new format

Hey my loyal readers, I just wanted to let you know I am going to a new format. Starting next week I will be live on Blogspot radio 3:00pm est. It's still Opinionated, but now it's Opinionated with dmsmith .This gives me a chance to interact with my people in real time. You will be able to call in ask questions ,say hello, give your opinion or just to cuss me out lol.  I will be providing links to the show . So even if you can't listen live, the shows will be archived. I will still be doing blogs occasionally, and will let you know when one is up. The topics will be the same, the attitude is the same, we are going to remain forever Opinionated!!! Remember each one teach one!!

When keeping it real goes wrong!!!

12:30 a.m Thursday morning Denise Darbeau, 24, of Queens, and her pal, Rachel Edwards, 24, of Brooklyn went to a McDonalds, near Sixth Avenue. It was a decision they will both live to regret. Darbeau,handed the cashier a $50 to pay for their food. The cashier Rayon McIntosh, told her he had to scan the $50 bill to make sure it was authentic, before he would give them their food.You know, standard procedure in most fast food restaurants to insure against being handed counterfeit money. That's when all hell breaks loose.Darbeau then slaps McIntosh across the face, prompting him to lunge forward and shove the two women. She leaps over the counter, while her friend Edwards retreats to the other end of the restaurant. They are heard screaming obscenities at McIntosh and calling him a p*ssy among other things. Now here is where keeping it real goes wrong, and the whole incident went left for our  brazen duo. Apparently they forgot that you don't hurl obscenities, much less put your hands on someone you don't know. After they ran behind the counter to attack a full  grown man bigger than themselves, they came face to face with a metal pipe. McIntosh proceeded to beat the brakes off both woman .

 Now I am never ever one to condone putting your hands on a woman . I have my mother, my sisters, my children, numerous aunts and female cousins, so I would never applaud any man being abusive to women. In the words of Chris Rock on the flip side "I understand". These "women" attempted to assert their control over a situation and a person that they had no control over. The tried to represent and keep it real.They  got a real ass whooping in the process.  Darbeau and Edwards picked the wrong person to try and bully. McIntosh served more than a decade in prison after being convicted of killing a classmate at Bronx's Evander Childs High School in 2000, when he was  19 years old. The two women were taken to the hospital. Darbeau suffered a fractured skull and broken arm which required surgery. She is in stable condition. Edwards suffered a deep cut. In the video, you can hear one woman screaming  "Stop it! Stop! Stop! Oh my God!” . “Someone call police!”Watch the video for yourself and give some feedback. I did not add the music

The Wrath of Cain

First and foremost, I want to send my condolences to the Family of Rev Fred Shuttlesworth. He was a founding member of Southern Christian Leadership Conference along with Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Rev. Shuttlesworth was the catalyst  who convinced the Rev King  and the movement into taking on "Bomgingham AL ", as it was known back then. Condolences go out to the family of Apple founder Steve Jobs, who changed the world of computing, recorded music and communications. Jobs was a true visionary and innovator, who created the first personal computer, the ipad, iphone and ipod. Last but not least, condolences go out to the entire Raider Nation for the passing of owner All Davis. Elected in 1992 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Davis was a trailblazer. In 1988, he hired Art Shell, the first black head coach of the modern era. He hired the second Latino coach, Tom Flores; and the first woman CEO, Amy Trask. Davis motto "Once a Raider always a Raider".

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, is back to putting his foot in his mouth. After winning a straw poll in FL last week, beating out Romney and Perry, he did an interview with the Wall Street journal .While discussing out-of-work Americans and the "Occupy Wall Street" protests, he had this to say    “Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself…It is not a person’s fault if they succeeded, it is a person’s fault if they failed.” Did you read that? Blame yourself if you got laid off. Blame yourself, if your job downsized. Blame yourself because the economy tanked. I understand the pull yourself up by your boot straps mentality, I really do, but this is something altogether different. This is irresponsible and patronizing. For someone running for President of the United States to tell  unemployed and laid off Americans that it is there fault for being laid off or unemployed, is like telling the victim of a hit and run, it's their fault for driving the speed limit.

Cain said today on CNN that he didn’t believe racism was a major factor holding minorities back in America , asserting instead that African Americans had a level playing field on which to advance economically. Cain said on CNN’s “State of the Union “I don't believe racism in this country today holds anybody back in a big way,”.” “Are there some elements of racism? Yes. It gets back to if we don't grow this economy, that is a ripple effect for every economic level, and because blacks are more disproportionately unemployed, they get hit the worst when economic policies don't work. That's where it starts.” CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley asked if he thought African Americans had a level playing field, Cain said he thought most of them did, using his own experience in corporations as an example. I will agree to a certain extent, I do think we as a people need to take more responsibility for our communities and our economic development, but to say the playing field is level, is beyond nonsense. I am not going to get into educational, economic and unemployment disparities. That is not what this blog is about today; it's about the message being conveyed by Cain. When you go to the ballot box next year, remember to vote for the person whose beliefs and stances most mirror your own, not the one who is" talking loud but ain't saying nothing".

To the Beat ya'll

i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie 
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop 
the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie 
to the rhythm of the boogiedy, the beat  
now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat 
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet .


Everyone of us is familiar with this verse.I know as soon as you read it you smiled, and started singing the song "Rapper Delight"!! What you may not have known, was the woman who brought us this song Sylvia Robinson passed away this week. She was as important to bringing Hip Hop to the mainstream through her legendary label Sugarhill Records in the late 70's and early 80's, as Puff Daddy would be in the 90's. “Rapper’s Delight” is generally considered hip-hop’s first recorded single. I for one do not remember if I heard "Rapper's Delight" or  "King Tim III" by the Fatback Band first .It really doesn't matter because Rapper's Delight introduced the emerging art form to the world. The record sold more than 14 million copies . “She was the first person to tap hip-hop culture and fix it on a record,” “She made rapping a viable commercial endeavor and created the rap business.” Dan Charnas, author of “The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop said in an interview.


