Former President George W. Bush (#2 for those counting) says Kanye West’s claim that he didn’t care about Black people following Hurricane Katrina was one of the most disgusting moments of his presidency. Really George?? More disgusting than the thousands of people of New Orleans and surrounding areas that were affected directly by this disaster or the disturbing videos of the carnage and chaos that followed in its destructive wake? More disgusting than the devastation caused, those who lost their lives, loved ones, homes and those who were permanently displaced due to the slow and ineffective response by your administration?
What about the lives lost from 9/11 the most horrible terror attack in our nation’s history which, happened on your watch and which your staffers warned you about prior to it happening? What was that George a success? How disgusting was it when you cut taxes for the rich and when addressing a dinner of your wealthiest donors you joked, "This is an impressive crowd...the haves...and the have mores. Some people call you the elite...I call you my base." How about the lies from your administration regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Lies which led to the deployment of thousands of American soldiers who lost their lives in your “made up” war? What about the lack of postwar medical and mental health care for soldiers after their deployment? Didn’t you find that disgusting? What about destroying our nation’s reputation on the world stage, endorsing the use of kidnapping, torture and murder as the new standard of American foreign policy. How about ushering in the Bush Depression which led to the current state and collapse of our national economy? Not disgusting enough?
Five years later and you’re still fixated on comments made by an entertainer Mr. Bush? Your comments further expose you as petty, thin skinned and self-centered. To be clear Kanye West did not call you a racist, he said you didn’t care about Black people and there is no evidence to contradict his assertion. What I find disgusting is your utter lack of ability to even grasp an ounce of reality. I find it disgusting that in your fantasy world you’re just a poor misunderstood little rich white boy. In your version of the eight years spent in the white house you didn’t steal the presidency in 2000 with the help of the Supreme Court. In your deluded sense of reality there WERE weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and homeboy who threw the shoe at you was simply a well meaning though overzealous Foot Locker employee trying to make a sale.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Dialing While Drunk
Someone needs to school Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Coon, sorry Court Justice Clarence Thomas, on the art of issuing an olive branch and when to expect an apology. The Justice’s wife, who has just emerged as a Tea Party leader, recently left a message for Anita Hill, who in 1991 accused her husband of sexual harassment. In the voice mail left by Ginni she requested an apology and a full explanation of “why you did what you did with my husband” and went on to say “So give it some thought. And certainly pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did. O.K., have a good day.” The voice mail message was left at 7:30 AM on a Saturday morning…sounds like someone did some drunk dialing to me. There are so many things wrong with this that I hardly know where to begin.
Let’s start with the obvious sense of superiority and white privilege issues Ginni Thomas possesses because that’s the only thing that would allow this woman to demand an apology from that ‘lil black gal that dared to make accusations against her husband. And Ms. Hill was the obvious and clear victim of sexual harassment on the part of her truly trifling, sorry ass excuse for a Black man husband. Apology? Really? She had to be drunk; why else would she have the balls to make such a ridiculous demand and then follow it up with “so pray about it and have a good day”. What?? Have a good day? Either that or she was smoking some shit even Snoop Dogg wouldn’t touch. Almost 20 years later and she comes at Ms. Hill with this BS? Has this been on her mind for all this time? And how about “why you did what you did with my husband”, what the hell is that? Ms. Hill never said she actually did anything with Justice Thomas, she accused him of making inappropriate remarks, so has Ginni been suspicious of her husband and his affairs for the past two decades? I seem to recall there was another woman, also African-American, who made accusations of sexual harassment at the same time as Ms. Hill so maybe the Justice has a thing for the Black gals and Ginni is fed up. She must have woke up that morning rolled over, slapped the shit out of her husband, dialed Anita Hill and said to herself, “I’m gonna get to the bottom of this shit right now” but when the machine came on she chickened out and left that stupid ass message.
When contacted by the New York Times Ginni Thomas stated, “I did place a call to Ms. Hill at her office extending an olive branch to her after all these years, in hopes that we could ultimately get past what happened so long ago”…ok. First of all, crazy psycho ass, you don’t demand an apology from someone and then say you’re extending an olive branch. An olive branch represents goodwill or peace and there was nothing peaceful about this phone call. No what you were doing is called being passive aggressive. As far as getting past what happened so long ago, it seems your ass is the one who needs to pray and get past it. Ms. Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, is doing just fine and you are lucky she didn’t get all ghetto on your ass and give you a good ole fashioned cussing out followed by a demand to meet her on the playground after school for a well deserved ass whooping.
Olive branch my ass, no this is clearly an attempt to deflect attention away from Ginni Thomas’ racist Tea Party activities some of which may end up one day before the Supreme Court and given her husband’s place on the Supreme Court along with her recently calling President Obama a tyrant probably a wise, albeit devious move.
