The End of Playing the Fool! Will we continue to be a glutton for punishment in 2010?

God willing, the Brother Marcus Show returns the first Sunday of this New Year with a bold new show for Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. (EST). The year 2010 is now here by God’s grace and it is the beginning of a brand new year and a new decade. We have much to decide. One of the most important decisions we will make is how we will allow other people to treat us. One woman wisely observed, “People can’t treat you as an inferior without your permission.” Who have we given permission to in our lives to treat us an incompetent and inferior fool? Each one of us must decide what our personal worth and estimation of ourselves will be. Why do we mistakenly think that other people are more worthy and deserving than we are? Why do we break our neck to serve others when they absolutely have no concern at all for our welfare? Did the Creator really bring us here to the planet to be someone else’s doormat? Have we become a glutton for punishment? How long will we continue to force ourselves on people or on a person who obviously doesn’t desire our company? How long will we be someone else’s toilet bowl?

The Brother Marcus Show is going to help you understand yourself better as we go into 2010! What is our real reason for persevering in doing what we are doing everyday despite the many obstacles that we must overcome? Do we actually crave punishment or hard times or is it occasionally necessary to undergo difficult things to make life better for yourself or others? Do we have a secret desire to be perceived as a martyr? Why do we take on so much stuff? Why are we allowing folks to abuse us as they do? What is the payoff that we are gaining from our misery? Why do we always want folks to see us as overburdened? Do we desire to evoke their pity? Do we know how to say “no” to people? This show will share how to learn to set limits so we won’t choose personal misery for the sake of pleasing others.

To participate in the “livest” Internet Radio talk show this Sunday January 3, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. E.S.T. simply go on the Internet and log onto www.blogtalkradio.com/brothermarcusshow. Do you want to voice your opinion right now and can't wait? Please Click here to Share Your Opinions Right Now! Or to speak with Brother Marcus Live on the air or to hear the show on your home phone or cell phone on Sunday, please call in at: (347) 215-9438 Are you afraid to call in? Well come on into the Chat room and mix it up anonymously with us! We guarantee you’ll learn something you didn’t know! Thank you in advance for your participation! This is certainly going to be interesting!


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The Black Community and Depression

The Black Community and Depression
By Brother Marcus (Girard)

Peace brothers and sisters. Have you ever come across an important book that once you read through the first few pages you instinctively knew this book would be transformative to you? Well if you have had that experience then you know what I must be feeling. For the month of September 2008, I will be discussing a book by Terrie M. Williams called, “Black Pain – It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting”. Although Williams is a highly successful social worker by training, and a public relations professional by trade she opens up to readers about her personal battles with depression as well as the stories of many others with readers in the book. She makes a point to let the reader know that depression isn’t something new but cultural influences shape how people of different races deal with the illness.

Depression is definitely something that all Nations, races and ethnicities need to pay attention to. Of the estimated 20 million Americans who are affected by some form of depression, 9.2 million have major or clinical depression and two-thirds of people suffering from depression do not seek the necessary treatment. Eighty percent of all people with clinical depression who have received treatment significantly improve their lives. The economic cost of depression is estimated at $30.4 billion a year but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. It is also worth noting that women experience depression about twice as often as men. By the year 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the number two cause of "lost years of healthy life" worldwide.

In a interview on her new book, Terrie Williams said, “There's a tendency to hide or ignore symptoms of depression, which include sadness, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness, thoughts of death or suicide, change in weight, and oversleeping or difficulty sleeping. That tendency means missed opportunities to hit the disorder with effective treatments, including talk therapy, antidepressant medication, or both. In the black community, depression is a sign of weakness. Black people would rather say that they have a relative in jail before they will acknowledge that they have a mental illness. But many of my white friends and colleagues who are very much more open will tell you that they can't make an appointment because they are going to see their therapist. But it's a very different experience in the African-American community. In our communities, we're perceived to be ones who can handle our business, and so there is that tendency to not recognize depression in African-Americans. In general, I think that there's a lack of knowledge about the black experience with depression. I feel that we are in such a major crisis. We haven't really named what's ailing us. Almost any given day, at any turn, you can see that we are a people who are hurting. I hear many different kinds of reasons. What I know is that we experience life in this country in a way that makes it very difficult to be.”

