It’s a shame that Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti had to remind us that in tough times, we are ALL in this together!
The other day I heard a story about how someone voluntarily helped out a friend who was in a bad financial position. They didn’t do it because the person just got out of a hurricane. They didn’t do it because the person just survived an earthquake. They did it because their friend was in need and they knew that friend would not ask for help. They helped simply because “we are ALL in this together”.
In the early months of opening my own law firm, I worked with an attorney and a frat brother, Attorney Larry Hardaway, who offered me the opportunity to have my own office and office space with NO over head. He didn’t ask me if I needed it. He didn’t charge me some reduced rate or require that I do extra labor. In his words, “When I went out on my own, another attorney and fraternity brother opened his doors to me. I’m just returning the favor.” Those words from a man who had been practicing 30 years really rang out. He did this because, quite simply, “we are ALL in this together.”.
In my life time, I’ve seen a few things that made me MARVEL at how quickly the world can come together. I was there for the original “WE ARE THE WORLD” and “FARMAID”. I was there for Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Bertha / Fran, and Hurricane Katrina. I remember the devastation in Asia due to the Tsunami and the Earthquake. And now, HAITI! The one thing that continues to marvel me is that it doesn’t matter our political affiliations, our political parties, our religious beliefs, or our moral values. Once a natural disaster occurs, we forget ALL that and pull together and get it right.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, right now. We’re going through a natural disaster on our own soil. The time for ‘flipping houses’ has been replaced ‘foreclosures and quick sales’. The time for big investments have been replaced by Enron and Bernie Madoff. Big Business is being replaced by Bailouts. We are STRUGGLING!! However, we DON’T have to struggle ALONE!!
So many times people say “Misery LOVES company”. The idea is that miserable people want to bring others down. Trust me, that’s not entirely true. Some people want to know that others share in their misery and can give them comfort in knowing that they are NOT alone. In the midst of misery, the MIND can create all kinds of ideas to thrive and survive.
I’m not saying that that we shouldn’t help each other during a natural disaster. As a whole, we all instinctively reach out to each other when a devastating situation occurs. It goes without saying. However, we are in the midst of a serious financial and domestic crisis. We are NOT going to get through it by waiting for a government hand out. We are NOT going to get through it by waiting on a stimulus check. We are NOT going to get through it by blaming those who caused the problems or by blaming those who are not fixing it fast enough.
We are going to fix it because we realize that we are ALL in this together. Put it like this! Let’s say you got two people. One person is thirsty but only has a loaf of bread. The other person is hunger but only has a six pack of soda. Well, if the two people get together, they won’t be hungry or thirsty. Problem solved. Let’s do it together!
School DAZE: Old School Step Show 1988
I’m not sure anyone will read this but I found myself reflecting on the past so I decided to right about it.
1988. Twenty one years ago. Rihanna was born this year. Chris Brown would be born in 1989. The artist known as a Lil Mama and the gymnast named Shawn Johnson weren’t even conceived yet. 1988 may seem like ancient history (Now that VH1 is doing the best one hit wonders of the 80s, it really is ANCIENT HISTORY) but for me, it was a magical year.
The Fall of 1988 brought special meaning for me because I had just returned back to college after my summer break. I was a sophomore and all I could think about was pledging a fraternity. Not just any ole fraternity. I wanted to be a part of the oldest and the coldest. That’s right, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. At that time, there was no Alpha chapter on my campus at the University of Tampa which meant that I would have had to pledge at the University of South Florida. Well, that wouldn’t happen (it did in Spring 1989 but that’s another story for another day).
October rolled around and that usually meant one thing. EXTRAV!!! For those who don’t know, the National Pan Hellenic Council (Black Fraternities and Sororities) would have their annual step show competition in October on the campus of USF. This event was called the Greek Extravaganza or EXTRAV for short. Back then, stepping was a whole different beast than what it is today. The chapters were small. The onlly greeks who had more than 7 members were the Kappas, Alphas, Deltas and AKAs. All of the fraternities had sweet hearts or little sisters. Today, step shows have sponsors and tv contracts and movies and huge auditoriums. Back then, stepping was much simplier. There were no TV cameras. There were no concession stands or vendors.
At one point in time, USF would hold its step shows in the special events center and pack almost 2000 people in the center. Back in 1988, the step shows were held in one place. A very magical and special place. Cooper Hall. Now, Cooper Hall was made up of classrooms and offices but it had a small auditorium where the step shows were held every year. Now, what was hilarious about this place was that it could hold 175 people seated but damn 300 to 400 would cram in this tight ass room. lol. What was even more impressive was the fact that the front row had to be left clear so the judges would have a place to sit so they can judge. INCREDIBLE.
