NewStripClubSong

Warm Summer Nights can be quite comfortable....especially in one of my favorite cities; Houston, Texas.

---so I like to stop by Club Onyx whenever it's time for me to leave the southern portion of the United States. I'm well aware that the "PrettyBrownRound" is at a minimum in Korea, so before I depart, I like to fill my eyes with some of the finer aspects of 미국문화 [American culture].

It was a Wednesday night--not crowded at all--perfect for my taste. Upon entering, I made eye contact with an attractive YoungLady [read: stripper] who was standing by the bar. After watching me send a couple of her StripperFriends away, she began to make her way across the room. Before she reached me, I got the impression she was going to offer a "cool experience" for this particular outing. Without any strained/awkward conversation, she smiled...and I smiled back...

She sat down easy on my lap, and put her around me. She smelled good. Cinnammon and shampoo. She looked good. Hazlenut skin...cute face...glitter sparkles on those luscious thighs...pretty toes. ---and yes, she was equipped with the "PrettyBrownRound--Drivin' Me Wild." I was Happy.

We chatted for a minute. She asked me what I did for a living. I told her the truth. She seemed interested. ---and then a nice song came on. I reached in my pocket, pulled out a monetary note...placed in on the table in front of us...and she proceeded to "do her thang." To her credit, she did it well.

Though I can't quite remember, I'm almost certain the song she danced to was of the Hip-Hop variety, had a nice bass line, and it was something we both enjoyed hearing.

But, I've had an epiphany.

From this moment forward, my official LapDanceSong is Tina Turner's "Private Dancer." This choice is made for a variety of reasons...and I'd like to share some with you.

I'm currently doing some reading on Feminism.

In the past, I've actively avoided learning about Feminism. Throughout Graduate School, I had a plethora of opportunities to read Feminist material and discuss topics with women who were actively engaged in Feminist research. Despite this conducive environment and the recognition of utlity in Feminist dialogues, I never really invested serious time and energy becoming more acquainted with it. But, that was wrong. It was short-sighted. It was cowardly. It was chauvanistic. It was debilatating. So, with the help of bell hooks (1984; 2000), and her book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, I am attempting a LifeChange. I should have known bell hooks, of all people, would have been a good introduction to Feminist thought as I am a fan of her work on masculinity. (By the way, bell hooks stimulates me intellectually as well as sexually. Her writing, alone, does something to a Playa. No lie.)

The one thing that has impressed me with hooks's (2000) argument is her supposition that Feminism is NOT the complete antithesis of Masculinity. As a result, Feminists should not be seen as people who want to trump, rule, and dominant Men. In fact, a large perecentage of her ideas are focused on critiquing the original feminists for a lack of definition, clarity, and communication of thorough Feminist Theory. One chapter, "Men: Comrades in Struggle," is dedicated to articulating the various ways in which the majority of Men are powerless victims of the sexism perpetuated by hegemony; just like women are also victims (2000).

hooks (2000) stresses finding commonality between the sexes; based on the ACTUAL ways in which the PowerStructure treats both Women and Men. She writes with a style and tone that challenges readers to sympathize, and dare I say, empathasize with the EveryDay Woman. So, when I hear Tina Turner croon:

"All the men come in these places,
and the men are all the same.
You don't look at their faces,
And you don't ask their name."

These words immediately situate the listener [me] as the Woman who is working in the StripClub; unlike most contemporary rap music. While listening to "Private Dancer," I receive the opportunity to understand how the situation looks to the Stripper who is servicing me. I'm a believer that self-reflexivity is healthy and beneficial in a variety of situations; I don't see why the StripClub should be different. A moment of self-reflection might go something like this:

"I am just like all the other tricks who enter this club. I am no different. I might try to come across like I'm different. But, in my attempt to do so, I probably look like the last 100 guys who did the same. It probably looks comical."

.....by the way, come to think of it, that cute lil' Stripper never "asked my name."

As the song goes on, Tina goes a bit deeper in the explanation of the Psychology of Stripping:

"You don't think of them [male patrons] as human,
You don't think of them at all.
You keep your mind on the money,
Keeping your eyes on the wall."

After reading hooks (2000), and coming to understand how the majority of Women and Men are simarily victimized through Sexism and perverse notions of Power, I have a better idea of how both parties mistakenly de-humanize each other. In the lyrics above, Tina Turner illustrates how young females, for the sake of sanity, de-humanize men in order to perform their roles in the production of sexual fantasies (for monetary gain). On the other hand, the proliferation of images that celebrate pimping and the comandering multiple women are constantly being peddled to young males (AND females). Consequently, unjustified [and unnecessary] de-humanization occurs on both sides of the gender coin. We are "tricking" each other. And we are "tricking" ourselves. Everyone's a loser.

Throughout her entire discussion on Feminism, bell hooks (2000) reiterates the notion of COOPERATION between the sexes. She argues that Feminisim should never be about Retaliation or Retribution. If Feminism becomes consumed with "turning the tables," then it is not a revolutionary concept at all. Instead, it is the same system with different PowerBrokers (hooks, 2000). Throught her entire book, she encourages readers to look past stereotypical notions of what is Male and what is Female. She consistently argues that Feminism's main role is to present a NEW WAY to relate to each other. COOPERATION over COMPETITION.

In her discussion on "Revolutionary Parenting," she illustratres this cooperative spirit quite well:

Men will not share equally in parenting until they are taught, ideally from childhood on, that fatherhood has the same meaning and significance as motherhood. As long as women or society as a whole see the mother/child relationship as unique and special because the female carries the child in her body and gives birth, or makes this biological experience synonymous with women having a closer, more significant bond to children than the male parent, responsibility for child care and child-rearing will continue to be primarily women's work. Even the childless woman is considered more suited to raise children than the male parent because she is seen as an inherently caring nurturer. The biological experience of pregnancy and childbirth, whether painful or joyful, should not be equated with the idea that women's parenting is necessarily superior to men's.

What have I learned?

Well....the next time I stop through Club Onyx, to fulfill my role as a LostBoy [read: trick], I am going to ask the YoungLady [read: stripper] to put on Tina Turner's "Private Dancer." I'm going to ask her to pay close attention to the words in the song. And as she begins to dance, I will lean back in my over-sized chair, and imagine the "EntertainmentExperience" from her vantage point...as Tina sings...

Deutsch marks or Dollars,
American Express will do nicely--Thank you...
Let me loosen up your collar,
Tell me do you wanna see me do the shimmy again?

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

The World iz Flat, MyNigga.

So, after listening to a couple of people pitch the book, I decided to pick up a copy--and yes, Thomas Friedman makes a strong case that Globalization is Real AND it a phenomenon to be taken seriously. The World Is Flat has been a nice read...thus far. I'm not yet finished; so don't confuse these words as a book review, by any measure. [Currently sitting comfortably at the beginning of Chapter 11.]

Rather than a book review, I aim to provide an EXTENSION of Friedman's argument, if you will. I would like to SUPPLEMENT his thesis without making any adjustments to his TRAJECTORY; which I happen to believe is true and exact. My intention here is to merely add VALIDITY to his claim through offering a conversation on the ways in which Race and Culture may be understood through this process of FLATTENING. As an educator, my commentary will focus solely on the thread of Education.

EDUCATION

Friedman does allude to the issues I will highlight; but his allusions are tertiary at best and are absent of substantial historical context at worst. So, consider this a rudimentary framework by which Race and Culture should be meted in the future; in America, specifically, and other multi-racial/cultural societies, generally. After all, ghettoGEEKS WorldWide are, and will continue to be, affected by this current Global Flattening.