Mrs. Robinson told Vanity Fair in a 2005 profile, that  she attended a party at an uptown Manhattan club, Harlem World in 1979 .There, she watched in awe as a rhyming DJ hyped the crowd up. He would say something every now and then like ‘Throw your hands in the air,’ and they’d do it, “If he’d said, ‘Jump in the river,’ they’d have done it.” Mrs. Robinson said she sensed the music’s selling potential. “A spirit said to me, ‘Put a concept like that on a record and it will be the biggest thing you ever had. So following that spirits advice , She signed three rappers to her Englewood-based label, Sugar Hill Records, named after an area in Harlem, and dubbed the trio the Sugarhill Gang. Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike and Master Gee would be catalysts for a musical revolution. She would later sign Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Sequence and a host of other groups. Sugarhill Records would succumb to unscrupulous business practices, shady deals and not paying artists their fare share of royalties . You know, the usual in the industry . This blog today is not about what brought down  Sugarhill, it's to celebrate a Hip Hop pioneer and the genre she helped unleash on the world. Sylvia Robinson was just as important to Hip Hop history as Kool Herc, Flash or Afrika Bambaataa. So I salute Sylvia Robinson, while standing in my B-Boy stance, with some classics from a classic label.











she even introduced us to Angie Stone 

Deathrow what a brother know pt 2

Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed in Texas Wednesday evening for his involvement in the infamous dragging death of James Byrd 13 years ago. He was executed by lethal injection at 7:21 p.m. est., according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Brewer and two other white men kidnapped Byrd on the night of June 7, 1998. They chained him by the ankles to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him for 3 ½ miles down a country road near Jasper, Texas . Byrd died when he was decapitated after he hit a culvert. Brewer was a former "Exalted Cyclops" whatever the hell that means, of a racist prison gang affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan. He spent most of his adult life in prison for various reasons. During the trial, Brewer took the witness stand and stated he was a bystander, not a killer. He tearfully admitted being present when Byrd was dragged to his death but, he said, "I didn't mean to cause his death. I had no intentions of killing anybody.” He only intended to drag him until the chain broke or Byrd's head became detached from his body, you know whichever came first. Brewer admitted kicking Byrd and spraying his face with black paint. Brewer said it was a reflex action taken to try to break up the fight between Byrd and John William King another accomplice in the murder. King also was sentenced to death and is awaiting the outcome of an appeal. The third man, Shawn Berry, was sentenced to life in prison. Texas does not play around when it comes to the Death Penalty!!

Also on Wednesday night at 11:08 pm est. Troy Davis, whose case drew international attention, was put to death by lethal injection. Davis was convicted of the 1989 killing of off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail in Savannah , Georgia . According to prosecutors, Davis was at a pool party in Savannah when he shot a man, Michael Cooper, wounding him in the face. He then allegedly went to a nearby convenience store, where he pistol-whipped a homeless man, Larry Young, who'd just bought a beer, according to witnesses at the time. The Prosecution said officer MacPhail rushed to the scene to help, but was shot him three times by  Davis .  A jury convicted Davis on two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of possessing a firearm during a crime, obstructing a law enforcement officer and murder. The murder charge is what led to the death penalty. Supporters argued that the original witnesses who testified against Davis were fearful of police and spoke under duress.7 of the 9 witnesses had recanted their testimony. Davis case was taken up by celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world. From Big boi of Outkast to the Pope, to former Former President Jimmy Carter who said Troy Davis should not be executed. “Incarcerate him for life, if necessary,” Carter told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last Friday. “There’s real doubt in my mind and the minds of many in the judiciary ... that’s he’s guilty. He was even a trending topic on Twitter. You have to love social media, people will sign an online petition, started by Diddy...you know "Vote or Die", "no more b*tchassness" Diddy, but won't get up off their behind and go vote or March.



This Blog is about the Death Penalty itself, more than the guilt or innocence of Troy Davis. I do believe there was sufficient evidence presented to grant a stay of execution for the murder of the police officer. What people are still glossing over is the fact that he did shoot someone in the face. The information gets fuzzy on the officers murder. If you are an advocate of the death penalty or an opponent, you know justice is not infallible. We know mistakes can and will be made. My question to you is, do we scrap the death penalty altogether? What I find interesting, is people I talk to who are against the death penalty are usually for abortion. The people, who are for the death penalty, are usually against it. I find that ironic. I do think the death penalty can be considered cruel and inhumane by some. I myself am for it; I bet I lost some readers with that one. Death penalty opponents say that using it is not a deterrent, well it certainly deterred the person put to death, because they won't do it anymore. I don't mean to sound cruel, like I said I believe Troy Davis may have been innocent of the murder he was convicted of, and put to death erroneously. Putting a moratorium on Capital punishment will not stop wrongful convictions. I also don't agree with the issue of Clemency in certain situations. In 2008 the Georgia the Board of Pardons and Paroles granted clemency to Samuel David Crowe, 3 hours before his scheduled execution, because he showed remorse and took responsibility for the robbery murder of a store manager. That is ridiculous to me on so many levels. I understand taking responsibility for your crime but saying sorry after the fact does not negate the crime itself. I will give you an example, Stanley Tookie Williams was a co founder of the Crips street gang, one of the single most destructive forces in the Black community. Tookie was convicted of 4 murders and sentenced to death. While on Death Row, Tookie after a few years began to renounce his gang lifestyle,  even authoring children's books about avoiding gangs. He was even nominated for a Nobel Prize. Now does his conversion absolve him of responsibility in the crimes he committed or the lives he took? No it doesn't, and not getting Clemency was the right choice in that situation. Do I think there are disproportionate numbers of "Us" on Death Row? Yes. Do I think there are sentencing disparities between Whites and Blacks ...Yes I do. I am still for Capital Punishment. The two death sentences that were carried out on Wednesday were two sides of the same coin. One  man was put to death for the heinous murder of a Black man, he also single handedly put an end to a centuries old tradition of providing a special last meal to a condemned prisoner in the state of Texas. The other was put to death in my opinion, because nobody wanted to admit mistakes were made in the investigation and prosecution of a murdered police officer.

