REVOLUTION

I’ve seen sparks flare and rocks fly

Crashing against brows that pulsate blood

feeding

Knowledge and pride

for a tribe.

my Home,

our family.

It’s a light,

like stars,

that dance

Smack

HARD

And wakes the senses

allowing you,

and everyone present know

that THIS is reality.

Be it live or recorded

you now stand at the front line of the Revolution.

I took a side and it is Hot, and Violent, Physical

Wonderful.

This will be the re-start of that circle in Mayan history

where everything repeats because as Man and Men

we keep forgetting the struggle

That life, liberty and the over pursuit of prosperity

eventually and ultimately

kills us.

Bible Qur'an Torah taught us,

this.

We have embraced humanity’s less exorcised

and re-swallowed pea-soup of bile and blades

served up on money green platters and platinum card dreams.

Swooned and swayed to diamond jingle bells

and shook bags of sugar ‘till it dropped like its Hot.

Cars like deadly caterpillars munching on black filled pipes,

sucking hard on the excremental breast milk of Mother Earth.

People followed and realized that the beat they heard was not of the heart

but of the cellular ringtones from bill collectors calling

cursing your ass out to pay your bills.

It was a beat that burped and belched that your stomach is tight and empty

It was a hollow treble that echoed from your foreclosed home

And the hammer knocking in your neighbor’s lawn

signs reading,

… AND YOU 2 GET THE FUQ OUT.

Here everyone in the land is looking to the sky for a Superman

while rocking back and forth counting beads and molesting crosses

with dirty fingers that once traced remotes that channeled every talk show created.

in this reality sits a people who

stopped singing Negro spirituals praising Jesus …

a long time ago,

and replaced him with Pink Floyd

The gospel:

“We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the class room
(yells) Hey, teachers! Leave those kids alone!”

Because the man got it right:

I and we were just another brick in the Wall.

Praying for simple solutions,

the devil in us turned GOD into DOG

And in return

got a nation that shit and pissed all over each other.

Funny thing about shit and piss,

it is the one true method that dogs communicate

and the World made sure we did not become pedigrees

living in our own American backyard.

Unlike thunder or like lightning, the rumble in the distance

is missing.

No more can we count on the people to carry pitch forks

German Sheppards and high pressure hoes,

or spit and slur words of hate.

This is a different time, a different place

This whole party goes beyond Race.

Mutts, junkyard and strays in our own diversity

where television sells us on the notion that Poor is Fashionable and Cheap is Cool

SPAM is caviar and Ramen noodles is part of the 4 basic food groups.

Holy Men dancing with baby boys and Women becoming famous for their anger and pain,

who could ever image a bunch of dirty kids from New Jersey’s shore

would be the welcoming ambassadors for a generation.

We look around

 and become rabbit when what little is left is thrown in the middle

of a hungry pack,

and we draw blood.

Ethnic blood

 in a frenzy, and we still can’t see that it is all Red.

Because in truth, we are dead inside.

Hollow.

A cesspool of mediocrity and mendacity.

Dank and dark even in our most enlighten moments.

Complacent like meat fried up to give the next generation heartburn and diabetes

We medicate on the idea that we are great only because we are American.

And if we turn down the music, just enough

we just might hear the scant chuckle of Shaitan

and the quite tears of GOD,

opposite ends,

opposite sides of Ying and Yang.

Like the center of the circle in history,

 this is now cause,

 this the catalyst

for

The Revolution.

Work is the sole property of Shazza Nakim and is published with written permission by the artist.

 (c) Copyright 2013 

PRIVILEGED AND THE BLIND MAN

 There is no difference between the Privileged and a Blind man eating steak, for no matter how savory, succulent and tasty the meal is, the blind man will never see how the meat is a product of slaughter and butchery. Neither will see this reality upon the first bite nor will either one care. The only interest would be to thank the chef for the time and dedication for its proper preparation. 

