ProfD

2 hours ago, Troy said:

People stick around for a variety of reasons, but I think it is mostly laziness and denial. 

 

There is a class of people who really can't easily leave...

Yep. I was referring to the lazy and denial folks who are going to ride it out until alligators and snakes are swimming around outside. 

There should be a contingency plan in place to evacuate those who cannot afford to leave for whatever reason.

One idea would be to build more shelters capable of withstanding hurricane force winds.

The talking heads are more concerned about the eroded beach and destroyed property (houses, piers, docks, yachts, etc.).

The wealthy people could afford to leave and they have enough money and insurance to weather natural disasters and rebuild.

Of course, there's little to no incentive to take care of the less fortunate.

However, they're doing a much better job with Floridians than they did with the folks in New Orleans and Puerto Rico. 

11 hours ago, Troy said:

Side bar: people always say their prayers were answered because they avoided disaster, but they never think about the prayers of those not answered, people who lost their homes and even their lives…

Therein lie the paradox of faith and prayer; fate and reality.

The real question is why people choose to stick around when they've been told to evacuate.  No shortage of Darwinian candidates.  

@Troy, thankful that you're safe and sound. 

4 hours ago, richardmurray said:

what can't go both ways exactly? 

We cannot claim the political system is broken structurally and therefore the electorate cannot hold politicians accountable.

The system works the way it was designed. Folks  who meet a criteria can run for office. Eligible citizens have a right to vote.

The bottom line is that people have to stay engaged politically well beyond casting their vote. Sit in on town hall meetings. Write letters and/or call their elected officials to find out how what they're doing to solve problems.

Today's politicians are allowed to do nothing because too many people lose interest shortly after casting their vote.

The bigger problem is that Americans are divided on every issue. There appears to be no consensus among us on anything. 

8 hours ago, richardmurray said:

The problem with accountability in the system in the usa , is it isn't possible until election. And sequentially, if the other candidate is no better than the current then no tool for accountability exist for any voting populace. 

 

You suggest elected officials are incapable of comprehending problems today , as some problems are more difficult, and a community listing the problems can aid in accountability. 

 

Well, if an elected official campaigned but didn't know the problems then they are charlatans and that goes back to my point about the disconnect between black elected officials and the black community. So, the problem is not allowing charlatans. 

 

I will assume every single black person in the USA living in some city has seen or experienced or witnessed at least one problem, and so if elected they have at least one agenda without a note from anyone, and if they have a black advocacy spirit, they will simply make the solution policy regardless of any financial activities. 

Well, it cannot go both ways. 

There has to be accountability across the board from the voters to the politicians they elect.

Voters need to know for whom they're voting and what that person plans to do in solving problems they have identified.

I'm not suggesting elected officials are incapable of comprehending problems.  They should not have to guess  the priority in which to tackle them.

2 hours ago, richardmurray said:

And that is my point, the first time a modern black elected official in the usa does for black people in the usa as a priority , without any financial incentive, like the advocates, that person will be beloved by most black communities, and especially in NYC. 

My 1st question is why are Black folks voting for these people who seemingly do nothing for them. 

My 2nd question is have Black folks provided the candidate/nominee/elected official with a list of priorities to which they can be held accountable. 

Even in the absence of being able to provide a financial incentive, the least Black folks can proactively do is codify their needs/priorities. Make the politicians do their job. 

Black folks in America had common problems at one point in time. So, it was easier for a Black politician to recognize and try to tackle them. Times have changed. 

Osmosis and assumption don't work.  Very few elected officials and people in general are capable of satisfying needs/priorities that haven't been defined.

Yeah. I hope @Troy and everyone else in FL is staying safe.  

Hurricane Ian is not BSing. Cat 4 and potential 16 feet storm surge. Yikes. 

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Did you ever think you'd see so many Black folks go for him????

You don't think his Black support came in large part from media manipulation and propaganda campaigns on television and the internet?

That's where I agree with your position on dumb azz n8gglets. 

