Hey I'm including myself in this! I can look back and think of times I'd love to do-over. Like the time I mixed cream-based alcoholic beverages with sushi with wine all in the same evening. When protests lead to violence and the arrest of more than 100 people that is counterproductive. Those people that thought taking out their frustration for the Oscar Grant shooting on OPP (other people's property) was a good idea had to stand before the judge on Friday. You know I'm all for second chances but the attitudes of some of these people really alarm me. I know some people think you can't tell all of us apart but I'm not claiming them!
From the Mercury News:
"I know it's a very frustrating time," Johnson said, referring to the police investigation into the shooting. "But Oscar would not want to see the violence and the fires. We believe this situation is going to come to a close and justice will be served. I'm asking you please, please, stop it and let justice prevail. Please stop it."
Let's just say I'm glad they live over the bridge and not in my neighborhood. I'm all for Black solidarity but I can't abide by foolishness and criminal activity. Smashing windows and setting cars on fire is not respectable Negro behavior. Yes, I know lots of people riot and over really dumb stuff like a sporting game (yeah I'm talking about Manchester United or similar). But those are dumbs acts by white people and truth be told, the greater society at large isn't going to hold it against all of them for what some of them do. Like with Black people.
Besides this is bigger than that. When Oscar Grant's mother - in her time of grief - has to publicly urge people (as posted above) to stop acting like a da** fool because they're making things worse for the family then you are the problem! There are more protests scheduled and not all of the participants are Black but you know who's going to end up in the news should things go south. All that outrage should be channeled into something productive like completing an education, cleaning up the neighborhood (literally and figuratively) and focus on something besides playing ball or rapping about nonsense. That foolishness is not Black culture - that's displaying depravity and callousness. Which breeds apathy. Which breeds violence. We do not need to go there anymore.
Also people need to learn to engage politically. I've been mentioning this in a lot of posts because after last year I got the memo that 'real' change isn't going to happen from complaints, petitions or protests alone. More Black people have to learn to interact in all areas of society and navigate through sometimes unpleasant and unfair circumstances and do it while keeping one's cool with high self-esteem. It can be a tall order but it's necessary. We need to reach out to those who will support our endeavors and we cannot be our own islands.
Have a vision for yourself beyond what you think is readily available. Be more positive. Trust me on this - it may be challenging but it's not impossible.
From Immediate Influence Blog
The most powerful opposing force to achieving your goals in 2009 and beyond is YOU! More specifically, it’s the disempowering beliefs that you are harboring about yourself, your capabilities, and resources. For example, let’s suppose that in the past five, ten, or twenty years an associate of yours has repeatedly set a goal to earn six figures but it has never happened. Why didn’t it happen? It’s not that they didn’t want to achieve the goal. It’s that they allowed feelings/emotions to stop them during their journey.
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