It’s the beginning of a new year and as usual there are dozens of questions that went unanswered as we threw away our 2018 calendars.
And believe it or not, the mental health of the people who voted for Donald Trump no longer heads the list (although their continued support continues to confuse me).
But there are equally disturbing, or otherwise complicated, questions you might be able to answer for me.
Sooooo, without further ado:
• Why do people buy clothing and gear displaying the name of the product maker, without remuneration? Don’t you realize you’re advertising the company’s product and are not being compensated for it? So the next time you buy a car, ask the salesperson for a discount to put their brand sticker on your car. Similarly, cut off the label on your pants or shoes unless you’re offered a discount. Don’t pay to play—their game.
• Why isn’t there a major department store, restaurant or movie theater in the central city? Do they realize we represent a $1.5 billion consumer market? Or is this another example of racial profiling?
• Should referring to your child as an animal or a racial epithet be considered child abuse?
• Is there something in the water (besides lead) that turns Black folks into demolition derby drivers? I’ve purchased cameras for my car and I’m looking into the legalities of airing the videos on a pod site. Maybe I’ll call it, “America’s Unfunny Home Videos.”
• Have you ever heard the media refer to “Duchess” Meghan Markle as “Black” or African American? The only difference between the “Duchess” and Barack Obama was one’s mother was white and the other’s African American. But both are bi-racial, which according to “AmeriKKKan” protocol means they are Black. But there’s a loophole if you’re “liked or light.”
• Do you think America is ready for another African American president, or have we met our 21st century quota? I’m a big Corey Booker fan, he’s immensely qualified, a Rhodes Scholar, politically astute and not chained to his party, which probably won’t support him because he has repeatedly violated the political prohibition of putting his people before his party. That’s why I’m suggesting a campaign to draft Booker as an independent candidate for president. Imagine the power we would wield if we used the most powerful tool at our disposal?
• Are the “decoys” on the Maury show technically prostitutes?
• Did you know December 18, 1865 was the date the 13th Amendment officially went into effect? The emancipation proclamation only “freed” the slaves held in confederate states, and was probably illegal since the Union didn’t recognize the Confederacy as an independent nation. I’m not saying drop Juneteenth Day, but maybe we should add a “Jubilee Day” on December 18.
• Think about this: the people arguing over “our” health care are immune to the problems of the people they serve. Remember, even our Democratic Party representatives, who fought for the ACA (Obamacare), quickly sought an executive order allowing them an option not to participate. If they were truly concerned, they would introduce legislation for universal health care for everyone, including themselves. And stage a walkout or morph into 45IQ if they don’t get their way.
• Are local politicians seriously considering drug injection sites as a way to reduce heroin overdoses? Is it surprising no one talked about a “safe” crack sites back in the day? But then again, most crack users were Hue-men.
• Did you know fornication was illegal in Wisconsin up until a couple of decades ago? They changed the law when a young White couple was caught doing the nasty while house sitting. As I recall, a neighbor didn’t know they were legally in the home and called police who caught them in the act. Not wanting to waste taxpayer gasoline, the cops charged the couple with the only offense they could find on the books—illegal fornication. By the way, the law was based on a biblical edict that declared sex outside of marriage was (or is) a sin.
• Do you honestly believe you’re going to heaven? If so, chances are you believe the Bible is an evolving document like the U.S. Constitution?
• Why does MPS allow students to have cell phones in classrooms?
• Speaking of MPS? How and why are students who can’t spell or read the word “diploma” allowed to graduate? What awaits them in the real world?
• Further speaking of MPS, does anyone other than the teachers union and paid consultants believe the new “Band-Aids” placed on North Division high school will turn the school around? North Division is the worse performing school in the state of Wisconsin, and maybe North America. It’s been that way despite a dozens reforms coordinated by the same people and using the same tools for four decades. How do you spell insanity? Or maybe failure is the desired outcome. The reality is, according to one North Division teacher (as revealed in a prior column), North Division students are genetically predisposed to failure because they are poor. Yeah, you read that correctly. But what are you gonna’ do besides shake your head and cuss?
• Back in the day (when I was in my teens and you were probably just a thought), we used to talk about Big Brother spying on Americans. We couldn’t prove the extent of BB’s scrutiny, but there’s little doubt that today, not only is BB ease-dropping, but so is his sister, mama, cousin and Sarah Palin’s next door neighbors in Russia. Making matters worse is the fact that we opened the door, gave him the key and refused to take birth control. That Google box you speak to, the cell phone you utilize to text and the smart television to look at are repositories for BB. Government spies on you, social media sites sell your data and profiles, and corporate America uses your information to control you.
• I’m sure you know the name of the president. But what about your alderman, state representatives or county supervisors? Who do you call for service, complaint or compliment? Ghost Busters?
• Should the police provide a list of sites and businesses regularly targeted for carjackings, assaults or robberies? My niece was recently carjacked at the gas station on Teutonia, which has a history of targeting. Is it the responsibility of the owner to provide a safe environment? And if so, what does that mean? Armed guards to eliminate the profit margin and force the station out of business?
• Did you know Jesus’ “birth name” is “Yeshua,” and His last name is not Christ? Did you know He was “Black”? Do you know who Yeshua is? Do you care?
• Did you know Vapor smoking among teens increased by 35% last year? In a related matter, if you’re looking to invest in “behavior stock,” try Altria (the tobacco giant) that recently made a $12 billion investment in Juul (maker of vapors). What does that suggest?
• Did you know one of the credit reporting agencies is going to start adding your utility records to your credit report? That means poor folks who take advantage of the winter moratorium (WE Energies can’t turn off your service until April 1) could see their credit rating go down.
• Back in the day, old southern African Americans believed eating Black eyed peas and greens on New Year’s Eve will bring good luck/fortune and money. Many of us follow that tradition today. But aside from the health benefits (as long as you don’t use ham hocks or salt pork in the peas and greens…oh, collards are scarce these days, in case you didn’t know) it hasn’t resulted in any noticeable positive change in my life. Or maybe I need to eat at your house.
• Why not provide free college for all who qualify? They do it in other countries. It’s about priorities? And America’s priority list puts the concerns of the average person at the bottom.
• The McDonald’s on Miller Park Way has installed kiosks to speed up service. Could it be the first step in eliminating jobs?
• Speaking of low paying jobs, Time Magazine recently published a list of the 50 greatest inventions of 2018. The first one is a robot that has sensory hands that can actually feel objects. It costs only $11,000 and is being constructed for small businesses. Two of the robots can build a third, without human engineering! Think about that. How many human employees can these “cheap” robots replace?
• Those brothers and sister who are demonstrating outside a Black owned Mickey D’s on North Avenue for $15 an hour (they currently average about $8.50) may be in for a rude surprise. Instead of raises, they may have to focus on job protection. Am I wrong?
• Is your head on a swivel when you drive through the central city? If it is, aren’t you racially profiling people? Just like the people you criticize.
• Did you stop watching Sunday’s Packer game after the first quarter or watched until the bitter end? Maybe the team should move to Milwaukee (or share home games as they use to). I figure the problem is not coaching, but the lack of soul food in the diets of African American players. Look at the difference that fact has made for the Bucks and Brewers, who can avail themselves of it.
• Have they run out of biracial couples for television commercials yet? Why not try a beautiful Black (dark skinned) family for a change? Or is that too much diversity…or too little…or too “non-inclusive looking
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