Sean Taylor RIP

[MDS]

this is what we're talking about in my african american history class. some kid suggested that inner cities should focus more on getting kids union jobs, which then some took as a black people dont need college, and so on and so forth.

[Diomedes]

I would also like to say that there are a lot of people who appear to have been born with every privelage, but were not.  I'm looking pretty good myself right now..middle class, college educated white american male.

When I was 4 my brother was 3 my sister 2, my mother was single, left by my father...on welfare.  Feeding us oatmeal three times a day.  I never saw a new piece of clothing until I was in 6th grade..we shopped at salvation army and wore handmedowns from friends.  We lived in a shack of a house that had  standing water in the basement 1/5 of the year, raw sewage seeping into the back yard through the hurricane damaged leech field, and insufficient electricity to run a drier...my whole life I wore clothes hung outside or in the winter, in the musty basement.  When my mother moved out of the house--after we had all departed for college--no one moved in.  It has stood vacant and deterioriating ever since.  We moved into it for the school system, knowing that the landlord would do nothing to fix it and we had better not complain because they'd rather sell it.

I got where I am by a fair measure of luck, I'll grant that.  I was born white american male afterall, and I've had good health.   But to look at our family today you'd think we always lived in nice Victorian New England homes and everyone shopped at GAP.  My brother and sister and I are the first generation through both sides of our family to all complete 4 year degrees.  There was a lot of hard work and zesty days and unhappy times.  But rather than litter our own front yard and wait for/demand that someone save us, we showed up and did evertything we could.

A hell of a lot of people in similar positions don't do that.  And a hell of a lot of people who did do it are pretty deeply offended to be looked upon as privelaged or racist/classist for the success they have.  Others were surely less lucky than me, but I didn't get here by accident.  When I suggest that people show up and take it upon themselves to do something for themselves, I speak with some authority borne from experience.

[Seabiscuit36]

wow Dio, quite amazed by that, not that you give a shtein what i think

[Diomedes]

Amazed that I was poor, or that I'm not spewing bleeding heart liberal tripe?

Don't get me wrong, I'm 80% with vigy on this.  I did have privelages the people he's talking about don't have.  But I don't think poverty relieves you of the responsiblility to take care of yourself and your own, to clean your stoop, to show up to school and work, etc.

[Seabiscuit36]

Yep, definitely agree with take care of yourself and get some work ethic.  I've worked in the landscaping business back when i was 15-21 for my uncle.  As you said, the latin workers were always on a different level of wanting work.  Given that its not exactly the most fun work to get excited about(digging trenches for Irrigation) but i had the chance to work with some interesting people. 

[Sgt PSN]

Lots of good points made here.  

To kind of get back at the point that I think was initially trying to be made, there is a severe problem among people, not just minorities but people in general when it comes to sucessful people.  We've all heard the cliche, when you're standing at the top of the mountain, everyone is trying to knock you off.  And that's pretty much the case here with Sean Taylor.  

His "friends" wanted to ride his coat tails through life and the only way for them to do that was for Taylor to remain "one of them."  Because the minute he decides that he doesn't want that lifestyle, they're left back on the block with no future.  It seems like Taylor recognized this and decided to separate himself from that crowd.  Good for him but too little, too late.  

The whole "keeping it real" problem doesn't just affect minorities though.  I guarantee you that Jeremy Shockey had to cut ties with his po' white trash friends as well.  The only difference is that I'm pretty sure he did it well before he got his first NFL contract.  

People from every race say the same thing when one of their friends is headed for fame, glory and multi-million dollar contracts.  "Don't forget about me."  

The only difference is that for whatever reason, minorities seem to be hell bent on "representing" the little ghetto they came from where as it seems that a white athlete would just as soon move on and forget it.  Maybe I'm way off on this one but that's just my perception.  

[rjs246]

Dio's childhood sounds eerily similar to my dad's. Worked his way out, blah blah blah. No one cares. What's interesting to me is that Dio turned into a liberal and my pops turned into a raving republican lunatic. I wonder where the paths diverge. Of course the plus side of having an uber conservative dad is that he gives me all of the free venison I can handle. And meat snacks are delicious.

[Sgt PSN]

I could go for a venison and bacon sammich right about now. 

[Diomedes]

Do you get venison jerky?

[Sgt PSN]

What's interesting to me is that Dio turned into a liberal and my pops turned into a raving republican lunatic. I wonder where the paths diverge.

Simple really.  Jesus helped your dad but not Dio.  

[rjs246]

Do you get venison jerky?

Dude, not as much of it as I want. That shtein is the shtein. I could live on venison jerky alone.

[rjs246]

What's interesting to me is that Dio turned into a liberal and my pops turned into a raving republican lunatic. I wonder where the paths diverge.

Simple really.  Jesus helped your dad but not Dio. 

On the contrary, jesus and my dad don't really like each other too much. I think the son of god is biased against bald people.

[Seabiscuit36]

I was supposed to go hunting to start the deer season, but with a farged up shoulder, i'm not exactly able to handle a 12 gauge.  All i wanted was Venison burgers/chili/ and Jerkey. 

[Diomedes]

I could live on venison jerky alone.

This is why I ask.  It delicious.

[Sgt PSN]

I was supposed to go hunting to start the deer season, but with a farged up shoulder, i'm not exactly able to handle a 12 gauge.  All i wanted was Venison burgers/chili/ and Jerkey. 

it only takes 1 arm to operate a 12 gauge.  get your ass out there nancy!