Stephen's Own Domain 2008

Yep. The title says it all. But what I'm referring too? I was reading CNN's website today about Rev. Jesse Jackson having a explicit comment about Sen. Barack Obama. It wasn't that explicit, but I'll sample this quote in a clean context. Rev. Jackson said these exact words about Obama: "See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his**** off." To quote pro-wrestler, Booker T: "Tell me he didn't just say that?!" Here's another embarrassing notation, when Rev. Jesse Jackson said those words, guess what? The microphones were on! Yes, even when you're whispering, your voice picks up! I've learned this by being around alot of sound. Voices do carry! Obviously, that probably didn't matter to Rev. Jackson. But like a change of heart of everyone else, he did apologize for what he said. But getting behind the reason of the comments, Rev. Jackson's remarks was aimed at Barack Obama's comments around Father's Day, when he talked about black fathers need to get behind their children. That's one comment I'll agree with. I remember this quote that "any man can help make a baby, but it takes a real man to raise his children". Notice "Real Man" in the sentence. That means something! Or,like last year when my pastor on Father's Day talked about "daddies" and "fathers". Daddies, as he put it, makes the children. Fathers raise them. I gave a Father's Day shout out this year, during my Men's Day Celebration, and I publicly said to every father, grandfather, male mentor, uncle, single fathers, single mothers and any other person that has EARNED the title of "Father". Notice the word "earned". I was simply giving mad props to the real dads out there. Even my own.

What does this incident teaches us? When an individual like Sen. Barack Obama is doing well thus far, there is always going to be someone in the background talking down about that person in a negative fashion. I hate to say this, but now Rev. Jesse Jackson is one of them. Yes, I know he said "Keep Hope Alive" and stood by with Martin Luther King, Jr. In regards to "haterisms", I get that some of the notions myself. Let me give you two examples: Back in day when I still a teen, I and some of my summer workers were passing out flyers for my church's summer program. This was about in the early 90's. One of the neighbors was saying explicit words at me just because I doing something good. Another example was when my denomination held it's NCJ/BMCR Celebration in November of 2005 in Brown Deer. There were some guests from out of state murmuring negatively about the fact I have good computer skills with making name tags, composing MS Excel spreadsheets and making pickups from Office Depot. They didn't. My mother told me this, and I had no clue that some were like that. Keep in mind, these were "church going" individuals of the BMCR. BTW: BMCR stands for Black Methodist for Church Renewal, which is part of the United Methodist Church. Once again, someone like me doing good work, while others try to bring it down. On a personal note, it reminds me of four years ago, I had two organizations like the Milwaukee Urban League and Manpower got real personal about my education with Stout, income, and I was a 27 year old man looking for work around my distance education classes. The urban league claimed that I've had a negative attitude in all, but that was false. The truth, simply put, I was frustrated of not working. That was it! And since that time, I told them how I felt at their last meetings, and never shown up to their organizations again! They did me wrong, folks. What I did was I just told them that I will be looking for work somewhere else in the city, without them! Sorry I got a little personal, but hey, this is one example I've encountered. I almost felt discriminated. After that, I continued my distance education and graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Management from the university.

When someone in the black community or any other community is doing good things, to me that's praise. But you'll always get that particular person who would probably say: "He/She thinks she's all that just because of whatever!" "What did I do to get this?" or this one: "They aren't so special! Why should I care about that?" You know what, those in my view, are a prime example of haters of just sitting around and complaining. Instead of Rev. Jackson murmuring about Obama, or in his case "talking down" to blacks, maybe Rev. Jackson should ask why to Obama. What was his motive or trying to say in general?

Now the part of Rev. Jackson, again claiming the Democratic contender was "talking down to black people". I disagree. What was hype behind that comment? And which groups of black people is he talking about? I think, knowing me, that Barack Obama was commenting about being responsible of what we do. That's it. Be responsible of raising your kids, or getting a job, going to your doctors to get checked out (yours truly had two blood labs for HDL this year, and a third is coming in November) and better yet: staying out of trouble! I've had my parents, church members, community advocates, Marine Corps recruiters, and even one of my former teachers from UW-Stout, used to tell me and groups of others: "stay out of trouble, man." And they meant it. Seriously. And I'll go forth by saying that there are some real fathers out there are handling their business with their families. No question. Even if you don't have kids, and if they, well let's say play infront of your house, tell them to go play infront of their house or play in their yard.  That's what my Father did to tell some of the neighbors kids around in my old neighborhood. It's all about of respecting people's property.

Shifting gears, my older sister, who is an outreach minister at my church, told the youth that "you better be careful what you say to people". I don't care if you said something back in the second grade or whatever, it might comeback to haunt you. This goes for everyone! I don't care how intelligent, liberal, conservative, creative, pro this, pro that, athletic, political, or how "American" you claim to be. Yeah, I went there on the American part! Don't get it twisted. For in the case of Rev. Jesse Jackson, I think his conscience is haunting him. So the lesson of today is: Loose Lips Sink Ships!

This is my take. Right or wrong. Just my thought.