"THE STIGMAS CREATED THE VERDICT"

BY AL KING


These are my views as a Black Man, Father and Civilian that I will be honest in sharing in this passage. I have sat back and taken in the many different stances that have been taken in light of this very unfortunate occurrence. I want to extend my heartfelt prayers and condolences to the Martin family as they deal with this very sad outcome. Each of us has been touched by the murder of Trayvon Martin and the verdict that ensued. It could have easily been your son or relative placed in that very same situation which is a very real and actual testament of the times we live in. We can voice that the result of this trial was unfair and no justice was served which may very well be the case but moving toward a solution is imperative. We need to wake up.   But let’s be clear that the STIGMAS surrounding the Black Male is what substantially shaped the outcome of this trial. The magnitudes of these stigmas that are attached to the Black Male have dictated so much in the lives of each colored individual.

 

We can choose to ignore the obvious but the reality is we have become spoken for before we can even say a word in our defense.  Any Black Male will be subjected and scrutinized on these stigmas that continue to be affirmed based on the actions that support them. There is no benefit of the doubt or fair judgment being exercised. The judicial system is a playing field for these stigmas to be used against any Black defendant, easily defeating the mantra of “innocent until proven guilty.”  Each day he is forced to accept the repercussions of these stigmas by being profiled; to the extent of driving a car, shopping in a store or simply walking down a street. You would have to be a complete fool to not take this fact into consideration if you’re a Black Man living in America. We are perceived and judged by what has already been pre-set in the minds of everyone that is non-black. Unfortunately, the benefit of the doubt is just not something that we are obliged to receive.

 

Society views the Black Male as a violent source because we have lessened our expressions in the form of violence. In our own elements we kill one another over things that are not worth taking it to that extent, appearing to have no respect for the life of another and even our own. Based on the history of how we treat one another, it’s interpreted that we are all physical, non-loving, uncivilized beings that kill one another for no reason. The constant embrace of ignorance, violence and mischief in our communities or backyards so to speak don’t help the perceptions of those outside of the Black Race. The outcome of this conduct is rooted to a normalcy that we have chosen to embed in our mindsets and practices. Using hate and shunning love plays a very integral and damaging piece to this puzzle.  That hate that’s constantly spewed is why we choose to destroy one another for petty reasons but we want everyone else to respect us.

 

Let’s not wait for something to happen and then act like we want it to stop when we are not being pro-active to begin with. Problems can be reduced by taking a pro-active approach which is something we fail to grasp. Being motivated in a different way will be conducive to the changes we desperately need. I think as parents, we need to teach our children that these stigmas are prevalent and show them how to deal with them. We are only curtailing the truth and what’s a part of the reality we are faced with each day by acting as if these things aren’t there. For example, Black Men are profiled period. It does matter what you wear, drive and the times you are out in public that can very well dictate your destiny. If we choose to act as if this is not the world we live in, we are only doing a disservice to our own understanding and safety. Having a pro-active stance eliminates possibilities. Why are we people that only react instead of creating solutions before they become problems? Then when we are spanked with these incidents that force our hand there are temporary outcries filled with rage, resentment and emotionally charged acts up that only last until the smoke clears.  

All along, we are more than equipped to deter things from happening by taking the necessary steps that will promote a difference. We can accomplish more by doing better. Seeing where we can work on what has become a factor in what only transforms into the regressive nature that we carry from one incident to the next. Must I also remind you that we are the same people that sensationalize the people that destroy our communities by making them martyrs. We are the same people that fail to rally for the things that can uplift and empower us a whole but come together and form consortiums of negativity.  Again, wake up. Once people close their doors they are less inclined to be concerned about what goes on outside of it until it directly hits home. As a parent, this has provoked a lot of concern. A concern where you can’t teach your children to not be a victim of violence solely based on the color of their skin.

