Dear Black People or Thoughts on How to Move Forward From Ferguson

The Michael Brown grand jury case was doomed to fail before it even started.  The decision was made to try to cool down the protest and the anger and to create an illusion of due process to appease the public.  What is more alarming than the result of the grand jury was the decision to release it 8pm local time.  All the chest pieces were now set: that National Guard was put on alert, the national media swarmed in to broadcast the reaction with questions and placing gasoline on already fiery build up to an unpopular and downright wrong decision, and we had protesters and rioters (yes there is a difference) ready and we the people prepared not to be surprised.

I remember just seven short years ago when some said the election of Barack Obama as President was supposed to be the beginning a post racial society where we saw the world without color or prejudice.  The reaction and the behavior since has been much different.   I am not sure in the world of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the 24 hour cable news cycle that the violent interactions between black citizen and police are more obvious or mainstream that racism and subversive racism is more apparent but the protest in Ferguson has become a “Mockingjay" moment. People have seen too many miscarriages of justice from Michael Brown to Oscar Grant even going back to Rodney King and have become tired, angered, frustration, and now enraged.

I understand what a cosmic farce the grand jury was and allow me to explain.  Johnnie Cochrane once said that a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich.  All a grand jury does is say that there is probable cause to hold a criminal proceeding where a defendant has the right to a trial and legal defense.  This grand jury was unguided and misdirected by the prosecutors who provided through tons of evidence and witnesses to the wall and did NOT take a stand to recommend charges against the accused.  

The accused did not get a through cross examination of the details of what happened that night. We all know that the conclusion was decided before the grand jury even started and the public’s intelligence was insulted.  The angles were being made and the chest pieces were being played all along.  When someone stacks the deck and then is surprised why people are so upset of the result it is because we saw the trick, we saw the hand in the cooke jar red handed.  We see time and time again that  justice as “just us” and continue to see that there are two legal systems in this country.  We see that one person’s life does not have value of other lives and that this system will continue to operate because it benefits those in power and those in control.

I agree that the case of Michael Brown was different from most others.  The accused was an actual police officer and Mr. Brown was suspected of committing a crime directly before.  Mr. Brown may have not have been an angel but there are real questions of what happened between him and the officer accused of killing of him.  Was killing Mr. Brown the only choice that he had?  I agree that Mr. Brown should have been arrested and sent to county jail that night but we may now never know because there will be no trial.

With that said, with the rioting and the protest, with the anger, and the boiling points of having seen all of this before, what do we do next?  Burning down businesses, Black businesses, and destroying property and becoming a criminal in a blaze of anger only perpetuate the stereotypes that the public has for African Americans and minorities in general for years.  Now is not the time to destroy with anger and fire but to build with a movement of words and non-violent actions, to build support, coalitions, alliances.  It is time for to re-think about how we raise our children, how we interact with the police, how we spend our money and how we treat each other.  

I know while those who are outraged that another white police officer has killed a black teenager for the x-teeth time, we must remember that black teenagers kill other black teenagers daily and there are no riots and no anger for them.  There is no anger when a African-American life is taken by another African-America, it is our huge dirty not so secret.  It is time for our hypocrisy to end and take ownership of the “Black on Black” crime that plague our streets.  Yes, we have our own business to handle, but we must value our own lives before we expect others to. 

There Is a Thin Line Between a Preacher and a Pimp

Imagine a man.  He is well suited, drive nice cars, charismatic, and he has many followers.  His words can be used to uplift or to divide or ultimately to get what he wants. Who is he?  He could be a Preacher who inspires and ministers to his flock or he could just be a Pimp, who is all about his money and his hustle.

I'll just say this right now that most of my readers will not understand this phenomenon and connecting the dots can be very tricky.  Most of you may not attend church regularly (or at all) and I may disclose more than a few dark secrets of the Black church, but these need to be brought out.  There are plenty of Preachers out there who are doing the LORD's work and I have high esteem for them, but this is for those few Preachers with a Pimp's mindset and attitude.  Let's try this simple rule: if a Preacher is offended by anything that I say next, you may be a PIMP in preacher's clothing.

I grew up in a legendary church for which I have not yet found an equal.  The Pastor of that Church was above reproach and the church felt like family with soul and brotherhood.  He was a true man of GOD, who also happened to love his cars, but his focus on the Church and making it the best it could be.  This man baptized my sister and me and we are still connected to his family to this day even though he passed away almost a decade ago.

Since leaving that Church after an ugly change of leadership and its aftermath, I have found it very hard to look at Pastors and ministers the same way again.  Usually the first thing that I hear is the Pastor say that infamous part of the Bible (Malachi 3:8) that brings up my shield instantly, "Will a Man rob GOD?"  It is then when I look at the Pastor or minister's wife and ask myself is that hat more expensive than the suit that I am wearing and whether the church is thriving or are all the resources going to the Pastor and into his pocket.  I swear that there are more Black churches than 7 Elevens because Pastors especially Pimp Pastors want to have his own church so he can be in charge and in control.

So now we get to the Pimps and let's run through the similarities.  They both usually have nice cars, clothes, married nice looking women while single women cling to and are fascinated by them. They both have huge egos, demand attention, can speak well, want to control everything, and have the skill to manipulate especially if one is not properly armed to think for him or herself.  One main difference is that a Pimp will say what be has to get what he wants.  For the Pimp Preacher he will justify himself and quote any scripture he has to in order to add more money to the collection plate for his benefit, not the church's.  You will usually see this in the form of one month long Pastor's Appreciation Services that a honest Preacher would conduct in one day or other schemes to have members compete to see who can raise the most money for the Preacher's benefit and not the church's.

