Saturday, October 31, 2015

Jewish People were some of the first People in modern Basketbal

Don’t Send Our Third Graders to Prison!!

By Brother Tracy Gibson

 

I heard some statistics about how Black third graders who can’t read to proficiency levels are pigeon holed by the government and educational powers that be. The governments in some states actually allocate money for them to have a place in the prison system later because they know they will be a problem for our society.  The money to be spent for them to have a place in prison when they get older adds up to thousands of dollars that should be spent on their being given the best educations now while they are young. The system has no faith that these mostly Black children will become productive, tax-paying and job-holding citizens, so the system actually provides the space for youths, many Black I would suppose, to have a place in prison for many years of their life.

This is a bellicose, highly suspect, annoying, anger-causing and quiet bothersome statistic for me and many other Black People who  have faith that our young Black People will indeed be able to work and be productive citizens in future societies. I heard this statistic on WURD Black Talk Radio 900 AM, during Solomen Jones’ show in the morning, I believe. WURD is based  in Philadelphia & is quite popular in the more informed Black community here.

It took me a while, but I thought and thought about this so-called ``fact’’ and How I might change it for myself overnight because doing al the work it will take to get our youth to understand the seriousness of their situations is difficult at best. What I came up with is very simple and if enough Black People do it, it will have an incredible positive impact on the education system and How we treat our Black youth in the education system. I said to myself, every time I see a Black baby or a Black child, I would think of which of the 30 to 40 some odd Black colleges I would send them to with full funding, scholarships and even money for them to be paid to go to school.

My thinking was that if we can afford, as Black People, if we can afford expensive cigars, a cigarette habit, alcohol, cake, candy, hotel rooms to cheat on our husbands and wives and girlfriends and boyfriends, Pop-Eyes Chicken, Duncan Donuts, Mickey Dee hamburgers and Burger King hamburgers (which have been proven to be lethal), sodas, fried chicken, pork skins, pork and a host of other things we consume all too often, but are not good for us or wasteful or downright a waste of money like lottery tickets usually are, we can afford to start finding ways to privately send our children to Black colleges even if we have to pay them to study. Our children are not dumb. I’m convinced that they often just learn at a different rate and in a different Way.  Some of them are much smarter than their White counterparts, but have not been given the opportunities to learn in a safe environment, with plenty of Black teachers who really LOVe and care about them.  Such a safe and LOVing and Caring environment really makes a big difference.

My sister says we need to home teach our children. I agree. Until we get a positive and successful network of Black private schools, or even with that in place, Home Teaching is a real option.  The lack of good Black male teachers and good Black male role models is also a big part of the problem. In Philadelphia the Public School system is stuck on 7% Black male teachers and has been for quite some time—at least 5 years. We need many more than that.  Unfortunately, many Black male teachers have actually thrown in the towel  with teaching because the children (especially young males) are so rowdy  and out of control.  The teachers can’t control these very large class rooms that often have 40 children. Students who want to be rowdy must, in my humble opinion, be separated from the students who are there to really study and take full advantage of the teacher’s knowledge. (If you have a rowdy student, parents, don’t lose hope. When I was in elementary school I would fight in the fire tower when I was supposed to be cleaning the erasers and I once had a fist fight with a female student because she called me a faggot. I ended up graduating from The Ohio State University with a 3.3 GPA.).   

Don’t give up on your children, no matter what. There is a Black guy who has found a effective Way to teach Black students science and math using rap and Hip Hop music. (I have to do the research on this. This is the reason I want money for my company.).

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Don't Send Our Black Third Graders to Prison!!


Don’t Send Our Third Graders to Prison!!

By Brother Tracy Gibson

 

I heard some statistics about how Black third graders who can’t read to proficiency levels are pigeon holed by the government and educational powers that be. The governments in some states actually allocate money for them to have a place in the prison system later because they know they will be a problem for our society.  The money to be spent for them to have a place in prison when they get older adds up to thousands of dollars that should be spent on their being given the best educations now while they are young. The system has no faith that these mostly Black children will become productive, tax-paying and job-holding citizens, so the system actually provides the space for youths, many Black I would suppose, to have a place in prison for many years of their life.

This is a bellicose, highly suspect, annoying, anger-causing and quiet bothersome statistic for me and many other Black People who  have faith that our young Black People will indeed be able to work and be productive citizens in future societies. I heard this statistic on WURD Black Talk Radio 900 AM, during Solomen Jones’ show in the morning, I believe. WURD is based  in Philadelphia & is quite popular in the more informed Black community here.

It took me a while, but I thought and thought about this so-called ``fact’’ and How I might change it for myself overnight because doing al the work it will take to get our youth to understand the seriousness of their situations is difficult at best. What I came up with is very simple and if enough Black People do it, it will have an incredible positive impact on the education system and How we treat our Black youth in the education system. I said to myself, every time I see a Black baby or a Black child, I would think of which of the 30 to 40 some odd Black colleges I would send them to with full funding, scholarships and even money for them to be paid to go to school.

My thinking was that if we can afford, as Black People, if we can afford expensive cigars, a cigarette habit, alcohol, cake, candy, hotel rooms to cheat on our husbands and wives and girlfriends and boyfriends, Pop-Eyes Chicken, Duncan Donuts, Mickey Dee hamburgers and Burger King hamburgers (which have been proven to be lethal), sodas, fried chicken, pork skins, pork and a host of other things we consume all too often, but are not good for us or wasteful or downright a waste of money like lottery tickets usually are, we can afford to start finding ways to privately send our children to Black colleges even if we have to pay them to study. Our children are not dumb. I’m convinced that they often just learn at a different rate and in a different Way.  Some of them are much smarter than their White counterparts, but have not been given the opportunities to learn in a safe environment, with plenty of Black teachers who really LOVe and care about them.  Such a safe and LOVing and Caring environment really makes a big difference.

