The Bridge: Who’s Gonna Take The Weight? (Parts 1 and 2)

By Darryl James

Participate in any discussion on relationships and you are likely to see a few things consistently.

First, you’ll see more women than men participating.

Second, you’ll see people passing stereotypes around, instead of seeking the truth with researched data.

And third, you’ll see one side blaming the other, while pretending to be listening in search of enlightenment.

Sad, I know.

But really, men and women are having difficulty talking to each other.

And, while no one wants to take the weight, both sides are to blame.

Men have to take their fair share of the breakdown blame because too many of us believe that it’s cool to tuck our emotions away. Too many men have also decided that it is better to appease women than to speak the truth and have them angry at us.  And too many of us think that having a discussion about feelings is for women and gay men.

Consequently, our voice is rarely heard, except in response to the voices of “those” women who are loud and negative, particularly in the media.

In fact, the media is filled with article after article about what is wrong with Black men.  Even when discussing the difficulties facing Black women, the finger is inevitably pointed at Black men. That’s why it’s confusing to see crazy people who get upset with me when I offer balance.

To the ignorant, balance means that I cannot say anything about women without someone simultaneously saying something about men.

Not only is that ignorant but it is in direct contradiction with the plethora of negative media coverage on men—Where the good ones are; why we are in prison, why we are “down low”, blah, blah, blah…..

At any rate, no one can deny that there is a war brewing between the genders and that unless more strong men stand up and make themselves heard, things will only get worse.

Click here to read the entire article (Parts 1 and 2)

Darryl James is an award-winning author of the powerful new anthology “Notes From The Edge.”  James’ stage play, “Love In A Day,” opens in Los Angeles this Spring. View previous installments of this column at http://www.bridgecolumn.proboards36.com.  Reach James at djames@theblackgendergap.com.

President Obama Reaches Out To The Black Community On The Web

By Gary A. Johnson

As the President gears up for his re-election campaign, it should be no surprise that the Obama administration recently unveiled a new web site to highlight its work and increase its connection with the black community.  The web site is the administration’s way of reaching out and sharing information of interest to black Americans.  According to the web site:  “Since his first day in office, President Obama has been working to secure the future prosperity of the African American Community through efforts such as increasing access to health care, creating jobs, revitalizing schools, and the development of targeted job creating investments in underserved communities. While much more needs to be done, we are making progress. This site is a tool for you to learn about how the President’s Agenda is helping to win the future among African-American Communities.”

The site has the latest blog post, fact sheets and more.  Click here to visit the web site.  You can even sign-up to receive e-mail alerts, browse through a photo gallery and watch videos such as the White House tribute to The Sound of Young America:  The History of Motown, a panel discussion with Motown Founder Berry Gordy, singer Smokey Robinson and singer John Legend.

The direct link to the White House Web site is:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/africanamericans

Blacks and the Economics of Voting

By Raynard Jackson

How long will the Black community continue to allow the Obama administration and the Democratic Party to insult them and then blame it on Obama not wanting to be perceived as a “Black” president?

Let me give an example.  You have invested in a business project, Obama Inc.

There were 4 classes of investors:  class W, which comprised 74% of the total stock; class B, which comprised 13% of the total stock, class H, which comprised 9% of the total stock; and class G, which comprised 4% of the total stock.

How would you respond to the CEO of Obama Inc. if he says the rate of return (ROI) payout would be as follows:  those who invested in class W stocks would be paid first, followed by, class G, then class L and the last to be paid back would be class B.

Well, any sane businessman would expect to be paid by order of the largest to the smallest investor.  If you were part of the class W stock (74%), you should be paid first and work your way down to the smallest investor.  This is normal and logical in the world of business.

Only in politics and with the Black community is this standard not adhered to.

In my above example, the class W stock represents the percentage of white voters from the 2008 presidential election (74% of the total electorate, of which Obama received 43% and McCain received 55%); the class B stock represents the percentage of Black voters from the 2008 presidential election (13% of the total electorate, of which Obama received 95% and McCain received 4%); the class H stock represents the percentage of Hispanic voters from the 2008 presidential election (9% of the total electorate, of which Obama received 67% and McCain received 31%); the class G stock represents the percentage of gay voters from the 2008 presidential election (4% of the total electorate, of which Obama received 70% and McCain received 27%).

