I believe that more emphasis should be put on furthering one's education than being the fastest runner, highest jumper, best singer/rapper/actor/model. I would like to see more African-Americans strive to get past the whole "entertainer role". It always just makes me shake my head when I hear about somebody trying to sell their new rap c.d., barely made it out of high school, and is not thinking about college. Marketing as a major could help. Let's continue trying to push our way through doors we fear are locked. It also disappoints me that entertainers seem to be the voice of our generation. No disrespect but P. Diddy could not hack the rigourous Howard University School of Business course schedule and got ghost. Now that is who gets interviewed to speak on politics. C'mon give me a break. But hey that is just how I feel on this lil' issue.

May be controversial in some circles...
 

I am currently wearing my hair natural (under braids until I add more length), but I don't see the big hoopla that some "nappys" raise over natural hair. To be honest, I didn't go natural to get back to my roots or end years of oppression. I just did it to see what my natural texture is. I just wanted to be able to rock an afro and see if I can get some of those curly styles naturally without getting weaves and wigs. If I am not totally in love with my hair after a year or so, I may very well go back to relaxers. Oh well.

I visit the forums on nappturality.com sometimes, just to find out about styles and stuff so that I can be prepared when I take these braids out. Some people get a little too personal with OTHER PEOPLE's choices to wear relaxers, blond hair, and other things. Hair is an expression, whether it's natural, relaxer, texturized, platinum blond, pink, or jet black. Just because someone wears a relaxer or goes back to one doesn't mean that they are a "sell-out" or are trying to conform to the European definition of beauty. IT'S JUST HAIR!! We should be thankful that God blessed us with hair that we can wear any way we choose. Other cultures don't have all those options.

Re: May be controversial in some circles...
 

I agree with you to an extent. I can't say that "it's just hair", because I understand the other ramifications that surround the decision, but I get discouraged from the boards over there sometimes because I feel like we are all nappy together and it doesn't matter whether or not you went back to your roots because you are righteous or if it was because the relaxer just took your hair out. I think that some of the nappies are toooo condescending when it comes to other people's personal choices. I know that I have more than a few reasons for getting rid of the relaxer, but I am not disillusioned to think that I am somehow more enlightened since I've done so. I can't say with 100% surety that I will never relax again, I can say that it's not in my immediate future. There are those there who look down on one another because one chooses to color and one doesn't, or one chooses to straighten and one doesn't, I've even seen debates about whether or not you wear your afro with or without any adornment (i.e. headbands, scarves) and how if you constantly wear headbands you aren't embracing your natural self. :rolleyes: People will always find avenues to cause a division and elevated themselves to look down on other folk.

JMO

Re: Re: May be controversial in some circles...
 

That's true. We have almost the same opinion, but different approaches. Everyone has reasons for going natural. My reasons just don't go that deep. Well, at least they aren't as deep as some of the pages I have been to and some of the posts I have read. It's all good for me.

I try to stay away from the boards as much as possible. I just go over to read up on how to do styles and apply color. I know that I want to color my hair. I read some threads just to see what's up and you are SO right about some of them attacking one another for the most trivial things. I have even read some that attacked Beyonce because she made a statement about growing natural hair, but still wears a weave. They even attacked that she wore blond extensions. Personally, I think she looks nice with blond hair because of her skin tone. She would look washed up with darker hair. The funniest one was them jumping on Jilly from Philly because she had what appeared to them to be relaxed hair on the cover of Essence.

I love our hair and I love to peep albums. It is so nice to see so many sisters wearing natural hair. But I can't lie and say that I don't like relaxed hair either. Has anyone seen that new Dark and Lovely commercial? Sistah's hair is T-I-G-H-T!!!

Don't feel bad, I don't even have to look at the commercials, I look at my old short relaxed (a la Nia Long ;) @ Tony) hairstyle and sometimes wonder if I'll go back. I want to get a scanner so that I can put those pics in my album as well. It will tell the whole story.

