No homo? what does that mean?

Hey y'all, I know I've been gone for a minute but I am back now.

We have all heard it at one point or another, the shameless phrase "No Homo!". What exactly does it mean you ask? Urban Dictionary defines the term in a number of ways.

#1 "Phrase used after one inadvertently says something that sounds gay.
His ass is mine. No homo."

However, #3 I think captures the essence of the phrase..."phrase invented by rap group Diplomats so they could engage in gay group sex and then not feel bad about it afterwards."

The phrase does nothing more than continue to uphold barriers and sterotypes and serves nothing more than to divide communities. People should be able to say what they want to say without fear of their sexuality being questioned. Is this the sad state of how things are to be? Sadly, I think this has been the case for sometime, but nowadays, I hear kids much younger than me (14-17) saying this and I am like what's going on.

Please, can we put the phrase to rest?

Anyone have a few other phrases they would like put to rest, lay em' all out here.

2.???

Sonia Sotomayor: Its her time

President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court is no surprise ladies and gentlemen. Sonia Sotomayor, a native of my hometown of the Bronx has been in the running for this very position for many many years. What is interesting to see is how much negativity is being displayed before Judge Sotomayor has even had the time to talk. Yesterday, pundits around the circuit began to express concern about Sotomayor's view on abortion.

Before any further concerns are expressed, we should give her the chance to defend herself and to discuss these very important issues in the most appropriate forum, and that will be before the U.S. Senate. There is no need to pin down her philosophy before she has the change to present herself fully to the American people through our esteemed legislative body.

Sonia Sotomayor off the bat, has a solid legal career, and will now become and inspiration to not just Latinos, but to all Americans. I know personally what it is like growing up in New York City, especially, the Bronx and to see someone like this emerge is not surprising. No matter where you come from, if you work hard, have faith in yourself and have a strong family by your side there is no telling where one can end up. As the old saying goes, or some version of it...its not where you come from, but where you go.

That couldn't be more true.

Give our President a chance

Since President Obama took office, there has been a constant criticism about the job he is doing. While it is important to grade our leaders and to ensure that they are holding true to their ideals, especially the ones expressed on the campaign trail, the critique of our current President has become obscene. Without having even reached his 6th month, the Obama Presidency and legacy is already being called.

Each day we hear, the President is trying to do too much, or he is not doing enough. It should be clear that the trauma this country was put through over the last eight years will not be solved over night. It will certainly not be solved in the first 100 days, first year, or even first term. The American people must not have amnesia so soon, nor should the Republican Party. Just a few months ago, we turned the chapter on Republican leadership. Rep. Cantor is correct in his statement that we all have a lot to learn from the President Obama. The election of Obama has taught us that we must all change the way we do business in Washington, in our cities, and in our neighborhoods.

Let’s support the President, our President and work with him to ensure that the change we looked for in the campaign comes to fruition; for he cannot do it all alone.

Cancer is a bitch

It not only eats away at you physically, but it eats away at your mental capacity as well. No one can truly understand the everyday struggles that people have to go through on a daily basis. The thoughts, the feelings, the reactions, how waking up the very next day is a blessing all in itself. Try those shoes for a day and see what it is like. Get out from your desk, and walk in the shoes of someone who deals with a different life, one that they never thought they would have to deal with in a million years.

When will this end? When will this magic cure come and make us all better? I don't know. But what I do know, is that God never gives us a cross we cannot carry. I never believed in that saying for a long time, but it brings new meaning in my life and finally, I understand. People have died because they have given up, but I won't. This is my solace, this is my waterfall. I come to the well to be refreshed, to alleviate the stress of a day spent wandering around a cold world. A world where you thought some were your support system, but find out they never were in the first place. No one understands, they just think they do; but they don't. I will be strong, they will be strong and the millions out there will be strong. They have no choice but to be.

Welcome to the world.

House democrats pass economic stimulus

In the spirit of partisanship, rather than bipartisanship, House Democrats have passed President Barack Obama’s $819 billion economic stimulus plan. This news will almost certainly be disappointing to the President who has made a conscience effort to work with those on the other side of the isle. The vote passed the House of Representatives 244-188, largely along party lines with even some democrats voting against the measure. No republicans voted for the bill.

President Barack Obama not only wanted this measure to pass; there was no chance that it would not pass given a democratically controlled Congress. However, President Obama wanted a true victory in the sense that both democrats and republicans would support this bill in great numbers. That show of support would give the markets some much needed confidence in this important piece of legislation, confidence that this was sound economic policy and that it would work to put people back to work and to get the country back on track.

The journey for this piece of legislation, however, is not complete. The United States Senate is currently working their version of the stimulus plan and Senate republicans might have something more to work with. Once complete, the bill will go to conference committee in which details would be hammered out to get a final bill to the President for signature.