 

How many of us are going to rally for the presence of LOVE? We must demonstrate that we can love and co-exist with one another without using violence as the answer. Deplete these stigmas so that our future children are given the opportunity to prove themselves without being judged. We can blame the judicial system for failing us of justice but does that deplete the fact that we are a very troubled race WITHIN? Can we continue to have no regard for the life of our own and expect others too? Black on Black crime is just as prevalent today as it was thirty-years ago. If we continue to lose our youth, wouldn’t it be safe to say that the Black adult will become endangered species?  Where will the wisdom come from? Who will the mentors mentor? We must work on changing how we treat one another in order to make changes. Sadly, the lack of love has created a culture, trait and characteristic to bring bodily and gravely harm in a split second to one another. We must wake up!

 

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"DEAR YOUTH"

Dear Youth,

 

I have been very moved to write to you all because of the influx of violence......... just this past weekend in New York City alone there were six murders out of twenty-six shootings. That’s a mere reflection of the violent decisions that are being made to handle disagreements, misunderstandings, envy, jealousy and all issues. It’s become evident that violent measures are continuously outweighing rationale approaches. We all know someone that has died at the hands of gun violence. Hearing the news on these recent incidents it’s just awful because there are families being ripped apart with scars that will never heal. You can’t replace a life once it’s gone. If this unacceptable madness continues the youth will become endangered species. Will we continue this endemic and disrespect for human life and continue to kill one another?  When will it stop? How many people we have to lose every weekend?  I share my voice with you as a concerned parent, human, and Black Man that’s from the very same element that these violent expressions play out in—the urban environment.  Sadly, seeing this in the present quickly brings me back to the crack era that I grew up in where bloodshed was typical. Having experienced my fair share of turmoil and mayhem at the time was indescribable. To be honest, I’m still traumatized by the many different things I have embedded in my memory of those times. Forced to hear gunshots and seeing many lives lost was just a normal occurrence. Seeing enough of it to desensitize you where you sort of knew what to expect.   I am very appreciative to have survived those dismal conditions of the inner-city or the jungle (so to speak) because so many weren’t able to do so. In a perfect world, we should all be able to reside in a civilized setting and not fear for our lives each time we leave our homes. How about not facing the possibility of being a victim of gun violence and placed at the mercy of someone that has no regard for the life of others…... based on how they feel that day.  We all think about what goes through the mind of a person that can savagely take the life of another human and not feel any remorse for doing so.

As parents, we are producing children right along with characteristics and traits of violence at the same time. By not teaching them through example we are only forcing them to learn from the pressures of the environment.  They go out into the world and learn from the angry and frustrated people that have no idea how to channel their emotions—those that will take all of those emotions out on someone that has nothing to do with it. We all know that problems do not discriminate whether you are young or old. Unfortunately, violence has become the chosen form of expression because we don’t know how to communicate and resolve our indifferences with one another.  I also believe that these acts of violence stem from a deep-rooted hate for one another that has become an instinct and natural reaction. So how are we going to tackle this problem and reach a solution?  First, we can only destroy this mindset by proving that there are other alternatives to approaching a problem, feeding your ego and garnering attention instead of resorting to violence.  The mission is about taking that split second of irrationality away and not making it something that will forever alter the lives of everyone involved.  Directly or indirectly, we are all affected in some way which is why it’s important that we learn from these incidents so that we diminish the reality of losing our boys and men early in their lives. We will never know what potential of greatness is being taken from our universe all because someone feels they have the right to take the life of another. My heart and prayers go out to every family that has had to face the unfortunate incident of violence. You are all very meaningful and significant and play an integral part to our tomorrow, I thank you all that have taken the time to read this post and let’s be people of change!

 

                                                                AL KING

 

“WHY ME?”

