Solutions Not Problems

This is a conversation between a friend and me. My friend is white and he is a good friend of mine. Enjoy.....................


From: Dario Mobley
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 7:21:46 AM Subject:


Hey,

Did you get a chance to listen to my loud mouth on that sports show?

What do you think about the Michael Vick thing?

What do you think about Obama sitting down Sgt. Crowley and Professor Gates?


To: "Dario Mobley"
Date: Friday, July 31, 2009, 11:19 AM

I never did hear the radio thing. Could you try to send it again. I am not sure what Micheal Vick thing you are talking about, I have not been paying alot of attention to news lately. As far as the glamorized photo op you are talking about, that is just plain ridiculous! It is so nice that we elected a racist president. You know me, I don't like racist comments going either way (remember that wonderful Indian lady?). The fact that he called that officer stupid before he even knew the facts proves to me that deep down he is a racist. All he knew was it was a black homeowner and a white officer, so automatically, the officer was wrong. Never mind that the officer was trying to protect that mans home, and never mind that the officer once gave mouth to mouth to Reggie Lewis to try to save his life, in Obama's eyes, he is stupid and wrong because he is white. And before you tell me he is not a racist, lets not forget the comment about how his grandmother was a "typical white woman". What do suppose would happen to a white presidential candidate if he had black relatives and he said one of them acted like a "typical black woman"? That candidate would be run out of town and you know that is true. Sorry to go on so long, but I just cant stand racism in any form towards anyone.


Talk to you later


From: Dario Mobley
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 1:52:46 PM
Subject:

Hey,

I have attached the radio show to this email..

Let's try to take politics or our contrast of political belief out of this and think about this for a second. Firstly, Obama is half Caucasian. Is he racist against himself? For him to come out and state his judgment about Gates and Crowley was wrong. It does not matter if the officer was white or black. I agree with that. However, in a slight defense, I would think most people would take the side of their friends. Even with that being said, the problem with what he did that I acknowledge to you is that he should not have verbalized his thoughts without having the facts because he is President of the United States.

As far as the "typical white person" comment, that comment is all how you decide to interpret it. Are you searching for problems or are you searching for solutions? I can understand the "typical white person comment" clearly because I interpret as him referring to an eighty-six year old white woman who grew up in a time when things were different. It was at a time where whites were verbally and openly racist against blacks with full cooperation from the law. There were democrat and republican presidents during that time so please understand why and how I view that comment that way. The civil rights act was signed in 1964 and it took a while for people to change their views and some still have not today. However, there were people who were not racist then and there are definitely moe people who are not racist now but the views are rooted in how I was reared by my parents.


I wanted to express that to you so you could hopefully understand. But where are we at with this man? Do some people feel that Obama does not represent the United States because he is not 100% white or because he can relate to the struggle of all people instead of just a particular group? Again, I understand you have political beliefs that are deep rooted with the way you were raised. However, it seems like everything that Obama does is not acceptable to you and a lot of other people. There is nothing that he can do right. Is that really logical or even fair? Is this because you don't agree with democratic policies or because you feel that he does not have you and your family best interest in mind?

