aka Contrarian

@ProfD Imo, the problem is not whether elections are held, It's whether the loser will go quietly without claiming the outcome was rigged. Since both parties draw millions of votes, it's just hard for me to believe that either side will meekly consent to living under a type of government they passionately disapprove of, for the next 4 years. Something's gotta give, considering how divided the country has become.

So do I.

@R.E. Hayes: I'd be interested in hearing more input from you since you show promise of providing fresh and what hints at being succinct observations. @Pioneer1 Since you have no proof of that, it's nothing more than an opinion given in response to my opinion.

Here's when I hung out with PRINCE. 😉 I'm really having fun doing what it's possible to do nowadays!😜

So, what can be deduced from this situation is that it has a history, and is an ongoing situation. In reality, not all problems have solutions when you're dealing human with beings. That's a hard reality to accept.

@ProfD Cynic that I am, secure in the probability that I won't be around to witness it, I think the USA is done for. There will be no reconciliation between the conservative fascistic MAGAs and the Liberal DEI crowd. The divisions are too deep and entrenched. I think America will eventually split into 2 different nations, separately governed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

The issue is not about whether this generation is worse than the preceding ones or about finger pointing. That's all a waste of time. It concerns what to do about what is currently happening. Problem solving gets lost in the shuffle of idle reminiscing. Maybe fines and jail sentences will have an effect. Or perhaps these roving hordes of young folks will get scared straight, after a body count builds up at the hands of trigger happy cops... Such is life.

An abused wife who is a masochist stays because her mental state of mind equates pain with pleasure. If she is not masochistic she will leave and seek help from the many shelters and havens that society provides for such cases.

With the advent of summer weather, Chicago, like a few other places, is now faced with what has become the latest problem involving urban youth, wherein masses of exclusively black young people clued and enabled by the telegraph of social media, converge and congregate at a given vicinity from where they spill out into the down town business districts and public beaches, dissolving into swarms of marauding crowds roaming around, yelling and dancing, creating disturbances, engaging in minor skirmishes and vandalism and occasional gun fire, offenses that have led to police intervention and arrests. Talk about idle time being the playground of the devil! This has really discouraged ordinary adult Chicagoans and tourists of all races from venturing out to enjoy the sights and sounds of Chicago's summer time festivities. Similar gathering have been reported by white suburban teenagers on a smaller basis, while Hispanic mobs reportedly confine their swarming to their barrios. No one seems to know how to deal with the situation other than to blame parents for not controlling their children. This is a tickingtime bomb ready to explode into rioting and violent law enforcement intervention. Chicago's black Democratic mayor is tip-toeing around the issue, not wanting to alienate his black base, resorting to the familiar litany of there not being enough resources to supply these young people with wholesome recreation activities, all the while continuing to discourage calls for a 10:pm curfew. Media coverage of these outbreaks are also causing controversy. Needless to say, NOBODY is happy about the situation, but a certain segment of Chicago's black population is joining the chorus blaming "bad parenting", which they attribute to the "babies havin babies"plague that created a whole generation of young parents who are clueless about child rearing, and who empathize with, rather than discipline their kids. The latest action taken emanates from the States attorney office, where threats are being made to serve negligent parents of cited offenders, with a fine of $5,000 or up to one year sentence in jail... In addition to everything else, this is yet another situation to fan the flames of Donald Trump's campaign to blemish Chicago's image.

Talk about a generation gap. I am unfamiliar with Rob Base. But I do join the music world in mourning the passing of legendary jazz saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, who just joined that celestial combo in the sky. He was in his 90s.

Black folks are masochistic; like an abused wife who stays with her mate because - it hurts so good.

@ProfD Whatever the reason, there doesn't seem to be any resentment or conflicting emotions involved. White people love their country and are proud of how it dispersed with the bad guys and emerged victorious from WW2. Maybe Richard will respond to Troy's post and clear the air.

If you guys weren't constantly bitchin' and whining about the lingering injustices of slavery in this country and the institutionalized racism that is designed to stifle Blacks, and keep them in their place and the omnipresent spectre of white supremacy and on and on and on, maybe Richard wouldn't look askance at the ambiguity of your relationship with this country. Troy bristles with his contempt f or the pervasiveness of social media and all it involves, and ProfD makes no secret about being armed and amenable to vigilancy, never wavering in his goal of reparations. Funny, I never got the impression that Richard was a member of a different generation than you two. His thinking is not archaic, to me. All of which contributes to the elusiveness of black unity. In watching the recentPBS special on WEB DuBois, I can't help but wonder what tribe he would belong to, were he still with us. I, personally, have given up categorizing folks. How one views the world depends on their core personality, imo. 🙄

@Troy Nah. That review that you supplied a link to said it all. I shouldn't have described what I was going to post as a "review". It would've only been about a paragraph. In answer to your question, I read the hard cover (library) book. Arsenio's memoir was just a typical show business success story. He went from rags to riches, encountered a lot of subtle racism, met and became friends with a lot of celebrities, including Eddie Murphy, along the way. And, oh yeah, his current.live-in companion is white and so was the baby mama he had a son with. The End. 😉

No biggie. We can move on from Arsenio Hall's memoir and black women's sentiments about white gold diggers. It ain't that serious as far as I'm concerned.

