Shopping While Black

Racism is so annoying.

Last Friday, I was in an Asian owed beauty store. It was huge and I had just got paid so I decided to look for some new hair products. No harm, right?

Well, while on the phone with my boyfriend, I told him that I noticed that as I moved from on aisle to another, this Hispanic employee followed me. I was reading the backs of labels so I thought maybe I looked suspicious but as I glanced around to the other non-black customers (which was all of them), they were all doing the same thing.

Slightly annoyed but worried that I was overreacting, I moved to another aisle and there he was. I was furious. And I called him out. I said to him, "Why are you following me?" He gave me 'What the frack are you talking about' look and ignored me. I repeated myself but he still didn't say anything.

I stormed out and noticed two white guys shaking their head. I couldn't read their expressions but I think they thought I was being inappropriate.

I told two friends a few minutes later what happened but they didn't seem to sympathize much. Maybe it's not that big of a deal, and I know it happens a lot to black people but a day later I'm still upset by it.

Racism is so annoying.

The Thirst

Ladies and Gents it has been a while. I've been dealing with family drama and stresses, finals, work, and all other types of things that have taken me away from this blog. I've missed y'all.

Now on to a topic that has been grating at my soul for the past month or so. Ladies and gents, I'm dealing with The Thirst. Now, I'm not the thirsty person. Unfortunately, I'm the one on the receiving end and it's not pleasant. Now for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, let me make it plain.

The Thirst is a term applied to those that just can't take a hint. Would-be-suitors who just keep calling or texting and aren't deterred by a lack of response. The men and women who just won't take no or silence for an answer.

My current thirsty acquittance goes to the school I work at. That wouldn't be a problem since it's a huge college and I should be able to duck and dodge any attempts of his approach. It has worked so far, except when it comes to my phone. Since February when I told him in no uncertain terms that I did not have time or patience to date (date him specifically), he took this as a signal that he should still try and be my friend. I responded that he can do whatever he wanted but that I honestly didn't have time for him. I was (and still am) busy with work, grad school, my family, and trying to get my life situation together. He did not fit into the picture.

However since then the texts, call, and voicemails have continued unhindered and he just hasn't gotten that no response means no interest. I haven't responded to ANY of his messages and I don't plan on starting now. Yet the thirst continues. I'm tempted to send a fake reply text such as: Sorry the number you are trying to reach is no longer accepting text messages. Msg. 4186. But even then I feel like he'll use that as an excuse to call.

I don't really know what I should do, if anything, in this situation. I've gotten a few "I saw you today" texts which are a bit creepy but hopefully harmless. And maybe after a few more weeks he'll finally get the hint. For now I figure I'll just wait it out and see what happens. Hopefully I won't see him around on campus but maybe if I do I'll be able to let him know that his interest is not wanted. Hopefully this is just some harmless thirst.

Have you ever had a thirsty acquittance? What did you do to deal with The Thirst? 

Mississippi Goddam!!!

Miss Nina Simone was one of the most profound musicians of her time. Whether she was singing jazz, blues, gospel or rhythm and blues, she often incorporated social and political themes from the Civil Rights movement into many of her songs. 'Mississippi Goddam' was written in 1963 in  response to two events that symbolized the escalating violence occurring across the country- the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama which left four little girls killed.

Well the country has changed significantly since this song was written, with extreme racial violence being considerably less common. And while Mississippi is included in that progress, the state is currently engaging in politics that could endanger the lives of many of its citizens, albeit way different from the days of race riots and lynchings. These citizens are women and the attack is against their (our) bodies, ostensibly their privacy. This is attack is being carried out by "Yes on 26," a campaign that to amend the state's constitution, defining life at the start of conception.

Mississippi Goddam!!!

Why I Hate Chris Brown

This post may seem passé but I was inspired by his appearance on last night's BET Hip Hop Awards. He joined Busta Rhymes, Wale, Eminem and other underground rappers on the show's cypher, when artists freestyle in a loosely structured format. It made sense for every other person to be there. But no, the self-centered twat had to participate and ruin what was otherwise a group of artists with a considerable amount of talent.

I hate Chris Brown. For the last two years, I cringe every time that fool appears on my TV screen or in a blog I'm reading. When I hear that god awful song "Look At Me Now" I get the sudden urge to punch a baby. And here is why.