Friedman spends a considerable amount of text discussing the culture of education in Asian countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea. As a current US ex-pat residing in South Korea for the last 14 months, I will reiterate his point: AMERICANS!! PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE MAN IS SAYING: EDUCATION IS A BIG DEAL IN ASIA!

Here is a small sample the observations he makes in reference to Asian Educational systems:

SUMMER 2004- Discussion on how aggressive Chinese students are about obtaining American visas for entry into American universities. (p.223)

SPRING 2005 - Harvard students form a student group with the purpose of assisting Chinese students with resume writing and joint study projects. Despite most of the Chinese students being from RURAL China, they introduce the American students to Skype--which is the primary means of communication between the groups. (p. 214)

FALL 2005 - "In one of Chennai's [India] ubiquitous academic-coaching classes, a hundred 12th graders are crammed into a purple room, about 30 feet long and 25 feet wide. The energy-sapping temperature is well over 100 degrees despite the constant whirr of overhead fans. {sic} The students listen, rapt, although it is nearly 10:00 pm. When Mr. Arulselvan asks a question, the students rush to reply in chorus. When the tutor poses a problem, they bury their heads in notebooks, chewing on pencils, eager to finish before everyone else" (p. 212-13).

Friedman's (2007) commentary on Education runs throughout the entire book. He goes on to speak about the aggressive ways in which China, India, South Korea, and Japan are handling Education. Through conducting interviews with Chinese government officials, he reports that in 20-50 years it may not be necessary for young Chinese to obtain US visas to attend Harvard or a Yale because Chinese institutions will be on par with elite American universities OR perhaps---better. Friedman makes sure to reiterate China doesn't want to be on par with America: They want to be better. He offers a conversation between a Chinese central bank official and a Mexican journalist. The bank official describes the Chinese-American relationship with the following: "First we were afraid of the wolf, then we wanted to dance with the wolf, and now we want to be the wolf" (Friedman, 2007, p. 404).

FIRST-HAND OBSERVATIONS

Upon my arrival in South Korea, I IMMEDIATELY got the picture. There was no way I could mistake it: Koreans believe in SCHOOL. The typical "teacher-student" relationship impressed me. Dress codes are mandatory; even in Public Secondary institutions. Outside of school, high school students are easily identified because they are ALWAYS in uniform. Why?....oh yeah, that's right, they're ALWAYS IN SCHOOL! For three years of high school, a student is in school from 7:30 AM to roughly 10:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Two (2) Saturdays of the month students are in attendance from 8:00 AM - NOON. During the third and final year of high school school, students are in school seven (7) days a week. (High school students often joke amongst themselves by saying they can't wait to get to college so they can "get a life.") What are American students doing? Waiting for Superman?

Now, one may be able to provide a substantial argument that the Korean system is a bit much. Finland shares the top spot in Global Education and they spend LESS hours at school than any other developed nation. So, while it is true that the Korean way is not the ONLY way to go about educating a nation---I do know this....I've been impressed with the discipline I've seen in South Korean high school students who will tell you, "I can't join you for this activity, because I have to study." Or, "I'll have to spend more time talking to you next year, because I'm currently in my last year of high school." I know far TOO MANY adults who haven't developed this type of discipline.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN TO AMERICA?

Americans have GOT to start being HONEST with each other. Friedman continually discusses the inevitably of global collaboration, convergence, and cooperation. That means we, as an ENTIRE people, are going to have to learn to communicate/cooperate with non-Americans assuming a power dynamic that doesn't automatically place Americans at the top. That "American arrogance" is going to have to go. Our real-world leverage is slipping. We're going to have to learn to communicate with the rest of the world as EQUALS rather than SUPERIORS. Now, as an African-American, I can only imagine how that will play out due to the ways in which productive/progressive racial healing has been constantly stunted and held in a perpetual state of RETARD.

You have seen, and continue to see, the social fallout from Barack Obama's presidency.

How are we to collaborate with others if we haven't learned to collaborate with ourselves. Friedman (2007) comes close, but he doesn't really address it head on. In speaking about our flawed Educational system in relation to the Asian model he says, "despite the gains of the civil rights movement, the 1960s witnessed growing defacto racial segregation in the schools, as white families with children largely abandoned the cities, leaving behind what we know is an even more segregated (by race and class) city" (p. 360). That is as close as he has gotten in addressing the ways in which America's system of racism has affected America's system of Education. (We are going to have to have more rich, honest, and thorough discussion than that Tom.) If Friedman would have picked up Charles Mills' The Racial Contract, he may have found reasons why the American educational system is as contorted as it is. Race and Racism are at the CENTER of America's Educational problem.

America and Americans are going to have to find HONEST ways to bridge the racial divide. A good place to start is tackling issues of WHITE GUILT and BLACK RAGE. From this point, we can move the conversation forward.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ghettoGEEKS?

The ideal country in a flat world is the one with no natural resources, because countries with no natural resources tend to dig inside themselves. They try to tap the energy, entrepreneurship, creativity, and intelligence of their own people--men and women--rather than drill an oil well (Friedman, 2007, p. 358).

Stop. Grab a mirror. Look into it. THIS is who you have control over. Love yourself enough to practice SERIOUS introspection everyday. Study. Build upon your Strengths. Be honest about your Weaknesses. Study. Stop crying. Start planning. Study. Have a Goal. Get a Goal. Make proper steps toward achieving that Goal. Study. Develop some Discipline. Study. Set your own expectations. Because your school is most likely underserving you, ALWAYS do more than your teachers require. Study. Take a match and some lighter fluid and Burn Up Your Television. Study. Go outside your block, neighborhood, and community---make some new friends. Learn a new language; preferably Chinese, Korean, and/or Japanese. Study. Stop focusing on the White Standard; start focusing on the Global Standard. Buy a Passport. Study. Travel. Practice frugality with your Money. Refrain from being a Label Whore. Have PRODUCTIVE relationships with people; or learn to be comfortable ALONE. Use more weekends for WORK. Study. Create a lifestyle that allows you to take a "weekend" on Tuesday and Wednesday while everyone is at work. Study.

It's time for some serious changes. Alas, the World is Flat, MyNigga.

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Obama Presidency + 2-Year Mark + Long Vision + Frank Schaeffer

In three months, President Barack Obama will hit the two-year mark. The following article was written at the one-year mark, and we at ghettoGEEKS, believe that many of the principles and points outlined within still ring true. We would like to "tip our hat" to Frank Schaeffer for composing this piece. Its value is in its clarity, articulation of fact, and acknowledgement of the flaws within the American political/legislative system (and its people). Please visit his blog and follow his writing...because we will definitely do so.

Without further ado, we present:

Obama Will Triumph — So Will America
By Frank Schaeffer

Before he’d served even one year President Obama lost the support of the easily distracted left and engendered the white hot rage of the hate-filled right. But some of us, from all walks of life and ideological backgrounds -- including this white, straight, 57-year-old, former religious right wing agitator, now progressive writer and (given my background as the son of a famous evangelical leader) this unlikely Obama supporter -- are sticking with our President. Why?-- because he is succeeding.

We faithful Obama supporters still trust our initial impression of him as a great, good and uniquely qualified man to lead us.