My sister says we need to home teach our children. I agree. Until we get a positive and successful network of Black private schools, or even with that in place, Home Teaching is a real option.  The lack of good Black male teachers and good Black male role models is also a big part of the problem. In Philadelphia the Public School system is stuck on 7% Black male teachers and has been for quite some time—at least 5 years. We need many more than that.  Unfortunately, many Black male teachers have actually thrown in the towel  with teaching because the children (especially young males) are so rowdy  and out of control.  The teachers can’t control these very large class rooms that often have 40 children. Students who want to be rowdy must, in my humble opinion, be separated from the students who are there to really study and take full advantage of the teacher’s knowledge. (If you have a rowdy student, parents, don’t lose hope. When I was in elementary school I would fight in the fire tower when I was supposed to be cleaning the erasers and I once had a fist fight with a female student because she called me a faggot. I ended up graduating from The Ohio State University with a 3.3 GPA.).   

Don’t give up on your children, no matter what. There is a Black guy who has found a effective Way to teach Black students science and math using rap and Hip Hop music. (I have to do the research on this. This is the reason I want money for my company.).

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

An Open Letter to Louis Farrakhan October 20th, 2015 Tuesday


An Open Letter to Dignified Minister Louis Farrakhan:

From: Black Activist (Disabled) Brother Tracy Gibson).

It is with Great Respect & Dignity that I sit down to write the leader of the Nation of Islam, Minister Louis Farrakhan. I missed the recent march in D.C., but was with folks in Spirit. I have always considered myself a honorary member of the Nation of Islam and even have gone so far as to visualize & dream about being a member of the Fruit of Islam.  Even though this can never happen because I Am a Gay person, I still have my dreams and fantasies. Even though I Am a Christian by birth and choice, I still have my vision and dreams. It is said, if I Am not is mistaken, that all a person need to do is commit to Peace on this precious earth and they are naturally a Muslim. In this case then, I Am a Muslim, even though I Am actually a Christian (born into and Christened into the Saint Thomas African Methodist Episcopal Church when it was still housed at 52nd and Parrish Street in West Philadelphia in 1957). I will be 59 in a few weeks. But what I want to say about Minister Louis Farrakhan is important so I will not dilly dally. (A good & close friend of mine, Sistah Charlotte Harris, says I write to long. I cannot say this will be short. ).

