Three paradigms about the Black Community

Question:  How is it that a White man can shoot up a movie theater during a Batman movie and live to stand trial, but it is "open season" on the unarmed Black men running in the opposite direction of the police officer?

Paradigm #1 (one White female perspective)
Imma tell you the truth . . .  can you handle it? Cops aren't afraid of white kids.  White kids weren't taught to hate cops.  Or kill cops.  And that is the truth.  Spoken DIRECTLY to me from the mouths of many cops-white and black.  Fix the culture and maybe things can begin to change.  Sitting back and calling everyone racist and continuting to pose as victims has gotten the black community nowhere. This is the end of this conversation for me.  All of you have a nice day. :-)

The same person continues with this:
From the mouth of a black cop who is a very close family friend of ours "when I pull over a black kid in Charlotte, I am waiting to be attacked.  I'm on the defense immediately because I know they have no respect for me as an authority figure and I know if some one is going home in a body bag, it ain't gonna be me". Just stating the truth because I'm not aftraid of it.  You can't change what you don't acknowledge.  It's easier for the black community to blame whites for everything than to stand up and take action in their own communities.  The black on black crime in the U.S. is staggering, but what's being done about that? Perpetuating the victim mentality has gotten us nowhere.

Paradigm #2 (One Black male perspective):
It's not about black businesses anymore. It's more about blacks doing better business! This stuff that's going on is all political if you ask me! Just to push more unnecessary laws too divide this country more socially than economically.  Cause we have black billionaire and milionaires and a black president!  What are they doing to help the black community.  Oprah, Tyler Perry, JayZ &B. talk about they private islands. Why don't they open up grocery store chain's or restaurant's daycare's, clinics?  We blacks have to start taking more ownership for our community problems.


Paradigm #3 My perspective (one Black female perspective):
Ultimately, Blacks make their own decisions to fight each other, but sometimes Whites set up the scenarios. Major drug shipments has to be operated by non-Black, but that area is not my expertise.  Also, President Barack Obama is the President of all people.  He has served all American well.  I did not expect a miracle; just a scandal free term.

I continue:
Blacks are often trying to provide for their own families with less money.  They can not possibly control the Black community singlehandedly.  I am going to be truthful as well; there has always been the "house negro" and the "field negro" - you could tell the difference by their attire.  In modern society, educated Blacks want to have the option of wearing anything they want, but apparently, as it was in the 1960's, if you don't have on your Sunday best, then educated or not, Blacks need to look out for "open season."  Saddening to me.  I see people for people.  I try not to discriminate. I cannot change "gang violence."  However, if Blacks were offered better wages and better opportunities to provide for their families, then all Blacks will do better.  It is about survival.  The answer to Black on Black crime is within the White or non-Black community.  Stop setting Blacks up to fight with each other.  I have seen Whites start and stir drama in the Black community.  Unfortunately, some Blacks are ignorant enought to listen these shady Whites and follow suit while the Whites sit back and laugh at the Negros fighting.  Legal economic empowerment can solve a lot of problems within the Black community.  Support Black businesses.

I continue:
You change the beliefs, and actions will follow.  Apparently, if cops believe that Black children or adults are more dangerous than any other race, then that is discrimination based on race.

DISCLAIMER:  These statements are not in the original order of dialogue flow, but they were worthy statements.

What is your paradigm?

Quality of Life Improvements: NC HOA Bills 336 and 563

I want to thank NC House Representative Charles Jeter for House Bill 336 and NC Senate Representative Jeff Tarte for Senate Bill 563.  Let's get these Bills heard and keep them moving!  North Carolina homeowners need change.  They need a support system.

I am so happy that our NC lawmakers are taking action to improve our quality of life as HOA members.  For almost two decades, HOA "Hall of Shame" stories have stacked up.  Some states have regulatory agencies in place to handle rogue and/or unethically Board members.  North Carolina is moving in that direction as well.

Jim Lane with NCHOALaws.org has been one of the pioneers trailblazing this movement in North Carolina.  He has completed groundbreaking research.  He has been a great listening ear to many. Thank you Jim Lane for all you do to help HOA members.

So North Carolinans support House Bill 336 and Senate Bill 563 (HOA Bills).

Let's get this done!

