(7-Year Anniversary Edition)

It’s time to Break It Down!

Michael Brown’s funeral was Monday at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Yesterday Kajieme Powell‘s funeral was held at the William C Harris Mortuary in the same City. In the wake of Michael Brown’s shooting, protestors in Ferguson, Missouri (where Brown was shot), and across the country, have popularized the meme “Hands up; don’t shoot.” The words, when uttered, are typically accompanied by raising one’s hands in the familiar position assumed when ordered to do so by officers of the law.

This combination vocal/visible action is intended to symbolize the state of siege with which young black men frequently find themselves. A vociferous debate, probably the most robust since Trayvon Martin was killed, has ensued. While there are a number of elements that serve to stoke the flames of discontent, most if not all of them stem from or lead to race. Spike Lee argues “There is a war on the black male in America.”

At first blush, one might be inclined to discount Lee’s position as part of a rant. Spike and a number of African Americans associated with issues revolving around race and ethnicity are dismissively referred to as race baiters. Their points, no matter how valid, are frequently lost in the resulting din. The point of this post is to say, “Pump the brakes; not so fast.”

Marc Lamont Hill is a Distinguished Professor of African American Studies at Morehouse College. He has previously served as an Associate Professor of Education at Columbia University, and as an Assistant Professor of Urban Education in American Studies at Temple University, one of his alma maters. He is the author of the book ”Beats, Rhymes and Classroom Life: Hip-Hop Pedagogy and the Politics of Identity,” and the co-author of two other books. In his spare time, Hill is a journalist and television personality. He hosts Our World with Black Enterprise, and online HuffPost Live, and is a BET News correspondent and a CNN political commentator.

Dr. Hill calls the frequent shooting of black men “Domestic Terrorism.” He has claimed several times during the recent discourse that police officers, security guards, or self-appointed vigilantes extrajudicially killed at least 313 African Americans in 2012. To frame that in a different way, according to a recent study, every 28 hours in 2012, a police officer or law enforcement surrogate killed an African American.

With those statistics as a foundation for the discussion, can anyone really argue with Spike Lee’s depiction, or with Dr. Hill’s characterization? I would say both men fairly accurately describe the situation. When Hill spoke of domestic terrorism, he was contrasting the rioting that ensued after Michael Brown’s death to the hyper-frequent instances of “Black Death” by law enforcement. Spike Lee was making a similar point.

Somewhere along the line, in order for this discussion to be on point, the question of accurate depictions must be raised. In short, PolitiFact.com rates Dr. Hill’s assertion as false. But, not due to a discrepancy with the number of people the study alleges were killed. Rather, because not all of them were unarmed. In fact, only 136 were unarmed. Nevertheless, that’s one unarmed African American killed every 64 hours, and still an African American every 28 hours. By my reckoning, that qualifies as an epidemic. PolitiFact that!

In addition to the killings, other methods of oppression include:

• Mass incarcerationof nonwhites
• Disproportionate arrests for like crimes
• Longer sentences for the same offenses

African Americans make up 13% of the general population, but 40% of the prison population. African Americans use drugs at the same rate or less than whites, yet they are 3 to 5 times more likely to be arrested for drugs. In New York, 80% of drug stops were of blacks. When whites were stopped, 8% were frisked; 85% of blacks were frisked.

All things considered, I leave you with this note of caution. During the TV show, “Hill Street Blues, the character known as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus sent his shift off to their daily duties with the departing words, “Hey, let’s be careful out there.” Unfortunately, the contemporary parallel for African American males is, “Hands Up; Don’t Shoot!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-for-african-american-men-youthful-mistakes-can-turn-deadly/2014/08/25/e8b5a092-2c94-11e4-9b98-848790384093_story.html?wpisrc=nl_head&wpmm=1

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/1-black-man-killed-every-28-hours-police-or-vigilantes-america-perpetually-war-its

http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/aug/26/marc-lamont-hill/unarmed-black-person-shot-every-28-hours-says-ma/

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-michael-brown-funeral-ferguson-20140825-story.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/25/michael-brown-funeral-civil-rights-activism/14582441/

http://pix11.com/2014/08/21/graphic-cell-phone-video-emerges-in-st-louis-fatal-police-shooting/

http://www.occupy.com/article/black-man-killed-us-every-28-hours-police

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/24/1226172/-Police-Guards-Vigilantes-shot-down-136-Unarmed-African-Americans-on-2012

http://www.mediaite.com/online/marc-lamont-hill-police-shooting-black-men-is-domestic-terrorism/

http://www.wcharrisfd.com/sitemaker/sites/WILLIA15/obit.cgi?user=1381257Powell

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/spike-lee-on-cnn-there-is-a-war-on-the-black-male-in-america/

http://mxgm.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Operation-Ghetto-Storm.pdf

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/fourteen-examples-of-raci_b_658947.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last week I wrote about Michael Brown, Ferguson, Missouri, and the expanding turmoil that has buffeted that St. Louis suburb, now entering day 12. As I engaged a cross-section of individuals in discourse about the subject, a number of those people raised a variety of issues. Some of those issues were offered as catalysts, others as part of an array of interrelated matters; some causal, others part of the multi-faceted effects.

Rather than break down the various issues into discrete categories, and spend time dissecting each one, I am going to elevate and briefly explore the one with which I take greatest exception…and for which there is wealth of easily accessible disproving data. Many of my friends and associates, and a number of media mouth pieces are quick to default to “Black on Black Crime” as the presumed elephant in the room that automatically shuts down all discourse about tragic situations such as Michael Brown being killed by a white police officer.

The typical dialogue tends to go along the lines of, “But what about “Black on Black Crime or, what about black folk who kill other black folk? Let me make this perfectly clear. I abhor situations in which people kill other people. When the victim and the perpetrator are both black, it saddens me. Deeply! To that end, I do not downplay such instances, nor give a pass to the initiators of such violence. Full stop.

Having said that, what then irritates me so thoroughly about inserting the axiomatic “Black on Black Crime label to shut down discourse when a white law officer kills an unarmed black man? I am perturbed on many levels.

First, the comparison zeroes in on two events at such polar opposite ends of the spectrum that enlisting apples and oranges does not provide metaphorical justice. When an individual kills another individual, even when unarmed, it is often a tragic matter.

However, police officers are representatives of the state (government). They are paid with taxpayer dollars to protect and serve the public. To wit, when an officer of the law uses his/her service revolver, Taser, night stick, choke hold, or any other available mechanism to kill an unarmed black man, he or she has acted as an extension of the state to kill a citizen. In too many instances, such actions take on the appearance of a state sponsored execution.

Therefore, when individuals, or groups, or the media conflate a black man killing an unarmed black man with the state, or as some may prefer, a public servant killing an unarmed black man, there is and should be a higher standard of scrutiny. This should be an automatic and systemic response. Unfortunately, we have become collectively inured to a particular narrative. “Black people are inherently prone to crime, and therefore deserving of summary justice…even when and if that justice is fatal.

That fairly long preamble was necessary to set the stage for my main point. When is the last time you heard the phrase “White on White Crime?” In all likelihood, reading it in the preceding sentence was the first time you ever even heard of such a concept. The absence of that term as a regular talking point, compared with the prevalence of “Black on Black Crime” is an example of the subtle mind-bending and thought harvesting that frames our thinking…or lack thereof.

Well, put on your big boy/big girl pants; it’s time to shatter the myth! Did you know, on a macro scale, “White on White Crime is more prevalent than “Black on Black Crime?” Don’t lie…hell no! You did not know that because no one ever told you, and why would you ever consider such a possibility, unprovoked? Consider yourself provoked.

But the point is not just irritate you, as I am irritated by the irresponsible, and inappropriate use of the “Black on Black Crime” metaphor to shut down discourse about police killing unarmed blacks. I want to share some information that can move the dial on recognizing when someone is trying to blow smoke up an orifice rather than engage you in a genuine dialogue about this important matter.