Troy Davis: The Death of My Brother

We have all witnessed a great injustice tonight.

Did you know that on his death certificate, Troy Davis' cause of death will be listed as a homicide? A HOMICIDE. They are killing a man, whether innocent or not, to justify the death of another. How can anyone just ignore such an egregious situation? And yet as I continued to read all the tweets regarding Davis, I also noted that #youknowyoughetto was also trending (in the Philadelphia region at least) and X-Factor was also popular. Once again human life is carelessly thrown away. Troy Davis, the 52nd person to be executed in the prisons of Georgia. But we know that he is only one of the many strange fruit whose life has been taken needlessly.

As I look at this photo and listen to the @democracynow live stream the tears leak down my face. I am weeping. I have never been so hurt over a stranger. No he is no stranger. He is my brother. Troy Davis is my brother.

He is being executed right now, sitting on a gurney waiting as the cocktails of drugs take his very breath away. 7 of the 9 witnesses recanted their statements. There was no other evidence that put Davis as the murderer other than the 2 last witnesses. If that isn't reasonable doubt, I just don't know what is. If this isn't a misuse of justice. Just sickening.

I never supported the death penalty and I never will. An eye for an eye does indeed make the whole world blind. And right now too many of us have turned a blind eye to a system of justice that continues to instill injustice. 

I'm sorry if I'm not making much sense everyone. I am just so distraught that I just don't know how I can look at the government and continue to take it seriously.

Troy Davis said: They may take my body, but they can never take my spirit. Because my spirit belongs to God. 

God be with you Troy Davis. God be with his family. God be with the family of Officer MacPhail. God be with all of us. Because strange fruit continue to hang from the Poplar trees. 

When You Get Hustled by People You Know

My father paid $1500 for a car. We got it  a few weeks ago and I got into my first accident just two days later, unfortunately, on Lincoln Drive. Now you may look at me crazy, but Lincoln Drive is very treacherous when the weather is good, but with the bad rain, it can be damn near impossible. Just ask Teddy.

I found myself having spun out of control and hitting the median. I wasn't speeding, but I did try to go around a driver ahead of me who was weaving in and out of the two lanes. I didn't feel comfortable behind him so I tried to pass him and spun out. Luckily no one was hurt, but my car was damaged a bit on the passenger side. My brother drove it home since I was shook up, and I could only pray to God that my parents didn't kill me, thank Him that no one got hurt, and hope that repairs wouldn't kill my pockets.

We took the car to one mechanic who estimated the repair cost at $400. Not too bad, but my father was on the fence. The guy was young, and my father knew he had come from prison [1]. We also didn't have any prior experience with this particular shop and since it was new, my father wanted to go with someone he knew or someone who was established. Understandable, though I did say that going to this particular guy was giving him another day of honest work and didn't see the problem with trying someone new. But my father was more comfortable going for an estimate to someone he knew. So I went to the mechanic my parents have been sending their cars to for a few years and asked for an estimate. Just an estimate.

I get a call from my father and he tells me that the estimate is for $800. I'm a bit shocked but I can handle that amount. I give the mechanic a call and he gives me a run down of all the problems. And there are quite a few, unfortunately, even though it didn't seem that bad. He also informs me that he had already gotten the parts. I was confused as to why he had done so, since I had just gotten as estimate. So I asked if there was anyway that I could just think about it and come get the car. The mechanic said that was fine, but they would have to but the parts on credit. Sounds like I'm getting charged right?

So, I say well if you already have the parts and if I'm going to get charged for the parts anyway you might as well just do it. I call my father and he tells me that they told him they didn't have the parts yet. So here I have a situation where the mechanic is telling my father one thing and telling me another. I'm not a happy camper and something smells fishy. The mechanic ends up calling back an hour later telling me that they had tried putting the new parts on and that they found another broken part, so with parts and labor everything was going to come up for $1000 roughly. I had a mini-heartattack. But I told them to go ahead, since I had no choice.

I OFFICIALLY GOT GOT.

And it don't feel too good.

My father and mother where not happy. First off, I had only asked for an estimate, but for some reason the shop had decided that they would get the parts- basically guaranteeing that I would go to them. And my mother told me that they've done this many times. So we were dumb to not have learned our lesson the first few times. Fool me once...

