The Supreme Court continues to hear cases regarding Affirmative Action and reverse racism. They, the Supreme Court, have asked the question, should Affirmative Action be modified from its current state of implementation or should it be done away with all together?

“Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action their fruit behind it.” 

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Ralph Waldo Emerson always has a way with words that provoke thought and change. Although, the Supreme Court continues to hear cases regarding Affirmative Action and reverse racism, they should modify Affirmative Action to fit the demands of the people today. Although the definition of Affirmative Action has changed over the years, it sets a foundation of fair rules and regulations, creates a foundation for all classes to interact, and fosters healthy competition.

Affirmative Action has been around for many years but the way we know Affirmative Action today is not how it originally began. Although Affirmative Action today has a negative connotation as being an exclusive opportunity for minorities, its original inception was to set a foundation of fair rules and regulations between employees and employers. Affirmative Action was first introduced in the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (approved July 5, 1935). It was enacted by National Labor Relations Board to serve as a way to give unions protection against management. National Labor Relations Board vs. National Casket Company was one of the first cases to address “Affirmative Action”. This case set the precedent that companies could not discharge employees due to their participation in unions. During these times, unions were created to represent workers in all industries. The first union was created in the mid 19thcentury.

However, today, due to many definition changes to Affirmative Action, we know it to be the recommendation made by President John F. Kennedy in his Executive Order 10925 in 1961. That Executive Order was to “ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” This Executive Order created a new definition of Affirmative Action that would become the pillar of new policies, committees, and laws that would range from labor equality to education equality. This definition helped to add a layer to Affirmative Action that would create a foundation for all classes to interact within the workforce.

When there is a foundation for all classes to interact within the workforce, this also fosters healthy competition within the workforce. It creates an equal playing field for all men and women in various industries who have similar skill sets and education. No more will skilled workers with equal education and skill sets be denied an opportunity to apply for jobs that in the past they would not have the chance. No more will a woman be denied an opportunity for a promotion due to the “good old boy” system of companies without violating equal right rules and regulations. No longer will minorities be denied employment and/or promotions due to racial discrimination without those industries violating civil liberties and rights of those individuals. Affirmative Action modification in 1961 was made to create equal opportunities for all races, religions, and sexes within the workforce. Although, there is still more work to be done when it comes to equal opportunity of pay for women, society has come a long ways from where we were in 1935; due to the definition modifications made by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

History always teaches us ways to persevere in the future without repeating past mistakes. Although history is our teacher, the lessons learned from our past are the true testaments for us to forge ahead and do our best to better ourselves and not repeat historical results. In order for us to change the connotation of Affirmative Action today, we must modify the definition to meet the needs of today’s society. Modifying the definition will ensure that the purpose of Affirmative Action stays relevant and fresh to set a foundation of fair rules and regulations, creates a foundation for all classes to interact, and fosters healthy competition for societies today.

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Purchase Book From Me To You By Bert Reece 

by visiting www.bertreece.com

                   

Attorney Disbarred for Videotaping Minor's Sex Acts with Inmates

Today I was made aware of this story. This is crazy that this attorney has been able to get away with this type of unethical behavior for so long. Check out the story for your self.

Attorney Disbarred

Are the majority of the prejudices experienced in America a black/white issue or a young/old issue?

“…O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave…” (The Star Spangled Banner, by Attorney Francis Scott Key)

The Star Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States of America, ends each stanza with “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” There are various punctuations at the end of this famous line that depicts the questions or circumstances that each stanza depicts. The Star Spangled Banner is sung at the beginning of many important events held in the United States (i.e. Sporting Events). However, as all who place their right hand over their heart and proudly sing the words to this song, the true meaning of why it was written may not always be understood.

The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 during the Battle of Fort McHenry. This anthem, originally a poem, was the accounts of the battle witnessed by Attorney Francis Scott Key. Not to say that the bravery of the soldiers during this time was not commendable, however, during 1814 slavery was still prevalent, prejudices were running rampant within America, and the country was being controlled by a small group of people who supported all of these injustices. 

The Emancipation Proclamation was not signed until 1862 and slaves were freed in 1863. In 1931, the song was made the national anthem and during this time there were still forms of slavery going on in America. Jim Crow laws were very prevalent for the blacks that were set free. Black Americans were being slaughtered, hung, and not given the same opportunities as whites. No matter their social status, education, age, or profession; blacks were blacks and were disrespected constantly by whites.

However, we, Americans sing The Star Spangled Banner and close our eyes and proudly sing the last stanza with great enthusiasm “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” This answers the question, are the majority of the prejudices experienced in America a Black/White issue or a young/old issue? I believe the prejudices experienced in America are a black/white issue. The most animosities reported regarding prejudices in various industries are those between blacks and whites. The foundation of our country started with a black/white issue (slavery) and will continue as we proudly continue to sing songs and recognize writings that were done during times when all Americans were not free and were treated as property.

We have to start anew and place old habits behind us and relish in the new accomplishments we have made as a country. Although we have come a long ways from the 1814’s, we still have a long ways to go and that means creating a new hymn to sing and new writings to be proud. No longer“O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave,” but the country who continues to thrive past incredulous prejudices and gets to the heart of all matters to make our country a free, safe, and proud place that all citizens (black, white, Latin American, Mexican, African, etc…) can call home.

    

My Review of The Black Swan

Natalie Portman’s performance in The Black Swan was a true expression of art colliding with life. She definitely should receive an Oscar for this amazing performance. The Black Swan brings about perfections and fears, joys and pains, desires versus dreams, sexuality versus pleasure, physical images versus mental capacities, and life versus death. Natalie Portman’s character Nina was a timid, shy, yet talented and graceful ballerina. She has spent her life being the most perfect ballerina. She lives, breaths, eats, and sleeps every move of dance.

