LaShun Pace | Bsmith101's Weblog

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POST OFFICE CLOSINGS….

I don’t know maybe it is just a sign of the times. But yesterday when I went by our local post office I was greeted with a big sign on the door.

At first I could barely believe it. I thought it was something that ‘they’ were just talking about. I didn’t know that ‘they’ were really thinking about doing it.

It is hard to believe that 1 day this world will be without a postal system… but I see that day rapidly coming. A day when children will never know what it is to walk into a building called the ‘POST OFFICE’ to purchase stamps… or ship off a box… or express a package. Gone will be that place where sometimes you ran into a friend or 2. That place whose rates beat that of UPS or FEDEX. That place where you could go to buy a money order for any amount at a price below a dollar.

Yes, 1 day this world will be without a postal system as we know it. It will be replaced with over-rated email accounts, SUPER-FED or undoubtably it will become something else. Something just like our current phone system. It will be replaced by a bunch of people competing for our dollars… when we only used to pay just a few cents.

Yes, what was 42 cents compared to whatever fees they will being throwing at us?

Gone will be the day you could just walk up to the counter and buy just a single stamp… or pick and chose between the Black History stamps, the flower stamps… or whatever other type of stamp you wanted.

Do you remember when television used to be free?????

I do…and I sure wish those day were back. Because ounce per ounce who wants to pay for a bunch of re-runs day in and day out. And with more than 100 channels… you still hear yourself sighing-

“There’s nothing on tonight.”

It is amazing how little we think of things until we lose them.

I like receiving my bills in the mail. And I like sending off a check in the mail when I pay them.

Have you tried to pay a bill over the phone… only to find that there is a fee for doing so?

Have you ever had a dispute with a company… and didn’t have a detailed record… like your prior bills to prove that you were right?

Recently, we were hit with a major storm that put us all in the dark for a couple of weeks. Everything was down. The ATM machines were down, all the restaurants were closed… Walmart and everybody else was closed… and there he was… that lone man in his uniform delivering our mail.

Treasure them while we still have them. Because the world is changing. And changing fast.

I’m missing ours already.

Can’t believe it.

Well, hope you had a good day. Got much on my mind. I have no doubt that I will probably write about it at some time or other. But right now I’m just dealing with it…and depending upon the Lord to work it out on my behalf. It is good to know that He is on my side.

Hope you had a great turkey day. We had so much to be thankful for. In fact, we always do. And no matter what the situation God is forever good. He never fails… even if the U.S. Postal system claims they are.

Well, God bless… and enjoy the rest of your week. How quickly these days are rolling by.

Almost December now…what am I talking about? Tomorrow is December… and soon Christmas. And then we will be into a new year… 2011 certainly did not stay around for long.

And soon… and very soon the rain drops in this picture will be replace by snow flakes.

Add a comment November 30, 2011

Roy Blunt and his monkey comments…racism… and the 21st America…

This morning while listening to a morning local talk show the topic centered around Senator Roy Blunt calling Obama an monkey.

Roy Blunt, in an address before a group called…Valued Voter’s Summit, began his address by saying-

“…that clearly this is a time when our values are being challenged.”

Just what did he mean by that…I wonder?

That America is no longer an oasis of white supremacy any more… or something…any more since voting a black President?

Was that what he was eluding to?

I thought one used to say that about Europe. Or so many thought…I suppose.

Blunt then went on to talk about a golf course that had been built within the jungle of India. Saying that something happened that they did not anticipate after their golf course was built. And that is that when golf balls were hit the monkeys would come running out of the jungle onto the golf course and grab up the balls.

At the end of Blunt’s message he stated that the officials of the golf course put forth a ruling saying-

“You have to play the ball wherever the monkey throws it.”

Where he then stated-

“And that is pretty much what we have to do in Washington.”

Blunt then went on to say that-

“You know the world is turned up-side down when Al Franken and Tom Delay is on dancing with the stars. That’s how you know that the world has changed in ways that you would have never have anticipated.”