Even the Holy Bible warns as such.  Read Matthew 7:15 where Jesus says, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."  In fact, you should probably read Matthew 7:15-23.  The last thing I need to hear from Pimp Preacher is that GOD told HIM that I should put "X" dollars into the collection plate and by that action alone, I will be blessed.  I'm not easily influenced and while I don't know my Bible as well as I should, I know how to check the source before I ever believe or follow a Pimp Preacher and I hope you now do too!

The Sum of All Fears... A Realistic Version

We as a nation have this notion that there is only one way to tell and view a story which is only through our own point of view.  Our lives and our experiences are individual to us, the more diverse the people, the more diverse the experiences.  In this melting pot of ours, there are so many experiences that are different from our own and this causes misconception, stereotypes, judgment and misunderstanding.

The movie The Sum of All Fears is based on a book by Tom Clancy and is a great piece of fiction. Without giving the movie away a group of terrorists try to push the United States and Russia to the brink of nuclear war by playing up their misconceptions, preconceived notions, and their fears about the other.

Allow me to present to you our real version of this story, the not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial in the killing of Trevon Martin.  We all know the dividing lines to start with.  Just like the Russians and the United States in the movie, this real version majorialy deals with African Americans and "White America".  There is nothing more "nuclear" here than the state of race in the United States and yes the fear is on both sides.

For African Americans (which I am one of) it is the unjust criminal justice system that sends mainly African American males to prison in a higher proportion than other racial groups, higher unemployment, a higher rate of single parent households mostly led by unmarried women, and by far a higher murder rate of young African American males committed by young African American males.  We also have fewer opportunities for justice and it is usually unlikely that a white person will be found guilty of murdering an African American than the converse.  When an unfair or what is considered an unjust verdict is made like in this case or the Oscar Grant murder case that happened in my hometown, protest and riots ensue.   Now take note that most of these people who riot, made the choice to riot before they arrived at these said protests and the media is there because they as well as everyone else knows that this will happen.  After all of the rioting and the civil disobedience is over, we (through the media,) have a conversation about race (like CNN just had this week) and some action happens, but somehow we return to the status quo, because once the passion of anger and outrage passes, we become numb and inactive to more young African American males being killed and we remain silent.

For White America, my best guess (which all I can do since I am not White) is that they perceive most African Americans mainly young African American males as threatening, not intelligent, and lazy.  What doesn't help the situation are the assumptions made upon African Americans based of reality and daytime television that African Americans are in and the "hip-hop culture" of baggy pants, 20-24 inch rims (which I especially detest), men wanting to be hustlers, gangstas, wanna be pimps, professional athletes and rappers, and the belief that every African American male is this way.  Just to let you know, we all not this way and while this is prevalent in the African American community, we as African Americans have a responsibility to do what I would like to call "family business" to take care of these idiots that give us real men a bad name.

Here's where the fear comes in.  When a young man wearing a hoodie can't walk home without the fear of being shot and killed because of fear, stereotypes, and misjudgements that he was grouped into. While I wear a shirt and tie to work almost everyday, like President Barack Obama said, this could have been me while taking a morning jog on a cold day.  While these judgments still exist, there are forces that continue to divide us, the media, which points and counterpoints to delirium and the extremists on both sides that have no common sense and want to tear down walls instead of building bridges of understanding.

This ending must be one similar to one portrayed in the movie.  Both sides must back down from their fears of the other and in time we just may start to understand each other.

Oh and one final thing, ALL life is precious regardless of skin color.  Whether it be in Florida, Chicago, Oakland, Colorado, or Connecticut the families of those departed have lost a child, a brother, a father, or a husband. They suffer with their loss and that pain never goes away.  I just hope that your family don't have to endure what the Martin family is right now.

Mr. Trump...You're Fired

I don't usually post video but Donald Trump doesn't know when to leave well enough alone.  The "issue" of President Obama's birth certificate has been beaten to the ground.  If you are on this "birther" bandwagon, you may need to see a doctor and get some help.  If Mr. Trump does not like the President's politics why doesn't he discuss his dissatisfaction on the issues.  Barrack Obama is the President of the United States, he's Black, he was born in Hawaii, and had done some good things for our nation.  Get over it...and Mr. Trump...you're fired!

For the benefit for those who have not seen this here is the entire interview with Wolf Blitzer.  Credit goes to CNN which was the network that aired this interview.

If We Really Want to Honor the Troops...

Today is Memorial Day, a day when our country honors the men and women who give their lives so we can have liberty and enjoy various freedoms.  Today, the American flag waves proudly in countless American homes and on top of various buildings.  Tomorrow we will all go back to work and continue with our normal lives.  For two days a year, we pretend that we care and appreciate about our military and on this one we have parades, fireworks, have barbecues, and we eat tons of apple pie.  Lately we have taken our basic freedoms for granted that our troops defend and die for willingly.  We bicker, we argue, and our politics are so dirty the military is now just another political football.  I say this because this is the sad truth of the state of our military, the one we say that we cherish and appreciate so much:

1. The unemployment rate for our discharged military is estimated to be as high as 28%
2. The suicide rate in the Army is up 80% in the last four years.
3. 1,985 U.S. troops (and counting) have died in Afganistan, and 4486 U.S. troops have died in Iraq with countless others returning with brain damage and lost limbs.
4. The rate for PTSD is estimated to be at 11-20% among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, 10% for the first Iraq war in 1990 and 30% of Vietnam vets.
5. The military homeless rate is as high as 1 in 3 (33%) of homeless men
6. There were 19,000 estimated violent sexual assaults by the Department of Defense in 2010 alone.  20% of women in the military are or have been sexually assaulted and are more likely to be raped by their fellow soldiers than be killed by enemy fire.

