Cooning for White People or An Inspiration to Many?

Posted on 11/29/2014

Am I Cooning or Inspiring, you decide.  I am writing this post simply for the family and so-called friends that think I have; so-called sold out, forgot where I came from, am "cooning for Masa", that say I hate being black, that I hate black people and the countless other things I have been called or accused of, since starting this blog a little over 2 months ago.  When I first started this blog, I stated that some of the topics would be controversial at times and while I welcome all comments, agreeing or disagreeing, I would not stand for hate.  From some of you, hate is all I have received.  Not only have I been attacked, but my wife, whom has nothing to do with my blog or my opinions, has been attacked as well.  Now, I am going to address this issue one time and one time only. 

I Apparently HATE Black People

Lets start with my hatred of black people.  I have devoted the last 20 years of my life helping people.  That is not only my passion, but it is my calling.  This is what I was born to do.  80% of the people I have worked with are black.  You say that I hate being black!  Can you be serious?  I will willingly compare my record with any of you in regard to what I have done for black people.  I've never felt the need to broadcast how I attempt to help out, but I feel it is necessary.  One can only accept the bashing so long before they feel the need to correct it.  Over the years, I have mentored and counseled gang members, spoken at countless schools in hopes of discouraging kids from joining gangs and taught primarily black young men, the principles of manhood.  I have taught them that there is no excuse, for not being successful.  I have worked with young girls to try to steer them in the direction that their absent fathers should have steered them.  I have tried to teach them how to be respectable young ladies and not to accept just anything from a boy.  I love black people.  Let me say that again.  I love black people and I love being black!  I dare any of you to question that, based upon the 5 or 6 blogs that I have written, that you perceived to be negative about black people.  What about all the others that I have written on marriage, friendship, about my father and about the uplifting of people?  No, you only focus on what you think is negative.  You have the right to disagree with me but be respectful.  I haven't been anything less, to any of you. 

I Am A Sellout

I'm a sellout.  Really?  Well, let me tell you about this sellout.  I can't count the people that I have run into that tell me that I helped change their lives.  They've said that if it wasn't for me, they would surely be dead or in prison.  I ran into a police officer a couple of months ago in Memphis, who came up to me in tears to thank me for saving his life.  He told me that a conversation I had with him when he was 16, changed his life forever.  He said that I told him that if he isn't successful in life, it would be his own fault.  Apparently I told him, "yes, your mother and father abandoned you, but are you gonna use that as a excuse to fail?"  He is 28 now and happily married with 2 kids.  I didn't remember that kid from Adam but he remembered me. I have countless stories like this.  I don't go around bragging that, I did this and I did that, but my record speaks for itself.  While the majority of you go to work, come home and get on social media to attack me.  I am putting in the work, to try to help save lives, black and white.  But, I'm the sellout?  I'm trying to fix the problem, not be part of it.  Amy and I work with the homeless, giving them our time and money, trying to help them get back on the right path, in hopes that we can help them find the spark they need to get into a better position.  We even take our daughter with us, so she can learn the importance of service to others and to always help the unfortunate, that want/need help.   I'm working with a young man now, that in all of my 20 years of doing this work, I haven't seen a kid as bright and talented as him.  A former NFL quarterback contacted me and said he HAS to work with this kid because he is something special.  This quarterback offered this kid a scholarship to a private school, that costs $25,000 a year.  And wouldn't you know, this kid doesn't want to go because he said he doesn't want to be around all those white folks.  This kids' sorry ass parents smoked weed with him, from the time he was 9 until he was 13.  He is 14 now and has been removed from their care for a year, but because they told him not to trust white folks, he doesn't want to seize what could be the biggest opportunity of his life.  This is what I deal with on a day to day basis.  Now I have to show this young man, that what he knows as his normal, is not the norm at all.  