I have never seen you as a racist and never will. There were many white presidents that I felt were racist so if I don't consider myself a racist, I can not consider you a racist. Additionally, from being around you and being a friend of yours, that stamps my overall view of you as a great person. The thing that seems to be happening with people in general is that we feel like we have to take a side. We either have to be on the black side or white side, conservative side or liberal side, and so on. I believe that each person should be judged on an individual basis and that is how we should proceed with our analysis of anything when it comes to treating a human being. We can't allow politics to filter into making us take a side on things that we fundamentally agree about like "treating people how you want to be treated". I am all about understanding and working toward solutions and not creating more problems as I believe you are. Similarly, I think Obama was trying to accomplish that by sitting the two gentlemen down and talking it out like civilized human beings. How can you or I know Obama's intentions for doing that? You choose to believe that it was a photo opportunity. You don't really know and even if it was a photo op, how can sitting two men down on an issue that is dividing the country be viewed as wrong in any way? Now, both guys did not want to apologize but obviously both guys were wrong in some sort of way. Gates should have cooperated and just filed a complaint after the guy left. Crowley could have identified him from a picture in the house or some other way and should not have arrested him. Both were wrong yet none of them apologized because they both felt that they had to choose a side that does not have any room for middle ground. I don't feel we have to choose a side. Look, you and I are always going to have different political beliefs because that is how we were reared but for some reason, a guy from the deep south and a guy from the South Western-Western part of the United Sates became friends and they can clown and joke like they are brothers regardless of their political beliefs. I think people can talk things out and if it comes to a point where you have to agree to disagree, that is much better than yelling at each other with no attempt at finding some sort of common ground. I think that is how we can achieve solutions and eliminate problems. Hopefully, I have just allowed you to understand my point of view a little more. The issue of people treating each other right is an important issue to me. It's not about white, black, democratic or republican for me. It is about people. It only takes one person to make a change. Hopefully, we are making that change by talking this out.

Racist Cop or Self Absorbed Jerk

Y'all should have saw this coming. What do y'all think about the Gates arrest? Well my position is that I'm black first and an officer second. Not having all the facts but listening/reading about both sides of the story, I believe the officer. I'm sorry if I ruffled a few feathers but being a police officer in New Orleans, (I must add) I deal with people from various walks of life. It ranges from your average street corner hustler to highly educated, professional people (do i have to say Af-Am, I'm biting B.). I'm sorry to say but I'd rather have to deal with the drug dealer than have an encounter with the highly educated person.

Most of my encounters with drug dealers may or may not end in me arrested them but the mutual respect is there. Most of the time I never have to raise my voice or repeat instructions. To sum it up, they never really give me a hard time most of the time.

On the other hand, the educated, professional Af-Am are very difficult to deal with most of the time. For example, every year for the essence festival I always have encounters with educated people that feel they are above the law or above following instructions from an officer.

Another example: I have a friend that was being arrested for disturbing the peace and trespassing because he refuse to leave a club because he thought the cover was too high for the time he was entering the club. Of course, because he wouldn't leave, the police were called out and was asked to leave several times by the officer and during this encounter, he shouted several statements at the officer implying that he can't be told what to do by the officer because he's a college graduated, a professional, he votes, pay taxes, etc. Now these statements were made in close proximity of the officer's personal space. The officer asked my friend to back up several times while asking him to leave the area. Well it continued and my friend was arrested. I was called out by a mutual friend who with was him and trying to get him to leave. Luckily, I knew the officer and my friend was released. Now, the only factor I didn't mention was the fact that he was drunk but in that state, he was acting like a self absorbed jerk. In his defense, it was an isolated incident and he normally does not act like that when he is sober. LOL. You know who you are?

In the Gates Case, the officer said that when he ask Mr. Gates for his I.D., he initially would not identify himself. Mr. Gates stated that he presented his Mass. I.D. The officer stated that Mr. Gates presented a Harvard I.D. first (I guess to let the officer know who he was and his status. self absorbed JERK). Later during the encounter, Mr. Gates implied that the officer was racial profiling by saying, "This is what happens to black men in America."

This would not be in the news and I would not be typing this if Mr. Gates would've followed the officer's instructions and showed the I.D. to verify that he lived there. The officer should have explained to Mr. Gates why he was answering a burglary call (I don't know if he did or not) and then Mr Gates should have allowed the officer to do his job by checking his home to be sure there wasn't a burglar. Finally, Mr. Gates could have then discretely got rid of the officer instead of making a scene. He could have then closed and locked his door and went to bed.

The End

20 RULES TO LIVE BY

1.) If a woman doesn't respond to your call or text, you should call or text her a maximum of two times. The first text/call is the normal call/text and the other one is the benefit of the doubt. After that, there is no calling/texting back. If you call a woman for the first time and she says she will call you back instantly, don’t call back and delete her number. If she calls you back, she is interested.