This like many issues doesn't often prompt significant attention until an election is on the horizon.  More is being done to reduce the suicide rate among the troops and there has been a recognition by the Department of Defense that violent sex assaults on women (and men) need to be addressed.  One topic that should be most relevant on this day is why are we still in Afghanistan?  Wasn't the mission to hunt and bring Bin Laden to justice?  Mission Accomplished, right?  Why can't we pull the troops.  These troops that have obeyed commands and risked their lives, and for what purpose now?  Are we attempting to install democracy in a place that may not be ready for it?  Speaking of that, why do we want to clone our country else where because we only recently cleaned our act 50 years ago and for a democracy we are still far from those "socialist" European countries.  We are one court ruling away from not having universal health care before it started, our crime rate is horrendous, speaking of which our criminals have better healthcare than our citizen, and maybe our military.

If we really want to honor the troops we would give them the best opportunities to succeed: a home, health care, therapy from illnesses like PTSD, and an economy that supports their exit from the military and entry into the workforce.  We would bring them home so we can begin to "nation build" here and allow Afghanistan to rebuild itself, find its own identity, and form their own government.  

With that said, thank you military men and women for all you do to defend us (and corporations and oil) and for all that you sacrifice.  I just wish that we as a country treated and appreciate you better.

A Year Wiser...

To My Readers,

I have been away for a very long time and if you have checked this blog for the past year yearning for new thoughts and opinions, I appreciate your loyalty and your hunger for real, true conversation and discourse.

For the past year, I have been rebuilding my life in the real world, defining my career, and discovering or I should say rediscovering many lessons not only in life but also in general human behavior.  I recently had a birthday and I have also had some great conversations that have brought some exciting breakthroughs.

I have thought about these lessons and at the urging of many including one of my mentors and friend, BlackWomanBlogging (a great blog if you haven't read her) to post some of these thoughts that are listed below.

The 2012 Practical and Common Sense Lessons Learned:

1. People lie, and lie often even when they think that they are not.  
2. OK does not mean ok, OK means be quiet, my thoughts are on something else.
3. Ownership means that when something is YOUR fault and YOUR responsibility you fall on your sword and admit it.
4. A distinctive "NO" is always better that a bullshit YES!
5. Reality Television is an addiction and does not depict positive thought.  It rots your brain and can make someone fall for anything.  It boggles my minds that the Kardashians, the Basketball Wives, The "Real Housewives" and other can make that much money acting so dumb.  In fact most of these shows don't even feature wives. They are ex-wives, baby mamas and the formerly engaged.  
6. Take the time to live your life critically.  Before you argue about what a woman can do with her body or who can marry, make sure that your own house is in order.  Which leads to....
7. People in general are hypocrites!!!  Many persecute too quickly and spend to much time in judgement and not enough time reflecting on their own thoughts and actions.  It's time to look into the mirror folks because we all have skeletons in the closet.
8. If you form your opinions solely by watching CNN or Fox News or MSNBC or listening to one viewpoint on radio then you are drinking the kool aid.  These interviews aren't even interviews anymore, they are gotcha questions.  People don't even answer questions anymore, they just pull talking point after talking point.  Which leads to...
9. WE must take action to help ourselves because the government is like the police in the movies.  They arrive in force way too late.  We blame government for much of what has happened in the past few years which I fully agree with.  After years of deadlock, we must realize that the solutions must come from Main Street which means that we must grow a pair and vote out the imbeciles who are playing politics and sound bytes and get to some solutions.  And finally...
10. If any of these hit home for you and you find yourself upset, frustrated, or you think that I am full of it, GOOD, because the truth hurts and denial is weakness.  It is very easy to blame others for our own circumstances.  It is always someone else's fault when you should instead look into the mirror.  We are offended when someone says something controversial that we don't agree with.  I would prefer someone tell me to my face what they think about me than the politically-correct banter we tolerate today.
11. And a postscript: One that I couldn't resist putting up:  Life really begins when one stops caring about what people think of you.  No matter who you are or what great things you may have done, certain people may never like you for some unreasonable reason and guess what that's fine.  There is a word for people like that: haters!!  Ignore them and live the best life that you can. Better yet channel their negative energy to drive you because the best revenge is success. 

There is plenty more to talk about so I will be around.  Thanks for reading.

Back to Business as Usual

In the next few hours the party formerly known as the Party of No, will have its first "political victory" and fulfill one its first promises to the American people.  The newly Republican House of Representative is on the verge of repealing the Health Care Reform bill of 2010.  Keep in mind that this reversal will not change anything because the Senate is Democratically controlled and the President would certainly veto this act if this miraculously passed the Senate (trust me, it won't).

I certainly agree that the Health Care Bill did not do everything that was promised and needed to solve.  A lot of matters were sacrificed in the matter of compromise and while this was landmark legislation, it is just a start to correcting the health care issues of our nation that was years in the making.  A majority of the Americans have a problem with this law for one reason or another and it is by no means perfect, but with 309 million people what is.  Some say it doesn't do enough while other state that it intrudes too much.  I will just say that this is like everything else in Washington, political posturing to an audience, to the people at home that I gave an half-assed effort to fix health care without promoting new ideas or solutions.  People unfortunately, the Party of No is back to business as usual.  Their sole goal is 2012, long term aspirations at the sacrifice of the short term help for millions that are plagued with access to good and basic health care for them and their families.  I seriously hope that in eve of all that has happened this month that Congress can actually solve problems, but then again hope was so 2008.

I'm Back With More To Say

I'm back and there is still a lot to be outraged about.  While it is hopeful that on the eve of the Tucson tragedy that the pundits, the cable television networks, and the blogoshere (myself included) turn the heated rhetoric of 2010 that does not mean that there could not have and continue to have spirited debate.  I believe and have always believed that public discourse is the responsibility of all as long as it is based on accurate information.

