Spy On Your TEENAGER!

This is a message to all parents, even if your child shows no signs of being a psycho killer, you should still SNOOP. I personally believe that children should have extremely limited privacy. If this story doesn't convince you, then nothing will.

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a 19-year-old is in County Jail after asking a fictional stranger to shoot and kill her family.

According to court records filed Tuesday, 19-year-old Marissa Williams has lived with her aunt in Fosters, Ala., since April 2014. Their relationship was strained by Williams' habits on social media. She allegedly would invite strangers she befriended on sites like Facebook over to her house. 

When her aunt asked Williams to stop inviting men she met online to her home and did not allow her to go to parties with strangers, the 19-year-old blocked her aunt on Facebook, prohibiting the woman from seeing what her niece was doing there.

 According to the deposition, Williams' aunt decided to create a Facebook profile for a fictional man that she named Tre 'Topdog' Ellis so that she could add Williams as a friend and chat with her. The woman hoped for a rare glimpse into her niece's online activity and for an opportunity to teach Williams about the dangers of interacting with strangers online. As it turns out, Williams was the dangerous one to interact with online.

The experiment soured quickly. According to court documents, Williams began unknowingly talking to her aunt, posing as Ellis, in late May, and on the first day they interacted online, she gave the fictional boy her phone number and home address and asked him to come over and get drunk with her. She then offered to have sex with him if he'd pay her $50 cell phone bill. 

Days later, Williams allegedly told the man she knew as Ellis that her family made her angry and that she wanted to get out of Alabama. She then asked the man she'd never met to come kidnap her and take her away from her family. According to the deposition, Williams brazenly told 'Tre' to shoot and kill her aunt if she tried to stop him.

Her plans reportedly got increasingly intricate and sinister as time passed. According to the court files, she told the fictional man how to get into her aunt's bedroom so he could kill her and the woman's fiance first, then she asked him to shoot her cousin and the family dog on the way out. Williams allegedly planned to pack her things in his car while 'Tre' murdered her family. 

When she read what Williams was asking the fictional boy to do, the aunt immediately called the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office and asked for help.

According to the deposition, deputies arrived and interviewed Williams, who admitted to the plot but apologized and said she didn't really mean for anyone to be killed. She was arrested and taken to the county jail, where she is charged with the solicitation of murder. Williams remains there pending a $30,000 bond, and should remain their until she gets counseling, intense psychiatric treatment, or both.

Parents, and guardians, I implore you. Go through your child's things, and pay close attention to EVERYTHING that they do.

PR

Is Gay The New Black?!

Anyone who knows anything knows that it is hard to be a black man in America.

There’s endless data that backs up this declaration, from the disproportionate number of men of color targeted by law enforcement to programs like stop and frisk and the shooting of unarmed black boys like Trayvon Martin. Because of the many struggles that black Americans, and black men in particular, still face, comparisons between the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal-rights movement and the ongoing black civil rights movement can still rub some black Americans the wrong way. This writer included. But despite the disdain many of us have for the effort to merge the struggles it campaign continues, and the gay community has grown stronger in the process. Some have called the tension between different historically oppressed groups the “suffering Olympics,” as each group, from women to gay Americans to black Americans, believes they’ve had it worse.

But new data raises a surprising question: Among black men, is it easier to be a dual minority, to be both black and gay?

Conventional wisdom has been that no one has it tougher than racial minorities who are gay. One study found that gay black teens are more likely to be homeless than gay teens from other racial groups. Other studies show that black men face a disadvantage in hiring. A notorious 2003 study found that white men with a criminal record were more likely to be hired than black men without one.

All of which make results of new research published by Princeton sociologist David Pedulla so surprising. He conducted a résumé test among hundreds of employers, supplying some résumés with names more likely to be stereotyped as those of white applicants, and others with names more likely to be identified as those of black applicants. On some résumés, Pedulla indicated that the applicant had participated in a Gay Student Advisory Council. Among all the fictional applicants, the one with the name that sounded like a black male Darrell, who participated in the Gay Student Advisory Council was more likely to be considered for the same starting salary as that of a heterosexual white male.

