dcAjn23's Xanga

Post-Election Thoughts

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:35:16 GMT

After much reluctance, I ended up voting. My President is Black, and in many ways I'm proud. But that doesn't mean I'm pledging allegiance to him or America.

Is having prayer meetings for Obama technically against the separation of Church and State?

Jesse Jackson deserves to be selected as one of Obama's cabinet members. Seriously. A lotta shit on Jesse and try to make him irrelevant, but he's been on the forefront of the civil rights struggle since the sixties. In the truest since, Obama wouldn't exist without the work Jesse's put in.

Oprah shouldn't be a cabinet member. I have no real argument here, but it shouldn't be hard to make up a few.

I almost feel kinda (not really) sorry for Sarah Palin. Before the election, she was a nobody. Now that she lost, she remains a nobody. I think she wanted it more than McCain, because if McCain got elected and then died, she would be the first female president... instead of Hillary. Damn.

Obama, as much as he uplifts and inspires people, has just inhereted a mess. There are already millions of Americans who hate and want to crucify him. And I have to honestly question whether electing a Black man will really help race relations in America, or will they worsen (which I fear). Either way, it's about time we as a nation are forced to deal with it in the public eye. The whole world is watching what he will do next. I don't care what he does next, I wanna know what the people are gonna do. I wanna know what the racist right-wingers are gonna do... are they gonna pledge allegiance to McCain or try to secede again? Or are they gonna declare a Christian holy war against the evil empire that has poisoned their once great country? Is someone gonna try to assassinate Obama? And if they do, will Blacks finally rise up against the government in the way that has been feared and prophesied since slavery? What will happen in Africa? The Middle East? Could it be the beginning of...

Ten Albums I Can’t Live Without (in alphabetical order)

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:43:42 GMT

I spend way too much time on this stuff, especially considering that no one enjoys reading them except me. But I guess that’s why I do it. And by the way, L.A.X. by The Game is the best hip-hop album since American Gangster dropped last year. Go cop it now.

1) The Beatles “The White Album”

Reason Why: The Beatles just have so many classics under their belt. I think I have to choose this one because, well, it’s 2-discs (twice the music) and it contains what I believe to be the best Beatles song recorded (“Happiness is a Warm Gun”).

Brief Bio: Historically, this album represents a shift in the Beatles’ music from experimental, acid rock (Sgt. Peppers & Magical Mystery Tour) to a more traditional form of instrumentation, even though they would push those instruments to their limits in some very unique ways.

In Heavy Rotation (besides Happiness is a Warm Gun): While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Martha My Dear, Revolution 1

2) Bob Marley “Legend”

Reason Why: Will Smith said it best: it’s the best album ever made.

Brief Bio: A post-humus compilation of Marley’s songs that made him one of the most recognizable musicians in history.

In Heavy Rotation: Could You Be Loved, Easy Skanking, Redemption Song

3) Erykah Badu “Baduizm”

Reason Why: Erykah Badu is the most intoxicating woman on earth. She’s the only person I know who can get me high off the sound of her voice. She is the definition of neo-soul.

Brief Bio: Erykah’s multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, debut album. Undeniable classic.

In Heavy Rotation: On & On, Afro, Certainly

4) Jay-Z “Reasonable Doubt”

Reason Why: My favorite hip-hop album. With this album, Jay-Z wrote the definition of “hustler” into the hip-hop community. As was stated on his follow-up album In My Lifetime Vol. 1, “I’m not even a rapper. I’m a hustler. It just so happens I know how to rap.” You can’t knock the hustle.

Brief Bio: Jay’s classic debut album. When rejected by major record labels, Jay did the unheard-of and started his own record label (Roc-A-Fella Records, which would in time grow to become the most powerful hip-hop label in the new millennium). Widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all-time.

In Heavy Rotation (besides D’Evils): Dead Presidents 2, Can I Live, Regrets

5) John Coltrane “A Love Supreme”

Reason Why: I believe Coltrane was one the best saxophone players who ever lived. Dude’s just disgusting. His “sheets of sound” can make your ears bleed.

Brief Bio: Widely considered to be Coltrane’s masterpiece, this album was conceived of as an instrumental prayer to God. Each part represents a different type of prayer. How can you not like this?

