Pioneer1

No. Admittedly I DON'T know, but she looks mixed to me. But using someone who straddles the fence of racial identity to disqualify racial categories is like using a transgendered person to prove that sex or gender doesn't exist.

I don't have to cheat because as far as I'm concerned race is just as PHENOTYPICAL as it is genetic. Meaning if you LOOK White....as far as I'm concerned you ARE White regardless of what your parents were. But to answer your question: She looks like a MIXURE of 2 (maybe 3) different races to me. Certainly Caucasian/European is atleast ONE of the races she's mixed with.

Like most 70s television shows, I liked All In The Family (or as I called it the Archie Bunker Show) also. It was one of the few shows....both back then AND today....that exposed the true feelings of working class White men. The racism, the sexism, the anti-semitism, the ignorance, ect........ Like I said, the 70s shows like many of the movies of the 70s were the REAL. Not every story had a happy ending like they started having in the mid-80s. Imagine a television show today where the main character is a proud racist and bigot AND is portrayed as ignorant and wrong as hell like All In The Family. They wouldn't put it on television because too many White men who fit that description would complain about it! I was actually thinking of the Cosby Show too when I presented the challenge. That and Family Matters and a few others. I liked the Cosby Show too, but not because I could relate to it but strictly because of the quality of entertainment it provided. Cosby was funny as hell. Phylicia Rashad was fine as hell. There was a bit of realism in the show with the kids having fades, wearing contemporary clothes....but outside of that culturally speaking like you I didn't have much in common with them. I didn't grow up in poverty, but I certainly didn't grow up with the wealth the Cosby's portrayed.

Don't feel too bad. I didn't know who the hell she was a couple weeks ago either, but so many young people kept talking about her and making jokes in reference to her I had to do a little research myself. And now...like memes tend to do.....that silly ass girl and her ghetto-glorious catch phrase is starting to resonate and reverberate all over society, lol.

Troy Race is indeed a construct, but it's not artificial. It's a classification system that is no more artificial than language or mathematics itself. Look at these 2 girls of different races and tell me that their differences are just "artificial" or a matter of opinion:

Troy So the problem you are complaining about has been solved, right? We're on the right road heading in the right direction. Lol, as the Cash-Me-Outside girl would said: How 'bout 'det !

We share a similar "culture." I "get" everything Pioneer writes even though I'll disagree with him from time to time. Everything he writes is familiar. Lol @ Troy trying to save me from Cynique and Delano's assault on just about every post I wrote. I'm glad to see SOMEBODY out there felt sorry for me....lol Yeah, this sho' nuff bring back memories, Actually this is the first time I heard THIS particular artist but her work brings back memories of what older cats used to listen to while they were getting high . It didn't go on in our home, but this was the norm for so many of our friends and their parents when we went over THEIR homes. It's funny how she mentioned the "big H" in one of her songs because for some reason this type of music was the favorite of people who were high on heroin (or as they called it "heron") and as soon as you walked into their home and you heard this playing on the 8-track and saw spoons laying around on the table....even as kids we KNEW what was up. We knew we'd have the whole house to ourselves because all the adults were going to be in the bed room either sleeping or doing "whatever" for a while....lol. Words aren't stagnant, they tend to change and evolve (or devolve) in different periods. In the West, the word "Black" is like the word "Jew"....isn't just a racial category anymore but today also describes a culture and particular perspective and way of looking at life. This is why people can create a television show called "Blackish". As Black people, we may come from different environments around the nation but just like "art" or "pornography" most of us can ecognize Black culture when we come across it. Me and a lady friend of mine when into a Chinese food buffet a couple months ago and they had fried chicken on the menu and I could tell by the way it was seasoned that it was a Black cook who fried it. She wanted to argue with me about how there wasn't any Black folks in a Chinese joint but only Chinese and Mexicans cooking. I decided to check around and sure enough there was a Jamaican dude....only one....back there who TOLD ME point blank that they just hired him in and he's the one who fried that chicken and used those spices...lol. I KNOW my people and what we produce when I see them! Which is why I and others will accuse Adele of stealing Black culture but not Lady Gaga or Christina Aguilera. Because there are subtle differences that often times only WE recognize. But back to Camille's work...... Besides the nostalgic effect, one of the things I like about so much of the music and televison shows from the 70s is how REAL they were as compared to today. To me, the 70s represent as close to the raw realness of Black American culture BEFORE it was mainstreamed and captured by the corporate media. You had BOTH the positive and negative story told from OUR perspective in a way that WE could relate to.....as opposed to today where you have White industry picking and choosing which aspects of our culture (usually negative) that they'll promote. Can anyone name me ONE OTHER Black television sitcom today that was as powerful and entertaining and still resonates with Black America as Sanford and Son, or Good Times, or The Jeffersons did back 40 years ago?

