The Assassination of President Barack Obama

"Sticks and stones hurt, and for some the use of words can cause more damage."- Just me



At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the world was officially introduced to Barack Hussein Obama.  He was this young Harvard Law Grad and Illinois State Senator.  He gave an arousing speech, but was of no particular influence to anyone other than the "established" politics of Chicago.  People enjoyed his oratory skills, and just saw him as a politician with big ears and a funny name.  Those on the left applauded him for his ability to move the crowds with the use of simplistic yet elegant words.  Those on the right more than likely completely ignored him.

Obama moves through the Illinois Senate, and in a short time becomes a Unites States Senator.  No one would object to him. After all, he met all the requirements necessary to serve in the office.  In addition to that, he was intelligent, well educated, brilliant, and could deal with the harshness of politics in Chicago.  He was in essence a perfect fit for the status-quo of D.C. politics.

Rewind a few years forward, and now meet Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.  In the beginning he's equated to just another black man running for an office that he would never attain.  After all, Jesse Jackson clearly showed that there was no chance a Black man could become a serious candidate for President of the United States of America.  So once again, he was of not influence or consequence to anyone seriously.

Somehow, this "nobody" becomes a serious Candidate for the Democratic Nominee.  The world buys into his message of hope, and crowds throng to his events. I can remember attending several of his campaign speeches.  The crowd was more diverse than anything I'd ever seen in my life.  There were republicans, independents, and democrats standing in lines for hours just to see this man.

Out of the blue, this man that made it into Columbia and Harvard Law.  This man that graduated at the top of his Law School Class, and served as Editor of the Law Review.  This Professor of Constitutional Law and politician.  This man with one wife, and no serious baggage that accompanies most politicians.  This man now faces a battery of ignorant criticisms that anyone participating in should be ashamed of.

First there was a new idea that because his father was Kenyan, and that he and his mom lived in Indonesia for a short time that he must be Muslim.  The craziness of this is that while people screamed this vile, they were also accusing him for being a 20+ year member under the Pastorate of Jeremiah Wright.  No, Wright didn't oversee a mosque, he was actually a Church of Christ minister.  Yet the ignorant continued to argue out of both sides of their mouths.  I hung my head in shame as cameras went across the nation, and people were unapologetic in proclaimed that he was indeed a Muslim.  Never had they seen him in a Mosque.  Never did they see him sending prayer eastward.  Never did they see his wife dressed in the conservative garb of a traditional Muslim woman.  Without any form of intelligent evidence, ignorant people of the "Greatest" country in the world spoke strongly about something so false.  By the way, is there something wrong with a Muslim running for President?  Is it not history that the Roman Catholic church participated in some of the most heinous persecution of Christians ever?  How many Catholic Presidents have we had? (Pun Intended)

Then there was talk from my own community about whether or not this man was "black" enough.  Yes he's of mixed parentage, but how does one measure "black"?  I was born in a bad neighborhood where only two of us boys out of the entire block avoided juvenile detention.  I attended public school, but then matriculated to private school.  I lived in a home with two parents that worked full-time jobs.  Does that make me "black" enough?  Sadly, in this country it doesn't matter who your parents are.  If you happen to look black, then some people will treat you with stereotypical disdain even if your mother is a white lady from Kansas.  Are black kids that are adopted and raised by white parents considered "black" enough?  I bet you won't tell Michael Orr (Baltimore Ravens) that he isn't "black" enough.

Third, there was the idiotic widely-spread claim that he was somehow born in Kenya.  I laughed hysterically when I heard this.  So this man gets into Columbia, Harvard Law, the Illinois and U.S. Senate, but the nationality was never questioned?  When he filed his intent to run for office papers, nobody thought he was born in Kenya then?  To appease the ignorant, he submits the OFFICIAL State of Hawaii Birth record.  Yet, Mr. Cain, the republican front-runner, is said to have been born in the Panama Canal Zone and no one raises any questions about this.  Even after Obama is elected President, the ignorant continue to question whether or not he was born where he and his birth record says he was born. Even so-called "public figure" Donald Chump (Roland Martin's term) had the nerve to push the effort. Remember, he had an 'investigation" going on that revealed to him that Obama wasn't born in Hawaii.  Yet after Obama went and had his original birth certificate released, Trump never mentioned that so-called investigation again. He even went on to suggest that Obama's grades needed to be examined.  I know Mr. Trump hardly understands anything that isn't related to Bankruptcy court, but Mr. Trump in order for Obama to be the Editor of Law Review at one of the Nations' Premier Institutions of Higher learning, he had to have had some darn good grades.

