People have it confused; if you and your man do a crime and you get caught and he doesn’t and you tell. THAT’S SNITCHING! You chose that lifestyle, you are only telling because you got caught. However if a little girl gets shot in the street and you say you’re not going to “snitch”, a. that’s not snitching, b. you’re a punk and you’ll end up dead soon enough. See because you chose not to snitch you bring death to your own front doorstep! 1

START SNITCHING

We see it glorified in old mob flicks, rap records hail it as the sin of all sins; the number one code of the streets; “don’t snitch”. LOYALTY, I understand the concept very well, but when does it border stupidity and become a cause in fact of the violence and destruction of our neighborhoods. The “Stop Snitching Campaign” was subliminally etched into our minds long before the celebrated t-shirts with stop signs and the word snitching embedded within. Well please forgive me, for I am about to break the ultimate code of honor, I’m about to become the rat of all rats, because my charge for us as a community is to… “START SNITCHING”.

There, I said it, START SNITCHING, start snitching if you want your children to live to see past their elementary school graduation. Start Snitching if you want to stop living in fear as you walk to the corner store. This is heavy, because as a people we have a strong distrust for law enforcement. I mean, why wouldn’t we, after seeing many of our leaders crippled by this system of American Justice. We vividly remember news clips of the Civil Rights Era, watching police officers brutally attack people of color with water hoses and K-9 dogs? Many of us can attest to the “random” car stops, the harassment and brutality that our people face on a daily basis from those who are supposed to protect and serve. Yet I still say START SNITCHING, far too many of our children are becoming victims in the crossfire of drug wars, domestic disputes and other various forms of crime that begat violence.

What do you tell a mother who just lost her 6-year-old child to gun violence and you know what happened? What do we put on your grave when you’re no longer here, “here lies a good man cause he wasn’t no snitch”. No, more like here lies a coward who was too afraid to take ownership of his community and protect the lives around him. Now you’re thinking, “I‘m not snitching because then they are going to come and get me”. I agree, and sadly once again law enforcement does an awful job at protecting those who come forward with the truth. There is power in numbers, if we take a stand as a people we can combat these atrocities. We can put pressure on the legislators to create better programs for those who come forward, put pressure on city hall to allocate sufficient funds to the police department for such programs. Once we become aware of our power we won’t have to live in fear, we will begin to think for the system and have our thoughts implemented, as they should be in the first place. We elect, key word “elect” public officials, they are in their positions to serve us. So if we don’t feel safe it is our duty to get that message across to those who we have elected to make us feel protected. We can employ “effective snitching” by going to city council meetings, arranging town hall meetings and charging elected officials with doing their job and implementing programs that will make our streets safer. Our taxes are what pay the salaries of these elected officials and law enforcement personnel, so essentially they work for us, its time that we remind these people who write their checks and demand that produce results!

I’m talking about taking a stand for the well-being of the children we are raising. We know exactly what goes on around the way from violence to drug dealing and we even know what times it is more probable that these crimes occur. Effective snitching means as a community going to these elected officials and providing them with this information, demanding that they not only look at the information but that they create a plan of action to address it. Jail time is supposed to serve as a deterrent for crimes committed, meaning if you do the crime you do the time. By not snitching and taking a blind eye to the crimes within our neighborhoods, we are sending our people the message that what they’re doing is right and will be tolerated. We’re saying there’s no reason to think before you act because no one is going to tell so you don’t have to worry about prison time. No wonder the murder rates are so high, we have sent a message that people can be killed and we will protect the killers by keeping silent. START SNITCHING, effective snitching, lets be a catalyst for the change that we wish to see in our communities. Let’s Make It Happen!

Cedric D. Shine

God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” 2 Chronicles 1: 11-12

There’s a lot that resonates with me in this one so just let me rock for a second. Seek and ye shall find, ask and you shall be given but at this moment I’m reminded of the movie I Robot. Will Smith was speaking to an illusion and he had to ask the right question to be granted with an understanding. By no means am I comparing God to the computer generated image on the movie but the lesson is still ringing true in my head. What is the question, what is it that you are asking for. Only then can we gain understanding. I guess it wouldn’t be called wisdom or understanding if it was simple and easy to grab because I am often confused. And with the world behaving in its own ignorance it almost seems as if wisdom is no longer a necessity, I know only a fool would think that but I’m not afraid to say that I can be a fool sometimes.

