anotherlook

I am deeply disturbed by the recent picture in the New York Times – the monkey representing the “stimulus bill”, being assaulted and killed by two cops, while the caption reads “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill”.

The denial of what this really represents is even more disturbing because it indicates that even though we have a black president and a black attorney general – who by the way I am very proud of for saying what he did about racism in America – nothing has really changed in terms of the attitudes of people and they never will based on the denial of this picture.

From my perspective “the chimp” represents President Obama since this is ultimately President Obama’s “stimulus bill” even though he may not have written it. None the less, it will go down in history as President Obama’s bill. The chimp also represents, as well, the historical concept that whites have of associating monkeys with blacks (ooh there goes that word again – derivative of “associate” which has plagued Obama since…).

The cops represent the fact that cops all across the country have the permission that has turned into the right to fire on and kill blacks at their discretion without being punished on the level they should be punished, all too often they get away with this crime with simply a slap on the hand.

In killing the chimp and literally saying those words, indicates they have just shot the President and since that president is black and because of the historical significance of primates being associated with blacks by whites, there is only one way to view this depiction.

Now people have argued that this was taken out of the headlines with the chimp that was shot for attacking the owner’s friend but, as typical of white America, the undercurrent of what this really represents is ugly and offensive and you can dress it up in denial anyway you want but - it is what it is when you really break it down, as well as consider the source.

This was an ignorant display of racism and this is the same reason why race relations break down between blacks and whites because whites believe they can say anything ignorant in the presents of blacks putting them down in a negative and inhumane way and black people are too stupid to understand the undercurrent of stench that has been smelling up our lives for generations.

In America, white people have played the game of racism for so long that it is embedded in the very fabric of their souls. They have played the game of racism so intensely they have lied to themselves for so long about their superiority that they believe the lies and therefore have not moved beyond the lies and denials because they feel justified in their assumptions.

Then they turn around and try to convince blacks that they are too sensitive and things are not what they seem or you are imagining the implications because to admit to themselves the lies they have been telling themselves for all these generations would truly take them to a place of darkness within themselves, a place they do not want to go, a place of ugliness, inhumanity, callousness and as far away from the very religion this country was founded on, that it would blow their minds and show to themselves how truly horrible as people they are.

To emphasize briefly what Attorney General, Eric Holder, was speaking of when he said the words that American’s are cowards when it comes to race relations. This is something that has truly bothered me for all the years I have been in the world.

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors. The way whites in America have dealt with this verse is to move out of a neighborhood when blacks start moving in, this way they have neither black neighbors nor love for black people, thereby basking in the sentiment and living according to the Bible. This is a typical game, played by white Americans, that has been going on since blacks have been economically and legally able to move where they choose.

Now you can deny this or dress it up any way you want – but it is what it is; I have seen it happen too many times and statistics speak loudly of this trend. This is just one small, visible and apparent way, in a long list of other ways, that whites show a total desire to alienate blacks from their lives and limit the rights of blacks, to this day, in America.

The list is long, full of denials, lies, ignorance, unfounded/unjustified hate (whites kidnapped, paid for and brought blacks to this country against their will - they have no reason to hate us) and undercover ugliness that I and many, many blacks are dealing with on a daily level here in America and this comic strip is proof of the ugliness that still exists.

My opinion, until white America can claim the ugliness they perpetrate daily on the lives of black America; until they claim the methods they use to keep the ugliness alive and active in our society; until they collectively ask their god to forgive them for this ugliness, because only in asking for forgiveness are you truly admitting your sin, this ugliness will continue.

Play your games, lie to yourselves, and the world, if you want but everyone sees, on some level, who you really are, most of all God sees who you really are and how you play the game of lies, inequity, hate, unrighteousness, inequality; all the things that my God verbalizes as abominations, ironically, the same word you use against gays, and this is the same God that you have built your great nation on – this may be your last call to recognize the error of your ways.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!!!!!!!!!

With unemployment up and homelessness on the rise, here are a few things you can do to combat this happening to you. Keep moving!!

When you are first laid off sometimes fear overtakes you. The fear of the unknown can be paralyzing, however this is not the time to be paralyzed with fear and only actions can alleviate that fear. Stay positive and keep moving.

Search the want ads in your local newspaper. If you have access to a computer, look up jobs you may be interested in or businesses you may want to work for. Read the job descriptions listed for any particular job you have experience in and tailor your resume to the job description without exaggerating.

Keep moving, the public libraries usually have public computers with a printer - pay for a print out of your resume and make copies of the original. Another thing to check for while searching classifieds is the type of work available because returning to school may be necessary and this will allow you to be aware of where the jobs are.

Update your professional resume. Be brief but specific in your previous job descriptions note any accomplishments or specific projects you have been successful at. Printing your resume out on paper other than white helps make your resume stand out. Keep moving.

Send out as many resumes as you can for jobs you currently qualify for, each and every week. Stay focused on this by keeping a journal of which jobs you have applied for to include: name of business, date you submitted resume, position you applied for, contact name and number of hiring person.

Cold call businesses you may be interested in. Ask for personnel and ask if they are accepting applications. Check with temporary agencies

Don’t be shy. If you have not heard back from a contact within a reasonable amount of time (a week or two), call to inquire about the position you have applied for. Your job search journal will help you organize who you have called and any other notes acquired from the call.