18April2015: My Three 911 calls to the HPD

On this past week, our Association's Board President had "rattled my chains" so much that I felt like I was "Papa Pope" on the "Scandal" Television Series.  I was "the hell and the high water" that was going to bring some justice to our neighborhood.  So I printed up my articles documenting all the drama that has been associated with our Board President over the years, and then I called 911 on Saturday, April 18, 2015.

My call was dispatched to Huntersville Police Department (HPD).  Officer Urps called me from a restricted number. I answered.  As everyone who has been following my blog over the year(s) know that to sum up my anger and anxiety that I was feeling in two sentences over the telephone, was darn near impossible.  I tried to tackle all the different incidents that I have endured regarding community politics, and Officer Urps says "it sounds like a mess."  Well, that was why I was calling the police because I was tired of the "Mess."  The management company, the community, and now, the remainder of the Board members seem to be ALL TIRED of the "Mess."  Officer Urps suggested civil court/small claims court to hit the defendant(s) in the "pocket."  He stated that I did not have a criminal case even though I felt harassed.

He also informed me that the judges do not want to hear anything about "race" being a factor in all of this drama.  Although, I believe inmates are always tracked by race, gender, height, age, etc. just as a side note that I am injecting here.  Back to the conversation at hand, he said that the judges can determine if racism is a  factor in a case.  We mutually ended the telephone call with the next step for me to file a civil suit.

As I began processing the whole civil suit route, I began questioning myself "where are the damages?"  I have sued defendants before in Small Claims Court for breach of contract in order to get a refund, but this HOA drama is not attached to a "bill of sale."  There are always punitive damages and emotional distress, but based on past research, those type of damages are difficult to put a cash value on. I then realized that I wanted a second opinion from another officer or at least a police report number so I called 911 again.

Officer Urps says that he recognized the name and contact information so he took my service call again.  I was hoping for someone else, but since I had him on the phone, I asked for a police report number.  This is where the phone call went "downhill."

• Officer Urps repeatedly refuses to give me a police report number after I repeated ask for a police report number.  He finally explains that the 911 call logs are how my phone calls are tracked.
• He then uses, in my opinion, a "scare tactic" with me that since I was a party in the "case" that he could come an arrest me along with them.  I told him "Come on, let's all meet up with the other neighbors and iron this situation out now."  He then backed off and said that he is not going to stand around and listen to women arguing back and forth.
• I asked him to allow me to speak to another officer.  He refuses.  He references that his word is the final word in this matter.
• He also mentions that I am wasting his cell phone minutes that he is paying good money for.
• I asked to speak with his supervisor, and he tells me to drive on over to the Huntersville Police Department which he knew was probably closed for the night anyway. It was approaching 9pm at night on a weekend.
• And he eventually just hung the phone up on me.

 At this point, I felt a little of the pain and frustration that the town of Ferguson went through during the shooting of Michael Brown.  I was angry and appalled by this officer's insensitive handling of my case.  I was not going to rest until an officer with some better manners treated me with some respect and tried to help me understand what my other options besides civil court were.

I made my third 911 call.  Finally, a supervisor called me back.  He was kind, informative, professional, and he helped me to understand NC Law, and that Officer Urps was right that my case was a civil matter.

This supervisor was able to communicate with me and made me feel like he cared about finding a viable solution to my HOA "Hall of Shame" story.  My call ended with hope.  I did ask for this supervisor's name, but regrettably, I did not write down his name accurately, but I am thankful that the Huntersville Police Department have him on staff.

White Board President Attempts to Violate Black member's Rights Yet Again

Jamie Darche Warren, in response to my last article on this blog, emailed the management company to ignore my request for more information on this Black woman who interrupted my salon services on March 26, 2015 over some anonymous note that was left on her car that she was accusing me of leaving.

As "Board President" why does Jamie Darche Warren continue to interfere with disagreements between other members and their renters?

This is not the first time she has attempted to violate my rights as a member of this community, and apparently, at the rate she is going, it will not be the last.  She attempted to violate my rights last October 2014.  She gives "renters" the idea that she controls the other members because she is considered the "Board President."

The sad part is that the renters put their trust in Jamie Darche Warren versus contacting their landlord and having their landlord deal with me.  I do not take kindly to being harassed and disrespected by renters nor other members.  If anyone steps across the line with me, I speak up.  I have that right.

So Jamie Darche Warren,  you need to mind your own business and find a way to stay out of mine.

RENTERS talk to your landlords first or the management company.  Jamie Darche Warren is NOT my mama nor does she have any authority over me.