Secondly, they are known for doing good work, but charging high prices. I appreciate the work they did, but it took a big hit on my pocket and I still feel things were a bit steep. Thirdly, they were telling my father one thing and me another. That just seemed sketch and I was not a happy camper. Fourth, both my brother and I went to school and basically grew up with the mechanic's kids. And somehow, it still feels like we got got. And I know my father felt bad for making me go there, so he was nice enough to offer to pay me back some of the balance, which I appreciate. But things still just rubbed me the wrong way about this.

I got the car back, though my brother will be using it 90% of the time at college (ain't that a bitch), and it is working as good as we got it. So I can't complain about that. But I now know to be more discerning and I will never go back to this place. We know these mechanics and we've been going to them for years. But when things aren't good it's time to move on. I refuse to be fooled twice.

[1] Not because my father is prejudice or anything. It's the nature of his work to know such things. 

Don't Compromise on Tar Baby

For the past couple of years, President Obama has endured a lot from angry voters and politicians from the other side of the aisle. While the political environment is generally hostile in America, with scrutiny of politicians' personal lives and character assassinations being commonplace, but the vitriol aimed at the President was different this time around. The newly created Tea Party featured many bigoted voters, proudly waving signs that caricatured him as a monkey or alleging Kenya as his true birthplace. Quite simply, the President was subjected to a fair amount of racism.

Such antics didn't come as a surprise for most black people, considering we already were aware of how pervasive racist sentiments are. Yet Rep. Doug Lamborn's (R-CO) comments last week on a political radio show were particularly outrageous and the overall reaction that followed was alarming. The quote:

“Now I don’t even want to have to be associated with [Obama], it’s like touching a tar baby and you’re stuck, you’re part of the problem now. You can’t get away.” 

He called the President a tar baby! Merriam Webster define's tar baby as "something from which it is nearly impossible to extricate oneself." However, anybody with a brain knows that the Congressman was referring to the racism term, prevalent in the early 20th Century along with other racist caricatures like pickanney, porchmonkey, coon and Sambo.

Having apologized more than a week after making the comment, the Congressman apologized  for "using a term some find insensitive" and also had the audacity to assume his half-assed apology was sufficient, telling the Denver Post, "I am sure that he will not take offense and that he'll be happy to accept my apology because he is a man of character." Wow.

And you know what is more absurd that Lamborn's usage of a racial slur and his determination of what (black) people should be offended by? Obama has not even acknowledged the comments. Some will argue that there is enough on his plate for him to have to worry about some dipshit calling him a previously archaic racist term. I was then reminded by how deep this racist stuff is. It is so deep that the most powerful man in this country is still not empowered enough to defend himself against people who are perpetually disrespectful towards him.

Should Have Never Gave You N***as Money!

In the famed words of Dave Chappelle (or Rick James depending on who you're asking), there are some ninjas* that just don't deserve to have money.




I've been sitting on this post for a while since I've been lazy and busy (yes you can be both), but my latest foray into the blogasphere has left cursing under my breath at these ninjas who have money and blow it on the stupidest things. Honestly, as a broke grad school studen,t who is lucky enough to be working part time and trying to scrape together two nickels; people sitting on lots of money who blow it up their noses money so quick and end up broke, in-jail, and bemoaning their own stupidity on Behind the Music piss me off to high heaven.

So here is my list of ninjas (and non-ninjas) who clearly don't deserve to make more than 5 figures a year.

1. Soulja Coon Boy 

Whether or not the rumors of him buying a "swagged" out jet are true, he [and the jokers he surrounds himself with] clearly doesn't know how to manage money if he is already getting tax liens and having a house foreclosed on and he only just turned 21. That's one big ol' fail. Talk about blowing money fast. Swag.

2. DMX

Boy is this tragic. He is one of my favorite rappers and could have been one of the GOATs in rap/hip hop if he hadn't got caught up in the white stuff. Tell me you don't jam to this when it comes on. I blame Tyrone.
 

He's been in and out of jail, and with his recent release, I can only hope that he makes the right choices and stays clean/sober. His talent is wasted in jail and we need him in hip hop cause many of these fools (though i admit, not all) currently making waves are straight garbage. And even if you don't make any more music DMX, please stay sober, cause you say some real foolish things when high.

