tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82759868270274136622024-03-18T23:19:16.284-04:00It Needs To Be CEDJust my thoughts, my words, my feelings, my moods, my rants, my mindset, my reasons......BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-19711086759643904132011-05-12T12:10:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:47:01.979-04:00Police Corruption, Police Abuse and Prosecutor Privileges? Rein In Your Own Before You Try To Rein in Others.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Corruption, political scandal, police officers raping unwilling women, just a typical day in the wonderful city we call New York. New York, New York, big city of dreams if you're rich, wealthy and, I don't think I have to write the last adjective.....</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Anyway, the recent news coming out of New York City has to do with police officers being accused of rape, prosecutors getting out of drunken driving charges, ticket fixing amongst police officers (OH REALLY?!?!?) and I am sure, there are a couple of police officers beating up some Blacks as I type.... and as you read......</div><a name='more'></a><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, as far as the police officers, <b>Kenneth Moreno</b> and <b>Franklin Mata</b>, they have been accused of raping a very drunk and supposedly passed out East Village woman they were summoned to help get home. These law enforcement officers were caught going back to the lady's home, not once, not twice, but three times to 'check up' on her. Going as far as illegally calling in a false bogus 911 call in order to have an excuse to go back and, uh, 'check up' on the victim, er, woman. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, I feel that ANY police officer, judge, district attorney, politician, anyone who is supposed to be representing and protecting the law, should be held to an even higher standard and if caught committing ANY crime, especially a crime of this magnitude, should be given a penalty of TWICE what a regular person would serve. Reason being? Well, they are supposed to be on the RIGHT side of the law and since they are SO stupid to get caught, should be punished as they should know what they can and should be able to get away with since they supposedly know the law they are purportedly protecting. And this would be a deterrent to anyone in this position knowing that if caught, they will suffer the consequences two times greater than the people they are supposed to be arresting.....</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, this next situation is even worse, well, maybe not worse, but still bad enough. <b>Jennifer Troiano</b>, Bronx prosecutor, was given a pass when she was caught driving drunk some time ago. What makes it worse is that it was the SECOND time she was caught driving while impaired, yet, she is supposed to be representing the county of the Bronx in New York? She, out of all people, knows the law when it comes to drinking and driving. Not only knows the law, but the dangers it poses not only to her, but ANYONE within the vicinity of her erratic driving! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">She, 'somehow', got the ticket and serious crime allegation voided by having a favor called in. How convenient....</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, I'm not against there being perks with any job, as long as it's not something illegal. The fact that she put lives in danger and got off with a crime that she would be on the other side prosecuting, is, criminal in itself! If someone in her condition were caught and arrested in her county, more than likely, she would be one of the attorneys trying to have herself punished for the very same crime SHE committed, yet, somehow, she was never in a position to be on the other side of the table that she represents. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now the next thing I'm about to write about is pretty minor in comparison but it's also very major because of the amount of people supposedly involved. Now, as I mentioned previously, I think it's actually fine to have perks with any job you have, especially in the recent economic times. So, supposedly, there are cops getting parking tickets voided and/or vacated for each other, family, friends, etc. The problem is that the city is suffering financially and they are writing tickets to us, some even bogus, to try to raise cash for the city, yet, they are throwing away tickets that can and do generate finances for the city. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, one or two tickets here and there may be fine, but if a great number of people, allegedly in the hundreds, do that, that number becomes a number that can't be ignored or pushed aside. I don't think it would be so bad if the police weren't given a quota, er, 'performance goals' to meet where they give out unnecessary tickets that may end up being dismissed anyway. So, the city needs to take away these so-called performance goals and maybe these officers wouldn't feel they have to give tickets they wouldn't ordinarily give to people who don't necessarily break any parking rules.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, about this ticket-fixing 'scandal'? Well, the system was set up and if no one was caught with their hands n the cookie jar, the city would still have no problem with it. I am 1937% sure that even <b>Mayor Bloomberg </b>has helped out a friend or two who was caught in a rut. In fact, that's the perk of having a position such as the one he has. It's a problem when you try to make the people who can't afford the finances to pay and let off the ones who are well off and/or well-connected slide. THAT'S where the injustice is!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In short (Well, not really short), watch your own before you can watch others or you will always have some type of corruption in your ranks......</div><br />
<div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0 0 0;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/05/12/both-sides-prepare-closing-arguments-in-nypd-rape-trial/">Both Sides Prepare Closing Arguments In NYPD Rape Trial</a> (newyork.cbslocal.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/04/30/2011-04-30_assistant_bronx_da_jennifer_troiano_may_have_skirted_hot_water_before_.html?r=ny_local">Bronx prosecutor has skirted law before</a> (nydailynews.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://r.zemanta.com/?u=http%3A//www10.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/nyregion/bronx-highway-officer-is-said-to-try-to-fix-ticket.html%3F_r%3D5&a=43176586&rid=4c92b836-b9ea-4398-961f-243a90a1044e&e=13a1e8d75cad4d9be3d0c2cd7d74f952">Ticket-Fixing: A New Twist in an Inquiry</a> (nytimes.com)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=4c92b836-b9ea-4398-961f-243a90a1044e" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div>BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-49549573811668105732011-02-20T16:28:00.000-05:002011-02-20T16:28:19.547-05:00Are The NBA Owners At Fault?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" src="http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2831/nbalogoitneedstobeced.png" /><br />
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So, the NBA owners want more money and want the players to make less. Of course, that's the mindset of corporations, we'll take the majority of the money, although people are paying money to see the players. Without the players, no money will be made, so you'd think there would be a middle ground. Of course, the players wouldn't make the type of money they make if the owners didn't agree with paying them this way.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><img alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" src="http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/2544/lebronjamescarmeloantho.jpg" /></div><div class="MsoPlainText">There was actually a time when owners and coaches ran their teams. There was even a time when players made less than the coaches. But, as the owners and the leagues started to realize that the players ARE the game, they started paying them an enormous amount of money simply because they could afford to and with the presence of the players, it yielded them even more money! So, the philosophy shifted and rightfully so. </div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
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<div class="MsoPlainText">Then it is to a point where players started making personnel requests and changes. If the star player doesn't like the coach, the coach is removed, although the coach's job was to manage that team and the players but with a reversal of mindsets, it's the other way around. Michael Jordan, Jason Kidd and many others had their coaches changed to satisfy their egos and philosophies. So, I don't understand why the same owners who pay the players, hire the coaches and sets the tone of the team, is against keeping the very same system they created, that made them a countless amount of money, the same.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">It's become rather ridiculous for LeBron James and now, Carmelo Anthony to basically control their own fate (For the record, I'm NOT mad at anyone who is able to do so, no matter how foolish the system is) and make the owners lap dogs for their service and then the owners turn around and say that this can't happen on a regular basis. In other words, it can't happen if I can't land the top prize. This wasn't an issue last year when the teams that wanted LeBron were chasing him and the 2 New York/New Jersey team owners are looking rather foolish in their pursuit of Carmelo Anthony right now. THIS is the reason the league is looking the way it looks now!</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">If you want to 'restore' order to any process you create, you have to lead by example. Don't complain about the players making too much money but it doesn't count when you are bidding for the services of that same player.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">Nuff CED....</div></div></div></div>BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-56882116010422167062011-02-17T09:16:00.001-05:002011-02-17T09:25:06.639-05:00Would You Sue A Company For 80 Cents?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The world is in such a crazy state nowadays that nothing surprises me anymore. As I am reading the New York Daily News, as I do daily, I come across this article, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/02/16/2011-02-16_mom_sues_century_21_for_80_cents_argues_department_store_ripped_her_off.html">Mom sues Century 21 for 80 cents, argues department store ripped her off. </a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
