I'm Just Saying

Is it me or does Beyonce look a little pale in the photo on the top. This photo was taken yesterday of her at the Obama’s state dinner. I cant tell you when the other photo was taken. Look likes she called Sammy Sosa and borrowed some of the moisturizer. It makes me think of that quote by Audre Lorde’s, “The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.”



I’m just saying………..

Please Don’t Test….. That Teacher’s Gansta

I know you have probably seen the video of the teacher Sherri Davis whooping the ass of her student Isaiah Regan. When I saw the video I could tell that the teacher had snapped and had enough of this particular student’s bullshit. Davis appeared on Good Morning America and stated that the day had been "utter chaos." Just moments before the incident where she beat student Isaiah Reagan on video, she had to break up a fight in the hallway between a 16-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. She said that people there are not protecting the students or the staff at the school. Ms. Davis said that while her adrenaline was still building from stopping the student fight in the hallway, she heard the door to the classroom slam shut and the door lock. A white girl who was a special needs student who had just enrolled in the school was in the room, surrounded by mostly African-American male students who were "mimicking her." Isaiah Reagins, who she says has assaulted teachers and other students, "was bouncing around in a threatening, bullying position."

Obviously lil Isaiah has been a problem for sometime and still had not learned that school is not a place to act a fool. You may ask yourself how can a teacher go from being teacher of the year (twice) to beating the hell out of one of her students? Well let me answer that for you ….. bad ass kids with poor excuses for parents. If you think your job gets on your nerves try going into the classroom. Oh teaching is not how it use to be when kids respected grown folks and at the threat of calling the parents and/or grandparents was enough to make a child break down into a soggy pile of tears.

I hate to say it…… but we are witnessing what happens when crack babies have children. Yessssss……most of the children causing problems today grandmothers are/were crack heads in the 80’s. Of course this is just my opinion but I really believe that it is true.

I used to be a long term substitute teacher and I had to lay hand on a student too! I remember it like it was yesterday. My student name was Charles and he was very short and little for his age (14). Charles also had sickle cell but he was mad as a muth%$#@!!. One afternoon Charles clowned and talked and gave me the blues so when the end of day bell rang I told Charles he was to stay seated until he could be quiet for a full five minutes. The other children left to catch their buses and Charles was instructed to stay in seat and be quiet. Charles said, “If I miss my bus, it’s gonna be all your fault.” I told Charles every time he spoke his five minutes would start over again, so if he missed the bus it would be his fault. I got up from my desk and stood in front of the door. Needless to say Charles kept talking and I refused to let him leave. At some point he starting cussing and talking about what he was going to do if missed his bus. Then out of no where Charles picked up a desk and threw it at me.


I lost it on his ass! I grabbed that lil muth%$#@!!. by his throat and pushed him against the wall and lifted him off the ground by this throat. I told him, “Let’s get one damn thing clear here….. I ain’t the one to play with and if you ever attempt to hurt me again I will make you wish you ever laid eyes on me. Little did I know the principle saw the entire episode and calmly asked me to release the child. I let him go and he ran out the room. The principle left and went on about his business.


But I tell you what….. Charles was one of my best students after that. I never had a problem out of him again and guess what………he passed my class. We joked, smiled and continued on like what happen that afternoon never took place. Teachers I people too and if tested they make open a can of whoop ass on ya.

Many teachers are put in the position to be security. They have to protect kids from bullies as well as protect themselves. Schools with hundreds of students often have very little security …if any. It gets frustrating constantly trying to deal with behavioral issues and not doing what you were hired and educated to do…..TEACH! The government and states are trying to hold the teachers responsible for the children lack of learning…..but what about all the behavior and external issues that find their way into the classroom and must be dealt with before learning can take place. Now Isaiah mama is filing a law suit against the school and Ms. Davis. My question is…….where the hell was his mama when he was acting a plum damn fool! What was she doing to address her child behavioral issues? Had she ever sought professional help for her child, was there discipline in the home?

