The Race for the White House

The race to the White House has gotten a little testy of late, but I’m going to hold off a lot of real comment pending further research.
What I can say is that the discourse over the last 14 days or so as been brilliant if you are a member of the Bush White House because conversation has left the economy and the War in Iraq as we have focused on whether Hillary is strong enough, Barack is “black” enough and whether Bill is “as black as Obama”!
Give me a break! Hillary’s crying game (well, almost crying game) offended me as a woman! If we are to show men that we are just as competent as they are and more importantly – if we are to prove to this nation that a woman can run the show, her antics have set us back.
It’s almost like the adage that black children have been raised with all of there lives – you have to be twice as smart and work twice as hard to achieve in this world. In the case of Senator Clinton she must – to take a phrase from Minister Louis Farrakhan – have the testicular fortitude to stand up to whatever is dished out!
The statement that galled me the most was from Andrew Young when he professed that former President Bill Clinton was “as black as Obama”. What! Here you have one of the leaders of the Civil Rights movement proclaiming that this son of Arkansas is as black as Barack Obama – a true African-American!
The conversations in offices around this country have steered away from what is most important and that is where do these two candidates stand on the issues that are plaguing this country. We have been in a near recession longer than we haven’t, but this is not at the forefront of conversation! Children and seniors are still dying because they can not afford health care and daily we have soldiers dying in a war that will never end!
Let’s get this never ending campaign back on track. Let’s debate the issues relevant to the strength and vitality of this nation and not the sidebars that do little more than to continue the divisiveness we have known for too long.

Still Missing You


It’s been a year and I still find myself picking up the telephone to call you about something outrageous I just heard, saw or read. I have gone as far as picking up the telephone and starting to dial before something, and sometimes I really think it’s you giving me a look like – O. K. get it together I’m not there.
The tears have subsided although today they were trying hard to appear. When I get sad I think about some of the happier times when we were doubled over with laughter and I say to myself “I miss you, but you’re in a better place.”
As I’m writing this I can’t help but think of the time we went on the Haunted Hayride – that was a blast, especially the loud protests from Keith!
Your family placed an “In Memoriam” ad in the paper today – you would have liked it. It was probably one of your best pictures albeit not one of the “glamour” shots, but the message was so fitting – you are missed by so many and that’s a good thing because it means you had a positive impact on the many lives you touched.
If Heaven is anything like we imagine it, I’m sure you’re busy working on some project with Darryl and Gerald or maybe you’ve joined John in spreading the good news in Heaven.
You know, when I think about it – 2006-2007 wasn’t a good year for those of us left here on earth with respect to loosing those we loved and/or admired. When I think about it, within the span of about what – nine months I experienced the deaths of a number of people. I remember when Gerald died – you were sick, but at that time I couldn’t even imagine that two short months later you, too would be gone. When I heard the news I picked up the phone and called you and you confirmed that it was indeed true.
While you’re up there keeping an eye on things down here, pay special attention over the next couple of months as we try to pull this wedding together. I’ve got to get the invitations just right for Thed and Billy so send me some inspiration.
Missing you, my sister, friend.

Osiyo Gone – Oh No!

In a post I haven’t quite completed I tell of the New Year doldrums – well they just got exponentially greater! My sister called to tell me that our favorite tea house – Osiyo on Cedar Rd. in Cleveland Heights is no more! I am devastated!
Just the other day I was checking my tea supply and noting what I needed to pick up. My plan was to run by tomorrow and pick up some Dream of Angels and King’s Blend. What am I to do now?
If you never had the pleasure to visit Osiyo you missed a great little spot. Upon entering this storefront on busy Cedar Road the noise and traffic were quickly left behind. The room was dark and cozy with several quaint seating areas for couples or groups. On two occasions our book club “The Literary Sistas” held our Saturday evening gathering at Osiyo.
The staff and ownership were wonderful! Thinking Osiyo was Japanese, we were all surprised when the owner – heaven knows I don’t recall his name, but he was a very charming older gentleman, explained to us that it was actually an Indian name.
On a couple of occasions I just stopped in for a cup of tea and the opportunity to do some writing in a quiet place.
To see just how quaint this tea house was, stop by here.
I never ventured upstairs to see the antiques, but the tea accessories were great! If anyone knows what came of this wonderful little spot, please let me know. Also, if you know of a great little tea house in the Cleveland area I need to know that too!

Urban Decay-The Decline of the Inner City

It was with great interest that I read the feature “Can We Save Our Neighborhoods?” in the Plain Dealer today. The focus was the rise and fall of Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood over the last 70 years and how this community’s roller coaster status is reflective of the entire city and region.
I found the article to accurately reflect the trends in this metropolitan area, but what continues to be missing from articles of this nature are answers to the deeper sociological questions. Why did one lot of people in large numbers develop or react to dire straits in such hard and callous ways?
Many scholars and experts will take you back to the Middle Passage and slavery, but that appears to be the simple and easy response. If in fact all problems were rooted in slavery – why then have some descendants excelled and others have not? Wouldn’t this theory impact each descendant in the same way?
Well of course not! Just look around you and you will find siblings who share the same DNA, same developmental environment, but have extreme outcomes on both ends of the spectrum. During a conversation not long ago – one of Cleveland’s “movers and shakers” further simplified the source of urban decay when he said, “It’s poverty. The lack of jobs has led to an indifference.” I would disagree that this represents the totality of the problem. Blacks have been impoverished since the Middle Passage, yet many have found a way out of poverty. Those that did not find a way out of poverty had something more purposeful and that was pride. With that sense of pride was also a faith in something larger than themselves and an abiding hope for a better tomorrow.
What are your thoughts on the decline of the inner city? Respond to the poll on the right as we continue this discussion.
Also check out the “backstory” on this issue. The Plain Dealer has presented a full multi-media package on this issue and it can be found here.

Fire Safety & Winter Cold Spells

As the mercury drops residents of the midwest and northeast portions of the country are fighting to stay warm and often the measures they take are fatal.
In just that last two weeks, Clevelanders have heard horrific tales of house fires as a result of electric space heaters or other such devices to keep their homes safe. The most tragic was the story of the three sisters who succumbed after their home went up in flames as a result of a problem with an electric baseboard heating system.
These tragedies have prompted me to ask all to become more familiar with these devices before using them in your homes, and to take all necessary precautions to prevent these scenes from repeating themselves.
For more information on electric space heaters and safety check out the site referenced here.
Our prayers and condolences are offered to the Ogbuji family as they continue to mourn their loss. A fund has been established in the memory of the girls at KeyBank.