Those presumed to be white and gay and those presumed to be black and heterosexual were considered for lower salaries. So what does it all mean?

Well, for starters, it could mean that our country has either evolved or devolved depending on your particular value system. But it seems as if gay has become the new Black. The gay bullies of America have convinced society that their plight is more pressing, and that their cause is more distressing than those of African-American's or other minorities. But being both Black and gay is a double whammy. In effect it makes them a double minority, worthy of pay commeserate with that of straight white men because of their color/orientation combination. These men are not being paid better because we live in a more "progressive" society, they are benefiting from the "all powerful" machine that crushes any single human or organization that dares to oppose it, "the gay mafia".

In addition Pedulla says, “There is some evidence that gay black men are perceived as less threatening than straight black men and that this difference accounts for a piece of the salary-recommendation difference between these two groups.” 

Fear of the sexual power and prowess of black men has been at the root of the most horrifying acts of racial violence against black Americans, from the lynching epidemic of the early 20th century to the torture of young Emmett Till for supposedly flirting with a white woman in 1955. 

Mark Potok, one of the country’s leading experts on hate groups, described an unhealthy obsession among many hate-group leaders with interracial sex, specifically the idea of black men “defiling” white women.

Now, I’m not comparing the average employer to a hate-group leader. But I am saying that even though our president is the product of a union between a black man and a white woman, and interracial families are our country’s fastest-growing demographic, the reality is that a fear that has been an ingrained part of our culture for centuries hasn’t dissipated after a few decades of integration.

PR

Teacher Says: Call Me Master

In Des Moines. Iowa, the mother of an African-American student who says a demented teacher told him to refer to him as "master" is seeking details on how the district disciplined the instructor.

Roosevelt High School senior Jabre White said teacher Shawn McCurtain told a group of students to head downstairs to take their final in economics.

"Yes, sir," Jabre recalls telling him.

"You meant to say, 'Yes, sir, master,' " McCurtain allegedly shot back.

That comment stunned, hurt and angered White, a popular student at the high school that had 1,708 students last school year, and it troubled his mother even more.

Nicholle White of West Des Moines contacted the local media wanting to know why school officials would not disclose how they responded after the educator was said to have used a slur reminiscent of the slave era.

"I have tried to be humble," she said of her dealings with school officials. "But I also feel I need to express as a mother, and as a black woman, how I feel."

After she found out about the exchange in mid-May, White said, she asked school officials to look into it. According to emails she forwarded to the newspaper, Vice Principal Joseph Blazevich investigated and confirmed the comment was indeed made.

Blazevich wrote to White that he thought the incident was "terrible" and "shameful," and added that "the teacher was very remorseful." However, he noted that he could disclose what disciplinary action was pursued because district personnel matters are confidential under state law.

District officials don't deny the comment happened, either. Spokesman Phil Roeder said district policy clearly bars any form of discrimination, including comments, by an employee toward a student. "To put it mildly, it was wrong in every way you look at it," he said.

Roeder also confirmed McCurtain is still employed by the district. McCurtain couldn't be reached at his district email, and his phone number was unlisted.

White said she reached out to the school board this month because she fears the matter was handled lightly and believes the remark warranted more than a reprimand in McCurtain's file. She said she thinks the teacher needs to undergo diversity training at the very least or if he's already had some, more.

Blazevich said all school employees are required to take cultural-competency training that helps them relate with students from a variety of socioeconomic and racial backgrounds.

White said she plans to contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the NAACP.

Although the NAACP is just a shadow of what it once was, and has proven itself woefully ineffective over the past few years, going to the organization always seems to raise the profile of any story.

McCurtain called her this month to apologize, White said, saying he meant the comment to be humorous. Still, she said, she didn't find him sincere.

Nicholle White and her 17-year-old son concede he's not a perfect teen.

In fact, after hearing McCurtain's comment, Jabre admits he said: "Who the f--- are you talking to? You're nobody's master, and this is not the slave days."