Amnesia Abounds

Don't forget where I came from!  I didn't develop a case of amnesia!  I can never forget where I came from.  Listen, I will not be defined by some small town in Arkansas.  I have lived in many other places that helped shape who I am.  You can't put me in a box  because I don't fit.  You want to hold me to my past, saying stuff like he used to hate white people.  He called them devils and now look at him, he is married to one of them.  The way that I thought 20 years ago has changed and rightfully so.  What intelligent person thinks the same way at 43, as he did at 23?  And if you find one, I can guarantee you, that person isn't successful!  Some of you have put my personal business on social media.  I can only assume that you thought, that I was ashamed of my past or that my white friends didn't know certain things about me, so your disclosure would turn them away.  I still remained respectful.  I have nothing to hide.  My past is just that, my past.  We ALL have one, but I wouldn't dare put your past shortcomings on social media, no matter what.  I am not ashamed of ANYTHING in my past because it was either a learned lesson or a life experience.  I am who I am and I was who I was and I am cool with both of them. 

Cooning For Whitey

Now, as far as me COONING for white people and not pointing out their wrongs.  I have on many occasions pointed out their wrongs and have even done a blog about it.  How can I not speak on the wrongs that white people have done and continue to do to black people?  You really believe that I think that racism doesn't exist?  Are you that foolish?  I have, like every other black person in America, witnessed this first hand. Hell, I witnessed it last night at Target, when a lady saw me coming and snatched her purse out of the basket and put it on her shoulder.  I have been stopped by white police officers on numerous occasions.  So, for me to think it doesn't exist, would be crazy.  Now, here is the difference for me.  I don't dwell on whether white people are racist toward me or not.  That is totally their problem.  I know that I have to be successful in spite of that.  This is what I teach and have taught to the hundreds of kids that I have come In contact with.  Yes, racism exists, always has, always will, but that is not an excuse for failure.  Now my blogs are made up of my opinions and also based on facts.  You can say all you want, but show me where I am wrong.  I have said this on many occasions, I will debate history with any of you, where it is relevant to the subject at hand.  I not only know MY history, but that of white people, Asian people and others as well.  I don't just say anything, just to be saying it.  If you have a issue with me, pick up the phone and call me because you better believe that if I had a problem with you, I would pick up the phone and call you.  It seems that some of you just like to be negative and display your insecurities by displaying for the world the latest thing you got or did.  But then want to make a claim that I'm the one that needs therapy?  And I'm to assume that's meant as an insult?  I think therapy is a great idea for anyone and definitely not a bad idea for someone that's always overcompensating for something, by flaunting their stuff or accomplishments.

I Will Keep Uplifting, You Can Too

In closing, you are more than welcome to disagree with me.  I was hoping my blog would spark a dialogue, which it has successfully done.  But, it's my blog and there is no call for attacking my wife, especially when she hasn't done anything to any of you.  For you to post a video, directing it toward her, someone you haven't even met, was wrong.  How is that uplifting?  Since you say you pride yourself on that.  But I digress, you say you pride yourself on uplifting black people, not all people.  If you disagree with me, that's ok, but to attack her for no reason, when she hasn't said one bad thing about you, that was totally uncalled for.  I for one, choose to use my voice to uplift ALL PEOPLE and to speak truth based upon what I know.  I have so much more to say, but I am going to re-devote my time to the Tamir Rice blog I was writing, involving a young black boy that was gunned down by a white police officer, in Cleveland, OH.  Don't ever question me on who I am.  I have hundreds that can tell you who I am and what I mean to them.  My record speaks for itself and I would put it up against any of yours.  I am making a difference in this world, not just talking about it.  So, while you are busy discussing who you think I am.  This is who I am!  A coon for white people or a inspiration for many.  I think, no I know, I am the latter. This is my absolute truth!  What's yours?

FERGUSON BURNING: Three Tragedies and Counting

Posted by~ Sheldon Redditt on 11/25/2014

This is the post that I said, that I didn't want, nor would I write because of the backlash I received from family and friends regarding my earlier post on this subject.  After many phone calls and texts from friends and viewers questioning whether I would consider addressing this subject, I still felt hesitant.  After much consideration, I thought about the fact that I named my blog, "Into The Light From Behind Closed Doors" and I thought, how can I not share my truth, the way I see it?  Now, I know my opinion won't sit well with some and with some it will, but it's my opinion, so here we go.  