In order to be reasonably informed on the issue, there are some things you need to know, including: 

• In America, a white person is almost six times more likely to be killed by another white person than by a black person (FBI Homicide Data)
• In 2011, there were more cases of whites killing whites than of blacks killing blacks
  • According to Bureau of Justice Statistics:
  • For the period 1980-2008 53.3% of gang homicides were committed by white offenders
  • For the same period, 56.5% of gang homicide victims were white
  • White men are more likely to kill than any other racial group or subset
  • Other than gun violence, which is significant, white men top the list in almost all other categories of homicides
  • Whites are more likely to kill children
  • Whites are more likely to kill the elderly
  • Whites are more likely to kill family members
  • White are more likely to kill their significant others
  • Whites are more likely to kill at their places of employment
  • Whites commit more sex-related crimes
  • Whites commit more gang-related crimes
• Studies show that blacks are no more likely than whites to use or sell drugs, and make up only 14% of regular drug users, yet blacks are more likely to be arrested for drug crimes, and they receive longer sentences than whites

A simple truth is, white people kill lots of white people and black people kill lots of black people. This is not because either group is burdened by self-hate, but because murder is usually a crime of passion, or a crime of convenience. Moreover, because we have created or inherited an intensely segregated culture, within our own subgroups is where our opportunities for interaction occur most often and most organically.

White people who commit crime are considered deviant individuals. Conversely, black people who commit crime have their actions attributed to their race. Thus Chicago gang-bangers have become a symbol that black men should be feared. Yet, there seems to be no corollary assignment of fear to white men base upon brutal murders committed by Neo-Nazi skinheads.

I am reminded of the eternal wisdom of the manager on my first real job. In response to a colleague’s protestation about the unfairness of a particular “management decision,” the boss replied, “Whoever said life was fair?”

In other words, don’t get it twisted. I’m not whining about unfair treatment. In fact, I’m not whining. I am providing a public service. It behooves all of us to recognize, confront, and dispute the myths that permeate our attempts to deal with issues of race, ethnicity, and diversity (or lack thereof) in American society. If we do not, we are bound to repeat the misadventures of Ferguson. It is long past time for “A Frank Discourse: Revealing America’s Dirty Little Secret!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://callandpost.com/news/2013/aug/16/white-white-crime-more-prevalent-black-black/

http://www.timwise.org/2013/08/race-crime-and-statistical-malpractice-how-the-right-manipulates-white-fear-with-bogus-data/

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2013/07/22/84-of-murders-are-white-on-white/

http://mediamatters.org/research/2014/08/18/right-wing-media-push-black-on-black-crime-cana/200467

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/17/racial-disparity-drug-use_n_3941346.html

http://watercoolerconvos.com/2013/07/17/maybe-we-should-rage-against-white-on-white-crime-too/

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2012/04/whiteonwhite_crime_it_goes_against_the_false_media_narrative.html

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/08/11/8-stats-dispel-myths-black-violence/

http://breakingbrown.com/2014/03/white-on-white-crime-is-on-the-rise-so-wheres-the-outrage/

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/08/racial_bias_in_criminal_justice_whites_don_t_want_to_reform_laws_that_harm.html

Break It Down!

Occasionally I am impelled to write a post. Usually when this happens, I do not want to write a particular post. I feel I need to, or have to, or simply have no option. This is one of those posts.

The Thin Blue Line, another appellation for the police, is a staple in most of our communities. Officers are sworn to protect and serve our citizens. Ideally, the relationship between policemen (and women) and citizens should be one of esteem, and respect for dedicated public servants by the citizenry, and of dutiful concern and service by officers.

As we know all too well, life is seldom comprised of a series of ideal experiences, and often composed of messy, complicated exchanges. This past Saturday, in Ferguson, Missouri, a still unnamed police officer shot an killed an unarmed teenager. The young man Michael Brown, was 18 years old, and scheduled to enroll in college this fall.

To be sure, I did not want to write this post. Let me be clear. Just as I regret writing posts about another mass shooting or the gun violence that surrounds such events, I am especially saddened to have to write about another unarmed black man whose life was prematurely ended by police officer…regardless of whether a firearm was involved, as was the case in this instance.

Police officers have challenging jobs. I readily acknowledge theirs is a responsibility I would not want under any circumstances. Those circumstances often entail doing their jobs in tense situations. Nevertheless, they are expected to maintain their cool, and to do their job, which is, protect and serve.

In executing their duties, officers of the law, are human beings, and they have an absolute right to self=preservation, just like every other human being. If an officer believes his or her life is threatened, deadly force is reasonable remedy. I am not questioning an officer’s right to defend his or her own life.

Having said that, if an officer of the law, an agent of protection and service if you will, engages with, and takes the life of an unarmed citizen, that officer has likely committed a grave atrocity. An officer typically has an array of options that precede using deadly force. While it’s true, he or she must assess these options quickly, in the most critical of situation, but still…they do have options.

Michael Brown and his family were left with no options. They cannot turn back the hands of time to Friday, they cannot command him to get up and by so doing, raise him from the dead, they cannot see him execute his enrollment into college, or cheer him on as he graduates. There will be no wedding for Michael, or spoiling his children, or even one more day of life. There was not even an opportunity to say good-bye…his parents to him, or him to them. The contrast between that officer’s options, even if they had to be scanned quickly, and his family’s lack of the same is stark.

The investigation of Michael Brown’s shooting is in the early stages and moving slowly. There is a lot to unpack regarding both local demographics, and historical context.

The town of Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, is about 2/3 black, 1/3 white, while the officials and administrators, including the Police Chief, are white. Historically, the infamous Dred Scott Decision of 1857, a catalyst for the Civil War, had its roots in St. Louis.   In 1916 the city passed a zoning ordinance that explicitly restricted blacks to certain neighborhoods. When the Supreme Court struck down racial zoning laws, the city responded by enacting restrictive covenants designed to separate the races. Whites were forbidden to sell their homes to blacks. When the Supreme Court, in 1946, struck down the covenants, the city turned to redlining. All the while, whites abandoned the city for the suburbs, crystalizing the practice that became know as white flight.

Colin Gordon, a University of Iowa professor, in his book, “Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City,” wrote:

“St. Louis … is a city of sealed neighborhoods, gated as a railroad crossing, of blocked-off streets and private places, chartered as a nation, zoned as meteorological maps, the enclaves and cul-de-sac of stalled weather.”

Thrust into the dynamics of this long running community dysfunction, on Saturday, an officer of the law shot and killed one of the citizens who he was charged to protect and defend. From the outset, competing narratives have emerged regarding what happened. Police say Brown attacked the officer, resulting in his having to employ deadly force. Witnesses render a completely different account, insisting that the officer verbally assaulted Brown and a friend, 22 year-old Dorion Johnson, as they were walking in the street. According to Johnson, the officer grabbed Brown and attempted to pull him into his cruiser. Brown resisted, and the officer shot him. Johnson stated that at this point Brown broke away and attempted to flee. The officer shot him again from behind. Brown stopped running, turned around, raised his hands, said he didn’t have a gun, and asked the officer to stop shooting. The officer then fired several more shots, according to Johnson.

As you can see, there is quite a deviation in the two alleged sequences of events. The police have declined to provide the officer’s name to the public. The Ferguson Chief of police said he would not do so unless the officer is charged, or he is forced by a judge to provide the name. He indicated that the department has received numerous threats, and this is a precautionary measure designed to ensure the officer’s safety.

There have been numerous protests in Ferguson, including looting and violence Sunday night, and more violence Monday night. Brown’s family has expressed disappointment, and asked the residents of the community to refrain from violence. It may be a stretch to say the community is a powder keg, but it is fair to say Brown’s shooting ignited a sense of fury in a predominately black community that has lived under a sense of hyper-scrutiny by mostly white police force.

The Justice Department has joined forces with local law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter. The local department has declined to provide a time frame for completing its investigation.

In reflecting on this most unfortunate situation, it is undeniable, blacks have the same rights as all Americans, and they deserve the same protections. However, equally clear to any sober minded individual is the fact that an individual’s rights; well-deserved and appropriately allocated as they may be, when juxtaposed against a law enforcement officer’s firearm, stun gun, night stick, or choke hold, do not make for an evenly matched struggle.

