ClydeStyle

Blog

  • Is capitalism ruining democracy?

    Biblical scripture tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil.

    Do you believe that?

    We brag about our freedoms and we say that every country deserves our freedoms.

    But what are we really saying with that statement?

    Are we saying that we are the richest country? If we are saying that, it wouldn’t be true.

    Are we saying we are the healthiest country? I hope not, because our healthcare system has been ranked in the 30s for years.

    Are we saying that we have a better quality of life? That would simply be too hard to believe with the amount of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications we consume.

    So what are we really saying?

    Are we saying they should vote like we do? Or that they should pursue money … I mean happiness –  like we do?

    It seems to me that freedom is overrated. We are free to do a lot of things. And that also means that other things are free to do us.

    One thing we do well in America is make money. We are totally about the bottom-line. Screwing each other for a percentage is really what we are about.

    It’s sad when you look at what we could be doing and then see the damage of what we are doing.

    For example, in our country, we have a law that says the only way we can treat cancer is through surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Are these really the most successful methods or just the ones that cost the most? In Mexico, American doctors are successfully treating cancer with very high doses of vitamin C.

    We also have a law that says we cannot sue fast food chains because of obesity. Why do we need a law for this?

    If you look at how much money is being made off obesity the answer is clear. Suing one of the major sources of why we are fat would effect the bottom-line of those profiting from obesity.

    We need to take control of this situation. The answer is simple: Take control of your own destiny. The answers are available you just have to keep looking.

    The truth will set us free!

  • We are nothing but animals…

    We can learn a lot from animals.

    As an employer, one of the questions I always ask applicants is that if they were an animal, which one would they be?

    It’s always interesting to hear the answers that I get.

    I have had market research interviewers say they would be sharks…

    I’ve had hospice sales people say they would choose to be dogs…

    And I’ve had clergy say they would be lions…

    You can actually learn much about a person by how they answer this question.

    Can you imagine that your daughter is dating a boy who says he is most like a wolf? Or how about an octopus? Or even a butterfly?

    All of these species mean something to this equation. All of them give a snapshot of who the person believes they are.

    In therapy, we learn how to turn a pussycat into a panther simply by giving him confidence. We learn to empower a victim who feels trapped like a rat.

    And we learn to tame the toughest tiger by controlling his anger.

    We do this through teaching the subjects the power of the mind. A person’s state of mind is the most powerful tool on this planet.

    It’s his state of mind that makes a firefighter run into a burning building to save someone. Their state of mind makes Olympians out of ordinary athletes. But it can also turn a victim into a killer or a heterosexual man gay.

    Buddha said:

    “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”

    Choose your animal wisely and be the best one you can be.

  • Too much pain!

    America is in too much pain.

    When you think about your worst pain, what comes to mind? Is it from body aches? Is it all in your mind? Is it a result of loving too much? Not enough? Is it emotional because you’ve experienced abuse? Is it spiritual because you are disappointed with your church?

    Whatever the pain, your senses have confirmed that it is just that … pain. We hurt. We cry. And we cry some more.

    Has your pain ever made you wonder how much more you can take? Are you avoiding someone because they hurt you? Have you altered your lifestyle because of someone? How long must you endure this suffering?

    Wouldn’t it be cool if there were a judicial system set up just for morality? Now before you start saying it could never happen or we wouldn’t do it right, let’s have a little fun.

    I say that if someone has wronged you, you should be able to sue for damages.

    Every guy whoever took advantage of a woman because she was codependent or lonely should have to pay a price. One thousand dollars would be good.

    Or what of the person who cheats on their significant other instead of just telling them the truth about how they feel in their relationship?

    Or better, what if anyone caught bullying had to serve jail time?

    And then, anyone who filed a false claim would have to pay $5,000!

    I think there should be a $500 fine for swearing in public, dressing inappropriately, stalking, gossiping and  being rude.

    This is a simple exercise to help you escape the rat race and forget about the problems of the day. You should come up with your own list. And have fun with it! Create a place where you make the rules and you decide what happens.

    Try it!

    We all need a break from the pain.

  • What does Reparations look like?