3. Ja Rule

As soon as this dude went through his "i'mma cry in ever song like I'm Mary J. Blige" phase, I couldn't take him seriously. That and when he had his whole fued with Eminem, I thought he was a huge tool and douche bag. But I digress. Ja Rule is another case of a ninja who doesn't pay his taxes . He admits that: "I was a young man who made a lot of money. I didn’t have the best people guiding me. I made mistakes. Things fell on hard times for me. Things kind of spun out of control.” But with money comes great responsibility. Maybe it's the elitist part of me, but you should be able to hire someone who can keep track of your finances and not screw you over, if you can't do so yourself. And as someone who has been working and paying taxes since I turned 16, I just can't believe that he didn't know he had to pay taxes for various things. Guess ninjas can't read or research either unless they want to know which video vixen gives the best dome.

4. Speidi aka. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag

I had to throw in these two non-ninjas just because I happened to see a Huffington Post headline regarding them being broke. You make all this money on reality tv, spend it on getting ginormous boobs, then end up broke. Poor babies have to settle for living in Spencer's parents beach house in Santa Barbara. Ah the tales of blonde d-listers.

5. R. Kelly

I have to give props to Clutch Magazine for the hilarious new nickname of Kells as "The Pied Pedophile of R&B". He has had to deal with a foreclosure on his Chicago area home meaning no more easy access to the kiddies?, court battles over unpaid fees, and now another tax lien after he failed to pay the government $837,000. Looks like homie needs a golden shower himself. 

6. Whitney Houston 

Crack is wack y'all. And unfortunately Whitney has fallen back into her old antics. She was definitely on the come up, actually not sounding too terrible on her concerts and actually looking healthy. But she and her daughter just can't say no to that white white. Thankfully she (was?) is in rehab and hopefully will get herself back to these days. Cause she's been like this sadly. Now Bobby Brown is the one making moves while she's just looking crazy. And to both of them, please check your daughter. Cause that ain't cute.

7. Patricia Kluge-

Now you probably don't know who this is. I didn't either til I did a bit of research on bankruptcy in my rss feed and come upon the ridiculousness that is this woman. She is know as the "wealthiest divorcee in history" (according to Huffington Post), having come out of a divorce settlement, with media mogul John Kluge, with possibly a cool $1 billion (at the lower end $1 million a year). And just 11 years later she's filing for bankruptcy. You my dear are dumb. I'd say more but the idiocy speaks for itself.

These are just a few of the people I could think of who really made me want to kick them in the face. On the bright side, they helped somebodies economy right?



*What is a ninja you ask? No it's not this. It's just another way of saying nigga. But its pc. Happy?

And Now, Kinky Confusions

*Update*

Last week, I shared with you some very disturbing remarks Oprah's stylist Andrew Walker made about kinky hair. He decided to clarify his statements with this letter featured on his website:

Recently, in an interview with Elle Magazine, I repeated my professional opinion about caring for Type 4 hair, often referred to as kinky hair. Here’s what I said in Elle:

"I always recommend embracing your natural texture. Kinky hair can have limited styling options; that’s the only hair type that I suggest altering with professional relaxing".

That statement is a very short version of what I also said in my book all those years ago, but almost immediately after the Elle article, the internet was abuzz with people questioning why I would recommend chemically relaxing a particular hair type Some even said my advice suggests that kinky hair is "bad" hair.

Let me first say that there is no such thing as "bad" hair, and I have long ago freed myself from being afraid to use the word "kinky" and also from being accused of not liking natural hair. We have become a multi-cultural society that embraces many different looks and styles when it comes to hair. It is my Mission to help you grow strong, healthy hair, and wear it in the style or styles that best suit your likes and particular hair type.

When it comes to curly and kinky hair (there is a difference), I leave the political correctness of "going straight" or staying natural to a woman’s personal preference. Once again, my advice is based on how to best achieve strong, healthy hair. So for those who would like to engage me in a debate about who has more racial pride and self esteem, based on hairstyle preference and use or non-use of chemical relaxers, know that I believe in personal freedom, and in the use of advanced technology when it yields positive results, which many of today’s (versus yesterday’s) chemical relaxers do deliver.

It is a fact that kinky hair (my Type 4 definition) is extremely fragile and breaks easily. Even when you are very careful, something as simple as combing can break this texture. It is very difficult to achieve a longer length when the hair breaks, even with simple combing. That being said, there is the style option of wearing braids, dreads, or twists, which allows the hair to grow longer because it is combed less often. Another style choice is to simply wear a shorter cut, which is very attractive on some women but just not right for others.

