Growing up, I was part of the first generation of kids who went to school with biracial kids with married parents. Now I make that distinction because in my parents' day, it was illegal for white people to marry black folks, and vice versa. There was always something that I noticed about the boys, though. Not that it really mattered, but they would always up the "black factor" around their black friends, but they never dated black women. They would date white girls, and sometimes even Mexican girls, but they stayed far away from black girls; and I saw this trend continue into college. It always confused me, because I never saw these guys as being ashamed of their black roots. I always had a hard time understanding this mentality, but I read a blog on a site called "Stuff Biracial People Like," and it definitely gave me a thoughtful insight. It answered the question, "You can like whatever you want, but how come it's seldom a sista? What did we do?" Read below: Thursday, July 10, 2008 #1 White Women (guys) (A JAM C) I have three brothers and a sister who are all biracial like I am. It's just funny how things have worked out over the years. My oldest sister dated many black men, and is about to marry a black man next May (the subject of another post). However, none of my brothers have ever come close to dating a black woman. I have dated three girls in my life, and they have all been white. While I never objected to dating a black woman, the opportunity just never arose. My older brothers are both married to white women, and I'll also be married to one very soon. I don't know a whole lot a men my age who are mixed black and white... I know that it is becoming less and less taboo, but you still don't find many guys who are mixed black and white and are older than 20. With that being said, I don't know a single MB&W guy who is dating or has ever dated a woman who is darker than he is. Why is that the case? Perhaps I can suggest a few reasons. 1. Intimidation - Black women are different than white women... is that the understatement of the century? I don't want this to sound racist at all, but there's something much more scary about getting a black woman angry. When a white woman gets angry, it's funny... go give her a hug, and tell her that everything is going to be alright. Offer her some low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, and pop in one of her "Friends" DVDs, preferably the episode where Rachel sees the prom video. Black women, however, are a much different story. Go ahead, try to anger a black woman... I'll wait... Are you still alive? An angry black woman will eat you alive and spit you out. If you hear a "mmm" you better brace yourself, if you hear a "no you didn't," run until you can't breathe anymore, and if she starts snapping her fingers and pulling her earrings off, say hi to God for me... because you're already dead. Black men know how to deal with this because they have mothers and sisters who are 100% black... which leads me to my second point. 2. Lack of experience with black women in the home. If you're a male, and you're mixed black and white, that means that your dad is black, and your mom is white. There's a few situations where it is the other way around, but I would say that 80-90% of MB&W guys have black dads. Because of that, they don't grow up in a home with black women, and they don't get the 18 years of experience needed to stand tall around a beautiful, strong, black woman. Black men, get a wealth of experience in this area, and the brunt of their experience comes from a common source... momma. If you're a black man, you already know what I'm talking about. If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. You ain't happy, pops ain't happy, your siblings ain't happy, your dog ain't happy, your dead ancestors ain't happy. Along with that, if you're the reason why momma ain't happy, then you can only take comfort in the fact that she won't kill you. Everything else is fair game. While black children grow up, they're equipped with the necessary tools needed to make momma happy, and that's all that matters. Despite all of that, black men LOVE their mothers... it shouldn't be any other way. When black men are looking for a wife, they want a woman a lot like momma. In other words, they want a strong black woman... except for when the go for white women... which I won't complain about, because that's why I'm alive. MB&W men don't get the same exposure at an early age. It is like trying to learn Chinese at the age of 18 instead of from childhood. Anyway, a MB&W man might not last very long in a relationship with a black woman. I don't know. I'm not acting like I know it all, but at least I have a little bit of insight from my experiences. Posted by A Jam C at 7:39 PM 2 comments Links to this post Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

A wife gets home and shouts "Honey, pack your bags, I just hit the lottery!" The husband says, "What should I pack?" She says "Everything, and get the f*ck out!" That one came from my boy, Essatu.

I'll tell you. It's not because I'm looking for the attention of people who want to make comments about my physique, even though that's to be expected, but I'm doing it for exposure. Let me explain. I haven't said anything till now, but you all are fam, so there's no harm. I decided to start my own dance group to give more people of color the chance to give an authentic representation of dances that come from their cultures. It shouldn't seem like it should be a big deal that this is something that I want to do, but recent experiences have shown me that the haters are out there real heavy; so if you tell the wrong person about the things you do, they'll either try to sabotage your ass or snake your gigs. Entertainment is a rough industry! Some people might be thinking:"Well, why the need to do what you're doing? Aren't there already more than enough dancers of color out there that you don't have to pioneer their cause?" Well, yes and no. Sure, there's plenty of us out there who want to be in the hiphop videos, but when it comes to representing for where we come from, then it's kind of lacking. Futhermore, for those of us who come from cultures where there was a European colonizer, especially in Latin America, those colonizers would have the rest of the world believe that their look is what it's all about, and they do it by using white Americans. I'm primarily a samba dancer, and the funny thing about what I do is that I look more Brazilian than almost any of the girls out there who are getting the Brazilian dance gigs. In fact, most of the gigs go to white Brazilians who use white Americans as their star dancers. Their dancing is okay, but there are definitely other girls, Brazilians included, who could do a better job and who want the chance. They just aren't being allowed to. I'm honest about the fact that my weight poses some limitations. I'm not a fat girl, but I don't have a dancer's body, and I'm not a size 4. For that reason, if for no other reason at all, I'm not gonna get called for a lot of work. However, that doesn't mean that I can't help other girls who have talent to get the chance to be in costume. This is a big part of what motivated me to start my own dance company. It's not just about the gigs, not by a long shot. Even more so, it's about education. The reason why people from outside our cultures can come in and do what they do is because not enough of us are taking enough interest in preserving our cultures. For example, I have seen far more white belly dancers than I have ones of Middle Eastern or North African descent; and Latinos are starting to get outnumbered at salsa competitions. This is not to say at all that white people don't have the right to go out there and learn how to dance. Sure they can. However, it's not their responsibility to keep this stuff alive; and when you give your culture away to other people instead of holding on to it, it loses its soul. That's why over the next few years, I want to start implementing after school dance programs to teach our youth about where they come from, so that they understand that their legacy is so much greater than "pop, lock and drop it," especially our girls. Many people don't care about cultural preservation because they don't know wnything about where they come from. If I can at least give some of that knowledge to them through dance, then everything will be worthwhile. I'm always auditioning people for the group, and those who are dance instructors are very desirable candidates. This group is not just about Brazil, it's about all of Latin America and the Caribbean, it's about Africa, it's about the Middle East, it's about Asia. The name of the group is Movement In Color; and I'm always looking for new performance ideas and venues, so anybody who dances or knows somebody who dances in the Chicago area needs to contact me. My e-mail is movementincolor@yahoo.com. If anybody here respects what I'm doing or can help, then let me know!

