Black-Face Muhammad Ali

I AM The GREATEST; not the "black" greatest!





As I was driving into the office this morning, I atypically turned on the radio for no particular reason. Sometimes the noise helps me concentrate on nothing.
Scanning the stations, I hear a very distressed voice talking about something they seem very serious about but I had missed what the topic. Then I heard the
oh-so-over-used phrase…"I ask my 'black friends.' I confess, I was hooked. As I continued to listen and discover what this was all about, it was easy to get
lost in memories as a young black in a small town in school at the time ROOTS by Alex Haley was on TV. It was not unlike the 'feeling' in the air the day after
President Obama was announced after the election. I could not ignore the seething rage and hostility in the air. It was so palatable that I often found myself looking
away from people's eyes for seeing too much. Some days you just want to pass along your way without some constant fight or grand debate. I think this 'energy'
is an indication of issues that, much like abortion, will never go away. It is a story of issues that inhabit the very air we breathe. It lurks just below the surface waiting
for the slightest fracture to erupt out of the silence of its captivity. I fear the race issue will never die but how can it. It is as much of the Americana as capitalism and political corruption.

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Meanwhile; here is the story from the radio station. I personally think it is no less honoring to be Ali WITHOUT the black face. If I dressed as Abe or George Washington, I would not feel the need for a 'white' face to make the costume a hit. Greatness is greatness; not relegated by the race or creed of an individual; but it is often relative. I think it an unfair reality to pretend we live in a white picket society that won't be offended because "we didnt intend to offend" is our outcry. As you know, we judge others on what they did and ourselves by what we 'intended."

Bert’s Son Wants To Do A Presentation As Muhammad Ali…Complete With Brown Face Makeup. Bert Gets A Definitive Answer, Straight From Mrs. M. Ali

Other black face articles
Beyonce Goes Black Face
Your Glam World blog
Wikipedia Black Face


I love this great country. Everyone has the right to their own opinions. Its not perfect but so far it seems the best fit for me.
That's my humble opinion.

!!!
M

On The Air - 2012 on the Behance Network

AWESOME is a tough word to top;
but this does.

On The Air - 2012 on the Behance Network
!!!
M

Don't Mean Me!

It would seem we have become a nation of onlookers, eavesdroppers, voyeurs and sneak-a-peeks! With the rash of reality tv and candid camera shows, we are overwhelmed by a glance into other people's stupidity from a safe distance; or so it seems. We love to watch somebody else's horror show — we feel better about ourselves. No, dont pretend you dont want to watch a train wreck…you wont look away. Even now, you would love to stop reading; but you cant. Its in your nature. I see stupid people walking around everywhere only they dont know they're stupid. Luckily I can (and you can) be entertained for free at THEIR expense. Everyone loves a laugh so long as its derived from someone else's freakshow. But what happens when you realize you've been voted into the frey?

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M

Refracted Illusions of Half Truths

Abundance of much might equal the presence of nothing. I wonder if a mind full of thoughts trapped there might be the same as being a mind empty? Water that does not move becomes stagnate and hence lifeless. I have known those whose disposition was best described as morose; I think that is not me. However it is akin to the same feeling you get when you hear "if I could do what you do..." The carrot beyond your grasp eventually rots and deep down you ferment with the knowledge that it was your fault. Someone greater would have seized the day and been well fed by now. Moments fly by and opportunities are best viewed in the rears. I don't know if our wisdom is only from our mistakes or our enlightenments are but tortures inflicted by something bored by our challengeless mortalities.


The dinosaurs, the Incans and ancient ones are all invisible witnesses to the chaos of time as the mighty ships of traditions and ideals begin to crumble from the inexhaustable infinities of our minute frailties span before our paths. And yet, with all that said, I am only getting better, getting stronger, becoming more indestructable and perishing at the same time. It would seem to make no sense and nothing but sense in the same breath. Days surrounded by people and maintaining solitary presence allows a vision unseen by most. The older I become the more I respect what was once the thorn that always kept me out of various desired circles. Its funny how once you don't need things how motivated they are to come to you. Perhaps that is the universe's way of maintaining balance or the retribution of the shameless. The equals and opposites are balanced to the letter. Our attempts to defy such laws only increase our demise. Eagles love the sky, fish love the water and man boasts of his choice. Is he imperfect by choice? Is that His perfection? Are we the perfect mistakes?

