Life In The DPC!

(Editor’s Note: This was previously published on November 6, 2006)

Can any State claim a part of outer space as its own?
No. The Outer Space Treaty states that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. The Treaty establishes the exploration and use of outer space as the “province of all mankind”. The Moon Agreement expands on these provisions by stating that neither the surface nor the subsurface of the Moon (or other celestial bodies in the solar system), nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non- governmental entity or of any natural person. -United Nations Office for Outer Space Activities

I don’t know what I find more odd; the fact that no one owns the Moon or the fact that the United Nations felt it was neccesary to make unenforceable laws about outer space? The U.N. has no army on Earth and I can assume that they will not develop an interstellar militia in case North Korea decides to take over the Moon and threatens to rain nuclear war heads through the stratosphere. But I guess they saw the writing on the wall during the Mercury astronauts slow accension towards space and felt it was neccesary to lay down some basic rules to make sure a country doesn’t take over a planet or moon and exploit its natural resources.

The man just upped my rent last night cuz Whitey’s on the moon.No hot water, no toilets, no lights but Whitey’s on the moon.
I wonder why he’s uppin me. Cuz Whitey’s on the moon?I was already givin’ him fifty a week but now Whitey’s on the moon. - Gil Scott Heron

Quite frankly this seems like a waste of time and of bureacratic energy to maintain a set of laws that, in all likelyhood, will never be used. Gil- Scott Heron said it best as the world and culture he knew slowly wasted away and yet the American government was dumping mountains of cash into a project to show up the rest of the world. We beat the Soviets to the Moon but we can’t own it and the USSR doesn’t exist. There are whole generations, mine included, that views Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s exploits on the Moon as achievement we can never relate to. America’s ambition, put into motion by John F. Kennedy, seems like a p.r. stunt in hindsight to this man. America was coming out of the economic boom of World War II and needed feel good initiatives and government spending to keep America afloat emotionally and economically. By the time man was on the Moon America was on an economic downturn that would lead to massive inflation in the following decade. Social angst flowed freely towards a government that many could never trust and the average man was worse off then when the lunar project began. From 1963 through 1972 NASA’s annual budget, adjusted for 1996 cash/money, was never less than $11.7 billion and peaked at $26.8 billion in 1966. That’s too much money to show the rest of the world that America is more advanced and maintains the explorer’s spirit.

One must wonder how the nation would have evolved if the money dumped into NASA, or a part of it, could have been funneled into education. Instead we have generations marginalized by the simple fact that they can’t get a fair shot at life because their own government wanted to show off. Manifest Destiny was alive and well and the people back home were exploited.

Tennessee Titans defensive back Pacman Jones was involved in another off field incident. Jones allegedly visited a Las Vegas strip club with his entourage of six associates and threw sizable amounts of cash in the air to make it rain money. When a stripper began taking the money without his permission Jones allegedly assaulted the stripper by banging her head on the stage. Security intervened and tussled with the entourage and Pacman threatened to kill one of the security guards. Eventually order was restored after Pacman and his group left the club. Shortly afterwards a man identified as one of the members of Pacman’s group returned and opened fire in the club. Three people were shot, including the aforementioned who sustained minor injuries. Another patron is now paralyzed from the waist down due to his gun shot woounds. Pacman has denied knowing the shooter.

Pacman has had many criminal encounters, though he was not convicted in each incident. The Titans seem to be growing tired with dealing with Pacman after his numerous brushes with the law.

“There have been numerous incidents,” Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher said. “But once we’re able to gather the facts on this one, we’ll be able to address his future and those other types of things.”

10/2003: Jones was sentenced to one year in jail following a bar fight while he was a student at West Virginia University, but the sentence was suspended and he was placed on two years probation. His probation was scheduled to end on Thursday.

4/27/05: Adam “Pacman” Jones was at Club Blaze in Conley, Ga., around 3 a.m. ET on April 27 when officers responded to a fight involving two women. Andrea Akins, a supervisor at the club, told police she was punched in the mouth by a woman who was with Jones. But she later told police the woman “had nothing to do with the altercation,” a police report said.

Both women were handcuffed, but were released without any arrests.

7/13/05: The Tennessee Titans’ top draft pick, Adam “Pacman” Jones, was arrested Wednesday on charges of assault and felony vandalism stemming from a nightclub altercation. Jones surrendered to Nashville police at Titans headquarters Wednesday morning. Jones was in handcuffs, a white T-shirt and light blue exercise pants when he appeared smiling before a night court commissioner, who set bond at $7,000. The charges included one felony vandalism charge and two misdemeanor counts of assault.

9/5/05: The annual Nashville Sports Council Kickoff Luncheon was held at the Renaissance Hotel. Among the 800 guest was none other than Pacman Jones … later that evening Jones was counseled for a loud verbal tantrum when he was told to wait in line for his vehicle. He also refused to pay for any valet services used that evening.

10/25/05: In a petition filed by the state, it was alleged that Jones has not made regular and sufficient contact with his probation officer and that he did not report his July arrest in Nashville in a timely fashion.

