Fix Up!

Guncrime, stabbings have been all the rage recently. Young, mainly black men have been gaining national headlines for all the wrong reasons. In the midst of this violence many quarters have come up with solutions to this predicament. Stiffer punishment to act as a deterrent, arming the police, to new legislation have all been muted. Now I don’t have any definite answers. I look at the youth today, and I can’t say I understand them or know their behaviour. When I was young, forget about the police or the establishment, I had a healthy fear of my parents, particularly my father. The authorities would be nothing compared to me having to face him. And i don’t only mean the physical punishment I would receive at his hands. What was of greater concern to me was the thought of disappointing him. I’m not sure many of the youth today have these same fears. Are they to blame for this? To quote Gina Yassaray “I don’t think so’ to my mind we, as parents, as adults, and especially as men, have failed our children, especially our young men. As parents, I believe that we have brought into this liberal minded thinking meaning that we can’t punishment our children, or challenge them when they are wrong. Then when we decide to say that certain behaviour won’t be accepted, it’s too late. They are used to not being challenged, so why then would they start to change now. I feel that the biggest failure has been men, particularly Black men. We have failed in our duty as fathers, as role models. Now when I say we, I generalise, but even if your not a father, you still have a role to play. Most of us have families where, because of one thing or another, there is a void of a male figure around. Why not fill that gap? And I don’t mean buying presents. Give your time. Make yourself available. And it doesn’t have to be family. Even if your approach is rebuffed, what harm have you done? Fix up!!!!!!!!!

Role Model

In the newspaper yesterday I was reading an article relating to the cancellation of the Snoop Dogg, & P-Diddy tour due to the Home Office refusing to give a Visa to one Mr S Dogg. He was quoted as saying something along the lines of' seeing that I'm a role-model to these kids, my words will have more power than a politician, or any other authority figure. I could address the shootings and stabbings that you have been experiencing over there'. I nearly burst out laughing on the train home. This so-called role model has been arrested for gun & drug possession, has a prominent role in adult movies, and whose language is courser than most. It got me thinking about role models in general. It seems to me that anyone that becomes a celebrity has this responsibility forced upon them. Some love this and will do many charitable acts, visits etc in aid of it, others deny this new found status, and carry on regardless. I thought back to when I was younger, to see if I held up anyone as a role model. Well I admired certain footballers, for their prowess & ability on the pitch, not for their behaviour or morals. Thinking back their were no Singers, Actors etc that I held up as a role model. I wonder if any one (particularly the young) do so now. It seems to me it's a tag fostered upon people by a media that in the same vain, looks for, or even engineers situations to knock these people off their pedestals. (To be lapped up by a hungry public in the Sunday papers)To have a role model that is human, invites disappointment, as often, like us they have their problems, weak areas, but are often held up as perfect. I remember watching the Magnificent Seven. In one scene one of the peasant farmers that the seven are protecting says' you are all heroes’' To which the leader of the seven replies' No you are the heroes, getting up each morning, providing for your families'. Looking back, my role models were my parents. They installed the values that have made me the person I am, for better & for worse. They were & still are icons that I hold up, in my role as a father, an employee, and as a husband

Word Of Mouth

Like most great ideas (!)A new way of advertising, from the US to set to hit these shores. It seems that most of us do not buy into the claims made by adverts and the like, with revenues falling, the companies that be have hit upon a new way of pushing their products. Unpaid volunteers will be send free products that they will be encouraged to discus with their friends/ strangers. My boy Mike hyped me to this, and said that we all do this to some extent already. Whilst this is true, I hope this new 'idea' fails. What could be worse than a friend (or a complete stranger) going on about a product greatness. It would totally put me off. And I'm not so sure I agree with my learned friend Mike, regarding that fact that we do this already. I can't remember the last time me, or Mike, or any friend of mine had a conversation about the greatness of my Branded TV, jeans, MP3 player, or the like. Besides if we do, we do it out of a genuine love for that product, not because Adidas have kindly sent us a product to push. I like many have been a victim to adverts, which have caused me to spend money that I haven't got to purchase something I don't need. I mean you tell me, does U2 advertising the latest limited addition Ipod, or Kate Moss pushing Rimmel make-up products make you want to purchase said items? Saying that I do rely on certain brands. I love Kellogg’s Cornflakes, and I have found Sony products to be reliable, and I like the cuts of Levi jeans. So maybe I am a prime candidate for said products. It's got to the point that giant companies that sponsored every thing, from the premier league, to Big Brother, to children's programme (especially around Christmas). I have often wondered what return companies get from this form of advertising. Who knows I could be wrong, and word-of-mouth advertising is the newest craze for 2007. I think that this is another desperate measure from companies who have realised that we DON'T buy into the hype.