All of this leads to one point.  It wasn't until President Obama became a legitimate candidate that people saw him as a threat greater then ever in the history of this country.  Because of his "Great' and unique threat, they had to dig deeper than logically comprehensible.  Those that can't beat Obama, seek to minimize him through Person Assassination.  Notice that I didn't say personal or political assassination.  Political and personal attacks on politicians is a part of the game.  Yet to try to disqualify the legitimacy of a Candidate and a President is Person Assassination.   Never in the History of American politics has a there been a cross-hair of Person Assassination on the core  as this President.  Those that spew these unfounded vitriol only seek to cause fear in the minds of the weak.  Those Americans that sit by and wait with baited breath for anything that will delegitimize (yes I made it up) this President.  Their aim isn't to find the truth, but it is to get rid of this man that in their mind never had a chance of being there from the beginning.  Even today Republican Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich continues to speak unfounded truths (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XMSDvRU46Y&feature=youtu.be) saying that Obama is seeking to implement Muslim laws.

There are criticisms that are fair on this President like any leader.  He is not immune to criticism, nor his he or his policies perfect.  There are some that disagree with everything he says just because of different point of views.  Then there are those that disagree for the sake of making him a "one-term" President.  I will leave political arguments for another blog.  Yet it is appalling to me that a man that looks like me can play the game by the rules, but when he reaches the top people try to diminish his legitimacy.  I won't label it racism because I think that's too nice.  It's just pure ignorance, idiotic, and incomprehensible disdain for a man that has earned what he has in the right way.  So I'm making a call to the FBI (Federal Bureau of the Ignorant).  If you don't have anything legitimate to say, then shut up and keep your ignorance epidemic to yourself.  I will not sit back and let you Assassinate President Barack Obama!

Just me

Anthony J. Albury Jr., MBA is an Author, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Law Student, and Entrepreneur.  Visit his website at www.justanthony.org to learn more about him, for booking information, and to purchase his book, "Simplewords: Your Daily Motivational Journal.

The Color of Poor

I can remember growing up singing the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children".  One part of the song said "Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his sight".  It is an innocent song, but it sheds a much needed light that we sometimes forget as we merge into adulthood.  No matter your color, culture, ethnicity, background, etc. we all share some things in common.

I'm often puzzled when political fights turn racial in nature.  The only color that matters when it comes to money is green.  We often forget that there are wealthy people of all colors, and if that is the case then same can be said for poor people.  I'll say it clearly POOR has no color.  Poor doesn't know if you are form the Continent of Africa or from Europe. Poor doesn't discriminate concerning address, heritage, or history.  There are a lot of people that had a lot of money, but now are poor.

This simple blog is just to remind us that no matter where we come from we can never forget that everything we have is a blessing.  Don't let political posturing, or frivolous debates make you feel that you are so much better than your poor fellow neighbors.  Do you know what color poor is?

Just me

I Believe

Many of us have experienced various tests, challenges, and issues in this thing we call life.  Some of them caused tears.  Some caused immense mental and physical pain.  Some of them made us want to actually give up on life, and the challenges associated with it.  Yet, at the end  of it all you are still here to read this blog.

How did you feel after you made it through that storm?  Were you thankful that it was over?  Did it seem as bad as the initial scare?  Did you tell someone else your story, and how you overcame?

Quite often we go through different things in life, and those around us are completely oblivious to what is going on.  They see the smile, and the results of something that has happened.  Sometimes we sit back and watch as other people go through similar struggles, but yet we remain silent.  Some are silent to protect their ego.  Some are silent because they don't know what to say,  Some are silent just because they feel that if they had to go through it, then everyone else should be able to handle it.

I'm a firm believer in the idea, that some lessons can be learned through explanation rather than experience.  In other words, we can help a lot of people if we share our story.  It doesn't always have to be something huge.  On a daily basis, I share "simplewords" with friends on facebook and twitter.  I even wrote a book where I share "simplewords".  Those words are nothing more than my story and life experiences.  I'm asking you to do the same.

For the next 7 days, join me in the "I Believe" campaign.  During this time we will share as many experiences that we can through facebook, twitter, and even in person.  Whenever you get ready to share your experience begin by saying "I Believe".  Example: "I believe that God can make a highway of opportunity out of your dead end situation".  Whether or not you are a spiritual person is of no relevance.  This is simply an opportunity to create hope in the mind of someone else.  Will you join me in the "I Believe" Campaign?

Just me

Anthony J. Albury Jr., MBA is an Author, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Law Student, and Entrepreneur.  Visit his website at www.justanthony.org to learn more about him, for booking information, and to purchase his book.