Let’s start with the obvious sense of superiority and white privilege issues Ginni Thomas possesses because that’s the only thing that would allow this woman to demand an apology from that ‘lil black gal that dared to make accusations against her husband. And Ms. Hill was the obvious and clear victim of sexual harassment on the part of her truly trifling, sorry ass excuse for a Black man husband. Apology? Really? She had to be drunk; why else would she have the balls to make such a ridiculous demand and then follow it up with “so pray about it and have a good day”. What?? Have a good day? Either that or she was smoking some shit even Snoop Dogg wouldn’t touch. Almost 20 years later and she comes at Ms. Hill with this BS? Has this been on her mind for all this time? And how about “why you did what you did with my husband”, what the hell is that? Ms. Hill never said she actually did anything with Justice Thomas, she accused him of making inappropriate remarks, so has Ginni been suspicious of her husband and his affairs for the past two decades? I seem to recall there was another woman, also African-American, who made accusations of sexual harassment at the same time as Ms. Hill so maybe the Justice has a thing for the Black gals and Ginni is fed up. She must have woke up that morning rolled over, slapped the shit out of her husband, dialed Anita Hill and said to herself, “I’m gonna get to the bottom of this shit right now” but when the machine came on she chickened out and left that stupid ass message.
When contacted by the New York Times Ginni Thomas stated, “I did place a call to Ms. Hill at her office extending an olive branch to her after all these years, in hopes that we could ultimately get past what happened so long ago”…ok. First of all, crazy psycho ass, you don’t demand an apology from someone and then say you’re extending an olive branch. An olive branch represents goodwill or peace and there was nothing peaceful about this phone call. No what you were doing is called being passive aggressive. As far as getting past what happened so long ago, it seems your ass is the one who needs to pray and get past it. Ms. Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, is doing just fine and you are lucky she didn’t get all ghetto on your ass and give you a good ole fashioned cussing out followed by a demand to meet her on the playground after school for a well deserved ass whooping.
Olive branch my ass, no this is clearly an attempt to deflect attention away from Ginni Thomas’ racist Tea Party activities some of which may end up one day before the Supreme Court and given her husband’s place on the Supreme Court along with her recently calling President Obama a tyrant probably a wise, albeit devious move.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
An Uncomfortable Truth
The problems with acceptance of homosexuality in the African-American community are rooted in the Black church but most definitely are fueled by the media’s portrayal of gay men on TV and film. The recent spate of gay teen suicides promoted by bullying is a direct result of these portrayals. As a great number of these teens have been African-American this problem must be addressed by our community. Gay men are portrayed as weak, effeminate, sex crazed, man hungry predators who will steal your man from you. Just ask Oprah Winfrey who as recently as last week continues to sensationalize and promote hysteria through inaccuracies of the “Down Low” syndrome where secretive self-loathing African-American gay men are said to prey and spread disease to unsuspecting heterosexual African-American women. These shows do nothing to forward the conversation or accurately report the facts or even speak to the pressure of trying to fit into the norm of a heterosexual relationship brought on by religious condemnation and societal hatred. They ignore the fact that our culture of masculinity practically demands these men deny who they truly are for fear of rejection and isolation which leads to the down low in the first place. Shows like Oprah Winfrey’s only add to the demonization of gay men in our culture. A demonization passed on to our youth who bully and torment those they are taught to perceive as weak and different.
Spoiler alert. A diverse gay culture exists just like that of any ethnic culture. It’s not all Will & Grace and Rupaul’s Drag Race. There are masculine gay men, feminine queens, androgynous men & women, butch women, lipstick lesbians, cross dressers and those transitioning from men to women or vice versa. There are high, middle and low income gay people. Some are educators, white collar and blue collar workers and you more than likely work with a gay person everyday and may not know it. But isn’t that how it should be? Not all gay people are artistic fashion mavens and get this, just like there are some Black people who are ashamed or even horrified that the ‘Flava Flav’s of the world and his girl Miss “New York” exist there are those in the gay community who are just as appalled by the flamboyant overtly feminine men found on shows like the Real Housewives of Atlanta or the degrading minstrel gay images found in Tyler Perry films. These people do not represent the entire gay culture anymore than ‘Lil Wayne and his sagging pants represent all African-Americans.
The media is responsible for throwing all gays into the same basket. But guess what, just because a man prefers a man to a woman doesn’t mean he'd necessarily want to put on a dress and just because he likes to wear a dress doesn't mean he prefers the company of butch women and not all lesbians want to assume the role of a man...diversity. Not all gay teens can relate to effeminate bitchy queens and a more balanced and positive portrayal of gays in the media should be demanded. It’s easier to laugh at an African-American gay man wearing heels and carrying a purse yet these images send a message to our youth and bullies that being gay is wrong and something to laugh at. No matter what anyone may tell you words hurt and the images conjured up with hateful speech are meant to brutalize. Anyone who has ever been called a sissy or a faggot can attest to that.
Believe it or not there are gay men and women who lead normal lives, get up and go to work each day and maintain healthy enduring relationships and these are the images to which our youth, straight and gay need to be exposed, if for no other reason than to combat the sense of helplessness and feeling lost and alone. I’ve been there and I know that feeling of insecurity and desperation and believe me, without the proper support group or positive role models, it often times leads one to prefer suicide as an option to living.