Terrifying Live Report Of 9/11 attack.Never forget. Part 1.

Train a child in the way that he should go...

Judge William Walsh of Onandaga County sentenced Anthony Stewart, to 2 to 6 years for first degree robbery. Stewart and a friend had BB guns that looked real.They knocked a 73-year old man to the ground, and  Stewart punched him in the face multiple times. They then took all his money, which amounted to 7 cents...I'm going to let that marinate for a minute. The victim had identified Stewart and his friend as the perpetrators. Walsh said he issued the harsh sentence because Stewart declined to plead guilty, choosing to fight the charges.His friend, and I'm using that term lightly,Skyler Ninham, 16, pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to 1 to 4 years in prison.  Now I do understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty, but sometimes you have to take the loss and keep it moving. Stewart's lawyer, Laurin Haddad, had pleaded with Walsh to treat her client as a youthful offender, so that a felony conviction wouldn't remain on his permanent record.

 "For 7 cents, now you're making someone a felon for the rest of his life," she told the judge. I disagree,it was her client, who at 15 chose to run around with a BB gun that looked real, chose to act like felon and is now being treated like one. I have no sympathy at all. At 15 you know right from wrong. I can hear the comments now "What if that was your son?" If it was my son, the last thing he is gonna be worried about is a jail cell, his most pressing concern would be worrying about me, beating him down like he is a grown man. "What if he was poor or  hungry and was looking for food?" 7 cents is not going to buy you anything to eat anyway. Lock him up now while he has a fake gun, or lock him up for life later, for using a real one. I  take back what I said, I have some sympathy and do believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Hopefully this kid learns and doesn't let jail destroy him. I know plenty of people who went to prison and did not let it define them...this writer included.

In the words of Swizz Beats on to the next one! In Orlando Florida, Democratic State Senator Gary Siplin  has been pushing  six years for the so-called Pull Your Pants Up law. He finally got his wish last spring. The state legislature voted overwhelmingly to enact the ban at the start of the 2011-12 school year, making Florida one of only two states with a saggy pants ban for students. "We want our kids to believe they're going to college, and part of that is an attitude, and part of that is being dressed professionally," Siplin said. He originally wanted to make it a crime to wear saggy pants, but the current law subjects repeat violators to up to three days of in-school suspension and up to 30 days suspension from extracurricular activities. It also targets low-cut and midriff-exposing shirts on girls.Siplin handed out about a  dozen belts donated by a local church to students who showed up with droopy drawers at Oak Ridge High School . He left another 25 belts with school administrators to hand out as needed. Siplin said he also gave away about 100 belts at two other high schools as students arrived last week for their first week of school. I for one am ecstatic about somebody taking a stand against this horrible fashion trend. Now granted I used to wear tight Lee jean suits and tight adidas sweatsuits, but never had them hanging off my behind.

 Even when we started wearing baggy clothes, we still looked F.R.E.S.H!!!!The fashion trend has it's roots in the prison system.If some of these young men knew what it meant to let your pants "sag", they would pull them up in a hurry. Hip-Hop has a hand in this also, because kids are going to always follow a trend. If they see Lil Wayne wearing animal print dance skins at the VMA's, that is what they are going to want to wear. Siplin had to fight with the  American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, which contend the law violates personal freedom and unfairly targets minority students.I wouldn't say the targeting is unfair, but you call a spade a spade. If it's mainly minority kids wearing their clothes this way then so be it. If their parents aren't going to tell them to pull em up, somebody needs to. If your over 21 and your pants sag , you need to be smacked with a hardcover edition of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and made to watch the entire Roots DVD even part two with Halle Barry that was kind of wack. I'm out until next week so I leave you with this

This is a Man’s World…or is it?

This week I have treat for my followers, guest blogger Sharon Denny, an acclaimed author and good friend of mine. Sharon is an avid follower of Opinionated and wanted to share her opinion this week. So here we go...

In 1966, the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, musically proclaimed that men rule the world when he recorded the song It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World, a title that Rolling Stone magazine characterized as “almost biblically chauvinistic”. The song attributes all the productive work that goes on in the world to the male gender, but also states that it would all amount to “nothing without a woman or a girl.” This song became a staple of Brown’s live shows and went on to rank number 123 in 2004 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

Let’s fast forward 45 years to 2011, a new time and a new generation of pop culture where things are looked at a little differently. Beyonce´ Knowles, famed pop singer/entertainer and wife of hip hop mogul Jay-Z, has seemed to ruffle some feathers, of roosters no doubt, when she recently came out with the hit song Who Run the World (Girls).

In the lyrics, the question is repeatedly asked: Who run the world? Who run this mother? And the answer every time is: Girls! Even more powerful than the lyrics is the music video where Beyonce´ is backed by a group of similarly attractive women clad in racy clothing, dancing and singing as they proclaim that girls run the world. The lyrics suggest that men love it how the female persuasion is “smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business.” These lyrics, although they might seem a bit feministic in nature, are powerful enough that they have mesmerized young girls and young women all over the world to the point where they believe that if Beyonce´ say’s girls run the world, then it must be true! Girls do run the world!

When asked what he thought of the song, a male friend clearly expressed that he felt the song is misleading young women and girls all over the world to believe something which is against the will of God and all of nature, and that the message, as small as it might seem to some, has the potential to evoke what could ultimately be a very damaging view by this generation against the design and strength of the traditional family unit.

I admire Beyonce´ as an artist, and I give her two thumbs up for the sound of the song and the dance moves performed in the music video. I’ll even go as far as to say that I do believe that what she’s saying is partly true. In recent years, women have begun playing more significant leading roles in their lives and households than ever before. Women have had to take the reins in many situations and “run” their worlds for whatever reason, so in nutshell, these lyrics do hold some truth. But, even with all that being the case, do the lyrics perpetuate or add to changes that are already taking place in the current generations that some of the world fears will be the fall of mankind?

