Man of the Week

Model: Chris Bernard

Failing Hearts in a Failing City

Rates of HIV/AIDS in DC is 10 times higher than the national average!

Since 2003, the Government of the District of Columbia has been trying to combat, education, and support the millions of known and unknown HIV/AIDS patients with in the metropolitan area. For about 10 months now, The Washington Post has been documenting and following the story of how non-profit organizations and other local business have abused and misappropriated funds. The Post reports one in three of DC's AIDS dollars earmarked for local groups in recent years went to organizations cited for falsified documentation, few or no clients, incomplete spending records or not running any AIDS programs whatsoever. And, while all is going down the residents of DC living with HIV/AIDS is still struggling and begging for adequate care and support. The stories that you read in the Post articles are breathe-taking, eye-opening, and scary! With all the talk about the overhaul of the our healthcare system its amazing how in the seat of our nation's government we can't even mange or even begin to mange the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Here is a brief synopsis of this gripping piece of journalism:

Over ten months, the Washington Post analyzed the spending, services, and finances of every specialized AIDS organization funded by D.C.'s HIV/AIDS Administration from 2004-2008, an estimated 90 groups, building a database from tax returns, audits, lawsuits, real estate records, D.C. Council records, and corporate and police reports. The Post also obtained grant agreements, invoices and government correspondence for about 60 of these groups. The newspaper interviewed dozens of people with HIV or AIDS patients, their families and service provide

Check it out at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/aids-funding/index.html

Lady GaGa vs. Madonna...LOL

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

When Will Love Conquer All?

Love,

you said you'd never go away

but your gone and, I'm right back where I used be

wondering if you were for me!

One of life's greatest mysteries is will we ever find true love? We search high and low looking for the "one" and when we do for some it marks the beginning of a beautiful journey, but for most of us when we find true love our journeys are marked with joy but the road is often rocky. Rather you are gay or lesbian or a straight interracial couple, your right to love, find love, or to express that love is ill-considered, injudicious, undesirable, just plain Wrong! You would have thought that after the landmark Loving v. Virginia, which declared the ending of race-based restrictions on marriage, that in 2009 a loving interracial couple would be denied to express their love in the beauty of marriage all because of some racist and insensitive bastards.

A representative from the National Black Justice Coalition states it best:

“Time and again we have seen public officials discriminate against loving, committed couples and claim that their discrimination is really motivated by concern for children. That justification is wrong when it’s used to deny marriage to a couple on the basis of their race. It’s wrong when it’s used to prevent committed gay and lesbian couples from being able to marry. And it’s our responsibility to speak out against it, whenever it happens.

“Every child who is a minority faces discrimination, exclusion and oppression at some point in their lives. It is actions like those of this state official – refusing to marry a loving couple because of personal prejudice – that perpetuate the discrimination and racism that continue to pervade our culture.

A speaking of children, there are thousands of children born to interracial parents who grow up to be strong, independent and productive citizens of the United States! HELO LOOK AT PRESIDENT OBAMA!!! I wonder what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot? If these racist and homophobia pricks were shunned because of who they loved? I just don't understand when will we look beyond race, gender, sexual orientation, or age and just see that we all in this beautiful struggle in the human condition. When will America start taking accountability for their actions and actually right their wrongs and live up to the notion that all men are created equal by their CREATOR, not by Keith Bardwell or Congress, or any other bastard! Hopefully one day the light will come to the darkness like an epiphany, and that at the end of the day love will conquer all!

Man of the Week

Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints can you say sexxxy chocolate!

Walk Talk

This past weekend was packed with not only fun but for a near and dear purpose to millions throughout the world. Hundreds of thousands, including myself and my best friend, painted DC rainbow as we all marched, walked, sang, and shouted for equality. Appearances by many figures in the LGBT community as well as President Obama and Lady GaGa showed up and showed out for the various events to promote equality for all not matter what race, gender, or sexual preference. Check out President Obama's address at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner.

Man of the Week

I'm a little late but last week's man was of course none other than President Barack Obama. The man has got it going on. President, Noble Laureate, Cute what more can I, I mean Michele ask for.