When I got there, there was a LINE down the street. Are you kidding me?? The show started at 7:30pm (yea RIGHT!!) so we got there at 6:45pm. OOOOOOO WE THAT LINE! It took us about 40 minutes to get through. Now, have you ever been in a room that had so many people that it got HOT when you opened the door? Yea, it was TIGHT in that space. I didn’t care. I was at the hottest step show in Tampa and I refuse to not be in attendance.
As I stood in line, I was in awe of the greeks as they walk in front of me. They had a swagger. A bravado. They carried themselves like they were ALL that and you know what?? THEY WERE! The frat walked by like they were on a different planet. The sorority sisters walked by like they were god’s gift to men (now, THAT’s confidence!!). As I got inside, I was amazed at all of the people. I mean the room was PACKED!! WALL TO WALL! The energy in the room was intoxicating. As I stood there talking to my friends, slowly but surely, the greeks started exercising their dominance!
SKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WE! What the hell was that?? But one young lady started and then you had a whole bunch of women making that noise.
And not to be outdone, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP which was followed by some men barking like dogs! What the hell is going on? Then some guy starts hollaring YO NUPE with other men responding YO!!!!!
This is it. I’m in Black Greek country and it’s their house and their rules. As the lights started to dim, the chants got louder and louder and they only calmed down once the MC started talking.
Of course, in true spirit fashion, the MC had to do a role call. You know the deal:
AKA
A Phi A
Zeta Phi Beta
S G RHO
Phi Beta Sigma
Omega Psi Phi
DST
K A Psi
And after each introduction, about a good 2 to 3 minutes of chanting from each organization! WHAT THE HELL? BUT you know what? I was jealous and envious. I loved it and I loved everything about it.
First came the AKAs. I can still remember the outfits. A green blouse with black slacks and pumps. Nothing major. They were prim and proper and one of their sorors sang a beautiful song. Now, I’m thinking “Oh, that’s it? Those preppy AKAs and all they can do is sing? BORING”!!! FOOLISH SOPHOMORE I WAS because about 5 seconds after she stopped singing they played an OLD school South Florida Bass song called “Shake IT” by MC Shy D and those AKAs started to RIDE OUT!!!! My eyes were as big as coke bottles and the crowd was going NUTS!! WOW!! I didn’t know
Next came the Deltas. I can still remember the outfits. A black jump suit with a red sash around their hats and black hats. They came out hard from the beginning. I was blown. They took the crowd from start to finish. ALLLLLLRIGHTY THEN!!
Now, I have to admit. I don’t remember ANY other frat stepping because I was anxiously awaiting the brothers of Alpha. I had previously seen underground Alphas step (from School Daze) so I wanted to see if these brothers were any good. First of all, I didn’t realize they had the largest number of sweet hearts (the chapter only had 7 brothers but they had 40 sweethearts. THE HELL??). So the moment they were introduced, PURE D PANDEMONIUM! It was crazy! The brothers came in and SET IT OFF!! I had never seen anything like that before and it was magical. What was funnier was after they won the show, they walked around like it was business as usual. Say what?? You had the walls sweating. You had girls falling out of their seats. you had the room rocking. You just won the competition (which would be the first of 6 in a row) and all you can do is just chill?? OK, I REALLY need to get my stuff right if I have a snow ball chance of getting in to this organization.
After the show was over, it was ON to the after party. Another great show has come and gone. It may not matter to you but this night solidified my decision. If god willing, I would be an Alpha. It’s just amazing to know how powerful one moment in time can be on a life time decision.
Be happy that you knew them as long as you did
Please find enclosed the hardest conversation to have to anyone who has lost a loved one:
Dear “My friend”:
Today is a day that no one wants to see. Today is a day that we all know will happen but pray that it won’t happen anytime soon. Today is a day that we knew existed but hoped that it would exist tomorrow or the day after or the day after. NOT TODAY!
But, my friend, today is that day. Today is the day when someone we love has come to the end of their earthly journey. Today is the day that they will be rewarded with the rest they so greatly deserve. Today is the day that they have no more worries. Today is the day that they have no more fears. Today is the day that they can start their new journey.
We are happy for them. They can rest peacefully. They can move on spiritually. They have succeeded in completing their life’s missions.
But TODAY, the pain is for us. We feel the pain of not having them here. We feel the pain of not being able to call them for advice. We feel the pain of not being able to see them on the holidays or on football weekends or on shopping trips. Today, we feel the pain of realizing that their earthly presence in our life has now become a spiritual presence in our life.
How do you exist with someone who is no longer here physically but only spiritually? How do you call someone on the phone or visit them or text them or e-mail them? How do you know they are listening? How do you know they are there? How do you know?
You know because you had them longer than others. You remember the times they got on your nerves. You remember the road trips. You remember the parties. You remember the late night phone calls. You remember the advice that still sticks with you. You remember them when you were there for their dark times and they were there for yours. They exist because you exist to share with the world the stories of times untold.