If there's something that I've learned this year about a lot of today's kids, especially our little ghetto ones, it's this: they don't appreciate ****! Don't get me wrong, I don't expect for any person, grown or not, to bow at my feet and endlessly express their gratitude for what I try to do as an educator. However, what is disgusting me is this sense of entitlement that children seem to have these days when they're not even wealthy. Rich kids don't have any reason not to think that they'll get everything they want because their parents can afford it. That doesnt' mean that they should spoil the little bastards, but it's not hurting them financially, ya dig? It's these kids that are living in government housing or on Section 8 who think that the world owes them something just because they take up space. When I was growing up, which wasn't all too long ago, there was still a sense of knowing that in order to get what you wanted, you had to earn it, and that if you did wrong, you would be punished. Kids still got Christmas presents taken away if they messed up in school, and if you even thought of cursing at a teacher, the whole school knew before you did that your moms was coming up there to wear your ass out! I worked in a class full of kids that had behavior disorders. Now, they had this disability, but they weren't retarded. These kids knew that they were doing wrong when they did it, but their parents, having full knowledge of what their children are doing, or not doing when it comes to school work, they still continue to give their children everything they want. There's one kid in the class who pushed a teacher and made her cry; but the little ******* still got a Zunes for Christmas. Other kids got PS3's, new games, all kinds of **** that they just didn't deserve because neither their behavior nor their grades were good enough to merit such gifts . Let's take this even further: I work in an elementary school. One of the 8th graders dropped a bag of weed in the hallway, in the sight of everyone, including security guards. The school suspended him, but his mama didn't do anything, cuz I still see him riding around the hood with his new bike. Even worse, there was a girl in 6th grade who gave an 8th grader a hand-job and never saw the inside of the principal's office even after she admitted it, and the same boy received a blow job from a 4th grader, yes, **********, a 4th grader; and she didn't get in trouble, either. The boy? Well, he didn't get into any kind of trouble, either, and I doubt his mother knows, because I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have spend all that money renting his tux for his luncheon. Yes, people are renting tuxes for elementary school functions now. Now, I know I'm doin all this *******' but I haven't offered up any solutions yet. Well, I got some. Parents, don't sit up there thinking that you're gonna be buddies with your kids. That's what friends your own age are for. Your kids are not your equals. You worked long and hard to bring them into this world and keep them here, and they need to respect that to the fullest. When they learn to respect you, they will respect the other adults in their lives as well. Of course, you want your children to feel comfortable enough with you to be open about what's going on in their lives, but first, there must be law and order, period. Children have to learn respect for their elders in order to make it in life. How else will they discipline themselves to complete school and hold a job successfully? If your kids get pissed off at you, let 'em be pissed; and don't try to win them over with material things. One thing that children, especially black children, must learn is that the world doesn't owe them a damn thing, so they better work for what they want in life. I also say this: if there are some of you who don't think they can learn these values properly in public school, send them back home to school. Did you know that there is an increasing number of middle-class Black Americans who are sending their children to Africa for school? Those who do it say it's the best decision they could have even made because their children come back with a strong sense of self. Because all the people who live there are Black, all of their positive role models will be, too. It's not that we don't have them in the States, but they're much easier to come by in all-Black countries. Furthermore, the difference between the educated and the uneducated is a lot more pronounced in African countries, so the good possibilities of a good education are ever-present for these children. Hell, I think I'll even do that when I have kids. The next best thing is, if you don't mind all the religion, is a good old-school Catholic school where the nuns still keep a ruler ready. We need to get a grip on these bad-ass kids, y'all. Don't you mess around and raise one!

So, people have been asking where in great googa mooga have I been, and the answer is simple: HEAVEN!!! I finally moved out of that hell hole and got my own place! It wasn't easy, but a sista done bought her freedom, and things couldn't be going better. I always thought that being alone would be scary and lonely, but I gotta say I'm loving every moment of this. I love doing housework, I love cooking, I love doing laundry, I love everything. The only thing that keeps it from being absolute bliss is not having a computer or cable. However, I found a site where I can get myself a sweet deal on a desktop, and I can get myself some cheap basic cable, so I'll make the full-scale come-up shortly. That, my friends, is why I haven't been connected to the lovely world of habeshahookup.com, but nothing lasts forever, y'all. i'll be back soon enough, trust me! Thanks to everyone who's been checking in on me to see if I'm still breathing. Now you know that not only am I still alive, but I'm very happy. I hope to be back sooner than later!