So when I say to embrace your natural texture, but consider relaxing kinky hair, am I contradicting myself? I don’t think so! You see, even relaxed hair can still be worn naturally. If you want a natural look, but find that your kinky hair is difficult to manage, breaks too easily, lacks shine and luster, and limits your preferred styling options, I say feel free to consider a mild chemical relaxer, sometimes called a texturizer, that eases your hair to a more manageable texture and allows you to Make Peace With Your Hair.

We’ve come a long way in the ability of chemical relaxers to gently relax the hair. In fact, I notice that my book is somewhat dated in that respect. When I wrote it, I was not a fan of no-lye relaxers. But now they are much improved, and I use them when I know it will help a client to maintain either a "natural" or a straight look — whichever she prefers — with more ease.

Mandatory for all hair types, and extra mandatory for curly, coarse, or kinky hair — Condition, Condition, Condition !

My Mission in the products I develop and in the professional advice I offer to Everyone of all hair types — Make Peace With Your Hair.

My Message for everyone who questions the integrity of my advice regarding coarse/kinky natural hair — All hair is GOOD hair. Healthy hair is BETTER hair. I will always offer you my BEST hair advice.

Make Peace,

Andre Walker

Relaxed hair can be worn naturally?!?!?!

I can't. I just, can't. This rambling nonsense reinforces what you said (believe). You honestly believe that kinky hair is weak, unmanageable and undesirable. According to you, it is only tolerable in braids, dreads or short cuts. Whateva.

Listen, Andre. You got got. The growing natural hair community is vibrant, beautiful and unlike you, well informed. Unfortunately, I can't get a lot of motion out of my gravity defying kinky hair. But if I could, i would:

Racist Republican Ridiculousness

In an effort to discredit Janice Hahm, a Democrat running for Congress in California, some douche by the name of Ladd Ehlinger Jr. was compelled to create this campaign ad.

It's racist, misogynistic and unfortunately, non-satirical. I most offended by the poor choice of font!

The runoff between Councilwoman Hamn and her opponent, businessman and Tea Party favorite, Craig Huey is scheduled for July 12. Hamn has been accused, mostly by conservatives, for providing city funds to criminals who participated in gang intervention programs. While she has been a longtime advocate of decreasing gang activity in her district in Los Angeles, her Gang Alternatives Program did not directly give money to the gang workers involved. But Republicans ignored the pesky truth and continued with their smear campaign.

I never believed the Tea Party's ideologies were rooted in racism but there is no debate about it having racist elements, no matter what the real black man, Herman Cain may claim. So while the fairly nascent political movement has enjoyed moderate success in the last couple of years, shenanigans like this are going to continue to limit the little legitimacy they have in national politics. The ad isn't not officially associated with Craig Hamn but his campaign's silence since the ad surfaced is disturbing. This reflects the crossroads the Republican Party is in for next year's election season. How do you get support from a sizable voting bloc and escape their perpetual offensive antics?

You can't.

Airport Etiquette

There are some really annoying and inconsiderate people in this world. The kind of people who get the side-eye when you really just want to punch them in the face.

I've just returned from vacationing in the south (North Cackalacky and Georgia) and just had to blog about the annoying people and things I observed while traveling.

Now my transportation of choice was flying. I really enjoy flying and wish I could do it more often. But times are hard and I've yet to find a money tree. Now when flying is your choice of transportation, you see many people and many situations. And in my travels I've seen many things that just annoy the hell out of me. And I figure I can't be the only one who's peeved by these situations.

So here's my list of: annoying people and things people do when flying:

1. People who take up 3 seats lying down in the waiting area.

Okay, I maybe could understand if the weather is terrible outside and flights have been delayed hours. Maybe. But it's just being an asshole to take 3 whole seats so that you can stretch out and sleep while everyone else is stuck standing up. Assholes.

2. Women who wear heels and then struggle with their carry-on luggage because of them.


Now I love a mean shoe and I would love to wear heels more often. If only my friends were taller. But when you see a chick wearing 4 inch killer shoes, the kind chick should reserve for the club, and struggling to roll her bag or carry around her stuff because she can barely walk in said heels, it's both funny and annoying. They're trying to look cute but look extra stupid. Step ya game up ladies. Literally.

