giuliana rancic…lower cased intentially

Giuliana Rancic made a comment about dreadlocks smelling like oil and weed. For those of you who don’t know her she is a voice in the fashion world. That’s it. Because of that platform, they gave her a microphone at the Oscars. My problem is this,  just because you have your ear to the street of fashion on the national stage does not mean you are an expert on race and culture. What’s worse is that you have never spent a day in the shoes of the black woman that you offended, Zendaya. In short, if you are culturally insensitive you run the risk of looking shallow with nothing substantive to say. Let’s elevate our thinking by thinking before we speak!

Natrodisiac

 

The Killing of Michael Brown…

set the stage for American rigor mortis to set in its bones. By default I love America. To a fault I come humbly to the mother who smacks me with an unloving hand for my kind. I am her darkest child. I am like an infant who would be consoled by her while healing from her abusive impulses. America killed Michael Brown much like Eric Garner in broad daylight. The eyes of the world saw that. This time there is no gray in a Black and White issue. An imperfect teenager was killed by a professional peace officer. I have said it once and I will be more adamant and distinct in my position. Police brutality is a racist act. It damages the trust of the people they are delegated to serve. It reminds me of slave stories where the slave master would take the bigger slave before his kinsmen and onlookers then beat him with a whip or hang him with a rope. I struggle to see the difference between life for Blacks now or 50 years ago or 100 years ago. America has not healed from its short comings just because we have a black president. The way they treat him is set for another blog post at another time. It’s deplorable. But the way that they (the patrollers) are gutting the black community is why I cannot love the mother of my freedom with unconscious abandonment. I am afraid I will wake up as Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner or James Byrd Jr.

But yet I love you for the glimmer of hope you project. You are diverse. There are those who see Darren Wilson’s actions, Michael Brown’s killer, as controversial, at best. Others see his actions as an abuse of power. Either way he has spark a nation to outrage because he was chosen as an officer through rigorous training to protect and serve, not to kill unarmed teenagers. One might say that he was tried by a jury and found not guilty so let it go. But how can you, if you’re black. How could you if he (Michael Brown) looked like you?

Killing Michael Brown is a metaphor. Honestly I see Blacks dying at the hands of police brutality as the bigger issue, BIGGER than the death of Michael Brown. He is a catalyst for an ongoing problem in his mother’s house. America kills her children at an alarming rate. If a my biological mother shot me repeatedly she would be sentenced to life in jail, if not the death sentence. So why does America get a pass? I thought she was diverse.

 

Why ‘I Can’t Breathe.’

It has been well document about the unfortunate death of Eric Garner. His death is one of the rare occasions that is recorded on video from beginning to end. So I will not belabor the issue of why his death was unjustified. However, I will voice my opinion on police brutality and where I think there efforts and aggression should be placed.

I can’t breathe when policemen ignore a known drug dealer and allow him to continue to operate within his community, unchallenged. But you take down a man for selling cigarettes. I get that he should have had a license. I understand that he cannot tell a policeman to leave him alone because if that were the case then it would send the wrong message to its citizens both upstanding and criminal. However a police officer chose a difficult profession so they have to use more critical thought than the people they are responsible for protecting.It is my guess that they will find that more often than not there is no need for physical aggression on for the average citizen. Eric Garner was an average citizen. A policeman/ woman should be able to say, “Move on, no solicitation or leave!” without putting on finger on him or anyone like him. Eric Garner did not have to die.

But he did after a multiple officer takedown. He died from an illegal chokehold. He died from shortness of breathe. When he could speak he repeated and said,”I can’t breathe!” There are several officers on the scene. He was not running away. At 350 lbs he was not going far. He was not physically combative. So at this point release your hold and treat a single cigarette selling offender as a citizen. Obviously you could not do that. But why not? Why was the end result so absolute?

Was it racism? Was it racial profiling? Surely there are other solicitors in New York that should desensitize an officer’s resolve. Surely Eric Garner was not a pioneer and therefore an unsuspected social phenomena. There had to be a deeper reason for such an approach. Surely. Again seeing that officers are put through stringent testing psychologically and trained as professionals I cannot give them a pass. Police brutality is a racist act. What are my options other than to believe that these professionals were deliberate in their actions. If not give me a solution that’s sound on its merits because I can’t breathe!

 

William Henry “Bill” Cosby, Jr

If I could speak to you directly I would simply want to know why? Not that men deserve a pass but I would give you a pass on cheating on your wife. I would give you a pass only because I am in a hurry to get to the gist of this blog. You’re Bill ‘freaking’ Cosby, America’s Dad! Heck you were an example to us all on what black fathers could look like or be! I believe my mom watched your shows so intently because they were a fantasy in relation to her real life! She loved you and so did so many of us! So Mr. Cosby why all the indiscretions with all these women, all this time later? Being that I am a man like you the one thing I know is that you were in compromising situations with these women. Lets be honest for once. As a man I know it all ain’t true and I meant to say it that way.  However where there is smoke; there is a fire. One of those women is telling the truth. My issue is this. You are the only example of what a dad, black dad, is supposed to look like on a global stage. Now that’s all up for grabs. They (your detractors) are living in the sun and looking to tear you down. All we (your children) can do is watch them defame and kill the only father we had for the world to see. It saddens me to see them send you to the gallows in shame. What about Camille! What about your girls? What must they feel or think of these allegations? I am hurt and your just my TV dad. They must be devastated.

