And so—the media has been at it again…what is their fascination with putting voters into a box? We have Black voters, Single voters, Asian voters, gay voters and the list goes on. Why can’t I just be a voter? Why is it necessary for me to fall into a category of voter in order for my vote to count? Does that mean that all people lumped into a box think the same? And if we all think the same way and are going to vote the same way then where is the need for particular parties to work for our vote. Historically Black people as a “group” have voted Democratic. Because of this pattern of voting the Democrats as a whole don’t need to work for the Black vote and Republicans don’t bother to go after it…because what’s the point.
The issue of checking a box doesn’t just apply to voting… it’s in every facet of American society. If you don’t check a box then we don’t know who or what you are and then we can’t judge you. We have age boxes—if your 18-24, 24-30, 30-36, you’re going to buy, eat, and date this way. Job applications have boxes, MYSPACE has boxes, and Homeowner applications have boxes…what’s next the grocery store? So, the media can report on which fabric softener Single Asian Muslim women buy? Why is that data important or relevant? As we move into a more globalized, multi-racial and multi-ethnic society will our obsession with boxes be mitigated or multiplied?
I say this to all people that mindlessly check boxes… “Stop for a second before you place that check and ask why is this information important”? If you find out that only a particular group likes a certain type of music will that change your taste in that genre? It probably won’t…and if it does change your taste… then… you’re pretty lame and should stop reading my blog immediately… and should check to see where you left your independence! To all the proponents of categorization…Get out of my Box! If you want to know what I think…ask me. I am always pleased to give you my two cents!
Ciao,
T.C.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
What the F@%K!!!
And so—Last Thursday I decided not to watch the news for the entire weekend. I was disgusted and tired of hearing about whom…you guessed it, Rev. Wright. As if we did not just recognize the 5th year of the IRAQ WAR. As if 25 American soldiers and 57 Iraqi civilians were not murdered over the past week. As if a total of 4,000 American soldiers have not lost their lives over Bush’s war. Instead of reporting this as news, our trusted journalists decided that hmmm…we’re not going to discuss that this week or next…we were going to continue to beat a dead horse and show clips and pictures of Sen. Obama with his FORMER Pastor; because on news stations what mattered most were ratings and sensationalism…not informing the American people.
So, today Tuesday March 25th, after the Easter holiday I thought…"Maybe I can turn the T.V. on again and find out what happened in the world." I sat on my couch…slowly pushed the on button and waited…as if scary music were playing in the pinnacle moment of a horror film to see who would get whacked....EEEEEKKKKKK!!!! And what did I see you ask…Well, let me tell you what I did not see first. I did not see coverage of John McCain making an ass out of himself and the American people in general as he explained how “Al-Qaeda soldiers are trained in Iran”. When asked for greater clarity on his statement McCain said the following: "Common knowledge and [it] has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known." A few moments later, Joe Lieberman, leaned forward and whispered in his ear. McCain promptly offered a quick rewrite: "I'm sorry; the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda."
Nope the media did not pick this up as major story. As a matter of fact they dismissed it as a “senior moment”…was that supposed to be funny? Do you want a President who is showing signs of senility??? At 3am??? McCain only based his whole candidacy on the fact that he is an “expert on foreign policy”…really???
What else didn’t I see… I did not see serious discussion on the plight of the people in Tibet; I did not see pundits talking about what issues matter to the American people most. Nope, I did not see any news when I turned on the NEWS channel. I did see that Britney Spears was on a sitcom, I did see more commentary on Rev. Wright and I just saw at 4pm Sen. Clinton explaining that Rev. Wright would have never been her Pastor! Really???
Oh, that’s right because when real Americans express anger and resentment the best thing to do is walk away…that’s not what I want my President to do. You don’t just get to represent the people that agree with you and tell you what the F@$K you want to hear…you get to listen to everyone! Freedom of speech is not for the faint of heart…it’s for the KKK, preachers, radical religious zealots, peacekeepers, liberals and everyone in between. That is what America is all about. So, I say this to the American people…get angry and demand more from your politicians and from the media. I want real conversation and dialogue about what matters- paying for college, healthcare, combating global warming, fixing our foreign relations nightmare, fixing our public schools- the list goes on. And unless Rev. Wright can do that, get him the F@#K off my T.V.
That’s my Two Cents!
So, today Tuesday March 25th, after the Easter holiday I thought…"Maybe I can turn the T.V. on again and find out what happened in the world." I sat on my couch…slowly pushed the on button and waited…as if scary music were playing in the pinnacle moment of a horror film to see who would get whacked....EEEEEKKKKKK!!!! And what did I see you ask…Well, let me tell you what I did not see first. I did not see coverage of John McCain making an ass out of himself and the American people in general as he explained how “Al-Qaeda soldiers are trained in Iran”. When asked for greater clarity on his statement McCain said the following: "Common knowledge and [it] has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known." A few moments later, Joe Lieberman, leaned forward and whispered in his ear. McCain promptly offered a quick rewrite: "I'm sorry; the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda."
