Contempt prior to investigation, breeds everlasting ignorance

Home About News Broadcasts Contact   Featured Video: Many Illnesses Have a Simple Fix: "Dehydration Could Be The Cause" (click on arrow to view video)         Wellness Awareness Recovery Register Now Contempt prior to investigation; breed’s everlasting ignorance.                                                  by Reggie Smith When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius My godmother would always paraphrase that sage comedienne Jackie “Moms” Mabley saying “there ain’t no fool like an old fool”.  Conversely, comedic genius, Richard Pryor, said in the person of his famed character “Mudbone” (from Tupelo, Mississippi), “you don’t get old being no fool”.  They both got big laughs with their  thoughts about what it meant to be an old fool, but being one is not funny.  In life, we have so many opportunities to learn from our experiences, it says alot about you if you get the blessing of longevity, but waste it in ignorance or worse, unawareness.  The definition of a fool is a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; or a silly person.  You would think that there would not be so many people in positions of authority continually practicing self-delusion, denial, and unwillingness to try something different.  They are intransigent even though their approach is not to serve the greater good.  I guess many of us live up to the other adage that “youth is wasted on the young”.  Whatever the case, I’m glad that many more of us have learned that honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness to try new things (H.O.W) are seemingly indispensible tools for avoiding the plight of becoming an “old fool”. We talk a lot about the indiscretions of younger people, but our young people see hypocrisy, understand the consequences, and are creating change.  Getting old is not for the faint of heart, or the medically uninsured.  Right now, the CDC recommends that everyone over 40 (“baby boomers”) get screened for hepatitis C.  We know that those of us with HIV are living much longer than expected, and developing the conditions associated with old age, like sexual dysfunction, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, etc.  Of course, many of those conditions are a result of self-inflicted and perpetual abuse, as well as normal wear and tear.  It also seems like there are many more people suffering with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than ever before.  Being physically or mentally challenged is a distinct possibility, especially for those of us who resist, or even worse, dismiss change simply as a matter of routine or addiction to destructive habits.  Nevertheless, even those of us “stuck on stupid” have the potential to recover if we can be honest, open-minded, and willing to try something different.  The Affordable Healthcare Act is certainly something different, right?  What is the real rationale for not trying it in every state in this country?     There are some glimmers of hope in that there is a transformative energy changing the way the establishment has operated.  To see a Black president in America, and possibly a woman president on deck is transformative.   There have been drumbeats of war without actual bombs, for once, and that is refreshing.  The Catholic Church now has a Pope who is preaching the gospel of love and tolerance.  Nations, like Syria and Iran, that historically have postured with war out of fear of being dominated by “super powers”, have confounded the traditional ways of doing things in the world by proposing peaceful solutions.  The positive shift in energy is moving us further into the “age of Aquarius”.  In effect, our vision of healing the world is shifting the paradigm.  Coincidentally, the old fools are dying off.  In my family circles, I’m blessed to have a number of sharp-minded octogenarians.  It would be foolish, though, for “baby boomers” like myself, and younger generations to think that we will be able to solve our challenges with “traditional” approaches.  We may not know what will work, but we have evidence of that bigotry, inflexibility, greed and war do not work at all.  We may need to re-evaluate what “clinging to our guns and religion” really means.   We need to participate in our own survival/salvation by actively changing the things we can.  I am willing to change the way I eat, drink more water, exercise and meditate to see if it will help me maintain optimum wellness.  I’m upset there are “old (greedy) fools” blocking implementation of accessible, free or affordable healthcare, but I will educate myself and others on how we can maximize the use of what is available in the places we live now, in order to stay healthy and change the world.  I will also work with others to manifest a vision of a world in which there are governments that serve the greater good by addressing the real needs of “we the people”.  “Moms” Mabley was right; there ain’t no fool like many of these old fools running the world right now.  The “old fools” know their time has come to let go, that is why they are fighting so hard to hold on.  Either way, as a result attrition, wisdom, your new vision for the world and yourselves; the world is changing. It is time to RISE! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance -- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." - HERBERT SPENCER           ---------------------------------------------------------------------------                                -------------------------------------------------------------    RISEDisclaimer.doc               ------------------------------------------------------- For information about starting a support group for ALL  those affected by HIV/Hep C, check out: ---------------------------- Email Response Form ------------------------------- Here are a few books you might like:   by Reggie Smith  by Denise Stokes “I’m Still Here”  - by Venus Perez   -------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE SIGN UP TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT, ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT, SERVICE, EVENT OR ORGANIZATION   ...OR TO SIMPLY RECEIVE "RISE"! Subscribe to RISE4WAR.com - a multimedia magazine focused on Wellness, Awareness, & Recovery especially for families affected by HIV/Hep C Please fill out my form! CALL 678-744-RISE (7473) TO DISCUSS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES info@rise4war.com Our Sponsors & Supporters     The 5th Dimension "Age of Aquarius"   Healing Spirit: Yoga For Beginners   Click on the links below to enjoy a special music mix by DJ "Kind Brother" Reggie Smith  MUSIC MIX (right-click to download) djmix2pt1.mp3 djmix2pt11.mp3     Classic Movie Clip  "The Distinguished Gentleman"     CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS A'Lexius Culpepper is a Linkage to Care Specialist for one of Atlanta's top AIDS Service Organizations. Read them here ReflectionsonUSCA2013.docx     RISE Archives         RISE Multimedia News and Education Magazine · info@rise4war.com Reggie Smith · 678-744-RISE (7473) · Skype: ReggieSmith770

Sometime you must leave home; in order to become king.