Obama’s steady supporters will be proved right. Obama’s critics will be remembered as easily panicked and prematurely discouraged at best and shriveled hate mongers at worst.

The Context of the Obama Presidency

Not since the days of the rise of fascism in Europe, the Second World War and the Depression has any president faced more adversity. Not since the Civil War has any president led a more bitterly divided country. Not since the introduction of racial integration has any president faced a more consistently short-sighted and willfully ignorant opposition – from both the right and left.

As the President’s poll numbers have fallen so has his support from some on the left that were hailing him as a Messiah not long ago; all those lefty websites and commentators that were falling all over themselves on behalf of our first black president during the 2008 election.

The left’s lack of faith has become a self-fulfilling “prophecy”-- snipe at the President and then watch the poll numbers fall and then pretend you didn’t have anything to do with it!

Here is what Obama faced when he took office-- none of which was his fault:

# An ideologically divided country to the point that America was really two countries

# Two wars; one that was mishandled from the start, the other that was unnecessary and immoral

# The worst economic crisis since the depression

# America’s standing in the world at the lowest point in history

# A country that had been misled into accepting the use of torture of prisoners of war

# A health care system in free fall

# An educational system in free fall

# A global environmental crisis of history-altering proportions (about which the Bush administration and the Republicans had done nothing)

# An impasse between culture warriors from the right and left

# A huge financial deficit inherited from the terminally irresponsible Bush administration…

And those were only some of the problems sitting on the President’s desk!

“Help” from the Right?

What did the Republicans and the religious right, libertarians and half-baked conspiracy theorists -- that is what the Republicans were reduced to by the time Obama took office -- do to “help” our new president (and our country) succeed? They claimed that he wasn’t a real American, didn’t have an American birth certificate, wasn’t born here, was secretly a Muslim, was white-hating "racist", was secretly a communist, was actually the Anti-Christ, (!) and was a reincarnation of Hitler and wanted “death panels” to kill the elderly!

They not-so-subtly called for his assassination through the not-so-subtle use of vile signs held at their rallies and even a bumper sticker quoting Psalm 109:8. They organized “tea parties” to sound off against imagined insults and all government in general and gathered to howl at the moon. They were led by insurance industry lobbyists and deranged (but well financed) “commentators” from Glenn Beck to Rush Limbaugh.

The utterly discredited Roman Catholic bishops teamed up with the utterly discredited evangelical leaders to denounce a president who was trying to actually do something about the poor, the environment, to diminish the number of abortions through compassionate programs to help women and to care for the sick! And in Congress the Republican leadership only knew one word: “No!”

In other words the reactionary white, rube, uneducated, crazy American far right,combined with the educated but obtuse neoconservative war mongers, religious right shills for big business, libertarian Fed Reserve-hating gold bug, gun-loving crazies, child-molesting acquiescent “bishops”, frontier loons and evangelical gay-hating flakes found one thing to briefly unite them: their desire to stop an uppity black man from succeeding at all costs!

“Help” from the Left?

What did the left do to help their newly elected president? Some of them excoriated the President because they disagreed with the bad choices he was being forced to make regarding a war in Afghanistan that he’d inherited from the worst president in modern history!

Others stood up and bravely proclaimed that the President’s economic policies had “failed” before the President even instituted them! Others said that since all gay rights battles had not been fully won within virtually minuets of the President taking office, they’d been “betrayed”! (Never mind that Obama’s vocal support to the gay community is stronger than any other president’s has been. Never that mind he signed a new hate crimes law!)

Those that had stood in transfixed legions weeping with beatific emotion on election night turned into an angry mob saying how "disappointed" they were that they’d not all immediately been translated to heaven the moment Obama stepped into the White House! Where was the “change”? Contrary to their expectations they were still mere mortals!

And the legion of young new supporters was too busy texting to pay attention for longer than a nanosecond… “Governing”?! What the hell does that world, uh, like mean?”

The President’s critics left and right all had one thing in common: impatience laced with little-to-no sense of history (let alone reality) thrown in for good measure. Then of course there were the white, snide know-it-all commentators/talking heads who just couldn’t imagine that maybe, just maybe they weren’t as smart as they thought they were and certainly not as smart as their president. He hadn’t consulted them, had he? So he must be wrong!

The Obama critics' ideological ideas defined their idea of reality rather than reality defining their ideas—say, about what is possible in one year in office after the hand that the President had been dealt by fate, or to be exact by the American idiot nation that voted Bush into office… twice!

Meanwhile back in the reality-based community – in just 12 short months -- President Obama:

#Continued the draw down the misbegotten war in Iraq
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Thoughtfully and decisively picked the best of several bad choices regarding the war in Afghanistan
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Gave a major precedent-setting speech supporting gay rights
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Restored America’s image around the globe
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Banned torture of American prisoners
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Stopped the free fall of the American economy
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Put the USA squarely back in the bilateral international community
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Put the USA squarely into the middle of the international effort to halt global warming
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Stood up for educational reform
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Won a Nobel peace prize
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Moved the trial of terrorists back into the American judicial system of checks and balances
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Did what had to be done to start the slow, torturous and almost impossible process of health care reform that 7 presidents had failed to even begin
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Responded to hatred from the right and left with measured good humor and patience
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Stopped the free fall of job losses
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Showed immense personal courage in the face of an armed and dangerous far right opposition that included the sort of disgusting people that show up at public meetings carrying loaded weapons and carrying Timothy McVeigh-inspired signs about the “blood of tyrants” needing to “water the tree of liberty”…
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)

#Showed that he could not only make the tough military choices but explain and defend them brilliantly
(But that wasn’t good enough for his critics)


Other than those "disappointing" accomplishments -- IN ONE YEAR -- President Obama “failed”! Other than that he didn’t “live up to expectations”!

Who actually has failed...

...are the Americans that can’t see the beginning of a miracle of national rebirth right under their jaded noses. Who failed are the smart ass ideologues of the left and right who began rooting for this President to fail so that they could be proved right in their dire and morbid predictions. Who failed are the movers and shakers behind our obscenely dumb news cycles that have turned “news” into just more stupid entertainment for an entertainment-besotted infantile country.

Here’s the good news: President Obama is succeeding without the help of his lefty “supporters” or hate-filled Republican detractors!

The Future Looks Good

After Obama has served two full terms, (and he will), after his wisdom in moving deliberately and cautiously with great subtlety on all fronts -- with a canny and calculating eye to the possible succeeds, (it will), after the economy is booming and new industries are burgeoning, (they will be), after the doomsayers are all proved not just wrong but silly: let the record show that not all Americans were panicked into thinking the sky was falling.

Just because we didn’t get everything we wanted in the first short and fraught year Obama was in office not all of us gave up. Some of us stayed the course. And we will be proved right.

Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays, depending on your point of view) to everyone!

PS. if you agree that Obama is shaping up to be a great president please pass this on and hang in there!

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of “Patience With God – Faith For People Who Don’t Like Religion (Or Atheism).”


WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

WhiteNiggaz - Mixxtape 2010 Sampler

Here's a lil' something to BEAT up your EarDrumz! [Play at extremely high volumes in residential areas.]





Click HERE for sound!

Mixxtape StockingStuffers comin' Christmas 2010.....

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Dog Tastes like Meat

My first year in Korea is coming to a quick end.

When I took the plane ride over last year, I didn't know how long I would last out here. To be TOTALLY honest, I had visions of landing in the country...looking around for a day...getting some sleep in a hotel...and purchasing a return flight to the US the next day. I can remember rationing the $1,000 US dollars my father put in my hand the day before I left. I practiced extreme frugality with that money because the plane ticket home could have been necessary at any moment....or so I thought.

