There once was a man who had a terrible fall. The fall resulted in the breaking of his leg in many different places. Soon he began to heal, all the while using a crutch to help him move. After the recovery process his leg was back at optimal operating condition. However something had changed with in his thought process. When he returned to work he did fairly well but, when he made mistakes he would often if not always blame it on the injury that he had received in the past. This became a trend and soon even a scapegoat for further accidents or problems. Eventually the man's children began doing the same as there farther. They learned to attribute their father's broken leg as the reason for them being unable to complete their tasks.
This story is fictitious but this problem is not. In the bible the Hebrews were enslaved by the Egyptians for around 1,000 years. During the colonial days of America the Native Americans were almost eradicated from existence. Jews faced genocide during the Holocaust. African people also faced grueling slavery for around 400 years. Though all these different races of people faced hard time something is different about one group. I have been witness to my own people using slavery as a scapegoat. The over used phrase "the white man is keeping me down" is repeated far too many times in the black community. Slavery is no longer in effect in America, so why is this sound "we were slaves" so audible. Our ancestors were slaves not us or our parents and grandparents. We must avoid clinging to the edifice of a decadent past. In turn we should move assertive in this future that our ancestor's conviction has rewarded us. No longer should we carry the pain of slavery on our backs or use it as a crutch to walk with. Lessened should be our gripes and complaints of past events. The races mentioned above had tough times as well but I don't hear them complain as much as we do. The past is not to be forgotten nor is it to be used as a security net. The past is a teacher which we must all learn from. As black people it would do us well to learn from the past not live in it.
Solomon H. A. Milton
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Let's start from the top!
There has been a lot of talk about the use of steroids in sports, especially baseball. Of course this is wrong. Not only because steroids are illegal but also because it sends the wrong message to future athlete stars everywhere.
Barry Bonds was accused of taking steroids to enhance his game and so were a few others...including the one man who has friends turning on each other. Roger Clemens.
According to former trainer, Brian McNamee, Roger Clemens was injected with steroids more than a few times. McNamee claims he, himself was the one to inject Clemens. If you've been following along, you know that McNamee also fingered a few other people and as the war of words got nastier he claimed to have evidence from 5 years ago. McNamee claims that he saved a syringe that was used on Clemens from 5 years ago.....even if this is true...it would mean that McNamee was a bit shady from the very beginning! Who saves a syringe for 5 years. That's filthy and unsanitary.
Clemens doesn't look any better. He went before congress and stumbled over his words. He was caught a few times in a few lies. Are we surprised? No! We figured he was fibbing anyway! But how can they prosecute Clemens if their star witness isn't credible? Without McNamee they only have hear say from Roger Clemen's best friend, Andy Pettitte. Who by the way has never seen Clemens doing steroids. He only stated that Clemens told him about the use. Any decent defense attorney can tear that to shreds leaving the prosecutor with nothing!
McNamee has to stay on point. He has changed his story many times. He may have told the truth about the others that were fingered by him but there are still some holes that will leave many to wonder if they can really take this man seriously anymore. As the war got heated...he suddenly remembered evidence from 5 years ago. He also said to congress that as he thought about it, he realized that he had injected Clemens a lot more than he originally said....that's not good...seems like a retaliation move.
He also lied about Clemens being at Jose Canseco's Florida home party, in which there were steroids. Canseco who has written a book and fingered everybody he knows who has used steroids deny Clemens ever being there and so do other guest of the party.
So you see the dilemma! Both men are liars and frankly I don't see how they are going to make a valid case against Clemens when the man they were counting on to take him down is also untruthful.
Sound Off:
First of all!!!!!!!...... Why is Congress sticking their nose in the business of baseball?! That is NOT their job. Do your research! Find out how much this circus is costing us! Our tax dollars are going toward this dog and pony show. Congress should not have anything to say about this issue. Seriously, how can we be upset about our tax dollars going to welfare when clearly we are throwing our money away on this circus act?
Second!!!!! I have a problem with everyone suddenly growing a conscious. During the baseball era no one cared. No one insured proper testing. Corporate America was great and all anyone cared about was making money and selling tickets!...And they did. Now we're going back to the past and setting down the law? Pa-leeeese!!!
We will never know the whole truth. There are many more athletes in the baseball sport and other sports that have taken steroids and we will never know! So the best thing to do is to move on and start fresh with a new set of rules and this time....enforce them!
Dee Hall
It's that time again. It's time for "NexT" to sound off !!!
Ok, we all know Oprah is known for her generous giving. She has given to charities and schools. (Do your homework) She has even been known to give huge prizes to her audience members on the show.
This time Oprah decided to open a school in Africa..and she did, despite criticism from critics who thought that Oprah should open a school on her own turf. (Funny how people involve themselves with other folk's money!)
Oprah opened her school and had a huge celebration at the opening. Special guests like former South African President Nelson Mandela, Spike Lee, Sidney Poitier, Chris Tucker, Tina Turner and Mary J. Blige were there to take part in the festivities.
Everything seemed great....for a minute...and then Oprah's generosity came back to bite her in the you know what!!! Allegations of abuse and molestation are flying wild. And...trust me...it's not good! One student was reportedly grabbed by the neck and thrown against the wall. Wow! Double Wow!
Oprah apologized to the parents of students at her all-girls school in South Africa. She reportedly took full responsibility at the gathering and begged parents to forgive her for the staff member's behavior. The matron and at least one other staffer were suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
Soooo....now some people are pointing fingers and blaming Oprah for the misconduct of the school employees. Typical....
Now it's time for the SOUND OFF!!!
This whole ordeal just proves to me that you can't save the world...and no matter what you do to make things right, you won't be able to satisfy everybody. Even one of the parents at the school told Oprah that it wasn't her fault and that she tried her best to be passionate in helping the children...but yet some people who don't even live in Africa are mouthing off about issues they don't even know about!
You can't be responsible for other peoples's actions! She funded this school and trusted others to run it right. And yet, this woman apologized repeatedly. It's one thing to bend over backwards when you've done something wrong. But when you've tried all you could to help others and it still doesn't turn out right..what can you do? How can you make it right?
And then there are those idiots who claim Oprah should have opened up a school on her own turf...as I said before, do your homework!!!!....before you go sprouting off garbage...if you're gonna bash someone at least know the facts!
Oprah has given to schools on her own turf. She has given to charities, children funds and schools (black & white)!!! If you'd do your homework you'd know that there are areas in Africa that are corrupt. She was wise to personally go over there and oversee the building of the school. Other wise if she'd just given the money to some official...she would have probably never have seen most or any of that money again....speaking of money...why do people feel it's their business to tell other people how to spend money that doesn't belong to them?
If you goolge the words "oprah donates", you'll find that the list go on and on. She has given to many people. Mean while there are plenty of wealthy people who won't part with a penny.
I know it may appear that I am a huge Oprah fan...but I'm not! In all honesty..I don't even watch the show...but unlike others, before I mouth off, I want to know what I'm talking about.
Seems to me that...the people doing the bashing...are people with no future, no money...or a fridge full of Haterade! Translation: Hate! Here's a question: What have you done for your community? What have you done for the world? What have you done for yourself lately?...If you have time to sit around and bash other people's dreams....you haven't done much...now have you?!
Question for the viewers?
Why are people more concerned with bashing Oprah then being concerned about the children? Why is it people feel the right to tell others what to do with their money? Let us know your thoughts.
