How Much Is A Black Youth Worth?

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black youthI want to bring your attention to three recent tragedies that seem to have three things in common, their race, age, and gender. They were all young, African-American males, who were attacked because of their race.  Most recently seventeen year old, Jordan Russell was killed by a white man in Florida because he was playing his music too loud.  Ironically another seventeen year old unarmed Trevon Martin was shot dead in February in Florida holding nothing but a can of iced tea and a pack of Skittles.

Twenty-one year old, Chavis Carter was shot in the head with his hands handcuffed behind him while in the back of a police car in Arkansas in August.  While the police say that he committed suicide, the evidence does not support how the left-handed Chavis shot himself with his right hand while handcuffed.  He was with two friends when the police apprehended him. They were let go. They just happened to be white. He was arrested for giving a false name and reports say he had  $1o worth of marijuana on him.  Some states have now made that legal, but too late for this young man is dead.

How much is the life of a black child worth? These stories are not isolated cases.  There are others.  But it seems the frequency or severity of these types of atrocities do not faze people anymore. They just shake their heads and go back to their regularly scheduled programming.  Few will even comment and show that they care or feel anything.  I empathize with the mothers who are mourning their children today.  Today I think about those lives changed forever or snuffed out entirely and I try to make sense out of senseless brutality, hatred, and cruelty.  I appease my own conscience by shining the light on these cruel injustices so that their pain was not in vain and that they are not forgotten.  After that, I too shake my head and think, what now?

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.

(Quote by Martin Niemoller)

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

Take Faith-based Not Fear-Based Steps

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Make Sure Your Steps Are Faith-based NOT

Fear-based.

At any given time there will be opportunities and possibilities within your grasp but there may also be an equal or greater number of pitfalls and potholes.  You can let the darkness paralyze you or proceed in faith.   I choose to proceed in faith and know that I am not alone and will be guided around the potholes in life.  So I encourage you too to follow your dreams. Hold on if you’re convinced you are on the right boat, and jump ship if you aren’t and start swimming in the direction of your dreams. Seven steps on a faith walk are below.  Enjoy and share.

7 Steps on a Faith Walk

  1. Don’t give up on your dreams when times get tough.  That’s the time to hold on tighter because it’s always darkest before the dawn.
  2. Seek advice and encouragement so that you can make a wise decision, but make the final decision yourself.  If necessary or possible, limit conversations and contact with negative, toxic, and fear-focused people.
  3. Make sure that your decisions are faith-based instead of fear-based.  Faith gives you hope.  Fear increases doubt.
  4. Take the faith walk a day at a time or a step at a time.  When it’s dark, it’s hard to see that far ahead so take each step in faith and confidence.  Everyday do something major or minor that will get you closer to your dream.
  5. Pray for guidance, fortify your faith, get up and act, and go after your dreams with tenacity.
  6. Realize that you may not get the support you need from those who love you the most.  It’s your dream and only you have been privileged through your vision to see a sneak preview of coming attractions.  You may have to take that faith walk alone.
  7. Finish the Faith Walk.  Go after your dreams as if you were fighting a gorilla.  Don’t stop when you get tired, stop when the gorilla gets tired.

I’m Barbara Talley, the poet who speaks and inspires.  To find out more about me check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

Allegations of Race over Record

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“Collin Powell Endorses Obama,” the headlines read a few days ago.  The media pounced on it and many were shocked and very critical of Powell.  But why? Was it because this well-known Republican was endorsing a Democrat.  Unfortunately, “No!” The criticism wasn’t so much party switching as about race.  Then Lee Iacocca, a well-known Democrat Governor endorses the Republican candidate Romney.  But, the difference was, he was not accused of voting “race over record.”  Check out a few of these links

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/29/why-colin-powell-endorsed-president-obama.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/25/usa-campaign-powell-idUSL1E8LP31320121025

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/29/colin-powell-can-support-obama-because-he-s-black.html

http://www.humanevents.com/2012/10/19/lee-iacocca-endorses-romney-for-president/

http://patriotupdate.com/31253/lifetime-democrat-lee-iacocca-endorses-romney

Notice the absence of any allegations of race in the coverage of Iacocca!  I wanted to remain silent but just couldn’t. I  couldn’t remain silent after so many commentators were saying Colin Powell switched, “because he is BLACK!” and that his endorsement was “race over record.”  Another reason I bring this up is because a black friend who is a Romney supporter said adamantly to me just last week, “I’m NOT voting for Obama just because he is black!” His other reason was because the Democratic Party was originally the party of the KKK.  To me, that excuse is like not living in a town because certain individuals USED TO live there.