　 Delano am not surprised that the sharpest mind here is interested in the topic. Nor am I surprised by that you are not. Your need to be followed, is the reason why you are posting on a topic that you have no to little interest. Who said I wasn't interested? If I weren't interested in the topic of magic I wouldn't be posting so much in this thread and asking for verification. Lol, THIS is how I treat topics that I'm not interested in: https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/4244-christmas-blessings/ "I didn't ask you the question because I was curious about the answer. The question evoked a response from you to demonstate your thinly veiled antagonism to the topic." Well if your intention was to get a response from me, then congradulations.....because you certainly did. It's not the TOPIC of magic that I'm antagonistic about, although I must admit that I am skeptical of a lot of claims that many people put out until they offer proof.....it's the CHARLATANS who make their living taking advantage of already disadvantaged and often weak minded people that I take issue with. Your posts are more revelatory than thought provoking. In your opinion. ((shruggs shoulders)) Now sir...... Will you kindly give us SPECIFIC EVENTS and SPECIFIC DATES (or a reasonable time frame within a few days) that will verify your skills as a predictor of future event? I know these are predictions and not prophecies so I don't expect them to be 100% accurate. However they MUST be something far more direct and specific than: "Some time this year between January and December Donald Trump is going to be exposed as a racist who has trouble respecting women". I don't make these requests out of malice. I ask out of sincere desire AND INTEREST in the subject because if you indeed have these abilities our communities are in desparate need for brothers like you and you could be of tremendous service.....if you already aren't. 　 Troy But back to the specifics of the Trump spell. I dunno, while it may sound silly to me, going through the process suing all the items may help people focus their mental energy maybe it is not so silly, if it works for some. But again that sort of thing is not for me. For me, the proof is in the pudding. I come from a more or less scientific and logical angle.....either it WORKS or it DOES NOT. No matter how silly it seems, if it works....I believe. On the flip side of that, if it doesn't work....I won't believe (yet anyway). Without PROOF or atleast a proponderance of evidence in favor of it, much of it sounds like just another form of ESCAPISM where people who are too afraid to confront their problems in life will try to look for indirect ways to improve their lot or explain away what they don't WANT to understand. Rather than organizing a political and social movement to challenge the radical right wing, they'd rather hide in the closet and burn candles or concoct magical potions hoping THIS will make the evil racists and bigots just disappear. Cynique I don't really do "astrology" but what you call "magical talk" is has been given validity in the sphere of Meta-physics, which has always captivated me with its concept of energizing thoughts into things by tapping into the universe which is the source of all energy. Involved in this is the projecting of visualized images into the universe and then making these images materialize by channeling them back into your life. This is known as the "as above, so below" principle and is what "bright ideas" and "inspirations" spring from. As is the power of positive thinking, which even the medical profession advocates. And, of course, for every action there is a reaction, so negative energy exists and this is the stuff of black "magic" . Quantum physics also figures into "magic" because what it observes defies explanation when it demonstrates how an object can be 2 places at the same time, and it even casts doubt on believing what you see because, in its realm, what you look at, changes as soon as you look away from it. Fascinating stuff! Well for one.... I understand what you're saying about quantum physics and energy,but is THAT what Delano is talking about? From what I've read of his posts and admittedly MY limited understanding (which could be wrong) of what he's saying.....he's talking about horoscopes, Western based astrology based on a European Gregorian calendar system, and crystal balls. Secondly...... I understand what you're saying about positive and negative energy but I'm not 100% sure if everything you put out comes back to you whether it's positive OR negative; just like I'm not sure that everyone who experiences negativity someone put it out in the universe first. When you have small children being killed or seriously wounded whether in Los Angeles from a bullet or Syria from high tech weapons being used on them....what "negativity" did they put out at such a young age to meet such a fate???? Cause and effect. They didn't get hurt because of THEIR negativity, they got hurt because of SOMEONE ELSE'S negativity. I'm sorry but a lot of what this new age doctrine sounds too much like the religious dogma the elitists have been using through out history to oppress people. Somehow BLAMING THE VICTIM for their condition rather than the victimizers. Hindus used to say people who were born in a low caste as slaves and servants to be abused somehow deserved to be there because of some "negativity" they commited in a previous lifetime. Christians who enslaved Black people blamed some Hamitic curse as the negativity that justified their condition. Now you have a group of people today claiming that people who are suffering somehow put out negative energy....often times unknowingly.....and that's why they are in their condition. All they have to do is "believe hard" and "think positive thoughts" and things will be alright. ....rather than blaming a corrupt and wicked system that oppresses people and focusing on replacing it. I believe in cause and effect, but I believe in a more DIRECT version. Like I said before, without concrete evidence and proof, much of it seems to be a form of escapism where people avoid taking direct action to improve their condition.

