Okay, so the Michael Vick thing has me vexed...
Not because the media is making a big deal about his situation.
Not because he is being charged with crimes that pale in comparison to others that have gotten lighter sentences.
But because I think this case was the case I needed to see if we, as Black people, really understand the court system as a whole. I am more convinced than ever that the Black community, as a whole, is throwing out the race card inappropriately in this situation.
A couple of things to consider before saying that Vick was treated unfairly...
1. Michael Vick is accused of committing a crime that directly infuriates one of the largest public interest groups in America, and that is PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.) Now in general, that may seem like a small matter, but they are based in the SAME DAMN STATE as the dogfighting operation (Virginia). You have to be slightly off your rocker to do that. The culture of Virginia is one that will protect animals at almost any cost. (Ask the colleges around the area about how much trouble they get from ALF and PETA regarding research animals.) Bottom line is, you have to know your surroundings when you commit a crime.
2. As I see it, one of the main reasons Black people commit crimes is because they need to survive. Regardless of what anyone says, I truly feel that Blacks that commit crimes more often than not are trying to put food on the table and money in their pockets. But once you make money, there is NO LEGITIMATE REASON in my mind to continue committing crimes of financial gain. There is too much land to invest in, too many stocks to buy, and too much opportunity for people who HAVE money to make MORE money legally. It hurts me to see someone of Vick's stature make it out of the hardships laid before him, only to screw it up over something that was unnecessary. (I don't know his full situation, but hey, it's my blog, and I can be short-sighted if I choose.) John Elway became very wealthy in the NFL...know what he did with his money? Bought up almost ALL of Denver's automotive suppliers. All legal. Atlanta/Virginia would have gladly let Vick invest in something legitimate like that to help build the community around him...
3. Any real criminal knows that once you gain access to the financials of the operation, you don't get your hands dirty anymore. Point Blank.
4. My last point applies to everyone and every case across the country, and Black people need to understand this before we start diving in head first to support dumbasses...
Each and every court case in America is individualized to a large degree in terms of personnel, circumstances, precedents as they relate to the case, etc. Therefore, we have to stop assuming that just because our favorite celebrities catch bad breaks, it must be because they are Black. I AM NOT SAYING THAT RACE IS NOT A FACTOR IN SOME CASES...but it is not the ONLY factor either. When you commit crimes you gamble on several things...
1. The leniency of the judge that will have your trial
2. The selection/voir dire process used to screen the jury
3. How much incriminating evidence they have on you
4. The competency of both the prosecution and defense
5. Previous moral/criminal acts (Ron Mexico anyone?)
And a host of other things that can tilt the scales of justice for or against you. But the bottom line is that when you roll the dice and gamble on your criminal future, you may not always win. Yes, Vick's case may seem blown out of proportion by the media and the court system. Yes he may be facing a harsh penalty. Yes, he may even be made the example for others to see regarding dogfighting. But the bottom line is, what would we have been saying about this case if he had simply decided NOT TO DOGFIGHT! Not a thing, because it wouldn't have been an issue if he had opted to do right. You can circumvent most of the inherent disparities in our court system and our prison systems by simply opting to do right. (There are cases where that doesn't apply, like the Jena 6, but I am hard pressed to see how Vick had no other option than to fight dogs.)
I am hurt by the situation. He was a very exciting athlete to watch, and he actually had yet to really reach his full potential as a player. But I still think that when you leave your future in the hands of an institution that may or may not have your best interests at heart, then you gamble big, and when you lose...you take your lumps and keep it moving. That's why I am not jumping on the bandwagon of people who are trying to say that Vick is being unfairly treated. Had he taken the personal responsibility NOT to get involved in a senseless racket, then we would have no need to fight for his equal treatment.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
People as Cars II: The Commercial
Quick questions:
When was the last time you have seen a Porsche commercial? Probably has been a long time, if ever.
When was the last time you saw a Hyundai commercial? Probably once a day.
Which company makes more money? I am sure it is Porsche, even though they don't advertise nearly as much as Hyundai does.
So where am I going with all of this? It leads me to the point of advertisement versus reputation. If you notice, most of your expensive, high quality merchandise is rarely advertised. Tommy Hilfiger, Maybach, Ferrari, Polo, etc...none of these companies ever have to sell you on how valuable their merchandise is....you just know that they have a reputation for putting out nothing but the finest. Companies like Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, etc spend millions of dollars yearly trying to prove how good they are and how they beat out the next car in testing and sales.
People are a lot like that when it comes to dating. I have noticed that a lot of people treat themselves as if they are Hyundais...they spend almost all of their time trying to convince you as a consumer that they are worth your time. They brag about their job status, sexual prowess, their money, and what they wear...and they do all of the things that they think you need to hear and see to invest in what usually ends up being a lemon. They also will spend loads of time trying to show how much better they are than the next man/woman. All of this build-up for what usually ends up being a disappointment...and the purchase of another "car" shortly afterwards. But there are some people who understand their value, and understand that EVERYBODY is not entitled, or can afford, to have them...and certainly they don't DESERVE to either. This is because Porsche people know that as long as they have a good reputation, and as long as they spend time making sure that they are upholding their own personal standards, then they won't have to prove to people how valuable they are...the world will just KNOW.
So I submit to you that a lot of self-evaluation should be done by all of us so that we can make sure that we have a reputation that will make us more marketable to the next consumer. Human value comes from within first, and when you raise your value, you won't have to brag or promote yourself to anyone else out there...if they can afford you, they will seek you because you have a Porsche persona, instead of being a Hyundai human.
When was the last time you have seen a Porsche commercial? Probably has been a long time, if ever.
When was the last time you saw a Hyundai commercial? Probably once a day.
