ONCE AGAIN IT'S TIME FOR BLACKS IN ALABAMA TO LEAD THE WAY

The state of Alabama is the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement.  Decades of bigotry, discrimination, and segregation became the catalyst in the 1950’s for Black Alabamians to stand up collectively and say it was time for the government of Alabama to do what was right.

And now in the year 2017, the eyes of America are once again on the state of Alabama as its citizens go to the polls to determine who will be their next U. S. Senator.  The story of the Republican candidate has been well documented.  Most right-minded people would see the Republican candidate as not fit, nor deserving to serve as a U. S. Senator, yet there are many who prefer him over his Democratic opponent.

What that means is that, once again, Black Alabamians must make their collective voices heard loud and clear and make sure the Republican candidate is not elected.  Understand that how Black Alabamians respond to this election will have a profound influence on all elections for the next four years.  It will show that the vote is one of the greatest weapons in the war against bigotry.

So I encourage all Black Alabamians to vote on December 12^th and remind America that the people of Alabama have a history of understanding what is right and what isn’t.

SAM

A NEW SLAVE MASTER

When a person evokes the term “slave mentality”, it generally refers to a situation where a black person believes they can’t make a decision without the approval of a white person.  It is where black folks don’t trust their own decision-making abilities and prefer to defer to a white societal expectation.

Well there is a new type of “slave mentality” permeating American society today.  It is the “slave master mentality”.    It is the condition where rich white men believe they are the masters of black men.  They believe their wealth and stature give them the authority to tell black men how they should behave.  And it matters not that many of those black men are also wealthy and have stature in their communities, the new white masters believe they have a right to dictate what is appropriate behavior.

Take the Dallas Cowboys.  The white owner has told the team which is dominated by young black men, that if a player chooses to protest during the national anthem, that the player will be benched.

The first point that needs to be made here is that the protest has nothing to do with the national anthem or the United States flag.  People need to do research before discrediting the protest by players.

Slavery has long been outlawed in the United States, yet it appears the new slave masters still believe black men need to be subservient.  What needs to be understood is that the relationship between team owner and team players is a partnership, not a dictatorship.  Imagine the problems an owner would have if black players chose not to play because they weren’t being treated as partners.

Those who harbor this new “slave master mentality” need to check themselves.  This is 2017, not 1817.

BLACK WOMEN AT THE 2016 RIO OLYMPICS

2016 RIO OLYMPICS- A SHOWCASE FOR U.S. BLACK WOMEN

So did you see the Black women athletes from the U.S.A. “show up and show out” at the Rio Olympics?  These women were real examples of the greatness of this country.  Black women won gold medals in gymnastics, water polo, shot put, boxing, the 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, and of course, basketball.

What was most impressive was how all of these women carried themselves with dignity and respect.  American television has a difficult time portraying Black women in positive characterizations, but the Black women of the Olympics portrayed themselves in manner that draws on the greatness Black American women have always embodied. 

History is full of stories that exhibit the strength and determination that is, and has always been the Black woman.  Look at your own history and see the intelligence and wisdom of the women in your own family.  While those women in our families are our first role models, the Black women of the Olympics are also role models.  These women trained, sacrificed, and performed with excellence to win the ultimate prize in the Olympic Games.

The United States should be proud.  These women should feel accomplished.  And we should all appreciate the positive images these strong and powerful Black women exhibited to the world.

Michelle Carter                                   Shot Put                      Gold

Simone Biles                                       Gymnastics                 Gold

Gabby Douglas                                   Gymnastics                 Gold

Ashleigh Johnson                                Water Polo                  Gold

Brianna Rollins                                   100m hurdles               Gold

Nia Ali                                               100m hurdles              Silver

Kristi Castlin                                      100m hurdles              Bronze

Dalilah Muhammad                             400m hurdles              Gold

Ashley Spencer                                  400m hurdles              Bronze

Simone Manual                                  4x100 Medley Relay   Gold

Claressa Shields                                 Boxing-75kg               Gold

Allyson Felix, Tianna Bartoletta

Tori Bowie, English Gardner              4x100 relay                 Gold

Allyson Felix, Courtney Okolo,

Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis       4x400 relay                 Gold

Congratulations to all!

SoulVisionTV.com

DON’T LET THE TELEVISION NEWS MEDIA DISTRACT YOU

The national news media, particularly the television news media is obsessed with the calamity besetting the NFL (National Football League).  On Friday, September 19^th all four of the major broadcast television networks, as well as, all of the cable television news and sports networks broadcast the press conference by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.  Mind you, this was the commissioner of a sports league.  Not the President talking about bombing Syria or sending troops to fight the Ebola outbreak in Africa.  This was a sports commissioner talking about the soap opera that has become the NFL.

