atitagain's Blog

With the summer months ahead and warmer weather in sight you can bet your life that besides BBQs, beachballs and bikini-clad babes out comes "the boomin' system."

Remember LL Cool J's hit single from the 80s about car stereos with bass cranked to the max?

For some of you this may be a rite of summer. For others it is annoying as hell.

Call me an old fart but I fall into the latter catergory. Even as a self-proclaimed music fanatic I hate  it when someone feels the need to let everyone within a three block radius know that they love themself some gangsta rap or hip-hop tunes, yo.

First off blasting your car stereo loud enough to register on the Richter scale is dangerous.  You can't possibly hear emergency vehicles or car and train horns, but most importantly, how can you talk to your posse on your cell with music so loud?

Second it is just plain inconsiderate and rude. I know anyone reading this who engages in this behaviour (assuming you are able to read and use the Internet) will have a good laugh at my expense: "Yo, hate-a! Chill, bro! I can blast my mutha*&^%$ stereo as loud as I's want. It is my  car!"

This mentality is what makes people such as the system boomers so annoying, and oh so stupid.

By now you have probably heard of the horrific incident of domestic violence that took place over the weekend in downtown Milwaukee: 65-year old Elisabeth Witte was stabbed to death by her ex-husband after she performed with the Milwaukee Symphony .

Witte's friends called 911 after seeing the woman with her ex, but by the time police arrived, Witte was dead of multiple stab wounds.

Her 70 year old ex-husband ~ against whom Witte had a restraining order ~ is in custody and has confessed to the crime.

This tragedy comes on the heels of another domestic dispute that ended in the death of a man who tried killing his significant other a few miles from where I am writing this.

My question to the two or three of you who still bother reading my blogs is this:

• Are restraining orders effective?
• Should Wisconsin pass a concealed weapon law?

Since January of 2007 the Town of Brookfield Police have been called to the Bluemound Road Chuck E. Cheese more than fifty times for disorderly conduct and fights; one of which included over forty patrons.

No: it isn't the kids doing the fighting. It is their parents.

If there is such rancor and hostility in the parents who take their children to a fun-loving family -oriented pizza place like Chuck E. Cheese, then perhaps the establishment needs to hand out free tokens for Whack-A-Mole to these morons.

My god. Have we lost our minds???

You've seen the video: a brutal attack of a Milwaukee County bus driver caught on tape.

The perpetrator of this crime - a teen - has confessed to police.

The boy's mother sees things differently.

Despite her thug of a son admitting that it is he on the video beating the bus driver to a pulp Mom says it can't be him. Nope: not my kid.

I'd say someone is in denial.

Wake up lady. You raised your kid to be a gangsta; now take responsibility for it!!!!

In the past couple of weeks we have witnessed two devastating natural disasters: a cyclone in Myanmar and an earthquake in China. Both have killed thousands upon thousands of people and descimated entire regions.

The United States has seen its share of nature's fury raising havoc: tornadoes have already taken the lives of dozens in the Midwest, and it isn't even summer yet.

So what do you think? Do you believe that these calamities are simply the planet's natural occurences, or are they signs of something more serious? Let's keep the whole "global warming" arguement out of it, but do you believe that the earth is trying to tell us something by the way it's been "acting" up?

And more seriously: do you think that perhaps these disasters are signs of the so-called Apocalypse or end of the world as foretold in many religions and ancient texts?

I'd love to hear your opinions.

This week's Entertainment Weekly magazine's cover story is about the upcoming Oliver Stone biopic of George W. Bush's presidency called W. .

Former Goonie Josh Brolin ~ enjoying a career revival with appearances in the Oscar hits No Country For Old Men and Michael Clayton ~ plays Dubya, while Elizabeth Banks stars as Laura.

James (Babe) Cromwell plays Bush Sr; Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn as mom; Thandie (The Pursuit of Happyness) Newton plays Condoleezza Rice; and Miley (Hannah Montana) Cyrus plays newlywed Jenna.