 There are many examples of repealed and non-government regulation and its effect on people, communities, society, Nations. The examples exits but are not in the public eye because if it were, Americans would question its principles and morality. The very fact that our private sector is dancing around the World looking for nations to exploit to the level of “pennies per slave” just so that they don’t have to pay Americans a decent wage, benefits for top executives and maintaining a system of trading imaginary capital and empty financial trades is and should be reason enough to stand up and support more Government (People) intervention.  But to do that, you might have to slightly consider the fact that people might have common sense to pay attention to the details.

We can name random countries different in structure and ideology as confusing  and  possessing  corrupt aspects of government, socialist, terrorist or just evil in comparison  with our nation’s Republic  structure; Republicanism at its core, and we can embrace a “free market” with its self-appointed superiority above the principles of equal barter and trade when in truth, it exploits people just as cruelly and effectively as any corrupt system of apartheid, skewed theocracy or terrorist society. An inherited mark placed back upon the World inked deep by Cain's legacy for deviating from his humanity.

Cuba, pre-Castro, and its economics is a prime example as well as many Pacific and Malaysian  Islands, South American, African and Asian nations where America and the Western World exploited people for cheap labor with zero regulations. Once done, they all left those countries devastated, war torn, resource drained and desolate. The economic practices on the surface flourished and looked good on the reflective side of the mirror but in every society that had been done, the division of wealthy to poor increased tenfold. Why? Because you cannot have a growing free market where everyone is a winner and in a capitalist society to maintain this, you will need to have a significant number of have-nots to control, to bottom feed just enough to be used as hors d'œuvre and simple appetizers. What keeps all the people from becoming completely indentured are government regulations. Historically it is because of this that American slaves were freed, children emancipated from sweatshops as well as women, immigrants and migrant workers given protection and an established legal retirement age for the elderly from being exploited into their graves was instituted.

We live in a world of “assumed” privilege where the illusion of “working hard” is greatly rewarded.  Only now are Americans seeing that what they thought was the American Dream is just that … a REM induced dream as deep in mythology as Dante's decent into the Inferno.  It is only when we agreed to fall asleep did we dream of a reality where waking up to a world that is either living to be the exploiter or being the exploited was real. Unfortunately, the rest of the World is wide awake and beginning to catch up to exploit us right back with vengeance, retaliation and purpose (i.e. China, the Middle-east, the European Union, Brazil, Russia). You can thank the Bush years for this accelerated evolution and Obama for setting the alarm clock to get up.

FOR MY COUCH POTATO OWS CRITICS, SCHOOL TIME

As a person involved with OWS, most of the opinions of its demise, its lack of organization and especially people's opinions of its lack of focus is bogus. Much of the disparaging is due to the innate and limited attention span of the American people and their inability to get their fat-asses off the couch and do something. Yes, I took it there because I needed to shock you just enough to have those potato chip crumbs fall out of your mouth. So sit up, turn off Housewives of one of the 50 States and wipe the chicken and pizza grease off our lips, fire up the laptop or Ipad and let's get to work, the LESSON THUS BEGINS.


OWS is not a traditional movement and it embraces its "non-traditional" methodologies. Even if you were somewhat knowledgeable about civil disobedience or movements, this is an important point to know. Much of it is a combination and collection of effective and successful civil disobedient practices globally. The very nature of how we use communication, media, social media and word of mouth is uniquely different and specific to the moment. Just think, in war, do leadership use the same strategies over and over again or do they use a combination of what worked in the past and newer, innovative and more advance plans and methods? Most likely the latter is applied. So why would a modern day movement not apply the same practices? But then again, you wouldn't think as such because in Actions movies and Forensic TV, the goals to solutions are formula motivated and usually comprise of 43 minutes and 18 commercials plugged straight to your World consciousness. Yes, I know, I have a lot of deprogramming to work with.