Tragedy Number One

First, I want to give my condolences to Michael Brown's family.  I can not imagine losing a child, let alone, in a senseless way.  I think that is the first tragedy here.  When the grand jury came back with the verdict, they did so based upon the EVIDENCE.  You see, when a crime is committed, the evidence is examined, not only people's account of what happened.  There will always be people that lie, which we have seen in this case, but the EVIDENCE doesn't lie.  This is one of the highest profile cases in modern history.  That being said, do you really think that if Officer Wilson had done anything wrong that he would not have been charged?  Officer Wilson was just a regular person prior to this.  What reason would, not only his police department but the attorney general's office and St. Louis County have to not indict him?  You must consider that these entities would be painstakingly aware, that if Officer Wilson actually committed a crime, the rioting and backlash that would ensue not only him, but them, would be great. It doesn't make sense, that if Officer Wilson committed a crime, that he would not have been indicted.  All three autopsies showed the same thing.  Michael Brown was not shot in the back, like eyewitnesses claimed.  These people lied, period.  We must look at the evidence and the evidence shows that Officer Wilson was attacked in his car by Michael Brown.  Officer Wilson had the scars to prove it and the evidence in his car proved it, as well.  Now, after he was attacked, Officer Wilson had the right to use the force necessary to stop Michael Brown.  As a former Law Enforcement Officer, we are trained to go home, period.  We don't shoot to wound, we shoot to kill.  What most fail to realize, is that we are trained this way because you can't and don't know if the subject has a weapon or not.  So, if you shoot to wound, the subject could, in return, shoot and kill you.  Again, we are taught to always go home, period. We must face the fact that Michael Brown is responsible for his own death.  I know many of you will be upset with that statement, but that is my opinion.  The evidence shows this. I'm not talking about the countless eyewitnesses whom later admitted, they didn't see what they said, they witnessed.  I'm talking about the evidence.  Now, are there corrupt police officers?  Yes!  Does racial profiling exist?  Yes!  I'm guilty of it myself.  But, in this case, I don't think it applies. 

Tragedy Number Two

The second tragedy in this case is Officer Wilson's future.  While it is true that every person that takes another's life should be subject to the due process of the law, which states one is innocent until proven guilty.  This man was unfortunate enough, to be crucified in the media before all the facts were known.  We rushed to judgement and this time we were wrong.  We can not compare this case, to that of Trayvon Martin.  The only similarity is that a young black male was killed.  One was murdered, while the other was killed in self defense.  This Officer did his job.  I know a lot of you don't like it, but he had the right to use deadly force if he perceived his life to be in danger.  Once Officer Wilson was  attacked, he did just that.  Officer Wilson, like any other law enforcement officer, had the right to go home to his family unharmed.  He has the right to be judged by 12, rather than to be carried by 6.  While, the legal process may be over for him, the ramifications of the media circus and America's cry for their perceived justice is not over.  This man in many ways is now one of the most hated men in America.  It does not matter that he was not charged because America charged him before he ever stood a chance to have to evidence prove his innocence.  Not only will he continue to suffer from the psychological ramifications of that fateful day, in that his nightmares will surely continue.  He will almost definitely never be able to secure another job in law enforcement, which I'm sure was his passion.  He now will have to relocate himself and his family, which will effect not only his life but theirs as well.  He will have to basically stay in hiding, for what may be, the rest of his life.

Tragedy Number Three

The third tragedy is that a select few of these thugs would choose to riot, loot and burn down their own community.  Can one get any more stupid?  Why would one choose to burn down the very places that you shop everyday?  I understand that you are upset and you have the right to feel however you choose, but why burn down your own community?  What does that prove?  This foolishness must stop.  All these small business owners dreams went up in flames.  Chances are that they will not rebuild.  So now, not only have you destroyed someone's dream, but you have lost the jobs of many in your own community.  You have negatively effected your community.  The money that could have been put back into your own community is now going to go elsewhere.  You didn't see white people burning down their community when OJ Simpson was acquitted.  We have to do better.  People told me that if Officer Wilson were not indicted that there would be riots.  I did not think that it would happen, as I just knew that something was learned from the LA riots.  There has been three tragedies already.  Let's not make any more tragedies.  Thankfully no one lost their lives last night and I hope there won't be any more senseless acts of violence.  We all have the right to justice, not someone else's interpretation of what justice should be.  This is my truth. What's yours?