The New Miseducation of the Negro

One of the most prominent Black historians of all time, Carter G. Woodson wrote a profound statement on Negro education entitled, The Miseducation of the Negro. Written over 70 years ago his belief was that Black Americans are indoctrinated, rather than taught, in American schools. This conditioning, he claims, causes African-Americans to become dependent and to seek out inferior places in the greater society of which they are a part. That was back in 1933 when the youth of America gave a damn about education. Fast forwarded to 2009 and you get a whole new set of Negroes and a whole new mindset. In my 8th week of fully being in the trenches as an American educator I have come to believe, at least from majority of my students and from other soldiers in the struggle and their students, today's youth especially the Negro child does not care to learn! As painful as it was for me to write that, it is sadly, the truth. I don't know what happened or how we came to this point as a community but it is a damn shame when most of my students say day in and day out: "man, school is boring why can't we learn about what we see on the tv?" "I ain't going to college!" "Why should I care about English, Science, and Math, what does that have to do with me?" I be listening to what you saying and get it too but I just don't care."

About a week ago I had a heated debate with an associate about how things have turned out here in DC public schools since its reduction in force. He said something that struck my nerve to the core, he said all students want to learn! Now deep down in my heart I want to be believe that but its just not true. Now I would modify that and say a handful of students in today's generation want to learn. Achievement is a function of effort not innate ability, meaning success is worked for not giving out right, until these kids understand that they will not realize the potential that they are born with. These are by far the most incompetent, most destructive, most disrespectful, non-working group of kids that I have ever met! There seems to be no moral or social system in place in these kids lives, and who is to blame? Where has the ball been dropped?

Most people want to put all of the blame and responsibility on the teachers and you know what that is definitely not true or fair. Teachers do factor into the equation but there are other variables that influence how these children behave! How about their parents and other family members? How about the communities, neighborhoods, and environments they live in? How about the negative images on tv? or better yet how about the students themselves? They are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, how to behave, and what is expected from them when it comes to school and work. But they don't see the big picture! They don't understand the blood, sweat, and tears that were and still labored and sacrificed for them to sit in half-way decent classrooms and have some tools to learn. They do not understand that they are not getting this education for them but for someone else, opening the door for someone, encouraging someone else. All in all they just don't give damn about education!

So what is the solution? How do move these children out of learned helplessness and into a position of positivity and self-motivation? I don't know and many of colleagues do not know and many parents do not know and students alike do not know, so who the fuck knows?!?!? When will some of the variables in the equation start taking ownership for their role in the demise of the Negro in education? I know one thing Dr. Woodson was and still is right; welcome to the new miseducation of the Negro!

When Life Imitates Art

A few weeks ago I revisited one of my favorite past times, the theatre. A friend and I went to see the stage production of Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. While watching the play it dawn on me how we has human beings imitate the beauty and sometimes twisted nature of art. Art is the outlet of dreams, expression of the soul, the vivid expression of creativity, but if you think about those same words can represent the very real images of life as well. In the play, the main character Dorian Gray is the object of affection to one of his friends, Basil. Basil paints this gorgeous portrait of Dorian however, it startles Dorian because it captures his innocence and youth. Like most of us, afraid of getting old, Dorian exchanges his soul to keep physical youth and have the portrait of himself take the beatings of life. While exchanging his soul Dorian also exchanges morality for condemnation and compassion for heart-less rage.

As the play progressed I realized, how true life really does imitate art. From 9/11 to the first man on the moon, both of those in their own right would be considered figments in someone's imagination, in fact Destination Moon was 1950 film about man traveling to the moon, 19 years later Neil Armstrong stepped his way into history books. Now granted those are two extreme examples of life imitating art, just observe and think about the everyday actions and images and connect them with the surreal world of art, but nowadays its seems the reverse, art is real, life is surreal.

I AM

I Am.....

I am a Black man, who has been weathered by many storms but still has made it on top.

I am a son, walking the prayers and dream of unconditional love

I am a Nigga, the title of fear from those who enslaved my ancestors but have the power of a King

I am hardcore, I'll rape your problem solver and leave you breathless waiting for more

I am a tempo, beating to the rhythm of the music in my heart

I am concern, for I care to much to let it go down like that

I am a griot, speaking light unto a darken path

I am forgiveness, for its what Christ does for me everyday

I am Alpha, but defiantly not Omega

I am biotic, the living element

I am boundless energy, waiting to erupt beauty and passion

I am human, for I fall in the west but raise in the east each every dawn

and I am grateful, for the present is a gift

-Soulja

A Thought To Ponder.....

A local TV ad in Maine, states that if the same-gender marriage law is upheld by voters in November. That schools could be "mandated" to teach students about same-sex marriage and the law. Some argue its a true statement some disagree. What's your perspective?

You Got To Fight For Your Right......

