It’s not difficult to tick off the NAACP, but when one of their own does it, hell hath no fury like a lap dog scorned. Breaking news was released today that the DOJ Civil Rights Division has requested – no demanded – that the Dayton Ohio Police
examination be graded on a curve for black police officer candidates. Derrick Foward, NAACP, Dayton, President made
it perfectly clear that he doesn’t support such an initiative.

What business is it of the DOJ’s ? This is scary. What’s next? PhD programs, engineering, physicians (paging Dr. Leo Spaceman – 30 Rock fans know what I mean). As this is a relatively new development, more facts of the DOJ’s intervention will unfold. Unless there are some overtly racist practices afoot in Dayton, what reason could they possibly have for this mandate?  If I had to venture a guess, I’d say it’s more of the Federal Government sticking its proverbial nose where it doesn’t belong – and it doesn’t take the nose of Cyrano deBergerac to smell what they’re shoveling.

Are Holder and his cronies saying blacks are inferior to other races? Even if he has good intentions, the message to other races in Dayton and across America are going to be very clear. The DOJ just set race relations back 50 years. Is it worth it? I say not. He’s also just tainted President Obama’s presidential victory by insulting half his lineage. Hmmm…so he’s only half inferior. The white half won the presidency. People will never say it if they are polite enough, but they’ll think it. In job
interviews, club membership drives, and the like those making the decisions will have to decide if accepting an African American into their academic or social fold will be worth the trouble. What would you think? How many people drive past a construction site seeing a sea of Hispanic faces wonder how many of them are in this Country legally?  That doesn’t seem kosher because Hispanics shouldn’t be stereotyped for their ethnicity--neither should anyone else.  African Americans are as diverse as any European group. We are different shades, different socio-economic backgrounds, and have different educational aptitudes. We’re part of nuclear families, single-parent families, extended families. Some are gay, some are straight – doctors, lawyers, artists, restauranteurs, and entrepreneurs.  We love, we hate, we make life-changing decisions and bone-headed mistakes. Holder and the DOJ have to stop trying to treating people like chattel and let communities make the best decisions for them on a humanistic level. 

Do the ends justify the means? Are Holder and the rest of the DOJ so out of touch with mainstream black America (most of which are middle class despite what today’s version of the Blaxploitation movies and the NBA would have you believe) that he thinks he’s doing these men and women a favor? It’s a horrendous insult! Civil Rights for African Americans in its purest form was to give equal opportunity to compete for the same jobs, schooling, and entrepreneurial opportunities as everyone else.   Yes, there are those that are black and disadvantaged that are not starting on the same playing field as those with more privilege, but privilege comes in every color (that’s the glory of America). Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past 20 years, the resources available to us are endless (both free and nowhere near free). Instead of changing out at the mall, go to the library and read a book. Instead of watching some reality show jackhole dropping “F” bombs to get his or her 15 minutes of fame, spend time – real time, not online, with those that lift you up and mentor you.  Maybe the guy or girl next to you can skate by without doing it, but some people have to work harder to get what they want. Nothing’s wrong with that. Stop thinking life is supposed to be fair.  Hard work garners appreciation and pride in your accomplishments. Oops, sorry – I forgot pride is a bad word in this administration.

So is there a glimmer of hope for what seems like an irrelevant organization in a “post racial” era? Probably not - Just like the
bad boy or bad girl celebrity that stays off the TMZ hotlist for a few months, it’s not a sign of the 180-degree turn around. It’s simply a moment of reason. I’m going to keep my eye on this story because the Dems will have to play damage control and that’s always entertaining. However it unfolds, equal, not special treatment should prevail. Thank you but no thank you, Federal
Government – no kid gloves needed.

I love a really tasty martini – none of those I-heart-you, candy-flavored tinis – a true Rat Pack, James Bond in “Dr. No” martini. I prefer mine with a twist of lemon (not a green olive fan). Serve me a plate of cheesy, jalapeño-laden nachos or a bushel of steamed Maryland blue crabs covered in Old Bay seasoning and I’m your friend for life. Sounds indulgent, but I’m a believer in moderation. I’m a bit of a contradiction, I suppose. I love nachos, while I don’t eat beef, pork, chicken or drink cow’s milk. I’m not a big fan of chocolaty desserts and I do exercise fairly regularly. I miss a week of yoga and I don’t beat myself up. How do I know when I’ve gone too far?  I listen to my body. It puts a strategically-placed whitehead or two on my face or if I’m burning the candle at both ends, I feel the lethargy. I fall behind in my day planner for a couple of weeks or let a friend down and my twinge of guilt becomes an eruption only rivaled by that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 (I’m Catholic, so maybe the guilt thing gives me a slight signaling advantage over others). 