Penn State Scandal Shines Light on NCAA Hypocrisy

USC, Ohio State, and The University of Miami are three recent targets of "Big Brother's" NCAA sanctions leveled against sports programs for infractions.  The infractions in and of themselves were not illegal according to the laws of the land, but simply violated some internal law of the NCAA.  The sanctions are as follows:

USC:
• A postseason ban in football following the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

• A loss of 30 total football scholarships over the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons.

• A vacation of all football victories starting in December 2004 and running through the 2005 season. This includes the national championship win over Oklahoma on Jan. 4, 2005.

• All statistics vacated for Bush, Mayo and women’s tennis athlete Gabriela Niculescu in the games which the NCAA deemed them ineligible due to rules violations.

• Reggie Bush (NFL) and O.J. Mayo (NBA) must be disassociated from USC athletics.

• An acceptance of USC’s self-imposed penalties on its basketball program, which included a forfeiture of all wins in 2007-2008 and a one-year postseason ban.

• All titles won during ineligible games must be vacated and trophies and banners must be removed.

• A vacation of wins in the women’s tennis program from May 2006 to May 2009, for long-distance telephone violations committed by a student-athlete.

• A reduction of recruiting days for the men’s basketball program in 2010-2011.

• Four years of probation.

Ohio State:

• Vacated 2010 Big Ten championship

     - its 12-1 season 

     - victories over rival Michigan and in the Allstate Sugar Bowl 

• Coach Jim Tressel released 

• Star quarterback Terrelle Pryor leaves

• Several players suspended for games in new season

University of Miami:

• Travis Benjamin, Marcus Forston, Jacory Harris, Adewale Ojomo, Sean Spence — Suspended 1 game

• Ray-Ray Armstrong, Dyron Dye — Suspended 4 games

• Olivier Vernon — Suspended 6 games

As clearly indicated, in each of these sanctions players were issued punishment for either their doing, or the doing of someone else associated with the program.  Would you believe if I told you that the infraction involved college players receiving money or gifts?  Yes these students were given stiff punishments for receiving gifts.  Never mind the fact that they make billions for the NCAA and their respective institutions.  That's an argument for another time.

What I want to point out is how quiet the NCAA has been in light of this Penn State Scandal.  I held my opinion until I read the Grand Jury Indictment.  I must tell you, if you have an ounce of human decency, there is no way you can read it without cringing and become furious.  The accusations in that document, if true, show a very sick side of humanity.  Yet, the NCAA has said.................................... NOTHING.  They are quick to punish students for taking gifts, but have made no statement about a program that allowed the molestation of young boys go on for at least 15 years.

This is the hypocrisy known as the NCAA.  They can publicize, pursue, and punish athletes, but remain silent in the shadows as one of the programs with the "faux" appearance of being squeaky clean, covers up one of the most disgusting acts of serial child abuse I've ever seen.  In addition to this, rather than speak out against it they allow Coach Paterno to retire at the end of the season.  

Does anyone remember the Duke Lacrosse players that were accused of a crime?  Were they able to finish the season out?  Yes I know Paterno didn't commit a crime, but did his actions go far enough to prevent the criminal acts of Jerry Sandusky to cease?  Did he follow-up with the AD or his other superiors?  Did he put Sandusky on administrative leave while the issue was being investigated?  Yet, in all of this the NCAA remains shamefully silent.  

It is blatant hypocrisy.  You tell students that they will be punished for accepting gifts, but coaches can retire into the sunset when they allow an accused child pedophile to continue to work under their guard.  I'm not here to argue what Paterno should have been done.  My simple is point is what the NCAA hasn't done.  Will the NCAA only stand up when a student athlete steps out of the boundaries of  their "sacred" by-laws?  Will the NCAA only speak up when the infraction is by someone without a huge reputation like Paterno?  The light is on you Dear NCAA, either speak up now or forever hold your peace.

Just me

7 Day Challenge

One of the most common non-productive activities we all participate in is complaining.  Although frustration is real and relevant, what good comes of spending useful hours doing something so useless?  Yes, we all need to vent, but how long do we vent before it becomes detrimental to our progress?  Think about this, every time we complain we give validity to the hater,enemy, bully, etc that created the problem.  Do you really want to give that much "face time" to someone/something that is out to destroy, devalue, or depress you?

For the next 7 days I want you to join me in a challenge against complaining.  I originally wanted to do 30-days, but I believe that if we start small then we will build a strong habit.  Here is the plan:

Starting as soon as you finish reading this post

-We will replace each complaint with  the phrase "And Life Goes On"

-We will not participate in complaint parties

-We will acknowledge the problem, but seek to immediately to find a solution

At the end of these 7 days, we will end this challenge with a personal celebration.  Let's get busy defeating complaining.  