Despite receiving 95% of the Black vote (who were the second largest shareholders in Obama Inc.), Obama has made a calculated decision to reward the gay and Hispanic communities ahead of the Black community (the smallest and second smallest shareholders in Obama Inc.).  In business, the CEO (Obama) and its board of directors (the Democratic National Committee) would be sued for fraud.  But Obama knows that Blacks will only complain and do nothing.

The gay community stopped giving money to Obama and the Democrats because Obama didn’t deliver on any of his campaign promises to them—recognizing gay marriage, repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and giving spousal benefits to gay couples who are federal employees.

The Hispanic community threatened not to vote for Obama or the Democratic Party if they didn’t get amnesty for those in the country illegally and passage of the Dream Act.

But, when asked what he would do specifically for the Black community, Obama said nothing—“he is the president of everyone and a rising tide lifts all boats!”

Despite being the second largest shareholder in Obama Inc., the Black community cannot point to a specific program or policy directed towards them and their issues.  How do you justify dividend distributions to other shareholders, but not your second largest?

Privately, the supposed Black leaders like Al Sharpton, Marc Morial (Urban League), Ben Jealous (N.A.A.C.P.) all agree with me; but they don’t have the guts to speak out publically because they still want to get invited to the White House and take pictures with Obama.

It took Obama almost 1 ½ years before he met with the Congressional Black Caucus; and what did they do?  They got mad!  Obama has yet to meet with any Black businessmen to discuss the disproportionately high unemployment rate within the Black community.

Just like no one fears angering Obama, no one fears angering the Black community.  Obama has made a political calculation that there is nothing to lose by ignoring the Black community and everything to gain—including white voters!

Obama believes that if he doesn’t do anything specifically for the Black community that somehow people are going to forget that he is Black.

The number 1 rule of politics is to reward your friends and punish your enemies.  I didn’t realize that Blacks were enemies of Obama.

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-public relations/government affairs firm.  He is also a contributing editor for ExcellStyle Magazine (www.excellstyle.com) & U.S. Africa Magazine (www.usafricaonline.com). 

Media Guru Angelo Ellerbee Extols Music Artists To Clean Up Their Acts

NEW YORK, NY (04/12/11) — Mr. Angelo Antonio Ellerbee has prided himself on being the etiquette coach to the stars and being an advocate for the true development of the artist for the past 36 years.  In 36 years, Angelo has seen and heard it all, from artists who can’t read or write to artists with rude manners and to the simply put, uneducated people that are running rampant nowadays in the music industry.  In recent months, with all of the upheaval caused by Chris Brown, Angelo feels that it is time once again to take on the music industry and challenge its artists to act like artists.Angelo Ellerbee was very public about the big commotion that was caused just two years ago when Kanye West ran up on stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance of her MTV VMA to express his dismay at her winning.  Ellerbee was appalled and said that the industry had been taken back 40 years, to before greats like Berry Gordy invested time in developing an artist, not just to sell records, but to conduct themselves as professionals.  Ellerbee was featured in Out Magazine and said this when asked about teaching celebrities manners as opposed to non-celebrities: “There is absolutely no difference. It is manners. It is respect. It’s just an extension of what their mothers and fathers should have taught them — the difference between right and wrong and how to sit at a table.”

Fast forward two years later and it seems we are back to “artists” who don’t know how to behave.  Chris Brown recently let his anger get the best of him at Good Morning America when he got angry about questions regarding his abuse of ex-girlfriend Rihanna.  In a fit of rage, he trashed his green room and threw a chair through a high-rise glass window, potentially endangering the lives of people walking on the street below.  Something as simple as how to act in an interview seems to have been lost in artist development and this is a prime example of that.  These are things that have to be the foundation of all artists, according to Angelo Ellerbee.  He leaves you with these thoughts on artist development and the lack there of — “Life is not a cup of instant coffee. It’s brewed coffee. It’s brewed over time.  That’s called the development of an artist. You can’t just grab an artist and have them record. This isn’t a part-time job — this is a full-time job! You have to raise the bar across the board. And that’s what we get so afraid of. And then we get afraid of, ‘Is my check going to get cut?’” Ellerbee is here to set the facts straight about the lack of artist development today and where artist development needs to go in the future.