To that end, I strongly endorse your rights as an individual, while I simultaneously urge you to exercise judicious reasoning when engaged in an encounter with an officer of the law. In the heat of the moment is not likely the best time to “forcefully” explain to a law enforcement official(s) just how well-versed you are in knowing your rights. Remember, “The Thin Blue Line: A Source of Deadly Force!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:     

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(emblem)

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/eyewitness-michael-brown-fatal-shooting-missouri

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/08/12/president-barack-obama-michael-brown-case/13966527/

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/12/us/missouri-teen-shooting/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/michael-brown-shooting-witness_n_5671156.html

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/08/12/alveda-king-martin-luther-king-jr-michael-brown-nonviolence/13937425/

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/08/12/michael-brown-preliminary-autopsy-results/13961385/

http://time.com/3104128/michael-brown-ferguson-cop-shooting-protests/

http://time.com/3104128/michael-brown-ferguson-cop-shooting-protests/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-will-investigate-death-of-black-teenager-in-missouri/2014/08/11/991b3dce-2165-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott_v._Sandford

http://mappingdecline.lib.uiowa.edu

It’s Time to Break It Down!

I’ve written a lot of posts, but I do not recall having ever written one that focused on the town that served as my adopted home during the last eight years of my primary and secondary education. Check; cross that off the list.

In short order, I will introduce you to the Town of Belhaven, NC and its feisty, non-traditional Mayor, Adam O’Neal. To set the stage, Belhaven is one of those poor communities that typically spring to mind when folks discuss the rural South. It is nestled in a small Eastern North Carolina County (Beaufort), and according to the 2010 Census, the population was 1,688. This is a net reduction from 1,968 enumerated in the 2000 Census.

The demographics and politics make for an interesting mix, on its face. The racial mix of the population is split 37% white, 60% black. Native Americans and Asians each comprise less than 1% of the population. Hispanics/Latinos, which may be white or black, account for 2.69% of the residents.

So what makes the demographic-political mix so interesting? The Mayor of this predominantly black town is not only white, but also Republican. But that alone is not what makes this story interesting. In the Age of Obama, we have become accustomed, if not desensitized to the strident nature of partisan politics, on both the local and national level. So much so, that when New Jersey Governor Chris Christy embraced President Obama, and spoke kindly of him when the President visited New Jersey to offer federal assistance in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the vast majority of his GOP colleagues attacked him.

I can honestly say learning that the incumbent Mayor of Belhaven was white did not surprise me. That he took a position in opposition to closing rural hospitals in general, and that he opposed closing Belhaven’s hospital in particular, also didn’t move the dial. However, when I learned there was a Republican politician who was distinguishing himself by challenging the popular GOP position against Medicaid Expansion, and that this GOP pol and the Mayor of Belhaven were one and the same, well now you have my full and complete attention.

I visited Eastern North Carolina 3 out of 4 weekends this month. I was already aware, via home-based connections that Vidant Health planned to close Vidant Pungo Hospital. The scheduled closure was executed on July 1, 2014. The CliffNotes version of the story is Vidant is a Healthcare Conglomerate that operates hospitals and medical facilities in 29 Eastern North Carolina Counties, serving a population of 1.4 million North Carolinians. Vidant bought a number of rural NC medical facilities, including Pungo District Hospital (in 2011).

After two years, Vidant Health announced plans to close what had become Vidant Pungo Hospital because it was losing money. The Vidant administration attempted to negotiate with Belhaven officials to take over operation of hospital. Ultimately, Vidant Health concluded Belhaven was unable to assume responsibility for the facility, and closed it July 1^st.

Mayor O’Neal is a passionate advocate for his community. In his version of the big picture, the bottom line is Vidant Health traded the people’s health for profit. To give a stronger, more targeted voice to his principal concerns, on July 14, 2014, he set out on a two-week walk to Washington, DC. In taking his cause to the highways, byways, and streets, he sought to elevate 3 key issues:

• Medicaid Expansion
• Endangered Rural Hospitals
• Vidant Pungo Hospital

In making his case, the Mayor argued before a crowd at a news conference in the nation’s Capital, at the end of his protest march, “The story of Belhaven is bigger than the trials of a single small town.”

In framing the specifics of the matter, he took to task both hospital officials and NC elected officials. He suggested that Vidant put profit above people’s health. He also criticized state officials for their refusal to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid. It is these additional funds that pay the healthcare bills of many of NC’s poor. Without these funds, many North Carolinians are being denied critical health care services.

UNC Chapel Hill researchers studied the economic impact of the 140 rural hospitals that closed in the 1990’s. They found that within a few years, the unemployment rate in those communities rose by 1.6% and that the per capita income fell by more than $700.

Beaufort County’s unemployment rate was 8% in May, compared to 6.4% for the state. Mayor O’Neal emphasized that the fight for the hospital could determine the future economic viability of a community surrounded by rivers and sounds. He noted, “Not only have they taken emergency room services away from our town, they’re also taking every industry we’ve got away – which is retirees moving into our area. They’re not going to come to move into an area without a hospital.”

Like a lot of high school graduates from the area, I left Belhaven shortly after crossing the stage and turning my tassel. That was 42 years ago. While I currently reside a few hundred miles away, in many ways it is light years. Still, I spent a number of my formative years in that community.

Most of the life lessons that frame my worldview were gleaned during the course of executing my varied household chores, or managing my paper route, or in the course of my summers spent priming and hanging tobacco, or in the too numerous to count church services that every PK (Preacher’s Kid to the uninitiated) is subjected to every Sunday…and many other days and nights.

So, even though I was not born there, in lots of ways, Belhaven will always be a part of me. As such, I dedicate this post to my Homies-in-the-Haven. And in closing, I offer a special thank-you; a shout out, if you will, to Mayor Adam O’Neal. For many across the country, he put Belhaven on the map over the course of these past two weeks. For me, he provided a poignant reminder that the community lives, and always will, in my heart. If you didn’t know, now you know. One Man’s Pilgrimage: Mayor O’Neal Goes To Washington!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belhaven,_North_Carolina

http://belhavennc.us

http://www.pamlico.com/belhaven.html

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Belhaven&state=NC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_County,_North_Carolina

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/28/why-i-walked-from-north-carolina-to-washington-dc/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/belhaven-mayor-wraps-march-to-dc-to-save-hospital/2014/07/28/0950b652-162e-11e4-88f7-96ed767bb747_story.html

http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2014/06/04/republican-mayor-from-eastern-nc-issues-emotional-call-for-medicaid-expansion/

http://egbertowillies.com/2014/06/05/nc-gop-mayor-adam-oneil/

http://www.southernstudies.org/2014/07/nc-gop-mayor-marches-to-dc-to-urge-medicaid-expans.html

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Belhaven-Mayor-Plans-Walk-to-Washington-DC-For-Vidant-Pungo-Hospital-266954981.html

http://www.storyofamerica.org/walk

http://www.wncn.com/story/25980495/belhaven-mayor-to-walk-to-dc-to-save-vidant-pungo-hospital

http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/7/29/to-save-rural-hospitalsarepublicanmayormarchesonwashington.html

http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/07/29/butterfield-joins-mayor-adam-oneal-for-final-leg-of-his-300-mile-walk-from-belh-a-536859.html#.U9hhEFa4lFI

http://www.wcti12.com/news/belhaven-mayor-walking-to-washington-dc-to-protest-hospital-closing/26954018

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-07-25/health-issues/walking-mayor-brings-rural-hospital-issues-to-d-c/a40764-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidant_Health

https://www.vidanthealth.com/vidant/dynamic-detail.aspx?id=11781

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Eva

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._J._Wilson_(defensive_end)

It’s time to Break It Down!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the pending Decision Part II, and the lack of surprise that LeBron James was opting out of his contract with the Miami Heat. At the time, I really didn’t think it was surprising at all, because, I anticipated LeBron James would work the system, er, ah, I mean, explore his options, and unceremoniously re-sign with the Miami Heat. Boy was I wrong. Not only did The King ditch The Heat, he did what I considered the unthinkable; he returned to Cleveland. And when I say unthinkable, I mean, for me, unthinkable. So much so, that while I opined on a number of options, I did not even list the Cavs as a possible destination

Bloggers, journalists, columnists, and a host of highly opinionated types often regale us with their erstwhile personal prescience. The thing is, none of us is clairvoyant. As a result, on more than a few occasions, those brash and bold predictions are just flat out erroneous…just plain wrong! Such was the case in my “The Decision II” post.

