So This is the End of the World?

This is the text of the so called "gangsta" rapper Common as he performed at the White House:

“I woke up with the sunshine. A sunshine I had never seen. There was light at the end of it. Reminded me to forever dream. I was dreaming I walked into the White House. With love on my sleeve. And love for each and every one of you. Reminding you to believe. These are the words of a believer achiever. Leader of the globe, feed the souls of those in need.  I bleed the blood of the struggle. Walking over troubled puddles. The hustle is in my chest. No hustle no progress. Extremities of life in this process. The birth of a son. The death of another. With love I caress both mothers. And told ‘em whose in control is the one that’s above is. I walk where money talks and love stutters. The body language of a nation. Going though changes. The young become dangerous. Spent into anger. Anger gets sent through the chamber. It’s tough when your own look like strangers. We are the sons of gangsters and stone rangers. If he could how would Ernie Barnes paint us? Look at the picture. It’s hard not to blame us. But time forgives in the shy where the young die often. Do they end up in a coffin because we haven’t taught them? Is it what we talkin’, we really ain't walking. Dudes, hustlers, paid. How much did it cost them? I find myself on the same corner that we lost them. Real talkin’ in their ear like a walkman. My thoughts been around the corner to the world. So when I see them I see my baby girl. The Lord lives among us. The youngest hunger, recover. Means to get it by anyways necessary under pressure. Children feeling lesser with the spill upon the dresser. Killer, willer aggressors. Destiny’s children, survivors, soldiers.  In front of buildings their eyes look older. It’s hard to see blessings in a violent culture. Face against rappings. Sirens holsters – that ‘aint the way that Langston Hughes wrote us. So controllers on the shoulders of Moses. And Noah. We go from being precious to Oprah. Cultivated to overcome. Ever since we came over. Seize the day in the way that you can see the determined. The soul that keeps burning. Shorty’s know to keep learning. Lessons in my life are like stripes that we earning.  I took Grant’s advice that Christ is returning. Like a thief in the night. I write for beacons of light. For those of us in dark alleys and park valleys. Street hits spark valleys of the conscience. Conquerors of a contest . Even the unseen know that God watches. For one King’s dream he was able to Barack us. One King’s dream he was able to Barack us. One King’s dream he was able to Barack us.”

And look everyone, the world didn't stop.  All the stories about this man Common performing at the White House were just another smoke and mirrors display by a bunch of nobodys.   It was about nothing.  They didn't know about the man at first and then they made up garbage about him in the end.  All of it with a tinge of race to get the attention of the uninformed.

(I know everything is not about race.  Trust me though after living through it all your lifew you can always see the "hidden" code.

Sometimes you just have to shut up the learn something.

An UnCommon Problem?

It’s very funny how some people are complaining about Common coming to the White House to read poetry is such a bad thing.

Sean Hannity said, "This is not the guy that you invite to the White House for a poetry reading," he said. "This is not the guy we want our kids to listen to." President Obama, he said, "goes back to his radical roots again and again and again: Ayers, Wright, Pflager."

It’s funny how none of these people even knows who Common is.  He is one of the least radical rappers there is out there.  What this really shows is the deep seeded hate some people have for thing that are different to them.  Plus add the fact that your kids probably already listen to him.

I guess it is some sort of payback for when Mr. Bush wanted to have the work of Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman at one of his poetry events.  That particular event was cancelled because of the noise.  Let see what happens to this one.

This just proves my point at how very stupidly petty this country is becoming.

Our President Being the President!

Yep.  We all heard some of those talking heads on television.  President Obama (actually they just call him Obama) is weak on defense.  We should be scared because an attack is going to happen on Obama’s watch.  Obama coddles up to the Muslims.  He has no experience.

And then he did something so unexpected by his critics and enemies that he almost shut them up.  He found and killed Osama Bin Laden.  He accomplished this feat by crossing into another country to do it.  Something he said he would do when he was running for President.  Something he accomplished two and a half years after he got into office.

I won’t celebrate the Osama’s death.  However, I am not exactly sad that he has received his reward for the things he did in his life.  I expect nothing less for the man responsible for 9/11.  I even realize that some other coward will just take his place.  I am just glad that we elected a president of Obama’s character and ability.  A President who can simply get the job done.

Before all of this happened the president released his long form birth certificate (even though he didn’t have to), played golf to settle his nerves and insulted Donald Trump at the correspondence dinner.  President Obama was quoted as saying about Trump, "But no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald."   “And that's because he (Trump) can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like--did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are  Biggie and Tupac?"

And then the President said something to Trump that could be considered one of the coldest (coolest) things he could say about any of his critics.  In reference Trumps Celebrity Apprentice and the fact Trump had to fire Gary Busey instead of Meatloaf or Lil John the President stated, “And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night, well handled, sir. Well handled."  In light of the situation that probably was keeping him up at night, President Obama - we were to find out later - made Trump look like a fool and proved he can be very calculating.  And if some of the latest polls are true, Trump is feeling the thrashing.  Not that he really wants to run for president anyway.

So President Obama, the untried inexperienced politician achieved what none of the so-called experienced mouths could not.  Still it is not enough.

Funny how that works.

Who Am I?

Even though I took the title from one of Les Miserables songs, I am not Jean Valjean. 

I am a forty eight year old African American man who lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  We call this part of the world Delmarva as it is made up of parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.  I wasn't born here, still this is where I call home.

I was born in the DMV (District/Maryland/Virginia) area.  I am happily married for almost a quarter of a century and have one child.  I tend to lean towards being a democrat and liberal although this depends on the situation and the subject.  And yes, I did actually vote for President Obama.  No it was not a mistake.

I have been both richer and poorer.  I prefer richer but I didn't starve so maybe I wasn't as poor as I thought I was.  I have worked hard since I was twelve years of age.  As a matter of fact my entire family has done the same.  So if any politician tells you blacks don't work hard, trust me, they are fools.

My favorite quote (at the moment) is from the song Patience by Nas:

"The average man can't prove of most of the things that he chooses to speak of
And still won't research and find out the root of the truth that you seek of"

The original name for this blog was going to be Invisible Man based on Ellison's book of the same name.  However, I absolutely refuse to be that man.

As for my name.  Call me Street Signs.  At least for now.

Welcome to All!

Hello everyone, this is Street Signs.  I have been associated with two other blogs for some time and have decided to go out on my own for a little while.

I will talk about anything and everything that catches my attention.  I might even spell check some of my posts so hold on to your seats because its going to be an interesting ride!