A Few (Very) Scattered And Random Thoughts About The Gun Control Debate.

While I've been away the past few weeks (and not blogging) I have been paying attention to the various happenings on Capitol Hill, and saw some of yesterday's Congressional hearing on gun control. Much of the hearing was the expected circus of Democrats insisting they don't want to take anyone's guns (although gun control without confiscation is like safe sex without a condom) and Republicans blaming everything but auto/semiautomatic weapons for the spate of recent public shootings. Seriously, if I hear one more old man blame rap music or Call Of Duty for Newtown, I'm gonna go postal.[1]

That said, here's a handful of scattered thoughts:

Where Is The President? - Yes, I know he sorta delegated this to Joe Biden, and Biden's done a good job keeping this topic in the public eye and pushing the President's agenda. But why isn't Obama being more vocal about this? I know he has to multitask, so I'm not questioning that. But one thing really struck me as dishonest recently. The President indicated that he respects the rights of gun owners because, well, he skeet shoots at Camp David. Sorry, POTUS, but I know pandering when I hear it. That's pandering of the worst kind. While I don't doubt that the President has shot skeet at some point, bringing it up as a way to tell gun owners "I'm one of you" is just silly, pointless, and undermines his point. I went to a Caps game once, but I wouldn't tell anyone I'm a hockey fan. Likewise, the President resorting to lowest common factor populism just reaks of this.[2] He should stop it.

Where Is "Urban America"? - We all know that this whole gun debate is only happening because of how and where the last tragedy occurred. And while I'm happy that it's finally happening, I can't help but worry that it's misguided in many ways. Chicago's lengthy spate of gun-related deaths barely even came up during these debates, and only then as a foil by the GOP for why gun control doesn't work. And they're actually right. Most "urban crimes" don't happen with semi-automatic guns, nor are they perpetrated by people who would fail background checks because they are deemed mentally incompetent. None of the proposed legislation will stop one brother from killing another over a pair of sneakers. It's disingenuous for the Democrats to ignore this, just as it's disgusting to see Conservatives pretend to care about black people killing each other in the name of not doing anything at all on gun control. As a guy who lives in a place much more like Newtown than the South Side Of The Chi, I'd personally like to see these problem looked at from a 360 degree perspective. Of course this won't happen.

Gabby Giffords Is An Angel. - You are not a human being if you aren't the least bit moved by this.



Of course, not everyone's a human being.[3] In fact, I'm not exactly sure what species Michelle Malkin is, but I think it should be eradicated.

Wayne LaPierre Is An A$$hole. - What more need I say? Does this guy realize how much of a douche he comes across as? He obviously doesn't care, but maybe he should. Everytime he opens his vile mouth, he only helps undermine whatever point he's trying to make. Pretending everything but restricting certain types of guns from being sold is the fix is dishonest and smarmy. Like it or not, public perception on this issue has changed. That sorta happens when 20 kids are mowed down at school. Deal with it.

Nothing Is Gonna Come Of This. Nothing. - Democrats are scared of losing seats in 2014 if they push for real gun control. Republicans are scared of LaPierre and the NRA. I'm not 100% certain the President really cares about this issue or if he's just giving it the usual lip service. In the end, I suspect the Executive Orders he passed will be the only lasting changes of significance in the area of gun control. It pains me to say that, but that's just where we are as a country.

Question: What are your thoughts on how this debate has played out so far? What will happen in the end?

[1] No, I actually won't. That's called "hyperbole", just in case the Feds is watchin'.

[2] 10,000 Cyber CapriSuns to the first person who can explain this to the rest of the class.

[3] Read the comments. Or don't.

Ratchet ATL Mother Gets Tasered By Mall Security Guard.

Okay, I already realize just how late I am with this one. Give me some grace, I've been on the road all month. I'll prolly be playing catchup with some short posts for the time being. Anyways, I've only been forwarded this video about 102,932 times already, so I suppose I'm legally obligated to share some random assed thoughts on the latest viral sensation on Black Folks Twitter.



And while the security guard may have abused his authority, for those interested in additional security related devices, even stun guns and items specifically related to protection, if you got a moment, visit this security camera website. They've got quite a few products suitable for most of today's needs.

Lets count everything wrong with this video:

1) I'm pretty sure the mall security guard didn't handle the situation that lead to this incident properly. Mall security guards are pretty much notorious for having short leashes, and there's a great chance this whole thing coulda been avoided had a cooler head prevailed. That said...

