Say No To Drugs 2015

During my 15 minute breaks at work (normally my afternoon one), I mess with one my friends, "K-Rob." Since last year (after the Michael Brown shooting), we got this inside joke we tell each other concerning "his" black folks (I say I'm not black but brown, that's "my philosophy"-BDP, circa '88). We get it in but one headline he told me about had both of us dying laughing on the floor. He told me about this dude (of course a black dude) in Baltimore walking into a police station armed telling them he was "sent" to test the station's security. Man, I was on the floor laughing and K-Rob was about to have a heart attack. Anyone who knows about "B-more" knows some of those black folks are on some other s---. As I heard this story, I envisioned this dude had to be high and when I read about this story, dude was holding weed and coke (he probably "got high on his own supply-10 Crack Commandments). As I departed from K-Rob's desk heading to my section across the hallway, it hits me, "Cocaine's a helluva drug." Not only coke but there are many substances we as Americans lace our system with, physically, emotionally/mentally, and spiritually,. Physically, our bodies are laced with controlled substances, alcohol, and painkillers, Emotionally/mentally, our minds and psyche are laced with pipe dreams, delusions, and dumb s---. Spiritually, our souls/spirits are laced with belief systems to the main population of America seem weird and out of touch with God reality. This isn't a shot at the black community only, its to all of us. It's crazy, man, that after 20-30 years later, Nancy Reagan was right, "Say No To Drugs." Whatever drugs fits our fancies, they can destroy our lives and everything that's connected to us. Just like this young man in Baltimore (who's probably going to get 15-25 years), drugs jacks up our thought processes and we end up dealing with some stiff consequences. Once the effects are over, we're going to be like, "what the f--- did I do?" Detox is a mother------.

But some of us who leave "unscathed" look back and say to ourselves, "what the f--- was I thinking?"
I've had a couple of epiphanies recently.

I hope you learn from this article posted below (and get a laugh out of it as I did).

Say no to drugs, whatever they be....

Till next time......

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bs-md-ci-police-station-gun-20150106-story.html

Sabotage

"Watch dem niggas that be close to you

And make sure they do what they supposed to do
Cause you know they be thinkin about smokin you
Never personal, nowadays, it's the ways"
-Nasir (Nas) Jones, "Watch Dem Niggas," circa 1996

Some of you may be offended by the use of the word, "nigga," but I've said before, this word also means ignorant person. Now, we have a lot of these people roaming on earth be it our friends, enemies, families, coworkers, or fellow students. They are everywhere and most of these people are the ones who are very close to you. I don't want you all to start getting suspicious about those who you know deep within your gut are really for you. I'm talking about those people you know deep inside you can't trust, not even with a cent or lint in your pocket. People are something else nowadays and will do whatever they can to keep you from attaining success. Over the weekend, I had a much needed conversation with an old friend of mine about a goal he's reaching for this year. Actually, the process was beginning last year. He connected with someone that had some information on what he needed to get the ball rolling to achieving a business venture. However, he shared this "dream" with a "friend" who on the outside is an "angel of light" but inwardly a "slithering snake." The next day, he was going to talk with this well established businessman at a certain time but the meeting never happened. Later on, he saw the businessman and he didn't say a word to my friend. Who's to blame? The supposed friend sabotaged the meeting and derailed his business venture through lies and manipulation. It cost him several months in the process but he's on track and getting all the tools needed to get on the ball. Nasir's lyrics above show the mentality of some people we think we're cool with. These people we believe we trust are supposed to support us, push us, pray for us, and protect us so we can fulfill our dreams/goals. However, they are plotting against us, through the telephone, stealing our socials to mess up our credit, take credit for projects they never built, turn other friends against us, and demonize our name in the public (usually in the social networking world). They smile in your face but envision themselves holding a 9mm to our forehead; ready to pull the trigger. In real life, this has happened to the greatest of us. The Judas syndrome is what I call it. These actions are performed from the uncontrolled evil that each of us possesses. Some of us know how to put that syndrome in the coffin, others go with it. Sabotage is a very dangerous and debilitating experience. Sometimes, we can escape it, other times we can't. However, we need to recognize it. One thing I remember the RZA (WU Tang Clan) said back in the days, "you can tell the spirit of men by looking in their eyes, which are the windows of the soul." Some people like to where sunglasses but even that can't stop us from knowing the true nature of that individual. So my people, we have to be careful, whether its our marriage, business, family, finances, or aspirations, have fun but keep your eyes open. Dem niggas are out there and some of them are very close to you. Make sure you're packing knives like Rambo for close encounters in this combat arena also known as life.