2.) If you ask a direct question and a woman gives you an indirect answer...and y'all aren't close... stop asking and move on.

3.) If you ask a woman to see you on a personal/intimate level and she doesn't show the same interest or wants to meet you in the club...stop asking and MOVE ON!!!!!!

4.) If you are messing with a woman and you are doing all the calling, you should stop calling her to see if she calls you. If she does not call you, move on. If she does, go with it but always let her do the most calling or MOVE ON!!!!

5.) Don't confuse chasing with interest. Implement your game. There is a fine line between showing interest and chasing. When you have crossed that line from interest to chasing, MOVE ON!!!

6.) Beware of chicks with boyfriends and chicks with a lot of dude friends. They usually have the upper hand. If you are a second fiddle, MOVE ON!!!!

7.) When you feel yourself in a situation where your gut is about to make you make an irrational decision which is simply just being ANXIOUS, MOVE ON!!!!

8.) Never second guess yourself...that's the quickest way to chasing.

9.) Don't set any goals with yourself or the woman in the first day. This eliminates ambiguity and analyzing if things don't go the way you want. Analyzing and ambiguity leads to chasing.

10.) If a girl talks about her guy friends or tries to hook you up with her girl...move on...if you think she wants anything other than friends...you're chasing.

11.) Don't be afraid to cut it off first even if you did not accomplish anything. If she gives you bad signs, cut her off or make her chase you to get you back!

12.) Don't feel like you have to walk on eggshells with women who are more attractive. Stick to the Script!!! If you are in a space where you want to invite her to your house to watch rental movies, that should not be contingent on her looks. Be confident in yourself and make a decision and stand by it.

13.) All “attractive women” get two “out of house” dates at the most before you bring her to your crib. If she wants to go out again, she pays. Don't be afraid to cut it off.

14.) Don't feel compelled to show a “highly attractive” woman off to your friends or family in a week. Family is an important thing and it should be handled with care. Make sure the woman is treating you right and providing everything that you desire in a woman before you parade her around your family.

15.) Women with kids should be handled delicately. Most of the time their minds are working differently so you have to make sure your views are in line with hers. If they're not and she tries to force her agenda on you, think about what you want and if you are not ready for that, be nice but cut it off and in a hurry!!!!

16.) Recognize what you are bringing to the table. Matter of fact, you have your own table and she has to bring something to the table. If she is not providing anything, you should MOVE ON!!!!

17.) Never lose your composure in person, on the phone, or via text.
This leads to them having the upper hand and you chasing. If you do, MOVE ON!!!!!!

18.) At the end of each conversation, ask yourself, "Am I chasing?"
If you and your boys can't answer that question with an emphatic NO, then you're chasing. Please review steps 1-17.

19.) Never over extend yourself to a woman just because she is extremely attractive...that leads to chasing. Always be YOURSELF!!!!!

20.) Take "no" for an answer in any case. This is not the end of the world. She may have a lot of qualities that you like but there are other fish in the sea. Trust me!!!!!!

Co-Authored by Dario K. Mobley

THE GRAY AREA PIECE

Gray: of a color between white and black; having a neutral hue.

What's clear to me when dating is that nothing is ever clear until the actions of two people match the words they utter. Assuming we are talking about an average guy average girl situation(although my friends and I are nothing close to average), women tend to place us guys in a couple categories…

1)Not Interested 2) Cute 3) Fine/Hot/Pretty Boy

The “Not interested” category usually consist of not having enough money, not showing enough money or not looking good on the surface to the woman. The guy could really be cool for her but the guy has absolutely no shot with that women. Basically, if you walk up to a girl and open your mouth to say, “Excuse me…” ,she’ll interrupt you and say she has a boyfriend, and you’ll finish the sentence you started by saying, “…can you move over so I can buy a drink?”

The cute guys instantly go into the gray area. At no fault of their own…since birth they have been designated gray. I know…I know…guys are saying, “Well, I was born brown, dark, light”…yeah, but women are color blind and to them you are gray…face it!