Before I begin the next chapter of the Outraged Citizen, I must state what this blog is and what it is not.  The Outraged Citizen began as a person unhappy at the political bickering, the wasteful spending of our government, the scaling decline of morals, the love and obsession of celebrity and reality television along with the complete dismissal of common sense. There were way too many distorted truths from cable television and thought that I may not be the only person that wanted something more real, more intelligent and I know while my sarcasm and political affiliation may swing more left than right, I thought that I could be more honest the other things out there. My idea is and was not to promote hate or violence but to add a bit of satire, some humor, and to give a different take compared to what is found elsewhere.

For purposes of full disclosure, I started this blog angry at what our country had become mainly in 2008 and 2009.  When corporations like the one I worked for greedily constantly forecast to raise its gross revenue percentage to double digit growth year after year.  In this process they made bad decisions, made bad loans to people who didn't know any better and make huge profits.  Instead of accepting the consequences of making these bad loans they along their competitors who did the same thing were rewarded with a public-backed bailout.  In turn those same people what nearly sent these companies to bankruptcy were not received company bonuses back by the public that they wronged.  I was dismissed from my company which I will call the stagecoach after I made a decision not to make deceptive sales. I chose not to commit the same actions of countless others that cared less about the consequences of their actions --of not only themselves but consumers who believed in them, who thought that their best interest were paramount --to increase their own paychecks.  I did see some who tried to live above their means but the majority were wronged.  The wrong people were bailed out and most of those were the victims are still being wronged today.

We arrived at this place because of greed and that is what I was outraged with about the most.  I have seen money be the evil of people for over ten years and I am not surprised to see people continue to profit from other's pain.  Speaking of pain isn't it amazing that we only become human after something painful.  Why does it take a 9/11 or a massacre to notice that fact?  It is also sad that once that pain fades everything goes back to normal.

I'm back and maybe not as outraged, but the title is staying.  Thanks for reading!!

A Nation Divided, Uniting

On the eve of the violence, loss of life, and wounding in Tucson our nation is uniting once again.  It is sobering that this happens mostly in a sense of tragedy.   Politicians suddenly become human again and for some time the us versus them game is paused.  The arguments and the political backbiting has stalled on red states versus blue states and I am reminded and at the same time distantly hopeful that this is the way our politics should work.  We can have spirited and calm conversation.  We should have the ability to disagree that all should be able to state their ideas and their opinions without threat or reprisal.  It is the very essence of our country.  I just hope that we don't go back to yesterday and the bickering of 2010.

We have had this opportunity many times before.  I vividly remember September 12, 2001.  As I took the train that morning, people were human as they somberly walked to their destinations.  Strangers said hello with friendly glances and gone was some of the road rage that plagued the streets and highways.  We stood together united and some weeks later that unity began to break apart and we went back to business as usual.  There is an opportunity for us to try again and we must all take a part.

I'm Still Here...

Just wanted to let you know that I am still here. A nice new colorful page. Some quick things, yes President Obama is a US Citizen and a Christian. Case Closed! Dr. Laura should be ashamed and yes she knows better. California doesn't have a budget and probably will not have one anytime soon and speaking of that why is Meg Whitman spending over $100 million dollars to be Governor? She can't even spend her own money wisely. Just a few ramblings, will be back soon!

The OC.

A Nation Once United, Divided...The Perils of Health Care Reform and Broken Politics

Yesterday, President Obama signed Health Care Reform into law.  It was feat that dates back nearly a century since  President Roosevelt, (Teddy not Franklin) in 1912.  Over 30 million Americans will have health care and one would think that celebration would and should have spread across our nation.  Unfortunately, Health Care or probably more accurately stated Health Insurance Reform is the latest lighting rod that is not only dividing our country and our politics, it is becoming the catalyst for us to become downright uncivil.

The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I cite this because of what I am going to say next is true but not the most politically correct, but it is my right to express.

After 100 years of trying, we have Health Care (Insurance) Reform from the first African American President and the Party of Just Say No has become the Party of Hell No and they have launched their Tea Parties and their puppet commentators to stop and repeal this law without any fair effort to see if it can work.  We are seeing the elements of fear rise again.  You have seen this before when people speak without fact, when they turn to insults, to racism, to confusion, to anger and unfounded outrage.  They confuse socialism and say the President of the United States is a Socialist while they want to say other things that I will not say, but you know where I am going.

What ever happened to seeing if something works?  What ever happened to being proven wrong?  What if the problem with the person that is providing the reform and his difference in appearance to his predecessors?  For all of you out there, yes race is a part of this problem and it a part of the puzzle that we find ourselves in.  If you think not read on.

What has happened in the first 15 months of the Obama Presidency:

• The President disrespected in an emotional outburst while delivering an Address to a Joint Session  of Congress and the American people last September.
• The "Birthers" tried unsuccessfully to prove that the President was not a US Citizen at birth, (which would have disqualified him from being President) a feat that has never happened before and despite clearly dispelling these rumors, some media still spread this misinformation.
• Members of Congress has been harassed and some have received threats, some even death threats.
• Every trick in the book has and is being used from the Party of Hell No to stop this President from succeeding at anything while saying that it is not about him.
• The opposing party has given close to 0 votes on the critical issues that are plaguing the country.
• There are many others as well...