Just me

Anthony J. Albury Jr., MBA is an Author, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Law Student, and Entrepreneur.  Visit his website at www.justanthony.org to learn more about him, for booking information, and to purchase his book.

What's God Got To Do With It?

It's been a few weeks since I've been able to blog.  I've been sorta busy publishing a book.  Yea, my freshman project is out, "Simplewords: Your Daily Motivational Journal".  Go to my website, www.justanthony.org, to read about it and to order a copy for everyone in your home.  Nevertheless, I'm back and with something that bothered me tremendously through out the night.

On yesterday, I entered into one of my normal political conversations.  This time the topic was Herman Cain.  After sharing a few choice words about him, I went on to tell my counterpart that I believed Cain was only for the wealthy, and that he could care less for the poor.  In return he replied that one of the biggest reasons people are poor is because of their "ungodly" characters.  Astonished at what I heard, I asked for a clear explanation.  He eventually went on to say that he was in the same category until Jesus woke him up.

Yea, my mouth dropped to the floor, and I almost didn't want to reply out of the sheer absurdity of the comment.  I was born and raised in the church.  My first degree is in Theology, and I spent 3 years as a pastor.  In all that time, I'd never heard anything like that.  Now while I agree that we have the ability to work and to make life better, I find it hard to swallow that the everyone that's poor has an ungodly character.

I can remember my paternal grandmother.  She was stern, loving, and kind.  She had 12 kids, and made sure all of them were in church.  Yet if you ever visited her home, then you wouldn't mistake her for a lady of wealth.  What she lacked in finances, she made up for in faith.  Although there wasn't much money, the house was overflowing with morals.  I'm sure we all have family members, or we are the people, that don't have much in the way of financial wealth.  Yet we can attest that a Godly character isn't the thing that's missing from the homes and lives of these people.  Yes there are some poor people that don't know God, but there's something about not having much that makes you depend on something or someone higher than you.

In this same line of thought, there are some wealthy people that believe in everything but God.  They think that they are the sole reason for their success, and that God is some anomaly that may or may not be present in the affairs of the world.  Then there are some wealthy people that know the saying "If it had not been for the Lord on my side............".

I strongly believe that God blesses the wealthy and the poor.  He cares for those with much and those with little.   There are some theological inferences that could be made to argue both sides of the coin, but in general I believe that God cares for everyone, and a person's financial status isn't based solely on their connection with God.

So I pose this question to you and to my friend, What's God Got To Do With It?  Does that mean that every person in that 1% populace that makes up 95% of the nations wealth have a strong Godly Character?  What's God Got To Do With It?  Does that mean that every millionaire spends time in prayer and meditation, while every poor person forgets about God? What's God Got To Do With It?  Does that mean that Oprah, Gates, and Buffet are going to heaven, but Mary, James, and Anthony aren't?

So really, What's God Got To Do With It?

-Just me



Anthony J. Albury Jr., MBA is an Author, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Law Student, and Entrepreneur.  Visit his website at www.justanthony.org to learn more about him, for booking, and to purchase his book.

9/12: "The day after the towers fell"

          I was conflicted as to whether to write this post on yesterday or on today.  In honor of the lives lost, I postponed this post till today.  It is no secret that the numbers 911 now have an ambiguous connotation in the minds of most Americans.  Prior to 2001, that number was the first thing that came to our minds when we were in trouble.  Yet on that morning of 9/22/01, our eyes were transfixed on something that seemed like a scene from a movie.  To this day, whenever there’s a fly over view of the city of New York the skyline is visibly different.

 Each annual anniversary of 9/11 our minds are once again bombarded.  All across the news we hear stories about how there’s another huge terrorist attack planned.  With fear and trepidation passengers board airplanes.  Law enforcement officers work overtime to beef up security across the nation.  We sit in front of our televisions and watch different tributes paid to the thousands that died on, and as a result of, that day.  All in all, we will never forget 9/11.

Yet, this post is about 9/12.  The attacks of 9/11 were horrendous, but the acts of 9/12 showed something more powerful than I’d ever witnessed in my “young” life.  For the first time ever I saw Americans come together.  In the words of the late Michael Jackson “it didn’t matter if you were black or white”.  This nation came together as a defiant group of people, and gave a helping hand to each other like never before.  For the first time in my life, I saw what it meant to be “One Nation under God”.  Sadly, with time this camaraderie began to suddenly dissipate as if it never existed.  It would reappear on each 9/11, but would once again disappear shortly thereafter.