What’s even more powerful is that YOU knew them longer than others. You knew them before they were rich. You knew them when they became poor. You knew them when they were wiping the tears from your eyes and you knew them when they were cussing you out. You knew them before they were who they became and they knew you before they knew who you would become.
And more importantly, how did they KNOW you at the end? A cherished brother? A loving sister? A caring son? A passionate daughter? A strong mother? A gentle father? A friend to the end? Or all of the above! The way they know YOU is the way they will carry you from their earthly journey into their spiritual one. It’s not about what you didn’t say or do while they were here that should concern you. It’s about how you lived and loved with them while they were here that will last a life time.
And stop feeling guilty. Yes, you probably should have called more. Yes, you probably should have visited more. Yes, you probably shouldn’t have wasted so much time dwelling on those nasty fights you had. Yes, you probably should have stopped being a jerk. But you know, they know that if they need you, you will be there. They know that you loved them and that’s unconditional. You may have been stank THEN but you have always STAYED with them despite it.
Today is the day you didn’t want to face. Today is the day you didn’t want to arrive. For those of you who have never seen JAMES BROWN’s funeral, you missed a treat. The music played. The dancers danced. The people were having a jam session while the Godfather of Soul was laid to rest. On his day, the people remembered him for what he gave them in life. On this day, remember what your loved ones gave you.
The American Dream versus the REAL Dream
The skies are clear. The sun is shining. You have just graduated from High School and now heading to college. You meet someone special. At the end of 4 years, you graduate college. You are still dating that special person. Now, you decide to go immediately to Med School / Grad School / Law School / Dental School. You graduate. You get a wonderful job making 6 figures. Your college sweetheart and you decide to get married. You buy a house. You have 2 kids. All is right in the world while the beautiful sounds life float through the air. Yes, yes, THIS is the DREAM you’ve been waiting for and it is here. It’s the AMERICAN DREAM!!
OK! YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WAKE THE HELL THE UP!!
Now, it’s time for the REAL DREAM!!!
You just graduated from high school. Barely. You ain’t thinking about college. Military? Say what? You ain’t even TRYING to go to Iraq or Afghanistan or whereever they trying to send people. You got you a nice little gig at the mall for some pocket change. Your mom or dad haven’t put you out yet. So, you are 18 or 19, FINE, and ready to get yo SHAKE ON!!!!
So you go out. You party hard. You run hard with your crew. You go out and have sex and (as one of my frat brothers used to say) RAW DOG IT! (in other words, no condum). You still partying. All of sudden, in 9 months, it’s about to be a whole different party. Now, you have a child. Your parents ain’t trying to raise someone else AGAIN. So now, you move into a crappy apartment or even worse, you move in with the baby’s daddy or momma and THAT’s not a cool gig. You realize that your mall gig is not really bringing in any money. So you start looking for other work. You start working two jobs. The party life is just not hitting anymore. And now, you ain’t feeling the baby’s daddy or momma. You get your own place and now, your life is a just regular cycle of get up, get the kids ready, take them to school or day care, go to work, pick up the kids, go home and feed them, put them to bed, and then you go to bed and start it all over again. What the hell kind of life is this?
Or maybe you did go to college. You planned on being a doctor or a lawyer or a dentist. Unfortunately, you really enjoyed college and your GPA shows it. Or maybe you went the first year but just couldn’t afford it. So you stopped. You’ll go back (or at least that’s what you keep telling yourself). Or even better you did graduate. YOu got the degree (just not the one you thought you would get). Now, you are at a different crossroad, what the hell do you do with a degree you didn’t intend to get??
Or maybe you got the degree. You got the job. But no one told you what the job would be like. I know. I know. You’ve been watching all those shows that show the lifestyle of those people who get those jamming degrees. But that’s not real. That’s not what you want. What happens now??
HELLO???????!! YOOOOOOOO!!! Wake the HELL UP!!!!! It’s YOUR LIFE!! You control it! Your life doesn’t control YOU!
So many times as we walk down the paths of the life we THINK we should have, we find ourselves looking backwards. We look back at the decisions we made. We look back and the opportunities we miss. We look back as if we just missed the plane that can take us to our destination.
Well, I got news for you. If you keep looking backwards, you will end up running into the wall. If you keep looking backwards, you will not see the doors of opportunity that are open in front of you. As you get older, what happens is that it becomes easier to SELF JUSTIFY why we can’t do the things we want to do or SELF EXPLAIN why we haven’t done the things we thought we were meant to do.
Who says you can’t be a Doctor at 50 or 60? Who says that your grades in High School were so bad that you can’t get into college? Who says that you can’t start a business and raise your kids at the same time? Who says you can’t live the lifestyle you want to live? You know who says that? Usually, it’s YOU!!!!
The best part of EVERY DREAM is that the dream is YOUR DREAM! Think about it. When you DAY DREAM, YOU are dreaming about your ideal situation. YOU are dreaming about what you want to have happen. Forget the AMERICAN dream, FOCUS on YOUR dream! The only difference between the DREAM and REALITY is YOU! YOU are the BRIDGE. YOU are the one who can take your DREAM WORLD and make it your REAL WORLD.