With today’s post, I am defying that egotistical stereotype. Even now I readily admit, I thought LeBron was more likely to do a self-imposed stint in the D-League than return to Cleveland, where majority owner, Dan Gilbert skewered him mercilessly. In a now infamous open letter to Cleveland Cavaliers’ fans, Mr. Gilbert used the following terms to disparage LeBron and his departure:

• Former hero
• Deserter
• Self-promoter
• Narcissistic
• Cowardly betrayal
• Selfish
• Shameful display
• Disloyal
• Heartless
• Callous

In addition to that Top Ten list of denigrations, the Cavs’ majority owner noted, of James, “Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.”

And if all that was enough, in an effort to make his position crystal clear, Mr. Gilbert underscored his combination of displeasure and resolve by heaping on the this jewel of a coal lump:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

To that all caps slam, the Quicken Loans founder then added the piece de resistance: “You can take that to the bank!”

At the time, I remember thinking, this dude sounds as though he felt LeBron was a slave…rather than a man with a contract, who decided to exercise his options. So yes, forgive me if I thought it unlikely that James would return to the employ of man who had rendered such a scathing review. And I recognize the more enlightened among you may say, let the past be the past. But the letter is hardly the past. Penned July 8, 2010, it was on the team’s website at least until July 6, 2014. That is almost 4 years to the day, and until just 10 days ago.

In my own defense, if I had one, I would note that I made my great prognosticatory blunder a day before the 2014 NBA Draft. Let me hasten to add, even though the Cavs got the 1st pick, and used it to select a young man of whom I am quite fond, I would not endeavor to attempt to deceive you or myself. I would have said the same things the day after the Draft that I said the day before the event.

Though I totally missed my call on the most important aspect of “The Decision, Part II,” where LeBron would take his talents, I was spot on regarding the nature of how he executed his choice. It was everything the 2010 debacle was not. It was low key and understated. It was handled without hype, or at least with as little hype as possible, when the top basketball player in the world changes teams. It was handled without rancor from the team James left, though a number of fans reacted less civilly than the team’s ownership.

Perhaps because LeBron is not from South Beach, maybe because The Heat expected him to leave anyway, or just possibly because Micky Arison is, at his core, a better human being than Dan Gilbert, in contrast to the Cavs owner’s diatribe from 4 years ago, Mr. Arison issued a simple tweet expressing his thoughts:

“I am shocked & disappointed in today’s news. However I will never forget what LeBron brought us for 4 years. Thanks for memories ‪@KingJames‬.”

So, how was the chasm bridged that was created by Dan Gilbert’s letter? Apparently, Mr. Gilbert flew to Miami where he met with LeBron and apologized (in private). The “In private” part is significant, if for no other reason, because the letter was so very public.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, of Yahoo Sports, Gilbert told James:

“We had five great years together and one terrible night,” “I told him how sorry I was, expressed regret for how that night went and how I let all the emotion and passion for situation carry me away. I told him I wish had never done it, that I wish I could take it back.”

In the end, James established that he was the bigger man. Undoubtedly, he could have leveraged a more public pronouncement, and he might have drawn the process out at least for the balance of the weekend. But he did not. He has grown in the past 4 years, and that was evident. This time he opted to let Dan Gilbert’s wallet do the talking. Aside from that, he of course recognizes that despite Gilbert’s braggadocio in the wake of him leaving Cleveland, over the past 4 years, while he was going to 4 NBA Finals and winning 2 Titles. The Cavs, in contrast, were so woeful (How woeful were they?), they received the 1st Draft pick in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Oh yeah, in 2012, they got the 4th pick. I can only imagine, in a Karma-like way, LeBron felt that Gilbert, The Cavs, and their fans have suffered enough.

I also surmise that LeBron had his own motivations for returning home. Sure, his legacy is important, and he felt he owed the fans. But he also has a wife, a mother, and two, soon to be three kids, and their vote and influence was pivotal, I suspect. Also don’t forget his homies in Akron. They have to be thrilled. And now that The King has actually conquered, by winning two Titles, his reign in Cleveland shall resume. So, Thomas Wolfe, take that…“You Can Go Home Again!”

Since apology seems to be the word-of-the-day, I apologize Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles (Lakers and Clippers), Dallas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Washington, and especially MIA. Congratulations Cleveland!

“Highly Seasoned Please; That’s How I’d Like My Crow!” I’m done; holla back!”

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/258558/sports-illustrated-editors-didnt-know-of-lebrons-decision-until-this-morning/

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24616298/how-sports-illustrated-got-the-lebron-to-cleveland-story

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/11/lebron-james-media-messaging/12530011/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-sports-illustrated-landed-the-lebron-james-im-coming-home-scoop/2014/07/11/a1f18202-093a-11e4-a0dd-f2b22a257353_story.html

http://adage.com/article/media/sports-illustrated-lebron-james-exclusive/294096/

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24616298/how-sports-illustrated-got-the-lebron-to-cleveland-story

http://foxct.com/2014/07/14/sports-illustrateds-chris-stone-talks-lebron-reveal/

http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2014/07/11/how-si-com-got-the-big-lebron-scoop-and-how-its-traffic-soared/

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/12/sports/basketball/role-of-sports-illustrated-in-lebron-jamess-announcement-raises-journalistic-questions.html?_r=0

http://nesn.com/2014/07/how-heat-cavaliers-heard-of-lebron-james-decision-how-si-broke-story/

http://digiday.com/publishers/si-capitalizing-big-lebron-scoop/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/08/dan-gilbert-letter-lebron_n_640318.html

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers-dan-gilbert-letter-take-down-website

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/7/11/5891629/dan-gilbert-letter-apologies-lebron-james-cavaliers

It’s time to Break It Down!

In July edition of The WestView News, James Lincoln Collier wrote a piece he calls “THE NIGGER IN THE WHITE HOUSE.”  I used all caps, not to scream at you the reader, but because that is how the title appears in the heading.  Often, titles are not the purview of the writer, but some editor.  In this particular instance, that is not the case.  Collier successfully fought to get the title he wanted.

Mr. Collier suggested this topic to the editorial staff of the paper.  He was initially rejected.  But he persevered, and eventually he won out because, among other things, he pointed the New York Times refuses to use the N-word.  Good, bad, or indifferent, that was the Jedi Mind Trick that proved crucial in getting the title Collier wanted in print.

To take the edge off this post, I will reveal a few things up front:

• The WestView News, a monthly publication, is a liberal voice
• The story that follows the headline is pro-Obama
• Alvin Hall wrote a column appearing on the same page, entitled, “The Headline Offends Me”

Upon seeing the headline, at first blush, one might be inclined to think, with friends like this, who needs enemies.  Yet, the gist of the column suggests that a significant portion of the resistance that President Obama receives is due to racism.  Mr. Collier cites the recent defeat of Congressman Eric Cantor as evidence of this contemporary racism, thinly veiled by the veneer of politics.  In Mr. Cantor’s case, Collier argues among other things, Cantor had taken a position on Immigration that allowed his opponent to tie him too closely to the President, which ultimately was enough to leverage a stunning defeat of the House Majority Leader.

We live in a highly competitive media savvy age.  An age in which it is fairly common for media outlets to resort to using unconventional means to attract viewers, newspaper sales, Internet clicks, and so forth.  While I find the article interesting enough, it was not a particularly exhaustive treatment to a complex and highly volatile issue.  When Don Lemon of CNN challenged Mr. Collier for not referencing or explaining his use of the word “Nigger” in the article, Collier noted that he bore no onus for people not reading the entire article in order to glean the connection between the title and the meat of the story.  He went on to say that it was not everyday that CNN called him to discuss something he’d written.