I feel your overall point but I do see this emphasis being given daily. There are many more of us in college, and running businesses than seeking record deals, and NBA contracts. Media streams hype the entertainers/would-be rappers 24/7, that's why we see them all the time.

And you might be right about P. Diddy, but he's a millionaire today, who probably has a few of those Howard Univ. Business graduates working for him.

I support his Vote or Die effort. If it helps someone feel that they can express themselves with a ballot rather than a bullet, then I'm wit it. take dat, take dat, take dat. :)

Re: May be controversial in some circles...
 

I totally agree. I too only look for recommendations on products and hairstyles over there. I found out I'm napptural considering I like my texture and wear it unaltered but not natural because I color my hair. However, I'm neither if I put my hair in braids or press it. Hell, I can't keep up lol. It's really sad how we have found a different avenue to separate ourselves and tear each other down.

Is the link to your album posted in the "Nappy" thread? If not, please send me the link so I can check it out. I wanna see your hair. :D

My Radical and Controversial Opinions

1. The Death Penalty is wrong, regardless of a person's crime. Only God gives life, so only he should be the one to take it away. True, private individuals murder people and they are wrong. But the gvt is also wrong, and in more ways, when they take the life of the murderer.

2. Black people should date/marry/procreate with other Black people. I view it as sign of not embracing yourself when Blacks chase pursue relationships with those who are not Black. Don't ask about the white men who pursue Asian women or vice versa. I don't care about them. My people are my concern in this area.

3. White (and others) people should not be allowed into BGLOs. They have organizations for them. I don't think it should be written as a PanHel rule for legal reasons. But I don't agree with them being in our organizations. I view my sorors as family, and I want to be able to address anything I feel like addressing with them. I don't think that having white women around is condusive for an open environment like that. I also don't think they appreciate the letters like most of us do. True, they can work. But it's about sisterhood/brotherhood as well. Besides, can we please have something to ourselves. I can't even watch BET (when I feel like not having to think) without seeing blonde-haired white chicks dancing all over some brother in a video. Hell, I can't even watch BET News without seeing white reporters. They might as well just change the name to ET and drop the B.

4. Abortion is wrong. I don't agree with having them, however I support the choice of an individual to have one if they want, regardless of their reason. Who are we to judge? They have to answer to God for their actions.

5. I support gay civil unions/marriage in the legal sense. I do not however support churches that follows God Word that would marry them. I think they should be allowed to go to the court house, the park, a banqurt hall or wherever else they want to go. But but not the Church. There isn't a major religion in the world that does not say that homosexual behavior is wrong. However I could care less about whether someone is gay. Homosexuality is a sin like any other sin. We do not try to impose regulations on fornication. Why impose regulations on homosexuality? Both are wrong. All sin stinks in God's nostrils. There is no hierarchy of sins, besides blasphemy being the biggest no-no.

6. I don't agree with RDs or anyone else being able to add someone onto a line. Chapter vote should be final. The RD doesn't have to work in the chapter with the prospects. The chapter knows who it wants to work with and who it doesn't.

7. I think that all BGLOs should have a section on their website where they list chapters and members who have been disciplined, like the one on Delta Sigma Theta's website. I also think that once you have been barred from membership in one BGLO, that you shouldn't be allowed to apply to another.

8. I don't think that servicemembers should have to pay federal income taxes on the money that they are paid for being a servicemember. They should pay state taxes, and be taxed for iany additional income. But no tax on their military pay.

9. The age to vote, drink alcohol, and perform military service should be the same.

10. I believe in Reparations. Not as personal checks to individuals, but as subsidies and federal funding to help level the playing field. They should go to HBCUs or make it where Blacks get discounted education, housing, and business grants.

11. I think they should legalize all drugs. I don't do drugs. I never have, and I never will. But we have too many people in jail on non-violent drug charges. How can we call ourselves the land of the free, when we have more people locked up, per capita, than any other country.