Judge Robert Stone in Morgantown granted the probation extension of 90 days, though the state requested for it to be extended up to a year.

4/11/06: Nine people were arrested on suspicion of having roles in two major drug rings that trafficked cocaine and marijuana in Sumner and Davidson counties, including a Nashville man with possible ties to Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, authorities said yesterday.

Officers from Davidson and Sumner counties seized 1,653 pounds of marijuana, 128 pounds of cocaine, more than 20 vehicles and $608,000, police said.

4/18/06: Police say Pacman was one of 12 or more people that gathered at a gas station in Nashville when a fight broke out and gunshots were fired.

A surveillance camera shows that Pacman was identified as being in the crowd and he confirmed that fact to police.

8/23/06: Jones was also accused of simple assault by Toya Garth, who said Jones spit in her face. Garth said Jones “got very close to her and spit in her face, and which point she stated she spit back in his face,'’ according to statement taken by police.

After Jones was asked to leave, police said he began yelling profanities and was arrested by Officer Matt Baldwin.

“Mr. Jones was given several opportunities to leave, he just wouldn’t do it,'’ Lt. Alvin Baird said. “As he was leaving he hung out the passenger side of the vehicle and began yelling profanities at the security at Sweetwater Saloon, and he put us in a place where we had to do something. Jones was also said to have bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol.
He was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1690889/posts

A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.” - Malcolm X.

At this point in his life Pacman has fulfilled nearly every stereotype associated with young black Americans. He seems to have blatant disregard for his own well being and rights of those he encounters. The excess, the indulgence and unjustifiable actions are just more fuel for the outsider to maintain notions of a race and perpetuate a stereotype developed by media. I am not implying that Pacman needs to be a saint but he needs to be acutely aware of his role as a celebrity and as a minority in a social structure that is not to fond of him to begin with.

Hopefully my message will get across to young black kids to stop putting themselves in really awkward situations as far as killing themselves — black on black crime – and hopefully, it will inspire them. Jesse Jackson talks in the book about how we’ve dropped the ball as far as Dr. King’s dream, and there were a lot of people who did a lot of ‘heavy lifting’ as far as giving me and a lot of other people the opportunity to be successful. Kids have to realize that they can’t screw up this opportunity. - Charles Barkley

At this point there a few role models for black kids in America and by default athletes seem to fill that void. Barkley had a Nike ad about ten years ago where he maintained that he is not a role model and shouldn’t be raising other people’s kids. He is absolutely right but at this point the only black people on TV are athletes and entertainers. So where are young kids supposed to look for heroes if there are no other minorities on TV besides singers and shooting guards?

I am not implying that Pacman’s behavior is a bi product of of idolizing Dwight Gooden, Mike Tyson or Dolemite but we must keep in mind that there are probably young dudes out there that see Pacman and his hijinks and accept it as decent behavior. Quite frankly Pacman has not been admonished for his behavior (but Ricky Williams smokes herb a lot and is suspended for a season. Cliff pointed this out recently and he is spot on about the askewed priorities of the NFL) and in all likelihood he well get a slap on the wrist when the dust settles. I’d like to say that Pacman needs to clean up his act and start strolling on the gilded path but he is entitled to do what he wishes and accordingly will face the repurcussions. He shouldn’t feel the need to be a role model. At this point he needs to worry about being a shutdown cornerback, return man and finding a top notch lawyer.

The best I ever played with - Larry Bird on Dennis Johnson

Former Boston Celtic star Dennis Johnson died of cardiac arrest after collapsing at the end of the Austin Toros practice. Johnson, 52, was the head coach of the NBADL team. Johnson was a member of three championship teams, a five time All Star and All Defensive First Team five times. The often under appreciated Johnson was snubbed again for the Hall of Fame this year.

“Larry Bird was totally in awe of Dennis,” K.C. Jones former head coach of the Celtics. “Dennis was just an awesome player. He played hard and he took the big shots.”

I am a DJ fan. He was one of those players that flew below the radar for many casual fans because his game was based upon defense and doing all the little and somewhat intangible things and make teams better. The Celtics teams of the 1980’s were loaded with star and scoring power and Johnson was the last piece of the puzzle when he came over from Seattle, where he was Finals MVP in 1979 after leading the Sonic to their only title. The Celtics needed a captain in the backcourt and a selfless player and they got it in DJ.

T.R.O.Y. Dennis Johnson

If a friend calls you and says ‘I’m lost. I’m on Martin Luther King Boulevard’ and they want to know what to do, the best response is, ‘Run!’ - Chris Rock

In 1975 Phoenix, Arizona decided to finally honor Dr. Martin Luther King by naming a cul de sac near the airport Martin Luther King Circle. There are six houses in the non descript and run down area and the sixth biggest city in the United States once again slaps the brother man down. It was bad enough when they refused to have a state holiday in honor of the man, which makes no sense since it is a win-win situation because even racists get the day off. But to take an obscure circle by the airport, as opposed to a main drag, shows how the culture actually feels about their own. Attempts in 1989 and 1990 to have the larger and more visible Buckeye Road renamed MLK were shot down.

