough though. Especially when it comes to dealing with race soldiers.