But in his last two years at Roosevelt, Jabre White made so many strides as a student that first-year Principal Kevin Biggs singled him out for praise at graduation.

Biggs awarded Jabre the school's Wanda Everage Award, given to a senior who best "embodies qualities of respect and responsibility to Roosevelt."

Jabre said McCurtain was only assisting another economics teacher on the day of the comment.

But McCurtain "always had something smart to say" to him in the two prior school years, Jabre said. He said he asked his regular economics teacher to talk directly to him, and not go to McCurtain, if there were any problems with his behavior in economics class.

Bound for Iowa State University next fall, White regularly attends church, sings in choirs, holds a job and serves as vice president of the World Youth Leadership Academy at Creative Visions, a nonprofit where his mom also volunteers.

Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, who runs the program, said he also was offended to hear that a Des Moines teacher would make such a comment, and he believes parents should have a right to know how such a complaint was handled.

"The incident also raises questions about what kind of training educators are getting, especially since we just got another report about black students doing poorly in Iowa," he said.

About 22 percent of Roosevelt's students are African-American, 54 percent are white and 11 percent are Hispanic. The 2012 national report that Samad referenced tracked public education and black males, finding that Iowa's graduation rate for black males was 41 percent, compared with 90 percent for whites.

White's query reveals a contradiction of sorts in Iowa law regarding teacher discipline.

While Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code prohibits the disclosure of personnel matters, Chapter 272 makes public the final written decisions of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

If White wants to pursue the matter further, Roeder said she could file a complaint with that state board  but should be prepared to wait months for a resolution.

A review of the board's decisions in recent years suggests a suspension or license revocation would be unlikely.

In the past three years, just three Des Moines teachers out of about 3,000 cases have had their licenses suspended or revoked by the board, records show.

It is entirely possible that this teacher was just being foolish and stupid. But even if his intentions were not malicious they were undoubtedly made in bad taste, and lacked sensitivity. Schools have a duty and a responsibility to not only teach our children but protect them from all hurt harm and danger while they are in their care. This protection should extend to insensitive teachers who cannot tell the difference between a joke and a racial epithet.

PR

What Would You Do? Mom/Dad

A Maryland dad likely won't see any charges after he struck a local teacher with a baseball bat.

Police say the dad saw a series of texts on Thursday between the 42-year-old teacher and his daughter, a 15-year-old student. The girl's mother deemed them "inappropriate for a teacherand a student" to be sharing, News Net 5 reports. Investigators didn't agree and never charged the teacher with a crime, but the situation took a downturn later that day when the unidentified teacher showed up at the girl's house.

He wanted to speak to the girl's father but was told to leave. When he refused, the dad reportedly whacked him with a baseball bat. The teacher sustained minor injuries.

Police arrived at the Nottingham home at about 9:45 p.m., but the teacher didn't press charges.

The Crimes Against Children Unit continues to investigate. The department said it won't release the names of the girl and her parents.

Would you do the same in the father's position? Keep in mind that the detail's of the text messages have not been disclosed, the teacher came to girls house, and he didn't press charges after the father wacked him in the head with the bat.

PR

Sent Back To Jail For 98 Years.

I am sick and tired of writing about injustice. It is a tiresome, unending, stressful narrative that has almost become routine. So the question has become not if, someone else gets screwed by the criminal injustice system. But. When? It is because of this sad certainty that I will continue to write, comment, and complain!

Rene Lima-Marin robbed two video stores 15 years ago, when he was just 19. He walked into the stores with an unloaded rifle and demanded money. He admitted to the crime and was sentenced to what he and his lawyer believed was a 16-year-sentence. After 10 years of serving time, Lima-Marin was set free. He got married, fathered two children and purchased a home. He swore he would never do anything to jeopardize the new life he had created.

Then, earlier this year, the life he had built came crumbling down when a judge, citing a clerical error, sent him back to prison to finish a 98-year sentence. 

"Ninety-eight years for what?" he told the local media. "People have raped, molested kids, taken lives and gotten 15, 20, 25 years. And I made a mistake and tried to steal some money, and I am given my entire life in prison? It just doesn't make sense."