    In the spirit of Black History Month, I’d love to enter into a serious discussion about reparations. It seems as though this has become a taboo topic, because of the tension it brings with Blacks and Whites. It’s sort of the new racism: If you are for it, then you want to get something for nothing. If you are against it, then you are a racist.

    This should not be.

    Maybe it’s another case that America is not smart enough to really deal with. I mean, as a country, we are already paying reparations to a variety of folks, including Native Americans, Japanese atomic bomb survivors and Holocaust survivors. The word” reparations” simply means “to repair.” This concept brings up the idea of being broken. The idea of pay is just one way; not THE way.

    I am in favor of reparations. But I think we need to be careful what we call reparations. I’m not for cutting a check for every person that had a link to slavery. Actually, I don’t think reparations should even be connected to slavery. You see, there are some things that our government did deliberately to African-Americans. These things had lasting effects that have made it difficult for some to become anything but a permanent underclass.

    There was a missed opportunity for the Bush Administration to redeem itself when the recession started. Consistent with his ideology of tax breaks and stimulus packages, Bush could have ordered reparations be given to the poor in the amount of $30,000 and say that it’s because of slavery. “Poor” would be defined as any African-American who is living in generational poverty (two generations or more). If Bush did this, he would have redeemed himself and the Republican party because he would have literally bought the poor black vote. At the same time,  in 2008, now President Barack Obama spoke against reparations. If we are being honest, we know that the 30k would have ended up right back into the economy in less than 30 days. What a jump start that would have been. It may have even ended the concept of White guilt … or maybe not.

    So here is what I would propose for reparations. What I would like to see happen is to give opportunity, not money. The Federal Housing Administration did not do right by minorities in the 1930s. Low interest rate loans were given to White people to buy nice homes and the loans had nothing to do with their credit. They got those home loans because of the color of their skin. I say we do the same thing today. Identify the disenfranchised of our time and help them into a home that, on their own, they could never get. I don’t mean to give a mansion away to the poor, but I do mean to follow the example of Habitat for Humanity and make that single mom with four kids a homeowner. Literally, grant her a pass on the credit score and give her a loan to have a reasonable mortgage payment not to exceed $400 a month. This house has to be in a suburban area with a better than average school system. This could easily be done. As a country we’ve done it before.

    The second thing I would do is grant 10 years of government paid education (or forgiveness if you have school loans and finished your degree). This would allow any minority who is on welfare and in a dead end career to elevate themselves higher. They would have to put in the work though. They could never be on academic probation and they would have to have a life coach. This would grant those who have had hard lives to get a second chance to fix some of the problems they have had.

    The sad part of all this is that most would not take advantage of it. Nevertheless, it’s something that should be done. It’s finally an opportunity to get ahead with the assistance of your government working in your favor. This is what reparations should look like.

  • A different way to work

    Sometimes it seems that all we do is work.

    It is definitely a way of life for most of us. We are so used to working that we can do it in our sleep. Many struggle with the task of work and even dread it at times. I hope to shine a little different light in this post on that thing we call work.

    I don’t know who first said it, but the saying is that the letters in the word B-I-B-L-E stand for  “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.”

    Cute, I know, but when you really think about it, the Bible does give you everything that pertains to life and Godliness. All of our problems can actually be solved by this book.

    So for the case of how we work, I think we need a change in mindset — the Bible is really good for this. Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote about working his epistle to the church at Colossae.

    “23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

    Now would that fact that you are not working for your company, nor your supervisor, but you are working for the Lord change anyone’s mindset? Too often because we can see things in the physical, they appear larger than God.

    If we really believed that the opportunity to work was truly an opportunity that God gave us and it wasn’t based on our merit, or something we settled for, or just the job we got stuck with, could that make a difference?

    Sure it could!

    If God strategically placed me in the job I have for the purpose of working out His will, would I then be working for a crappy boss or the savior of the world?

    The question would be asked, “What would God want me working here for?” To that I say God always wants His  light shining in a dark place. If we truly belong to Him, then we are to reflect His light where ever we are. That means that:

    • Some people will experience unconditional love because they are in the presence of His light.
    • Some people will see kindness in a totally different circumstance because they are in the presence of His light.
    • Still others will see God because they are in the presence of His light.