Nope the media did not pick this up as major story. As a matter of fact they dismissed it as a “senior moment”…was that supposed to be funny? Do you want a President who is showing signs of senility??? At 3am??? McCain only based his whole candidacy on the fact that he is an “expert on foreign policy”…really???
What else didn’t I see… I did not see serious discussion on the plight of the people in Tibet; I did not see pundits talking about what issues matter to the American people most. Nope, I did not see any news when I turned on the NEWS channel. I did see that Britney Spears was on a sitcom, I did see more commentary on Rev. Wright and I just saw at 4pm Sen. Clinton explaining that Rev. Wright would have never been her Pastor! Really???
Oh, that’s right because when real Americans express anger and resentment the best thing to do is walk away…that’s not what I want my President to do. You don’t just get to represent the people that agree with you and tell you what the F@$K you want to hear…you get to listen to everyone! Freedom of speech is not for the faint of heart…it’s for the KKK, preachers, radical religious zealots, peacekeepers, liberals and everyone in between. That is what America is all about. So, I say this to the American people…get angry and demand more from your politicians and from the media. I want real conversation and dialogue about what matters- paying for college, healthcare, combating global warming, fixing our foreign relations nightmare, fixing our public schools- the list goes on. And unless Rev. Wright can do that, get him the F@#K off my T.V.
That’s my Two Cents!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sticks and Stones will break your bones but WORDS will never hurt you…Bullshit!
Picture it-- the Northeast in the mid-eighties. You’re playing on the swings in your ooh too cool Keds, slouch socks, tight rolled jeans with a hyper-colored shirt when your BFF tells you that a rumor has been spread about you. You, last Saturday night… a game of truth or dare, and seven minutes in heaven…you get the picture.
Thankful for you that the age of YouTube, MYSPACE, and the internet in general has yet to be invented! So, you can rest in pure denial and wait for the next storm to emerge with the hope that you won’t be swept up in it…again.
Fast forward a few decades and you may not have been that lucky. In the age that we are living in everything is recycled from bottles to styles to hairdos, what was once old comes back new and that includes rumors and true stories that we wish would go away. In the age of the internet and info at the touch of your iPHONE the old adage “sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt me” just ain’t true. Not only can words hurt you but if you live in the public eye under a microscope…words can destroy you! Especially if those words are on the cover of every paper and recycled in the news from 9am until 10pm (slow news day).
In light of our present election cycle and the fustercluck that the Democrats are in presently…instead of us the American people being able to make clear and factual decisions about our candidate we have to decipher and decode rumors and be subjected to kitchen sink politics like we are back on the playground. You know that back in the days of the playground when rumors were started it was boredom, jealously of the limelight, and the desire to be on top…knowing that getting to the top couldn’t be done on merit and niceties alone…thus rumors and total social destruction were common in school politics. But should this type of mentality be common in real world politics??? I think not.
The media print and T.V. alike has a responsibility to not just feed us the fluff they think we want to know but the sustenance we need in order to make competent decisions based on fact and record not pomp and show. If I wanted entertainment news I would turn on the E! Channel and let my brain slowly pour from my ear to my hearts content. We as an information seeking, instant gratification society rely on text message updates from CNN and MSNBC for their objective views and insightful commentary on important issues such as race, education, health, and the state of Wall Street not on Hillary’s suits or comments from Barack’s pastor consuming a days worth of news. What is at stake in this coming election is too important to be playing games with…because tricks and games are for kids!
Ciao,
T.C.
Thankful for you that the age of YouTube, MYSPACE, and the internet in general has yet to be invented! So, you can rest in pure denial and wait for the next storm to emerge with the hope that you won’t be swept up in it…again.
Fast forward a few decades and you may not have been that lucky. In the age that we are living in everything is recycled from bottles to styles to hairdos, what was once old comes back new and that includes rumors and true stories that we wish would go away. In the age of the internet and info at the touch of your iPHONE the old adage “sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt me” just ain’t true. Not only can words hurt you but if you live in the public eye under a microscope…words can destroy you! Especially if those words are on the cover of every paper and recycled in the news from 9am until 10pm (slow news day).
In light of our present election cycle and the fustercluck that the Democrats are in presently…instead of us the American people being able to make clear and factual decisions about our candidate we have to decipher and decode rumors and be subjected to kitchen sink politics like we are back on the playground. You know that back in the days of the playground when rumors were started it was boredom, jealously of the limelight, and the desire to be on top…knowing that getting to the top couldn’t be done on merit and niceties alone…thus rumors and total social destruction were common in school politics. But should this type of mentality be common in real world politics??? I think not.
The media print and T.V. alike has a responsibility to not just feed us the fluff they think we want to know but the sustenance we need in order to make competent decisions based on fact and record not pomp and show. If I wanted entertainment news I would turn on the E! Channel and let my brain slowly pour from my ear to my hearts content. We as an information seeking, instant gratification society rely on text message updates from CNN and MSNBC for their objective views and insightful commentary on important issues such as race, education, health, and the state of Wall Street not on Hillary’s suits or comments from Barack’s pastor consuming a days worth of news. What is at stake in this coming election is too important to be playing games with…because tricks and games are for kids!
Ciao,
T.C.
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