Dear Minister Farrakhan: You, as far as I can see, are a great and decent man. You have said some words about Gay People that I don’t agree with, but I Am more than willing to take such things with a grain of salt and look at the whole picture of what you have and are doing. (Please note I Am writing this without watching the footage of you & the demonstration in Wash D C with Brothers & Sistahs  on October 10, 2015.). For now, however, I want to say I have respected your work to bring our Black community nationally and internationally together. If People have been listening they have watched as your temper has cooled, but they know there is still fire in your heart as far as How much you care about the most poor and the most oppressed.  I just want to give you some suggestions from a Black Gay person who has many divergent political ties, but who has worked diligently to maintain high ethics and high standards even in the face of those who would criticize me due to my personal life.  What I think needs to be the What Else in your Justice of Else is two or even seven fold. 1) If People are poor or have a limited income, I strongly suggest they avoid going to some of the restaurants in our Black neighborhoods that are chocking off our robust health that God wants us to  have. Restaurants such as Mickie Dees; Burge King; Dairy Queen; Pop Eye’s Chicken, Dunkin Donuts, Church’s Chicken and the other fast foot places; as well as many of the Asian restaurants that serve fattening food under dirty conditions, such foods should be avoided at all cost. Our Black Mom’s and Black  Pop’s must start taking the time to cook ole fashion food with slow cookers, giving the proper time to cook. We also need to eat more raw foods, splendidly prepared by people who know what they are doing. Take more vegetarian cooking classes and more classes in raw food preparation so we can get our robust health back over time. We must also slow our use of cigarettes; alcohol; illegal drugs including pot and stop cursing our men, children & women.  These things can take time and one can read books about how to change such behaviors.  (There is a book called ``Ethical Ambition,’’ by Derrick Bell that is a fantastic example of How to bring more ethical behavior into the Black home and the Black dwelling.) If more serious behaviors are still a problems such as hurting your mate, male or female, we must ask that you talk to your Imam, Pastor, or Reverend at Mosque or Church  or get Psychiatric help through your general Doc.  (We as adults must look at the condition of our families and our neighborhoods and be realistic about getting the help we need. It is Way past time to be embarrassed & ashamed about getting professional help. I know this is not easy. It took me a full hour of my dear Sistah Claudia cajoling me into getting help before I finally got help some thirty plus years ago. We must understand that the hurting of each other is based on the modes of media we listen to including some, not all, but some of the mindless and violence-oriented rap we listen to; learned negative behaviors; and personal relationships that can be avoided with professional help. We can start to make better choices with the professional help we need.  Making such choices to move to better health is vital for our recovery and survival as Black People ready to take on leadership of this world. This is the only world we have. This is where we are going. That is why the world is in such a mess and rich White People are talking about going to Mars. I like the Planet earth and I want our babies and children to have time to live here and enjoy this planet in the future. There are a host of other types of restaurants that are inexpensive such as our Caribbean restaurants, but we must be trained as to how to order the proper foods for our best health of body and mind. 2) This will seem odd at first, but think about it. I want to and suggest you Brother Farrakhan, tell our People to buy certain stocks in some of the most profitable companies that are Black owned.  The ones that are doing good in our communities and creating foods, goods & services that are about human health and decency and human survival. Positive companies. We need to support the growth and development of Black companies that have a social agenda and want to help the Black community.  If we have stock in White companies it is time to sell them & buy stock in companies that are owned by Black People. There are literally hundreds of such companies on the Stock Exchange and they can be found in your latest Black Enterprise Magazine.  This is especially important for more wealthy Black People who might have large stock portfolios.  3) We must put our money into Black banks. I have preached this in Philadelphia and have started fighting for United Bank to get a new branch in West Philadelphia. Each of us must take it upon ourselves, if we are Black People who are serious about wanting the social change we seek, we must take it upon ourselves to seek out these banks and support them in every Way possible in all 50 states in the United States of Native America and all around the world. We need to take our money out of White oriented banks that mean us no good.  Our progressive and even radical organizations must also get on board with this idea and help us find and support our Black owned banks and our Black organizations must use these Black banks themselves. This will embolden our Black communities financially and give us more breathing room politically, economically and with our families and in our Black communities  while also making Way for us to have the Capital we need to start, grow or expand existing Black businesses. The stabilizing impact on the Black community will be lasting, ongoing and consistent.   4) We must support Black businesses in our communities and seek them out if we don’t have many in our own Black communities.  (Personally I own a corporation that has many helpful components and is designed to help stabilize Black families through both political, social and financial efforts. It is called Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc.) Black Barber Shops; Black Churches; Black Grocery stores; Black Dollar Stores; Black Sneaker stores; Black restaurants; Black dress and clothing shops; Black hat shops; Black Auto repair shops ; Black Tee-Shirt shops and so forth – they must all be supported by us. They all need our strong and consistent support.  We should all, as Black People, be reading books like Maggie Anderson’s ``Our Black Year,’’ about seeking out and successfully supporting Black businesses. This important book uses Chicago as a case study. It is very important that our teens read this book. 5) The next part of the …justice or else is more important. We need to suffer the consequences & suffer the vibrations, and there is really just disruption, not difficulty, wherever possible we must take our children out of White institutions of higher learning and put our Black children and Black young adults into the best Black Colleges and Black universities. There are scholarships to be had (call our company when you need help finding money. Google my name – Brother Tracy Gibson.).  Our Black colleges and Black universities have been having financial difficulty because far too many of us have bought into the thought that ``White is better.’’  I Am convinced that our Black students get more traction from Black schools. It is a known fact that when a Black student graduates from a Black college or Black university He or She comes out with more close friends to network with and these friendships last much longer and are more helpful in helping graduated students find jobs, find better careers, move up the corporate scale, and --  more important -- their relationships with former teachers that can be used to leverage help with businesses and professional careers. Useful professional relationships are very important and need nurturing and help to stay alive and healthy. These nurturing  skills are ramped in  Black colleges and Black universities & Black schools are very good at establishing  such skills in Black teens and young Black adults.   Also: if you do the research, you will find that a large percentage of Black achievers come out of Black universities and Black colleges. Schools such as Fisk; Howard University, Lincoln University; Cheney University; Clark University; Spelman University; Florida A & M University; Clafton College in South Carolina; Johnson C. Smith University; Tuskegee University; (There are about 30 such Black colleges & Black Universities. You can go to your public library and look them up. Take your children with you.).    These are all powerful non-violent actions that will bring on the power and the positive social change we seek and have lasting political and financial benefits into the far future for our more wholesome and decent Black Community. 6) We should all also support the social change organizations in our Black neighborhoods and the cities we live in. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is important, but there are literally dozens of organizations that can be and should be getting our financial support and our support as volunteers. I personally have a laundry list of organizations (Mostly Black) that I support with my time and money. Most recently I Am helping serve food at The Church of The Advocate, a Black church at 18th & Diamond Street, here in North Philadelphia.  I literally thrive on such work and LOVe to help the most needy in our Black community.  Although I Am disabled, I Am starting a new part time job very soon, or at least the paid training for that job. This has made me very proud because I’ll be able to interject more of my help & effort into the effort to lift the Black community internationally and Black People internationally.

This work will not be easy, but when a person gets used to taking on new tasks and when our friends & family and neighbors are helping right alongside of us, we find the work challenging, and even fun.  Reverend Paul Washington, the late Pastor of The Church of the Advocate was a mentor of mine and He taught me how to not only be strong, but when to accept help from others and when to listen to others. He was not only an activist, He was also an honored statesmen and a dignified diplomat. I honor Him by keeping on track with my life and doing the best I can each day. This is why I want the City of Philadelphia to name the Philadelphia Airport after Him. I will be advocating for this and asking City Council what I need to do to make this happen.

Again Brother Farrakhan, I thank you for your hard and diligent work. Remember, even the best of us need to take a break now and then. For you, since you don’t like vacations, perhaps you should make a meeting in an exotic Caribbean place (The Barbados is nice) and invite your best political allies and just dip your toes in the cool pristine waters a few times while you are there. I know this is corny, but I want you to know that I LOVe you and that your People also LOVe you.

 

Peace & Blessings,

 

 

 

Brother Tracy Gibson,

Disabled Black Businessman and Disabled Black activist

Owner of Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc.

 

Keeping Black Families ahead of the Pack and ready for swift action that helps us survive & thrive.