We've always had n8gglets who would ride with the *wrong* side to the detriment of their best interests. It's like poor white folks who vote GOP. 

No media manipulation or propaganda required. Just dumb and stupid for no good reason.

Either genetically compromised or maybe they got a hold of them chemicals you talking about as embryos. 

6 minutes ago, richardmurray said:

But the issue isn't a comprehension of governance, it is a relationship between black elected officials side black people in the usa. And in issues that are primarily about people of color or to be specific black people, ala like Rikers or the incarceration system itself, black elected officials quality to the black community is clearly negative. 

 

Are you suggesting black people in the usa need to stop desiring the black elected official of today <eric adams/kamala harris for example > act like the black advocates of yore<fannie lou hamer/malcolm> ? 

Correct.  Black folks should not assume that Black elected officials have our best interests in their hearts or minds. Black skin alone does not equate to loyalty.

That's why it's even more important that Black folks properly vet these people before they vote.  Find out who they truly intend to serve once elected. 

Most elected officials cater to the special interests that put them in office. That includes the Black politicians too.

Before the people cast a vote, most politicians have already been bought through campaign contributions.

Mayor Eric Adams is responsible for the administration of a city with a population of almost 9 million people.  That's a huge responsibility.  BTW, only 41% of NYC is people of color.

Rikers Island could save $1.8 billion dollars by reducing its prison population to the 3,300 inmates it can reasonably accommodate.  Instead, the detention center could have as many as 10,000 inmates on any given day.  

The 1st question is who's benefitting from that $1.8 billion dollars.   I suspect that a whole lot of people are living well on that much money.  Beyond the prison staff collecting their salaries and overtime, there are contractors and other service providers getting paid too.

Riker Island is a microcosm of the *businesses* the mayor has to insure remain a well-oiled operation. 

Also, Mayor Adams is a retired law enforcement officer...the same folks who send people to Rikers Island.  I could imagine he has some loyalties to the industry that made him.

Often times, politics is a dirty business filled with greed and corruption. Black elected officials aren't immune to it. 

Besides, the Black community hasn't come up with any special interests and/or an agenda to hold any politicians accountable. 

Maybe the Black and Brown folks in NYC could get together as a special interest group and demand that Rikers Island be shut down or reformed. 

The GOP is getting behind the most ridiculous candidates. There's a certain amount of arrogance in not even putting up the best qualified.

If the people vote for an ignorant or stupid candidate and that person wins, the citizens will get the representation they deserve. 

Herschel Walker has zero business being on a campaign flyer let alone a ballot. He definitely shouldn't be on a debate stage.

My inner comedian would enjoy sitting through his debate preparation. 

@Pioneer1,  society normalizes dysfunctional behaviors.  The media has always been willing to exploit it. Case in point....that's why we're seeing more LBGTQIA+ images on TV and in movies.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

How many Black people did YOU know in Washington D.C. who were claiming Bloods and Crips sets and how many "drive by shootings" were occuring there BEFORE the era of West Coast Gangsta rap and the movies like Colors and Boyz N The Hood????

DC was the murder capital of the US before we knew anything about the west coast.  We thought they were corny azz n8gglets with jheri curls.

Also, Chicago was a hotbed of gang activity and killings before those movies were released too. 

IOW, the movies and music usually come after the dysfunction has already started.

For instance, the female warriors in "The Woman King" were supposedly in Africa before white folks knew how to make movies. 

Otherwise, white supremacists enjoy making money from dysfunction under the guise of entertainment. 

Again, Black folks are more than happy to be complicit in allowing others to clown us.

As NF Jr might say...Black folks will show off in trying to out-do white supremacists in making fun of us.

That's how we end up with Black folks making music and movies and TV programs that are trashy. 

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

The media may or may not create effeminate males and masculine females....I think chemicals in the environment certainly do.

Man, you think folks can become sexually dysfunctional in the same way they catch a cold or flu. That's hilarious. 

3 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

The problem with women like that is....She'll use any means in her power to hurt you....whether it's calling the cops on your or using your own weapons against you.

