Yearning To Be Free

What is this “Gay Agenda” I keep hearing conservatives talking about and why wasn’t I included in the conversation or even given a copy. I keep missing out on these directives when they’re handed out. I’m beginning to feel like it’s being done on purpose. It’s like when in the 80’s all of a sudden we went from calling ourselves Black people to calling ourselves African-American. Well nobody consulted me and I don’t recall a poll going around or even a voting ballot. I mean African-American is okay and I use it in my writing, mainly to be politically correct, but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue the way Black does. And to be honest aren’t African-Americans those African citizens who become naturalized American citizens? If not what are they called because they are not the same as African-Americans born in America…(my head hurts). Anyway back to this “Gay Agenda”. What the hell is this thing and am I included or will I be left out like African-Americans (there’s that word again) were when the Constitution was written. Or maybe it’s something I don’t even want to be included in. I mean I don’t want to sign up for something that means I would have to disown members of my family or that would require me to force my religious beliefs on to free thinking adults who are completely capable of making decisions that affect their lives themselves. What if it causes me to fear what I don’t understand and rationalize it through selective scripture readings? Perhaps I’ll begin to live my life based on these readings with no regard to who wrote them, the era written or their personal agenda.

But if the “Gay Agenda” is something that provides equality to all Americans regardless of gender or sexual orientation then count me in. If it means harassment in housing and the workplace is not allowed, I’m all in. If it means same sex married couples are afforded the same of over 1,138 Federal benefits currently offered to heterosexual couples based on marital status, including unpaid leave to care for an ill spouse, social security survivor benefits and spousal benefits and the right to refuse to testify against one’s spouse among others, I’m all for it. If it allows me to choose to serve my country in the military without some ridiculous law that requires me to perjure myself, count me in. As Americans haven’t all citizens earned the right to live free and entitlement to equal protection under the law? To live in a nation unbound by religious condemnation, a nation where the rights of the minority are not voted upon and taken away by the majority. I’m not so sure and I don’t think this so called “Gay Agenda” has much chance of succeeding and frankly has no place in these United States. After all, what are your expectations of a country founded by duplicitous and insincere slave owners yearning to be free?

Tiger By The Tail

911 received a call the other day. It was someone calling to say they were a neighbor of Tiger Wood’s and he had just smashed his truck into the neighbor’s tree. As it turns out there was some domestic squabble between Tiger and his wife and she caused the accident by chasing him with a golf club. I’m sure you were shocked and had the same thought as me, “What the hell is Tiger Woods doing with neighbors”? I mean the man made $25 million in golf tournaments and another $150 million in endorsement deals in 2008 alone! Can’t he afford an estate somewhere without neighbors? At least neighbors not in such close proximity as to witness an accident. And what about that wife? I thought he was married to a white woman but this lady beat him up and then chased his speeding truck down the street wielding a golf club to whip his ass further and then she calls the other woman and threatens to beat her ass if she doesn’t stay away from her man…I don’t know, sounds like a sister to me. At least so far he’s been smart enough to stay out of site until his face heals. Now she’s renegotiating their prenuptial agreement…

And what of his critics? The ones who said he was too arrogant, aloof and a selfish golfer. They’re now having a field day. It was he who constantly tried to downplay his race but the fact is Tiger, you are and always will be a Black man named Eldrick. Yes...Eldrick. A black man who took over a sport previously dominated by rich white men who were immediately resentful and jealous. It was after all the sport of kings and these same white men love seeing the king’s “stunning fall from grace” as one commentator called it. Rush Limbaugh has already weighed in stating, “The black frame of mind is terrible. They’re depressed…” “I’m sure Tiger Woods choice of females is not helping ‘em out with their attitudes there either”. So, Tiger runs into controversy and according to Rush Limbaugh we’re all depressed by it because he’s dating white women. Right! Glenn Beck compared Tiger to O.J…. I’ll let that sink in. Yes O.J. a man accused of murdering two people. Other than the fact that both of these athletes dated and married white women what else do they have in common…silly me, they’re both Black so of course that equals murder. Beck says race was not a factor in his comments but I wonder how many white athlete adulterers he has compared to O.J.