According to local media sources the court system made an error, and therefore Lima-Marin's lawyer was given the wrong information about his case. Lima-Marin claims that his lawyer instructed him not to appeal what he initially believed was a lengthy sentence because he was already in the best-case scenario, which was for all of his charges to run concurrently, meaning that the longest sentence he could be given was 16 years.

Per his lawyer's advice, he withdrew his appeal for a shorter sentence. But the lawyer's information, and the court file sent to the Department of Corrections indicating his sentences, were both wrong. Lima-Marin's sentence was to run back-to-back, totaling more than 90 years.

During his initial incarceration, Lima-Marin was a model prisoner, never receiving even one write-up. 

"It's that everyday, happy, white-picket-fence type of life," he said about the life he'd created since being set free. He was free for almost six years before he was told of the court's mistake. 

So this man's life pauses along with his story, waiting for a happy ending. But the fact of the matter is that there are some choices, decisions, and mistakes that follow us for the rest of our lives. They loom over us regardless of progress or the passage of time. They can threaten our peace and happiness. While we are all entitled to indescretions we must make sure that we don't create ghost's in the process that will come back to haunt us.

PR  

Infamous or Famous.

I've decided to write today's blog a little differently. Just because it's Friday. Well by the time I post this it will be.

This confused mother in the photo below made reference to being famous in a crazy Twitter post a few days ago. The problem is she obviously has no idea that there is a difference between being famous and being infamous. 

INFAMOUS

So I figured out that the best way to teach her and people like her is through illustration or pictures.

FAMOUS

INFAMOUS

FAMOUS

ANY QUESTIONS?!

PR

SMILE!!!

 Does he 

Make

You 

Smile?

The Homeless Fool!.......

Side Bar: If I didn't know any better I would swear that the Chil Fil A cow's made this sign!

Some people are ignorant. Some people are just plain stupid. While others are of a special breed, an offensive blend of ignorance, stupidity, and racism wrapped in a sad phonetically challenged package.

Unfortunately this poor, racist creature is one of millions. Blind mice dancing to the tune of misleading pied pipers as they are misinformed, mislead, and mistreated. Certain conservative groups, fear mongers, and opportunist's have fine tuned their ability to control their constituents by creating a boogey man to blame for their inadequacies, ineptitude, and short comings. The message is, your misfortune in America is not your fault because the "blacks" and "browns" are taking what is rightfully yours. Racism and predjudice have been used as a smoke screen to fool the throngs of disenfranchised poor whites people who are no different that disenfranchised poor black people. The biggest threat to the average American is classism. Wealthy white politicians use poor white people to create a huge voting block based on fighting against the enemy. The enemy being anybody who doesn't look like them, instead of urging them to fight against poverty. Because of this, people like this starving mother will always lose the battle against poverty because they have no idea who their real enemy is, and FYI...........

White People Make Up 42% of the Poor, But Take in Whopping 69% of Government Benefits!

All of the candidates delighted in calling President Obama the food stamp president during the 2012 campaign.

Also during the campaign, Rick Santorum said “I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them other people’s money.”

Newt Gingrich famously added, “I will tell black people to demand paychecks instead of food stamps.”

By making these dubious, accusatory assertions both men sent not so subtle messages to their voting base.

If Republicans cut these programs, as part of the sequester or any other backdoor maneuver, their issue will be with their own base, not blacks. 

Politicians like Santorum and Gingrich stir the supporters into a frenzy by creating an enemy, and trick them into voting against their own interests.

The fact of the matter is, sometimes things happen in life and if not for the grace of God it could be you and me. There is no shame in falling. But if you blame someone else for your misfortune you'll never get up. Being poor is not the problem. Staying poor is.

PR

PROTESTING HER FUNERAL!?

The body of the late poet, performer, speaker, activist, actress, writer, and certified national treasure Maya Angelou will be interred after both public and private services this week. And, as with most solemn and high-profile post-tragedy events, the prescription strength psychopath's of the Westboro Baptist Church plan to protest.