Hot guys (from a women’s point of view) start off totally black and are in great position until you tell the girls that you have a girlfriend or are dating several chicks. The thing I have noticed is that with the hot guy, women really don’t care about the hot guy's disposition… So, I would say just to “do you” because they’ll be down for just about whatever.

Black:

It is amazingly interesting to me that women tend to talk about wanting a good guy, yet they fall for the guy that is all wrong for them. I recently spoke with this girl whom I’ve dated recently and she told me about this ass hole guy who’s in a relationship with one of her girls. So, I said most women don’t want the nice guy, they want the ass hole…so do you? She said no I don’t and they don’t. I remained quite…then she proceeded to confess that I was right and pointed out that she fell for the ass hole guy and got married and eventually got divorced. I am not judging her, but merely explaining the black area.

White:

The guys who are deemed “Not interested” can find women of course. There’s a woman for everyone. These guys typically can overcome their looks with superior confidence or take a job in a call center and meet a “nice” chick because they see each other everyday and looks and personality go out the window in the workplace. Now, don’t act like you have never seen a nice chick with a scrub and wondered how did that happen??? Some would say Janet and Jermaine…some would say Jay-Z and Beyonce…on a non-celebrity level of course. P.S. It works the other way too!

Gray…Thou Art Gray:

I’ll start the theme section with excerpts from a conversation I had with my boy about women…

“How do we get in the gray area?”

I think they put us in a gray area upon the first meeting. You ever went out on a date with a chick and thought that her body language didn't tell you much. Like she was laughing and talking to you, but you couldn't tell if she like you or not. Gray Area. I've had that before.

Here are some reasons women will put you in the gray area:
1.) They find you moderately attractive/cute
2.) They are just getting out of a relationship
3.) They are talking to other guys who have similar qualities as you
4.) They haven't been moved either way by you
5.) They put up an initial wall for guys who they don't consider "FINE!"

“She found me moderately attractive?”

The fact that she didn't call you back means that you didn't in her eyes do anything to appeal to her.

Yo, A friend of mine went out...got like 4 numbers... two, he’s till talking to now...why?

He talked to two for an extensive period of time and both of the women found something about him that was appealing. The other two...didn't have much to go on...and since he may have been just cute to them, they didn't feel compelled to answer when he called. Grey! I don't know, because if we go by the reason I stated above about why we are in the grey area, then that's nothing we can really control. So…no, if a girl puts us there, then we're there. Now, the question is, knowing that we are there, how do we get out? See, that's tough too because a lot of the ways to get out may not be in our personality or physical make-up.

“We can only control what we can control and we should not focus/concentrate on things that are out of our hands. Can that mentality be the final answer to any disturbing situation with any woman? Does it end there or does it start there?”

I've never worried about being in the gray area. I knew I was there in the past but just didn't call it a gray area. I would refer to the gray area with this statement, "I don't know if she's into me." What does it mean if a woman gives gray area guy her number and doesn’t answer or doesn’t call? Well, she probably does that all the time...you know...go out, give her number out just so she can have someone new calling her. But she's probably seeing someone or not interested.

~
In general, the only way to not be in a gray area is to put the woman in the gray area. This way, it doesn’t matter either way what she does. If working out isn’t in you…don’t do it. If flashing money isn’t you…don’t do it. Timing is very important…

Gray area is important to recognize. Keep dating until a woman shows you she’s different than what you’re used to. Never lose site of the gray area. Note: It’s possible to overcome the gray area, but if you feel you are overextending or if you have to ask your boy if he thinks your girl is interested in you…she’s not interested and you shouldn’t be cool with being gray.

I’ll use this platform to set the tone for the rest of the year…”WOMEN, DON’T GIVE A GUY YOUR NUMBER IF YOU’RE NOT INTERESTED. BEING NICE WAS OKAY FOR THE 90’S. HOWEVER, SIMILAR TO THE WAY WOMEN THINK, GUYS DON’T WANT NICE!” -Gray

That’s not my favorite color anyway…is it anyone’s?

