Jay-Z Responds to His Cuban Crisis w/ an Open Letter

Jay-Z got inspired the other night responded with vigor to his critics about his trip to Cuba…The song is called ‘Open Letter’ and the beat is slamming and is no doubt a serious head nodder.. You know its gonna anger all sorts of folks who are already heated, because he says in the song he loves Cubans.. His critics are saying by going to Cuba, he is showing hatred.. He starts off the song by saying he’ll turn Havana into Atlanta..Not sure if folks in Havana wanna see gentrification in their beloved city..because thats what has happened with the ATL.. No Beds, Baths and Beyond in Havana..

Jigga also talks about Obama and whether or not he’ll be selling his portion of the Brooklyn Nets..The hook to the song says’ ‘You Gonna Learn to Today‘. Ideally what we all learn is that Cuba has a dope education system which produces doctors who make major moves in healing people.. We could learn from that..We could also learn how to be self sufficient the way Cuban’s have been.. Folks are still surviving in spite of the crippling embargo we’ve put on them over the past 50 years..

Great song.. Glad Jay-Z responded.. Personally I wish he had shouted out or kicked a rhyme for Kimani Gray the young man gunned down by police in Brooklyn which set off 4 days of unrest in the East Flatbush last month.. I wish he would’ve said something about the unrest and the fact Stop-N-Frisk is on trial with cops revealing they been ordered to meet quotas and target young Black men and teens.. In any case that’s, just me expressing my ideal scenario.. Open Letter is a good song and maybe Jay-Z will return with more heat..

Thoughts on Obama and Cuts to Social Security-Can’t Truss It

Wanna remind folks that tomorrow (wed April 10th 2013) President Obama will present his budget proposal.. Within that proposal are plans to cut social security to the tune of $112 billion dollars..Social security is already suffering in two main ways.. First, its being called an entitlement and we see very little correction with that labeling. Words are important, because it implies that folks who receive social security are somehow gaming the system vs having paid into it over a lifetime.. In short Social security is being ‘dehumanized’.. It’s being made to sound like a poison..

Second, the average payment one receives under social security is pretty bleak..I think its something like $1200.oo  That’s not really enough for someone who is now an elder to live comfortably off of.. Many of y’all reading this who are most likely to be saddled by economic challenges of your own ranging from upside down mortgages, to college tuition for your kids or student loans that still need to be paid off had best be figuring out how you will be helping your parents, because the check the govt is cutting won’t cut it..

We are at a day and time where more robust payments should be made toward our seniors..Our national conversation should be about comprehensive elder care that goes way beyond facilities to help those with dementia, but how to seriously improve the quality of life for our aging parents  and grandparents but that does not seem to happening.. Instead we’re being hit with news about congressional investigations as to why two multi-millionaires, Jay-Z and Beyonce went to Cuba..All of this is complicated by the fact that those who have alot.. ie the 1% do not under any circumstances want to pay more in taxes.. Instead they wanna privatize social security or get a system in place where you the individual start playing around with the market and investments..  I hope folks are paying attention.. So far two million people have signed a petition which was presented to the White House..

Here’s a couple of articles and shows that you may wanna peep to be brought up to speed..President Obama is the first President to propose cuts to social security.. Some are saying don’t trip he won’t cut nothing.. There’s a long list of things we were told not to worry about, because it was believed President Obama would not compromise on.. We now know better..In the words of Public Enemy-Can’t Truss It..

Washington Post: Social Security Needs Expansion

Nation: Two Million Sign Petition to Save Social Security

-Davey D-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am9BqZ6eA5c

 

The Fallout Over LL Cool J & Accidental Racist.. Are We Too Forgiving?

Been thinking about this fall out and the anger everyone has expressed toward LL Cool J around his involvement in the Brad Paisley song ‘Accidental Racist‘. Yeah its a corny song and folks have been getting their clown on about that.. But it’s also brought about a lot of anger, much of directed at LL vs Paisley.

