In Maryland, blacks comprise 31% of the state's population. However, the population in the state's penal institutions is 70%. This incarceration percentage surpasses the rate of incarceration of blacks surpasses the percentages of deep south states of Mississippi, South Carolina, and Georgia. The national incarceration of blacks is 32%. The State of Maryland's incarceration of blacks is more than twice the rate of the country's percentage. To those of us who live in Maryland, it seems to me and it should be apparent to others that something is wrong with the judicial system in Maryland. How can a state like Maryland that is supposedly liberal in its policies have such a disparity in the incarceration of blacks?

Historically, Maryland has a jaded record in terms of civil and social justice towards blacks. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who ruled against Dred Scott, Roger Taney was from Maryland. It was Taney's ruling that blacks had no rights that a white man had to respect in 1857. Which indirectly to the nation splitting and causing the Civil War. Currently, Maryland is in the midst of a lawsuit brought by the State's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Morgan State, Bowie State, Coppin State, UMES). These schools have shown in the courts that Maryland's policies treated each of these schools that catered to African American students unfairly for more a century or more. While providing the state's white colleges and universities quality funding and resources.

The State of Maryland's political and judicial leaders both white and black needs to read and fully digest 4 books right now and have a dialogue that focuses on how to implement policies of equity across the state. I would suggest that they read and comprehend the two books authored by Ibram Kendi, Stamped From The Beginning and How To Be An Anti-Racist which will give a solid footing on the history of Racism in America and also some constructive models on how to address and counteract that racism, both implied and explicit. Also, I would recommend a thorough analysis of The New Jim Crow; Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness which will direct the decision to effective models to construct state policies that aren't habitually directed at incarceration but models that direct state policies to uplift rather than incarcerate. Finally, I would request those state policymakers and judicial members read Angela Davis's book, Policing the Blackman which includes a series of essays directed towards identifying specific strategies that have harm blacks in the nation related to law enforcement policing and judicial sentencing. These four resources which I have detailed on The Blackman Read Aloud Hour Project will provide a structured analysis of what pervasive strategies and policies have proved harmful to blacks in our legal system.

Finally, getting back to the prospects of our children in black communities not only in Maryland but also across the nation. Until we address the educational system that continues to fail our children. We will continue to have far too many adults of color incarcerated not only in Maryland but states with significant black populations. We must work out effective strategies that will eliminate the issue of limited math and reading proficiencies with our black children in schools across the nation. For it has shown that limited skills in literacy and mathematics do align to future periods of incarceration. The struggle to improve our educational strategic models of instruction must be a joint community effort. It cannot be solved simply by educational professionals. The effort must involve teachers, students, educational administrators, government policymakers, and community activists everyone committed to addressing this issue collectively.

There is no way that Maryland's black prison population should have a black prisoner population that exceeds twice the national average. That fact should disturb every Maryland State policymaker. The article that appeared in today's Sunpaper certainly disturbed me to my very core. Because I saw from my personal experiences working with public schools that serious problems existed related to boosting the reading and math proficiencies of black students across the nation. Those students that I saw 15-20 years ago are now the adults who comprise the black prison population in 2019.

I am asking that policymakers take some time to develop core reading groups to get a handle on this situation in Maryland. This is just a start. Please take this issue seriously. We are failing our children of color in Maryland, all of us, not just the policy makers but every facet of the black communities.

I remember clearly 3 years ago struggling to get more than 15 people per day to visit my blog. I was told by some that this effort was a waste of my valuable time. Yet I persevered and followed my heart that my voice and my words had some meaning to my audience. Slowly but surely the contact rate of unique viewers began to grow substantially. I reached a total of 135,000 unique viewers on this 11/05/2017 which was two years ago today. That meant something to me personally because building a blog based on my thoughts, our ancestors' history, and uplifting the cause of universal black literacy in the communities across this nation. I now have regular viewers of my blog who approach me when I am out and about who tell me how they follow my blog with interest. The thing that is so rewarding is that these individuals are of different ages and sex. That means so much too me. It means that all that I do every day to create material on this blog has proved to be worthwhile to others.

My blog was initially established to primarily to keep my mind off of the pain that I was experiencing on a daily basis as a result of the nerve damage I suffered in 2011. Early this morning I surpassed 600,000 unique viewers on JoeSmokeBlackThoughts which is an enormous accomplishment in the blogging arena. There are literally hundreds of millions of online blogs and vlogs currently on the worldwide web. So when you have a blog that reaches capture rates in the hundreds of thousands of viewers is significant. The central page of my blog has over 900,000 page views and my entire blog has surpassed 1,000,000 page views. So today I would like to thank all of my followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In for giving my voice some power on the worldwide web. As I begin my new journey south to live just know that I will continue to build on JoeSmokeBlackThoughts as a voice for positive change in our communities.