Cynique What it sounds like you are saying is that an active promiscuous sex life is a manifestations of the in-bred nature of black people, and that the European norm which advocates monogamy within a marriage, (and discourages out of wedlock children), cramps the style of black people. Now Cynique............ We've had this discussion before so I don't expect to "convert" you over to my way of thinking since you seem to be so worried about what White people will think about Black people bragging about their sexuality. But for those reading our exchange and MAY either agree with me about Blacks having a stronger sexuality or may be swayed by my argument: African culture frowns upon both promiscuity (random frequent sex with various partners) as well as out of wedlock children while Western culture is more accepting of both. But as far as sexual desire goes, too much evidence points to the fact that Black people or atleast Black men in general have a stronger sexuality: 1. It's scientifically proven that Black men have a higher testosterone rate than White men and we know that testosterone level is a primary indicator of sexuality. 2. From personal and observed experience most Black men I've known whether from the United States, Africa, or even South America have had MULTIPLE sexual partners in thier life and saw it as a badge of honor (including myself) rather than something "sinful" or "shameful". 3. In relation to that..... We know that cheating and adultery goes on in every culture it seems that most polygamous societies where men take on more than one wife are found in Africa, the Middle East, and India among men who are Black and Brown where as among White men in Europe monogamy is the norm socially speaking. 4. Even in social settings, I don't know about YOU but everywhere I've been whenever there are multiple races of men coming into contact with women Black and Brown men are the ones primarily looking at and flirting with female strangers that they find attractive. I rarely see White or even Asian men OBVIOUSLY staring at or flirting with women they don't know. It happens, but not as often as we do. Take all these facts and personal observations (from me atleast) in and it seems to me that Black people....or atleast Black men....have a stronger sexual desire. I personally think this is a GOOD thing, not someting bad or shameful or "animalistic". But then again, I'm not coming from a Western religious or moralistic point of view but from a more natural one. 　 Meanwhile, no mention is made of the alternate possibility which would blame the breakdown of the black family on the habits left over from slavery when blacks were not allowed to maintain stable families in the manner of their European masters That's because the breakdown of the Black family TODAY has little to nothing to do with slavery nor it's after effects. If it did..... You'd see far more dysfunction and broken families during the late 1800s and early 20th century when we were just coming out of slavery than you see today; when infact the Black family was MORE INTACT during that time period than it is today! There's a very good reason why the Black family is more broken today than is has been since our being here in the United States.....women have more freedom to LEAVE their men today than they had in the past. Is there any scientific evidence, or are there any sociological studies that support your ongoing insinuation that the reason European culture rejects polygamy is because white men are not as horny as black men?? YES. As I said, we tend to have more testosterone......you do the research. the advice given to blacks in this jive-ass country should simply be to emulate whatever it takes to "get over". . That's terrible advice! It's that "let's just do what we can to get over" mentality that keeps Black Americans in a subservient, defensive, and survivalist condition in their own country. Just as it's better for a person to seek their OWN HOME even if it's just an apartment rather than settling for a corner on the floor in someone else's mansion; it's better for Black Americans to develop their OWN system (as you said above) than to constantly seek to "fit in" and "get over" in this one. Lol @ "jive ass"....... Troy　 Besides, many of the things were associate with culture have nothing to do with the color of one's skin. Culture is man made often arbitrary. I know many Black people, for example, who are culturally white (based upon they way they speak, their dress, the music they listen to, who they associate with, etc), and I've met white people who are culturally Black. This example is probably just a function of where and when these people were born. That's because human beings (of all races) are quite versatile and can adapt to various culures even if those cultures don't "jive"...lol...with their nature. We do what it takes to survive and thrive. But when the pressures are off and the rules (legal and social) are relaxed, people tend to gravitate towards their truer nature. I wish they would get rid of the word "race," because it confuses people about the nature of humanity, creating unnecessary barriers between us. If the word "race" were eliminated, the only people who'd be confused would be people of color because White people would STILL know who they were and would see themselves as different. One of the reasons Whites were able to come in and colonialize most of Africa is because White Europeans regardless of nationality saw themselves as ONE RACE superior to the others while Africans didn't (and still don't) think of themselves in racial terms at all but more along ethnic and "tribal" (if you will) terms that prevented them from uniting. Infact, if you took out the racial classifications in the United States you'd have a situation similar to that of Latin America with FAR MORE confusion and far more discrimination. Here when White cops shoot unarmed Black men or White employer discriminate in hiring Black applicants, we have identification markers like "Black" or "White" to make the argument and and observe if any solution has been achieved. If there was no terms for race.....how would one identify racism when it occured? How would you make the argument? You'd just have this group systematically targetting other people outside their group and know "something" was wrong but wouldn't quite know how to articulate it....like we have in Mexico and other Latin American nations where White Latinos are oppression their darker "Latino" citizens but since their all "Latinos" they can't claim racism. 　 Delano Here's a similar example. Adolf Hitler was pushing the Aryan agenda. The Blond Hair Blue Eyed German. He was a Jewish dark haired Austrian. ? I'm not the smartest person in the world so you're going to have to provide more of a context or explain a little (or perhaps a lot) more clearly WHAT point you're making. I mean, I UNDERSTAND what you just said above and I agree. But how does it tie in with the statements you made before about Black psychopathology, Hollywood being ran by Jews, and assuming Blacks are a monolith????? There are so many issues with race, the term is meaningless. Especially to the descendants of White Slave holders. If the term "race" is meaningless, then what do you mean when you say "White" slave holders?

