Well, the stage is all set and who would've thought that a year ago, these two teams would be meeting in the NBA Finals. Let me be the first to say that I didn't and as much as I hate both teams, I happen to hate Kobe Bryant and the L.A. Lakers a little more. Personally, I don't think this will be a long series so I'm taking the Boston Celtics in 6.
Don't get me wrong, the Lakers are playing really well right now but, all good things must come to an end. Something tells me the old Kobe will rear his ugly head and try to will himself to a 4th championship but I could be wrong. We'll see how things play out though but can someone please explain to me how great defensive teams like the Spurs and Pistons can lose double-digit leads? It's mind boggling to believe that these two teams aren't meeting again in the finals but, I digress.
Ratings wise, the NBA got the dream match-up so I'm sure there not complaining but damn, it's not that Kobe is that good but rather that his team is much better around him. The same goes for Paul Pierce and the Celtics. Oh well, Thursday seems like a long way away but Game 1 just can't come soon enough. Will you be watching?
Not only is this new Indiana Jones flick pretty good but it puts itself right up there in contention with Iron Man as the top summer blockbuster. 
It’s no question that the legendary crew hailing from “illadelphia” have spanned an illustrious career of classic material, but outside of their loyal fan base--nobody really seems to take notice. However, one can only rise down for so long and fortunately for The Roots, their rising up will be well worth the wait.
First things first, before I even get into what we will be discussing today, I just want to say that in no way am I advocating/endorsing any of the proposed behavior and that in order to fully understand where I’m coming from, all I ask is that you suspend rationality. As far as this being a race issue…understandably, I could see where people could misinterpret the intent but if you dig deep, then I really can’t see how you could think otherwise. Just know this, whenever you think things are one way, realize that a reflection doesn't have to run parallel and that surface meaning has absolutely no value here. So, with all that said, I’d like to welcome you all to a beautiful piece of strange that I like to call “Viva La White Girl”. Enjoy.
Black America’s allure for the “white girl” has been deeply rooted for years, but it’s only now becoming more prominent. Racial tension remains prevalent and follwing the recent injustice served with the controversial verdict of the Sean Bell case, you would think that it shouldn’t take something like this to bring us together. For years injustice has rang out in this country of ours only to be subdued but for so many years spent rising down, our rising up is sure to be bittersweet.; However, until that day, I guess all of this is a moot point but still, I digress.
You see, it’s not so much the fact that our purported values lack merit because, for the most part, we’re pretty prideful people. Our history is enriched with tales of courage, endurance, and standing up for what we believe in but somewhere along the way, it seems like we’ve lost sight of all that. So much attention is placed on material possessions, as well as the ever elusive chase of the almighty dollar, that “hustlin” has become an unwritten creed/guideline. I think Biggie said it best, “Either you slang rock or have a wicked jumpshot” and unfortunately, young black males are succumbing to the pressures of innercity society. They feel like these are their only two options to make it out and be successful when really, that’s not the case. Who cares what society wants you to be? The alternative is a statistic and it’s alarming to know that there are more black males in prison then there are in college. It’s a sad, harsh reality but in real life there are no gray areas. Things are what they are and unless there’s a beacon for change, things aren’t going to get better on there own.
Believe it or not, but the black male is an endangered species. As much as it hurts me to categorize us as such, the realization of such a claim has so many social aspects to it that I don‘t even know where to begin. From one standpoint, people stereotypically associate black, inner city youth with drugs and other assorted paraphernalia but also, the ideology of the black man’s kryptonite is something I feel the need to explore as well. 
As a black male, I feel like I have certain obligations and regularities to abide by but deep down lies an embedded piece of software that causes a malfunction from time to time. It’s not prevalent in all black men but I’d say a good majority have this particular character defect. Does it make us any less black? No, it only makes us normal to be honest but jungle fever and detox is not something that go hand in hand. In theory, it would be great if it did but conversely, an addiction is only proprietary by the abuser. That being said, I never could find the logic in people’s disdain for what most consider “selling out” but, really, there’s no white or wrong. Love, like complexity, in it’s purest form is raw, uncut emotion unheralded by the fact that an overdose is remotely possible; but in all fairness, I prefer to liken these feelings to a game of Russian roulette. Either way, a metaphorical suicide is taking place in our community and to just sit idly by and do nothing, is only contributing to this unbridled truth. Things can’t be seen as just black and white anymore and until we embrace that fact, I fear racial genocide will be the end result. It just goes to show that some things on the surface are bigger than what they appear to be. The only question is, which one will be the death of us?