Republicans have noted that they have voted not on political lines, but on philosophical lines. Whether or not that serves the best interest of the American people in this time of need remains to be seen, however, Mr. President, you surely have your work cut out for you.

The end of the 'Age of Bush'

It will be the job of historians over the next generation to adequately depict the legacy left behind by George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States. Yesterday, President Bush gave what will be his last press conference in the Brady room of the White House. Mr. Bush appeared ever so defiant and open about his eight years as the leader of the free world. He made the case before the press that to make any real judgments on his legacy at this point in time would be premature and that only time will be the real judge of his presidency. However, to a degree Mr. Bush is correct; time in fact will be the final judge of just how successful or not 43rd was, but the country and the world are currently living testament to the policies of this president and that alone cannot be ignored, nor shall it wait for historians to paint a picture we are all familiar with.

Over the last few weeks since Barack Obama became president-elect, President Bush and his administration have been on what has been deemed a ‘legacy tour’. Vice-President Dick Cheney has been on a number of Sunday morning television shows and made a number of speeches defending the policies of George Bush. Vice-President Cheney reflected on some of the instances in this administration that caused controversy, one being that of torture. Cheney was asked about methods of torture used by the United States against enemy combatants; waterboarding in particular, by veteran CNN host Wolf Blitzer and Cheney admitted in fact that waterboarding was a technique used to gather information from a few terrorists. He claims that it was not a widespread tactic in the administration but that it was done to keep America safe, the bumper sticker of this Bush Administration.

President Bush himself has also done a number of interviews and continues to do so making the case that he did what he felt was right to protect and defend America. However, some have began to ask the question that what happens when your all is not enough? President Bush was questioned yesterday about the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina and his judgments on the response. President Bush was very adamant that he did not feel the response to the storm was slow and in fact point out that 30,000 people were rescued from roofs by rescue workers. However, can that alone be what sways public decision to believe otherwise? That the federal response to Katrina was indeed slow? It is not. Seeing people in stadiums on cots for weeks, people who to this day still have not been able to move into their homes, outright incompetence at FEMA cannot be ignored. The United States simply was not prepared and that blames has to be shared by both state and local municipalities along with the federal government.

At that press conference, President Bush was also asked about America’s moral standing around the world and if he believed it was damaged at all. Strikingly, President Bush remarked that he did not agree with the assessment that America’s moral standing around the world had been damaged at all. The fact remains that America’s moral standing has been seriously compromised and no historian is needed to make this conclusion for the American people. When terrorist in Mumbai asked hostages with American passports to be presented, there is no doubt that the world sees America much differently and whether the President has come to terms with this, the fact remains. A commission set up to evaluate that terrorist groups are resurgent and stronger than before the Iraq War are alarming and speak to the notion that the years ahead for America will call for serious changes in our international relations. Our policy towards the Middle East has also brought into question America’s unwavering support of Israel.

With the economy in shambles, President Bush has indicated that he did what he was told by his top economic advisors; and that if something was not done the country would see a depression greater than the great depression. In that aspect, the President does have some standing, however, this crisis did not appear over night and his administration will be judged down the line for what it did not do to prevent the economic crisis.

Whether or not history is kind to Mr. Bush, it will be fair. While we look to the future for ultimate judgment, look back now at the last eight years and wonder if Mr. Bush in fact did his best and was that really enough. Furthermore, another question that we can answer now is do we feel safer before or after the ‘Age of Bush?’

U.S. President first

A lot of news is surrounding President-elect Barack Obama and his views on the situation in Gaza. Some in the media and around the world have mentioned that his response to the situation has been weak and that his one president at a time stance is just not strong enough. However, in actuality, there is only one president at a time and any disagreement with that notion is misguided.

While international affairs are extremely important, the United States is in the middle of an economic recession. Currently, the United States is in no position to fully act without first getting its own house in order. Barack Obama was elected firstly by the American people to bring more jobs to the country, fix the economy and put more dollars into the pockets of middle class families.

If Hamas and Israel keep fighting, neither sides can expect the United States to continually be involved. The United States along with other nations must work together to get this situation solved, However, because Barack isn’t making any serious statements on the situation is irrelevant while President Bush still sits in the White House on the nation’s payroll. It is important that Mr. Obama know what the current administration is doing so that he can effectively hit the ground moving when he is sworn in; but for him to come out and make statements at this time is just inappropriate.

To have two different voices on the subject can prove to be a detriment to what may already be in the works. After January 20th, Mr. Obama will be the 44th President of the United States and in a position to make any statements he see fits on the matter, but in his current position, will a statement cause both sides to stop fighting? Highly unlikely.

As Mr. Obama said Monday at a meeting with his economic team, the people’s business cannot wait. Obama is first and most importantly the President of the United States, not president of the world. Countries of the world have proven to be self-dependent and must work out the necessary cease fires and agreements as such. The most important item on President-elect Obama’s agenda is the economy and he is just in thinking that way.