Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 12-22-17

Editorials/Columns
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Dear Buc Fans: It Will Get Greater Later
wo more games. That’s
all we have left to en- dure of the 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers football season. And, to be completely hon- est, those games can’t come and go soon enough.
With the team’s playoff hopes trashed, and multiple starters injured on both sides of the ball, the Bucs pirate ship has become nothing more than a sinking vessel drifting at sea. The quicker it submerges out of sight the quicker everyone on board can be put out of their mis- ery.
Looking back I guess we should have known that we were headed for disappoint- ment. The devastation brought by Hurricane Irma right before opening day weekend was a ominous indicator that nothing good was headed in our direction.
If there was a way to lose, the Bucs had it covered. From missed field goals, to
untimely turnovers, to ques- tionable play calls, to defen- sive stands that, at times, seemed incapable of stop- ping one of those Pop Warner teams that play at Skyway Field, the Bucs un- derachieved at every level. All of the pre-season hype show- cased on HBO’s Hard Knocks was ultimately ex- posed as “fake news.”
Now, instead of looking forward to an exciting post- season for the first time in a decade, Buc fans are left doing what they normally do at this point on the year.... Hold out hope that next sea- son will be better while re- setting the clock on their cycle of suffering.
Of course, it’s not all bad. The good news (if that’s what you want to cal it) is that, if the Bucs wind up losing their remaining games, they could potentially be in a position to land a top 6 draft pick. Which means they can address
some glaring issues, mainly finding a running back (Penn State’s Saquan Barkley would be perfect) who can actually stay on the field and hold on to the ball.
A change in coaching probably wouldn’t hurt ei- ther. Defensive Coordina- tor Mike Smith, in particular, needs to be shown the door and replaced by someone who can, at the very least, figure out how to gen- erate some form of a pass rush.
Yep. Only two more games (120 minutes to be exact) and we can finally allow our eyes to recover from the bleeding.
Until then, I imagine, we have to continue to suffer the torment until the bitter end. I know it hurts. But, just re- member, the pain we feel now will only make the joy we experience even sweeter when these bums finally do turn it around. I mean, we have to believe it’s possible right? Happy Holidays.
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Goin’ To The Moon!
It’s not that we forgot to tell you, but in the world and Alabama in the past few weeks, things have been so insane, we simply put on the back burner the fact that President Donald Trump – in his Star Wars benevolence – “bigly” decided he would earmark sev- eral trillion dollars for NASA’s return to the moon and subsequent venture to Mars.
Though we cheer his effort, we must admit, reading about Trump’s post-JFK “Need-to-reach-“starward” reminded us of a poem written (would you believe?) 45 years ago by Raymond Washington.
And the name of his piece (“tongue-in-cheek”), was “Moon Bound.” Said Washington, “Going to the moon/ white folks are going to the moon . . . /planting the American flag on the moon/ The American moon. (Then) “everything/ everybody is going to the moon/ Sears & Roebuck on the moon/ New York stock ex- change/ (Trump Tower on the moon?) . . . Help build some Jamestown on the moon/ There’s moon cotton/ moon negroes pick moon cotton/moon negroes plant moon beans/ moon negroes shine moon stones . . ./ Stokley Carmichael on the moon/ Muhammad Ali on the moon.”
The poet concludes, “Whether they like it or not, Black folks are going to the moon.” Such, of course, was Raymond Washington’s opinion. But before Trump’s daydream becomes reality, it first has to get past Senate Argonauts. However, we politely advise while this administration studies about Star Wars that it would be nice if some of that space money was to end up for school books and teacher salaries.
For, if illiteracy and middle class quality of life take second place to star-travel, then 45 years ago, poet Raymond Washington was a prophet . . . and a half century later, we might as well stay earthbound.
Your Money Is Your Power
mpowered Greet-
ings. Your money is your power. 1.2 Trillion dol- lars is the estimated amount that the Black buying power is expected to reach this year.
In terms of the goods and services consumed by Blacks, we would be ranked as the 15th largest economy in the world according to the Uni- versity of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth. That sounds good, right?
But here’s the deal, al- though we have all this buy- ing power we aren’t the ones benefiting from it.
Our buying power is not being translated into wealth. Instead of us consciously spending our money pur- chasing goods and services for us by us we often times unconsciously spend without an agenda in mind.
We must get unified in channeling our finances to
build wealth in our commu- nities.
Utilize your money as power to stop renting the buildings and the houses we occupy and start buying them.
If we own it, then we are in a position to become land- lords, thus build wealth.
Seek opportunities to purchase property in com- munities that you or your parents were raised in, to help maintain that commu- nity, as well as build it up.
Strategically, this also helps our political power as well. If we keep moving out of the community, so does our voting power. We have given our power away far too long, trying to maintain the status quo of people that don’t care about us, but love our money. At what point are we going to put the brakes on giving our power away?
As we enter into the holi-
day season, choose to buy from a Black-owned business on Black Friday and beyond, whenever and wherever pos- sible.
For those of you with ideas and business concepts in mind, choose to get that business up and going for 2018, even if you have to do it on a bootstrap budget.
Entrepreneurship is an- other key to build wealth. No matter the amount of money you have, it has power to grow.
The best way to insure you get a return on your in- vestment is to invest in you and start your business, write your book, make your music, design your clothing or do whatever you are pas- sionate about while market- ing it to the masses and making money.
Your money is your power. How will you use it?
Hit me up on social media and let me know how you want to use your money power. I would love to help you.
Facebook Fan Page: Selphenia Nichols Success Coach To Women Twitter: @queenofsuccess1
Instagram: Selphenia. Call 813-591-3026 to book Selphenia to speak, train or facilitate your next event.
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PAGE 6-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017