I've said this many times before, this society is sue happy for NO REASON at all most times as frivolous lawsuits just clog up the courts and prevents people who have real issues to get a satisfying and prompt court date because of suits like this. I remember several years ago, while I was living in Harlem, while in my car, I was hit by another vehicle and my car was damaged. I was a little shook up, but no injuries that warranted medical attention. My car was towed to a garage and one of the mechanics approached me and told me that they had a doctor who I can go see. I'm looking at him and saying, nah, I have my own doctor. He goes on to tell me that this particular doctor can write up a report that basically says that I was injured and would need constant medical attention and that I can use this information to take to a lawyer that they also had ties to, in order to get a monetary judgment, heavily in my favor. Now, I can't front, for like, 6 seconds I thought about it but my moral compass completely took over and I told homeboy no and he even looked mad that I declined.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">It just seems that every thing is a hustle. People are always trying to get people and it hurts the ones who really need that type of assistance. I'm sure there are a few of you reading this who would jump at an opportunity to get 'free' money, but is it really free? There is always something tied to it that isn't justified, someone getting the short end of the stick. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don't think there is nothing wrong with bringing a lawsuit if you've felted cheated, but 80 cents? It costs more to file the paperwork..... I'm just sayin'</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="http://shop.hiphopdx.com/product_images/w/free_lil_wayne_hip_hop_basix_1__09301.jpg" src="http://shop.hiphopdx.com/product_images/w/free_lil_wayne_hip_hop_basix_1__09301.jpg" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="http://urbanlookout.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/freeti.jpg" src="http://urbanlookout.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/freeti.jpg" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Free T.I., Free Lil Wayne, Free Gucci Mane, Free Waka Flocka, Free G Dep, Free Shyne, Free Prodigy, Free Slick Rick, Free Lil Kim, Free Foxy Brown. I think you get the idea!</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But, I'm kinda confused. Why are we always trying to free criminals just because they can spit on a mic? What about the REAL innocent men and women in jail that shouldn't be? Why aren't we protesting their release? Better yet, why, if you or I, commit the same kind of crimes these rappers did, we, as a people, don't cry for justice for ourselves the way we stand up for these lyricists, oh wait, Waka Flocka is listed here, uh, artists?</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><a name='more'></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rappers do the stupid shit they do because 'we' allow them to. We praise the ignorant bastards when they do some stupid shit and call them a 'real' artist who is representing for the streets, for the hood, for the block, for us, in general. We talk bad about the guys hanging on the corner for selling, fighting, robbing people, yet, when our favorite rapper does it, we smile and appreciate the rawness of what he or she is doing. When they talk slick on records and threaten, assault and do crazy ignorant shit in video and at their shows, we nod our heads in awe. And you wonder why they keep doing ignorant shit? It's because we say, 'Hey, we LOVE what you're doing, keep doing it! Represent!!!' </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Every artist I named above broke the law and got caught. Let you or I do the same thing and we won't have T-Shirts made with Free BIG CED or Free So and So imprinted on the front. If you or I go to jail, I'm quite sure we will do whatever is possible to stay out that bitch, yet, these rappers go in multiple times without a care in the world and then BET and MTV will give them a 'reality' show upon return or as they are going in, yet, nothing is done to educate these rappers to take responsibility and not go back to their pre-jail ways. If I go to jail, guess what? The chances of me getting a job because I'm qualified is null and void because I went to jail. Yet, T.I. And Lil Kim can go to jail, get back to life as they know it, get a TV show AND get a hero's welcome upon return. Where Dey Do Dat At?!?!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As long as we keep supporting ignorance and ignorant acts from ignorant people, then don't be surprised that the cycle continues and our children follow suit cause they want to get paid, be in the spotlight and look righteous all in the process.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">#I'mdone </span></span></div></span>BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-72943908075098912042010-08-10T09:30:00.001-04:002011-01-20T11:59:01.022-05:00The Omar Thornton Shootings Show Us Racism Is Here To StayThe mass murders committed by Connecticut resident, Omar Thornton, earlier this week, were a tragedy no doubt, but they reveal what a lot of Blacks still face nowadays. Regardless of how the media, politicians and local and federal law enforcement spin it, racism is alive and well and it’s kicking as hard now as it has in the past. The difference now is that it’s masked infinitely better than it was back then. Before it was a little more blatant, but now they’ve found ways to continue the ignorance right in front of us!<br />
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When you think about it, we can only compare racism to one thing and that’s our crazy uncle. The same one no one wants to see or hear at get-together’s. At family gatherings, you try your best to make sure he isn’t invited and when you find out is, you hope he doesn’t make it. But if he does, you try to keep him away from everyone and/or handle him with kid gloves because if he starts talking, the truth about the family is revealed and you can’t shut him up; and since he’s an alcoholic, you blame everything he says on his drinking, yet you never speak on the truths he is revealing and instead sweep them under the rug.<br />
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Ladies and gentlemen, that is racism in America in a nutshell.<br />
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As a dark-skinned Black man, I experience racism daily. On the streets, in stores, on public transportation and at work. You name the place and I’ve experienced it there. There’s even bias amongst Blacks, but that’s another story for another time. If I could reveal all the instances of racism I encounter on a regular basis, I’m quite positive most Blacks would agree while whites would think I’m overreacting.<br />
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Just pick up the paper and see how the news is reported daily and you’ll see why other races are biased against Blacks.<br />
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For example, let’s talk about former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani’s daughter, Caroline Giuliani. Since her shoplifting incident, she’s been treated with kid gloves, yet, several months ago, New York Governor David Paterson’s son, Alex Paterson, was detained for rolling dice and his photo was plastered across the front pages of our local TV sets and newspapers. Giuliani’s daughter? She was treated as a side note by local and national media as the store decided against pressing charges.<br />
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Another example: I go to many parties and the treatment of Black patrons at venues that mostly cater to us are vastly different from the treatment of white patrons at venues that mostly cater to them. I’ve seen, in too many instances, how the police treat us as criminals even when we aren’t doing anything wrong. One example is when we are either entering or leaving a club and are gathered on the sidewalk. As a people, we are harassed to the point that the police officers are practically daring us to say anything that would ‘provoke’ them to arrest and/or physically remove us from where we are. Yet, I’ve seen scores of white people standing outside of a club, acting belligerent in front of the cops, and they do nothing but watch. I’ve even seen drunk, disrespectful whites yelling at police officers and all they do is tell them to calm down. No, not with Blacks, if we are on the block, we’re doing something wrong in their eyes.<br />
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I can go on and on about the blatant and hidden racism that goes on daily, but you can read between the lines when you hear justifications like the ‘Stop and Frisk’ tactics, which is a legal way to harass Blacks and Latinos. What else? How about the hiring practices at corporate companies, subpar treatment at restaurants, housing discrimination, the criminal justice system, etc. The list goes on and on.<br />
