Why I am opposed to Affirmative Action

Because it’s wrong, the end. Seriously. Many states are now challenging their affirmative action programs. All of these laws created to help black people "recover" from centuries of oppression are completely missing the mark. Sorry that’s not even correct, it’s supposed to encourage diversity. As it stands the amout of women and people of color you have the more benefits you receive.

Black people especially are seen a incapable of securing an education and a good job at large companies on their own solely due to their skin color. Because as we all know no black person ever obtained a college degree or secured a good job with a "white-owned" company before the advent of affirmative action. Whites in this country are still so racist that not one white controlled major company or university would allow intelligent, hard working, law abiding, honest negroes anywhere near their establishments. Racist ideas are now bannished from the country. So glory be that we have affirmative action to force the racist good ole boys into diversifying by force.

Why I as a black female am I so opposed? Because it has more of a negative than positive impact on me. I’m a super minority. I don’t want to be labeled as such. If my grades and test scores are not high enough to get into college then I should have been DENIED. If universities want to encourage minority enrollment I’m all for it, but don’t force it on them. If white student X has to have a certain GPA and SAT score Black student Y should have the same thing. Race should not be taken into account any more than the ability to pay should be. This should also apply to student athletes if the admission requirements dictate a certain level of scholarship the ballers need to fit into that too. I personally don’t appreciate skilled dumb as a brick athletes taking up precious space in class while biding their few years before going pro.

What the US goverment should do is create explicit and strict rules concerning work place and educational discrimination. The consequences of denying work or education to a person based on race or gender should be extreme, suspension of accreditation, major million dollar fines and possible business license removal. This is a better way to ensure equality. If you’re on the up and up you can have an all white company. There aren’t always minorites qualified in every field that apply for specific jobs. When you have black people getting hired and promoted soley based on their race you get the DC government (I wouldn’t with that on anyone).

If affirmative action doesn’t end they should at least alter it to reflect real historical discrimination. To get it you should have to prove that you are directly affected by some atrocity. No Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, West Indian person in this country deserves to benefit from affirmative action. They came here on their own, any mistreatment you suffered is your own fault. Because if you open it up to them what’s to say decendents of Irish, Jewish, Russian, German, Italian immigrants should be given the same benefits? They all suffered forms of discrimination as well. Damn near anyone in this country can claim discrimination or hardship based on their race, religion, sexuality or ethnicity.

I know the awful history of this country but I can’t sit around and expect to be rewarded because my ancestors were enslaved. I’d much rather my 40 acres and mule (or hybrid). Isn’t that why our ancestors wanted to be free, to be able to live our own lives, to have our own property, housing, jobs, education for our children? Didn’t Martin and Malcolm preach that we want to be treated fairly with no attention being paid to our race, because race is unimportant in these two aspects of life. When race is forced to be acknowledged is divides instead of unites.

Reese Goes To Church (this is not science fiction or fantasy)

Yes I really went to church on Palm Sunday, The National Cathedral, and that’s like super church. I was asked nonchalantly to go and have lunch afterward and I accepted. Because as hard as I am on religion I really respect it. While at church three things did not happen: 1 - I didn’t burst into flames upon entering, 2 - I didn’t receive some epiphany to turn my life over to Jesus and 3-I didn’t get annoyed and walk out.

This was one of the churches I talk about when I refer to the good ones. The first thing that was said was welcome to everyone whether you’re a Christian or not thank your for coming. I loved that. Throughout the entire service there was not one word of condemnation that everyone was a sinner or that if you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord you’re going straight to Hell. It was all about reflecting on the meaning of palm sunday (they even had a skit) and how Jesus’ sacrafice can be seen in our own lives and how we should take his dying for our sins and make it our own.

Love, peace and sacrafice, no hate, no blame, no anger. No loud screaming or shouting, no holy spirity, no multiple collections. My daughter and I were blessed by the priest at the High Alter since we don’t take communion. She though that was so cool. I would have to agree. Because the priest has no idea how I live my life or what I believe in, but the first thing he said was "God Loves you". I believe that. God loves everyone regardless. Nothing in my mind or in my living has ever led me to believe that God hates. I feel like if God loves me, who am I to hate anything or anyone. If I am able to learn, absorb and reflect my own reality and the spiritual world why would I destroy my mind with hate?

There is so much beauty in life to pick it apart and find what’s wrong. I’ll continue to open my mind and be grateful that I am blessed. Because in the immortal word of Jill Scott (who brought down the house this weekend) "He loves me".