Of course, there's more to vetting a woman than I wrote. The kind I'd trust with my money and steel don't come a dime a dozen either. 

I understand your concerns in how the media is being utilized to subliminally seduce Black folks. Again, my point is that folks are predisposed to dysfunction.

I don't believe the media pushes those folks over the edge in as much as letting them know as Jay-Z said...it's all right.

5 hours ago, richardmurray said:

IT's not ridiculous, its statian. its what the usa has always been about. I know people like you hope the usa changes to become something else, but I and many others like me, don't have or want such hopes. 

Understood. 

I am an AfroAmerican.  I was born and raised in the United States of America (USA).  The USA is the only *home* I know.  There is no other country on the planet that I'd rather go and become a citizen.   

Despite its warts and flaws, IMO, the USA is still the best country on the planet as a beacon of hope, freedom and opportunity. There's a reason people leave their home countries and seek citizenship in the USA.  Otherwise, they would roll up to Canada or down to Argentina.  

Most importantly, the USA will forever be indebted to AfroAmericans.  Regardless of whether or not the USA makes good on its debt (promissory note), AfroAmericans have every right to thrive and survive in their birthplace.

Today, AfroAmericans are not where they should be whether it's fully enjoying the freedoms and protections of citizenship to sharing in the wealth of this great nation.  But, that should not stop us from striving for it. 

This discussion forum is a microcosm of the conversations AfroAmericans should be having in order to make the USA a more perfect union.  I know that AfroAmericans are having similar discussions in other outlets too.

Non-AfroAmerican Black folks have a different history, experience and perspective when it comes to the USA.  I get it. To each their own.

But, as an AfroAmerican man, I can only do my part and use my voice to make the USA  a better place for my fellow man. 

The USA may not change in my lifetime but to co-opt 50 Cent...that won't stop me from trying to enrich AfroAmericans.

1 hour ago, Cynique said:

Every woman has an "inner warrior" she can summon when the occasion calls for it. Every straight woman also has a soft feminine side that the right "Alpha Male" can bring out in her. 

 

BTW, in interviews, Viola Davis revealed that she was the one with an ulterior motive when it came to this movie. She wanted to showcase  dark-skinned African American women as something other than "rejects". 

Agreed.  

In fact, this alpha-male is more attracted to a strong and smart Black woman than one who is too soft, docile and/or submissive.

In popular vernacular, I'd rather have a ride or die chick who can be a lady in public but who's not afraid to grab my gun and knows how to shoot if necessary.

So, I expect both Black men and women to fulfill their roles and also be able to cover each other if/when necessary too. 

I'm so proud of and happy for Viola Davis and the moves she's been able to make in her career. 

@Pioneer1, understood regarding how your description tied into NF Jr.'s commentary. I'm sure he could see the handwriting on the wall from past images.

Hollywood has exploited stereotypes of and presented negative images of Black folks for a long time. 

From the old black and white movies and sitcoms to present, Black women have been portrayed as maids, prostitutes, housewives, strippers, etc.  Black men have been portrayed as servants, janitors, unemployed, hustlers, gangsters, etc.

Overall, I don't believe Hollywood images adversely affect Black folks pysche any more than Rambo inspires White boys to believe they're super-soldiers or John Wick makes them killers or Kill Bill inpires white girls to become assassins.

IOW, Black folks aren't any more impressionable than anybody else.  The media doesn't create effeminate males and masculinized females.   Like everybody else, Black folks are going to be and do whatever is already in them usually without any help from external forces. 

While Hollywood has the resources and latitude to portray Black folks however it chooses, our people have to decide how complicit they want to be in it. 

7 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

but will the average Black girl who watches this movie leave with HER femininity intact and desire to be a woman?

 

Remember that the Woman King was written BY two White women....not Black people. 

I believe the average Black female can watch a movie or TV program and walk away from it with her femininity intact. 

A masculinized female was already in training way before she saw it on a screen. Check the environmental conditions.

