Why "We" Are So Angry/African American Rage

A young African American boy around the age of 14 moves into a new neighborhood. The neighborhood, is separated by a street from the African American Middle Class, to the Caucasian Middle Class, the name of the street in Pittsburgh is McNary Boulevard. The boy lived right smack in the middle, if he walked down the street to the right, he was in a beautiful suburban mostly Caucasian neighborhood. If he walked to the left, he was in a neighborhood, where African Americans had a pretty big house, but it was in the hood. Same street, but two different areas, The Caucasian area of the street was called Blackridge, and the African American area was called Wilkinsburg!

The boy takes a late walk around 2am in the morning, on his own street, on the Caucasian side of the street. The police drive by, stop there car, pull up, and stop the young man. "What are you doing here", the officer yells. The boy says "Oh just taking a walk, I can't sleep"! The cops come out the car, and yells, "Let me see some identification". "sure", the boy says nicely! The officer looks at the I.D. with the boys address on it, which so happens to be the same street that he is walking on. The officer pushes the boy against his car, and searches him. The young boy is scared, furious, and upset! The cop says abruptly, " You shouldn't walk around the streets this late at night, people think you are up to something"! The boy says "But I only live a block away, you can see my house from here"! The officer tells the boy to go home, and don't take a walk on his own street at 2am!

Therefore, when the same basic thing happens in the year 2009 to a Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates, I can understand his fury! The officer claims he was reported a intruder was in the neighborhood. Mr. Gates shows the man his I.D., with his address clearly stating that he lives there. Mr. Gates was booked and arrested. The officer claims, He was loud, rowdy and cursing at him. Well wouldn't you? When this has been happening for years in your life. For doing nothing wrong, at some point you just can't take it anymore. I think if this situation happened to me again, I would be rowdy, upset, and causing a stink. The ironic thing is that he is a Harvard professor, with so much power, intellect, and respectability within his community. I'm a little furious just writing this blog. IF you can't understand why "WE" as African Americans are so angry at times. Here is the reason.....

OLD NICE MAN..WELL..MAYBE NOT NICE..OLD DIRTY MAN!

I have been going to the gym in Pittsburgh, trying to stay in shape, while off from the show. I would see an older gentleman, working out all week. Every time, I'm in the gym, he tells me to "keep up the good work kiddo", I smile and laugh. Well, today he actually attempted to have a real conversation with me. He introduces himself, and asks if I'm new to the club. I tell him I was just visiting, and that my family lives here...... Anyway, he tells me how he was a body builder and world champion when he was younger. You can tell his body looked amazing for his age. Oh his age he says "you know I'm 73 years old". I'm in shock, he looks absolutely amazing! I was thinking how nice this old man is, and how great to see him still working out at his age. Then, the shocking part of the conversation comes in, he randomly admits to me that he was also a porn star and a stripper. That he was pretty well known, and made tons of money. It isn't over, he proceeds to tell me that he fell off the pole while stripping, and slammed down hard while in the air unto his balls, and that is why he retired. In the same breathe I believe he gave me some good work out pointers. This kind of stuff, I believe only happens to me. I went back to my workout laughing in my head. The sweet old man is a pervert. Only in my world, just J.R.!!!!!

Women Can Do It Too

I'm driving in Pittsburgh, home from the gym, and there was a sign saying road work ahead. I think to myself "Oh Crap, I hate traffic". I'm just driving, radio blasting, and look out my window at the construction workers. Wait, hold up, what the heck, is that a girl? Yes it was, a female construction worker. Sweating in her hard hat, wife beater, Orange little construction jacket, timberland boots, just drilling holes in the ground. With this big old drill, that probably weighs as much as her. I couldn't believe my eyes, I just never in my life seen a women in that field, and probably "working" better than the men. Construction has to be a male dominate field. I wonder, how much fighting she had to do, to get this position. I loved watching her, she was doing construction things, LOL, I don't know what they do. She did it like it was nothing, in Pittsburgh of all places. Wow, it is definitely 2009, cause you would never see that in the past. Women, good for you, for progressing so much in the United States.