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M

Heroes and Monsters; History and the Flatulence of the Pen

This blog is a response to the observations made by my cohort in wrestling with arguments as old as the moments before time existed. Old battles long before man walked the face of this earth or appeared in his present state have never been settled. In fact, despite the numerous restarts of the grand earth experiments by the cosmic chess players; they themselves have resorted to earth to resolve their own conflicts. The following is my observation to this observation.


It is a funny thing when we think what should be simple becomes quite the opposite. The heroes of war are not much different from normal men; other than having more demons to sleep with. Men are often commanded but led by three heads — that of his commander and that of his conscience and that of his human instinct to survive. It is the unbalance of this trio that produces heroes and monsters. I say "and" because the difference is relative to the viewer and the history he records. The phallus of man's ego leads him down many a dim-lit cavern, covorting with human and supernatural; emerging barely human, forced to conform to a set of ideals not formed to his unique imposition of experiences. The war hero is forever transformed by cracking open the strongest and darkest capacities of the human being. The quantity of such no longer inexpandeable to its original containers or borders. Civilized "society" in all its politenesses and hypocracies including our creeds and religions are always governed more so by our egos than our morals. The bitterness of wrongs is sweet til it reaches the light of day or media and suddenly the mad rush to preserve public opinion; which is no more worthy to judge the individual than the individual is courted. The irony is that a world without heroes; has no room for monsters either. The ingredients are almost identical if not exactly.


To illustrate my point only in the simplest of terms; take for instance, Tiger Woods — Did he do anything that so many others haven't done who claimed far more morality or more highly politically positioned? And the companies that dropped sponsorship...really; who are they to claim higher morality? It is only about face and money...nothing more. Their executives brag of the same escapades in gloating handshakes and secret smiles until some incident reaches public view. Only in the light do we scurry to our high morals; in the darkness all men may well be equal or is it more true that might makes right? I tend to lean to the latter. The guilty brand the lamb for slaughter and smile in private proclaiming no such knowledge in public.


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M

UFO's and Truths and Fantasies

Friday Brigham Flout

Its been quite the morning of discussions. Brandon Davies being suspended has been a morning topic. BYU basketball player Brandon Davies was suspended for violating the school's honor code. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision; some things have to be considered before you sound off.

1) He knew the rules: Yeah, I know, everybody just automaticly says ok to whatever to just get in or to just take the money. You cant hold that against a person. Granted there are a lot more things that we might consider far worse for a college-aged kid to get into; but when does our word mean anything? Yes, everyone makes mistakes and I am sure he is NOT the only one. Unfortunately he didnt work in politics or any huge fortune 500 company or financial institute being badly managed; he could have taken a mere slap on the wrist and probably some moral bail-out money and a season pass to some local strip club; not to mention, get to keep his job and additional "bonuses." But he isnt.

2) Everybody's doing it: Really? Are they? Not so convinced. With the media hanging on every bad decision Charlie Sheen makes and does; one might wonder WHY this is even newsworthy...well it isnt! Anyone who's been pulled over by the police for speeding and offered the excuse that everybody was doing it was soon followed by the response "but I caught you!" Not to beat a dead horse that's still running; had he been the head of a large financial institute or politician...he might have skated free.

3) But he's a star: No you didnt! Tell that to Tiger Woods, Charlie Sheen and etc. What about the game and our school's financial losses resulting from being honest and holding to our rules? Honestly, there are very few saints; and a gazillion claiming to be nothing less. Despite knowing the rules and everybody's doing it; then it should certainly be ok for a star/public figure to do whatever they want. They made that money/fame; you didnt (thanks Bobby Brown). I am always entertained by people holding others to a higher standard than the one they hold to themselves. Sure, they signed up for it so I get the right to judge them...right? Is it?

Good luck kid. If you had been a catholic priest; you would have gotten a committee formed to decide just how many times you could do said act before some action might be required or transferred to a sister university. Life is uncertain. It is a fluid moment that can go wrong or right at the drop of a hat. I personally am impressed that BYU took a stand. Yes they have that right. We should consider what we say to be a close reflection of what we do. One might say that's old school. But isnt that the same school that the Founding Fathers were a part of...the original Bill Clintons....


A devil's advocate might wonder what would have happened had he had more than one girlfriend....but thats another blog.


!!!
M