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I Beg Your Damn Pardon--Was It Something I Said?: The Poetic Prose and Unchained Thoughts of a Contemporary Black Man

by Big Brother Earl Roberts

153 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #00-0017; ISBN 1-55212-353-7; US$19.00, C$23.00, EUR15.00, £10.40

The thoughts, observations and feelings of a black man in modern urban America.

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about the book      about the author      Table of Contents      sample chapters      catalogue info

About the Book "We're proud to introduce a new, controversial, dynamic book featuring hard-ball prose, and social/racial storytelling delivered with deadly force - a Hell-fire and brimstone style. No other opinionated writer can stand up against the wit and versatility that comes through this obviously caring, unchained package af experiential thoughts and urban prose. "Engaging and clever as any recent radical Black writer, produced by the same concrete jungles that have given America Jazz, Hip-Hop and baggy pants, I Beg Your Damn Pardon literally kept both Blacks and Whites on our staff turning its pages and debating the serious issues raised - long into the night. "I Beg Your Damn Pardon is a red, black, and green-poetic magnum opus of "truth-telling," as echoed from the heart of a Black American. This book, this classic work, demands honest critique and an open mind, as the contents slam us into the often hidden face of Black folk. Sometimes it's an angry face, still standing in the shadows of prejudice and hate holding an "alley-apple" (a red house brick) used for throwing at one's enemies. Alley-apples can hurt us as projectiles when thrown at us, but this book is a well-composed, hard-hitting canon. Definitely a must-read. Just know when to duck!"      -Big Brother Earl Roberts Reader Reviews "I read the book I Beg Your Damn Pardon. I found the book delightfully humorous, yet seriously and truthfully controversial. I related to the piece that enlightened me about the indifference/plight of the Native American and got a hearty laugh about "I Just Might Catch a Case". I even read "Black Women and their Pets" although I did not agree with it all. "Big Brother Earl Roberts has truly written a book that will be talked about for years to come. I have already discussed his book among my family and friends who will want a copy. Hats off to Big Brother Earl Roberts - you have written a masterpiece!" -Gladys Crumsey, Business Woman, Detroit "Mr. Earl Roberts is a prolific contemporary writer. I enjoyed his book very much. I would recommend it to anyone who seeks truth and wisdom regarding the plight of African-Americans in the U.S. during these trying times. Mr. Roberts says things that other writers are afraid to say. He is controversial, but changes in our history have never occured without progressive, sometimes loquacious dialogue. "This book is filled with stories exploring the entire gambit of human emotions; anger, humor, sadness, love, grief, etc. Most of all, I feel Mr. Roberts has succeeded in establishing the fact that one man's knowledge and opinion can sometimes lead to deeper understanding." -Lue Riggs, Corrections Officer, Southfield, Michigan "Just a few words, truthfully--the topics as written make you feel like you are there (e.g. "The Ladies' Bathroom"). Most interesting book I have read in a while, just waiting for Book II. The author is right on target by keeping it black and keeping it real, he knows how I feel." -Bonita Nixon, Detroit "Big Earl is saying something that is real and to the point! Wake up world and meet the man. "Big Earl knows the pain, truth, and brings you the facts. He is explosive and has the power to get it straight. Don't miss the boat, buy the book!" - Kenneth Martin, Teacher "Let's forget the myth of the angry black male! This, to me, is an indictment. It makes an excellent case for the "ashamed white race"! Honest words spoken with conviction. An excellent companion to "Dirty Little Secrets" and "Lies my Teacher Told Me". Negativity must be crushed at the source. Earl Roberts and I know the true source...it's called white racism!" - John Dandridge, M.S.M., C.M. I read his words of poetic prose They were clear, intelligible and aimed at the heart He gave his brothers and sisters a choice When he gave rise to his title I Beg Your Damn Pardon -- Was It Something I Said? He asks, for very little except that you read and open your mind He calls out to our red brothers who have suffered in folds Who had once shown us kindness when we tried to escape, The white man shackles through the Underground Railroad He is full of conviction and vindication would be fine if it could undo the wrongs That fell upon the black man from the white man's hands So now the people, who have read his words must answer his question, do you bow down Or will you take a stand He signifies power and courage in the words that he wrote, he ask that you pick up arm if the situation approaches He dictates that we find ways of teaching our children to stay clear of the cynical and Outlandish behaviors of the white man Now I must say, as he would, stand up and be proud of whom you are black coffee no cream please -Deborah Middleton, Civilian Care Worker "Big Brother Earl Roberts' book I Beg Your Damn Pardon is most definitely one that enlightens and uplifts his people, both young and old. For me, being a young black male in today's society means that my peers and I usually don't have any positive role models other than the typical superstar athlete. There seems to be a lack of anyone who is courageous and proud enough to stand up for his people, and accept that role of a positive role model for young adults like myself. From reading Big Brother's book and reflecting on his words, I feel that Big Brother Earl is capable of filling that void and may be just what young black males need...more positive black role models." -E.K. Robinson, High School Student, Detroit "Big Earl, did you know, really know, just how proud I am of you--very, very, very proud of you Black Man. Very proud!" -Akouwa Loke, Business Woman "I Beg Your Damn Pardon was exhilarating, refreshing and insightful reading. The author's use of "down to earth" language (including some profanity) reveals the truth of today's jargon. I found this book controversial and therefore it challenged me to examine my true feelings regarding being a black female and continuing to struggle against sexism and racism in America. I especially enjoyed "I Just Might Catch a Case". -Sara Meyers, M.S.W., C.S.W., Clinical Therapist Read the news release for this title.

