Cap Black: Did this course tonight in preparation for the first big holiday, hopefully not a 'horrorday', of the 2026 season.

#borrowabrother

Completed this course today after years of looking at it on Udemy, the online education site.

My ‘safety creation’ theory is often expressed at events where I manage good energy while alert for eruptions of bad intentions over the decades.

This course was a great refresher on industry standards and an even better introduction for beginners.

On to the next adventure!

Cap Black

#MinneapolisSpiderMan vs cartoonish hater Jake Lang, the 'Red(neck) Skull!'

Theme song: https://youtu.be/5Z8N9TTvKeQ?feature=shared

Cap Black: As a 'real life super helper' I say, BRAVO!

#borrowabrother

Daily physical training takes on new meaning after a near-fatal medical issue last year.

Now, in addition to training for self development and as an advocate and private protector, self defense and if necessary, defense of others, I now train to 'defend' past fitness by fighting to reclaim it and- surpass it.

I'm a fighter, not in a pugilistic or belligerent sense but meaning I understand battle as a metaphor for our struggle to realize potential in the face of inner and outer challenges.

I'm fighting to regain my past self and retool my future self.

Alot of you are too!

Keep praying. Keep meditating. Keep exercising. Keep training. Keep fighting for your 'super', which is what I call your unique potential and ability to help others.

Peace, Peace. Assalamualaikum. Namaste.

Cap Black

#borrowabrother #safetyescort #volunteersecurity #securityvolunteer #yoga

I'm not a capitalist, meaning I don't spend every waking moment-and nap time-plotting on how to grab more money from people and hoard it for my benefit.

I do believe in mutually beneficial trade of goods and services without cronyism and 'robber baron' mentality associated with capitalism in its present toxic form.

I'm even more invested in giving. Offering services and 'sharing supply' is what I call providing services and goods for free to those who have a need, which in this carnivorous economy is far more folks than stakeholders will ever admit.

This doesn't mean I'm a communist, either. Trading the stuffy capitalist board room for a stuck up communist politburo isn't my goal. I realize reflective response some have whenever capitalism is criticized or rejected. They leap to the mistaken conclusion that the one doing so is must be a communist.

I'm not.

I'm also not a 'credentialist', i.e. someone chasing titles and roles from or in other people's organizations in a selfish quest to climb up an imaginary ladder in order to look down upon those perceived as being on lower rungs.

I do believe in self development. So much so that I never allow credentialists to go unchallenged should one dare condescend toward me or others who aren't part of their ladder climbing.

Developing oneself is rooted in internal validation, not seeking approval from corrupt corporate and governmental constructs.

Each of us has unique gifts and a destiny that no institution of higher learner or so-called 'boss' can certify or more ominously, de-certify.

Despite my not being a 'credentialist', I do recognize credentials achieved by good people seeking competency and greater range of professional motion to help society.

Such strivers will always get my wholehearted support.

Of all the myriad things I am, two things I'm not are a capitalist nor a credentialist. If this offends some, so be it.

I'm merely exercising my God-given right to define my reality in a manner reflective of my values and views instead of subordinating myself to those of outside interests with no interest in my best interests not that of millions not part of their 'in-crowd.'

Cap Black was once called a 'Pan African socialist' by a buddy Adeeb Shabazz who felt this describes his priority on giving to community members instead of hoarding and berating those in need.

#borrowabrother

Ladies and gentlemen, we can't 'nice' our way to safety.

Period.

Full stop.

Our enabling oriented friends and foes stubbornly beg and bribe traitors to community safety with little to show for it except casualties and closures of fleeing residents' residences and businesses in affected areas.

They're forced to spin crime stats and redefine offenses to give the illusion of less crime when less crime fighting is all that's being accomplished.

'Nice' solutions of this sort solve nothing but solving offenders worry about facing opposition to their search for more people and property to target.

Not a survivable metric.