Please don’t judge Ms. Davis too hard. I’m sure she regrets ever placing her hand on that child, regardless how bad he was he is still a child. But, if she is to remember he is still a child he needs to remember that she is still an adult. We all make bad judgment calls and decisions in our life. I just hope that Ms. Davis can recover from this professionally and financially. I also hope that Isaiah understands that his behavior was inappropriate and his mother addresses h

Illinois sheriff using food stamps to track fugitives

CHICAGO -- Fugitives in Cook County are learning that there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

More than 100 people wanted for crimes ranging from kidnapping to marijuana possession were arrested late last month after police tracked their food stamp applications, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said Monday.

When people are arrested, they often give authorities addresses that turn out to be vacant lots or abandoned buildings _ but they're more honest when they want food stamps.

"We were able to clear a lot of people off of our wanted list and at the same time get them off of the public dole," Dart said while announcing that 168 fugitives had been arrested during the investigation, most through food stamp tracking. Many applicants had listed their real addresses.

The investigation dubbed "Operation Talon" included Dart's office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Marshals Service's Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The key was the roster of food stamp recipients contained in the USDA's computers.

After giving the USDA a list of 41,000 people who having arrest warrants pending in Cook County, the agency's computer spit out between 700 and 800 names.

"By working together with them we were able to take data that we normally don't have," said Dart, adding that it's illegal for fugitives to collect food stamps.

It isn't the first time Dart has used creative tactics. His office once lured fugitives to an "event" with a promise of free Super Bowl tickets.

While tracking food stamps, investigators found addresses for people across Cook County, some wanted for violations as minor as failing to appear in traffic court. Some were sound asleep, and none gave police any trouble, authorities said.

"We know where they're at because they're actually collecting checks at those addresses," Dart said.

Some arrests led to other arrests and the seizure of weapons, cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy in the homes they were searching, authorities said.

Among those arrested was a Chicago woman accused of aggravated kidnapping for allegedly locking a woman in a room, wrapping her belt around the woman's neck and forcing her to crawl until she gave her $300 in September 2008.

Other arrests included a Chicago man wanted for allegedly beating a man with his shoe, and a woman accused in January of scratching her name and a man's name into "The Bean," the huge stainless steel sculpture at Millennium Park.

Dart said it's unclear how much food stamp money was going to fugitives, but said some people arrested during the recent sting were wanted on charges from two years ago.

Finding A New Church Home

In 2008 when I returned to St Louis I rejoined my old church. I did everything that I did not do the first time I joined. I attended all the new membership classes and even got re-baptized. My guy loved the church and I enjoyed the church too. One of the reasons that I enjoyed the church so much was the pastor. The pastor was great; he seemed in tune with the struggles of his congregation and was very relatable. At first, I was going pretty regularly. I was going to bible study and Sunday service….then things changed.

My guy kept asking me to go back and I just really did not want to go. People would ask me what was wrong and I could not put my finger on it. In addition to feeling a little put off by the church, my relationship with God was slipping as well. We all know that this could’ve been a combustible combination. I spoke with a few people about how I was feeling about my relationship with God and how I was worried that I could not feel his presence as strong as I once did.

People kept telling to go to church, but I did not feel that attending church was the answer. It took awhile but finally I started to feel my connection with God grow stronger. I then was faced with the task of going back to church. However, I did not want to go to the church I joined. I visited a few churches but still did not feel compelled to go back to my home church.


It has been well over a year since I been back to my home church and just the other day it hit me like a ton of bricks why I did not want to go back. I literally just got an answer this weekend and I finally feel like a burden as been lifted from my shoulders.

The reason I felt so strongly about not attending was related to the people in the church. Again, I absolutely love the pastor and believe that he is a God sent….. but many others are not ( to me that is). I remember when I first started going to that church I was tore up on the inside. I was spiritually dead and desperately needed reviving. I am an extremely private person and did not feel comfortable sharing my problems with the ministers at the church. I would pray every time I entered the church that someone could see into my spirit and pray for me, touch me, hold my hand …something. My brother and nephew had died and I was suicidal…but no one knew it. I just prayed that someone would see my pain. Needless to say no one ever noticed me or my pain. But I survived.



