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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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HANG UP THE PHONE!

 

HANG UP THE PHONE!

 

10 to 15 years ago, the number of people who owned a cell phone was much less than it is today.

 

I can remember having a cell phone when many people didn't.  However, post-9/11 has made having a cell a necessity. I know this is true, being a person born and raised in New York City.

 

Cell phones should be used while driving only in the case of emergencies.  They should be used with hands-free devices such as earpieces or Bluetooth equipment.  There should never be a time when a driver is holding a cell phone and talking for extended periods of time. 

 

If calls are received while driving that are not emergencies, the driver should offer to return the calls later or have their cell on vibrate and listen to messages at a later time.

 

I was shocked at the number of people using cell phones while driving in the state of Maryland.  I have seen people laughing and enjoying calls as if they were sitting on a sofa in their living rooms.

 

What is going on here?  What could be on people's minds?  What could convince them that driving is the ideal time to talk on the phone?  Must I be involved in this scene?  Must my family?

 

I draw the conclusion that people don't give a hoot about me or my family.  I can't speak for anyone else; I can only speak for myself.

 

I don't want to look in my rear view mirror and see someone grinning and talking on a phone, while driving behind me.  I am on the road to reach my destination safe and sound.

 

I am not performing on a stage.  I am living real life.  There are no second or third takes in case of mistakes.

 

The tragedy of this is that others become the victims of these people's careless mind-set.  Is this fair?  No. It's not fair for someone to think that they have the right to injure or take the life of another.  The nerve of them!

 

My question is what are the lawmakers doing or going to do about this increasing, dangerous situation on Maryland's roads?

 

What is it going to take to come down on this?

 

Who else is noticing this situation?  Is there anyone else out there, or is it only me?

 

Brenda Farrar-Ejemai

CEO, Favor Blooms, LLC

Board, United Black Writers Association

http://www.thefamilyinthecar.com/

www.youtube.com/thefamilyinthecar

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ISBN: 978-1-58909-485-7