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About the Author A young black child born and raised near the Mississippi Delta looks unkindly at the white farmer talking loudly to his father about some overdue bill he's owed--it's 1956. He recalls the farmer asking his papa "What the hell is that boy of yours looking so mad about?!" His father answered while stepping towards the white farmer with tight fist saying "He's probably wondering why I don't stomp you a new ass-hole for hollering and talking down to me all the time!" Fast forward in the life of young Earl Roberts to the year 1964--lower eastside Detroit's Black Bottom, by way of Chicago, Ohio, then on to Michigan, after living with two other families in the same rented house. Having tried to find a decent, less stressful city for the family to live and thrive in, the family was forced to receive financial aid from the Department of Family Welfare, while his father searched long and hard for a good-paying job. Big Earl is called June-Bug by his family friends as of his 10th birthday. He recalls overhearing a trench-coated white state investigator from Social Services telling (more like yelling) his mother "You know Damn well if I look around here and find me a grown nigger man in this house, a husband, kids' father, or whatever, we (the state) will stop your aid and you and your runny-nose children will be looking for a new place to sleep-out on the streets!" Young Earl remembers his father hiding in the back of the bedroom's closet, while the loud white man casually (without permission) searched his house looking for any signs of an older male's presence. Ever since those early days-young Earl would see his family and himself, as he grew into a man, threatened and disrespected and degraded, cheated and lied to by white America, time and time again. The time eventually came when Big Earl knew he had to begin to protest and use his people's skills, his fully developed talents, his art and poetry-sharpened from experiences in surviving several urban jungles to stand up and fight back. Better stated, to write back--against white America's continued destructive discrimination and racism. After selflessly protesting for civil rights in junior high-school, organizing black students in high-school to demand a name change of North-Western High-School to that of Malcolm X High in the early 1970s, and participating in equal-rights marches and Anti-Vietnam War sit-ins on Wayne State's campus, Big Brother Earl Roberts became a catalyst for community change by joining the police department in 1976. This black man, this father of two, this artist, and husband to the struggle-having suffered and endured enough of white America's overt and subtle hatred and racial fears of him and his people-decided to purge his pent-up frustrations and de-stress his soul. Contact Big Brother Earl at 313-933-1880 or email editorial@trafford.com