But, alas, I stayed. ---and it has made all the difference.

In fact, I 've had such a good time, I'm staying another year. I've managed to land a job at a Korean university; so now I have an additional year to increase my knowledge of the language and culture, get some additional work done, and continue a process of living and learning in a culture that is significantly different from the one in which I was raised. Which brings me to my latest intercultural experience....

June 30, 2010 marked the day I opened wide and ate Dog Meat for the first time.

It was an end-of-the-year lunch for the teachers at my school. (We have various dinners/luncheons throughout the year; large luncheons are a typical practice.) The day prior to this particular luncheon, a close friend of mine informed me that "Dog Meat" 개고기 was going to be served. In previous conversations, I had told this particular colleague that I was open to try it...and at the end of the semester, the opportunity now presented itself.

Since living in Korea, I have eaten a number of foods that I had never eaten before. Tofu is a food item I had tried in America, but did not care for. Now, I will eat tofu without much hesitation; and this is probably because of the way it's seasoned in Korea. 된장찌개 (twen-jang-chee-geh) makes tofu much more enjoyable than a bland piece of tofu. I have eaten raw snail (escargot), dried squid, raw squid, raw fish, cooked octopus, chestnuts, persimmons, kimchi, and 청국장 (fermented beans). In Texas, we would refer to the smell of fermented beans as "pretty bad," but it actuality, it tastes "pretty good." In any regard....DogMeat was still a significant step for me, but it was a step I was willing to take.

On the day of the luncheon, we all left school, as usual, and to my surprise, we pulled up to a restaurant where we had dined two or three times before. Interesting. When my party and I arrived, all the other teachers were already seated together on one side of the restaurant. My group took an empty table on the opposite side of the eatery. This is a bit different...we usually eat as one cohesive unit. But, anyhow.... We sat down and engaged in a bit of small talk. A teacher motions for someone to bring us some Soju (a popular Korean alcoholic drink). This is normal. I'm assuming we're all about to get pretty "lubricated"...and this is normal--alcohol flows freely at our outings. But, to my surprise, he pours one glass of Soju for me...and everyone else takes some water. This is a bit unusual. But, anyhow....

I drink.

When our food arrives, it is served to us in the same steaming hot bowls which are used for other Korean soups. When the waitress places the bowls before us, I must admit---it smells good. I could smell the onions and peppers that are typical of most Korean seasonings. As a result, the aroma eased my nerves a bit. I'm still thinking, though...I'm about to eat Dog. I looked into the bowl and saw the green onions, peppers, and soup before me. I'm still thinking....Dog Meat lay just below the surface. I bowed my head to pray, just as I would any other meal. During this prayer, I could feel my curious colleagues watching me. After finishing my prayer, I grabbed my spoon, stirred the soup around, found the pieces of Dog with my chopsticks, and begin to eat.

The taste was Wild---like that of Wild Game. It didn't resemble Deer. It didn't resemble Alligator. It didn't resemble Wild Boar. ---and no, it didn't taste like "chicken." I must say, Dog has a taste all its own. Lamb is the CLOSEST example of meat that I can use in relation to a Dog. Lamb always has a "medicine-like" aftertaste; it reminds me of eucalyptus---and DogMeat had a similar type of taste...not JUST like Lamb...but similar. It's a combination of tangy, wild, and "gamey"....that's how I'd have to describe DogMeat. As far as texture goes, you DO have to chew on him a bit more than other meat. He's kind of gummy. In any regard, I ate my soup. I mixed my rice with it, like I do most soups, and enjoyed myself. Interestingly enough, there was a lot of fat in this soup. I don't eat much fat from Beef, Pork, or Chicken...so I wasn't going to change that up for the Dog. I left the fat behind.

Of course, what was more interesting than eating the dog, was the human interaction that surrounded the event.....

The conversation was a bit strained in the car. No one was speaking as much as they usually do. Everyone was nervous. In this particular case, I assume the teachers were more nervous than I was. I DO know that Koreans understand Westerners don't eat DogMeat. I'm sure they've learned this through a variety of interactions...and I'm sure some of these interactions were coupled with deragatory attitudes. I was a bit anxious, too. I WAS going to eat DogMeat; something that is not done in my culture AT ALL. So, here we were: at a Intercultural Nexus--and it is at these particular moments where our moral fiber is tested.

Yes, it's EASY to talk about intercultural interactions amongst friends.
Yes, it's EASY to write/blog about intercultural interactions behind the veil of the internet.
Yes, it's EASY to ponder and pontificate on theories, and history, and case studies.
But, when you allow yourself to LIVE....
....To truly LIVE,
To let go,
To place yourself in a vunerable place where insecurities abound,
All of sudden it ISN'T SO EASY.
If you allow yourself to be challenged, you begin to understand yourself and another culture on a level that the books, the articles, and the intellectual debates just don't provide.
You learn through LIVING...if you're strong enough, patient enough, humble enough, and disciplined enough to do so.

On a FUNDAMENTAL level, ghettoGEEKS is built on a conversation on CULTURE. I am forever reminded just how DEEP and CENTRAL culture is to People. People take Culture VERY seriously. ---and we ALL have it. We all have Culture. --and when we learn to respect the differences, we will simulataneoulsy learn to live Peace and Harmony.

I am under no illusions. I know it is not easy. I know it is uncomfortable. But, for all the differences between Koreans and Americans, White Americans and Black Americans, Black Americans and Koreans, Koreans and Japanese, Tibetans and Chinese, African-Americans and Africans, Mexicans and Central Americans, English and Irish, and every other relationship that has been riddled with difficulty---there is also the possiblity of healing, if we commit ourselves to that possiblity as well.

On the way home, I remember thinking, "Korea is INSIDE me." There's no going back. After I ate the Dog, the reality is I have always eaten a Dog.

---and yes, Dog IS Different....but, at the same time, Dog IS Meat.

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; --- Robert Frost, 1916


Let me tell you a story.

August of 2008 I would make a decision that would signal the beginning of one of the lowest points in my Life. I would eventually be Jobless. Aside from part-time work, I would be without a permanent full-time position for approximately one year.

Why?...

....because I decided I would not continue to "eat a dick" at my former place of employment. I decided that I was larger than the limited amount of professional courtesy they were willing to grant me. I decided that I could no longer afford to waste time in a situation/environment that was corrupt at its core. I could no longer attempt to elevate young minds with theories of freedom, liberty, diligence, and integrity, when at the same time, the administration of the institution was aggressively enacting "unwritten" policies that were quite the contrary. These issues, coupled with the professional jealousies, intimidation tactics, and "office war games," were sources of unnecessary stress and fatigue.

I resigned. I struck out on my own ignoring the news of an ensuing national Recession. I figured I had enough education, experience, and wherewithal to land another position without much worry. I was wrong.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2008, after selling everything I couldn't take, I packed all my belongings in a Jeep...and I headed home [Texas]. During that 1,500-mile trip west, I thought about how my nation's media was reluctant to discuss this Depression in open/honest terms. "Is there really a Depression?" "No, it's more of a slight recession. We'll bounce back shortly." "Is there an end in sight?" "If it's just a recession, how long will it take to recover?" Then they'd bring some "expert" economist on to discuss the "possibility" of a Recessionary/Depressionary economic climate. This BullShit would often times evoke profane rants leveled at my television as I banished all the pundits to Hell. "Those fuckers," I mumbled---and continued driving.