Finally, those out there are infuriated about the cost of Health Care reform, I have another number for you $3 TRILLION!  Yes with a T!!!  That is the total projected cost of the Iraq War to the United States economy from a country that did not attack us.  This is only the cost of the economy the other cost in lives,  broken families, and those who returned worse than they left.  Speaking of 9/11, we are far from the days of 9/11 and the days afterward when we rediscovered our unity; when we were at our most united, it is now a mere afterthought.  It appears that the next cold war will be with ourselves, our neighbors and our enemies will revel in our division.  All of this at a time where we have the most information at our fingertips why are we acting the most ignorant...ever.  We are at a crossroads and going down a road that will take a long time to return from if ever.

2009: What We Have Learned

I have been thinking of a way to summarize the year of the things that we (should) have learned.  As the year started with a terrible recession where some are say its over (it's not) and the triumphs of hope are fading.  Allow me in both an outraged and controlled way highlight some important truths.

1. We are going to need a lot more than hope to "fix" the things that are broken.  The Audacity of Hope has turned into many things, like the audacity of nope, maybe, and lessons unlearned like Wall Street triumphing over Main Street. For 2010 add an extra helping of faith to that hope. The too big to fail banks are bigger and with most of them repaying their TARP loans the insanity begins again.  Here's hoping that Timothy Geithner either grows some teeth (and a pair) or is fired and replaced with the more capable and knowledgeable Elizabeth Warren.  
2. The Real Political Party Civil War was the one with the Democrats.  In November 2008, the American people rallied behind the Democratic Party to bring change that we believed in.  Yes, I said that in past tense.  The Democrats managed to implode on itself and we saw that fragments and not the whole party.  With health care reform, the Democrats began to look like a three ring circus with Pelosi and Reid being ringleaders.  And yes Roland Burris somehow survived.
3. The real leaders of the Republican Party are not in Congress.  Rush, Cheney, Beck, and O'Reilly has more of a pulse with their party than any elected member of Congress with the exception of a former Governor who went rogue, wait I thought she went rogue last year.  All the real leaders of the Republican Party did was to derail most of what our new President wanted to do.  I call it the Just Say No way of governance. No votes on the stimulus package or health care (short one fearless vote in the House), and not really contributing to the solutions of the problems that they had a large role in creating.
4. The Banks and Wall Street were saved to the doom of everyone else.  The largest banks that were saved which include my former employer (for disclosure purposes) are now finding new ways to generate money--out of us.  They are sidestepping a new law that is supposed to limit credit card fees and most of you may notice interest fee hikes before February 22, 2010 when the new law is to take effect.  They are still charging unbelievable overdraft fees while their CEO's (retired and un-retired) are making more than ever.  That's a huge that's for the "low interest loans" that we gave them. Foreclosures are still happening even though most grew heart choosing not to foreclose on people during the holidays.  I say break them up AT&T style and don't allow them to slowly merge back together.
5. The price of fame and fame-seeking are too high.  From the newly jailed parents of ballon boy, Jon and Kate, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jackson's death, Tiger Woods, The Kardashian Sisters, are all the result of a tabloid media keeping presses and internet pages alive.  Some like MJ's death were tragic, but I didn't need the marathon of coverage.  We are obsessed with celebrity, gossip, and scandal.  The sad thing is that it is only getting worse.
6. Sore Losers will say anything to keep up their unjust and unfound causes.  Tea Parties and birthers flocked to television and rallies protesting how our tax dollars are spent.  Most of these  people were really just upset with the election of President Obama and doing all things to discredit him.  The last administration spent all of the money, committed us to two wars, one just and another unjust.  Other chose to question a birth certificate which is real and declared it fake regardless of the information just to keep the story alike.  It's 2010, Obama is President, get over it!
7. We are violent, afraid, and things like that happen everywhere.  Stop the denial, we are a violent nation where murder, rape, kidnapping, many other heinous and unspeakable acts happen. Policemen are shot, pregnant women are a in a high danger demographic, children are murdered and harmed in horrible fashion while countless witnesses and onlookers stand and do nothing. We are still obsessed with reactionary steps to prevent terrorism. We still live in the reaction of events after the fact instead of prevention. The truth is on Christmas we were shown that even with the information and intelligence, incompetence and the lack of execution are still a danger to national security. During this last event we should have learned we are still the victims of our own fear and money alone cannot protect us.
8. We are nowhere close to a post-racial society.  The Professor Gates controversy with a Cambridge police officer was a reminder that we still prejudge.  A cold beer can do a lot but there is still work to do.  There are still mistreatment of citizens from police.  There are still terrible stories of racial profiling and it only the birth of YouTube and online media that brings this to the forefront.  It has been a year since Oscar Grant was murdered by a BART police officer.  The election of Barack Obama as President brought us one step closer to racial harmony, but the road is still long, uncertain and cannot be taken for granted.
9. Ignorance is STILL Bliss.  The best way to kill a great idea like a public option for Health Care reform is to dumb it down and confuse people. Congress write bills long enough (in the thousands of pages) that it takes half a day to read them during a legislative session.  Playing stupid is still unfornately one of the worst tricks in the book not only in the aisles of Congress but everywhere else. As Chris Rock once said (paraphrasing) "Agreeing or disagreeing about a bill or policy solely based on whether you are a Democrat or a Republican makes you an idiot."  I am amazed how our politics resembles high school or really bad reality television.  

I hope that some of you take deep a thought or two about this while drinking large quantities of alcohol or getting over hangovers.  Happy New Year everyone and it's twenty-ten, not two thousand ten.

The Outraged Citizen

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all.  Enjoy the holiday season for those who choose to celebrate it.  This is a time where the complaining can stop and action can begin.  Go out and help someone in need.  Volunteer some where and be thankful for what you have.  Until next year, or month I should say unless something is truly outrage worthy.