Bingo!  Therein lies the rub.  Mr. Collier apparently did not feel compelled to labor under the burden of establishing the nexus between his title and the subsequent assertion that a substantial number of persons who oppose the President do so because of racial animus.  That may indeed be the case.  However, the writer seemed satisfied to have garnered a fleeting, Warhol coined, 15 minutes of fame.

Lacking a stream of evidence, Mr. Collier’s story fails to discernibly move the dial in a prove-it-to-me world.  I believe the premise holds merit.  Moreover, there is a variety of readily available evidence to support the argument.  Some of that evidence includes, but is by no means limited to the 25 examples that follow:

1. ·      Don’t Re-Nig Bumper Sticker
2. ·      The Birther Claim
3. ·      The Muslim Issue
4. ·      Kenyan Depiction
5. ·      African Tribal Chief Obama likeness
6. ·      New Hampshire Police Commissioner Racist Obama Rant
7. ·      Phoenix Protesters sing Bye-Bye Black Sheep/
8. ·      Impeach the half-white Muslim
9. ·      California GOP claims that Food stamps would become “Obama Bucks”
10. ·      Assassination Threats
11. ·      African Witch Doctor w/Bone in Nose
12. ·      Limbaugh/Beck – Healthcare Act = Reparations
13. ·      Healthcare Legislation will lead to Affirmative Action
14. ·      Impeachment drive challenging President’s citizenship
15. ·      Welfare President
16. ·      Food stamp President
17. ·      Rodeo Clown/Obama likeness run down by bull
18. ·      Kenyan Go Home placards
19. ·      Nigger President threat
20. ·      47 Percent Negro
21. ·      Voter ID legislation to counteract the minority vote
22. ·      Voter roll purges
23. ·      Voiding key provisions of the Voting Rights Act
24. ·      Jimmy Carter: “An overwhelming portion of those opposing President Obama’s policies are racist”
25. ·      Colin Powell: “There is still a dark vein of intolerance in the GOP”

There are many Americans who reject the fact that racism still exists in this country.  Many of those same individuals point to President Obama’s election as the reason why such claims are null and void.  They argue that the vast majority of people who oppose President Obama and his policies do so because they want less, not more government, or some similar high-minded ideological ideal.  Undoubtedly, some really do believe that’s true.

In the mean time, they conveniently overlook, or just flat deny the existence of the numerated items above…and many more.  That friends, is why they say, “The Nile (denial) is much more than a river.

In summation, this story could have been so much more.  But In the end, Mr. Collier’s column, “The N____r in the White House,” will likely be remembered as the story that wasn’t…if, it is remembered at all.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.  Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”  Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://westviewnews.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lincoln_Collier

http://westviewnews.org/2014/07/the-nigger-in-the-white-house/

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/black-westview-news-columnist-avoiding-controversy-newspaper-president-obama-n-word-headline-article-1.1857918

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/news/obama-offensive-headline

http://www.dailystormer.com/new-york-newspaper-headline-the-nigger-in-the-white-house/

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2014/07/08/ctn-bpr-collier-newspaper-n-word-headline.cnn.html

http://mic.com/articles/93019/a-new-york-city-newspaper-called-obama-the-n-er-in-the-white-house

http://www.dailyslave.com/new-york-newspaper-writes-article-entitled-the-nigger-in-the-whitehouse/

http://www.chimpout.com/forum/showthread.php?384091-The-Nigger-in-the-White

http://newsninja2012.com/pro-obama-man-pens-story-theres-a-nigger-in-the-wh-to-prove-racial-point/

http://massappeal.com/ny-newspaper-calls-obama-the-nigger-in-the-white-house/

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/07/n-word-in-the-white-house-nyc-monthly-shocks-with-pro-obama-column/

http://jezebel.com/anti-racism-piece-ironically-dubs-obama-the-n-gger-in-1600819593

http://www.nation.com.pk/international/08-Jul-2014/us-newspaper-under-fire-for-calling-obama-n-word

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/07/06/newspaper-headline-calling-obama-n-word-white-house.html

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niggers_in_the_White_House

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/house-majority-leader-cantor-defeated-primary

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261796/Colin-Powell-says-Republican-attacks-Obama-racist.html

(Disclaimer: This post appeared originally on June 29, 2011.  It contains references that are graphic in nature, and which may be considered offensive; reader discretion is advised.  The initial catalyst for posting this information was my 2011 Colonoscopy.  I had a second procedure recently, and it seemed like a perfect time to reprise this post).

A couple of days ago I had a Colonoscopy, which is the endoscopic test of the colon and the distal part of the small bowel with a camera.  The procedure is recommended for men over age 50, on a periodic basis; every 10 years if no irregularities are found, and more frequently if non-benign polyps or other issues arise during the test.  Mine was scheduled as a regular sequential step in my Annual Physical regimen, not from any kind of alert or scare.  That is as it should be.

This is not intended to provide a by blow-by-blow of my procedure.  I am addressing this topic to provide a public service.  I have observed both anecdotally and from numerous data streams, men in general and African American men in particular, are notorious for neglecting our health.  There are too many reasons to enumerate, but a few include:

• Distrust of doctors (Some black men still reference the Tuskegee Experiment)
•  Fear…of doctors, of medicine, bad news, of pain, of surgery, of anesthesia, the

unknown

• Unawareness of early warning signs
• No regular doctor
• Lack of health care benefits (African Americans are more likely to be

Unemployed or Underemployed, and therefore less likely to have insurance)

• Misplaced priorities (some men take better care of their homes and/or cars than

they do their personal health)

• Good intentions; bad execution (Many of us “intend” to” schedule an appointment

to see a doctor, but don’t)

• Procrastination (Delay, delay, delay)
• Superman complex (The perception that one is young, healthy, and totally bullet

proof)

• We are on a super secret suicide mission (No, we just act like it)

Those are 10 of my own very unscientific, totally straight off the top of my head reasons.  After setting them to paper, I decided to look for an expert opinion…OK; I checked to see what a doctor thought.  Not surprisingly (to me anyway), there was a fair amount of overlap.

Dr.Sharon Orrange, Assistant Professor of Clinical General Internal Medicine at the University of Southern California has weighed in with what she believes are “The 10 Real Reasons Men Don’t Go to the Doctor.”  Since she actually practices medicine, I will allocate more weight to her opinion than mine…though keep in mind, I do have the inherent advantage of being a man.  Dr. Orrange’s 10 most compelling (or real, as she puts it) reasons are:

1. You are afraid we will put our finger up your butt.  We will, especially if you are over 40 or have any complaints related to your bowel movements.  Yes, you get a rectal exam after the age of 40 once a year for a feel of your prostate and so we can check your stool for microscopic blood that you can’t see.
2. You are afraid we will examine your balls.  We will, if you are 40 or younger. The peak age for testicular cancer is 18-40 so guidelines recommend you get a once a year testicular exam. Don’t worry it won’t hurt at all.
3.  I feel FINE.  I am glad you feel fine, but you can feel FINE with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugars.  Your mother or wife won’t feel fine when they are taking care of you after you have a stroke.  Don’t wait until you feel awful to come see us.
4. Going to the Doctor is a chick thing.  Many of you feel this way but remember we live longer than you do.  If doctor visits are a chick thing well, then, nursing homes are a guy thing.  You have to get over this.  It’s true, the waiting room magazines are not for guys but when you come see us you will see that many of the medical assistants, doctors, phlebotomists and medical records folks are men.  Real men go to doctors.
5. You are embarrassed to talk about what’s going on with you.  The bright red blood on the toilet paper when you wipe, the red itchy rash in your groin and on your feet, the problems you have at times getting a boner, getting up at night a few times to pee, we hear it all the time.  You are not alone and our job is to show you how common this is and help fix it for you.
6. You don’t find the office hours convenient.  I get this and urge you to find a doctor who is accessible and can work around your office hours.  Seriously though. The average guy watches 16 hours of TV a week, you can come for a 30 minute visit once a year and maybe a couple of follow-up visits as needed.
7. Going to the Doctor is giving in to your nagging wife.  I had a patient who gave his wife for her 20^th anniversary a copy of his Lipitor prescription, thinking this was a GIFT to his wife that he was taking care of his medical issues.  It is true, women rightly so nag their dads, brothers, and husbands to go to the doctor because they are tired of square dancing with women at the assisted living facilities.
8. You don’t realize we are here for prevention.  You don’t have to be sick to come see us and if you establish a relationship with us you have easy access when you do get sick.  Once a year we can touch base with you to discuss age appropriate screening which we KNOW helps keep you well.
9. You don’t have a relationship with a physician.  If you are not attached to a regular physician by the age of 40 you are more likely to get in trouble.  Unlike women who need annual pap smears and contraception, you haven’t had to see someone regularly from the age of 18-30.  Find someone your friends use or enlist your partners help to find someone that might be a connection.  You want someone accessible and younger physicians are much more likely to e-mail so look until you find the right match.
10. You think we will pick on you for your habits.  Drinking a 12-pack on the weekends, not exercising and eating bad foods, among other things.  These things are not as uncommon as you might expect.  We will put you on a long leash and let you pick and choose the habits to get rid of as needed.