I wonder how the brother feels about the New Black Pather Party (or "parties" as it appears that many of them have sprung up all over the U.S. lately) and how it/they are different than the original. I've heard a lot of original Panthers level heavy criticizm at the more contemporary ones.

Black people not only SHOULD adopt their own sub-culture within the broader American culture, we actually MUST in order to continue our survival. Culture is more than just food and language....it's also genetic. Until this fact is first recognized BY US and accepted, then our people will continue to have problems trying to "adjust" in a system that wasn't designed for us in the first place when we should be focused on establishing our own. When I say understanding the role genetics play in culture....... I mean you can point out the fact that the mating and marriage systems in Africa are different than those in Europe- But until you recognize and accept that African genetics are different and our sexuality is stronger and more developed, then trying to base our family structures and mating habits on the European model will only lead to more broken homes and dysfunctional families. Or you can point out the fact that the diet of West Africa is different than the diet of Europe- But until you recogize and accept that African genes are different and we don't process red meat and alcohol the same way Europeans do, our people who continue to indulge in Western dietary practices will continue to suffer from obseity, alcoholism, and other maladies that result from an attemp to imitate someone who has a different nature than you. It's the same with the language and how our genes and the language centers of our brains are different than Europeans which affects how we structure our words even when we speak European languages. Ebonics has a genetic component to it. Delano Pioneer there is a psychopathology in the black community. That exists seperate from White culture. Hell White people cant meet White People standards but berate you fir not living up to it. Early Hollywood was populated and run by Jewish people. Yet you didn't see positive Jewish images. Ralph Lauren with his whole waspy Polo things is really Ralph Lifshitz from the Bronx . Black Slaves brutalized their women. No your comparing us to a monolithic mythology. Sorry bro. I seriously have no idea what you just wrote. Can you please rephrase it? 　 　 　 Mel I think the black community's pathological tendencies come from allowing others to invalidate us. It's as if we believe we are the illegitimate children of America and Africa and we're doing everything while failing miserably to gain legitimacy. It's as if we (black Americans) are waiting to do our version of Sally Fields' Academy Award acceptance speech "You like me, you really like me". Although it is so cliche, we have to learn to like ourselves first even if our validation never arrives. Exactly, but not only that.... In my experience, when Black people....even Black children.....just BE THEMSELVES and stop worrying about what White people or any other race thinks of them, we usually end up leading anyway. We become the trend setters! I've seen this in schools growing up where having attended a mosty White school in the suburbs for 2 years, me and other Black kids would just sit around MAKING UP shit to do just to see how long it would take before the White kids would start imitating us.....lol. Like the late great Heavy D said, don't be down with anybody let them all be down with YOU.