IOW, a Black female won't see a buffed up Viola Davis in a movie and make a decision on the spot...yep, that's what I want to be in life.

The real question is why Black folks continue to to allow white supremacists to write and interpret our stories. 

@Pioneer1, there is a longer clip where NF Jr, expounds on it. If I find it, I'll post a link.

2 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Now look the movie "Woman King" comes out with no women in any positive sexual roles, encouraging them to hate the Black man and see him as useless and then encourage them to become militant warriors who fight and die in eachothers' arms!!!

That's not an accurate summation of the movie.

The King (man) does have several wives. The women warriors do not hate men. They have taken a vow not to marry or bare children. Otherwise, they are soldiers doing a job to protect the kingdom's business interests.

There are some head scratching depictions but there are a couple storylines running through the movie.

I won't give away too much of what it's about but the movie is entertaining in a "Set It Off" kinda way.

I left the theater with my manhood firmly intact. I'm glad Viola Davis is already a married woman.

@Pioneer1, here ya go.

Yep. NF Jr. mentioned it several years ago. Here's a shorter clip. 

4 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

I see you just want to gripe. If you can’t see the self evident you just don’t want to. The answer is the same today as it was in the 70’s and earlier. But enough of me arguing with a donkey.

No  gripe or argument. I just asked for the current AfroAmerican agenda to which politicians can be held accountable. That GOP Commitment to America is not it.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Professor Black Truth has a message...

The man definitely gives it straight with no chaser and his perspective won't be an easy pill for many AfroAmericans to swallow if they're even inclined to listen. 

@Pioneer1, you're right...it isn't that the white population is declining, it's not growing fast enough. They're not satisfied with controlling all levels of power and global domination.

The case needs to go to the federal level as a civil rights matter regardless of whether or not the state prosecutes the battery charges. Ben Crump might get a phone call.

It's amazing that videos capture these racist  incidents and yet we're told not to believe what we see and hear; let the investigation play out. 

Usually, these racist folks beat the charge and find a job elsewhere. It's ridiculous. 

34 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

The real question is what role to BLACK AMERICANS play in immigration and who is allowed to come to this nation???
 

Black Americans are powerless in that regard especially without a united front among us. 

34 minutes ago, Cynique said:

The Conservative  homophobic Supreme Court has the power to reverse gay marriages being legal. Doing so tops its agenda, thanks to the homophobic Evangelical community.

You're right.  Those groups are powerful and dangerous.  They could roll the US back 100 years if left unchecked. 

3 hours ago, daniellegfny said:

This shows your political history ignorance. I would recommend you read a few more history books.

False. 

Instead of pulling up articles from the 1970s, I'll wait for to you list the current AfroAmerican special interest agenda to which they can hold politicians of both parties accountable.  

BTW, Newark is still considered one of the most dangerous cities in New Jersey.  

America is still wide open to white immigrants.

The governor of Ohio did a whole public service announcement welcoming Ukrainians.

That same governor didn't open his pie-hole when Haitians were being turned away by border agents on horseback. 

Nor did that governor tell DeSantis and Abbott to send those buses and planes filled with non-white immigrants to Ohio. 

57 minutes ago, Cynique said:

Does this mean that allowing homosexuals to exist is a matter of tolerating them, and that not allowing them to exist is understandable?  i'm sure there are many white people who tolerate black people  but wish they didn't have to. Homophobia is on a par with racism.  Why  are homosexuals a threat to heterosexuals?  What would they have to gain by eliminating heterosexuality.

 

Just curious because gays are not people who impact on my life at all.

Some people consider homosexuality unnatural and perverse like bestiality. 

People shouldn't consider it a threat because homosexuality cannot exist without heterosexuality. 

Eliminating heterosexuality would be the end of mankind.  Nothing to gain there.

Racism is having the power to subjugate an entire group of people based on skin color. 

Homophobia is a dislike or prejudice against gay people.  There is no power in it.

Racism and homophobia are wrong.  People should be able to enjoy their lives without fear of persecution or retribution.