Can't we all get along?

I live in the hood, which is very violent.  I like to keep politics off my page but I am going to make an exception because of all the foolishness going on. I am talking about the NFL and the Taking a knee during the National Anthem and the ignorance one side of the aisle has due to this issue.  Now of course, not all Conservatives are bone heads who seem to always protest anything that they perceive has to do with the other side believes. What they fail to understand or just don't care that a lot of Conservatives were and still on the side of the knee benders. What they also fail to understand is in this country we have the right to peacefully protest.  That's right we all have the right to protest.  So of course the President became involved and because the man lacks social skills and is a bigot he began requesting that team owners began firing the Football players. Now if we were talking about tennis or NASCAR I might have remained silent but since you decided to go after the NFL, most of whom, are from the hood then I have to speak up. Conservatives are quick to tell the NFL players what to do with their money because they are not from the hood so they wouldn't know that often times these players support their entire neighborhoods not just their families. I suggest the Conservatives that say this. Put their money where their mouth is or sit down somewhere.


I have both Democrats and Republican friends on fb and personally I identify as Non Partisan because I find that most Political people are a little dense when it comes to their parties and usually never take the time to listen to others or respect another person's point of view. Neither the Left nor the Right are respectful to the other and both seem to enjoy calling each other horrible names this makes us look silly to the rest of the world no matter what they tell us.


During last season at the height of the Police Brutality scandals, Colin Kaepernick decided he needed to take a stand or actually a knee during the National Anthem.  This made the Conservatives, who by the way Protested every time President Obama opened up his mouth , very upset because they seem to be ignorant about what this Country stands for. They put pressure of the NFL owners who refused to sign the trouble maker.  This led to a lot of African American men boycotting the NFL, which I didn't agree with we do not know why they didn't hire him. Of course the Conservatives began to defend the NFL again I am not sure why they did this. This was not going anywhere the NFL lost some people but still other players were taking the knee.


This prompted the President to tweet "The NFL owners need to fire any Son of a bitch who disrespects our flag and our country." I guess he didn't understand that no one likes to have their mother called a bitch and many became offended. This prompted every player, coach, and owner to take a knee or refuse to come out until after the anthem like before 2009.
 Well guess someone should have told the imbecile that President's are supposed to keep their mouth shut and their opinions to themselves unless it is about politics.  He doesn't understand the power and position of the President. The President is supposed to be able to unite the Country not further divide it. Guess what happened next the entire Country were to busy fighting over this nonsense instead of dealing with a Major hurricane in Puerto Rico. The President didn't seem to know that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and he is their President too.  Yet he and his supporters do not understand why minorities do not like him and think he is a racist.


The Pronoun "our" to a lot of people in the African American communities when people say "our" flag do not feel included in OUR because that flag permitted slavery at one time. That flag said "your three fifths of a human being in our eyes.  That flag said "your only a slave here not a citizen with any rights.  Little kids had that flag ripped out of their hands during the 50s by adult whites because they were not citizens.  So not everyone has warm fuzzy feelings about that flag because this country hasn't always been good to minorities not just African American but all people of color and truth be told to Poor Whites who also suffer discrimination.


This is the same President who defended the White Neo Nazis in Charlottesville VA and insulted the Klan Protestors. This is the same man who wants the hood to love him but then insults us at every turn.  This is a man who wants us to give him a chance and maybe he would but he is to busy being an out of touch, divisive, racist who only wants to create division and not bring us together. The man doesn't love his own party members because he is to busy insulting them.


What the President and anti Protestors do not understand is that what is so special about this Country is our freedoms. I have never in my life heard someone who went to fight for our country say "I'm fighting for our flag or I'm fighting for our Anthem (which also celebrates slavery) but I do hear them saying "I'm fighting for our freedoms." The most important is the First Amendment which says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.<sup>[     


I wonder if the President and the butt hurt people know that the right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Maybe if they understood that then maybe calls to run over Protestors with cars will stop. Maybe calls for people to leave this country for disagreeing with the President or Congress will stop. 