Something to Think About

A few years ago I did something that seemed right at the time. Now, I think it was stupid, but maybe it was still necessary, looking back. I said some things and found a picture of a man who looked like Alan Iverson, the former 76er. The gentleman in the picture was partially nude and He was with another man.   He looked like Alan Iverson. I went over the edge and destroyed His career as a Sixer by saying He was Gay. (Misery LOVes Company, I guess).  The reason I did this was because He was making Rap Music (and I use the term loosely here), He was making Rap Music that degraded Black Gay men and degraded Black women.  Our youth were listening to the music and I fund hopeless and helpless to do anything about it. So, I took the action I mentioned. I Am making a serious confession about myself that could cost me getting at the wrong end of a law suite filed by Mr. Iverson's crew. I held this back for years, but it is time that it come out. He was let go by the 76res shortly after I made this ``most likely false'' disclosure.  I think it shows two things. 1) The internet is a powerful tool that can be used to bring down the powerful and mighty; and 2) It is a tool that can be misused and abused. Tipper Gore and C. Deloris Tucker are two women (Gore is White and Tucker was Black) who stood as a fortress against the raging evil machine that most of the Rap Industry has become in the hands of mostly a few White producers who still to this day refuse to give bigger contracts and exposure to the politically correct, politically conscious and the progressive or left to Radical Black Rap artists who want to get their records out there. Choosing instead to give money, contracts and exposure to People like Mr. Alan Iverson. I don't know if Mr. Iverson and His People or Crew can forgive me, thinking back to the harm they were doing. I may, as I said, be at the wrong end of a very expensive law suite. But I Am a man of GOD and I had to eventually make this confession. They say confession is good for the soul. I feel rather stupid if I did actually have anything to do with Him losing His career because Brother Alan Iverson LOVed Basketball and He LOVed being a Sixer. I Am sending this note to my Pastor at church in hopes that He will help me forgive myself. I will seek His council this week. If Brother Iverson wants to call my attorneys He can look up Attorney Ron Harper at 140 Maplewood Avenue, (1 215 844 4848) in Germantown, Philadelphia.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Shean Peretta

The Light Behind the Throne – Sean Peretta

 

By Anonymous

 

Sean Peretta was one of, if not the kindest, sweetest, smartest Black men I eve met. While He attended Law School at Villanova University He worked at TV Guide Magazine, where I was also employed. We both worked as editorial assistants in the National Programming Department.

 

Sean Peretta had a smile that GOD depended on to help Him light up the world each and every morning.  He was Black and Italian, but He knew of racial hatred & discrimination. He NEVER , EVER, however, let these evil forces make Him hateful, angry or bitter. I, an angry Black man at the time, never understood this—especially coming from a younger Black man.

 

To say Sean Peretta was a beautiful Black man would be like calling the lush, robust African Baobab tree a little sprout or like calling the Hope Diamond a little gem –the understatement is deeply apparent. Sean was one of the most physically beautiful men of any race I had ever known or seen.  He LOVed humanity and had a female friend named Randy who was of European extraction. Sean never made any excuses about Randy being His friend. They made it through thick & thin. I don’t think they were intimate partners, but frankly, that is none of my bees wax. All I know s Randy would have given the world for Sean and Vice Versa.

 

The job as an Editorial Assistant at TV Guide didn’t look hard on the surface, but it did require some detailed work, concentration & punctuality.  TV Guide’s Human Resources Office was literally littered with a good many pink slips from People who didn’t make the grade.

 

Sean LOVed Basketball. He was a fish out of water without it. He was very tall & thin like most basketball stars & basketball players are. But there was something very special about Sean that I didn’t get a chance to reflect on until now – some 15 to 20 years after His tragic death.

 

I never knew a man of any race – known or unknown – rich or income-challenged, who had a brighter, more authentic smile and a total honesty about His deepest persona. The secret to Sean was that it was all there. There was really nothing much very deep or secret about Him. This is the deep part—humanity& the Universe really embraced Him with all its’ might. This was a delightful man with a good joke or two who didn’t understand the concept of greed, deceit, hatefulness or resentment. My own parents didn’t represent the type of honesty of personality represented in Sean Peretta. He sat directly in front of me, across a table where we had our work.  The sun light shined from behind Him through a large window.  It created the impact of Sean looking like a vision in light – an angel, a beautiful Black male angel. I was so very, very honored to have met & known Sean, but it took years for me to come to terms with How much I LOVed & missed Him.  Sean was straight and I Am Gay, but this made no never – mind to Him. I knew full well not to step over certain boundaries with Sean in our daily work & brief encounters that happened as part of our working in the same office. 

 

Maybe Sean had that early Obama charm that comes with being bi-racial. He was brown. He identified as being Black. But People didn’t talk much about race around Him, although He was known to support liberal causes like, perhaps the American Civil Liberties Union or the Human Rights Campaign in the early days of their work.  He also supported a few liberal Democrats in His day. 

 

When I heard Sean died playing basketball one hot summer day and that He had had a fatal heart attack, I was more than shocked and saddened because His LOVe for humanity and People were just beginning to rub off on me.  I was changing from a bitter Black radical into a more refined man with great taste in other men and fine foods.  Sean was a stellar man who a lot of People at The Guide LOVed.  I rarely go to funerals, but not to be at this gentleman’s funeral would not be proper at all.  I remember one of His nephews or a niece [Sean had no children] saying How much they would miss their uncle.  It was all very sad that Day at White Rock Baptist Church at 53rd and Chestnut Street.

 

Know this Sean. Please in heaven or in limbo or with the Ancient, Black African Ancestors, even from antiquity, please work to make this earth a Heaven like you may be in right now. Help me and so many other Black, Asian, Latin, Arab and White progressives make this planet a haven for Peace, prosperity for ALL, LOVe, decency, non-judgment, equality, abundance, Joy, Freedom, sharing, non-violence, non-discrimination, wealth-sharing, non-drug dependency,& sustainability. Help us save or planet’s water, air and other natural resources so they will be here for the children.  Help us all come full circle in ending war and destruction and helping the rich share with all of us. And help us all make what we need to make economically to make this word a much, much better place. Protect us from the evil manipulation of others who are geared towards the destruction of this planet, its’ People and who have greed and hatred as a base of their motivations.  I will never forget you and that smile. I know you can help us in this time of need.  I know you Will.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Why We Don't Need the Strict Concept of Sin


Why We Don’t Need the Strict Concept of Sin…..

{Revised on October 5, 2015 – Monday].

Anonymous…

The concept of sin is ole fashioned and out moated.  If we have a strong idea of who GOD is and are true Christians or True Muslims we don’t need to feel the Master’s Whip from misguided Preachers concerning the concept of sin coming down on us every five minutes with the ``you should not do’s.’’ I don’t believe homosexuality is a ``sin.’’