Troy Pioneer, Mel makes a good point, which I think you may have overlooked. There are people in dire situations who are at peace and others in the same situation having panic attacks, nervous breakdowns, or lashing out at others. The more spiritually developed people actually need less--especially in America where our entire economy is based upon consumption. Much of our desire to accumulate things is a consequence of programming by corporations driving us to consume, so that we increase their profits. The problem is we can never get enough of things we don't need, so we are never really satisfied. This is why, for example, people of modest means, buy more clothing than they can ever wear. Their closets full of clothing with the price tags still on them and they are still not happy and they don't know why. We share similar observations in society, but what you just described above doesn't sound like a lack of spiritual development to me....but rather a lack of psychological balance. There's a difference between spiritual development and psychological balance. And to be honest with you, since we're ALL spiritual beings I'm not sure WHO is able to determine who is more spiritually developed than another or what standard should be used. It's like trying to decide who is MORE HUMAN. But what you described in people who seem to never be satisfied and consume too much reminds me of Black people who spend so much of their money on clothes, jewelry, and cars.....in an attempt to compensate for their low self-esteem. This isn't necessarily a "spiritual" problem as much as it's a psychological problem that has developed as a result of living in a racist society that tells you that you are so worthless that you need to buy "things" to improve your value and self image. I see elements of this problem among people of ALL races by the way. Cynique I am absolutely fascinated with the spell ritual! I am, however, leery as to whether it is black magic or white magic, and if Trump's followers (that witch Anne Coulter, in particular) will check out the instructions and conjure up a counter spell that will negatively affect those focusing on Trump. So, at midnight, I will limit my participation to simply visualizing disintegrating images of Trump, Pence, KellyAnne Conway and Steve Bannon. Unless your joking..... I must admit, I'm a little suprised at how much you're taken in by this astrology and magical talk. With your relatively straight forward, "cynical"....lol...and even often fatalistic views on so much of what's going on in the world; you'd be one of the last people I'd expect to even give credence to star gazing and magical spells...lol. 　 There is a theory that there is a religious "gene" and not everybody is born with it. I'm not sure about a religious gene, but I believe some people are just born without the ability to think critically or analyze on a normal to high level so they're constantly being "suckered in"...so to speak...by dogmatic systems that offer flimsy explainations to many of their problems. The black community is too caught up in religion, a security blanket that got them through slavery. ((round of applause)) Del Pioneer so have you done both? Lol...why don't you look into your crystal ball and find out? I'm still waiting on you to offer us a SPECIFIC EVENT at a SPECIFIC TIME as verification that you know what you're talking about. In the secular world, many professionals can be sued for malpractice if they make a claim that turns out to be false. Should not those who practice the occult or mysticism be held to the same standard or even higher? Again, I'm not saying that there is no merit to astrology or magic. I DEFINATELY BELIEVE in the spiritual world and I believe in the science behind ancient astrology. My issue is with PEOPLE TODAY who run around in our community claiming to be spiritual teachers and conjure experts without producing effective solutions to the problems that plague the community. You know magic? Then clean up the polluted waters in Flint. Do a magical spell to halt the violence in Chicago and other cities before Trump sends in the troops. Something productive and verifiable.

Troy No sir. I have not seen it and as I said I have no intention of seeing it. But my original points STILL stand and my not having seen the film doesn't detract from them one iota. Most people DON'T do research on their own, especially about subjects they don't even know exist. Nor should it be expected of them to do so. Most people aren't academically inclined any more than most people are mechanically inclined. Which is why I don't blame most of our people, I blame the public educational system of the United States and especially Black educators who knew about these ladies and other valuable information that has yet to come out. This should have been taught in class rooms around the nation decades ago instead of us waiting until a book came out or movie is made. We shouldn't look to Hollywood to give us our own history.

Mel Clearly you haven't been on wordpress dot com or Quora. J/K Seriously though, I've been researching polymaths and monomaths; so I think the ratio is much lower than you give credit. We have more 'specialists' today than ever in history. If this country is actually divided it's by autodidacts, academics and a minority of folks who are clueless. This is the internet! Ofcourse when you're on the internet you're going to get a lot of people who tend to be intellectual and academic oriented, because THOSE are the type of people who are the most computer savvy and know how to navigate their way around different websites, chat rooms, ect.... There are millions of people out there who don't use computers or even read books. If it doesn't come on television or the radio, they don't even know it exists and don't care. Add THEM to the people who ONLY use the internet to search for porn or a job and you'll have the MAJORITY of people....lol.