Angelo Ellerbee is a dynamic motivational speaker.  He tells it like it is, period.  His 36 years of experience working with many high profile artists such as Mary J. Blige, Dionne Warwick, Ginuwine and DMX have only strengthened his knowledge of the music industry.  Ellerbee was recently asked to speak at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston to impart his knowledge and wisdom on the up and comers in the music industry, our youth.  There he was received with open minds and ears from the students who, to his surprise, were extremely unfamiliar with the idea of artist development the way it was done in the past.  It was this realization that encouraged Angelo to re-educate the public on the importance of not only artist development, but also being committed to your talent, loving yourself and being an upstanding model citizen.

Mr. Ellerbee is a popular, in demand guest speaker for various seminars, events, universities and schools, where he imparts his insightful wisdom to those ready to listen.

About Angelo Ellerbee

Angelo Ellerbee, the CEO of Double XXposure Public Relations firm is a veteran of the entertainment business, whose expertise in the industry turned into a full service public relations, image consulting and artist development company.  He has represented such clients as Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige, DMX, Ginuwine, Shabba Ranks, Gang Starr and many others.

If you would like more information on Angelo Ellerbee please visit his site at www.dxxnyc.com or to have Angelo share his wisdom as a guest speaker at seminars, events, universities and schools please contact Double XXposure at 212-629-9404 or email at inquiries@dxxnyc.com.

One Dropout Every 26 Seconds Is A Ticking Time Bomb for Blacks

A whopping 40 percent of African-American students don’t graduate from high school. These dismal statistics are creating an underclass of African-Americans who have become unemployable, while also affecting the very fibers of the black family structure.

By Lawrence C. Ross (04/06/2011)

Between the trials and tribulations of the controversial No Child Left Behind law, the growing issue of bullying in schools, and the feeling that parents, teachers and administrators are all searching for a magic solution to the problem that is the American educational system, here comes more bad news.

Recently, President Barack Obama’s education secretary Arne Duncan stated that every 26 seconds, a student drops out of high school. But things are even worse for black students; a whopping 40 percent of African-American students don’t graduate from high school. These dismal statistics are creating an underclass of African-Americans who have become unemployable, while also affecting the very fibers of the black family structure.

Marc Williams, a high school music theory teacher at Cesar Chavez Charter School in Washington DC, also works with the school’s retention program. He sees a number of different causes for black students not finishing high school.

“Our (African-American) students are dropping out of school for a number of reasons. Aside from the cookie-cutter answers that most folks give that speak to the lack of support from within the household, the fact that many of our students don’t have a ‘set’ of parents, and the obvious idea that many urban schools lack the fiscal resources that other schools have, there are some other things to consider here,” Williams said.

“We, as educators, are failing our students,” he added. “Independent and charter schools (in particular), in order to meet budgets, are spending less money for newer, inexperienced teachers that come fresh off the stage of graduation and into a situation that is a culture shock for them… It’s a set up for failure.”

When you dig deeper, you find that black boys in particular are in a crisis mode. According to the Massachusetts-based Schott Foundation on Public Education, more than half — 53 percent — of black male students drop out of high school without a diploma, compared to 22 percent of white males.

And the problem even extends to elementary school, in one of the best charter school programs in the country. A new study by researchers at Western Michigan reports that 40 percent of 6th to 8th grade black boys in the Knowledge Is Power Program charter schools (KIPP) drop out before completing the program.

It is already tough for high school graduates to compete economically with college graduates, with college graduates earning around $297,893 dollars more than a high school graduate during a lifetime. But without a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED), a student basically condemns themselves to underclass status. Individuals without a GED or high school diploma loses about $7,000 dollars per year in comparison to someone with a GED.