Spoiler alert. A diverse gay culture exists just like that of any ethnic culture. It’s not all Will & Grace and Rupaul’s Drag Race. There are masculine gay men, feminine queens, androgynous men & women, butch women, lipstick lesbians, cross dressers and those transitioning from men to women or vice versa. There are high, middle and low income gay people. Some are educators, white collar and blue collar workers and you more than likely work with a gay person everyday and may not know it. But isn’t that how it should be? Not all gay people are artistic fashion mavens and get this, just like there are some Black people who are ashamed or even horrified that the ‘Flava Flav’s of the world and his girl Miss “New York” exist there are those in the gay community who are just as appalled by the flamboyant overtly feminine men found on shows like the Real Housewives of Atlanta or the degrading minstrel gay images found in Tyler Perry films. These people do not represent the entire gay culture anymore than ‘Lil Wayne and his sagging pants represent all African-Americans.
The media is responsible for throwing all gays into the same basket. But guess what, just because a man prefers a man to a woman doesn’t mean he'd necessarily want to put on a dress and just because he likes to wear a dress doesn't mean he prefers the company of butch women and not all lesbians want to assume the role of a man...diversity. Not all gay teens can relate to effeminate bitchy queens and a more balanced and positive portrayal of gays in the media should be demanded. It’s easier to laugh at an African-American gay man wearing heels and carrying a purse yet these images send a message to our youth and bullies that being gay is wrong and something to laugh at. No matter what anyone may tell you words hurt and the images conjured up with hateful speech are meant to brutalize. Anyone who has ever been called a sissy or a faggot can attest to that.
Believe it or not there are gay men and women who lead normal lives, get up and go to work each day and maintain healthy enduring relationships and these are the images to which our youth, straight and gay need to be exposed, if for no other reason than to combat the sense of helplessness and feeling lost and alone. I’ve been there and I know that feeling of insecurity and desperation and believe me, without the proper support group or positive role models, it often times leads one to prefer suicide as an option to living.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Really Delusional Housewives of Atlanta
Ok so the really bitchy, low class, ghetto acting, embarrassing and from what I can tell only two of which are actually married, Real Housewives of Atlanta are back and just as tacky as ever. And I gotta say over the break someone should have purchased a Rosetta Stone English CD for NeNe as a matter of fact for the entire cast, “get ya finga out ma face”… Really? At any rate things haven’t changed much for the girls from the ATL. Sheree is still in a fantasy world regarding her ability to do anything of substance and says that now acting is her passion (what happened to She by Sheree?) NeNe is still a big bully or as Kim likes to call her a big moose, and speaking of Kim not only is she still trailer park trashy she apparently is now “gay for pay” and Kandi still looks like she doesn’t belong on the show. However I’m convinced she is the only one capable of taking on NeNe and I look forward to her one day whooping the big broad’s ass and I gotta ask, are we sure NeNe isn’t a drag queen? I mean have you seen the size of those feet and I could swear I caught her act at the Catch One circa 1996. There are two new members of the cast but we have only met one so far. She’s a pregnant attorney married to an ex convict and says things like “I want my kids to have traditional names”. Yeah traditional like her name, Phaedra and her husband’s Apollo. She’s convinced he loves her because he signed a prenup… I’m not so sure I’d want this woman in charge of my legal affairs.
So let’s recap episode 1 season 3. Apparently NeNe’s husband has out lasted his usefulness to her. In her mind because of her “celebrity” status she can make money on her own and no longer needs her sugar daddy...or the stripper pole. In typical NeNe fashion she picks a public fight with Dwight and makes a huge scene and thus the famous quote to Dwight, “get ya finga out ma face”...classy. The whole time Kim and Sheree are following behind her instigating...made me want to see someone slap the shit out of both of them. And speaking of Dwight where in the world would this Stunt Queen get $30,000 to give Sheree and another $10,000 for NeNe’s husband? Is he printing his own money with his face on it? Maybe he has one of those money trees I dreamed of as a child. You gotta love when he tore up NeNe’s check and told her he wanted cash, he truly is the definition of a Drama Queen. Something’s obviously up with him and NeNe’s man because Mr. Greg is not as innocent as he wants to appear, he’s hiding something. Kim had a sex talk with her 13 year old daughter and said she hopes her daughter shares her morals and values…Really? Evidently sleeping with married men for money is the height of moral in Kim’s world…and valuable. At any rate someone should teach her daughter how to chew with her mouth closed…disgusting.
