Cynique

Trump's "negativity" earned him millions of supporters and the nomination for president, because he became the spokesman for their grievances and "positive" hopes of "making America great again", so positivity is in the eye of the beholder Simon Cowell of American Idol was accused of being negative because he told the truth about positive, untalented Pollyannas who thought they could sing. Positivity is little more than thinking you are right and others are wrong, and it can be the anti-thesis of reality and pragmatism. Again I say, get real.

You don't know whether negativity ever solved a problem or not. What we do know is that if positiveness was that potent, then 60 years later, people wouldn't still be demonstrating against police brutality, and racism would've dissipated. Reality is the bottom line.

Spoiler Alert! Skip this post if you don't want to hear anything negative... As Donald Trump continues to win over voters because Hillary Clinton can't disentangle herself form her missteps of the past, the term "just society" inspires anxiety because his presidency would represent regression rather than progress. Will black Americans ever "overcome"? None of their strategies have produced long term results and that includes thinking positive and praying. It's futile to keep doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. Unfortunately what's becoming increasingly obvious is that just because blacks deserve justice and equality doesn't mean they will get it. What's right does not always prevail. Life is not fair. In reality, "might makes right" an axiom that is synonymous with the situation in America where a strong, mighty, racist power structure remains in tact. Expecting whites to experience an epiphany wherein they will be exorcised of the privileges their skin color guarantees, is wishful thinking. Children are the future, and all classes of blacks need to do what it takes to groom and prepare their kids to adjust and survive in a cruel world, and this includes exercising good judgement when it comes to giving birth to them. Every child deserves to be born into a stable family unit. The consequences of fatherless children continues to be a stumbling block for the black race...

Slow day, half way through July and I'm really appreciating that where I am, summer is turning out to be genuine. Hot, blue-skied days, warm nights, balmy breezes, green lawns, blooming flowers, growing gardens, scampering squirrels, chirping birds - thunder storms punctuated with lightning. I love it all, because for the past few years, my summers haven't lived up to expectations. They would be tentative, sluggish, not sure they really wanted to heat up, and before I knew it the leaves were falling and a cold winter was forecast, leaving me to be content with watching the seasons change. Content, indeed, because there is something awesome about witnessing nature go through 4 transformations during the course of 12 full moons. Too bad the political climate and its racial overcast threatens to rain on my parade. Although I'm currently basking in the weather, the country is clouded by turmoil. Police shootings sparked by police brutality, "black lives matter" cries neutralized by "all lives matter" retorts, presidential candidates slamming each other as the November election promises to widen the rift between one side yearning for a return to the past of patriotism and Christianity, and the other one demanding a better day for those whom god and country have forsaken. A hot mess. Meanwhile social media has become a virtual battle ground of controversy with each week offering up a new topic to pit ranters against venters; "ad hominem" attacks against "straw man" accusations. Elsewhere, the pleasantries of conversation and personal interaction continue to diminish, deflated by the demonic device that has possessed smart phone owners. The possibility of this situation being a sign of a future controlled by computers does give me something to ponder on summer morns, a pondering that provides yet another occasion to sigh "who knows?". So as July melts into August, the month of my birthday, nothing left for me to do but take life one day at a time and just be grateful that as the world turns, the sun will come up tomorrow. Never thought I'd live to look forward to my 83rd birthday, so I'm ahead of the game - even if I don't make it. Like I said: slow day...

And "wanna-be-know-it-alls" routinely resort to distorting the words of others, not to mention stating their opinions as facts. Amber skin tone is not incompatiable with purple lips or gums just like pink lips and gums are found on dark skinned people, Dummy. And I didn't refer to Michelle as a trophy wife inasmuch as a trophy wife is arm candy and I focused on her resume. And since i was around during the 60s, I am confident in saying that there were no archtypical Black Muslims except in the eyes of people who can't see past their noses.

Naysayers serve to keep the "know-it-all's" in check. And the "IMO" acronym is always there for everybody.

Easier said than done. One person's bad cop is another one's law enforcement officer.