"I the Lord am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods beside Me." I always thought about this commandment in particular and wondered why there was a necessity for such a commandment as this. Obviously, if we as readers of the Bible are to believe its contents, would this not already be a given? At first glance, we would all think so, but if you think again, I think you would have to reconsider. Has there ever been anyone in your life that you've idolized, that you've practically worshipped, that has let you down? If so, I'm sure the response to it was not positive, and it took a long time for the pain and disappointment to go away, if you were lucky; and at the time, it probably felt like the pain would never end. Why? It's because we have the tendency to put people on pedestals above ourselves; and in doing so, we set ourselves up for disappointment. This is true of just about every interpersonal relationship there is. We hold people up to these unrealistic, almost divine ideals, and when we find out that they're only human, we have a hard time dealing with it. I know this from personal experience. My family was so close knit and so sheltered that my siblings and I, for a very long time, thought tha our parents, especially our father, could say or do no wrong. I know that I myself often imagined that if I were to meet Moses, he would have to look something like my father because I thought he was the next best thing. When I started to see that my father was far from perfect, I was greatly disillusioned and it took me a long time to deal with the fact. It was because I lost sight of the very simple words in the First Commandment. We don't really think of the power of what those words mean because they're so simple; but after having given it a lot of thought, I think I finally understand. Basically, we should remember that since God created us in His likeness, we are next to God Himself. Therefore, it makes no sense for us to elevate another person in worth higher than our own because it would be like giving them divine status. However, because of the imperfection of their nature, they are bound to disappoint us in one way or another eventually; but they are not to blame for our disappointment, we are. With this commandment, God is telling us to only expect the divine from the most divine of all beings. That way, you can never be disappointed. Sometimes, God seems so far from us because we can't see Him, so we unconsciously choose temporary substitutes. It's only when a person suffers through these disappointments, however, that it becomes evident that all we need is God to survive. How do we know? It's simple: we keep living, and there is only One who can give life and sustain it. No matter who it is in your life that you value more than life itself, never lose site of the One who made it all possible, because when those "no-gods" fade into the background, He will still be there. I think that the First Commandment is there to restate the obvious on purpose, because it's amazing how quickly we can forget even the most basic and fundamental of all things. Don't mind me if I sound preachy, but I've just been very heavily contemplative these days.

I'm sure that most of us by now are familiar with spaceketema's recent forum about another member here named richNsaba. If you don't know who richNsaba is, if you've noticed that there have been more sexy pics of habesha girls posted up in the gallery lately, you have him to thank for that. In fact, he has just posted a pic of a girl in a mesh shirt that is completely transparent, and homegirl left her bra at home, too. Now that all of you have returned from catching your quick sneek-peek at ol' girl's goodies, I will continue. He claims to be posting these pics to make a point that, in my opinion, is pretty fake and unrealistic. He says that at first glance, all women should be treated with the same level of respect, regardless of how they dress or act. This would be true in an ideal world, but we know it's not. Let's forget for a second that this guy obviously has a problem and deal with this issue and this issue alone. It's true, sometimes, there are women that are out there who are hoes in housewives clothing. People may call that two-faced, but I call that smart. Sure, the neighbors on the block may know what she's really about, but everybody doesn't have to know, and this kind of woman is aware of that. She doesn't need to reveal that she is a down-low hoe when she's out there getting a job, or trying to buy a house, because she's smart enough to know that first impressions do count; and wouldn't it be a shame if she played herself by wearing the gold lamee halter top to meet her realtor instead of the tailored pantsuit? Every woman is not a pearl. That's the bottom line. A woman who makes a living selling her body for money is not to be raised up to the same level as a school teacher with good morals who balances her homelife and her career. Why? Because the prostitute hasn't earned that respect. How can she when she obviously doesn't respect herself? Like my girl, HAN said here before using the timeless words of Chris Rock, "If you don't want to be called a hoe, don't wear the hoe uniform." There's a time and place to be sexy. Believe me, as a professional dancer, I understand what that means. When I put on my Carnaval costume, I'm a sexy beast, because that's the image I'm supposed to convey. However, when the performance is over, all that glitter comes off and I don't miss it. Why? Because a real woman knows how to be attractive even if she's wearing a potato sack. I don't even wear makeup and I still get more than my fair share of attention from the opposite sex, let alone wearing miniskirts or skin-tight pants when I'm not at the club. My family does not approve of the fact that I perform Brazilian and Caribbean dance because of how revealing the costumes are; and it's even gotten to the point where they've decided to pass negative judgment on my character because of that, even though they've known me my whole life. They know I would never become a stripper, but seeing me in these costumes has caused them to doubt me. Does it hurt my feelings? Absolutely. Is it unfair? You bet! Do I understand where they're coming from, though? Loud and clear. You get my point? People pass judgments because it's human nature. We pass judgment on a person's hygiene if we smell something good or bad when they pass by us. We pass judgment about how attractive a person is or is not at first glance; and we even pass judgment on a person's sanity if we see them talking out loud to themselves on the street. We form opinions and judgments about everything we see and do in our lives, and to say that we should put two people on the same pedestal as each other when they are so obviously different is to betray our basic human instinct. These days, with all the diseases floating around here, that may be one of man's most important survival instincts. You don't want nobody to call you a hoe, then put some damn clothes on! That way, you'll have a better chance of being able to make some good decisions about who gets to take them off, ya feel me? Real men want classy ladies, not stank-ass hoochies. So, obviously, we know that this is all common sense, anyway, so what do people think about what should be done about this guy richNsaba? I can't believe a single word that comes outta his mouth, and he's really acting dispicably with his insistence on posting all these soft-core photos. I mean, I'd be lying if I said that everybody doesn't like to see some skin every now and again, but I think that most of us can agree that habesha women are at their most beautiful when they are dressed in traditional clothing. Most of the men here post pictures of girls back home in thier traditional clothes on the countryside when they want to express how beautiful they believe habesha women to be. I happen to think that black women are so blessed to be a people who need to do so little to be beautiful and sensual. It is not necessary for us to wear tight or short clothing for men to desire us, all we need to do is just be who we are. If this richNsaba guy were really who he says he is, this would be the message that he should be trying to put out there instead of trying to justify a hoe's lifestyle. What was the point of that supposed rescue of those habesha prostitutes if this is what he's gonna do? I find that to be quite disgusting and totally defeating the purpose.

