Why are we so sensitive?

During the election, candidate Barack Obama was constantly confronted with the simple question: "What do you intend to do for the black community?" I am sure that had to be a tough balancing act considering the pressure he was under from all sides. Appealing to voters of all races, creeds and beliefs, his own party, undecided voters and many interest groups who threw their weight behind him while running a historical race had to make him look unsympathetic to black voters. This question came up so much that in a conversation with a friend she pointed out that he is "running to be president of the United States, not of black America!" I agreed with this point and we all know the outcome of that candidacy.

Now it appears that President Obama is losing steam in his popularity while his politics have been a major point of division only an year into his presidency. Where are the dividing points? Well they appear to be kind of obvious, you have the Tea Baggers, birthers, right-wing nut jobs oh and Fox News at the most extreme, other Republicans who disagree with him "strictly" on political matters and then those who are on his side and may or may not disagree with him. After the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat held by the late Ted Kennedy, the backlash on Twitter was highly palpable. AverageBro, who I follow made some comments concerning the affect of this loss which I could agree with although I supported Obama and voted for him. Some of these comments actually LOST him followers on Twitter. REALLY? Now I don't know (and if you read this AB let me know) if these particular folks were black but I thought they may have been based in AB's reaction to their unfollow.

If that is the case, then why are we so sensitive as a people to criticizing one of our own? While the right conducts a witch hunt against him everyday based on conjecture, fear and hearsay we fail to stand up to unwarranted criticism. On the other hand, when there is legitimate room for debate on the issues of the day and how the president may or may not be coming up to par, we get offended and think that we are rising up against him. This is scarily reminiscent of how happy we were one year ago today during the inauguration, wearing our Obama clothes, dancing happily in the streets and packing DC to celebrate. Did Obama have a positive influence on us as a people? Well some of us I am afraid to say. How can we be so proud of one of our own becoming president but then return home and still do the negative things that shed such an ugly light on our community. Why can't we come together? Every other minority group, no matter what rallies around each other in good and bad, however we rallied, prayed and did all we could to get Obama in office and we STILL look like BET on some levels. Maybe I just figured out why Obama stayed neutral on What do you intend to do for the black community?" He can only do so much for us as a people, we have to come together and do the rest. Class dismissed...

The NBA: Kill ya Selves!!!

Good gracious, could this be the most embarrassing day for one sports league in recent memory? So let me see if I have these facts correct:

1. On a flight back from Phoenix to Washington D.C., Gilbert Arenas and Javarris Crittenden played a game of cards. Said card game got a little testy (something about money being bet on said game.)

2. The betting made things a bit "tense" and the two "professionals" had a bit of a squabble but squashed the beef. This occurred on or around December 19th.

3. The Wizards had the day off on Dec 20th so there was no more squabbling over card game betting.

4. However, a full 2 days after the initial beef the squabble began again with Arenas placing three guns next to Crittenden and as a "joke" he told him to select his weapon.

5. Crittenden told Arenas that he had a gun. (Read: I'm gonna pop one smooth off in you!)

And now Gilbert Arenas is suspended indefinitely by the NBA, he looks ridiculous for bringing unloaded handguns to the Verizon Center (still in DC correct, where mofos get shot on the regular) to hide them away from his kids. I guess Arenas didn't read up on the 2005 NBA collective barganing agreement which states: NBA players are subject to discipline if they bring guns to the arena or practice facility, or even an offsite promotional appearance.

What???? How did you miss that?? Let me refresh my memory, you went to Arizona correct? They stopped teaching reading and interpretation skills when you got there. Damn, I am tired of grown, so called professional athletes resorting to the thug mentality to deal with their problems. I remain a basketball fan but sometimes the NBA pisses me off. Arenas is a veteran and that may not be a valid excuse (See Allen Iverson) YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER. Unfortunately, I would expect that thug BS from these younger players who go to college for a year or hell come right from HS to the NBA to act like they are working a drive-by after the game but Arenas? Maybe I should not be surprised at all, I guess this is the new NBA. Maybe the commish needs more in the collective bargaining agreement to deal with the increased buffoonery.

While we are on the subject of buffoonery, a former NBA player who escaped major trouble is back in the news. Jayson Williams was booked on a DWI as he laid in Bellevue Hospital in New York. Williams ran off the road and hit a tree and suffered minor injuries. Why can't these dudes stay out of the negative limelight when they are already under major scrutiny? I don't know what else could have gone wrong for the NBA today? Dennis Rodman gets a dating show? Allen Iverson has another "practice"rant, Latrell Sprewell comes out of retirement? AHHHHHH!!!!

The NBA needs to get additional standards in place to go along with the ones that obviously no one is reading. (Delonte West) The list continues to grow!!!! NBA...KILL YA SELVES!!!!!

Marion Barry: The B*tch Set Me Up II

Marion Barry needs to make some serious decisions about his political career. That is a very funny sentence simply because any other politician who had done the things he has done would have been a distant memory. I think he either needs to: 1. Give up politics all together or 2. Just say no to the booty. Judging once again the simple fact he is beloved in Washington DC, and all of the controversy he has survived as well as all of the controversy he is embroiled in, I think option 1 is out of the picture. It is amazing, albeit hilarious how much booty can and has gotten him and a host of other politicians in a whole heap of trouble! Between Barry, Bill Clinton, Eliot Spitzer and Mark Sanford these guys have enough experience to open a strip club.

WTOP-FM in Washington reported today that the voicemail tapes had been handed over to the Washington City Paper along with written transcripts of the messages that Barry left on the voicemail of his 40-year old girlfriend Donna Watts. Hell, just for good measure there is a "bonus" track of a fight that occured between the two. They say bonus track like Diddy produced this hot mess! Listen if you have some time, just hit the bathroom beforehand. I dont want you mad at me if you wet yourself laughing at this shit!

Why do we put up with such buffoonery? Better yet, how do you say stuff like "I'm addicted to you" on a voicemail and then have to face up to it when it hits the media? When I visit DC these days, I am kind of astonished at the partial gentrification that is ongoing in the city. Some areas are building town centers, expensive condos in the shadows of urban decay and now the man who once led the city, who was once seen as an icon (and to some still is) is back to his old tricks. DC is in trouble, more so than one could EVER imagine.