If you are a Doctor Dodger, the reality is, it is of little consequence whether your reasons for doing so more closely resemble Dr. Orrange’s list or mine.  If your recalcitrance leads to a preventable heart attack, some form of cancer, or a stroke, you will have contributed directly to reducing your quality of life, as well as that of your family members.  Such actions could also lead to premature death.  It really is pretty simple; fear, embarrassment, death (sooner rather than later)…pick one dude!

Let’s be clear here, human beings are not immortal.  Psalms 90:10 advises us: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”  Proponents of the Bill Maher School of Thought dismiss such biblical advisory as akin to magic, wizardry, or witchcraft.  But I am reasonably certain even Mr. Maher would concede that we all will die.  Moreover, I wouldn’t bet the farm that he doesn’t have a regular physician, regardless of his rationale.

The point of seeing health professionals on a regular basis is not to live forever; none of us will.  Rather, the idea is to leverage the best possible existence out of our all too brief time here on earth.

As most of us know, women live longer than men.  Once upon a time, this was largely attributable to the rigors of backbreaking manual labor, and long before that, due to the results of men losing too many battles with the lions or other members of the Wild Kingdom, in the quest to determine who would eat…and who would be dinner.

Neither of those historical tableaus aligns with today’s American reality.  No, the underlying contemporary contributory factors for those of us now living in the USA are that poor exercise habits, irresponsible dietary choices, too much smoking and drinking, and eschewing regular checkups and prevention screenings combine to lead to a lower quality of life (health wise), and ultimately, to a shortened lifespan; on average five years less than for women.

According to a 2007 Harris Interactive survey that included over 1,100 men, the American Academyof Family Physicians found that:

• Many men go to the Doctor only when they are very sick
• Before they did, many of these men waited several days to see if they felt better
• Most of these men had a regular doctor
• Most had currently active health insurance
• Most said they felt comfortable talking to their physician

In an even more recent survey, conducted by Esquire magazine in January of 2011, researchers found that:

• Roughly half of American men ages 18-50 had no primary care physician
• One third had not had a check-up in more than a year
• More than 40% had never had their cholesterol checked
• 70% had never had a prostate exam

Do you perchance know the leading causes of death in America?  According to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC), complete information available in 2007, broke down like this:

Number of deaths for leading causes of death:

• Heart disease: 616,067
• Cancer: 562,875
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 135,952
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 127,924
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 123,706
• Alzheimer’s disease: 74,632
• Diabetes: 71,382
• Influenza and Pneumonia: 52,717
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 46,448
• Septicemia: 34,828

Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2007

Based on CDC research, Heart Disease and Cancer, the top two causes of death in the United States in 2007, led to nearly twice as many deaths as the cumulative totals of causes 3 through 10.  In fact, the number of deaths attributable to Heart Disease alone, (616,067), nearly equaled the total for causes 3 through 10 (667,589).

It is important to recognize that the relative death rate for men is higher than that for women for all of the Top 10 causes.  While there are hereditary factors that contribute to individual proclivity to develop Heart Disease, a timely and committed change in lifestyle in concert with an appropriate medical remediation, prevention, and/or maintenance strategy can help most men (and women) live a relatively normal life.

In summary, this post is a cry for help on behalf of men.  Perhaps, more aptly stated, it is a call for men to step up and help themselves.  As a general rule, ours is an interdependent society.  That means, someone, somewhere relies upon you.  So men, I urge you to unite on behalf of a cause that intuitively selfish, but intellectually selfless.  I entreat you to recognize this undeniable truth; “Men’s Health: A Compelling Quality of Life Issue!”  Yes, this is a cause that requires you to think of (and act) for yourself first.  But in doing so, your wife, or significant other, your children, your siblings, your parents, your friends, your co-workers, your career, your civic association, your fraternity, and yes, your state of mind, will all benefit.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.  A new post is published each Wednesday.  For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonoscopy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colon_(anatomy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endoscopy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ileum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCD_camera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmoidoscopy

http://www.medicinenet.com/disease_prevention_in_men/page5.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/colon_cancer_screening/article.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/mens_health/article.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/disease_prevention_in_men/article.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/human_body_quiz/quiz.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/disease_prevention_in_men/page6.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/triglyceride_test/article.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypercholesterolemia

http://www.theschwartzcenterblog.com/2011/06/why-men-dont-go-to-doctor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Maher

http://www.usc.edu/health/internal/doctors/profile.html?id=2184

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephritis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephrotic_syndrome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephrosis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepsis

Has it really been nearly four years? Why yes, it has.

On July 8^th, 2010, LeBron James, known in some circles as The King, and others, as the “Best Basketball Player on the Planet, orchestrated a fantastical media extravaganza entitled “The Decision.” James had spent the first seven years of his career playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he amassed an impressive array of honors and recognition, including 6 All-Star appearances, and two League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards…but zero NBA Titles.

Tomorrow night, the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, NY, will host the 2014 NBA Draft. By the time the Draft officially ends in the wee hours of Friday morning, less than 96 hours (4 days) will remain until the onset of this year’s Free Agent Class. An always-important dimension of any NBA season took on added importance yesterday, as LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, announced that James will exercise the early termination option in his contract and become a Free Agent on July 1^st.

In the original “Decision,” James, a native of Akron, Ohio, elected to leave near-by Cleveland, and “Take his talents to South Beach to play for the Miami Heat.” In Miami, he joined Heat star Dwayne Wade, and Toronto Raptor star Chris Bosh joined them both. The Big 3, as they have become known, went on an impressive run, appearing in 4 consecutive NBA Finals; losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2013, and the San Antonio Spurs in 2013, and losing in a rematch this year to those same Spurs.

It is important to note that this year’s LeBron Show will likely be very different than the media event of four years ago. Then, there was a fairly broad expectation that James would seriously consider leaving Cleveland, and little surprise when he did. This year, while it is certainly conceivable that he will leave MIA, it will not evoke much surprise if he ultimately opts to stay in South Beach.

It is no surprise that LeBron chose to opt out. MIA was summarily spanked by San Antonio in The Finals. They managed one victory, and that, only by a couple of points, while losing the other four games by 15 points or more, including two maulings at home in MIA. Ultimately, James may not wish to leave the Heat, but he certainly wants Pat Riley and the Heat to ensure that the team is more competitive moving forward. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d surmise Riley got the message loud and clear.

In addition to the possibility that the outcome (leaving his current team) may be different, my gut suggests he will not replicate the elaborate backdrop for his 2014 “Decision.” Mr. James endured a resounding backlash for his handling of that situation. While I did not find it as off-putting as some did, LeBron has usually been amazingly media-savvy. He is one of the more successful product pitchmen in contemporary culture. My expectation is, no matter what his “Decision,” LeBron will communicate it in a more understated manner than he did in 2010.