As usual Sheree is busy being all kinds of stupid. As previously noted it appears that she has given up on her “passion” of a clothing line and has now focused her attention on her “passion” for acting…and her first Oscar. Yes…Oscar. The woman’s levels of delusion and self importance are unbelievable. How about getting a job to support yourself and your children and by the way how did that eight figure settlement from your ex husband turn out? Someone please let Kandi know that her Fantasia redo hair don’t is not working…just makes her look like she’s trying way too hard. So since the death of her fiancée, she’s decided to try being celibate for a year or celivat as her new boyfriend says. He just wants to ensure that celibacy doesn’t include oral sex to which she quickly agrees. Did we need to know that? And what happened to that new CD of hers? Did it come and go already? So far the role of the new housewife we’ve met, Phaedra, appears to be to trash NeNe and be BFF to Dwight. She grew up with NeNe and it’s apparent that they have some ugly history together, so we may be let in on some dirty little secrets about NeNe but she better watch her back with Dwight and make sure she doesn’t share any of her own secrets with him…lest they become real public. She also has no trouble telling the camera what she’s wearing and how much it cost…again classy.
Congratulations to Dwight as it seems his drama queen antics and permanent residence at the corner of Catty Street and Shady Avenue have landed him a role as an unofficial Atlanta Housewife. Looks like a lot of this season’s drama will revolve around him. Maybe he’ll earn enough money from the show to loan to Sheree to aid in her quest for Oscar gold after which I hear she has plans to find a cure for cancer…just delusional!
So let’s recap episode 1 season 3. Apparently NeNe’s husband has out lasted his usefulness to her. In her mind because of her “celebrity” status she can make money on her own and no longer needs her sugar daddy...or the stripper pole. In typical NeNe fashion she picks a public fight with Dwight and makes a huge scene and thus the famous quote to Dwight, “get ya finga out ma face”...classy. The whole time Kim and Sheree are following behind her instigating...made me want to see someone slap the shit out of both of them. And speaking of Dwight where in the world would this Stunt Queen get $30,000 to give Sheree and another $10,000 for NeNe’s husband? Is he printing his own money with his face on it? Maybe he has one of those money trees I dreamed of as a child. You gotta love when he tore up NeNe’s check and told her he wanted cash, he truly is the definition of a Drama Queen. Something’s obviously up with him and NeNe’s man because Mr. Greg is not as innocent as he wants to appear, he’s hiding something. Kim had a sex talk with her 13 year old daughter and said she hopes her daughter shares her morals and values…Really? Evidently sleeping with married men for money is the height of moral in Kim’s world…and valuable. At any rate someone should teach her daughter how to chew with her mouth closed…disgusting.
As usual Sheree is busy being all kinds of stupid. As previously noted it appears that she has given up on her “passion” of a clothing line and has now focused her attention on her “passion” for acting…and her first Oscar. Yes…Oscar. The woman’s levels of delusion and self importance are unbelievable. How about getting a job to support yourself and your children and by the way how did that eight figure settlement from your ex husband turn out? Someone please let Kandi know that her Fantasia redo hair don’t is not working…just makes her look like she’s trying way too hard. So since the death of her fiancée, she’s decided to try being celibate for a year or celivat as her new boyfriend says. He just wants to ensure that celibacy doesn’t include oral sex to which she quickly agrees. Did we need to know that? And what happened to that new CD of hers? Did it come and go already? So far the role of the new housewife we’ve met, Phaedra, appears to be to trash NeNe and be BFF to Dwight. She grew up with NeNe and it’s apparent that they have some ugly history together, so we may be let in on some dirty little secrets about NeNe but she better watch her back with Dwight and make sure she doesn’t share any of her own secrets with him…lest they become real public. She also has no trouble telling the camera what she’s wearing and how much it cost…again classy.
Congratulations to Dwight as it seems his drama queen antics and permanent residence at the corner of Catty Street and Shady Avenue have landed him a role as an unofficial Atlanta Housewife. Looks like a lot of this season’s drama will revolve around him. Maybe he’ll earn enough money from the show to loan to Sheree to aid in her quest for Oscar gold after which I hear she has plans to find a cure for cancer…just delusional!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Imagination
Imagine growing up in a world where your natural sexual attraction to others is called "sin"! Imagine the toll it takes on self-image and self-esteem. Imagine the little boy or little girl who cried themselves to sleep each night hurting from the taunting and bullying from the other kids because they were different. Imagine awakening everyday and knowing the bigotry you faced yesterday has not gone away and you still have to cope with the same hardships you dealt with before. Imagine having to hide who you are from your coworkers and friends for fear of reprisal. Imagine your family and those dearest to you turning their backs on you and imagine the resulting feelings of isolation, loneliness, hurt and depression... imagine feeling unloved. Imagine wanting to be “normal” and trying to fit in. Imagine finally accepting yourself for who you are and then having to refer to the person you love as your partner or life mate or even roommate. Imagine being a full grown adult capable of making decisions for yourself and then having those decisions made for you by a "moral majority"...Now imagine yourself asking, who would “CHOOSE” such a life?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Mammie Dearest (The Pledge)
Ok, I’ve got a great idea for a movie. An African-American woman is trapped in a loveless marriage to a white collar Black man who beats her, has no Christian values and cheats on her with a woman lacking the same moral values. There is another man, a blue collar worker who believes Jesus Christ is his Lord and savior and is only looking for a good woman to settle down with but she can’t she him through her tear stained eyes. That is until a gun-toting, foul mouthed mammie looking cross-dressing Black man spewing Christian rhetoric dances in to point out the obvious prompting her to fall head over heels in love. Throw in some incest, sexual abuse and a bit of homophobia and we have a great movie, right? Oh wait…Tyler Perry has already done this…like about a hundred times.