I pulled into Texas on Thanksgiving Day 2008...and I stopped at a friend's house in Dallas. His family was in the middle of having Thanksgiving Dinner, and they allowed me to shower "the road" off me. I was probably in need of a GOOD shower, too. I felt like a Bum. I remember looking at all the residue I left in their bathtub...and I knew I wasn't far from BumStatus at all. Little did I know, I was just at the beginning of a nine-month period of Awakening.

After visiting family in Austin, I eventually got to Houston. Houston would be home-base for this particular period of my life as my mother and sister live there. I moved my stuff in the garage, and immediately "opened up shop." I was on the internet everyday. Job search. Job search. Job search. I enacted the same routine that proved futile in Baltimore. But, the good news was I had my supplies ready [resume, e-mail, cover letter templates] and my rhythm down-packed. Everyday I would contact schools. I was in between the phone and computer. Go, go, go. Day in--Day out. Finding a job was my full-time job.

In between searching for a job, I found time to go through all the FEELINGS of insecurity, anger, depression, disgust, shame, bewilderment, confusion, frustration, angst, doubt, and embarrassment. Inviting my Brain to participate with my Heart wasn't too hard, as I also had THOUGHTS which included engaging in political violence, bank robberies, entering the dope game, panhandling, robbing random "rich people," pimping, and I even thought about working as a male stripper. Life was tougher than a MotherFucker.

I can remember sitting in church on Sunday mornings. In the seven years I was on the East Coast, I didn't attend church on a regular basis. I would jokingly refer to the DC/Baltimore area as "purgatory" with my SouthernBrethren...and I would also tell them that I was one of the CrunkestHeathens. (heehee.) They'd laugh. As I would sit and observe the deacons pray, the people clap, the choir sing, and the preacher preach, I would occassionally think about how I could collect a few dollars from the members as efficiently as the church did. *Oh, Devil, get thee behind me.* I did enjoy some of the inspiration presented in the sermons. Church also gave me the opportunity to mediate and relax. The music was often times uplifting. ---and it also gave me the opportunity to see my Momz in her HappyPlace. Accompanying her, was my major motivator for being present.

I DID have my Familee. ---and I am so Grateful for them, too. My Father, My Mother, My Brother, and My Sister; these People are the absolute best thing I have in this Life. Through this entire period, they never gave up on me. I hadn't lived in such close proximity to them in seven (7) years....but when I came back, we were right in sync.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This day the rhythm of my Life took a drastic change. I hadn't realized that I had grown so accustomed to meeting "dead-ends" in the job hunt. I had grown so comfortable with hearing "No, sorry, we don't have a position available" that I actually got scared by hearing, "Yes, there's an opportunity." On this day, TWO opportunities lay before me. I suddenly felt a new kind of pressure. Now, the "ball was in my court," and I held a leverage that I hadn't held in nine months. In actuality, as it relates to the job market, I hadn't EVER held this type of leverage/choice. My options were as follows:

1.) Take a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor at a Texas university.

OR

2.) Sign a contract with Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education and take a job teaching English at a high school in South Korea.

Robert Frost's, "The Road Not Taken," is the poem I took with me to sleep.

Friday, August 21, 2009

I woke up that morning prepared to take "the road less traveled by." I didn't tell anyone about my decision to sign the contract for the job in Korea because I didn't want any external "noise" in my head. I signed it. I faxed it. I visited the Korean consulate and quickly finished the last steps of obtaining my Visa. I was going to jump on a plane five (5) days later and fly to country I had never been to, and knew very little about, to live and work for a one-year period of time. The refrain that kept playing repeating in my head was, "You're one Weird-Ass Muhphuka, E."

Soon after securing the position in Korea, I had to visit a professor who was quite instrumental in securing the Assistant Professor position at the university. It was going to be one of those tough talks that a person hates to have....but, nonetheless, HAS to be done. I had been at orientation for the entire week with the university; I had received a teaching schedule; I had met the faculty members of my department; I had met faculty university-wide; I had even seen my new office...I had all but signed a contract, and now, I had went to discuss my decision with my Colleague and Friend.

Though we hadn't known each other for the longest time, through this employment process, we had connected on a certain level. She was someone who I liked, and more importantly, someone who I respected....and still do. Not knowing how she would react to the news, I called her cell phone and requested to meet her on campus. I think she could tell by my voice that something was up. When I arrived on campus, she left an orientation session (a session I most likely would have been in) and met me in the hallway. "What's up? Everything okay?" she asked. I looked at her, and broke the news. "I've signed a contract with a school in Korea. I'll be flying out next week." I went on to explain how grateful I was for her help through this process; and I MEANT that. I was truly thankful for her honesty, candor, and kindness through the process. She accepted my decision with grace.

And if she ever reads this, I want her to know, "I got nothing but Love for you, Doc."

WHAT A DAY! ....and it wasn't even NOON yet!

I've shared this experience with you all now because I have one more month on my current Visa. I have been in Korea for approximately one year now; and I'm looking back on my time here. And I must say, this has been one of the BEST decisions I have ever made. I can truly say the "road not taken" is sometimes the BEST road to take. I had a mulitude of reasons to stay in the States. (In spite of the difficutly I was experiencing.) I had people who I KNOW Love me...try to convince me to stay. But, I knew that I had to leave. God had shown me how rough Life be thorugh this experience ....and I felt through the decision to come to Korea, He was also showing me that the choice to change my lot in Life is Mine.

The decision is YOURS, People. Do not limit yourself through Doubt and Fear. You can do Anything you want to do. You can. You can do Anything you want to do. AND you can do it the WAY you want to do it. It's going to take a Plan; It's going to take Dedication, a tolerance for Pain, an Endurance Reserve...and it may not be easy. BUT, you can do it. When opportunity arises, DO NOT BE SCARED TO SEIZE IT.

Growth ain't supposed to be comfortable---and Pain is an ingredient that comes with process.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. ---Robert Frost, 1916



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com







WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

The African Korean

안냥하세요...We got that 안냥하세FLOW!

Peep the snippet "The African Korean" from the ghettoGEEKS MixTape! Get GLOBAL!

Attention FaceBookers! Click HERE to hear audio!

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Strictly for My N.I.G.G.A.Z. -- Part Deux

Niggers are full of the "proper" rhetoric; but their actions and activity illustrate that Carter G. Woodson, as sincere as his efforts were, failed at his attempt to enlighten the masses through calling attention to their collective MIS-EDUCATION.

We STILL suffer from the SAME socio-psychological symptoms that Woodson diagnosed during his time.

Niggers LOVE gettin' MAD. Niggers LOVE having something DRAMATIC to discuss. Niggers LOVE speakin' about the ways in which the WHITE MAN is oppressing them. In these instances, Niggers use all the right rhetoric. They will 1.) quote the seminal scholars, 2.) they will follow logical argumentation, 3.) they will coelesce around the "correct" issues; 4.) they will perform with immaculate elocution; 5.) and they will nod and agree with each other in a rhthymic "call-and-response." BUT, when the lights are off and cameras are powered down....Niggers will INSTANTLY act as NIGGERS.

Act as NIGGERS? What does it mean to act as a NIGGER?