I am just tired of all the nonsense man if everyone got this riled up over the violence in the hood we will be cooking with gas.</sup>

The Day all the Social Workers Came

Today was a busy morning. I knew my Social worker and my nurse was coming. My daughter starts straightening up the Living room I asked her who was coming. She told me her social worker was coming. I laughed and said "mine too" we both started laughing.

Last year, when I was facing homelessness and was hospitalized the second time in two weeks I told my nurse what was going on and she called the hospital social worker. She came to see me and I told her what was going on. She got back to me and told me my medical insurance company had a combination of medical and social workers that would be able to help me.
I was assigned a nurse named Tina and a social worker named Jerry. I was in a hotel when I met them for the first time in my house. Children and Youth Services removed us to the hotel we just came to get some things and spend the day. We put in applications for places and went to church that evening.
Over the next several months they helped me with medical appointments and with furnishing my home. I also have a nurse that helps me figure out my health problem which is Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease. They have been a real blessing.

My daughter has an infant who is Seven weeks old. She has been enrolled in The Healthy Start Program, a program that tries to prevent infant mortality. They are the ones who helped my daughter decide to breast feed. They checked my granddaughter and she's right on time developmently speaking.

I don't always need them but I'm glad I have them.

Spending the Day in a crowded ER

I needed to go to the Emergency Room via Ambulance to Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. The ER was extremely busy that I never did get a room. The rooms go to people who are critical apparently there were a lot of Traumas. I actually did not mind not having a private room first of all the people who needed it needed more privacy than me its hard to feel sorry for yourself when they bring a man in who was in a terrible accident and was unconscious passing by you. I would close my eyes and pray for each and every person. The doctors and nurses were great and professional. They are all heroes last night.

The male nurse couldn't get blood out of my veins and didn't want to stick me a million times so he asked a young Nursing Assistant to help. He blew a vein and so did she. She was able to give blood. Both were apologetic. I informed them that my veins are stubborn and tough and that I ain't mad. I've had this conversation a million times before.

I spent a good deal of time moaning about being stuck in the ER again to my friend Carol Douglas.

I didn't have a blockage and my Gallstones weren't blocking the Bile Duct. I was given cab slips home and pain pills before so I was high upon leaving the hospital.

This is not an Inner City hospital it is one of the best Hospitals but to be honest the Inner City hospitials are just as good. Yes Presby may have the best doctors but all hospital Personnel are the best from doctors on down to Janitors.

I made it home safe and sound.

Facing Homelessness and a high priced political event in one crazy mixed up week

Gisele Fetterman and I 

A common statement in the hood is "It bes like dat in the hood sometimes." A face book memory yesterday because I posted it a year ago yesterday. The status said Only I have one day of facing homelessness and attending a fancy Political Function in the same week.  Yet that is what happened. On September 15, 2016 I was facing homelessness due to problems with a slum lord. On September 19th I was invited to a political event at the Fetterman loft for Josh Shaprio, a candidate for PA Attorney General. Despite what was going on in my own life I wanted to hear what he was going to do for my people.

Candidate Josh Shapiro

I had never been to any political function before and I was nervous possible but I left work and headed home to change. I had no water then so needed to wash up from a jug and heat from the microwave. I got dressed and walked down the street to the next block to the loft.

I was full of self doubt after all I was just a girl from the hood not some rich or middle class woman from the Burbs.

They served Prime Rib I remember thinking that rich people didn't salt their food. It was very nice though and I got to ask the candidate where he stood on the high murder rate in the inner cities. I respected that he didn't lie to me.

Josh Shapiro and Fetterman

I officially became homeless on December 1, 2016.

Walking down the Hood looking at the stores.

My Co worker and I were picking up snacks for the staff.  As we drove down the Street we were laughing about all the stores and things you will find only in a hood.  You will always see is a Save a Lot but never see a Whole Foods.  You see the same three phone companies in every hood and they are always close together. Cricket, Metro, and Boost Mobile.  There are also several cell phone businesses that have a lot of other inexpensive phone companies.  We do not have Verizon, Sprint, or ATT.  We have several stores that sell pop, candy, chips, blunts, and Cigarettes. In these stores, several of them have food like pizza and fried chicken.  They also sell Triple Beam scales and tobacco pipes and grinders which most people use for illegal drugs.