Ladies, YOU are the PRIZE: Recognize Your WORTH

Posted by~ Sheldon Redditt 11/22/2014

Ladies, men by nature are conquerors.  It's innate, maybe even primal would be a better description meaning that, if we see something that we want we will go after it, no matter how hard it will be to get it.  It doesn't matter how much it will cost, if we see it and want it, we will do everything in our power to get it! 

Great Hair, Great Clothes, Make the Ladies Swoon

When I was a young man, growing up, everything I did was meant to impress a girl.  I was not alone in this.  Every single guy I knew had the same purpose driven focus, to impress a girl!  Every one of his actions had but one purpose!  The clothes that we wore, the way we combed our hair, everything was for the sole reason, to make girls like us.  We knew that the girl was the prize and that if we wanted to date her, we had to meet her standards. We knew if we asked her out, that meant the guy was expected to pay.  It was expected for you to open doors and pull out chairs for a lady. It was expected that you would have a meaningful conversation.  You see, back then, the ladies knew they were the prize period. 

The Downfall of Women

What happened in the last 15-20 years or so?  It's as if everything has changed!  Ladies, we, meaning men, flipped the script and now we have you believing that men are the prize.  How did this happen?  My perspective on this comes from so many places.  The images, on so called reality TV, that show young men demeaning women in a million different ways.  The names that are rattled off for women in the music of today and I notice how no one even bats an eye anymore.  I watch the young men and young women that I work with and see how the girls dumb themselves down and play the handout game with their pay checks. How is it now that women will do anything in the world to get a man?  How is it that you will argue and fight with another woman because a man is seeing both of you?  You accept that?  How is it that some of you will date a guy knowing that he is a criminal and when he gets caught, you will actually take the blame for the crime and do prison time for the guy?  What happened to your standards?  

Cheaters, Gold Diggers and Acceptance

I had a close friend ask me, "why do guys cheat?".  She stated, that almost all the guys she has dated have cheated on her.  My answer to her was simple, "most men cheat because you ladies allow them to".  Yes, I said, "allow them to".  You see ladies, guys can only do what you allow them to do period.  YOU hold all the cards.  If a guy cheats on you and you accept it, stay with him or take him back in a short time, he knows that is a green light to cheat again.  He now knows that, yes, you will be upset and angry but that you will eventually take him back.  We, as men, meet women where they are.  If we think we can get away with everything with you, we will do just that.  On the other hand, if we see that you have standards and won't bend, we will respect and accept them for the most part.  We know that you are the prize, but we have tricked a lot of you into thinking that we are.  Who do you think came up with words like gold digger?  Do you think women were sitting around one day and decided that they were gonna start calling themselves gold diggers?  No, men came up with that title and similar ones.  We did that so we wouldn't have to do the job, that real men are supposed to do.  We knew that women are emotional beings and if we started using words like that to describe them, they would start feeling guilty.  Women would begin to think, well maybe I should pay for my own meal, maybe there isn't anything wrong with me paying a guys bills.  I'm an independent women who makes my own money, so why not take care of him?  He will really love and respect me and never cheat on me.  Wrong ladies!  We, as men, don't think like that.  We see this as a weakness.  We think if she will pay for my meal, what else will she do?  If she will pay my bills, what else will she do?  If she will accept me cheating and not working, what else will she accept?  You see how this thing works ladies?  

Make Chivalry a Thing of the Present

Ladies chivalry is not dead, it just isn't required anymore.  If you want a man to love and cherish you and make no mistake about it a REAL man wants to do that!  You have to have some standards that you won't bend on. There is nothing wrong with being independent, yet dependent, on a man.  Men love it, you see, men are protectors and givers by nature.  Once we find a woman and fall in love, we will give them the world.  In fact, our happiness comes from making you happy.  We love the smile on your face when we successfully give you the things that you want and need.  My wife says to me all the time, "you never buy anything for yourself!"  My answer is always, "I don't care about that, I'm happy just seeing you and our daughter happy".  Ladies you are the best thing that God created and we men know that.  It's time that you know it again. You are the prize and you have the power.  If this is ever going to be fixed, ladies it starts and ends with you.  First, you must respect yourself because if you don't, no one else will.  You must develop standards and requirements that you will not bend on, no matter what.  Only then, will men revert back to the way it should be.  This is my truth.  What's yours?

