Should We Question Obama's Loyalty

Ya know, I don't think that we need to question Obama's loyalty to us
at all. I think what we have to keep at the forefront of our minds is
that this is an election and that in order to win, Obama must win the
white vote. He will not get that vote if he does not separate
himself from anything or anyone that could be a potential roadblock or distraction.
We need him in office and I think his loyalty to us is unwavering,
which is why I didn't get upset, like so many others when he wasn't in
Memphis on Dr Kings anniversary. I understood what he was trying to do
and I also understood why Clinton and McCain HAD to be there. We need
Obama in office, so we have to remember that it is going to take
sacrifices on his and our part to get him in there. If u look at
Obama's grassroots work in Chicago, it is clear that he has the
people's best interest in mind. He loves people and I believe he loves
HIS people, so we have to support him through all of this foolishness
and not lose site of "the issues."

As for Rev Wright, I agree with everything he's saying but like Louis
Farrakhan, if they really have Obama's best interest in mind and want
him to not only win the democratic nomination, but the Presidency, they both
need to shut the &%$#* up until after this election!!!!

Sean Bell Verdict

I must say my friends, that I am both surprised and appalled at the verdict handed down to the 3 Detectives accused of the murder of 23 year old Sean Bell, on the morning of his wedding. 50 shots!!! 50!!! This unarmed man was fired at 50 times to his death, by 3 these Detectives, although no laws had been broken, no complaints or disturbances, not weapon found, no drugs, no crimes!

I said that I was surprised. I guess to some degree, a small portion of optimism still resonated in my sometimes naive heart, that there is still hope for this system. HOPE!!! Maybe it was the Obama campaign that has so many of us excited, for once about politics and unbelievably proud to be Americans. Thanks to the judge today, for bringing me back to reality. For reminding me what country I was in and what color my skin was. Thanks for reminding me, that a black man has no rights that "the system" is bound to respect in this country.

This unjust verdict is just another failure by the criminal justice system and further proof that this system was not established for nor has the best interest in mind of black people. Echoes of Rodney King, Amadou Diallo and the Jena 6 fill my mind and my heart with frustration and anger.

At some point during this 17 month trial, the defendants were given the option to opt for a bench trial or to have a trial by jury. They chose to have a bench trial, which meant that their would be no jury and that they would be given a verdict directly from the Supreme court Judge. Fortunately for them, this worked in their favor. Based on testimony by witnesses the judge was not convinced that any wrong doing occurred by these detectives and that they acted solely within the confines of the law? Since when is shooting at an unarmed man 50 times, using the famous excuse "we thought he had a gun" acting within the confines of the law?

My heart goes out to the family of this young man. I don't know them nor did I know Sean Bell, but I am him and he is me. If this can happen to him, this can happen to any of us.

I imagine myself walking past Sean Bell at the club where he spent his final hours, (a pastime of mine before becoming a Christian)he is at the bar, and I brush by him and knock over his drink inadvertently, both of us intoxicated. This will almost certainly escalate to a conflict between Sean and myself. Maybe we settle it like gentleman and go our separate ways, maybe a verbal conflict, maybe physical. Whoever knows the outcome of such matters? I do know is that an innocent life, that was snuffed out too soon, by those who were sworn to protect and serve, yet all they do is patrol and control!!

Please watch this racist commercial, it is hilarious....A bit over the top if you ask me, but very funny!!!

My son's funny face

So this my son Elijah's funny face. I have absolutely no idea where he got it from, but as he's doing it he sniffs really hard and really fast and then he laughs. Rarely am I able to snap fast enough to catch him doing it but in this picture I got lucky!! It's the funniest thing to me!!!

Restaurants and other choices

So I am super excited about this restaurant in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties section called Tiffin. They serve authentic Indian cuisine in a very classy, intimate setting. My first visit their, I was unsure of what to expect since it would be my first experience with Indian food. I had always heard folks ranting and raving about this particular genre, but had never really been exposed to it, aside from being obsessed with Jamaican food, who have borrowed many of it's spices. So with Tiffin, I was both excited and nervous, hoping and praying that this experiment would be a success. I played it safe, by ordering the Tandora Chicken, with Jasmine Rice and Roti Bread on the side. My friend Heather, a more experienced Indian food lover, ordered the chicken briyani.

Three Tiffin dinners later, I find myself craving it, while at work. Quietly being hailed as the best Indian Restaurant in Philadelphia, surpassing, places like New Dehli in University City, I can attest to the fact that the food here is amazing.

Because this is not a restaurant review I must move on quickly, but I needed to preface the story of my week with this information, because it's ALL i've been able to think about. So Heather and I will be once again, visiting Tiffin again tonight and hopefully once again be nothing but glad and merry while doing so.

Ok, so I am scheduled to travel to Little Rock, Arkansas next week for my job, but I'll be staying an hour from Little Rock in a resort town called Hot Springs. Apparently this place is home to some popular spas and bed and breakfast's. I found myself however, searching for the cheapest possible hotel, but one which would be at least livable as apposed to some sub-standard, dungeon's my co-workers have spoken of, while traveling to various cities for the company. So after hours of searching and comparing, reading customer reviews, and consulting with my boss, who had taken the trip and he suggested a 3 star resort in downtown Hot Springs, in the middle of where all the tourist attraction are located. So for some strange reason I am feeling slightly guilty about spending so much on hotel ($300 for 2 nights). So I am not quite sure exactly why I am feeling guilty considering the money is not coming from my personal funds.

You Have A Lot To Say

So blogging is all new to me, however I have been aware of this contemporary form of thought sharing for sometime now. I think it's great. I can remember back in high school in one of my Creative Writing courses, we called it reflections. We would take a few minutes at the beginning of the class, to write down our thoughts regarding the topics of our choice. Usually we talked about the day before or the weekend, or something we saw on television. I hated it then, but years later when I read, I was glad our teacher made us do it. Which brings me to the present day. Apparently I have a lot to say, as was said to me by a friend. So with this tool, I will try not to ramble on with hopeless nothings, or empty rhetoric, I will do my best to be entertaining, funny, and informative about things that I feel are important. My experience includes, being a husband and father of four, traveling to Africa and Italy as a videographer, being incarcerated in New York's Rikers Island prison for a year, currently publishing a book, being a Christian fanatic and much, much more....