Make it happen. Make it right. Make your Dream REAL!
The day you realize that your loved ones are mortal!
I was 33 years old. I still remember it. I was 33 years old and I can still remember getting an e-mail from one of my law school classmates letting me know that my boy, Jerome, had passed away. Man, I still don’t know how Jerome and I started hanging out. First, it started with he and I being in joint study groups. Then, one day, he asked me if I could take him home (which was about 30 minutes outside of Tallahassee). That’s how it started. I realized that Jerome was only a year older than me. It was scary what we had in common. He was going to Florida A&M University the same time I was going to the University of Tampa back in the 80s. We both joked about the fact that we had high top fades and we tried to figure out who was more hype, GUY or BOBBY BROWN! The next thing I know, he invited me in his home. What did I see sitting in front of his TV? A PLAYSTATION! It was ON now!! So now, on the weekends, after we got done studying, I was rolling to Jerome’s house! The conversation was like a ‘back in the day’ buffet. We talked about females on ‘The SET’. We talked about parties. He slipped up and mentioned comic books and we REALLY went there. lol. Then, one weekend, I offered to come over but he said he wouldn’t be able to play video games because WRESTLEMANIA was coming on Pay Per View! Did you say “WRESTLEMANIA”? What you know about Ernie “the Cat” Ladd, or the Junkyard Dog, the Nature Boy, or Hacksaw Jim Duggan?? Man, we were THERE!!
After law school, he stayed in Tallahassee and I moved to Tampa. We still communicated on the phone. Mostly about our careers and WWE. The last conversation I had with him was about Wrestlemania! We were like “We are GOING to go to Wrestlemania!”. Looky heya, I can’t a friend who LIKES Wrestling? It’s On!
Unfortunately, the next communication I got was “Jerome passed away”. It was like a kick in the chest. He was only 34 years old??
In the time since his passing, a few more friends have fallen into tough situations. One friend was diagnosed with cancer. One friend had kidney failure and was rushed to the hospital. Another friend had a cancer scare.
And it doesn’t get easier with family. My father had heart surgery for the third time and was told that he may not survive the surgery (fortunately he did). At least two different family members had major surgery. And none of these were easy.
You know, when you are born, people celebrate your birth and the life that you may have. However, when your loved ones start to get sick or have complications, you tend to realize how quick they can be taken from you. I think it’s even magnified even greater when you get older. When you are young, everybody is your friend. People come and go in and out of your life like water. However, as you get older, you realize that your greatest assets are your friends and family. Think about it. After a while, you get to a point in your life where it becomes increasingly harder to create friendships. At 40 years of age, I realized that the people I speak to regularly have been friends with me for over a decade (and most of them over two decade). These people know your quirks and your issues and your flaws and your imperfections (and you know theres).
For family, it’s even harder. I have a great relationship with all of my uncles. The oldest of my uncles (Uncle Jay) has been like a surrogate father to me. I hold his words and wisdom very near and dear to me. However, when I found out that he had some health issues, it hit me hard. I started thinking about him and what his words have meant to me.
Here’s a little test for you so you can appreciate where I am coming from in my discussion. Take 3 people in your life that you hear from or speak to on a regular basis and imagine if you NEVER heard from them again. Think about it. No more e-mails. No more messages. No more yearly outings. Nothing. Think about how empty that feels.
We sometimes spend so much time taking for granted that the people we love will be there forever until one day, we look up and realize, they are no longer there.
I can tell you. The day I realized that one of my good friends could have left this earth at the blink of an eye, I cried (no shame, I cried). I cried because we hadn’t hung out as much as we should. I cried because I had never seen him in that much pain. I cried because the person I knew and love was not the person who was sitting in front of me in the hospital. At that moment, I realized how MORTAL my loved ones really are.
Don’t let your days or hours go by without stopping for a moment and appreciating the joy and love that your friends and family bring. Don’t let today go by with the belief that your loved ones will always be there tomorrow. If you do, you may one day find yourself looking at yesterday as being the last day you could have enjoyed your loved ones for who they are and what they mean to you.
Sometimes, the hardest person to tell the truth to is yourself
Now, let’s face it, people. We LIE to ourselves on a regular basis. Come on now, you know the lies:
1) “I’m going to lose 10 lbs”. - Two trips to McDonalds later, LIE!!!
2) “If you let me feel better, I will never drink again”. - Wait, does that include New Year’s Eve? LIE!!!
3) “I’m giving up sweets!” - Hold on, I can’t let my kids eat the sweets at Halloween without me testing it! LIE!!