Note: This doesn't apply to all women...just most.

It's Amazing To Me

It is very amazing to me how judgemental people are about Barack Obama. He is being judged before he is done serving as the President. To my knowledge, people did not criticize Bush unmerciful until after he made many mistakes. It is tough because this brings up many feelings of separation and a sense that people will never want to accept change no matter how it comes. He has only been in office since January 20, 2009 and certain people seem to want his head already.

For a man like me, It makes me think about what America is because I try my best to get along with everyone I come into contact with. If I spend enough time around someone, I will eventually become friends with them. Anyhow, that's just a random thought I wanted to share. It will take a total understanding and total participation on the part of a lot of people to rid America of these old traditions of hate. Here is something that you will never think is still going on in America. Please read this. You won't believe it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090719/en_nm/us_usa_racism

Dario K. Mobley's Profile

My Brother- Deron (left), My Sister- Jasey and Dario (Right)








Anytime I look to start a blog, I always like to give a short biography of myself just to let people know who I am. My name is Dario K. Mobley and I live in a suburb outside of Orlando, Florida called Altamonte Springs. I was born in New Orleans "The Big Easy". I lived there for 24 years until I graduated from the University of New Orleans in 2002 in Electrical Engineering. In May 2003, I moved to Missoula, Montana. No, I did not ride a horse to work and yes, I was one of maybe 100 or so black people in the town. It is a long story about how I got there so I won't get into that. Anyhow, I lived there for about two years and then I moved to the Midwest State of Michigan in July 2005 and worked for Novak Engineering who were later bought out by TRC Inc. I lived in Lansing and Jackson for about 1.5 years. Then I got transferred with my job to Augusta, Maine for 6 months. I must love the states that start with the letter "M". I moved back to New Orleans in May 2007 where I took a job with Ampirical Solutions as a Lead Design Engineer. I lived in New Orleans for a year and moved to the Orlando area in July 2008 which brings me to where I am now. I am currently working in Altamonte Springs as an Electrical Engineer. I am 30 years old, not married but I am dating someone right now and it is going well. I really believe in God, family, friends and surrounding myself with positive people. I am also an avid sports fan and my zest for politics and more important issues seem to really have accelerated since the new President. I am passionate and energetic and love to engage in meaningful debates. I have a huge group of really close friends who I have known for a long time. We are very close and converse very regularly. I have always been a well-liked guy and had the ability to connect with many different people which leads me to believe that I have a bigger purpose in life than what I am doing. Everything will come to pass soon enough.



God Bless & Nice To Meet You,

Dario K. Mobley

The Beginnining

I feel the need to explain the way this whole idea came to light. I sent a yahoo link of an article that was written about President Obama's speech to the NCAAP to four of my friends; Elgin Suggs, Broderick Moses, Jarrett White & Ray Jones. In the speech, The President touched on a lot of great points about the black community that seemed to strike a nerve directly in my friends and I. We proceeded to have an impromptu email exchange that was passionate and lively and was filled with concern and a overall need that we can do something. Keep in mind that this was random email exchanges so we did not have any regard for proper grammar.Here is the excerpt of our email exchanges:

"Dario Mobley" wrote on 07/17/2009 08:57:40 AM:

What do you think?

NEW YORK (Reuters) – President Barack Obama had a tough-love message
for fellow African-Americans on Thursday, urging black parents to push
their children to think beyond dreams of being sports stars or rap music performers. Obama's election as the first African-American president buoyed the black community. At the 100th anniversary celebration of the NAACP, the country's oldest civil rights group, he urged blacks to take greater responsibility for themselves and move away from reliance on government programs.

"We need a new mindset, a new set of attitudes -- because one of the
most durable and destructive legacies of discrimination is the way
that we have internalized a sense of limitation; how so many in our
community have come to expect so little of ourselves," he said.
Obama told a packed ballroom at a Manhattan hotel that blacks need to
recapture the spirit of the civil rights movement of a half century
ago to tackle problems that have struck African-Americans
disproportionately -- joblessness, spiraling healthcare costs and
HIV-AIDS.