In Heavy Rotation: The album’s only four parts…

6) Lauryn Hill “MTV Unplugged 2.0”

Reason Why: This is the rawest, realest album ever. For those of you who always ask me why I got a tattoo of Lauryn on my arm, listen to the album and you’ll know why. An essential album for everyone in the struggle.

Brief Bio: Lauryn lets you into her life and teeters on the brink of spiritual insanity for over 90 minutes with song after song of gut-wrenching, soul-seeking raps, poems, and spirituals. And her spoken word interludes are like mini-sermons where Lauryn kicks the knowledge everyone needs to hear. Like she says, “Fantasy is what [people] want, but reality is what they need.”

In Heavy Rotation: Mystery of Iniquity, I Get Out, So Much Things To Say

7) Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”

Reason Why: In my opinion, the greatest album ever made. Tupac said it best: “I remember Marvin Gaye used to sing to me / He had me feelin’ like Black was the thing to be / And suddenly the ghetto didn’t seem so tough.”

Brief Bio: In 1971, rising Motown star Marvin Gaye went head-to-head with Motown heads as they refused to produce something so spiritual and political. Gaye’s creative and independent production would go down in history as the 6^th greatest album of all-time, according to Rolling Stone Magazine. Cited as one of the most influential albums by hip-hop artists, his depictions about drug abuse, war, poverty, environmental destruction, still seem to be just as relevant today as they were 40 years ago. In one word, the album is eternal.

In Heavy Rotation: What’s Going On, Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

8) Norah Jones “Come Away With Me”

Reason Why: What can I say? I’m a sucker for female musicians with multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning debut albums (hmm… where’s Alicia Keys on the list? Corinne Bailey Rae? Chrisette Michele? Amy Winehouse? Regina Spektor?). Everyone in the world knows how much I love Norah Jones. It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that this is the most played album on my iPod.

Brief Bio: If you don’t know about this album by now, then screw you.

In Heavy Rotation: Turn Me On, I’ve Got To See You Again, Painter Song

9) Pigeon John “…is Clueless”

Reason Why: My favorite Christian rapper, Pigeon was the former leader of the rap group LA Symphony. He can be funny and serious in the same line, you gotta appreciate where dude’s mind is at.

Brief Bio: Born in Nebraska as the only black person in his school, his family then moved into Inglewood, CA (the Blood gang capital of the world) in the 80’s, during N.W.A., the peak of Blood-Crip gang violence, and the race riots. Pigeon both praises and laments his circumstances in this witty, spiritual and insightful album.

In Heavy Rotation: Passion, Los Angeles Rap Music, B

10) Rachael Yamagata “Happenstance”

Reason Why: Like I said, I have a thing for female musicians. She didn’t exactly go platinum, or win a Grammy, but I think she should have. She sings of love and loneliness reminiscent of the great Billie Holiday, and you feel every word she belts.

Brief Bio: Her mainstream debut album, an underground classic among yuppies.

In Heavy Rotation: Be Be Your Love, I Want You, Quiet

Honorable Mention

Common “Be”

Reason Why: Common + Kanye West = heaven for your ears.

Why Not Top 10: This album’s so good, the only reason this one didn’t make the list was because it’s the newest of all albums considered.

In Heavy Rotation: Be, Faithful ft. Bilal & John Legend, They Say ft. John Legend & Kanye West

The Jimi Hendrix Experience “Electric Ladyland”

Reason Why: Rolling Stone says Jimi’s the greatest guitarist of all-time. They also say the 15 minute Voodoo Child is Jimi’s magnum opus. Hulk Hogan for a long time used Voodoo Child (Slight Return) as his entrance music during his wrestling career. If Hulk likes it, it’s gotta be good. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.

Why Not Top 10: It’s hard to balance between the really lengthy songs and the shorter ones whenever I only have time for a handful of tracks.

In Heavy Rotation: Voodoo Child, Moon Turn the Tides Gently Gently, Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Kanye West “College Dropout”

Reason Why: The most souful hip-hop album ever. Behind all the pop-rap recognition he’s received for his club anthems and innovative songs lies just another poor black musician trying to make it in this cruel world. Kanye vocalizes his pain and struggle with a precision that rivals Eminem.