Now, don’t get me wrong. These lies aren’t EARTH SHATTERING but they are lies nonetheless. However, these aren’t the things that you should worry about when trying to be truthful with yourself. The truth of the matter is that you like Fast Food. The truth of the matter is that you like to have a occasional drink. The truth of the matter is that you love Suzy Qs, Ho Hos, and Haagen Daas.
However, sometimes, we don’t want to stare at the HARD truths. These are the ones that we don’t want to face. We don’t want to face the TRUTH that you may have a family history of diabetes, heart condition, and hypertension and that eating Fast Food could kill you sooner. We don’t want to face the TRUTH that we are drinking alcohol EVERYDAY to the point of where you may need help to stop.
Those truths are the ones that are the hardest to face and even tougher to overcome. But it gets deeper than that. Sometimes, the harder the truth, the greater the lie. The reason for the lie is that “IN OUR MINDS”, we feel that if we face the truth, we may have told ourselves that we can’t CHANGE the truth!
That fear is the ULTIMATE truth. We aren’t afraid of the TRUTH itself. IT’s the fear that we can not change it which keeps us from telling the truth to ourselves.
Think about it. Many of us have found ourselves with a TRUTH that we don’t want to face but in reality, we can conquer:
1) FACTS: Working at a job you HATE.
LIE: You keep telling yourself that you’re going to leave and get a better job.
TRUTH: The unfortunate truth is that you haven’t started looking aggressively for a job, you don’t know what your future holds, and you start to believe that you will be stuck at your job for ever.
REALITY: You can change your circumstances when YOU decide that you want to improve your situation. There is nothing stopping you from putting out resumes, going to classes, and networking.
2) FACTS: You’re in a bad relationship (and you have kids in that relationship as well)
LIE: You keep telling yourself that you’re going to leave that relationship.
TRUTH: The unfortunate truth is that you don’t think you can survive alone outside the relationship or you think you need to stay in the relationship for the benefit of the children.
REALITY: You do NOTHING for your greater well being by staying in a situation that is draining on your spirit and your soul. You will not see the sunrise when you convince yourself that it’s going it’s going to rain every day.
3) FACTS: You know that your health is not doing well.
LIE: You keep telling yourself that you’re going to take care of yourself.
TRUTH: Sometimes, life has so many things that we choose to give precedence that we end up putting our health mission on the backburner.
REALITY: As my doctor once told me, the inconvenience of preventing a problem today is nothing compared to the cost of correcting the problem tomorrow. If you stop and look at your day, you realize that your day is not SO constricted that you can’t take the time to take care of YOU!
Sometimes, you need help. There’s nothing wrong with wanting or needing help. I go to the doctor because my wife has stressed on me the importance of me being here with her. I can’t argue with that logic. Sometimes, it takes someone special in your life to give you a perspective that you don’t normally have.
Now, don’t get me wrong. It takes a lot to stare a TRUTH in the face. It’s not that we don’t believe we can face it. It’s that we don’t believe that we can change it. Just remember this, in life, there are only TWO absolute truths:
1) You were born
2) You’re going to die.
Everything else in the middle is subject to change. Take the time to change YOUR truth before your truth changes you!
Happy Anniversary
Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I want to thank you for your support and assistance with joining me as a guest or providing me with my guests for my shows. As always, I’m grateful and I am available to provide any assistance whenever you need it. I want to give a special thanks to those who have read my post on my BLAWG, “The LegalBEAT”, and I hope I have provided some meaningful and product insight for you.
This coming October 2009 is an exciting time for me. Effective October 1, 2009, my law firm will celebrate its TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY. In addition, October 2009 will constitute my TWO AND A HALF YEAR anniversary of “IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves”. And FINALLY, my BLAWG “THE LegalBEAT” will celebrate over THREE YEARS of postings! To celebrate these great milestones, I am RE-vamping, RE-packaging, and RE-PRESENTING my firm, my blogs, and my shows starting October 7, 2009! As always, I am reaching out to you because YOUR contributions are the main reasons that I have been successful.
As I prepare my schedule for the upcoming Fall, I want to be the first to extend to you the opportunity to return as a guest on my show in order to share with me some of your great updates. Feel free to provide me with any new music you have. Also, now is the time to give me the chance showcase some of your fabulous colleagues. Please don’t be shy about letting me know WHO YOU think the WORLD NEEDS to KNOW ABOUT and I will make sure that the world is “IN THE KNOW”. And finally, please let me know if my postings have been helpful. I want to make sure I’m giving some meaningful contributions.
Again, thanks for your time and your contributions. Of course, I know that know that technology can be a beast sometimes so I want to make sure you have the ability to contact me. If you have any difficulty with this e-mail, I can, also, be reached ‘anthony@reevesfirm.com’.
Welcome to my anniversary celebration and I look forward to growing with you.
Sincerely,
Anthony
I hate to tell you but some people don’t WANT the health care system to change!