Which company makes more money? I am sure it is Porsche, even though they don't advertise nearly as much as Hyundai does.
So where am I going with all of this? It leads me to the point of advertisement versus reputation. If you notice, most of your expensive, high quality merchandise is rarely advertised. Tommy Hilfiger, Maybach, Ferrari, Polo, etc...none of these companies ever have to sell you on how valuable their merchandise is....you just know that they have a reputation for putting out nothing but the finest. Companies like Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, etc spend millions of dollars yearly trying to prove how good they are and how they beat out the next car in testing and sales.
People are a lot like that when it comes to dating. I have noticed that a lot of people treat themselves as if they are Hyundais...they spend almost all of their time trying to convince you as a consumer that they are worth your time. They brag about their job status, sexual prowess, their money, and what they wear...and they do all of the things that they think you need to hear and see to invest in what usually ends up being a lemon. They also will spend loads of time trying to show how much better they are than the next man/woman. All of this build-up for what usually ends up being a disappointment...and the purchase of another "car" shortly afterwards. But there are some people who understand their value, and understand that EVERYBODY is not entitled, or can afford, to have them...and certainly they don't DESERVE to either. This is because Porsche people know that as long as they have a good reputation, and as long as they spend time making sure that they are upholding their own personal standards, then they won't have to prove to people how valuable they are...the world will just KNOW.
So I submit to you that a lot of self-evaluation should be done by all of us so that we can make sure that we have a reputation that will make us more marketable to the next consumer. Human value comes from within first, and when you raise your value, you won't have to brag or promote yourself to anyone else out there...if they can afford you, they will seek you because you have a Porsche persona, instead of being a Hyundai human.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
People as Cars-Part 1
"I do good all by myself, but baby you, you make me better." Fabo and Ne-Yo.
Okay, so I really don't like Fabolous as an artist too much, simply because his flow to me is kinda boring, but this song has really hit home with me when it comes to evaluating the people in my life. I have noticed that when I classify people who are important to me, I tend to put them into two basic categories: accessories or enhancements.
Everyone that you meet in life will play a role in your overall development, no matter how big or small a part. But what their overall value is to you is not determined by the amount of time they are in your life, or the amount of love they have for you...but ultimately the value that they give to your life (and your value to them can be measured in the same way.)
Accessories, as with cars, are people who may look good in your life, but essentially play no major role in how your life functions. Spinning rims, fishtails, racing stripes, etc. are all things that we add to vehicles for aesthetics, but not for function. For example, we all have friends that are fun to go out with, or are great people to socialize with, but we would never spend anything more than that with them. Or we all have dated someone who is fun to look at, or even entertaining, but never seems to have more than that to offer. So besides their presence, very little is actually added to your life. They are to be seen, and that's it. The problem is that we often get so used to how the accessories make our lives LOOK that we rarely realize that they are not important to our overall function...and in many cases will actually devalue our vehicle as well. (Spinning rims and candy paint have never raised the value of a Chevy Caprice. LOL) At some point, we will eventually mature past the need for those accessories, and they get removed or replaced by newer accessories, which starts the whole process again.
Enhancements, however, are things that we add to vehicles that improve the overall function of the car. Better engines, dual exhaust pipes, fuel injection cleaner, etc...things of that sort. These are all things that when added lead to better waste emissions, higher horsepower, and better driving. People who are enhancements are the types of people who not only add value to your life, but their benefits can actually be noticed once they enter your life. It's as if they help to elevate your performance in some way...ways that mere accessories cannot do.
So I am learning to determine who in my life actually helps me to be a better vehicle, and who in my life merely are pleasant but not necessarily required. I submit to you to ask yourself if the people around you fall into these two categories, and it will provide clarity as to what and who is important to your overall well-being.
Okay, so I really don't like Fabolous as an artist too much, simply because his flow to me is kinda boring, but this song has really hit home with me when it comes to evaluating the people in my life. I have noticed that when I classify people who are important to me, I tend to put them into two basic categories: accessories or enhancements.
Everyone that you meet in life will play a role in your overall development, no matter how big or small a part. But what their overall value is to you is not determined by the amount of time they are in your life, or the amount of love they have for you...but ultimately the value that they give to your life (and your value to them can be measured in the same way.)
Accessories, as with cars, are people who may look good in your life, but essentially play no major role in how your life functions. Spinning rims, fishtails, racing stripes, etc. are all things that we add to vehicles for aesthetics, but not for function. For example, we all have friends that are fun to go out with, or are great people to socialize with, but we would never spend anything more than that with them. Or we all have dated someone who is fun to look at, or even entertaining, but never seems to have more than that to offer. So besides their presence, very little is actually added to your life. They are to be seen, and that's it. The problem is that we often get so used to how the accessories make our lives LOOK that we rarely realize that they are not important to our overall function...and in many cases will actually devalue our vehicle as well. (Spinning rims and candy paint have never raised the value of a Chevy Caprice. LOL) At some point, we will eventually mature past the need for those accessories, and they get removed or replaced by newer accessories, which starts the whole process again.
Enhancements, however, are things that we add to vehicles that improve the overall function of the car. Better engines, dual exhaust pipes, fuel injection cleaner, etc...things of that sort. These are all things that when added lead to better waste emissions, higher horsepower, and better driving. People who are enhancements are the types of people who not only add value to your life, but their benefits can actually be noticed once they enter your life. It's as if they help to elevate your performance in some way...ways that mere accessories cannot do.
So I am learning to determine who in my life actually helps me to be a better vehicle, and who in my life merely are pleasant but not necessarily required. I submit to you to ask yourself if the people around you fall into these two categories, and it will provide clarity as to what and who is important to your overall well-being.
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