Okay ~ that last one I made up.

Question is will you go see this movie? Considering Oliver Stone is in the driver's seat, you can bet your Texas dollar that the film will not be a vanity piece. Stone has always been controversial and critical of the government in his films; W. looks to be more of the same.

Gas prices may be sky high at the moment, but one thing you can find that's cheap in Milwaukee is peoples' lives.

Five people were hurt in three seperate shootings this weekend; one victim a 14-year old.

I am not going to predict what racial background the shooters and the victims were, but I am pretty damn certain about it.

Here we go again with trigger happy thugs taking out their anger on innocents - including kids.

The problem will not solve itself, people. The community in which this crime takes place so frequently MUST take steps to heal its wounds.

Or else more and more will die.

Unless you have been living under a rock on Mars for the past few weeks, surely you have seen on TV, heard on the radio, glanced at the billboards, or read ads in various local newspapers to "Go Find The Key."

This campaign ~ whatever it's for ~ has saturated the local media market ad nauseum.

I have chosen not to pursue finding the "key," simply because I am so godda**ed sick of hearing about it.

I wish I could take the guy who recorded that annoying radio spot in which a spooky drone is followed by his cryptic whisper of "Go find the key" and beat the living bejesus out of him.

Enough already. Unless the key leads to wealth, endless young and attractive women for my sexual pleasure, and happiness to my dying day, I don't give a rat's patoot about your frickin' key.

I got a different hole to stick your key into.

I have been living in a wonderful and lovely new apartment in Waukesha for little over a year now, and I am happy to call Waukesha home.

But my neck of the woods isn't immune to violence and crime.

Just this past few months I have read or heard on the news some pretty harrowing stories: a gang-related stabbing at a Taco Bell a few blocks from my place, teens spray painting gang signs all over town, an apartment fire downtown started by a guy who wanted to kill himself, a police search for a man in fatigues wandering thru backyards with a gun, and most recently the incredulous incident involving a woman on her way to work one morning getting rammed by a nutjob who police later found hiding in a tree drunk and beligerent. (That one too happened a few blocks from my abode!)

It's enough to make you want to move, but the fact of the matter is that crime can't be escaped. It's an unfortunate reality of life, even in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  I can't afford to live in Elm Grove or River Hills, so Waukesha is going to remain homebase for me crimeridden or not.

It is a shame our children (not to mention we adults) have to be the faceless victims of somebody's stupid, wayward decisions. That is what it boils down to. People doing stupid things.

And people are doing stupid things anywhere you go.

I was at Barnes and Noble this morning and saw a mother leading her son around....on a leash.

I had heard of parents doing this, but never actually witnessed it before. I had to do a double take.

Being a former child care teacher I believe ALL children should be put on leashes and muzzled like dogs. But apparently this is a controversial issue with some folks.

What do you think? Should parents restrain their kids in public places if that child tends to wander or run around like a sugar happy lunatic?

I am all for it. 95% of children today have some form of ADD, and the other 5% act as though they do. I say tie and gag 'em all.

Your views? I'd like to hear from the two or three of you who actually still read my blogs.

Yesterday I was listening to the news on the radio, and they reported two fatal car crashes that claimed the lives of a group of teens, as well as a principal and her daughter.

After I heard about this I thought to myself: the lives of those left behind who knew and loved these people are changing as we speak, and the media reduces it all to a 10 second soundbite.

It broke my heart that most of us may have heard those tragic stories yesterday and just went on about our day, while the family members, friends, coworkers, classmates and colleagues of these victims had to deal with the untimely death of someone close to their hearts.

While the media may be insensitive to this fact ~ simply reducing these terrible tragedies to mere words to fill a newscast ~ I actually felt something. Instead of just shaking my head at the senselessness of it all, turning off my radio and instantly forgetting about what I had just heard, I sat down and said a prayer for the survivors.