I’m not so sure how far Tiger has fallen and as far as controversies go initially it didn’t seem so bad but it seems almost daily another mistress has come forward or a voice mail left by Tiger shows up. Speaking of which, I just want to ask Tiger, “Voice mails? Really?” So the question remains how much further will he fall and what can he do to stop his descent. I’ve never been a fan of golf or Mr. Woods more because of his statements concerning his race, you know him being “Cablinasian” and all. Really, that’s what he calls himself. But I’m no hater either and in spite of him downplaying his race and related issues, as a Black man I am proud of his achievements and I’m concerned about what happens to his image now as the world’s greatest golfer. And although no one is perfect I’m concerned about what image the world’s greatest golfer, a Black man in spite of himself, presents to all those Black children out there who hope one day to achieve. I’m concerned about the Rush Limbaughs and Glenn Becks of the world and their influence on the haters looking for ways to bring down rich and successful African-Americans. And finally I’m concerned about the Tiger Woods of the world who offer them opportunities to do so on a silver platter.

The Secret Life of Bees

Our neighbor in the house in back of us has a beehive attached to their tree directly behind our garage and although I have made pleaded attempts to have them remove it they have so far ignored me. Now I know what you’re thinking, “this story will not end well”…you’re right, but first let me take you back a little bit. I also have neighbors to the right and left of me. A few years ago I decided it was time to replace the old dilapidated fence on both sides of our property. If you visited back then you might remember that fence, it hung lower than a pair of Dickies on a 16 year-old gang banger. It was a white picket fence that at one time probably looked like the fence around the house on Leave It to Beaver but now it just looked like Beaver left it. Anyway I approached each of these two neighbors about splitting the cost for a new fence. My neighbor to the left, a sweet old lady, agreed to split the cost. I also talked to the old broad to the right but her ass was too cheap to split the cost and she never got back to me, in fact she avoided me like I was an IRS agent attempting to collect back taxes from her for domestic work she performed during slavery. Did I mention she was old? Seriously, I could swear I saw her in the background of the painting of The Last Supper. Needless to say she got the ugly side of the fence and now I throw her the stink eye whenever I see her stingy ass.

The problem is she has a couple of Bebe’s Kids for grandchildren…and I know one of the little mini gangstas stole my ghetto blaster I used to keep on the patio. Whenever they visit her the dumb asses kick their ball into our yard and then hang on the fence like monkeys on a jungle gym trying to climb over to get it back. I don’t know how many times I’ve been tempted to take the ball and use it to knock their little asses off the fence like ducks at a carnival shooting gallery. I’m constantly shooing the little buttholes away and its put wear and tear on the fence and lately the portion behind the garage has begun to lean over, which brings me to the bees.

It was Sunday afternoon and Wick had been out of town since Friday visiting his daughter in New Orleans for the Thanksgiving holiday. As much as I had been looking forward to spending a little time alone I was bored out of my mind. I had watched a gazillion movies on the DVR, already been to the mall and there is only so much solo cheesecake gorging one can do, so I decided to fix the fence in the back. To get to the fence I had to climb over the plastic bags of hundreds of can and bottles we had been collecting for recycling all year long. These cans and bottles were piled so high I felt like I was on the Lewis & Clark expedition. The only thing missing was Sacaja what’s-her-name. Once I crossed over them I felt like I should erect a flag like the first moon landing. Anyway, I made it to the fence to check out the situation. The bees stayed on their side and I stayed on mine. As I looked at the damage caused by the next door rugrats, I realized I would need a ladder to complete my mission as I needed to reach over the fence to mend it. So I headed back over the Cumberland Trail and to the garage to get one.