Til Next Time, "David Rambo....."

Silence of The Black Sheep

I've been mulling over this topic for months and touched on it a few times last year. I think today, I'm ready to get down with the get down. Silence of The Black Sheep=Silence in the Black Community.

Last year, a few tragedies occurred with black men killed by (white) cops. These incidents enraged the Black communities to unprecedented levels. Even other races and cultures throughout the world stood with the Black community through organized marches and rallies. However, the two NYPD cops murdered in cold blood didn't get the same love and affection. Some black folks were happy this crazy dude from Maryland drove to NYC and killed them. Some say it's karma for what happened to the black dudes last year. I think this is so insensitive and so hypocritical. Now my tangent begins. Only a few people have talked about this and have said for the Black community to change its ways. Since Sherman's hellbent trail of destruction that lead to the destruction of ATL in the Civil War, black folks have consistently taken on the "40 acres and a mule" mentality. Many of us think, the government owes for 400 years of enslavement plus an added bonus of 150 plus years of brutality by KKK/Neo-Nazi and police. We think we should get the royal treatment and other incentives owed to us without work. We believe (not all of us) that we're the only ones still facing racism and prejudice. This is of course b.s. (talk with some Native Americans still living in reservations, then holler at me). However, we have yet to discuss topics such as the following:

• black on black crime (gang violence, spousal abuse, child abuse, sex abuse, mental abuse, etc.)
• fiscal irresponsibility (got to have the best car, house, wife/husband/children, job, not saving, etc.)
• low self-esteem/self image (which is one of the leading causes of fiscal irresponsibility)
• exploitation of each other (wanting something for nothing through money, time, and talents)
• lack of substantial education (illiteracy-a huge problem)
• religion=Christianity/Islam (division, the breeding ground of psychopath behavior, etc.)
• sexuality (homosexuality=down low, infidelity, fatherless children/boys, etc.)

These listed topics and many more, we still don't like to address. Whenever we do address these issues, the hurt, pain, and loss of life/time has already been done. Never do we get to the place of finding a solution. We're still marching, still having group meetings, and still have religious social club meetings. There's no evident change in the black community. When someone with some balls stands up and says enough is enough, he or she get sideswiped by many and called a heretic or a coon. But my question is, when we going to stop acting like the three monkeys (see, hear, know, speak no evil) and start coming head to head with these issues? When are we going to stop being silent? X and King aren't coming back to save us? You can forget about Sharpton, Farrakhan, and Jackson becoming movers and shakers for this needed change. It's time we as a black community start waking up and come back to God reality. I'm not one of those who are going to be silent when these issues need to be addressed. We've done that too long. Change doesn't come through silence. Change doesn't come always blaming the white man (since they have a higher population rate than black, whites have a higher rate of poverty as well-do your research-don't take my word for it). Change doesn't come covering the social, financial, spiritual, and physical abuses given by others. Change comes when we open our mouths, write down solutions wi plans to achieve them, and execute them one by one. It's time to wake up, take the bloody tape off of our faces and speak. Silence kills.

Til next time.........

What The Future Holds

It's a new year and of course, millions of Americans have made various new year resolutions, declarations, and one sentence cliches. It sounds very good to us, you know.

• I'm going to do this year what I didn't do last year
• I'm leaving behind what's happened last year and stepping out brand new this year
• I decree and declare blessings over my life
• I will not deal with any negativity this year

And the list goes on.....