Here’s a question for you that I want you to think about:
“If you and everyone in your house hold got sick AND nobody in the house could work AND NO ONE had savings AND NO ONE had Long Term or Short Term Disability plan AND NO ONE could afford COBRA payments, HOW are you going to pay for your health insurance????”
It’s amazing because as the debate about health care rages on, I am CONSTANTLY amazed by the amount of people who are dwelling on the fact that THEY don’t want to pay for health care for the millions of illegal immigrants or all those people who are lazy and don’t wanna work or all of those welfare people.
HELLLLLLO? What world are YOU living in? Do you not know that YOU are just one stone throw away from the unemployment office? Do you not know that one SLIP and FALL in your house OR one trip on your drive way and BOOM, life as you know it can change?
Stop focusing on all of THOSE people who don’t have insurance and WHO they are because the reality, VERY QUICKLY, you could be THOSE people!
Here’s where I have some problems and I think they are worth mentioning:
Why are you stressing? ANY PROGRAM is going to cost money!
How come EVERY new program that is of significance is HIGHLIGHTED by its cost? No one complained and raised an eye brow when BILLIONS of dollars were poured into Iraq (and NOT just for our troops). We financed contractors to go over there to help rebuild their country. We financed our troops to help make sure the country remained stable. No one blinked an eye. However, the MOMENT you talk about ensuring that the American people have benefits so we ALL have a safety net, here COMES the money argument. My problem is that ANY (and I repeat ANY program) passed by Congress is going to cost money so why are you stressing me over this cost. Taxes may not go up for this but it will go up for that so why are are we tripping??
What the HELL is the RIGHT WAY to reform Health Care?
I want you to notice some unique facts about the late Senator Ted Kennedy
- 1966
- Senator Kennedy passed legislation creating the national community health center program. He joined a health center in Columbia Point in Dorchester, Massachusetts, with a center in Mound Bayou, Mississippi as the start of a national program that now includes more that 1200 health centers nationally serving more than 20 million low income patients.
- 1969
- Senator Kennedy gives his first speech calling for national health insurance for all Americans. His amendment creating a minimum tax — the so-called “Alternative Minimum Tax” — becomes law, setting a limit on the amount of taxation for middle-income Americans.
1971
- Senator Kennedy becomes Chairman of the Senate Health Subcommittee. He held a series of field hearings around the country on national health insurance, and is a leader in passing the National Cancer Act to expand research on all aspects of cancer.
- 2009
- Senator Kennedy’s Health Committee was also the first committee in Congress to pass comprehensive health reform legislation called for by President Obama — the Affordable Health Choices Act that will reduce health costs, protect individuals’ choice in doctors and plans, and assure quality and affordable health care for all Americans.
First, for those of you who are thinking that I’m digging up these stats from la la land, go visit http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/timeline.cfm. This website is the Senator’s government website and review the information. Now, I want you to notice something here and NO, it’s not that I am saying ‘HIP HOP HOORAY’ for Senator Ted Kennedy. Senator Kennedy introduced the concept of a National Health Center in 1966 and National Health Insurance (which we are trying to do now) in 1969. Recognize that fact! For over FORTY YEARS, we have been trying to get health care. Since 1969, we wasted Money in a lengthy expensive conflict (Vietnam), we went through Water gate, and we have spent countless funds in combat operations in IRAQ (TWICE!!). We can spend money on all of these things and we can’t introduce an option for healthcare??? What’s even MORE surprising was that in 2009, TWO THOUSAND AND NINE, Senator Kennedy’s committee was the FIRST to pass comprehensive legislation. Are you kidding me? He’s been talking about health care for 40 years and we only get legislation now? What’s even more amazing is that every time I look up I see ads or Senators or Congressmen talking about “Let’s reform health care the RIGHT WAY” but NO ONE is offering any suggestions for WHAT the RIGHT WAY is! They want to talk but NOT put pen to paper!
If not OBAMA, then who???
It’s amazing but I did a little background check about how other Presidents have tackled the health care initiative. I was surprised by what I found.
President Lyndon B. Johnson
The Social Security Act of 1965, which created Medicare and Medicaid, was part of Presidents Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” vision for the country.. This plan provided health care for the elderly and individuals with special medical needs. Even with this broad base of support, there was still a great deal of concern among more conservative elements of society, who saw this move towards increased government involvement in health care for the citizenry as a dangerous step down the road to a socialist dictatorship.
President Richard Nixon
Nixon, for his part, was stalwart in his belief that a national health insurance plan was vital to the country’s future. He stated in his 1974 State of the Union Address that “The time is at hand this year to bring comprehensive, high quality health care within the reach of every American.” Nixon’s own past experience with poverty and family illness made this a personal issue for the President. Yet Nixon’s call for an employer mandate to provide health insurance as part of his planned universal health care coverage for all citizens was seen as inadequate by many democrats in congress. The plan was also opposed by powerful unions such as the AFL-CIO and the United Autoworkers, who lobbied hard to defeat the legislation.