When you walk down any business district in most hoods you will find 1 or more of the following stores. Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and Dollar General.  You will see several check cashing places and ACE has a reloadable card that you can get your pay check direct deposited to and even get your pay up to two days early.  Places that sell fried chicken and fish also does quite well in the hood.

Rent A Center and other places where you can rent to earn are also on every block.  Rainbow, Citi Trends, and other low priced clothing stores are right at home on the block.  Hair places where you can buy weave is on every corner and also barber shops and beauty shops.  Since you can be a barber and an ex con at the same time with no issues.


For the people who do not have cars people in the hood rely on Car Services otherwise known as Jitneys.  They are always located in one hood or another although they are not as common as when I was child because of robberies and homicides.


Yes the hood has unique businesses but this is what is sold in the hood.  We laugh at what we have and don't have because it is funny to us but in reality that is what is important in the hood.

Why do you care about the hood? We are set up to die anyole way?

I am asked by some people from the Hood. "Why do you care about the hood?" They begin.  "Ain't nothing you can do about it anyway because we are set up to die any ole way?"  I explain to them that I care about what is happening in the hood and its time someone speak out on our behalf. They, like other's have stated.  "Only people who care about the hood is the people who live here. The rest of America either don't know or don't show that they care about the hood."  This is a common belief in the hood.  I also used to feel this way. However, I no longer believe this.


In 2008, I was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton, and as she started losing her Primary I joined a forum for Hillary Supporters.  I never expected what was to happen next. I told everyone I was from the hood and actually began to become very popular.  I met my best friend, a Republican, on that site.  She and I were outsiders on a forum where most of the people were life long Democrats.  I voted Democrats most times but not always and I tended to vote for the person I thought would be the best for the Hood.  I always voted because people died for the right for me to cast that ballot.  Jen was the first Republican I had ever really met.  She was the Least Racist person I ever met and she didn't hate poor people.  She and I remain best friends to this day.  I began to think if the media can lie on Jen maybe the Republicans didn't hate poor people and people of color. 

I became face book friends with a lot of  people both Democrats and Republican and what I found were racist people on both sides of the aisle and that most people in both parties are good people. I also found a lot of people who were concerned with the hood and poor people in general.  However, most of them blamed the other for what was going on. "Its the Democrat's fault they run the Cities."  I guess they forget the Poor Rural whites who's lives are not so much different than the people in the hood.  Why do they over look that? Because the Poor Whites are live in areas where the Republican's control.  Its the Republicans fault because they are so racist and they hate the poor." Forgetting that Bernie Saunders and many other Democrats believe that all blacks live in the ghetto forgetting that there are millions of white people who live in the Hood and they are no different than the blacks that live there.  Democrats ignore Urban issues because they listen to middle class black people who tell them that their is no such thing as "Black on black crime" and for them to talk about it makes your party a racist.  Apparently according to some members of Black Lives Matter, random white people come into the hoods of America to shoot unarmed black people.  I do not know where that crazy theory comes from but we do not appreciate it.  Object to the name Black on Black, Urban Violence is more that blacks killing other blacks.  Its also Latino killing Latino, Asian killing Asian, and white killing white.  CRIPS are multinational and are in all 50 states even in states where there are no black people. I have warned several Democrats that they are playing with our votes and that we do not like being ignored or discarded.  It is very unfortunate most people fall in line with party politics instead of what is good for poor people. 

I have found Republicans to be very interested in what is going on here but they are often to concerned with the life of the unborn instead of worrying about the people already here. Its hard for people in the hood to worry about people having abortions when so many of our little kids, teenagers, and young people are adults but of course they don't think so.  I really just wish both sides would listen to the people who live in these neighborhoods before they listen to others who have never lived here or who moved out in the 70s.

