I'm no Francophile but in this part of the country there are many who can trace their familial roots back to France in the 1700's.
As most people know, East Texas has suffered through a major hurricane.
Recovery is going slowly and it will take decades before some areas reach their pre-storm state.
The all-stars of this recovery are the churches - both local and from across the nation.
I was volunteering in the hood today and heard many stories about hoards of 'Normans' descending across the countryside spreading hope and help.
I heard how nice, polite and respectful these hoards were.
'The even mowed my lawn when they finished helping out.', one woman told me.
I guess being overrun by 'Normans' is a good thing.
Okay, not that far back.
(But I guess it still works)
Still a little too far. (Abdul-Rauf)
Okay, let's start here:
Obama was criticized for not saluting the flag during a campaign stop.
But Trump would end up getting caught in a similar position.
Sometime in between and for different reasons, both Keapernick and Tebow were criticized for kneeling.
Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are Black.
Counting those who remained in tunnels or the locker rooms only twenty-three percent of players (of any race) took part in Sunday's demonstration.
Trump talked trash about Steph Curry and NFL players so NASCAR proved how patriotic they are.
(Notice that half of those in the photo are standing in a position similar to Obama's.)
Then, on Monday Night Football, Jerry Jones' Solomon-like compromise angered and pleased both sides.
I guess Trump intends to focus on sports instead of real issues - both foreign and domestic.
No sick days, no health insurance, no paid vacations, no undereducated rude gum chewing employees, and no protests.
The only people qualified to work in an evonomy with a $15/hr minimum wage will be those who paid attention in school and are able to create, repair and control these machines.
As many in the South suffer from the affects of their respective hurricanes - the current focus moves to providing temporary housing for those who have lost homes or those who have been evicted from apartments because of water damage and/or mold.
A recent 'solution' has been rejected.
The idea was to have large residential barges placed in the gulf to house those who are left without shelter.
The problem is that these 'Prison Barges' failed to pass the necessary Coast Guard safety inspections.
We live near a large prison complex.
Some of these buildings are no longer used to house inmates so some in the community suggested that these should be converted into housing.
I could just see it now - some 'woke' brotha' or some Alex Jones follower would start a social media meme that described the 'solution' as being some type of prison camp for the poor and/or minorities.
And that these buildings are in need of repairs, maintenance, staffing and supplies.
Most people remember the shoddy FEMA trailers from hurricanes past.
These structures were built so quickly and cheaply that they would often fall apart.
And then there was the formaldehyde problem which caused many to become ill.
The tent/tent city 'solution' implemented after Hurricane Sandy caused many inhabitants to complain of feeling as though they were living in a consentration camp.
In areas affected by these storms the problems with any solution are manifold and complex.
Maybe the government can't solve all of it's citizens problems after all.
I'm no longer sure whether poverty is caused by a lack of money or if it is caused by overestimating the value of it.
Sure, there is a need for money but to what extent?
Some people will have more than others.
Some will be smarter, faster, bigger, stronger, better looking,....
But every productive person should have value and excellence should be rewarded.
Does it cost money to acquire an employable skill, to gain practicable knowledge?
If church is free and they are teaching morality - can anyone ever say that they didn't know any better?
Even if the pastor is wrong in his teachings, anyone can read the Bible for themselves to gain insight.
If school is free K-12 (and even further if one is particularly gifted and/or is a hard worker) - can anyone say that they lack knowledge?
Besides debris pick up - what else is it that FEMA is actually going to do?
After a disaster, the burden of recovery falls on those who survived.
If one has prepared well enough, has a little money and is a little lucky - they should be alright.
If one has no money, no knowledge, no marketable skills, no friends and no faith - they're probably screwed.
Yes, I recognized the need for money,
but only to a point.
There are many people in this area who are currently in need of repairs.
There are several people who possess the necessary skills and knowledge and they can make a little money if they use these traits to fix people's homes.
But their making money is what keeps the poor poor.
There are billions of dollars in damage to this area and FEMA and insurance companies are figuring out new ways to not pay anything for claims.
And still, this is not a problem.
The problem lies with those who expect to be paid for everything they do.
If groups of people work together for the greater good of all - much can be accomplished even with a little.