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So in the end, I ask the question: “Will racism ever go away?” In my lifetime, I doubt it. With the way all of our systems work, we will be facing racism for the next several generations….BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-16323923077940808262010-08-06T21:34:00.002-04:002011-01-20T11:58:45.200-05:00Caroline Giuliani Must Be Punished<div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Earlier this week, the daughter of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Caroline Giuliani, was arrested for shoplifting over a $100 worth of cosmetics from a Sephora store.</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span id="more-647165" style="font-size: 100%;"></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Can we say poetic justice?</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">As a born and bred New Yorker, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly New York City has to offer. I remember when crime was so bad that it was common for people to be robbed in the day just as much as in the night. So when the former renegade prosecutor took a stance on defeating and eliminating crime in his quest for mayor, he probably won because people had had enough of it and understandably so.</span></div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">During his two terms as mayor, the still controversial ‘Stop and Frisk’ tactic used heavily and disproportionately in minority (Well, Black and Latino) neighborhoods by the NYPD was in full force. The former mayor’s reasoning was that if you stop low level crimes it will decrease the chance for those same ‘criminals’ to advance to more high level ones.</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Now, his daughter, a 20 year-old Harvard student has been arrested for the petty crime of shoplifting. I’m curious to see how this case is handled by the authorities especially when if you use Rudy’s logic, she would serve jail time for her offense.</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">But of course, she doesn’t fit the profile of anyone Giuliani and his police force used to target for crimes, real and/or imagined. She comes from a privileged background and goes to an Ivy League college, so the cries of ghetto life and/or poverty will not have a seat in this situation. Yet, from my understanding, she was caught red-handed on video and arrested for her offense. But her jail time will be limited as Sephora has decided against pressing charges.</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In the end, I do know that if she was a person of color, she would still be in jail and they would prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. But this isn’t the world we live in. The world we live in is one where the priveleged will be excused because of their connections. In this case, Caroline has her father to thank; the same father who took the lead in making sure the same crime she committed was dealt with in a severe manner.</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">But it would be silly for me to say what if Caroline was black and her father was a serviceman. How would this offense be treated?</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">But we all know the answer to that one.</span></div>BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-37059828549861397312010-06-30T13:48:00.001-04:002011-01-20T11:58:22.032-05:00NAACP Endorses Legalizing Marijuana, Are They Smoking It?<div class="zemanta-img" style="display: block; float: right; margin: 1em; width: 310px;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cannabis_leaf_2.svg"><img alt="A Cannabis sativa leaf." height="325" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Cannabis_leaf_2.svg/300px-Cannabis_leaf_2.svg.png" style="border: medium none; display: block;" width="300" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cannabis_leaf_2.svg">Wikipedia</a></span></div>So, let me understand this. The NAACP’s Sacramento president, Alice Huffman, believes that marijuana should be legalized because Blacks are more likely to be arrested than whites for having the drug.<br />
“It is time for them to stop using my community to fill the prisons,” Huffman said. “Once you get into the system, the next time you get arrested, they bump you up [to more serious charges].”<br />
<a href="http://newsone.com/nation/casey-gane-mccalla/naacp-endorses-legalizing-marijuana-due-to-black-arrest-rates/"><br />
NAACP Endorses Legalizing Marijuana Due To Black Arrest Rates</a><br />
OK, how about we encourage our people to stop smoking illegal drugs <em>because</em> it’s likely that we will get arrested for doing so? I know there are people who read this who will disagree with this statement. And on the flip side, since we are targeted more often than whites, how about, if you feel you <em>must</em> smoke an illegal drug, be as inconspicuous as our white counterparts, or just don’t smoke in public!<br />
If there are other reasons or theories surrounding the NAACP’s support of legalizing marijuana, the organization needs to get it together and make a more valid argument. There are more compelling reasons than the one given above. Does this mean if Blacks are arrested more for murder than our white counterparts, should murder be legalized as well?<br />
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With the rich history of the NAACP and what the organization has done in the past, they should be held to a higher standard when it comes to defending the rights of Blacks. But if they have an initiative such as what is being proposed in Sacramento, then the relevancy of the NAACP has been diminished greatly in my eyes…<br />
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Surprisingly, people usually give a certain time frame or a minimum of time where it's ok to say that scary, yet, fulfilling sentence. If you were to take a poll and ask 10 people, more than likely, you'll get 12 different answers! Yes, I said 12 because you'll always have that person who can't decide for him or herself, what's acceptable to them so they float between 2, sometimes, 3 answers. But, is there really a right time to say 'I love you'?<br />
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Most times, we, as humans, are infatuated with this new person we're with and as most know, initially, we're at the impression stage, you know, show them ALL your great qualities while downplaying 'our real selves'. That's not to say that you're a bad or negative person, but we all have some qualities and characteristics that might not 'sit well' with our current love interest or with people in general! So, of course, we think we are in love with this person when we are, in fact, in love with what they are presenting us, but that's a whole 'nother article!<br />
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Is there a true barometer when it comes to uttering the phrase, 'I love you'? Who knows and who makes that decision on when it’s right? My response? When you feel it in your heart and you have that warm tingling sensation any time you think of her or him and you aren't afraid to say it and hope that he/she feels the same way. THAT'S the right time to say, "I love you!"BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-43131849446520182692010-05-23T12:19:00.004-04:002011-01-20T11:57:31.863-05:00What's Up With Groupies and Society?I'm reading the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/" rel="homepage" title="Daily News (New York)">New York Daily News</a> and come across a story about <span style="font-weight: bold;">Roxana Shirazi</span>, a rock groupie who recently wrote a tell-all book about the exploits of her, ahem, time with various rock stars. Members of groups such as <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gun N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, Papa Roach</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Motley Crue</span>, to name a few. I'm actually glad that this isn't specific to Hip Hop artists and/or Black athletes and entertainers, but it seems to be the thing for hos, er, women to purposely go after these stars, accumulate the amount of men they sleep with and then write a book and/or do a video about their exploits!<br />
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What is this world coming to? Women are ALWAYS complaining about men sleeping around, yet, there are women like <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.karrine.com/" rel="homepage" title="Karrine Steffans">Karrine Steffans</a></span> aka Superhead and more recently, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kat Stacks</span>, not only going after these celebrities, but then bragging and exposing them! And my question to these women, er, girls, is, do you map out where someone is going to be? Are you following artists everywhere in order to be in position to fuck with them, suck them off? Do you honestly get enjoyment from this? Are you a ho who has transitioned to being a money-hungry attention grabbing ho?<br />
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I will not make excuses for men doing the shit they do or am I going to say that they aren't wrong, but I guess it goes both ways, but we give these women the audience to tell about these activities and then wonder why our little girls today have the ho mindset in place by the time they get to junior high school. What part of the game is that?<br />
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These girls grow up watching Hip Hop videos and movies that portray them as money-grubbing, celebrity hungry women and then we have certain women proclaiming their strength and then that translates to these girls as a way to go to 'get money' or 'get paid'? And let's not talk about the way they dress and what we consider fashion these days. And this includes <span style="font-weight: bold;">Beyonce</span>, who may be the most exposed Black singer this generation, shaking her ass EVERY opportunity she gets and then we wonder why little girls are performing in shows portraying the type of dance moves that would have labeled women 'Jezebels' many years ago! <br />