And in a modern military, where the ability to understand high tech systems is a premium, dropping out of high school and getting into the military is proving to be an obstacle. Even those with high school degrees are finding it difficult. Thirty nine percent of black applicants with a high school degree are rejected by the military. And those who do make it in are coming into the military with lower scores than white applicants, therefore putting them at a disadvantage when it comes to future advancement.

The real societal cost of a high drop out rate at the high school level is that it attacks the structure of the black family. Black high school drop outs feed a growing black underclass of economically disadvantaged families, making it more difficult to break the cycle of poverty. The state of New York is finding that having a GED helps prevent homelessness, and has created Back to School program in order to get individuals to complete their GED.

But the effects are also found in the college ranks. With black boys struggling to finish high school and go to college, some college systems are finding that when they exclude for college athletes, black male students are a scare commodity. In South Carolina, for example, only 3 percent of the student body at the University of South Carolina, Clemson and the College of Charleston, are black male students. This means that there’s a infinitesimal pool of eligible college educated black women looking for a relationships with men with similar educational backgrounds.

The high school drop out epidemic among African-Americans is not a ticking time bomb, it’s a tsunami that’s swamping the future of black America. State Farm Insurance is working with America’s Promise, the educational organization founded by former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, to fight high school drop outs through a new program called 26 seconds. But unless there are major changes to the current educational trends, look for the nation’s prisons to continue to be repositories for the black students left behind, as they grow more desperate to survive without educational skills.

Phillip Jackson is the Founder and Executive Director of The Black Star Project, based in Chicago.  Its mission is to improve the quality of life in black and Latino communities of Chicago and nationwide by eliminating the racial academic achievement gap.  You can e-mail Mr. Jackson at blackstar1000@ameritech.net.

A Stronger America: The Black Agenda

MSNBC’s “A Stronger America: The Black Agenda” had some extremely lively discussion – especially between Dr. Cornel West and Rev. Al Sharpton.  Other thought leaders were featured on this special discussing politics, education, incarceration rates amongst African Americans, and so much more.  If you missed the special you can check out the highlights below.

Clips from “A Stronger America: The Black Agenda”

1. Politics and the black agenda: Have the recent political debates brought to light issues African-Americans care about? Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, Democratic strategist Karen Finney and NAACP’s Ben Jealous discuss.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42520492#42520492

2. Dr. King’s legacy: If Dr. King were alive today, would he be in the front in the fight for unions? TheGrio.co’s Jeff Johnson, Marc Morial of the National Urban League, and journalist Karen Hunter, talk about Dr. King’s legacy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42520505#42520505

3. Closing the education gap for African Americans: NBC’s Mara Schiavocampo shares the stark statistics about how the U.S. education system isn’t working for African Americans. American Federation of Teacher Randi Weingarten, Department of Education’s Russlyn Ali, and director of “Excellent Education for Everyone,” discuss on msnbc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42520627#42520627

4. Incarceration vs. education: Why does the world’s richest country spend more money to keep African Americans behind bars than it does to provide them with the education that could lead to success? Panelists for “A Stronger America: The Black Agenda” discuss on msnbc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42520689#42520689

5. Jim Brown: Focus on at-risk youth: Football hall of famer and founder of Amer-I-Can Jim Brown, a non-profit that focuses on education of at-risk youth, says addressing family and community issues will also improve the opportunities for young African-Americans.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42520880#42520880

Broadway Theaters Educate Starts The Season with “Sister Act”

Broadway Theaters Educate (BTE) in partnership with Group Sales Box Office, was originally established to keep the arts and cultural events alive by taking first time theater goers, African-American youth, senior citizens and veterans of the theater from the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia areas to Broadway.  Due to overwhelming success, we are now taking groups from Philadelphia and Delaware to Broadway to capture the BTE experience.

Come join us and see “Sister Act” on Broadway, produced by Whoopi Goldberg.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Broadway production of “Sister Act” on Broadway and see some of the changes made for this Broadway production.  “Sister Act,” is a funny and musically enchanting play that is appropriate for all age groups.  Check out the video below to learn more.

Experience live theater with us! 

Click here to see our schedule and learn more about Broadway Theaters Educate (BTE).  Or visit our official web site at www.broadwaytheaterseducate.com.