3. People sitting in front of you on the plane who put their seat back without asking you.


Boy how I wish this would happen to me while my head is down in my bag, I get a concussion, and then sue the mess out of that person.

These people annoy me badly because I am tall, so my knees are already struggling with the tiny leg space they give you. And then people don't even ask or look behind them and just put the seat back. And if they bang it back, well I've seen people killed for less.

4. People who board ahead of the class they have.

You know those people. You're at the gate waiting with everyone else to get on the plane. The flights full and everyone has a carry-on and personal item. You're seating towards the middle or front and are a bit worried that you won't be find space for your bag. But as it gets closer to boarding your class your worry lessens. You happen to glance over at the person to your right's boarding pass and see class 7 listed. They have a large carry-on and a suitcase, but that doesn't matter because you're class 5. But low and behold, when your class is called, they are at the front of the line. Now not only are they possibly taking that overhead of space that should have been yours, but they're going to hold up boarding because they're seated towards the front and everyone behind them has to wait to get past them. Assholes, the whole lot of them.

5. People who stand on the left side of escalators and moving walkways.


These people deserve to be kicked in the back. I see these people as some of the most inconsiderate in the world. They might not have a flight for another 4 hours but that doesn't mean your not running to your connecting flight because your first plane was late. Stand to the right people. The right! It's not hard. You can still look back and talk to your friend. And then they have the nerve to look at you crazy if you try to get past them. Make you want to smack a bitch.


Well that's my list. You guys and gals have any others to add?


AN: So I actually went through the full body scan in North Cackalacky. I don't see what all the hooplah is about. I didn't even notice it was a full body scan until I had to stand in it. So dude may have gotten a good look at my lady bits. I'll never see dude again and would rather be safe on a plane than not. What's your take on the full body scan? 

MLK died for this shit?

Sure New Orleans bounce is typically crude and hyper-sexual. However, the sheer buffoonery of this nonsense is outrageous. And yes, I know I am part of the problem by even posting this shit. Whatever. Sue me.

What is it that People Just Don't Get?

AN: Sorry about the spacing y'all. I'm trying to tweak it, but blogger is being mad glitchy!


This is not strictly a political blog, as we pride ourselves on having a diverse set of ideas and posts. But from time to time, we will be using this blog as a platform to get our little rants out. As such, I just have to say:


What is it that people just don't get?


I'm asking this question in regards to an article I just read from the Huffington Post entitled: "Indiana Planned Parenthood Sees Flood Of Donations After Defunding". Now the article itself speaks to citizens, and a suprisingly large deal of men, giving donations to Planned Parenthood after Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill defunding it.

"Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill earlier this week that is the first in the nation to bar Planned Parenthood from contracting with Medicaid, which means that all of the 9,300 Medicaid recipients using Planned Parenthood of Indiana as their primary health provider now have to look elsewhere for their health and preventative care. The bill is intended to prevent taxpayer money from being used to pay for abortions, although the Hyde Amendment has banned taxpayer-funded abortions for the past 30 years."

This last sentence is the one that gets my goat. Many in the GOP and on the right continue to go on and on about how Planned Parenthood must be defunded, as it does abortions through tax-payer money. Many of the comments on the aforementioned article are full of people who are happy it has been defunded because it does abortions through tax-payer money. But wait....


It actually doesn't do any such thing. 


I don't get it.


Okay, I understand people being against abortions. I myself have long waged a inner debate regarding the very subject. I can't say I'm for all forms of abortions but I can't say I'm against all of them either. I've never been put into a spot where I would need one (thank God!) and there are just certain cases were the possibility should be allowed [1]. 


That being said. Why don't people understand that institutions like Planned Parenthood aren't actually giving abortions out through tax-payer money. They do it through private donations, fundraising money, etc. But in case you didn't get it the first time: "the Hyde Amendment has banned taxpayer-funded abortions for the past 30 years." 


Don't defund something on false pretenses and then have the balls to still support it with these lies. Oh wait. It's already happened and will continue to happen because people don't read. And because of defunding you have hundreds of medicaid recipients in Indiana who are left searching for other alternatives, punished for something they may not even have had done.


Now, if you know someone who continues to harp on about Planned Parenthood needing to be defunded because of abortions and blah blah blah. Please point them to the Hyde Amendment. That is all.