There is a scene in Mr. Perry’s current film, “Why Did I Get Married Too”, where Janet Jackson’s character is going through a divorce from her husband and decides to attack his “manhood” by delivering a drag queen stripper cake to him to embarrass him in front of his co-workers. She then taunts him telling him “you want to act like a bitch, ok here’s your bitch”.
This scene is important because it points out Tyler Perry’s exploitation of his audience. He knows he can play to the homophobia of his mostly Black church audience by ridiculing gay men as outrageously feminine freaks that any “moral minded respectable heterosexual” would find an amusing and embarrassing spectacle. The same can be said of his constant use of incest and sexual abuse in his movies as any “Good Christian” can relate to the immorality and sinful behavior of these characters.
Ok so Mr. Perry knows his audience and is probably giving them what they want or at least his idea of faith-based messages (even though the message is somewhat hypocritical coming from a man who dresses in women’s clothing). But what about some positive portrayals of Black men. Even though his audience is all too willing to see them, his portrayal of Black men as incestuous, abusive, Black woman batterers or overtly feminine queens is not only insulting but rather depressing and I for one am sick of it. This man has the power to present images rarely seen onscreen whether it be TV or the movies and both are mediums he controls with his entertainment empire. On TV it’s the same thing. His African-American male characters are shucking and jiving, loud talking, overweight, ignorant ridiculously dressed buffoons. How about some encouraging stories of African-American couples and their families? Not necessarily the Huxtables but we’re not all the Evans clan from the Good Times either. Success does not necessarily breed evil as Mr. Perry’s films suggest. What about some stories featuring positive portrayals of masculine African-American gay men in sustaining relationships which don’t reinforce the homophobia of the black church?
By pandering to the lowest denominator of our culture and offering such a narrow point of view, Tyler Perry presents a disservice to the African-American community as a whole and we deserve so much more. My pledge is to no longer support his films in their current state but realistically, I don’t expect them to change.
There is a scene in Mr. Perry’s current film, “Why Did I Get Married Too”, where Janet Jackson’s character is going through a divorce from her husband and decides to attack his “manhood” by delivering a drag queen stripper cake to him to embarrass him in front of his co-workers. She then taunts him telling him “you want to act like a bitch, ok here’s your bitch”.
This scene is important because it points out Tyler Perry’s exploitation of his audience. He knows he can play to the homophobia of his mostly Black church audience by ridiculing gay men as outrageously feminine freaks that any “moral minded respectable heterosexual” would find an amusing and embarrassing spectacle. The same can be said of his constant use of incest and sexual abuse in his movies as any “Good Christian” can relate to the immorality and sinful behavior of these characters.
Ok so Mr. Perry knows his audience and is probably giving them what they want or at least his idea of faith-based messages (even though the message is somewhat hypocritical coming from a man who dresses in women’s clothing). But what about some positive portrayals of Black men. Even though his audience is all too willing to see them, his portrayal of Black men as incestuous, abusive, Black woman batterers or overtly feminine queens is not only insulting but rather depressing and I for one am sick of it. This man has the power to present images rarely seen onscreen whether it be TV or the movies and both are mediums he controls with his entertainment empire. On TV it’s the same thing. His African-American male characters are shucking and jiving, loud talking, overweight, ignorant ridiculously dressed buffoons. How about some encouraging stories of African-American couples and their families? Not necessarily the Huxtables but we’re not all the Evans clan from the Good Times either. Success does not necessarily breed evil as Mr. Perry’s films suggest. What about some stories featuring positive portrayals of masculine African-American gay men in sustaining relationships which don’t reinforce the homophobia of the black church?
By pandering to the lowest denominator of our culture and offering such a narrow point of view, Tyler Perry presents a disservice to the African-American community as a whole and we deserve so much more. My pledge is to no longer support his films in their current state but realistically, I don’t expect them to change.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
National Treasure
If I walked into Yosemite National Park and dropped a match or if I went to Yellowstone plugged up old faithful then drove to Mount Rushmore and drew a Hitler mustache on George Washington’s face I’d be arrested right? What if I went to Graceland and blew it up? There would be lynch mobs out to get me right? So I ask you, why has an arrest warrant not been issued for Whitney Houston? By spending years in a drug induced haze smoking God knows how much crack or whatever the drug of her choice may be the woman has destroyed the golden voice considered a National Treasure by many. If you haven’t heard or seen the You Tube videos of her shows in Europe or Australia save yourself the heartache. Not only can she no longer hit the notes she doesn’t even sound like the same person.
