(VIDEO) RAYEL READS! Dick Gregory autobiography, "Nigger" Intro. Pt. 1

Legendary Activist,  Comedian, Gatekeeper shares his life in a must read account of a history that we all share.

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Intro PART 1 of Dick Gregory autobiography, "Nigger"

(VIDEO) RAYEL READS! Intro to book. "Nigger", by Dick Gregory PT.2

INTRO, PART 2
The late, Legendary, Activist,  Comedian, Gatekeeper shares his life in a history we all share and need to know.
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Thank you.


PART 2 INTRO, Dick Gregory autobiography, "Nigger"

Arizona. Why the trouble (VIDEO)

Historical perspective on Arizona, taped August 2017.  Please WATCH, LIKE, and SHARE.

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Why is Arizona a historical holdout? ...King holiday?... Immigration reform?...

THE WATERFRONT TAKEBACK Pt. 1 (VIDEO)

 This was shot just before "Waterfront Takeback Pt.2"  Please WATCH them both, LIKE, and SHARE.
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Recorded this in the aftermath of Ferguson and subsequent riots. You need to know the real agenda.

CAPITALISM NEEDS POVERTY. Pt.1 (VIDEO)

The Emancipation proclamation and Civil Rights Acts were "small things" compared to what REALLY riled up the beast.

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What Lincoln, Kennedy & King had in common actually might surprise you. PART 1

CAPITALISM NEEDS POVERTY. Pt 2 (VIDEO)

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood,  but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual wickedness in high places"...  Ephesians 6:12.     This thing gets DEEP.  What you really need to know.

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PART 2 of the real threat to the status quo and the TRUE solution

TOP 20 THINGS I'M GLAD MY PARENTS TOLD ME. (VIDEO)

SOOOOO glad my parents gave me these nuggets of wisdom!

What The N. Koreans Have Actually Been Wanting (You'd Be Surprised)

"A hope deferred makes the heart sick"- Proverbs 13:12.

I had the recent honor of attending a "Conversation" presentation by President Jimmy and Rosalind Carter.  Long and STILL in the trenches of diplomacy, international stewardship, and world peace, you'll be saddened and surprised to know what North Korea has long wanted from the United States, and how we have contributed to this dangerous standoff.

"A Hope deferred..."

Is the #45-NFL" Drama Just a Smokescreen?

Thr Big Picture is pointed out by Congressman AL Green of Texas.  Trump has essentially Declared nuclear War (a legal amd millitary term) with North Korea ( and one that they have taken irrevocably seriously).  If this NFL controversy can serve as more than a smokescreen, but a catalyst for impeachment, then great.  But, would an impeachment RESCIND THE Declaration of War?  Would Pence rescind it?

History tells us that people are reluctant to change administrations in times of war... that's how we got stuck with Bush for 8 years (see "Iraq").  If we are to potentially  and litetally SAVE  THE WORLD FROM A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST, we need to STAND for resolving the ULTIMATE threat, and TAKE REAL MEASURES towards turning this Titanic around.  I stand for getting him out of office asap.  The world cannot wait.  #MakeUseOfTheSacrifices

 Worth watching in its entirety.

Who Are The REAL Patriots?

Ahaaaa! A very meaningful back story to the Colin Kaepernick saga.  And I'd like to add one point... the subtext of the "debate" is that Whites have fought for this country while Blacks are ungrateful for "their"sacrifices.  THIS PRESIDENTS FIVE DRAFT DEFERMENTS ASIDE,  It should be emphatically noted that Blacks have fought... and died... in disproportionate numbers... in EVERY war this country has EVER waged.  In fact, the FIRST casualty of The American Revolution, that established the foundation of this country, was a Black man... Crispus Attucks.

Despite our DEMONSTRATED zeal for our country (and yes, its ours too)...and despite segregated millitaries, denied veteran benefits (I had a front row seat as a hospice worker),  and innumerable other indignities in war and after war,  they STILL came back to a country that refused to acknowledge their rights as citizens (which includes the right to peaceful protest), until barely 40-odd years ago, when we STILL had to fight... and die...in a war INSIDE this country, for the right to vote... not be lynched, redlined, segregated... you get the picture.