WE ARE NOT SAFE, IN OUR OWN HOMES!

MY FRIEND Pizza, AND PARTNER THERESA BUTZ! WERE ASLEEP IN THERE BED AT HOME AND WAS ATTACKED, BY AN INTRUDER. Pizza, AND I WENT TO THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY TOGETHER, AND HER PARTNER, OF YEARS THERESA IS THE SISTER OF TONY NOMINEE NORBERT LEO BUTZ! NORBERT WAS IN SEATTLE REHEARSING "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN" THE MUSICAL! THE MUSICAL HAS DELAYED IT'S OPENING DUE TO THIS TRAGEDY! Pizza AND THERESA WERE JUST PLANNING THERE MARRIAGE CEREMONY TO ONE ANOTHER. Pizza GOT STABBED BY THE STRANGER, AND THERESA WAS STABBED TO DEATH, WHILE HOLDING THE INTRUDER DOWN, AND FIGHTING, SO HER SOON TO BE WIFE, COULD ESCAPE OUT THE BACK DOOR. PRAISE GOD THAT MY FRIEND Pizza SURVIVED, BUT THIS HAS TO BE A TOUGH TIME FOR HER. I HAVE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS, HOW SCARY THIS IS, AND HOW UPSET I AM BY THIS WHOLE SITUATION. MY PRAYERS STRONGLY GO OUT TO Pizza! THE BUTZ FAMILY IS IN MY DEEP PRAYERS AS WELL. THERESA DIED A HERO, AND IS GONE WAY TOO SOON! THIS YEAR SO FAR, HAS BEEN ABOUT DEATHS FOR ME, AND I DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE HEARING ANOTHER ONE SO CLOSE TO MY LIFE! I PRAY! I PRAY! I PRAY! I PRAY!

RIP THERESA BUTZ!

FAMILY! HOME IN "THE BURGH"!

It is a blessing to be on the national tour of A Chorus Line. I have never made it home to Pittsburgh so many times in one year. I'm usually so busy with life and work that I can never make it home. This tour has brought me back home to "The Burgh" on so many occasions. It is nice to have time off, and lay on my mom's couch. To see my nieces smiling faces every morning. Until they annoy the heck out of me with the noise. To make my little sister smile, when she comes home from a long day of work, is awesome. Seeing that she is so moody, and I never see her smile. To have my moms fried chicken, mmmmmm it is so so so good! I ate so much, my tummy hurts a little. Just to be in the presence, of the women who has given me so much in life. My mother is amazing, and sacrificed everything so I can be the man I am today. Last but not least, to be in the arms of Brewster my dog. He is staying here while I'm on tour. This makes me the happiest, I miss my partner in crime so much. My mom thinks she is keeping him, but that ain't going to happen, he is coming home with his dad Nov. 15 when the tour ends. LOL Oh how could I forget, my little brother, who is taller than me now, he tries to hide the fact that he has a girlfriend... But I find out, and embarrass him all day long. I also like to watch him play video games, and educate him a little on life. It is good to be home, next week heading to the city that never sleeps! NYC, and then off to Tokyo Japan with the tour. Life is good right now! And I'm thrilled, and excited about the weeks ahead!

PHLEGM ON THE CHORDS

Yesterday afternoon, I was standing "ON THE LINE", as Richie Walters, living in the moment. Feeling so great and confident, because I had been on most of the week, due to Anthony's vacation. I opened my mouth to sing, wanting this glorious sound to come out. NOPE WRONG, OUT COMES ROD STEWART. Just a huge ball of PHLEGM on my vocal chords. Panicking in my head, trying so hard to sing thru it. It wont go away,UGH, just seven voices at once, coming out my mouth. All I wanted to do is clear my throat real loud in the middle of the song. Nope, couldn't do that, had to be a pro, and keep going. Lawd, I sound hideous, just a ball of Phlegm, rolling around, staying right there. OH NO HERE COMES A HIGH NOTE. How am I going to get past this? Is it going to come out? Scared, sweat pouring down my cheek. "This is going to be a mess", I think to myself. I take a deep breathe, and WOW, I did it, the high note was the best part and the clearest part of the whole song. PHLEGM is the enemy, and I pray it will never happen to me again, onstage in front of 1700 people.

