Black Men and Relaxed Hair... Never the twain....

I always said I'd talk about this when I did my blog...

I'm sorry, but Black men who relax their hair... It's just WRONG. I loved the World Cup, not just because Ghana did so well, but also because it showcased a litany of hairstyle howlers.

There appears to be some kind of mental condition that afflict certain footballers of colour that causes them to take leave of their senses. The two most guilty of this crime are Messers Didier Drogba, and Emmanuel Adebayor.

What di rass dem do to dem head ee?

It looks greasy and nasty..... Soul Glow has nothing on these guys. I mean, a black guy in an alice band...please!

What really makes me laugh is this process:

1. These men go into a hair salon;
2. They ask for their hair to be relaxed;
3. Once the process is complete they look in the mirror and give their approval;
4. They PAY THE PROPRIETOR and then...
5. They LEAVE the salon happy...!

Sorry guys... You should get shown the red card.

Career Politicians of Colour....

Being an African British MP is quite often a hiding to nothing. When you're a person of colour AND a member of Parliament, you really have to walk a massive tightrope; who's interests are you really meant to serve and where should your career go? The two are mutually exclusive.

It's a bit like white people who wear dreadlocks, nobody really likes you; many white people think it looks stupid and many black people find it offensive. You're alone on an island of defiance...

Let's take the situation of Mr David Lammy. He inherited the Parliamentary seat that was held by Bernie Grant. Bernie was a firebrand MP in the old tradition, who would be at the forefront of all things left-wing and radical. He was the inverse opposite Margaret (henceforth to be described as Maggie) Thatcher. If there was a shooting, death in custody, changes to immigration policy etc, he, Diane Abbot would be there protesting about the injustice of it. Grant put his constituents first and foremost in all his actions (a few controversies aside).

Lammy's misfortune is that he's in the wrong seat for the type of person he want to be, i.e he want to be a career politician in a seat that has high maintenance constituents, and a cherished deceased black MP. Comparisons are obviously made. This highlight's the problem of true politicking; once you become a career politician, you have to start towing the party line. For his constituents of colour, seeing Lammy defending immigration policy, the War in Eye-raq are unpalatable.
Some people in some discussion groups (Blacknet for example) even have harsh words for him because he had the temerity to break up with the queen of lip-gloss Julie Sarpong, and married a white woman. This is unfair, but unfortunately, it's part of the mind set of a great many people.

Lammy and Grant are chalk and cheese. One being a firebrand campaigner, and the other, quite frankly has been anonymous to the many people who share his ethnicity. Grant sought to shake things up; Lammy seeks to climb the political ladder.

This whole situation highlights the problem of being a racial pioneer. What ARE you allowed to do as far as your community is concerned? How far can you go before those nasty "sell-out" comments come to the fore?

Lammy certainly isn't that. In my opinion, he's a career-minded and positive role-model that our youth should be looking at, not another sportsman, DJ, MC (yawn) or person wanting to follow a clichéd stereotype.

Pregnant Women on Tube Trains...

Meet my unborn son or daughter. God willing, he or she will be joining us a couple of weeks into October. We both are so enjoying this phase of our lives, but seeing as I'm not carrying the extra weight during this heat wave, I'm enjoying it more than my wife.

One aspect she really hates is the fact that since she started showing about three months ago, not one soul has given her a seat on the packed London Underground Tube system. She only tends to get a seat if:

a) it's already empty when she boards the train, or;
b) someone gets off the train.

Don't get me wrong. I give up my seat, but I too have gone through a "is she pregnant or just fat?" thought process. My wife is one of those lucky women who is only showing in the belly. Like a brother in a pub in Cornwall full of White people, she stands out. No dilemma there as far as I'm concerned.

It's amazing how newspapers suddenly rise to full fast and peoples gazes are averted when a pregnant, old person boards the tube.
Can anyone explain this phenomenon...?

"Yo - Blair. Walkies...!"

Friday 3rd of May 1997 was a fantastic day. It was morning when millions of us in the UK woke up to a Labour Government. It was led by a youthful, dynamic man, who had made not just the party electable, but had given all those wanting change from eighteen years of the Tories, hope for the future.

Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (call me Tony) could do no wrong in the eyes of the British public. We loved him to bits. I even remember when he was depicted as Bambi.

Man, tings dem change! Tony Blair is now depicted as Dubya's Poodle. His love affair with the British public ended when he started hanging onto George's pocket (ala T-Bag in 'Prison Break'). That was when he wimped out and agreed to join the US's illegal War in Iraq, and sold it to the British public on the basis of WMD. Since that point, Blair has lost credibility day by day by day, so much so that he is subject to unheard of ridicule.

Since last weeks infamous "Yo-Blair" exchange, we here in the UK have stood incredulous to how this man seems to lose his confidence, composure and defers to the Inarticulate American President. Quite frankly, it's embarrassing.

Today, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Lord of the Treasury, Privy Counsellor, Minister for the Civil Service and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield, has run off to Washington for what seems to be the 51st time to be at his master's side.
I’m no clairvoyant, but can guess that in about eight hours time, were going to see him in one of those embarrassing press conferences where nothing happens, no difference is really made, and more rhetoric is said; all the time whilst Lebanon is reduced to rubble, and Towns in Israel continue to be targeted by fanatical 'freedom fighters'. All this is happening whilst Blair is allowing the US to send weapons to the Israelis via UK bases. It's a disgrace...

I want our Prime Minister to become that PM we all so loved in the chick-flick "Love Actually" and tell Bush where to get off, demand an immediate ceasefire and truly work for peace...

Hello good day and welcome....

So here it is then... the blog I've often spoken of, but never got round to starting. I have used a veritable multitude of reasons not starting:

• Too busy
• Too much work
• Can't be arsed
• Damn! 'Lost', 'The Shield' or '24' has just started!
• Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera...
  

But then things would happen in the news, I'd read something, listen to someone in a bar and think, "I should be talking about this on my blog". A good friend of mine has has the temerity to move to the States and every time we communicate I keep saying I'm about to start my blog. I've been saying this more the longest time. So no more excuses.

The future is now as Tony Robbins would say. Just get on with it, and share my thoughts with the world...