Finally I made it back and was able to repair the fence. As I surveyed my way back over the Swiss Alps with the ladder in one hand and the hammer in the other a bee began buzzing around my ear. I decided I would ignore it and kept going as I assumed we had a cease fire agreement but the bee had other ideas. It landed on my nose just as I was mid step over a pile of cans. I tried to remain calm as I looked at it cross-eyed thinking I could just flick it away with the hammer in my right hand. Of course I ended up hitting myself right below my left eye which must have startled the bee because I swear I heard him yell “Oh Shit!” and through my crossed-eyed gaze I watched as he released his stinger right into the tip of my nose. As I heard myself yelling “Oww!” I began to fall forward over the cans for what seemed like an hour all the while thinking to myself, “Don’t yell to loud you don’t want to alert the rest of the bees”. As I hit the ground the bee fell from my nose leaving the stinger behind. I tried to get up but I kept falling over the bottles and cans and I could hear the bees begin to buzz around me forming an armed force ready to strike. All I could think to do was cover my face but I was still holding the hammer and almost knocked myself out with it as I raised my hand. 

After several unsuccessful attempts of slipping and sliding and getting my feet stuck in the bags, I was able to get to my feet and running silently like a mad fool flinging my arms around me, made it back to the house and inside without further stings…and fortunately, no further hammer injuries. I grabbed a pair of tweezers and removed the stinger, which from the throbbing pain I was feeling I was sure had to be the size of one of the Jolly Green Giant’s bowling pins but to my surprise was really tiny. My nose immediately began to turn red and swelled so big I looked like Jimmy Durante with a three-day tan (note to readers under 50, Jimmy Durante was a White comedian from the 60’s famous for having a nose the size of a MAC truck). I looked out the window across the fence into my neighbor’s yard and muttered to myself, “damn kids”…should have just watched that damn Monk episode on the DVR.

How Juan Became John

Umm, did I fall and trip into the Way Back machine and take a ride with Sherman and Mr. Peabody to 1942? I’m sure by now everyone has heard about the white Justice of The Peace in Louisiana who refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple. He said that he was concerned about any children the couple may have and how society would treat them. He also said that in his experience mixed couples don’t last that long. I wonder how many white couples he married and how long they lasted. The Justice of the Peace, Keith Bardwell, also stated “I’m not a racist. I just don’t believe in mixing the races that way.” So not only is he a racist but he’s delusional to the fact. How about this quote from Bardwell, “I have piles and piles of Black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them like everyone else.” Yeah, unless they want to marry outside of their race. Still it’s good to know he’s not afraid to let them squeeze the Charmin.

Recently a white man, Larry Whitten, from Abilene Texas purchased a run down Southwestern Adobe style hotel in Taos New Mexico with plans to resurrect it as a tourist spot. Upon arriving to the hotel in Taos, which is a city where the majority of the population is Latino, he laid down some new rules to the current employees. They would no longer be allowed to speak Spanish (he feared there were talking about him) and were told to drop their accents. He also ordered them to anglicize their names. Juan became John, Marco became Mark and so on. Those who refused to follow his rules were terminated. He says he immediately noticed they were hostile to his management style. Management style? In fact the state of New Mexico has established Spanish as an official language alongside English. When asked for an explanation for the changes Whitten stated, "It has nothing to do with racism. I'm not doing it for any reason other than for the satisfaction of my guests, because people calling from all over America don't know the Spanish accents or the Spanish culture or Spanish anything." Then why are they booking a hotel in New Mexico? I guess that makes sense I know if I call a hotel in France I’d get upset if they spoke with some stupid French accent.

Seriously, both of these idiots are indicative of the paternal attitude white people have concerning minorities. They assume they know “what’s best” for us and the funny thing is that neither of these two bigots think they did anything wrong. The Justice of the Peace assumed he knew what was best for the interracial couple and their offspring and the hotel owner felt it was best for his workers to adjust to his idea of America. What they both fail to understand is that their ideas of America no longer exists and thank God. The vanilla flavored plain wrap white bread America they envision only exist in the minds of the same white supremacist and right wing whackos that refuse to accept a Black man as president. The same people who say they want to “take back the country”. They would prefer to go back to a time when minorities stayed in their place and did as they were told. Ahh...the good ole days. Well at least we can take some comfort in the fact that Bardwell has recently resigned as Justice of the Peace and both are facing lawsuits.