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But, before I go, I will have to say that parental guidance may be at an all time low, which is evident in the actions of today's youth. Kids are being taught via, TV, movies, videos, commercials and nowadays, they don't even have to leave the house if they have a computer! YouTube, Facebook and Google can have a kid seeing EVERYTHING they shouldn't be seeing and most parents have no clue because they are not monitoring their children's behavior or what they are doing in the streets. That being the problem that parents are allowing their kids to BE in the streets! <br />
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Yes, male celebrities are wrong to 'spread their love', while corrupting the minds of young boys who idolize them, but I feel it's worse when girls who will one day be mothers, see the things I see and I am a grown man and I shiver at some of the images I see being presented to the kids today. Parents need to take an ACTIVE role in their children's upbringing so that way we can eliminate the Kat Stacks and company floating around.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">CEDitor's Note:</span> Speaking of Kat Stacks, her mother is THE WORST! After seeing the video her mother is in with her, I honestly can't blame Kat Stacks for being the way she is! THAT is a perfect example of NOT raising your child the right way!<br />
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<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/78922579-1d2d-4608-9f3d-9d10081c98cb/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=78922579-1d2d-4608-9f3d-9d10081c98cb" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script defer="defer" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" type="text/javascript">
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Nowadays, lust has taken over for the creating of life because, usually, it’s not planned and/or expected between the individuals. The lack of protection and/or the lack of realizing the consequences have taken a giant step behind anything that would make sense. Oftentimes, this leads to a marriage of convenience (for the sake of the child and not because of love between the individuals involved) which, based on the reason for the union, ends up in divorce or extreme bitterness between the former ‘lovers’. So, the natural sequence has been broken up in the name of lust.<br />
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Some would say that some people just grow apart or just fall out of love. That may be the case in some situations, but when one is led down the path based on what is perceived as sexual gratification and not love for the other individual, the thought process becomes what it shouldn’t be, ESPECIALLY when the parties have no other chemistry between them. The drive between meeting lustful demands on both individuals, clouds the ‘feelings’ one has for the other and sometimes, vice versa.<br />
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Yes, being with a member of the opposite sex and enjoying the intimacy of that individual creates a feeling of togetherness not shared by others who are not. If we can get back to the intricacies of what love between 2 individuals is supposed to about, then maybe marriage will be a real institution instead of a convenience for the results of unbridled lust.BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-13841270128274146322009-11-23T15:54:00.001-05:002011-01-20T11:56:25.467-05:00Another Black Man Killed By Cops....Another Black person shot and killed by NYPD police officers. Another death at the hands of the people who are sworn and paid to protect the very same citizens they end up killing. Of course, I don't know the circumstances, but it seems to be an alarming pattern to shoot to kill Black people, despite or in spite of the situation. And, he had no criminal record but I would imagine if he did, it would have been key in the defense of the police officers.<br />
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I am still and will always be a staunch opponent of the shoot to kill mentality of police officers when it comes to facing Blacks. It always seems to me that at any other time, with a different race, in a similar situation, the police are never that quick to, not only shoot, but shoot to kill. How often do you hear of white people being shot to death by police officers in stark contrast to their Black counterparts?<br />
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Now, I'm in no way saying that the young man killed was right in any way or that he didn't pose a realistic threat to the cops, all I'm saying is that it seems all too common that we are reading and hearing that Blacks are more than likely to be killed by police officers than whites. What makes it worse is that there hasn't been any referendum, retraining or even talk about the aggressiveness of police forces when it comes to the 'apprehension' of Blacks, even if they are innocent of anything outside of being Black.<br />
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This is the time when I'd like to see politicians, especially the likes of the more visible Blacks in office to take a stand, do a study, at the very least, INVESTIGATE the reasons this is a common occurrence! President Obama, Governor Patterson, Mayor Booker and any Black politician or influencer NEEDS to speak about this and have reforms when it comes to the mentality of police officers! <br />
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It just shouldn't be Al Sharpton being the leader when it comes to this, we NEED dialogue and answers as to why this happens ALL THE TIME!<br />
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And my brothers, stop giving the police reasons to shoot us! It's that simple! You know what's going on and yet, your ignorance puts my life in jeopardy because of your actions, police fear me based on the stereotype you perpetuate! It won't stop if you're out here doing stupid shit....BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-72370317581936604942009-11-12T10:32:00.003-05:002011-01-20T11:56:02.799-05:00Is There Really An Industry Anymore?I know, I know, I'm starting to sound like a bitter old parent reminiscing about the 'good ole days' but I'm starting to see a shift that is quite alarming. The industry, as we know it today, isn't the exclusive, 'pay your dues' mindset of recent years. I would never knock someone's hustle but it's too easy for people to 'think' they are part of the entertainment industry these days.<br />
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Even when I worked at The Source 4 years ago, these interns had the attitude that they didn't need to do anything to 'earn their stripes'. You can't go into a company and declare yourself a CEO when you're applying for an internship. People think they are the next Diddy, Puff, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs or whatever his moniker is today. Yes, Diddy stared as an intern and is now a mogul but even if you ask him, he will tell you that there are certain protocols and unwritten rules that must be followed in order to 'get ahead'. Some of these interns act as if they are doing you a favor by becoming an intern. I can guarantee that if Puff had that attitude 22 years ago, he wouldn't have gotten too far!<br />
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And let's talk about what we used to call journalism. Nowadays, anyone with internet access can obtain a FREE blog, go to other sites/blogs, copy content from these sites, place it in their blog and now they're in the industry! What da fuck!?!?! No, just because you grab an embedded code from Vlad TV, or grab a story from All Hip Hop, doesn't make you a part of this industry! And whatever happened to originality, doing something different, creating your own niche? NETWORKING, building up REAL contacts and actually knowing what you are talking about when you might write or knowing the 'rules' about giving credit when you swipe content from another source?<br />
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And how can you call yourself industry when you can't call anyone to get anything?!? When you can't get an interview or a quote because you know no one in the industry and you HAVE to wait for another site to post something so this way you can post it in your blog. What part of the game is that?<br />
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I had a conversation this summer with a 'blogger' who was complaining that he doesn't get invited to industry events. No listening parties, no screenings, no exclusive interviews, etc. I'm looking at him like he has 3 eyes. I asked him if he knew any publicists, he says no. I ask, who does he know at the labels? He knew a mailroom guy and the cousin of a neighbor who works as a receptionist. I then asked him how does he get his content and of course, he names the more popular sites he gets it from. So, I look at him and then ask him, why would ANYONE invite him anywhere for anything with that great resume he has! The audacity that no one invites him to anything! <br />
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It's that attitude that is making this not an industry anymore because anyone with a blog, a camcorder, a voice recorder and a studio, can declare themselves industry, just because....BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-18116384088853454482009-11-05T13:54:00.005-05:002011-01-20T11:53:44.731-05:00The Reasons Why Bill Thompson Lost the NYC Mayoral Election<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5K-cbweiKSpBD4lhraFiqsegwYQbTY3_4HBq7QnHLg6YRHDpaGOc6QZoq0-WtH7JaCH__5vhl9vn1-ATQ2fpf0MBfBr5DKxR754m1r2Ci_6w3vABnY0Mb-L8lV0eUiicpUvXsLYw8JTY/s1600-h/bill+thompson.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400706610287585890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5K-cbweiKSpBD4lhraFiqsegwYQbTY3_4HBq7QnHLg6YRHDpaGOc6QZoq0-WtH7JaCH__5vhl9vn1-ATQ2fpf0MBfBr5DKxR754m1r2Ci_6w3vABnY0Mb-L8lV0eUiicpUvXsLYw8JTY/s320/bill+thompson.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 214px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