Heh, in order for Ethiopia to get in the news, there either has to be a famine, a natural disaster, or, as we're now finding out, they gotta kidnap some white folks. All those interested can read this article: MEKELE, Ethiopia - At least a dozen European tourists were kidnapped in remote northeastern Ethiopia, a barren expanse of volcanoes and ancient salt mines where bandits and rebels operate, diplomats and local businessmen said Friday. The tourists — between seven and 10 French citizens and five Britons — were traveling in four cars when they were seized Thursday in Dalol, 500 miles northeast of Addis Ababa, according to a businessman and a tour operator who work in the area. They asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. As required by the Ethiopian government, the groups were traveling in the Afar region with armed guards. The region is not heavily traveled because it is so remote, but the otherworldly landscape draws adventure travelers. Bandits and a small rebel group operate in the Afar region, which is known for its difficult terrain and roasting heat. The average annual temperature is 94 degrees, but the mercury often soars much higher. The area is where the famous Ethiopian fossil of Lucy was discovered in 1974. Ethiopian state media confirmed the kidnapping Friday night and said Ethiopians were among the missing. The television report did not give a number of missing. In a statement in London, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett confirmed that five of the missing were "members of staff, or relatives of members of staff" at the British Embassy in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. She said officials were "doing all they can to ensure that the situation is resolved peacefully. We are also coordinating with other governments." Britain was sending a 10-member crisis team to Ethiopia, Prime Minister Tony Blair's office said. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said it appeared French and British nationals were being held in separate groups. The British Broadcasting Corp., quoting government sources, said there was a "national security dimension" to the disappearance, but did not provide any details. Dominique Gautier, spokesman for the French Embassy in Addis Ababa, arrived Friday in Mekele, the regional capital of the Afar region, but said he had no details. A French television crew that was also traveling in the area turned up safe in Mekele on Friday, said Samson Teshome, head of Origins Ethiopia, a tour agency specializing in Afar. The missing Europeans were also believed to be clients of Origins, but company officials would not comment on that. One of those kidnapped was Rossanna Moore, the Italian-born wife of Michael Moore, director of the British Council in Ethiopia, according to a diplomat who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Rossanna Moore holds dual British and Italian citizenship, according to the Italian Foreign Ministry, which said it was cooperating with the British government on the case. Michael Moore refused to comment when reached by The Associated Press. The Ethiopian government requires all convoys to have a minimum of two cars and always travel with armed guards. In 1995, rebels from the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front kidnapped Italian tourists, but released them weeks later. The group has been fighting for years against Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea over lands inhabited by ethnic Afar. The tourists left Mekele on Sunday for a two-day drive to Hamedali, a remote village that is the last staging post before visiting the salt lakes, the tour operator said. Then they went on a two-hour drive to Dalol to visit the salt mines and were supposed to return to Hamedali.

Even though there might be some people out there who don't want to admit it, sometimes white singers come out with some serious jams! I'd be interested in knowing what your favorite songs by white artists are. Hey, there's some of us out there who don't listen to anything but music by white artists, and that's cool, too. I think it'll be fun to see the variety in people's taste outside of hip hop, r & b, and habesha music. I'm gonna give my list, in no particular order: 1. Careless Whispers - Wham! 2. Somebody to Love - Queen 3. I Just Wanna Stop - Gino Vannelli 4. Love Will Bring You Back - Taylor Dayne 5. Love Fool - The Cardigans 6. Secret Samadhi - Live 7. To Be With You - Mr. Big 8. Fly Me to the Moon - Tony Bennett 9. Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers 10.Portuguese Love - Teena Marie (I don't know if she counts! lol)

ATO, you have inspired a blog out of your blunder. If you check erijiggna's blog, you'll see that ATO named his top 10 r&b jamz instead of hip hop joints. Now I wanna know, what are your top 10 r&b jamz? I'm talkin 'bout real singers and artists, not Chris Brown or Omarion. For these purposes, them boys don't fit in this blog at all! Here's my list, in no particular order: 1. A Song For You - Donny Hathaway 2. Someday We'll All Be Free - Donny Hathaway (the man had mad talent, what can I say? Chi-town, stand up!) 3. Fantasy - Earth, Wind, and Fire 4. Reasons - Earth, Wind, and Fire 5. These Three Words - Stevie Wonder 6. Africa - D'Angelo 7. Is It a Crime - Sade 8. Beautiful - India Arie 9. Femininity - Eric Benet 10. Everything She Wants - Wham! Not R&B, you say? Like hell, if JT and Robin Thicke can be, then George Michael was the original. Don't believe me? Take a look below:

Oh yes he did! What am I referring to? I have addressed this issue before, and here I am again, not even a month later, bringing the issue to the forefront again. What is it about the brothas on this site and their comfort with calling women here out of their names for no good reason? Here is my Exhibit A: I posted a forum recently asking if there are people who would decide not to date other black people just because they're not habesha. I got a wide range of replies to this answer, which I appreciate, including this reply from Tedla_man2: "I have noticed habesha people; especially the women marry a habesha man just to please their patents and to have kids, not because they love the man. So, I think its okay to marry a none-habesha individual. Just make sure you understand what it means to be married." There was no problem with what he said, in my opinion, but when I read a little further, I took a little bit of an issue with this statement: "But I'm better of dealing with the enemy I know then the enemy I don't know." In my opinion, that statement sounded kind of combative, because why would you refer to a person that you're getting into a relationship with as "the enemy?" Since I didn't know how long brothaman's been here, I decided to voice my opinion about the idea of black Americans being seen as strangers by habesha folk without making an attack on him, which I thought I made pretty clear in my statement below: "I have a problem with you referring to women as "the enemy", but no matter. I don't know how long you've been here, and this isn't geared directly towards you; but for people who live in this country and feel that way, what reason to you have to feel that black Americans are strangers? The majority of habesha folk in the U.S. live in neighborhoods with plenty of black folk, so there's no reason not to familiarize yourself with the people you live around. Not to do so would be to your detriment. I know that when I was in school, I was the only habesha kid there, and I learned very quickly that I wasn't gonna get anywhere by alienating the people around me. If more habesha folk would learn the same lesson, maybe they wouldn't have so many jacked-up ideas about black Americans." Despite the fact that I made it clear that I was not talking to or about him, Tedla_man2 got pretty pissed, as you can see in his reply below: "What the hell are you talking about, i have here as long as you have, I was not born here but I know whats going on. I see myself as black American and I don't think i am stranger. I choose to have a meanful relationship with habesha girl because thats what I want. You need to come down *****." Now, I don't care how mad you get at me for any reason, if I'm not cursing at you and I'm clearly not disrespecting you, you have no reason to ever call me outside my name, especially not in my forum. I let dude know that I was going to make an example of him, and that I did. I am not going to talk about what a pathetic excuse of a man he must be for talking to a woman like that, cuz that's just not me, nor will I waste time telling him exactly where I think he can go with those filthy comments, cuz I'm a lady. I'm just stating for the record and for the administration that Tedla_man2 is no longer welcome in any of my forums or blogs, of which there are many, and that I will be alerting them whenever I see his name under anything I write to have his posts removed. I refuse to be disrespected like that, because I know I didn't do anything wrong.