Why Not Top 10: Because now matter how good we think you are (and MTV thinks he’s the #1 rapper in the game right now), you’re still an egotistical asshole. You said it yourself, “I’m the muthafucka you love to hate / but can’t because you love the shit I make / now ain’t that about a bitch / and I’ma talk shit until I’m outta hits.”

In Heavy Rotation: Spaceship ft. GLC & Consequence, Never Let Me Down ft. Jay-Z & J. Ivy, Last Call

NaS “Illmatic”

Reason Why: The definition of hip-hop. Has been listed the #1 hip-hop album of all-time by several major sources, and has unanimously ranked among the top 5 greatest albums in every major hip-hop poll since 1993. In other words, it’s illmatic. It’s the reason why you know what rap is.

Why Not Top 10: I don’t know.

In Heavy Rotation: N.Y. State of Mind, Life’s A Bitch ft. AZ, It Ain’t Hard to Tell

Outkast “Aquemini”

Reason Why: One of four classics by Outkast, this was critically considered their best. I agree. A little southern-fried sounds for your soul.

Why Not Top 10: It seems like Outkast always gets slept on in these type of lists, but they frequently occur in the “honorable mention” section. I’m just continuing the decade-long tradition of “hatin’ the South.”

In Heavy Rotation: Rosa Parks, Da Art of Storytellin’ Pt. 1, Liberation ft. Erykah Badu & Cee-Lo

TobyMac “Welcome to Diverse City”

Reason Why: It’s my favorite album by a Christian artist. Classic album from a great era in music.

Why Not Top 10: The CD is scratched, so I have been living without it.

In Heavy Rotation: Hey Now, Getaway Car ft. Nirva Dorsaint, Ill-M-I

Liberation Before Repatriation

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:26:50 GMT

The United States owes it to the black community to send us back to Africa, if we as a people so desire.

If a man kidnapped a child and he was later caught, wouldn't the law mandate that the child be returned to her family? Is it wrong for me to desire to live among my family, rather than my persecutors? But in America we believe in assimilation. We believe that the children of the kidnappers should mingle and play with the children of the kidnapped. Does that make any sense?

Black Americans have to be the most lost and undignified people on the Earth. Chinese people come from China. Greeks are from Greece. Mexicans are from Mexico. Niggers are from... the ghetto?

When you hear the name Corleone, you think Italy. You hear the name Chang or Wong and think of somewhere in Asia. But when you hear Dorsey, what do you associate it with? What about Brown or Smith? These names have no reflection on our heritage as a people. Back in the slave days, slaves would take on the slavemaster's name as a way of marking their property (like writing our names on soda bottles so no one touches it). So when I hear the name Dorsey, to me that means I am (or once was) the property of a white slave owner with the last name Dorsey. Who knew oppression could exist in names?

After much thought and consideration, I have decided that I will no longer go by the name which was given to me at birth, Daniel Christopher Dorsey. From here on out, I shall be known as Kaliq Rashad, which is Arabic for creative, wise, and mature. My hope is that that is a better description of me than "Property of ---."

I suppose the nicknames "Deacon" and "Righteous" are acceptable. But please do not refer to me by my slave name anymore... to do so would be disrespectful.

The Most Soulful Playlist I Ever Made

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:19:43 GMT

Haven't come up with a title for it yet, but I just finished it as the first disc of a special Malcolm X Day mix I'm making. Let me know if you want a copy, X Day is next Monday:

1) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
2) Sunshine in the Ghetto - Jsun Jasper
3) Ooh Child - The Five Stairsteps
4) Bag Lady - Erykah Badu
5) Brown Skin - India.Aire
6) Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield
7) Down By The Riverside - Mahalia Jackson
8) Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
9) Master Teacher - Erykah Badu & Georgia Anne
10) Redemption Song - Bob Marley & The Wailers
11) No Woman, No Cry - The Fugees (cover)
12) A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
13) Living Like A Refugee - The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars
14) President - Wyclef Jean
15) So Much Things To Say - Lauryn Hill (live)
16) Liberation - OutKast, Erykah Badu, & Cee-Lo
17) Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round - Negro Spiritual

Why It's Called The Struggle / Mama I'm So Sorry (The Realest Shit I Ever Wrote)