12. All citizens should be guaranteed healthcare. Period.


I know this is long, but it's only a very partial list of my controversial views. I won't bore anyone with the rest of my thoughts. :D

People who have more than one child with no means of support should be subject to sterilization. Why should I have to support these individuals? I know it's not the kids fault, and they should be cared for. But their trifling mamas and daddys should face the consquences of their actions.

Also, grown folks need to take care of themselves. If one does not make enough money from their job, if they have one, they should be made to live on what they have. (A little vent here...I have several relatives who feel that my hubby and I are their bank, but never pay us back)

If undeniable evidence proves a murderer's guilt and the verdict is death, they should be put to death within a year. I would prefer less time. Death Row convicts eat and sleep better than some people who haven't so much as jaywalked in their lives, and it ain't right.

All of the light-skinned models with curly hair and the Asian and Latin women in music videos makes it look like darker skinned women cannot be beautiful. That some bull**** that the music industry (not just the artist(s)) perpetuates, and it's sickening. It's affecting our little black girls. BTW, I'm light-skinned. :p

I love the idea of a Brown Party, but I don't think there are enough Black people in America that can get over their "crabs in a barrel" syndrome to make the effort a success.

Gay people are born gay. Who would choose that lifestyle considering the consequences that come with that choice? Bisexuals need to make up their confused minds.

Gay people should be allowed the right to marry. How many other things have been corrupting this country long before gays wanted to marry?

Any black man that I see with a strand of unnatural (ie dyed) blonde hair is automatically gay until proven otherwise.

I'm glad that Former Fulton County Sherriff Jackie Barrett is not seeking re-election. She could not manage the jail, and she "lost" $2M that she shouldn't have spent. I love supporting black people, but I can't support dumb decisions.

OJ did it.

There should be a law that everyone should work in the restaurant, retail, or hospitality industries for at least 4 weeks by the time they're 18. They'll appreciate their status in life better.

Corporal punishment needs to be back in the schools immediately.

H***LLLs yeah. i worked as a dishwasher, serving line attendant, movie usher, and in a concession stand(from age 17 to 20), and all it did was make me respect others that wait on me and work harder in life so those could never be my only options.

I believe there should be no death penalty. Some people that kill do so b/c they do not appreciate life and do not care whether they live or die. why do them the favor especially before they feel remorse. I feel they should be put in an area somewhere in america or in the world where there is no contact with outside life(radio, TV, Newspaper, mail etc) and no way for them to leave the area. they have no visitors and they live off the land with the other prisoners and that's it. ending the lives of others for killing is like paying people to not take bribes.

I think rappers that rap about their wheels "still spinnin", "icey wrists", "big faces" should have CD's sold for half price with an extra penalty for excessive "stuntin" to be obligated to give to charities and scholarships

i believe their should be a class in schools to teach these fast girls about being ladies(I was at the mall the other day and saw a grown A** woman in a twelve year olds body) and what consequences can come from projecting the wrong image. along with that, the young boys are taught about reality as well. akind of scared straight but more like REAL straight.( this is not to let the parents off the hook but to ensure these kids are learning it somewhere.

Absolutely...after working at a supermarket and an amusement park in high school, I have a great apprecation for any job afterwards.

I think that all networks should have a clause in the contracts to offer finales to the fans. For instance, I just finished watching Moesha. That show was on the air for about four or five seasons. It goes off for one season and suddenly it's cancelled. What happened to Myles? Who was pregnant? I think that every show that lasts three+ years and gets cancelled should be required to tape finales. The contracts should require three (or less) extra episodes to tie up the loose ends. It could have tied three episodes together to get to the finale: one episode to show what happened to Myles and how they got him back, one episode to get Dorian to pack his bags and hit the bricks, and one episode to tell us that it was Dee, and not Moesha, that was pregnant, since we all know that she wasn't married to Hakeem and she couldn't have kids out of wedlock (unless they were to tell us that Mo and Hakeem went to Vegas and eloped).

^^^^^^^^LOL!!!!

I thought I was the only one pissed about the Moesha cliffhanger that kept on hanging.