Why must we wait for 9/11-like events to occur before we can experience unity like 9/12?  Why does it take a funeral to bring families together?  Why does it take hardship before we are willing to depend on others?  Why is it that we wait for people to hit rock bottom before we are willing to give them a helping hand?  Why can’t every day be like 9/12/2011?

Don’t get me wrong now.  I’m not so naïve to believe that we will experience total tranquility.  I don’t think that we will all sit around the campfire singing Kumbaya.  What I do believe is that we can learn to be more cordial.  We can learn to have different political views, but still treat each other with respect.  We can all be different, but embrace the diversity that makes us different.  My simple hope is that it doesn’t take another 9/11 in order for us to show a 9/12 kind of love for our fellow man.

-Just me 

We HAD a Dream: How we’ve turned MLK’s Dream to an American Nightmare

48 years ago the world renowned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial poised and prepared to deliver a speech that would be echoed through the annals of time.  In his normal and rhythmic tone of speaking, he began by looking at the history of “these United States”.

Behind Dr. King stood the great Mahalia Jackson.  In the middle of his delivery, history tells us that mother Jackson said “Tell them about the dream Martin”.  As if instantly reminded of a deep-seated message that was planted by God Himself, Dr. King began with those powerful words “I Have a Dream”.  The crowds erupted with excitement, edification, and enlightenment as they rode the rollercoaster of words Dr. King shared on that day.  I’m sure that many of them left that place, if wanting to leave at all, motivated to do and be all that they could in order to make a better nation.

Somewhere in history we fell off the bandwagon.  We still here the words, and for a moment they spur up something in us that motivates us.  But as fleeting as a winter in Florida, the emotions seem to never last long enough to cause any action.  In fact, we’ve moved so far from action to the point of inaction.  We’ve now turned the dream into a nightmare.

Dr. King had a dream that encouraged by the constitution; our nation would realize that we are created equal.  Yet, it still baffles the mind when 7 white males can brutally beat, run over with their truck and kill a older black man and our legal system sets them all free with the exception of 1. I say we’ve turned the dream into a nightmare.

Dr. King had a dream that one day we would all be able to sit down at the table of brotherhood.  Yet, every time congress puts its own interest over the survival of this nation, I say that we’ve turned the dream into a nightmare.

Dr. King had a dream that true freedom and justice would reign supreme. But when we punish the user of a “poor man’s” drug more than we do the user a “rich man’s drug, then we’ve turned the dream into a nightmare. 

Dr. King had a dream that one day people wouldn’t be judged by the “content of their skin, but by the content of their character”.  Yet, when we allow an unequivocal disrespect of a President based on the underlying notion of his skin color, then we’ve turned the dream into a nightmare.

Dr. King had a dream that through equality, all people would be able to become educated together.  As I walk through the buildings of my law school, I see the disparity in numbers between people that look like me, and those that are of a lighter skin tone.  Every time we spurn an educational opportunity because it’s too hard or challenging, we turn Dr. King’s dream into an American nightmare. 

The dream of Dr. King has become relegated to the centerpiece for an annual day off from work.  When it should be a never-ending flame that causes the eternal hearers to move into action that will bring honor to the dream.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to redeem the dream.  I’m ready to fight for equality, and to empower those that are honored with equality to make the most of it.  I’m ready to fight for the day when my son won’t need affirmative action to supplement his many qualifications for a job.  I’m ready to fight for a day when we understand it is our differences that make us powerful, and not our likenesses that make us special. 

We Had a dream, and I’m ready to make it a reality.  Are you?

Just me

Do it For Them!

They speak with voices rarely taken seriously.  They come into this world involuntarily.  They are subjected to whatever life is given them.  Some are seen on TV with malnutritioned bodies that leave even the toughest character with a sentimental thought.  Others a thrown into national prominence, prestige, and prowess before they can even read.  Yet at the end of the day, they all are still the same.  They are our children.

Without going into my political beliefs, I would say that it is a shame that we tend to balance budgets on the backs of our children’s education.  We cut this and that in order to secure more lining for our pockets.  We often use them in custody battles, and as pawns to secure as much money as we can during divorces.

Last night as I lay on my sick bed, playing with my son that had gotten me sick, I begin to think.  I’ve recently made the controversial decision to leave my 9-5 in order to attend law school full-time, and to focus on my ultimate dream of owning a successful business entity.  As I sat there looking at my son, I wondered if it would just be enough to work a 9-5 and to give him his basic needs.  I contemplated if my dream chasing was really worth streamlining my budget in order to make things happen.  I wondered if studying 8-12 hours a day, while attending class, and building a company was just taking on too much.  I asked myself, “is it all worth it?”