We know not to rob We know not to steal and we know not to murder.  These things are against God’s Law and in the Bible.  But I’m here to tell you that we need to follow New Holy Laws and New Holy Ways.  Now when you have to decide who to listen to in listening to what these New Holy Laws and New Holy Ways are, that is when things get tricky and harsh words and allegations start to fly around like paper planes out of control. We usually end up falling back on the Bible or Koran and saying ``This is the Law.’’ But those books were written many, many, many years ago and we have to honestly ask if they hold real and total relevance for today.  It is NOT sack religious to ask such questions.  When GOD created us He did so knowing we would have a mind and grow and develop and ask questions. He didn’t make us to be unchanging and stagnant.  HE doesn’t want, I believe, He doesn’t want us to be just obedient and quiet.  He wants us to ask questions, ponder new answers that move ourselves and humanity ahead and forward and still be faithful and decent people…..no matter what religion we are or if we are not religious at all.  As long as we have LOVe in our hearts and are not hot-headed in the decisions we make, as long as we live with high ethical standards, and as long as we think things out and work every-day at being faithful and decent people, I think humanity Will do just fine. I really don’t think this is Rocket Science. What do you think?

The Bible was used to enslave us, as Africans, in the past [find Biblical quote, ask Will or Minister Brian].  Anyone can justify just about anything by using Biblical Scripture.  Certainly the Bible is also used for very, very good purposes as Well.  It was also used to tell us that slavery was immoral and wrong, for example [find Bible Quotes from Minister Brian and Will]. . Like I said, you can justify just about anything using Biblical scriptures. People—sometimes good intentioned People-- have twisted things around and manipulated, misrepresented and misinterpreted the Words of GOD.  We, as humans and Pastors and men and women of GOD have interjected New words to twist morality around to our own liking and thinking. We have, of course, had our own interpretations of what we think GOD meant in the Bible. As long as we don’t have hate, greed and negativity or power grabbing in our hearts, I think coming up with our own interpretations is only natural.  But we need to start out as basically good people and not be hateful, discriminatory or racist in the first place to really do justice to such an honor.  I think keeping the Bible as a source of inspiration and a guiding post Will almost assuredly be a fact of life for thousands of Black people until the end of time.

I don’t think I’m ``getting it Twisted’’ by asking you to think of sin—the concept of sin—as oppressive, hurtful and out moated.  We go to church sometimes [I can’t say for Mosque or Synagogue because I don’t go to these places with any consistency because I am not a Muslim or a Jewish Person.  If you are in fact a Muslim just for believing in Peace and being Peaceful than I guess I am a Muslim in that sense, but I don’t pray five times a day and go to Mosque. I stay in prayer 24 hours a day and attend church almost every week.], we go to church and feel the hot breath of Our Pastor on our neck preaching what we should not do and what we must do to please GOD.  But if we have a centered life and believe strongly in GOD we come out even better.  I’m convinced that humans have a real capacity to LOVe, grow, be fair, be understanding, not be judgmental, be kind, not be violent, control our lustful behaviors [ a problem I have to work on personally.  While I don’t have many bedroom partners, I do think of sex a great deal and I like to watch pornography, which can actually be used as a good hedge against engaging in excessive, overt sexual behaviors, in our culture which is oversexed in the first place.]. As long as we share our money to lift up the poor and down trodden... and don’t hurt others and live and let live and try, very hard, to help our fellow humans, I don’t see where we need to be chastised by Christian preachers hitting us over the head repeatedly by saying we were born in sin. My parents were married when they gave birth to me & my sister and I don’t think either of them were guilty of much sin. I take great offense at anyone who thinks that or who says that, even if they are quoting Biblical scriptures. I don’t think I was ``born in sin’’. Sorry, that is just how I feel.   If we are good, generous and kind and haven’t purposefully and with full knowledge hurt anyone and want to help ourselves & the human race (especially the down trodden or Poor and Black People especially who are thus) , and are actively doing so in some manner or fashion, and want to be fair, we are walking in GOD’s path and GOD is both behind us, in front of us and in us.  GOD is with us… I’m not saying we can do no wrong, but it is much harder to be corrupted when you walk thusly WITH GOD and think positively and have determination in your Way of thinking and LOVe in your heart !!!

We can read the Bible and the Koran and still walk such a GODLY path.  But I’m trying to put some of the more oppressive ministers and Pastors out of business if they think talking about sin is not in itself a hurtful, vile and evil thing—if taken to the extreme….[ I believe this is true – that accusing someone of sin & saying we are ``born in sin’’ is itself vile & disruptive to the human spirit.].  Yes, there is so-called sin and we should stay away from most of it. [ What you might consider a sin may not qualify in my determination.]  But GOD may have some New Ideas that need to be aired and looked at, pondered, studied, considered and analyzed.