This is what frustrates the typical masses whom are use to being spoon feed their information or wanting someone to explain it in 32 characters or less. Part of what OWS does is to make the individual make a concerted effort and  to subtly make people do the work themselves by simply asking, "What is the one thing that you feel is most important for getting this country back on course?" Then we show them just how simple the solution is by pointing them to Washington DC and Washington to Wall Street. It's a simple straight line. Not complex or subversive, the evidence is practically in your face. The facts of the deed, done in blatant arrogance. No matter what people's basic concerns are, it all goes back to Washington DC and Wall Street's direct connection to each other and the unaccountability of their actions.



I know it's taking a lot longer than taking one of those Matrix pills to "Free your mind" but this isn't Science Fiction, it's life. The top 1% in America  is a population in the millions and the 99% is a population in the billions. Their crimes, the stealing, the misappropriating, the legal gerrymandering of financial access and almost barring people's Right to basic economic means to prosperity is in the Trillions. Contrary to popular belief, not one OWS participant or member wants a "handout" or special treatment, the focus is to MAKE Congress repeal the laws that guaranteed through guile and political subterfuge the gluttony of their greed at the expense of the stability of the entire American economy and the World.


Trying to force a Modern Movement to adopt Old Standards doesn't work but at the same time, and uniquely so, the modern standard allows for past methods to work thus the movement allows for all peoples with a variety of issues and concerns to be part of the whole. OWS is THE PEOPLES MOVEMENT.

People like to have "opinions" about OWS. Some might even go to look at the groups as if its social entertainment, or the zoo or to say, "I was there and I spoke to a participant, I even took pictures" but the truth of the matter is, unless you are truly doing your part, looking, condemning, dismissing and writing about OWS faults and missteps is moot when the successes far outweigh what few minor goals it didn't meet. 

Few people have even commented on how OWS has exposed members of Congress by name for their offshore and lobby connections and their insider trading based upon the laws they help pass, how Congress has moved legislation to limit OWS activities on peace gatherings and information distribution, how plans to have the military be employed as a policing (Militia) unit for OWS activities, the assigning of undercover agents to find and exploit OWS leadership, threatening public figures if they are even in association with OWS or giving assistance, OWS having moved the pace of investigations towards solving the secret banking  of Trillions of dollar deals in Washington, the Federal Reserve and abroad, OWS occupying people's homes to prevent them from being foreclosed upon, amassing large numbers of litigation suits for constitutional violations during non-violent rallies and protests, bringing back to the forefront Human Right violation of past Civil Rights activist from the 60's, 70's, 80's that were fighting for the same issues as OWS today and many more. To force OWS to pick and choose a handful of agendas and keep to it isn't the point and it WON'T HAPPEN. The very fact that Congress to local law enforcement are violently threatening the silence of people whom are simply telling the America people the truth about its government should outrage you. The evidence that Corporations, many whom would trade your family's future for an all expense paid trip to the Cayman Islands in order to deposit its profits in tax free and asset hidden offshore accounts, should make you want to storm all Capitals. But, in its place, Americans watch as young people get beat with clubs, knocked off their feet while standing with signs or sprayed in the face with chemicals for the Right to have something as simple as a "job". There is a disconnect for sure.


Only ONE AGENDA is needed; the fundamental addressing of economic inequity in America the 99% that are marginalize out of it.  It's simple. Adding anything else would complicate it and that is pretty much what media is doing. Even when you ask the question, "Why not protest in Washington DC?" The answer is, the power and decisions aren't made in DC, as it stands, they are made on Wall Street. This is the capital of our Nation and has been for the past 30 to 40 years. Once you understand this basic fact, the movement becomes less complicated and the agenda and the issues, crystal clear. All other issues, the 5 that lazy ill-informed people want OWS to choose so they can have peace of mind and an easier ability to dismantle the movement or the open agendas that effect everyone and is tied to Wall Street's influence, its all the same movement. Not to mention, the public OWS Movement is only 3 months old, and in that 3 months it has become a global movement and branched off into several extend groups working on larger and more specific agendas (i.e. MoveYourMoneyProject.org).

