Random Musings About Everything and Nothing

Hey blogosphere! Perhaps it may be the holiday season that's swiftly approaching or the culmination of an incredible year, but I'm feeling a bit introspective today. I've changed the layout of the blog and I'll probably be taking it through a few more changes before I'm settled on how I want my layout to look. This post is going to be hard to follow because I have too many thoughts going on that I want to write about. It won't make much sense to most of you unless you know me, but I still thank you for taking time to read nonetheless.

Get Ready for the Gayness!!!

I'm starting another blog on blogspot, Black, Male, and Gay ... In That Order, that will be dedicated to gay issues and of course MY perspective on those issues (wink).

When I started blogging it was in response to a call for activism. That blog will serve as my sounding board to keep my readers abreast of the happening in gayness and how those happenings impact gays of color.

My first post will be dedicated to motivating gays of color to be active participants in the gay civil rights movement. I'll include a short reponse to the Prop 8 brouhaha, but I won't spend too much time on it, because so many others have already weighed in. I'll also be reviewing a couple of papers addressing homophobia and the black church, as well as laying the foundation to offer my own intellectual analysis of why I chose my blog title. The blog will also offer ideas on shaping a new gay rights movement as the current strategies adopted by the larger, mainstream organizations have proven to be ineffective. Expect the first post in the next two weeks.

Jesus Was Born at a Car Show in Day-Twat!

I'm sure by now everyone has read, posted, or heard about one of the most superfluous, self-aggrandizing displays of Chtilin' Eatin Negro behavior in the history of the Chitlin' Eatin' Negro. The "big 3" of the U.S. Automotive Industry, from execs, to UAW reps, to the workers, got together on Sunday Morning in an Oliver Twist inspired church service to BEG baby Jeezus for some hot, stankin' bailout lovin'. The whole idolating spectacle was captured in both print and video media. It should come as no surprise to you folks who were present during the service that when the day of judgment comes, God's gonna post these clips to his/her myspace and facebook pages to broadcast them to you during your burning in hell.

I really feel sorry for those people in that church and in the black church in general, but I digress. Not to worry though; I'm working on a post called the NIGGA CHURCH which shall not disappoint those who share my views about the relevance and usefulness of the black church.

World AIDS Day - Critics say AIDS Ain't REALLY That Bad, Right?

December 1, 2008 was the 27th Annual Worlds AIDS Day. After all the money devoted to HIV/AIDS research, members of the scientific community would like to divert funding from the global AIDS intiatives to other worthy diseases that devastate people's community by killing so many people. According to AIDS funding critics, the disease hit a plateau in the 90's and should no longer be considered an epidemic - except in Africa where so many black people are still geetting infected and even more are dying.

This position dangerously assumes that HIV infection is under control in places where the occurrence if the disease is always under-reported and in some placeS not at all (think India, the Middle EAST, and CHINA). Most of these place are traditional hetero-normative societies and they still relegate AIDS to a disease that gays and prostitutes get and spread. Since NONE of those types of people live ANYWHERE in those places, it's not a real problem. For example, 2 years ago China reported less than 1,000 HIV cases total and then later admitted that there might be more. However, lack of a competent surveillance model, as well as rampant denial, attributed to the errors in reporting.

My take: The international community (dominated by white scientists) only cared about AIDS when whites were the face of the disease. Now that black people comprise the majority of HIV/AIDS cases globally, there's no need to continue funding AIDS research at the levels (which have remained flat) we have in the past. I realize that other diseases are emerging as serious threats to developing nations, but AIDS is still serious. Don't believe me? Come visit me in DC, where the city has the dubious distintion of being number 1 in the rate of HIV infection. 1 out of every 20 or 5% of DC residents live with HIV. See, you don't have to go all the way some parts of Africa to see an epidemic! You can come right here.

*SIGH*

Christian + Insanity = Stupid Negros Supporting Rapists, Predators, and Charlatans

It's been nearly 3 weeks since my last post. I don't have a very good reason for having nothing to write besides being too lazy to sit down and put my thougts together for a post. I could use work for an excuse and although I've been busy, I just haven't felt like writing much of anything.

That brief hiatus ends today. So many of you have been visiting my blog quite frequently to read a series of posts I wrote in February of this year discussing the failures of the Black Church and its leaders and layity. One post was about Bishop Frederick D. Kelley in the COGIC being convicted of molesting and raping his foster daughter. From that sexual impropriety (that his wife was complicit in hiding) a child was conceived and Kelley and his wife took the child from their foster daughter and reared it as their own. Kelley was sentenced to 35 years in prison and is serving out his sentence in a Georgia State Correctional Facility. I'm sure someone is busting that ass wide open as we speak!