But this is where The Big O (me) comes in, to "drop some science" or in the words of Red Foxxx, say   some things to get you to "dig the k-nowledge" on what this life is really all about. Many of us, I've said before, think these four bullets listed above will make their lives impenetrable to the "witty unpredictable" winds of life. Many of us think that God's blessings don't come with some storms along the road of life. Many of us are thinking and saying all these "great expectations" about what 2015 should bring in "our eyesight" yet, we are not God. Therefore, we don't know how this year will go. We plan have "vision parties", watch night services, hell, wild skirmishes on Bourbon Street, thinking life will be a sweet gentle breeze this year. Well, let me remind you of what 2014 brought us. 

Cop killings. Innocents killed by cops. Republicans are back in control of the Senate. Gas prices are going down. More states approve gay marriage. Rick Perry's indicted. Two southern preachers got outed for spreading the AIDS virus to women in their congregations. ISIS (Al Qaeda) is back. Afghanistan drug trade (unbeknown to many Americans) is the number 1 reason why we're over there for the past 13 plus years. Obamacare is in full swing. The economy is getting a little bit better. Musical revolution is back in full swing. Sony gets hacked.

I named all of these to show us that life is very unpredictable and we humans don't like that. Many of us who are religious believe God is going to do that or this for us; praying (really commanding) the Creator to work for the created. Many of us who are negative think nothing good will come out of this year. Many of us who are optimists always see the greater and better. But I'm a part of a group called the realists, people who see the good and bad to keep a balanced view. So, what does the future hold for us in 2015? I don't know. I do know for myself, there are a few things I'd like to accomplish and things I want to say. Will I still deal with the b.s. this life will bring? Yes. I don't have any slogans. I don't have any cliches. All I have is faith within myself, my loved ones, and God that whatever happens, happens. Welcome to this thing called life. I hate to burst a lot of y'all's bubbles, but if I don't come with the truth then you'll keep on having your heads stuck in the clouds. Come on down to planet earth. Yes, enjoy the new year but know this, life is something else. I think God created life to show us that we don't have complete control over it, only He does. I've accepted that. I'm good. I do hope the future holds changes within some topics I will be addressing this year. 

I do know I'm not holding no more punches on my opinions. One friend calls me the Blog Thug. I like that....

Well, that's all I have for today. Happy safe and balanced new year......

Til next time, GTG Overton....

Laughing Last

I can say this year has been one hell of a ride. One of the most climatically weird, aggressive, and life-altering years I've had since 2003. Today's date marks a full year I've been free from religion (Christianity). I can finally say I'm done with it and have no regrets about the decision I've made. As one wise man recently told me, "you've got to do what's best for you." You're damn right. With leaving behind religion for good, I'm no longer bound by its precepts:

-serving a "man/woman of God"

-"faithfully" going to a assembly to "worship" God in a building every week

-paying my way to heaven through tithes and offerings making leaders of an organization but never given to the poor and needy

-thinking one religion is better than another (when they're all the same just using different names/titles to things)

-saying "I love God" not out of genuine love but a fear of "going to hell"

I can go on but you get the picture. Just a year ago, a pimp preacher (The whole truth series explains it more) told me I'll be back. Back to graveling "at the horns the altar" of "church" looking for the mercy of God for turning on the will of "His prophets."

You know that's bs, right? They said that me and my gorgeous wife would be cursed; becoming "scourges of the earth." Hell, they even tried to dirty our name and history to keep their fledging church together. Well, after a year later, The Overtons, who are still healing from separating from religiosity and cultism are better, wiser, and stronger than ever. Meaning, we don't take nobody's ----. Word on the street is, she's facing some troubles of her own at a "educational facility" she's running. Her marriage is a farce and the word is out about her "psychopath" ways. Now, I'm not saying all this in from a bitter or angry place. I'm saying all this because the tables are turning. Many preachers in the Central Texas area live by Psalms 105:15, for people not to touch God's anointed (can't even correct them when they're doing wrong). Looks like I'm a growing number of "vagabonds" living their dreams and lives once held captive by religion. Now these "monsters" are facing and experiencing "a falling away"