Its easy to point fingers and pontificate Shoulda Woulda Couldas but what you don't know about OWS is only because many are either skimming for the details or they are just looking at the pictures of the whole story. THUS THE LESSON IS ONGOING.

THE BODY AMERICA

“Thank you for taking the time to talk with me last week. Unfortunately, we decided to go in a different direction for this position. I was very impressed with your skill set and attitude, but I believe that the position is far below your experience level. Best of luck in your search.

Regards,

XXXX”

This was the end result of an interview for a Contract to set up a New Business. Without going into the "private" details and Name Dropping of the company, the gentleman who contacted me looking for someone to assist him in this opportunity to Start-Up this financial group, the type of company that I have extensive experience and contacts in doing. The gentleman sat quietly on the phone while I detailed my experience and commitment for not only doing the Right thing but my unique ability to be Forward Thinking and Pro-Active for making sure that any costly issues are addressed before it happens and still keep COSTS under budget. Assuring that when it comes to my experience and background I have references that lists a whos who in the the Industry; Financial, Government, Community and past clients of HIGH REGARDS of my work. I then ended the Interview with the gentleman saying, “I will call you next week and we will talk some more”. One week later, I had to call him and left a Voice Mail. The next day, I get an e-mailed, the aforementioned.

Now this might not be a big deal for most people, for some, it would be part of the reality of a broken economy in America but for me, it is different. As a person who can handle rejection, (as a Black Man in the United States, its pretty much coded in our DNA) I get responses like this ALL THE TIME. I have lost count on the number of times when a person's perception of me changes from phone Interview or Paper to meeting in Person. Once seen by people for interviews and they see the nature of my Being and the nature of my background and professionalism, due it tone and tenor, the interest changes. I have been told, “You might come off TOO stiff or TOO serious and that might bother some people”. I use to take that into consideration when I’d get comments back from interviewers such as, “What we are looking for are people who will FIT into what we have.” I would passively let that wash over me when I began to ask, “Well what do you mean by FIT? or “Explain to me what your group is looking for so I can get an understanding about what your Group is like and the piece you are looking for me to FIT into?” Doing that, I was seen as being "Aggressive" and "Confrontational" when simply I was asking to "Define" what my lack of FIT was to them. If I entered into the Interview smiling and bubbly, I appeared "Phony" and "Untrustworthy". So I quickly went back to what I know best, Being Me, Being Honest, Being True, Being Black since I can't be anything else but.

I put emphasis on the last statement not because of some false sense of RACIAL pride or blind faith in evidence not seen, I do it because I have the knowledge and understanding of who I am and of my place in America. I also realize that America is at its temper tantrum stage in development and is fighting to understand the CHANGES within its BODY. This is a simple concept to follow but I know many people, specifically American WHITE folk, won’t get it. In conversation and in speaking engagements I describe where I am and how people like myself fit into what I call , "THE BODY AMERICA".

Imagine if you came from another planet and you wanted to know what the make up of the United States consisted of. After you give a “brief"" History of the United States, its economics, its social and religious growth, history and its politics, you then would be asked about its PEOPLE. I would then step forward and break it down like this;

"If you want to know what is the Body America, break Her down in three parts, her Soul, her Spirit and her Mind. America’s Spirit is her Native American People. Where they are, how they subsist and ultimately their social conditions because as People, they are tied to their LAND thus they become the essence of America’s Soul. To kill or diminish Her Soul; you open the door to a Darkness that is capable of doing any and EVERYTHING. Even to Herself.

Her Spirit comes from her Black People. Its creativity, its intuitivism, Her mood and optimism, its facility to come back from atrocity and depravity and still have LOVE for its ideals, they are the heart and RESPECT and interest in the WHOLE Body, Her Black People call for salvation by reminding Her of the void developed by Her PAST deeds and maintains the promise to NOT turn away from it. Her Black People live to Love Her even when she does not always LOVE back.

