By Lafe Tolliver, Esq
Guest Column
In my valiant effort to wake up those who are still slumbering from a Thanksgiving turkey
overdose, I have posed the below questions and evaluations to see if you are activating your brain cells so that you are not caught off guard by specious arguments of what does or what does not belong in the following scenarios.
Caution! If you miss more than three, I plead with you to consider getting a mental wellness check up because you are beginning to miss the nose on your face!
So, get that second cup of java or tea and cross out the one that does not belong!
What does not belong?
ONE: eleven/three/nine/twenty-seven
TWO: ginger/coriander/flour/mace/paprika
THREE: Java/Cyprus/Sardinia/Iran
FOUR: ice/sleet/vapor/hail
FIVE: pew/chair/table/rocker
SIX: dinar/peso/yen/gold
SEVEN: pouch/wallet/purse/bucket
EIGHT: intellectual/Trump/scholar/maven
NINE: peas/collards/kale/greens
TEN: Columbus, Bismarck/Austin/Syracuse
QUESTIONS:
ONE: As a Black American voter, what reason would you give for not voting for Biden in 2024: (1) age (2) nonspecific programming for people of color (3) Kamala Harris being his running mate (4) all the above (5) none of the above.
TWO: If you are considering voting for Trump…why: (1) winning personality (2) younger than Biden (3) tough guy image (4) good economic policies (5) all the above (6) none of the above.
THREE: If Biden were to serve a full four-year term, would you endorse Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee for the White House. (1) yes (2) no (3) America is not ready for a Black woman to be president (4) depends upon whom she will select as her running mate.
FOUR: What accounts for low Black voter turnout. (1) apathy (2) not knowing the issues (3) the personality of the candidates (4) lost faith in the election process (5) makes no difference to me who wins.
FIVE: What is your top concern regarding the status of Black Americans. (1) lack of economic unity (2) low voter turnouts (3) crime (4) concerns over the cohesiveness of the Black family (5) education is not a high priority for our youths.
SIX: When you read or hear about so many White evangelicals abandoning Chris tian principals to support Trump, what is your concern. (1) they are shallow in their Biblical knowledge (2) they are concerned about America becoming more ethnically “diversified” (3) they seek power over principles (4} they want a theocracy to eventually rule in America.
SEVEN: If you could do a “redo” over your life, what would it consist of. (1) I would get more education (2) would avoid certain people who were not positive in my life (3) strive to get a more productive and profitable job (4) speak up when I see wrong being done (5) wait longer to get married to a better person (6} pay closer attention to my health.
EIGHT: If you receive a million dollars, tax free, how would you spend it. (1} big house and car (2} invest it and conserve it (3} set up a family trust (4} support my favorite charities (5} travel and enjoy the good life.
OPINIONS:
ONE: When you face discrimination, how do you react to it? (1} deny it (2} think that it could be something else (3} attack it directly head on (4} seek third party help in correcting it (5} do not let it affect me so that I am demoralized by it.
TWO: When you see a wrong being done in your presence, what do you do about it. (1} speak up about it (2} report it to the authorities (3} leave it alone, it is not my concern (4} offer what assistance I can to the offended party.
THREE: When you think back upon your life, what do you muse or ponder about. (1} what could have been…. if (2} why I did, what I did because now it makes no sense (3} accept it and move on to the next challenges (4} I have been blessed to get this far in life.
FOUR: Which of these choices would “spice up” your life. (1} travel the world (2} learn a new language (3} develop a hobby (4} reach out to others beyond my immediate circle of family and friends (5} learn a musical instrument (6} volunteer to assist others.
FIVE: When you have come to the end of your journey in this life, what do you think will be your most cherished thoughts. (1} raised upright and kind children (2} made a lot of money (3} married a wonderful person (4} did no harm to anyone (5} at peace with God.
Well, dear readers, the above questions and “evaluations” are just in time for the New Year!
Read and re-read them so that you can get a grip on the real you so that you can put off what may be a drag on your life and put on those attributes that will contribute to your future success..
Be at peace!
Lafe Tolliver, Attorney
comments to: tolliver@juno.com