In several conversations, I’ve found that too many blacks feel that they have to justify voting for a man who happens to be black or for that matter, against a black man.  It doesn’t seem to matter if you bring up ten reasons for voting for your candidate of choice, still the belief is that you are not a conscientious voter familiar with the issues and that you’re only voting color.

Now I’m wondering, “Whites vote for white people all the time and it’s not assumed they are voting JUST because of color!

Collin Power and Lee Iacocca, one black, one white.  One was Democrat and the other Republican, different coverage!

I am an Independent and I vote my conscience and hope that everyone else does the same. I don’t like to talk politics because they are divisive. Now, even though I don’t get into partisan politics doesn’t mean that I don’t follow it to get facts so that I can vote responsibly. I’m praying you’ll do the same.

There is some good and some bad in everyone.  It seems though during elections, so many people are looking for the worst in their opponent and highlighting it. Also, many vote their party line even if they disagree with their stances on issues that affect their lives and principles. Voting is a basic human right, so vote your conscience too.  That’s why it was so refreshing today to hear a Republican not put down the opposite party and vote his conscience too, even if they happen to be the same color!

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

YOU can’t become rich without ENRICHING OTHERS.

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Enrich Others

[Note: Wealth isn’t just that green paper!]

True wealth is a feeling of being surrounded by love, joy, and completeness.

Just as true wealth is fullness; true poverty is emptiness. You can have all the money in the world and be poor and have very little financially and feel very rich. With God’s blessing, you can have BOTH but that can’t happen without enriching others.

So Many Have So Much And Yet Are Still So Poor

Don’t judge your own or any other person’s worth, value, or well-being by their bank account. True poverty is aloneness, incompleteness, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness. With all the blessings around them, the truly poor find it difficult to find anything to be joyous about. The truly rich are appreciative of everything no matter how small, their sight/hearing, their home, their last meal, their family, and maybe just the fact that they are alive to see another day with those they love.

You can have it all and feel like you have nothing, OR you can have nothing and still feel on top of the world.  But one fact is critically important to remember, if you want more wealth, what you do has to enrich others. Practice giving joyfully without expecting a pay back, otherwise it’s just a swap or exchange and doesn’t attract divine blessings to you. Take the example of parents as your guide. Their motives are so pure. Parents are natural enrichers; from the moment their children are born, their thoughts are focused on how they can enrich that child’s life. Their happiness is in seeing the child grow, prosper, and be happy. That’s the model we want to emulate. Now, go ahead and claim your real wealth. Begin by thinking about whose life can you enrich today.

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

A Note to Naysayers: “Just Watch Me!”

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Image

Success is the best way to quiet the naysayers! “Watch ME!” That’s the only response you need for naysayers. There will always be people in your life who will not believe in you and who will try to discourage you. Instead of allowing their lack of support to dishearten you, instead use that energy of inspiration to “show them!”

Don’t Waste Your Energy on Naysayers.

Don’t waste any energy on the naysayers, instead focus all of your energy on attaining your goals. You’ve only got so much energy.  You can spend it trying to convince others to believe in, support, and encourage you, or you can use that same energy to achieve your dreams.  You either are all talk (as they may think) or you are about action.  When your results are apparent, your talk is unnecessary.  As they say, “Talk is cheap!’  The best proof and the most delicious ending is you showing up, showing out, and becoming the success you know you can become.  Stay focused on the positive; right now you don’t have the luxury of a negative thought or any negative energies because you are on a path of success.  Stay in your positive zone and say, “Watch me!”

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.