So, I told y'all that I did reply back to this guy concerning his letter. Here's what I wrote to this poor, misguided soul: Wow, what kind of experiences have you had with black women to make you so bitter? Contrary to your opinion, all black women are not ghetto *******; so it seems to me that you have spent your life surrounded by the wrong kind of black female. I have to say female because the people you described in your rant are not worthy of being called women. I would be lying if I didn't recognize that there are plenty of females like the ones you described, but if you're looking for a peaceful relationship, don't play yourself by thinking that escaping from a black woman is the answer. Believe me when I tell you that the life that I've led has given me the opportunity to be in close contact with many other cultures; and there are females like these to be found in every ethnic and racial classification of women in this country. You mentioned that you would rather marry a latina woman before a black woman, but in my experience, I have encountered far more of these women who fall into the ghetto trash category that you so aptly described than black women, and the only women that I've ever known that openly admit to having sexually transmitted diseases have NOT been black. I don't know where or how you've had your experiences, and I can only assume that you, too are a black man because you sound so embittered and disillusioned toward black women as if they were spurned family members; but from one black woman to a black man, the quality of women that you find has to do largely with your own quality as a person. I've been disillusioned myself and tried to blame other people by pointing out their shortcomings, but I neglected to realize that these people were never worth my time in the first place; and that it was my fault for wasting this valuable time. Now that I have decided to surround myself with a group of people who are better matched to me intellectually, socially, and emotionally/spiritually, I have found the man of my dreams without having to give up on black men (* Okay, I'm gonna be real: I did EMBELLISH at this part a bit, but it's gonna happen someday, for real! I had a point to prove to brothaman, you understand?). If you give yourself the chance, you can do the same. While it would have normally been my first instinct to curse someone like you for using such coarse language while speaking of ANY woman, I realized that it wouldn't mean anything to you. I want to reach out to you as a logical person so that you can be receptive to what I have to say. I, while not a perfect or chaste being, am far from being anybody's ***** or hoe; and you have to know that there are many more of us where I came from. You just have to be in the right state of mind to know how to appreciate one of us when you see one. By the way, I am 26 years old with NO children. Yes, we do still exist!

Now, I'm not even gonna comment on the following selection except to say that I found this on the Rants and Raves section of Craig's List. You all can form your very own opinions about it and tell me all about it when you get done. This was titled, "Letter to Black Women." Dear Black Women, This is indeed a most glorious day. Its glorious because all of your games are now over. The good and decent black men in the world are waking up to just how foul and decietful you really are. Because of your lying deceitful and whoring ways damn near any man of any race can see that having any type of relationship with you is a no win situation. The game you play is a simple one. From the time you get to your teens and see that males are attracted to you start what is called the "15 year party". From age 15-30 you live your life like a complete and total animal. You dumb bastards will spend your entire youth engaged in the most base and vile activities with no thought of anything outside of yourself and your needs. All any man has to do is to look at what goes at Freaknik and Black College Reunion to see what so called educated and high class sisters are all about. You spends your entire youth letting thug and thug run up in your and leave you with babies that neither you nor he can take of. You jackasses will parade around barely clothed proclaim yourself to be a "freak a leek" and then wonder why your stuck with raising 2 or 3 kids by yourself. Black women spend their entire youth ensuring that they will spend all their time outside youth stressed out and angry from all the stupid sugar they do themselves. Damn near every black women I see that is 40 years old looks completely worn out and stressed. Thats because once you reach that age it is impossible for you to whore around to get what you want. No one wants to bend over backwards for you when your whore powers are gone at that age. Thugs and Criminals do not like to foil worn out used up women so this leaves you with a problem;no one wants your a$$ anymore. Then you all of a sudden "wake up". Then you decide you want a "nice man". But guess what us "nice men" do not want you sorry whores anymore. You will have to raise all those illegitimate kids all by yourself. You will have to deal with mess you have made all by yourselves. You will have to look in the mirror at all those stretch marks by yourself. No man wants a slutty tattoed reformed whore for a wife. That is what black women are learning now. This brings me to another issues. Why do you bastards blame men for all of your self inflicted problems. When a black woman destroys her life through drugs,partying,alcohol etc etc. She all of sudden declares "I hate men". "I hate men" has become the new excuse trash can women use when they have completely ruined their entire lives. Instead of facing up to the mess you have made and trying to change you decide to blame it all on us men. You morons will let thug after thug dump a load on your face then you turn around and say "I hate men" and then say they are the ones responsible for what has gone wrong you. You blame men on the "down low" for giving you HIV. That sure is funny because every black women I know that has HIV or herpes got it from whoring around. In fact I even knew a women who got HIV from a drug dealer and still continued to sleep with him for years after she knew he infected her. You are truly a pathetic lot. Most black women are nothing but monsters. The more beautiful a black women is on the outside the more of a monster she is on the inside. The marriage game you play is also coming to a end. The marriage game you play is as follows: - If a black woman makes 20,000 a year she will marry a man who makes at least 50,000. - If she makes 50,000 she will look for a man who makes at least 100,000 and above. - If she makes 100,000 and above she will look for a man who is nearly at millionare status. - If she is a millionaire then no mere mortal man is ever going to be good enough for her. Your goal is to marry a man with more resources than yourselves. Then when things fall apart or you tire of the marriage divorce the man and then leave with more wealth and assets than you came into the situation with. It just that simple. You skanks dont look for higher qualities when you look at people you look for what the best opportunity for yourselves and then you go for it. You treat people like sugar your whole and then when it blows up in your face you are left looking stupid. Black females are nothing but predators. I once heard a black woman with 3 kids from 3 different fathers say how she was waiting for "her millionaire husband" to come along. Millionaires generally dont like to marry used up trash can women with gold teeth,tattoos and stretch marks. Black female can be so silly and stupid sometimes. I am 31 years old and I have come to the conclusion that the black women cannot be cohabitated with in peace. A man has two choices. -He can have peace,tranquility and balance in his life. -Or he can have a black woman. I choose to have peace. Black females are the nastiest most petty group of whining complaining people that I know of. YOU CANNOT LIVE WITH A BLACK WOMAN AND HAVE PEACE. It just cannot be done these days. If I ever get married I will marry a women who is puerto rican mexican,chinese,brazillian,asian,hawaiia n,,japansese etc etc(just insert the name of the desired nationality) before I will marry a black female. So my message to you is simple. Go ahead and "get low" up in "da club". Go to the club and "work dat booty" Go ahead and "***** pop" for all the brothers that "got a lil thug in em". Do your thing girl. But when you eventually "wake up" want a "good man" to marry we will not be there for your a$$. Go ahead and foil your lives up. Me and all the other nice men who got dissed by you will be busy building our lives and making sure that we can be prosperous whether or not you approve of us all or not. I see women everyday struggling with children by themselves and trying to deal with the mess they have made. Struggle ***** struggle,its what your a$$ deserves. Poetic justice does indeed exist.