Section 1 of the 14th Amendment reads as follows:

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Ever since its ratification in 1868, this infamous amendment has been the foundation for thousands of cases including some monumental ones such as Brown v. Board, Elk v. Wilkins (which dealt with the citizenship of Native Americans), and Adkins v. Children's Hospital (which dealt with the federal minimum wage for women) just to name a few. Over the years, the 14th Amendment has been left open to varying degrees of interpretation for all who have felt disenfranchised. Now we come to a new era of discrimination and its struggle for equality.

The LGBT community has for years, lobbied for equal protection and equal rights. Why shouldn't we? We are just as deserving as anyone else. Hell I don't know how many hundreds of dollars in taxes that the government has taken out of my paychecks, let alone any other bull that they come up with that we all must comply with. But of course we live in a society which is always quick to throw out "separation of church and state." That "separation" might as well be as existent as a physical Mason- Dixon line. Yes, rather we like it or not everything is centered around morality and religion, which is quite ironic seeing this whole country from the header to footer is corrupt in their own lovely way!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the strides that the LGBT community has made in the past 30-40 years, but we still have a long way to go! If you haven't been following here is a few things you have missed:

The U.S. House's Education and Labor Committee two weeks ago held a hearing on the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prevent employment discrimination, special treatment, or retaliation based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign has launched a grassroots campaign called "No Excuses" which is trying to hold Congress accountable and demand action on equality issues throughout the country in several popular jurisdictions.

A friend of mine who works for the Boston based, Gay & Lesbians Advocates and Defenders has for some weeks now been trying to protect same-gender marriage in Maine and the approval of Referendum 71.

And of course, October 10-11 here in DC will be the National Equality March which hopes to an even greater network of advocates for equality.

Here is a few examples along with the other hundreds, of the modern day interpretation of the 14th Amendment. It is not to say or dismiss the other struggles and perils that can be justified by the 14th Amendment; its just at this point in time in my life as I am learning more about myself; I have moved passed the immature stages of the gay lifestyle and now stepping in to a world of meaning, that can ultimately affect not only me but majority of my friends as well.

In future blogs I will continue to state my opinions about the fight equality and my own personal outlook on the LGBT community. But for right now, its all about the fight and making the fight known. You don't have to be a same-gender loving person to join in, nor do you always have to agree with some of the actions of LGBT people, but just think how many times we all been judged on our actions and seen as the outlier?!?! All we are asking for, better yet all I am asking far is respect. I never knew it was so difficult to gain just a mustard-seed size of respect.

Man of The Week

Football season is now in session! So this week I chose the cute and former tight end for my hometown team the Cleveland Browns, Kellen Winslow Jr

Let My People Go

As many of you heard or may not have heard, Black America is under attack! Now we have been attacked by this epidemic before but for some reason I don't understand why we continuously fall into the same trap every time! Ignorance is our downfall. This past Monday it was ignorance that took the life of 16 year old Honor student Derrion Albert. A few days later it is ignorance again that has sent a massive wave of people both Black and White, uploading videotaped fights on to youtube, twitter, facebook, and myspace. And for what?!?!? I can't wrap my mind around why Black Americans feel this urge to show their asses! I cannot find the glamour in ignorance, and if there is any can someone please point it out to me! The sense-less death of Master Derrion left me personally, with a tear-stained face, anger, and regret; regret in the fact that our community, Derrion's community have failed! And to make matters worse, people have used this young man's death to glorify ignorance and shame! WHEN WILL WE LEARN? WHEN WILL WE GROW THE FUCK UP? No matter what age or generation, Black Americans are always perpetuating the foolery and never taking a second to highlight the uplifting or motivating aspects of our community; the cycle just continues. In teaching I have found this one thing to be true, I can stand in front of my classroom and try to make a difference , moan and bewail to my students how important they are and how they need to leave the bullshit alone, but all that means nothing at 3:30. When they leave the walls of school they step right back in to the zone of ignorance and everything that my colleagues and I have taught gets tossed to the wayside. I pray that one day the light bulb will come on and I hope soon because if we continue down this path it will lead to nothing more than destruction and have our futures hanging in the balance. When will the modern day Black Moses come or has he or she already come and we missed the Exodus? But more importantly when will MY people be liberated from the cycle of ignorance!

Musical Interlude # I

I'm back are you happy!!! Sorry Ladies and Gents I'll been under a mound of paper work and lesson plans. I have survived my first formal observation and now I am starting to find a balance between my professional lfe and my personal life. So I am so happy to return and let all my thoughts pour out onto the pages of this blog.

This has been your public service annocement!