"What is required to overcome today's barriers is the same as was
needed then -- the same commitment. The same sense of urgency. The
same sense of sacrifice," he said.
Obama said parents need to force their children to set aside the video
games and get to bed at a reasonable hour, and push them to set their
sights beyond such iconic figures as NBA star LeBron James and rap
singer Lil Wayne.

Education is the path to a better future, said Obama.
"Our kids can't all aspire to be the next LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United
States," he said. Obama noted that his own life could have taken a different path, had
it not been for his mother's urgings. 'SHE TOOK NO LIP'
"That mother of mine gave me love; she pushed me, and cared about my
education," he said. "She took no lip and taught me right from wrong.
Because of her, I had a chance to make the most of my abilities. I had
the chance to make the most of my opportunities. I had the chance to
make the most of life."

-----Original Message-----
From: Elgin E Suggs
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:26 AM
To: Dario Mobley
Subject: Re:

I think its true to an extent...

See, in a middle class neighborhood...we grow up with good role models...

lower class don't. So, I think there should be a movement where you
publicize doctors teachers etc...same way we do athletes and rappers.

let them identify with someone...for the work (job) they've done, not
so much for their civil rights.


"Dario Mobley" wrote on 07/17/2009 09:36:53 AM:

I want to make sure I am understanding you clearly. What do you me by
this?

"let them identify with someone...for the work (job) they've done, not
so much for their civil rights."


-----Original Message-----
From: Elgin E Suggs
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009
To: Dario Mobley
Subject: Re:


It seems like the only leaders to identify with on a national level are political leaders...jesse jackson, tavis smiley, etc. I think they serve a purpose.
But, I think teacher, doctors, lawyers, etc. should be publicized more, that way kids without role models can see the MTV crib of a African American Lawyer or Engineer...feel me.



-----Original Message-----
From: Broderick Moses
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009
To: Dario Mobley, Elgin Suggs, Jarrett White, Ray Jones
Subject: Re:


I totally agree with Obama, but that is way easier said then done! If the majority of african american households allow their children to watch rap videos nonstop from the time school lets out til they go to sleep, what else are they going to aspire to? Most of the time the parents are sitting right next to the kids while they are watching the videos. As far as aspiring to be a sports star; I feel like parents should encourage their children to do the best they can at sports, but be sincerely frank with them when it comes to the actual statistics of an athlete making it all the way to Major League Baseball, the NBA or NFL. I believe that af-am parents should educate their children, who obviously have their hearts set on being the next Lebron James to always make the grade in school, get a degree in college, etc. so they always have something to fall back on if they don't make it to the pros. I think that it should start at a very early age talking about highschool and college and professional school, and how you have a very low shot at getting a good job if you don't go to school. I also feel that some children in certain environments have such heavy influences on them outside their home life that it sometimes dilutes the effect of a good mom or dad trying to instill some good morals and guidance, so in those cases the kid needs to see something they can relate to. Show them that eventhough Lil Wayne and Lebron had great success at a young age they are still very intelligent business men and they learned how to use their talents to open door after door for themselves; they must also be shown all the hundreds and thousands of artists and athletes that were great in highschool and college and didn't make it and are struggling now because they never got their education. It should go hand in hand; education and sports or education and being an artist. "If you can't commit to school and make the grade, then you miss basketball practice today", "If you can't keep your grades up then you will not be allowed to watch videos, perfom in the talent show, etc." So that the kid, throughout his life couples education with outside interests. This would take an extremely great effort from af-am families across the U.S. to even make a small improvement because it is not the kids I worry about, it's the parents that are teaching them.