Sure - food bills, gas bills and household bills must be paid but within a group with no money how much good would money actually do to address the need for clean up and repairs?
And from where is this money supposed to come?
If each home requires tens of thousands of dollars in repairs - what is one to do if no one has no money.
I'm working on houses doing repairs - for free.
Goods and materials must be removed and tossed - replacement and repairs must be done but what if no one really has any money?
If people expect to be paid for everything, nothing ever gets done, homes fall apart no one benefits.
It's pretty much free to sit at home and watch television during a time of need but it's also free to help someone.
If more people helped those around them more work could get done even without money.
There is currently millions of dollars worth of work being done for free,
and this is a good thing.
There are also millions of dollars worth of meals being cooked for and given to perfect strangers and this is also a good thing.
If so many are putting the needs of others ahead of their own wants it shouldn't take long for the area to recover.
If doing good just because it's needed (and not for money) can help another retain his home, isn't this generating wealth for the homeowner?
If skills are being learned and knowledge is being acquired, isn't the person doing the work worth more to society?
If people spent their idle time being productive and not just being entertained - would not the hood be repaired in no time?
If those who possess knowledge spent their idle time tutoring kids instead of blogging - wouldn't useful knowledge be passed on to another generation?
If everyone perfected what ever it is they do - wouldn't we have a neighborhood filled with trained experts?
If homes were well maintained, schools were filled with children who were anxious to learn, neighbors looked out for each other's well-being (which would reduce crime), and everyone shared their knowledge freely - couldn't the hood still be a nice place to live and at a lower cost?
Wouldn't the money earned at ones job go further because many repair and maintenance bills would be almost eliminated.
Childcare could also be eliminated because family, friends and neighbors could take up the slack if one had to work overtime.
Yes, this sounds like socialism.
But could socialism create more wealth for the many (in terms of retainable assets) than capitalism?
Yesterday we hosted a day at a rec-center in the hood.
We were not alone in doing so as six other groups hosted similar events throughout the city.
Hot meals, groceries, bottled water, toiletries, cleaning supplies, clothing, school supplies, our house DJ spinning on the ones and twos (actually, everything is done on a computer these days), play areas for the kids - just about anything needed was provided at no cost.
For many, sometimes even getting to a disaster relief site is a problem. Between these groups we provided for those who may have had to walk to get their goods - even providing drop off services for those who may have had too much to carry.
Many people went to multiple sites to load up, and that wasn't a problem.
If they needed it (or were planning on needing it) they could have it.
And none of those Red Cross prison spread-type meals - we gave away food-food.
We gave away plates of red beans and rice, fried chicken, cornbread (or white bread) and smothered turkey necks. (Although not everyone opted to accept the turkey necks)
In all we served 957 people at our site.
(I'm not sure about the numbers at the other sites but I'm assuming their numbers were similar.)
I ended up trying the turkey necks - they weren't half-bad.
I've seen posts by many Hotep brotha's saying the the recent spate of hurricanes is the result of a government sponsored purging of minorities through the use of HAARP.
But who really suffers from these storms?
It's not so much De'Vante and Shequitta as much as it is Cletus and Becky-Sue.
Why? You may ask.
Harvey made landfall in Texas.
Irma is set to make landfall in Florida.
Of the nine-million trailer homes (And, no. I refuse to use the newfangled, highfalutin term 'Manufactured Home'.) in America, Texas and Florida have, by far, the most.
*Sure, South Carolina and New Mexico have the most per-capita but those are just a pot liquor or meth lab explosion away from being obliterated.
Beside being the first 'structures' destroyed in tornadoes, hurricanes or a drug/alcohol induced fire - I have no problem with where one chooses to live.
But maybe karma does.
Why else would would so many hurricanes occur in order to destroy all those white people?
I've been volunteering tearing out carpeting, old oak hardwood floors and drywall all week.
This neighborhood had several feet of water in the homes and everything from slightly above the water line and mold seepage points must be tossed.
Furniture, fixtures, clothing, appliances - everything one has collected throughout their lives litters the streets.
For miles.
It looks like a war zone.
While local churches without disaster budgets are passing out free full meals,
The Red Cross is passing out this ? (Photo: Facebook meme.)
An MRE isn't terrible - it's just loaded with carbs.