Michelle Obama wants to lead the charge in creating a healthier America. This is a wonderful cause, in my opinion, as obesity is a legitimate problem in this Country. I just don’t want the government to tell us how we can serve our food. Get the word out, support the cause, Obama family. Don’t pass legislation and, as long as it’s not poison, don’t tell private food manufacturers how to season their food. We all know that the healthier foods in the grocery store are on the perimeter and that the salt- and sugar-added, processed foods are down the aisles – duh, as my kids would say. We live in a fast food, hurry up society and eating on the run is the American way. There’s soccer practice, Girl Scouts, the late business meetings – I get it, I live it. I also know that the government is not my parent. If people have a change of heart about eating healthier, the economic rules of supply and demand will follow and bags of Doritos will be replaced with bags of Baked Doritos or veggie chips quicker than a bad 20-something drama on The CW. Authors, dieticians, scientists and the like have spent years writing and studying the affects of natural and manmade consumables on the body. Thousands have backed the various findings. Read and educate yourself, discuss it with your doctor, then decide what’s best for you. The last time I checked, that is still my right, right?

My health is a private matter between me and my doctor. He and I know what’s best for me. He didn’t spend 14 plus years in medical school to be able to pick up babes by bragging that he’s a doctor. “But there are people who can’t afford to go to the doctor, even for the annual check up”. Let’s save Obamacare for another post. You have a brain. If you’re 5’3” and 310 pounds, you know intellectually that you should eat a salad more times than not. No, you shouldn’t be taunted or made to feel like less of a person for being overweight. Maybe you just don’t have the willpower or maybe you just don’t want to crunch on a bowl of radicchio. Not my call. Whichever the case, do you really want someone on Capitol Hill telling you what you can and cannot eat and how much? This is the land of freedom, after all. Because as humans we have instincts that are common to all, private businesses from psychologists to fitness instructors, to dieticians, to Jenny Craig have methods for dealing with the maladies that affect human survival. We all have shortcomings and weaknesses (see mine above). If we fall far enough from the top, we’ll instinctually seek these resources out to get back to our former selves or a better version thereof. If we don’t know better, that’s what social programs are truly for – for the ones that simply do not have the mental and material resources to pull themselves up – but most of us don’t fall into that category. For most of us, we choose whether or not to observe that. 

Scientific studies have shown that a healthy lifestyle is not only good for our physical health, but our emotional health as well. These promote a happier life and in today’s world, we could all use a little more of that. Let’s promote a life of fewer cases of cancer, childhood obesity, and other afflictions. Those in a position of power should use it as such to promote well-being – not legislate it. Put a little love in your heart and a little warm, thick clam chowder in my belly. By the way, if anyone knows of a great canned clam chowder besides Chunky brand, let me know. The last time I had it, it sucked – it’s now watery and salt free!

Speculation is heating up over who will be the front-runners for the GOP nomination for the 2012 presidential election. Depending on the source one consults, the number of hopefuls varies, but one thing for certain - this upcoming election will not be short on intensity and passion for restoring America to its former glory.

There’s been considerable buzz over the last couple of days regarding the possible run of conservative talk show host and successful business leader Herman Cain.  Mr. Cain recently formed a Presidential Exploratory Committee to determine the feasibility of his run for the Nation’s highest office.  Read more about him here. 

I first became familiar with Mr. Cain as a guest host on the Neal Boortz Radio Show several years ago and found much of what he said in line with my own views.  I even found myself hoping that when I turned on the radio on the way home from work that he was sitting in for Neal.   

Last night, Mr. Cain was interviewed on Fox’s Hannity (see the full interview) where he stated that the public is ready for an “unconventional candidate”.  He feels that momentum will continue into 2012.  Hannity pointed out that Cain is one of the most sought-after speakers at Tea Party rallies, and then inquired about Cain’s reception by those crowds.  Cain noted that he had spoken at over 50 events in 24 states and has never been assailed with racial epithets (*GASP* You don’t say!).   Cain chalked up the accusations of Tea Party racism to the “blamestream” (my word, not his) media’s attempt to tear down and silence the movement.  He pointed out the tenets on which the movement was formed, expounding on its disdain for the arrogance of elected government officials.  This led to Hannity asking about someone once asking Cain if he was “arrogant enough” to be president.  He said his response was that he is “confident enough” because there is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant.  He said in looking at his career, which includes being a CEO and job creator, he has exercised consistency in those roles over the past 40 years.  While pundits would scoff at his lack of political experience, Cain stated that he felt it is actually a good thing.  Solving problems, growing businesses, and creating jobs are where his experience lies and are among the biggest concerns the American people have today.  When asked whether or not he thought it would be a difficult task to beat President Obama, Cain replied that he would be difficult to beat, but that Obama has “vulnerabilities”.  He cited Obama’s lack of problem solving experience, understanding of the economy, and inability to surround himself with the right people – more specifically, people who have had real world job experience (according to Cain, that is only seven percent of the President’s appointees).  Cain’s run could exploit those weaknesses. 