Conversely, we can be polite. Measured. Restrained by morality and legality. But by no means should we be un-mobilized in an era of openly mobilized street criminals and ideological vandals.

I understand the average well adjusted working-to-middle class adult doesn't want to become the civil counterpart of a potential combatant in what was once called civil society. Most folks are thinking about bills, kids, grand kids, retirement, vacations, y'know, non-civil combatant stuff.

Believe me, I get it. I wanted to be a full-time philosopher and poet growing up. While I'm still both, an 'urban apocalypse' hit my community locally and nationally in the 1980s. This calamity added 'protector' to my list of top lifelong interests. I come to promoting safety creation from the tragic vantage point of someone who watched his neighborhood die, along with the stable social order which existed in my community nationwide at that time.

That experience forged my theory into a message of mobilization that resonates with well adjusted adults across ideologies who know they nust do something to keep themselves and their possessions safe.

I meet them where they are philosophically and convince them to add techniques that increase their ability to better secure themselves and network with others who are like minded.

We can't 'nice' our way to safety. Tip toeing around sociopaths or making excuses for them doesn't create safety.

All it does is produce 'nice' hostages who don't call out their own captivity.

That's all 'nice-ing' our way to safety ever does: make captives out of citizens.

Not very 'nice' if you ask me.

Cap Black.

The 'bulky' part is in recognition of my nearly 300 pound physical build which is trained to be as much a visual deterrent as for functional fitness and situational self defense.

The 'diplomat' dimension comes from my not only greeting patrons but also advising them about the sales room, men's section and current store specials.

I'm not required to do this, by-the-way.

'Bulky diplomacy' seeks to connect and protect, shoppers.

Communication is a big part of my theory on how to secure spaces. I enjoy offering good energy and hopefully having it recognized as such by folks spending their hard-earned money.

One female customer paid me the supreme complement last month by saying I was the best sales person inside the store.

Full disclosure: I'm not a sales person nor play one online. All I'm doing is figuratively pointing our mostly female clientele in the direction of merchandise they came to purchase.

So, along with threat assessment and incident response, polite 'bulky diplomacy' is my approach to retail security where customer service is as important as playing 'cat and mouse' with shoplifters and disruptive people.

Cap Black.

A surprise #borrowabrother volunteer safety escort moment.

Cap Black.

I've gotten a ringside seat of late to observe what I call, 'retail safety creation', up close and personal.

My start in this security field began in the nineties, where a 'cops and robbers' mindset prevailed. We actively detained shoplifters and forcibly ejected people acting disruptively inside stores.

Past highlights include my tackling a shoplifter I'd detained who tried to escape upon the arrival of the police transport van to take him to jail. I also helped officers handcuff him.

Another memorable moment was walking a stalker back in a half-Nelson hold after he'd assaulted a female store employee who'd ended their relationship.

Obviously, that's not how things are in the 'deescalation' era we are in today.

It's not private sector 'cops and robbers' anymore but it's still a game of 'cat and mouse.' Thus far I've intervened in three shopliftings, the second of which had a 'snatch and grab' suspect engaged in a tug -of war with a spunky assistant store manager over a bunch of shirts still on the hanger.

The latest episode of what I call, 'adventures in retail safety creation' starred me detaining a brazen shoplifter confronted by a fearless store manager. She'd challenged him about a stolen shirt draped over his shoulder and bag belonging to the store. 

I made him give them back.

Unlike the nineties, no one is held for the police. Or at least not nearly as often as we did way back when.

Also unlike the nineties, the potential for violent resistance is very real, a fact I know all-too-well from other contemporary assignments and safety advocacy.

As I did in the 'Gen X' days, I enjoy greeting patrons and inviting them to shop. I'm also looking for suspicious behavior and telltale signs of whether someone may intend to steal or be disruptive.

Creating retail safety in the 21st century is even more challenging-and stimulating-than it was in the nineties when I entered this security field.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Cap Black.