We live in a country that is quick to blame everyone but themselves when a situation doesn't work for them. In politics, it's not always about money despite people thinking so. Specifically, in New York City, people are trying to say <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bloomberg </span>bought his way into office each time he ran, but that isn't the case, in my opinion. But, let me focus on why <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Thompson</span> did not win the election.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Soft Exterior:</span> First off, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Thompson</span> has a soft exterior. This is New York City, you HAVE to have a certain attitude and mind set to lead this city as evidenced by our past mayors. He didn't have any spirit, looks aloof and doesn't seem genuine or even sure of what he says or at least that's the impression I have. Bill Thompson has never had fire in him and when he tried to display that, it look forced, like his political strategist told him he has to have that fire in his eyes when he campaigns. Look at our recent mayors, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Rudy Guiliani</span> and Michael Bloomberg! All of them possesses that fire that if you wanted a fight, they would fight you until you're defeated or if they lose, it would be the toughest fight they've been in. Can you honestly see that in Bill Thompson?<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Obama Factor:</span> First off, for anyone to say that President Barack Obama didn't do enough for Bill Thompson needs to place the crack pipe down. The Obama factor backfired in the Virginia and New Jersey elections where both candidates Obama campaigned for, lost, so what can you say now about the Obama factor? Plus, it was evident from the half-ass endorsement Obama DID give, he was better off not injecting Obama in his campaign. I mean, the man campaigned in New Jersey for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Corzine </span>like he was actually running for governor of New Jersey himself! So, the next time you want to lay blame, look at the results of the governors' elections in New Jersey and Virginia.<br />
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The No Platform Position:</span> I'm sorry, but you can't run a campaign on saying your opponent extended term limits and he is outspending your campaign and THAT'S the reason you should vote for him. I watched the debates, I've read what was reported in the newspapers and the internet, I've heard his sound bites and watched him at press conferences and speaking opportunities. Bill Thompson did NOT give me a reason to vote for HIM, he only gave me a reason to NOT vote for Bloomberg and I am MUCH smarter than that!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The D Minus Factor:</span> In their second debate, at the end of it, the moderator asked Bill Thompson to rate his opponent, Michael Bloomberg, in his job performance and his response just made me want to vote for Bloomberg even more! He gave Bloomberg a D minus and then quipped that he was being nice in giving him that grade. Now, I understand him not wanting to give Bloomberg a high grade because it would be self-defeating, but I think he looked foolish in saying a D minus because Bloomberg has done and is doing a much better job than Rudy Guiliani. And to make matters worse, Bloomberg responded by saying Thompson is a good controller, thus, in my mind, placing the final nail in that coffin! <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Expecting Black Support:</span> This is an area I really get upset about because it always seems as if whenever there is a Black candidate for any political office, we Blacks are a lock to vote for the candidate simply because he/she is Black. That thinking has buried candidates before and I think it burned Bill Thompson. In my conversations with many black people who were watching the NYC mayoral contest, a very small percentage vowed to vote for Thompson and most agreed that he can't get our votes on the premise of him being a Black man. Once again, he had no message outside of Bloomberg extending term limits and him buying his way into office and many Blacks saw through that.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Not Effectively Defending His Board of Education Tenure:</span> Michael Bloomberg snatched control of the Board of Education partly because of the way Bill Thompson ran it. So why didn't Bill Thompson defend himself? By not proving Bloomberg wrong, it looked like he conceded that fact to Bloomberg and Bloomberg made it a point to keep harping on the fact that the schools were in shambles before he took over. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Low Voter Turnout:</span> How is it that there were record turnout in the election just a year ago and now this election involving another Black man for a major office generated low turnout? I'm sure many people who were Bloomberg supporters just knew he would win convincingly so they stayed away from the polls. Bill Thompson should have been driving people to want to vote instead of allowing people to not care about the election.<br />
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Not Having The Confidence of Fellow Democrats:</span> Going back to the top Democrat in the country, President Obama gave a luke-warm endorsement and he didn't even give the endorsement himself, instead, having an underling make the announcement. and even when pressed upon his luke-warm endorsement, he basically said as the leader of the Democratic Party, he gave his blessing to a fellow Democrat, not saying that he thought Bill Thompson would be good for the job. You had many other prominent New York Democrats either waiting until the last possible minute to give an endorsement or flatly endorsing Michael Bloomberg. This didn't bear well for Democratic voters as well, especially being a heavily Democratic town, most endorsements seemed along party lines at best instead of being fully behind Bill Thompson.<br />
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I think Bill Thompson has 4 years to get it together and run again so this time he will win. I really like Thompson but, as i stated earlier, he gave me NO reason to vote for him, hopefully, he'll get wind of this and follow this advice.BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-45105732998749212672009-11-03T12:15:00.006-05:002011-01-20T11:53:16.444-05:00Can We Arrest Drunken Police Officers?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv68TV05LgumSRlSK-euMdL2RIuZMsCL29y_-uUgyLsLKCa5Mg4Yqk-3AuyEw_A6PAU9kBYQFKViq1AD-Hk0QW2UYAIfr1O2Cexzu4ZyCh8wxZRddd821f5B7KpGWgNOHO_QzWREtER08/s1600-h/drunk+driving+death+drinking+driver.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399928146984941570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv68TV05LgumSRlSK-euMdL2RIuZMsCL29y_-uUgyLsLKCa5Mg4Yqk-3AuyEw_A6PAU9kBYQFKViq1AD-Hk0QW2UYAIfr1O2Cexzu4ZyCh8wxZRddd821f5B7KpGWgNOHO_QzWREtER08/s320/drunk+driving+death+drinking+driver.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 284px;" /></a><br />
Why is it that in this society and specifically in New York City, the police are supposed to protect and serve but only if it's another police officer? Of course I will say that there are good cops but the whole police force takes a beating when they, um, are doing the beating. Whether it's beating civilians or beating the law, it' s getting to a point that they are, in fact, above the law, not the enforcers of the law. We always hear about police shooting, the majority of the time, minorities. It wouldn't be so bad if they mistreated all races but it's very rare you ever hear of police shooting whites!<br />
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But, that's not what this article is about today. We have witnessed 2 drunk driving cases in New York recently. Both cases involved drunken police officers who not only hit, but killed their victims. Innocent victims who may not have even seen the vehicles coming towards them. And both times, both cops refused to take a breathalyzer test and both times at least 5 hours passed before either cop had been tested. One passed the test after 7 hours of refusing and the other, after 5 hours, had 2 1/2 times the legal limit (imagine if he took the test sooner).<br />
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I may be wrong but, if I or any other civilian, were stopped for suspected drunken driving, would be charged with a DWI if we refuse to take a breathalyzer, yet, police officers are allowed to do so? What's wrong with this picture? If anything, they should be held at a higher standard or at the very least, be treated like a civilian when they're off duty.<br />
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We have to start putting pressure on our elected officials to stop being punks and hold law enforcement accountable for any and all criminal acts committed by police officers! I would even go as far as having harsher penalties for these type of officers as well as the officers who attempt or accomplish covering up the misdeeds of criminal cops. I know I'm sick of reading in the papers and internet and watching on television about cops practically getting away with murder and elected officials not speaking out against it!BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-17927663164580040242009-10-31T14:22:00.005-04:002011-01-20T11:52:46.953-05:00Why Is a Grown Man Depending on Another Grown Man?OK, I will say this, I haven't heard the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Beanie Sigel</span> song yet but I am amazed that a grown ass man is relying on another grown man to take care of him. Now, my beef with Hip Hop and the mentality of the Black community is that if my man is of a certain status or he is a celebrity, he should be taking care of me. What kind of bullshit is that? Yes, it's cool when an artist brings his boys with him when he gets put on, but the ignorance factor usually ends up hurting an artist who is trying to have a successful career. The artist is being loyal and I understand that, but if your ignorant boys are preventing you from making money, are they really your boys?<br />