Again, Terrie Williams is not arguing that depression is a black thing. In describing the symptoms of depression that everyone deals with she said, “You run from yourself. It's a human thing to keep things locked up inside of you. When you're working 24-7 and you don't have the energy to do anything at all, when you have difficulty concentrating, when you're not doing work that fills your spirit — those are things that mean you have unresolved issues. And you may also sleep a lot because you're afraid to get up.African-Americans suppress and repress pain. [Still], there are many signs of depression that are like neon lights, but we don't really pay attention, or we don't have time to listen. With more dialogue, maybe, just maybe, there will be more sensitivity. Remember, everyone has a story. Assume that that person has a story just like you do, is just as fragile and as challenged as you are. I've always been a very sensitive person. I feel other people's pain and have a tendency to absorb it. I have a sense of the universality of humanity. I have a sense that underneath the face that everyone wears, we all share the same thing. People speak to you on so many different levels. I often will pay more attention to a person's body language than I will to what they say. That's what speaks really loudly to me. And a lot of times, I think three of the hardest words to answer honestly are, "How are you?" We usually lie, and when we do lie, it chips away at our spirit. So when we do ask this question, really listen to the answer.”

Here are some questions for you to answer. These questions are not designed to clinically diagnose you in any way but to perhaps put you on the road to seeing someone who can help you. Do you find yourself experiencing sadness throughout the day, nearly every day? Feeling sad is a natural part of life, but prolonged sadness can be a symptom associated with depression, especially if you find that your sadness interferes with everyday life. Have you experienced a loss of interest in or enjoyment of your favorite activities? If you have lost interest in the things you once enjoyed, like going to the movies, hanging out with friends, or walking in the community, you may be experiencing one of the common symptoms of depression. Are you experiencing feelings of worthlessness? Do you feel like you don't matter or that you don't deserve to be happy? Have you experienced these feelings for an extended period of time? Are you experiencing inappropriate feelings of guilt? Having excessive feelings of guilt should raise a red flag. Are you constantly blaming yourself when things don't turn out well? You may have done nothing wrong, but maybe you feel like what you do is never right. Are you experiencing thoughts of death or suicide? In one of the rap songs by the late great prophet, Tupac Shakur, called “Shed so many tears” he stated, “Now I'm lost and I'm weary, so many tears. I’m suicidal so don't stand near me. My every move is a calculated step, to bring me closer to embrace an early death, now there's nothing left.” If you are not suicidal then never think for a moment that the thought hasn’t crossed the mind of your teenage son or daughter. Thoughts of death or suicide are common in depression, and it's important to take these thoughts seriously. If you feel like giving up, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline, 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).

Are you experiencing trouble making decisions? Are you having trouble making decisions? Do the little things frustrate you? Do some decisions seem too overwhelming or burdensome? Are you experiencing fatigue or lack of energy? Did you know that feeling tired or fatigued nearly every day may be associated with depression. Do you drag yourself out of bed each morning? Do you feel like you have no energy to make dinner or do laundry? Are you experiencing sleeping too much or too little? Sleeping too much or not enough may be a symptom of depression. Do you stay awake at night and feel sleepy during the day? Sleep studies suggest that 40% to 60% of outpatients—and 90% of inpatients—with depression may have sleep problems. Are you experiencing changes in appetite or weight? A weight change of more than 5% (up or down) in a month when you haven't been trying to gain or lose weight may be a sign of depression. Are you experiencing trouble concentrating? Has your performance at work or school gone down because you can't concentrate? Are you unable to focus on your daily tasks and projects? Is your mind always racing? Are you experiencing complaints of pain? Complaints of pain can be a symptom of depression. Do you have nagging aches and pains that don't seem to go away? Are you experiencing restlessness? Are you easily agitated? Do you have trouble sitting still? Do you pace back and forth?

Please listen to the Brother Marcus Show this week on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. to learn more about this powerful book and to have some discussion with Brother Marcus. We are all in this together. Depression doesn’t have to be a secret anymore.

Marcus Girard Brother Marcus Show Black Men and depression

The history of Abortion / My God this is horrible...

Someone shared this with me in an email so I thought I would pass it right along to you the viewers of this Blog. This Blog is devoted to sharing knowledge, wisdom and understanding on all kinds of subjects....

In the early middle ages abortion was induced by herbs and manipulation and was used as a form of birth control in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It was generally accepted in Europe, in the early months of pregnancy. Later on in the 19th century many changed their view on abortion in the Roman Catholic Church. It was completely prohibited under any circumstance. In the Muslim community it was also prohibited unless the woman was sexually abused or the woman’s health was at risk. During the 19th century, in England and the United States antiabortion laws were passed. Many people became liberal toward the situation in the 20th century. After several debates and court hearings the three types of abortion was finally legalized under a Supreme Court ruling in 1973.