Given decades of advocacy for security officers, starting with myself LOL, I've often been given the boot (reprimands or termination) but rarely certificates.

My cold heart was touched because I know all too well how routinely private protectors are over-scrutinized and hyper-criticized without thanks being extended.

I called the site manager whose referral made this possible and conveyed my gratitude.

In today's tumultuous world, private protectors are bearing the burden of self-inflicted and societal problems which cross their paths with alarming-sometimes tragic -regularity.

Tokens of esteem like certificates or an ornate plaque presented to a buddy of mine whose security position was phased out after six years of stellar service document what these professionals provide that otherwise goes unheralded.

Cap Black.

Here's yesterday's social media post on a new twist on my 'Borrow A Brother' volunteer safety escort theme that God gave me by surprise on the Fourth of July:

'My 8pm rideshare I scheduled early this morning ended up taking a heat exhausted Brazilian lady and her boyfriend who were brought into where I work shortly before closing.

They were dropped off at his truck which was parked on the same route I take home.

Pleasant end to a long day.'

My concept of 'security' is far more expensive than conventional definitions.

In this instance it meant agreeing with Good Samaritans in town for Essence Fest to offer a ride to a pair of foreign tourists in a pinch.

The scenario was tailormade for my volunteer safety escort advocacy.

After my rollercoaster ride of a year, glad I can still assist folks after what I've been through lately.

It was definitely a new twist on my 'Borrow A Brother' theme.

Cap Black.

I got between them and walked the combative shoplifter out of the establishment. At the request of the spunky manager, I let him go. Company policies forbade 'stops' (questioning or detaining suspects) outside of the store.

More recently, a local clerk was attacked by a knife wielding shoplifter during an extremely violent retail theft episode:

Irish Channel store clerk stabbed in head while trying to stop suspected shoplifter, NOPD says

https://share.newsbreak.com/iqsrywqz

Lastly, more tragically, a reported shoplifting at a Mississippi Walmart left a one year dead and suspect wounded after an officer -involved shooting of the suspect's vehicle:

Officer involved in shooting outside Walmart that killed 1-year-old boy placed on leave

https://abcnews.com/US/officer-involved-shooting-walmart-killed-1-year-boy/story?id=133965022

The officer claimed the suspect attempted to run him over. 

As I've written in the past, borne out by calamitous current events, shoplifting is no longer the polite game of 'cat and mouse' it was when I did retail security in the nineties and early 2000s.

Retailers and private protectors must adjust their strategies accordingly.

Cap Black.

I posted elsewhere: 'Dylann Roof, a devil in human form, executed these Black people on June 17, 2015 and STILL hasn't been executed by the feds yet.’

LONG OVERDUE for capital punishment.

Cap Black

#borrowabrother

I almost died from a blood clot last year on my left lung near my heart. Not being melodramatic but had I opted to 'sit this one out,' as with past lesser ailments, I wouldn't be sitting here now.

As near-death experiences (NDEs) go, it wasn't that big a deal.

I didn't see the Angel Gabriel or other celestial beings nor the bright white light folks from many faiths, and the faithless, reported during their NDEs.

The episode was extremely painful, so much so that I couldn't tie my shoes. Breathing ceased the instant I leaned over. Thanks once again to a New Orleans firefighter who put them on my chest while I was on the stretcher about to take the first hospital ride of my adult life.

Those members of the New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans Emergency Medical Service and emergency room staff literally saved my life-no exaggeration. Had the clot entered my lung it could've triggered a fatal heart attack.

Quite a surprise for someone who watches what he eats and regularly exercises. My old job is the prime culprit with heavy diesel exhaust I did my best to avoid breathing in as atypical disorientation became pronounced after work.

Recovery is still ongoing in 2026. I could barely walk after being released from the hospital and can do so much better lately. I resumed daily stretches, pushups and other exercises and am slowly reaching previous levels over ensuing months.