President Jimmy Carter
In retrospect, after his tenure in the White House in the late 1970’s, President Jimmy Carter said that, although he was a proponent of universal health insurance, the country’s economic difficulties at the time made health care reform politically unfeasible.
President Bill Clinton
The Clinton plan also supported universal health insurance through the enforcement of individual and employer mandates. The government would control the competition between private insurance companies The Health Care Task Force, chaired by Hillary Clinton when she was first lady, gave President Clinton a complex plan in September 1993. Despite a Democratic Congress, the size and complexity of the plan slowed its progress through Congress and lost the interest of the general population.
What’s frightening is that the health care debate has been ranging on since the 1930s so this is by no means a RECENT phenomenon. Like clock work, whenever it comes around, people start losing their minds. So in the last 40 years, we’ve had a variety of presidents who have braved taking a chance on making sure ALL americans have health care but unfortunately, we run into the “RIGHT WAY” and “SOCIALIST” discussion. We’ve had at least 6 different Presidents (Truman, Roosevelt, Nixon, Johnson, Clinton, and now Obama) take a stab at trying to push the need to make sure we all have insurance. Is it coincidence or a reason that they can’t get it passed?
So what would YOU do if you had no Health Care? Let’s look at the NOW WHAT situation!:
For the last 8 years, I have represented people who have applied for Social Security Disability benefits. Unfortunately, a lot of my clients have been people who have found themselves in the tough position of trying to figure out HOW to get health care. Think about it like this. If you have been working and your insurance has been paid by your employer and then, BOOM, you can’t work, here’s how it may unfold and so I ask you “NOW WHAT?”:
a) You get hurt OUTSIDE of work (no workers compensation, no personal injury, etc.) and now you can’t return! Now what?
b) You use your annual leave, your sick leave, and maybe even family leave and after a few months you still can’t go back to work. 3 or 4 months have passed! Now what?
c) You stop working so you apply for COBRA so you have a few months of health insurance. About 3 or 4 months have passed! Now what?
d) If you are lucky, you apply for Short Term Disability or Long Term Disability. If you are not lucky, NOW what??
e) You apply for unemployment but you know you can’t do the work you used to do and you are having a hard time finding another job. The Unemployment pays for a few things but not enough to pay for the insurance you need to cover your health care cost. Now what??
f) You start cashing out your stocks, mutual funds, and savings accounts. If you’re lucky, you have funds to last you while you apply for disability with the state (if you worked for the state), the VA (if you’re a veteran), or Social Security. All of these programs may take a few months or up to years. If you DON’T have stocks, mutual funds, and savings accounts, NOW WHAT??
Let me tell you what NOW WHAT is! It’s nothing. You’re now hoping that you qualify for disability. You’re praying you can find another job. You’re lucky if you have a spouse or family member or friend who can support you. But the REALITY is that any ONE of us can go from A-F in the NOW WHAT category that I showed you so fast that you won’t realize what happened. You can go from having a nest egg to working a good job to planning for your future to a “how the HELL am I going to get to the next day” situation.
Am I saying that we should take whatever situation that is presented to us?? No, that’s not what I’m saying. My problem is that for the last 70+ years we have had multiple presidents and politicians try their BEST to insure that everyone is covered but for some odd reason, people are quick to hollar “SOCIALISM, SOCIALIST” yada yada yada to the TOP of their lungs. And I got news for you, most of the people who scream these things are either 1) people who have health care, 2) people who are under the delusion that they will never benefit from this health care system because they don’t think they will ever be in the situation to need it, and / or 3) people who think that the change in the health care system may affect their financial bottom line.
So the challenge I present to you is this one. If you’re in a situation where you are 100% confident that you are completely covered in the WORST case situation (which is what I’ve covered up top), you are the only ones who can complain. However, considering that 95% of the country probably can not say with CONFIDENCE that they will NEVER need help, you may want to start re-evaluating the need for a National Health Insurance OPTION or Universal Health Care system.
Why Diversity in the professional ranks is so powerful
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to walk into a room where I was meeting a new client. Nothing spectacular. My client was a 59 year African American woman who was applying for Disability benefits. Now, you are probably wondering why I emphasized the fact that she was African American. Well, when I came in the room and sat down, the first thing she said to me was “Are YOU going to be my attorney??”. I responded with a soft yet slightly perplexed “Yes”. After I sat down, she looked at me and she just smiled. A big grin that extended from ear to ear. Her smile wasn’t because she KNEW she was going to win (And she did win, thank YOU very much. lol). Her smile was a casual acknowledgment to how powerful the times have changed. She had an African American Attorney and that fact alone was a SIGNIFICANT experience.