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:44:20 GMT

Life is a series of compromises we make that sacrifices our desire merely in order to survive. Constitution is the ability to survive in a state of constant warfare. I am finding that perhaps the reason we (collectively) call it a “struggle” is because it is indeed that, a struggle. Look at my current position. I work a near-minimum wage job, part time, in one of the most heavily-trafficked suburbs in St. Louis county. Gas is outrageously expensive, and tainted with the blood of innocent Middle Easterners. In the world that I dream about and strive for, there would be no crappy jobs 30 miles away from the inner city. There wouldn’t even be any suburbs, and there sure wouldn’t be any oppressive system of control, such as the oil industry. Yet my poverty, my victimization resulting from that very oppressive system, affords me no choice but to partake in such a vile and corrupt system. At least that’s what makes me a different anarchist than the one sleeping in the MetroLink tunnel. If it were up to me I would probably completely withdraw from this system, and go home to Africa and live amongst my true people and smoke all day. But I realize there’s work to be done, and I will never truly be free as long as the rest of my people are still in chains. J. Ivy once profoundly stated, “It’s true I may need my loot by rent day, but that ain’t what gives me the heart of Kunte Kinte.” We press on because we really have no other choice. We tone down our notions of revolution so that we can help empower more people like us. We fight the power, all the while realizing that the power controls the fight. May we one day have the strength to bite off the hand that feeds us, and liberate ourselves from tyranny and the state.

Isn't it interesting how 99% of all of our insecurities can be traced back to problems with our parents as children? All my life my relationship with my mother has been built on deception. She has never, ever, accepted me for the person I am. While she loves me like a mother loves her child, an honest look at our relationship reveals her lack of respect for me as a person. I've been realizing this as the days go by since she kicked me out her house about a month ago. I classify my mother along with a generation that has by-and-large turned their back on my generation. I understand that we're messed up, that our priorities and values are wrong. But don't look down on us with contempt. Don't forget that it was your social responsibility to raise us properly (which you failed to do), and it was also your mistakes and failures that led to our degradation (i.e. AIDS, gang violence, and crack). My mother used to smoke and drink (all my aunts and uncles did, many still do). She wasn't married when Donielle was born. Even if she nows views those things as mistakes, you'd think she'd at least understand where other people are coming from. But she goes around telling her friends that I'm a thug and a criminal. In retrospect, I realize that the only times we've ever gotten along where when I've done things to her enjoyment, which is usually contradictory to my own values. Growing up was mental and physical torture under her house. She used to call me a "lazy bitch" and a "fat fuck" as a child, because I was heavier than most. When I was 13 I went to El Salvador and lost 25 pounds in three weeks (at age 13!!!). When I was in high school I began wrestling and my mother told people I was bulimic. I became obsessed about my weight, a major insecurity that still tortures me daily. I don't like talking about it, so I probably won't answer any questions you ask me. Don't be offended, it's just one of my own demons. Anyone who knew me as a child knew I grew up rebelling against my parents. Since then, I feel like I have spent so much time trying to make my parents proud (I'm not even gonna get started on my dad, I might just start drinking myself stupid). But why can't they, or why WON'T they accept me for who I am as their son, an individual with a different perspective? I'm tired of the superficialness and the lies. Being kicked out a month ago was one of the most liberating things I could have felt at the time, yet I still feel trapped mentally. What can I do, where can I go, to flee this bondage?

If I could get over that hump, then maybe I will feel better...

Blood Metal/Catch-22

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:09:40 GMT

Why is gold worth so much? Does it do anything other than look pretty? I know it never rusts, but is that the only reason why our entire system of currency is based off it?

I came to a realization while watching the movie Bandidas the last night: money is meaningless. I've always been fascinated by our (collective) obsession about dead presidents (I even made an iTunes playlist featuring music solely about money that received several positive reviews). At times I've been tempted to write songs about it, although it really doesn't do much for me (I just want more; who couldn't use more money?).

But I digress.

So, this movie, Bandidas, starring the lovely Penelope Cruz (who was EXCELLENT in Volver, I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it), is about two Mexican women who start robbing banks in Mexico that have been bought out by America, in order to give the money back to the Mexican people. So, the Americans did the wise thing and re-located all the gold to America. Of course, before they could get it over the border, the girls robbed the gold as well. But the point is, without the gold, the paper is worthless. But why?