I went to the Georgia Department of Corrections website just to verify that this man of the cloth was incarcerated -- and as it turns out, he IS! He will not be eleigible for parole until 2043. Don't you just love that?

Recently, Mr. Juanita Bynum - Thomas Weeks III lost his church for refusing to pay his bills. He was approximately 400K in arrears when the Gwinnett County Sherriff's deputies came to evict Weeks' and his flock. They apparently interrupted Weeks from his weekly "Fleece the Flock and take advantage of the Greedy and Stupid" meeting, AKA Church Service. Regrettably, no one in Weeks church took the hint from God to stop supporting him. People in his church still stood in line at a rented ball room in a Holiday Inn Express to give him money. How irionic is that? I thought being at a Holiday Inn Expess made people smarter, not gullible... Bless their stupid little hearts and even tinier brains.

I have been constantly pained by other stories as well. While I am completely against the "gay panic" defense, a COGIC pastor was murdered by one of the victims he molested. As you'll see in the video contained in this post, another pastor raped and sexually molested the church's secretary and of course who can forget about the Apostle "Jesus loves Coochie and Spankings" Sherman Allen of Irving, TX? How about Donnie McClurkin's support of a man accused of sexually assaulting at least a score of black women over the course of the last 20 years? And Christians, PARTICULARLY BLACK ONES, have the nerve to be pre-occupied with Gay Marriage and abortions? WTF? You wanna protect the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, but turn a blind eye and issue forgiveness to sexual deviants because they have a collar around their neck?

Any rational person would ask, why do we continue to support these types of people? However, I don't think that's the question that should be asked anymore. Let's allow the stupid and greedy to "get got". The question for those of us with common sense should be, "How long will we allow these bloodsucking leeches to exists?" It is apparent that not even church folk can depend on other church folk. christians, believers, etc. to keep them from being victimized. Truthfully, I group all of them together until I can see a clear distinction among the "wheat and the chaff". I don't see more black christians being involved in advocay groups that raise awareness about abuse in the black church. What I see is excuse making and passive aggressive acquiesence. Many of the self-professed "true beleievers" will acknowledge the shortcomings of the black, but that's it. They do nothing the keep the experiences of the victims of the black church from happening to other people.

They typically twist scriptures to justify their apathy and sloth. They incorrectly apply the "judge not, lest ye be judged" idiom to relinquish their responsibility to their fellow believers to question the egregious conduct of their leaders. I get it, No one wants to be responsible for the implosion of their church or denomination. The cost of preserving a traditionalist institution that relies on blind faith and complete abandon of critical thinking, far outweighs the far reaching impact that spiritual mutilation has had on the lives of many parishoners/believers.

Those who choose to do the opposite of the true believers are ridiculed, condemned, and are often the objects of vicious personal attacks and vitriol... all from the hands of true believers.

This video embodies the unpopular view of the black church. It emphasizes the experiences of the victims over the lives of leaders and the foundations of churches. (Hat Tip to Kevin AKA NotYourTypicalNegro on youtube)




What say you? I must warn you though, if you come to this blog expecting to defend the black church's foolishness, be very ready to be torn a new one. I will only allow such stupidity to be displayed in one or two comment posts at the most.

Updates!!!

I see the week-in-review format has been working rather well on other blogs because it allows authors to string together completely unrelated stories in one post. Having been at a loss for words lately (totally ironic since I've been commenting on so many other blogs), I present to my readers, BLKSeaGoat's Weekly Round-Up!!! I'll try to post the good, bad, ugly, and WTF?, but not in necessarily in that order. I haven't come up with a clever name for my weekly recap and I am open to suggestions.

The Good Blogs

I have really been inspired by a number of bloggers who keep me wearing my thinking cap because of how awesome their writing skills are. If you good folks in the blogosphere haven't been to their sites already, you MUST visit Aunt Jemima's Revenge by Professor Tracey, Black Women Vote by SheCodes, and for inspiration and spiritual enlightenment, Character Corner, by AttorneyMom. I have been learning so much about so many things and I can credit reading these blogs for that. My writing skills are above average at best, but for some great thinking coupled with an exceptional use of language and mastery of grammar and mechanics, check them out PRONTO! Of course I am and will always be a fan of Whataboutourdaughters? and I thank Gina along with her readership for always being on alert and posting "news that I can use". I've also started reading some other authors, Torrance Stephens, Jasmyne Cannick, and Average Bro and I'll be getting around to all of you I see on a regular basis in the comments sections of the various blogs I enjoy.