I’m going to deal with something here that is magnificently controversial.  That is homosexuality.  I am a homosexual.  I have come to the decision that these are the years of the homosexual and with good reason.  It has to do not just with changing morals and ethics.  It has to do with numbers. Population numbers. I have to interject the actual numbers here [and I Will at a later date], but do you have any idea of how this ole earth is going to survive and we are going to feed and house ALL the people who Will be on the earth for another 100 or 200 years? I’m not just talking about rich White people, I’m talking about everybody on the Earth—especially good and decent people. We are having a population explosion.  There are about seven point nine billion people on the planet right now in October of 2015…..  In 20 years that number could double [do the research].  We are ALL, as humans, going to have to put our heads together and stop ALL this racial, religious, ethnic, sexual, philosophical and sexually orientated dividing and find solutions quickly if our Earth is to survive and if ALL of humanity is to get good, healthy, decent food, clean fresh water, jobs and working opportunities and decent places to live.  I am NOT sure that Capitalism, as we know it right now, today, in the present, can survive this New World because giving power to just a few people has not worked since it was started. [It may be working for rich White males, and a few rich White females and a few rich people of other various races and ethnic considerations, but in actuality, even they are finding themselves out of the loop of decency as they clutch onto power, dollar bills and wealth that really is not theirs. The People are the real wealth creators, the real wealth builders and the real heart of the wealth machine. The really nasty wealthy people have tried to do away with the People’s importance in wealth creation, not so we can all have a better life, but to stop having to pay workers good wages & good benefits.  This is corrupted, vile and negative. Most honest People, like me, want to work. ]. There are just far, far too many people left with nothing, scraping the bottoms of trash cans and not having work, a decent place to live and decent, healthy food and clean fresh water.  I’m NOT only talking about Black People, but poor Whites, poor Latin people and poor people of every race, religion, creed and ethnicity. [I must add here that although we are told ALL Jewish People are rich, this is not bore out as truth. I know for a fact that there are poor Jewish People and I also know for a fact that some poor Jewish People are also very giving, funny and kind and want the best for the world. If they are Zionist, they need to take a fresh look at that also. But that is for another article or position paper.] The corporate structure, as we know it today, is not working for the masses. There are books about this on my book list. One is called ``Working for You Isn’t Working for Me: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss,’’ By Katherine Crowley & Kathi Elster.

Another is:   ``Working With You is Killing Me: Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work,’’ By Katherine Crowley & Kathi Elster.

 The vast majority of people have few opportunities for real and lasting advancement with the system the way it is right now. This is changing and needs to change badly.   We know it, but getting a handle on how to turn the means of production over to the people—at least about 70 % of the means of production over to the People--often gets corrupted and often seems unattainable.  We need to work non-violently and methodically—every day--and carefully with selected boycotts; letter writing campaigns; building a new infrastructure; alternative activism, petitions, and alternative advocacy; New Thinking; finding Ways to bake new revolutionary pies [see related article]--and open our thinking and our minds to the positive change we say we want. We are that change. We must make that change. I think We are Willing to work for these things.  We just need some knowledge and direction… and we need to get in touch with the Real God—not someone in the clouds and not George Burns who played GOD in ``Oh, GOD’’.

With the population at about 16% homosexuals we have less children coming into the world.  Do you think that maybe GOD knows what He is doing? We continually question and criticize what is happening in the world and leave no room for the Master’s Wisdom to be interpreted properly. We say ``things are not perfect and people are not perfect’’ but we, as humans, have very little idea of what perfect or perfection would look like in the eyes of GOD so our saying things are ``not perfect’’ is speaking from a very, very limited and even often foolish point of view.  Especially if we know for sure that GOD has real control of all this here on Earth which we often think of and consider ``madness.’’ Everybody wants to jump in with an opinion, and that is our right [it won’t be our right soon unless we repeal the Patriot Act I and the Patriot Act II and any other laws on the books that are curbing our basic Civil Liberties, Civil Rights and Human Rights as humans on Earth and as citizens of the United States of Native America North (Ask about related article). But back your opinions up with good solid research—not just your views.

We can start by taking the concept of sin our Pastors are talking about and saying we don’t need it, we can curb our enthusiasm for sin ourselves.

I have a strong suggestion for Pastors who are so worried about who is sleeping with who, which is really more of a personal choice anyway.  Why not worry about equality for the oppressed? Why not worry about People’s rights as workers? Why not worry about People getting food, exercise, work at a good wage and healthy, clean water for the entire world, including India, Africa, Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil and the rest of the world? When was, I ask these Pastors, when was the last time you did anything to make sure that there are Black store owners in your neighborhood who have fully-stocked stores and plenty of Black employees? And the proper  capital to run the store effectively & properly? Do you see Black people owning any of the sky-scrapers Down Town in Philadelphia? No!!! Not many, and not known if there are a few….  This is an injustice and  will spell the death of Capitalism. This is just a brief example of the kind and character of oppression we suffer under this ``White run’’ system of oppression  some people live under in this country and accept. Do we question? Do We work towards positive change? The inequality is ALL around us.  We often hear talk of a Black Gay community.  Where is this community? How many shops and stores are owned by Black Gay people, if we really have such a community?  There are plenty of stores owned by Gay people in Center City, but Black Gay and Black Lesbian People own very little that I see.  What is our government doing to address this inequality? What good is voting if the government will not address these issues directly and effectively?   When was the last time you heard a Pastor say ``We should have more businesses owned by Black People and more businesses owned by Black Gay and Black Lesbian People!!. Here is what I’m going to do about it.’’ (Let’s work on that instead of talkin about How God has everybody living in sin or born in sin.) The Pastors must think People would run out of their churches like their hair was on fire if they talked about Black Gay and Black Lesbian People owning businesses instead of castigating the Gays and Lesbians who are Black. But I think People are mostly ready for positive, constructive and real change. Churches might lose a few customers, but this is what People need to be told.  Have Pastor’s, even Gay and Lesbian ones, enlisted the help of their parishioners on this issue? No, not much, not often. They [The Pastors] are too worried about who is sleeping with who and who is living in what they think in the year 2015 is sin. (There are some great exceptions to this such as my Pastor at Unity Fellowship Christ Church of Philadelphia (UFCCP), Reverend Jeffery Antonio Haskins – who is much more honest with people & doesn’t do a lot of judging of People. (Along that same route, I have to say it is important to mention that one of the most popular tattoos that porn stars wear is one saying ``Only God can Judge me.’’ They are correct!! The judging is folly and destructive and distracting from what we should really be working on—the economic freedom and financial reconstruction of our Black communities and our Black people & our Black families & Our Black Progressive individuals, Our  Black revolutionaries & Our Black Freedom Riders of the future. The Proper education of Our Black children and making sure we have a democracy with some teeth and bite in the Laws that protect the People, not just the rich – this is what Pastors need to be talkin about.  The Pastors never much say that they want to help Black Businesses and Caribbean businesses and African businesses get a financial foothold in our not-so-fair, but positively changing  world[ there were a few Pastors who said this and worked towards this like the famous Pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia—Reverend Leon Sullivan – I will never forget his name.  There are others.  Yet there are hundreds of quotes in the Bible that address such inequality and helping the poor.  Most parishioners think homeless (I call them Home-Challenged People) are purposefully nasty, funky and dirty and would never invite one to dinner nor would they eat at a church mission with one—even if their church provides food for them they are still considered ``the other’’ or ``them’’. Jesus did break bread with the poor and we as Christians are supposed to be like Jesus.  Can you begin to see why I say so many Christians are phony Christians and have strayed away from what is best and wholesome for the church? If you want to talk about sin, maybe that is your sin, but, like I said, I don’t want to think of good People as sinners… Such talk is negative and folly and hurtful to the human spirit.  That is why people go see Ironman, Batman, Superman & the Green Hornet and stay away from church. We, as Pastors, spend way too much time condemning Gay people and homosexuals and poor people instead of helping those people like President Obama’s ole Pastor has begun to do.  Now He may be radical, but that is a man who walks with GOD and who has heard GOD!!! When one considers this, it is obvious to see that the Pastors and Reverends are the ones who have strayed away from GOD’s words, not the people who question them…..