Add some Zumo brand sausage and some Tony Chachere seasoning to the gelatonous goop of an entree and it's even better.
(A Red Cross Dinner. Photo: Facebook)
The Red Cross is often tasked with feeding thousands of hungry disaster victims,
and most are appreciative.
But when overweight hordes are accustomed to feasting for every meal, a Red Cross meal just won't cut it.
Maybe it's just the packaging?
A smaller container would lower the expectations of the recipient.
Two warm BBQ chicken chicken breasts sandwiches should be a decent meal,
but not when one is used to a Sunday dinner for every meal of the day.
Not when takers and users are expecting family-sized platters.
Some people are often governed by a spirit of greed and poverty - and to them, nothing will ever be enough (not even when it didn't cost them a thing).
People go from place to place taking things they don't need as though they are children begging for Halloween candy from perfect strangers.
And then they complain because it isn't exactly what they wanted.
(Another Red Cross Dinner. Photo: Facebook)
Churches do a better job.
Social groups do a better job.
Even nightclubs and restaurants do a better job of feeding local citizens with foods and portions to which many are accustomed.
The Red Cross criticisms are many.
A slow and inadequate response.
Poorly trained and rude workers.
Poor coordination with existing local charities (Even chasing away and denying resources from such groups as they pay for poorly staffed trucks placed to take advantage of photo-ops without rendering any services.).
Sure, the Red Cross is present at many disasters,
but what do they actually do?
What do they accomplish with hundreds of millions of dollars that local groups don't accomplish with mere millions?
It seems that most of their donations go towards advertising and their many yearly autofellatic galas.
Many people were counting on the federal government for help.
If one is able to sit through the hours of wait times to get even a simple answer one may be able to receive placement in a hotel.
Some of these hotels aren't half-bad.
I had a associate brag about a Black-owned hotel in another state that provided a free crawfish night, complementary tickets to Janet Jackson, communal movie nights, basketball courts, disaster dinners consisting of Creole cooking,...
As it turned out it was my cousin's hotel.
But back to FEMA.
Many suffered from Katrina and Rita but went uncompensated because they lacked windstorm insurance.
This time around people will not be able to collect because they lack flood insurance.
Many assumed that FEMA would make up the difference.
They were wrong.
FEMA overcompensated many after Katrina.
(It's not the government's responsibility to insure your property. And there is such a thing as renter's insurance.)
People who were used to nothing were gifted with $2000 checks and many had never had that much at one time and most wasted their recovery money trying to turn-up.
The Federal Government learned it's lesson and they are denying most of the claims filed for Harvey.
Wildfires out West, Harvey and now Irma.
At some point, people have to take responsibility for their own lives (because the government is ill equipped to do so for them).
Houston may be getting all the attention but it seems as though most of the country is suffering from one type of weather related situation or another.
As many will learn - the government and pseudo-government institutions are ineffective at providing assistance during widespread disaster.
Yeah, many will donate to the Red Cross to help those who suffered through the Houston floods.
But the Red Cross doesn't invest all monies in the designated disaster area.
The Red Cross spreads it's resources to wherever they are needed (which may not be a bad thing).
The problem arises when the Red Cross has spread it's resources so thin that any of their actions become too diluted to make much of a difference.
Didn't the Red Cross collect a half a billion dollars in donations for Haiti?
Is it true that that half of a billion has only resulted in the construction of six houses?
Six?
The image on the left is a disaster relief dinner from a small church with no disaster relief budget.
The image on the right is a typical Red Cross disaster relief dinner.
??? WTF ¿¿¿
(The remains of a fish after the storm. About a mile from a water source.)
(Kool Moe Dee - 'No Respect')
I had to stop a couple of times to take photos during my daily jog.
The first image is of a dead fish.
What struck me was that the nearest canal, river, reservoir, or any other type of water source is nearly a mile away.
I guess ol' boy just wanted to explore but he got caught up when the water began to recede.
For many, vinyl is making a comeback.
Apparently not for Kool Moe Dee though.
And this was a DJ copy. Notice the 'Not for resale'?
I guess the dude that had this twelve inch thought it would be safe in that storage bin in the corner of his garage - right next to those 1200's.
