Hypocrisy of our Democracy

That line continues to ring out in my head when I think of Chris Rock. Who woulda thought that lil skinny cat talkin' bout "Good Laawwwd!!! Datz a lot of money!!!" would grow to the stature that he is and speak on the level that he does. Anyway, shouts to C-Roc. If you haven't seen his latest (few years old now) stand-ups, you might want to.

I wanted to speak out on my hypocritical ways, though. As with anyone, it's easy to get on a soapbox and talk about change, but a lot of times that leads to a lotta yackin and no ack'n. I pray to not get beside myself as I continue this journey.

It's amazing how we are constantly afforded a chance to step up to the plate of change. With an ongoing bout with the toker in me, I've amazed myself with how easy I avoid/disregard any prior decisions to leave it be. I was reading another blog and the blogger made references (with a twist) to addiction. Now I'll be the first to say that I'm for legalization, but this is deeper than that for me. I would go into health concerns, being that my body is the temple of God, but I understand that we are living in a polluted world. I would mention the mind-altering effect that leads me to think differently from before, but that's like alcohol. I'm not taking away from those facts, just want to get to my point.

See, I have issues with crack, heroine, pills, etc. This stuff is KILLING and destroying folk, not to mention tearing down communities. All for greed, as I see it. Only thing is, with the exception of certain routes and origination points, what I want is in the same pipeline as the otha stuff. Trick Daddy said it on an album, can't remember which, "Drug money got blood on it...even a little residue...I'm tellin u."

In today's rap, most would accept the fact that a lot of references are made to the coke factory and indie-pharmaceutical operations out there. Please don't let the reference to rap make it singled out in your minds. I'm only using it as a reference since a lot of rap reflects the realities of life in urban America (not to mention outside). It's unfortunate that with all of the losses and loss of life tied into this system, we continue to be dependent upon it. I'm not one to knock anutha's hustle but using one of Dave Chappelle's story lines, there's a point when keeping it real goes wrong. Dope is far from new but the evolution of it all is SCARY. Anybody remember the minister speaking at the end of Belly?

In this day and age, we talk about this capitalist society and how it oppresses us and yet we tend to live for that "Meeeaaannnn...meeeeaaaaaannn, mean green...Almighty Dollar!" [O' Jays]

**I have the notorious habit of rambling--i tend to call it rambleIzation. Bear with me.**

I think about how the world has always been based on trade. I think about how you open a newspaper or turn on the tv and you have ads showing and telling you what you want. I think about the two dollars people send along with a self-addressed stamped envelope in hopes of entering into a business. I think about cable, utility, and insurance companies setting higher prices but not sharing profits (they'll share a loss, though!). I think about civil rights activists fighting for living conditions fit for human beings and yet many years later you find some of the shoddiest arrangements ever. [oops, rambling again...or am I?]

We are "struggling" to make it, yet we have kids learning to pledge allegiance to a flag, lying through their baby teeth! "...One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" Nah, it just don't seem right. But speaking against the norm is supposed to be wrong. This is just the reality of life, right? Probably so, but it does not have to remain this way. I know that God speaks to all people and we recognize the need to reach out to others [read: love].

There will come a time where the IRA won't have the importance it had as in the beginning. That bonus a salesman received from pushing a lemon won't be so fulfilling. That business acquisition that increased capabilities (while subsequently eliminating jobs at the acquired company) just won't seem feasible.

Our individual lives are not more important than the lives of others. We have a God-given responsibility to love one another. I'll try to remember that from now on out. Like I said, I've been a hypocrit also.