Category: Uncategorized

I would like to correct the previous post which indicates that none of the students had records as I have found out that Mychal Bell was convicted as a juvenile of battery. Will look into this, but I still believe that to charge the youths as adults for attempted murder initially was excessive.

This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but here it is a day late.

Feeling good to be a Black woman today!
The end of the day has finally arrived! Thank you Jesus! As I hop into my black SUV the late summer sun is beaming and the thermostat reads a whopping 85, which explains why I’m feeling all sticky right now. I tune into the Michael Baisden show on WZAK FM 93.1 and immediately my state of discomfort is washed away as I listen to the brothers talking about the march and rally planned for the next day in Jena, LA. The sun shining down on me as become the beacon and ray of hope in my world as I smile with deep pride.
Not since the Million Man March have I felt such a deep pride in my brothers and sisters, particularly the younger set. My emotions are heightened, but at the same time I’m kicking myself for not being in a position to make that journey – this is history in the making! Many people were still making light of the situation and straddling fences, but I knew deep within my being that the BROTHERS would step up in LARGE numbers to bring attention to one of the many injustices leveled against my people on a daily basis.
Fast forward to this morning. Every morning I awaken to the sounds of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and today was no different than any other except I also turned on the television to see if the majority media had decided this was a story WORTHY of their coverage. I was pleasantly surprised to see NBC and CNN with reporters on scene reporting back that the buses were rolling in large numbers.
I proudly donned by black apparel in support of the Jena 6 and began my short commute to work. In route I tuned into the Russ Parr Morning Show and caught Rev. Jesse Jackson’s interview. Arriving at work I was pleased to see that many of my co-workers had also donned black in support of the Jena 6 and there was a buzz in the air as everyone wanted to know, “Have you heard anything, has the march started?”
Tuning into to cnn.com we were able to keep an ear and eye on the activities during the day and to see the masses gathered took me back to October 16, 1995 and the bubbling joy I felt as I traveled I-76 to the nation’s capital in a sea of black.
As I wallow in joy this evening my hope is that the Movement continues. I continue to discount the naysayers who have claimed “these were bad boys – they have records.” Well if that were the case I’m sure this would be plastered across the television, newspapers and the blogsphere!
Do I support the act of violence that landed these young men in jail? No, violence is not the answer, but over zealous prosecution is not either! If high school brawls were subject to this type of prosecution across the board we would have a lot of vacant high schools.
I applaud Michael Baisden, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tom Joyner, Ice Cube, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the countless others who stood up for injustice! It warms my heart to see that so many of our young people have found something that they can come together on.
Take the spirit, energy and conviction for right and wrong to your hometowns, schools and communities and let’s show the world that we are strong and committed race of people who will no longer settle for what is offered and will stand up when we know that our rights have been trampled on!

The poem below was read on the Michael Baisden sydincated talk show on Monday. At the tender age of 16, Yvonne Espinoza offers keen insight into the violence that continues to rage through our communities. As you read try to imagine the heartfelt plea she offered on the radio. With strong conviction, passion and anger Yvonne recited this poem through tear filled eyes. I hope this moves you and prompts some dialouge in your community.

Violent
By Yvonne Espinoza

We’re violent because this is all we know
You taught us this along time ago
We’re violent because you made us this way
You beat us naked, you hung our people,
Raped our kids and stripped us of our pride
And you now wanna ask why?
Give us a reason not to be
You can’t, it’s impossible

Because to give us a reason, you’d have to right all the wrong you’ve done
But you can’t and if you could then
You’ve only just begun
You’d have to beg for mercy, plead and cry
You’d have to feel the pain we felt
The pain that took lives

You go through the hardships,
The trials and tribulations,
The suffering, the heartache, the dying babies
You sit on a boat full of hundreds of sick,
Old people living to die
How about you dance to make money
Look ignorant on t.v.
Go to jail for nothing
Harassed because others don’t like what they see

Have your people get beat to death
By those who get paid to protect
You eat trash to survive
How about you watch your people and babies die
Get sold for a dime
Kill themselves because they don’t want to live this life

We went through it then and we go through it now
And you know it’s true, and you still ask why?
How dare you have the audacity
Who made you king?