Blunt fell just short of saying-

“And a black man is in the White House as President.”

Then…

“That’s how you know that the world has changed in ways that you would have never have anticipated.”

In listening to the talk show, which I of course had to call in to…to offer my own opionion on the subject as the issue centered around whether or not Blunt’s comments had been racist?

Any thinking person would have to say, “Yes.”

But the problem as I pointed out to the host of the program was this…

Many white people say and do things which they simply do not consider to be racist, but they are. Or least ways…they ‘claim’ that they do not take what they said was racist. Though secretly they knew that it was…but they state otherwise.

Then the other side of the coin is this…

When you as a black person…or non-whitle points that whatever was said or done was racist… then the whole thing gets turned around. And you become the racist for having said that they were being racist.

But even if a person said something offensive to another…does not mean that it was any less offensive simply because someone says-

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

Which is really not the case…many of the times. Most people know exactly what they are saying. And say it for the purpose of twisting a knief in you…if their words are cutting or hurtful in nature.

It is kind like playing that ‘liberal card,’ which the Republicans have become not only famous for doing so, but quite well versed at doing also. Whenever someone who the Republicans do not like says or does something positive for the p0or or under-served people of this country…the Republicans quickly flash the ‘liberal card’ upon them.

They were quite effective at doing it during the Bush/Kerry run to the White House. Every time Kerry opened his mouth to say something, the Republicans rebuked him by calling him ‘liberal’…which became a dreaded word…and particiularly it seemed for John Kerry. He would start stuttering and get lost…loosing himself in what to say next. Which is why it worked so very well against him. He always backed up from it.

obama-chimp-cartoon-1[1] That was the one thing about Ted Kennedy, being called a ‘liberal’ was something which did not bother him…nor did he let it stop him from speaking up. Because in the end…that is all it came down to. The Republicans using the word ‘liberal’ to scare off Democratic too weak to stand up.

And that is the good thing about Barack Obama too. He is not afraid to be called ‘liberal.’ Which is the tag that Republicans give to anyone who tries to do anything to aid, help or otherwise assist what the Republicans deem as the ‘under class.’

The problem that I see coming for the 21st Century America will not be one of class but one of race. The issue of race has always been and continues to be an issue which most Americans do not seriously want to address. But it is an issue which has fluctuated through the years in terms of its intensity…overtly and conversely.

It is an issue which has longed been put on the back burner as America has always tried to hide the fact that she has such a problem…as a race problem. But it got its start drenched in the blood and heartache of slavery, from the point when the first Dutch slave ships hit this country in 1619…then peaked during the 1960’s during the Civil Rights movement after years of being surpressed. And now againt it is rearing its ugly head…ever since the day that America elected her first non-white male to sit in the Oval Office on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., as President of the United States.

The issue of black vs white in this has had it lows and highs in this country. For periods this issue has seem dormant. But not so at all…not in reality. It is just that during those times there were rushes to calm things down, cover them up, keep them out the eye of the public, or quietly try to erase the events as being racially motivated at all. But they were.

Case in point…it took place in an area of Texas…in Jasper, TX, 1998: 2 white young males took a black man, James Byrd III, who was walking a country road on his way back home from wedding, they beat him then chained to the back of their pick-up truck and dragged him to his death tearing apart his body…and this was just a few years ago.

It would have been something you might have expected to hear about happening in some other country but never in America. But no…

It happened here… in America.

And we all sat beside the television trying to get every bit of information on the story…while trying to figure out-

“What could have caused or motivated such a thing to happen?”

Racism did.

Hatred did.

And though that small Texas town that had a history of racial incidents…many sited as ‘isolated incidents’…something that had never happened before. But the truth of the matter is…is that America these ‘isolated little incidents’ for years…and not only the south.