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Most times, when an artist is in any trouble, more than likely, it's one of his boys that is causing problems but the artist gets the attention from it, even though he may not have had anything to do with it. But people don't see the artist's boy, they see who the boy is hanging out with and attributes that problem to that artist. But, instead of containing his boy, he, instead, allows his boy to continue being an ass and preventing him from elevating his career, thus limiting or eliminating the financial earning aspect of the artist. All of this in the name of staying loyal or being concerned of being labeled a sellout if he cuts his boy off.<br />
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So, when an artist finally realizes that his earning potential increases once he leaves his boys alone, he does the right thing for his business and then is labeled as a betrayer because he starts to think about his longevity in his career. But, if his boys were really his boys, they would stop the ignorant shit or allow him to make his money and have a successful career but the ignorance factor is so high that it usually leads to these same characters beefing that their man thinks he's too large for them. This primarily happens in the Hip Hop/Black community where a lot of people would rather see their peoples on the corners than on their own property.<br />
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So, for a grown man to say that he is upset or disappointed that another man hasn't taken care of him, I can't respect a man who isn't or hasn't thought about taking care of himself. Unless that man is my father and I am unable to take care of myself, then there is NO WAY I should be relying on another man who doesn't share my DNA to take care of me and mine.BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-43800471816735914702009-10-29T12:14:00.003-04:002011-01-20T11:52:23.606-05:00Don't Call It A Comeback!OK, I've heard the whispers, people have been contacting me, the internet is boring, everyone is doing THE EXACT SAME THING and POSTING THE EXACT SAME CONTENT, 'WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK, CED?!?!??!?!<br />
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Yes, people, the fire is coming back, I'm ready to make the internet interesting again! I'm ready to start calling the fakes out, I'm ready to make people honest, I'm ready to be the BIG CED you've come to know over the years! I apologize for not being me, but sometimes you get off track when pursuing other things and trying to build your empire. But my voice, my words, my, um, venom, is what made me.... me. That is what made most of you want to know who BIG CED is and I am bringing that back!<br />
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So bear with me, I do miss being me and now may be the time to make people be orginal again. There are many people, blogs, websites doing things I did 5 YEARS ago and they think they are doing something special! All I have to say is, 'IT AIN'T NEW IF I DID IT 5 YEARS AGO!!!'<br />
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Shouts to everyone who has been asking me the same question for some time and I am here to say I'm back! Bear with me as I dust off the artillery and the weapons!<br />
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Special Shout to Eric Harrield... You are right, I have to be me again, set the world straight!<br />
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Like Michael Jordan CED when he returned from his retirement: 'I'm Back!'BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-33311168752146870442009-09-18T14:47:00.002-04:002011-01-20T11:51:54.045-05:00ObstaclesIn life there will, no doubt, be obstacles and it should be expected. But most people see obstacles in a negative way, but not me! I see obstacles as a strong way to build character, strength and a better understanding of yourself. I truly believe that obstacles are placed in front of you to test you, to see what you're really made of and to see if you can utilize your inner strength to deal with and then overcome them. <br />
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Some people go through their young life untested and when a situation presents itself that doesn't favor them, they usually revert back to their childhood ways or look for someone or something to get them out of it and if that does work, a pattern ensues once another situation occurs. This doesn't help or prepare them for obstacles that they have to handle themselves and they usually take a downward spiral because they lack the ability to comprehend and deal with it in a manner that will help them handle and jump over that hurdle. You can usually tell the type of people this applies to but they can't, won't and don't see it that way and then wonder why they have to have a crutch to rely on instead of dealing with it head on.<br />
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Yes, an obstacle presented does cause fear, panic and an unstable view, depending on the depth of the situation. And sometimes an unwillingness to want to deal with the situation is usually the primary thought and feeling, which is cool and may be seen as a normal reaction. The key is the next step or the thought process of how to handle it, what to do to overcome it and then actually doing it. Sometimes there are obstacles to overcome the obstacle and at times, it's not a short or easy process but when the task of getting it done is completed, your confidence in yourself increases because you know that you persevered and overcame the obstacle.<br />
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My life has been a constant stream of obstacles that has shaped me into who I am today. I play to win, never think about losing and I know whatever is thrown my way, I can handle and if I don't think I can handle, I'll know I have the strentgh to cope with it. At times, I think I'm my own obstacle, but, of course, I have to overcome that as well!BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-58139423304404563682009-09-17T08:19:00.002-04:002011-01-20T09:24:56.093-05:00Strategic Planning?What happens when you are being set up for failure and you don't fail? Does the person or people setting you up stop? Or do they try to make it more difficult for you to accomplish what you set out to do? If those persons were deceptive from the start, do you go along with the deception therefore deceiving them into thinking you went for the deception in order to deceive them? Are you just as wrong as they are by doing that? Or do you carry out your original plan knowing you were deceived? <br />
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What if you know that their plan backfired, thereby making you look good in the process? Do you act like you don't know what's going on, although you do, for the sake of playing like you don't, just so you don't make them look or feel bad? Or do you give them not so obvious signs where they have to contemplate if it is what it is or is it not what it's supposed to be? Who ends up with the upper hand in this situation?<br />
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What if those people think you need them more than they need you, but you know that each party needed each other to make it work? But you are willing to give a little but they aren't willing to give anything? And even when you give more, they feel compelled not to give back anything? Should you continue or should you pull back? And if you pull back, should you take offense that they take offense knowing you were giving more than promised while they gave less? <br />
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And what about the strategy put in place that is really no strategy? Would it be wrong to strategize your strategy based on their thinking of the strategy? And what if your strategy is really their strategy but you already know the outcome while they just speculate what the outcome may be? Is your strategy, therefore good?<br />
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Since life is a game and it's not always about winning or losing but how you come out of it, should you let them know you've already won even if they think you're losing? Should you even hint at them being the loser despite the outcome because you've already won and they could also win if they stop trying to beat you? If you know you can't lose, should you just take your victory in stride or should you try to get them to win too?<br />
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You always choose both sides winning cause you only play to win while they play not to lose! Maybe by the time they realize that you're only in it to make it best for both parties, then they will win as well...BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-16910007511752813492009-08-23T12:14:00.006-04:002011-01-20T09:24:33.608-05:00My Disappointment With The Urban MediaI want to know why is it that whenever any Black artist/celebrity/entertainer/athlete is in any trouble, all the blogs, websites and magazines are quick to publish and report such bad behavior/news but the same mindset is missing whenever Black celebrities do positive things? We bitch and moan all the time about the negativity amongst our community but 'we' are quick to be the first to post it in the name of exclusive news. I do understand that it's because it increases hits for websites or chatter for other outlets but don't you think it can have the same effect when you report positive news?<br />
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The reason for this 'rant' is this article I read in today's NY Daily News- <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Rapper%20behind%20'Roxanne's%20Revenge'%20gets%20Warner%20Music%20to%20pay%20for%20Ph.D%20%20Read%20more:%20http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2009/08/23/2009-08-23_rapper_schools_record_label_qns_ma_makes_warner_music_foot_bill_for_phd.html#ixzz0P1Wr2NZa">Rapper behind 'Roxanne's Revenge' gets Warner Music to pay for Ph.D</a>. Now, in defense of those who did not know, it's understandable because we didn't know, but how many of you, who has read this, repost or 'aggregate' this on your blogs/websites? If Dr. Roxanne Shante had shot and killed 3 people, you would have made sure your site had that on blast immediately!<br />