I have a really hard time understanding why something like gold (or silver, even) would be merit enough to base an entire economy off of. I mean, before these metals were discovered, we used the barter system... which is a much better system than money. But the point I'm trying to make is that this thing we've created, this thing which has enslaved us, this thing which is the force behind every major tragedy the world has ever seen (as opposed to religion, which is really just a scapegoat), is all based off a piece of metal. Does that make any sense? Like, people's lives have been ruined, some have committed suicide, and others have brutally murdered over some thing that's being stored in a vault in Kentucky. The government doesn't even do anything with it, it just sits there! I can understand if it had some sort of use, like food or water. But it doesn't. A long time ago some people stumbled over a shiny thing while walking around and decided it looked so cool that it was worth everything. Everything. Think about that: EVERYTHING. For a piece of gold. It doesn't feed you when you're hungry, it doesn't prolong your life or anything. That should be infuriating, is it not? We're told that we have to pay for our food, we have to pay bills, taxes, and everything else, because of something that in the end means absolutely nothing to humanity. I view this as a theft from us. Who is this society that forces me to work for some shit that should be absolutely free? I used to think that bank robberies were wrong. Now I'm of the opinion that there's nothing we can steal from the government that they haven't already stolen from us. We're reclaiming what is rightfully ours.

Now, there is that one thing in the Bible... oh yeah, the Ten Commandments. Even though it's written in stone (no pun intended - okay, maybe it was), I still can't justify punishing someone for stealing when that's the only way to provide for the family. Maybe that makes me a heathen and I'm going to hell. I guess that's something I'll have to work out with God Himself.

In other news, I recently got a job at Blockbuster (way cool, I know). I also came to realize something about where we are headed as a Capitalist society. In training, it was revealed to us that 77% of Americans do their shopping online. That means that every time someone buys a pair of pants online, then a retail store loses a customer. And if there's no customers, there's no business. If there are no businesses, there are no jobs... get my drift? Economists predict that in 10 years we will be able to have our groceries delivered to our front door. We, as a consumer society, are moving towards a place where we will never have to leave our homes for anything we need. Netflix made a KILLING off their business because it was just a handful of guys mailing out DVDs. They didn't have to hire people like Blockbuster does. I'm afraid, however, that we may be digging our own graves.

It's no secret that robots and computers are replacing humans in pretty much every aspect of life, from television to ATMS to self-checkout lines. But besides destroying civilization through human interaction (people don't know how to talk to each other anymore, it's fucking pitiful), the harsh reality is that if there are no basic level retail jobs like Blockbuster or Schnucks, and people can't find jobs, then we really will fall into a recession. Of course, this only hurts the poor and the uneducated, so why should Washington care? It's not their kids who will be out of work; they can always get that summer internship at the corporate headquarters.

This is where the catch 22 comes in. I would say the solution is obviously to get off our asses, turn off the computers and go spend money where it will help people make a living. But with gas so ridiculously high, is that smart? I have to drive out to Creve Coeur to get to work every day, and traffic is miserable. From U.City to Blockbuster, it's a 30 minute drive at noontime and nearly an hour during rush hour. That's only a couple of miles straight down Olive! And every time I go to fill up my tank, I can't help but to think how many people were murdered for that very gas. So what's a brotha to do? I guess the death of America (and the rest of the world, really), is inevitable. I must ask myself hundreds of times daily why I still give a shit. Maybe one day this will all make sense. *sigh* Sorry about the long post.

"The Thief's Theme"

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:58:59 GMT

My latest iTunes playlist. This is that "understandable smooth shit that murderers move with," in the words of Nasty NaS. So crank up the car stereo, lean back, and mellow out.

1) One Day - UGK, from Ridin' Dirty
2) Say Hello - Jay-Z, from American Gangster
3) Late Night - 2Pac, from Better Dayz
4) 21 Questions - 50 Cent, from Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
5) Show Em Whatcha Got - Public Enemy, from It Takes A Nation of Millions
6) XXplosive (ft. Hittman, Kurupt, & Nate Dogg) - Dr. Dre, from 2001
7) Superman - Eminem, from The Eminem Show
8) Ol' English - The Game, from Doctor's Advocate
9) Drive Slow (ft. Paul Wall & GLC) - Kanye West, from Late Registration
10) Ride Wit Me - T.I., from King
11) The Fix - Scarface, from The Fix
12) Thuggish Ruggish Bone - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, from Creepin On Ah Come Up
13) Never Change (ft. Kanye West) - Jay-Z, from Blueprint
14) Blunt Ashes - NaS, from Hip-Hop is Dead
15) Player's Ball - OutKast, from Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
16) Hustler Musik - Lil' Wayne, from The Carter II
17) Love Speakeasy - Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek, from Reflection Eternal
18) Liberation (ft. Erykah Badu & Cee-Lo) - OutKast, from Aquemini
19) Slow Down (ft. Chrisette Michele) - Ghostface Killah, from Big Doe Rehab