Cain’s possible presidential run piqued my interest and it did my heart good to see a black Conservative take on this challenge.  I pride myself on “calling a spade a spade” no matter what one’s ethnicity or station in life.  With that, I can say that there are some concerns that I have about Mr. Cain’s ability to do the job.  First, growing the economy by creating jobs and doing what is perceived best for strengthening businesses, while at the forefront of Americans’ minds, is only one facet to the presidency.  I feel Mr. Cain’s experience would be invaluable on a National level.  Perhaps he could operate in an economic advisory position or, given his previous experience on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, a presidential cabinet position.  Secondly, there is the issue of foreign affairs.  How would Cain’s career experience fare when meeting with foreign dignitaries, possibly influencing them to curb production of nuclear weapons or negotiating our debt with the Chinese?  Would our relationship with Israel be restored?  Does he even think it’s important?  Most pressing – how would he handle the war on terror? I think this is one of the many problems that the current president faces in that he’s in over his head and at the time, didn’t realize that the job of leader of the free world was going to be so vast.   

While Cain pointed out that that one should surround him- or herself with the right people in order to be successful, the country is at such a critical stage that this is no time for a learn-as-you-go presidency.  I’m still taking in all the information about the probable candidates.  It’s still too early for me to say who I would like to see as the Conservative presidential candidate.  What I am sure of now and have been for the last two years is that we need effective leadership and we need it now. 

 

I was having a political conversation online with my cousin one evening. In particular we were discussing a news article in which the National Black Republican Association petitioned President Obama to issue a formal apology for the Democratic Party’s history of racism (http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-OBAMA-CanYouSpareAPROCLAMATION). African-Americans have in what I call recent history have been inextricably tied to the Party, yet many currently aligned with it choose to ignore its ugly past. While we both agreed that as a people need to stop bitching and move on, I felt compelled to give him my view on my reasons for waking up and not smelling the coffee, but tasting the Kool-Aid they’ve been to forcing us to drink for too many years.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not blind to the atrocities African-Americans have suffered in this Country. It makes me angry to think of what past generations have had to endure. We needn’t let those that fought for our rights die and suffer in vain by not taking advantage of what they fought so hard for. In today's world, it is not the responsibility of the government to make this nation great. If this is a government by the people, we have to tell the government what we want and not the other way around. That's one of the reasons I changed my party affiliation - I was and am currently tired of people sitting around waiting for someone to pick them up when we have resources in place for them to get up. I'm not talking about those that have a genuine malady that physically and mentally disables them, but those that look to the rich and even the middle-class to pay for what they don't want to do.

Reverend William J.H. Boetcker said, "You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong." The Republican party, in a nutshell, is for "teaching a[n able-bodied] man to fish" as opposed to giving him one. Of the two major parties, the Republicans are not the wealthier (the Dems hold that distinction according to a recent poll), but the Republicans are the larger contributors to charity. They believe in letting you keep more of the money you earn so that you can give where you want to give it- not where someone mandates and legislates you give (such as in the form of higher taxes to pay for the committee to oversee the Congressional oversight committee...LOL!). I don't know about you, but when I'm doing well financially, I give more.

Lastly, they realize that race problems exist. It's not the party's main focus. Instead, the focus is on empowerment of the disenfranchised through education and knowledge of how our system works. The elitist Dems pat minorities on the head, give us a lollipop, and say, "There, there, poor little thing - the 'man' will take care of you." Knowledge is power and that is why back in the day, those in power didn't want blacks to read or hold any positions of high esteem because they knew that very fact. Then, they started rumors of so-called "scientific facts" of how blacks were developmentally inferior to Europeans - the same propaganda used today, just different vernacular.

It's always been my belief that you should be armed in the truth about what you believe. One day, I realized that I only knew old rumors and propaganda about why blacks "have" to be Democrats, so I sought out information about the other side. That way, I could feel more comfortable knowing that I truly believed in the Democrats' message. After several years, I came to the conclusion that I wasn't one.  It wasn't all at once. It was a series of life experiences that took me there.

I respect the stand of anyone that can intelligently base their beliefs in studying both sides of an issue. My cousin sounded as if he has a firm grasp on knowing why he believes what he does – hats off to all who do. "It's cool to be a Democrat because Republicans are old white men" doesn't fly with me.