Strangers need to hold their advice especially if you can't control your kids

A lot of people feel free to give poor strangers advice or scorn, both online and in real time. Actually, its rude to do this, but it happens all the time. Just remember this while you feel free to give unsolicited advice we also have the urge to give you advice too. How do you justify telling someone to get a job or how to spend their money when your five year old is running up and down the grocery store and injuring people with their misbehaving.  Most poor women are bold enough to tell you off and if you were so rude to look down at your nose at them, they will pull your card. I was in a grocery store and this middle class woman with three children who were tearing up the store running grocery carts into people, screaming at the tops of their lungs and throwing temper tantrums. The mother only said in a meek voice
"Honey, please don't do that" while the older kids were running around.
She felt she should be able to go before me since I didn't have a job. She started giving me advice about going to work. I refused to justify myself to this rude women instead I offered my own advice.
"Why don't you control your children?" I asked. "Are you afraid of them." My children snickered. "I have 12 kids with me and all of them know better than to act a fool. Why can't you control your three." She glared at me. "You must be working to many hours or your weak. I wouldn't give advice to anyone when you can't control your kids." I know the woman was surprised when I paid for my groceries with cash. She did shoot back with a " Keep your legs closed" My nice told her that only half the kids were mine.

People are worse online with their advice, not only the general public but also Political commentators or writers. You may have preconceived notions about people but you should be aware that the poor person you are lecturing has opinions about you. You don't mind forming incorrect opinions about complete strangers don't get butt hurt when that person gives it back. If you do not have the Home training not to mind your business and the person answers you back and YOU get offended you reap what you sowed. A lot of Middle class people feel like they have the right to take poor people to task about things that is not your business then want to cry because you give it back to them. I hate for some Conservative or Liberal telling me I should have waited or got married before I started my family. When I tell them that they need to stop working so many hours and spend time with their kids so I didn't have to worry about their kids shooting mine in a school shooting. You have a problem with when I started mine; I have a problem with the hours you spend with your kids. They become upset like I'm getting out of my place by daring to question someone in a different class. All that means is you have more money than me you certainly do not have manners.

This has nothing to do with race because black middle class do the same thing as white people. Larry Elder thinks because he writes that he can tell people when to have children and how not to be poor. Since he is speaking to poor people I informed him that most poor people do not have any interest in becoming middle class. He seemed stunned that someone would tell him this. I hate to inform people that we have no desire to be middle class. Why would we want to be stressed out, having more bills, and working so much that we never see your kids. Some middle class people are slaves to their things. Poor people know that anyone can lose things and all those hours away from your kids so you can have an expensive car is not worth it.

I had a member of Black Lives Matter ask me why I was so proud of being from the hood. I should be ashamed of where I am from. The people from the Hood including me educated this young privileged woman. You wanna make a member of BLM angry call them privilaged especially if you have the nerve to pull their card in front of whites. People from the Hood don't care. A poor person from the hood will let them know we are sick of you treating us worst than white people. We will let them know that they treat us the way they claim white people treat them. We also ask them if they were taught to respect their elders? They either shut up or start hurling insults.

Jesus said "How can you help take out the speck out of your brother's eyes when you have a log in your own eye. First remove your log before helping your brother remove his speck."  Remember this everyone has stereotypes about every one else. If your so rude that you feel you can advise poor people then don't get so offended when we give you advice back based on prejudices.

Remember this the poor don't mind being poor and we work just as hard as you do.

Anger and Negative words and the Hood don't mix

How many times do men and women in the hood refer to black men as Nigga" yes it is different because most of the time it's said in love and brother hood but it is also often the last word heard when a young man is murdered by another black man. Nigga is not said in love then. Just another dead man laying in a pool of blood.

Females in the hood who are best friends often say "That's my bitch" about each other. That is said in love but calling women we are about to fight call each other "bitches" we fight each other both out of jealousy and for others amusement. We fight some woman and some random man or woman films it. Shows like Jerry Springer has poor people of all races fight.

I have to be honest I was fighting a lot until recently. My friend Carol has been teaching me other ways. I am a lot less angry than I was. I'm tired of all the yelling and rage. So I started living and acting different. Now Carol isnt the first to tell me these things I was just ready to receive it.