BY AL KING

We face some adversity and the first thing we say to ourselves is ……. Why Me? Well, let me tell you something that you need to hear. First, do you say why me when things are going your way? I highly doubt it. In a very interesting way we are specifically chosen for each battle and it’s never one that we can’t overcome. We are taken for a ride where we may even be stripped of everything that we have, getting all the way to our very low. That happens because GOD requires your undivided attention and wants you to have no distractions as he converses to you through the experience. He knows that he must shake your entire world up to get your attention, taking away even some of the essentials that you need but will never leave you with nothing. In the end, you will thank him for being sacrificed and used as an example that will help others as you thicken your testimony and champion your feat. This process has nothing to do with karma but purpose. It’s very important to recognize that we must be refined in order to realize both our plight and purpose. Personally, it had taken me some time to accept that some of the things that had been thrown at me were divinely orchestrated just for me to attain the hard lesson.

Days and nights, I would sit and wallow in my reality and ask that same question because my circumstances seemed unfair and unjust. It wasn’t until I begin to face and accept the choices and decisions that I made that I begin to see the reason behind it all. We refuse to be accountable and responsible for our today and tomorrow based on what we did yesterday and for every action there is a reaction. We can’t get somewhere without going through something in the form of humility to reach the destination. That somewhere is a significant piece of our ultimate purpose. Do you really think that anything that’s worth having and honoring will come without some form of turbulence? Most of us want everything to come our way without any bumps in the road, smooth sailing where we just ride off into the sunset.  It’s not until life intervenes and forces us to appreciate our simplest blessings that we get it. Once we have gotten through it all I can assure you it will feel like we never went through it. I know that many of you may be enduring something that has you wanting to give up but I implore that you continue to push in order to get through it. Remember, all you need is a teardrop of faith to get through anything. The impossible is always a step away from being possible!

“NEW BLESSINGS”

BY AL KING

Happy New Year!

We should all be appreciative and grateful for being granted a new start full of potential to receive an abundance of new blessings. This is an opportunity to reset and grow from what you have learned from the previous year.  Whatever the challenges you were given, take the lessons and be thankful for your newly acquired wisdom. Take the bad and understand it could have been worse. You also have an incentive to make things better because you have grown in perspective and experience. A better understanding, a stronger perspective. Everything that we look to get accomplished is possible when we are healthy and optimistic in our mindset. You can’t expect anything to transpire positive if you are already thinking negatively. One thing I have observed over and over is how most of us approach a new year with the mindset of elimination.

 With this immense aggression we begin to deplete people out of our lives by changing numbers and ignoring calls. Any means of carrying this out is done. I personally don’t take this approach but to each his own. The thing about that is that the challenge and problem is usually not those you deal with but it lies in you. People will eliminate others and replace them with the SAME type of person. Instead of carrying out this act of rash elimination they should have sat down and conducted a self-analysis. We often out-rule the possibility of the problem being right within our own person.  We resort to diverting the blame on others and carry a delusional state that we had no part in our own circumstances. Truthfully, we have made choices and decisions that have created a reality that we are left to accept and correct or allow to become our forever. 

You may be reading and saying what does this have to do with New Blessings? Well, you can block your own blessings by not being in a healthy space of your own. How can you accept a blessing if you are not able to accept yourself? It requires a lot to be centered, humble and mature enough to decipher and receive a blessing which is why our own self-investment is crucial.  When we have built up our own person we are fully capable of identifying, receiving and doing the right things with the blessing. If not, we may not even see it or be waiting for it, to come to us. You can be patiently waiting for that blessing that’s actually waiting for you to COME and GET IT. It may be right in front of you and you have chosen to ignore it because your deciphering is off and you are so cloudy that it has totally taken your judgment somewhere else. If you have ignored or not identified with your blessings just don’t feel slighted because they were passed on to someone that has done what you didn’t. So do everything in your power to be focused so that you do the right thing with your blessings.

POSITIONING is everything. I strongly believe that you must position yourself in order to receive blessings. Here are few things that will aid in that positioning; 

·        Place GOD FIRST.

·        Be Righteous.

·        Be Receptive.

·        Be Respectful.

·        Invest in the things that promote your growth and healthiness; spiritually, mentally, financially and holistically.