As I looked at my son, I had no other option but to say yes.  By pursuing my dreams, I’m also pursuing a better life.  I’m setting a standard for him that he must not just settle for the easiness of life.  Now I will not require him to follow in my footsteps and attend law school.  Nor will I say he has to be like his Mother and go for his PhD.  Yet I will require of him that he gives life his all.

At the end of the day, everything I do will in some way or another affect him.  He didn’t ask to come into this world, but as his father I need to do all I can to show him all he can do in this world.  We as parents have a responsibility to set a standard for our children.  We must show them that they are able to do anything they put their minds to.  It is time for us to stop settling for what is comfortable, and for us to move into “miracle territory”.  We have to be examples to our children of what it is like to be successful in whatever we put forth our hands to do.   Our children are looking at us to show them the way.  At the end of the day, if you can’t pursue your dreams for yourself at least do it for them.

Just me

Will America Ever Grow Up?

I'm normally deliberate in what I post, and rarely do I allow anger or frustration to prompt my writing.  Yet there's a pot of water that's boiling, and it is about to pour over and cause some serious harm.

I noticed that as soon as we voted in our new President, rarely did you hear opposition call him President Obama.  They simply relegated to just calling him Obama.  Now that's not a horrible thing, because I have called him and other presidents by their last name only.  Yet as time has progressed it has become evident that this is a link to total disrespect to him as Commander-in-Chief and the leader of the "Free World".

Things moved up a notch on the disrespect meter when Rep Joe Wilson disrespectfully yelled out a childish "YOU LIE" during a live Presidential address.  Of course he went on to apologize a few weeks later, and said his emotion got the best of him.  I was willing to be on the "let's get past it" team, but I wondered if he ever heard of professionalism.  I also begin to wonder if this was just a repeat of the America of old, where no matter what I accomplish as a black man, in some people's eyes, I will never deserve the respect.  Nevertheless I let that go.

Then there came this "tar baby" reference by the rep from Colorado.  Before I jumped to say anything I wanted to get the facts of the case.  I did, but they didn't matter because as a "Professional" there's a thing called sensitivity training.  This is where I learn that there are different cultures, ethnicity, etc that work with me, and when I say/do something I must be aware of how that can be taken.  For example, if I was to make a general comment about the word Faggot in my workplace I'm sure I would suffer some form of discipline due to the sexual preference of some of my co-workers.  If you don't believe me then ask Kobe Bryant, Tim Hardaway, and a few others how the misuse of a word cost them a lot.  But this rep can use the term "tar baby" in reference to the nations first Black President, and can simply apologize later.  Now I was willing to almost let this past.

Then this morning I wake up, enjoying my Toronto and American Bar Association experience, and I go to one of my favorite websites.  One of the headlines reads Fox News affiliate article "Obama's Hip Hop BBQ Didn't Create Jobs".  This was in reference to the President's 50th bday party.  A party where there were People like Tom Hanks, Rahm Emmanuel, and some other racial identities along with some African Americans.  Of course the coward that wrote the article didn't care to attach his name to the ignorance he wrote.  I'm all for criticizing the President when it is due, but where do we draw the line when it comes to the disrespect?

This has me pissed off this morning .  Yes I'm a supporter of this President, but that isn't my sole reason for anger.  I get angry because if people can freely say these racist and offensive things about the President of the United States, then what can a racist prick say or do to me or my 2-year old son?  It is time that we stop shielding these hatemongering fools, and call them out for the idiots and racists that they are.  There's a big difference between being critical of a person's policies, and being disrespectful because of his race.  Will America ever grow up?

Just me

Opportunities

On this Daddy's Blues Wednesday, instead of a long post today I just wanted to share a thought with you taken from an excerpt of my forthcoming book "Ode To Sons".  

"Sons, at some point in our life, we are all given an opportunity for new beginnings.  It could be the birth of a child, enrolling in school, graduating from school, getting married, being baptized, or even just a new day.  Whatever your new beginning may be, the one thing it is not is an opportunity for you to waste.  I have wasted some new beginnings, and like any rationale human being, I regret some of the opportunities I had to open up a new chapter with a bang.  New beginnings don’t erase the past, but they do give new meaning to the future." 

Are you taking advantage of your new opportunities to overcome the shadows of your past?  Or are you simply allowing your opportunities to become another shadow of the past?    

Just Me

Your Best Gift Shouldn’t be Yours

“Half of something is a whole lot more than all of nothing”-Just Me

Yes today is Motivation Monday, and I was contemplating which angle I would take.  I ended up talking to one of my brothers from another mother, Chuck, and it just clicked.  We were conversing about my upcoming plans of starting my Sports & Entertainment Management company.  I was sharing with him my business philosophy.  I explained to him that some people are content with doing everything on their own, but my philosophy about that has always been different.