Coming soon: "Catch-22," a brief exploration into the current status of the commercial economy and where it is headed in the near future.

I'm a grown man now

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:16:04 GMT

Who was the last friend in your house?
well i'm homeless and couch-hopping at the moment, so i really can't answer that question

How many people can you truly trust?
maybe 2, if that... i'm a cynic, so i really don't trust most people

Song playing right now?'
'use of time' by 311

Do you secretly like someone?
not that it matters; i mean, i 'secretly' like alicia keys because she doesn't know about it, but i'm not holding my breath that i will get a chance to let her know

Do you wear your seatbelt in your car?
most of the time... if i'm just cruisin around a neighborhood then i'll take it off

Has anyone ever mistaken you for someone else?
nikko smith, lavar burton, orlando jones

Next vacation you are going on?
life right now is pretty much a vacation, seeing as how i have no job, money, or home

Do you have any piercings?
no

Are you smart?
yes, i would say i'm on another intellectual level than most people (not that it's always a good thing, i'm just saying)

What is something you really want right now, honestly?
a blunt and maybe some ice cream

Do you like to call or text more?
text, altho i really don't like cell phones all that much

What is the closest blue object to you?
with my glasses off, i actually can't see a single blue object within my vision (jeans as an exception)

Who are you thinking about?
myself (in reference to my jeans)

Is there anyone you hate?
not really

Are you single?
for better or worse, yes

Do you like the color orange?
no, i don't get down with non-naturally occurring colors, unless you consider fire to be orange

Do tattoos and piercings excite you?
tattoos excite me very much, i love body art

What was the last thing you bought?
besides food, a naughty by nature CD a week ago

Last store you bought something from?
streetside records in columbia, MO

What do you think about nose rings?
i've thought about getting one, but i'm not biting anyone

Are you a latino?
no

Where was your last long road trip to?
st. louis, from kansas city

Sometimes, do you wish you were someone else?
yes

What is the weather like today?
great, i blew out my knee (again) playing softball

Where do you live?
pretty much all of st. louis city

What is the worst job you have ever had?
st. louis pizza and wings

Was your last kiss drunk or sober?
i don't drink

Where will you be in one hour?
either on the couch or in my friend dk's room playing halo

Are you short?
yes

Could you date someone taller then you?
i hope so

When was the last time something bothered you?
shit bothers me all the time

What would you do if your ex showed up at your door?
i would be absolutely amazed because i don't have a door

Next time you will kiss someone?
you tell me

Who was your last text from?
kristin schwade

What's the most interesting thing that happened to you today?
i got $160 in food stamps in the mail

What's your favorite number?
23, although i'm trying to switch over to 24 (has nothing to do with kobe)

What's your current mood?
losing my high

Do you have a crazy side?
i'm crazy, period... there's no 'side' to it

Ever had a near death experience?
too many to recount, i think

What was the highlight of your week?
playing softball yesterday

Could you date someone who was a bad kisser?
i don't know

Have you ever broken someone’s heart?
i hope not

Are you happy right now?
i really don't know what happy means, it's so vacuous

Where's your phone?
i'm actually not sure

Do you like cuddling?
love it

What do you dislike currently?
the state of humanity

Have you ever been given an engagement ring?
no

Would you ever date a friends ex?
depends on who she is and who the friend is

What's the last thing you thought about?
some of my friends' exes

When's your birthday?
today

How do you feel about your hair right now?
it needs to be washed badly and re-done

Do you miss anyone?
i could think of a couple people, but i usually don't think about it, so not really

Are you afraid of falling in love?
i am afraid of falling in love with the wrong person (or thing)

Do you have anyone who you consider a brother/sister but they really aren't?
all those in the struggle