Spanking vs. No Spanking

Posted by~ Sheldon Redditt on 11/15/2014

When I was growing up, we got spanked period.  I think they had a spanking committee back then that met and came to an agreement.  The agreement was that if we catch your child acting up, we have the right, no it is our DUTY to spank your child!  Back then their beliefs were that it took a community to raise a child.  So, if Ms. Mandy caught me acting up in the neighborhood, she would spank me.  Then she would call my mother to tell her she spanked me and 9 times out of 10 I would get another spanking when I got home.  Where was Child Protective Services back then? Lol.  Our parents had a motto, that stated that, "WHERE EVER YOU SHOW OUT, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET WORE OUT".  I know a lot of you remember that line! 

When I became older and had sons of my own, I pretty much raised my sons the same way. I believed that spanking was a form of discipline that kept them in line.  I would talk more with them, than my parents did with us but if talking wasn't working, I would spank them.  I believed the problem with a lot of the so-called bad kids was that their parents didn't spank them.  I would shake my head in disgust when I would see a child acting up in the supermarket.  These children would scream at their parents, saying that they hate them and then if they didn't get what they wanted they would continue to act out.  My thoughts were always, "when is the spanking coming?"!  As kids, we didn't embarrass our parents, our parents embarrassed us!

A Change of Heart

A lightning bolt struck in Pensacola, FL on October 31, 2011, that changed my whole way of thinking!  Enter Miss Hayden Redditt, my first daughter, into the world. Suddenly, with my daughter, everything that I thought I believed, has changed.  I remember sitting down with my wife and telling her that, I WOULD NOT be spanking our daughter.  I told her I don't think that a father should spank his daughter because if they do spank them, she will grow up thinking it's ok for men to hit her.  So, if my daughter has to get a spanking, my wife would be the one doing the spanking.  My wife looked at me like I had grown a second head.  She knew I just didn't want to ever have to spank our daughter and that would leave Mommy as the bad guy.  My planned worked until she was a little over a year old and she tried to stick a pencil in the electrical outlet, without thinking I spanked her and told her, "No No, you don't do that!".  That was the first and last time I ever spanked my daughter!  I felt so bad!  I think I cried harder than she did.  To make matters worse, anytime she was acting out and I would threaten to spank her, she would begin to spank herself repeatedly, which made me feel even worse.  Neither my wife or I like to spank, so Hayden began to receive time-outs for acting out.  Time-outs seemed to work for the first 2 years or should I say, until she turned 2.  Then, for a lack of a better term, all Hell broke loose.  Time-outs were becoming pointless.  She would let herself out of time-out, when SHE felt like it.  We asked her to do stuff and her response was inherently, "I don't want to!"  Now, if I had ever told my parents that I didn't want to do something that they asked of me, I probably wouldn't be here writing this blog right now!  My wife and I are really at our wits end.  We have read countless books on how to discipline, without spanking.  I have talked to my friends and all of them say the same thing, I don't spank my daughter, I let my wife do that.  But, what do you do when your spouse feels the same way you do?  I even talked to my Mom about this and her response was no you can't spank her.  WAIT, WHAT?!?  Did THAT just come out of the mouth of the former Spanking Heavyweight Champion of the World?  My wife told me the other day that our daughter has gotten a lot worse when she is out in public.  I hadn't been anywhere with them in a while because of my knee.  Yesterday, I saw this first hand, for the first time, when I told her that she couldn't get a toy.  I tried explaining to her that she just received so many toys for her birthday and that she hasn't played with all of those toys yet.  She was having none of it.  She started crying and screaming in the store, "but! I want it Daddy, I need it!".  The more I told her no, the louder she became.  I was so embarrassed.  I had become that parent at the supermarket with the out of control child.  People were looking at us like control your child!  I swear I saw a guy shaking his head in disbelief.  I was so embarrassed, that I left everything in the basket and walked out of the store, even leaving my Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, that I found at a great discount.  That really upset me lol.  I also left the clothes that my daughter had picked out.  She was really upset and begged me to go back and get them.  I explained to her, that I would not be going back and that she would not be getting new clothes today because of her behavior.  I told my wife that I had no idea it had gotten this bad.  The question is, what are we gonna do about it?  My wife said that she thinks part of the problem is, that I never tell her "no" and that if she wants something, I buy it every time.  Whereas, she tells her "no" or "not now", or suggests waiting for her birthday or Christmas.  We both don't believe in spanking, but time-outs don't work.  Nothing is working at this point.  What do we do?  All advice is welcome.  We know we have to get this under control and fast or it's gonna really be a serious issue as she gets older.  So, do we just put our foot down and spank her like my parents did?  I think I turned out okay.  Or do we continue try to find alternative ways to discipline her without spanking?  We need HELP. 