                I’m a firm believer that in order to succeed in life, you can’t make a go at it alone.  So many times we go into ventures or projects thinking that all we need is a dream and our own potential.  If you have ever read anything I’ve posted, then you know I’m one of the biggest dream chasers.  In the same manner, I’m very aware of the God-given potential and abilities I’ve been blessed with.  With that being said, I still know that my dreams in life can’t be accomplished with me being a team of one.

                I innocently bought my son a Thomas the Train model while on vacation recently.  He suddenly grew an affinity towards the train.  He sleeps with it, eats with it, bathes with it, and he even takes it to church with him.  He loves that little train, and he will let you know it in a second.  If anyone, old or young, looks at him while he’s playing with the train he will exclaim “My Train”, or “Mine”.  He will do this until the person stops looking or leaves.  It’s sad, but we as adults often take on this same mentality when it comes to achievement in life.  So many times we think we’ve found a gold mine and then want to hide it.  We go back to the childish exclamation of “mine, mine, mine”.  That was my idea, and no I will not share anything with you.   We feel as if nobody deserves to have any of what I got.  Check your news channel and you will see how this plays out in society in general.  We hover in a corner and say, “well I got mine, now go get yours”.  The problem with that thinking is that, it took someone to help you get there, and it’s going to take someone to help you stay there.

                In order to attain new and improved levels of success, we have to move from the thinking that we can do it all alone.  Every dreamer in life had to have someone (s) to help them live out their dream.  If it wasn’t for other people, MLK would’ve just been a great speaker from Georgia.  We have to learn to surround ourselves with people that can challenge us and make us better.  When we do that, we are able to reach further than imaginable, and at the same time we help somebody else reach a dream they never knew existed.  I am a strong believer that half of a million dollars, is a whole lot more than all of ten thousand dollars.  Yet some of us would rather take the $10,000 and say I did it.  Rather than taking the $500,000 and saying “We did it”.   It’s time for us to move beyond the selfish mentality if we truly want to meet our goals in life.

There are people around that can help you reach that goal, but you have to willing to move from the mindset of a 2-year old to that of an adult wanting to achieve in life.  If your personal gifts are the best you have to offer your dreams then you are selling yourself short.   You will probably never have all that it takes to achieve your goal, but I guarantee that there are people with a little bit of everything you need to get to where you want to be.  It’s time to build a team, and to reach for what you’ve always wanted.

Here are my 5 recommendations to help you move in the right direction with the right people on your team:

1.       Surround yourself with people that know a lot about stuff you know nothing about.

2.       Be willing to relinquish some of the power.  You don’t need all of the power, you just want to enjoy turning your dream into a reality.

3.       Be honest with your team about your dream, and your inability to reach your dream alone.

4.       Kindly part ways with team members that stop dreaming.  Never burn bridges in the process, you never know when you might need to cross again.

5.       When you reach the top, never forget to take everybody that helped out with you.  Even the teammates you had to dismiss earlier.

Dreams Detoured

“Like a crack head and his pipe, dream chasers can’t be separated from their dreams”- Just Me

                On this past weekend, I read a comment on my Facebook that I can easily relate to.  The comment centered on the writer’s frustration with chasing her dream, but it seems like the dream just won’t come to fruition.  I asked her a few questions, and her reply was pretty on point.  Seeing her frustration with her dream still being so far off, I offered her encouragement based on my personal experiences.

One of the main issues that dream chasers face is that not everyone catches your fire about your dreams as you do.  One of the main reasons that they don’t is because your dream is YOUR dream.  The truth is, most people won’t catch on until you are clearly on your way to achieving your dream.  Prior to that, people will doubt you, say you should focus on something else, or simply tell you to get real and now is just not the time.

If you are like me, then this boils your skin because you know your potential and where you want to be in life.  It may be unclear to others where you are going, it might not be that clear to you, but you know what things will be like once you get to where you are going.  One of the craziest things about dreams is that even though you can explain it to people, unless they experience it for themselves, they will never truly understand your dream.  People may not see all the turns on your map, but they will know when you have arrived at your destination.

I’m a firm believer that no dream is meant to be put on life’s shelf for later.  At the very least, you should be putting together the pieces as time passes on.  The problem with things that are put on a shelf is that you tend to forget about them, or you just simply lose interest.  True dream chasers are addicted to accomplishing their dream.  Nobody can pacify you with subpar replacements.  In your mind there is no detour that should be taken. 

