Recession Work Me Harder, Oh Hell I Don’t Think So!

While this recession has brought on a multitude of job losses it has also spurned some real ass hole employers. These a-hole employers know times are hard and the people they have left they’re working them like no other. Besides working them they’re also picking on them for little trivial crap. Everyone talks about the stress of a job loss which I’ll admit is real bad, I rather have then not have. But what about the stress of being taking of advantage of for less money and more aggravation.

These employers who like to hang the possible layout off carrot are in their glory. It’s almost like let’s see how far you’re willing to go to keep your job and trust me many people have went to the moon and back and have still lost their job. One thing I think employers need to be careful is that Postal affect. You’ve seen how a rebellion response to abuse has been part of the cornerstone of our society. Can someone say Nat Turner?? When you work people too hard and abuse them we become like every other Postal worker in this country. Short of somebody cursing your ass out, you should be careful somebody don’t come in with an Ozzie and tear your place up!

I know times are hard but this is not the time to really act up and this is not for employees, this is for employers. We know there’s a possibility of layoffs. Even if you were deaf and blind you would still know the economic doom we’ve been experiencing. With that going on do you think we need you to bother us with crap like how long did you take lunch? did you come in late? were you on the phone? Please, give us a break! Looking for stuff to either threaten us of play on our stress is cheap!

Personally I’m tired of this stress. I pride myself on being a nonchalant person, I really don’t have time for someone to try and take me out of my comfort zone. If you want do it then do it, but don’t play with me. I’m trying to be sane and not go Postal. See I won’t go Postal for firing me but for pissing me off while I work now that’s another story. Employers stop acting a fool and beware. A firing may not get a cap in your ass but messing with someone on the wrong day will!

Meet My New Friend Chilly Willy

Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer my time and serve beverages at a local Soup Kitchen. This was my first endeavor of ever serving at a Soup Kitchen. I participated with a few of my colleagues as we ventured to the Urban Ministry and served Iced Tea and Lemonade. For a person with hypocritical views of homelessness and drug addiction I must say that I was deeply humbled and enlightened as to who they are and who I am.

Growing up in the South Bronx I came across all facets of life except the filthy rich. We had our middle class poor, who owned homes and whose children attended Catholic school. We also had the destitute poor and those who were in the middle. My family fell in the middle. We didn’t own a home or shopped at Macy’s. Being in the middle made me envy and at the same time aspire to be like the middle class poor. My feelings for the destitute were not as congenial.

I’ve always looked down on addicts and bums (that is what we called them in the 70s). The term homeless found its way sometime in the 80s. The philosophy that was instilled in me regarding these individuals was, they are able bodies and choose to destroy their lives. They deserve no pity from me and I wouldn’t give a dime to help them. They were the true ills of society and in particular they condemned my race. As I got older and explored my history and innate racism that has been perpetrated I was able to see that the issue with these individuals is not as clear as laziness but perhaps as a result of post traumatic slavery coupled with oppression. Although I was able to make this correlation and sincerely believe it, I still within my inner self despised these types of people. I would defend them to no end to anybody outside of my race but deep down I had such a resentment towards them. I knew I was being hypocritical but as long as nobody knew what did I really care.

As I walked through the Urban Ministry feelings of Oh Lord what did I get myself into erupted. Here I’m trying to do the civil thing and volunteer, help those less fortunate, blah, blah, blah, but yet feelings of superiority were within me. The Director not sure if she sensed any of my feelings was kind enough to give us a tour of the facility. The tour somewhat relaxed my mind but more importantly expanded my perceived thoughts on the homeless. After the tour we were instructed that it was time to start serving the beverages. I decided in my South Bronx girl attitude not to punk out and get out there and start serving. As I started to serve each individual I thought it best to make eye contact and to address each individual as Sir or Madam (that’s just the manners in me:)). While serving I had the most enjoyable conversation with alot of these people. One of the most entertaining conversations was from a man named Larry who told us about the antics of his friend Chilly Willy. Larry was content with who he was. Something alot of us cannot say about ourselves. Most of these people were the kindest you’ll ever meet. They were appreciative and more importantly I realized they were HUMAN! I was happy to serve them. I thought I would be making them happy but instead they made me happy. I laughed, sympathized, looked at some of them directly in their eyes and that’s when it happened. I had a revelation of “Who did I think I was to judge these people?” Looking directly into their soul was an unspoken connection that I will always treasure.

I thank the Urban Ministry for making me realize these outcasts that we look down on are humans, despite their circumstances. I doubt they woke up one morning and said I want to be a drug addict, I want to be homeless. True, some may have irresponsibly ventured into this lifestyle, but I have no doubt that they ever thought it would mount to this. We preach addiction is a disease yet we treat it as a cankerous sore. Yesterday I realized these people deserve a kind word, a kind look; an understanding that they may have fell victim to prey.