Busting Windows

Several weeks ago I attended the 19th annual Divas Simply Singing concert in Los Angeles. The Divas concert is a yearly benefit for HIV/Aids research and prevention hosted by Sheryl Lee Ralph. It’s a simple premise, one Diva accompanied by a pianist for one song for each Diva. The Benefit began as an effort by Ms. Ralph during a time when the African-American HIV/Aids community was being completely ignored even as celebrities like Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor were raising money, which largely funded White gay organizations. She likes to tell the story of how she was on Broadway in the early eighties when her male gay friends began to die off and no one did anything about it except to ignore the disease and to blame the men’s sexuality for causing their deaths. This was especially true in the African-American community and most notably in the Black churches. As the disease has grown to include more and more women, the focus of the concert has reflected the change and Ms. Ralph has continued the Divas Benefit as an effort to raise awareness of the disease and it’s affects on women of color.

This year the concert was preceded by a short film, starring Ms. Ralph of course, which told the story of a woman who had recently discovered her husband was cheating on her with another man. Her female friends who joined in a discussion of the problem surrounded her. There was quite a bit of male and gay male bashing contained in the dialogue and I was somewhat surprised by this tone coming from Ms. Ralph who has always been a strong supporter of the gay community. But as I’ve said the focus of this benefit has changed. However, it was what happened several Divas into the concert, which upset me most. Loretta Devine appeared with Ms. Ralph in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls and usually performs at the benefit. This year Ms. Devine took the stage and before she began singing she stated, “This is for all the down low brothers out there.” The crowd responded by whooping, hollering and clapping their approval and I sat there stunned and wondering why anyone would applaud this behavior. Then the pianist began playing the intro to her song and Ms. Devine sang “I Bust The Windows Out Your Car”…the crowd went crazy. Jazmine Sullivan’s song tells the story of a woman wronged by a lover who then takes revenge on his car.

Now I’m all for busting the windows out of the car of a cheating lover and maybe even maiming a few body parts, I just think closer examination should be made of this phenomenon. This down low syndrome, this monster the black community loves to hate is one they created themselves by demonizing and vilifying homosexuality. The Black churches and the Christian faith in general teaches these men to hate themselves for who they are and not everyone is able to overcome this hatred and be true to themselves. And don’t be fooled the down low is nothing new and certainly is not exclusive to the Black community. The men who practice this lifestyle do so because they want to be accepted by society. Some of them think they can “overcome” their feelings by entering into marriage or relationships with women and some really do enjoy bisexuality. Most importantly though these men want what they were taught. They want the wife two kids, a family and the white picket fence just like everyone else and they may see the down low as their only means to achieve it. Unfortunately, these men have been taught to believe that for them coming out is not an option and many opt for suicide instead.

I’m not saying these men are completely innocent. There is no excuse for cheating and lying to your mate and everyone should be held accountable for his or her actions. When a partner is unknowingly exposed to any type of disease it’s simply wrong and any one who cheats and does so without using a condom is an obvious idiot. I’m just saying examine society’s role in this and the Black community in particular. Just look at the Divas benefit. When it was a benefit largely for men of color it was all but ignored by the Black population and largely supported by white West Hollywood gays. The show I attended recently had an audience that appeared to be mostly African-American heterosexual couples, a growing trend for the Divas concert in recent years.

So once it became a disease that affected African-American women black people got behind it to support Ms. Ralph’s efforts. It appears that as long as this was a disease that largely affected gay men, even gay men of color, our community chose to ignore it. But what has happened is that the disease has begun to affect woman of color and this is a direct result of the homophobia that permeates the Black community and although the Black churches are not solely responsible, they have created a climate of intolerance and should be held accountable for the role they play in spreading this homophobia. We have a responsibility to examine the reasons why African-American women are the most rapidly growing segment of those infected with the HIV virus and what we the African-American community can do to change it.

NFL Rushing

In case you haven’t heard Rush Limbaugh has made a bid to the NFL to purchase the St. Louis Rams. Now I could comment on the complete hypocrisy on what appears to be a blatant ploy for publicity by my favorite Right Wingnut bigot or how Rush Limbaugh could finally fulfill his lifelong dream of owning a stable of Black men or even discuss the absolute absurdity of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even considering such an offer but instead I thought I’d let Rush speak for himself by offering my Top Ten Rush Limbaugh Racist Quotes (shout out to News One). Number ten is my all time favorite.