So here’s my declaration to all my fellow dream chasers: Chase your dreams, like your life depends on it.  In all honesty, your sanctity and happiness in life does depend on it.  Those you want to understand your dream may never do so.  That investor you are hoping for might only come once your dream is becoming a reality.  That support system you depended on might suddenly collapse.  But like a crack head and his pipe, dream chasers can’t be separated from their dreams. 

I want to leave you with 5 tips to help you in this journey, from one dream chaser to another:

1.       Don’t EVER stop chasing your dream.

2.       Surround yourself with like-minded people (Other Dream Chasers)

3.       Accept that people might not understand now, but they will later.

4.       As you go through the process, evaluate each step and learn from your mistakes.

5.       Celebrate each milestone; it will keep your motivated.

Free, but forever in Shackles: Why Casey Anthony will suffer as a Free Woman

“A mother’s God-given love is so strong, it will drive her insane when misplaced”- Just me

                As a young law student, I have slowly gained a very deep appreciation for “all things law”.  I found myself using legal jargon in my Public Speaking Engagements.  In my circle of friends and family, I’m usually asked a legal question or two.  My ears and eyes perk up when I hear/see something related to the legal field.  I can honestly say that nothing dominated my attention like that of the last 47 days.

                If you were like me then you had the internet, tv, and radio tuned in to what was going on from 8:30am until…. on the 23^rd floor of the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, FL.  We watched days of evidence being presented.  We saw days that were emotionally draining.  We saw days when there was animated sparring between Attorneys Baez and Ashton.  We witnessed Chief Judge Belvin Perry command and demand control of his courtroom.  We all speculated as we saw Casey go from an innocent puppy-faced young lady, to a stoic “I’ll cut your throat” look in the blink of an eye.  We all paid attention to the varying opinions of legal experts, pundits, and common folk.  I, you, me, and us all had our opinion of what would, or should, happen at the end of trial.

                Then it came out that at 2:15pm the verdict would be rendered.  As I sat in front of my computer in between meetings, my raced back to over 15 years ago when we waited for the verdict in the OJ Simpson trial.  Then the words few people anticipated rang out across the nation. We the jury….. find the defendant, Casey…. NOT GUILTY.  My heart immediately began to sink.  For a moment I felt what those against OJ felt.   Yet in this situation I felt an even stronger pain because little Caylee is gone and we will NEVER know what happened to her.

                Sure, there is enough blame to go around: Casey and her lying arse.  Maybe the prosecution sought the wrong charge.  Maybe Baez helped a true criminal get off.  Blame aside, the fact remains that Caylee is gone, and for some reason her Mother refuses to do anything but lie about what happened to one of the greatest blessings a human can be blessed with.

                After putting my emotions and feelings aside, I’ve come to the conclusion that although Casey was acquitted by a jury of her “peers”, she will be forever in shackles as a free woman.  Let me dispel any preconceived notions you may have.  This post isn’t about “judging” Casey.  If you read my blog then you know that I don’t do that.  This is more about living a life chained, until you set yourself free.

                Going with Casey’s “present truth”, Caylee drowned in the household pool.  Yet during this time Casey partied and acted as if she really had a “beautiful life”.  She concocted stories that were extremely outrageous.  She kept her family, law enforcement, and the public at bay while she enjoyed her “beautiful life”.  The problem is that the rooster will come home to crow.

                I could talk about public scrutiny.  I could talk about how her social life will suffer.  I could talk about how she will probably never have a good family life anymore.  I could talk about how she probably won’t find willful employment, even though she won’t need it.  But I want to go a little deeper.  As a person that’s tried to hide my own guilt in the past, it is guaranteed that Casey will be shackled until the truth is known.  Am I advocating that she must get in front of the TV and confess to the world what happened?  That would be great, but I don’t believe it’s necessary.  I do advocate that Casey will have to deal with God for her negligence, and the impending lies that she gave to cover it up.  If anything she accused her brother and father of is untrue, Casey will be shackled until she redeems their names.  Even if all else fails, Casey will forever be shackled by the cloud of guilt.  As a parent, you are responsible for the life and well-being of your child.  Even if Casey didn’t kill her daughter, she was still responsible for reporting her daughter’s death.  Her daughter is dead, and there is nothing an attorney, judge, or jury can do to acquit her of her negligence in being a responsible human being and parent by not telling someone about what happened. A mother's natural love will eventually take over this young lady.  She will eventually realize how the lies and negligence ruined the memory of her greatest gift.   Casey might be free from jail, but the shackles of Caylee’s death will be with her forever.

God help us all to avoid unnecessary shackles!

Just me