Just An Average Brother's Opinions

Kenneth Holder is a semi-retired Mental Health worker who has written two plays “The Last Run’, which was performed in Philadelphia in 2003 for National Aids Awareness Week and “Coming Home” which is still a work in progress. His mission in writing this column is just to give an average man’s view on the current issues facing us every day and getting constructive feed back from the brothers in our neighborhood as opposed to the media. I hope to receive and be given the opportunity to answer any feed back. Send feedback to kenman@afrophilly.com

Are Cell Phones The New Form of Negative Entertainment?

By Kenneth Holder

Now, I know that writing anything negative about cell phones may cause a major uproar in some people. Personally, I have friends and family members who are attached at the hip to their cell phones. In recent years, the cell phone has gone from being a business necessity to a personal convience and now, in a lot of cases, a sign of prestige. So much so that our previous Mayor, John Street, was on the news waiting in line to get a Iphone on its debut date (not his finest moment). With all that being said, there are a variety of options that you can get on cell phones such as: entertainment, music, videos, games and pictures, stock quotes, the weather and so much more. These are all great conveniences for the owner of the phone to enjoy anytime or any place. Great!

I guess you were waiting for the negative. Lets go “old school,” remember growing up when grandma or big mama said, “Baby, everybody’s business is nobody’s business”. I should not be riding public transportation and be able to go home and discuss your personal business, especially since I don’t know you. Why should I be exposed to your baby daddy or baby mamma drama? Do I need to know how you and your significant other are getting along or not getting along? Recently, while riding from West Philly to Center City, I found out that Rae-Rae was on crack, his girl is of questionable reputation (I vow to keep it clean), they left the baby in the house by herself, his other woman came to court, (They started fighting in the court house) ……..there is more, but I hope your not interested, because neither was I.

I’m not going to beat up this point by giving you more graphic details, I’m sure we’ve all been there, or if you have been guilty of this, please tone it down! We look bad enough on daytime TV, with “In the case of four month old Jaquina Rae Rae …you are not the father, or after testing twelve men she still can’t find out who is the baby’s daddy. The court shows seem to emphasize how we don’t work; we take advantage of our women (special emphasis seemed to be given to the women of other cultures), we are, in my opinion, overly portrayed as dead beats.

I think we get enough negative press in the form of what can sometimes be questioned as being true or false or simply entertainment at our expense (television, the media in general). But when you see it in the flesh, there is nothing to be questioned. Now you may think that this is really not a problem, and what possible effects can this have on me other than maybe giving me a headache? Let’s ponder the following; suppose I was interviewing people for jobs, a bank loan officer or maybe the person who decides whether your child gets accepted into college or that HR person who was just on the edge of deciding who to give that promotion to.

Let me leave you with this: we, as a people, do not need any more negative press or public displays of silliness (you may substitute this word for what ever you feel fits). Also, I changed Rae Rae's name to protect the innocent ………….we all know that no grown man would let anybody call him Rae Rae…… til next time lets strive for excellence!

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