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I wish I had known this before so I could have had this exclusive for my website and I want to congratulate Dr. Roxanne Shante for her achievements! This is a great story to post as it shows that something good CAN come out of something that wasn't so good! We need to be placing stories like this up on our sites to encourage others that there are good things that can be made out of bad ones and that ALL artists NEED to read and re-read their contracts and hold the companies liable for the language placed in said contracts! These same companies would have NO problem taking away whatever earnings you signed away and of course, Warner Brothers doesn't want news like this getting out for fear that they would have to actually honor their contract!<br />
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People, let's uplift and educate each other by either balancing the news or by limiting the bad ones. We have to police ourselves when it comes to this because we are always fighting a battle for respect and we can't always blame the knuckleheads we give extensive coverage to!BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-80378624734495726772009-08-22T13:30:00.001-04:002011-01-20T09:23:31.109-05:00A Man’s Response To Why Women CheatSo, I’m reading this article on the 'Hello Beautiful' site titled, 3 Reasons Why Women Cheat, and I have decided to give you women some advice based on what I have read:<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Feeling Lonely in a Relationship</span><br />
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Ok, realize that men sometimes go through this as well so it’s not gender based when it comes to feeling lonely. The expectations placed on a man while in a relationship should be discussed as opposed to being expected, ESPECIALLY if your man happens to be popular or very driven when it comes to his career or work. If you are feeling lonely, it is up to you to include him in other activities that he may not normally be involved in where you wouldn’t feel so lonely. Also, keep in mind that, just like women, guys like to hang out with the fellas every now and then, so if your expectations are greater than he is willing to give, then you may have to resort to the infamous female support group! Otherwise, occupy your time with your passion and goals so that way when the two of you DO get up, the time together will be cherished even more while both of you are trying to achieve personal goals and dreams!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Feeling Taken for Granted</span><br />
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As stated above, men go through the motions when feeling like they are also taken for granted. But instead of focusing on the negative, focus on the positive and as with any relationship, whether work, play or friendship, this can be a task. But as with any task, there has to be common ground so that it can be completed to satisfaction! What most women tend to do is focus on their needs and themselves when having a conversation about ‘us’. You also need to be open to hearing and catering to his needs and wants as well so that way BOTH of you can be equally fulfilled! I hate to word it like this but, it has to be a mutually binding agreement so that way no one feels taken for granted, you give a little, I give a little and hopefully, we both benefit greatly!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">You Are Leading Separate Lives</span><br />
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Well, as with anything in life, you grow, sometimes together, sometimes apart. It should be the focus of both partners to extend themselves to each other so that way both of you are still on the same page when it comes to a common bond which should be love. We can’t help who we are or who we become based on life experiences and what most women (and men!) don’t understand is that it is BECAUSE of you that he decides to take another direction in life, whether negative or positive. We should make each other stronger but at times, we tend to get weak out of being used to being with the one we are with, so we can and do get complacent. So, communication may be the most important tool in this situation so you can understand what the other is going through in order to want to stay in each others live! You can lead a separate, yet together life if both parties are getting what they want out of it, specifically on an emotional level. But you MUST discuss it with each other!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Revenge Can Be Bittersweet</span><br />
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This is definitely a hard thing for women and ESPECIALLY men! Since society accepts cheating men more than they accept cheating women, we, as men, are distraught when we find out that our woman has cheated, even if we were caught first. Hey, don’t blame us; society has made it acceptable for us to get away with cheating! Nonetheless, if it’s within a marriage, when you take your vows, you said for better or for worse, so you must remember that when you do find out as we, as men, have to think along the same lines. As far as a lover, I would say it should be based on what is transpiring in the relationship as to why the cheating was done and if it can be, not only forgiven, but placed aside for the good of the relationship.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ego Needs Stroking</span><br />
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As far as ego, I can safely say that the male ego is more robust than a woman’s ego, so we are at a disadvantage when it comes to that, especially if we are attractive or have a status or have money or have all three! Women are always eyeing us, trying to get our attention and with the slightest bit of neglect from you, make it easier to submit to the desires of a woman who is obviously trying to give us the goods. So, if anything, if our egos need stroking, guess what, something else of ours will get the stroking.BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-37548316969084733252009-06-23T07:31:00.004-04:002011-01-20T09:23:05.875-05:00Artists, STOP Being So Sensitive!!!!One of the biggest laughs today is hearing about the news about the 'fight' between <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Black Eyed Peas' Will. I. Am</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Perez Hilton</span>. Funny because I can't picture ANYONE wanting to fight ANY member of The Black Eyed Peas, well, let me rephrase that, funny because I can't see ANY of the members (Except maybe <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fergie</span>) having the guts to actually fight! But then again, it WAS Perez Hilton, who doesn't exactly strike fear in ANYONE!<br />
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Supposedly, the basis of this 'beef' is that Will. I. Am asked Perez Hilton to stop dissing them in his blog and Perez said no and allegedly, Black Eyed Peas tour manager, Polo Molina, punched Perez. It's still funny that anyone with any male chromosome in them, would hit Perez. This brings me to say this to artists: STOP BITCHIN!!!!<br />
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Artists are so insecure and vain that anyone who harps praise on them is well respected, well received and generally liked. Artists need to learn to accept the bitter with the sweet! ESPECIALLY rappers!!!! Artists NEVER have a problem when they are getting favorable coverage and that's understandable, but just as there are sunny days, it does rain and like with the weather, you HAVE to accept the good and the bad!<br />
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Artists NEED to accept that not everyone will view them in a favorable light, regardless of what they do! Even <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mother Teresa </span>had haters! It's the way of the world! Believe it or not, the world does NOT revolve around you! This is also part of the STOP BITCHIN' campaign that I have started!<br />
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STOP BITCHIN' when there are bloggers, people, writers, journalists or anyone who doesn't care too much about you or what you do. And for these artists (Rappers) who say that writers who write unfavorable about them, are taking food from their mouths, GET OVER IT! NOT EVERYONE will enjoy what you do! If you are great at what you do, believe it or not, there WILL be some people who still like you and will support your project! I know that I don't have that much power. If I write that you are a dick or that I think your latest project is as good as the 2008 Detroit Lions football team (For non football fans, they lost EVERY game last season), live with it! I am sure there will be someone to counter me and say that you are great and your project is the best thing since sliced bread! <br />
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STOP BITCHIN'BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-46511052420753448202009-06-21T22:27:00.004-04:002011-01-20T09:22:46.865-05:00Young Rappers Need Teachin'....So, I'm reading blogs, websites and watching videos of these young rappers bitchin' about rappers like<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes</span> and even <span style="font-weight: bold;">Redman </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Method Man</span>, still in the game, recording, releasing albums and doing shows. What these little bitchin rappers don't realize is that these and other older artists have this thing called a CAREER! They have stood the test of time! They have STUDIED what it takes to still matter over the years, although styles have changed and we are officially in the ring tone era of Hip Hop. <br />