There is nothing more reprehensible than protesting someone's funeral, and the idea that any group would have the unmitigated gall to protest Maya Angelou's funeral is infuriating.

You might recall the Westboro Baptist Church protesters from their utterly tasteless, and dispicable nonsense at the following events, Matthew Shepherd's funeral, military funerals, the funeral of 9-year-old Christina Green who was killed during the mass shooting that nearly killed Congresswoman Gaby Giffords, funerals of the victims of the Sandy Hook shootings, the National Holocaust Museum, various concerts, the NBA, etc etc etc etc etc. Once, the KKK stopped the Church for protesting a soldier's funeral. The fact that the KKK has to be the voice of reason in any situation tells you how insane these Westboro "people" are.

Unfortunately for the GOD HATES FAGS-sign toting church members, Angelou's funeral procession and memorial events will be protected by a burly motorcycle gang. The group 2 Million Bikers announced plans to form a "wall" between Angelou's mourners and the crazy Westboro lunatic's despite the fact that the group's leadership claims it doesn't endorse Angelou's views. In fact, perusing the group's Facebook page is a little painful, like reading all the forwards from a super conservative that automatically get sent to your spam folder at once while Rush Limbaugh regurgitates his foolish talking points in the background. But at least these self-proclaimed lovers of freedom believe in promoting it for everyone, even those with whom they disagree. This is from the group's Facebook page:

[2 Million Bikers] are not riding in support of Angelou's beliefs. "We are riding to protect her funeral from WBC," [a spokeswoman] said. "If we allow WBC to protest her funeral what will stop them from protesting one of our funerals?"

Bee continued to say that even though her organization does not agree with Angelou, they will fight for the rights of all people to speak freely.

She passionately said,

"No we do not agree with her beliefs, but we agree with her freedom to have & voice those beliefs. That is what freedom is about! If we attempt to shut up all those who disagree with us are we not doing the same thing as them?"

At least 2 Million Bikers have no problem meeting the bare minimum standards of human decency. What is truly distressing isn't that Westboro Baptist wants to have its own meaningless little protest at the funeral of an American icon. It's how much manpower is required to silence but a few persistent jerks.

PR

Pull Your Pants Up Or Go To Jail !!

Those who know me and read this blog know that I advocate criticle and analytical thing. Especially for young people. Simply because both are drastically under utilized these days. It seems that we now live in a "why not world". A prevaledged society where decency is no longer a priority and desire is a good enough reason to do anything. In all reality we must realize that there are times when doing what feels right comes with a cost. The quandary is figuring out if one is willing to pay the price.

Two men were arrested early Saturday for causing a disturbance at a Waffle House after they refused to comply with a security guard’s order to pull up their saggy pants according to police.

Sheriff’s deputies were summoned to the Spartanburg eatery around 3:15 AM after Andrew Gehring, 22, and Donovan Johnson, 22, were allegedly “causing a disturbance” after being asked to pull their pants up and not show their boxers."

While being questioned by cops, Gehring and Johnson were quite hostile and used profanity, investigators noted. The men “both advised that they were out to have fun and implied they were Wofford students graduating” and “it wasn’t their concern that proper decorum was needed in the public domain.”

Located in Spartanburg, Wofford College yesterday celebrated its 160th commencement exercises.

Seen in the above mug shots, Gehring (left) and Johnson were arrested for disorderly conduct and booked into the county jail. In 2011, Gehring was arrested for burglary and grand larceny, which resulted is his expulsion from Wofford (where he was a member of the football team). According to Wofford’s web site, Johnson has played for the last four years on the college’s football team.

Life is all about choices, decisions, and how we deal with the outcomes of our choices and decisions. These two ignorant young men decided to take a frivolous stand. Frivolous because those chose to fight a battle based on pride as opposed to common sense.Had they considered the possibility of being placed into custody perhaps they would have pulled their pants up. But their only concern was preserving their so called manhood by not being told what to do. We must raise children and teach young adult's to look at the bigger picture rather than to live in the moment for the moment.

PR