America’s Mind is Her White People, the Majority, the Power, the Shakers, the Movers, the Managers, the Actors but unfortunately not too bright as Her Thinker; more so She is a Runner and prides Herself as the one which only "REACTS". As the reactor, She often does not look back upon all Her actions and deeds or skips over the DETAILS. Seen only as sitting at the head of the Boardroom, The Mind’s only responsibility is to be “The Decider”, deciding on matters that may feed its Body but rarely, if ever, it’s Soul. "

Now this may seem like HATE LANGUAGE or RACIST, but then again if you enter into this breakdown with a closed mind or have MADE UP YOUR MIND in advanced and are not looking to see beyond a particular perspective prior to reading this, then it is. BUT if you take a moment to hear me out, you will see that I am very PATRIOTIC and a person of Spirit.

Whenever Black and Brown folk bring up the fact that WHITES are the majority in the United States, the hairs on White folk’s necks rise up in anticipation for personal or a racial attack but it is FACT. As the Majority, it is rare if ever Minority issues are considered. Being such as it is, the opportunities of the Majority are shared by all; being Shakers, Movers, Managers and the one’s that do the THINKING – One Thought, One Mind, only One Perception for One Reality. As rule, this has been the very FOUNDATION of the Body America.

Now look at Her today, Native Americans are non-existent in the fabric of America. If a person were to walk the streets without a SOUL, what would you experience? Black Americans are beaten down and beaten back and even ATTACKED for its Spirit, now imagine someone walking down the street without any Spirit? Now imagine a person walking down the street without pause or hesitation randomly doing without purpose or constantly reacting without thinking? Now take all of the above and combined them into one BODY and what would you have? That BODY would be Deaf, Dumb, Depressed, Angry and Dangerous to its SELF and others. This is the Body America, which too often is the acceptable vision and aspiration for its people.

When the Mind does not listen to the Body, there is a disconnect that places the totality of its existence in a state of Slow Burn. This means that the BODY, although shining brightly, its shine shrink and dwindle into nothing. That individual spark that brought about the birth of Democracy with all its freedoms in individuality, religion, law and expression, with the Mind’s ignoring of the Soul and Spirit, this Nation has unfortunately evolved into a Majoritarian Authority, turning what was simple into a Peoples’ Government sacrificed on the Alter of Democracy. More so, the Imperial Bubble this Nation exists in is simply that of a room full of like minded Bodies that collectively reacts to the gun without understanding that if the “heart” cannot handle the drive and the “spirit” isn’t willing, the grand strategy and goal to get to the finish line will ultimately fall short and the RACE to be number ONE will be nothing more than tales of nostalgia told to grandchildren who are more interested in Today than Yesterday.

It is accepted that the “soul’ is the foundation for LIFE and the “spirit” the FIRE that drives the body. Both are so fixed in their connection to each other that when one tries to break the two, separate the two, divide it from the fine line that bonds them together, you plan to create a void, a hole that must be filled. Too often what the Mind uses as filler for the gap created often are artificial elements that infect and grow into a cancer. Like cancers, they are very insidious as it breaks down the natural order of the BODY. Cancer slows down and ages the body, the Body is broken down and it quickly burns itself out, like a slow burning candle. A Mind that is on the run, a Body that only “reacts” and limits its ability to see and or seek the aid needed to heal will eventual stop and die. And yet we also know that in turning to one’s SPIRIT, we can heal Bodily illnesses by drawing on its SOUL. Unfortunately the Body America never looks back or even considers the details even when the solution is natural.

“Unfortunately, we decided to go in a different direction for this position.”

What direction is that? Backwards? Side ways? Down? It can’t be forwards because you had found someone that has all of the core elements you were looking for and THEN SOME. That is ‘if” you are truly looking for someone to assist you in STARING up your company for forward momentum.

“ I was very impressed with your skill set and attitude, but I believe that the position is far below your experience level.”

Impressed so much that you are willing to NOT bring in a talented and or solid professional into the fold to create success and presences in the field you desperately need help in. And then there is the “far below your experience level”, which by it’s sentence structure is an insult. One does not understand that when you use this PHRASE you in essence say, “I look at YOU, I ignore YOU, I laugh at YOU, I fight YOU, and then I WIN over you.”