I took out my rosary and closed my eyes and whispered a short prayer to Mother Mary that the people affected by these awful tragedies would find peace of mind amidst their sorrow and grief.

I could go on and on about how the news media has no sensitivity to people who experience such tragedy in their lives.

 It is a shameless and shameful business, and I have little respect to those in the field who choose to report on stories of mayhem just to fill space on a newscast and tiltillate viewers who apparently get off on other peoples' misfortunes.

I have chosen to distance myself from the daily news, only once in a while tuning in. I have no need for the endless stories of shootings, car accidents, crime, fires, court cases, scandals, dirty restaurants, dead beat fathers, blah, blah, blah.

For every bad or heinous act being reported on, there are thousands of good and compassionate acts being committed as well.

 Rarely do you hear about those because the media chooses to take the low road and tell you about who got killed last night, what individual is being tried for murder, what celebrity said or did something innane, what politician is involved in a scandal of some sort, etc.

They defend themselves by saying this is what we "want" to hear, but that is a boldface lie. They feed us what they think we want: a diet of depravity and disaster.

The mentally healthy would never conform to that absurdity.

And so the next time you turn on the news and hear ten second soundbites of REAL people experiencing REAL tragedy in their lives take a moment to say a silent prayer to comfort their grief .

Preferably before the commercial break.

My oh my oh my.

Two dozen comments on this most recent blog; the most "comments" I have gotten from anyone in the past several months.

Doesn't that say something about you all? (Except for GITRDONE and several others, that is)

If you go to my "newsroom" you would see that 99% of my latest posts have been free of any "hate" speech, and certainly I have kept my word on not attacking fellow bloggers personally.

This latest outcry began with a post titled "The Truth Hurts" in which I admittingly was a bit harsh on the black community and its bent towards random violence and crime.

However, instead of delving into the subject of the blog itself, individuals I hadn't heard from in some time came out guns ablazin'. They chose not to comment on my positive pieces but when they sensed I was being racist (which was a foolish and naive inaccuracy) I received a staggering two dozen comments: most of which were cruel, callous, and uncalled for.

Then came my "Nuff Antoine" blog. This drew more bitter, angry rants from bloggers who totally misconstrued my point.

Listen folks: I apologized for the past and I am not going to do it again. If some of you have issues with me, then I ask you to please not read my blogs. Simple as that.

The irony is that you folks ARE in fact reading my blogs, but are only choosing to comment on the ones that give you the opportunity to bash me left and right.

One blogger said that I have "hate in my heart."

Come again? Who has hate in their hearts???

Reread your comments, people. I didn't delete any of them. If you want to talk hatred....

At any rate I ask that those who disagree with me, and those who still can't forgive and move on, to not read and comment on my blogs. You are the types I don't want reading my material anyways because you just don't get it.

Thanks, and peace be with you.

This piece is in regards to a blog I posted yesterday titled "Nuff Antoine."

I received a barrage of insults from fellow bloggers who apparently did not take the time to actually read the blog to begin with. Instead they foolishly took the opportunity to not address the actual issue I raised but took the low road and just " let me have it."

Is GITRDONE the only blogger on myfoxmilwaukee.com with reasonable intelligence?

C'mon guys. I invite you to reread the blog and consider what it is I am saying. I have nothing against Only1Antoine; as I originally stated I think he is a supeb contributor to this website.

My point is that so are others, and they deserve credit as well by being highlighted on the community page.

As for me? There are no "jealous" feelings. I know for a fact  I am an excellent writer, and I do not need myfoxmilwaukee.com to trumpet that truth.

As for the rest of you, you are all talented writers and deserve to be acknowledged for such. Highlighting one person's contributions over and over while excluding others is off mark. The webproducers should simply take that into consideration; that is all I am saying.