Anyone in the Clinton or Obama Campaigns or their supporters should be banned from speaking

This is pretty much what it's getting to. Not a day goes by where someone affiliated with either campaign says something negative about the other and they have to resign, apologize and cause a huge media dust up over a simple opinion. What happened to having an opinion? If you don't agree who cares, its just an opinion, it's not fact.

To all the people who are speaking on behalf of, about or in the direction of Hillary or Barak just keep it to yourself. Only speak about your candidate and the good they've done for mankind. You are only permitted to speak in glowing flowery remarks that cannot be deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, anti-Christian or against puppies.

The Barack staffer called Hillary a monster. Now that she's no longer on his payroll she still thinks she's a monster and probably the b-word too. What did that really accomplish? Who cares if someone who works for your opponent doesn't like you? This is a non-issue. I'm sure many in the Barack and McCain camps have called her worse and believe she is such. My question is who cares? They aren't supposed to like Hillary anymore than Geraldine Ferraro is supposed to like Obama. Ferraro claims that Obama being black is what is helping him. Who cares if it is? Why even say it? He's obviously black, not changing any time soon. He could get 85% of the black vote in the general election just by showing his face. That's not his fault. Obama being black helps him about as much as Hillary being Bills wife helps her. If she wasn't the wife of Bill Clinton would she be a viable candidate? I think not. Is she going to renounce her marriage to even the playing field? No and she shouldn't.

Both of them have their advantages. Stating the obvious is a waste of air. People in general need to stop being so offended by every little thing. Calling a white person a racist because they acknowledge that race exists is ridiculous. We're not color blind. Saying that a black person has specific advantages because they are black is not completely untrue, just realize that white people also have advantages because they are white.

As a voter I care what candidates are going to do not what the other person is not going to do or why one candidate is winning over another. Stating that Obama is winning because he is black doesn't change the fact that he is winning. People who vote for and against him have known from day one that his mom is white and his father is African. Not a secret. All of these unnecessary attacks are really getting tiresome. I'm fine with people having opinions no matter how mean spirited and wrong they may be. This needs to be over already. I'm already very troubled by the lack of real ideas from both camps to change the country for the better. Instead of talking about each other lets talk about the fact that gas use by the US has steadily decreased while the price of oil is hitting record highs, let's discuss the housing market, what about the rising rates of unemployment among US citizens, lets do something about illegal immigration (how can you have 12 million jobs americans don't want and have rising unemployment, makes NO sense), the constant devaluing of the dollar, Iraq, Afghanistan (other than Prince Harry), East Africa, Cuba, China, record incarceration rates, education, real health care, Bush having the time to dance a jig for reporters while all of the above are going on. I could go on and on.

This name calling is STUPID on the parts of both camps. What Obama and Hillary should say about the Ferraro and monster comments: "She like everyone else is entitled to her opinion, my supporters and I believe I am in this position because of who I am as a person, there are many other issues that are far more important to Americans that I would like to discuss..."

I don’t care if an elected official cheats, I care that he’s broken the law

The moral majority are out in full effect because of Gov. Spitzer. People who stand on their moral high horse and expouse disdain for the "sinners" disgust me. Everyone is a little immoral in their own way, if you don't think you are, you're probably next in line for satan. At any rate. I could care less if anyone that is not married to me cheats on their spouse. It is a private matter. I personally think it's wrong. If the wife decides to stand by her husband throught thick and thin the good on her. That's their marriage kudos to them for trying to make it work. Just like with Hillary Clinton, you'd be amazed at the comments I've heard from other women stating that they wouldn't vote for her because she didn't leave her cheating husband. That's her friggin perogative! If you decide your vote for president based on the fact that she honored her wedding vows and believes marriage is for life then you should be stripped of your right to vote.

My issue is that I don't care what elected officials do in their personal lives as long as it's legal. Prostitution isn't legal in DC or NY. That's why he should step down. I don't care if he was caught with a hooker or crack, both are illegal. We have elected officials to uphold and create laws. They have to take an oath once they are sworn in to do so. I'd prefer the gay NJ governor stay in office over Spitzer. His relationship was consensual and legal. Although it may be common practive, paying for sex is still a crime, whether you think it should be or not. I think he should be forced to step down. If he hit his wife would this be up for discussion at all? I don't care if he was caught speeding. Elected officials should be held to a higher standard because they are our representatives. They don't have to be saints but they do have to follow the law like the rest of us. Doctors take oaths to help people through the use of medicine. Should a drug dealing doctor be able to continue preforming surgeries?

Unfortunately husbands cheat every day, they have wonderful wives and children, they do it anyway. It breaks up families and spreads disease. It is morally wrong. The US government is not run by what people believe is morally right or wrong, it is run by a group of elected officials that create laws and protections (supposedly) for the greater good. Elected officials are subject to the same laws as the rest of us common folk.