Prior to yesterday I thought I had permission being from the South Bronx to address these types of circumstances in any manner I thought fitting. These people who I thought were less than me are actually better than me. They’re real with their situation no matter how unfortunate it may be. I thank them for allowing me into their world for the short 2 hours that it was and not judge me! How about that!?!?!

No longer do I view addiction and homelessness as being the pariah of all social ills. I’m sure it has its place, however, I would never forget that the pundits of these ills are humans that deserve respect and kindness. As India Arie said “it doesn’t cost to smile”. After yesterday I hope to smile a little more and try to make others smile as I continue to volunteer my service.

Is Being Black In or Are We Having A Twilight Zone Moment?

Lately I’ve been bugging out. Is it me or is it now cool to be Black? It seems like I everytime I turn around I’m hearing of a new leadership position headed by a black person. The most celebritorious at the moment is Michael Steele and his election to the head of the RNC. Some may be happy for Michael Steele. I on the other hand can’t help but think that white America is either bugging out or that Rod Sterling is somewhere around and about to come out and say “Welcome to the Twilight Zone.”

It’s new to me to be the popular color for once. It seems overwhelming and weird. While I welcome this new temporary fondness to my pigmentation; (notice I did write temporary, white people are worst than pitbulls, they’ll turn on you in a minute.) But while I’m relishing in this moment I can’t help but wonder have my initial thoughts about the validity of white intelligence been accurate? Are they really that dumb? I mean really how can one class of people now love and adore a class of people they hated for so long and now all of sudden let’s up the dial on the tanning booth and let’s become the latest of “in” thing of being Black. Just the other day Larry King mentioned that his eight year old son told him he wants to be Black. When I heard him say this I didn’t know how to react, a white child wanting to be Black or was I more shocked that Larry King had an 8 year old son (LOL). Larry look like he could be a great-grandpa by now, stop playing . The more I thought about it the more I realized how this comment bugged me out. The only time white people wanted to be Black were in fictional movies, for example, Soul Man, the whole black face era and more recently Robert Downing, Jr. in Tropic Thunder and trust me none of these actors did it for the love of the race, don’t get it twisted, it was all about the Benjamins! The question I have is, if Black is in what’s going to happen to all the Black people who wanted to be white when white was in. For instance:

1. Will Michael Jackson fess up that his vertiligo is not as acute as he claims it to be? I mean really who the hell has a skin disease that just completely turns you white? If that were the case we all would of went for that shit and cleaned up our credit as well avoid dwb (driving while black). His supposed vertiligo still doesn’t answer how his nose became so European all of sudden. I bet vertiligo has a hand in that to (wink, wink).

2. White Wives – Yep I’m going there. What’s going to happen to the athletes, actors, professionals (attorneys, doctors, etc.) who all thought it was best to get a white wife? The Black precedent is being set by President Barack Obama who thank God has a pure sistah!!! Now what are you going to do? “Heather” is not the “in” thing at the moment. Do we up the dial on the tanning booth and see how dark can she go??

3. Crabs out the Barrel – OK all you Black crabs out there who are all about I ain’t helping nobody Black and run that bullshit line of “My own people are lazy”. What are you going to do now? Will you be rescinding the offer to Brent and perhaps extend an offer to Tyrone? Let’s see how that works out.

It’s really surreal of how the tide has changed. And as surreal as it may be, it really is no time to get comfortable. This only proves that white people are erratic and just plain ole ridiculous. They proved this when they put their new token Michael Steele up there to battle Obama. It’s funny the first thing this fool says is, he’s looking forward to sparring (fighting words) with Obama and then he quoted Kool Moo Dee, yes people Kool Moo Dee by saying “How ya like me now.” All I want to say to Michael Steele is “Negroe please.” Just like Clarence Thomas this fool doesn’t know when he’s being used. White people know the “in’ thing is to be Black at the moment. Just a moment and nothing else, so they figure why get my hands dirty, let Toby handle it, put him in a bad light and in a couple of years this will be over; we’ll still look good and guess what white will be back in!

It’s a funny universe we’re living in right now. Folks my advice to you is, don’t get complacent, chill out, take advantage of what can benefit you, but be on your P’s and Q’s, when the white folk regime comes back into power it won’t be pretty. Ladies the Black professionals will go back to their “Heathers’” and Michael Jackson will up his dosage on that miraculous Look at Me I’m white cream! Maybe if we’re lucky Rod Sterling will come out and tell them Hell Naw things ain’t changing, ya staying in the Twilight Zone and Black will be “in” forever, Twilight Zone theme.