Blackie O. on Disengaging

When I was asked to participate in this blogging thing I had no idea what that really entailed. Should I try to be funny, insightful, a politico; do I have time to contribute to a blog? After all, I’m very busy procrastinating.

After conversations with a few different people, I surmised that blogging is all about writing about a subject you feel strongly about which is why I came to the conclusion that my first blog should be The Seinfeld Blog, namely…a blog about absolutely nothing. Just as Seinfeld was a show about nothing, my blog entry will essentially be that, a blog about nothing because I have no strong feelings or opinions about anything right now. Not to imply that I don’t care about the things we all care about, family, friends, all the bullsh*t happening in the world today, it’s more of a disengagement. I have mentally and physically disengaged.

Everything has become too much, personal family issues, the war, the recession; every day people are dying senseless deaths, losing jobs, homes, their general sense of concern for others and to deal with it all many are turning to drugs, alcohol, shopping with money they don’t have, anything to dull the pain and divorce themselves from reality. Me, I find that the best way to deal with it all is to disengage.

As a deeply empathetic person, I simply cannot take the feelings of hopelessness associated with caring about the plight of others and the seemingly insurmountable sadness that comes from knowing yet not understanding why situations and people in general are so f’d up. It is very difficult to take on another’s pain or mentally walk a mile in someone else’s shoes every day, but this is what I’ve done in the past and this is why at this moment I find myself disengaged.

Simply put, I am tired. Tired of seeing people I care about suffer from the pain of loss, abuse at home, abuse in the work place, tired of watching the news and seeing people losing their lives to terrorists and their homes to financial and natural disasters. I sometimes wish I was one of those people who only cared about me and what was happening in my immediate world, but I could never be that person, so for the moment I remain disengaged. It’s probably not the ideal way to deal with things, but given the alternatives I’ll go with it for now.

I say for now because I know me and I know that soon I will once again be fully engaged, fighting the good fight, trying to solve the problems of those closest to me by any means necessary whether it be lending an ear, giving advice or offering to put hands on somebody (I kid, I kid), I’ll soon be back in action.

As with Seinfeld, the show about nothing that touched on damn near every bit of minutia that makes up every day life, so will the blog of Blackie O. Stay tuned.

Blackie O

Comments here.

The Wealth Gap is Widening

The following article from the Washington Post (3/23/09) by Meizhu Lui describes the TEN-FOLD difference between white wealth and black wealth in the United States.  Mind you, the disparity has WORSENED since 2004 and, if this trend is not checked, can only portend disaster for our country and world.

This ominous statistic should even test the sincerity of Attorney General Eric Holder’s harshest critics who so strongly resented his description of us as a "…nation of cowards…" when it comes to the discussion of race.

Best regards,

Dave
____________________________

The Wealth Gap Gets Wider

By Meizhu Lui
Monday, March 23, 2009; A15

The chips are in.

Every three years, the Federal Reserve, in its Survey of Consumer Finances, takes a look at how U.S. households are doing and reports on our assets and liabilities. The euphoria of our gambling spree is over. In the harsh glare of morning, the hangover is tough. And the latest data are from 2007, so they don’t even capture the worst of the decline.

The net worth of the average American family is less than it was in 2001. We borrowed more for that trip to Vegas than we brought home. Everyone knows this now.

But here’s something being talked about much less: The gap between the wealth of white Americans and African Americans has grown. According to the Fed, for every dollar of wealth held by the typical white family, the African American family has only one dime. In 2004, it had 12 cents.

This is not just a gap. It’s a deepening canyon.

The overhyped political term "post-racial society" becomes patently absurd when looking at these economic numbers. This week, experts on asset building in communities of color are meeting with members of Congress to talk about closing the wealth gap. While the government is rescuing failing financial institutions as a short-term measure, those at the two-day Color of Wealth Policy Summit will make the case that the nation’s long-term economic future depends on the inclusion of all Americans in opportunities to build wealth.

Why such a big gap? The biggest predictor of the future economic status of a child is the net worth of the child’s parents. Even modest inheritances or gifts within a parent’s lifetime — such as paying for college or providing the down payment on a home — can give a child a lift up the economic ladder. And historically, white families have enjoyed more government support and tax-paid subsidies for their asset-building activities.

Complete article here.

Comments here.