Home About News Broadcasts Contact   Featured Video: Rare Video of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Civil Rights and Peace (click on arrow to view video)     Wellness Awareness Recovery Register Now Sometime you must leave home; in order to become "king".                                            by Reggie Smith Like A Comet Blazing 'Cross The Evening Sky Gone Too Soon Like A Rainbow Fading In The Twinkling Of An Eye Gone Too Soon Shiny And Sparkly And Splendidly Bright Here One Day Gone One Night Like The Loss Of Sunlight On A Cloudy Afternoon Gone Too Soon Michael Jackson                          Sometime you must leave home; in order to become king.           By Reggie Smith Fifty years ago, in 1963, I had an experience that made an indelible mark on my psyche.  At the tender age of six, you might think that the most impressionable thing in my life might have been the beginning of elementary school at P.S. 45 Queens, but for me it was any event that I had the opportunity to share with my now deceased father.  I am fuzzy about the events surrounding my dad taking me to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, so much so that it wasn't until this week, when I found myself standing in what I know and have always envisioned as the very same place I stood in '63.  Then in 1963, it was to be inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King to think of myself as more than Black, but as a human being that is worthy of giving and receiving love, and the dignity of freedom.  Going back this week to "commemorate" that great day was, on its surface, a way to represent the indignation of my family, community, ancestors, and I; that 50 years later we are still fighting the same battles for Jobs and Freedom.  On a deeper level, I emotionally celebrate the cherished memory of sharing one of the most historically important days the world has known with the man I loved and who brought me into this world; my father, Leroy L. Smith. How could I possibly have known what would happen in our lives and in the world?  Dr. King and my dad have been gone a long time.  I have healed from the drug addiction that my father tried to help me solve until his dying day.  I have been diagnosed with, and damn near died from, and now live more fruitfully with AIDS.  Still, with four children and six grandchildren, fifty years later here in America we are still fighting for jobs, justice, healthcare and freedom.  I am happy that the pain we are experiencing is motivation for so many to raise the energy of love on the planet, even for a moment.  It takes a moment to start the momentum.  I'm glad to be alive and present for both of the marches.  There are not many that can say the same, not the least of these being Dr. King and my dad. When I stood on the same spot that I shared with my father half a century ago, this time listening to the impassioned speeches of Martin L. King III and Rev. Al Sharpton, I realized the energy of that day in '63 could never be reproduced.  Their words rang true, but they, nor anyone, could match the eloquence and soaring oratory of Dr. King.  Even at the age of 6, I remember being impressed by Dr. King's mastery of the English language. He seemed to be our energetic spiritual bridge to the next dimension.  The gateway of pure light he channeled for us that day in 1963, in the particular shade of love that we (over 250 thousand) people received it; seems un-reproducible.  How could I possibly appreciate the magnitude of the moment?  What I was able to experience again (to my surprise) was the love and hope of my father, and his desire for a better life for my sister and I.  I also had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the lives of those two men, (and many others) who gave their lives in order to better the lives of their children. No one really knew at the time how prolific a speech, or a day that would turn out to be in 1963.  Dr. King had to die in order to garner sainthood. He had already been a "King" among men.  I did not know how special a father and son experience it was then, but I do now.  My dad had to leave this land in order to be king too.  Sometimes those closest to you do not appreciate you until you are gone, or until those outside your circle do.  Who really knows what the tangible results of this years March on Washington will be.  When I was asked by MSNBC's news anchor, Craig Melvyn in an on air interview, if I had been to both marches in 1963 and 2013, all I could think about was what I could say in what I knew would be 15 seconds or less, that could help change the world for my children and grandchildren.  I wanted to hopefully add to what has to continue to become a critical mass of energy needed to shift the paradigm again, like it did in '63.  I'm so tired of fighting this battle, so I pray to be a channel for change.  It is hard to express 50 years of frustration in fifteen seconds, but I believe if we could all touch just one or two with the passion of our purpose, oppression will take another standing eight count like it did fifty years ago.  