2) Seriously though, what the hell kinda parenting is this? These hoodrats (yes, this would be the appropriate situation in which to deploy such a disrespectful moniker) have no sense of public decorum or self restraint. Unless the mall cop put his hands on your child (and it doesn't appear that he did) no situation warrants the response we see here. Calling the man out of his name, invading his personal space, and generally being a poor excuse for a lady are not the remedy.

3) The kids tho... man... my heart bleeds for these children. I have no doubt whatsoever that these little crumbsnatchers were in full-on Bebe's Kids mode in that mall. Their "mothers" likely did nothing (besides yelling at them in a similar fashion to the verbal abuse they're flinging at this mall cop) to reel them in. And the fact that they almost reflexively resort to calling the cop "gay" is sad on about 8,000 levels. These kids are gonna be on the wrong end of a bullet someday. Yeah, I said it. And it won't be their fault (entirely). Just as it isn't these women's fault (entirely). This sh*t don't happen overnight.

4) The taser... well, some folks are saying it was excessive force. Me? I think it was warranted. He didn't have a gun. He did warn her repeatedly. He did tell her "BACK UP!" She ain't care. And she got laid the **** out, with the quickness. Funny how those rambunctious asshole kids suddenly reverted to just being scared kids when their Mommy hit the pavement, huh?

5) You are NOT the father!!! Seriously, ain't it funny how dude just materialized out of thin air to come to the rescue of his baby moms (you know they ain't married) waaaay after the fact? Where was he when this was going down? Where was he when his kids were actin' a damn fool in the first place? And why is he announcing the fact that he'll be back at 6 o'clock? Who announces the date and time that they'll return for revenge, other than someone who isn't actually going to return for revenge? Has this moron heard of "telegraphing your next move"? Does "element of surprise" ring a bell? Doesn't he realize the rent-a-cop will just take off at 5:59?

6) How the hayell does this end up on the internet anyway?

Seriously, this is everything (and then some) wrong with America (and not just the black part) conveniently condensed into 4 minutes 49 seconds.

Where is Obama!?!?![1]

Question: Did the mall cop abuse his power? Should these hoodrats be spayed and neutered? Is there any hope for "certain segments" of Black America?[2] Where is Barack?!?

[1] Before anyone gets sidetracked in the comments, this is an inside joke, folks. Seriously. A joke.

[2] There's a Part II to this, but I can't tell if it's the same "father" coming back for revenge. Just looks like a bunch of random Negroes trying the same mall cop. Zzzz.....

AB.com OOTO Open Mic.

I'm busy and back on the road this week, it's just that time of year. It'll be over very soon, and the blog will be (somewhat) back to normal. If you really gotta know what I'm up to, follow me on Twitter. The link's over there to the right. ->

Remain calm and comment on. I'll be back soon.

Question: What's on your mind today?

Inauguration Day Open Thread.

A lot of things can change in 4 years.

Back in 2009, the nation was inspired by the elevation of a mostly unknown Illinois Senator to the highest office. Millions came to DC to witness history, braving sub-freezing temperatures. And yeah, I was there myself.

This time around, things are a little different. The crowds on the Mall will still be big, but not quite as big (nor enthusiastic) as last time. Some of the sheen of the historic accomplishment has worn off. And nope, I won't be there myself this time. In fact, not only am I working on Inauguration/MLK Day, I'm actually on the road for the Day Job today. #TeamSellOut

Let's face it, is anyone as excited this time around? Maybe ya'll are. Personally, I'm so discouraged by the gridlock that has paralyzed progress in DC that whatever hope I might have had for anything of substance to happen in Obama's 2nd term has basically dissipated. No speech today can change that. Sorry for being a downer, but it is what it is.

Anyways, I'm sure some of you will be watching today anyhow (assuming you aren't on the Mall yourselves). Here's your place to chime in with your thoughts on this (still historic) day.

Question: What are your Inauguration Day thoughts?

Manti Te'o And His Imaginary (Dead) Girlfriend.

I can't say I'm the most frequent viewer, but I'm well aware of MTV's runaway hit reality series Catfish. For those unaware, the show is about people who start relationships and fall deeply in love with people online whom they've never actually met in person. If you're at a loss for understanding how such a thing can actually happen (penetentiary pen pal marriages notwithstanding), the show tries to unite the couples offline, often to disastrous result.

While I like the show, I think, like most reality shows, a great deal of it is scripted. A somewhat scripted, "real life Catfish" is playing out in the media, with against the backdrop of big money college football.

Notre Dame's athletic director and the star of its near-championship football team said the widely-reported death of the star's girlfriend from leukemia during the 2012 football season was apparently a hoax, and the player said he was duped by it as well.