Sometimes, I pray and ask God for things, I noticed my prayers for other people seem to be answered very quickly. However my prayers for my own gain may take a little longer or may have not come to fruition as of yet. So I have to ask myself what am I asking for. Solomon asked for wisdom, sometimes wisdom can be a lonely place but I read once that the Lord separates us, that he takes us out of the crowd so that we can do his will. So while you’re alone, he is preparing you for something greater, but that’s another topic. Back to Solomon, his heart was pure while asking for wisdom to grow his people. Just a thought yall but maybe it is not that God does not hear us and is not answering us, its just that we have yet to begin to ask the right questions. Peace and Grace be unto you!

The teeth are smiling, but is the heart?

SWAY from MTV and his cronies have lost all credibility. Like it was bad enough that the list of hottest mc’s was horrible. Like how is Rick Ross 5 spots above Andre 3000. How is Common not on the list at all? And how do you have a lengthy discussion about Soulja Boy. Like for real now Soulja boy is considered rap, what were the lyrics to that song again! GTFOH

How is the deciding factor, LYRICS? Seriously Sway I had a decent amount of respect for you but to allow this trash to be representative of the hottest MC’s is really disheartening. It just furthers that the merging of Hip Hop and mainstream is the death of Hip Hop as an art form and the creation of a very lucrative business.

So I click back to MTV.com and I see that they have an honorable mention list. TRASH! Like Kick Rocks MTV and your cronies who know nothing about what Hip Hop is, or what it means to be an MC. This should be the hottest ringtones list, like just because you create a buzz with some bubble gum rap does not mean you are an MC.

Like Talib Kweli put out an amazing album this year, I knew he wasn’t going to get any love because he’s under the radar. But for Common to not even get an Honorable Mention, all of you so called Hip Hop heads lose your credibility. Kanye West, just how you have spazzed about your own injustices in the past, I need for one of your tirades right now about fellow G.O.O.D. Music artist Common. Sway, get some balls and put a real squad of hip hop heads together and make a real list. You have to man, you have to save your credibility on this one fam, Hip Hop needs You!

MTV SUCKS SUCKA FILLED RATHER THAN SUCKA FREE!

There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with the fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20

I woke up very late this morning (lol) after having a “great” weekend. One of the first things on my mind was how lucky I am to have built such great friendships. This entire weekend was spent with people whom I truly consider my closest friends and we wound up any and everywhere. A great part of building friendships is having the opportunity to watch your friends grow and prosper. One person landed a new high - paying job, so we drove to NY to celebrate. Three more are graduating from Temple this week; more cause to celebrate. And lastly if I was Kanye West (which I’m not, I’m THE CEDRIC SHINE, LOL) my buddy Chris Thomas would be Jay - Z, making him my Big Brother. Yesterday I got to watch him graduate from Penn State’s phenomenal Business Program gaining his MBA.

All this to say I am very grateful for the friends that I have in my life and very thankful that I can be a special part of their finest moments. I feel my time is better spent around people who have my best interest at heart and I have theirs. We are as good as the company we keep around ourselves. The bible tells us that iron sharpens iron, and judging from this weekend I have some of the sharpest iron surrounding me. I pray that I can be as sharp as those who have influenced me. So today I am honoring my great friendships, I think you should too for without them there would be no us. Peace and Grace be unto you.

A wise man who knows proverbs reconciles difficulties.

I had to post it!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU0bp_-RQA4&hl=en]

HILLARY GIVE IT UP!!!

May 8, 2008

Senator Barack Obama

Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680

Dear Senator Obama,

This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.

One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.

I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. When efforts were untaken [sic] by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party’s rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically [sic] opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.

Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.

I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party’s nominee.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Letter courtesy of Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Time waits for no man or woman. Sometimes I feel suspended in time. I learned sometime in this past year that when you are happy, like really bask in your happiness. Smile, be joyful, jump up and down on your bed even. Because unfortunately when you are sad, when its raining outside, it really pours. When that rain comes into your life you have to think about this scripture and think what time is it right now in my life. How did you enjoy the good times you had. Did you really relish in the good times, or did you find yourself making comparisons to how they could have been better times. I get so much out of this scripture that I can’t write it all down today so be sure that I will bring this one back out. I’m looking above at all of the different times in life that we experience and trying to understand how they all merge. After I read one line, I always go back to the top; there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.