Ready, Fire, Aim

I have a question for all of us: When did we stop thinking?  Perhaps the question should be when will we start thinking again.  In various situations criminal, political, and tabloid alike there is a tendency not to think our actions through.  The long term effects (mainly consequences) are not considered which could be an embarrassing moment to the cataclysmic loss of life.  More and more I believe (and outraged) that we acting more and thinking less.

Here in the Bay Area, we have another subway transit controversy.  A man who is allegedly mentally disturbed was forced of a subway train by a transit cop and forced into a window that broke while he was being arrested.  The man allegedly was disruptive and was trying to pick a fight with other riders.  Fortunately this was also captured on You Tube just like the shooting that happened on New Year's Day of Oscar Grant.

Speaking of police and crime I have always wondered why police shoot to kill in situations other than when they have been fired upon FIRST.  I thought once that ever since police are expert (or supposed be) marksmen (and women) that they should be able to disable a suspect without killing them in most cases.  I thought that they would want to question suspects to find out why they do the things that they do.  I thought that they like to solve cases and not create new ones.

Unfortunately, as I said this is more universal than just crime and a worse example of ready, fire, aim exists in Washington, DC too. Remember the Patriot Act, the one that was passed in the middle of the the night.  The law that no member of Congress read.  Everyone in the Congress knew that something had to be done in the wake of 9/11 and haste overreaction and fear caused us to roll back civil rights 30 years. Even TARP which is now equally owned by Bush and Obama was and is still being handled too hastily.  Where were the Congressional hearings and the debates like the ones that we are now having on health care?  Where were the accountants, CPA's, and financial experts if there were a such thing?  Add to that the wars, the deficit, and the economy.

Tragically, what should be the least important is what we ironically talk about most.  Today is the last episode of Jon and Kate + Eight (smile).  I know that the tabloids will be sad as this alone has sold enough as revenue for the year alone there is also the Michael Jackson saga and his parents who want more and countless other stories what waste even more time that I will not mention.  The lengths that are gone for the exclusive usually results in inaccurate information.

There is plenty more that I could mention, but I believe that I have proved my point.  Here is to aiming at bit more often and stopping talking about the misfires.

Gone Postal

Let me first say that this is NOT about Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue (not entirely).  While we as a nation continually hunger for all of the tidbits that is Ms. Palin from her introduction to the national stage to the Katie Couric interview to her issues with the McCain campaign; there are things that are more important and should matter more that the time that we (and I) have wasted and will continue to waste on all that is Sarah Palin.

My fellow citizens we have a problem much worse than the book Going Rogue, we as a nation have gone postal!  You know what going postal is, someone who gets uncontrollably angry, becomes violent, and either harm, shoots, or kills people.  People who think little about those that they are harming and the long term effects that they will leave behind. These people, at least most of them have now kill themselves, robbing the rest of us the reasons why or the ability to look them face to face. The sad thing is that the news is getting worse and each horrible crime is somehow worse than the story that became before it.

Just this weekend, in Berkeley, CA, the same city where I attended college, a man (allegedly) killed his girlfriend and possibly her eighteen month old son.  This same man was convicted and served time for killing the son of a girlfriend over 15 years ago.  A doctor in Oklahoma is accused of killing his nine year-old son.  A woman in North Carolina is accused of not only killing her five year old daughter but there is the possibility that she was abused.

Add to this the killings at Fort Hood, the man who went to his former job in Florida that killed one and injured five others, and the countless other crimes, rapes, assaults and the national conversation that we are having today is the force-feeding of a woman that the majority of the country would not elect Vice-President, no less President.  Along with the circus of loons she brought with her including Levi Johnston, we have been distracted from the things that should matter most.  This is the same woman that contributed to health care by talking about death panels and who quit as the Governor of Alaska near the third year of her first term in office.

Anyway, these are the signs of where our priorities lie.  We are occupied with Palin, Prejean (and her sex tape), a boy on a ballon whose parents succeeded in gaining the fame that they desperately wanted, and 2012, the movie that made $225 million worldwide this past weekend.  A movie that fuels the obsession of the (rumored and unproven) end of the world by terrible and disastrous means.

There need not be floods, fires, earthquakes, and other specials effects that masquerade as national disasters, we are killing ourselves without these things.  We are treating each other worse by the day (hour).  I don't know if it is the water or if it is global warming, but "going postal" is becoming the new normal.  That makes me terribly sad and it should make you sad too!

Can We Resurrect Common Sense? (Fall Edition)

One of my favorite postings so far has been about my suggestions of the rebirth of common sense.  I know that this is a hard lesson to learn so I thought that I would give it another shot.  There are so many ways that we let go of our analytical thoughts and go to the ideas of free, sex, stupidity, nudity, and scandal.  In my continuing effort to revive common sense, here are some new suggestions:

The Outraged Citizen's Rules of Common Sense: Fall 2009 Edition 

• Walk before you leap and think out your actions fully.  (Thanks President Obama for throughly thinking about sending more of our troops in harm's way and even more for wanting a plan to get them out.)

• Be careful before making a sex tape.  (If Carrie Prejean won the Miss USA pageant, it would have taken all but five minutes when her "sex tape" became public.)  That goes double for anyone who is employed or has aspirations for political office or just want to be seen as a professional in the workplace.  Also, don't go on a talk show if you don't want to talk and answer questions.

• Political victory in 2009 in two states, (if that) does not mean a political resurgence in your national party.  Just Say No all you have done this was was that said no to a lot of the stuff that the President has pushed forward.  All you have done was give birth to a sore loser tea party attitude.

• Just as important, a political victory in 2008 will not last forever.  The Yes We Can crowd needs to take action.  Mr. President, you need to deliver on the items that you campaigned on if you want 2012 to be like 2008 at the polls.