I’ve since grown a little wiser and had the opportunity to attend other churches. When I lived in Cali I attended a multi-racial church and loved it. It was wonderful seeing different races praise God with one voice and being treated like a sister in Christ by everyone was a feeling I’ll never forget.

There were ministries to fit every need a person could have, and there were many ministries to my personal need. I joined a small group of women (no more than 8 women) and we did a series of bible studies. These women were from all income levels and racial backgrounds. They prayed for me and allowed me to vent if I wanted. I never felt like I was a traitor of God because my faith was not always as strong and I did not always stay on path. But I always knew if I kept coming I would eventually get the spiritual feeding I needed. The leader of the group even gave me her number in case I need to talk to her over the phone or I just wanted someone to pray with.


When I came home to STL I went back to my old church. I was familiar with a few members and I always loved the pastor so it was a no brainer. However, this time I felt that the word was flat. There was a great deal of story telling and a lil bit of word and yall know when the devil is on the back of your heels you need some word….stories won’t due!


I wasn’t spiritually broken this time but it still felt like some (not all) the arm bearers of the church did not have spiritual eyes. I just did not feel connected to the church anymore. I kept going and each time I could not wait to get out of the building. I just not sure what I am going to do at this point, but I really desire to settle back into the groove of going to church to get fed and worship with other believers.


I don’t know if I’ve just evolved or if I need to just move on and pray for the best.

Pressing My Way Through

Hey Friends and Family,

Yesterday I was in one of those fucked up moods. I tried to fight it all day, but the urge to slap the shit out of someone just keep coming up to the surface. I admit it I am a woman filled with contradictions one minute I can be cussing and the next minute you may catch me in the corner with my eyes closed saying a lil prayer. I’ve tried to change but what can I say…it is what it is.


Anyhow this urge to slap the shit outta someone started last Saturday. Man it rained like cats and dogs and the tornado horns when off and directed everyone to go to the basement. I went to the basement as directed and once I felt it was safe I came back up to find that water was leaking from the light fixtures of my home.

My pisstivity level went up a notch or two. Let me refresh y’all memory, the seller of my home told me I had a new roof and all the supporting documents I have on the home says the roof is new. Long story short I filed a claim to sue the seller. Once she realized that I was in the process of suing her she decided to call me. This heifer begged me to work it outside the courtroom. Me….being the nice, considerate, compassionate and down to earth sistah that I am was cool with handling this issue like grown women. Home girl kept saying she was getting estimates and that someone would call me. Then she would say that she would have some one over to deliver the bid to me so I can go over it. I would press her more then she would say that the contractor would start on the house next week. Well that bullshit when on for over a month. Once the court date went by I never heard from that heifer again.

See when some people look at me or speak to me they think I am one polished and refined lady. What they don’t know is underneath that sophistication is straight hood! I’m like Colt 45…..Don’t let the smooth taste fool ya!

I decided that I needed to take care of my roof and handle old girl later. Needless to say I will be short a few grand so I can get my roof replaced. For her sake I hope she don’t think this is over, if anything this is just the beginning. I am done talking and playing Mrs. Nice Girl, the gloves are coming off.

Today I feel a little better but not by much. Then the job situation is getting on my last nerve. The entire department is sitting around looking at each other all day wondering when something is going to go down. But, the boss is still saying everything is going to be okay and no job losses will occur, work should start to pick up next week. So until then I guess I have to keep sharing natural hair tips with my co-workers and surfing the internet for gossip.

My life seems so complicated right now… I am just trying to stay focus and concentrate only on the things I can fix. I try to ignore the rest but it is extremely hard to do. This is one of those times I need to remember the serenity prayer and it keep pushing.

African American Genocide.....So They Say

Have you every heard of the term “Womb Lynching”…..me either until I ran across the National Pro Black Life Union insist Planned Parenthood (PP). Apparently this group feels that PP is committing genocide against black people by offering abortion services.