Politik

One of my memories from childhood relates to my junior school closing down for a day, whilst local/national election took place there. Growing up I was fascinated my voting process, and couldn't wait until I turned eighteen to be able to be involved in the whole process. From that age to the present I have always voted, and as I get older I have found that I enjoy watching current events programmes, and watching the news to keep informed about local/national/world affairs. But in the last couple of years, something strange has happened. I have found that I have struggled to choose who to vote for in any elections. It has gotten to the point that when the next general elections arrive, I have considered not voting at all. To some this would be no big deal, and from the stats I have seen, many people, especially the young, are falling to cast their vote. But to me, the thought of not voting, disturbs me. I have always been of the opinion that those who don't vote, shouldn't/can't complain. Also the fact that many great men and women have literally died for the right to vote, the act of not voting would be a slap in the face for all these people. But what are you too do when NO party holds any appeal, or their manifesto is vague, or too ambitious? Many would argue that to the poor, or other sections of society, it doesn’t matter who is in office, as their lives won’t be affected, one way or the other. Also the argument from the youth is that the politicians have failed to engage the young in the political process. The political process affects all of us, from the taxes we pay, to the running of our hospitals, police force, etc. Thoughts?

Weary

Yesterday two items on the news brought Race back into the nation psyche. In Sheffield CCTV footage of a then nineteen year old black female being struck 5 times, whilst being restrained, has been released, whilst an Conservative homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer has lost his front line post in the shadow cabinet, concerning comments he made to the Times newspaper concerning ethnic minority soldiers in the British Army. He is quoted as saying among other things: he had met "a lot" of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who used racism as a "cover". "They prospered inside my regiment, but if you'd said to them 'Have you ever been called a nigger,' they would have said 'Yes.' "But equally, a chap with red hair, for example, would also get a hard time - a far harder time than a black man, in fact." Mr. Mercer added: "But that's the way it is in the Army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting: 'Come on you fat bastard, come on you ginger bastard, come on you black bastard.'" He also said: "I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanors.”I remember one guy from St Ann's (Nottingham) who was constantly absent and who had a lot of girlfriends. "When he came back one day I asked him why, and he would say: 'I was racially abused.' And we'd say: 'No you weren't, you were off with your girlfriends again.'" Sometimes, not often I get weary of the whole thing. Weary of having to explain to people my views on Racism, weary explaining why I often don't feel totally at home in this country. Weary that even in Jamaica, the country of my parent’s birth, that I felt like an outsider, as I was often reminded that I was English. Weary of having to explain to people why my friends have difficulty in supporting England at sport events, when they have been racially abused. And weary of some ladies not stopping to talk to me in the street, when I want to ask for directions, or crossing the road, when I'm walking towards them. I wish I could say that dialogue was the way forward, but over the years I realize that this isn't true. If anything people become polarized in their views, with little learnt on each side. Alas I don't have any answers. I just ask God to examine my heart and to cleanse me of Bitterness, envy, hatred. Not a bad place to start. How can you explain the hurt you feel being called’ a nigger, or of being told to go back home. From a white perspective I suppose it might be similar to seeing the TV reports of the War in Iraq, or drought in an African country. Firstly you are shocked, but in time you become immune to such things, maybe even angry that these things are shown & reported. I often wish for my child like innocent, when race, colours were no factor in the friendships formed, or your world view. I fear that as we go on, that things will get worse. Time will tell.

An Altar of Convience?

Recently Amillia Taylor came into this world breaking all sorts of record. She was born weighing just 280 grams (10 ounces, and measuring just 9.5in (241mm). She spent less then 22 weeks in her mother’s womb, and the likelihood of her survival was deemed as very slim. The neurosurgeon that catered for her welfare was quoted as saying that this event would give a new angle to the Abortion issue. At the present the following are the legal stipulations for abortion in the UK :Abortion is allowed in England, Wales and Scotland to save a woman's life, for health, economic or social reasons. Two registered medical practitioners must certify that the required medical grounds have been met. The procedure must be carried out, except in emergency, in a National Health Service hospital or in a nursing home, private hospital or other approved place. The consent of the spouse is not a prerequisite of the medical termination. Abortions are only allowed up until 24 weeks.The first thing struck me is the term economic, or social reasons. Also the fact that the spouse need not agree with his partner wish to abort the pregnancy. So in the UK at least, little Amillia would have been 'Aborted' terminated, or killed, whilst having the capacity to survive, and develop into a healthy human being. The way I see it, the women carrying this child has rights, and opinions, that are protected, but the father has no say and more importantly, who protects the innocent life of the child? The Law? Not, at present the law. If anything abortion can be used as a' birth control method. I do not mean to flame people, on what can be a very emotive matter, but I will not go along with the, so-called majority world view on this, when this procedure goes contrary to God's law. Why isn't the option of adoption muted more forcefully? Yes, giving birth to an unwanted baby can cause all sorts of emotional trauma, and social upheaval, but the abortion can also lead to women harboring feelings of guilt, and lost, leading to counseling. The pendulum has swung from one extreme, (abortion being illegal, leading to back street abortion) to the present days, so called free for all.