• Speaking of being careful, be careful before posting your photos to social networking sites.  (Just this morning I saw a story of a school teacher that was fired for posting photos on her "private" Facebook profile of her drinking on vacation.) She wasn't drunk but had photos with her holding a beer and another holding a glass of wine. She is now suing the school district and good luck to her.

• (Updated) Which brings me to this truth: Nothing on the Internet is private.  A Google search now ruins careers, relationships, and just about everything else that you believe is private.  Just pretend that privacy is dead.  Wait a minute, it is.

• Think out your publicity stunt and get your story straight with your family before going forward with it.  Today the parents of the ballon boy Richard and Mayumi Heene will plead guilty for their falsified claims that their son was on a ballon that travelled miles and gave the American public and world alike unnecessary concern.  Also just became your son's name is Falcon doesn't mean that he is destined to fly.

• For the holidays, find out who made that fruitcake before you eat it.  Matter of fact, in the age of food allergies and nutrition in general, find out what is in what you are eating.  In California, restaurants are now beginning to post the nutritional contents of their dishes.  My sister was devastated to discover how loaded in calories her favorite cheesecake was.

• And finally if you happen to see a crime or something that is just wrong, call 911 and report it.  I am not asking that you put your life in danger or anything or to play hero but a discrete call can make a world of difference.

I have a feeling that my work here is far from done and I will be planning the Winter/Spring 2010 edition.  I am open to ideas for new rules so leave a comment.  I know that I can't do this job alone.

C'Mon Man: An Open Letter to the Republican Party

Dear Mr. Steele Limbaugh,

This letter is addressed to your whole party minus one (Rep. Joseph Chao of Louisiana) and I know that you must sign off before your party gets behind it.  The first step of many to bring the reality of health care to more Americans happened this past Saturday (November 7).  The members of your party couldn't get to a microphone or to a television camera quick enough to discuss their (or maybe your) disgust with the passage of health care reform in the House of Representatives this past Saturday.  Your members complained its large price tag, naming it Pelosi-care, and said that it will be the downfall of our economy and our country.

Wait a minute, you guys and ladies don't have any problems writing large checks for the things that you want like that unnecessary war in Iraq, yeah that one.  The one that we are still in, the one where the WMD's were supposed to be, the one where our Secretary of State went before the UN with "evidence" and claims that they were there.  You used the fear card then too, just like you are doing now.  You are injecting fear that we will go to death panels and people's care may be taken away.  You tell them that there will be someone else in the room with them and their doctor.  Hello, there is already someone else is the room who is running the conversation, the HMO's.  You know those guys because they have spent millions a day to stop health care reform, yeah the ones paying YOU!

Every time everyone else wants to talk about health care you want to count how many illegal immigrants are in the country.  I wonder why, but I know you know.  You want to talk about the malpractice suits and how those in their twenties don't want health care.  You induce fear in seniors that Medicare will not be there them.  I don't mean to recite talking points from one of your tea parties or anything but you guys are talking about the problems, fabricated problems.  The last time I checked you were elected to propose and create solutions and not the $61 billion health care bill you proposed last Saturday night to appear that you tried instead of just saying no completely.

I remember that you worked for ESPN for about two months and I could go into the reasons for your firing but one there is no time and two I need not deviate from my point.  ESPN has this segment on their football coverage called c'mon man.  This is the segment that highlights the unusual, the stupid, and the boneheaded plays of the week in the National Football League.  I know you can guess what is coming and yes, for the 176 Republicans and the "going rogue" 39 Democrats that you influence, I say C'mon Man!   This is only the first step to the process and I know (and I hope those who are reading know) that this thing is not done by a long shot.  This will not be the final say of how health care will happen.  There will be further debate in the Senate and eventually in a committee to get Health Care Reform truly done.

So c'mon man and get with the program.  Stop confusing of the American people with your cool-aid and stand up for something right good.  Misinformation should be above you, because I would hope that you would want the President to succeed.  I forgot, you want the President to fail and I know I am asking for a lot from you and I have no check to give you (or your party), but it worked for the President, he listened. Wait a minute, they (the Just Say No folks) only listen to you. Well I tried and I hope that you don't use this as toilet paper.

Regards,
The Outraged Citizen

Hysteria: The Problem with Reporting on Breaking News

Hysteria is defined as a psychological disorder whose symptoms include conversion of psychological stress into physical symptoms, selective amnesia, shallow volatile emotions, and overdramatic or attention-seeking behavior.  After reading this and thinking it over, this sounds a lot like the breaking news reports of cable news networks.

As I am typing now we have the next tragic news story.  Let me first say that the events in Fort Hood, Texas are terrible and shocking but further investigation is needed.  There will be some conclusions that will be rushed for the sake of breaking news.  There will and have been experts that will use words to shock and sensationalize.  There have already been questions on motive based on the suspect's last name and religion.  There are some who are already bringing up the possible motive of this being a "terrorist attack."  No one has asked if this was a workplace violence case or someone who snapped because he was being sent to a war that he either agrees or disagrees with.

It is a huge coincidence that I am writing about this on this morning because this was going to be about the jump to judgement of past news stories.  We have had the false alarm with military boats firing shots near the Pentagon on 9/11 of this year near President Obama (see a previous post on that subject).  The nation was riveted about a boy on a balloon which was later proven to be a "show" produced by the boy's family to gather attention and sole purpose to gain celebrity.  I admit that these are two completely different subjects but the latter expresses the problem more than the former because the parents knew that the story they created would give them the exact attention that they were seeking.