I will do what Rev. Joseph Lowery exhorted us to do; "commemorate and instigate" so my grandchildren will not have to still fight for jobs, freedom and dignity - 5, 15 or even 50 years from now.  It is time to DO SOMETHING with the motivation of this fierce urgency of now.    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------                        -------------------------------------------------------------    RISEDisclaimer.doc               ------------------------------------------------------- For information about starting a support group for ALL  those affected by HIV/Hep C, check out: ---------------------------- Email Response Form ------------------------------- Here are a few books you might like:   by Reggie Smith  by Denise Stokes “I’m Still Here”  - by Venus Perez   -------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE SIGN UP TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT, ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT, SERVICE, EVENT OR ORGANIZATION   ...OR TO SIMPLY RECEIVE "RISE"! Subscribe to RISE4WAR.com - a multimedia magazine focused on Wellness, Awareness, & Recovery especially for families affected by HIV/Hep C Please fill out my form! CALL 678-744-RISE (7473) TO DISCUSS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES info@rise4war.com Our Sponsors & Supporters   Special 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom Edition     Music Video   "Lift Every Voice"   House Music/Photoshow Mash-up of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom by DJ "Kind Brother"     Click on the links below to enjoy a continuous"old skool" music mix by DJ "Kind Brother" Reggie Smith  MUSIC MIX (right-click to download) New Mix is a continuation of the photo show above MOWAnniversaryMix.mp3 MOWAnniversaryMix2.mp3 MOWAnniversaryMix3.mp3   Classic Movie Clip Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Debate         RISE Archives         RISE Multimedia News and Education Magazine · info@rise4war.com Reggie Smith · 678-744-RISE (7473) · Skype: ReggieSmith770

Two sick people in bed; relationship or hospital?

Home About News Broadcasts Contact   Featured Video: Chauncey's Deciding Moment (click on arrow to view video)         Wellness Awareness Recovery Register Now Two sick people in bed; relationship or hospital?                                       by Reggie Smith   My love, when ever I was insecure You built me up and made me sure You gave, my pride, back to me Precious friend, with you I'll always have a friend You're someone who I can depend To walk a path that sometimes bends Without you, life has no meaning or rhyme Like notes to a song out of time How can I repay You for havin' faith in me God bless you You made me feel brand new                                            The Stylistics  Our sexual relationships often say something about who we are as people. No matter what kind of sex you like, our emotional history plays a big part in how we are looking to satisfy our sexual desires.  It often seems like hurt people, hurt people. If two people in a relationship harbor resentments, have fears of rejection or abandonment, or have unmet desires (spoken or unspoken), there is fertile ground for the relationship to get "infected" and get sick; figuratively and literally.  Self-awareness is an essential part of any healthy relationship where people can work out their differences while remaining committed to a goal.  In marriage, the goal is to stay together “until death do us part”, right?  But with sex, just like in the game, “truth, dare, and consequences”; the truth is if you dare to have sex with a person, you will have to deal with the consequences.  It does not matter whether it is a marriage, a relationship, a one night stand, fling, or sexual adventure, the outcome (a child, STD, feelings, etc.) may end up being for life.  Either way there are rules we agree to play by, and you are considered a cheater if you don’t. My friend, A.B. Curl asks on his Facebook group THIS WORK" HIV/AIDS WALK MARATHON, and the RISE4War  Facebook Fan Page, "are emotions like lust or jealousy keeping you from asking yourself and your partner important questions before you get your swerve on?”  He goes on to ask “has your animal instinct or insecurity stopped you from asking about your partners HIV status or from wearing a condom?”  If your answer is yes, then why is immediate gratification more important than our wellness?  His questions always make me think about how we end up in relationships, why we stay in them, and how to have a healthy relationship, one day at a time.   The choices we make about how to satisfy our God given desire to have sex, and/or procreate, are often at the core of how our lives got to be the way they are.  Would you be in the marriage or relationship you are in now, or have been in the past, if you had not slept with, or had a child with the person in question?   Let’s agree there are no right or wrong answers to these questions.  It is what it is, and it ain’t what it ain’t.  