Who was the last person you hugged?
ooohhhh, i really don't know. mom, maybe? either her or aunt nita or cousin randy

Do you like country music?
hell no

Did any of your friends go out with any of your ex's?
yeah

Are looks important?
yes, and anyone who says different is probably lying; i can't think of a single person who can honestly say that they don't

Have you ever had someone sing to you?
yes

Where do you keep your money?
i used to keep em in shoe boxes, but since i'm always out and about, i got a debit card

Which's more romantic: sunrise or sunset?
sunset, because romantic things usually happen after dark

How old do you want to be when you have kids?
i would take em now if i had a job

What would you do if someone smacked your butt?
i would be surprised

How late did you stay up last night and why?
almost 7am... when you intentionally live subversively, for whatever reason you tend to become nocturnal

What was the first thing you thought when you got up?
get up and get outta here so you don't have to be stuck in rush hour traffic downtown today

Who were you with saturday night?
i don't even remember when saturday night was, but i'm just gonna assume it was either alex and eugene or dk, will, and mike

Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now?
i don't really think like that

Whens the next time you'll see your best friends?
i'm not really consider who i would even consider my best friends right now... would they be the people i spend the most time with or the people i've sustained relationships with over a longer period of time (but at a lesser intensity)

What were you doing this morning at 7am?
just getting settled into bed

What radio station do you listen to the most?
don't listen to the radio at all, but when i turn the car on the station that plays is majic 104.9, before i plug in my ipod

Where is your father?
i don't know

What are you listening to?
311, wasn't this already asked?

What high school did/do/will you attend?
pattonville

What were you doing at 11pm last night?
hanging out in the loop

Who was the last person you talked to last night before bed?
eugene

Is there anything that you are craving right now?
some ice cream, and maybe a movie

No, really, God damn America

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:31:47 GMT

Reverend Jeremiah Wright is a prophet and a hero. I just wish there were some way I could tell him how much I appreciate his courage and perseverance, especially given the public lynching he has received (question: if Rev. Wright was white, would he have received half the criticism? a fourth? a tenth? probably not... after all, most of the things he said were quotes from white people).

I still fail to see what he said wrong. "Hilary Clinton has never been called a 'nigger'." Yeah, that's true. "America has treated Indians [sic], Japanese, and African-Americans with grave injustice." He's two-for-two. "We had 9/11 coming to us." Yep. "The government lied about (fill in the blank)." Ha, even that one's true. The only thing I might possibly disagree with is the AIDS thing, but I wouldn't put it past the government as something to try to suppress homosexuals, and it just got out of hand. What really befuddles me (is that even a word?) is how America is still willing to give our government the benefit of the doubt, given everything we know about this country's past and it's very foundation of racism, militarism, and economic inequality. I wouldn't (and I don't) put anything past the government anymore.

Did we somehow forget that Old Testament prophets routinely called for the damnation of their countries (Jeremiah, Hosea, Micah, etc. etc.)? Or are Americans really that blind and dumb? But then again, most Christians don't read the Old Testament anyways. So maybe I shouldn't be so surprised.

Being pro-black doesn't necessarily mean being anti-white, although there probably are a host of militant radicals who are straight out racist. A prophet was once defined as someone who exaggerates what the world around them neglects. Isn't Afrocentrism nothing more than a response to our history of oppression and suppression of thought?

It seems to me, besides the idea that Rev. Wright (and indepent-thinking black people, in general) scares white people, that the main issue here is that Rev. Wright is deeply un-patriotic. To which I say, is that a problem? First, he is a reverend. As a minister of God, his first and ONLY allegiance should be to God alone ("governments change, God doesn't" is one of his quotes). Many pastors could learn something from this guy, especially when Biblical virtue like justice and equality are being denied by the State. Second, Rev. Wright is black. No, Obama is black. Wright is a descendant of the racist legacy this country has left behind. You expect this guy to pick up a flag and start singing 'America the Beautiful'? That flag, EVEN MORE SO than the flag waved in the South, murdered, raped, and terrorized him and his family. Really, God damn America.