[1] Why would anyone want to stop a woman from having the option of having an abortion when she has been molested by a father or family member?? 

Why Black Women are Ugly

It is always a great disappointment when something incredibly racist is said under the disguise of "science." Some scientists, including the Nobel Prize winner James Watson, argues that we are genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. I am not familiar enough with the scientific community to know what is collectively accepted as truth, but Mr. Watson is not at all alone in his beliefs. In 2009, Britain's Channel 4 even aired a five part documentary entitled "Race: Science's Last Taboo" where psychology professors went into depth about the possible correlation between race and intelligence.


So not only are we less intelligent, we are also typically less attractive. At least we can dance!


Seriously, psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa published an article in Psychology Today entitled "Why are Black Women Less Physically Attractive than Other Women." What was his methodology? A researcher who interviewed adolescents from Add Health, an adolescent health research survey, and had each of them assess his/her physical attractiveness on a 1-5 scale. This was intended to be the most objective way of determining one's attractiveness. Because, you know, teenagers are secure enough to determine their own level of beauty. It's no surprise that black female respondents scored the lowest in testing, leaving Mr. Kanazawa to conclude that black women were less attractive than women of other races. This guy hails from the London School of Economics, btw. Oy.

His reasoning behind these findings are even more troubling. His conclusion:

The only thing I can think of that might potentially explain the lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women is testosterone. Africans on average have higher levels of testosterone than other races, and testosterone, being an androgen (male hormone), affects the physical attractiveness of men and women differently. Men with higher levels of testosterone have more masculine features and are therefore more physically attractive. In contrast, women with higher levels of testosterone also have more masculine features and are therefore less physically attractive. The race differences in the level of testosterone can therefore potentially explain why black women are less physically attractive than women of other races, while (net of intelligence) black men are more physically attractive than men of other races.

Maybe Mr. Kanazawa needs to converse a little more with some historians or anthropologists and discuss how centuries of stereotypes that equated black women to beasts and monkeys are embedded in our thoughts.


Maybe he needs to look up the name Saartje Baartman, the South African slave who was captured and exhibited around Great Britian to showcase her beastly features, particularly her large buttocks. Has he turned on a TV? Has he passed a magazine stand? The media is bombarded with images that perpetuate euro-centric beauty, what is universally accepted as true beauty. His inability to even mention the word "racism" in his article gives me enough reason to conclude that he has little understanding of the lingering effects of white supremacy on black self-esteem and self-realization. Shameful.

Really, My Man? Really??

And the award for Worst Person of the Week goes to........Libertarian God Congressman Ron Paul!

Feelings of cynicism and disappointment are commonplace when following national politics. However, this dude reeaaalllyyy offended me. I'm appalled. Really! I mean, really.

Earlier this week, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) implied that victims of natural disasters are "dumb," and argued that FEMA is unconstitutional and therefore should be abolished. *sigh* And this is only weeks after over 300 hundred of brothers and sisters lost their lives in one of the worst tornado disasters in our country's history. His reasoning:

Why should people like myself, who had, not too long ago, a house on the Gulf Coast and it’s – it’s expensive there and it’s risky and it’s dangerous. Why should somebody from the central part of the United States rebuild my house? Why shouldn’t I have to buy my own insurance and protect about the potential dangers? I mean it’s – it’s a moral hazard to say that government is always going to take care of us when we do dumb things. I’m trying to get people to not to dumb things. Besides, it’s not authorized in the constitution.

And a little more:

The big problem is Americans are getting poor and they’re not able to voluntarily come to the rescue. But to coerce people, to ask them to help, that is fine and dandy. But when you bankrupt our country and nobody has a job and then they say, well, FEMA needs to bail out everybody, then all we’re doing is compounding our problems.

No, you jerk. It is not selfish for people to ask their government to care for them in times of need. It is, however, for ELECTED OFFICIALS to believe that it is okay to compromise citizens' safety and welfare in an effort to solve budgetary issues.

Well, he wasn't done. The next day, he went on his "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is unconstitutional" rampage. This is nothing new. In the past, he has repeatedly argued that the bill is an infringement on people's property rights and "individual liberty." Yes, the same landmark bill that ended segregation in schools and public arenas. How terrible that the government intervened with people's freedom to discriminate in their hiring practices!

Whatever asshole.

And for this, my dude, you are awarded The Worst Person of the Week.