We are EVIDENTLY a HIGHLY Patriotic people, despite its broken promises.  Even now, as this president sets the stage for war, do you really think OUR children won't be on those tragic front lines? Sadly,  they will.  Sadly, he will not.

So, as you read this backstory, appreciate the big picture of "listening ", but be careful not to get lured into the unspoken subtext of "us vs. Them" that the media may have been unconsciously advancing.

Thank you very much. #MakeUseOfTheSacrifices

Now listen...

More Love For & and Thoughts About The Victims Of the Vegas Massacre

Playing Contemporary Country all weekend in solidarity with the Vegas victims (and because I like it).  Today's Country is basically the "new Old School" music. :-)  Love, romance, sensuality, musicianship, texture, story, boss vocals... MUSIC!  On my Playlist right now... "Ride", by Chase Rice; "Small Town Boy", by Dustin Lynch; "Your Man", by Chris Stapleton, "Livin The Dream", by Drake White; "Games", by Luke James, "What If's" by Kane Brown, and all things Sam Hunt. :-)  If I had anybody to go with, I might have been in Vegas too. 

 We really do need to stop living in so much fear that we think we need to worship and defend guns so much.  I believe it's GUILT that makes a person feel like they need to be armed all the time... they feel that if THEY were on the other side of all the dirt they've done,  THEY would retaliate. .. so they think they need to stay strapped (subconsciously, to defend against retribution ).  That, I believe, is at the heart of giving people the so-called, "right" to accumulate an arsenal like that mass murderer... and indeed, every mass murderer did.  If we really lived in the heart of the music we consider an authentically American Art form, we'd walk in true courage.  True courage demonstrates respect for life.

Solidarity With the Vegas Massacre Victims

You know... I'm happening upon songs and videos while I take a break researching phones and I think I should take a moment to express my grief over the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas.  There are a lot of art forms I really like, including a lot of Country Western.  In months back, I've posted videos of artists like Sam Hunt (who was on the lineup there), Carrie Underwood, Chris Young... Beautiful voices and awesome storytelling in the lyrics, I can only imagine the love in the crowd before this utter, UTTER horror.

Last month, I had the privilege of attending a  presentation by Rosalind and President Jimmy Carter.  When asked about their never-ending quest to influence gun control in this country, Rosalind said simply, "I hate the NRA".

It might be enough said, but there is one who TRULY has the Last Word.  As we pray for the victims and the families of this tragedy, I think it's worth re-posting my girl, Carrie Underwood's eternally true declaration, "How Great Thou Art".

Take a moment on behalf of the lost and suffering... #MakeUseOfTheSacrifices

My Take On The Cam Newton "controversy"

My thoughts on the Cam Newton controversy. A Black woman named, Gwen, jumped all over Cam and "these priviledged athletes", and it really ticked me off. This was my response. (if anybody is interested):

This hyper sensitivity about all things "women" annoys me.  Plus, I have never seen a BLACK female reporter interviewing any of the predominantly Black professional athletes, in the locker rooms or on the sidelines (beyond the highly qualified, Pam Oliver or Lisa Salters), so who's cause am I actually championing?

And as for the "now privileged "athletes, Gwen... do you think they should just be grateful slaves playing for massa and making the owners, the leagues, the vendors, the media, and everyone else trillions of dollars and just keep their nigga mouths shut?  Cam Newton in young.  Yes.  Only 28 years old. And, just like ANY of our sons spontaneously laugh at things they think are funny or ironic, he laughed.  So, he should be whipped  and put back on the plantation?  The girl,  herself, has been quietly corrected in the past, apparently for RACIST tweets,  but she too is young, so she gets a chance to be quietly corrected and keep growing.  But that's the way it's SUPPOSED to be right?.