A Soldier and A Marine, Like Father, Like Son: A Salute to All Veterans

Posted by~ Sheldon Redditt on 11/11/2014

    

On this Veterans Day, I would first like to thank all that have served and to give honor to the ones that have given the ultimate sacrifice.  We live in the greatest country in the world.  I especially want to thank my father today for his 20 plus years of service in The United States Army.  I, myself served 4 years in The United States Marine Corps.  So, Semper Fi to all my devil dogs, as well. 

When I was growing up I always admired my father.  It wasn't just because he was my father but because of how he carried himself.  When my Dad walks into a room, you feel his presence, his confidence and his mannerisms are like no other.  I always tried to carry myself, just like him.  I think a lot of this came from his serving in the Army.  My Dad taught me, through his actions, the principles of manhood.  He taught me to always have respect for others, to look a person in the eye when you are talking and to give a firm handshake.   He also taught me how to tie a tie, to always open doors for ladies and to be a gentleman.  I know that serving in the Army, he learned a lot of these principles.  I thank him for passing the principles on to me and for serving the country that I love for so many years, without complaint.  The four years I served, in The United States Marine Corps., were some of the best years of my life.  I will never forget getting off that bus at MCRD SAN DIEGO.  I was scared out of my mind!  The yelling and screaming of the Drill Instructor still rings in my ears.  I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life!  Those 18 weeks of boot camp were the best and worst weeks of my life.  That experience taught me, that it's not about me, but the team.  It taught me to always take pride in what you do and to have honor and respect.  

Could This Be The Answer We Have Been Looking For?

I think that the United States should require all males to serve at least 1 year in the armed services.  I think it would solve a lot of this countries problems.  A lot of other countries require this and I think it would be a great idea for the US!  The potential for it to successfully lay the foundation for a young mans life and directly effect the negative consequences of them entering manhood on this country, that we are too frequently seeing today, are profound.  What do I mean by this?  Structure, discipline and job skills learned in the military would reduce crime rates and thus lower the prison population, saving the tax payers money.  If these young men already have families, these families will be more likely to stay together and their sons will have a man around to teach them the core values of manhood.  The military teaches to honor and respect women and upholds the sanctity of marriage.  This foundation could possibly restore what has been lost in the success rate of the American family, which is an issue that needs to be addressed.  People wonder why kids are suddenly so out of control, but it's obvious to me.  So many of them are inadvertently fatherless because these young men haven't been taught to stay and fight to hold their family together.  The military could help to restore a sense of purpose for so many and teach both honor and respect for the common man.  It could teach them discipline in their work ethics, hopefully reducing the instability of the work force of today.  My hope is that it would have an effect by strengthening companies through added stability and allowing workers to earn larger pay checks based upon tenure, thus boosting the economy.  There are so May possibilities as to how serving could improve the America that we are living in today.