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Table of Contents

FOR WARNED         1
DEDICATION         5
ONWARD AND UPWARD         7
THE LASTQUESTION OF BLACK ON BLACK CRIME         11
WHITE AMERICA--WILL YOU EVER UNDERSTAND?         13
I WONDER AS I PONDER WHY?         14
SLOW THIS GODDAMN WORLD DOWN, I THINK I WANT TO GET OFF!         15
NO THANK YOU WHITE FOLKS         18
BLACK VIETNAM         19
JEWS ADVERTISE THEIR PAIN         20
AN AMERICAN INDIAN MESSAGE         23
ODE TO SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, RON BROWN         24
AN URGENT WARNING TO WHITE AMERICA        30
I JUST MIGHT CATCH A CASE         35
THINK         37
JUST THINK?         37
PETTY, PETTY, MOTHER-FUCKERS         38
COMMUNITY LAW ENFORCEMENT         39
BLACKS ON T.V. AND RADIO TALK SHOWS         41
OH THAT BLACK SICKNESS         45
STATISTICS AND POLLS         46
BLACK ALIENS         47
WHOOPI'S APPARENT IDENTITY CRISIS         48
LOST HOPE         50
OH THAT TIGER WOODS AND THE NEXT CENSUS         51
RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION         55
SPEND TO MEND THE BLACK COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN         57
NO RESPECT FOR MY SECURITY         64
BLACK PEOPLE AND A.D.D.         65
TO BE OR NOT TO BE--STEREOTYPED         70
THOSE PERPETRATING NEGROES         71
BLACK PEOPLE AND COMPUTERS         73
BLACK PEOPLE AND COMPUTERS, PART II         75
GHETTO, GHETTO        78
SISTERS BETTER WAKE UP         79
THE LADIES BATHROOMS         80
LITTLE BLACK CINDERELLA         81
OPRAH         83
SOME WOMEN AND THEIR PETS         84
LAWSUITS AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT         87
SHORT STREET CONVERSATION--A SNAPSHOT         89
A LADY AND HER GIRLFRIEND         91
A GREAT LITTLE PRAYER         93
RELIGIONS HAVE CAPTURED MILLIONS         94
THE BIGGEST MYTH         99
THE CELEBRATION OF KWANZA         101
A FUNERAL HOME VISIT         103
TAKE IT ALL AWAY         105
SUNDAY MORNING BLESSINGS         107
I DREAM BLACK DREAMS         111
WAY TOO DARK         113
JAIL FIGHT         115
A BLACK COLLECTIVE GIFT TRUST MISSION STATEMENT/PURPOSE         116
THE VALUE OF SCHOOL         121
THE NEW BASKETBALL YOUTH CONSPIRACY         123
SAVING FOR TOMORROW         126
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH A MINI-EPIC--I KNOW A PEOPLE         128
EPILOGUE TO I KNOW A PEOPLE--A COLLABORATION         134
THE NEW NORTH STAR--DETROIT         135
TO ALL BLACK SELL-OUTS         139
LAST SEVEN PAGES--UNCHAINED         140
UNCHAINED THOUGHS CONTINUED         141
MORE UNCHAINED THOUGHTS         142
LAST TWO PAGES--UNCHAINED         145
LAST PAGE--FOR NOW         149
TUNK--THANK YOU         150

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Sample Chapters

FOR WARNED ATTENTION READERS OF THIS BOOK

F.Y.I.--For your information--this book contains some adult language. It is a most common language, learned in America and spoken by millions of Americans, both Blacks and Whites, young and old, and the rich and poor! I, the author, have chosen the language within--to emphasize the importance of the thoughts shared, and to reach as many people as possible with the truth!

If you are offended by popular vulgar-terms of contemporary speech, or are uncomfortable with harsh or crude language, then you have my permission to politely put my book down, and go and purchase another one containing a less truthful, less passionate tone.

It is an established fact that "truth" as it is experienced in it's many artistic and creative venues, can and often times offend some people's sensibilities or taste. My honest intent is not to offend--but to reach and continue to teach "truth". So if you feel you can't handle anything more than that which you're already comfortable with, then you might as well call Dr. Jack Kervorkian, and prepare to commit suicide, because life, truth, and our America will tear you a new-ass-hole (especially if you are black), whether you're ready for it or not, comfortable or uncomfortable, blue-collar or white-collar--sooner or later! If you continue to live and move in this world, one day it will happen! Again, especially if you are black.

So the hell with condemning the work just to discredit the author! Let us journey forward and read and review what has been written, to discover what we may "have in common"--due to our shared blackness. OK? Someday you (the reader) may come to see and appreciate--just what a great black-psychic I really am, as well as a great contemporary black bard. Look it up!
Enough said--let's get this good shit on the road--I'll drive!

The Author-Big Brother Earl Roberts

WHITE AMERICA-WILL YOU EVER UNDERSTAND?

White America, will you ever understand? What it truly means to be black in America, and still feel like you're living in a foreign land? White America, will you ever understand? Why it's so frus-trating for millions of hardworking black women and black men in a capitalistic land? White America, will you ever truly come to know? If you only read the dailies and watch the evening news--no! Why for so many blacks, anger and frustration is all they can show? White America, You won't ever know what it means to be black, desiring to be accepted as an American, and con-stantly being told to "stand back"- until millions of you change places in this great experiment gone wrong, with millions wearing black faces, who may have stayed in this country way too long. White America, will you ever understand? I doubt it! Your racism runs so deep! Keep praying white America, for mil-lions of black Americans to remain mentally asleep!

A GREAT LITTLE PRAYER

Oh Great God of the universe The same loving Father/Mother of all black people... Continue to help and assist the younger ones of us, Especially the littlest black people (the children), Always protect them and keep them safe--FROM SOME OF US, Some of the bigger black people.

Please God, forgive us, for we have copied and acquired so many of the bad and sad habits of white people, we now know not what we do, or why we do it, often to our own children!