Just how much weight does music carry and just how much influence do entertainers have on where we’re headed as a human race? As simple as lyrics to a pop song may seem, do you see the magnitude of the affect that they may have over time? How much does it matter to you? Is it a big enough issue that you would consider making such decisions as to not spend money to support certain artists, or to ban certain music from being played in your household, or do you just go with the flow and hope that what you’ve taught your children (if you have any) has taken root in their minds and will help steer them in the right direction when it comes to decision making?

I think that no matter what we teach our children, and no matter how they’re brought up in the home, they’re still strongly influenced by the outside world with generational changes in fashion, attitude, world views, etc. The question is, do we act upon the things that we see influencing our children each and every time, or do we gracefully allow time and evolution to have their way? What say you?

SD Denny

Award-Nominated Author

Titles: The Baker’s Dozen (2007) & HALF (2011)

www.sddenny.com

Dog Eat Dog world!!

After telling GQ magazine that he didn’t want to come to Philadelphia to be a third-string quarterback after his release from federal prison, Michael Vick clarified his remarks. Vick states he is glad he chose the Philadelphia Eagles, even if he had more attractive options. Vick resurrected his career with the Eagles. He had an amazing season last year, and started in the Pro Bowl. He said in the article that Commissioner Roger Goodell was among those who convinced him Philadelphia was the right destination. He initially said in the article “I think I can say this now, because it’s not going to hurt anybody’s feelings, and it’s the truth”. “I didn’t want to come to Philadelphia . Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options.” Even though Philly ended up being a better situation for him, there are still times to keep your mouth shut and just not say anything. Stating the commissioner told him to play in Philly is basically collusion. That is neither here nor there right now anyway. That situation was not as bad as his next diarrhea of the mouth fiasco.

In the same GQ article when asked about the negative media perceptions of him Michael says

"They are writing as if everyone feels that way and have the same opinions they do. But when I go out in public, it's all positive, so that's obviously not true." The media, he implies, act as though he used to sneak into suburban yards, steal golden retrievers, and set them on fire. As if he were a lone actor, a single rampaging menace, a canine serial killer with no context, motivation, or back story. As if he is the only person in America associated with dogfighting.Now if there ever was a time to just shut up or keep your answer simple this was it.

On people not from his background understanding where he comes from

"Yeah, you got the family dog and the white picket fence, and you just think that's all there is. Some of us had to grow up in poverty-stricken urban neighborhoods, and we just had to adapt to our environment. I know that it's wrong. But people act like its some crazy thing they never heard of. They don't know.” see this is that ignorant ish that irks me. I was far from rich growing up so that is some nonsense. Honestly I have been to a few dogfights in my younger days, but I have never seen dogs electrocuted, drowned or strangled for losing. I understand that dog fighting is cultural, but we have to stop blaming everything on culture and upbringing. As long as the chains remain we are going to be shackled by our past and our inability to move beyond it.

Case in point, when the writer asked Vick if he felt people don't understand black culture, he stated "I think that's accurate.”I mean, I was just one of the ones who got exposed, and because of the position I was in, where I was in my life, it went mainstream. A lot of people got out of it after my situation, not because I went to prison but because it was sad for them to see me go through something that was so pointless, that could have been avoided.” I was one of those people that thought it was totally blown out of proportion. I did a blog a couple of years ago on the disparate sentences of NFL players. You have players who have killed people that did less time than Vick. I still feel because we are a dog loving country that he got a lot more time that he should have. I know he went to jail for running a criminal enterprise, but if you don't think killing those dogs had a major impact on his sentence, then you must believe the Tea Party is good for America and not racist. Michael Vick paid his dues and is now reaping the rewards of being an all star athlete. Now if he can learn to keep his mouth closed, the media and all his haters won't dog him out.

Privacy...I think not

The advent of computer-based telephone switches and the Internet has made it more difficult for the government to monitor the communications of criminals, spies and terrorists. Federal agencies want Internet companies to comply with the same wiretapping requirements that apply to telecommunications carriers. This proposal, though, may stifle Internet innovation. Furthermore, the new surveillance facilities might be misused by overzealous government officials or hijacked by terrorists or spies interested in monitoring U.S. communications.This was taken from a Scientific American article in 2008 .Now fast forward three years later. On July 27th 2011 The House Judiciary Committee approved a bipartisan bill called the “Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act”. It now has to pass the Senate. Congress is trying to pass legislation that would make it easier for law enforcement to access online information about the activities of all Americans, regardless if they are criminals or not.




While we were fretting over the debt ceiling, thinking it was Armageddon. Our government is on the verge of passing a bill that requires all commercial Internet service providers to retain information about all people who use their service. In the event they are ever asked to hand it over to the authorities. here is the essence of the bill (Retention of Certain Records- A commercial provider of an electronic communication service shall retain for a period of at least one year a log of the temporarily assigned network addresses the provider assigns to a subscriber or customer of such service that enables the identification of the corresponding customer or subscriber information under subsection (c) (2) of this section.) According to Rep Zoë Lofgren of California. “That last phrase, Subsection © (2), is a reference to 18 U.S. Code 2703(c) (2), which says, ‘A provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service shall disclose to a Government entity the name, address, local and long distance telephone connection records, or records of session times and durations, lengths of service, telephone or instrument number, means and source of payment for such service, including any credit card or bank account number.’” An amendment to limit the data that ISPs could collect to IP addresses only was rejected by a 7-16 vote.




Rep John Conyers the top ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee believes the bill is a sneak attempt at making it easier for the government to monitor citizens. “The bill is mislabeled,” he said. “This is not protecting children from Internet pornography. It’s creating a database for everybody in this country for a lot of other purposes.” The bills sponsor and the Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. Lamar Smith, admitted that the bill would be used more broadly than its title suggests. The data retention by ISPs would be used to “assist State and Federal law enforcement officials with child pornography and other Internet investigations.” I don't have to tell you that Rep. Lamar Smith is a Republican. They always say they want smaller government but then turn around and try to pass legislation for government intrusion into our privacy. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (Mandatory data retention would force your Internet Service Provider to create vast and expensive new databases of sensitive information about you. That information would then be available to the government, in secret and without any court oversight, based on weak and outdated electronic privacy laws. That same data could become available to civil litigants in private lawsuits—whether it’s the RIAA trying to identify downloader’s, a company trying to uncover and retaliate against an anonymous critic, or a divorce lawyer looking for dirty laundry. These databases would also be a new and valuable target for black hat hackers, be they criminals trying to steal identities or foreign governments trying to unmask anonymous dissidents.) So watch what websites you visit or emails you send the wrong click of a mouse and those black helicopters may be on the way. To protest ,voice your opposition or make your voice heard go to https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=497

Ignorant Ish!!