Nobody really knows what was on Obama's mind when it came to choosing a wife. It's not something he'd share with the world. We see what he married, so we known what he didn't want. And a suitable choice did not have to be a beautiful trophy wife; I repeat: it could simply be someone who was compatible with his political goals. And in seeking such a wife, falling in love with her shouldn't be ruled out when it came to his requirements. We can speculate that he didn't want a divorce to blur his image which probably contributed to his adjusting his schedule when Michelle threatened him with one after his "calculated" grass roots organizing kept him away from home too often, leaving her alone with their young daughters. Guesswork is all anyone can do since we are not inside his head. I shook Obama's hand at a Gala when he was campaigning for the Illinois senate. I wouldn't describe him as brown. To me, he was an amber shade - with purple lips. ( Is there such a thing as an archtypical 1960s Black Muslim?? They came in all shapes, sizes and colors.)

I think Oprah may be sitting or leaning against something in that pose. Her height is listed as 5'6'' on Google, which is a couple inches above average and she is shaded in that picture but upon further re collection I would concede that she is more cinnamon brown than golden. . For the politically ambitious, image is very important and calculated "like a game of chess". It's not that far-fetched that once Obama set his sites on the white house, he envisioned the type of woman who would reflect well on him. I read an article by one of his white girlfriends in college who said she felt he broke up with her because he knew a white wife would not be good for his ultimate goal. He and Michelle did meet within their professions but why would it require "a gift in discerning human personalities" to pick a wife that would be an asset in his field of endeavor? How hard is this to do??? When I say Obama has regular facial features, I mean that they are neither keen nor blunt.

@Pioneer1Oprah is not short and is more accurately described as "thick" and golden brown, IMO. What I've discovered among my people is that color tone tends to be in the eye of the beholder. People are prone to use their own color as a yard stick of someone else's color. One person's brown is another person's dark. One person's yellow is another one's light brown. One person's black is another person's brown. I'm frequently surprised when someone describes a person whom I haven't met to me. because I have a different take on skin shades, one with a broad spectrum of browness. In my eye, blackness also has degrees of "dark" skin. IMO Obama benefits from his height, his slenderness and his regular features. He color is somewhat irrelevant because black men are not subjected to colorism as much as black women are. His articulateness is certainly a plus, and his black accent and stride are what identify him as a brotha. Obama is a true mulatto because he is the product of a pure African and a pure Caucasian. When a white person marries a light-skinned person of color, then different phenotypes come into play. Negroid hair certainly seems to be a dominate trait because it is always a good indicator of a person's blood lines. It is what identifies all those fair-skinned, blue/green eyed NBA players with hair that isn't straight who are comprising a new generation of hoopsters, the offspring of the millionaire black athletes who are their fathers and their trophy white wives. As for Obama's choice in a wife, considering his ambitions, I don't think he would've chosen a plump, high-school educated dark skinned woman to fall in love with. He reserved his affections for someone who suited his purposes.

I recall all of the incidents you mention from the past also, and over the years, i have witnessed the ups and downs of law enforcement reform, an exercise in vacillation that never seems permanent. Now, we can't be sure that those encouraged by the "black lives matter" protest movement won't tend to take more risks, thinking they will survive and get justice. Meanwhile, what's to keep white cops from believing that blacks are out to get them, and that they have no choice but to overreact to this aggression, secure in the knowledge that The System will exonerate them. Looks like a no-win situation. Nothing seems to work. America's experiment in democracy has failed. Being a nation of immigrants with a history of slavery has proven that diversity is not all it's cracked up to be. Human beings aren't sophisticated and liberal enough to overcome their innate xenophobia. The pettiness of prejudices persists. When a population is monolithic, all it's country has to worry about is class division which is not without opportunities to move up. When color and religion and culture and language are different, things don't mesh well. The USA seems destined to be strife-torn because it doesn't really have a national character, and is a "house divided against itself". But maybe change will come and things will improve with the passage of more time...