It is in this Mind, this practice, the REACTION of the Body America, a Nation misses out on the Spirit and the Soul of America and adds further to diminish it. When you look at other societies, they see the examples in America’s Soul and they see America’s Spirit and they make NOTE not to make the same mistakes in ignoring it. If anything, they embrace and invite it into their social make up. This is the primary reason why the International Position of America to LEAD the World is slipping on all levels. We ask why Nations such as China, India, Brazil, London, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Germany even Canada have crept up behind and tapped the Body America on the shoulder and said “ Either Lead, Follow or Get Out of The Way.”

Like all things included in Liberation Theology, we cannot expect an individual, a group, a Peoples or a Nation to grow unless you can accept that like nature, it has to evolve, it has to CHANGE. America is now moving into the adolescence of it existence on the Planet. It can no longer afford to live like a Child Nation in a World of Adults and Elders. We all have a purpose in life, some are here to Do great things, some to Be great things, and still others are here to act as "Guides and Guardians". When a Nation in its REACTION cannot turn just enough to realize that it has forgotten its Guides and Guardians, you will soon find that every Person or as I’d like to say, “Every Cell” in the Body America will be told:

“Unfortunately, we decided to go in a different direction for this position.”

Signed,
THE WORLD

THE AMERICAN DIRTY GIRL

A few years back, I don’t recall the talk show, the host had asked Queen Latifah, (aka Dana Owens ) what was her take on the state of female Rappers today. This being in the mid-1990’s when the question was asked, Queen Latifah responded in her deeply wise yet cautious way, “Any person that has to get to where they want to be using the couch or using their body to get there probably doesn’t need to be there at that time. If you are talented, you are talented. If you do things the right way, you will get there when you are meant to be. But it’s all about the work, not short cuts.”

It was obvious the question and the response to the question was in reaction to the two artist who were the “IT” girls of the Rap and Hip Hop scene; Foxy Brown and 'lil Kim but regardless of what side of the argument you were on about the role of Women in Rap, we all know that like any true dichotomy, you will have extremes, especially in entertainment and marketing.

Queen Latifah’s response has stayed on my conscious mind for years because it is such a simple rule that speaks volumes to not only about Fame but to all things in life. We can list the many sensational downfalls of people in entertainment, business, politics, family, education, the rule that "cheaters never win and winner never cheat" can be found in every religious text on the planet, and yet we still struggle with the vices of wealth and prosperity achieved in quick doses with little to no work involved. Even Capitalism has within it subtle components of "short cutting" within its basic premise of Maximum Work with Minimum Pay for laborers thus having nothing being equal about its practice at all. One would even argue that Humanity is inherently lazy which makes lying, cheating and stealing expected and acceptable. I would argue this to be true when you observe Corporations spending Billions of dollars annually in training and upgrading employee supervision, management and monitoring efficiency in order to improve profits. We even have within our annual reporting of America the amount of labor dollars lost just on people stuck in traffic daily on our Nation’s highways. The SPIN: "If we could only have the American labor force balled and chained to the Corporate Plantation, businesses can make more profits, so fix those damn highways since I can't."

With this said, what have I to vent about if "a Prostitute named Kristen or Ashley or whatever transformation she has chosen for herself" wanted to use her Body for commercial gain and success? To be honest, it sparks serious consideration and understanding to supporting the reasons why those in the Middle East do not want America in their country. "Yes I did say this, that there could possibly be a place in the world that would and has a legitimate right to REJECT what America has to offer and or represents. America's over saturation of decadence and perversion to Fame, Success, Money and Power is seen as a cultural virus to those living outside of the United States thus KNOWING that if introduced into their cultures/countries, it would fundamentally destroy the wholeness of their Nation's Spirituality; the respect for family values, and the balance of gender roles for Men and Women. This is deep and maybe a little too Black and White for those Pro-America Patriots but the reality is true, many countries do not have this in their countries and don't WANT it.

