Leeches

The Grand Rapids Times

A leech will take blood from an individual and not give anything in return.

There aren’t any mutual agreements between a leech and the person they prey on.

I see some people as leeches, minus the blood sucking aspect.

There are leeches in the world that hunt for innocent people who have a complicated time saying no.

I know how it feels to be attacked by a leech, because I used to be in the category of people who have a difficult time saying no.

I used to be that person that would allow others to make decisions for me with their persuasive words.

I used to be the one that would listen to the stories of the leeches and have sympathy for them all the time.

I was the victim that allowed leech after leech to drain me physically, mentally, and emotionally, until I would break down myself.

Weak people care how leeches feel, but forget that leeches care less about how they feel.

Leeches only look out for themselves and how they can benefit from the individuals that they prey on.

Since I recently decided to stop being the prey of people that constantly take and never give, I want to encourage others to do the same.

A person can detach a leech by simply saying no!

It is sometimes hard at first, but someone that always hears the word no is not going to keep coming back to someone that they can’t take from.

I understand that a lot of people were born with a heart that just naturally causes them to give.

I understand that there are people struggling in the world and people that really do need assistance to live.

All of the above are true; however, there are also leeches who pose as these people.

It’s sad, but a leech will tell you that they need a money loan for something important and then spend the money you lend them on partying and etc.

A leech will tell you that they are on the verge of losing their house but then turn around and buy a brand new car.

A leech would tell you that your significant other isn’t right for you and then give you all kind of reasons to why just because as a leech they don’t want to see you with that person.

Leeches will do just about anything to have things their way.

This week, I just wanted to encourage people who are currently prey to pull the leeches off of their bodies.

One for the week: Matthew 21:22 - “All things you ask for in prayer, you will receive if you have faith.”

I wonder if there would be so many leeches if many people knew this verse?

2010 Census: Black, African-American Or Negro, That Is The Question

The Grand Rapids Times
By Kenneth Muhammad

So, how many Negroes live in Grand Rapids? That’s a question the US Census Bureau wants answered.

Question No. 9 of the 2010 Census asks whether the respondent is “Black, African- American or Negro”.

This question renders the terms equal.

Consequently, those Black persons, or African-Americans who answer will be forced to equate themselves to a descriptive term associated with slaves and slavery.

Local politicians, including Mayor Heartwell, are calling on Grand Rapidians to complete the questionnaire.

Federal funding is partly dependent on completion of the census and the population of an area.

Blacks, however, are left with quite a conundrum. If we want the funds that are tied to the census results, we must suffer the humiliation of referring to ourselves as our former slave masters called us.

This is reminiscent of a scene in the movie “Roots” in which Kunta Kinte was forced to call himself “Toby” in order to get relief from a whipping.

Are we now looking for similar relief?

Gerald Brown of Grand Rapids says he will be completing the form and indicating that he “is a Negro that wishes to be counted”.

Gerald says despite the terminology, “during a recession we need all the funding we can get”.

I will not be completing and returning my census form because I do not wish to break the law.

Federal law provides that intentionally supplying false information on your census form is punishable by a $500 fine.

If I were to indicate that I am a Negro, that would definitely be a lie.

Politicians will likely urge Blacks to complete the Census regardless, but I wonder if indicating one is a Negro will garner us only 3/5 of the funding?

Mind Games

The Grand Rapids Times
Adult's Walk
By Marcel Gamble

This week I want to share with you all a conversation that I had with someone that’s very close to me.

This other person and I had a discussion about people who are labeled as being mentally insane.

Here are my thoughts after our conversation.

Usually those who are identified as being mentally or criminally insane are adulterated by their past.

In other words, these are individuals who have had rough childhoods — people who weren’t as fortunate to have caring parents or at least one caring parent.

It’s unfortunate, but those who have the status as mentally insane route from dangerous environments.

If all of the above is true, how many people could America have saved?

How many more doctors or lawyers could our country have instead of mass murderers? I ask these questions because the reasoning for the thousands of individuals that are labeled as being mentally or criminally insane has a cause. Could the cause be America turning its back on those that are on and below the poverty line?

Or could the cause be that America is giving to much aide to those that are on and below the poverty line; which provides comfort ability? Could the cause be the thousands of young fathers neglecting their responsibilities as a man?

Or maybe the cause could be the thousands of young mothers that continue to have baby after baby to continue to receive the benefits from government assistance?

Many of the mentioned conditions above occur in urban minority communities.

What does this say about the thousands of people who are being labeled as being mentally insane?

Granted, there are the rare cases that we can’t prevent.

However, there are the thousands of cases that we can prevent.

Furthermore, I’m not saying that a person has to be the richest person in the world to provide for their child.

I’m saying that everyone is a least rich enough to provide love.

I’m not saying that everyone was fortunate enough to be raised on helpful values and principles.

I’m saying just don’t perpetuate the cycle by passing the same values down to your children, begin a new cycle.

To my peers, we have to realize that we all have to fight harder to show others that we aren’t products of our backgrounds growing up.

We have the assignment to depict that we are so much more.

This goes further than the mentally/criminally insane issue.

This enters the schools, the churches, and the work force.

One for the week:
Deuteronomy 7:13 - He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.

The Sun is Shining

The Grand Rapids Times
Adult's Walk
By Marcel Gamble

The sun is out bright as ever once again.

After a winter of treacherous snow, it honestly is a beautiful gift from God.

I’m sure that many people love the winter and are a little upset about the season leaving us.

However, many of us enjoy the sun and warmer weather.

We have been waiting months for weather that we are satisfied with.

With that said, if we all appreciate the warmer weather, then why do we have the tendency to take advantage of it.

As young adults we have to understand that a seasonal change shouldn’t affect our behaviors or alter our images.

I want to congratulate everyone.

Although this winter hit all of us with nasty snowstorms, there weren’t very many storms amongst people.

There weren’t storms that caused others to pull out guns and inflict pain or death on their fellow peers.

There weren’t many storms that caused older men to prey on innocent under aged children.

I didn’t notice that many storms that caused men to adventure out on their wives and women to cheat on their husbands.

Granted the physical weather this winter was pretty heavy, but the weather amongst the people enduring the snow was okay.

As it begins to get warmer out, we all should focus on raising that okay to a level of greatness.

Past summers that have brought upon heat waves with guns.

Past summers have brought upon heavy prostitution and the use of more drug substances such as crack.

We should be thankful for warmer weather; we shouldn’t be taking advantage of it.

Young women should understand, yes, it is a time to remove layers of clothing; however, it is not a time to reveal your whole body to the world.

Young men should understand the same thing.

When the warmer weather comes, it’s not a time to put your boxers and bare backs on display.

We shouldn’t lose respect for ourselves just because it gets warmer outside.

The sun is shining and we should all work together to keep it that way.

One for the week: 1 Corinthians 12:13 – For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.