because people are ready to live and make their mark in this life. The tithes and offerings are getting less and less. People find other means to maintain their spiritual enlightenment. And thank God people are using the Internet to understand the true nature of religion, to divide the peoples from each other and to control the mind. More and more people who've been screwed by this system called Babylon (including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc) are coming out. The powers that be say we're nothing and won't survive. They laughed first but we the people will laugh last. For every woman abused by their spouse and told they are nothing, don't worry. The time will come when you will be laughing last. For every employee who's been fired for not conforming to a wrong system, don't worry. You'll be laughing last. Life is funny and filled with karma. The same people you see on top will be on bottom and will be asking you for mercy. I've learned  that God loves avenging innocent and in due time, the wrongful parties will face the rain. 

To all those who said and thought I was going to die without you, I'm still here. You couldn't destroy me yet you tried. You still flap you gums about me to keep loved ones away from me. You have parties celebrating my sufferings and demise. But know this, he who laughs first will not laugh last. 

Bet on that jack.....

Til next time......

Handling Conflicts Pt. 1

I can't say anything about any other culture or race, but I do believe in American culture, especially in the Bible belt states of the US, some people don't know how to handle conflicts. What is conflict? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary:

Conflict- a struggle for power, property, etc.

: strong disagreement between people, groups, etc., that results in often angry argument

: a difference that prevents agreement : disagreement between ideas, feelings, etc.

For some of us who are still leaving in a fantasy world, closed off "from the world" like hermits, monks, nuns, and the FLDS, conflicts are inevitable in life. We can't run away from them. We can't avoid them. As the late great rapper Guru (RIP) of Gangster said in the classic "Moment Of Truth" 1998 LP, we must "...meet life head on, no holds barred..." Well said my friend. I can honestly say I've gone through this my whole, just like anyone else in the world. I've been the legitimate cause of problems in relationships, workplaces, etc. and been the party wronged by others. What I learned from the old school who I used to shoot ball with back in the days is that you have to handle conflicts.  Some methods of handling conflicts or even handling conflicts all together won't be well received by those who are around you. Some will say, let it go, pray about it, walk away, blah, blah, blah. But it's a tried and true method from science, to history, to english, to communications, sociology, psychology, and in various religions that you must handle conflicts. You must meet it head on, bringing yourself and the other party or parties to the table and hash these conflicts out. Handling conflicts, for some of us, are just terrible in handling conflicts. People get defensive real quick when they've been outed with information from the other party that's been hurt by them. People start to lose their cool when they can't get their point across. Some people in our society end the conflict with a bullet or some other sadistic way to shut the other party up. But I've learned that avoiding conflict and thinking you just have to let it go and pray about things, just doesn't work. It goes against the very order of how God wants us to handle conflict. In the Bible, it details a teaching from Christ about how he says if we have an issue with another person, put down whatever you're doing, and take the time out to go to them. Tell them about this issue that's killing you inside instead of talking to others about the situation (gossip only makes things worse and spread "venom" in the others' lives). In other words, confront them, tell them the issue, and whatever outcome, you've given yourself freedom from the pain, hurt, anger, and confusion you experienced. I recently had to do this. I was dealing with some really tough emotions (if you haven't read my past blogs, you should, and trust, I was doing some whistleblowing-hello somebody). I kind of heard some bad advice and "teachings" that taught me to pray about things, let it go, this that and the third. But that's wrong. Even rape victims, families of murder victims, and characters from the House of Cards had to address some issues (it's on Netflix, riveting). These different types of people didn't handle conflicts to set the other party straight (but at times can be the reason) but to free themselves from the thoughts they have from others. 9 times out of 10, the other party isn't going to receive the information with a receptive heart. They'll denied it to the tee (unless it deals with numbers aka money- "show me the receipts"-Whitney Houston LOL). They'll even say certain comments to get you riled up to discredit the intent of your conversation. But never ever let conflict fester because you will be the one who can't sleep at night or have peace in your heart. To be honest, after handling some conflicts, I feel a lot better, a whole lot better and was able to share with you all that you must handle conflicts. Never avoid them. Handling conflicts allows the truth to prevail even if we or the other parties won't admit to it. My next blog will discuss more on this issue.