Are Gay people really sinners or are they just taking on behaviors that GOD wants because to have-- more homosexual behavior—in a reasonable, moderate Way with limited partners and an air of decency & respect—is to automatically cut back on the population growth. Such a New World may actually help prolong the life of our precious planet Earth. I don’t see another planet Earth – with its splendor, beauty and robustness -- anywhere to move to—do you? Moving to another Planet would be the chicken-hearted thing to do anyway.  We need to fix the Earth that GOD gave us.  We messed it up with racism, pollution, blatant Capitalist Exploitation and hatred. We can improve on it drastically—especially when we realize that the future of our planet hangs in the balance.  Accepting homosexuals and looking at them as an asset instead of a detriment is a start. Working towards healing, Peace, LOVe and equality is a start. Maybe the talk of ``sin’’ can be put aside until we deal with equality first. Maybe we need to teach about ethics instead of sin in the first place. That’s the magnificent controversial statement I’m talking about.  As long as Gay people start to marry and raise a few of the children that straight people are having and don’t want [look at the numbers of children in foster care and adoption centers who are not being cared for properly in the U.S. for example.]. And as long as we practice safe sex and don’t go chasing after other people’s lovers, other People’s husbands and other People’s wives, [a problem that some Pastor’s need to deal with themselves] I think it is fine to be a homosexual.  We also MUST never take up the idea or the practice of corrupting or sleeping with young people below the age of 24 if we are older as I Am – I Am 58, what would I look like going with an 18-year-old man? [I say my partner should be 35 which even this is rather young.] And we must never use money for sexual favors. [Another personal thing I have violated, but have made a promise to myself and GOD that I will do better at keeping within the bounds of in the future.]  But having the idea that, for the Earth, homosexuality may actually be a planet-saving device, a planet-protecting device--this is an idea that won’t pass muster with the established church very soon—even when I crunch the numbers and prove my point. It could take another 50 years of education and advocacy to really get with this issue.  This is why I ask homosexuals to attend churches that are friendly to their own people [and take your money with you and leave some of it there] and to live within the bounds of behavior that are more moderate and acceptable.  Having wild sex parties where no condoms are used in the year 2015 should be not so much considered a sin as it must be considered not a smart thing to do and not a wise or GODLY thing to do. That goes for Straight People and Gay People alike.   It is just that simple. Homosexuals are very capable of abiding by rules and living decent lives within certain bounds. I used to have parties at my home on Sansom Street and in New Castle, Delaware and there was never once a wide sex party involved.  We may have even looked at pornography and talked about sexuality, religion, ethics and morality and homosexuality and a few people may have ``hooked up’’ and been intimate later at another location [you really can’t stop that and I don’t think you should. People need to be treated like adults, not sheep or children.] And there was, once or twice, even a straight person invited who attended, and we ALL acted like decent humans and really had a good time at my parties.  The strict religious fundamentalist, be they Muslim or Christian, are ole hat and not working for many of our youth, nor for the rest of us.  Things are changing.  It is important to read the Bible if you are Christian and the Koran, if you are Muslim. But don’t go around beating yourself up or anyone else if you or they don’t adhere to every line and measure in those books.   My concept of GOD is that He is rather cool tempered, jovial, humorous, good natured, happy and respectful or other people’s basic rights and desires. He doesn’t want to see things get out of hand, but He is very forgiving. That is in the Bible also.  GOD gave us the hormones we have and He wants us to have sex, and I mean often—not just for procreation between men and women.  Why else would we have such hormones? That doesn’t give us an excuse to run havoc over an entire city and rape or have sex with three different men or three different women a week or not use protection—no matter if we are Straight or Gay.  Acting sensibly is perfectly in the realm of GOD’s wishes. It is wise.  I think this is true. And I also think we should not harshly judge ourselves or others too much on this matter.  The core belief and hope is to be REALLY honest with yourself and not lie to yourself if you are having an affair that needs to end or if you are being physically abusive to your spouse, children or loved ones. Harsh judgments are not called for when there is so much work to do to build a Black Nation—internationally….. [We need ALL Black People working on this.]. Take those judgments to GOD in prayer or to your Pastor or Imam and they Will work out for a good and positive result. Reasonableness and true GODLYNESS are always contagious, but in a positive Way….

 

[This article is still being researched as I find time].