They were cute, you had to have it, and the passion (or the alcohol) made the sex and the things we did to get it great.  At best, if you are honest with yourself and that other person, you can find a way to grow and build a healthy relationship together, or at least peacefully coexist.  At worst, though, our lack of self-awareness, fear of being alone and unloved, or inability to escape self-delusion or satisfy unmet needs will cause us to react to situations in ways that cause unhealthy conflicts.  We all bring “emotional baggage” to our relationships, but without tools for healing and dealing with issues as they arise; we are liable to let our emotions determine our words and actions.  Understanding, unconditional love, empathy, and finding ways to please ourselves (masturbation) are important tools we can use to maintain healthy relationships while growing in emotional maturity.   At some point, we all will have to ask ourselves; what is a healthy way to deal with under satisfied desires in a relationship?  In other words, what do we do when we can’t get what we want when we want it?  Rage and irrationality are not the answer, and will cause even greater harm.  Obviously, that is a lesson that some of the “Tea Party” representatives in Congress and America have yet to learn.  I can’t beat my wife because she doesn’t want to do what I want her to.  Parents that do not get along should not use their children as bargaining chips or ransom.  Politicians should not lie and be able to withhold our money because they can’t deal with their emotions or reality.  Our individual and national maturity depends on our ability to communicate, adherence to a social contract of playing by the rules, and spiritual laws.  Greed, like emotional immaturity, is cunning, baffling and insidious, just like any other addiction.  The spiritual law that always applies is the “golden rule”; do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.  The social contract that I try to remember before acting on my emotions is “how would I speak to Mike Tyson”?  Usually those two things give me a chance to stop, think and act like I care.  None of us are perfect, but let’s try to play by the rules, or we are going to have to change the game.  I’m sure now  It is time to RISE!   --------------------------------------------------------------------------- My relationship isn't my problem ~ ~ and it isn't my solution.                                                 Unknown         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------                                -------------------------------------------------------------    RISEDisclaimer.doc               ------------------------------------------------------- For information about starting a support group for ALL  those affected by HIV/Hep C, check out: ---------------------------- Email Response Form ------------------------------- Here are a few books you might like:   by Reggie Smith  by Denise Stokes “I’m Still Here”  - by Venus Perez   -------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE SIGN UP TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT, ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT, SERVICE, EVENT OR ORGANIZATION   ...OR TO SIMPLY RECEIVE "RISE"! Subscribe to RISE4WAR.com - a multimedia magazine focused on Wellness, Awareness, & Recovery especially for families affected by HIV/Hep C Please fill out my form! CALL 678-744-RISE (7473) TO DISCUSS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES info@rise4war.com Our Sponsors & Supporters     The Delfonics - Live 1973 "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time"    Relationship Experts, Advice on Relationships & Break Ups from America's Top Experts   Click on the links below to enjoy a special music mix by DJ "Kind Brother" Reggie Smith  MUSIC MIX (right-click to download) djmix2pt1.mp3 djmix2pt11.mp3     Classic Movie Clip "Friends with Benefits"     CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS A'Lexius Culpepper is a Linkage to Care Specialist for one of Atlanta's top AIDS Service Organizations. Read them here ReflectionsonUSCA2013.docx   A.B. Curl, the administrator of the secret FaceBook group THIS WORK" HIV/AIDS WALK MARATHON and the RISE4War  Facebook Fan Page "THIS WORKS", HAS CREATED A BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATION AND LOVE. THEY DISCUSS NEW APPROACHES FOR PERSUADING MEMBERS TO COME FORWARD, GET TESTED AND ACCESS THE CARE THEY NEED TO MAKE HIV/AIDS A MANAGEABLE, RATHER THAN A FATAL CONDITION. EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN BRINGING HIV/AIDS OUT OF THE SHADOWS. WE MUST KEEP EDUCATING THE EVERYDAY "INFLUENCERS", THE PASTORS, THE BEAUTICIANS, THE SHOP OWNERS, ANYONE WITH A DIRECT LINE TO THE COMMUNITIES AT GREATER RISK WHO CAN LAUNCH STRAIGHTFORWARD, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE DISEASE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT.   RISE Archives         RISE Multimedia News and Education Magazine · info@rise4war.com Reggie Smith · 678-744-RISE (7473) · Skype: ReggieSmith770