I figured it was just a matter of time before things came to a head in the ongoing conflict between black males and white policemen. It's a situation that is deeply rooted not only in the history of this country but in the DNA of it combatants. It has much to do with authority, and those who resent the ones who possess it, a situation dating back to the days of slavery. African Americans have always been this country’s stepchildren, and heirs to its injustice. Centries later in the year 2016, a showdown looms. as blacks have finally joined the ranks of terrorists. The retaliatory killing of 5 white policemen by a gunman angry over the slaying of 2 black men could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and a sand storm of vengence threatens to be the result. The only hope is that cooler heads will prevail, and a consensus that all lives matter will be reached. But, bringing this rhetoric to fruition calls for political correctness which is currently out of favor. So the rift between whites and blacks seems destined to continue because in a society where institutionalized racism remains, black is black and white is white and “neer the twain shall meet”. IMO As luck would have it, the one person benefiting from this tragedy is Donald Trump the spokesman for those who want to return to the past. These events are sure to have an influence on the millions of white voters trying to make up their minds about who to vote for. Outrage over the deaths of 5 policemen in Dallas at the hands of an uppity black buck doesn‘t bode well for the liberal agenda. Hillary is in great danger of once again losing her bid to be the first woman president, left to spend the rest of her days babysitting her grandchildren, her wardrobe of pant suits going to waste. SMH. What lies ahead for the USA? Lord, if you haven’t given up in disgust, have mercy on America, The Ugly. (Meanwhile, all you good Christians out there, pray that my forecasts won't come true.)

Yes, I mentioned "any other alternatives". A lot of people will be voting for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate.

In answer to your question, Yes.

All the Hillary Haters are up in arms because the FBI gave her a pass in regard to the E-Mail controversy she was involved in. She wasn't found innocent but there wasn't enough hard evidence to indict and bring her to trial. Prosecutors wouldn't have had a concrete case against her. Apparently if Trump and all the Bernie die-hards had their way she should just be thrown in prison and denied her day in court. Yet another example of how emotional irrationality is fueling this election and how much each side is reacting to what the candidates have allegedly done instead of what they will possibly do if elected. If you believe Hillary Clinton is going to repeat the mistakes of the past, don't vote Democratic. If you have no problem with Donald Trump attempting to keep his promises, then vote Republican, and if you simply choose to sit out the election, make sure you're prepared to live with what that and any other alternatives could bring about. It's as simple as that, and certainly a lot less hysterical. IMO

Yep. Talk is cheap. That's why black folks do so much of it.

Fallout continues from what stole the show at the recently BET awards telecast. The tributes to Prince by various artists were supposed to be the highlight of the night but their performances along with a surprise opening act appearance by Beyonce were all overshadowed when Jesse Williams, a featured actor on the hit TV show, "Greys Anatomy", was presented with a humanitarian award. His acceptance speech turned out to be what I'd describe as a kind of spoken word lament about - you guessed it - race in America. It was a very articulate and dynamic, not to mention provocative indictment of the white power structure, and it brought down the house. Predictably, it was just a matter of time before Jesse's rant which also criticized certain blacks for being complicit in the plight of their race, spilled over into the social media. While blacks were full of praise, whites were offended by the way Williams excoriated them, and a post by superstar Justin Timberlake was the most notable response shot down on black twitter. As a result, a campaign presumably by whites to have Jesse fired from Grey's Anatomy got underway. Shondra Rhimes, however, the producer of this series was having no parts of it and defended Williams' right to his opinion. But the controversy continues as the question remains as to whether a black celebrity has a right to do what a white one would be branded as a racist for doing had he aired his grievances against blacks... The following is an excerpt from Jesse Williams' speech and is what he spat in bringing it to a close. "...We’ve been floating this country on credit for centuries, yo, and we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit. The thing is though… the thing is that just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real."

So, - did you purchase and read this book, sara?