I forgot to add......................... On the flip side of my example of an individual fighting for universal healthcare and social security: When SOCIETY respects and protects INDIVIDUAL rights and allows the individual the right to make and keep their money without forcing them to share it with the rest of the community....this in turn gives individuals the confidence, initiative, and motivation to not only build wealth but invent new things and new better ways that will benefit society as a whole. So social gains and personal gains benefit off of eachother. Again, my point was it's not one or the other but BOTH in BALANCE. And it's the same with the physical and spiritual by the way. It's not about one at the expense of the other but it's about BOTH in BALANCE with eachother. But what is not good is the hypocrisy of encouraging the neglect of one in hopes that it will somehow accentuate the other; e.i....denying your physical needs thinking that you'll become more spiritually enlightened.

Man.... When it rains it just POURS (or spurts) on Milo. I guess he just resigned from Breitbart News....lol. Maybe he'll focus on the career he always wanted: opening up a gay male escort service in the ghetto.

Mel Haven't you heard? Imitation is the HIGHEST form of flattery....lol.

Troy Exactly. And that's my point, it's not about one OR the other but about BOTH.....BALANCE. Helping the community AND helping yourself. And when BOTH are helped, BOTH benefits. For example............ When I as an individual get out and fight for unversal healthcare FOR ALL citizens and social security benefits FOR ALL seniors, it benefits me as an individual with decent healthcare now and a financially sound future in old age. Dude, many folks don't even have the spare brain cells to read a book let alone think abut enlightenment. In many ways, everyone actively participating in this forum has the luxury of time to participate here and contemplate things outside of satisfying our immediate needs--like where our next meal is coming from. That might sound hyperbolic, but it really is the reality for many. True again. Most people who have time to sit around and have philosophical discussions aren't "struggling" and thus they can focus more on intellectual matters. But I'm not fooled into thinking EVERYONE has that same luxury or do I believe everyone has that same desire. What I realize and many have yet to is that some people DON'T WANT to think about these things; all they're focuses on is money even when they have plenty of it.....and I respect their desires. I'm not going to condemn them or preach to them about what they should want or aspire to, I'll just do me and let them do themselves. Who am I to say that focusing on more mental or spiritual things even IS the best route to go? Maybe that brother overthere spending 99% of his time chasing paper really HAS found "the truth". BTW..... Financially speaking, I'm still considered POOR or atleast lower middle class. I just try to use the money I have wisely. So your boy is STILL trying to "come up"....lol. Mel Or spiritual development must come first in an effort to understand what physical demands are actually necessary. Lol.....try explaining that to a hungry baby. Or even a hungry child. Children are closest to the basic human psychological model as we get before we are "socialized" into religious and philosophical concepts that are often abstract. They don't understand concepts like "sacrifice" and "delayed gratification". They only understand what they can clearly see...up front. So they say, "Either I'm eating and got food in my belly.....or I don't....so spare me your philosophical explanations for my hunger and find me some food"....lol.

Mel BTW, I disagree with your assessment about general public, and academia - it's usually individuals with a specific interests or out of necessity that make the breakthrough and bring information into the mainstream. This is true, but it doesn't disagree with my original statement that most people OUTSIDE of academia will not do extensive research on a subject unless they have to. In the general public OUTSIDE of academia, for every one person who decides to put in the research work on a particular subject of interests......probably 5 or 6 will move on to focusing on their day to day activities. I even read the flint water crisis was brought to light by a homeowner , a woman named " Leeanne Walters" That's not true. She did notify the media about what was going on but she wasn't the first one and certainly wasn't the only one. The media often uses her and other White people to put a more "racially integrated face" on a problem that disproportionalty affected Black people in Black neighborhoods. The original whistle blower was a pediatrician; an Indian woman named Dr Mona Attisha who kept noticing all these Black children coming in with rashes and decided to investigate. She first alerted the state and when the state brushed her off she went federal and alerted the EPA. Troy I have a confession. I did not see the movie...lol. I have no plans to go and see it. It's not so much that I have a problem with the theme, I'm just not into going to see movies much unless they're very intense horror movies or war movies.