 

“Sister Act” Review

By Gary A. Johnson

You probably know the story.  For those of you who are not familiar with Sister Act, here’s the story.

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with the with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.

I went to the premiere of the preview of “Sister Act” on Broadway. I did not think I would like the show. Boy was I wrong. This is a GREAT show that will run for years. The cast was great and the music had me toe-tapping throughout the entire play.

Before the play, we had dinner at B. Smith’s of New York and had the opportunity to meet the fabulous B. Smith herself.

See you at the theater!

MEMO: REAL SKIN IN THE GAME

BY MIKE RAMEY

While watching some sitcom gold recently, I happened across the following story. A man was interested in getting married.  His intended bride wasn’t opposed to the idea…but she has one condition: Her beau had to have a steady job.  Enter the local milkman on his bill collection run.  Future wife asked the milkman if he could get her future husband on at his company.

“Why sure, I’ll be happy to take him back to the plant to meet my boss,”  said the milkman.  “Of course, my day starts at 5am.  You’ll have to meet me at my house at 4:30am so we can be on our way.”  The future bridegroom recoiled at the idea of having to be somewhere by 4:30am to get to a job.  You see, he wanted a job…but on HIS terms, not the terms that were set before him.

Yep…the wedding was abruptly called off.

Now, I told you that story to tell you this one.

A few years back, I was a probation officer with my county juvenile court.  When the wayward teens of my county were brought before the court for crimes (allegedly) committed, all were equal before the bar of justice.  Unfortunately, when it came time for the teens to pay their debts to society by probation, detention, or placement in a treatment program, the equality came to a screeching stop.

I’ll be more than happy to tell you why.

The socioeconomic backgrounds, plus the financial resources of the parent(s) made a big difference in the ‘type’ of justice that was dealt from the bench.

The judge would recommend the least restrictive alternative avenue of justice for the offending teen, depending upon how much financial ‘skin’ mother and/or father or guardian put into the treatment plan for the teen.  IF parent or guardian would bring in a private-paid attorney, and pay for therapy or drug treatment on their own nickel, the court would likely agree and the teen would go into a treatment program.  IF parent or guardian used a public defender, and relied on the court for paying for treatment or therapy and didn’t put any of their financial ‘skin’ in the game, guess who was sized up for cell time?  Right.  The teen of the family that didn’t have the resources.

HANDS IN OUR POCKETS:

Let’s take my above example and expand it in our current economic depression.  Yes, I know that the MSM and politicians and business leaders like to say that we’re coming out our ‘downturn’.  However, when you have a good chunk of the workforce underemployed, dropped OFF the unemployment roles, or having NOT had raises for several years (while the politicians and CEOs have been getting their C.O.L.A. increases regularly); then I believe it would be safe to say that we are in a depression.

Recessions don’t go on for years.  Depressions do.

Brothers, let’s face it.  Far too many people have had their hands in the taxpayer’s pockets and consider ‘our’ money ‘theirs’ for their social programs.  Sure, its nice when a corporation ‘donates’ items to a worth cause.  The DLS is that it is a tax write-off for the corporation, and a price hike for the consumer somewhere down the road.  (Not to mention the fact that the corporation received some big tax breaks to locate their business in a particular state, city, or urban/suburban location).

As I like to say, the rabble has been roused.  The rabble being the taxpayers.

As a taxpayer, I pay up by payroll deduction and on April 15th .  Nevertheless, our taxes keep going up, and the service that we receive for our tax dollars results in little more than lip service from either political party.  Further, when taxpayers want to know what government(s) has done with the money that they have already received, we get the cold shoulder or silence…until the next election cycle.

SOMETHING TRULY FOR THE CHILDREN:

Of course, many of us have seen the fighting between schools, teachers and politicians over budget cuts.  This is really playing well in America’s classrooms.  Once again, students are getting an eyeful as to how much their teachers really ‘care’ for them.

As a teacher myself–from a family of teachers–let me give you my observations on education reform:  Too many of our public and private school teachers DO NOT have ‘skin in the game’ when it comes to quality of education for ALL children…only THEIR children are beneficiaries of the education system.

