ProfD

AfroAmericans have a unique history. It's important to know and celebrate it beyond the shortest month of the year. As Black history is under attack and threatened to be whitewashed from the books, it's more important than ever that AfroAmericans preserve it by any means necessary every day.

Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator (OC) Eric Bieniemy appears to be en route to being hired as the OC of the Washington Commanders. This will be a lateral move for OC Bieniemy who has won 2 Super Bowls with the KC Chiefs. Yet, every year for the past 3, OC Bieniemy has interviewed with a total of 14 NFL teams for their Head Coach (HC) vacancies and been passed over. To put this in perspective, Super Bowl losing Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator (DC) Jonathan Gannon and OC Shane Steichen have been hired as HCs for the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts respectively. Neither Gannon nor Steichen has nearly as much experience as Bieniemy. The NFL has a glaring problem when it comes to racism. Ultimately, it comes down to this harsh reality...white team owners are going to hire folks that are a reflection of themselves. Also, if 70% of the NFL players are Black, the team owners would feel more comfortable with the overseer, er, HC being one of their own. As an avid NFL football fan, I will always trumpet for AfroAmericans to put an investment group together and buy an NFL team whenever a franchise becomes available for sale. Ownership is the only way to level the playing field in everything within the system of racism white supremacy.

Ain't is a contraction for is not and are not just like isn't and aren't. At this point, ain't is definitely accepted nationally. It pairs up well with double negatives too. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat... Ain't ne'er another one... Spell check recognizes ain't as a word too.

Here we go again... https://www.npr.org/2023/02/17/1157893626/white-louisiana-police-charged-in-alonzo-bagley-shooting-death Domestic disturbance complaint leads to Alonzo Bagley, another AfroAmerican man being killed by police. There's a body-cam video that captures some of the situation. The most disturbing audio is the police officer who fired the shot crying and begging Mr. Barnes to pull through and survive. Another situation that didn't require the police officer to pull and fire a weapon. But, it will keep happening especially when officers do not see a reflection of themselves in the victim and/or have a grievance. The cop's lawyer is already trying to spin the narrative and provide a defense for his client. Ridiculous.

Better jobs, housing, schools and economic opportunities means less poverty, homelessness, hopelessness and despair which equals fewer crimes.

Reading about and watching historical accounts of Black folks past and present. Before the month ends, I may trek back to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Needless to type, I celebrate Black History all year round.

Brotha Del, can't say that I blame the aliens one bit for avoiding human beings. Some can be strange creatures.

That's why I believe we need to do a better job of treating mental illness especially here in the US. If we can eliminate or reduce the triggers that cause violent episodes, even fewer things become a weapon.

Well, finally a subject in which we share some agreement. I believe the reason UFOs and aliens aren't receiving as much attention is because we have so much technology from powerful telescopes to satellites that we should be able to *see* something hurtling into Earth's atmosphere. It's almost like when folks stop believing in Santa Claus. Too many things don't add up. Here's some tinfoil hat sh8t to consider...maybe aliens won't come from outer space. The aliens could be living among us or within the Earth's core. Signs of life have shown up in volcanoes.

@Stefan nails it. Every continent can help itself if/when the human beings living on it do a better job of taking care of each other. Love solves most problems among human beings.

*If* If there was a such thing as an alien spacecraft that could navigate through outer space surely it would be sophisticated enough to withstand any attack from Earthlings.

The Exoduster movement was a great idea. But, it was poorly planned and loosely organized, met huge resistance and still required white benefactors and cooperation. Conceptually, moving to the free state of Kansas was great until AfroAmericans realized they were not getting the best farmland nor significant opportunities for economic progress and sustainability. A solid movement requires multiple levels of advanced planning and logistical support. But, like a religion, a movement has to start with shared beliefs and goals under leadership. The Civil Rights movement was in direct response to the oppressive laws and mistreatment of AfroAmericans. Still, there were opposing views within the AfroAmerican community in terms of dealing with it. As it relates to the debate of violence versus non-violence. AfroAmericans have never been properly organized and equipped to go to war against white folks. Period. AfroAmerican leaders understood the resulting bloodbath would have left the AfroAmerican population decimated. The net gain would have been minus-zero. The remaining AfroAmericans would been relegated to reservations similar to Native Americans. Non-violent resistance saved millions of AfroAmerican lives that would have been slaughtered. The compromise AfroAmericans settled on is being stuck in a holding pattern of benign neglect within the system of racism white supremacy. Surely, there are AfroAmericans who thrive financially but they are still prisoners within the system. Get too far out line and the walls will appear.

Same here. No dog in the fight. Looking forward to a great Supet Bowl game between two Black QBs. A rising star in QB Jalen Hurts. The Eagles didn't even expect him to be the guy. Of course, QB Patrick Mahomes has already ascended the pinnacle of the position. The NFL really doesn't know what to do with the narrative of Black QBs taking over the field general position. The Ravens need pay QB Lamar Jackson. Stop playing with that man's money.

Yeah bro, as you already know, we only have the power to influence change. Through our continued usage and actions adding flavor to the mainstream, eventually our words and style are accepted and co-opted. Sports talking heads do it all the time. I remember when Black folks would cringe upon hearing that which is considered improper English. They considered it ignorant. Meanwhile, Southern white folks have quite a few words they could want to add. Instead of pushing it, they just continue talking the same way and passing it down from one generation to the next. Through Black conversation and music, folks know the meaning of the words when we use them. They use them too. That's fine.