I love Black History Month because it really makes us reflect on all we have to offer as a people. If we take a look at the past when making moves was much more difficult and see that people triumphed in the face of adversity, then we see that we have no excuses and have to make moves of our own. Take a look at the story of the nation's first black woman to become president of a bank. MAGGIE LENA WALKER Maggie Lena Walker was the Nation's first female bank president. She was organizer and founder of the St. Luke Bank and Trust company of Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Walker came from an improverished family, but her personal status and wealth grew tremendously over the years. She was born in 1867, one of two children, to William Mitchell and Elizabeth Draper who had been slaves belonging to the well-known Van Lew family of Richmond. As a child, Maggie roamed through the gardens at the Van Lew mansion, which was a station on the Underground Railroad. Mistress Elizabeth Van Lew had been a notorious Union spy and harbored Union soldiers after they escaped from Confederate prisons in Richmond. As a child, Maggie was a gifted student. She finished high school at the head of her class at age sixteen and began a teaching career. Shortly, thereafter, she traded teaching for a position as executive secretarty of the Independent Order of St. Luke Society. Within ten years she had been promoted to grand secretary-treasurer, a position hse held for 35 years. Without any previous training she achieved immediate success for the Order. In the later 1800's, insurance policies were unheard of for Blacks. The purpose of the Order of St. Luke was to assist sick and aged memebers and provide funeral and burial services. Maggie maintained the membership records. Later, she conceived the notion of teaching members how to save and invest their money. From this idea grew her plan for founding St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, of which she became president. When Maggie assumed the position of secretary-treasurer in 1899, the organization had about 3,400 members, but no reserve funds, no property, and inadequate staff. By 1924, not only had she increase the membership to 100,000, but she aquired a $100,000 office building, a cash reserve of about $70,000 and a full-time working staff of 55, along with 145 field workers. Also, members could follow the course of her progress by reading the St. Luke Herald newspaper, another venture she launched. September, 1890, Maggie married Armistead Walker, a well-to-do Black businessman. They had two sons. After the birth of their first son, Russell, Mrs. Walker put his care into the hands of household servants and devoted thhe majority of her time to the Order. She moved up in rank, establishing new services with each advancement. In 1895, she formed the Juvenile Branch of the Order and drafted governing laws. Her second son, Melvin, was born in 1897. In 1903, Mrs. Walker instigated the important move of changing the name of the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank to the St. Luke Bank and Trust Company. Later, it became the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company with Mrs. Walker as chairman of the board. She organized and stood at the helm of many civic organizations: the St. Luke Educational Fund to help Black boys and girls get an education, organizer and president of the Council of Colored Women. She was a trustee of the National Training School in Washington, D.C., a national director of the NAACP, board member of the National Urban League, and an appointee of various governors of Virginia. She was also the prime mover in the establishment of a home for delinquent Black girls in Richmond. She organized 1,400 women into a council which paid the first $5,000 to purchase land for the institution. She was prominent in all community enterprises and was the recipient of several honorary degrees. Blacks paid her a great honor in 1934, when national Black organizations declared the month of October "Maggie L. Walker Month." One thousand statuettes of her were placed in Black homes, schools, and businesses across the country. She died later that same year.