Amazed?  Check THIS out:  IF you want to get an idea as to how committed your child’s teacher is to your child’s education, ask them a simple question:  “Where do YOUR children attend school?”  More times than not, your child’s teacher will be sending his/her children to another school district…a BETTER school district than the one where he/she is teaching your child.  THAT should upset the taxpaying public.

THE RAMEY HOME DISTRICT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACT:

How do we change this trend?  How can we get union teachers and school districts to be more for ALL our children rather than ONLY THEIR child?

Simple. Everybody needs to put some skin in the education game.

How can this be done?  It’s all a matter of each state passing a simple law.  ONE piece of legislation.  I’ll call it the Ramey Home District School Improvement Act.

How would it work?  Well, each state would hold hearings and determine how many school district employees there are, and rank the school districts based upon whatever measure that they would decide.  Next, lawmakers would make it mandatory for ALL full-time school district employees–from the Superintendent to the Custodian–to enroll ALL of their school-aged children in the district where they work.  Furthermore, any FUTURE full-time school employees would–as a condition of employment–have to do likewise.

The Act would take effect two years after its signed into law.  Think of this as an ‘education’ wheel tax.  Where your paycheck comes from…your kids will go there also!

Of course, some segments of public education would be exempt…but not many.

Public safety unions–meaning police, fire and EMTs–have skin in the game with their service careers.  You can’t get more dedicated to your job than being willing to take a bullet or run into a burning building as a condition of employment.

Those in the education profession need the same level of commitment.

It is high time that teachers unions and school districts realize that the public is ‘hip’ to the money-wasting that is going on in many of our schools under the guise of “…doing it for the children…”.  If you want more tax money for your perks, gifts, retreats and training sessions/union meetings, taxpayers want to see you put more of your skin in the education game.

Put your child in the same classroom with mine.

I’ll bet we’ll see so much improvement, we won’t need to quarrel about test scores and fund-raising again…at least not until the next election cycle.

RAMEY, a syndicated columnist and book reviewer, lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. THE RAMEY COMMENTARIES appears on fine websites and gracious blogs around the world.  To correspond, email  manhoodline@yahoo.com.  © 2011 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications.

Dez Bryant: Fool or Victim?

By Gary A. Johnson

Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Dez Bryant is the talk of Big D and that is not a good thing.  Bryant is beginning to become more famous for his off the field activities than for his moves on the football field.  Earlier this week it was reported that Bryant was kicked out of a Dallas area mall for having his pant sag so low that you could see his underwear.  You would think that a grown man would know better, but age nor the money you make is no guarantee for common sense.  Bryant is walking proof that common sense, “ain’t that common.”

Bryant was also given a criminal trespass warning and told to leave the mall.  Reportedly Dez and his boys got a little rowdy and started to argue with the police and were issued warnings by the police.  Dez and crew decided to launch a series of profanity lace tirades in a public mall for being asked to pull their pants up.  Bryant has alleged that he was a victim of “profiling.”  Unbelievable.

What the hell is wrong with these “man-child” breed of men who just don’t get it?  Chris Brown doesn’t get it.  Dez Bryant doesn’t get it.  I could go on and make a long list of brothers who just don’t seem to get it.  And I’m not just talking about young brothers.  Lawrence Taylor doesn’t get it either.

Back to Bryant.

ESPN.com columnist Stephen A. Smith has an interesting perspective on this situation.  Never short of an opinion, Smith says Bryant is a fool.  Some blogger have criticized Stephen A. saying the columnist is being too hard on the Cowboys Wide Receiver.

Read Stephen A. Smith’s ESPN.com commentary below.

Ignorance is ignorance. It’s never bliss. Whether you’re with your honey, or driving a nice ride, living in affluence or, in the latest case, being a member of the Dallas Cowboys, it is simply never, ever a good idea to become conspicuous for being clueless. Naturally, most of us have better things to do with our time than to develop the insatiable need to tell this to Dez Bryant. But since his evident stupidity seems to be a bit contagious, perhaps it’s time to tell it like it is.