Poor whites call each other Trash. Latinos call each other Puta. We all have to stop using negative terms both inter and intra racial. We are all Poor people and if we can get over the anger and rage and stop the self hatred maybe we can get it together and change our lives.

I have an Autoimmune Disease

In 2010 I was diagnosed with spleen cancer the doctors believed I had something called Sarcoidosis. It wasn't in my lungs so they were not sure. After my spleenitmy they diagnosed the Sarcoidosis.

I have been in a lot of pain and sick at times but I returned to work full time and worried about this disease the survivor rate is very low.

In 2015 I was in and out of the hospital finally I was told my immune system was failing. After several more hospital stays and trips to several specialists I was advised to quit my job. I did not want to but it turned out to be a good idea because of how frequent I get Ill.

Most of my organs have been affected. My heart, spleen, kidneys, heart, liver, and gall bladder. It also affects my skin, my muscles and bones.

Yesterday I couldn't move without taking muscle relaxers and ointment. When I did move I yelped. My two year old granddaughter Dayla would say sorry because somehow she believed it to be her fault.

Today marks the 19th month since I appealed the Social Security decision. I still haven't heard anything. I can't hold on to much longer. I pray everyday I hear something. I'm resting today at least I don't have to call off.

I keep waking up and fighting this disease. It's in God's hands.

What about the poor?

"But what about the poor?" Pundits of both political parties shout. "Our side is right on the issue. Your side hates the poor because you believe that"

Today it's illegal Immigrants the right insist that they take jobs from the poor. They insist that poor Americans need those jobs that poor Mexicans end up in. Never mind the fact that poor Americans cannot or will not take those jobs because they have to move from place to place and the pay is lousy.  When I hear a person make this statement, mostly middle class, I ask them when they are going to go to the fields of America to plant and harvest the fruits and vegetables. They look at me and say "I can't afford to take those jobs they are not enough money."
"I can't afford those jobs either" I say.

The next suggestion is slave labor, or using Prisoners to do this job. The Republicans know that if they do this they will never stop being known as the racist party.   They know to use majority poor people as slave labor hurts them. Do they ship these Prisoners from different states? The Republicans are now known as the anti poor racist party.  Poor people do not want Prisoners being exploited not when people were willing to do that job.

During the 90s Bill Clinton and the Republicans came up with welfare reform. They both were called Anti poor and racist. Hillary Clinton suffered because of this. Poor people were not upset and instead of this law hurting poor people it helped them. We were no longer trapped on welfare. We no longer had to sneak off by getting jobs. The laws before were devasting to the poor. They lost everything and many were afraid to get jobs. Today you are encouraged to work and they help you receive some food stamps. Because, we now work we are not stuck in Public Housing we can live in private housing.

The minimum wage needs to be raised but not $15 an hour. That is to much and it will hurt businesses like McDonalds. Minimum wage can start at $8 then raised again to $9.25 then $10.

Despite what Democrats and Liberals say you can be lifted out of poverty on $10 and $12 an hour. To little of a minimal wage and you still have to pay for food stamps. To much of a raise and the jobs go away which causes more poverty.

Cutting Food stamps and Medicaid to poor people is never a good idea. People who equate this bad idea with welfare reform are misinformed. Tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations are foolish and they hurt the poor. I am much more compassionate about middle class tax cuts. I just don't believe that they should come at the expense of poor people who will go hungry.  Now when it comes to welfare if the Politicians would ask welfare and former welfare receipents about the so called training programs that are basically babysitting adults taxpayers are paying for bad programs but childcare for children. Make sure the program offers real training. Conservatives always are talking about teaching people how to fish.

The poor have enough problems being poor they don't need to continue being political footballs. We are not puppets on the string our struggles are real.

Believe what you want just don't use the poor to justify your belief.

Hunger in America. The Truth

"We don't have hunger in the streets." A FB comment read. She is correct but we do have hunger. We tend to hide it or we keep it in the community.