Yes we, black people, inflict way too much pain and suffering on our own people, and in our own families, it is not enough to simply ask why? To save ourselves, we all (black people especially) must continue to risk a part of our lives -- to protect and care for our own, because eventually, "we all gon die", so why not be down for the greater cause the unification and future salvation of all black people around the world and then only then, Father, should we be allowed to rest in peace and our little ones will no longer fear life in the hood- in any city, in any state, in a country that brags "In God we Trust!"

A FUNERAL HOME VISIT

Please excuse this intrusion my God cause I know you're very busy these days, but I need to ask you a question! Have you sir, visited a funeral home in the hood lately? I have! Six beautiful black bodies were recently on display--three chapels up, and three chapels downstairs. Brother, out of the six bodies beautifully prepped for viewing, five were younger than 30 years old! Two were 24, another two were only 18 years old each. The sixth man was 45, and the only one there that had died of natural causes! Lord, one of the 18 year-olds was named Peaches. Peaches was a young mother with two kids, a four year old boy nicknamed Peanut and a three year old little girl named Nakita Nicole, fathered by two different young men. One was OK--I guess, he had signed the guest registry--"I'll always love you Peaches." I overheard that the other father was now in jail, preparing to spend the rest of his life there. I heard Peaches' grandmother whispering between her sad sobbing, "why did she go back to him--why did she keep pushing him to change--she knew that boy was crazy!" I silently whispered-- no she didn't cause good girls are attracted to bad-boys, I don't know why. We can tell them (our young people) over and over again that the "stove of life is real hot, and if they are not very careful--it will burn the hell out of them!" Yet they have to touch it for themselves anyway. Lord-- should I ask any of them (our young people) if they have visited a funeral home in the hood lately? Maybe they should. One way or another--maybe they will. Lord, sometimes the choice is not always theirs. Let me pray, Oh Lord, that when they do come this way, it's because of natural causes. Too many of our young black people under thirty are needlessly dying, or are in wheelchairs, or committing suicide, GOD HELP US!... PLEASE LORD!

Note, an important message begs to be shared with my young black brothers and sisters, here "PLEASE STOP YOUR VIOLENCE TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER. REPLACE YOUR SELF-HATE WITH MORE SELF-LOVE. STUDY MORE BLACK HISTORY SO YOU'LL COME TO KNOW WHO YOUR REAL ENEMIES ARE! JUST TO NAME A FEW: DRUGS, ALCOHOL, GUNS AND KNIVES, GANG VIOLENCE, FAST MONEY AND FAST CARS, (DRINKING AND DRIVING), UNPROTECTED SEX, NO EDUCATION OR TOO LITTLE EDUCATION, RACISM IN AMERICA, NO AWARENESS OF YOUR INNER-GOD, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (READ JUST-US), A LACK OF PATIENCE, A HARD HEAD OR HEART, AND MOST IMPORTANT, NOT ENOUGH BLACK PRIDE. It is enough for now. Remember if you will, "in truth, there are no ugly black people on the face of the earth, just a few black people with some ugly behavior..believe it! I wouldn't want to be a black teen-ager in these last days of NEW ROME if someone paid me a million bucks! Walk away from the deadly dare, my young brothers and sisters, because life is short and has no spare!

May God bless and keep you all. Your brother of the spirit-- Big Earl. Peace out because you too could end up in a funeral home before it's your time!

THE LADIES BATHROOMS

Well now, here's a timely message to the ladies, oops, I mean to some of my little sisters. Dig this, some of you should be more aware of the fact that bathrooms and comfort-stops at work and other public locales, are becoming increasingly unisex facilities (whatever this may imply). And some of you need to be reminded to clean up after your visits to the bath/toilet/restroom, damn it! Why? Oh you've got the nerve to ask? OK--ask any honest, hard working female custodian, which of the bathrooms are the cleanest at the end of the workday? Listen to her horror stories! Wanna bet they will all agree it's the men's that's the cleanest? Shame on all you "Nice Nasty Girls" and you know who you are! I know your mothers raised you all better than this, so pick up after yourselves, and don't forget to wash your hands! You'll never know when a custodian (or a man) may come in after you leave out! OK? Shameful, just shameful, and we know this! There is no acceptable excuse for squalor, especially in a kitchen or bathroom--at home or at work...believe it ladies! Fellas..hope you are paying attention. Whenever you all unzip your pants and urinate in public, somebody always sees your vulgar behavior, even at night. Real potty-training was missed by a few of my brothers and sisters, and its still a damn shame and we know this! Excuse me--what's that smell! Don't tell me because I already know!--Damn shame!

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Catalogue Information

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