I left the job whose toxic air made me sick and lost where I stayed for seven years- a place where I warded off one nocturnal home invader, numerous trespassers and loiterers and gave out food to countless homeless people who'd walk by looking for something to eat.

So, no exaggeration, I almost died last year on this date, June 11th, 2025.

I find myself fighting my fight with a new body that's similar to the old one but needs more fine tuning.

Keep fighting folks!

Cap Black.

Shop owner found not guilty of murder in 2023 shooting of Black teen

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2026/06/02/rick-chow-verdict-south-carolina-cyrus-carmack-belton/90366399007/

Full disclosure: I'm no fan of shoplifters. They're a bane to merchants and since the pandemic, increasingly violent as a group.

Second full disclosure: That said, I'm also not a fan of summary executions, especially in cases of suspected petty theft. The Rick Chow acquittal, in my estimation, gave an executioner a pat on the back and a high five.

Safety not created.

At all.

The alleged shoplifting didn't happen according to that jurisdiction's sheriff. Victim Cyrus Carmack‑Belton put water bottles back in a cooler and was accused of theft by the shop owner and his son, who chased him off property.

Red flag #1: As a merchant, employee or would-be citizen crime buster, once a suspect leaves the property, the issue is over, barring something extreme like assault or a threat, which shop owner alleged.

Even with a threat, of which I've been subjected to my fair share, staying on property helps potential self-defense claims.

Chasing people normally doesn't.

Red flag #2, the worst of all, was when shop owner shot the fleeing teen in the back, killing him. In no universe was this legal, except according to a jury who felt who he shot was worth summary execution for shoplifting or threat making.

Let the record reflect a firearm was found next to the teen's body. The sheriff said it wasn't brandished during argument. Shop owner testified teen threatened his son during store confrontation.

Let the record further reflect that he's an elected conservative law enforcement executive in a conservative county inside of a conservative state so he's hardly 'soft on crime,' as the saying goes. Meaning he had little reason ideologically to take the dead teen's side.

Despite former defendant being correctly charged with murder, a jury felt chasing a juvenile alleged shoplifter and fatally shooting him on the back was justified.

Let that sink in.

As a 'Gen X' crime watcher, this 21st century case reminded me of a 1991 one where another Asian shop owner fatally shot another Black teen from behind, over a $1.79 bottle of orange juice, this time in South Central Los Angeles.

Her name was Latasha Harlands and along with Rodney King's brutal videotaped beating by LAPD officers, her death led to the 1992 LA riots.

Using deadly force to stop suspected shoplifters is a proposition fraught with racial and class considerations, to put it mildly. Some folks feel it's permissible to summarily execute certain suspects, never a good thing.

Cap Black

I just finished a conversation with an activist friend who just received a death threat on social media.

The threat is ironic given his change from self-described 'militant' as he calls past aggressive advocacy to moderation embraced over the years. He's part of the initial group of activists I met after moving to New Orleans nearly 20 years ago. As such, I'm quite familiar with his old and new selves.

He intended to hold an out-of-town press conference regarding the contentious Karmelo Anthony case where a Black teen fatally stabbed a White one during a confrontation at an athletic meet on April 2nd, 2025, in Frisco, Texas.

Threat-maker told him in thinly veiled terms he wasn't deceased conservative activist Charlie Kirk and how unspecified 'good ole boys' will meet him there as an unwelcome welcoming committee.

Message received loud and clear.

The case is a redhot flashpoint for self-defense and racial animus, so much so that some take offline rage to their keyboards and hit 'send' without a second thought.

Like my friend, I'm an advocate for personal protection, including Black men for whom it's a highly contentious topic. Such stances are fraught with historic tensions but remain revealing barometers for where we stand in society. Especially when accessing each states' laws for defending ourselves or others.

Self-defense advocacy isn't an unreasonable proposition, regardless of differences about certain cases.