In the coming days, there will likely be quite a buzz regarding the possible destination that LeBron choose. Some have reckoned that he may lead the formation of a new Big 3 with Carmelo Anthony as a key player. There are a few teams that stand out in the mix, including the Houston Rockets, where he could join Superman and the Beard, also known as Dwight Howard and James Harden, the Chicago Bulls, who are also expected to vie for the services of Carmelo Anthony, the Los Angeles Lakers, who could create the cap space, but would not have a robust supporting cast, were they to do so, the Dallas Mavericks, though Dirk Nowitzki would likely have to absorb a sizeable pay cut, the Los Angeles Clippers, though they might have to jettison both DeAndre Jordan, and Blake Griffin, in which case they become a lot like the Lakers.

There are also teams that cash rich, but cachet poor, like the Charlotte Hornets, the Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards. I’m ready and willing to be surprised, especially in the case of the Hornets, but I put the chances of James “Taking his services to on of these three teams nestled between slim and none, and resting closer to none.

That leaves the team that I believe sits in the catbird seat in this year’s LeBron sweepstakes. Suffice it to say, I have no inside intel, but in my humble opinion, “The Decision, Part II,” will end just as the Decision did; with LeBron in South Beach. The NBA rules of engagement allow MIA and all teams to exceed the cap to re-sign their own players. MIA needs to re-tool, and certainly have the motivation to do so, and…I think they will.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/24/us/nba-lebron-james-free-agency/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/decision-part-ii-lebron-free-agent-article-1.1841611

http://www.thewire.com/culture/2014/06/the-decision-ii-get-ready-for-a-super-annoying-summer-sports-fans/373284/

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/6/24/5837880/lebron-james-free-agent-opt-out-miami-heat

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/24/lebron-james-announces-big-decision-about-his-future/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2014/06/24/lebron-james-opt-out-miami-heat-free-agent/11303749/

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2108170-pat-riley-facing-major-pressure-challenges-to-keep-lebron-james-in-miami

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11128294/las-vegas-sports-books-pull-nba-title-odds-due-lebron-james-opt-decision

http://voices.suntimes.com/sports/could-the-bulls-be-in-on-james-decision-2-0/

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/dwyane-wade-holds-the-cards-in-lebron-s-next-big-decision-062414

http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2014/06/24/how-will-tim-duncans-decision-to-return-to-the-spurs-next-season-affect-free-agents-like-lebron-james-carmelo-anthony/

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/19527/lebrons-decision-cant-alter-bulls-focus

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/19527/lebrons-decision-cant-alter-bulls-focus

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11127329/lebron-james-opt-contract-miami-heat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decision_(TV_special)

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/17853/lebron-james-decision-the-transcript

This will be a relatively short post.  Despite the brevity, do not equate short with unimportant.  This issue is deeply entrenched in contemporary American culture, and as is frequently evidenced, can unexpectedly affect any of us.

I still vividly recall that one of the suggested responses by the Gun Lobby and proponents of unfettered access to firearms, in response to the December 14, 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was arming the teachers and administrators.  In fact, similar advice emerged after Century Theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado on July 20 of the same year.

As a card-carrying Concealed Handgun Permit owner, not only am I personally comfortable with firearms, I am properly trained, and have been qualifying on shooting ranges for more than 20 years.  Still, the notion of vigilante justice gives me pause.

First, I am concerned because I respect the power of firearms to instantly and irreversibly change the dynamics of any human encounter.  Second, just as people may be skilled vocal artists, or chefs, or public speakers, not everyone who engages in one of those pursuits is good, or effective at doing so.  The same is true with handling firearms.  A clear distinguishing feature is that typically the consequences of hearing a song poorly sung, or eating an improperly prepared meal, or listening to an agonizingly dull speech, are not fatal.  Alternately, a bad encounter with an armed individual may be one’s last.

On Sunday, June 8, 2014, Jared and Amanda Miller, a married couple, shot and killed Igor SoldoandAlyn Beck, two police officers while they dined at a Las Vegas pizzeria.  They left a swastika on one, and covered both bodies with a Gadsden Flag, which is a yellow banner depicting a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike.  The words “Don’t tread on me” are positioned below the snake.  The flag is named for Christopher Gadsden, who designed it in 1775 during the American Revolution.

After killing the two officers, they stormed into a nearby Wal-Mart with Jared firing his weapon, ordering shoppers to evacuate, and shouting an anti-government message.  The two, apparently were supporters of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada Rancher who engaged the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in a 20-year standoff over unpaid grazing fees.  In April they tried to join the armed standoff against federal agents at Bundy’s ranch.  According to Bundy’s son, they were asked to leave for being “too radical.”

It was at the Wal-Mart that the Right Wing bromide that holds, the best way to counter an armed mischief-maker is to be armed, met with an epic fail as a strategy.  Mr. Joseph Wilcox, 31 years old, happened to be inside the Wal-Mart.  As fate would have it, he happened to be armed.  After observing Mr. Miller in full rant, Mr. Wilcox decided to intervene by confronting Jared.  Unfortunately, he was unaware that Mrs. Miller, who was behind him, was with Jared, and also armed.  At that point, she shot and Killed Wilcox before he could successfully intervene.

Kathleen Parker wrote an article that appeared in the June 10^th edition of the Washington Post, entitled, “Armed and Dead.”  I think her caption writer nailed it, as least as it pertains to my position.  While noting Mr. Wilcox’s good intentions, Ms. Parker argues that this example should give pause to any who believe arming citizens is the best deterrent to a would-be killer.  She goes on to note “the would-be hero in Tucson — when Rep. Gabby Giffords and others were shot — was an armed young man who almost shot the wrong person.”

I understand one or two instances do not constitute a statistically significant data pool.  However, neither do the well-worn talking points of the Gun Lobby.  I believe in the Second Amendment and its explicit conferral of the right to keep and bear arms.  Moreover, I also believe in and affirm the Supreme Court’s ruling that such rights are not unlimited, and may be regulated by the State and Federal governments.

Ultimately, I am persuaded, the chicken in every pot, or in this case a gun in every belt prescription is just, well, “Dead Wrong!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.  Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”  Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-armed-and-dead/2014/06/10/e721ca56-f0d7-11e3-9ebc-2ee6f81ed217_story.html

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-jerad-miller-timeline-20140609-story.html

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/bundy-blm/rejected-revolution-jerad-and-amanda-miller-decided-start-their-own

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_flag

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattlesnake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_revolution

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/11/jerad-and-amanda-miller-shootout-video_n_5485412.html

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jun/11/-metro-confirms-police-fire-took-out-cop-killer/

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/vegas-cop-killers/police-fatally-shot-las-vegas-gunman-jerad-miller-during-gunfight-n128546

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-amanda-jared-miller-father-las-vegas-shooting-20140609-story.html

By the time this post is delivered, three games of the 2014 NBA Finals will have been played. The focus of today’s blog, however, is Game 1. In a contest played last Thursday night in San Antonio, the Air Conditioning apparatus failed at AT&T Arena. The circumstances surrounding the malfunctioning AC were not immediately available, but in the second half officials from Spurs Sports and Entertainment released the following statement:

“An electrical failure for the power that runs the AC system in the AT&T Center has occurred, we are continuing to work on resolving the problem. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

This explanation, while perhaps plausible, maybe even totally accurate, did not reassure countless Miami Heat fans, or an array of conspiracy theorists. Americans are never at a loss when confronted with the opportunity to contemplate and propose various bases for good conspiracy theories.

In fact, there is a rich history of events colored by the lens of supposed conspiracies, ranging from the Kennedy, King, and Malcolm assassinations, to Nicole Simpson’s murder (Did OJ do it?), to the alleged Benghazi cover-up. Of course, many of us know people who still insist that Elvis, Tupac, and Biggie are still alive. Perhaps you are one of them. These are all events that when mentioned, easily generate as much of an enthusiastic reaction today, as when they unfolded.

While historical events in general lend themselves to the notion of conspiracies, the frenetic mixture of competition, the unbridled zeal of fans, and the steroidal commercialism of pro sports serve to make the “arena” a breeding ground for generating conspiracy theories.