Til next time, dgwo AKA Happy Man.....

Diallo Reloaded

Over 15 years ago (February 4, 1999) in Bronx, NY, an unarmed African man named Amadou Diallo was shot 19 times by four NY policemen from a clear case of racial profiling. Unlike the police officers related to the Michael Brown and Eric Garner (two of many police brutality incidents occurring in a racially charged year of 2014-so far), these officers went to trial. However, these NY police officers have something in common with the two noted "cases", all of them have gotten off. Whether they sleep at night for all that's happened and knowing the actions they performed expired the lives of these men, is something only themselves know for sure. I can say for sure that the United States of America hasn't learned anything from the senseless "murder" of Amadou Diallo. For the most part, some of us don't know about the stories of the post Civil War until the turn of the new millennium from Emmet Till (other young boys have been "executed" without a court judgement) to Rodney King (some guys have had batons inserted where the sun doesn't shine). Well, as I've said before from the topics of religion (which is doing none of us any damn good whether we realize it or not) to racism, "history repeats itself." And I'd like to add something to that effect in the words of my old 9th grade history, Mr. Eddie King, "If you don't know your history, you're bound to repeat." This goes from a local level to a national level. I mentioned in a post or two previously that marches, prayer summits, and rioting won't change anything. One thing I remember from Mr. King's "mild" tangents is in order for change to occur, we must meet with the powers that be to change things. It's great now we have YouTube and press conferences (if we didn't need it now, we surely need Piers Morgan to give his two cents on this matter...); it's awesome of all that technology has given us. However, it's time we take these comments, thoughts, and experiences to Capitol Hill (with the exception Rep. Peter King-who agree with Eric Garner's slaying, Congress and the White House have either side stepped or been silent about this whole matter) and the Justice Department (which is utterly f---ed up). Now the latter part of my previous sentence makes a lot of sense to me now from what I learned from Mr. King, we're taking this fight in the wrong places. Yes, we're speaking out and showing support to show our distrust of the system, but now it's time to go head to head and toe to toe with the people running the system. Since Diallo's fatal shooting (before the turn of the new millennium), there have been no changes in the law to protect us, black, white, red, blue, and yellow. I was reading something about 4 days ago, an innocent white woman was killed by police and those dudes didn't get indicted. Yes, a black woman in Cali was beaten to a pulp by police, was awarded a nice settlement, and those cops are getting handled by LAPD; but nation wide, police brutality is getting out of hand. Just last weekend, I saw a Harker Heights PD an armored humvee (a military vehicle) driving right outside Barnes and Noble. I know what it was. Although it's been said police aren't turning into "military minded" tactics to "protect and serve", I'm seeing something "conspiracy theorists" are saying is a step into "martial law" (Google it). Will this end? Will police brutality continue? Yes. Will the laws change to penalize those who willful treat their fellow Americans wrongfully? No. Not until we get a group of people well versed in the law, another group of people with strong knowledge in history, and another group of people who've been victims or the family members of victims to get in the Supreme Court's face. Easier said than done, right? But "nothing's impossible to anyone who believes." Clearly, I'm frustrated with this whole thing. As a young 33 year old Black dude living in Bible Belt society that keeps secrets, looks the other way, says nothing, and a playground for racism/prejudice to parade in the minds of people in powerful place, both eyes and ears are open. I hope to never go through what these other men and women experienced, some losing their lives or livelihood. But if it does, don't riot. Don't pray. Don't march. Find a way to go to the heart and mind of this nation and effect change through using your mind, opening your mouth, and writing the solutions down. Hopefully, these words will reach somebody who feels where I'm coming from. It's time we stop allowing "the system of things" reload Diallo. It's time for some damn changes. As the Preamble says, "We The People." We have the power and it's time to remind the powers that be what time it is.

Til next time, my friends.......