Who's really keeping it real?

Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley must think everyone in Black America is stupid,they both claim to be advocating for the betterment of our community.
They had a public brawl this week that to this day I don't know or understand what it was all about.
Instead of them being out in the community doing some dirty work,there they both were on national media tearing each other down like two clowns.
Tavis I thought better of you,I kind of expected that type of behavior from Al Sharpton.
                                                                                               Bigmac

Black People,Money,Politics and Consumerism

So you have a degree fromYale or some other school of higher learning,do you believe your struggle has ended as a Black person?Sorry to bust your bubble but your struggle has only begun.
The next step is find a job in the field inwhich you labored hard to become educated in,where do you begin.
How many folks do you know are currently in a postion to help you in your struggle to find employment in your chosen field? It helps if you know someone to help you navigate the field that you have chosen,problem is many black folk who get their foot in the door,close that door behind themselves and put a padlock on it.Their ideal of playing politics on the job is being the only black person in a postion,how stupid of a concept of working.Being a consumer and black in america is a oxymoron,most black folks I know don't shop for the best price,we go into a place of business and accept the price on the sticker or tag.Folks there needs to be some real soul searching in our community before we talk about we have arrived in america.We spend money like it grows on trees,we don't save or invest,we buy from people who could care less if we die today.So a degree might get you a interview and maybe a entry-level job,but being smart with  your dollars  will make to rich!
                                                         Bigmac

No Need For A Black Congressional Black Caucus-------------

If all they going to do is party like it's 1999!I mean these clowns have raised over 55 million dollars from the likes of Wal-Mart and Rent-A-Center to fund their so call charity foundation for the African-American Community.My post is a result of a story from the New York Times last Sunday by a reporter name Eric Lipton.I have heard or read from people on both sides of this story and have concluded that the Black Congress people in Washington are just as shameful as their White counterparts if not worse.Most members of the CBC represent the poorest districts in their states,what the hell are they doing throwing million dollar parties,when their constituents are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and ice in the fridge?These  Congress people should hang their heads real dam low!
                                                                                          Bigmac

A Real Field Negro

Yea I know that title gets batted around the blog world by many,but just how many  real field negros are really out here?
I'll venture to say not many,how many would be willing to confront the daily struggles of black folk?
How many of you who proclaim to be field negros would be willing to lose your job or your house or anything of value?How about your life,now if you can tell me with a straight face that you would be willing to give up your life,then you are a real field negro!
                                                        Bigmac

My Wish For Valentines Day

Is not a box of candy or a Hallmark card,but a wish that my folk will wake up out of this conscientious ignorance and stupidity.I don't expect a gift or card on days like today or even on the big day Christmas,because everyday for me is Christmas.When I wakeup in the morning in reasonable good health,I'm happy folks.I have seen days in my life when I didn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.I remember days as an adult when I didn't know where I was going to sleep or eat for that day.For that matter where I was going to wash my behind.So please don't get upset with me if I don't seem to be a model Blackman for holidays.But what I try to be a model of folks is someone who's trying to do the right thing by people,particularly our Blackwomen.At my part time job at the stop and go store I work with a number of young Black women in their early and mid twenties,who are so sick of the behavior of  the men who are in their lives.They look and wonder why I treat them like the Queens they are,even when they disrespect themselves.I tell them they are not baby momas but mothers and the men are not baby daddys,but fathers.
But I can't seem to get them to understand that a person becomes what they think!
                                                                                                  Bigmac

The America I Know

It's not the  red,white and blue of the American flag or apple pie with ice cream,the America I know is one of struggle and pain.Struggle and pain for my father,grandfather,uncles and the men I grew up knowing as models in my community.What inspired me to write this post today was the response that I recieved from some  folks I follow on the blogersphere.Even though their comments were understood by me they were not taken as malicious or disrespectful,but simply as lack of experience in my world.Black men in these United States are demonized every hour of every day of the week.So my experience with Police are different from many who responded to my post on the thuggish behavior of three Pittsburgh Policemen.Black men are not respected by this society because of fears to many to name.Let me use some experience from my part time job at the convenice store,about 50% of the White folks I encounter have what I now call" The Sen. Harry Reid Diease".The only time they are comfortable interacting with black folk and black men in particular is when they precieve you to be safe.I watched as my father and grandfather had to jigg and buck dance to get the things they needed to substain their families.Sorry folks the days of jigging and buck dancing is over for many black men,your fears are not mine to assuage.
                                                                                                    Bigmac

Penn Hills Teachers Strike and the kids get dumber!

I have been a union person as long as I can remember,with that said I want to make clear that their are certain jobs in our society that a strike should be the last option.Those jobs are Police,Fire and Emergency responders and Teachers.Penn Hills,Pa. is a Township on Pittsburgh's eastern border,it's demographics has changed over the last 30-40 years and  it's 80% African-American in population,where it once was  a 80% White population.Most Black folk moved to Penn Hills over the past 30 years or so in the hope of escaping the City of Pittsburgh's urban problems.As more Black people moved to Penn Hills the White flight to more easternly suburbs increase,hence the change in demograhics.The catch here folks is that the political leadership has not changed,Penn Hills Mayor and majority Town Council is still White as is it's school board.As I have posted before Black folk in this region of Western PA. are not politically involved in the places that they live,98% have not a clue as to how the political process work. So yesterday when I read on line that the teachers were going out on strike,I wondered how many parents knew that this turmoil existed between the teachers and the school board.So I asked Valerie to call her daughter who has two boys in the school system and to inform her of the looming strike,not to my surprise she didn't have a clue either of the turmoil and pending strike.And Michelle  is generally one of the few Black parents who is on top of issues going on within the school system in general.So if Michelle didn't know I knew from my gut that the rest of the Black parents in this township had not a clue.The strike by the school teachers this thursday is a disgrace to the profession of teachers,if your heart is really into teaching then you must find a better way of working with the school board to work out a viable contract.As for the parents this a moment when you should ask yourself what the hell is going on,but hell will freeze over before that happens!
                             Bigmac

Not Enough Fire These Cops

EmailPrintPittsburgh cops put on paid leave during beating investigation

Monday, February 01, 2010

By Sadie Gurman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Three officers under investigation by the city for allegedly beating a Homewood teen during his arrest last month have been placed on paid administrative leave, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said this afternoon.



He said the decision would help put community concerns at ease and ensure the safety of the officers pending the investigation by the Office of Municipal Investigations.



"We can't take any final action until we know all the facts," Mr. Ravenstahl said at a news conference where he declined to take questions from reporters. He said he has asked OMI to wrap up its investigation by the end of this month, and "it will uncover those facts."



The officers -- Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak -- were working undercover on Jan. 12, when they arrested Jordan Miles, 18, in Homewood. The CAPA student said the officers brutally beat him as he walked on Tioga Street to his grandmother's house.



The officers were moved from plainclothes and into uniform after OMI launched its probe into the incident.



Mr. Ravenstahl said today's decision to place the officers on paid leave was a difficult one and urged the public to be patient during the investigation.



Police Chief Nate Harper declined to comment on the decision, saying the incident remains under investigation with possible litigation pending.



More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.



Sadie Gurman: sgurman@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1878.



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