Manti Te'o, who led the Fighting Irish to the BCS championship game this year and finished second for the Heisman Trophy, said in a statement today that he fell in love with a girl online last year who turned out not to be real.

The university's athletic director, Jack Swarbrick, said it has been investigating the "cruel hoax" since Te'o approached officials in late December to say he believed he had been tricked.

Private investigators hired by the university subsequently monitored online chatter by the alleged perpetrators, Swarbrick said, adding that he was shocked by the "casual cruelty" it revealed.

Te'o said during the season that his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, died of leukemia in September on the same day Te'o's grandmother died, triggering an outpouring of support for Te'o at Notre Dame and in the media.

"While my grandma passed away and you take, you know, the love of my life [Kekua]. The last thing she said to me was, 'I love you,'" Te'o said at the time, noting that he had talked to Kekua on the phone and by text message until her death.

Now, responding to a story first reported by the sports website Deadspin, Te'o has acknowledged that Kekua never existed. The website reported today that there were no records of a woman named Lennay Kekua anywhere.

Te'o denied that he was in on the hoax.

Having read the full story on Deadspin (I was bored), it's fairly clear what happened here. Te'o and a friend seem to have conspired to make up a sympathetic story that raised his national profile and probably (along with his stellar play on the field) helped him to his Heisman nomination. Amurricah loves sports redemption stories, and death pRon mixed with BCS championship level football is an elixir the mainstream media couldn't resist. It's fairly amazing how flimsy Te'o's story seems after the fact.

He allegedly carried out this ruse over the course of 3 years, which is beyond puzzling. That nobody bothered to check death records, or call Stanford, or bother using common sense when reporting this is even more puzzling.



I'm not sure what's worse: lying on your d***, or inventing a fake girlfriend, then saying she died? Why Te'o felt the need to concoct such an easily debunkable story is beyond me. It'll be interesting to see what NFL GM's think. This guy was (is?) a guaranteed 1st round draft pick.

Now? His pro football career might be just as dead imaginary as his girlfriend. Was.

Question: Does this young man have some serious psychological issues? Have you ever been "Catfished" online, only to meet the person on the other end and have them look nothing like their profile picture?!?

AB.com Open Mic Monday.

I'm busy and back on the road this week. Day Job and whatnot. So new posts might be scarce. Doesn't really matter, since this is you guys show anyway. Have at it.

Question: What's on your mind today?

What Conservatives Actually Have Right About Gun Control.

Yesterday's White House/NRA pow wow predictably has resulted in little action and it's clear that unless the President provokes executive priviledge, no substantive changes that could prevent the next Aurora or Columbine will happen anytime soon. And while I hope this doesn't sound crass, reality is, we know that the President is not courageous (or stupid, depending on your take) to confiscate peoples' guns, or even singlehandedly ban assault weapons. That sh*t is not going to happen.

Guns are American as baby mommas and McDonalds' apple pies. Every politician, right or left, is scared of death of the backlash from their constituents if they ever enacted real gun control. It is what it is, and as I predicted shortly after Sandy Hook, 20 dead children will not change a thing. Yes, Amurricans care more about their AK-47's and they do Lil' Timmy. Deal with it.

I'm not huge fan of CNN's Piers Morgan, but I give him credit for the frequency of gun control discussion he's held on his nightly show in recent weeks. Backlash against Morgan has been so severe that people organized a petition to have him deported, and a raging right wing talk show host essentially challenged him to a fistfight on TV earlier this week.[1] Last night, he has some wacko from Breitbart.com on, and oddly, I found myself agreeing with the Wacko. Somewhat.

The guy actually has a point here.[2] The media as a whole (and the White House for that matter) doesn't really give two sh*ts about urban crime and the thousands of people of color who kill themselves each year. These are indeed usually carried out with illegally obtained handguns, not assault rifles. The fact that politicians and media types can be moved to (token) action only one a(n admittedly tragic) school shooting (momentarily) tips the scales of public opinion says a lot about this country and what those who run find important. Which is why this whole gun control debate has me a little conflicted. There's also the niggling thought that since I now have a daughter, I suddenly find myself interested in at least learning how to maintain and properly use a firearm. Don't ask why this instinct didn't kick in two sons ago. I don't know myself.

That said, obviously something should be done. There's no reason why anyone who isn't in law enforcement or the military needs a gun capable of firing 5 rounds per second. None whatsoever. But banning the manufacturing of new assault rifles also won't so anything to reel in the millions of them already in circulation. Unless you're talking confiscation (and trust me, no politician would even utter such words) you're simply taking one bullet out of the proverbial loaded chambed and leaving the rest. And oh yeah, you're still pretending urban crime doesn't even exist.