A Saved Life

A little boy grows up in the hood of Pittsburgh. He is already a little different than most, his mom tells him to "Stop talking like that", and the boy goes "like what"? and she just smiles. The boy sings around the house and is obsessed with Whitney Houston. He likes to dress up, dress pants, shirts, ties, and dress shoes. He likes to have his hair perfect. He is just an odd boy. He can imagine and play by himself for hours. He is mixed looking, but only considers himself black. He talks very proper, but has a slight Pittsburgh ghetto swank that comes out once in a while. A confident fellow on the outside, so so insecure on the inside. This boy only wants to be "the best" , and fit in, a perfectionist. Fighting to be a star,and be told he is the best at everything he does. This boy will not rest until he is on top. He has no life at all. He goes to school during the day, has rehearsals after school, and then drives 20 minutes to downtown Pittsburgh to take acting class, dance class, and voice lessons. Five days a week, no real life at all, just always school, and extra curricular classes. AGAIN, he wants to be THE BEST! The boy realizes he has so many flaws, and that the best doesn't really exist! Scared, Insecure, but yet confident on the outside shell. A temper, like no tomorrow, will cuss you out in a second, and doesn't know how to stop it! Say one thing that this boy doesn't like and he will snap your head off.

This boy is scared of other African American boys, because, almost every time he would walk home, he would have to hide behind trees,and cars for hours. Cause his fellow peers would jump him, and kick his little light skinned ass. For what reason he wondered, "I have never done anything to them"? Scared, terrified to be around young men his own race! Associated them as the enemy! This boy was jumped like a good 12 times, and none of them were man enough to fight the boy one on one. His outside shell, and temper grew stronger and stronger.

This boy had a step father that he loved so much! Even though he forced him to play sports like basketball, that he never wanted to do. His step father had a temper, and was the only male figure he had in sight. His father, beat him up just like the boys on the street from time to time. He still loves his step father, and continued to look up to him. Cause when the times were good they were amazing!

This boy was spoiled to death, by his grandma and mother. He had everything he ever wanted, that is why he assumed he was rich, even though looking back the boy was poor as dirt. He always had cash, and treated his friends to fine things. When he was 15 he had a car, and everything was always taken care of for him. When he went to college this boy didn't even know how to do his laundry, or cook anything at all. He had to grow up and learn fast.

This boy went to church every Sunday, and prayed to the lord as much as he could. Although no one in his family went to church, He prayed that they would someday find Jesus. His mom said " I just pray at home, those people are hypocrites". "I can't sit in a church with people that go out drinking,smoke weed and are crazy, then go to church claiming they love the lord". The boy tried to convince his mom not to judge others, but she never listened. However she would show up on Sunday mornings when the boy was singing at the church. She always supported the boy if he had a show. Even if it meant getting up early in the morning to hear him sing.

The boy has done some bad things in his life, once in a while, but has always tried to pray and repent. He always grew from all the mistakes he has ever made, and changed it immediately.

The boy struggles with panic attacks, because of things that happened in his past. In his early childhood, some dark things took place, that he can't quite remember, but knows he has a scar from it for life.

The boy is no longer a boy anymore, but a man. A pretty successful performer at that! His temper still flairs at times, he is still considered different, because he enjoys being alone alot of the time. He marches to his own off beat! Does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. He dreams big, and people look at him like "yeah right"? He takes crazy risks, in life, that are scary to most. He is focused, and still has many demons to fight and battle! He still has so much bottled up, and so much to say to the world. Oh he will do it, cause the man refuses to leave this earth until it is said and done!

Statistics state that the man should be in jail, selling drugs, or dead! The man has beat all the statistics, and prays that more young men in the hood can get out too.