Sports in general have gifted us with a number of interesting, if not compelling, conspiracy theories. Key examples include:

• 1919 – Black Sox (Chicago White Sox) scandal; eight members of the White Sox were alleged to have conspire to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Several players careers were terminated as a result
• 1965 – Sonny Liston was alleged to have fixed/thrown his Heavyweight Title Bout against Muhammad Ali, falling to what some deemed a phantom punch, and what slow motion later revealed to be a blow unlikely to have rendered the then Champion unconscious
• 1973 – Bobby Riggs was alleged to have bet against himself, and thrown the famous Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match against Billie Jean King. He had easily defeated Number 1 ranked women’s player Margaret Court earlier
• 1980’s – Baseball owners’ were alleged to have conspired to collude to drive players salaries down. This claim was eventually validated in court
• 2013 – The NFL was alleged to have orchestrated a power outage after Beyoncé’s Half Time performance at Super Bowl XLVII in order to keep the Baltimore Ravens (who had built a substantial half time lead) from running away with the game against the San Francisco 49’ers

Baseball, boxing, tennis, and football all play a prominent role in American sports culture. This writer, however, is a huge basketball fan. As such, here are a few examples of basketball related conspiracy theories that have emerged over the past half-century or so:

• 1972 – After the USA’s domination of Olympic Basketball (never having lost a game since its introduction as an Olympic Sport), the Soviet Union upset Team USA in a controversial game that still rankles many Americans, including and especially, the players associated with the game. Team USA members declined to claim their Silver Medals
• 1985 – The first year of the lottery era was also one of the most controversial drafts ever. Even today, speculation rages that the lottery was rigged to allow the New York Knicks to receive the first pick, which was anticipated to be (and actually was) Patrick Ewing. Whether the luck of the lotto, or the will of the Commissioner, the pick led to a revival of the Knicks, who had been struggling
• 1993 – Michael Jordan’s first retirement is rumored to have been more of a forced suspension, rather than a voluntary retirement. Jordan had garnered a significant amount of attention for his extra-curricular activities, and it is alleged that Commissioner Stern suspended him for gambling, and that the retirement was a convenient ruse to avoid dealing with what would have been the ensuing controversy embroiling the NBA’s marquee player
• 2002 – The NBA is alleged to have rigged the Western Conference Finals to save the Lakers’ Season. The Lakers trailed the series 3-2, and were tied with the Sacramento Kings going into the fourth quarter. The Lakers shot 27 free throws in the quarter, scored sixteen of their last eighteen points from the line, and went on to win the game by four. They would eventually win the NBA Championship
• This year, and every year since the advent of the Draft Lottery (i985) – The worst NBA teams tank (throw games) to improve their position in the Lottery. Anyone who watches the sport regularly has noticed that some teams appear to lose late season games, almost inexplicably. At the same time, other teams near the bottom exert maximum effort, and fight to the end, in search of the last of the sixteen Playoff spots, rather than one of the fourteen spots in the Lottery

That brings me back to Game 1 of this year’s NBA Finals between the Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs, the team with the best record in the NBA, and the defending Champion Miami Heat. By attaining the League’s top record this year; the Spurs earned home court advantage throughout each Round of the Playoffs, as long as they continued to win, including the Finals. As a result, the first two games of the Finals were played in San Antonio, with the next two set for Miami. Any necessary additional games will alternate between San Antonio and Miami, until one of the teams wins four games (Best of Seven).

The case of the malfunctioning air conditioning at the AT&T Arena is now officially added to the long list of NBA-bred conspiracy theories. The reasoning goes something like this. LeBron James, the Heat’s best player, and by most accounts, the best basketball player today, has a history of having trouble playing through cramps. Overly warm arenas are thought to be a key element in players, particularly LeBron, cramping in games.

Of course, the primary event that drives the notion of a conspiracy in this case is that LeBron cramped up, and missed more than half of the fourth quarter, including most of the last eight minutes (There are 12 minutes in a quarter). It is not difficult to reason, if you subtract the best player on the planet from your team, production will decline. The Heat went on to lose Game 1, and the pushback against the “nefarious” Spurs was immediate.

Facebook, the Twitterverse, Instagram, the office water cooler, conversations at the gym, and between men and women on the street frequently buzzed with the notion that Gregg Popovich (the Spurs’ Coach) and Company had purloined Game 1 in an underhanded scheme designed to render lame the most potent force in the game.

Not to be left out of the conversational frenzy, at least one basketball player joined the fray. Jason Terry, of the Sacramento Kings, and formerly the in-state rival Dallas Mavericks, opined:

“You know what, Pop [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] has done that so many times. I don’t know if it’s a conspiracy, but I’m telling you, going into San Antonio is a tough place to play.

And I can remember very well one time where it was cold showers, there were about a thousand flies in the locker room. This year, there was a snake in the locker room. So, they’re going to pull out all the stops to get into your head.

When you go to San Antonio, expect something like that. And Miami fell victim to it.”

The snake Terry referenced was found by Thomas Robinson of the Portland Trailblazers in his locker prior to Game 2 of the Blazers’ Second Round Series against the Spurs. There are certainly a lot of snakes in Texas, but one making it into a locker room/locker; deep inside an NBA arena is a lot less likely than an AC malfunction, at least, in my view.

The temperature in the arena reached 90 degrees during last Thursday’s game. That’s hot if you were doing nothing but sitting. Playing a basketball game under such conditions would undoubtedly be uncomfortable. So why do I not believe it was a conspiracy/intentional? The propensity of LeBron to be affected by cramps notwithstanding, how could the Spurs discern that LJ would be the one person, of all players on both teams, to be so negatively impacted by the ensuing conditions that he would be unable to play effectively, or not at all? Moreover, how could they be sure that the debilitating effects would not extend to members of their own team?

I have sobering, if not good, news for those concerned about there having been a clandestine operation to derail Miami, in route to its third consecutive Title. Because the Spurs have home court advantage in this series, the Heat was always going to have to win a game in San Antonio in order to win the series and the Championship. The absolutely great thing about this is, there is nothing whatsoever that ever suggested it had to be Game 1. They have up to four shots at it, if needed, as long as they win at home. Moreover, the Heat won Game 2 Sunday night, which in effect, allowed them to steal home court advantage for themselves; mission accomplished…problem solved.  Well, momentarily anyway. The Heat, with no AC problems that we know of, at home in American Airlines Arena in Miami, gave it back. This marked the Heat’s first home loss during this year’s Playoffs. They have still not loss two consecutive games in the postseason this year, so expect them to bounce back tomorrow night. Of course, that won’t get home court advantage back; they must win again in San Antonio to do that. No question they are capable, but will they?  We shall see. By the way, lest you Heat fans feel inclined to throw in the towel because your team trails 2-1 after 3 games…last year at the end of Game 3, the Heat trailed 2-1…to the Spurs, so chin up!

Yes, “Another Day, Another Conspiracy Theory!” You may of course believe that which you are inclined to, or can imagine. As far I am concerned, this one fails the reasonable man test. Of course, that conclusion is based upon my temerity to presume I am a reasonable man. I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/06/01/nba-finals-schedule/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/05/heat-spurs-air-conditioning_n_5457043.html

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/11/five-sports-conspiracy-theories-jfk

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1955061-craziest-conspiracy-theories-in-sports

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10545306/nba-most-conspiracy-theories-sports-espn-magazine

http://athlonsports.com/5-biggest-conspiracy-theories-sports-history

http://radaronline.com/photos/25-conspiracy-theories-photos-galleries/photo/571316/

http://www.sportspickle.com/2011/05/the-8-biggest-sports-conspiracy-theories

http://www.totalprosports.com/2012/05/18/9-classic-sports-conspiracy-theories/

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/michael_rosenberg/10/28/conspiracy.theories/

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Sports-Conspiracy-Theories-All-Time/dp/1602396787

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10545306/nba-most-conspiracy-theories-sports-espn-magazine

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10545306/nba-most-conspiracy-theories-sports-espn-magazine

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1231520-debunking-the-10-biggest-conspiracy-theories-in-the-nba

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1231520-debunking-the-10-biggest-conspiracy-theories-in-the-nba