The types of abortion being Therapeutic abortion, Spontaneous abortion and abortion in general. Therapeutic abortion is an induced abortion performed to preserve the health or life of the mother. Spontaneous abortion is a miscarriage that is used to signify delivery of a nonviable embryo or fetus due to fatal or maternal factors, as opposed to purposely induced abortion. Abortion in general is a expulsion of the products of conception before the embryo or fetus is viable.

There are six ways to perform an abortion. The first one being RU-486. This is a drug given to the mother after her first missed period, that blocks the progesterone ( a crucial hormone during pregnancy). Without the progesterone the developing baby receives no food, fluid, and oxygen, so the baby can no longer survive. Then a second drug is given, which causes the uterus to contract and the baby is then expelled from the womb. Secondly is the Aspiration abortion. This type of abortion is done by stretching the cervical muscle and cutting into the uterus, the baby is then sucked out in pieces into a small bottle. The third type of abortion is Dilation and Curettage. This procedure a curette is inserted into the uterus and the baby the placenta is cut into pieces and scraped out into a basin. The fourth abortion (being the cruelest) type is a Dilation and Evacuation abortion. With this procedure the abortionist must dilate the cervix before the abortion. The abortionist then inserts a pliers-like tool through the cervix into the uterus and begin to tear the body apart, until the only the baby’s head is left. Then the skull is crushed and pulled out. The abortionist reassemble the body parts to make sure the baby is fully out of the uterus. The fifth abortion type is the Prostaglandin abortion. This abortion is done by injecting a feticide (a drug that kills the fetus) into the babies heart due to complications of the mother. After this procedure the abortionist administer prostaglandin and a dead baby is delivered. Lastly is the Dilation and Extraction abortion. This type of abortion the baby is positioned in the breech position (feet first faced down). The abortionist hooks their fingers over the babies shoulders and insert surgical scissors into the base of the baby’s skull, and a suction is inserted into the baby’s skull and the brain is sucked out. Many of these types of abortions are not force upon the patients. It is only by choice or to help save the mothers life.

Many of us in today’s society are not aware of how many lives are being killed by way of abortion. Each year about 1,500,000 babies are killed by way of abortion and each day the rate of abortion is increasingly high. Between the years of 1973-1996 a total of 35,273,792 children were aborted. Currently 1 in every 4 of our generations are not living due to abortions and 1 in every 6 women had abortions.

It is very important that we are aware of the importance of planning parenthood. If many of us in today’s society promoted avoiding non-marital sex, a numerous amount of women could avoid considering abortion or killing a young innocent baby as being an option. This will decrease the loss of lives each year.

But due to the lack of positive influence in their lives this is not considered in most cases. Abortion or neglect of the child is then an option as a result of unplanned parenthood. So the mother is either left to take care of her child in most cases, which is not sufficient for the child because the baby is not receiving the proper care that is needed from both parents. The mother is then left to only three options, to work to help provide for her family and not create a bond with her child, give her child up for adoption or an abortion. Now the child is neglected by both parents.

It was recently reported that many women who have abortions are most likely to commit suicide, than those who did not have abortions. But many are not aware that this will effect them mentally in the long run. On the physical side many women who had an abortion their first pregnancy was at higher risk of getting breast cancer than the average woman by 1.7%. If a women had aborted her child her second, third or fourth pregnancy she had an even higher risk by 4.0 times.

Many women who were victims of breast cancer did not know that it was as a result of their abortion.

Those same women who were at a higher risk of breast cancer, also dealt with the psychological and emotional trauma. Knowing that they were another statistic by killing another innocent child and they had to deal with it for the rest of their lives. Oft-times these kinds of thoughts lead to depression, alcohol and drug abuse and mental health issues. This is what causes our children in today’s society to be violent, cold-hearted and rebellious. Many of us want the luxury of sex but not responsibility, so we think that abortion is the way, not knowing that the child that is in your womb could be the greatest blessing ever or a gift from God. The women today who get abortions don’t see the consequences of damaging her body mentally and physically and her child’s body physically, until later on in the future. It all ends with suicide or a severely damaged mind.

Many are left in the dark of what produces the thought of abortion. It starts from being raised in a singled-family household. When the parents neglect the child because their was no commitment in the beginning of the relationship. So the child is left to bond with a child care provider not knowing why their parents are not there.