Cam Newton laughed at IRONY.  And yes, it IS ironic for a young, white girl, who has never played professional football, to be asking technical questions of a world class, PROFESSIONAL football player.  No less ironic than a bartender getting paid handsomely to interview NASA scientists about their construction of the space shuttle.   Yes, they have the right... yes, they can read up on it and maybe ask a competent question... but the premise is inherently ironic and, without a filter, you, the rocket scientist, might spontaneously laugh.  Would the laugh be premeditated?  Mean-spirited?  Worthy of stripping him of his Nobel prize?  NO.  But, sadly, too many people, including many Black people like you, are willing to revert to the same old, INHERENTLY RACIST fallback that Black athletes, who typically come from impoverished upbringings, should sacrifice their bodies in a relatively short career, and  make everybody ELSE.... from their schools, to everybody I mentioned earlier billions and billions of dollars and not even get a slither of the pie for what takes very real skill and ability.

It's called "Supply and Demand".  Our CULTURE places a high priority on sports.  That's not THE ATHLETE'S fault! If everybody could do what they did, the market would be glutted, and arenas wouldn't be packed with people paying sometimes THOUSANDS of dollars to see them.

But they do.

...so the athletes shouldn't get a part of that?

Would YOU go to work for free?  Would YOU laugh at someone, who has never done YOUR job before walking up to you, putting a mic in your face, and asking you questions like they really get what you've trained your whole life for?

How many times has someone been promoted over you who you think doesn't know a fraction of what you do?   Would you deserve to be fired for feeling this way?  For laughing about it with someone in the breakroom?

Hateful. Angry. Jealous. Small minded people unconsciously trained in the dogma of white supremacy think that Black athletes should be "grateful" for getting proportionately paid to provide a service.  Like they should still be minstrels in the old time minstrel shows. .. or gladiators sacrificed to the Lions for the King's amusement.

I don't think they really need little Ole, broke me to stand up for them... but I cannot help but speak out on ANY type of injustice, and this routine villifying of Black athletes in the two leagues dominated by Blacks... the NFL and the NBA, is so clearly unfair.  Do hockey players get attacked for their salaries?  Do white Baseball players?... Baseball players, traditionally make way more than either of these other two sports. .. the sport is far less physically battering... their careers last longer... and is NOT A sport dominated by African Americans,  but I NEVER hear anyone calling THEM "ungrateful", or "privileged", or any other such racist insinuation because somehow they DESERVE the gazillions THEY make.  Supply and Demand is fine in THAT sport, but not where Black athletes are concerned.  Hyper-vigillance and harsh recriminations are always in order where the mindset is they should be silent, grateful,  grinning darkies.

Remember when Don Imus called a group of Black female athletes a bunch of "nappy headed hoes and jiggaboos"?  They had THAT mf lie low for a minute then GAVE HIM HIS JOB BACK!... When William Bennet, THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION under George Bush, said that we could reduce the crime rate by sterilizing Black women, THAT mf NOT ONLY kept his job...as the big boss OVER THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN, but wasn't even required to apologize.   And we won't get into any number of the things that roll off the lips of of other people whose words have actual CONSEQUENCES for ALL our lives...  but let a "priviledged" Black athlete do or say anything other than run that ball and tote that barge and lift that hay, and it's how dare these ungrateful darkies.

Question:  As a 25 year old white girl (also young), who had also made some regrettable comments (see below), and  barely has much LIFE experience, let alone professional accomplishments... what even QUALIFIES her to interview THE ONLY PLAYER IN HISTORY to  Win a Heisman Trophy, a National Championship, AND be the #1 NFL Draft pick all within ONE YEAR???  How did THIS little girl get THAT much priviledge?!

Even THAT speaks to the racism in this country.  As recently, as the 1950's grown Black men in the south were required to address whites as "Sir" and "Mam" even if they were children!  Today, That someone as relatively unaccomplished as this girl, should even get a platform with someone at HIS level, is RACIST.  A BLACK woman would have to be a ""Rhodes Scholar"... have been Editor of The Harvard Review... and a completely vetted and approved Twitter feed to even BEGIN to have that kind of access.  Who's child is she?  What influential person gave HER that priviledge?  Hmn?...  

Ha! I would have laughed in her face too. #MakeUseOfTheSacrifices