Blog – Page 2 – Gravyology

13Feb 2013 by Gravy

Not so Tolerant After-all? How Today’s Progressives are the new Right

There used to be a time that if you didn’t like a Black athlete or actor it meant you’re a racist; whether you really were or not. The same thing is going on today. In 2013 America, the racist hard right has been replaced by the intolerable hard left. I have found Progressive Liberals to be some of the most intolerant people in America today. Progressives claim to be so tolerant of alternative lifestyles, unless you disagree with them. If you disagree then you’re a bigot and unenlightened. Here’s a lesson about tolerance: it’s not tolerance if have to agree or else. Tolerance means “hey, I understand we have differences of opinion, I don’t like it, but I’m not going to crucify you for it.” I tolerate smelly…

28Dec 2012 by Gravy

Keepin’ It Real: “Corn-ball Brothas”… Dedicated to Rob Parker of ESPN

Black Politics & Culture

There is such a thing as “real brothas” and “Corn-balls.” Rob Parker of ESPN was recently suspended for 30 days for what the network deemed irresponsible comments regarding Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins. Parker’s comments were: “Well, he’s Black, he kind of does his thing. But he’s not really down with the cause, he’s not one of us.” Shouldn’t we be pointing out Blacks who are not really “down for the cause”? The cause, of course, being restoring pride and uplifting the Black community. Embracing Blackness has nothing to do with where you are from or what predominately white high school you went to. You can grow up surrounded by white people and still have a strong commitment to know Black history and embrace Black identity. …

21Nov 2012 by Gravy

It’s the Conservative in Me: A Message to my Other Half…

Issues in American Politics

Now that the election is over, I feel it’s necessary to offer my advice and support to my other, Conservative half. You see, as a registered Independent, I don’t necessarily identify with either major political party. Both parties are a joke and not so different from each other ideologically. I cannot in good conscience support a party filled with a history of racism and continued racist rhetoric at core of their platform. At the same time, disillusioned liberals and progressives are just as bad; using individualism to essentially lower societies collective standard by making everything politically correct and abandoning any resemblance of a moral and ethical society. Not to play Monday morning quarterback to why Romney lost, but the 2012 Presidential election was decisive and American progressivism can…

04Nov 2012 by Gravy

Trickle-down Diversity? Civil Rights and the Noble Lie (Part I)…

Black Politics & Culture

As we get closer to Election Tuesday, I feel it is important that we take a closer look at the appearance of civil rights issues and Blacks’ involvement in diversity and multiculturalism. First, not every issue is a civil rights issue. It is offensive and repugnant to take modern issues of discomfort and file them under the banner of civil rights and the issues faced by Blacks during the 1950s and 60s. Anyone who frames the modern struggles of “underrepresented groups” as civil rights issues is suffering from advanced disillusionment about civil rights in America. During the civil rights movement, Blacks were discriminated against and denied their rights as citizens based on race, the outward display of their ethnicity. They were denied the right to vote, stay in…

09Oct 2012 by Gravy

America: The Spoiled Teenager…

Issues in American Politics

My international relations class is filled with international students. In a class of 23, only three of my students are American born. With so many students from other countries and now receiving their education in America, one would think that words of admiration and unbridled enthusiasm for America’s way of life would pour out of their mouths. Some have come from war-torn, poor, and religious intolerant nations. Sound familiar? Yet with so much diversity, the feeling of anti-Americanism dominates the classroom. Discussion in the classroom centers on how America should not promote its values, way of life, or democracy on anyone else. “America has its own problems to figure out before they go telling other countries what to do.” And “Americans are immoral and selfish.” But, America also…

01Oct 2012 by Gravy

Sometimes the Answer is NO…

Faith & Spirituality

People want a lot of things. We pray for a lot of things. Every morning I wake up I pray for the prosperity and health of my family and friends, and the focus and strength to accomplish all the tasks that I need to do that day. But every now and then our prayers get a little more specific. We pray for a job. We pray for the perfect relationship. We pray for wealth and the health of ill family members. All prayers get answered, but we do not always get what we specifically pray for. Thus, the question eventually becomes, why not? Sometimes it’s not even for us! We pray for others to get a job. For others to get healthy. For others to find happiness. When…

10Jun 2012 by Gravy

Downside to high standards, everyone holds you to them…

Rants & Raves

The general level of what is currently acceptable behavior in society is low; what is required of people in America is less and less, especially morally. People set low expectations and have low standards for themselves, others, and society so that they can be unaccountable and don’t have to do anything significant without being judged too harshly. They also have low values and sense of self-worth which adds to their low level of expectations and low standards; settling for BS because deep down they know they are full of BS too. The best they can do is to hope to never be found out by others exactly how full of it they are, or find someone else equally full of it and the two go on and live “happily” ignoring…