A Job ain't nothing but work!

Recently, the government has announced an initiative to encourage single parents back to work. They announced that this would increase, the mainly women’s, self worth & esteem. A by product of this would be a reduction of the benefits paid out to single parents. At the moment benefits are paid the single parents, allowing them not to work, until their children reach 16. The government propose to reduce this figure to 12, in 3 years. This would reduce the benefits bill, and enable the money to be spend else where. To my mind the governments are targeting the wrong group of people. I believe that they should be encouraging one parent to be able to stay at home (and I don't have a problem with men occupying this position) and targeting the many people that can work, but don't, as they live of the state. To my mind the development of our children is THE most important aspect of our society, as they are the future leaders, and employees of this nation. Many parents I speak would love to be able to afford to stay at home with their children. But they simply can't afford it. Also, if the government were serious about encouraging parents back to work, you'd think they would establish care groups to look after the children while their parents work, or encourage more employers to establish crèches within their premises. More attention should be directive at getting healthy work shy people back to work. This in turn would reduce the benefits bill, benefit the economy, and increase the self worth of the individuals concerned. What better example to children, to see their parents work, whether that be in a office, or as a House husband/wife/parent.

Keep it Real

As I may have mentioned in an earlier blog, I am currently sporting a bald haircut that hides the fact that I have been going bald from the age of 28. I quite like this hair style, and have no qualms with brothers (or sisters) who sport something similar due, like myself, to hair follicles dying, or for some other fashionable reasons. But could someone please explain to me why a number of, sane, intelligent, beautiful, mainly Black women feel the need to wear a hair weave? Now, if like myself, they have a scalp problem, then I would completely understand, but the majority of these women, have a good strong healthy head of hair. At work, I asked a colleague of mine this same question. Her response(s) were thus: ' Some women are tired of having to spend hours styling their hair, and a weave allows them to 'pat & go'. Some have been doing it for so long that their hair line starts on their neck back, so they don't have a choice (stand up Venus & Serena Williams!) We are all coloured with the same brush, the amount of times I have women coming up to me, admiring my weave, when I DON"T have one'.
Now trust me when I say that if I can spot a weave, it must be bad. Now, from my research, these weaves can cost up to 60 GBP. Why not get your own God-given hair styled. I have also seen women lift them up to scratch their heads! The thing is Black hair can be styled in numerous hair styles, from the natural look, Locks, relaxed, to name just a few. Soon the amount of women fighting me for the last shaving gel on the counter will explode, driving the price up, leading me to use soap & water. So for my sake (& my bank balance) let it grow :)

Is sorry ever enough?

To celebrate the 200 year old anniversary of the abolition of slavery, various projects are in the offering. Hollywood is set to produce a film based on the life of William Wilberforce, the gentlemen who worked tirelessly over many years to get the English parliament to establish the act that brought this trade to an end. Watching the news tonight, I observed a descendant of Wilberforce, who has shackled himself in chains, and is marching down to London, to highlight the need for the British government to apologize for benefiting from this trade in Human life. Now my thoughts on this are numerous. Firstly, the people that need to do the apologizing, and the people that need to hear it are both dead. Also apologizing won't change the fact that these events took place. There is also the fact of who do you apologize to? The African descendents of slaves, the Caribbean descendents? Also, what if this apology isn't accepted, what then? Reparation? What figure could you put to compensate for the death, misery, destruction of a Race? Yes I acknowledge that many institutions, including the church, Lloyds of London, and Many American corporations have bloodied their hands, and have made a lot of money of this trade, and, in theory, I can see how an apology might be deemed as closure in this episode, but I fear that an apology might encourage certain parties to seek money as damage caused to the black race. This too me would be a disgrace, to minise the suffering of slaves in monetary terms. The one thing we would be wise to do is: Learn from history, and never repeat these mistakes of the past.