DIVIDED WE STAND

"One of the most segregated times in America is the hour of worship."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



These are some of the most mystifying moments of my life and honestly I am a tad bit worried. Just think, technology is advancing at warped speeds and common sense is decreasing at a similar (yet unfortunate) rate. The defined class where one resides will probably determine the economic success. (Editior's note) the middle-class will no longer be an option.

Ride with me for a minute.

I was at a gas station the other day and some Alec Baldwin-looking cat steps to the counter, drops a pound in front of the cashier and says: Excuse me, can I get $100 on pump three. Every head in the store turned to see what was parked at pump three, I on the other hand, had this certain urge to pee. At the urinal I just wondered when is this liberation thing in Iraq going to manifest. Or will I have to get gas with a ski mask and a gat. Then, the more realistic thought manifested... which is just how silly I'm going to look in my new Acura Hybrid... with a subwoofer. Once the daydreaming stopped, I dropped $11 on pump four and I headed to my business appointment at the office of The 100 Black Men of America.

The lady who runs the Atlanta-based 100 Black Men's office told me "We don’t do business with white vendors." I guess she had a bad experience with the Tiger Woods Negro Foundation. I told her that approach was noble and I cannot help but respect that. In fact I wish more people had that option. The one hiccup in their plan is, black people don’t make copiers, printers, or fax machines (which was the reason for my visit), so even if the person that sold the equipment was black, (in this case me) the manufacturer won't be... so what would really be the point? As she contemplated whether or not she should have ever opened the door (never mind calling me back), I gathered my pictured presentation, zipped my gear and made my exit through the ironically colored white doors.

Once I returned to my lily-white office to discuss my unproductive field experience with my manager, he stopped me (mid sentence) and asked: "What kind of people only does business based on race? I was eager to remind him that he voted for Regan, Nixon and Bush... twice. But the words couldn't get pass my silly smirk or twitching tongue. Instead, I asked him: Have you ever heard of this organization called the Augusta National, home to The Master’s Golf Tournament? I probably should have waited for option three.

I did however, update my resume.

The downward spiral to the day peaked when I heard a shout from an adjoined cube-mate that bellowed, "Ray, can you believe this SHIT, MSNBC just fired Imus...
stay tuned

1 love,

Ray Lewis