It’s interesting to note that in almost any culture, community, or society, there will almost always be a MAJORITY and a MINORITY. In the US, this dichotomy is emphasized through race and ethnic groups. Because these distinctions have been a mainstay in the fabric of our socioeconomic and political culture for so long, people some time fail to remember or even acknowledge that Minorities historically did not have the same opportunities as the Majorities. In addition, the ‘mythical yet truthful’ FIRST tend to be and continue to be a staple in Minority cultures. These FIRSTS may be the FIRST Doctor, the FIRST lawyers, the FIRST college graduates, and so on. Now, there are those in the Majority who have FIRST of their own but history has been kinder to that population in terms of opportunities.
These numbers are greatly magnified in the legal ranks:
Minority representation in the legal profession is significantly lower than in most professions. The total minority representation among lawyers is about 9.7 percent, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, compared to 20.8 percent among accountants and auditors, 24.6 percent among physicians and surgeons, and 18.2 percent among college and university teachers (Miles to Go: Progress of Minorities in the Legal Profession, 2005).
The overall student population for Florida law schools during the 2004-05 school year was 6,605. Of that number, approximately 66.3 percent were white, 8.75 percent were black/ African American, 13.5 percent were Hispanic, 3.39 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, .61 percent were American Indian and 7.45 percent were of other races and nationalities.
Because Minorities are still experiencing various FIRSTs to this day, Minorities have a tendency to reach out and embrace those persons who they have typically not had access in the past. While this may seem weird to some, you have to look at certain things in their context. In many minority communities, historically individuals didn’t have access to accountants, doctors, lawyers, or other professionals who were minorities. No one is indicating that those who are the majority are unable or unwilling to service the majority population. What is being said that the minority population have not had the ability (in the past) to have access to those professionals who may have particular understanding of their unique cultural demographics.
In addition, access to Minority Professionals creates opportunities for educational excellence as well. When people have the opportunity to see minorities excelling in a variety of professional endeavors, these professionals open the door to the minds of others who may have viewed the opportunity to pursue such professional routes as being impossible to attain. Also, many minority populations are INSULAR in their communities. As a result, these communities would have a desire to receive services and interact exclusively with those are from their communities.
In the end, Diversity is more than just putting color to a concept. In the end, Diversity is recognizing and appreciating the unique cultural differences that various demographics present and encouraging bringing in those who can provide you with a direct connection to those cultures. It’s not about a quota. It’s about recognizing that minorities have a distinct quantitative and qualitative uniqueness. And it is this UNIQUENESS that can not only broaden the scope of any environment but also provide insight into a world that has typically been underappreciated.
You will always be my sister!
This post is designed to be modified as you see fit but it is ultimately the opportunity to be sent to your friends. I don’t have any sisters so this letter is for all of my family members, female friends and sorority sisters that I view as sisters:
Dear MY SISTER:
Man, I can’t believe that we are still friends after all of these years. It’s amazing that we still talk. Can you remember all those times I called you asking about things from a ‘woman’s perspective’? And yea, yea, I can still remember you calling me an “IDIOT” for not recognizing the great woman I have (Fortunately, I listened because we are married and happy to this date! lol). And OH, don’t think you’re special. How many times did I have to tell you that MEN think like this or think like that? I TOLD you about going over to his place unannounced! SEE!?!! BUT NOOOOO, you didn’t want to listen to a brother!! LMAO!
And I forgive you, my sister! Forgive you for what??? Let me tell you! LOL. I forgive you for FORGETTING that I’m a guy and that I don’t necessarily want to hear about your cramps or your encounters with men. I forgive you for FORGETTING that I”m a guy and calling me “Girl” or “Girlfriend”. LOL. I forgive you for making me your De Facto Boyfriend in the club so you can get rid of the ugly guy and let the cute guy come and talk to you.
It’s all good because you’ve had my back. You’ve cussed me out when you thought I was being soft. You let me cry and you didn’t make me feel like I was being soft. You understood that sometimes a Man can truly appreciate a Female Friend and that is exactly what you are, a friend.
But, you must, also, forgive me, my sister. Forgive for what?? I know that there are times when I don’t seem as patient and understanding about listening to you complain about the man that you like. I know that there are times when I don’t seem as patient when you talk about the lack of good men. And, oh, there’s a reason I don’t introduce you to any of my single friends. It’s because they fall into three categories: 1) Too young, 2) Too old, or 3) Too THEM (you may not be ready for him or he may not be ready for you. Don’t ASK me what that means! Trust me when I tell you that I am just looking out for you! LOL).
Years ago, I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had people wonder about my ’sexuality’ because I had so many female friends. What they didn’t know was that 1) I had just as many male friends and 2) my female friends are equally as opportunity as my male friends.
Today, I’m in the best place I could ever be. I married my best friend. When the time came for me to marry her, YOU were there. You kept her from stabbing me and you kept me from going ‘coo coo for cocoa puffs’. lol You were there to help me move and you were there in the wildest of times. I’m going to always be protective of you because, in the end, you will always be my sister. Peace and Love.
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