The PRIMARY trait is one of Extreme Insecurity. Remember, a Nigger is a "broken person." When a person is "broken" it is hard for them to gain comfort with themselves. Privately, they question everything they do. Publicly, they are boastful and loud in feeble attempts to mask these feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. (As a result, you will find that some Niggers decrease or eradicate their Private time as a way to eliminate the pain involved in grappling with these issues.) It is hard to be happy, to feel self-worth, to feel complete, and to feel adequate...when you have the mind of a Nigger. Now, though it is true that African-American Niggers can lay the blame of this socio-psychological state at the feet of Hegemony and its "Peculiar Instituion" [slavery], it is time to take pragmatic steps to true freedom, equality, and the like.

What do we have instead?

Like any "broken people," Niggers will try to build Identity. Because Niggers are typically removed from access to "healthy" information, they sucuumb to the images that are flashed repeatedly in front of the television. It is within these programs that Niggers find their identities...and so they copy. What has the television, radio, and magazine told Niggers to do? Well...to have the biggest house, baddest car, and baddest chick(s). The media has communicated this message so well, that if a Nigger does not have these things, then a Nigger feels "less-than."

But, it's not that simple, either.

Niggers just don't wear baggy jeans, wife beaters, flip-flops, and khakis. Niggers are not just residents of low-income zip codes. Niggers are not always strapped with weapons, smoking marijuana, and yelling obsecenities at the top of their lungs. There is a HUGE population of Niggers who are in Universities. They are enrolled in Graduate education programs. They are in Medical school. They hold Ph.D.s...MDs....JDs. Some of them are artists, producers, aspiring actors, political freedom-fighters, writers, teachers, police officers, accountants, military personnel, and scientists. Yes, there is a huge population of "educated" and "successful" Niggers. They traditionally get less attention. That is until today. I want to focus on THESE Niggers.

These Niggers are more interesting than the stereotypical Nigger on television. These Niggers usually speak with the King's English. They typically dress better. They're more "educated." They essentially carry an aesthetic that is more easily accepted by mainstream society. In my experience, THESE Niggers are the most Delusional. THESE Niggers are the most Frustrating. THESE Niggers are the most Dangerous. In fact, Frantz Fanon gave special attention to THESE Niggers in The Wretched of the Earth. He warned that the TRULY oppressed will have a more difficult time becoming free if they were not careful of the Bourgeoise. The burgeoise is always more in line with the Power Structure than "the people." No matter what their rhetoric, they are usually in line with hegemony. It is more comfortable.

Niggers remain focused on aestheics because subconsciously (or unconsciously to some) apperances are the only things that matter. Appearance is everything...and that even plays a huge part in the politics and education of these Niggers.

Y'all DO remember Chris, right?


...and here's "gun-toting" Chris with Pastor Steven Anderson (pastor who prayed for Obama's death).



To Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): I have seen too much agregious behavior. This behavior is guided by a philosophy that serves the purpose of unfairly enriching a few administrators [theives] at the detriment of the students [victims]. We can not blame White People for misappropriation of funds, embezzlement, loss of accrediation, sub-par classrooms, sub-par materials, etc, etc, etc. If faculty members at these institutions do not go along with a culture of malintent, then they are subjected to economic abuse, psychological abuse, lack of deparmental support, disrespected, inter-departmental espionage, and any other creative means of frustration. But, everyone comes together to try to save the "HBCU." Why? Because it sounds good. But, these schools have the potential to BE GOOD.

To Black Churches: Stop using the "Jeremiad" to make people feel bad about themselves. Stop providing one version of the Bible; the version that focuses on how many ways a person is a Sinner. The Bible is not a book that is written to scare people into to believing in God. The Bible is a book that has PLENTY of messages of Love, Confidence, Growth, Maturity, Politics, History, Family, and lessons of Ascendence and Responsiblity. You do not have to make people feel incomplete before they enter a Church community....unless you want to take advantage of them to fill your coffers. You CAN make them feel complete and whole. And then you can easily organize them into sharing this Love with those who need it. Put more of your Economic resources in the communities that house the churches. Let's eradicate the stark images we see between the parking lots full of expensive cars in church parking lots and the ghetto communities that contain these churches.

To Black People: Dr. Martin King spoke about not losing the "moral authority." In paraphrasing King, he suggested that if Blacks ever lost the "moral authority," then they would lose a lot. To my African-American brothers and sisters, we have been teetering on the edge of losing all for quite a while. We have to operate in TRUTH. African-American mythology is just as detrimental to society as mythologies created to support White superiority. In fact, in many of our urban hubs, and/or places where the African-American population supersedes the White population, I argue that African-American mythologies are MORE detrimental to young Blacks than myths of White superiority.

Not long ago, Tavis Smiley conducted his national conversation on the Black Agenda. It took a few days to watch this conversation in its entirety. I naturally paid close attention to the ways in which those gathered at the table framed their arguments. ...and it was then I noticed something that I have noticed for quite a while. African-Americans, from the most prominent and prolific national figures to the local leaders, often use history to define, depict, describe the "Souls of Black Folk." I definitely feel that history is IMPORTANT...and should be used as a tool to perserve Cultural Memory. BUT, history should be used in ways the DRIVE the future. If you pay attention, the historical examples that African-Americans often use....are dangerously similar to the contemporary plights that plague us today. This would lend anyone to ask the question, "why are the plights of today and 350 years ago SO similar?" This also tends to make the hitorical references seem like pure elocution and seriously lacking in practical/pragmatic use. Tupac Shakur phrased it more immediate language for "the people" of the Hip-Hop generation by asking, "When we goin' stop sucking Michael Jordan and Malcolm X dick?!" Excluding the Michael Jordan reference, Tupac was merely questioning the sincerity of actual Black progress.

Stop blaming White people of EVERYTHING. YOU DO have the Power to create and change your situations. Yes, there are constraints that surround you. Yes, racism and discrimination are STILL present and prevalent. BUT, dig down deep and find the courage, intellect, faith, and resovle to do something. STOP letting petty jealousy, insecurity, and ignorance impede your growth and maturation. Focus on making YOURSELF and better person. You are MORE than your SEX. You are MORE than your MONEY. You are MORE than your JOB. You are MORE than your ZIP CODE. You are PERSON. You are a HUMAN BEING. That's enough. Be the BEST Human Being you can be.

Stop being a NIGGER, My N.I.G.G.A. Be a ghettoGEEK, instead.



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Let’s Get Naked!: A Progressive View of Artifactual Communication (or the lack thereof)

Artifactual Communication is a link into our personalities (Canterbury, 2010). In essence, we make conscious decisions about how we adorn ourselves. The clothes we choose, the clothes we do not choose, our watches, bracelets, purses, wallets, hats, hair styles, glasses, earrings, tattoos, and the like, communicate something about who we are. The link between artifactual adornment and self-expression [identity] is extra-evident when observing young men who are entering the work force. They often display resistance toward “society” and their parents in regards to professional dress codes. “Boy, you are going to have cut your hair to be taken seriously!” “Do NOT wear those sneakers with that suit!” Along with learning dress etiquette for the professional world, young women who are coming of age, also learn how certain dress may attract male sexual attention they may not want. Where we shop says something. What we shop for says something. Some of us are buy our clothes at Wal-Mart and Target. Some of us may shop at the malls. Some of us shop at a combination of both places. Some of us are strictly whores to high-end labels. Outside of the United States, the artifacts people adorn themselves with changes yet again. In any regard, every culture has certain artifactual norms and mores that are followed—and though not expressed vocally and verbally, this communication is POWERFUL.