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Book Promotion


``A Book For Black Youth’’
By Brother Tracy Gibson
A book designed to give deeper context to young Black lives .Ignite more motivation to learn Black history. And offer paths to help empower Black youths to meaning be more responsible financially. The road starts by thinking independently, but never forgetting where you came from. This short book will help Black youth focus and stay on course towards goals.
Available by calling 1 215 823 9985 or Writing
(Please write ```I Want the Book for Black Youth’’ in the Subject line. Include your: name;  e-mail address; phone number; & address. Enclose a $7.00 Postal Money order for e-mail copies.) Print clearly. A hard copy is available for $15.00 including postage. Send this information to:
Brother Tracy Gibson
Post Office Box 42878
Philadelphia, Common Wealth of Pennsylvania 19101-2878
Make all Postal Money Orders out to: Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc. Please be sure to state clearly which book you want.
``The Book For Black Youth’’ is for young Black People & Their Parents, Guardians & Grandparents who want them to achieve with Black ethical pride & Black dignity.
No Guarantees & No Returns or Refunds. 23 pages long.
Also ready for Purchase: ``Let the Children Gather’’ by Brother Tracy Gibson. A Book of poetry especially designed to help inform and alleviate Black young anger & redirect it towards productive, responsible, positive behavior.
Cost: By Mail:  $15.00 (Not ready as yet on e-mail.).
Call: 1 215 823 9985

LOVe is Easy Change is


LOVe is Easy. Changing is not. But we must work at it. Success saves our Black Planet.

By Anonymous

I Love Black men. In fact, I’m infatuated with them. This would not be so bad if I weren’t a Black man myself. This makes things hard. I’m not talkin about one or two Black men. I mean everyone I see. Everyone that ever was or ever will be. God gave me this LOVe so I could save the planet earth. It is LOVe that saves things. Not firemen. Not policemen. Not school teachers. Not community activists. Not money. It is the LOVe in the heart that forces these people to act the correct way and do the best at their jobs. The LOVe of a Mom for Her child is instilled in a young boy and when He becomes a Black man, He LOVes in turn.  Greetings from Heaven. We now all live in Heaven. If we are makin it a Hell that is because of circumstances. We also live in the United States of Native America. It is not necessarily our fault to have difficulty.  If we were lucky enough to make a difference, even just for ourselves – that is God workin for us and the universe workin with us.  A lot of Black men still blame the White man for their ills. Sayin we are oppressed. Certainly there is a situation in place that puts oppressive glue on us each morning when we turn the tv on; eat a donut; turn the radio on or read most magazines and newspapers. Not reading them and turning them on or eating a donut is a choice we can make. We can choose to go to the library instead of choosing to have another 40 and get laid. We can choose to go to school instead of blow $20.00 a day on lottery tickets. When White men wake up the oppressive glue they listen to, read or eat or turn on doesn’t oppress them – it tunes them up for their day and gets them goin and gives them every advantage White skin can muster and put forth. The People who tried to tell Black men – beautiful Black men – about this were killed. Martin. Malcolm. Medgar.  We lost something when the computer was invented. We used to invent a lot of things. The computer has turned the landscape in the Black community into self-haters and mush. Don’t use your computer night and day. Learn how to rule it instead of letting it rule you. Don’t hate on White People. It is useless to hate anyone or anything except perhaps injustice, greed, bigotry, economic inequality, -- did I say greed. If I sound like a broken record to you, you probably are already a Black activist workin hard to figure out a Way to free Black People from the often self imposed mind set of slavery. We work to ``improve’’ the school system. We should  have our own private school system with a set of principles to lift our children’s minds out of the ``imposed’’ gutter of the ghetto and become a new class of  thinkers and doers. They have a commercial on tv about doers and they are all White and just about all male. As Black men we have been erased from the class of doers in their minds. And we let these people teach our children. This is not wise. If we have the money to save part of the liquor industry, we have the money to stop smoking cigarettes and cigars and – stop Bling Blinging. We can put our children through privet schools with expert Black teachers and pay our Black students  (and give them scholarships). This will support our Black private school system and raise our standards for our children and the rest of us. Our children need to go to Black colleges and Black universities where there are expert Black teachers, expert Black Administrators and expert Black companies and expert Black individuals who want to see the Black students achieve greatly.  Black Colleges and Black Universities succeed must succeed or we have failed. But it really needs to start at the grade school level with private schools. We can do this if we change some of our old ways and behaviors and take on being very coherent to listen to positive direction. We have a certain Continent that is our land as Africans and still full of People who we have a very special attachment to. (Our African Brothers & Sisters).  ``They’’ (White People) say the Africans don’t like or LOVe us as African Americans. Some White People say Africans want to just come here for education and go back and save their own piece of the African planet. I think, given a few positive words, we will find a lot of LOVe from Africans. But we must embrace our whole family. We have to also ask our Black family to start acting correctly and stop all the self destructive behaviors. (Certainly slow those negative behaviors, down think about them and, with help turn some of them around into positive behaviors). This may well take years of re-training and therapy.  We need to get started right away and stop being fearful and stop accepting stereotypes and stigmas, and stop listening to fear monsters.  When we learn how to embrace each other no matter what we are or who we are -- like Jesus said we should (and I’m convinced He was talkin about Black People inside our race) – then we will start on a generational journey towards the self LOVe that will save the Black family, the Black earth and save Black LOVe. Otherwise, we may be doomed to another day of doom. Look in the mirror and say I’m gonna stop hating and start learning and lOVin to make the world, our Black World – a much better place. Spend the afternoon at the library reading anything you want instead of watchin the Hip Hop Awards nonsense. You will be inviting God into your life. He has a funny way of setting up shop and stayin when He finds interested parties. 

$ request for Danny, Mos, & Denzel


Dear Denzel Washington, Mos Def & Danny Glover:

I think you have heard of my work by now. I have an important book I want to get in the hands of as many Black parents, Black guardians & Black Grand Parents as well as as many Black youths as possible. I need a few dollars to make this happen. I’m sending you my Post Office Box so you can send a small Postal Money order at the address listed here. Post Office Box 42878; Phila., PA 19101 – 2878. Thanks