Bryant’s not an idiot. He just appears to be one. And if he continues to behave the way he reportedly behaved at the NorthPark Center mall in Dallas this past weekend, that stigma will be the kind of permanent fixture on his profile destined to cost him big-time dollars, and possibly his burgeoning career with the Cowboys.

And rightfully so.

You do not get into arguments with a police officer. Especially when it appears that police officer actually had a point and, quite honestly, you don’t. While we’re still unsure as to whether it may have been a crime for Bryant or his friends to be walking around a public mall with their pants hanging below their backsides, being asked to pull his pants up doesn’t fall under the category of “profiling.”

There would be no need to even address subjects like this, of course, had it not been for Bryant getting flagged with a criminal trespass warning by off-duty officers after exposing his underwear and buttocks to patrons at the mall over the weekend, according to police.

But now we need to address it because Bryant, essentially, asked us to by getting into yet another incident at a public mall.

“The outcome could have been avoided if the parties involved had simply complied with instructions given by the involved officers,” Dallas Police said via a statement.

The statement almost comes across as sounding sensitive toward what was not Bryant’s first incident at the mall where police said he had previously been involved in a “major disturbance” at a restaurant involving a woman, a parking violation and also cutting a line in a store. Perhaps, however, it’s time that we leave sensitivity out of the equation.

Nobody wants to see someone walking around in their drawers in a mall. Since when does education need to be provided on this issue?

Two-year-olds kick their legs up for their parents to put their pants on over their diapers. Kids learn to pull up their pants before they can speak in full sentences. Children can’t go out in public without being dressed, yet suddenly grown adults don’t know the difference?

Dez Bryant’s latest foray wasn’t a venture into lawlessness, just continued prancing toward rebelliousness and belligerence. There’s no excuse for it so there shouldn’t be any explanation for it, either. But since he tried, the rest of us might as well stop avoiding doing so ourselves.

“It really wasn’t me in the wrong,” Bryant told ESPNDallas.com, evidently, diming out his boys.

What Bryant doesn’t realize is that by saying so, he’s basically acknowledging they were wrong. Which means he knew it was the wrong thing to do. Which explains why he’s distancing himself.

So much for justifying his mouthing off to law-enforcement officials.

What there is absolutely no justification for is Bryant, his boys or anyone else wearing their pants below their backsides. Nobody needed President Barack Obama to say so over a year ago. We all knew it anyway.

This need to create fashion statements, using prison garb, tendencies, etc., to do it, is not just an act of stupidity but futility.

What do you think?

Grant Hill’s Unedited Response to the Fab Five’s Documentary

Due to space constraints, the editorial posted in the New York Times was shortened.  Read Grant’s full, unedited response to the Fab Five’s comments and follow other people’s responses on his official web site www.granthill.com.

I am a fan, friend and long time competitor of the Fab Five.  This should not be a surprise because I am a contemporary of every member of that iconic team.   I have competed against Jalen and Chris since the age of 13.  Jalen, Chris, and Juwan are my friends and have been for 25 years.  At Michigan, they represented a cultural phenomenon that impacted the country in a permanent and positive way.  The very idea of the Fab Five elicited pride and promise in much the same way the Georgetown teams did in the mid-80s when I was in high school and idolized them.   Their journey from youthful icons to successful men today is a road map for so many young, black men (and women) who saw their journey through the powerful documentary, Fab Five.

It was a sad and somewhat pathetic turn of events, therefore, to see friends narrating this interesting documentary about their moment in time and calling me a bitch and worse, calling all black players at Duke “Uncle Toms” and, to some degree, disparaging my parents for their education, work ethic and commitment to each other and to me.  I should have guessed there was something regrettable in the documentary when Jay Williams and I received a Twitter apology from Jalen before its airing.  And, I am aware Jalen has gone to some length to explain his remarks about my family in numerous interviews, so I believe he has some admiration for them.

In his garbled but sweeping comment that “Duke only recruits black Uncle Toms,” Jalen seems to change the usual meaning of those very vitriolic words into his own meaning, i.e., blacks from two-parent, middle class families.  He leaves us all guessing exactly what he believes today.   And, I wonder if I would have suggested to former Detroit Pistons GM Rick Sund to keep Jimmy King on the team if I had known, back then in the mid-90s, that he would call me a bitch on a nationally televised show in 2011.