If President Obama invokes the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling, he would "effectively be a dictator," Republican Presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann said in an interview with American Morning anchor Kiran Chetry. “Congress has the power to lay and collect taxes,” Bachmann said "its Congress that does the spending. The President is prohibited to do that. If he had the power to do that he would effectively be a dictator. There would be no reason for congress to even come into Washington DC . He would be making the spending decisions. He would be making the tax decisions. Clearly that's unconstitutional.” The problem with her logic is that it's in the Constitution, so clearly it isn't unconstitutional, granted it's the 14thAmendment, but still. She also said not too long ago that "Our founding fathers worked tirelessly to end slavery". What country is she talking about? Our founding fathers all owned slaves, some had children with slaves.

People make mistakes and have an occasional slip of the tongue, when running for the highest office in the land. She seems to have a free fall of misinformation. Now I'm not saying that you have to be a Rhodes Scholar, or a Constitutional law professor or a former head of the CIA to run for President. You do however need to be smarter than a fifth grader!! We also have Herman Cain, a nice strong named individual who is also running for the Presidency. Who has said among other things, the construction of a mosque in Murfreesboro TN is “an infringement and abuse of our freedom of religion. He also said his solution to illegal immigration along the Mexican border would be to build an electrified fence that would rise 20 feet high above a moat filled with alligators. Cain also wants lawmakers to stop passing bills that are over three pages long. "Don’t try to pass a 2,700-page bill," Cain said in speech in Iowa”You and I didn’t have time to read it. We’re too busy trying to live — send our kids to school. That’s why I am only going to allow small bills — three pages. You’ll have time to read that one over the dinner table," Cain said. Tea Party "This is with whom you want to place your faith?"

With the current debt ceiling issue that is going on right now neither of them would have a sensible solution to the matter. Just to be clear despite all the posturing and posing in Washington right now, a deal will get done. They can act like Chicken Little and scream the sky is falling, but understand it will get done. Republicans make it seem that Obama is trying to do something no other President has done. In fact every President since 1939 except Harry Truman has raised the debt ceiling. Ronald Reagan "The Gipper" raised it 18 times; even Baby Bush did it 7 times. I don't recall any doomsday proclamations. I also want to state for the record that Obama actually opposed one of those increases to the debt ceiling under George W. Bush. He also criticized Bush for a lack of leadership. I'm just saying. Now if a deal has not been done by the time you read this, you better believe it will be soon. Contrary to popular opinion though it won’t be Armageddon if we don't. We will be late on a few payments to seniors and maybe the unemployed. Not bad from a big picture standpoint, but it's gonna cost somebody next election.

Shoot to kill

San Francisco police are saying a man they thought was fatally shot by officers, actually killed himself.Police thought Kenneth Harding was shot by an officer Saturday while trying to run away from a ticket violation. Thursday, authorities said they found evidence that the fatal wound on Mr. Harding was self-inflicted, .Commander Mike Bie. revealed the new theory at a news conference at the city's medical examiner's office.Kenneth Harding died Saturday after a confrontation with undercover officers .Police say when he was approached by the officer who wanted to see his ticket, Harding ran and police pursued him. During the chase, a gunbattle started and Harding was fatally wounded,Initially, authorities believed that San Francisco police shot and killed Harding during the confrontation in the city' Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.The shooting triggered angry protests by community members, who challenged the police version of what happened.Hmm a new version,new gun , new self inflicted wound.

The medical examiner stated."The bullet which was recovered from his head is not consistent with the service ammunition used by the San Francisco Police Department," Chief Medical Examiner Amy Hart told reporters.She demonstrated her point with a photo of the bullet removed from Harding's head.It was a .380-caliber and San Francisco Police are armed with .40-caliber ammunition, Hart said Medical examiner's staff also found a second, unfired cartridge (.380-caliber) in Harding's right jacket pocket. Harding was also wounded in the leg by a round apparently fired by pursuing officers....maybe he shot himself in the leg while running .I mean he did have bullets in his pockets, but no gun ? Maybe it was the shooter on the grassy knoll,or Professor Plum in the library?

The Police Department believes that the weapon used by Harding is missing along with a cell phone and casings.When the shooting occurred, a crowd gathered challenging officers. According to police "Based upon evidence known at this time including: officer and witness statements that Harding shot at the police officers, Shot Spotter data, video tape evidence that depicts a firearm at the scene that was subsequently taken and the location of gunshot residue on Harding's right hand, it appears that Mr. Harding's head wound was self-inflicted. It is unknown if Harding's injury was intentional or accidental." check the video below and tell me what you think. I said not too long ago we are Public Enemy#1! http://opinionated-dennis.blogspot.com/2011/03/public-enemy-1.html

Chedda Plax revisited!

From time to time I will be doing Blasts from the past,previous blogs dealing with issues that are still pertinent today. So with the NFL in a lockout and Plaxico Buress released from prison. I bring back one of my very first Blogs from 2009 "Chedda Plax".

Okay excuse me for wondering what the hell is going on in this world!!! My beloved Giants released their Super Bowl winning WR Cheddar Plaxico Burress, after he was indicted on weapons possession charges. Chedda Plax was subsequently sentenced to 2 years in prison. That’s right, 2 years for shooting himself in the leg with an unregistered handgun, and for attempting to conceal it in sweatpants... sweatpants... really? The point I’m trying to make is that there have been very disparate sentences in some of these cases. For instance Buffalo Bills RB Marshawn Lynch was sentenced to community service and probationhttp://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3955441 for misdemeanor gun possession after he was arrested on Feb. 11 after suburban Culver City , Calif. , police investigated a parked car without license plates and smelled marijuana when the driver rolled down the window. Lynch was in the car with another man. Officers searched the car and found a 9mm semiautomatic handgun inside a backpack in the trunk. Prosecutors said the backpack contained other items belonging to Lynch. Yet Lynch received probation.


