Ok, Ok, so it's been a while since I last ran my mouth. It's not that I've had nothing to say or that I've been consumed with Facebook, ok, maybe just a little, or that all is good in the world. But I've just been...simmering. so much so that I don't quite know where to begin. So I'll just...ramble a bit. First let it be known that I love my city. Baltimore is my home. I was born and raised here. But today, I don't like my city. It's dirty, full of crime, drugs, filth, and quite frankly it's full of people from top to bottom who just don't seem to care.
There is a lack of respect for humanity in my city. We've got dudes shooting 5 year old children. Dudes shooting women execution style. Bodies being found in cars, park bathrooms, shot in broad daylight! WTF!!!! B-More!!!! Every night the news gets more and more depressing and I've yet to hear a call for an end to this madness from ANYONE!!!!! Mama, please save the babies. They said WOMEN were more sensitive to the needs of our community, of our young, of our needy...but where is the call for this madness to stop? And brothers...leaders, waiting for your photo op...or an election year, and get out an fix this. You have the voice and the ear of your community. Say something and not just under your breaths as you criticize. Go old school, pull that soapbox out, set it up on the corners of Park Heights and Woodland or Erdman and Belair, or Fulton and Baltimore, or North and any fuckin where (except Park Ave) and scream at the top of your lungs...STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!!
The level of violence, although statistics say it is on the decline, (but I DON"T SEE A DECLINE...I need, WE NEED this to stop...NOW!!!!) is like I've never seen before. And it reaches beyond the "hood". It's unsafe to go to our "safe havens". Please Baltimore...we've gotta do better. And last...
The TRASH, the RATS...YO, I've seen more RATS this year!!! The pot holes, Baltimore has some of the worst streets in America, piss poor customer service in our local government buildings, on the phone at the board of education...and my property taxes are high as HELL!!!! The conditions of our school buildings...deplorable. I know ya'll see it. Point that stuff out in your community. Tell somebody, any body...we gotta do better!.
OK, I'm done. Now leave me a damn comment cause I know you're tired too.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
More Than A Dreamer
I've always been a great admirer of Dr. King. Not the "dreamer" that we celebrate but the revolutionary we've been made to forget. Dr. King's "Dream" speech was delivered as we all know on August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. We also know that Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee in 1968. But during the time between his "Dream" speech and his assassination, very little is spoken of his philosophy toward freedom, justice, and equality. The revolutionary King has all been silenced. In fact, many people believe that Dr. King made his "dream" speech, walked off the stage, and was assassinated.
Today, students learn of five major events. The Bus Boycott in 1955, The "Dream" of 1963, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (maybe), The "Mountain Top" speech and The Assassination of 1968. But Dr. King had so much more to say about the injustices in this country not only toward Black folks but to poor, disenfranchised people all over the world who were suffering because of the racist policies of this nation.
While in college I studied those speeches and campaigns designed to bring attention to those injustices. Dr. King was great not because of a dream but because of the realities he made this government face during those times. The struggle for freedom and equality wasn't only about fire hoses and water fountains. It was about policy change and reform. It was about spreading the word across the globe of the institutional racism which created the conditions that exist during those times and continue to exist today. The revolutionary King was an embarrassment to this nation but his non-violent tactics, knowledge of his basic human rights of free speech and expression and his fearlessness to use those tactics, made him dangerous. You don't kill dreamers...revolutionaries on the other hand... Check your history not only US but World history and see the comparisons of all those who were silenced. I can remember reading Malcolm X when I was in high school and thinking that Dr. King was "soft" in his approach because all I knew was "The Dream"
Not only has Dr. King been physically silenced. His legacy as a true revolutionary has been buried in street and school names, (in the worst neighborhoods in our nation), parades, MLK Day Sales, and the mis-education of our youth. Dr. King's dream was so much bigger than a speech, it's even bigger than a Black President. Its up to all of us to remember him for so much more than he's being portrayed. Tell our children, he was a giant...bigger than Jordan, Kobe, Weezy, Kanye, Jigga, and yes...even Obama.
Dr. King is so much more than a day off (that ain't even his real birth date)
Please everyone, as we come to the annual commemoration, look at this video put together by the brothers at SleptOn.org as a tribute to the Dr. King we rarely see/hear from. Thank you.
E. Dodson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvnpyS430dg
Today, students learn of five major events. The Bus Boycott in 1955, The "Dream" of 1963, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (maybe), The "Mountain Top" speech and The Assassination of 1968. But Dr. King had so much more to say about the injustices in this country not only toward Black folks but to poor, disenfranchised people all over the world who were suffering because of the racist policies of this nation.
While in college I studied those speeches and campaigns designed to bring attention to those injustices. Dr. King was great not because of a dream but because of the realities he made this government face during those times. The struggle for freedom and equality wasn't only about fire hoses and water fountains. It was about policy change and reform. It was about spreading the word across the globe of the institutional racism which created the conditions that exist during those times and continue to exist today. The revolutionary King was an embarrassment to this nation but his non-violent tactics, knowledge of his basic human rights of free speech and expression and his fearlessness to use those tactics, made him dangerous. You don't kill dreamers...revolutionaries on the other hand... Check your history not only US but World history and see the comparisons of all those who were silenced. I can remember reading Malcolm X when I was in high school and thinking that Dr. King was "soft" in his approach because all I knew was "The Dream"
Not only has Dr. King been physically silenced. His legacy as a true revolutionary has been buried in street and school names, (in the worst neighborhoods in our nation), parades, MLK Day Sales, and the mis-education of our youth. Dr. King's dream was so much bigger than a speech, it's even bigger than a Black President. Its up to all of us to remember him for so much more than he's being portrayed. Tell our children, he was a giant...bigger than Jordan, Kobe, Weezy, Kanye, Jigga, and yes...even Obama.
Dr. King is so much more than a day off (that ain't even his real birth date)
Please everyone, as we come to the annual commemoration, look at this video put together by the brothers at SleptOn.org as a tribute to the Dr. King we rarely see/hear from. Thank you.
E. Dodson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvnpyS430dg
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Welcome 2009
Welcome 2009. So...now what? Every January 1st most of us re-evaluate our lives and make promises to improve what ever it was that made us miserable the year before. Stuff like losing weight, eating the right foods, or just being a better person and less of a rat bastard. I'm guilty of the same insanity that usually last two months tops. So this year I've decided to share some of them with you so when I fail...you can bust my balls December 31st. So here we go.
Be happy and health at all cost
Divorce one woman
Marry another woman
Sell one house
Buy three more houses
Make enough money so my daughter won't have to take out student loans
Learn an another language
Learn to swim
Learn to play the guitar and/or the trumpet
Travel more
Save the world
Learn to fly
Write a magazine article and have it published
Shoot one short film
and finally...
all that other shit we all promise to do each and every year.
My problem with resolutions is that we spend three months trying to accomplish them and the other 7 months saying "I'll do it next year" WTF????? Good luck on your resolutions. Wish me luck on mine!
Be happy and health at all cost
Divorce one woman
Marry another woman
Sell one house
Buy three more houses
Make enough money so my daughter won't have to take out student loans
Learn an another language
Learn to swim
Learn to play the guitar and/or the trumpet
Travel more
Save the world
Learn to fly
Write a magazine article and have it published
Shoot one short film
and finally...
all that other shit we all promise to do each and every year.
My problem with resolutions is that we spend three months trying to accomplish them and the other 7 months saying "I'll do it next year" WTF????? Good luck on your resolutions. Wish me luck on mine!
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