Her obsession of being the perfect dancer caused her to have tunnel vision about life and the balance that it should bring. She, heighten by the failed dreams of her mother, functioned in a robotic state that initiated anxiety when she received the roll of her life. When Nina was selected to be the Swan Queen for the Dance Company’s version of Swan Lake, she was able to flawlessly mimic the role of the White Swan but struggled to connect with the dark side of the Black Swan. Her quest to connect with the Black Swan took Nina through various mental roller coasters that eventually started to play out in real life. Many of these mental roller coasters were thoughts, ideas, and/or passions that she wanted to experience for herself, but were too timid to do so. However, after she allowed the demands of the Black Swan to overshadow her cautious life; she was able to put on the performance of a lifetime.

This is a must see movie. I loved it to pieces and I stand to give Natalie Portman a great applause for such an amazing performance.

Is the President (Barack Obama) moving this country into the right direction?

“Sometimes when people are under stress, they hate to think, and it's the time when they most need to think.”

(Former President Bill Clinton)

As a young American with conservative views, I believe that President Barack Obama entered his term as the President of the United States of America wanting to change overnight decades of issues that have plagued our nation. His “Change” platform created hope in many Americans but the platform was fueled by verbal promises that did not have hard facts or resources to ensure these promises could be executed. We as Americans must always understand that America is the great country that it is because we are composed of a melting pot of people. Yes, our country has and still experiences prejudices and hardships towards minorities, but thanks to leaders such as, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Former Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, and others, many minorities have equal rights that were not afforded in the past. Our votes, which is a privilege, has turned into a routine process for Americans where we vote, watch the elections, and don’t hold those we elect accountable for the day to day decisions that will shape and mold our country. Because many of us have not held our elected officials responsible for their decisions, decisions were made that were harming us as citizens but many of those decisions harmfulness would not be surfacing until later (like today). Now our country is plagued at trying to find solutions to rectify many bad decisions that have created a dark whole for our nation. Once a whole this large has been created, the citizens look to the president to lead us to new solutions and rectifications. But we also are hoping and depending on our leader to use facts and resources to ensure that the solutions provided will render possible results that can be calculated.

I say all of this to say that although President Barack Obama is a great orator and gives hope through his speeches, I feel that his programs do not have enough facts and resources to predict an outcome that will help to uproot America from the dark holes past decisions have created in order to lead us towards the greater nation we were centuries prior. A great leader understands how to work with others and compromise in order to make decisions. And if we as the American people feel that those individuals that we elected to make these decisions are not speaking for the majority nor have their own agenda; it is our duties as American citizens to speak up and work to remove them from office. If we as American citizens do not start holding our elected officials accountable for their decisions, then we will find our great nation turn into a nation that will be dependent on others for economic, innovative, and natural resources that we no longer have the means to produce for ourselves. We need to have leaders who gather a team of people that will not be yes people to those they serve, but do their job proficiently enough that if it requires them to question decisions; they will.

All in all, is the President (Barack Obama) moving this country into the right direction, right now I don’t see a positive move towards a hopeful future but I hope that time will prove me wrong and we start to see remnants of greatness forthcoming for the United States of America.

    

Re-engaging a lost generation. How do we break through to our youth of today to ensure they are prepared to lead tomorrow?

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” By: Ralph Waldo Emerson

One way that we can break through to our youth today to ensure they are prepared to lead tomorrow is by empowering them to be different. So many youth today are following in the footsteps or directions of others rather than following their own passion and desires. Their parents plant certain career choices into them and if they don’t seek these choices they feel they have disappointed their family. However, if society will empower our youth to live their own truths, follow their heart, their dreams, their passions, and their desires; it will lead them towards their own greatness.

If youth can follow their own passions and desires, we will start to see more innovation, creation, and drive among our youth that is empowering, inspiring, and life changing. For example, a young girl named Amiya Alexander wanted to find a way to ensure all youths of all backgrounds had the opportunity to have dance training. Her passion for her idea, with the support of her mom, enabled her to create Amiya’s Mobile Dance Academy. Her dance academy has provided dance training to communities of youth who may not have had this opportunity. Read more about Amiya’s Mobile Dance Academy at http://www.amiyasdancebus.com/.

In order for us to break through to our youth of today to ensure they are prepared to lead tomorrow is by encouraging them to be different. We have to inspire and empower our youth today to be fearless and explore their passions, desires, and dreams. As adults, we have the responsibility to help guide our youth towards their goals and be a support system. If we do this, we will have more youth being fearless like Amiya Alexander.

Like this topic, read more at www.triplebarblog.com.

Review of HBO’s Documentary Monica and David

The documentary Monica and David on HBO moved me to tears. It is a film that everyone needs to see. It shows how love can go beyond what society approves to be normal. It also shows us that having a disability does not minimize what you can do.

Monica and David are a great inspiration of love, hope, joy, and compassion. Their love story causes you to reflect on the important things that make up a relationship versus the superficial things that sometimes breaks them up.

I have a cousin who has Down syndrome and I remember when my aunt had her she was 50 years old and was contemplating giving her up. However, she said as a young child I came into her room and told her not to give her baby away. Tawana brought so much joy to my aunt’s life until my aunt’s death. I am so glad that she was able to live long enough to know that she raised a beautiful baby girl no matter what others said.

Monica and David’s story should be an inspiration for those mothers’s deciding rather or not to keep their children who may have a birth defect. Their story shows that with love and hope, you can conquer anything and that your child is your gift no matter the circumstance and they can change lives.

So, if you have HBO on Demand check out the documentary Monica and David on HBO and let me know what you think!