You're right, WE are the normal ones living in an UNNATURAL environment. In an insane asylum....the SANE people are the one's considered crazy...lol. But let me drop two points........... 1. When people say "society", they often mean WHITE ACCEPTANCE. Society is made up of millions of different people with thousands of diffent subcultures and ways of thinking. There is no one set "normal". But if your goal is to get along with White people and be accepted by them....then NO....you'll never be seen as "normal" to them because you're naturally different. As a Black man who grew up in a Black city I had no problems with feeling normal because I WAS the norm. When we saw White kids in school or walking down the street THAT was abnormal. It was normal for kids to have cornbread and fried chicken for lunch, but ABNORMAL to see cabbage soup, lol. 2. Black Americans need to stop playing victim so much. We have out own subculture but often times we are too lazy to promote it, but then turn around and get angry about feeling left out. Why aren't there any Black barber shop chains nationwide for Black men like Supercutz and Boricks for White men????? Why aren't there any national Soul Food restaurant chains promoting Black American food like there are Taco Bells and Little Ceasars promoting Mexican and Italian food????? I know for a fact that PEOPLE OF EVERY RACE love soul food because I rememer a couple sould food restaurants in Detroit that used to have regular customers from Arabs, to Koreans, and Chinese who'd go in getting peas, rib tips, ect...... Some Arabs and Asians even started hiring Black people to cook food for them and sell it out of their stores! White people and many other people PROMOTE their own culture and this is how they "normalize" themselves in America. Instead, too many of us try to seek acceptance and be apart of THEIRS instead of establishing our OWN and end up feeling out of place as a result of our own laziness.

Delano Pioneer1 why not just get personal gain from the secular? Cut out the middleman. I'm not sure what you mean by the "middleman" but to answer your question, WE SHOULD seek personal gain from the secular world.....AS WELL AS the spiritual world. It's not about one OR the other....but about BOTH and a proper balance. Mel I believe that each individual is different and it's their responsibility to know what works for THEM to achieve success and make them happy. So if focusing on helping others instead of yourself works for the individual, then by all means continue to do it. As for me, my experiences have taught me having clear goals and praying for and working to achieve them seems to work best method. I think back even to highschool....... At first I tried all types of "indirect" methods to get attention from the girls I found attractive: -cutting jokes in class -joined the basketball team -quoting Shakespear -even claiming gang affiliations....lol. I saw it working for other boys, but it didn't seem to work as well for me. In the midst of the silliness I discovered I had FAR MORE success just directly going to them and declaring my attraction then all that other "round the way" bullshit. On the other hand, some other boys who saw MY success with this tried it and ended up getting embarrassed. People have to do what works for THEM.....not someone else. Troy Yes people often DO spend to much time focusing on material gain to the detriment of their spiritual development but keep in mind, what makes ONE PERSON happy and satisfy may not do the same for the next. I know some work-o-holics that get high FROM working their ass off....lol. It's what makes them happy and content, and when they're not doing it...they're miserable and bored. Some people don't care about mental or spiritual development, they are only focuses on the here and now and material gain....I've learned to respect their wishes. But it's hard to focus on anything else if your BASIC NEEDS aren't taken care of. As human beings let's keep it real, spiritual development must come AFTER the physical demands are met. In America today, too many people are going "without" to focus on anything else except making ends meet. People are stuggling out there in those streets; with no decent healthcare, not enough DECENT food to eat, busted up families, legal problems, poor living conditions, ect... You don't go up to a homeless man and offer him yoga lessons and tips on transcendental meditation for further spiritual development. It's facing a economic crisis and THAT has to be first addressed. It's like Maslow's heirarchy of needs...... We are PHYSICAL BEINGS and we need to have our PHYSICAL NEEDS met first in order to survive long enough to focus on mental and deeper spiritual desires. BTW you'z a straight up NUT for that "Trader Joes cheap wines" comment......lol. What really gets me is how so-called healthfood stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods have such a massive wine and liquor collection. All One of the socio-psychological diseases Blacks have contracted from living in White society is the hypocrisy of "altruism". The concept that forces people to hide their true and natural feelings and pretend that every thought, word, and deed is for the "good of humanity" rather than for personal pleasure and gain. I believe it's one of the reasons so many Black youth are confused right now. They don't know the "game". The "game" in Western society is not to admit what you really want or how you really feel and somehow success will magically "find you".