For those I tagged a couple notes ago about politics, you are well aware of my feelings toward Barack Obama. You might recall that I said Obama doesn't know change, he knows politics. I couldn't have been more right in regards to the Rev. Wright issue. Look at how quickly Obama distanced himself from the guy who's been his spiritual mentor for 20+ years over some silly soundbytes. While he has, in some sense, come to Wright's defense, he has repeatedly condemned the statements viewed 'controversial' by the media, namely the unpatriotic ones. This next statement is directed to all the blacks reading this who view Obama as the second coming of Christ (or something along those lines): if Obama is not willing to defend his own pastor and say what's on the minds of most African-Americans now, what makes you think he's going to act in our interests when he gets in office? It's all political, Obama is a pawn for white people (after all, you'll never become president without them; ask Jesse Jackson or Eric B.). Remember how tightly white people clung on to MLK until he said that stuff about Vietnam? Something tells me Obama won't be nearly as outspoken as Dr. King was. Given that we have 7 months until the election, I'm sure my predictions about him will unravel more as time passes by. I had some other stuff to say, but I'm sure I've already pissed off a fair share of people today. I'll save it for another time.

In other news, T.I. is expected to plead guilty today. Keep on keepin on, bruh.

6th & Alvarado

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:59:02 GMT

yes, it's 4:20am.

I was thinking about a couple of things, let me see if I can remember them. So first, I realized that if I were homeless I would probably be a drunkard. Think about how depressing it must be to be homeless. I'm not trying to say we should sympathize by going out and buying drinks for homeless people to escape their pain, but at the same time, imagine just how many people mock and scorn them on the streets every single passing day. Imagine going to sleep every night not knowing if you'll wake up in the morning. Not knowing if you shopping cart full of stuff will be there in the morning or not. I also wonder how many people thought they were at "rock bottom" with whatever problems they had, and started drinking to numb the pain, only to wake up in McArthur Park with no job, no home, and no food. I know this sounds obvious, but being homeless must really suck.

Another thought. Does it strike anyone oddly that suburbanites near major cities use public transportation to get into the cities where the corporate jobs are, while inner-city dwellers have to use public transportation to get to the suburbs where the minimum wage jobs are?

Okay, so I thought I had more to say. I probably do. But it's 4:30 in the morning and my mind isn't as sharp as it is in the day time. Oh, I know, one last thing. I'm gonna be posting some select lyrics from Erykah Badu's new album over the next who-knows-how-long. Some really honest and thought-provoking stuff. Here's a spoken word interlude:

I DONT HAVE TO TELL YOU THINGS AREN'T GOOD. EVERYBODY KNOWS THINGS AREN'T GOOD! WE KNOW THE AIR'S UNFIT TO BREATHE AND OUR FOOD IS UNFIT OT EAT! YOUNG PUNKS ARE RUNNING THE STREET. NO ONE KNOWS JUST WHAT TO DO AND THERE'S NO END TO IT! (THERE'S NO END TO IT!) THE DOLLAR BUYS A PENNYS WORTH! BANKS ARE GOING UNDER. CONGRESS ARE KEEPING A GUN UNDER THE COUNTER! WE SIT WATCHING OUR IDIOT BOXES WHILE SOME LOCAL ANCHOR MAN TELLS US THAT TODAY WE'VE HAD 18 MURDERS AND 80 VIOLENT CRIMES AS IF THAT WAS THE WAY THINGS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE! WE KNOW TIMES ARE BAD! WORSE THAN BAD! PEOPLE ARE CRAZY! ITS LIKE EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE IS GOING UTTERLY MAD! SO WE NEVER LEAVE OUR HOMES! WE SIT IN OUR COMFY ABODES WHILE THE WORLD IS GETTING SMALLER AND WE SAY "COME ON! AT LEAST LEAVE US ALONE IN OUR FAMILY ROOMS. LET ME HAVE MY MICROWAVE AND FLATSCREEN AND MY 20 INCH RIMS AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING! JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!" WELL I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU ALONE!!! I WANT YOU TO GET ANGRY!!!! I DON'T WANT YOU TO RIOT, I DON'T WANT YOU TO PROTEST, I DON'T WANT YOU TO WRITE YOUR SENATOR BECAUSE I WON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU TO TELL HIM!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE RECCESSION AND THE INFLATION, AND THE CRIME IN THE STREET!! ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU GOT TO GET MAD!!! YOU'VE GOT TO SAY: I'M A HUMAN BEING DAMNIT!!!!! MY LIFE HAS VALUE!!!!!!