Of course there are those Third World countries that exist involved in the trafficking of prostitution; women, men and children and many of these counties also cater to a large number of Western patrons exclusively. Those Westernized Middle Eastern nations have noted (once exposed and accepting to cultural compromises for Western influences) dabble in the western practice of buying the company of prostitutes (although the women would respectfully like to be called Call-Girls; the World respectfully calls them Whores), I find it hard to believe that Men of wealth in places like Saudi Arabia and Dubai will pay over $3 million dollars to have you sit next to them watching camels race each other. Then again, I never had 3 million of anything close to it to make that judgment either but I think I’m right on this matter; the prostitute is taking something off for a minimum of $1 million. The way my finances are these days during this American recession, you can get me to show NECK for $20,000.

So imagine me walking outside to handle my daily business and what do I see, on the cover of the daily RAG, New York Post, I see naked, "a Prostitute Kristen-Ashley or whatever transformation she has chosen for herself" big and bright in front of me. Just as I predicted, this Hooker had been elevated to Rock-Star statues. Sadly, she is, or should I now say WAS a struggling Rock-Star. The sales of her online music is crashing severs. Radio Stations are pumping the lead single like it’s the latest release of a new artist. Some have compared her to a Christina Aguilera with a “deeper” voice (how the Hell that makes any sense with that description I don’t know). Playboy and Hustler as begging for nude spreads offering Millions (like she now needs a reason to take her clothes off again), the talk show exclusives, clothing line offers and you want to know something, the Ho is actually a talented singer. Talented as well as Attractive. THAT IS WHAT PISSES ME OFF THE MOST! This "short cut" in life is rewarded as those that struggle to have Faith, Dedication, Pride and an once of Respect goes to the back of the line to be forgotten. The Drama that comes with the struggle for success is now replaced with the Drama that comes with a stopwatch counting down a BAD GIRL'S minutes in the spotlight. "The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long." And how BRIGHTLY "a Prostitute Kristen-Ashley or whatever transformation she has chosen for herself" is burning. We just have to live and endure the clock and count down how long we experience THE SHOW.

This "a Prostitute Kristen-Ashley or whatever transformation she has chosen for herself", had all the right things going except PATIENCE and a FAITH that she would be taken care of. I have yet to experience an individual that has made her journey this way come out with any form of longevity. Even Monica Lewinsky tried to capitalize on here 15 minutes of SEX into a fashion line of designer bags. Bottom line, "if the Asians ain’t bootleggin’ yo shyt and Black Folk and buyin’ it and havin’ it in a video or two, not even Entertainment Tonight can save yo ass".

When you are World traveled, it is an American’s responsibility to experience how other people view the United States. True, many want to come to the United States but their reasons are not as self-serving as we’d like to assume. Many desire to come to the United States for work. To make a living that can sustain their families. To have the simple things, which we call The American Dream; a job, a home, and family, and the freedom to maintain their culture without being bothered. That last point is the most PROMISING. Those people outside of the United States see living in another country and not being prosecuted for their cultural practices as being paramount to living in the United States, which is why those that immigrate into the country tend to stay within their collective groups for years before venturing out to sample the diversity that makes up America. I like speaking with Koreans, Chinese, Africans and Middle Easterners about their views on living in the United States and in every case they all say living in America is hard not because of the language or the work or even religion, it is hard due to the over-exposure of the decadence that they are bombarded with everyday and in every fiber of the society. “You can’t escape it, even if you try. It is even in our homes if we don’t protect our families from it”, and with this said, we have to look at ourselves and agree.

Change isn't just Political, it is also a state of MIND, a change in CULTURE, what the effects of our economics, or social behavior, our images of ourselves and the opening up of real dialogue. If we don't, we are just going through the motions and we all end up buying some of "a Prostitute Kristen-Ashley or whatever transformation she has chosen for herself".