"Self explanatory" is just another way of saying it has no value outside of us acknowledging that they're doing it...lol. Outside of trying to bring attention to a problem everyone ALREADY KNOWS exists......it's basically useless. Everyone WHO IS INTERESTED in the politics and social well being of this nation (and those are few in number now a days) already knows who Trump is and what he stands for and they already know where THEY stand in relation to him. So exactly WHO'S attention are they trying to get? -Are they trying to get the attention of Trump's right wing racist supporters in hopes that they will somehow change their minds and soften their hearts because some Black football players are protesting? -Or are they trying to get the attention of dumb negroes who don't follow politics or anything else outside of entertainment and thus not only have an opinion on the matter but don't even have a clue as to what Trump's presidency could mean for their future? Trust me. If I thought it would make much of a difference I wouldn't be criticizing this like I am. I'd be applauding the courage of Black athletes who chose to take a stand. But now that I realize that most Americans are so entrenched in their beliefs to the point that even FACTS can barely sway them anymore, I'd tell them don't even waste their time or put a target on their backs.......UNLESS they were willing to go all the way. Them boys need to go on ahead and just go to the White House, shake a few hands and enjoy their 5 minutes of fame and keep it pushing. Leave the demonstrations and protests to the masses who have less to lose and more to gain.

Mel Jay Z said I-WILL-NOT-LOSE.....because I'm talking about research done by the general public, not the academic arena. I'm talking about the masses who may not be academically inclined but if they find something like this that peaks their interests will google the subject or check wikipedia to find out more information about it. Among astronomy and NASA experts they may have been well known, but certainly in the in the general public there wasn't a lot of research being done on these women because most of the people I know didn't know anything about them UNTIL the movie came out. I'll ask you the same question I asked Troy. BEFORE talk of this movie....had YOU heard about these ladies?

I have to admit I haven't really followed this "Milo" character that much and up until the Maher interview I've only heard bits and snips about him in the media. After having seen him and listened to him myself......... From the LIMITED amount that I've seen this dude takes me as a straight up JOKE. Another "media darling". He's flamboyantly gay in an almost a comical way, I haven't heard him say much on race but his focus seems to ironically be very anti-gay, a little anti-woman, and definately againt political correctness. He seems to get off provoking people and saying things to to get their emotions going. The way they were protesting him everywhere he went and rioting at Berkely, I thought the dude was some sort of Hitler promoting neo-nazi. Yeah, he sparred with Leslie Jones and called her all types of names....but I don't care too much for Leslie myself. I think she disgraces herself more than any gay White dude could disgrace her with her vulgar and often obnoxious behavior. I'm sure some of his views are racist like most Whites on the political right, but I just don't see the threat so many people are jumping up and down about. I have to admit that there IS a bit of charisma to him. He knows how to take shots as well as give them on slight. Perhaps THAT'S that's his draw and that's probably why he gets so much media attention. He likes to push buttons and he likes to get people's emotions going and uses his charisma and flamboyant homosexuality draw people's attention and entertain them. lol.....talking about he's got a "Black boyfriend".

Cynique Answer MY questions and I'll answer yours.....lol. Again, exactly WHAT POSITIVE RESULTS do we expect to gain from "boycotting" the White house? It's not going to change Trump or his policies one way or the other, and that's my point..... Again, like Kaepernick protesting the national athem. Most of the people he's doing it for.....Black people....couldn't care less about what he's doing or why he's doing it. He's esssentially taking a stand (or a knee) for nothing. Infact, probably more White people are now focused on him than Black people but in a negative way....so what purpose does it serve? "Moral victory" my ass...... That man has no shame NOR morals and this WILL NOT HUMILIATE HIM. If they don't want to go because it's too much of a hassle or they have better things to do with their time....I understand. But I'd suggest they not pass up a probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just to make some silly "statement" that few people including those they're doing it for couldn't give a damn about. If these players are THAT convicted in their political views then instead of not going, perhaps they SHOULD GO and give Trump an earful when they meet him! Don't go hide in a corner somewhere looking mean and mumbling vulgarities in frustration while the White players are standing with Trump shaking his hand, smiling, and exchanging pleasantries...... Instead use this as an opportunity to march up to Washington united as a group and tell him to his face how offensive and destructive his policies will be on the poor and people of color. BTW.......... If you think going to see Donald Trump is "uncle tomming" what do you call running up and down a football field performing and displaying your physical prowess for White managers, coaches, and agents? Outside of your occasional Ali's and Kaepernick's how many professional Black athletes HAVEN'T Uncle Tom'd (and Aunt Jemimah'd...lol) from time to time during their careers????