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Wait, my bad, it's the Auto-Tune era and if it weren't so, half the rappers you are listening to today wouldn't be off their block, so I guess I can understand the bitterness when these wack ass rappers have no clue on how to build a career beyond 'x amount' of ring tones sold! If you see the press releases I get from publicists and labels bragging about how many ring tones their artists sold and then you don't hear about them a year from now, you'd laugh, as I do when I read it!<br />
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So, to all the young wack rappers who we won't be reading about or hearing about next year, take a back seat and learn why the Jay-Z's, The Bustas and the 'Older' rappers still matter and why we'll see them releasing yet another album next year and beyond because they have what you should aspire for, A CAREER! So I'm gonna start a movement, it won't be called, Stop Snitchin', let's make it, STOP BITCHIN'BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-34902796089201834582009-06-18T15:53:00.002-04:002011-01-20T09:22:22.748-05:00Online SolicitationOK, it's seems like it's now a daily occurrence that someone who follows me on Twitter or sends me an email, asks me to vote for them in some online contest or to vote for them so they can obtain a high number of votes to gain interest in some online contest. Nothing wrong with that cause this is the way of the world today. My problem is the method used or lack of thought placed into the solicitation!<br />
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Now, ever since I can remember, I've met the best rapper, artist, singer so many times and through so many people that whenever someone claims to be the best, they sound like Charlie Brown's teacher in my ears. Yeh, I'm used to that approach, so it's easy for me to tune people out when they claim to be the best. Only problem being is that they may be the best in their house or room, but that's besides the point. I get requests DEMANDING that I vote for someone or just based on their solicitation, I should automatically vote for them JUST because they requested! This will cause me to not only IGNORE the person and request, but it will make me make SURE I don't even go NEAR the site they are asking me to vote on!<br />
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Now, I know some of you reading this has done and will do this and I might be talking about you specifically, so take note to what I am writing! First off, I don't know YOU or your music, so why should I take precious seconds out of my already busy and hectic life, just to adhere to your demands because you found my name on Twitter? Also keep in mind that you are definitely not the only one bombarding me with such an inane request. You've never 'talked' to me on Twitter, let alone, read what I write and yet, because you need votes for a contest that will do nothing to advance your career, you hit me up with a link to vote for you? Does that even make any sense?<br />
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My advice? ASK me to check out your profile/song/page first to see if I would even listen to it and THEN, ask me if I like it, to vote for the song so that way it can stroke your fragile ego to win a contest that A & Rs don't even know or care about! THAT would go a long way to maybe gaining my attention and maybe, just maybe, if I do, first, actually go to the page and then actually listen to it and then, I may even like it enough to give you that vote you seek. Now wasn't that better than just sending the SAME damn link to everyone while having an online passive-aggressive attitude?<br />
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Oh, and for the idiot (yes, I wrote idiot!) Who called me a hater because I politely CED no when such a request was spammed to me, do some research before spewing dumb words because you never know who can help you get to the next level and not only that, other people read other people's Tweets that are sent to people and you may have alienated someone who may have even liked your stuff, but because you showed online ignorance, you blew a realistic chance at actually having a career outside the Twitter walls.<br />
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I'm just sayin'BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-18992435519648012632009-06-08T16:32:00.003-04:002011-01-20T09:20:54.525-05:00Police ShootingsIt's become so commonplace to hear that a black man was shot by a police officer. You never hear about white people being shot by cops. It seems that police officers have a natural instinct to shoot/kill a black man, even if he hasn't committed a crime! Only thing needed is a presumption that a crime has been committed or looks like a crime may have been done or even look like a crime may happen to take place and it (The shooting) is a preventive measure.<br />
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And it is in part racial, because minority cops have no problem shooting other minorities! Is it acceptance by their white peers that makes them feel like they can or is it the Police Department's way of training and teaching how to handle minorities? I can't ever recall hearing a black officer shooting a white 'suspect' without probable cause. Shit, EVEN WITH probable cause! That's probably cause the punishment will be harsh for shooting a white person than it is for killing a black one! Wait! There is usually no punishment for a cop killing a black man. Maybe this is why there is no restraint when a police officer pulls a weapon on a black man.<br />
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What scares me most is that it can realistically happen to me! I've had cops draw guns on me before and for no legitimate reason other than me being a dark skinned black man. And please don't question a police officer! This is justification for them to 'use force'. I have seen white people get pulled over, yelling at cops for stopping them and then be allowed to leave without even a warning! I've NEVER been arrested but you would think I was a known criminal whenever a cop stops me. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying I hate cops, I can and will say that I don't trust ANY police officer because there are many people in jail railroaded by the system in the name of racial injustice!<br />
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Cops should be placed on a higher standard because they are 'trained' to uphold the law yet they are also breaking the law because they feel they are ABOVE the law! Why are cops given 48 hours to come up with a perfect story to tell based on the crime they've committed? When a suspect is arrested, they aren't given ANY time before they are questioned! Police officers who commit blatant acts of lawlessness should NOT be given ANY privileges!<br />
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The Police Department should be run by an independent and neutral entity to ensure that when a police officer shoots a black man or is involved in any questionable activity, we will be ensured of a thorough investigation, as opposed to the police clearing their own officers.BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275986827027413662.post-15714466911232649262009-06-06T12:19:00.003-04:002011-01-20T09:20:34.925-05:00Are Black People Stupid?Are Black people stupid? And if so, did I get that memo? The reason I ask is because I've noticed in politics, whenever a Black runs for office, it is naturally assumed that Black people will ALWAYS vote for Black candidates, simply because they are Black. Now, it doesn't matter if the person isn't qualified for the job just as long as he/she is Black and that and ONLY that reason is necessary to gain the votes of other Blacks.<br />
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Since I live in the New York City area, I am being told, indirectly, that I HAVE to vote for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Comptroller William Thompson</span> for mayor because, as a Black man, I have to support him. And although <span style="font-weight: bold;">Governor Patterson</span> is not doing such a great job, I MUST vote for him for re-election because, hey, he's Black! And you do know that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barack Obama</span> is a Black man, so we MUST continue the trend of electing Blacks to office!<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong, I am a GREAT supporter of Black people, but, I am a BETTER supporter of people who will do a great job for me when they get in office. If I had a choice to vote based on race versus based on getting the job done, I am voting based on the latter, but hopefully, the candidate would be both. <br />
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So, all I am saying is, we, as Black people, are being viewed as not being smart enough to make the right choice for ourselves. It seems that even Black politicians want us to vote simply based on the pigment of the skin or the cultural aspects of the candidate. I say, as I do, base any vote on who you feel would do the best job out of the candidates and with all things being equal, then racial pride would win, otherwise, we can't let people do our thinking for us! We need to research and listen and read up on ALL candidates for any office that is being pursued as all decisions based on the winning candidates WILL affect our lives, which makes it that much more important to be educated, not forced to pick our own candidate.<br />
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So, all I am asking is for Black candidates to not anticipate just getting our votes based on the fact that you are Black as well and put forth the effort to prove to us that you are qualified for the job. And Black people, stop going with the theory of voting based on skin color because, believe it or not, there ARE stupid black politicians out there....BIG CEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491017646154247271noreply@blogger.com1