    God has a plan. And He uses whomever He chooses to workout His plan. So the next time that you feel down and out about the attitudes and the pressures of your job, remember the larger plan. See the bigger picture and smile … because you are working for the Lord!

  • It’s February and you know what that means…

    February is Black History month and I guess I’m still stuck with asking the same question: Why?

    I mean, I guess it’s a good thing, but I would still love to see each month being dedicated to a different race. I get this idea from growing up in Detroit. In the summer time, the City of Detroit hosts a summer full of ethnic festivals each weekend and scores of people come down to the heart of the city to celebrate. There’s always music, food, people dressed in authentic clothing and lots of trinkets to buy!

    It’s always fun — no matter which festival it is — and it’s always educational. I’m sure that this social event draws most of the people because of the location and all the happenings. However, there is that side of me that wants to believe that in Detroit we are more cultured and care about and support our difference more than despising them.

    Just having Black History month seems like a quick solution to shut someone up. I mean, was this the solution to stall talks of reparations? Is this so that Blacks will have something of their own or unique to them?

    So who is celebrating Black history month exactly? It seems that many of the businesses that are supported by Blacks are doing some type of tribute whether that be in the form of a commercial or hosting some event. Now of course we’re not talking about a lot of companies here. Sales show that the number one fast food company for Blacks is McDonald’s. For whatever reason, McDonald’s has profited off Black dollars more than any other fast food chain. Johnson and Johnson sells more hair care products for Blacks than any other company. Look for these two companies to run commercials and sponsor events during this month.

    I don’t mean to put this in a negative light. I just like it better when purpose is clearly seen in what we are doing. I’m not opposed to educating the world on the contributions of Blacks in American history. I would just rather see it in the classrooms and accurately written in our history books instead of just dedicating a month to showcase a couple of folks.

    Frederick Douglass once said, “America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.”  This is a powerfully true statement. All the problems we face as a country come because we have not been true to our past nor true to our present. We categorically deny all charges of wrongdoing in the past. When has the American government admitted any wrongdoing? The treatment of minorities in this country is the worst. There is not a country that has been more deceitful. This has led to many of the problems we face as we worship the almighty dollar!

    We cheat our future by lying in the present. Our government (I’m including the current and last presidents and congress over the last 12 years) has not been a good steward of our economy. There are too many lies and empty promises. The result of this is a dim future for our children.

    So I wonder what the history books will say about this era? Twenty years from now will Black history month be celebrated by talking about President Obama’s contribution to the national debt or will Black history be a thing of the past by then.

    Only time will tell.

  • Leave marriage out of this

    I have been having a hard time with gay marriage.

    It’s not that I mind that people of the same sex come together. I believe that since I don’t trust our government to tell me what to do, I don’t think our government should try and tell others what they can or cannot do. Morally I have issues with it because I believe the Bible to be the absolute truth. But the key phrase that I said was, “I believe.” I’m not trying to force my religious beliefs on anyone.

    I’m the type of Christian that if you want to know what the Bible says, I stand ready to give you the answers. I’m not going to club you over the head with my Bible,  nor am I going to try and convince you to follow my Bible. The reason is because my Bible says you have to believe and obey from the heart.

    The God I serve is pro-choice. Pro-choice in the sense that He allows everyone freewill. He would never do anything to prohibit your freewill and your freewill doesn’t checkmate His perfect will. Basically, you choose to do what your heart really desires and His judgment will reign in the end.

    With that said, I am bothered by the use of the word marriage.

    I know what a marriage is and I know that gays wanted their significant others to be able to get medical benefits and such. I totally understand that. To make this happen, the insurance industry practically forced them to seek marriage instead of just allowing them to appoint the people who are able to get benefits.

    Should it matter who gets benefits?

    To greedy insurance companies, the answer is yes. They were trying to avoid allowing us to designate who we want to give benefits to.

    I said all that to say this:  instead of gays entering into a “marriage,” why couldn’t we just call it a “union?”

    Doing it this way allows the true intention of marriage to stay pure and its defining elements to remain intact. Jesus said, “Have you not read that He who made them in the beginning made them male and female.” (Matt. 19:4) This is what He meant when He said,”…what God has joined together (a male and a female), let no man separate.”