There have been some worthy and important news stories that needed to be told but there have been many others that creates and multiplies this hysteria.  Let's admit that we are a nation on eggshells.  Each breaking news story shock and galvanize more that ones reported before.  There is the search for why this has happened and what will happen next.  The blame game is next asked and the question of whether we should be more afraid for today and tomorrow than we were yesterday.  I will just say that danger is everywhere, for we do not know everything that is going on with everyone.  True fear is the unknown and just as how much we know or don't know the motive of the most recent tragedy, let's not rush to judgement and create more unnecessary fear.

An Outraged Note:

I would just ask that the cable news networks and the news media in general to check their sources before making their breaking news reports and their exclusives.  I know that I speak for many that say don't get the story quickly, just get the story right because there are consequences for getting it wrong.  Breaking news is usually first page or first segment news, however retractions and corrections are placed elsewhere where many will never know.

All In: An Open Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr. President:

I first confess that I know very little about poker, but what I do know is that the poker stare you have had is getting old and you need to go all in with your agenda to bring hope and recovery to our nation.  Yesterday, you (your party) were given some bad hands and now the Just Say No party has a bit of momentum. The pundits will link you to the failures of those defeated in New Jersey and Virginia.  There will be lots of approval surveys that will relayed by your aides. There will still be questions of what to do next in Afghanistan and fears that the unemployment will reach 10%. Your leaders in Congress fear that Health Care with a public option will not be passed this year. There will still be others that fear is rising again and that the spirit of hope that you brought is beginning to fade.

Today you wake up the same man that you were on yesterday, the President of the United States and short of some unwanted election results and a lot on your plate you still embody the hope of a nation. Health care is closer than it has ever been and there are signs that the worst is over for our economy.  What I am asking from you now is the boldness to carry on, fight the Just Say No crowd and just remember that last year that you won, and you won big.  I want to see some fight in you and not for you to be in the timid I want to please everyone crowd.  The Just Say No (Republicans for those who are new to the blog) crew will not like your initiatives because they playing to the audience and have future aspirations and a few may want to unseat you as President in a few years.

I am reminded of a Latin proverb, "Fortes fortuna adiuvat" which you may be familiar with.  The translation is "Fortune Favors the Bold."  It is time that you remind those who cry "liar" in the Capital and all of the others who want to marginalize you and your Presidency to stand and declare that last November that we the people elected you as President and that your responsibility that you lead us with a commanding voice and vision.

Finally, don't confuse craziness and ignorance with outrage.  Those tea parties and birthers are not outraged, they are just angry that you won and were not on your side to start with.  The give disrespect to the very word of outrage just as they disrespect your Presidency. Keep in mind that your approval rating today mirrors your election results last year.  You will not please everyone and there will be those against you just because.  There are many who want to see you fail and I know that there are many multitudes that want and need you to succeed because for most of us you are not just the embodiment of hope you are possibly our last hope.

Thanks for what you have already done and thanks for what you are going to do.

Regards,
The Outraged Citizen

When People Do Nothing

It has been a long time since my last post and it is time to stop talking about the ill things that are happening in Washington DC.  It's time to look other things, things closer to home.  The most recent news item of note on my outrage meter is the vicious gang rape, robbery, and beating of a 15 year old girl in Richmond, CA during a homecoming dance at Richmond High School. The story links here.

Richmond is less than 15 miles from my hometown of Oakland, CA and the tragic story has reached national headlines because of the fact that there were up to 10 alleged perpetuators and many more witnesses that stood there and did nothing.  No one called 911, no one broke up this terrible attack that lasted over two hours, and in those moments no one appeared to care or at least didn't care enough to help this young girl who seemingly was targeted by predators.

Over a week later, the blame game is being played. While we can talk about the police/security or the lack of them or the fact that there were people outside of the dance were hanging out and not in parity in age to the high school attendees of the party. I blame the witnesses that stood and did nothing.  I blame them for allowing this to continue.

This story, this crime is tragic in so many ways.  It is another reminder of the escalating brutality of crime and also the fall of common decency and morality.  I don't know this young woman but it hurts as if I did.  I say this as a brother to my sister and as a son to my mother, and I would hope if it was my sister or mother, someone would have had the courage and common decency to have stopped it.  I am not sure if we all are being isolated by computers and social networks, or video games, or that the beliefs between right and wrong have been buried so far that we have stopped caring.

I don't know what is happening to our young men either.  I know that they have examples like Chris Brown to look at and see that there is little punishment for a man to put his hands on a woman.  The fact that in this crime that these men and boys took and pictures and sent text messages makes this even worse.  The nonchalant attitude was taken that what they were doing was okay with no sense of what they were doing was wrong, horribly wrong.  The fact that this crowd was organized and grew in just a matter of minutes with no thought of the consequences of this young woman.  Now she faces a lifetime of memories and pain that I cannot imagine or even try to put into words.

Then again, there has been a chain of tragedies and way too many to count and list here.  Countless crimes, mostly murders have happened while onlookers haven't lifted a finger.  Teens in Chicago are being killed and a high rate due to gang activity just walking to and from school. These things are happening in large cities and in small towns and I am not sure if the reporting is getting better or if the criminals and the crimes are getting worse.  The news now is more sickening more than ever.  Is this the new normal that all we care about is ourselves that we (most of us) are willing to stand and do nothing  I am not asking for overwhelming bravery but an anonymous phone call to the police or something.

All of this brings me to a quote by Edmund Burke, a British philosopher, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  Burke's words are over 200 years old but are still relevant and perhaps even more important today.  What has happened to good people? What has happened to us? These horrific actions only happen when others (we) fail to stand.  The shaking heads of disgust are no longer enough.  The people, the good people, you and me must stand and do something.

I am looking forward to these predators day in court and hope that they all find themselves beneath prison walls.  It also wouldn't hurt if they got a taste of their own medicine.  It is only said that their punishment will not undo the pain that they have done.