2009 - My New Years Resolution
by
Robert Stanford

As for community service in the field and the resulting advocacy brought about by these same activities, for the most part, I stand alone.

This year, I hope to prove it has been for good reason that I do stand alone. Because the people I will more than likely face off with in this new year stand with everyone else standing around them - just like wolves tending flocks of sheep, donning the attire of shephards, they are in reality devils in disguise.

Pats on the back are appreciated and always welcome to me these days it seems, whether I admit to it or not at any given time. As though it is an oasis in a desert, the kudos are often, as well, nothing more than a mirage put forth by other individuals with agendas of their own that would seem to require my elimination from their social and political circles. Because I ask all the wrong questions. Because I make all the wrong suggestions. Because I act as though I may be gunning for their position or positioning myself for their downfall. I am a threat.

Many of these same individuals that applaud my perceived efforts of community service and advocacy at one time, in the company of another, will turn on me and hiss ambiguities of possible secretive sins at other times that are more opportunistic, for them personally to do so - such as when there are more than two to three people surrounding us.

They feel certain they can elevate themselves by pointing me out as an infiltrating enemy - when in fact, they are the ones that are culpable for the very same sins they would have others believe I commit.

These would be the same individuals that were no doubt shiester, teen-age bullies in their youth, learning from an early age that their mediocrote would be hidden as well as rewarded by taking the path of least resistance - i.e. bullying and intimidating their way through life with passive aggressive behavior, where a cycle of violence takes on many more forms than just violence itself. But now the stakes are much higher than mere milk money or dinner on the table by five.

These are the types of people very similar to many that fill our prisons, in that they are constantly attempting to harness the control and manipulation least necessary, to get what they feel is theirs without any forethought or regard to the consequences of their community, their culture, or even their own people and families. Some may even go so far as to call it, "good business". I believe that Al Capone called it that.

These people play on the instincts of honor and duty you naturally possess as your birthright to preserve your own individual heritage. They will claim that you should certainly care as much as they do about your own causes, when, if the truth be known, they could care less about you or your causes.

Looking back now, you can see that they have only stabbed you in the back at any given opportunity that was most convenient for them, despite any consequences for you, your community, your culture, or even your own people and family. They have long since forgotten about theirs, despite their constant droning - just like the evangelical hyenas they really are.

Whatever your particular racial division may be - it does not matter - because they turn a human trait of timeless love and sharing into a weakness called insecurity when they manipulate you through the deception which would have you think there is actually something to be gained by quietly condoning and going along with them and their sinful agendas disguised as "charity".

They are so clever at doing this, that while your own people are dying not so far away from you, you will hold your frustration and your doubts and remain silent - go with the flow without making waves. Of course, we all need acceptance from our peers.

In effect, you will have sold out yourself and your own people for nothing more than a warm handshake and a smile. You have kept the peace for another moment. But at what cost? Everything that is most important to you - your heritage, culture and your people. Yes, you have aided and abetted them.

You may just as well take a felt pen and write the word "MARK" across your forehead.

Do it with me now - because I too, am just as guilty - M-A-R-K…

There. Isn't that better?

It's 2009 right now!

It's time for a revolution!

It's time to fight back!

It's time for us to take back control from those that have nothing more to threaten us with, than a frown and a fish-handshake!

It is what we think of them and ourselves that should be most important to us, not what they think of us, because if you examine their situations through past history, you will see, that all they would ever think of us, is what they could get out of us to elevate themselves in some way.

It has come time to rise above the social game of the give and take of warmth and friendliness. It is time to stand firm and count your blessings as those individuals who will back away from the wolves and stand strong with you in opposition to those that are passive aggressively prone to domestic violence - because until these con artists unlock their own shackles of greed - they are not fit to lead - anyone - anywhere.

As a leader myself, I must consistently be mindful that as a leader, I follow no one.

I must take this New Year to rise to the occasion and show MY flock greener pastures. Pastures that are truly free from passive aggressive wolves.

I know I can do this because I completed a crossword puzzle last week.

So, let's see, I have been doing the Modesto Bee crossword every day except for the Sunday's edition for the past five years now - so that would be exactly one puzzle completed and totally correct out of approximately 1500 attempts.

Nothing can stop me now.

Copyright 2009 by Robert Stanford, all rights reserved.