New GIG!!

This week has been an interesting one for me. As I shared with SheCodes earlier this month, I will be transitioning into a new position with a new agency as I have been ready to move on for some time. What was so great about this new job is that my hiring manager CALLED me and basically made me an offer before the position was even available. I felt flattered and a little cocky (I have to be honest) because I was the FIRST person who came to her mind as this opening came in her department. She strongly encouraged me to submit my resume and vitae, provided me with some plausible arguments as to why I was her first choice, and recommended me with high expectations to her Executive Director. It was all so surreal that I still can't believe that things unfolded they that they did. I am glad though; I GOTS DA SKILLZ 2 PAY DA BILLZ... Okay, I know that wasn't even funny, but I am so excited!

My only regret is that I will miss the direct service aspect of my current position. However with my new job I'll be able to affect change on an even broader level; to me, my societal impact will be much more tangible than it was before.

Election updates

I am a Barack Obama supporter NOT a stan. I have rational reasons for supporting my candidate of choice as well as reasons for NOT supporting his opponent. While Sen. Clinton bested my candidate in Ohio, Texas, and R.I., he still leads in the delegate count. I have signed up to go volunteer in PA, the last great prize for the Democratic nominee unless FL and MI re-vote. I am still confident that Senator Obama can clinch this nomination and become president, but he really needs to start getting into Hillary's treasure trough of opposition research. Roland Martin stated it as plainly as possible: "make Hillary DEFINE her 35 years of experience." Future Mr. President, you have to do this if you expect HOPE for CHANGE to carry you to the Oval Office.

Hot Messes

As usual, Whataboutourdaughters? scoops a story that I would have otherwise ignored unless it was posted on their website. It seems that American Pop Culture's obsession with celebrity is so powerful that grown women will bear their naked asses on camera for the world to see, ONLY to get a date with an ugly ass mud duck inferior rapper. The contest, sponsored by Plies was called the "Bust it Baby" contest, after one of his songs about a woman he admires for her sexual prowess and penchant for casual sex. The video is NSFW and is incredibly disgusting. If watching women debase themselves in every way causes you to vomit uncontrollably, you may not want to view this video. I was so repulsed by it I created a PowerPoint response and posted it on YouTube.

Blackface Minstrel or Flattering Admirer?

Jasmyne Cannick has a bone to pick with infamous drag performer, Shirley Q. Liquor. For those of you who are unaware, SQL is a character of Charles Knipp, an obese, gay white man who performs his character in blackface. Shirley Q. Liquor is a malt-liquor chugging, promiscuous, multiple-baby-daddy-having, under-educated, poor, welfare check receiving, black woman with 19 children. Her spawn are named after food products, liquor beverages, and venereal diseases. SQL hails from the South and is the self-proclaimed "Queen of Dixie". Jasmyne has launched a campaign against SQL and Knipp in an effort to get Knipp's appearances canceled at various gay pride events and conventions. You can read more about the protest and campaign here.

Now, I have no problem with Jasmyne's position about SQL, but she actually JUSTIFIES why it's okay for black male drag performers to mar the image of black women, but scowls at the same performances being done by a white man. One cannot have it both ways. You can be upset at the media portrayal of black women regardless of the race of the person engaged in the stereotypical depictions. I signed to petition as a show of support, but I remain a bit ambivalent about Jasmyne's motivation for going ape shit on SQL. I wonder what the National Black Justice Coalition has to say about SQL? I wonder why White Gay America (there are many gay Americas) is so missive about SQL's brand of humor, but gets outraged when straight comedians use terms that are offensive to homosexuals?

R.I.P - 17 year old Simmie Williams was ambushed and gunned down for what many believe was his transgender identity. Feministe published a really great post on this tragic event .

Posting on the Regular (I promise)

I am going to start taking my blog more seriously. I know, I know, I've said that before, but I'll be freeing up my work schedule soon for some much needed blog time. I have TONS of things to write about and I'll be getting of my lazy behind to actually do more.

Donnie Mc Clurkin and the FAILURE OF BLACK CHURCH LEADERSHIP

This video echoes my sentiments. Please visit his youtube page as well. He has some really great videos on bible exegesis.