Get it Right

The social network post that started it all…

 

My face at work as I hear police being called for a large unruly crowd b/c "some shoes came out today" and somebody done got arrested. We still doing all that for Js? I hope Jordan gon bail y'all out. Oh wait. He don't care that's why his shoes keep going up in price

So apparently that post didn’t sit well with some folks who called me out for “judging” others. First off, one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is for someone to go out of their way to zero in on your page all to be a negative dick. You don’t like what I posted so ummm why are you on this page? How many users are there online? You can’t find one person’s post you actually agree with?

Ok. Now back to the original post at hand. Now apparently I was being judgmental for not feeling that police should be called for an unruly crowd of people wanting to rock the newest pair of Js.

At first, I thought it was some white lady afraid of black people and the sight of a bunch of black people outside a store in a huge crowd was all too much for her pale little heart to cope with.

 But no, it was the store manager calling.

 Now wait a minute folks, Jordan has been dropping his $150+ shoes damn near every weekend for how long? And how many stories have we heard of fights breaking out, people getting robbed, killed all over some damn shoes?

Maybe it’s time that the black community starts judging its people. We need to start holding each other accountable and believing in one another. Don’t say well “they don’t know any better.” That’s a lame sorry excuse that doesn’t even work for children when they reach a certain age.

 

We should know and be better.

But as long as we claim to not judge or stay screaming “only God can judge me,” then we will forever be behind.

Why is it okay to be arrested all in the name of some 23s? I’ll admit I used to be out there with the masses, huddled up in the winter and baking in the summer just so I could say “I got them Js today.”

But then I got wiser and I also learned what it was like to have to pay bills. All of sudden spending a buck fifty on some shoes didn’t seem all that appealing – not when rent is due – not when I gotta go buy some groceries.

So my Facebook dissenter proceeded to call me an Uncle Tom and claim I didn’t like being black all because I’m calling my people out for acting a fool outside the shoe store.

So let’s get this straight (as if I really need to) I love my people – which is why I’m even in the news business. I’m tired of our young black men (and women now too) being posted on TV for the most trivial things. A mother who left her kids in the car for 20 minutes while she went in to check on a client of hers is not worth the 20 seconds of air time.

But a shooting right outside of a youth club is worth the air time. And my hopes are that while someone at home is watching we begin to hold each other accountable.

Why do these men constantly think it’s okay to let bullets fly within feet of an innocent bystander?

Maybe it’s because no one was judging when that would-be trigger man was doing something deemed minor years before he picked up the gun…Maybe people were giving excuses on how he “didn’t know any better.”

I’m not condemning anyone from going to get Jordan’s on a Saturday morning. If you can afford it—then more power to you. In fact, I’m somewhat envious of you because I can’t.

But let’s get it right; being able to afford some $150+ shoes means you can also afford your rent, food, utilities, car payments, daycare expenses and any other life essential as well.

So to my Facebook dissenter, you are mistaken.

I love my people that much that I will judge and I will call some shit out if I don’t like it.

Not because I think I’m any better than the next, but because I know that we as a people should be doing better and we will do better.

P.S. It took everything in me not to go in, but as I said we can do better. So I refrained myself as much as I possibly could. And just to show how polished I am, I decided not to name this guy, see below.

 

 

"Friender" Beware: The Pretenders You May Meet Online

In a world that is continually going the digital route, it’s hard to know who you really are communicating with on a lot of social networking sites. The majority of social networkers “friend” those they actually know in real life (though they may be no more than associates) but may occasionally accept a friend or two out of their complete knowing circle.

Much of the “friending” or “following” process is completely based on human nature curiosity a.k.a. nosiness. For example, you’re scrolling along and see the familiar name of a bitch from high school you faithfully rolled your eyes at, and her profile pic isn’t looking too good, so you instantly friend her ass like you’re trying to “see how she’s been since high school.” You really just want to see how much she’s fell off and drink from the pool of self-love at her expense. Fuck her. She’s a loser now with her 3 kids, and barely there wall postings. Plus, you notice her baby shower pics or any of her kids’ pics never show the kids’ father(s). Sucks for her.