Food Insecure household, hungry, P O so poor you can't afford the other O and R and any other name you call not having food nor the means to get food. It happens a lot in poor families even households that get food stamps go hungry the last week of the month. The food stamps usually only last three weeks a month and not the whole month. Most people work to pay the bills but because they work the food stamps are only about $200 because they use gross and not net the income is much smaller than what they credit you with. Often times the family needs to decide what bills can get paid using basic first.  If food is chosen you may lose an Utility. It's hard to make a dollar out of 15 cent.

Thanks to certain groups that always assume your hungry because your kids have Jordan's never mind they were donated and you found it. Most poor people are not stupid they don't buy Jordan's they buy food.

They go to the food bank but they cannot help you through a long term food emergency. The caseworkers losebl or never sent you a notice you missed, this leads to a three week hunger.

Most poor people do not spend their food stamps on expensive food because they know better.  We have to get as much food as possible with the amount your given.

Hunger has a stigma that brings with it a sense of shame sort of like being homeless. I have been hungry many times for a variety of reasons.

Yes Virginia hunger exsists in America.

Labor Day

Today is Labor day for most people Labor day and every other paid federal holiday is a day off with pay.  For me it is Double time and a half and 8 hours.  I work in a Group Home for people with mental illness that is staffed 24/7.  I don't mind working on a holiday because I really like what I do and when I work I give the Consumers a normal life.  They help prepare the food and set it out. They have a good time. 

Most poor people have to work on Labor Day because we tend to work in hospitals or Nursing Homes or like me in Group Homes. They also work in Retail where there is day off lots of people want to shop on the Holiday.

Labor day started because of people in Unions changed the way workers were treated.  Labor Unions like United Steel Workers started in Braddock and Homestead PA.  Back in the day the Steel Companies would do anything to prevent their workers from joining a Union.  The Steelworkers in 1919 were fighting for shorter work days and shorter work weeks.  The Steelworkers worked 12 hours a day and one day a week they worked for 24 hours straight.  It was downright dangerous.


The working conditions were lousy then and most people living today would not want to work long hours for pennies a day often if unventilated rooms and being locked in rooms.  Children were also forced to work long hours doing dangerous things. 

Most of us work 40 hours a week and 8 hours a day.  It leaves us a lot of time to spend outside of work with our families or attending church.




Enjoy your labor day and I hope you enjoy the food, fun and family.

Happy Heavenly Birthday to my Mom

Today my mother, an outstanding woman, she wasn't rich or well known outside of Braddock, but she was much loved by everyone who knew her.

My mother was in a car accident because her then fiance was drunk she was told she would never walk again but with fierce determination she worked hard she walked again and regained movement in all but her right arm. The feelings in her legs did not return until she was at the end of her life.

She survived an abusive marriage and left her husband in the early 60s. She met and fell in love with my dad. She was a single mother of two girls at a time when single mothers for any other reason but being a widow was rare.

She married my dad and they had 3 more daughters. My mother was a champion for other poor people. She was the President of the PTA of an inner city school district. She also advocated on behalf of people with Mental Illness and Intellectual Disabilities by sitting on the board of Turtle Creek Valley MH/MR.

My mother found Christ and became a Christian her church became her home. She also was very independent and until the last few years of her life she had no problems getting up and going.

She raised her daughters to never give up when times were hard but to keep fighting. This has kept me from giving up when I lost my babies, or battling cancer and an auto immune disease. I was diagnosed with a Learning Disability as a child, actually 53 different ones, my mother spent many hours encouraging me to go on.

My mother faught the teachers for mistreating the poor kids and faught against the Desegregation of General Braddock because she felt the poor and black students would be hurt. The black parents didn't want this merger anymore than the rich white folks. Like my mom they worried about their kids. This was Woodland Hills turns out they were right. Woodland Hills was and still is a disaster.

My mom became a grandmother then a great grandmother and with much love she passed away, sorrounded by her children and grandchildren at the age of 78. She went home to be with the Lord and my dad.

Today, I sit on her 80th birthday and remember the remarkable woman who was my mother. Rest with God Edie Mae McCombs I love you always.