Now you may say it’s her voice and she has the right to do with it as she pleases but I say she gave up any such rights long ago when she accepted the role of America’s sweetheart. For years Whitney cultivated this wholesome all American girl next door image. Whether true or not this was the image she sold to America and we all bought into it. An image all but destroyed from the moment she met one Bobby Brown. Speaking of Mr. Brown I’m not saying he’s completely at fault as Whitney has a mind of her own but he at least should be charged as an accessory. We should have realized something was wrong when she attempted to rewrite history with her claim of Bobby being the original king of R&B (she should have been incarcerated for that statement alone) or when Diane Sawyer showed up at her house and she made the infamous crack is whack statement. And don’t get me started on her role on that mess of a reality TV show Being Bobby Brown. For whatever reason Whitney cold-heartedly calculated to destroy her image and become the Bonnie to Bobby’s Clyde which was fine and good for gossip and tabloid fodder but then she messed with the voice and folks America, no the world is not having it.
Now she’s decided to clean herself up and she’s out there touring the world with this “new” voice which sounds suspiciously like Louis Armstrong to me. The problem is that although you can change or even clean up your image once you’ve ruined the tool which made you famous there’s nothing left for us to treasure. This newly liberated and recovering Diva, free of Bobby Brown and according to her free of drugs has arrived and people have been treated to a train wreck tour of delays, disappearances and to that voice…no thanks, I prefer my Divas demanding, selfish and outrageous but always possessing the qualities that made them Divas in the first place which in this case would be her voice. And I don’t want excuses, respiratory infections or lengthy wardrobe changes I just want the voice. If I can’t have it live in concert or with newly recorded material I’ll just listen to her classics. But consider this fair warning, if she’s not going to be charged and arrested, the next time you hear what you think is Satchmo wheezing his way through a version of I Will Always Love You, listen closely it’s probably Whitney.
Now you may say it’s her voice and she has the right to do with it as she pleases but I say she gave up any such rights long ago when she accepted the role of America’s sweetheart. For years Whitney cultivated this wholesome all American girl next door image. Whether true or not this was the image she sold to America and we all bought into it. An image all but destroyed from the moment she met one Bobby Brown. Speaking of Mr. Brown I’m not saying he’s completely at fault as Whitney has a mind of her own but he at least should be charged as an accessory. We should have realized something was wrong when she attempted to rewrite history with her claim of Bobby being the original king of R&B (she should have been incarcerated for that statement alone) or when Diane Sawyer showed up at her house and she made the infamous crack is whack statement. And don’t get me started on her role on that mess of a reality TV show Being Bobby Brown. For whatever reason Whitney cold-heartedly calculated to destroy her image and become the Bonnie to Bobby’s Clyde which was fine and good for gossip and tabloid fodder but then she messed with the voice and folks America, no the world is not having it.
Now she’s decided to clean herself up and she’s out there touring the world with this “new” voice which sounds suspiciously like Louis Armstrong to me. The problem is that although you can change or even clean up your image once you’ve ruined the tool which made you famous there’s nothing left for us to treasure. This newly liberated and recovering Diva, free of Bobby Brown and according to her free of drugs has arrived and people have been treated to a train wreck tour of delays, disappearances and to that voice…no thanks, I prefer my Divas demanding, selfish and outrageous but always possessing the qualities that made them Divas in the first place which in this case would be her voice. And I don’t want excuses, respiratory infections or lengthy wardrobe changes I just want the voice. If I can’t have it live in concert or with newly recorded material I’ll just listen to her classics. But consider this fair warning, if she’s not going to be charged and arrested, the next time you hear what you think is Satchmo wheezing his way through a version of I Will Always Love You, listen closely it’s probably Whitney.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
White Washing
When I first heard about the new Arizona immigration law I was appalled. The very idea that an American citizen could be pulled over by a policeman for no reason and forced to provide proof of citizenship is so 1930’s Nazi Germany and even apartheid era South Africa. The weekend the bigoted Governor of Arizona signed this law into effect we had company over and in discussion I was practically alone in my assessment that this law was put in place to target people of color. In support of their argument for this law people trotted out the same old “we gotta do something about all the illegal immigrants” to which I agreed. We need legislation to combat the affects of illegal immigrant on our economy. However, to target someone based on what they look like is out and out racial profiling. And to make it into a law is nothing less than Institutionalized Racial Profiling. How dare they assume that based on someone’s ethnicity they may be in this country illegally and that assumption alone is enough to harass them. You can be sure there will be no stopping of Irish, Italian, German or even Canadian immigrants by Arizona law enforcement. By turning us against each other, white America has succeeded in convincing minorities that we should view one as better than the other. If they start by going after the Latinos, what’s to stop them from targeting us next? Well guess what? That same bigoted racist governor of Arizona just signed another law.
The new law makes it illegal to teach ethnic study courses in Arizona public schools. The reason? State schools chief Tom Horne says these programs teach minorities that they are oppressed by white people…yeah, he actually said that. I don’t know about you but growing up I never needed a special course to teach me of this oppression, I saw it every day and quite frankly I don’t think things have changed all that much so the students of today see it as well. Horne, a Republican running for attorney general, also said that ethnic study programs promote "ethnic chauvinism" and racial resentment toward whites. Where did this man come from?