@Troy I think sistas are more amused than riled up by the article in question. Black women nowadays take the hook-up between black male celebrities and white women, in their stride. They are, however, still interested in dishin' the dirt especially if it's funny and catty. I sometimes inject juicy gossip tidbits into the mix here as a diversion from the drone of the same-ol-same-ol grievances about the dreaded media and what poor ol mistreated black folks need to do ... I had intended to give a review of Arsenio Hall's newly released memoir which I just finished READING but nevermind since apparently the "culture" preferred here is not of the "pop" variety. źzźźzzz.

With the death of Jason Collins, age 47, the first openly gay NBA player, not surprising that outspoken Charles Barkley would dismiss as being naive in thinking that homosexuality is rare in basketball. Come to think of it, there were always rumors about Magic Johnson. Even now, haters accuse him of living vicariously through his flaming gay son... Certainly no question about the WNBA orientation. It's rampant with lesbian players. BTW, the late Jason Collins' surviving partner is a white guy. Wonder if he has any advice for gold-diggin gay guys looking to hook up with a pro-athelete?? 🙄

Nancy Pelosi has announced that she is retiring and, at 86, will not be seeking re-election. The old guard of black Democrats are too wedded to the status quo, and only give lip service to black grievances. Time, indeed, for an infusion of dynamic young Democrats to neutralized the creeping numbers of new breed black right-wingers more interested in getting rich than fighting racism.

Yes, a Caucasian-dominated population is at the foundation of Western civilization.

America! Ya gotta luv it. 😉

I know some people dismiss the "Ancient Aliens" TV series which explores and offers examples of aliens having visited Earth centuries ago and left artifacts behind and inspired hieroglyphs and wall carvings of figures who look like uniformed astronauts in space ships to prove this. But the archeologists who promote these theories and who end each episode with a "we are not alone" teaser have as much credibility as closed-mouthed Presidents. DUH. 🙄 Even the Bible offers evidence of these phenomena, according to these scientists and they refer to the verse about Ezekiel seeing a wheel "way up in the middle of the sky" as a UFO sighting. I believe Aliens may be among us and I have always kinda felt like EARTH, hence America, is not my home. Even as I key this, I feel like someone is looking over my shoulder...👽 Anyway, If ETs do exist it's time for them to make themselves known before Trump destroys Earth... Just our luck, Trump is an alien from a place where bigotry and pedophilia are not frowned upon, sent here to rid the universe of this prudish humane planet. I still wonder why certain areas in Anarctica are a restricted no-fly zone. zzzzzzzzz

@Troy in my humble layman opinion, its native tongue is the only thing that distinguishes the USA from the European, British Isles. Scandanavian, Baltic, and other North American countries that make up Western Civilization. In all these countries Judeo-Christianity is the dominant religion and the customs and culture that make up their societies are generally the same and interchangeable. Language is the only barrier. However, I concede that it's very possible I am wrong in thinking that America is not a separate civilzation. I don't know enough sbout the subject to debate it.

🫩 Tired of hearing about the war in Iran? Disgusted by the Supreme Court's dismantling of the Voting Rights act? Mad because your team got eliminated from the NBA Playoffs?Unimpressed by the ridiculously extravagant garb of the celebrities at the annual Met Gala? Worried about the possibility of a new virus epidemic? Fed up with high gas and grocery prices? Broke because you blew $500 on 2 tickets to the upcoming Usher-Chris Brown concert tour coming to a theater near you? Saddened by the evening news reporting the shooting death of yet another inner city black teen? How about something to take your mind off of these bummers? Read on... Rule No. 1 is the foundation to lure an athlete with a pick-me mindset: “He’s the prize. Remember he can change your life; you can’t change his.” Rule No. 2: “Dealing with cheating, DON’T LOOK FOR IT… if it’s just a fling, LET IT GO!” He’s the prize, remember he can change your life, you can’t change his …” Rule No. 3: “Completely integrate yourself in his life to where he can’t function without you.” Rule No. 4: “Don’t embarrass him. Don’t cheat, don’t text other men.” Rule No. 5: “Go completely WILD ON HIM IN BED!” Rule No. 6: “DO NOT tell his mom ANY personal information.” Rule No. 7: “Always look good and appealing." **************** OK, back to things worth caring about. 🥴

@ProfD Well, if this black female journalist hadn't upset Trump, who surrounds himself with lackeys, he wouldn't have called her a "bitch". He, like the late Charlie Kirk, certainly has no respect for sistas. Imo, Trump's bluster and pettiness are rooted in insecurity. He has reportedly said something to the effect that smart people don't like him and that's why he loves his base. He has also been accused of being misogynistic. Nothing you say about your "mixed" emotions in regard to your country stops me from being "amused" by it. Some would say that the "love-hate" relationship black people struggle with when it comes to America, are akin to the duality that characterizes cognitive dissonance as interpreted by psychologist Frantz Fanon, who was half black himself. To me, it is what it is. Something I don't lose any sleep over. zzzzzzz,

@ProfD Those are generalizations about white people. And I believe Trump is very insecure when it comes to smart black women. It always amuses me how much you guys LOVE this country, but dislike your country men.