I am beyond fortunate to have two parents who are still working well into their 60s.  They received great educations and use them every day.   My parents taught me a personal ethic I try to live by and pass on to my children.  They remain committed to each other after more than 40 years and to my wife, Tamia, our children, and me.  They are my role models and always will be.

I come from a strong legacy of black Americans.  My namesake, Henry Hill, my father’s father, was a day laborer in Baltimore.  He could not read or write until he was taught to do so by my grandmother.   His first present to my dad was a set of encyclopedias, which I now have to remind me of the importance of education.  He wanted his only child, my father, to have a good education, so he made numerous sacrifices to see that he got an education, including attending Yale.   This is part of our great tradition as black Americans.  We aspire for the best or better for our children and work hard to make that happen for them.  Jalen’s mother is part of our great, black tradition and made the same sacrifices for him.

It is unbeknownst to me what Jalen meant by his convoluted reference to black players at Duke considering how little he knows about any of them.  My teammates—all of them, black and white—were a band of brothers who came together to play at the highest level for the best coach in basketball.   I know most of the black players who preceded and followed me at Duke.  They all contribute to our tradition of excellence on the court. It is insulting and ignorant to suggest that men such as Johnny Dawkins (coach at Stanford), Tommy Amaker (coach at Harvard), Billy King (GM at the Nets), Tony Lang (coach of the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins in Japan ), Thomas Hill (small business owner in Texas), Jeff Capel (former coach at Oklahoma), Kenny Blakeley (assistant coach at Harvard), Jay Williams (ESPN analyst), Shane Battier (Memphis Grizzlies) or Chris Duhon (Orlando Magic) now or ever sold out their race.   To hint that those who grew up in a household with a mother and father are somehow less black than those who did not is beyond ridiculous.  All of us are extremely proud of the current team, especially Nolan Smith. He was raised by his mother, plays in memory of his late father and carries himself with the pride and confidence that they instilled in him.  He is the quintessential young Dukie.

The sacrifice, the effort, the education and the friendships I experienced in my four years are priceless and cherished.  The many Duke graduates I have met around the world are also my “family,” and they are a special group of people.    A good education is a privilege.   At Duke, the expectations are high for all of us.   Just as Jalen has founded a charter school in Michigan, we are expected to use our education to help others, to improve life for those who need our assistance and to use the excellent education we have received to better the world.   The total experience at Duke taught us to think before we act, to pause before we speak and to realize that as adults we have a responsibility to do good, not just do well.   A highlight of my time at Duke was getting to know the late, great John Hope Franklin, James B. Duke Professor of History and the leading scholar of the last century on the total history of African Americans in this country.  His insights and perspectives contributed significantly to my overall development and helped me understand myself, my forefathers, and my place in the world.

Ad ingenium faciendum, toward the building of character, is a phrase I recently heard.  To me, it is the essence of an educational experience.  Struggling, succeeding, trying again and having fun within a nurturing but competitive environment built character in all of us, including every black graduate of Duke.

My mother always says, “You can live without Chaucer and you can live without calculus, but you cannot make it in the wide, wide world without common sense.” As we get older, we understand the importance of these words.  Adulthood is nothing but a series of choices:  you can say yes or no, but you cannot avoid saying one or the other.  In the end, those who are successful are those who adjust and adapt to the decisions they have made and make the best of them.   I only hope I can instill in my children the same work ethic, the same values, the same common sense approach to life and the same pursuit of excellence my parents, Coach K and Duke gave me.

I caution my fabulous five friends to avoid stereotyping me and others they do not know in much the same way so many people stereotyped you back then for your appearance and swagger.  I wish for you the restoration of the bond that made you friends, brothers and icons.  I hope you reach closure with your university so you will enjoy all the privileges of its greatness.

I try to live my life as a good husband and father.  I am proud of my family.  I am proud of my Duke championships and all my Duke teammates.  And, I am proud I never lost a game against the Fab Five.

Grant Henry Hill
Phoenix Suns
Duke ‘94

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at 11:27 am and is filed under HillTop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.