Vision Circle

What Morgan Freeman Said

"That flag has always represented, number one, treason and, number two, a separation of white people from Jews, niggers and homosexuals. And you can't change that. You can't tell me I'm never going to be able to look at that flag and think, ‘Ah, it's my heritage, my, you know...’ Never,” says Freeman.

This Just Needs to be Said

The below are comments I put on LaShawn Barber's blog in response to this post.

I just shake my head and wonder how I see positives and negatives while others seem to see just the negative or just want to focus on that, but not both.

In context, there was nothing wrong with what Morgan Freeman said. Those in my circle of the universe who heard the complete comment, in context, agreed with his comment. Most said that when Black history is accurately engrained in American history, then Black History Month, which is just designation, can “go away”. Wasn’t that the intention Dr. Carter G. Woodson creating Black History Week in the first place? Why does that bit of history get removed from the picture? Pun intended.

OK, now a specific comment:

Rarely, if ever, do you hear black people expressing disgust for out-of-control crime rates or lecturing other blacks about their responsibility to stay out of the criminal justice system.

Strange, I hear it on a not infrequent basis. My circle of travel includes poor to well off and I hear it across the boundaries.

But, hey, I’m considered “liberal” by some and thus can be discounted.

BTW, others consider me "conservative", so I think that says A LOT about the definitions.

Honestly, between the negativity coming out of public Black liberals and the comments coming out of public Black conservatives, it’s a wonder more Blacks don’t blow their brains out (drinking, drugging, or literally) in dispair.

Merry Christmas.

Upset About Happy Holidays

I'm really upset about the use of happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas.

This time of year is about Christmas which is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

If you are upset about people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, I trust:

• that you are upset that the commercialization of Christmas has led to some stores advertising Christmas before Thanksgiving.
• that you are upset about the fights and mayhem that happens on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving.
• that you are upset that many stores need the consumerism of Christmas to stay in business.
• that you are upset of the near deity status of Santa Claus.
• that a mall Santa, coming late from lunch break, can cause a near riot. (I would not have believed it would be possible).
• that you are saddened by the rise in suicide attempts and successes this time of year.
• that you are saddened by the level of stress that results from people running around trying to buy gifts.
• that you are saddened by the debt that families find themselves in after Christmas?

If not...

Blacks Number One Problem: Racism?

Going around the 'net, or reading opinion pieces, or listening to talk shows, I often read/hear people say something like, "Despite what Blacks think, racism is NOT the number one problem facing Black America.

OK, for me that's a no brainer; it isn't Black America's number one problem. What I want to know is, what percentage of Blacks believe it IS Blacks number one problem?

I suspect that most Blacks will say that it's not, and if that's the case, it's another issue of critics of the Black community setting up a straw man for them to defeat.

Does anyone want to help me find such a poll of Black folk?

Tech Notes

Just some thoughts on "technology":

• Techie "Device" of 2005 - The techie "device" of the year, for me, has to be Google Desktop. I've "found" so many "lost" web pages and PDF files that I saved it's not funny. Yes, it's my fault for not putting them in a directory scheme that I remember, but with so much space, available, it was bound to happen. When I get my "server" back online, I'm going to index that sucka.
• Google Book Search -- While I'm on Google, I have to say that Google's idea of scanning books and making excerpts available for searching should be embraced by publishers.

  I worked on a project that had scanning component involved. People scanned items, OCR'ed them, and then software would make it available for searching. If Google wants to take older books and go through the boring, manpower intensive task of scanning them, let them spend their cash. A forward thinking publisher would make a deal with Google that would benefit them both.
  

• HDTV - I brought an HDTV recently. Other than researching what I thought I wanted, and what was the "best HDTV" for me, I thought that HD programming would just be the same television programming in better resolution. Little did I know that after programming the over the air HD channels, that not only would I see normal programming in great quality, but I would also see weather radar, a CNN type of local broadcast, and a "video channel" type of local channel.

  Watching football in HD is awesome. The only thing I don't like is that they seem to amplify the crowd sound and minimize the sports casters.
  

The Old School

I don't know why, but yesterday I was thinking about "old school thought".

So, here's what it means to me:

• Taking a belt/switch/brush/shoe to a kid when they get too far out of line. That kid could be your kid, a relative's kid, or a friend's kid.
• Giving a "stern" lecture to kids, anywhere, when they are "out of order".
• Throwing an adult party that has lots of food, folks in one area, playing cards, and talking trash, and having music playing in the background.
• Having your extended family attend your church when your kid is being baptized or dedicated.
• Family secrets.
• At the family dinner, someone in the family telling the truth that threatens to set things off.
• "Handling your business".
• Pragmatism.

  Updates below:

• Family taking care of family.
• While never stated like this, this is what it is: Not letting your situation define the person you are.

  To show what I mean, here are some examples of sayings I grew up hearing:

  • Just because we don't have much money, it doesn't mean we can't be clean.
  • Just because a person is poor, it is no excuse to be a criminal.
  • Just because your friends are jumping out of the window, it doesn't mean that you have to jump out of the window.
  • No matter where you are, if you dream it, you can do it.

Spence Leaves, Moves to Blacksmythe.com

I'm making it official.

I'm leaving Vision Circle.

Forgotten Favorite Song Line

At work I was listening to a Prince 3 CD set, "The Hits and the B Sides".

All of a sudden, the song hit and I forgot how much I liked this one line in Pope:

"You can be the president,
I'd rather be the pope.

You can be the side effect.
I'd rather be the dope!"

You, Sir, Have Gone Too Far

When Clinton was in office, I believed that the Republicans and conservatives who were crowing about the low moral of the war fighters, "because of Bill Clinton", was taking things too far. In the case of Clinton, it was another case of the "opposition" going too far.

Now, we have this statement by Rep. John Murtha:

Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record) told a civic group.

I thought in the past, and I think now, that the enemies of the U.S. read and view our news media. Statements like that quoted, does nothing but give strength to our enemies as well has hurt the moral of our war fighters.

Murtha should know better.

A Telephone Call

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'lo?

Mike. Michael Irvin?

Yeah?

This is Whitney.

'sup?
CRACK IS WHACK!

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