At the core of folks angst is him showing ‘forgiveness‘ and taking a conciliatory tone for wrong doings in the past.. He basically told Paisley its all good, rock that confederate flag as long as you let me rock my doo rag and sagging pants in peace… Many of us flipped out and rightfully asked; ‘LL Cool J how dare you? Where is your pride? Where’s your understanding of Black history? Where are your principles?’

Many said LL had no business compromising the way he did..and I get that..But let’s have an honest discussion..First how many of us have  ‘compromised’ on our principles? ‘ How many of us have tucked away our knowledge of Black history to have a Kumbaya moment?  How many of us have been willing to forgive and literally forget about egregious wrong doings of others who we feel we wanna break bread with? Sometimes we do this with family members, close friends and spouses. Sometimes we do this with our job, the things we consume or the politicians we elect. We compromise and have all sorts of justifications for it..Can we talk about drone strikes anyone? Can we talk about Africom?

Bottom line is at the end of the day many of us find ourselves not wanting to ‘hurt anyone’s feelings’, or wanting to rock the proverbial boat and make folks feel uncomfortable.  As a result we do one of two things.. we fail to take strong principled stances when needed most.. or we wind up self sabotaging ourselves or compromising a situation vs going all out and making hard demands even if we know its right and surely needed.  For many of us its easier to go along ‘get along’ then it is to take the reins in be in charge..We need to be honest…

In looking at the LL Cool J situation and the anger around it, what came across was a guy not wanting to make waves. Seemed like he was playing it safe.. Maybe he did it for his career after all Hollywood is fickle. Maybe he was afraid he might lose some friends or step on toes.. LL is no dummy.. He’s been around for minute..

I can’t help put think of the debates that ensued during President Obama‘s run for the White House. If you recall there were all sorts of heated discussions about Obama not showing anger or drawing firm lines in the sand in the face of egregious insults and mistreatment.. Whether it was his friend Skip Gates having an unfair confrontation with Harvard police, reporters, pundits  and fellow politicians taking vile racial remarks or Arizona governor Jan Brewer putting her finger in his face, we were told that Obama was doing the right thing by taking the high road and that he was setting a good example for all of us to follow by appealing to ones humanity vs ‘lowering himself’…Some of us said he was caving in too much.. The push back to such accusations was strong..We were told if we take the high road it will be reciprocated..Obama was setting a tone for us to appeal to our higher selves.. Was LL trying to take the high road and appeal to ones humanity in his own way?

Was Nelson Mandela was too forgiving?

During the fall of Apartheid and Nelson Mandela pushed for the country to do Truth and Reconciliation…We were told that this was a way for folks to atone and it would help bring about true healing..  There were many who praised Mandela and said he was a shining example of humanity.. Many others including his former wife Winnie Mandela said he sold us out and shortchanged the revolution.. She and others called for justice with folks being severely punished for wrong doings and those who were smashed on being compensated and restitution given..Many said Nelson Mandela was too forgiving..

The push back on Willie were arguments centering on one can never be too forgiving.  Moving forward and healing and letting God or the Universe and higher powers take control were the orders of the day with lots of  leaders, Black, white and other say talk of ‘vengeance‘ was outrageous and shortsighted..

Now I’m in no way saying LL’s song Accidental Racist is anywhere on the level of the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa, but the anger and frustration I’ve seen expressed reminds me of the sentiments I saw expressed when folks first heard about the process..Our collective outlook on compromise and forgiveness has been complicated by what we been taught about ‘holding grudges’ and seeking revenge.. Some of us have been informed by our religious or spiritual beliefs… Some of us have been informed by societal dictates.. It gets confusing with no real blue print.. Many of us have been taught that seeking justice is the akin to seeking revenge and hence many have avoided it like the plague.

This LL Cool J situations suggests that its high time we have honest discussions on what it means to truly forgive someone and how to express it. We need to talk about ‘Whats the difference between seeing the humanity in someone and trying to ‘be humane’ by taking the high road vs appeasing someone and making unnecessary compromises?  Can you really say RIP general Robert E Lee??

Some food for thought

-Davey D-