According to the Tucson Unified School District, which is the main target of Mr. Horne’s attack, they offer specialized courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native-American studies that focus on history and literature and include information about the influence of these particular ethnic groups on American history. But with this new law they will no longer be able to include African-American slavery, the Jim Crow laws of the south, the occupation and eventual conquering of various Native-American tribes, the original Latin-American settlers or the contributions of any of these ethnic groups to the building of this nation. How is this a true teaching of American history? It seems as though the state of Arizona wants to literally “white wash” American history.
This is only the beginning folks and there is definitely a movement taking place. As white Americans face the realization of becoming the minority in this country, they are fighting to maintain political dominance. Just like Nazi Germany this movement targets a popular criticism and builds from there. For the Nazi’s it was the persecution of homosexuals which led to the same for Jews. For the Tea Party and those akin to their ideology it begins with illegal immigration and ethnic studies. Who and what will they target next?
The new law makes it illegal to teach ethnic study courses in Arizona public schools. The reason? State schools chief Tom Horne says these programs teach minorities that they are oppressed by white people…yeah, he actually said that. I don’t know about you but growing up I never needed a special course to teach me of this oppression, I saw it every day and quite frankly I don’t think things have changed all that much so the students of today see it as well. Horne, a Republican running for attorney general, also said that ethnic study programs promote "ethnic chauvinism" and racial resentment toward whites. Where did this man come from?
According to the Tucson Unified School District, which is the main target of Mr. Horne’s attack, they offer specialized courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native-American studies that focus on history and literature and include information about the influence of these particular ethnic groups on American history. But with this new law they will no longer be able to include African-American slavery, the Jim Crow laws of the south, the occupation and eventual conquering of various Native-American tribes, the original Latin-American settlers or the contributions of any of these ethnic groups to the building of this nation. How is this a true teaching of American history? It seems as though the state of Arizona wants to literally “white wash” American history.
This is only the beginning folks and there is definitely a movement taking place. As white Americans face the realization of becoming the minority in this country, they are fighting to maintain political dominance. Just like Nazi Germany this movement targets a popular criticism and builds from there. For the Nazi’s it was the persecution of homosexuals which led to the same for Jews. For the Tea Party and those akin to their ideology it begins with illegal immigration and ethnic studies. Who and what will they target next?
Monday, May 10, 2010
A Conversation
My boss just copied me on an email he sent out. The email reads “Obituary, Born 1776, died 2008” and shows a picture of the United States embossed with RIP and President Obama dressed as the Grim Reaper. The email goes on to blame President Obama for all of America’s current woes and includes the following “facts”:
Number of States won by: Obama: 19 McCain: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million
McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Obama: 13.2 McCain: 2.1
It also states the following:
"In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."
I should state that my boss is a White man and although I have always been aware of his conservative politics we’ve enjoyed an amicable relationship. Still, I’m confused as to why he would include me in this email and I’m pissed off because now I have to have a “conversation” with him. Perhaps it was a mistake and I shouldn’t have been included at all and when I speak with him he may be totally surprised that I received the email. But what if he sent it on purpose? As I stated before I’ve always been aware of his point of view as he has been quite vocal of his displeasure with President Obama, illegal immigrants and any Liberal minded views. In fact we did have a conversation during the election of 2008 where he made it very clear how he felt about Democrats in general and I was sure I made my views clear as well. But afterwards I chose to ignore him and now I’ve begun to question myself…have I gone soft?
By not wanting to rock the boat have I in some way given this man the idea that I agree with him or he can say or do anything he wants around me? What if somehow in all my years of working in Corporate America I have become complacent let down my guard and allowed others to view me as insignificant or not see me at all? I’m not saying I should go all Huey Newton on the man but if in my efforts to maintain a cordial working environment I have in anyway contributed to this perhaps I need to be more vocal. Like I said earlier, my boss and I enjoy a great relationship in fact this is my second time working for him. But what if he’s some closet racist who sends out those bigoted cartoons and depictions of President Obama as Hitler and the devil? What if this man is not only conservative but also secretly a White Supremacist? How well do I really know him, I mean these emails may have been going on for some time before I was included, right? The end of the email instructs you to “pass this along to help everyone realize how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.” Who exactly is everyone and what is at stake? Sounds like Tea Party speech to me. Have I somehow become privy to what goes on inside this movement?
Whatever, the fact is like I said earlier, I need to have a “conversation” with the man.
Number of States won by: Obama: 19 McCain: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million
McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Obama: 13.2 McCain: 2.1
It also states the following:
"In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."
I should state that my boss is a White man and although I have always been aware of his conservative politics we’ve enjoyed an amicable relationship. Still, I’m confused as to why he would include me in this email and I’m pissed off because now I have to have a “conversation” with him. Perhaps it was a mistake and I shouldn’t have been included at all and when I speak with him he may be totally surprised that I received the email. But what if he sent it on purpose? As I stated before I’ve always been aware of his point of view as he has been quite vocal of his displeasure with President Obama, illegal immigrants and any Liberal minded views. In fact we did have a conversation during the election of 2008 where he made it very clear how he felt about Democrats in general and I was sure I made my views clear as well. But afterwards I chose to ignore him and now I’ve begun to question myself…have I gone soft?