@SaraYes, someone does have to tell the truth but an untrustworthy liar like you is the last person in the world to do it. You're self-aggrandizement is beyond ludicrous. If you didn't have Google and Wiki and YouTube, you'd be lost. All you do is cut and paste recycled information. And it's debatable whether everything you post is true. You are totally ignorant in you inability to appreciate the free wheeling nature of this site and the fact that many of the posts here are of the op-ed variety as opposed to hard news reporting. Who are you to try and set the tone and monitor the comments and observations made by people who visit here? Your obnoxious presumptuousness is another example of how deluded, irrelevant and self-important you are, and what a need you have to try and impress people. But where Cynique's Corner is concerned, you're nobody of importance. Just a wanna-be. And recognizing messages applies to more than just memes, as proven by someone like you who is sorely lacking in depth and insight. Your myopic tunnel vision prevents you from being anything other than an superficial babbling parrot who fantasizes that she is performing a public service for the audience of lurkers she imagines are hangin' onto her every word. AALBC's very own self-appointed diva of data. LMAO. Instead of cowardly shrouding yourself in anonymity and using this site as a showcase for your blather, why don't you start your own blog, where you can wax supreme and block anyone who sees you for the shallow ideologue that you are - ol Isis sara, a "reject-turned-cyber-terrorist" who has infiltrated this board and aims to shoot down anyone who isn't awed by her mediocrity. Yawn.

One of the goals of the America's civil rights movement was to demolish the separate but equal policy practiced in order to maintain segregation under the pretense of providing blacks with everything available to whites while keeping the races apart. Of course this proved to be a travesty because what blacks ended up with was second class benefits. Once the chorus of "We Shall Overcome" faded and the civil rights struggle was ostensibly over, blacks were optimistic in achieving what they so passionately desired: integration into the mainstream of white society. Trusting in the belief that a color blind world was the answer to their prayers, blacks embraced integration and, for a while reveled in its advantages. But gradually, the old "be careful-what-you-wish-for" axiom kicked in as it became increasingly obvious that integration required blacks to sell their soul by polluting their blackness and the rewards weren't that great. Racism is a chameleon-like entity and it takes the from of its environment. Fast forward to the present. Black folks are back to square one. Fuck integration. They want to do their own thing. Be independent; separate but equal. Lotsa luck. Money is the name of the game and blacks are sitting on the bench, hoping for a chance to put their skills to work. But this is an endeavor that calls for superstars and even they are don't get all the calls. Just ask Obama. Being black is, if nothing, frustrating. It can be very gratifying but it also entails is a lifetime of being on the defensive; against whites and against other blacks, a burden of maintaining a double consciousness and a talent for rationalizing - a journey fraught with the detours of justice denied. For every step forward, there are 2 steps backward. It is not for the faint of heart... (Not surprising my old heart is on the brink of being faint so, without apology, I reiterate that I'm done with the struggle, leaving it in the hands of altruistic stalwarts like Troy. On the eve of Independence Day, I declare mine and, paying homage to all my bloodlines, declare myself to simply be a woman of color who seeks the truth. The truth, even when it hurts, can help set you free.)

Get real. Anybody who follows what's currently going on in politics knows that Bernie Sanders is the consummate Liberal activist, left over from the civil rights movement. In fact I've seen this picture you posted here, on FaceBook more than once. I just have to keep reminding myself that what's old to me is apparently new to certain people, and you need to remind yourself to stop underestimating the awareness of people on this board. And while you're revealing all of this stale information do you have anything new and interesting to reveal as to why civil rights veterans Jesse Jackson and John Lewis are not backing Bernie? Shall we wait while you scour the internet to find out what you don't know? If it wasn't for rumor mongering and slam fests between the opposing sides in the presidential race, not to mention the candidates, themselves, social media would have much less traffic. People constantly spread gossip about Hillary Clinton and I repeated hearsay about Bernie. But you have so little perspective you are totally incapable of looking at the big picture. Fess up, sara, you're squatting here on this site, trying to get in where you fit in because YOU HAVE NO LIFE. And after being busted out by Troy you have to try and distract from this by resorting to your same ol tired litany. Yawn. Talk about transparency and clinging desperation, you should change your name to Saran Wrap. LMAO

I am curious as to what about this board rivets Sara so much. Is there anything here that encourages her sticking around?? Between clashing with other posters and sighing about what she perceives as their lack knowledge, she thinks she is victim of bullying and hostile, unfair treatment. Moreover, she is the biggest offender when it come to her pro-black agenda because the only blacks she approves of are ones that conform to her narrow little personal criteria. Maybe if she didn't look upon this site as a classroom and herself as an omniscient teacher she'd be less frustrated.