These so-called ‘isolated incidents’ have continued throughout the history of America, such evil that many of them are hard to imagine. Events whose roots got started back during the slavery of black folks in this country…or perhaps even as early as the early settlers and Native Indian relationships. But slavery was a time when black people in this country were considered to be cattle…when white slave owners routinely killed and made examples of them…by chopping off a hand or foot…or beating slavagely for the benefit of the other slaves who might try to run away or whateverl else have you.

http://www.texasnaacp.org/archive/jasper.htm

Not to mention that following slavery in this country, black men and a few women were often found hanging from trees in the south after having first been beaten by mobs of white men, who then tarred and feathered black folks, and then set them on fire and hung them. Whom they left hanging…also as examples to other blacks that lived in their communities as to what they could do to them also. And this they did at will…and without fear of retribution.

So, yes the treatment of President Obama, the first black man, out 43 white men prior to him…and never having suffer the blatent and tireless attacks and disrespect shown to the first African American President of this country. Yes, treatment of him is a concern to most black folks. And yes…it certainly brings back a lot of old past memories of the ill and segregrated…Jim Crow treatment that black people lived under…and the lack of full acceptance or respect of Black people throughout the history of America.

Just the other day, I happened to called a older senior woman who I occasional call once in a while just to see how she is doing. Before our conversation even got going the woman said to me-

“And you see how they are treating Obama?”

I never even knew the woman payed attention to politics. But I could hear the rage in her voice as she asked me question.

I knew quite well what she was talking about. She was highly enraged over it…and insulted that anyone had dared to call him a liar…being the President of the United States. And she clearly understand…90 something woman that she was in age…that the only reason that anyone had dared to do that was because he was a black man…as she well pointed that out me in her anger. And she didn’t like it…and I have to say neither did I…nor any of the other black folk that know either.

We don’t like it.

If you have lived through certain things…you never forget them. Just as the Holocust victims will never ever forget the Holocaust. Because they survived it…but that time…what they saw…felt…and the loses that they incurred left indeliable images and memories in their minds and hearts. So, too…our history in this country….which is as much ours as anyone else’s. Particularly since we played a major role in building this country…and most of the inventions that have come out of it.

An attack on Obama is an attack against us. And that is how we view it.

It is like how we viewed what the officials of the Miss America contest did some years ago to Vannessa Williams, in 1984. When she became the first black woman ever be chosen in the history of Miss American to become Miss America. Then some days later…maybe 2…there was a big scadal in which the Miss America people took the crown from Vanessa. And black folks just were not having that. There was outrage all across the black communities everywhere in America. I personally have never ever really watched that show since. It climaxed and ended for me with Vanessa Williams.

The scadal came about over some pictures, and black people decared that the Miss America had taken Vanessa’s crown based solely upon racism, as they had never at that point taken a crown from any other woman whom they had crown. Not only did black folk get enraged over the matter…they also went out and bought up every magazine that had those crazy pictures in them off every bookstore shelf. Because that is what black people do. Whenever someone gives us reason to be proud…and others try to destroy that pride…we back our people.

It is not something that we do often…but when we do…we do. And we all felt about Vanessa as well feel about Barack Obama and his family.

Today, Vanessa Williams has gone on to become the most famous and most beautiful…as well as, most recognized winner that the Miss America contest ever had…for which they can take no credit unfortunately for them. Vanessa managed to raise above that event…like Obama, I have no doubt, will continue to raise against the name-calling, veiled threats and statements, ladent bigotry and racist jokes etc… of all those who seek to characterize him as a monkey, critize his judgement, education and birth-right to be President of this country.

Love the show Vanessa. You have got that diva stuff down pact. You can catch her on “Ugly Betty” weeknights…if you don’t know. And my…can she work a red carpet.

Going back to that radio talk show and Blunt’s remarks…the issue is…is that everything someone white begins to talk about monkeys…fried chicken…or watermelon…they are usually referring to African Americans. And whenever they begin to talk about black people tossing in something about monkeys…or fried chicken…or watermelons…it is their intent to insult black folks. Though most of the time they will deny it. But the use of referring to black people as monkeys…or as chicken eating…or watermelon eating whatevers comes through history as things white people have used…besides…the “N” word…to degrade and demean them.