                        

I digress, I remember when I finally graduated boot camp my Dad drove down from Fort Ord.  We drove from San Diego to Monterey, CA.  This was, by far, my favorite time, I ever spent with my father.  We talked about everything!  He told me about his Army experiences, how they were the best experiences he had known and how the Army shaped his life.  I understood, years later, what he meant because some of the best years of my life were when I was stationed in Japan.  I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world.  My Dad, like myself, loves this country.  I am so thankful that he passed on to me, the principles that the Army instilled in him, so that I could also pass them on to my children.  I remember my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Matthews, asking the class what they wanted to be when they grew up and my answer was, like my Daddy.  He happened to be a Sergeant in the Army at the time.  That put the biggest smile on her face and she said that was the best answer she had ever heard.  So, on this day as we give thanks to all the Veterans, I want to thank the Veteran who has had the biggest impact on my life, my Father.  Dad, thank you for all that you have taught me through words but most importantly through your actions.  I haven't talked to my Dad in a while. I'm gonna pick up the phone today. 

The Minimum Wage Debate: A Hand Up not a Hand Out

Posted by ~ Sheldon Redditt on 11/7/2014

When I was 15 years old, I got my first job at the commissary on base bagging groceries for tips.  I loved that job because every night I would go home with money in my pocket.  I would bag as fast as I could so more people would come to my line.  I made good money or so I thought, until the day, that would forever change my perspective, the day I talked to my friend Shawn.  Shawn revealed to me that he was making double the money that I was.  I didn't quite understand how that could be because Shawn was a much slower worker than I.  Shawn explained to me that the secret to him making double the money was that he took pride in his job and did it right.  I was a speed demon and would put the eggs with the milk, just to get the customers though the line. Shawn told me that while I was getting a dollar or two from my customers, he was getting 5 bucks per customer because they liked the fact that he took pride in his job.  He did it right and they didn't end up with cracked eggs when they arrived home.  Shawn explained to me that people pay you according to what they think you are worth.  This lesson stuck with me, even to this very day. 

Now, what does this have to do with the minimum wage debate?  Well, how many times have you drove up to your local fast food restaurant, only to be greeted by a very rude person?  How many times have you visited your local supermarket and encountered nothing but rude employees on every visit?  Sometimes, I think that they are being paid exactly what they are worth.  I don't think these people deserve to make $15 an hour for giving horrible customer service.  That's not to say because you choose that industry, that you should never make a good salary, but I believe you should earn it.  I don't think walking in off the street with nothing at all, or nothing worth anything on your resume, that you should automatically be given what some people have strived to get for years.  Now, when I was a teenager, I didn't expect to make a ton of money on my first job. I knew that would come later, after I worked hard and earned it.  

I think the problem with raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is that a lot of people won't strive to finish high school or go to college.  Where is the incentive?  They could easily go down to the local McDonald's and make $15 bucks an hour.  Our generation knew the value of hard work and to strive to always do better and try harder.  We knew that the finer things in life would come later in life, not next week.  I think this generation is missing that. Now, I understand that people have to make a living and that some companies do pay so called slave wages with no medical benefits, but at the same time who's fault is that?  You knew the pay when you took the job.  You made the decision to take the job with low pay and no benefits.  Now, until you can do better that's ok but a lot of people get complacent and never strive to do better.  

If the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour, who do you think will pick up the tab for their higher wages?  We will!  The companies will raise their prices on goods and services, so they can still make a big profit.  A gallon of milk would go from 4 bucks a gallon, to 6 bucks a gallon.  All goods would go up, to offset the cost of higher wages.  So, then you are looking at inflation of everything, to go along with the increase in minimum wage.  And then to make matters worse, those people at the bottom of the totem pole, are still in the same boat.  They make more, but they are spending more.  And as far as the people that strived to get a good eduction, well their wages haven't increased, but everything else has inflated, so ultimately they are the ones paying the price.  Their once good or great wage is worth less, despite the fact that they worked so hard to earn it.  Their dollar doesn't go as far anymore.  Now, is it fair to the average person who has worked hard in life to lose their buying power?  I think not!  While those that have neglected to put forth an effort basically have a good wage handed to them, which is now ultimately worth no more than what they are making now.

For those that want a better wage, I feel that if you aren't making enough money on one job, get another one or work a second job.  Look into finishing your education, so you can get a better paying job.  Whatever you need to do to provide for your family, do it.  It's not fair for the common man to have to pick up this tab and be clear that's what is going to happen.  These companies are always going to make big profits and we the consumer are ALWAYS going pay the cost because we need the goods they are selling.  Sure, we will complain about it, but we will pay the high prices.