We all know that our brotha Bob Marley sang about the Buffalo Soldiers, but how many of us can really say that we know what these brothas did way back when? Well, that's what I'm here for! Got some info from the Afro-American Almanac to help us shed some light on this subject. THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS Black soldiers fought in Washington's army during the War of Independence, and served with Andrew Jackson at New Orleans in 1815. Late in 1861, Colonel T. W. Higginson took command of the First Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers, the first Black regiment in the service of the United States. On June 28, 1866, an Act of Congress authorized the creation of two cavalry and four infantry regiments, "which shall be composed of colored men." They were organized as the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 38th through 41st Infantry. The 9th and 10th Cavalry would go on to play a major role in the history of the West, as the "Buffalo Soldiers." On September 21, 1866, the 9th Cavalry Regiment was activated at Greenville, Louisiana under command of Colonel Edward Hatch and the 10th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas under command of Colonel Benjamin Grierson. The term "buffalo soldiers" came from Cheyenne warriors who first encountered these black men in blue uniforms, whose dark skin and thick hair resembled the buffalo. The initial strangeness turned to respect buffalo soldiers participated in most of the campaigns against hostile tribes, earning themselves battle honors and no less than 18 Medals of Honor for individual heroism. The Buffalo Soldiers consistently received some of the worst assignments the Army had to offer. They also faced fierce prejudice to both the colors of their Union uniforms and their skin by many of the citizens of the post-war frontier towns. Despite this, the troopers of the 9th and 10th Cavalries developed into two of the most distinguished fighting units in the Army. After the Indian campaigns, the buffalo soldiers continued their outstanding service during the Spanish-American War and along the Mexican border. For three years during the Philippine Insurrection, portions of all four black regiments and two black volunteer regiments saw action. They were distributed among army posts throughout the archipelago, the black soldiers, both regulars and volunteers, participated in military operations from Northern Luzon to Samar. Elements of the 9th and 10th went on to fight in Cuba, and took part in the charge up San Juan Hill. The 10th Cavalry took part in the expedition against Pancho Villa, with General Pershing. In addition to their fine combat record, the buffalo soldiers steadfastly performed the other duties. They explored and mapped vast areas of the southwest and strung hundreds of miles of telegraph lines. They built and repaired frontier outposts around which future towns and cities sprang to life. Without the protection provided by the 9th and 10th Cavalries, crews building the ever expanding railroads were at the mercy of outlaws and hostile Indians. Despite its dreariness, hardships, boredom, and fatigue, they had the lowest desertion rate of the frontier Army; on $13.00 a month, meals, and a roof, if available. The two regiments were formed into the 4th Cavalry Brigade in 1941, commanded by General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., at Camp Funston, Kansas. The horse cavalry regiments were disbanded in 1944, and with them, the long and proud history of The Buffalo Soldiers.

Everybody, well, almost everybody, in Chicago knows that our founder was a Black man. Now I'm giving everybody here the chance to learn a little bit more about our founding father. Here goes some handy-dandy info that I scooped off the Afro-American Almanac site: JEAN BAPTISTE POINTE DUSABLE DuSable was a famous frontier trader, fur trapper, farmer, businessman and the "authenticated father of the nation's second largest city - Chicago" Historical records do not agree as to the origin of this great man. However, tradition insists that DuSable was born a free Black, about 1745, in St. Marc, Saint Dominque (Haiti). He was the son of a French mariner and an African-born slave mother. His father took him to France to be educated, and afterwards, he worked as a seaman on his father's ships. He was a powerfully built man, well educated and cultured. He had a love for European art and at one time owned twenty-three old world art treasures. He spoke French, English, Spanish, and several Indian dialects. At the age of 20, DuSable was injured on a voyage to New Orleans. Upon reaching the shores of New Orleans, he learned that the Spanish government had taken over. The French Jesuits, a Catholic order, protected DuSable from being enslaved until he was well enough to make his way up the Mississippi River. He later settled in Peoria, Illinois. In the early 1770s, DuSable built a cabin and eventually owned more than 800 acres of land in Peoria. He enjoyed a special relationship with Illinois territorial Indians. He took a Potawatomi Indian, Catherine, as his common-law wife and fathered a daughter, Susanne, and a son, Jean. Some years later, he left Peoria and made his way north until he reached the Great Lakes area. The promise of greatness of the "Chigago" area, an which DuSable decided to settle, had been passed over by others before him. None had the foresight to look beyond its barren, damp, marshy condition, no did they have the fortitude to make "nothing" into one of the greatest locations in the western hemisphere. In 1779, starting from scratch, DuSable built the first permanent home on the north bank of the Chicago River, where the present-day Tribune Tower stands. It was a well-constructed house consisting of five rooms and equipped with all the modern conveniences of the times. Later, despite the disadvantages, DuSable established a thriving trading post and in short time, became well-known as far away as Wisconsin and Detroit. The trading post consisted of a mill, bakehouse, dairy, smokehouse, workshop, poultry house, horse stable, barn and several other smaller buildings. His post was the main supply station for White trappers, traders, woodsmen, and the Indians. The Chicago portage boomed. It became the key route for merchant trading, and DuSable sent wheat, breads, meats and furs to trading posts in Detroit and Canada. DuSable became a man of considerable wealth and means. He also owned a substantial quantity of field and carpentry tools, which indicated that he must have hired men for field work and building assignments. In addition, he owned an appreciable quantity of livestock, poultry, and hogs. In 1784, DuSable brought his wife and children to Chicago. And, as DuSable was a devout Catholic, he and Catherine were properly married by a Catholic priest. In 1796, their grand-daughter became the first child born in the city of Chicago. As the history of DuSable unfolds, it leaves all history scholars puzzled by his sudden departure from such a prosperous environment. On May 7, 1800, the "father" of Chicago sold his entire wealth for a mere $1,200 and left the area. In 1818, he died almost penniless, and was buried in a Catholic cemetery in St. Charles, Missouri.