1. The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies.
2. Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?
3. They’re 12 percent of the population. Who the hell cares?
4. Take that bone out of your nose and call me back (to an African American caller on his show)
5. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They’re interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there’s a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn’t deserve.
6. In "Obama's America: white kids getting beat up on school buses now
7. Look, let me put it this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.
8. They oughtta change Black History Month to Black Progress Month and start measuring it.
9. You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray (Dr. King's assassin). We miss you, James. Godspeed."
10. Let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.

In addition Limbaugh has called President Obama a “halfrican American”, called him an “affirmative action candidate”, in spite of the fact that he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and he regularly plays a song on his radio show called “Barack the Magic Negro”.

‘Nuff Said?

Prize Haters

Well it didn’t take long. Just mere hours after President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize his critics were on the attack. Before he had a chance to even acknowledge the award the HNIC for the RNC, Michael Steele had already released a statement. Steele said, “What has President Obama actually accomplished? It is unfortunate that the president’s star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights." I hope he’s not including himself and his fellow Republicans in that list of “tireless advocates”. Seriously Mr. Steele what’s wrong with congratulating a brother and you might want to watch your back anyway. Your fellow Republicans are not too happy with you and some of your statements. Obama’s critics charge that he has done nothing to deserve this award or that he has received it prematurely but let me offer this tidbit from Alfred Nobel creator of the Nobel Peace Prize. He said the prize was awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations…and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated that the choice of Obama could be seen as an early vote of confidence intended to build global support for his policies.

The bottom line is this in a little less than 9 months Barack Obama has changed the world view of the United States of America. Under George Bush’s administration and policies we had gone from a respected world power viewed as leaders of the free world to a despised nation known more for torturing suspected terrorists and invading countries using false allegations of terrorism and claims of hoarding weapons of mass destruction. Leaders of the free world were all too happy to see George W. Bush go and are encouraged by Obama’s efforts. In part the Nobel Peace citation reads "Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics," and "Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position”. So it seems the prize was awarded not so much for what he has done but for his intentions and for what he hopes to accomplish.

Of course critics of President Obama view the awarding of the prize much differently. However, they remain as hypocritical as ever. Just last week Rush Limbaugh lauded the IOC decision to name Rio de Janeiro over Chicago as the site for the 2016 Olympics. He stated “the world has rejected Obama”. He also stated He was “gleeful” and “happy” to see America lose the bid and that it was an indication the world has had enough of Obama’s star power. On Friday referring to the Nobel Prize Limbaugh stated the committee’s decision was “a bigger embarrassment than losing the Olympic bid”. Make up your mind Rush. Political commenter Alan Dershowitz told ABCNews.com that he doesn't believe the Noble Peace Prize holds much clout anymore. "I think this is a prize that is overvalued, I don't think it's such a great honor these days to get the prize," he said. Glenn Beck suggested there was some conspiracy involving President Obama and the Nobel Committee in awarding the prize. He said, “the Nobel Peace Prize should be turned down by Obama and given to the tea baggers and the 9/12 project.” Right. Obama is the first sitting President to receive this award since Woodrow Wilson in 1919. So what happened to America first?

Finally, this from Wikipedia which I know isn’t always a reliable source of information but in this case I think they got it right. It says in part “Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which recognize completed scientific or literary accomplishment, the Nobel Peace Prize may be awarded to persons or organizations that are in the process of resolving a conflict or creating peace."So again, Obama was awarded the prize not for what he has accomplished but for the tone he has set for the international community. This award is not something President Obama campaigned for in fact he was as surprised as anyone upon hearing the news. He said, “I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations”. As the Nobel Committee said a vote of confidence for what he may be able to accomplish. As for the Conservative haters they might want to take a cue from their fellow Republican and former Obama Presidential rival Senator John McCain who upon hearing of the award said, “I can't divine all their intentions, but I think part of their decision-making was expectations."