What is unreasonable is the death threat my now-moderate friend got for feeling Karmelo Anthony committed a justified use of deadly force.

Cap Black.

Originally posted on June 2, 2021 on my social media.

‘RIP to a REAL Brother!

Retired St Louis police captain David Dorn was murdered one year ago today, bitterly ironic is his being a Black casualty of looters during protests against police brutality.

I have a special place in my heart for community champions like him. Liberal media often overlooks Black men who lawfully patrol as private citizens, mediate and mentor in areas sorely needing such Internal support.

Too often the career criminal or opportunistic rioter gets top billing because their behavior advances the Narrative to which liberals have sworn full allegiance.

David Dorn death was so tragic, remember the outraged witness screaming why kill a man over TVs (location was a burglarized pawn shop), that even career criminal, rioter centric mainstream stream media had to cover his passing.

I'm active in my community as a citizen on patrol too. What happened to him has happened to other community champions who create safety and share counsel amid intense insecurity and instability. Unfortunately, community champions will fall in the future.

Rest in peace on the first anniversary of your murder Mr. Dorn, RIP to a REAL brother, a true American hero, killed by burglars capitalizing on tragedy.’

I feel the same as the 2026 anniversary of his murder nears.

Cap Black.

A female friend of mine was nearly sexually assaulted recently by an illegal alien yard man who also cuts a next door neighbor's lawn.

Fortunately, she was able to fight him off after being pushed onto her bed following paying him for cutting her grass.

Unfortunately, this crime occured in a 'sanctuary city' whose mayor is a naturalized citizen from Mexico. As such, despite urging my friend, who goes by 'Lily White' incidentally, to make a police report, the case has moved nowhere despite harassing texts suspect sent as evidence.

Red flag number one was how the Latino New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer who responded misclassified this attempted rape as a 'disturbance.' How do you consider.a man trying to have sex with a woman against her will as anything but attempted sexual assault? My strong suspicion is the officer tried to protect this malicious migrant as opposed to the female citizen he attacked.

'Lily White' also talked to an NOPD Special Victims Unit detective. The second red flag is there's been no follow-up since their initial interview.

Nothing. She doesn't know if this predator is still at large nor whether police have even talked to him.

I know from firsthand experience how NOPD gives preferential treatment to illegal aliens. They take pains not to charge them and expect citizens not to cry foul over the double standard.

I'm loudly crying foul in this case.

Additionally, a complaint was lodged with ICE at the US Department of Homeland Security and notification about it was also sent to the office of Louisiana's US Senator who isn't recently-defeated Bill Cassidy.

That's the disturbing plight of my friend 'Lily White' at this juncture. Her attempted rape case is in the dishonest hands of local officials trying to cover it up.

Cap Black.

Happy Malcolm X Day 2026!

Create your own safety against enemies, internal and externally.

Cap Black
#borrowabrother

Guys, I'm not a 'holy roller'-a disclaimer always made in these moments when someone shows how great we can be. My quiet spirituality is expressed in inward meditation and outward manifestation: striving to better realize God-given potential as a 'safety creator' (advocate and professional) and 'supply sharer' (Doing outreach and involvement with others).

To me, one of the best 'sermons' if you will, is standing watch while people work, play, buy, sell and especially worship. No preaching. Just protecting. My favorite folks to protect are working class people I call 'everyday VIPs' because they deserve it just like politicians, CEOs and celebrities.

A hero has emerged out of the suicidal domestic terror attack that claimed three innocent lives and those of the demonic duo who waged war upon the San Diego Islamic Center. The hero was named Amin Abdullah and his actions stopped even more innocent people from being murdered or wounded by this pair of young jackals.

I've secured places of worship from various faiths and consider it a high honor. Again, I'm no 'holy roller' but will say this: what a way to go, protecting worshippers and school children targeted for mass murder.

I await more details about this good man's great deeds.

May God be pleased with him and all trying to do the right thing.

Cap Black.