So, yes…Blunt’s remarks about monkeys then referring back to Washington clearly was an intent on his part to directly call Barack Obama a monkey. Therefore, yes…his remarks were quite racist. And judging by the amount of applause and laughter in the room they all got the joke and were in agreement with him. Which clearly shows that racism is very much alive and well in America…and that it is okay to continue to insult and defame black folks no matter who they are or whatever their accomplishments.

So, America is very much in trouble. And folks like the ex-President Jimmy Carter clearly see this.

As Carter points out above, the attacks upon President Obama are rooted in racism. It is a clear signals that this country is in deep trouble. And this thing can become exceedingly dangerous. A time boom…in fact.

Therein lays the problem. They can’t see it. Though they continue in their racist ways…acting out at will…and refuse to call their actions what they truly are. But are quick to call you racist for pointing it out to them. Then go into the back rooms slapping each other on the back and laughing over it. It is what racist do.

It is kind of a game to them. The kind of game that they play in law…since most politicans were lawyers before entering into politics. And that game goes like this…you make the guilty party seem like the injured party.

Thus, you flip the script. And that is what the racists politicans in this country are doing…they flip the script on whoever turns around to call their statements or remarks racist. Saying that “they”…the people…or whoever… calling them out for their remarks… that “they” are the racist ones.

Or they say it was a ‘miss statement’…not intended the way it sounded.

It is all a game. But a highly dangerous game.

This country is just a stone’s throw from another outbreak of race riots. There have been many events that have already started to ignite the same kind of fire that took place in the 1960’s which brought about several riots and burnings of many large cities around America.

One major event has taken place was Katrina, and the way the government under Bush and Fema failed to act in any way for several days to save the lives and property of the people of New Orleans. Then the treated of the mostly black victims of Hurricane Katrin has left a bad taste in many black people mouths. Where many people died un-necessarily. And those who managed to survive the hurrican lost their homes and everything that they owned otherwise…many children torn from their parents…and so many people were displaced and still are today.

Another major event in this country to have taken place which has also impacted a lot of black people and other group of poor people in this country, as well…and this is the economy, foreclosures…and a sense of helplessness and for many hopelessness they are feeling. Upon which…when Obama was voted in as President of this country…presented a ray of hope for them all that they all were in dire need of…both black and white over their current set circumstances which had been brought the Republicans under the poor economics of George Bush. And compounded by the Iraqi War.

But the continued belittling and underminding of President Obama may very well give license to someone to attempt to take Obama’s life…and there have been calls for it.

But if that were to happen…those politicians laughing and joking now…slapping each other on the back now and thinking that they are smart…would soon find themselves in something that they had not considered. And it would and will be bigger than anything that happened when Martin L. King, Jr. was killed.

The times have changed drastically. And they are far more deadly.

Fire hose and police dogs won’t be able to contain what will be unleased if race war were to start in this country. And clearly these ignorant Republican politicians have no idea the type of fire that they are playing with.

It is definitely not a joke. And those stupid politicians who think this thing is a joke really shouldconsider their actions…because this country has years of pent up hatred just waiting to spill over.

And they are pushing the envelop…and messing with flood gates.

Oh…and by the way before it gets mis-understood I do not think the above video is funny. But it goes to prove that the people in this country do not respect our President the rest of the world won’t either. Which would really be rather hard to do…since Obama is controll of what other countries want. But many want other countries to not respect Obama…it all part of their game of trying to under-mind him.

http://www.manolith.com/2009/02/20/ny-post-apologizes-for-monkey-obama-cartoon/

Well, hope that you had a beautiful day. Finally, got some rain last night…and they said maybe some more tonight. But today was pretty mild…and fall is definitely in the air.

Well, God bless…

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