One last question? Why are you still performing at 77? Is it your ego that keeps you going? In my opinion, you should be doing something of more grandeur and prestige. Fathering a nation for starters. Well now that is a moot point. Nobody will listen to you. The black community will not, that is for sure. But at 77 still doing what brought you to fame seems a little odd. If it is what you love then I have no response for that, but at 77? I am just saying.

I hate what is happening to your image. You’re an icon. You are all we have. I can only hope they are all lying on you and that you’re an innocent black man. Unfortunately my suspicions tell me otherwise and leave me where I started…wondering why?

Natrodisiac

 

D-Day

June 9th is finally here. It’s early in the morning so nothing has happened at this point as far as knowing the decision of the company and whether or not I will be receiving a lateral promotion.  Even though I am off today I anticipate phone call, up and down, on whether or not I have been selected. So we’ll leave it at that for now.

Natrodisiac

 

Seventh Day – Braided Style

The good thing about my dreads being braided is that the hair is off of my ears and the style still has a fresh look, 7 days later. They still feel tight, but not as tight as before. I honestly thought that my dreads would need to be re braided at thus point but that isn’t the case. I think I’m going to wear the style for a few more days and then take it down. I will let it hang free for a few days and see where we go from there. The one thing that I noticed  is that my scalp itches underneath the braids. But overall, I have enjoyed the new style and look, more to come! 🙂

Natrodisiac

 

10 Things I Noticed About Those Dreads in 2013…

Not in any specific order, so here we go.

1. I recognized that many dreadlocked men who come around me on a daily basis tend to look urban. I don’t have a problem with the urban look other than it is not my look or personality. I am the professional type. So I really started pushing the professional shirt and tie style towards the end of the year. I will continue this trend in the new year. It’s a good look.
2. I noticed I have a huge problem with things that are deemed feminine in my mind, like clamps and head bands. Clamps are used primarily to hold a neat dreadlock style longer. I understand its purpose. However 2 years in the game and I cannot get used to the putting clamps in my hair. So in 2014 I am going to look at using no clamps and just water for a span of time. We’ll see how this goes. Headbands are just out.
3. The length of my hair is an unmanageable, meaning it falls round my face and that I don’t have an answer for how to control it. I enjoy my growth. It is one of my daily highs but I realize that in 2014 I am going to invest in some styles that help accentuate the masculinity that I embody. Styles to come, pics to follow.
4. My hair is brown. In the beginning my hair was black, I swear! I am not into color for my dreads and honestly black is preferred, however I have been told repeated that my hair is not as black as I once believed.
5. I drive with the window up mostly because I am not a fan of my locs blowing from the wind.
6. I haven’t worn a hat in over two years.
7. I stare at small kids with locs. You would think with me having dreadlocks that I would welcome all newcomers but I don’t. There is something there that I think I disagree with when it comes to kids under 10 who have locs. I am going to have to blog about it to really understand what this thing in me is all about.
8. I aspire to be an educator with dreadlocks someday. We all have fantasies. So in one of mine I see my dreadlocks as representing wisdom with a very stoic look. As time goes on they will become laced with grey and have definition that corresponds with my character. The thought of the preceding line makes me smile.
9. I recalled in my 2012 things I remember post that I said I was going to see V for 2013. I did not have one appointment, not one! Now it is easy for me to say I was busy and dealing with a lot of stuff. It is all true, but what is equally as true is that I need to see V. So here it is in 2014 I am coming to see you Veronica! I need a style! You chick is coming back to the nest! lol.
10. I have said it once, and noticed it again! I am a very handsome man with locs!

 

Freshness Check 08/11/13

Natrodisiac

 

Clamps…

I hate this part.

Natrosisiac

 

Anticipating ‘The Dreadsock’

• When times are hard I have worn a bonnet.
• When I did not care I slept on a silk pillow case.
• When I was feeling hard (emotionally) I wore a wave cap with a tail.
• When I was feeling stylish I wore a snug wave cap (no tail)

But NOW that I have a dread sock on the way I feel like:

• a true member of the loc’d community
• I have arrived
• I should have been wearing a sock long time ago
• I can wear it to the grocery store (maybe not)
• I can cut the yard in it??? nahh
• I can be an inspiration for all the loc’d men and women with my sock! umm No.

I can just be proud that I finally got my sock…YES!

Natrodisiac