It is essentially important that a commitment is established, in a relationship between male and female, before the decision to be sexually involved is made. The reason is simple, the responsibility of providing for their child(ren) oft-times men decide to neglect their child(ren) and leave the women with the decision of whether or not she desires to bear the responsibility of raising her child(ren) alone, with very little financial assistance. However, the decision to abort should not be an option, with the exception of rape, incest or any health risk. By allowing women to continue to make the decision to abort, society is promoting recreational sex and negligence of men. This is why parents, teachers, the artistic community and diverse organizations should emphasize this especially to the youth because a quarter of the abortions performed per year are by women under twenty; who are most likely not married. This epidemic will not end until we as a society and nation discipline ourselves by promoting strong and healthy relationships, especially to our youth.

In September of 1975, a woman took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. This was very difficult for her to deal with, knowing she already had two sons and was single. She had no financial help because the father of her two sons walked out on her and failed to take care of them as he should. So she decided that she would abort her child. Between the months of September 1975 and January of 1976 she attempted to abort her child three times, and each time she failed at doing so. On April 21,1976 her baby girl was born, two months premature. Later on that following year in 1977 the baby’s mother passed away, and her father and grandmother took care of the baby and her two brothers. As the baby grew up, as a young girl her father explained to her what her mother attempted to do. The situation did not become clear to her until she was eighteen, married and five months pregnant. She did some research and retrieved her mothers medical records, which stated that her mom tried to terminate her unborn child three times. At this moment she knew she would not make the same mistake her mother did. Today Amy is twenty-five years old and is happy with a family and is now speaking out against abortion. If their were not as many abortions today, their could be many successful people in this world today just like Amy. So before you make a decision such as, abortion think it over because you might regret it in the future.

Bibliography

http://www.afterabortion.info/news/teens2.htm%20Pg.1
Priscilla K.Coleman, “Resolution of Unwanted Pregnancy During Adolescence. Through Abortion Childbirth: Individual and Family Predictors and Psychological Consequences.”
Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2006)

Howe HL, Senie RT, Bzduch H. Herzfeld P (1989) ET.AL, “Int.J. Epidemiol. 18:3004

http://www.afterabotion.info/news/suicide205.html%20Pg.1
M.Gissler et.al, “Injury Deaths, Suicides and Homicides Associated with Pregnancy, Finland 1987-2000, “European J.Public Health 15(5):459-63 (2005)

M.Gissler et.al, “Pregnancy Associated Deaths in Finland 1987-1994 definition problems and benefits of record linkage, “Acta Obsetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 76:651-657(1997)

DC Reardon et. Al, “Deaths Associated With Pregnancy Outcome;A record Linkage Study of Law Income Women, “Southern Medical Journal 95(8):834-41 (2002)

M.Gissler et.al, “ Methods for Identifying Pregnancy- Associated Deaths: population-baseddata from Finland 1987-2000,” Paediatr perinat Epidermiol 18(6);448-55(2004)

Louis Farrakhan “ A Torchlight for America” Pg.109-111 FCN Publishing Company Chicago,Illinois

http://www.abortionfacts.com/ Pg.1-3 Performed abortion types, Heritage House 174

http://www.abortionfacts.com/ Pg.1, Heritage House 174 ‘A True Survivor Story”.

Abortion and the effect it has on today’s society.
________________________________________

I. History behind abortions.

A. When abortions were legalized.

B. The three types of abortions

C. Six ways abortions are preformed

II. What you need to know about abortions.

A. Statistics

III. The importance of planning parenthood.

A. Avoid premarital sex

B. The results of unplanned parenthood

C. The importance of commitment between male and female

IV. The havoc that abortion has caused.

A. The aftereffect of abortion.

1. Suicide

2. Breast Cancer

3. Psychological and emotional trauma

B. Circumstances in which thoughts of abortion are conceived.

1. Singled family households

2. The neglect of men

3. Sexual abuse

The ignorance continues - "Lollipop" Starring Lil Wayne

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=740d8sTpM7U

Marcus comments: "I'm not downing rap music and hip hop culture. I grew up listening to it and have watched the enemy hi-jack the music and turn it into what it is today. Now, I simply wish to expose it to as many people, particulary parents who are oblivious to the kinds of messages that are being introduced to their wonderful children through mp3 players, cd players, cable and internet. You have to ask yourself, "What is coming into my child's heart and mind as they ingest this kind of music? And even more importantly is what will be coming out of my child's mouth tomorrow if they continue to listen to this kind of music. For it is not what goes into a man or woman that defiles them, it's what comes out of them. Lil Wayne is one of the hottest rappers out there today and our children love him. He is on I would say at least 60 percent of the new music that's out there. You need to pay attention to him. I hope that you are not so naive as an adult that you think that they are actually referring to an actual lollipop. Remember the great master teacher, Jesus, shared with us, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he and so is she."

