dagblog - Comments for "A Message to the Hood: Knowledge is the Key"

You're absolutely right,

Wattree — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:32:13 +0000

You're absolutely right, Decider.

When we connect with other extraterrestrial cultures they'll probably consider it slanderous to be referred to as human.

Good article, Wattree. We

The Decider — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:59:37 +0000

In reply to A Message to the Hood: Knowledge is the Key

Good article, Wattree. We don't have to accept other's definitions--especially where they are intended to apply to us. For example, I'm a country club rat. Some of my Dad's buddies have tried to tell me not to call myself that because it could misuncommunicate stuff about me, but I know what it means and it is me.

God is love. I don't understand why even atheists can't agree with that.

--W

I totally agree, RM. Also,

Wattree — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:59:20 +0000

In reply to What is amazing is how

I totally agree, RM.

Also, the internet is the greatest educational tool that the world has ever known - and the internet resolves the problem of accuracy that you mentioned, since you can cross-check your information and research the background and credentials of the information providers. So we need to take full advantage of it. I certainly do. In fact, I've become more comfortable with the internet than I am books.

What is amazing is how

rmrd0000 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:43:40 +0000

In reply to A Message to the Hood: Knowledge is the Key

What is amazing is how readily available knowledge can be found. Libraries have resource services that can point you in a direction of which books or other sources touch on your subject of interest. There is a plethora of resources available online. The biggest challenge is how do determine the credibility of the availble information. That ability to sort out the crap from the gold brings true knowledge.

I was a passenger in a cab driven by a young black man who at the end of the trip told me about the research he had been doing on the Moors. He asked if I had heard of the Moors and smiles when I was able to cite some facts about the Moors in Spain. I have seen similar expressions on the face of young man in a barbershop who had recently read "The Mis-Education Of The Black Man". People are fascinated with words. You learn that you are not the only one with a particular view of a given subject. You can have your opinion changed by hearing how someone else views a given topic.

We need to strive to insure that young people find the fascination in words and knowledge that multitudes of others have found. Our future depends on knowledge.

Thank you, Richard. I do

Wattree — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:30:10 +0000

In reply to Sometimes I feel like we are

Thank you, Richard.

I do try, because I take it very seriously. As I pointed out, the Marine Corps rebuilt me from the ground up. So I sort of think of myself as a marine on bullshit patrol, because marines aren't killed by the enemy; they're killed by political bullshit.

Sometimes I feel like we are

Richard Day — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:25:38 +0000

In reply to A Message to the Hood: Knowledge is the Key

Sometimes I feel like we are all sheep who tweet.

There are suburban strongholds where someone sees a pink IPOD and pretty soon all the little girls have pink IPODs.

Or someone sees a new set of NIKEs (put together in some Chinese sweat shop) and all these little boys have the new NIKEs.

We have some idiotic need to belong.

So we mimic our neighbors for good or for bad.

But if the family caretakers really care-take, if they sit down every night with the children and go over homework assignments, if they appear at Parent/Teacher conferences, if they spend some time reading to and with the children, if they share items related to a family budget with the children (in order to demonstrate how the world really works); well love and awareness might be had by the caretakers and the children.

It takes time and effort to work with children and some sacrifice must be owned!

Once we are adults it is worthless to blame our parents of course; but if mistakes were made by our parents it is our responsibility to be better parents ourselves so that bad cycles might be broken.

Family values should not be some hypocritical repub bumper sticker.

Family and community values know no party lines.

I will say this. You might have 'lost' seven years during your childhood but those years that really were not lost somehow add to your perspective on things today and that truth makes your writing a lot more interesting than that of most other writers!