This is really a wonderful opportunity to those in the Obama camp to capitalize on Hillary's lack of real condemnation of Spitzer. I realize she supported him ,but her reaction (especially after Spitzer apologized) should have been a little more harsh than it was. Obama's link the the Chicago slum lord is often brought up, he's just a corrupt business man. What president hasn't been linked to at least one (cough, cough Clinton's massive pardons at the end of his term, everyone who's ever been in the same room as Dick Cheaney)? To be connected to an elected official engaged in illegal activity is much worse.

When looking at a disgraced public official the first question should be, have they broken the law? If not let them go about their merry way. Who dictates what is sexually moral anyway? Some celibate latin speaking man that lives in Europe, the well dressed preacher having affairs with half the congregation, some loud mouth red-raced person yelling on Fox News, the US government? It should be none of the above. Instead of constantly passing judgement on how other people live their lives to feel superior, why can't we just focus on our own morality, if it really exists.

How can a 2nd Grader have too much homework?

Every time I go to a parent teacher conference I hear things that are great for my child but troubling for the remainder of her peers. After hearing about her progress I ask her teachers for the book report format that they use in class and the next level of math she needs to begin working on. I want to remain consistent with what she's doing in class and provide extra help. I explain to them that she reads a chapter and does 2 pages out of the math book every evening after she finishes her homework. One teacher asks "You don't think we give too much homework?" Not at all, it's friggin 2nd grade. The other teacher responds, in shock no less, "So many parents complain that we give too much homework".

Ok, she gets home at 3:15 I get home from work at 4:30, homework is always complete and ready for me to check it. Even if it's not all correct that's about 45 minutes a day. How is that too much homework? Not even counting the days when they don't have homework. This is 2nd grade, they aren't doing quadratic equations, they aren't asked to analyze the supporting characters in a Dickens novel. They don't have 6 different subjects to work on. It's pretty much math and reading. Regrouping and newberry novels.

Let's be real. They don't have 5 hours of activities planned after school. It's go home and watch TV, play video games or run the streets. How can any parent complain about teachers attempting to give their children something productive and helpful to do? It's not an age thing, I know plenty of young moms and dads who are at every parent teacher conference, asking questions, making sure their kids do the best they can.

This bothers me because if you start off thinking that education is anything more than the wonderful blessing that it is, what is your child to think? Currently DC is attempting to revamp the "troubled" school system. Closing schools, begging for more funds to help students who are falling behind. This is all pointless with a capital P. Don't know if its because I'm a young, urban, single mom who's child by default would be considered "at risk" or if I have a flair for pointing out the obvious. Does no one in the Fenty administration realize that its the parents!! Rich or poor, black, white or latino, doesn't matter, a school is a success or failure due to the parents.

It's my job as a parent to go ask questions, make sure the education my child receives is the best. It's not the governments job to teach me to be a parent. I chose to have a child so it's my responsibility. If my kid isn't performing well that's on me to follow up and provide extra help where needed. Everything is not society's fault. All little black boys are not stygmatized as unteachable. If by school age you can't control your child why would you expect the teacher to do so? It's not the school system you just have a bad kid because you're probably a lazy parent. I know plenty of well behaved young black males, they are that way because their parent's foot has been in their behind from day one. That's how it needs to be.

I don't claim to have all the answers, well actually I do. Any child at risk of failing anything in elementary school or constantly being sent to the office should be faced with expulsion if the parent refuses to meet with the teachers regularly. Doesn't have to take time off from work but they should have to call and commit to working with the child and teachers to help. The kid could have a learning disability, could be having an upheaval at home, might need a different classroom environment. The parents of a lot of these kids who need help must to be forced to do something. To any liberals who feel that some parents especially single ones may not have enough time in their day to attend to this, I'm calling you an idiot. There are options in this nation, if you don't want to have a kid you don't have to. You can't change your mind after it gets here and then decide you want the schools to do your job because you don't feel like it. From my experience most teachers really do care and they want their students to do well. They are also frustrated by lack of interest.

I for one am tired of uneducated hoodlums. Because there is no need for them. I think if I say it enough they will begin believe it, young black kids are just as capable of learning and civilized behavior as anyone else. We are NOT ignorant, lazy or violent. It starts at home with wanting your child to succeed. It doesn't matter if you have a PhD or a 9th grade education. Everyone is capable of being a good parent. It starts with embracing education and ends with instilling the value of hard work. Can you imagine young people of all backgrounds with a desire to learn and a rebuke of laziness? I can.