So yeah, big ball of confusion here. What do ya'll think?[3]

Question: What, if anything, can this country do to curb the recent spate of mass shootings? Does the level of sudden interest in gun control seem a bit hypocritical given the persistence of violent gun crimes in "urban areas"?

[1] No, I don't watch CNN or Piers Morgan. I have 3 children. And thus, I have no free time. I catch up on all this stuff via Mediaite. Get familiar.

[2] It would help if his point about "urban gun control" was actually genuine, as opposed to a clear attempt to discredit the President with a little covert racism tossed in for good measure. Seriously, when did Conservatives start giving a sh*t about black on black murder in Chicago? I don't remember them saying much when Negroes were killing each other at Call Of Duty frequency back in the 00's.

[3] Forgive the typos in this post. I'm sure there's plenty of them, as well as grammatical errors. Blogger's "new and improved" interface still doesn't have spellcheck. Boooooo.

"If African Americans Had Guns, They Would Have Never Become Slaves."

Is this dude serious? Does he realize how stridently non-violent MLK was? Does he realize that the idiocy in putting "slaves" "African Americans" and "gun rights" in the same (admittedly incoherent) train of thought? Does he realize the laser-beam focused stank eye that sista on the panel is giving him?

Seriously gun advocates... you need better spokesmen.

A Few More Random Thoughts About "All My Babies Mamas"

Okay, ya'll got me. I know I just said the other day that I didn't find the concept of a show about a rapper with 11 kids by 10 women all that bad. It's like like Shawty Lo isn't a real life person, and there's plenty of other real life Shawty Lo's around the country. I argued that this show would't for any more harm to the reputation of black folks than blacks had already done to themselves.

So yeah, I guess I take (some of) that back.

For some odd reason, I flipped the channel to Fox & Friends (don't ask) this morning and the woman who started the petition to have the show banned was up there. Then later in the show (don't ask. Please.) they did a recap of the interview, as if the twist the knife a bit more, followed immediately by a segment about a viral video of a hipster who has taught his adorable children a Queen song. The contrast couldn't have been more stark, and was so blatantly intentional. You fill in the blanks.

Then I caught the clip above on Mediaite of Fox's The Five dedicating an entire segment to talk about All My Babies Mamas yesterday. So yeah, there's clearly a pattern here. You fill in the blanks.

So yeah, I get the point. Some people are upset that such a show reinforces stereotypes, as as you can see above, that's clearly true. I'm more upset that those stereotypes spring from real life in the first place, but I'll concede your point.

Maybe I'll sign that petition after all. If for no other reason than to give Fox News less material.

Question: Did AB just backpedal faster than Darelle Revis (the 2010 version)?!?

Sperm Donor Sued For Back Child Support.

You know how to old saying goes... "no good deed goes unpunished"? Well, a guy in Kansas who gave the most noble of gifts finds himself facing every man's worst nightmare: back child support.

Kansas law governing artificial insemination is outdated and fails to recognize modern concepts of family, according to the attorney for a Topeka man being pursued to pay child support for a girl born to a lesbian couple as the result of his sperm donation.

Kansas law says a sperm donor is not the father of a child if a doctor handles the artificial insemination.

But the law does not specifically address the donor's rights and obligations when no doctor was involved, as was the case in 2009 when William Marotta donated sperm to Jennifer Schreiner and then-partner Angela Bauer, and Schreiner became pregnant.

Lawyer Ben Swinnen argued Thursday that Marotta, 46, can't be declared the father of the now 3-year-old child, because the donor and moms had a written agreement that he had no parental rights or responsibilities.

Swinnen also noted that nine states have laws saying a sperm or egg donor is not the parent of a child conceived through artificial reproduction.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families sued Marotta in October to force him to pay child support and reimburse the state for more than $6,000 in benefits that Schreiner obtained for the child after she split with Bauer in 2010.

Let me state this clearly: this is truly some bullsh*t.

The man reportedly didn't know the couple and donated his specimen after answering an ad in the classified. Maybe he was hoping to get some action out of the deal, only to be greeted at the door by two women and a turkey baster. Now, years later the couple splits and he finds himself footing the bill for a child he signed away all custodial rights to. Eff the court system. I think we need a very special episode of Maury to settle this the right way.



It's hard to believe that some states can't exercises basic common sense in a case like this and simply leave this dude alone. It's enough to have everyone know you fell for the ole' "two chicks, one turkey baster" trick[1]. It's another altogether to get slapped with back child support. This just seems so trivial and pointless, and I hope this case gets dropped.