So my question is why did Chedda Plax get the time he got, when he only hurt himself? I mean you look at Donte Stallworth http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/1131879.html who killed a man while driving drunk and high. Okay read that sentence again “He killed a man while driving drunk and high in his Bentley!!!!” He was sentenced to 30 days in jail…for killing someone!!!!! He must also perform 1,000 hours of community service and can never drive again. Okay when you drive a Bentley you can probably afford a driver, I’m just saying. My point is that justice can always be swayed, depending on who feels offended. Mayor Bloomberg came out after Chedda Plax’s arrest and said "It would be an outrage if we don't prosecute to the fullest extent of the law." Really… that’s how we are going to go after an athlete who never had a criminal record? I’m not saying Chedda Plax should not have been punished, by all means he should have been. Where do you draw the line? Is it really justice to sentence a man who shot himself to two years in prison, while sentencing another man to 30 days in jail for killing someone while driving drunk and high? I know laws and statues are different state to state but this disparity does not make any sense at all. Is it because the man Donte Stallworth killed was named Mario Reyes and could have been an immigrant? Now some say that Stallworth was being a stand up guy staying there and taking responsibility for his actions. That’s true, but the problem with this line of thinking is that, you are giving people credit for doing what they are supposed to do.


Chris Rock had a joke one time where he said “N*gga’s always want credit for things they are supposed to do” Like the guy who says I ain’t ever been to jail, you ain’t supposed to you low expectation having…” The point I’m trying to make, is that yeah Chedda Plax tried to hide the gun and acted like a complete fool the moment he shot himself and tried to cover the incident up and yeah Donte Stallworth called the police after he killed a man, and he cooperated with the police from the onset, as he should have. None of that negates the fact that he was driving while drunk and with weed in his system. Was he being a stand up guy then? Was he being responsible then? The answer is NO!! What we’ve learned from this incident, is Chedda Plax should have just gone clubbing in Miami with a dime bag and some Patron. He could have killed a Cuban immigrant been out of jail and catching passes from Eli in time for the playoffs

Justice or Just us?

OJ Simpson, Casey Anthony... two verdicts, two eras’, same outcome. These two trials captured our attention for obvious reasons. OJ was a sports icon who transcended race, an actor with a brilliant smile and an engaging personality. I was going to say movie star, but his most notable roles were Nordberg the accident prone cop in the Naked Gun movies and Kunta Kinte's father in Root's. Not exactly Oscar material. Casey Anthony is an attractive young white woman, who liked tattoos and partying. Two very different personalities, from different walks of life both charged with heinous crimes. OJ was tried on two counts of murder following the June, 1994 deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Casey Anthony was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of her daughter Caylee. Both trials resulted in the acquittal of the defendants on murder charges, while also having most of America believing they got away with murder.

"If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit.” Johnnie Cochran a legendary lawyer, whom if you don't do your home work would assume the OJ trial made him. You have to look deeper; Johnnie had been on the frontlines for a long time. He was one of Geronimo Pratt’s lawyers http://opinionated-dennis.blogspot.com/2011/06/revolution-will-not-be-televised.html he was known as a fiery orator and skilled attorney. On the other side of the spectrum is Jose Baez. He took eight years to convince the Florida Supreme Court to let him practice law, and he'd been trying cases for only three years when the Anthony case came along. People thought he was in over his head during the trial and even called him Bozo the clown. Now they are calling him "Juani Cochran." What happens now for Baez is anybody’s guess, book deals, TV appearances and a definite up tick in clients. It will definitely bring a lot of hate and criticism, from many outraged citizens. That's fine; people can be mad and disgusted. They can call the jury names. They can say with conviction what they would have done, but its conjecture. Johnnie Cochran and Jose Baez did what they were paid to do...WIN bottom line. The jury was entrusted with a job to do ,and they did it. They did it to the best of their abilities.

I am not going to sit here and say that I believe either of them was innocent. The justice system we have is not perfect, but it worked the way it was designed. The Prosecution was not able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that OJ and Casey Anthony were guilty. Think about this, the defense does not have to prove innocence, just reasonable doubt. You know, innocent until proven guilty. Don't get mad that Casey Anthony got acquitted, (I'm talking to my people now) you damn sure were not mad when OJ was found not guilty. People can try and rationalize all they want, murder is murder. You were not mad that two people were savagely killed in Brentwood . Nicole Brown was basically decapitated, and Ron Goldman was gutted like a fish. After that Not Guilty verdict, you were dancing and singing "we won, we won". Now Casey Anthony is acquitted and everybody is grumbling “man she was white, of course she got off". Stop the hypocrisy, her daughter is dead. Nobody knows what happened on both occasions. They will have to live with their actions for the rest of their lives. Can you live with your reactions?

Self Destruction

"BET Has Become The New KKK" is what the headline screamed. This week after the BET awards noted finance scholar and activist Boyce Watkins, stated that BET is the new KKK. He said that by accelerating, financing and supporting the “Lil Wayne gospel” to a community that is already dying, BET has effectively positioned itself as a new and improved version of the KKK. I admire and respect Dr Watkins, but calling BET a new and improved version of the KKK is off base. I am by no means a fan of BET , for too long they have been a shucking, jiving new millennium minstrel show. A friend of mine calls it Black Embarrassment Television. I admit to calling it a coon show on several occasions, but BET and Lil Wayne have never as far as I know lynched,hunted down or murdered any black people . According to Dr Watkins " The Ku Klux Klan has been regularly criticized for encouraging violence against African Americans and terrorizing our community. But the truth is that the Klan does 'nt have much power anymore, and their thirst for African American blood seems to have waned a bit. At the same time, Lil Wayne and artists like him have made a habit of encouraging Black men to shoot one another, to abuse or murder women, to consume suicidal amounts of drugs and alcohol and to engage in irresponsible, deadly sexual behavior."