I ask why so much media attention for the NFL and one answer that I come up with is that this is the media’s continued attempt to demean and degrade young Black males.  Never mind the fact that the majority of NFL players, Black, White or otherwise cause no trouble, are respected in their communities, and clearly know how to delineate what is appropriate behavior on and off the football field.  But that’s not newsworthy.  Instead the media chooses to repeat images over and over again showing Black males as aggressive and dangerous.

A second answer that I come up with is that the excessive media coverage is a diversion tactic designed to lessen the focus on all of the Black males who have recently died while engaged with law enforcement.  The media no longer gives these cases attention, and it is a purposeful attempt to make people less concerned.  But we cannot be distracted.  We have to continually seek justice for Chavis Carter in Arkansas, Michael Brown in Missouri, Eric Garner in New York, John Crawford III in Ohio, and Charles Smith in Georgia; all Black males who died while engaged with police.  Police officers have not been charged.  Grand Juries are moving at a snail’s pace.  They want you to forget.  The television news media is using the NFL to obstruct justice.

The NFL will fix itself.  It is a multi-billion dollar organization that will make the necessary adjustments.  The intense media attention will not make any difference about that.  But the television news media will continue to lead each newscast with the NFL, while people across America seek justice for those Black males killed seemingly for no reason.  Just imagine how much quicker justice might be done if the news media gave the same kind of attention to those stories.  But instead the television news media chooses to run a news conference by the Commissioner of the NFL at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon; a time generally reserved for soap operas.  But I guess that makes sense.

SAM

Little League World Series Images

Some suggest that image is everything.  I will suggest that images are everything.  Over the last few weeks America, via the national news outlets, has been able to view images of young Black athletes from Chicago and Philadelphia play in the Little League World Series.  The Taney Dragons from Philadelphia and the Jackie Robinson West team from Chicago captivated the attention of both baseball connoisseurs and those who could care less about the game.  These teams dominated media attention in an event that traditionally has not seen a lot of Black participation.

The images that we saw were of young boys and girls having fun, being committed, being skilled, being disciplined.  But more important were the images of the parents who supported and encouraged these children.  Parents who sacrificed so that their children could have this opportunity.

These are the images of the Black experience in America that are not portrayed nearly enough in the national media.  We in the community know that the efforts of these parents is not unique.  Indeed, Black parents work as hard and sacrifice as much as any other parent of any other ethnicity, but unfortunately, the media rarely offers those stories and images opting instead for the sensational.

We know that the media is driven by economics.  Those images that grab attention are the ones used to sell newspapers and commercials.  Too many times those images of the Black experience in America are not uplifting, but in the coverage of Taney of Philadelphia and Jackie Robinson West of Chicago, the images were good.  The images were positive.  And the images sold a lot of newspapers and commercials.

SoulVisionTV.com

STATEMENTS YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM NEWLYWEDS

STATEMENTS YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM NEWLYWEDS

 

* I didn’t know he didn’t want to have children.

* I didn’t know she spent two years as an inmate in a correctional facility.

* I didn’t know he had that many relationships before me.

* I didn’t know she owed $17,000 to the IRS.

* I didn’t know he considered that “cheating”.

* I didn’t know she wanted to have separate bank accounts.

* I didn’t know he expected to spend all holidays with his family.

* I didn’t know she wanted me to stop playing ball with my friends on Saturday.

* I didn’t know that he expected me to start going to his church.

* I didn’t know she believes it’s wrong to lend money to family.

 

Before you say, “I do” you’ve got to watch “The Marriage Contract”

SoulVisionTV.com

 

 

Don't Forget About the Marriage

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE MARRIAGE

June is traditionally wedding month.  Thousands of couples will go through the ritual of engagement, wedding, and reception to visualize to the world that they have joined together as one.  But what about the marriage?  In most instances couples marry because they have decided to love, respect and commit to each other for as long as they both shall live.  But somehow that tends to get lost among the over-the-top proposals, the extravagant weddings, and the lavish receptions.  These celebratory events have their place, but have very little to do with a successful marriage.

I believe couples should spend as much time, or more, planning the marriage as they do planning a wedding.  Long before a wedding proposal is given, there should be real discussion about what the marriage means to each partner.  Before a vow is repeated, there should be a clear understanding about what each person expects from the marriage, and is willing to give.  Before the cake is cut, couples should address how they will traverse the push and pulls, and ups and downs that the marriage will produce.  It seems as though some couples think the marriage doesn’t start until after the honeymoon, but the foundation for a successful marriage begins with open, honest communication long before a wedding is even contemplated,

Proposals, weddings, and receptions are but a passing fancy, but marriage is forever.  Enjoy the pomp and circumstances, but don’t forget about the marriage.

Before you say, “I do” you’ve got to watch “The Marriage Contract”

SoulVisionTV.com