The Critically Independent Socially Conscious Thinker

These are truly life in perilous times. No one and nothing is safe. People are losing their minds and adults and children are losing their lives--mercilessly, senselessly as emotions go from grief to rage to full blown fury. What we witness with these violent, repulsive acts of evil shake us down to our very core, honestly begs the question do you really know who's living next door? You know, the sweet kid, the loving kid, the he-would-never-hurt-a-fly kid, so quiet, so humble, even shy, so shocked we become at the brutality of their crimes.  What is it about us as human beings that we don't value life? There is a political undertone in everything. We scream, we holler, we vent, we point fingers at and blame the President. People are dying-young and old, the Brady Bill was passed in 1993 sits idle and we have no progress on gun control. Who's really at fault?  Congress? Senate? Right winged conservatives? or the N.R.A. who say their second amendment rights are being taken ...

Main Entry: enlightened Function: adjective Date: 1652 1 : freed from ignorance and misinformation 2 : based on full comprehension of the problems involved Main Entry: ig·no·rance Pronunciation: \ˈig-n(-)rn(t)s\ Function: noun Date: 13th century : the state or fact of being ignorant : lack of knowledge, education, or awareness. I posted these definitions in response to someone's name on Instagram. He got pissed and decided to call me everything in the book because I said that you cannot be enlightened and ignorant at the same time. I said that if you are enlightened and ignorant that makes you a fool. These definitions prove my point. Calling me everything in the book doesn't hurt or upset me because I'm not taking anything at face value, I'm stating actual facts. Take it or leave it alone. To the brother who got so upset, maybe these definitions will give you a different perspective about yourself or the context in which these words are used.

In one of the most closely watched elections in recent memory, President Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term in the White House. Voters turned out en mass to cast their ballots despite extremely long lines, Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, and repeated attempts and reports of voter suppression by Republicans to thwart the election. Unbought and unbossed, President Obama beat Republican challenger Mitt Romney the former governor of Massachusetts who along with his running mate, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan appeared as staunch relics of old school Republican ideology and values replete with the tale of two Americas-one for the rich and one for the poor. Romney's repeated gaffes, constant flip flopping on the issues reminiscent of a chameleon candidate, repeated reference to the 'Five Point Plan' that wasn't, tenure at Bain Capital, secrecy surrounding his tax returns, and hidden camera comments regarding the 47% of the country ultimately proved to be his un...

While New York City had slightly fewer homicides in 2011 than in 2010, statistics cannot do justice to many parents who unwittingly and shockingly find themselves a part of and increasingly growing group-parents of murdered children. While violent crimes seem to take a lull during the winter months, as the seasons change, so is the increase in crime most notably homicides. Grief-stricken parents are only left with memories as they struggle to cope with reality to what could have been of their son or daughter's life. What makes the pain and grief of violently losing a child almost unbearable is the wanton disregard for life and the compounded selfish and senseless nature of the act itself. 13 year old Annie Fryar was gunned down by her own brother Steven Murray as she slept in her bed while critically wounding his mother, Christine Fryar. According to reports, Murray shot and killed his sister while wounding his mother because his mother was attempting to throw him out of her apart...

Welcome to my new blog The Critically Independent Socially Conscious Thinker. I know the blog name is kind of long but it describes perfectly who I am and the passion that I have to see that others become the same. This blog was really birthed out of seeing the ills and foolishness going on in this society and my inability to sit by and keep quiet about it. Knowledge is power and in this new chapter of my life, the 30th year of my life I have discovered my true calling. It drives me, motivates me, with the help of Almighty God it wakes me up in the morning, and it puts me to sleep. My passion is to motivate others while motivating myself. The purpose of this blog is not to degrade or humiliate or shame anything or anyone but to get people to think and not just to think but to think critically for themselves. We have become accustomed to foolishness and atrophied to the truth. Not just our own personal truths but the truth in its fullness told with boldness and conviction. When you ...