It does raise an interesting question though...

Question: If there was any law on the books that you could get rid of, which one would it be? No freaky stuff please, but tell me what you'd do away with.

[1] Happens to the best of us, amirite?!?

Idiotic Sandy Victim Blames President Obama Fox Not Replacing His 3 Cars.

If I started a blog today that prominently featured my handsome brown face, and posts that routinely attacked the President for random, petty, mostly trivial sh*t, I seriously think I could make it on Hannity by Easter.



If this dolt had taken a civics class in high school (or actually paid attention during that civics class), he'd know the President can't write checks on his own without Congressional approval. If he'd opened a paper in the past week, he'd know the GOP had just shot down two bills that would have funded Sandy relief and insurance payments.



But hey, this is Fox News. Screw logic. And facts. And book learnin'. Just blame Obama.

Rapper With 10 Babies Mamas & 11 Kids Gets A Reality Show. Negro Outrage Ensues.

I love cRap music. I love reality TV. And I've generally loved the occasional combination of the two. So please excuse me for refusing to get all worked up over the new (proposed?) Oxygen show "All My Babies Mamas".

Thousands of people are protesting a new show being launched on Oxygen TV, centered around rapper Shawty Lo and his 10 children.

Shawty Lo is starring in “All My Babies’ Mamas,” that centers around the Atlanta rapper’s “modern family” unit.

In addition to 10 his children, “All My Babies’ Mamas” stars the 10 mothers of Shawty Lo’s children and his new, 19-year-old girlfriend as well.

A petition on Change.org has already reached 3,000 signatures, with outraged replies over the contents of the show.

“By pushing these degrading images, your company seeks to profit from the humiliation of girls and women and the blatant stereotyping of African-Americans,” said the petitions creator, Sabrina Lamb.

“Stop it with the black shame. Shawty Lo is not the black community,” wrote Tami Winfrey-Harris. “If the white guys over on Gawker aren’t hanging their heads over Mick Jagger, his many children, and their mothers, then you can still hold your head high in a world where Shawty Lo and ‘Fighter Baby Mama’ exist.”

“All My Babies’ Mamas” was created by Liz Gateley and Tony DiSanto of DiGa Vision.

Together, Gateley and DiSanto are the creative force behind such hit shows such “TRL,” “Run’s House,” “Nick Cannon Presents Wild ‘N Out” and others.

Personally, I'm much more offended by Shawty Lo's magic marker hairline/facial hair combo than I am with this "trailer" for the show.[1]



I've said it a million and one times in the past. I'll say it again for those who missed it....

Reality TV doesn't make Black People look bad. Black People make Black People look bad.

The fact that this sh*t actually happened in the first place is much more distressing than the fact that it's now headed to basic cable. How this Gremlin got 11 women to let him go raw is a testament to the power of absentee fathers and the soft bigotry of low Negro expectations. And how dumb do these chicks have to be in this day and age to not know how many kids a dude has. Atlanta is not Calcutta. Ain't but so many people down there. Ask around. Google him. Check public records. Heck, check World Star. It ain't hard to find out this sorta stuff. Assuming you have the self-esteem and wherewithall required.

So yeah, this happened in real life, which is the real tragedy. But all tragedies have a silver lining. Responsible parents can and should watch this clusterf*ck with their kids and use it as a "what not to do" teachable moment. And besides, we should all be happy Shawty Lo is getting a reliable check, as opposed to your tax dollars funding his football roster-sized litter of offspring baby mama's weaves and Cricket monthly calling plans.

#progress

Seriously, black folks. Stop getting riled up about this sh*t. Either don't watch it, or watch it. Simple as that. If you're really upset, go do something constructive like coaching, mentoring, or tutoring a young lady so she doesn't become Baby Mama #11.

Question: Does this show need to be boycotted? Do reality shows make black people look bad or are they merely a reflection of society?!?

[1] Okay, I'm actually even more offended by the sound/video quality. Did they make this on an iPhone/IMovie? I'm pretty sure they did.

Welcome To 2013 Open Mic.

Welcome to 2013. I suppose this means the Mayans were sorta wrong.

Anyways, I'm back to work (ugh) after a nice extended break, as are most of you. The operative word being "work" of course. So it may be a sec before you get fresh postage here. I'm sure ya'll understand.

In any event, a few things to discuss...

The Fiscal Cliff "Deal" - Who knows where this all stands now. Who cares? Your (payroll) taxes just went up anyway.

NFL Playoffs - Go Redskins.

KimYe's Baby - Will be the most obnoxious child ever.

Question: What's on your mind today?