God knows the webproducers take into consideration when some of you go whining and slobbering like infants to them regarding a post you DON'T agree with. They wipe those posts clear off the website!

They should give equal consideration to the GOOD pieces, including my stellar music blogs.

Finally to all of you who feel the need to continue blasting me with your silly, childish musings, well all I will say is this: Peace be with you.

Yep, that's right: peace be with you. I am going to be the man here. I am not going to sink to your level and insult you back. I am done with that foolhardy behaviour.

If the rest of you choose to continue acting so ridiculous that is your preogotive. I am going to continue to write on this website, contributing my usual brand of writing par excellence.

And I have said this repeatedly and I'll say it once again: IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY STUFF THEN DON'T READ IT!!!

Thanks for reading!

This is by no means a knock on Only1Antoine; I think he is a brilliant contributor to this website.

But what is up with so many of his blogs getting posted on the community blog page? Six at last count.

A bit of favoritism on the webproducers' part, if you ask me. Give someone else a little space to shine, guys!

Including myself.

I have made the attempt to distance myself from any and all judgmental and overly critical subject matter in my blogs lately, but a piece I wrote yesterday brought out the rancor in many. So much so that apparently they went whining and huffing to webproducers and insisted that they pull the blog entitled "The Truth Hurts."

I shall refrain from mentioning how some choice bloggers have neglected to comment on my recent positive posts, but lo and behold when I say something they don't like they come out guns ablazin'. Hypocritical if you ask me. One is to assume these *&($#@ were just waiting with baited breath for me to BLEEP up so that they could be judgmental and critical in their own right.

But I digress.

After some soul searching I came to realize why I have such disdain for members of the black community (and NO, it is not because of the colour of their skin. That is ridiculous).

I see behaviours in them that I see in myself. Behaviours that are less than admirable.

I can understand the whole race/victim card phenomenon. As a child I was abused and made to feel like a total lowlife. To this day I struggle with feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth. It has paralyzed careers, my relationships with family and friends, and any ability to enjoy an intimate relationship with a woman. My feelings of inferiority have also had a tremondous effect on my physical health as well.

There is admittingly a lot of anger still inside me, but it is not directed at any one in particular. It is directed at myself. I may project those negative feelings at others (um, including on this website), but bottom line the hatred I feel is for myself alone.

When i look at these young black men acting out these horrible crimes ~ purse snatchings, carjackings, robberies at gunpoint, driveby shootings, drug dealings, etc. ~ I forget to acknowledge the why they are doing these things in favor of the what they are doing.

In other words, if I take the time to examine the motivation for these individuals' acts, I would see the reasoning behind the crimes. I believe that motivation is one steeped in the very emotions I have felt for years: a deep-seeded self-hate.

There is no question that black people have been mistreated thru the years. starting with the unthinkable scar of slavery to the KKK to rampant racism to this day, blacks have struggled and endured a tsunami of abuse borne of ignorance and predjudice.

Today we have a generation of young black men who are suffering from low self-esteem and self-worth due to a missing father figure. Instead they find role models in gangsta rappers who promote unhealthy lifestyles.

Their anger is understandable and justified. They have been wronged by people who should have known better.

Nevertheless, it is NOT okay to act out those issues with painful acts of crime towards others. While I can identify and empathize with that anger, it is no excuse to hurt others.

Making the choice to change is the only way to cure that cancer of anger and hate. It is not easy when you have been wronged, but if you have the will to survive and strive, then it is imperative.

In many ways I can see now how these black men are my brothers. When I see them failing to change their wicked ways I see my own inability to curb the mindset that has been the cause of so much pain and suffering in my life.

It is not easy to change. It takes tremondous effort and a Herculean willpower to overcome the obstacle of self-hatred. You must learn to love yourself and accept who you are.

It is my wish that the members of the black community who are bent towards lives of crime find  in their hearts and minds that they are worthy of that love and acceptance.

This is the last blog I will post regarding the black community.