People I have met while I’m living in Phoenix wonder why I have so much disdain for this state. A lot of it is because I am a bitter little man but that aside Arizona is one of the most racist places I have been. This bigotry has been made doubly wrong because the city views itself as cutting edge and inherently gazing towards the future. I guess Klansmen are wearing three piece suits in the Valley.

We need Chuck D out here again…

Black History Month In Germany

You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States. - Tim Hardaway

Hardaway’s tirade was in response to recent admission that former NBA center John Amaechi is gay and his autobiography Man In The Middle details his life as a closeted homosexual trying to make a living as a backup center in the NBA. Hardaway’s Valentines Day tirade cost him his job in the NBA as Commisioner David Stern fired him shortly there after.

“It is inappropriate for him to be representing us,” Stern said. ”Given the disparity between his views and ours,.”

Amaechi is the first gay player in the history of the NBA or he is the first to admit it. At this point no other player in the professional ranks has come out while either playing or retired. In an odd view of foreign players the Manchester, England born and raised Amaechi was not viewed as nothing more than English.

“I’m English,” Amaechi said. “It’s an old phenomenon, dating back to the film stars of the ’20s, when audiences would ask, Is he gay or is he British? Every time I did something eccentric, like bringing my fabulously flaming friends to games, people would quip, “Oh, he’s just English. Leave him alone.”

Amaechi has not fired back at Hardaway and it seems that the originator of the UTEP Two Step will not be admonished by the slayed. Justice comes from being proven right by a boorish and ignorant athlete that showed that the athletic world is not ready for an openly gay athlete.

“What I like about it is — hopefully, there were the beginnings of an intellectual conversation started about it (gay pro athletes) but this has brought it to a basic level,” Amaechi said. “It stopped people from saying what I hear so often — it’s 2007 and there is no problem with homophobia…This crystallized in people’s minds that there still is a problem.”

Amaechi’s autobiography and Hardaway’s subsequent tirade have shed light upon sport’s don’t ask, don’t tell mind set. Amaechi’s sentiments have been that in the current culture of the NBA it would have been nearly impossible to be any openly gay athlete. Hardaway ultimately recanted his statement but it stands to reason that his ideology is shared by many athletes. For each Hardaway in the league there are subsatntially less players who would ultimately accept a gay athlete in there locker room.

“For real? He’s gay for real?” said Philadelphia center Steven Hunter. “Nowadays it’s proven that people can live double lives. I watch a lot of TV, so I see a lot of sick perverted stuff about married men running around with gay guys and all types of foolishness. As long as he don’t make any advances toward me I’m fine with it. As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I’d be fine with it.”

Each and every NBA team is a very diverse infrastructure. American born players represent each and every part of the culture. Foreign born talent has been coming steadily since Sarunas Marciulionis came to Association in 1989. At this point the reigning MVP is from Canada. Its most popular player is from China and its best player is German. The modern NBA is predicated on diversity. Every culture, nation and society can identify with a player but the gay community will be the last piece of the puzzle.

The only means to have an openly gay basketball player is to follow the template put forth by Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers when baseball was integrated in 1947.Robinson was not the best player available but he was conditioned to facing bigotry. A four sport varsity athlete at UCLA Robinson went from one integrated environment to the next and had often dealt with his Anglo brethren. His ability to acclimate to nasty surroundings and his dominate performance showed a racist and doubtful audience that a black man can play and at the highest level. The NBA or any pro sports league will need a gay superstar level athlete that can tolerate a form of pressure rarely seen and perform at the highest levels. Amaechi was a marginal player at best and he also played in environments that were not condusive to helping a pioneer.

“The reason I didn’t come out when I was playing was a workplace issue as much as a sport issue,'’ Amaechi said. “For starters, I wasn’t in an environment where I thought I could. It’s not the job of an individual to make an organisation open and embracing for the individual, it’s the job of the organisation to do that.I’ve had e-mails from people saying they will stab me in the neck. It’s clear that it would not enhance my life to be out as a player. It would not have helped my career to come out when I was playing. In America, there are 33 states where you can be fired for being gay.Utah and Florida are two of them, and I played in Utah and Florida.”

We at DavidPatrickCastro.com have nothing but love and support for Amaechi. In a strange twist of fate a man once known as the token British guy in the NBA is now a pioneer of social justice. In time there will be an openly gay athlete in American sports and hopefully his teammates will have the same ideology as former Miami Heat player Rony Seikaly.

Whatever tickles your bone, tickles your bone. You can’t discriminate against something you don’t like … 60 or 70% (of woman athletetes) are lesbian. So what do you do ban lesbians from playing professional sports because you don’t like gay people. It (Banning homosexuals from sports) doesn’t make sense. It (being a gay thlete) is a non issue. 

 - Rony Seikaly