    The use of the word “union” would be generic enough to allow any two things to come together: a chicken and a cow… a pig and a frog…peanut butter and chocolate – and even two men or two women.

    Let union ring!

  • Resolutions should be a way of life

    Of the 50 percent of Americans who make resolutions, 90 percent of them break their resolution by the middle of January.

    It seems that the end of a year gives us a temporary conscience. It bothers us enough to acknowledge that there are things in our lives that need fixing, but nothing about the New Year makes us want to do anything more than admit it and move on.

    We know that there are people who don’t need to be in our lives and there are things we need to just flat out stop doing. Whether that is ending a destructive relationship or maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, we need to be far more serious about this.

    Here is a practical way to keep your resolutions. Don’t do a resolution for a year; do them by the day, hour or even minute.

    A resolution is a way of admitting we’re wrong and need to be better regarding something in our life. Why not make the idea of resolving ourselves a way of life? What would be wrong with keeping the imperfection ever before us – even to the point of letting others know that you recognize the need to change in this area. Then legitimately work on it. Really commit to the change and raising the bar of expectation in your life.

    By doing this daily, I think you will find that those around you will begin to acknowledge a different you. After all, that’s what we all want anyway, right?

  • There are still some who can’t see the dream

    This week we honor a man who dared to buck the system and show the powers that be what they really looked like. A man who said he had a dream and shouted it from the mountain tops. A preacher worthy of a celebration in his honor because of what he stood for, what he taught and what he ultimately died for.

    Some believe that Martin Luther King, Jr., would have been America’s first African-American president had he not been gunned down by an assassin’s bullet. I believe that if that would have happened he would clearly have ended up being America’s fifth assassinated president. I say this because too many people still don’t see the dream.

    We can’t help where we came from and how we were raised, but King’s dream would work much better in another country than it would in ours. Sad, but true. The only thing we as American’s can agree on seems to be “gain” or “gain at someone else’s expense.”

    We profit on everything. If it can be sold and someone can make money, then so be it because, after all, that’s what we all really wanted. Right?

    Dr. King hoped that all children would have an equal opportunity to be educated and earn a living like everyone else. He wanted to see people of different races together in peace and harmony without strife. He wanted to see hate eliminated.

    What actually happened is more people have the opportunity to get into most colleges, but there is still an elite group that exists as gatekeepers. They still hire who they want. There are two places where you will always see mixed races in America together and that is the welfare line and the soup kitchen. And as for hate, it can’t be eliminated as long as love is in need of love.

    I wish there was a better message here. But in the wake of hatred spread throughout our political system, members of Congress getting shot and companies profiting on the sickness of others, clearly there are still folks who don’t get Dr. King’s dream.

  • Turning the page on another year

    2010 is on its way out.

    It ran the course it was supposed to and things happened this year as they were supposed to. So we bid farewell to this year and hopefully look to a brighter 2011.

    I find life to pass like reading the pages of a book. Life is nothing but a book, really. Each day is a page we turn. Some pages we want to linger with and others we want to turn away from right at the start.

    If we could continue this book theme for a moment, I’d like to share some things with you regarding your life.

    Our life is like an open book. We try not to let everyone read us, but sometimes those that are reading, spread the news about what they have read. We try to turn pages and allow our book to be read, and it seems that there are always people who want to turn back to pages that were uncomfortable for you. These people like to remind you of all the bad things written in your book, but they never want to talk about the good stuff.

    There are also people who are jealous of the things written in your book and they take time away from reading their own books to talking negatively about what’s in yours.

    Still there are other people who would have you skip pages in your book and not let you experience every page. Just imagine someone telling you that you were too old for something or someone.

    Not only do we have people reading things into our book, we can sometimes be are own worst enemy. How many mistakes have we repeated? I know I’ve made the same mistakes that have appeared on pages 11, 19, 33, 47, 51 and 69. Some mistakes are hard to shake.

    There are also negative things in our book that we won’t let go of. We want to sit and sulk about something in the past instead of moving forward.

    Turn the page my friend. Allow the new to replace the old and embrace the challenges of the future as you learn from the old things written in your book. So get ready to turn the page on 2010 and don’t be afraid to share your book with others. Your life story may be the only hope they have!

    Welcome, 2011!