Some Thoughts
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Pete Buttigieg Called Me. Here's What Happened
The first thing you should know about me is that I absolutely hate talking on the phone. My friends, family and co-workers all know this about me. It’s not the talking that bothers me, it’s the anticipation angst from waiting for a phone call. Therapy and self-reflection have informed me that my subconscious anxiety is…
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NBA Player Calls Black Women 'Bulldogs,' Then Defends Himself by…Quoting Dr. King?
I think I have some thoughts today about Patrick Patterson, the NBA player who implied that black women are “bulldogs” in an Instagram comment while defending his marriage to Sarah Nasser (a white woman). I think it’s funny seeing him referred to as an “NBA Star” in write-ups about this story, cause that’s like calling…
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40 Questions for the People Who Stand as Soon as the Plane Lands
(Disclaimer: If you’re physically impaired in some capacity and need to stand as soon as the plane lands, please ignore this and keep standing! If not, well, answer me!) 1. Where are you going? 2. Do you not yet realize that we are going to the same place? 3. And that the door is shut?…
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Is the Top of the Refrigerator a Shelf? A Black Supreme Court Decision
As appointees to the Black Supreme Court, we are often called upon to settle the difficult issues of our time. Over the past two years, this court has found itself smack dab in the center of some of the most contentious cultural debates including: Which one is the Big Joker? Can Donald Trump read? Who…
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Botham Jean, Amber Guyger and the Delusion of Forgiveness
It was described as “stunning,” “rare,” and “inspirational”: Brandt Jean, the younger brother of Botham Jean, killed last year at the hands of a Dallas police officer who mistakenly walked into his apartment, asking his brother’s killer if he could hug her. “I love you as a person,” Jean, who had been delivering his victim…
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The Only Coup in U.S. History Was Orchestrated by White Supremacists
Donald Trump ratcheted up his veiled threats of a looming civil war on Tuesday night, tweeting that an upcoming impeachment inquiry was akin to a “coup.” The claim is ludicrous on its face, but given the nature of Trump and his supporters’ feedback loop, many outlets felt forced to give the dictionary definition of what…
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Pittsburgh Is the Worst City in America for Black People. Here's How It Can Get Better
If you need an example of the level of danger Pittsburgh’s black population faces for just living in the city, drive down Centre Avenue, go through the Hill District and then North Oakland, and then stop once you find yourself in front of UPMC Shadyside. Park your car, get out, and survey the beautiful campus…
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Cracker, Explained (In 450 Words!)
Really? What? This is what we’re doing today? A cracker explainer? In 2019? It is. And I’m as shocked as you are. Why Damon? Last week, it was reported that then-Los Angeles Raider Antonio Brown, during a heated argument, called Raiders general manager Mike Mayock a cracker. Then-Raider Antonio Brown? He’s not with them anymore?…
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Maybe America Can Solve Its Gun Problem by Using Our Most Abundant Natural Resource—Racism
There is no government. According to the heralded founding fathers who brainstormed and borrowed ideas to create the framework of America, the Constitution was written to “insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Before they even laid out the…
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Did Dave Chappelle Use Those Sticks & Stones to Build Himself a Lazy 'Shock Value' Box?
Dave Chappelle doesn’t really give a fuck what people think. Wait, let me reword that—he does give enough of a fuck to respond to his critics with a one-hour comedy special, but after he says his piece, you can kiss his entire black ass. And that’s that on that. In fact, he began his latest…