Just Say No

National Coming Out Day is this coming Sunday so I might as well go on and admit it. So here goes. I watch Reality TV. Whew, that took a lot but I feel better. Yes I watch Reality TV and although I must admit that I prefer the competition shows more like The Amazing Race and Top Chef I’ve been known to indulge in some shows based on the lives of Stars or Pre-fabricated Stars. Which brings me to Frankie and Neffe. OH…MY…GOD! What can I say? In the past I have berated my family and friends for watching shows like The Flava of Love and I Love New York so just admitting that I was even aware of this train wreck is a true coming out. My problem with these shows is that there is no balance. They promote negative stereotypes without including any positive role models. I’m all for laughing at ourselves but when others watch these shows we have to ask, “are they laughing with us or at us?” Why should we care? Because these people take this negativity with them and it shapes their employment practices, public policies and opinions. That being said, have you seen this show? Let me bring you up to date.

Frankie and Neffe are respectively the mother and sister of R&B singer Keyshia Cole and originally appeared on her TV show, The Way It Is. The first time we see Neffe, she and friends come from Oakland to Atlanta for a visit with Keyshia. Neffe spends the entire episode drunk loudly cursing people out in grocery stores, clothing stores and wherever she saw fit. At this point she is the mother of three girls and separated from her husband who is currently dating one of her cousins. We meet Frankie as Keyshia visits her at a state prison facility in California where she is serving time for some drug related offense. We also learn that she has been a crack addict for over 20 years and gave all of her seven or eight (I can’t remember) kids up for adoption, including Keyshia & Neffe. Frankie is eventually released from jail and she and Neffe along with Neffe’s kids join Keyshia permanently in Atlanta. For two seasons the two of them sponge off of Keyshia, Neffe cries, buffoonery ensues, Neffe cries, they meet some of the kids Frankie gave up for adoption, Frankie complains and wants to know why everyone blames her for everything, Neffe has another baby and oh yeah she cries.

Move ahead a few seasons and Frankie and Neffe have their own show. Now I must admit I missed the first few episodes because I was being high minded and refused to continue to watch this trash. But curiosity won out and I gave in a couple of weeks ago. Both Frankie and Neffe now have their own places, paid for by Keyshia, where these grown ass women are exerting their independence and just learning to become responsible adults for the first time in their lives. Some how Neffe and one of Frankie’s “found kids” have become best friends. Neffe calls her Sister and I’m not sure if it’s because she doesn’t know her name, doesn’t like it or thought this would be an endearing way of addressing her. Because they look so much alike, Neffe is convinced they have the same father a fact Frankie is unable to verify. So they schedule a DNA test. Oh yeah, even though she has been pregnant four times already and is on absolutely no form of birth control, Neffe is surprised to learn she is pregnant yet again (she cries). This time by her deadbeat, leeching, wanna be 36 year-old rapper boy friend who upon learning she is pregnant suddenly finds God and is appalled by the idea of an abortion even though he already has numerous kids he’s not raising. Frankie’s 50 something year-old ass is running around with boys 30 years younger than her in an embarrassing and pathetic bid to recapture her youth. She shows up at the DNA paternity test loud, belligerent and from what I can tell on something. She at first denies the two sisters have the same father and then says she doesn’t know and ask, “Why can’t they just let go of the past?” and “why does everyone blame her for everything?”

Now it may be true that every family has a Frankie and Neffe but it’s also true that we don’t talk about them to others and we certainly don’t want them televised nationally. Remember that rule your grandmother taught you about not airing dirty laundry? So what is Keyshia Cole’s motivation? Can you say Executive Producer? BET’s excuse is that they are “portraying a show about growth of its characters”. Really. The only thing I see growing on Neffe is her belly from her five pregnancies and as for, Frankie she continually refuses to accept blame for her mistakes, which prevents both her and Neffe from moving on with their lives. What appears to be growing with these two, as with most wanna be celebrity reality stars is their egos and the value they place on their self-importance. Seriously, these people at BET, VH1, Bravo and the rest have got to be stopped with these programs that portray Black folks as illiterate, money hungry, sex-driven caricatures of a reality based on what White people think of us and we have got to stop watching them. I mean what’s next a show based on the hilarious misadventures of the incoherent wives of T.I and Lil’ Wayne?…Oh wait.

Who’s the Victim?

