iGiveaCrap

God Bless, O'hara Christian, Kedrick Morrow and Dane Freeman

2010-07-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

The shooting deaths in Queens of Kedrick Ali Morrow and Dane Freeman, both in May, have brought on an uproar within New York City. Violence and illegal weapon possession are not new at all and neither is young men of color being the victims. However, maybe because of the similarities and short time span between events, the response to these events in particular has been "great." Yet, it has not been how it should have been. Also in May, O'hara Christian was killed by bullet. This brought much mourning, grievance and sorrow to myself, my family, friends and the neighborhood at large as he was a friend since childhood. In each of these circumstances, there are better ways for us to respond, actual lessons to be learned and more action to be taken:

Shuda: As a rule, whenever I am at a party and it is more than a couple of blocks from my house, I am always on my way home by 1 AM. By 1 AM means that 1 AM is the latest. If not headed home, at least, I'll leave for somewhere else that is much safer. Before you go out somewhere such as a party, barbecue or club, consider how long you plan to stay. Consider who else will be there and the location of the particular event. If anything is unfamiliar or/and sketchy, it's always better to just go in and mingle for a little while and come out by the pre-decided time. Also, you would have needed to choose how you would be leaving, who you'd leave with and where you'd go afterward beforehand as well. This prevents people from getting caught in unnecessary altercation and nonsense from standing around at the place talking about/deciding their plans.

Whether my best friend, the person I'm dating or my brother, I try to make sure I have a buddy! This is the one person you are not to separate from for longer than a couple of minutes at a time. You are to always know where the other is and any potential dangers they may be facing while there. Make sure you are always able to be in contact with each other, even when apart, in case you are needed. This "buddy" is accountable to your well-being for the time-being and you are to theirs. It must be someone you can have a good time with and who you have gone out with often, enough to detect when each other is uncomfortable and to know that neither of you would overreact and cause any possible arguments to escalate, whether it is with each other or others. Point blank, don't travel alone when you are going to an event for young partying types because there any many potential risks in a scenario such as that and most other people will be in groups so that makes it more dangerous for a person who is solo.

It may seem like a lot of unnecessary work to make so many decisions about going somewhere to have fun but these are no kiddie events and a part of growing up and learning to be responsible for oneself is using your brain and other resources for ensuring your safety. Parents, don't guard your children from life to protect them; guard them from dangers by teaching them. You can start with sharing this article with them. Make sure to reinforce that irresponsible drinking habits and underage drinking are never okay. Having fun isn't wrong but the reckless behavior that often results is not ever good.

Cuda: When you're planning an event, do your best to be able to control the environment. An outdoor party is far from controllable. Also, do your best to not have people in your house if it is such an informal event for a large group. Rent a spot, one with security, preferably. Act like a parent, in other words, do your best to foresee areas where there could be issues and fix them beforehand. Having a Plan B & C to ensure the safety of everyone involved & invited is part of being a good host/hostess.

Wuda: I'm sure that we all wuda showed we care a lot more but then, there are those who would've only showed more hatred. Do not allow the hatred of others to make you hate yourself and others. It is our job to love even our enemies. Yet, loving them doesn't mean placing ourselves in front of their guns, unless, of course, we are getting rid of the guns. There are communities that have a curfew. In those like ours, there are only curfews regarding times when young people can come into the mall without a parent. That says a lot. Curfews are kind of controlling but they definitely say, We realize the need for our kids to have a different set of standards and we care.

I have a friend who invited me to her graduation from Elmont Memorial High School this June at Hofstra University. Guess what, Kedrick would have been graduating from there with her! Guess what else, someone from the school, at one point, said, Let's have a round of applause for the parents of the kid who died. How disrespectful, I thought, for he has been more than a kid who died, especially to his parents! At least, his name is in the program.

Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns. Get rid of the guns.

Please, hold the peppermint oil, Sara Greiner

2010-01-31T16:12:00.000-08:00

My first reactions:
What's wrong with having it??
and
Why did she have it??

What am I talking about, you ask??

My friend read a story to me from a newspaper:
Ten-year old Sara Greiner, a student at John Mandracchia-Sawmill Intermediate School (Commack, Long Island, New York), was suspended for a day because she brought organic peppermint oil to school and shared several drops in her classmates’ water bottles.

The claim: “Peppermint oil is an unregulated over-the-counter drug,” as stated in the Commack School District's online report.
The school's principal stated to Sara's mother, Corrine Morton-Greiner, that it was "inappropriate and unacceptable behavior."