Blaming sexually suggestive lyrics or lyrics encouraging drinking and drugs is to simplify the issue. There have been lyrics in Jazz and Blues since back in the 20's that glorified sex,drugs and alcohol . Listen to Minnie The Moocher or a host of other songs from Shake ,Rattle and Roll, I'm your Pusher to Sexual Healing . Now in know way am I comparing Lil Wayne to Marvin Gaye, but the point is those types of lyrics are not new. Jay Z, who has Obama on speed dial, used to talk about "Big Pimping" and having 99 problems" but a B*&^% Ain't one! I really could go on for days talking lyrics in Hip Hop, but we have to start teaching our kids what's fact and what's fiction. If we don't like what BET is showing, we can turn the TV off . This issue is bigger than BET or Lil Wayne anyway. They are just cogs in the machine. The problem is the Viacom's and Clear Channels. They are the ones that make this type of mindless music and entertainment available to the masses. It is still up to us to turn the dial or change the channel. We have that choice. If we don't support it they will stop making it. In the words of Black Sheep "The choice is yours, you can get with this or you can get with that !!"

Say What!!!

I apologize to my readers for taking last week off. I needed a bit of R&R, but I'm back on my grind. Last month Lupe Fiasco stated in an interview on "What's Trending," a CBS News video segment, "In my fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama, and the United States of America ," Lupe told host Shira Lazar. "I'm trying to fight the terrorism that's actually causing the other forms of terrorism. You know, the root cause of terrorism is the stuff that the U.S. government allows to happen, and the foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists. And it's easy for us because it's just some oil." That made better sense than just saying "Obama is the biggest terrorist”, but here is where he starts to suffer from smart, dumb brother syndrome. He explained why he doesn't vote, saying that casting a ballot for a politician is an endorsement of everything that person does. He won't do that for any presidential candidates because "I don't want you to bomb some village in the middle of nowhere,”

In 2008 he sang a different tune, during an interview with SOHH.com Lupe stated when asked who he was supporting for President "I'm not voting for anybody," Lupe told SOHH. "I don't believe in voting on that level. But I want Hillary [ Clinton ] to win,” So you don't believe in US foreign policy, but you won't vote for anybody to change it? If you were to vote though, it would have been for Hillary Clinton, who was running on the "stay the course in Iraq platform”. The" I have wartime experience" Hillary? That is who you were supporting? Smart dumb brother! I honestly think that Lupe is a very intelligent, talented artist, but very hypocritical. Back in 2007 his business partner Charles Patton was sentenced to 44 years in prison after being convicted of heroin possession. Police found 13.2 pounds with a street value of $1 million in 2003. I guess urban terrorism is okay as long as it doesn't affect innocent, poor, hardworking people...Oh wait that's exactly what drugs do. Don't drop bombs on countries, but it's ok to drop drugs in the hood.

Don't come off as this man of the people trying to uplift us all, when one of your best friends is one of the biggest drug dealers in the Chicago area. You come off as an armchair revolutionary. Lupe went on the Bill O'Reilly show the other night to clarify his Obama comments. O'Reilly stated that the responsibility of the president is to protect the country and that Obama was doing that through "aggressive action" in Afghanistan . They both agreed that the death of Osama Bin Laden was a legitimate action. Lupe stated that the aim of the war in Afghanistan was to go in and find Bin Laden, which O'Reilly then stated, was an oversimplification of the war. It was actually a pretty good discussion. Lupe held his ground and didn't let Bill over talk him. I was surprised that Fox did not bring up Lupe's business partner. They usually do their homework, when trying to erroneously assassinate someone’s character. Hopefully this will help Lupe with his next album and we won't be subjected to Lasers 2.

Tracy Morgan made headlines a few weeks ago after a show he did in Nashville TN. Tracy said in his routine that if his son were gay he would "pull out a knife and stab" him, among other anti-gay statements. Kevin Rogers was in attendance at the show and he was offended by Tracy 's remarks. Mr. Rogers a gay man promptly went home after the show and hopped on Facebook to complain about the jokes. You already know how this ended, with The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation demanding an apology from Tracy . I personally don't find Tracy 's stand up funny at all, but I love him on 30 Rock. Political correctness has gone too damn far. Now comedians can't say certain jokes, because they will offend somebody at a comedy show!! Tracy Morgan apologized Tuesday to audience members in Tennessee who were offended by his remarks. This was his second time apologizing. He went on an apology tour like he was R Kelly. Last Friday he met with homeless lesbian and gay youth in New York City . People say there is so much violence against gay's and lesbians; you have to watch what you say etc. If anyone lets a joke, a sitcom or songs convince them to commit a crime against anyone else; they have bigger mental issues to deal with.

I'm tired of the Gay mafia saying they want to be treated equally, then getting offended when equal opportunity jokes are made. If you don't like the jokes, leave the show. If the song offends you, turn it off. Stop taking every little comment that you find offensive, and turning it into a crusade. We have so much going on in our country right now; that the time devoted to this issue is ridiculous. In my opinion he should not have apologized at all. Kevin Rogers (the guy who started it all) stated "A large majority of the audience did laugh and kind of cheer," he said. "I'm not sure how much of that was nervous laughter and how much was in genuine support of the words. I know at the time, to me and my partner, we felt that there was genuine support of those words." There you have it; most people thought it was funny in the context of the routine. A couple didn't and now we have the Tracy Morgan apology tour 2011. This is what we are reduced to, having to apologize for a joke by an unfunny comedian. If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all. ~Noam Chomsky

X-Clan "Weapon X"

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised!!