B


From: Jarrett White
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:26 AM
To: Dario Mobley, Elgin Suggs, Broderick Moses, Ray Jones
Subject: Re:

The sports and entertainment excuse is overused and really is just a very small part of the problem. The problem is society as a whole. We tend to identify more with sports and entertainment because blacks are prevalent in those industries. The problem is the broken family structure. One can even blame it on the "Independent Woman" factor that has snowballed overtime. In the 50's and 60's, when the family structure for all American races was intact, men were the head of the household. They took pride in raising their children and the well being of there family. Once females became more independent, which you can't blame them for, the role of the man in the household became less important. What we see now is that this phenomenon has backfired big-time. Men take less pride in the importance of raising their families. Some don't even see the relevance of the two parent household. The bad thing about this whole situation is that there is no end in sight.

From: Dario Mobley
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:39 AM
To: White, Jarrett P
Subject: RE: RE:

That is an interesting point. However, Do you think the females were forced to “do what they had to do” because of all the black men dying and going to jail from the crack epidemic?

From: Jarrett White
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:39 AM
To: Dario Mobley
Subject: RE: RE:


The crack epidemic was the late 80's. This already started. That era might have accelerated it, but such is life. You could say Vietnam played a role in the 60's and 70's.


-----Original Message-----
From: Elgin E Suggs
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:44 AM
To: Dario Mobley
Cc: 'Broderick Moses'; White, Jarrett P; rjones975@yahoo.com
Subject: Re:

I think its true to an extent...
See, in a middle class neighborhood...we grow up with good role models...
lower class kids may not. So, I think there should be a movement where you publicize doctors teachers etc...same way we do athletes and rappers....in commercials for example.
It seems like the only leaders (save celebrities) to identify with on a national level are political leaders...jesse jackson, tavis smiley, etc. I think they serve a purpose.
But, I think teacher, doctors, lawyers, etc. should be publicized more, that way kids without role models can see the MTV crib of a Af-Am (borrowed from B) Optometrist, Policeman, or Engineer...


-----Original Message-----
From: Jarrett White
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009
To: Dario Mobley
Cc: 'Broderick Moses'; Elgin Suggs; rjones975@yahoo.com
Subject: Re:


With that said, I'm part of the blame because I don't make it a point to extend myself as a role model.

Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:23:45 -0700

From: Ray Jones

To: Elgin Suggs, Dario Mobley, Jarrett White, Broderick Moses

Everyone made some really good points especially the "independent woman" response. I totally agree with Obama it's like we don't have a sense of urgency. What is it gonna take for us to unite as a people. I don't think people realize that just 45 years ago it was legal to discriminate against us. It had to be signed into law to be treated fair, like a US citizen. Just like they gave it, it could be taken away. Is it gonna take for us to be in that position to get it together. > > I don't have problem with putting atheletes or rappers on a pedestal but I do have problem with not glorifying teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. And to piggy back on Elgin's idea, not only should there be a movement to glorify the people in those aforementioned fields but the story of their grind to make it where they are should be told also (atheletes & artist included). To show our young that it takes hard work, dedication, and determination to be successful. > > Now to touch on that independent woman point, I think that's a mindset that the media/society/the white man (lol) have programmer into our females heads to destroy the black families. Not the fact that they are indepent (I promote indepence), but the mindset that comes with independence i.e., "I got my own money.", "I don't need no man." and so on. I Believe that mindset causes more women to give up on their mariages faster than let's say two decades ago. It also results in our black women trying to "be the boss" of the household. I'm drifting a little but that's one of many factors destroying our families.

FIVEAUX

Date: Jul 20, 2009, at 9:53 AM

From: Broderick Moses

To: Elgin Suggs, Dario Mobley, Jarrett White, Ray Jones

Well fellas, I think that what Ray and Elgin are talking about is a good idea. Maybe we should think about trying to organize an effort like that one. An effort that highlights the lives and paths of african american professionals. It can be a small scale effort at first, (myspace page, facebook page, etc. each month that has a different african american professional highlighted for the internet world to read about; it may lead to a bigger audience later). Just an idea.

B

Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009

From: Ray Jones

To: Elgin Suggs, Jarrett White, Broderick Moses, Dario Mobley

That's a good idea we need to get together on that. BET had two small segments similar to what we are talking about during the awards

FIVEAUX