Lately, I have been focused on what makes human beings SIMILAR as opposed to what makes us DIFFERENT. Consequently, I’ve stumbled upon something: We all possess a BODY. That’s right. We all possess a BODY. Our Bodies are Ours; and our Bodies are Immediate. Strip us of Food, Clothing, and Shelter, and we would be left with our Bodies. (Sure at this point, they maybe hungry, dirty, and poor--but we would still possess them.) And because our Bodies are OURS--and so essential to our Identity, I argue we should embrace our Bodies in their natural form. We should all GET NAKED.

Shed the designer suit! Drop the trendy jeans! Let go of the skirts, shirts, blouses, and trousers! Embrace your Nakedness. Enjoy your Nakedness! No need to hide it. Be free. Enjoy your vessel. Look at it. Feel it. Touch it. Hold it. Strike a pose! Your Body is You. It is Essential that you enjoy and appreciate You.

You entered this world Naked, and sometime between that moment and this--you have been taught to cover Your Self. In that process of covering, you have grown insecure about your physique and your inner- person; you have placed a priority on clothing; you have judged others by their clothing; and in the act of placing your personal security in artifacts you have invested hard-earned money in clothing. And for what? Nothing. Nothing but Poor Health.

Clothing has not only separated us from Nature, but clothing has essentially, separated us from Ourselves. The most obvious symptoms of our separation from Nature are the physical symptoms. Clothing has provided an outlet for over-consumption. All one must do is consider the obesity rates, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol percentages, and other symptoms of over-eating. The National Institute of Health reports that “97 million Americans are obese” (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov, 2010). That equates to approximately 1/3 of the entire American population. The American Heart Association states “74.5 million people over the age of 20 have high blood pressure” (http://www.americanheart.org, 2010). That number is approximately 20% of the total population. Homosapien has lost a major connection to the rhythm of the Nature. You eat do that you may work. You must give something back to Nature. Eating is to gain energy...so that energy may go back into the World. Now, many of us, eat and don't work it off---and we conceal/disguise this habit behind clothing. We seem to be paying a high price for this behavior in Poor Health.

In a Nudist culture, you would have to develop a positive attitude about your appearance; and the things you want to change would require a sincere invest time, exercise, and diet. No longer could you go to the store and purchase a way to conceal or add to these things you did not like. You would go to the health club, gym, basketball court, or jump on the bicycle to make improvements in your appearance. You would avoid McDonald’s for lunch, and go to your local grocery store and have a lunch that is strictly from the Produce Section. It might be cheaper---and it would definitely be healthier. Whether you are overweight, athletic, busty, or poor, you would know longer be able to conceal these “flaws.” In the process of running errands, going to work, and handling day-to-day activities, you would grow comfortable with looking at yourself. You would grow comfortable in your OWN skin. And should you dislike something about your physique, you wouldn’t have to wait for a doctor to tell you about the importance of Diet and Exercise. You would develop the respect for Diet and Exercise independent of medical advice.

You entered this world Naked, and sometime between that moment and this--you have been taught to cover Your Self. In that process of covering, you have grown insecure about your physique and your inner- person; you have placed a priority on clothing; you have judged others by their clothing; and in the act of placing your personal security in artifacts you have invested hard earned money in clothing. And for what? Nothing. Nothing but Emotional/Social Weakness.

Let me be clear: our physiques are not the only things that are affected by Clothing. Strong self-respect, self-esteem, and civility have also been adversely affected by anti-nudist cultural attitudes. With the addition of clothing to human communication physio-psychological makeup, it seems that ruthlessness, dishonesty, and status-seeking tendencies are not only permissible; but valued. But, when a person is absent of anything that would obfuscate, conceal, or embellish exactly who they are; that person MATURES. For a reasons very few people could articulate, Nudity is generally looked down upon. It is understood as obscene---as graphic---as lowly. But, Nudity is natural. Your Identity is found in your Nudity. And if more people would actually look at themselves, and allow others to look at them in the Nude, strange things would begin to happen. For one, your self-esteem would see an immediate impact. Regardless of your physical health issues, the discipline, pride, humility, empathy, and self-esteem required to be a productive citizen in a Nudist culture would grow tremendously. When you strip something of all additives and preservatives, the natural beauty and potency of said object is revealed. Human beings are no different—our Core would naturally grow stronger.

There would be a resurgence of respect for natural temporal rhythms, organic production of food stuffs, respect for Mother Earth, spiritual understandings of Life and Death, Care, Concern, and respect for our neighbors would return. Understandings of Sexuality might improve—we would definitely be less insecure about the subject. Racism might dissipate. I’m sure if we are all “Butt-Booty-Ball-Naked” many racial myths would be dispelled. Are Black Men truly more endowed than their White counterparts? And many other racial-sexual mythologies would be exposed for the nonsense they are. Spirtual maturity/enlightenment/respect may be achieved...it would definitely heightened. Often times, those of us who are the most fanatic about religion become judgemental and often use the "Jeremiad" to scare people into obedience. The dimiension of religion and spirituality that calls for Self-Reflexivity often gets missed. Nudity would keep egotistical religious postures in check by bringing Humility to the fore. Your eyes and mind would evaluate other people, yourself, and the entire world differently. You would learn to accept people for who they are because you are simultaneously accepting yourself for who you are.

Physique is linked to Persona. Explicitly stated, a nudist culture would transfer into a less insecure culture. Nudism allows one to accept the things they can not change. For the things they can change, nudism requires core values, assumptions, and beliefs such as, dedication, discipline, perseverance, humility and sacrifice. Nudism does not allow people mask as easily. As a result, the persons in the nudist cultures learn to be secure about not only their person, but the people around them as well. This would inevitably lead to a drastic change in what we consider Beautiful in the world.

Take Them Clothes Off!



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Ode to Baltimore - ghettoGEEKS MixTape

The forsaken sun slides down its parabolic way
Into the heartless, ravenous Chesapeake bay
While my girl and I,
Dying to bawl,
Watch this holy shadow,
An infinite number of unholy shadows,
Bleeding on the wall.
---Excerpt from "An Ode to Baltimore," Austin Levitt, 2010


ghettoGEEKS version of "An Ode to Baltimore." LISTEN CLOSELY.....



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Six Flags doesn't like Dreadlocks?!?!

Former Morgan State University student, Janet Bello, is denied employment at Six Flags due to her hairstyle. Interestingly enough, this particular Six Flags location [P.G. County, Maryland] is heavily populated with persons [customers] who wear dreadlocks. Janet, and another woman, have placed a spotlight on the company's hiring practices. See video below:



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

TGIM - Thank God it's Monday! GET WIT IT!

Eric Thomas! The Hip-Hop Preacher! THIS Brotha has got what WE ALL need! GET POSITIVE about LIFE!



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Duffle Scruffle - WeNeedBeatz Mixtape Sampler

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Roses in Concrete

For audio, video, and written social/cultural commentary just as STRONG as the image below, visit The Sable Verity Blog.


Onward March....

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

Wait 'til I get my Money right....

...and then you can't tell me nothing, riiight??



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

ZigZagMan Sample from 2010 MixTape!!!

Greetings Boyz and Girlz:

In the highly anticipated drop of our first MixTape, ghettoGEEKS: WeNeedBeatz, vol.1, we will be sharin' some snippets off the album. So...sit back...relax and experience "Edu-tainment" as only these ghettoGEEKS can deliver!



WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com

ghettoGOSPEL

This post is written with no adherence to organization. It is more a collection of thoughts. It is random. But, it is here for you anyway.



This particular post is immediately inspired by a recent FaceBook discussion generated when I posted a video posting of Reverend Wiley Drake discussing why he is praying for the death of President Barack Obama. When I posted this video, I was under the assumption, if any subsequent conversation took place, it would be focused on the current social, racial, cultural climate in America. We must all admit, these are some interesting times. Economists are reporting that the day the "US Dollar" led the world is over. Countries around the world are having to realign and repostion themselves in the new world order. These global economists then make the logical argument that awareness to new social, political, and cultural relationships will be necessary as the economic situation evolves and changes. Simultaneously, America has its 1st Black President; and as a result, it has to navigate through new cultural, racial, and social issues domestically. Most Americans, and other global citizens, know the American track record on these issues isn't the best, hence, the "Pastors of Imprecatory Prayer."

I was made familiar with Pastor Steven Andersen's prayers for President Obama's death a few weeks ago, and now I am of learning of Rev. Wiley Drake and his prayers for the death of the President. I am in awe at the audacity of these preachers, "Men of God," using their pulpits to pray for the President's death. (Well, honestly, I'm not too surprised; but you get my point.) Throughout the interview I posted on my FaceBook page, Rev. Wiley Drake suggests that imprecatory prayers (prayers for a person's demise) are all throughout the scriptures. He never gives us a scripture, though. A pro-Bush placard, with the scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14, is shown in one of the visuals that are being shown as he is speaking. When I went to reference this scripture, it, like many others, COULD POSSIBLY be used to support his theory of imprecatory prayer; but is DEFINITELY NOT specific about the characteristics of the leader in question.

In short, Rev. Wiley Drake is doing nothing innovative or new. He is doing other religious leaders are doing. He is using his social position (and his personal perspective) to influence his congregation and other like-minded individuals. He should probably be commended for going a step further than most other churches, who have a tradition of being insular, and actually attempting to affect social change in the world. (I actually wish more churches in the African-American community would take bold, unpopular action when African-American interests are being threatened.) And though I disagree with Rev. Wiley's position, if given the chance to speak with him, I would offer him a suggestion to sharpen his message rhetorically; for the sake of clarity. My suggestion to the Rev. would be that "wicked" is too broad/vague a word to describe the President. He needs to choose a more simple/clear explanation for his opposition. ---something that would be easy for his constituents to rally around. ---something as "American as apple pie."

This post is written with no adherence to organization. It is more a collection of thoughts. It is random. But, it is here for you anyway.

The subsequent FaceBook conversation did not address these issues, but instead, took a decidely "energetic" conversation on the essence, purpose, utility, value of religion. Due to the nature of the discussion, and the participants who were involved, I have decided to write on the topic. Because Religion and Spirituality are issues just as central to ghettoLIFE as pre-marital sex, high school drop-out rates, hard-core drug use, spread of sexually transmitted diseases, high unemployment rates, teenage pregnancy, gun violence, and the like; but not typically addressed in the context of ghettoLIFE, is yet another reason I wanted to address this issue. In fact, religion and spirituality are MORE central to ghettoLIFE than the more widely discussed factors simply because a strong spiritual foundation has a huge impact on the ways in which a person understands themselves AND their environment. Do you see the implications??

Now, we all are aware of how heated conversations of this nature can be. [For the record, this particular conversation remained civil.] Nevertheless, as the discussion took shape, the typical questions began to surface in my own mental space.

Why is it the case that religious conversations engender so much emotion which can lead to anger, angst, dispute, mis-communication, non-communication, and in many cases, war?
Why is it that religion and spiritualty, which are constitutionally filled with Love, when discussed in the "public sphere" [outside of our own sanctuaries, mosques, synagogues, etc.] can spark so much Hate?
If there is ONE God, then why should it matter if I choose to communicate with Him through Jesus Christ and my neighbor chooses to communicate to Him through Muhammad?
During my time in Korea, I've learned more about Buddism, Confucianism, the I-Ching, and other Eastern philosphies; and as a result, can't make direct comparisions to Christianity or Islam. What does that say about the relationship between Christianity and Islam?

...and of course, the more we explore, the more questions we will have. So, I will offer my 3-tier position on the issue as follows:

(1.) I do not believe that Faith and Intellect must be Divorced. I don't it's reasonable, or appropriate, to expect people to refrain from thinking and asking questions when it comes to issues of Religion.
(2.) It is my belief that Religion and Spirtuality is best practiced with a strong concentration on the Individual/Intrapersonal understanding FIRST. In fact, spirtuality and belief systems are LARGELY individual. If we have a secure understanding of what God means to us PERSONALLY, then we are able to interact with others in ways consistent with our understanding of God. (I actually came to this understanding through my work at a Jesuit institution; St. Ignaciaus de Loyola.)
(3.) People will continue see God in different ways. History has shown us there has been little corporations between Religions. But, borrowing from our President, if we choose to focus on what we AGREED on versus what we DISAGREE on, then we may at least be able to move the conversation forward. On on the subject of Religion, that should be easy to do. LOVE is a central theme of many religions.

The PATHOS of the church is what I have appreciated most about the church over the years. In my reading of the Bible, I appreciate the narratives of the Kings....Solomon, David, and the story of Samson. I appreciate the story King of Kings; Jesus Christ. I appreciate these narratives and parables because they FIRST and FOREMOST have no lesson at the end which says something is RIGHT or WRONG. ---and it amazes me that this is exactly the FIRST thing a "church person" wants to tell you. HOW to act, believe, or think. The Bible is not written that way. These are stories of Men (and women). Just like you and me. Fallen, fallable people, who in living fallen fallable lives, looked to God for support. Sometimes they succeded...sometimes the failed. But, in the process of living, they looked to God for wisdom and guidance. Their successes and/or failures are written for us to gain wisdom and a sense of the world. When I read the Bible I read LOVE. I read a book of Bold action, unpopular stances, unorthodox behavior based on principle. Themes such as power, falling victim to lust and abuse, deceit, trechary, Love, fear, hypocrisy, redemption....they are all available to read. So I read. I will be open to reading the themes of other religious texts. I will use my spirit of discernment, and I will continue to live the best life I can.

This post is written with no adherence to organization. It is more a collection of thoughts. It is random. But, it is here for you anyway.

Here's what I haven't done after reading the Bible. I have never finished reading the Bible, and felt the need to go run and tell somebody what to do or how to live. It's never happened. I actually don't see how "church folk" have made that leap. When I read the Bible, it is always so humbling an experience.

The church, as an institution, is not above critique. Martin Luther King, Jr. critiqued. Malcolm X critiqued his. Jesus Christ critiqued the church. (The Pharisees, "church folk," were constantly challenging Christ.) All of this is written.

Ghandi was a Hindu. Malcolm X was a muslim. Am I to believe, despite the good these men did for their people and world, they are not in heaven, because they didn't except Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour? And in Ghandi's instance, his philosophy of non-violence helped an entire society of African-American Christians find strength to fight their battle for freedom; is Ghandi in Hell because he was a Hindu? Is Martin King a BAD Christian for using the philosophy of a Hindu to liberate his people? If so, is he banished to Hell for it?

Be Great and leave an impact. Those who actually Live Strong say the best Prayers.

WeBeGeekin'
www.ghettogeekin.blogspot.com