THE 2 STEPS BACK AWARD GOES TO...
 

Ok I know you have all heard the saying you take one step forward and then something happens and you go 2 steps back. Name some famous people or people you have seen in public who take us 2 steps back as a "people".

Oooooh I better not....
 

Never mind; I thought better of myself :D

Let's just say if I see someone ELSE post what I was thinking, I'll concur ;)

Yep...I'm chicken. I'll admit it! Don't feel like being a lightening rod this evening!

Re: THE 2 STEPS BACK AWARD GOES TO...
 

I need some clarity. Are you asking us to bring further attention to people who are already embarassing? :confused:

Clarification
 

Yes, people that are already embarassing or examples you have seen in public. I'm still thinking of good examples that haven't been played out which is why i haven't posted yet. I got the idea from the Chris Rock show.
However comma pause for effect...one day when I was in the grocery store I was standing behind a lady with 2 baskets full of food. Me, I had one of those little hand carry baskets. Anyway, she goes into her D&B purse and pulls out her welfare card! I was like OH HELL NAH! She had a purse that costs $100s but WE are paying for her damn groceries! :mad: I'm done ranting now.

Re: Clarification
 

*sigh*

You don't know how that woman got that purse. Just because she had it doesn't mean that SHE bought it. She could have even bought it from Goodwill.

Re: Re: Clarification
 

Yes, it could go that way, buuuuuuut...I think that we've all seen some examples of folx doing or owning things that they have no business doing or owning. We can of course give this sista the benefit of the doubt b/c anything can be the case. However, there is no denying that some people have their priorities out of order.

For example:

- kids in school w/no lunch money, no college fund, etc. yet w/the latest Jordans on (or whatever else is hot these days)

- folx w/fur coats on the bus (I just don't understand this b/c Id be concerned about being robbed, or just getting my coat dirty)

- sistas that can't pay the rent or keep the lights on, but have their hair and nails done regularly and stay dressed in Baby Phat or Juicy Couture

- or even the young lady on American Idol who was about to be evicted, but yet she was auditioning w/her family wearing t-shirts spelling out her name

I think that perhaps The General was alluding to these general situations that we see all of the time as an example of 1 step forward; 2 steps backwards. :)

Flavor Flav should win this award without question.

Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

All I see in these posts are a bunch of assumptions. Neither of you know HOW people get what they have.

Those items could be from charitable organizations. They could be things that were acquired, before going through financial hard times. They could be borroed items. They could be purchased from yard sales or thrift stores. They could be purchased at department stores at a severe discount. The point is, none of us know.

I am not fond of folks playing the guessing game or making assumptions about other people's finances. I certainly don't agree with the fact that someone has to look the part, if they are supposed to be of certain financial means. Just because someone is wealthy doesn't mean that they should always wear Chanel suits. And just because someone isn't wealthy doesn't mean that they are supposed to wear tattered clothing (no offense to the bruhs. Tattered clothing can be the hotness. lol), non-designer clothing, or poor quality clothing just to play into what someone feels they should be wearing based on their finances.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

But sometimes you DO know--or at least sometimes I know--I won't speak for you. Sometimes you know because people tell you--or tell someone else and you over hear them.

And I'm sorry, but I don't know of any charitable organizations that are giving out hair weave and matching T-shirts to go on a TV show and even if they are, it is about PRIORITIES. Speaking of homegirl on American Idol, the first thought in my mind when I saw her was "why didn't y'all use all the money it took you to get there/buy them tshirts to pay the rent??"

To the orginal poster, there was another thread about being embarassed by folks. Sounds like your post was in line with that. The link is http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ight=embarrass

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

I know of several organizations, including certain Delta chapters, that implement look good, feel good style programs that will get low income families or women make-overs for job interviews and such. Several charities also participate in CHristmas gifts and back to school clothing and supplies for low income people. Not to mention, we don't know when or how she got that shirt. Let's assume that she did buy that shirt, while she was "poor." Are you saying that she shouldn't have invested in herself and her gift, by trying to look presentable for AI? That shirt couldn't have been more than $20 to $25. I doubt very seriously it would have covered rent. And apparently her investment in herself, assuming she recently purchased the shirt, paid off. She's going to Hollywood.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

I know of organizations that do that too. My church does it on a regular basis. But weave? Every week? In different colors? My church also gives out clothes and yes, sometimes they are brand new, with the tags on, designer stuff. No, there is no way to tell if someone got their goods that way, or if they had their priorities misaligned, but I refuse to believe that everyone that is exhibiting the behaviors that Marie mentioned got their stuff that way.

I'm not saying that the young lady should not have invested in her self for AI. Shoot, it's well documented that Fantasia was on welfare when she went to her AI audition, but when you travel to another city, some 10 - 20 deep and they all have on matching, custom shirts and you comment on getting kicked out of one apartment and the fact that you are about to get kicked out of another, I find it hard to encourage that type of "investment". My idea of a good investment would be get an education, save your money, delay gratification, etc. but that's just me. Plus, going to Hollywood means nothing more than a free trip. There are no guarentees for getting ot Hollywood or making it to the top ten for that matter.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

No investment comes with guarantees. That's why they are so risky.

Unless you know exactly what her financial situation, or anyone's financial situation, entails, then it's best to not come with a whole bunch of assumptions.

Matching custom shirts doesn't mean that they spent a boatload of money. Custom could even mean that they customized the shirts.

Ward Connerly, Brian McKnight, 50 Cent & Mike Tyson should get honorable mentions.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

I understand not wanting to make assumptions about anyone's particular situation, but I don't understand the need to deny that this happens at all. I mean, I can personally give the 2 steps back award to my cousin who I KNOW opted to spend her last dollars to get her hair done and then had to borrow money from her mom to buy her son pampers. This wasn't a twist of fate, or unfortunate circumstances, or charitable givers that created that situation. She made that decision and created that set of circumstances. Now of course I still love her and will help her in anyway that I can. However, that doesn't prevent me from acknowledging that she, and many others like her, have their priorities all out of wack.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Clarification
 

Well give the award to your cousin, since you KNOW of her personal financial situation. She's trifling, but that's hardly indicative of us as a people. So I'm not feeling the whole "she makes US look bad" brand of (il)logic.

I never denied anything existed. I stated that you should refrain from assuming where people get things that you don't think they should have, based on their financial situation. Please point out where I denied such things existed.