Thank You For Your Support
As Always I Remain Yours In Power & Resolve

Over the past three tow incidents that actually occurred in this nation pretty explain the sickness that permeates our society. One event that occurred in Mississippi was a band of seven sick white degenerates who decided it was a good idea to show up at the historical marker that locates the place where Emmitt Till's body was dumped in the Tallahatchie River in August 1955. These fools felt it was a good idea to record a youtube video standing in front of this historical marker and ask the question "where are the white people?". The fact that Emmitt Till's historical marker is one of the most desecrated historical sites in the entire nation spells how racism still inflicts this nation from the inside out. How many times can white racists attempt to kill an innocent 14-year-old boy who was already tortured beyond belief in 1955? Also, why do these same thinking white people feel the need to not allow this boy's spirit too has any sense of eternal comfort? This show of white sickness was purely a play for attention. They received the desired attention because in a sickening society a show of racial hatred seems to draw media attention. You, we, I, and others can't seem to ignore ignorance. I guess these white brethren felt that black folks were getting a little more attention than necessary this weekend with the release of the movie Harriet, which is a story based on the life of Harriet Tubman.

Then yesterday evening in a shopping plaza about 2o miles from my home in Oxon Hill, Maryland an absolutely foolish act of temporary insanity occurred. At the Popeye's Restaurant, two black men got into a scuffle over the just re-release of the Popeye's chicken sandwich. This wasn't an act of racial rage that occurred in Mississippi. This was an act of foolish stupidity between two black individual adult males over a damn 5 dollar chicken sandwich. Why did this man die? Because he was foolish enough to sneak in line to get his damn chicken sandwich faster.

First, just a little background on Popeye's chicken sandwich which is a sodium enriched unhealthy fast-food creation that was introduced this summer. It seemed that the black community couldn't get enough of this sandwich. In many black urban and even black suburban enclaves across this nation. Our communities waited in line for literally hours just to buy this sandwich. It became so popular that Popeye franchises all over the nation sold out of this item. Well, Popeye's re-released the sandwich on Sunday past, and again our brothers and sisters flocked to buy the chicken sandwich again. Is it injected with "crack", or is it fried in marijuana oil, or possibly both? One this for sure it excited the black community. Similar to when Apple releases a new iPhone and the white community flocks en masse to the nearest Apple Store and wait in line for hours until the stores open. White folks get excited about technology. Black folks get uber excited about a damn chicken sandwich.

Well, yesterday, while waiting in line for a chicken sandwich a fight broke out between these two black men which resulted in the murder of one of the men. He was stabbed to death over as the police spokesperson said an incident that tied directly to the infamous Popeye's chicken sandwich. How do you even get those words out of your mouth with a damn smirk? It's simply unfathomable that someone in our community decided that a chicken sandwich was worth the price of a life. How can you even collate your thought processes to gather the energy to kill your black brother for a damn piece of chicken. It is an indication that the mental sickness that permeates parts of the white community is just as pervasive in the black communities. This nation needs to be flushed out. Really, a mental flushing of all those elements that go into creating white individuals who will not allow a boy cold-bloodily in 1955 to rest in peace and two black men willing to duel to the death over a damn chicken sandwich. I see quite often tow words that appear on social media after events like these, "no words". Well, the time has come to say yes there are words to describe this madness. This nation has elements within it that create the atmosphere to produce acts like these.

We have to flush out those elements or we will continue to experience mass murders, insane acts of racism, foolish stupidity, and absolute ignorance. We are failing to educate so many in the community to become rational citizens. I just don't understand the continued madness. I can only pray that we find a way to do better. In a nation based on democracy and freedom. We still aren't free or very democratic.

I have the upmost respect for Kweisi Mfume but he’s simply way too old to service the 7th Congressional District of Maryland. The issues are so complex and pressing for the majority of the 7th District. Issues that need solutions coming from a different perspective. I went to Morgan with Kweisi Mfume and I truly believe his commitment is real but why not select a viable candidate like State Delegate Nick Mosby. He fits the persona and age of a younger Kweisi when he was first elected to Congress in 1986. I know he is considering a run for City Council President but I really believe he is suited to be a Congressman for the next 6 terms at least. Mfume would be 83 years old in 12 years while Mosby will be 52 years old. It’s time for residents of the 7th Congressional District not to vote on name recognition but place a vote for someone whose youth and ideals are looking forward not backwards. I truly hope that Nick Mosby makes the decision to run and somehow convinces Kweisi Mfume to reconsider the decision he made today. I not ready to support Elijah Cummings widow simply because she’s Elijah Cummings widow. However, Nick Mosby is around the same age as Kweisi Mfume was when he was first elected to Congress. That didn’t work out too badly for the voters of the 7th. Of all the electable candidates considering running for the open seat. The individual I think would make the best candidate hasn’t shown an interest in running but should. Nick Mosby, Baltimore born, Baltimore educated and came back home to build a family and help grow the city. I know that he was educated also at Tuskegee University so he has the spirit of greatness in his blood. I hope he decides to run.