Now, don't forget the small businesses out there.  A multitude of them are going to go under because they can't afford to pay a $15 minimum wage, especially starting out.  Do we want an America that's full of only big corporations?  This is supposed to be the land of opportunity.  America is supposed to be a place where you can make a better life for yourself, no matter your social status is at birth.  America was founded on the premise that if you work hard, you can be successful.  Raising the minimum wage will not make it impossible to start a small business, but it won't be as easy for someone that is not already well off.  I totally believe that if you work hard, you can be successful.  I don't believe in hand outs.  It's okay to give a hand up, but not a hand out.  This is my truth.  What's yours?

Artwork by ~ Amy Redditt

Slavery: How it has mentally controlled a race for hundreds of years

Posted by ~ Sheldon Redditt on 11/1/2014

When the slaves were first brought to America from Africa in 1555 or 1619, whichever date you choose to believe. The first thing the slave master did was to take away any connection to their native land. The slave master took his language, religion, his name and replaced it with his own. The slave master knew that in order to rule over these people, he had to instill fear, mistrust, and hate in the slave against other slaves. In 1712, a slave owner, by the name of Willie Lynch, gave a lecture on how to control a slave for hundreds or even thousands of years.  Lynch outlined a sure fire way to control the slave by controlling his and her MIND. His methods were beyond brutal at times. Some slave owners would invite all the slave owners from as far away as 100 miles, to bring all of his slaves to watch, as the slave master would tie a pregnant slave to a tree and cut the baby out of her stomach.  He would stomp the baby's head and would beat any slave to near death if they tried to help. Another way of instilling fear was to take the biggest strongest male slave they could find and tie each leg to a horse facing the opposite directions, tar and feather him, set him on fire and beat the horse so that it would run, literally ripping the slave's body in half. To say that they were sick is an under statement. But the end result was the so called, almost perfect slave.  Their methods were a success in every way.  You have taken his identity and instilled fear in him.  Now, you have to teach him how to mistrust, envy and even hate the other slave. So, the slave master would take the light skin slave and let him or her work in the house while the dark skin slave worked in the field. This results in the light skin slave feeling that they are better than the dark skin slave.  Which in turn, causes the dark skin slave to become jealous and even hate the light skin slave. At the same time, the slave master divides the men from the women. The slave master would force the men slaves to have sex with as many women as possible in order to produce more future slaves. The men were not allowed to have any interactions with these children, just plant the seed and leave.  The women were forced to care for their children, alone.  Sounds familiar???  Now you just look at a lot of men today, they are not involved in their kids life. They think it's cool to have as many kids as they can and not be responsible for them. They think that the definition of being a man is to father as many kids as they can without being a daddy. There is a difference! 

How does something that happened hundreds of years ago continue to effect us today, you might ask?  It still has an effect, like Willie Lynch stated, the best way to control a people is to control their minds. When the slaves were finally set free they still had the same slave mindset. Slavery was all they knew, so if you instill in a people to believe this way, to act this way, for hundreds of years it becomes the norm. Look at the way they beat the slave for instance.  A lot of people in my generation were whipped with extension cords, the whip of our time.  Their parents whipped them with the same thing, so it was passed down. Some of us are still dealing with the mental scars of being whipped or beaten in this manner.  Look at how we are still divided based on color; light skin vs dark skin.  In 2014, we are still having this issue.  How many rap songs have you heard saying something to the effect of,  "I only want a red bone" (light skin women)?  The absence of the father in children's lives.  It was embedded in them, from slavery, to not be involved in their kids lives, to plant the seed and leave.  But, when you know better you do better.  We are hundreds of years away from physical slavery but mentally, a lot of us are still there. The disrespect we have for our women, the hate we have for one another.  At what point do we break the cycle?  We have all the knowledge and tools available to do it.  Slavery was a horrible thing that should NEVER be forgotten but we have to stop being enslaved mentally.  We have to love and trust each other and stop being divided by skin tone, or the part of town you are from.  If we don't make a change as a people, then I guess Willie Lynch was right, you really can control a people for hundreds of years.  Let's break the cycle.  This is my truth what's yours?

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