Nope. Green comet is 26 million miles away. That's why it only shows up every 50k years. Coincidence that earthquake just shook up Turkey and Syria. But, I'll double check the records from the last time that comet showed up to see if the Earth got shook up.

For me, as a natural born comedian, there's no shortage of comedic source material in the world. Instinctively, I use it. So, I've clowned Ben Crump for sounding like he's got a wad of Hubba Bubba bubblegum in his mouth: However, there's no doubt that brotha Ben Crump is always on the case when it comes to getting families paid for their pain and suffering. I'm proud of him in that regard too. I still crack up laughing at some of Ben Crump's interviews. Especially when he emphasizes Don Lemon by name.

St. Thomas University has renamed its law school after Attorney Ben Crump: https://www.diverseeducation.com/demographics/african-american/article/15306595/st-thomas-university-law-school-named-benjamin-l-crump-college-of-law Ben Crump is the 1st practicing AfroAmerican lawyer to have a school named after him. There is only one other U.S. law school bearing the name of an AfroAmerican. That was the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

These prejudiced Governors of Texas and Florida respectively are directly attacking Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Interestingly, these governors are not being challenged by their colleagues and constituents within their home state. I'm sure there are minorities working at the local and state level who are either affected by and/or have benefitted from these initiatives. Yet, with every news story clearly showing how these governors are determined to roll America back 100 years, there is no massive protest state-wide or nationally. I wonder why.... Please don't tell me it's because citizens are afraid they will be injured or killed. Otherwise, silence is either acceptance or complicity or both.

Here we go... First, I don't have to prove anything to anybody. I say what I say and I type what I write. I'm free to write my opinions based on my guaranteed qualifications and knowledge. Secondly, there's nothing on this discussion board that could tick me off. I'm also more laid-back than a dead fly in real life too until... But, I have noticed the emotion that comes through in your writing. Fee free to continue attacking, challenging and being dismissive of others. Rest assured that I'll continue calling balls and strikes i.e. writing in the same style and energy that brought me here. Nothing will change in that regard.

Some folks will have derision for and frown upon any type of drug use. Smoking weed and crack and snorting coke and shooting dope is the same thing...using drugs. Mayor Marion Barry had an MS in Organic Chemistry. He started on a Doctorate before turning his attention to activism. IOW, Mayor Barry was a highly intelligent man. Mayor Barry's intellect, activism, personality, charm and charisma allowed him to run a predominantly AfroAmerican city. He lifted the proverbial boats of many people. That's why he's a beloved hero to many folks who grew up in Washington DC. A city building bears Mayor Barry's name. Renaming a major thoroughfare after him is under consideration. Washington DC celebrates March 6th as Marion Barry Day. Barack Obama is beloved around the world mainly because he was the 1st Black POTUS. While POTUS Obama accomplished quite a bit on the job, most AfroAmericans will only remember him for being the 1st Black POTUS and the Affordable Care Act aka ObamaCare.

@Stefan, I don't believe the people of China want to rid themselves of President Xi Jinping. They may not agree with all of his decisions but overall, they're comfortable living under his leadership. US companies use a significant amount of Chinese labor to make products. It is the primary reason Americans have a harder time finding a blue collar jobs. Again, China is not the Boogeyman they want us to believe through propaganda. There's plenty shades of gray when it comes to geopolitics. It is a Chess game. Please lose the condescension in responding to my posts. It's fine that you may not agree with my opinion or position on a subject. But, the purpose of a discussion is to exchange information, knowledge, ideas, opinions and jokes too.

@richardmurray, you're right in that many AfroAmericans are satisfied in having a relatively peaceful coexistence with white folks. I've never felt that a civil arrangement with white folks should be the end goal of AfroAmericans. America owes a debt to AfroAmericans for its sin of slavery. Reparations have not been paid. AfroAmericans have not unified, codified and come up with an agenda to collect reparations. That should be our 1st order of business. Unfortunately, too many AfroAmericans are satisfied with the status quo. So, we're in this holding pattern.

No doubt, AfroAmericans have made significant progress since the days of our past leaders. We have been on a form of auto-pilot since the last of our leadership was assassinated. IMO, AfroAmericans still do not have a code or agenda nor any current leadership to champion it. There are AfroAmerican grassroots organizations, churches, NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus, etc. Yet, none of these institutions seem to be interested in dismantling the system of racism white supremacy.

That's right. Despite his flaws as a man, Mayor Barry led the city of Washington DC for several decades. As I mentioned, hundreds of thousands of Black lives were enriched under Mayor Barry's leadership. POTUS Barack Obama came along with a squeaky clean and wholesome image. In his book, he admitted to smoking weed as a teenager. Otherwise, no dirt whatsoever on the man. Thoroughly impressive character and credentials. Yet, most Black folks cannot list three (3) things POTUS Obama did as the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet to make their lives better. It is not my intent to exalt Mayor Barry or disparage POTUS Obama. I'm very proud of them both as accomplished Black men. IMO, the measure of a man is not his shortcomings but his words, deeds, actions and record of accomplishments in making the world a better place for others.

It is up to the people of China to overthrow their government if it is oppressive. Hard to keep a handle on 1 billion people if they decide to rise up, Just like Russia, there is reason why the people of China have nor rebelled against their leadership. It doesn't have anything to do with losing their lives. But, if China is such an enemy of the United States, please explain why they're allowed to be our primary source of labor.