Keep in mind that if something is not helping you, I can assure you that it’s hurting you. I extend my sincerest blessings to you and hope that you attain all of what you desire all within means. Go out and have a great year full of prosperity ……. Be Bold and Be Blessed!

“SELF-IMPROVEMENT”

BY AL KING

As you may all know, I am the author of my debut book “Let it be Known.” Before I released this project I made an honest assessment of some things that I felt I needed to work on within myself. One thing that didn’t fit well (pun intended) was that I had gained a substantial amount of weight. I began to feel physically sluggish to go right along with the aches and cramps which I knew was the result of this weight I was carrying. I was always an athlete so not moving my body for so many years, I realized this was the penalty I was now enduring. With responsibility and continuously working non-stop in your daily grind, eating the wrong foods, not exercising, we lose ourselves in the process and the weight gain seems like it comes from out of nowhere. It’s said that you can acquire wealth but if you’re not healthy, you will spend that same wealth on your health.  After feeling heavy and my body began to ache, I came to the conclusion that I had to make some personal improvements to go along with some the goals I was working hard to execute with business. The first thing I did was detox my body, change my diet and start an exercising regimen. A year later I am fifty-pounds lighter and feeling a thousand percent better with myself and probably added ten more years to my life by making the commitment and dedication to do better. Today, I continue to live a different and conscious lifestyle of better health practices because I refuse to not be my best. I share my own journey through “Self-Improvement” because we tend to downplay just how much we become our investments.

Overall, improvement is a necessity by all means but Self-Improvement is non-negotiable and should be the utmost priority in your world. We sometimes end up neglecting our own advancement by stifling our own development by investing in outside entities FIRST. By doing that, we are placing ourselves second and possibly last which not only defies self-preservation but it defeats our own relevance. I firmly believe that strong relationships are contingent on a strong personal relationship that starts with the person in the mirror. You can’t have any healthy relationships with anyone if you are not in a relationship with yourself. Keep in mind that we are all under construction. With that understanding, we are not perfect and there are things that we all should be diligently and consistently working on to make ourselves better. Identification facilitates in converting our weaknesses and flaws to strengths. There are some that live in a delusional state by fooling themselves into believing that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. Each day should consist of becoming the best person possible. By making those strides we are able to convert our current challenges into future triumphs.  

 I wanted to share a few areas that you may need to consider improving in;

·        Health- If you are not healthy, nothing in your life will be.

·        Mindset- Keep in mind that you are your thoughts.

·        Objectives- Don’t neglect your own dreams as you work your job and steadily invest in someone's dream.

·        Character- Strengthen your weaknesses by focusing on those areas that pose a challenge and discomfort. Being the best person will attract the best.

I hope that I can inspire just one person to make some self-improvements starting today!

“SEASON'S CAN’T BE CONTROLLED”

BY AL KING

You can’t force what will be because what will be......simply will be. I don’t care how much you attempt to pressure things into the universe things will happen divinely. Am I saying that prayers are not answered? Not at all….. There are just absolutely no accidents in the universe and every result is a calculated journey. I know some of you are experiencing a strong desire to make some things happen through your sheer determination and may possibly feel things are not moving quick enough. That is totally fine but there are seasons for every seed to sprout. It’s very hard to accept that realization in why something may not be coming into manifestation when you need results NOW. Keep in mind that a process will always come before the results.

Quite essentially, your patience and respect for that process is what will invoke the growth of that seed. I don’t care how much you attempt to rush it, if it’s not time, it’s just not time. Life gets in the way as we work to keep our essentials in place, bills paid and the rigorous demands of being responsible create an emotion all on their own. We’re always looking to find stability and peace in what we know as ……..living.  All of this is heightened when we are responsible for others in our role as providers. I wanted to share these words with you because sometimes we need to hear an echo of what we already know…. So allow things to move in alignment without fretting and remain poise as your season arrives!