What effect does this kind of song and music video have on the behavior of a high schooler, a middle schooler, or an elementary school student or even a pre school student? It doesn't matter whether the listener is male or female. All I know is that I work within school systems throughout America and I see the devastating effects that these songs are having on our young people. These songs are corrupting the hearts and minds of our youth culture making them falsely believe that they don't have to do something to have something. Many young men and women are so caught up in hip hop culture and what it has come to represent that they don't desire to do anything or be anything of any real value."

What's your opinion, we'd like to know...

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=740d8sTpM7U

The ignorance continues - "Bust it Baby Video Remix featuring Plies and Ne-yo

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOZHZLabAm8

Marcus Comments: "Here is the video as I promised in the last post. When the world see these kinds of images its no wonder people think about our people the way they do. You would to if you were made to see images of a particular segment of our society as a dope smoking, drug selling, msyoginistic, big pimpin, sex fiend. We'd better pay more attention to what is going into the hearts and minds of today's youth population. This stuff is very instructive..."

What's your opinion, we'd like to know?

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOZHZLabAm8

What helps to make our job so hard?

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg_l5sSmgCY&NR=1

Marcus comments: "I first became aware of this You Tube spot after being sent the link by from my friend, Ms. Wendy. After viewing this I became further saddened and disturbed over the condition of the younger members of our family. I am working as hard as I can across America to encourage our youth to slow down and enjoy being a young man or woman. But as the young men and women continue to look at this video and thousands more like it than its no wonder our young men and women are in the condition that they are in. Just look at what these young beautiful sisters were willing to do just to be in a Plies's video! There are thousands of other rappers who are both male and female who are promoting even filthier concepts and practices than this.

"Bust it Baby" is the new term in many middle and high schools across America. I sincerely encourage you to be very careful in rearing your female children in today's times. Try to make sure she isn't anybody's bust it baby. No-one should be busting anything if they haven't made a committment to your daughter or mine. Please encourage your female daughters and your male sons to value their virginity and the importance of remaining sexually chaste. I am posting the actual video of this in my next post so that you can see the entire video for yourself. Listen carefully to Mr. Plies as he speaks to your daughter. You better teach her how to deal with the type of character that he portrays himself to be in his music. We should remember that this goes all over the world. No wonder folks across the world view the black female as a sex crazed animal when they see stuff like this." - Brother Marcus

What's your opinion, we'd like to know?

Source of this Topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg_l5sSmgCY&NR=1

Email Blog: Differences between Girls and Women

This email was shared with generously with me by Ms. Wendy Wilson

Grown Women

Girls want to control the man in their life.
Grown women know that if he's truly hers, he doesn't need controlling.

Girls check you for not calling them.
Grown women are too busy to realize you hadn't.

Girls are afraid to be alone.
Grown women revel in it using it as a time for personal growth.

Girls ignore the good guys.
Grown women ignore the bad guys.

Girls make you come home.
Grown women make you want to come home.

Girls leave their schedule wide-open and wait for a guy to call and make plans.
Grown women make their own plans and nicely tell the guy to get in where he fits.

Girls worry about not being pretty and/or good enough for their man.
Grown women know that they are pretty and/or good enough for any man.

Girls try to monopolize all their man's time (i.e., don't want him hanging with his friends).
Grown women realize that a lil' bit of space makes the 'together time' even more special-and goes to kick it with her own friends.

Girls think a guy crying is weak.
Grown women offer their shoulder and a tissue.

Girls want to be spoiled and 'tell' their man so.
Grown women 'show' him and make him comfortable enough to reciprocate without fear of losing his 'manhood'.

Girls get hurt by one man and make all men pay for it.
Grown women know that was just one man.

Girls fall in love and chase aimlessly after the object of their affection, ignoring all 'signs'.
Grown women know that sometimes the one you love, don't always love you back-and move on, without bitterness..

Girls will read this and get an attitude.
Grown women will read this and pass it on to other Grown women and their male friends

This email was generously shared with me by Ms. Wendy Wilson

What do you think?