On my drive to work this morning...I got to thinking about my community and how I was raised and the things that I as a child was mindful of and respectful of, and it got me to thinking about my community and what happened to it? Back in the day we were so very respectful of our elders. We didn't curse or act out in front of them as we knew word of how we acted in the street would reach our house before we did. That was something you never wanted to have happen. I can remember getting upset because my mother would always, without a doubt believe another adult over my siblings or I. Even when that adult would not tell the entire truth just to see us punished, and back then my mother would get a belt, lecture you for an hour then beat your ass and after that you got your dinner and went to bed. Sometimes, the sun would still be shining and our friends would be outside laughing at us because we got in trouble. Then I didn't like it, but now I understand it and feel that I am a bet...

I have to begin this blog with the caveat that I am a very spiritual person, and I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior...however, I do not attend church because of the vast number of hypocrites within. I'm sorry, I have to keep it real and I want to know why is it that the Black church IMO takes the Bible and bastardizes it for various reasons? You know I've always wondered why Black churches aren't flourishing financially as some others are. I'm not talking about the megachurches, because they get their money because I think they get it..they are about making that paper and at sometimes I view it as a "by any means necessary" mindset to do that. If that means they have to have a banquet and serve - horrors of horrors - WINE with their meal then its done. The bottomline is usually the bottom line. I look at the cluster of churches in my area and I see how the people react to different things and different situations especially when it comes to secul...

Three years ago I read an article in the Washington Post by Joy Jones entitled “Marriage is for White People” and the article talked to adolescent children who claimed that marriage was for white people. It went on to state various statistics, i.e. since the 1960’s the marriage rate for African American’s has continued to drop. Statistics such as this and others of its ilk about Black women and the Black community prompted me to ask why is it that marriage is not preached, instilled, taught, or encouraged in our community. Having grown up in a two parent household, whose parents are still alive and together, I witnessed love, struggle, trials, and tribulations. I witnessed infidelity and counseling, and two people working together to create, grow, build, learn, and love---together. It is the reason why I believe in the sanctity of marriage. I believe in standing before God and repeating vows to merge your lives into one. I believe in the sacrament of the vows. What I don’t believe ...