In the comments regarding this about.com article, she states:

Sara has oil because a Girl Scout troop leader was a distributor and told us of how she uses it with her children. This is a legal product, made and sold in the USA. It is a food essence. I am a teacher, and I am Sara’s class parent. The Friday before the classroom peppermint oil incident, the other class mother and I were distributing peppermint candy canes to the class for the holiday party. There was no restriction on this. Peppermint is not one of the listed allergies for this class at all. As class parent, I know this because we receive that list at the start of the school year. Although I was unaware that Sara took it with her to school that day, I was not particularly alarmed when I discovered that she did. It was the day after the snow storm, and there was a 2-hour school delay. We had construction workers replacing our front door and a house guest flying in for the holidays. Sara had a little extra time to get ready that morning and must have thought to bring the oil. The school has compared it to an “over-the-counter drug,” the actual premise upon which she was suspended, which is ridiculous because it is a food essence and nothing else. I’m still angry.

Shuda: Kept it to herself. Sharing is caring but there's always a risk you take when you share. For example, if you give somebody a car, they may crash. However, when it comes to food and ingestion, you must be extra-careful. Allergies can be deadly and apparently, peppermint oil is not a food but an essence. School food is strictly regulated. As gross as it often looks, in order to be served, it had to have passed some form of inspection and met certain standards. Schools are regulated because you can't eat/drink just anything (even though they often fail and I even read this today, proving it). Therefore, she should have kept it to herself, no matter the health benefits it may serve.
Cuda: Sara could have asked her mom, class mother, to hold the peppermint oil since she doesn't usually take it out of the house but did have it that day. Also, Corrine could have had the other parents fight with her against it. I'm sure it's not that big of a deal to them that their child drank some peppermint oil. If the principal received a few letters, things may have worked differently.
Wuda: She'd have done even better to warn her daughter about the way it should be used and keeping it at home.

Conclusion: It's just a one-day suspension but the issue was that it is now on her record. I'd be upset too, as the mother. However, these things happen and there must be a standard of how it should be handled. As a first of its kind, Corrine did well to fight the suspension.

Choices

2009-12-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you are faced with an opportunity to go away on a week-long vacation and have the choice to go or not?? If I leave, it's going to be before the sun comes up but if I don't, the opportunity's gone. If I go, I don't know what to expect but it sure will be more beneficial than sitting around here..I think. What if it's my destiny and I'm passing it up?? What should I do??
What would you do?? What can I do?? Somebody??

Rest in Peace Kevin "Big SAY" White

2009-12-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/11/17/2009-11-17_kin_claim_coverup_after_bouncer_is_slain_by_cop.html

My brother-in-law was getting into the security business. He had a friend from the SUV Club, X-Ryders that he is a part of, helping him out. Nobody knew that his friend would soon be killed in the line of fire while doing his job.
Somebody fired shots at a club where he was "bouncing." He retrieved the gun and had it when the police arrived. They claim they thought he was a gunman and fired shots at the security guard.

-Too many mistaken identity or false alarm situations have occurred involving police officers shooting someone they thought was a criminal but wasn't.
-Too many situations have occurred where a security guard or off-duty or "undercover" police officer with their own gun was mistaken for a gun-toting criminal by police officers who then shot them.
-Too many situations have occurred where people shoot first and ask second.
-Too many people are gone for reasons like these...no reason at all but that they Shuda, Cuda and Wuda done it differently.

Readers, please share your shuda, wuda, cuda list for this. I'm speechless. It just happens too often and makes so little sense that I do not know where to start.

Poll

2009-11-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

I almost ran for homecoming queen during my junior year of high school.

Shuda: Actually gone to school
Cuda: Still signed up even though I missed a couple of rehearsal days
Wuda but I lost the inspiration.

How many of you would've ran for homecoming queen/king but didn't??
[Make sure to reply with "Shuda" "Cuda" "Wuda"]

Recover soon, Bentley White

2009-11-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

http://gothamist.com/2009/11/28/crooks_shoot_man_for_tv_but_its_too.php

I read here that three "men" shot a 64-year-old man in his stomach on "Black Friday" in Cambria Heights and stole his new television.

Then, they could not fit the flat screen television set into their car.

Shuda: Been arrested, better yet, had a better regard for a man's life and not shoot him in the first place.
Cuda: Gotten their own television. Crime doesn't pay.
Wuda: So, I know this was a heartless crime but it's also a mindless crime because I know they would've made sure it'd fit into their car!

Opinions please!