Despite common belief and despite what you think
There is only one king, one God
And he walks with me, with us
The ones who were forced to live in grief
Who were cut, killed, raped and beat
Like animals, brainwashed to think like you

You hacked away, pulled and dragged us down
Until we didn’t want to be Black or Brown
We didn’t want to be Colored or Negroes
We wanted to be High, Suddity, White Folk
We though if we looked, smelled, and act like you
We could live a regular life, and though we tried
You still continued to beat and lay us out
To hang us from our necks, to laugh at our bodies

You could never blame us for being this way
Because you taught us violence
So how dare you think of forming any kind of alliance
Now we know that two wrongs don’t make a right
But since we have none,
Why should we spare your life?

It’s your fault for all of this
And if you didn’t teach us violence
Then who did?
It couldn’t have been us
Because, remember, we’re ignorant!

You should be careful what you say
Because your words have power
Say it enough and it’ll come true…
I know you’ve heard of karma
God have mercy on you.

Here are a few events over the past week that caught my attention:

Grammy’s slam Bush!
Now I had heard all about the controversy with the Dixie Chicks – you know the ladies who were ashamed to say the Prez was from their home state. Well after making that off-color (to some) remark about our leader the ladies were booed, threatened and their records sales plummeted. That was two years ago. Fast forward and the ladies put together a nice little ditty “Not Ready to Make Nice” in response to the backlash they received and what do you know they ended up taking home five Grammy’s including Record of the Year for the above referenced song!

Mary J shines at Grammy’s
Mary J. Blige was also a big winner at the Grammy’s and she offered up some powerful performances to boot! Go Mary!
She put her heart and soul into this performance!

What’s Up with Hardaway?
If this was not putting the proverbial foot in one’s mouth I don’t know what is. Really! Was it necessary to rant about a situation that no longer affects you? Men and I believe black men especially can be so homophobic! Now Hardaway is loosing money because of hateful comments. One day people will learn to think what they want and speak lightly – there is no need to be so mean spirited particularly as an African American.
At the same time Amaechi needs to keep it real too! During an interview on the TJMS he purports that he was never excited or felt any stirrings for any of the players he worked with because he was at work. PUHLEEZE!! Give me a break. Everyone has experienced the hots or just looked at someone while on the job and thought “Uhm Uhm Uhm that’s a fine specimen” be you male, female, hetro, homo or bisexual. That’s just a fact of nature.
It is unfortunate that we as a people and country can not separate what someone does in the privacy of their homes and who that person is as an individual.

What a week this has been! We had an official snowstorm Tuesday into Wednesday that left the City blanketed in snow that will not go anywhere soon because of frigid temperatures. Last night it was -4! Because of this storm Cupid had a difficult time delivering many Valentine’s to his sweeties either because the delivery truck couldn’t navigate the streets or Sweetie didn’t make it into the office.
Well Cupid didn’t have any problems finding me! I was treated to a romantice meal at Roy’s Place! As you can see from the photo, my Cupid went all out! The most spectacular part of the evening was the fact that Mr. Wonderful prepared the meal himself (with a little help from a friend) and oh, was it scrumptious! The menu consisted of:

• Butternut Squash Soup with shrimp
• Three Greens salad w/raisins, bacon bits, cucumber & carrots (ugh!)
• Broiled Lobster Tail
• Steak

Now to truly understand the importance of this meal you need to learn a little more about Mr. Wonderful. First off, he doesn’t cook, which has been a small sore spot in our relationship for the last seventeen years. I’m of the belief that any human being above the age of 8 who needs to eat should learn how to cook. Cooking is a survival tool!
Also, the last 10 or so months have been tenuous at best in our household and the need for some romance and WE time was overdue!
On the bright side, throughout the years Mr. Wonderful has usually been a true romantic. You don’t have to remind him about anniversaries, birthdays because he is always trying to come up with something a little different and the element of surprise. The latter is usually difficult because he has a former reporter for a wife and I love to sniff out a good story – even if I’m the main character.
Valentine’s Day is extra special for us because it marks the first date and the beginning of the journey leading us to today.
In summary for the second year in a row, Mr. Wonderful has come through with a great Valentine’s/Anniversary gift. The cutie to the right is a “mini-me” of Mr. Wonderful and represents Valentine’s 06.