THOUGHTS ABOUT WE AMERICANS

THOUGHTS ABOUT WE AMERICANS – together for better or worse As I recall, it was a cartoon character that advanced the notion, ‘We have seen the enemy and it is us.’ The leaders of our, what-could-be, great country have all beat the fear-drum of the need for a strong- defense against a malicious enemy. More often than not that enemy had no clear definition. More often than not we, our leaders, had done something to provoke a sovereign people – then through propaganda had us to see them as our enemy. Consequently, there are groups of sovereign peoples who don’t like us. Compounding this condition is the fact that groups of people within our country don’t like and are distrustful of other groups – we are living with enemies. Enemies without and within our country should be a terrifying thought. Perhaps this reality is the reason why our leader’s paranoia has led to the largest number and most potent weapons of human and habitat destruction the world has ever seen. To devastate or annihilate a perceived enemy is to devastate or annihilate ourselves. MY TRILOGY BOOK TRAILER – historical black family fiction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCxMdAa3JqU

THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP

THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP – Trump supporters and the other Americans Was I surprised about the election outcome, YES – really surprised, NO. I travel and I read; as a writer and actor I have and have had a great deal of social and intimate contact with white people. I know there are white people who simply do not like black people. Even the presence of blacks in social places and predominantly white neighborhoods grates their sensibilities; it drives them mad when blacks raise their voices in open protest against some injustice – they want blacks to shut-up and stop whining, or preferably just go away. There are wealthy and politically powerful white men and women who not only side with those who do not like blacks but who give political voice and action to their agenda – every black person knows or should know that very powerful white people in our country follow an agenda to Make America White Again. I caution the other Americans not to be overly enthusiastic about the increase in the number of people of color, as though people of color will begin to have a bigger voice in decision making: This is a delusion. Larger numbers do not translate into greater political and economic power. Powerful white men and women and their supporters intend to maintain complete control of wealth and political power. READ: Claud Anderson’s “Black Labor White Wealth,” and Jane Mayer’s “Dark Money.” I do not give a flying fuck if you like to read or not, read these books; get someone to read them to you, or tell you what’s in them – READ GODDAMIT READ. My last thought of this subject before I get off the stage. Black people and other Americans must learn to become subversive obstructionist. We must learn to obstruct every law and every policy that gets in the way of black people increasing their share of the wealth generated in this country; of black people increasing their employable skills; of black people reducing their numbers in prisons, with a restoration of all citizen rights upon release. The Republican Party has written an encyclopedia of Obstruction Techniques – I use our illustrious President Barack Obama as a reference. BOOKS /ACTING CREDITS ON MY WEB SITE – please share http://www.adolphusward.net

THOUGHTS ABOUT ACTORS' EQUITY and 99

THOUGHTS ABOUT EQUITY and 99 - better if we work together Attended a union meeting yesterday, Actors’ Equity Association; it was a national meeting with televised conference hookup to all regions – it was a big deal. I’m usually astute when it comes to preparing for meetings, of any kind; but this one caught me a little off balance. We, all Equity union members, were asked to consider and then vote on two proposed additions to Union bylaws. I was familiar with the proposal but at our local level, here in LA. I was caught off balance when what I thought was a local issue was now being considered at a national level. I thought, oh shit, 99 has move our local issue to a national stage – that took some smart political maneuvering. I’ve always admired smart political maneuvering – even when I oppose the outcome. Well, I applaud 99’s skill, but their maneuvering was not successful at a national level; both proposals failed. I left the meeting thinking how more powerful our union would be if we all worked together – but reality kinda reflects the politics and mood of our country. MY EBOOKS ON AMAZON – please share http://www.amazon.com/Adolphus-A.-Ward/e/B00OSDSSRC