But while you’re online snooping and “friending” everybody you come into contact with, it’s always smart to know that social networking sites have now allowed for people to live double lives vicariously through their cool digitally improved selves.

There are a few profiles you commonly run into while venturing out on these sites:

We Ride Tight Whips Everyday – Ladies, don’t fall for this trap! This guy seems to own every car out there based on his photo albums. Monte Carlos with fresh paint jobs, Lexus coupe with slick rims, a Box Chevy sittin’ high…. Is that a Maybach?! Alright stop it. Bruh, this city is too small for you to be driving these exclusive ass cars and go unnoticed. Matter of fact, didn’t I see yo ass waiting for the #31 the other day?!

You Know We Be up in the Club – Daaaaamn is all a dude can say looking at this chick’s profile pictures. Every pic, she’s fly and dressed to impress. Hair done. Check. Nails done. Check. Lips gloss poppin’. Check. It’s as if she’s always up on the latest trends. WRONG. This bitch just put up every going out pic she has. That’s the only time she looks decent. That fly ass dress? Oh, it’s not hers. Her girl will be rockin it next week. Oh, and the hair? Most of it’ll be gone too. Keep flipping through her albums. Why isn’t there a single pic of her just chillin? On her way to work or school? Hmmmm. What do she really look like?

Who Dat is? That’s Just His Baby Mama – Ok, this one isn’t hard to spot. She more than likely has no more than 5 pictures. 7 max. Most of them are blurry low quality bathroom pics taken on a cell phone, and a few pics with her and a baby manage to make their way into the albums. Her “info” and “about me” sections are pretty cut and dry. She’s clearly not on this FB shit. So why does she even have a page? She’s just playing internet police. She’s policing her baby daddy’s page. So ladies, if you get a random friend request from a bitch you don’t even know, chances are she’s “friending” you to see why you’re “friends” with her baby daddy. You might not even know the nigga but she doesn’t care. She’s on a mission to make every female friend of his hers. And she might just be bold enough to send you a message asking “who is u.” To avoid the drama, block her illiterate ass and keep it moving.

You Like? – These people are the real pretenders of social networking sites. Their status is constantly updated and usually it’s not about any damn thing important.

“Shoutout to all the single mothers that play mommy and daddy.”

“I just saved a bunch of $$ by switching to Geico”

“Just had a job interview, they talking bout $15/hr”

First of all, you don’t know nothing about single mommys or daddys, yo parents both are together and have been so for a long ass time and you aint got no damn kids. Secondly, you don’t even have a car, so how you get Geico? They insure bus passes now? Lastly, you know damn well yo broke ass didn’t have an interview nor do you have any interviews lined up. People like this are just addicted to seeing the lil “thumbs up” icon next to their status. They get off on that. Losers.

A yo’ You Comin Thru? - Social networking is now a marketing tool. I get it, it’s free and it’s fast. But annoying ass club promoters a.k.a. random niggas, have taken it too far. My inbox shouldn’t be flooded with invites. And I definitely do not wanna see wall posts IN ALL CAPS similar to shit like this:

***DON’T HIDE THAT P$SSY PARTY GOING DOWN. CLOSING AT CAPACITY, SO GET THERE EARLY! 18 TO DIP, 21 TO SIP***

Ummm. WTF is that?! First of all, why are you yelling on my page?! Secondly, go to school and learn how to be a real businessman. Have you ever seen a successful car salesman yell someone into buying a car? That tacky shit won’t get you nowhere.

Mz. Parker - We all got ‘em... a friend who’s Mama is like 10 years our senior, so she wanna be “down” and she wanna kick it with the girls. But here’s the thing Mom Dukes, you’re not our age, you’re not in our generation so stop it. So you log on, and see her ass done “friended” you. Damn. You don’t wanna say no, plus you can’t. Her own daughter can deny her, but you can’t. It’s just in the manual for dealing with your friends’ parents. You always have to be nice, even when they’re kids aren’t. But you also don’t wanna say yeah. You don’t need her ass embarrassing you, commenting on pics or blabbing your business via wall posts. What to do, what to do? Leave it pending, Her non-technical ass might not even realize you never responded and be content with her 10.2 friends. *fingers crossed*