Who controls the amount of time that we may be building, the amount of time it takes us to heal. Truth is we definitely have no control over these different time periods and I am learning to grow and appreciate each time period that I may be in. Several of them could be going on at one time and we just have to be patient and understand when God feels we have learned that lesson than he will pass us on into the next time phase he has for us. Faith is real wild because you don’t see God, like you cant reach out and physically see yourself shaking his hand. But you trust in him, it’s wild because that is a beautiful trust. We have people in our lives who we can see, and we put trust in them and they destroy it, so this dichotomy makes some people just believe that only they can control. They can’t fully trust in God because they cant see him, they know that some people are untrustworthy so they just look to themselves. We must try not to fall into this trap; for starters God is within us so he is tangible. I just look to the above passage and I think wow there really is a time for everything, I’m looking forward to the beautiful times he has for me. When you get them and if you have them right now please honor and love those times because those memories push us through hard times. Peace and Grace be unto you.

(sings) Gotta find me an angel - Aretha Franklin

I use this song because Sean Bell and I were both in junior high school when this song came out. We both watched this video on BET’s Rap City! Now he’s gone and I’m here and no justice has been served in his honor (not violence) but Justice. Who are the real SHOOK ONES?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeuEGr_UTzg&hl=en]

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: thought it tarry, wait for it because it shall surely come……. Habakkuk 2:3

A close friend of mine sent me this scripture a few nights ago. Prior to receiving it we had been on opposite ends of a conversation about how to handle certain things. So as a fool does, when I received this scripture, I read through it but I did not try to understand it. When our own ignorance is bliss sometimes we do not see when a lesson is being presented before our very eyes. I try not to stay ignorant for too long and I went back and read the word again. I started to allow the words to resonate within me, searching for the reason that this particular scripture had been sent to me.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time. My vision, your vision but most of all God’s vision for the greatness that we will achieve. Many of us get worn out, and frankly become tired because we feel that our dreams are taking to long to come true. Our prayers are lying in wait and while they sit in limbo, we live in the world daily with these thoughts on our brains. It takes a wise person to realize the dream is still in the universe, the prayer will be answered and when it is, it shall speak truth into our lives. However, it is not the time; what you mean it’s not the time Ced? Don’t get mad at me; I’m asking the same question with you. But just maybe if tomorrow we could achieve our greatest good, our destiny. Just maybe at this time in our lives we would not be able to appreciate it or handle the greatness we are to become. The Lord says though it may linger, have faith because his blessing will surely come to us. We are all being tested daily in our ability to have patience and to have faith in the Lord. I’m down to wait; I pray for all of us, that what we receive doubles our expectations and we laugh when we remember that we had little faith at one time and how blessed we have become. How blessed we were all along. Peace and Grace be unto you.

Proverbs are the daughters of experience

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

I read another breakdown of this scripture and it read “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother”. Friendship was on my mind heavily this morning as I thought of the great ones that I have in my life. I thought of how fortunate I am to have good friends and I enjoyed the fact that others thought of me as such. While we are all trying to achieve some sort of success, we would be fools to only measure ourselves by monetary successes and material things. But I love how the scripture warns us, a man of many companions may come to ruin. Surrounding ourselves with people who don’t have our best interest at heart just so that we wont be lonely is not being blessed with great friends. That’s being bogged down by the celebrity of friendship rather than the true nature of building relationships.

You know its funny, after reading this scripture I think of old church songs i used to hear. I barely ever know the words but there’s one that talks about having a friend in Jesus. For years I took that song in vain and I wasn’t really getting the message from it. But now I’m wishing all that time I had been actively pursuing a friendship with Jesus, that’s a true friendship. Having a greater belief in him and knowing that he has my back; there’s nothing I cant do with a friend like that. I for one am taking the time to prayerfully build a better relationship with the Creator and to acknowledge all of the beautiful friends and family that I have in my life. Without them there would be no me and I feel that we all have those type of spirits in our lives, so today I wish to honor them. They continue to help us grow and hopefully we do the same for them. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.