But all I could think was, ' I bet ol' boy had a hella-good Old School Hip-Hop collection on vinyl.'.
My daughter and my girlfriend are close and they often engage in girl talk.
Today they were both excited that their eyebrow woman was back in town after the hurricane so they can get their eyebrows 'did'.
I never really noticed women's eyebrows unless they had a unibrow and looked like Frida Kahlo.
But I do remember liking the Chola eyebrows back in the day.
Maybe it wasn't so much the eyebrows as it was that these were some fine heinas (jainas).
But these days things have gone too far.
Sure, back in the day Vanilla Ice and other rappers would shave lines in their eyebrows but eyebrow modification was always a woman thing.
From logos, to waves, to feathers, to braids...
The female infatuation with eyebrows being on fleek is just something I'll never understand.
Maybe I'm just an old curmudgeon but I'll never understand why a woman would pay to have her face 'beat'.
Many were disappointed that Joel Osteen failed to open his church to the public during Hurricane Harvey.
Many assumed that Lakewood Church should operate a shelter.
But I'm not so sure...
The Largest Mega-Churches in Houston;
1. Lakewood Church - Pastor Joel Osteen Weekly Attendance - 52,000 - Shelter*
2. Second Baptist Church - Dr. Ed Young - 22,723 - No Shelter
3. The Woodlands - Kerry Shook - 18434 - Shelter
4. New Light Church - I.V. Hilliard - 13,500 - NO Shelter (Black Church)
5. Fountain of Praise - Remus Wright - 9,000 - NO Shelter (Black Church)
FEMA took three days to set up in the hurricane area even though their only responsibility is disaster response - the same amount of time it took Osteen to set up... in the middle of a flood zone, even though disaster response is not their primary responsibility.
Anyone who remembers Hurricane Katrina and NOLA's response and the debacle that was the Superdome know that proper planning is key.
Crime, a lack of food, water and security, a damaged structure and poor planning made a stay at the Superdome a nightmare for it's inhabitants.
Maybe Mr Osteen preferred not to go through such a second catastrophe.
My club's Facebook news feed was filled with criticisms of Mr Osteen.
By people who don't even attend his church.
My club's page is primarily Black.
Do Black people who don't attend his church have a right to complain and criticize?
Sure, as the above photo shows, Black people do attend Osteen's services - but it is not a 'Black' church.
I.V. Hilliard does have a Black Mega-Church in the disaster area.
Did they think to shelter their members?
Nope.
(And the nigga has four locations spread throughout the city!)
The same could be said of Dr Ed Young at Fountain if Praise.
Shelter?
Once again, nope.
How can Black people criticize a white pastor but not their own Black pastors?
Do Black people expect more from white people than they do of their own?
Do Black people only look to white saviors in s time of distress?
(Some do.)
If more Black people aren't seen by Black people helping Black people - can this be a good thing?
Isn't this just perpetuating the mythology if the White Savior?
How can 'woke' niggas hold their own to lower standards and still expect to be seen as equal to whites?
Beyotches, please.
But I ain't hating on Kerry Shook at The Woodlands.
Shook had the foresight and discernment to have everything in place before and just in case disaster struck.
His shelter (pictured above) was up and running without being prompted by social media.
Maybe some of you 'woke' negroes who criticize Osteen are right.
Maybe it does take someone white to do things right.
He is just so socially inept.
'Have a good time'?
As though those suffering from what some are calling the worst national disaster in American history are frolicking in the flood waters...
Concerning to whom the fault of oppression belongs; "We are not all equally guilty but we are all equally responsible" - Rabbi Abraham Hescel
Concerning blaming others for the problem; "...And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?... - Matthew: 7 1-5
Concerning how to fix the problems concerning oppression; "Someone once said that the word 'motivation' should never be used in the singular. Some combination of motives always exist and it's impossible for anyone to qualify the proportion of each that is involved in any given act" - Warren Buffet (in an interview in the USA Today)
Please take into account that the views expressed on my blog are prefaced with; in my opinion, in my experience or even (sometimes) random observations and/or thoughts. Please make your statements without the endless litany of cross referenced materials. Source information is fine but I'll just assume that you've done due diligence and that your statements are correct or an accepted editorial. Thank you, UBJ
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