“The Revolution Will Not be Televised” famous words spoken by a revolutionary poet and lived by an actual revolutionary. In the span of a week we lost Gill Scott Heron and Geronimo Ji Jaga aka Geronimo Pratt. Some would say that Gil Scott was a sort of Godfather of Hip Hop. He himself often said in interviews numerous times that he was a “bluesologist,” drawing on the traditions of blues, jazz and Harlem renaissance poetics. He along with The Last Poets, a group of black nationalist poets who emerged with him in the late 60s and early ’70s were the forefathers to the Public Enemy’s, BDP's and pre family friendly Ice Cube. Chuck D told The New Yorker just last year “You can go into Ginsberg and the Beat poets and Dylan, but Gil Scott-Heron is the manifestation of the modern word, he and the Last Poets set the stage for everyone else." The Revolution will not be televised, was a seminal performance of spoken word that was both funny and enlightening in its audacity.

"The Revolution will not be televised". Truer words were never spoken, especially about brother Geronimo Ji Jaga , one of my personal heroes. He didn't write "Soul on Ice”,"Soledad Brother" or any of the other books by former Black Nationalists. He didn't have too; he lived in the belly of the beast for 27 years, 8 in solitary confinement. Geronimo was wrongfully convicted for the 1968 murder of Caroline Olsen on a Santa Monica tennis court. He was the Minister of Defense for The Black Panther Party, but never an official Black Panther. He was a decorated Vietnam veteran, and a victim of Cointelpro. The pet project of former FBI director and infamous cross dresser, J Edgar Hoover. The program was designed to infiltrate and disrupt The Black Nationalist movement of the 60's and 70's. It worked like a charm. The Panthers ended up being the number one priority, after Hoover called the group 'the most dangerous threat to American national security.' When his wrongful conviction was overturned, Geronimo settled a lawsuit with the city of Los Angeles and the FBI for $4.5 million. He settled in Tanzania Africa. That is where his life came to an end last week, but not his legacy. People don't realize the resilience of Geronimo, he could have been released from prison long before those 27 years were up, but he always maintained his innocence and dignity. He came from the lineage of Hannibal, Shaka Zulu , Nat Turner and Marcus Garvey. His contemporaries were Bunchy Carter, Eldrige Cleaver, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. If you don't know those names, don't wait until February to find out who they are. Read 'Last Man Standing' by Jack Olsen to learn more about Geronimo Ji Jaga. There is much more to his story.

"The Revolution will not be Televised”. Unfortunately The Revolution has been packaged and sold for mass consumption through television, radio and the internet. We once fought the Power with Black Steel, in The Hour of Chaos. We didn't believe the Hype, because our Uzis Weighed a Ton. We asked Why is that? We were told You Must Learn. Now we do the Dougie and make it rain at strip clubs. Revolutions need revolutionaries, but there is no money in Revolution. Not that it matters because" Niggers are scared of revolution, but niggers shouldn't be scared of revolution because revolution is nothing but change." In an interview with Eye Weekly a Canadian website in 2008, KRS One stated "There comes a time where you have to become the president that you are protesting against if you want to make some change. And my time has come. The revolution only works for those who participate in it." The Revolution was sold a long time ago, before KRS and Nike deemed it basketball. The revolutionary spirit of these two extraordinary brothers will live on. Who will pick up the mantel, will it be you? A revolution doesn't have to mean overthrowing the government. It could mean changing the garbage spewing from the radio or changing the programs on TV. It could mean kidnapping Flava Flav and holding him hostage for Chuck and the S1W's. There is nothing wrong with wanting the American Dream. What is your dream for America? Is it revolutionary ?

Rewind!!!!

Back in April, I did a three part blog series about Homosexuality in our society. The one dealing with the church was titled "Road to Damascus ". I talked about the allegations lodged against Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia . Long was sued in September by four young men from his congregation for claims of sexual misconduct. The young men say he enticed them with trips to exotic locales, cars, jewelry and money. Long stated he would fight the charges and that he felt like David against Goliath, “I got five rocks, and I haven’t thrown one yet. I wrote “I don't know how the Eddie Long saga will play out, but usually where there is smoke there is fire. My opinion, and this is "Opinionated" after all, is that it will be settled out of court with hush money, a gag order and no public admission of guilt. "

Last week lo and behold Bishop Long settled out of court with the four young men and neither side is talking. Long previously said he would “vigorously” defend himself against charges that he used spiritual authority and material enticements to curry sexual favors from the men. Now he doesn't have to defend himself, he can just use the gag order to gag himself. B. J. Bernstein, the young men's lawyer, said they would not discuss the matter “now or in the future.” How convenient for everyone involved, Stevie Wonder saw this settlement coming. A Long spokesman, Art Franklin said the pastor settled because it “is the most reasonable road for everyone to travel. “This decision was made to bring closure to this matter and to allow us to move forward with the plans God has for this ministry,” Bishop Long is an internationally known televangelist, who crusaded against gay marriage and homosexuality. You knew with his background and history there was never going to be a trial. That would have meant a lot of scandalous information being released for public consumption. A prosperity preacher with an alleged penchant for young men could not have that. It would have ruined the message, and shown the hypocrisy of the messenger.

Moving right along, Naomi Campbell...remember her? She is considering legal action against Cadbury, the chocolate candy maker in response to an ad that compares her to a Dairy Milk Bliss bar. The ad which only ran in the UK states "Move over Naomi, there's a new diva in town," and shows the candy bar nestled in diamonds. The campaign ran in supermarkets and newspapers. Naomi feels that being compared to a chocolate candy bar is racist. She told a UK newspaper "I am shocked. It's upsetting to be described as chocolate, not just for me, but for all black women and black people. I do not find any humor in this. It is insulting and hurtful." This is the same Naomi Campbell that had to do forced community service for throwing a cell phone at her maid. The same Naomi Campbell that was once kicked out of a Diddy Party, a Diddy party!!! Diddy has naked women dancing in cages; a woman had her hair catch fire at a Diddy party. How ignorant and belligerent do you have to act, to get kicked out of a Diddy party? Yet this woman is offended by a candy bar...a candy bar! The problem here is that we are so PC that anything we may not agree with, we automatically deem racist if we can use it to our advantage. I found nothing racist in being compared to a chocolate bar; she's chocolate and looks good. She needs to be worried if, they start comparing here to a California Raisin, that would be shocking, hurtful and damn funny.