Stay Positive. The search for a job can be time consuming but the reward just may be that you get the job you want. However, if your skills are geared to something that is not versatile in the job market, you may want to consider retraining. If you have a family grants, loans and scholarships may help you on this level but be prepared to fill out lots of forms.

If you are lucky enough to get an interview, these are the types of questions you may be asked:

- What was your biggest accomplishment in your last job?
- Tell me about yourself (does not mean on a personal level but a professional level).
- What do you see as your strongest point?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Explain how you have been a team player.
- How do you prioritize your work load?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What would you bring to this position?

Depending on the type of job you are interviewing for they may ask you hypothetical questions that would apply to the specific position you have applied for, I call them the “what if” questions. Prior to the interview, consider any “what if” questions you could possibly be asked.

Interviews can be nerve shattering. Breathe deeply as you wait to be called into the office. Reflect on the positive and prepare yourself for the questions to come. Appear upbeat and positive once the interview starts and when possible remember names as you are introduced to the interviewing panel.

Offer a firm handshake and a direct look in the eye as you meet the interviewer. Stay focused, during the interview as well as when the questions are being asked. Depending on the position, the interviewers may have a printout of questions to ask, each panel member asking a different question. Breathe deeply as they are taking notes in between questions.

Send a thank-you note after the interview (if you have remembered names you can personalize the letter with the names you have remembered). Again, after the interview, if you have not heard from them in a reasonable amount of time, call to check the status of the position.

If you like children and have a few college credits, check with group homes. Sometimes the turn over rate is very high in places like that. Check with the city, county and state personnel offices to see what is offered that you may qualify for and keep your relocation options open when possible.

Whatever you do, do not let fear, negativity or anxiety take over. These are trying times but when you arrive on the other side of this chaos, you will be stronger for the experience and will have possibly learned some important lessons, not least of all, that you held up and survived the pressure.

Ok so I got a rant on an article I wrote on the Partisan vote regarding the Stimulus Package. The rant, which was basically laced with undercover racism with statements like “Why are they (Democrats) working so hard to create what amounts to a bottomless slush fund for those ACORN housing entitlement thugs; “These are the same clowns that helped sow the seeds of the subprime meltdown…”; “They aggressively played the race card and pressured banks to loosen standards…” and claims that the “Obama stimulus package stimulates nothing. It is a political payback package.”

Now the reality of this is that out of 800 pages of the stimulus package, there were maybe ten or twelve “pork” items in it and to some degree, Obama was and is willing to have Republican’s input and delete some things.

Not only this but if low income families were given a break in employment possibilities under the equal opportunity employment criteria that has been on paper for quite some time, then maybe, just maybe, they would be in a better position financially to achieve the “American Dream”. Not only that but lending to minorities has always shown inequalities so if ACORN got a little pushy then these are the reasons.

Let’s take the auto industry. While there were some whites that got caught up in the layoffs that occurred there were many blacks in Detroit, Lansing and no telling where else, who got laid off as well and this was not due to anything they specifically did it was more the fault of the auto industry. With no job and no money how were they expected to pay their house notes?

These financial institutions loaned these people this money after a “test run” where it seemed feasible to get involved with subprime loans and to lend to these “high risk” low income minorities (as the article I was directed to states). These loans were backed by Fannie and Freddie. Now the article states that these seeds of today’s financial meltdown started in 1977 by the Community Reinvestment Act which were made riskier by unwise amendments and regulatory ruling in later decades.

To make a long story short, this ranter accuses Madeline Talbott, an activist with extensive ties to, you guessed it, Barack Obama, and her bully tactics of creating the situation we are in now by “forcing” banks to make loans to people who were not worthy and because Obama was affiliated with her, this is all Obama’s fault along with ACORN and the Democratic Party. It scares me to see how some people think things through.

Let me just explain something about “associations”. I can sit and socialize with my neighbor everyday but that does not mean that I know all their business. If they are not paying their taxes, do you think they would tell me that? If they had just robbed a seven eleven, do you think they would tell me that?

If they asked me to train their staff, for whatever reason, but they were ripping their staff off, on some level, do you think they would share that with me? If my neighbor was smoking dope every day and knew I did not smoke do you think they would necessarily tell me they were drugging. You people take “associations” too far.

How is a bank going to lend to a person who they see as being a risk and increase the risk by the way the loan is written up. If you know someone may have a problem paying a $700.00 house note, why would you write in the contract that the loan increase faster than any cost of living raise that person may be entitled to.

The way I see it, these bankers knew what they were doing and thought, on some level, they would end up benefitting from these acts but the plan blew up in there faces. These predatory lenders preyed on people, who had a desire for the American dream that had been denied to them, for so long, and look where the greed led these lenders and this nation.

How anyone can turn this around and attempt to blame this on Obama or on Madeline Talbott, for attempting to stand up to issues that have been plaguing the housing industry for decades is beyond my level of reasoning or understanding.

Truth be told, I hope the government makes these banks draw up new paperwork to refinance these homeowners at a lower interest rate otherwise this will be a nail in the coffin for many who desire the “American Dream” and maybe that was the plan all along since we are talking about minorities and low income people.

And that’s the way I see it!!!