To the ROSEDALE Meeting Street Homes community, we deserve better leadership.  I have only seen Board meeting minutes from 2014, and it took about a month to get those.

It would be nice if our Board members would actually start respecting our Bylaws and have regular meetings with regular Board minutes.  Now, leading meetings should be a part of Jamie Darche Warren's job as Board President versus continuing to keep drama going on and on and on.

I am trying to mind my own business.  Jamie Darche Warren, can you stay within your scope of duties?

Since the Board has continued to reject my request for a community meeting, blog articles like this serves as community announcements.  Hopefully, our state legislators are working on making HOA's more regulated in the state of North Carolina.

Legislation is past due to assist NC neighborhoods.

Angry Black Woman Confronts Black Member in Rosedale

On Thursday, March 26, 2015 around 8pm after sundown, I had a Black woman to knock at my salon door disrupting my service with another salon patron.  I assumed that she needed a business card or wanted to know more about my salon service offerings; yet, as she began speaking she accused me of leaving a note on her car. Immediately, I was trying to figure out

• who sent her?
• who was she?
• why the urgency?
• what made her think that I left a note on her car?

Of course, I had two clients waiting, but I needed to gather enough information to figure out how much of a threat to my well-being and to my business that she was.  I gathered enough information from our conversation that I asked her to call me to discuss other community relations issues.  I gave her a business card.  I did not hear from her so on Tuesday, March 31, 2015,  I left a detailed, handwritten letter on the porch of where she said she was from.  The note described our 3/26/15  brief encounter with my full contact information as well as a petition that was sent out to the community on last year.

This Black female called the same evening and identified herself in the follow-up voicemail as Meleeka. (spelling may be wrong.)  She claimed that I left a note on her boyfriend's or husband's (Brian) car before. She continued in an angry, irate tone saying that I had a reputation in the community,  that nobody sent her to confront me, etc.   I just listened to the voicemail today, and I texted her the following:

Hello Meleeka! I just listened to your voicemail. I didn't know that I had a reputation in the community. Can you tell me who told you what when? I would like to know. Also, I don't know who your husband is. I never told your husband anything about his car.  Which car is his? So his name is Brian. Okay, thanks for letting me know.  I am totally blindsided by being harassed by you while I was working.  Which car is yours? I literally, do not know who you are. You started the harassment.  Why?  I am clueless who is spreading hatred against me. Please give me more information.  I am tired of being harassed. If I need to go to the police, then I will.  This is ridiculous!

Meleeka's reply:  
I wasn't harassing you when I tried to leave you wouldn't let me because you wanted to gossip.  Call the police you were trespassing on my property when you came on my porch and when you put the note on my car and the reason you don't remember my husband is because you've harassed so many people in the neighborhood.  You aren't on the board for Rosedale as you lied about to me. You're crazy and if you contact me again I will call the police for you stalking.

My reply:
I will save your voicemail and call the police tonight.

Meleeka's reply:
Good they can see how crazy you are.

My reply:
I will save these text messages as well. I will also report to the management company this harassment.

Meleeka's reply: 
A vm/text of me telling you to leave me alone . . .  Please get a life. Bye Felicia.

My reply:
You started it. I also sent her a link to a December 2014 HOA article.

In conclusion,

• It took me about two weeks to finally listen to Meleeka's voicemail which may mean that "I do have a life."
• I have consistently left my contact information with all correspondence that I have left for any reason. If her boyfriend/husband Brian parked in my reserved parking spaces, then I may have left a note on his vehicle versus having it towed. Any notes that I leave ALWAYS has my contact information attached.
• If a note was left on Meleeka's car without my contact information, then the note was NOT left by me.

It is a shame that this predominantly White neighborhood in Rosedale is poisoning another Black woman to harass me and attack my character without any supporting documentation.  I will continue to stand up for my rights as a member.

Do It Yourself Coin Holder

 I just finished one of my herbal supplements and decided to recycle the bottle by putting it to good use.  I scraped the labeling off and used the FancyThat! Decorative Packing Tape to redecorate the bottle.  I purchased this tape from Tuesday Morning stores. It shows a Purple Polka Dot design.  I love it!

People can use prescription bottles or other pill bottles to store hair pins, coins, or any other little small items.

One of my clients started this trend.  I loved the idea and decided to pass this idea on!