...It's where some of the best conversations take place in any community. Black, white, Italian, Latin, Asian. The barbershop is where news, story's, history, politics, trends, and culture is spoken on.
The other day i decided to hit the barber shop and get cleaned up for the weekend. I might have a hot date or something *shrugs* never know never know. Anywhooooo, as I'm waiting my turn to sit in the chair, there's an individual getting his hair cut discussing some stuff. Not really a loud mouth, but an outspoken type gentleman. Comfortable in his own skin we can say. Well I'm an observant person, and i hear him speak on OBAMA , yes the presidential candidate. So i decided to tune in, since I'm trying to observe as much as i can about this election this year i plan to participate in (everybody go register to vote!). But the first thing i hear out his mouth is "I'M NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA!!".......................
Whoa now let me listen to this. The barber asks him why he wont vote for OBAMA. I think this is the first time the barber and myself have heard a black person say they are against OBAMA, this is going to be good. He kept with his argument that now started to draw the attention of other Barbers and customers. UHHH OHHHH!! WE now HAVE A CLASSIC BARBER SHOP DEBATE!! Its bout to get rowdy up in here!!!
So what was homeboy saying? such things as "I don't trust OBAMA, hes a puppet", "He is all about letting immigrants have benefits, but black people can't take there babies to the hospital".....followed with, "I'm voting for Edwards because the things he was saying were for the black people", and "Obama is just to smart, i don't trust him, he is not for the black people, he is in it for himself". But it gets better.....he then proceeds to say " ALL THE REAL BLACK PEOPLE DIED, JOHNNY COCHRAN DIED and he was real. Notice how he got a Brain Tumor all of a sudden? That didn't happen on accident!! He was about to get back money owed to slaves!!"..........
OK now after being in shock at this ignorance, shaking my head, no no, i was laughing, and waiting to see him get attacked by everybody in the shop, I stopped to think.
Is this the mentality of my people? Of the African American youth. The people that need this help in the inner city, have the ignorance to where they can't see who is helping them? To tell me that he wont trust a black president in office until a few black candidates have tried and he knows it's for real? ARE YOU F'n KIDDING ME?? its 2008!! I ask myself, why do we do this to our self. Why are we our own enemy. Why won't we see that we victimize ourselves. The biggest problem i have had with my people and my community, is how we box ourselves in, then we turn around and use every excuse why we are uneducated, why we are in poverty, why the pregnancy rate is sky high in our communities. We think we know everything. My mom used to always have this saying .."Your the dumbest smart person i know". And that's how i f eel about some of my people. We are so intelligent , history has shown that, the present has shown that, but we go about it so dumb!! so dumb!! I'm not bashing my people, I'm just frustrated with my people shorting ourselves with our ignorance and narrow views and lack of understanding before action.
With that said, i am taking more responsibility upon myself to read up about this election, tivo the debates if i cant be there. Be part of history and my future and the next generations future. I'm in my mid 20's its my country now as far as I'm concerned. Who we support to put in office will effect me. I pay taxes, laws apply to my lively hood. So many people don't want to vote, don't care, or think they know what they saw on a hour debate without understanding the significance of it all. Whats important and whats not. I'm not one to preach. I missed the last election, voted 2 elections ago. So now this year i need to step it up when in which i feel will be the most important election of my years on my earth. A chance for a black man, or a woman to be in the White House. I want to be part of that history and my future... YOU SHOULD BE TOO. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Especially before you decide to make a decision on your vote. Or even a decision to open up your big ass mouth in the barbershop.
The other day i decided to hit the barber shop and get cleaned up for the weekend. I might have a hot date or something *shrugs* never know never know. Anywhooooo, as I'm waiting my turn to sit in the chair, there's an individual getting his hair cut discussing some stuff. Not really a loud mouth, but an outspoken type gentleman. Comfortable in his own skin we can say. Well I'm an observant person, and i hear him speak on OBAMA , yes the presidential candidate. So i decided to tune in, since I'm trying to observe as much as i can about this election this year i plan to participate in (everybody go register to vote!). But the first thing i hear out his mouth is "I'M NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA!!".......................
Whoa now let me listen to this. The barber asks him why he wont vote for OBAMA. I think this is the first time the barber and myself have heard a black person say they are against OBAMA, this is going to be good. He kept with his argument that now started to draw the attention of other Barbers and customers. UHHH OHHHH!! WE now HAVE A CLASSIC BARBER SHOP DEBATE!! Its bout to get rowdy up in here!!!
So what was homeboy saying? such things as "I don't trust OBAMA, hes a puppet", "He is all about letting immigrants have benefits, but black people can't take there babies to the hospital".....followed with, "I'm voting for Edwards because the things he was saying were for the black people", and "Obama is just to smart, i don't trust him, he is not for the black people, he is in it for himself". But it gets better.....he then proceeds to say " ALL THE REAL BLACK PEOPLE DIED, JOHNNY COCHRAN DIED and he was real. Notice how he got a Brain Tumor all of a sudden? That didn't happen on accident!! He was about to get back money owed to slaves!!"..........
OK now after being in shock at this ignorance, shaking my head, no no, i was laughing, and waiting to see him get attacked by everybody in the shop, I stopped to think.
Is this the mentality of my people? Of the African American youth. The people that need this help in the inner city, have the ignorance to where they can't see who is helping them? To tell me that he wont trust a black president in office until a few black candidates have tried and he knows it's for real? ARE YOU F'n KIDDING ME?? its 2008!! I ask myself, why do we do this to our self. Why are we our own enemy. Why won't we see that we victimize ourselves. The biggest problem i have had with my people and my community, is how we box ourselves in, then we turn around and use every excuse why we are uneducated, why we are in poverty, why the pregnancy rate is sky high in our communities. We think we know everything. My mom used to always have this saying .."Your the dumbest smart person i know". And that's how i f eel about some of my people. We are so intelligent , history has shown that, the present has shown that, but we go about it so dumb!! so dumb!! I'm not bashing my people, I'm just frustrated with my people shorting ourselves with our ignorance and narrow views and lack of understanding before action.
With that said, i am taking more responsibility upon myself to read up about this election, tivo the debates if i cant be there. Be part of history and my future and the next generations future. I'm in my mid 20's its my country now as far as I'm concerned. Who we support to put in office will effect me. I pay taxes, laws apply to my lively hood. So many people don't want to vote, don't care, or think they know what they saw on a hour debate without understanding the significance of it all. Whats important and whats not. I'm not one to preach. I missed the last election, voted 2 elections ago. So now this year i need to step it up when in which i feel will be the most important election of my years on my earth. A chance for a black man, or a woman to be in the White House. I want to be part of that history and my future... YOU SHOULD BE TOO. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Especially before you decide to make a decision on your vote. Or even a decision to open up your big ass mouth in the barbershop.
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