I think that since it's Black History Month, we need to honor all black people, right? I'm not making a statement about his politics, but I'm making a statement about his place in history. I'm talking about Harold Ford, Jr., the "other" black politician. I think everybody should know who he is, cuz regardless of what you think of his views, this brotha is going places. Look at this info that I pulled up about him from the friendly people at Wikipedia: Ford is the son of former Congressman Harold Ford, Sr. and Dorothy Ford. He has three brothers—Jake, Isaac, and Andrew—and one sister, Ava [1]. His family has long been prominent in Memphis' black community; the Fords' influence dates back to the mid-20th century when E.H. Crump, a prominent white Democrat, dominated city and state politics and befriended N.J. Ford by ordering that all black deceased persons not otherwise directed by the family be sent to Ford Funeral Homes. [2]. Ford was baptized at his church, Mt. Moriah-East Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended Double Tree Elementary School, a public school in Memphis, and he graduated from St. Albans School for Boys, a university-preparatory school in Washington, D.C.. He received a B.A. in American history from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1992. [3] In 1992, he was a staff aide to the Senate Budget Committee, and in 1993 he was special assistant to the United States Department of Commerce. [4] Ford received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1996. During his campaign for the House of Representatives, he sat for and failed the Tennessee Bar Exam. He has publicly acknowledged that he intends to try again. [5] When Harold, Sr. decided not to seek a 12th term in Congress in 1996, Harold, Jr. wasted little time entering the race. Ford arranged his schedule for his last semester at Michigan so he would not have Monday or Friday classes. [6] He was thus able to fly home to Memphis for an extended weekend each week to continue his campaign. As expected, he easily won the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic, black-majority 9th. He was reelected four times without serious Republican opposition by an average of 80% of the vote.[7] In 2000, Ford was the keynote speaker for the 2000 Democratic National Convention supporting then Vice President Al Gore for the Democratic nomination for President. [8] After the 2002 elections resulted in Democrats losing Congressional seats, Ford announced his candidacy for House Democratic Leader, challenging then-House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi, arguing that current leadership was ineffective.[9] Ford was defeated but exceeded initial expectations in terms of the amount of support he received.[10] A few pundits suggested that he might be nominated as the Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate in 2004; [11] however, he was ineligible for the office because he would be four months short of turning 35 on Inauguration Day (January 20, 2005). In November 2005, when Ohio Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt implied that Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha was a "coward" in response to Murtha's proposal for a redeployment of American forces in Iraq, Ford charged across the House floor to the Republican side during the resulting uproar in the chamber, shouting "Say it to Murtha!" (or "Say Murtha's name!" depending on the source) while waving his finger at Schmidt. Like many Congressmen, Ford believed Schmidt's remarks (which she later withdrew) were an unwarranted "cheap shot" against Murtha, a veteran of the Marine Corps. [12] Ford's voting record is considered much more conservative on some issues than conventional wisdom would suggest for a district like the 9th, even though Republicans have not seriously contested the district since 1978 (Harold, Sr. ran unopposed in 1980, and the district was redrawn as a black-majority district after that year's census). He supported a ban on benefits for same-sex couples, as well as the Federal Marriage Amendment (which would ban same-sex marriage). He has told Democrats they should be more supportive of the Iraq War and criticized Senate Democrats who attempted to filibuster Samuel Alito. He was one of the few Democrats who voted for the Bankruptcy Bill, and he supports some restrictions on abortion, defining himself as a "pro-life" candidate. However, he has also opposed Bush's energy proposals (including oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), has demonstrated support for adoption rights of same-sex couples, supports universal healthcare coverage, opposes the death penalty and indicates a willingness to reform illegal drug policy. [13] [14] Ford supported a ban on intact dilation and extraction, called by its opponents, partial-birth abortion. He supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. [15][16] Ford sat on the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Financial Services. He also served on the Transformation Advisory Group, a group of political, military and academic leaders who worked with the Department of Defense to assess the needs of the armed forces. Ford was a member of the New Democrat Coalition, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Blue Dog Coalition. [17] His popularity among white voters in the Memphis area steadily increased during his decade in Congress; in 2000, for instance, he won 40% of the white vote.[citation needed] Ford did not run for reelection to the House of Representatives in 2006, due to his campaign for the United States Senate, which he lost. His younger brother, Jake Ford, ran for the 9th district seat as an independent, but lost to Democrat Steve Cohen. On April 6, 2005, during an interview on C-SPAN's call-in show Washington Journal, Ford confirmed that he would be running for the Senate. [19] He filed the papers necessary to officially begin his Senate campaign on May 25, 2005. Democratic State Senator Rosalind Kurita briefly challenged Ford for the nomination but dropped out of the primary because of inadequate fundraising, effectively handing Ford the nomination.[20] On August 3, 2006, Ford overwhelmingly won the Democratic primary. After the primary, Ford's supporters held a large victory celebration at Nashville's LP Field. Among the speakers was former U.S. President Bill Clinton.[21] Ford faced Republican Bob Corker in the November 2006 election. Not long after Corker's primary victory was assured, Ford challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he would debate Ford, though he did not agree to seven debates. [22] Corker and Ford participated in a televised debate in Memphis on October 7[23], in Chattanooga on October 10[24], and in Nashville on October 28. [25] In January 2006, NBC's Meet the Press extended an open invitation for the candidates to debate on the nationally-televised show. Ford accepted the invitation, stating that "any weekend would work for him." The Corker campaign did not agree.[26] On October 20, Ford confronted Corker while Corker was preparing for a press conference. [27] On November 8, Ford conceded to Corker and was declared the loser for the Senate seat; Corker defeated Ford by less than three percentage points.[1] In December 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that Ford told students at an L.A.-area school that he will likely run again in 2008 for the Senate seat currently held by Lamar Alexander. Later, Ford refused to either confirm or deny that he was planning to run in 2008.[28] In the meantime "he hopes to spend a lot of time at home, perhaps do some teaching and work with Governor Bredesen on some issues in Tennessee."[29] On January 25, 2007, Ford was named chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council.[30] Ford has also been appointed visiting professor of public policy at Vanderbilt University and will teach a class on American political leadership.[31]

Alright, y'all, I don't mean to hit you with so many of these, but I've just been feeling kinda nostalgic lately. Don't worry, I'm going back to work on Tuesday, so this won't last long. Who don't love them some Anita Baker? This one is my supa-jam! Wait, on second thought, this one is:

Who else remembers this song from way back in the day? I hope I'm not the only one here who likes Arabic music...

I love Aaron Neville, but not so much that I can't crack up when he's being made fun of. Enjoy! But of course, I gotta take it back, and that may be all you need to know... If you're anything like me, you're still laughing anyway!