THOUGHTS ABOUT PERSONAL TRAGEDY vs HUMAN ACTIVITY

THOUGHTS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL TRAGEDY AND HUMAN ACTIVITY – as one person dies another is born The momentum of human activity is neither arrested nor often impeded by a personal tragedy. At the same time a brutal murdered is occurring, other humans are celebrating birthdays, going to work, moving into a new home, buying a new car, graduating from college, joining the military, being elected to office, or relaxing on a beach. No other humans, but those directly involved or impacted by the murder, suspends their usual activity to grieve. Even with, or because of, the rapid exchange of news events in the US and around the world, the most heinous acts go on without an interruption to ordinary human activity. Because tragedies never cease, I think I’ve become insensitive to their impact on those directly affected. Oh, I still get a visceral response to another’s pain and suffering but the feeling doesn’t last too long. I’m not alone in this seeming insensitivity. I’ve come to the conclusion that the inability to sustain a concern for those caught in the tide of a tragedy allows the tragedy to be replayed again and again. A sustained concern might encourage us to develop preventive measures. Tragedies are inevitable; but many repeating tragedies can be prevented if we are concerned enough to eliminate the cause. We can prevent recurring tragedies. MY EBOOKS ON AMAZON – please share http://www.amazon.com/Adolphus-A.-Ward/e/B00OSDSSRC

THOUGHTS ABOUT NATE PARKER'S "THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

THOUGHTS ABOUT “THE BIRTH OF A NATION” – see Nate Parker’s film, Please Share I saw the film yesterday and it gave a visual reinforcement to what I already knew about Nat Turner – it gave me a real life context, something I could see, touch and feel. The film medium is a potent tool that leaves a visceral and indelible imprint in one’s mind; that’s why any story teller, any historian, any propagandist, any politician, any dictator, strives to get their work in film. See the film, despite what a critique or a friend says: even if you don’t like Nate Parker, see the film; no matter your religious faith, see the film; no matter your political persuasion, see the film; no matter your sexual preference, see the film; no matter that you’re not black, see the film. If you are black you shouldn’t need a reason to see the film – you should see the film because it’s about a significant event in black life in the history of this country. Am I saying you should see “The Birth of a Nation” simply because it’s about black life written by a black man? YES! That’s exactly what I’m saying. See Nate Parker’s, “THE BIRTH OF A NATION.” Do it today. BOOKS /ACTING CREDITS ON MY WEB SITE – please share http://www.adolphusward.net

THOUGHTS ABOUT A BLACK POLITICAL AGENDA

THOUGHTS ABOUT A BLACK POLITICAL AGENDA – goals and objectives held in common by all black people – please share Considering culture as activities held in common by a group that is not genetic: activities as religion, art, rituals, beliefs, social practice, and so on. Black culture, in my view, is still in its adolescent stages; adulthood is not yet in sight. Individuals and small groups have attained an adult cultural mind, but the whole of black life here in America and around the globe is without a mature culture. Taking on cultural elements of past civilizations enriches ones cultural development but might do nothing for others in a group. Black people are a beautiful, intelligent, and resilient people; the best that evolution has seen. There is at least one common belief shared by all in our adolescent culture – that is the will to survive and prosper. However, the ability to employ this will does well for some individuals and small groups but not for all others – they simply do not have the skills. Black people do quite well as individuals but fail miserably to translate that success in larger groups. Our cultural development falters because we have failed to communicate with each other across religious beliefs, social class, and political ideology. In order to develop a black political agenda, one that moves all blacks toward a full grown culture, blacks must agree on what must exist for all black people to develop the skills and opportunity for a desired quality of life. A BLACK POLITICAL AGENDA must transcend religious beliefs, social class, and political ideology. MY EBOOKS ON AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Adolphus-A.-Ward/e/B00OSDSSRC

ET ADOLPHUS WITNESS FROM PLUTO

ET ADOLPHUS WITNESS FROM PLUTO - Nasa’s New Horizons just went by I was resting on the summit of a tall mountain when it appeared as a sunlit spec on the black fabric of our solar system. In the space of a breath it was looking directly at me – I waved, even though I knew I would only appear as a pebble in a pixel in its eye. My wave was more a salute to the folks at Nasa for a job well done. I’ve traveled throughout our solar system, our galaxy, other galaxies, and the whole of our awe inspiring universe; I’ve sat on its rapidly expanding edge and plunged into the endless black of nothing. I still wonder if our universe will ever fill that seemingly endless void; I don’t have a clue as to the truth of that. There is one constant I see as true about all that exist; and that is that everything comes into existence, evolves to whatever it can be and then ceases to exist – it dies, everything that lives will die: I will die, as will all life, our solar system, our galaxy, and our universe will eventually die. Perhaps the ashes of our dead universe will seed the beginning of another; perhaps our universe too is evolving.