They complain that PP provides a disproportionate amount of abortions to black women. African Americans make up only 14 percent of the U.S. population, we account for a staggering 59 percent of abortions. For PP that means while Blacks make up 25 percent of their clientele, they account for 47 percent of abortions performed through their clinic.


It is noted that many of the PP clinics are located in predominately low income neighborhoods and offers grants to women who can not afford to pay the full price of abortions.

The history of PP with African Americans is a pretty bad one. The founder of PP is Margaret Sanger. She came up with the idea for the “Negro Project” in the late 1930’s. She believed that, by convincing Black people to limit the size of their families, they would prevent the Black population’s numbers from overwhelming those of the white population. And so began an effort to prevent Black women from getting pregnant by birth control, sterilization and abortion.
Let me first start by saying I am pro-choice. It is my belief that the government should stay out of a woman’s bedroom and not involve themselves with decisions women make about their bodies. The choice is between that woman and God.

I often visited PP as a teen. I was provided with birth control pills and a well woman’s exam for a very, very small fee. I never felt pressured to take birth control pills and they always made me feel like I was doing the right thing. I felt like I was in the drivers’ seat making decisions about my body and being responsible about my sexual behavior. There was no other place like PP in my neighborhood and I was trying to stay out of the abortion line so I felt that birth control pills were the best option.

Let’s face it; many women that have abortions are not in a position to have a baby. We can’t complain about high taxes and welfare moms with one voice and want to outlaw abortion at the same time. And to be real honest some of these women don’t need to be nobody’s mama. I have never had an abortion, but I know many women that had to make that choice. Some are haunted by the decision, but most have gotten over it and gone on with their lives. Having an abortion is one of the hardest decisions that a woman has to make. And trust me it affects every last woman that has to lie on that table and hear the whirl of that machine. It is unfortunate that some women use abortion like a form of birth control by getting several abortions throughout their life…….but again, their body, their choice.
Yes, it is sad that PP started with such a horrible objective in mind. However, women of all colors have a choice and if 47% of their black clientele is choosing their services then so be it.


If you ask me we should be focusing on why the women are choosing abortion as an option instead of why PP is providing the service. No one is taking about the dead beat dads, the high cost of daycare, the failing school systems, the fact that black women get paid less than other ethnicities for doing the same job. All these reasons (and more) make some women hightail it to the abortion clinic.

News: Confessed Assassin Of Malcolm X Granted Parole

Thomas Hagan has been held since moments after shots rang out in the Audubon Ballroom in 1965. He has been on work release for more than two decades, but he still spends two days a week locked up at the Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Manhattan.
On March 3, however, on his 17th try, Mr. Hagan was granted parole, the State Division of Parole said. His final release date is tentatively scheduled for April 28. The news was reported Thursday on The Village Voice’s Runnin’ Scared blog.
Mr. Hagan, who turned 69 in jail on Tuesday, was a militant member of the Nation of Islam on Feb. 21, 1965, when Malcolm X was shot while giving a speech at the Audubon, in Washington Heights. Mr. Hagan, then known as Talmadge X. Hayer, was captured by the crowd and shot at and beaten before being rescued by the police.
Two other men, Muhammad Abdul Aziz (then known as Norman 3X Butler) and Kahlil Islam (then Thomas 15X Johnson), were also charged with the murder. They maintained their innocence. Mr. Hagan did not, testifying at his trial in 1966 that he was responsible for the murder and that his co-defendants were innocent.
All 3 men were sentenced to 20 to life. For Hagan apparently, his time is done- his debt to society has been paid- has it?


Mr. Hagan, who earned a master’s degree while in prison, according to a 2008 profile in The New York Post, was placed on work release in 1988. In 2008, he was spending his free days with his wife and children in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and working in a fast food restaurant.
“I’ve been incarcerated for 40 years, and I’ve had a good record all around,” he told The Post. “I don’t see any reason for holding me.”
He…doesn’t see a reason?! How about the fact that he murdered Malcolm X?


********** Disclaimer: This post was jacked from the NY Times and Fresh Express.