By not wanting to rock the boat have I in some way given this man the idea that I agree with him or he can say or do anything he wants around me? What if somehow in all my years of working in Corporate America I have become complacent let down my guard and allowed others to view me as insignificant or not see me at all? I’m not saying I should go all Huey Newton on the man but if in my efforts to maintain a cordial working environment I have in anyway contributed to this perhaps I need to be more vocal. Like I said earlier, my boss and I enjoy a great relationship in fact this is my second time working for him. But what if he’s some closet racist who sends out those bigoted cartoons and depictions of President Obama as Hitler and the devil? What if this man is not only conservative but also secretly a White Supremacist? How well do I really know him, I mean these emails may have been going on for some time before I was included, right? The end of the email instructs you to “pass this along to help everyone realize how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.” Who exactly is everyone and what is at stake? Sounds like Tea Party speech to me. Have I somehow become privy to what goes on inside this movement?
Whatever, the fact is like I said earlier, I need to have a “conversation” with the man.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Pointless
Last weekend at the same time as the historic passing of President Obama’s Healthcare legislation something ugly was happening on the streets of our nation’s capitol as once again the Tea Party was on display brandishing their true colors proving the movement is full of racist homophobes. Crowds of angry Tea Baggers gathered outside the capital building in protest as the voting took place and taunted congressional representatives with verbal racial and homophobic slurs. House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina and Georgia Congressman John Lewis were called niggers. Protestors spit on Illinois Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who is openly gay, was called a faggot as the crowd of protesters erupted in laughter.
So what was the response from the Republican lawmakers who invited and incited these rabid protestors? They say they are isolated incidents…Hunh?? Isolated incidents, no condemnation for their actions, no apologies for their racist bigoted behavior and no denouncement of their vile acts. Instead out of fear of alienating these lunatics, which they plan on using in this years upcoming congressional races, they chose to defend them. California Republican Congressman Devin Nunes said, “Yeah, well I think that when you use totalitarian tactics, people, you know, begin to act crazy”. I assume he uses Totalitarian to mean majority rules and as a slight against the Democrats who lead both houses. Funny how this rule doesn’t apply when the majority decides to deny basic human rights to a group of minorities by passing Proposition 8 in his home state. Republican Congressman Steve King from Iowa stated, “I just don’t think it’s anything” and “There are a lot of places in this country that I couldn’t walk through. I wouldn’t live to get to the other end of it.” So because he’s apparently afraid to walk through Watts, United States Congressmen should buck up and take it on the chin when protestors spit on them and use racial and homophobic epithets.
The truth is these Tea Party demonstrators who claim they are energized in protest of government spending did not become energized until a Black man came to the White House. Where were they when the Bush administration was spending billions of dollars on a made up war? In fact the bill will reduce the Federal deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years. The irony is that a great majority of these protestors will in fact benefit from Healthcare legislation and will not be affected by the increase in taxes. I doubt that very many of them earn over $200,000 a year. A lot of these protestors who have been denied insurance based on pre-existing conditions will now become eligible to receive healthcare. And from the looks of the crowd of mostly seniors, they will now benefit additionally from the legislation. So what was the point of this protest and what of all things Obama will they choose to target next?
So what was the response from the Republican lawmakers who invited and incited these rabid protestors? They say they are isolated incidents…Hunh?? Isolated incidents, no condemnation for their actions, no apologies for their racist bigoted behavior and no denouncement of their vile acts. Instead out of fear of alienating these lunatics, which they plan on using in this years upcoming congressional races, they chose to defend them. California Republican Congressman Devin Nunes said, “Yeah, well I think that when you use totalitarian tactics, people, you know, begin to act crazy”. I assume he uses Totalitarian to mean majority rules and as a slight against the Democrats who lead both houses. Funny how this rule doesn’t apply when the majority decides to deny basic human rights to a group of minorities by passing Proposition 8 in his home state. Republican Congressman Steve King from Iowa stated, “I just don’t think it’s anything” and “There are a lot of places in this country that I couldn’t walk through. I wouldn’t live to get to the other end of it.” So because he’s apparently afraid to walk through Watts, United States Congressmen should buck up and take it on the chin when protestors spit on them and use racial and homophobic epithets.
The truth is these Tea Party demonstrators who claim they are energized in protest of government spending did not become energized until a Black man came to the White House. Where were they when the Bush administration was spending billions of dollars on a made up war? In fact the bill will reduce the Federal deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years. The irony is that a great majority of these protestors will in fact benefit from Healthcare legislation and will not be affected by the increase in taxes. I doubt that very many of them earn over $200,000 a year. A lot of these protestors who have been denied insurance based on pre-existing conditions will now become eligible to receive healthcare. And from the looks of the crowd of mostly seniors, they will now benefit additionally from the legislation. So what was the point of this protest and what of all things Obama will they choose to target next?
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