So they finally caught up with him. I’d like to say I thought long and hard about this one but it’s not true, I didn’t. I remember when in 1977 Roman Polanski was convicted of the rape of a 13-year-old girl and I remember how he escaped to France after being found guilty. Polanski had made a deal with the D.A. where he would have been sentenced to only the 42 days he had served under psychiatric evaluation. The reason he fled? Because he had heard the judge was going to renege on his deal and sentence him to more time. I also remember discussing it with my friends and the outrage we felt that he had been allowed to escape in the first place. Our thinking at the time was that if your average Joe were convicted of the same crime he never would have received bail in the first place. Forget 1977, that wouldn’t happen today. Case in point. In 2003 an African-American, Genarlow Wilson then 17, had consensual oral sex with a girl who was 15 at the time. He was convicted of aggravated child molestation and sentenced to 10 years in prison…I’ll let that sink in for a minute. He spent two years behind bars before the Georgia Supreme Court overturned his case. Polanski was 30 years older than his victim at the time of his conviction and spent 42 days under psychiatric evaluation!

I’m not sure whether racism or class distinction is at play here but something’s not right. Now Whoopi Goldberg, who I usually agree with on most things, says, “it wasn’t rape-rape” but instead “unlawful intercourse with a minor”. Let’s see Polanski was originally charged with giving the 13-year-old victim champagne and Quaaludes, taking nude photographs of her and forcibly having both oral and anal sex with her even though she repeatedly told him no. Regardless of him pleading to a lesser crime, he has admitted to doing all of this. Not rape? I’m sorry Whoopi, but with one statement you managed to make Sherri Shepherd, the woman who was unsure of the earth’s shape, look like the intelligent one on The View. He then fled to Europe where for the last 30 years he has been living the life being touted as a cinematic genius and traveling freely from country to country. Well he may be a cinematic genius, in fact I personally think Chinatown is one of the greatest movies ever made, but he is also a convicted child molester and rapist. Whoopi went on to say, "I think he's sorry. I think he knows it was wrong. I don't think he's a danger to society." Umm, okay. (Feel free to insert your own snarky comment here).

To be honest it’s not just Whoopi but all of Hollywood that seems to be out of touch with reality. Harvey Weinstein of the Weinstein Company has started a petition being circulated among Hollywood elite demanding the release of Polanski. The name at the top of the list is Woody Allen. You remember him, he married the adopted daughter of his long time girlfriend after she found nude photos he had taken of her. (You’d think Woody would be smart enough to take a pass on this one). Weinstein is not convinced public opinion is running against the filmmaker and dismisses the categorization of Hollywood as amoral. He said Polanski is a “humanist” and a victim of a “miscarriage of justice”. He also had this to say, "Hollywood has the best moral compass, because it has compassion". "We were the people who did the fundraising telethon for the victims of 9/11. We were there for the victims of Katrina and any world catastrophe." Wow! And all this time I thought I had compassion and my moral compass was held within…silly me.

The bottom line is this. Hollywood is attempting to portray Polanski as a victim because the deal he made with the D.A. was not going to be upheld. But let’s be honest. He pled guilty to the lesser crime of having sex with a minor for which he was never sentenced and he then fled the country. Which makes him a fugitive from justice. And although the victim of this crime accepted a “settlement” from Mr. Polanski and has since stated she wants all charges against him dropped, she is still the victim, not Polanski. How would any of us feel if he had done this to our daughter, sister or niece and gotten away with it? How about bringing his ass back here and let him face a judge and see what he says. I think the judge should be Genarlow Wilson. He certainly has an idea of what true American justice feels like.

Treason

“There is a remote, although gaining, possibility America’s military will intervene as a last resort to resolve the Obama Problem. Don’t dismiss it as unrealistic. America isn’t The Third World. If a military coup does occur here it will be civilized. That it has never happened doesn’t mean it won’t”. This is a quote written by John L. Perry which appeared in an article posted yesterday September 29, 2009 on the website Newsmax.com. The article has been removed with no explanation.

Umm, let me offer this definition from Article III of the U.S. Constitution: Treason - This word imports a betraying, treachery, or breach of allegiance. This offence is punished with death. By the same article of the Constitution, no person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Can I get a witness or two?