Ooh, puleeze. Who doesn't know that Bernie Sanders was active in the civil rights movement dating back to the 60s??? It's common knowledge, and something he and his black followers are constantly touting in pursuit of the black vote. What my post clearly stated were other things that have been written about Sanders, by some of Hillary followers who accuse of him being a cantankerous, ultra-left leaning socialist Democrat. And, of course, knowledgeable people are aware that Hillary Clinton has her supporters among the old guard of black civil rights leaders, including Jesse Jackson, and I don't hear anybody defending her against character assassination or lecturing about her past history in the civil rights movement. sigh. (Too busy forsaking black zealotry by calling black people losers.) LOL Once again old news from the past surfaces as if it something just brought to light, and any current sidelights are dismissed by those who aren't interested in the rumors and hearsay that actually have an influence on the political process. I can hardly wait for "someone" to put up the old Chris Rock meme, referring to the 4th of July as "a holiday for white people", posting it as if this is something hot off the press! SMH

@Pioneer1 IMO, Liberals are what Millennials will grow up to be with their vegan diets, and their environmental concerns and their running regimens - pains in the ass who take themselves too seriously. Bernie has been described as a 1960s Trotskyite whose only major accomplishment has been his making a career out of articulating the grievances of the working classes. He's also been characterized as having a big ego that figures in his not liking to be challenged by anyone including his own supporters, and has also been accused of demonstrating a paternalistic attitude toward black folks. These criticisms resonate with me just like the criticisms of Hillary Clinton resonate with her foes. Obama seems to have been laying the groundwork for a presidential run for quite a while and this made him very expedient in the choices he made. He undoubtedly married a black ivy-league educated woman because this would not offend anyone and would, furthermore, enhance his image. Bi-racial Obama does a very credible job of coming across as a cool black brotha in demeanor and speech. But the issue of race diminished, after he was elected as evidenced by the way he tuned out black spokesmen once he made it to the white house. @Troy Once elected Obama focused on the possible rather than what turned out to be the impossible goal of radical change. If he couldn't bring significant change, what makes anyone think that Bernie can, especially since he's not a true Democrat?

@Pioneer1Again, the point I was attempting to make about how pregnancy is dealt with is that, unlike you, I don't think education and money play a big role! This situation has more to do with cultural differences between blacks and whites rather than a lack of education(information) and money on the part of blacks. I'm contending that poor black people know about the availability of abortions and adoptions through both free planned parenthood or "pro-life" clinics, but they have reservations about these 2 options because of cultural influences. In the black underclasses, most women don't believe in abortion or in giving away their babies. They know about birth control measures, too, but in the underclass sub-culture having a baby is no big deal; it's just a natural occurrence. Granted, attitudes are changing when it comes to having babies. Nowadays, any woman who wants a child, whether as a trophy or as an accessory or because of a maternal urge, has no qualms about getting pregnant no matter what her class, her race, her sexual orientation or her marital status. @TroyI, agree with you and Pioneer that the traditional family structure is on its way out. People will opt for whatever floats their boat. Society is becoming more fluid and time brings change. The things that are happening today were unthinkable when I was a young woman. The media has stripped America of its modesty and prudishness. This has helped to dispel hypocrisy but it has also fueled irresponsibility. Raising a child is one of the hardest and most demanding jobs in the world.There is no one right way to do it because what works for one child does not necessarily work for another. Showering a child with unconditional love also does not guarantee optimal results. Marriage is also a challenging undertaking because it involves obligations that take away individual freedoms and it can evolve into a misery loves company relationship where love does not conquer all. Humanity and society are entering new phases and religion is falling short. What the future holds for life as we know it, is mind boggling. I won't be around to witness the spectacle so I wish y'all lotsa luck.